“And I desperately wanted to blame you for not being straight with me, for everything that happened, for my sister’s death, for all of it. You know, just call you the bad guy and file it away forever. But . . .” She let out her breath. “I was wrong.” She hesitated, one thumb nervously rubbing her forefinger. “And I’ve done some major soul-searching and yeah, some counseling. Even shrinks have shrinks, you know, and I think . . . Dear Lord, I hope I’m getting past it.”

“Just like that?”

“No, not just like that.” She shook her head, her hair highlighted by the late-afternoon sun. “It took a while.” She sighed and nodded, agreeing with herself. “And I was pretty awful to you.”

“You were. But maybe I deserved it.”

“No one does. I was just lashing out. Stupidly and I’m sorry. Life’s too short, you know, for carrying around all that negative energy.” She shoved her hair from her face. Her eyes clouded for a second, and she closed them, as if she suddenly doubted her reasons for coming out here and needed to gather her strength.

“And?” he prodded.

“And—” Her eyes opened again. Clear once more. A smile toyed at the corners of her mouth and she seemed calmer. “Look, I’d really like to start over, get to know you.” She rolled those expressive eyes and sighed. “Sounds corny, I know, but I believe in saying what I think.”

“I remember. Direct.”

“Yeah, and so I have a confession.”

“You do?”

“Mmm. You might not believe this,” she said, her cheeks turning pink, “and I hate to admit it, but the truth is I had a major crush on you in high school.”

“I know.”

“You know?” Her smile fell away. “Are you kidding me, Bridges? I bare my soul, make this big proclamation, and you say you know?”

“Yep.” The breeze ruffled her hair and played with her skirt. He tried not to notice.

“Okay . . . so, with the whole Arianna thing, it was too much, that you knew how she died and you had an affair with her . . . and see how complicated it is? I don’t want to dwell on it anymore.” Her gaze was suddenly tentative. “And the thing is, as I said, I want to start this, thing between us, whatever it is,” she made a gesture from her to him and back, “over again.”

“Really?” He found it hard to believe. Damned hard after the way she’d reacted to him when he’d finally told her the truth.

“That’s all you’ve got to say?”

“I’m just surprised.”

“So you don’t want to?”

“No, no. Of course I do,” he admitted and took a step closer to her. She didn’t back away and he figured that was a positive sign. “But I’ve got to warn you.”

“Warn me?”

“It might be dangerous.”

“How’s that?”