THE MORNING AFTER the party, Ainsley sat at brunch in her parents’ dining room, a knot the size of Texas twisting her belly.
She’d spent most of the night crying. She didn’t cry. Well, maybe at Hallmark commercials and only the mushy ones with kids or animals.
But this hurt. Ben had left her alone at a time when she’d admitted to him it was the last thing she wanted. Something had happened to set him off, before the whole Todd fiasco. It had to be what her dad had said. Whatever it was, it had changed everything. His eyes... Never in her life had she seen someone more tormented, as if she’d reached in and ripped out his heart.
And he’d been so dismissive, like leaving her wasn’t that big of a deal.
But had it been an act? She had this terrible feeling that he hurt her because he was trying to protect her in some way. She kept trying to remember his words, but when she thought about him saying she would cheat on him, fresh tears came.
Bile rose in the back of her throat.
“Ainsley, are you hungover?” Her sister’s question penetrated her haze. “And dang, girl, you look bad. I don’t remember you drinking that much.”
Conversation stopped around the table and everyone stared. There were a mixture of aunts, uncles and cousins, along with members of her immediate family. This brunch was a tradition. One she no longer wanted to be a part of.
My heart is dead and I lost the only guy I’ve ever loved. Probably the only guy I’m ever going to love.
“No,” she said.
“No, you aren’t hungover? Because you might have a fever or something. Your eyes are really red,” Megan went on.
Leave it to her sister to poke and prod. “Let it go,” she muttered under her breath. Then she shoved away from the table, crystal falling and china rattling.
“Ainsley, what is wrong with you?” her mother admonished.
“She’s sick or grumpy or...something,” her sister said.
“I’m none of those things. I’m...” Heartbroken, sad and, okay, maybe a little angry.
“Should I call Dr.—”
“I’m not sick, okay? I’m sad. I’m upset about the way Ben left last night. He didn’t deserve to be treated that way, Dad.” She stared at her father. “He couldn’t get away fast enough. Said things I’m not sure I believe or that he believed, but...it hurts. I’ve never hurt like this.” She stood in the middle of the dining room with tears streaming down her face.
“It’s just as well he’s gone, Ainsley. He’s not our kind of people,” her father said.
That was it. “What kind of people is that, Dad? The Todd Rightner kind? The man you secretly set me up with on Thursday night? Want to know what kind of man he is, Dad? He likes to hurt women. Only gets his kicks a certain way. Not really my thing. Pain. Yep. Not into it.”
Her dad’s jaw dropped. Good. “Oh, and Mike Anton? He’s a crook. Been siphoning cash off the books for years. Wake up, Dad. You need to start reading between the lines sometimes, keep your ears open. That’s right. Deal with that.”
“Ainsley!”
“What, Mom? You know it’s true. You know what kind of people Ben is, Dad? Hardworking, kind and caring. He’s been looking after his family since he was twelve years old. Twelve. He puts his life in danger for his country every day. He’s smart and funny and he treats me like a queen. He adores me, and wants the best for me. He believes in me. Or at least he did until he met you. And though it kills me to say this, Dad, I don’t blame him. You’re right, we aren’t his kind of people. Brave. Wonderful, exceptional people. And that makes me sad for us.”
Then she turned on her heel and left. In the grand foyer, she stood there, circling. She had to get out of the house. More than anything she wanted to talk to Ben. But maybe they needed more time. She had to sort through her feelings, and she had to be strong and sane when she faced him again. And she was really far from either of those traits right now.
After grabbing a few things from her room, she headed downstairs to find her sister on the landing.
“Not in the mood,” she said.
Her sister took her keys out of her hand. “I know. I’ll drive, since you’re too upset. I mean brava telling off Pops, but you’re a mess.”
She sighed. Her sister was faster and fitter—there would be no getting the keys from her without a fight. “Fine. But do not talk to me.”
“Okay. Got it. No speaking. But just so you know, I’ll drive you home and Mom can send a car for me later. I’m sorry about before. I was just giving you a hard time. I thought you were hiding Ben in your room, and I couldn’t help but tease in front of the parentals.”
It wasn’t her sister’s fault her life was a wreck. “It’s okay.”
Her sister unlocked the car and five minutes later they were on the highway. “About the ‘no talking’ thing,” her sister said. “Yeah. That’s not going to hold up. You need to tell me what Ben said. And did you know that Bebe punched that dopey Todd last night? What was that all about?”
Bebe punched Todd. Ainsley started laughing hysterically. And then it all came out. Everything that had happened.
Megan exited the highway and then pulled into the parking lot of a Cracker Barrel. When they were kids, it was the only place they ever wanted to go when her grandma was visiting from England, much to the chagrin of their parents.
“This requires pancakes.” Megan turned off the car.
“I’m not hungry.”
“Yes, but I am. I skipped breakfast to drive you home.”
Ainsley sighed, but followed her inside the restaurant.
Once they were inside, the smell was irresistible. They ordered pecan pancakes and hot chocolate. When they were done, her sister blew out a breath.
“So, I didn’t hear the conversation, but I saw Ben alone with Dad. They were both pretty serious-looking. And then I followed Ben. I don’t know exactly what he heard, but he’d been listening to you and Todd for a bit before he walked in. I thought for sure Ben was going to start yelling at him, and then you hauled Ben out to the beach, and I didn’t keep following because you had that scary look on your face. By the way, I might have accidentally spilled red wine all over Todd’s jacket. Right after Bebe punched him. I didn’t know why she was so mad, I just figured it had something to do with you after the thing in the hallway.”
“He deserves all of that and so much more. Why does Dad think he’s a good choice over Ben? I can’t see the logic. Money doesn’t necessarily make someone a decent human being. Surely, Dad, who came from nothing, would understand that?”
Megan shrugged.
“I don’t blame Ben. He must hate me. There’s a good chance something he heard Todd say was what broke the camel’s back. That’s where all the stuff started about him believing I wouldn’t wait for him while he was away.” First her dad and then... It was silly, but she could see how he might think he was doing them both a favor by letting her go.
It was all a big misunderstanding.
Idiot. Well, they’d both been so ready to believe the worst.
“I have to talk to him. No wonder. It all makes sense. Why he left like that.”
She rubbed her temples. “And who knows what Dad said to Ben. I’m not sure I can forgive him for this.”
Her sister shrugged. “Dad loves you, and that’s hard to see right now, but he means well. He just wants to make sure you’re taken care of. He didn’t have the kind of security we do. And, I’m the last person to take up for Dad, but he doesn’t mean to hurt you. He wants you to be comfortable and settled. But he goes about it in the worst way.”
Ainsley held up a hand. “Enough. Hurry up and eat. I’ve got to find out exactly where Ben is so I can go apologize. That is, if he’ll even speak to me. What a mess.”
Her phone dinged and she pulled her cell out of her bag. “It’s him.”
But it wasn’t.
The text said, This is Ben’s sister, Amy. I thought you would want to know. He’s at the VA Medical Center fourth floor in South Austin. Hurry.
No. No. No. Tears burned and ran onto her cheeks. Ben was hurt or sick.
Her sister grabbed the phone and then threw two twenties on the table. “Come on,” Megan said, lifting her up by the elbow and dragging her out. “We’ve got to go. Now.”
No longer did Ainsley care if Ben forgave her, or if he couldn’t get past her crazy family.
She just wanted him to be alive and okay.
Please, God, let him be okay. Please.