“You don’t believe he hates you now...”

“I do.”

“Have you ever tried to talk to him about the past?”

“No. I’m sure he doesn’t want to remember those days any more than I do.”

“It’s hard for people to move on if you don’t address the problem. Get it out in the open. Maybe if you told him you regret not being kinder, and you’re sorry if you hurt him in any way, he’d forgive you, and you two could be friends. You essentially grew up together. It seems like you should be friends.”

Marlow let her breath seep out in a long sigh as she considered Claire’s response. That would mean confronting the past. Bringing up an awkward topic. The way he treated her these days—like she was anathema to him—she couldn’t imagine he’d have any more interest in doing that than she would.

Or...was she just providing herself with a convenient excuse not to do the right thing? She’d always been too proud for her own good. “I do owe him an apology,” she admitted, finally acknowledging the truth.

Claire nudged her with an elbow. “Then give him one.”

Copyright © 2022 by Brenda Novak, Inc.

Booklist

Also by Brenda Novak

WHEN I FOUND YOU

THE BOOKSTORE ON THE BEACH

A CALIFORNIA CHRISTMAS

ONE PERFECT SUMMER

CHRISTMAS IN SILVER SPRINGS

UNFORGETTABLE YOU

BEFORE WE WERE STRANGERS

RIGHT WHERE WE BELONG

UNTIL YOU LOVED ME

NO ONE BUT YOU

FINDING OUR FOREVER

THE SECRETS SHE KEPT

A WINTER WEDDING

THE SECRET SISTER

THIS HEART OF MINE

THE HEART OF CHRISTMAS

COME HOME TO ME

TAKE ME HOME FOR CHRISTMAS

HOME TO WHISKEY CREEK

WHEN SUMMER COMES

WHEN SNOW FALLS

WHEN LIGHTNING STRIKES

IN CLOSE

IN SECONDS

INSIDE

KILLER HEAT

BODY HEAT

WHITE HEAT

THE PERFECT MURDER

THE PERFECT LIAR

THE PERFECT COUPLE

WATCH ME

STOP ME

TRUST ME

DEAD RIGHT

DEAD GIVEAWAY

DEAD SILENCE

COLD FEET

TAKING THE HEAT

EVERY WAKING MOMENT

Look for Brenda Novak’s next novel

SUMMER ON THE ISLAND

available soon from MIRA.