He’d done it because he could.

How such a sociopathic freak had been an A-plus businessman was beyond me.

But he had been. The best. Big shoes for me to fill.

The thought made me nauseated all over again. I was a week in, and I still had no clue what I was doing. Thank God for Reid.

Reid. He was so misguided. He’d called Riley a spoiled brat, for God’s sake. In his mind she was, just taking off whenever she wanted, everything else be damned. Maybe it was time to tell him the truth. Tell him why I’d really been sent away.

It all sat on the tip of my tongue…

But it was Riley’s story to tell. Not mine.

“Listen,” I finally said to Reid. “We’ll figure this all out. Roy knows something, and we’ll have to get him to tell us. But I’m absolutely sure he had nothing to do with Dad’s death.”

“I’m sure too,” Reid agreed.

“Then tell the detective to go fuck himself. If he wants information from Roy, he can go to Roy. If he wants information from me, he can wait until I get back to town.”

“Good enough,” Reid said. “Sorry to bug you on a Saturday morning, bro. Have a nice time.”

“I’ll try. See you.” I ended the call and returned to the kitchen.

Lacey wasn’t there. Her empty plate was in the sink but her cup was missing. Had she gone to take a shower? No, her hair had been wet when she came in to breakfast. Where was she? This cabin wasn’t that big.

I walked outside in my bare feet. There she was, roaming around the cabin in her jeans and flip flops and sipping her cup of coffee. She looked relaxed. Relaxed and beautiful, as if she belonged here.

But Lacey was a city girl. This was all new to her. Strange, because she looked as at home here as I felt.

If only…

If only we never had to go back. If only we could stay here forever, just the two of us, escape the rat race life of Manhattan.

Why was I thinking in terms of “we”? I was an “I” type of guy. I’d already told Lacey we didn’t have a relationship. Truth was, though, I’d lied to her. Moreover, I’d lied to myself. I wanted to be with her. With Lacey.

She wasn’t as beautiful as Nieves, but Lacey’s allure was inside as well as outside. And she was strong. Strong and brilliant and challenging. All of those virtues added to her simple beauty.

I watched her as she stooped to pick a wildflower. I watched as she brought it to her nose and inhaled. I watched as she tucked it behind her ear.

I watched, mesmerized.