“I don’t know him well,” Faith murmured. “Only through Mer. But she thinks the sun rises and sets with him.”

He’s a good, good man. “I know.” Dani wasn’t sure which thing she was referring to—that Mer liked him or that Diesel was a good, good man. Both.

“How did you fuck it up, Dani?”

“I pushed him away. Too many times. I guess he finally believed me.”

Another pregnant pause. “Did you believe you?”

That was a damn good question. “I don’t know. I wanted to believe me. I wanted to believe that I wanted the best for him.”

Faith’s next pause held confusion. So did her voice. “That’s not you?”

Dani laughed bitterly. “That is so not me.”

“Okay, then. I think this is a bit more complicated than I thought. Tell me why you think you’re not good for him. And if it’s just him or anyone.”

Dani glanced at Faith from the corner of her eye, appreciation momentarily overriding her misery. “You’re really good.”

Faith’s lips twitched. “I have a little experience on the workings of the Novak mind. You didn’t answer my question.”

Dani forced herself to consider it, because she didn’t want to answer. “Anyone. Especially him.”

“Honest, at least,” Faith murmured. “The ‘anyone’ will take some time. Why especially Diesel? What makes you not the best person for him?”

“Because he’s so nice,” Dani snapped, suddenly angry. Who with, she had no idea. Liar. It’s you. You’re mad at yourself. The sudden burst of fury seeped away like a rapidly leaking balloon. “He’s patient and kind and he helps people.”

“So do you. Why aren’t you the best person for him?”

“He’s worshipped me for a year and a half. Put me on a pedestal.”

“That’s hard to live up to. But why are you not the best person for him?”

“He . . .” Dani swallowed hard, remembering his expression as he’d held a sobbing Michael, just hours before. “He opens his heart. For anyone to hurt.”

“You think you’ll hurt him.”

“I already have,” Dani whispered, then cleared her throat. “I’ve gotten too used to being alone the last few years. I wouldn’t be good company.”

“Oh, Dani.” Faith’s words were sweet and full of caring and made Dani want to cry again. “You haven’t been alone for a few years. You’ve been alone since you were sixteen years old.”

Dani blinked, sending new tears down her face. “What?”

“You’ve been alone since your mother and Bruce died. Since Deacon went away to college, leaving you alone with Greg.”

“Deacon didn’t leave me alone,” Dani declared, shocked out of her tears. “I was with Jim and Tammy.”

Faith’s gaze was pointed. “Like I said—alone. Did you cry back then, Dani? After your mom and Bruce died and Deacon left for school?”