“Brooke, listen to me.” Tim squeezes my hand as he looks me right in the eyes. “I haven’t seen you in ten years. In that time, I’ve dated a fair number of girls. But it never worked out—it couldn’t. And it was all because I couldn’t stop thinking about you. Anyone else I dated, it wouldn’t be fair to them.” His Adam’s apple bobs. “I’ll never feel about anyone else the way I feel about you.”

I might cry. It’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me. Tim is so sweet and sexy and he’s great to my kid. I should be throwing myself into his arms, and just thank my lucky stars.

But for some reason, I can’t turn off Shane Nelson’s voice inside my head.

Stay away from Tim Reese. He’s dangerous.

Please, Brooke.

It’s ridiculous, of course. I knew it when he was saying it, and I know it now. But I can’t shake the feeling that this has worked out just a little too well. That Tim is just a little too perfect. Especially for someone like me.

“Brooke?” Tim is frowning. “Look, I don’t want to pressure you. If you don’t want this, we can pretend it never happened. If you just want to be friends, that’s fine. I mean, it’s not fine. It would completely suck. But—”

“Shut up,” I say. I’m not sure if I’m saying it to Tim or to Shane’s voice in my head. But it doesn’t matter. “You’re right.”

A smile creeps back across his face. “I am? About what?”

“Not being together would completely suck.”

I grab him by his shirt and pull his lips onto mine. He kisses me back just as eagerly. And all the while, I ignore the tiniest hint of sandalwood clinging to the collar of his shirt.

Chapter 28

ELEVEN YEARS EARLIER

Tim hates Shane. He thinks I should break up with him. But what he’s accusing Shane of is a step beyond that. He’s accusing my boyfriend of murder.

“Tim,” I whisper, “are you saying you think Shane…?”

Tim’s eyes flash as the room briefly glows from a flash of lightning. “It’s his house. If anyone were going to plan it…”

“Why would he do that though?”

“Why would he beat up some innocent kid? Because he’s a terrible person. That’s what I’ve been telling you, Brooke.”

My legs feel rubbery beneath me. Shane isn’t a terrible person. Tim doesn’t know him the way I do. If he had been in the bedroom and seen how sweet and caring and loving Shane was, he wouldn’t be saying that. Shane would never hurt anybody. “Why would he kill Brandon? Brandon is his best friend.”