“It’s too early to know,” he finally replied. His eyes returned to hers. “But perhaps... I could.”

There was no holding back the rage now. “So what about me?” she spat. “What about us? What now?”

“Annie, please believe me when I tell you I never meant any of this. When I met you that first night, I thought you so vibrant and alive; it was like a shot of something electric in my veins, and I’ve loved the time we’ve spent together. I really care about you.”

He was breaking her heart while telling her how much he cared? It made no sense to Annie. His kindness in disappointing her was a million times worse than the harshness she’d received all the times before.

“Obviously it wasn’t enough,” she answered bitterly. He didn’t reply. “Not enough to compete with whatever this other girl could give you anyway.”

“She hasn’t given me anything. It’s not like that. I didn’t sleep with her, if that’s what you’re getting at.”

“No, you just slept with me. Multiple times. And now you’re just casting me aside because something better’s caught your eye.”

He didn’t even try to deny that. “I’m sorry. I don’t even know her that well, to be honest. But there’s something there, I’m certain of it. And for that reason alone, I have to be honest with you. I couldn’t live with myself otherwise. I think you know that I’m not the kind of guy to mess people around, or at least, I hope you do.”

“Damn you, Harry,” Annie cried as she marched away down the beach. That was part of the problem. She did know he wasn’t that kind of guy. And because of that, because she knew he was different, she’d purposely held back, treaded carefully, protecting her heart.

And then, just when she’d let her guard down, he’d sucker-punched her.

“Annie, wait—hold on,” he called out, hurrying after her as she raced back up the steps. “That’s another thing I wanted to tell you. My name’s not actually Harry—it’s just what the guys have always called me because of my surname. A nickname.”

She didn’t bother to stop walking. What was the point?

And she had no idea why he was telling this is her now, nor did she care.

Because Annie knew that already; she’d spotted it on his credit card the first night he took her to dinner.

His name wasn’t Harry at all, but Edward—Edward Hargreaves.

Chapter 38

Then

Colette was nervous. Luca said he hadn’t been in touch because he’d been called away on business.

But things had definitely changed. Since that night on the boat, she’d started to have serious doubts about whether he was interested in her or, like Annie said, he was playing her.