“When she found out she got fired, she called me, going ballistic, telling me how she was counting on that job, giving me the whole sob story about being raised in group homes. She got me, Nate. I totally fell for it. I was just looking out for my dad when I made him cancel the interview. I wasn’t trying to ruin her life.” I shrug. “So I figured giving her the money was the least I could do so she could finish school. Figured it would keep her away from my dad too.”

Nate sighs and turns those angry eyes away from me. When they come back, they’re softer, but still wary, hard around the edges. “So you were never gonna kill your dad?”

“We’d been getting so close after Mom died. Then the cancer. He’d finally made it into remission.” My voice breaks, and I take a breath as my body shudders. “I was so happy. I’d already lost one parent. I couldn’t...” I jerk my hand up to fan away the tears from my eyes and take a steadying breath. “The wedding was gonna be a dual celebration. Not just that he’d found love again. That he’d found life again.”

Nate inhales. I watch his broad chest expand. His eyes flash with something like rage, but then he lets out a breath and lowers his head, as though all the fight in him has died.

“Look,” I say, stepping closer to him. “She’s not the girl you thought she was.”

“But why would Brandi kill him?” he says, almost to himself, and for the first time his voice isn’t harsh, only tired, his expression resigned.

I speak softly. “You saw the emails. She couldn’t handle him getting engaged. She wanted him to choose her.” Nate looks like he’s going to argue, then lets out a harsh breath. His face begins to change, and I hurriedly say, “Maybe she did love you at some point. But she fell for my father, and I guess it...consumed her. I don’t think she ever meant to hurt you.”

Nate is silent for a while. He leans against the wall and runs a hand over his face.

I move even closer to him. “I never meant to hurt you, either, Nate.” I whisper it because I’m terrified to say it louder.

He looks at me, but his expression gives away nothing. “Doesn’t change that you did.” His voice is so quiet now, I can barely hear him.

“Honestly.” Honestly. “I never meant to break your heart. I was just young. And stupid. I was so in love with you that—I don’t know—it scared me, I think.” I stop and catch my breath. “I was scared, Nate.”

He shakes his head, like that makes absolutely no sense to him. “Scared of what?”

“Of you. Of us.”