She hadn’t believed him. That was the point. Giving her proof wouldn’t change that. She hadn’t believed in him; hadn’t believed in them. It didn’t matter anymore. His jaw clenched as he tapped out his reply.
There’s no need. It’s all water under the bridge. I can be civil and that’s all that’s necessary, right?
It was only the shock of seeing her so unexpectedly, of having to sit next to her like this that had thrown him. It really was water under the bridge. There was nothing left between them and therefore no reason that he shouldn’t be able to get along with her for whatever Dan needed him to. She was just another woman. There was nothing special about her. He glanced over at her. Well, that was a lie. Even if he’d never laid eyes on her before, he’d say she was special. She was beautiful, a stunner with a body made for … But it didn’t matter if his cock—or his heart—disagreed with his mind. They didn’t get a say in how he lived his life.
I’ll let you be the judge of what’s necessary and what’s sufficient.
Ryan stared at the reply before closing his phone. It was such a Dan thing to say. And it didn’t help. But then when it came to Leanne, nothing did—or probably ever would.
~ ~ ~
Leanne stared at the magazine. She couldn’t see the words. They wouldn’t stay in focus. She turned the page, but only because she didn’t want Ryan to notice that she wasn’t really reading.
She took a sip of her drink. She shouldn’t be drinking. She had to drive up to the lake. She slid a glance at Ryan. He’d have to drive up there, too—assuming that he was going home. That was a weird thought; first, that he even had a home and secondly, that it was in Summer Lake. Neither fact suited him. At least they didn’t suit the Ryan she’d known. But then, she didn’t know him anymore. Hadn’t known him in years. She liked to tell herself that she’d never really known him at all. She just thought she had. Like she’d thought she loved him. Well, she had loved him—loved the man she thought he was. But that wasn’t who he was.
She blew out a sigh and turned to stare out the window. The man she’d thought he was, was the best person she’d ever known. No. She wasn’t going down that road. The man she’d thought he was had been a figment of her imagination—too idealized to exist in the real world.
He was fiddling with his phone. She couldn’t help but notice. His hands were so big. Long, strong fingers … Stop it! She could not allow herself to remember his hands and how they used to feel on her body. She couldn’t go there. Hadn’t allowed herself to go there in years.
What she needed to focus on was the fact that his thumbs were tapping away on his screen and that meant that he must have Wi-Fi. She pulled her own phone out. She wanted to tell Dan that she couldn’t go up there, that she’d just wait at the airport and get the next flight right back to San Francisco.
Once she was connected to the inflight Wi-Fi, she started to tap out a message to that effect and then stopped. Why should she? She’d been looking forward to this visit. Looking forward to seeing Dan and his wife Missy, and to seeing Dan’s cousin, Laura and … well, she never really looked forward to seeing Laura’s husband, Smoke. Smoke didn’t like Leanne much, and to be fair, he had good reason. She pursed her lips. If she wanted to, she could blame Ryan for that whole deal. But she didn’t want to. She wasn’t interested in blaming him for her choices. He might have made her cynical about men and their intentions, but she made her own choices in life and took responsibility for her actions. She’d screwed up with Smoke and Laura, but her intentions had been good.
She looked over her conversation with Dan and then went back through their last email exchange. She’d been so looking forward to this trip, looking forward to working with Dan and the team he was putting together. Was she going to give all that up because of Ryan? Hadn’t she already given up too much because of him?
Her phone buzzed with an incoming message. It was as if Dan could hear what she was thinking.
Talk to me?
She rolled her eyes.
What do you want me to say?
That you’re still coming.
Are you a mind reader?
No. I just know you. But I also know that you want to come, and you want to work with us.
I do. If us means you and the rest of your team and doesn’t include him.
It can.
It has to. Otherwise, I’m not leaving the airport. I’m going to turn around and get the next flight home.
Okay.
Did you get me the info on the car?
I did.
Can I have it?
There was a long pause before he replied.
Are you safe to drive?
She frowned.
How much have you had to drink?
She glanced at the two empty bottles and the tiny bit remaining in her glass.
I’m guessing that your lack of response means more than you should if you’re going to drive up here. So …
She glared at her phone. A nasty sense of foreboding settling in her stomach.
I set up a car and driver. Since I figured you both might need a drink.
Leanne waited. But she already knew what was coming.
The ride up here will give the two of you more time to sort things out. Make your peace with each other.
She loved Dan dearly. He was one of her oldest and closest friends. But right now, he was at the very top of her shit-list and lucky that she couldn’t get her hands on him. She was going to throttle him just as soon as she could.
Talk to me?
She pursed her lips.
I really don’t want to. I’m not sure if I’ll ever want to talk to you again.
You can’t ignore me properly till you’re here. So, are you going to come?
She glanced over at Ryan.
Does he know about the car?
She watched his expression change as he opened a message. She understood when she looked down at her phone again.
He does now. See you when you get here.
Ryan turned to look at her. “Are you going to kill him, or should I?”
She shook her head. “What does he think he’s playing at?”
A warm fuzzy feeling filled her chest when he smiled. Damn him! Why hadn’t any other man ever been able to make her feel that way? She hated her face for smiling back at him. She didn’t want to, but she couldn’t stop it. She knew what he was thinking.
“Remember?”
She nodded. How could she ever forget?
Chapter Three
Nine years earlier
Leanne checked her watch and looked around as she paced back and forth at the top of the steps in front of the library. This wasn’t like Dan. He was usually early. She tended to be punctual herself, but if either of them was late it was usually her. Where was he? She blew out a sigh and went in through the doors; perhaps she’d misunderstood, and he was waiting for her inside. Nope. No sign of him.
She went back out and watched people come and go. Berkeley students were a mixed bunch. She didn’t feel like she fit in, but that wasn’t surprising. She’d never felt as though she fit in anywhere. Most of the students her age wore jeans and sweatshirts. Few of the girls wore makeup. There was no way she’d blend in with them—or want to. She was a full warpaint and heels kind of girl. It drew attention. A professor gave her a shame-faced smile when she caught him eyeing her chest as he made his way up the steps.