Millie had no sooner pulled out of the airport, when my head fell back against the seat and I fell asleep. I was exhausted, both physically and mentally. I needed a few minutes of sleep to clear my mind.
The feel of someone shaking my body gently had me popping my eyes open.
“We’re home.”
With a slight smile, I climbed out of the car.
“Take a hot shower, get some clean clothes on, and meet me in the library.”
Without a word, I nodded and walked past my sister and up the stairs. My parents’ house was massive, and even if they had been home, I could have probably gone a week and been able to avoid them.
It hadn’t taken me long to get to my bedroom, strip out of the dress, and walk to my adjoined bathroom. The feel of the hot water hitting my body felt good. I still ached from all the lovemaking with Nash.
Lovemaking. Was that what we had been doing?
My hand came up to my mouth to stop the sobs. Had it been lovemaking? Or had it been Nash taking something from me because he felt I had been deceiving him? Dropping my body against the back wall, I stared down at the drain, watching as the water made its way down it. How ironic, washing all traces of Nash off my body, both literally and figuratively.
After standing there for God knows how long, I got out, wrapped my hair in a towel and found some sweats to put on before meeting Millie in the library.
The smell of hot cider made my chest ache. I had missed being home. Missed my family. Missed my sister.
Millie sat in one of two oversized chairs in front of the roaring fire. The heat felt good against my cold skin.
I took the mug of cider she handed me.
“So tell me what happened.”
The feel of the hot cider going down my throat should have warmed me, but it didn’t. My body shook, and I couldn’t seem to get it to stop.
“I didn’t tell him. I mean, I had planned on telling him after the wedding. Before we slept together. I tried, but he kept kissing me and making my head swirl.”
Her mouth fell open. “Wait! You guys slept together?”
I nodded, then to
ok another sip of the cider.
“Wow, how did that happen?”
With a small shrug, I let out a breath. “I’m not sure. I mean, I knew we were both physically attracted to each other, and Nash seemed like he wanted to take things slowly, but then everything changed. I think he found out about the family at the wedding, and maybe it was his way of paying me back for hiding the truth.”
She leaned forward. “Okay, listen to what you’re saying right now. Does this sound like Nash? He was pissed and enticed you into sleeping with him because he found out you have money like his ex? So by having crazy hot sex with you, he got back at Lily through you. That doesn’t sound like the man you’ve been talking about the last few weeks.”
“I don’t know who he is, and clearly he didn’t trust that he knew who I was either. I don’t know what to think anymore. I don’t want to think last night didn’t mean anything to Nash, but he had to . . .” My voice trailed off as I frowned.
“He had to what?”
Staring at the fire, my eyes widened as the realization hit me like a truck. “No,” I whispered. Turning to Millie, I felt the first tear fall. “It was me. It wasn’t Nash. It was my idea to leave, to get a hotel room there. He had even asked me if I was sure that was what I wanted. Nash hadn’t used me as some sort of revenge last night, it was all me.”
Millie shook her head.
“Okay, I’m sort of confused. You thought Nash found out the truth and somehow seduced you into bed. But now that you’re thinking clear, it was you who wanted him. Let’s back up. When did he find out about you and when did you find out about the background check?”
I shook my head and set the tea down. After explaining everything from the point where I had seen Blake give Nash the envelope to when I read what was in it.
“So you don’t know if he read the note from Blake’s brother or not?”
“No, but he was angry. I figured Blake had told him what was inside.”