Letting Go (Vista Falls #3) Read Free Page A

left.”
    “Then why didn’t you call, text, email… something?”
    He should have, but opening the lines of communication would have meant opening his heart to her, and he hadn’t been ready to do that. Until he’d realized that keeping his distance hurt even more. “I didn’t know what to say. I knew any apology I offered would sound hollow, and honestly, I believed you deserved more than that. You deserved to have me standing in front of you like I am now, promising you that I can be a better man.”
    She inhaled deeply before releasing a slow, shaky breath. “I’d be crazy to believe anything you have to say. You know that, don’t you?”
    “I do.” But that didn’t mean he wasn’t holding out hope she’d at least give him a chance to prove himself. “But think about the alternative—we both spend the rest of our lives wondering if maybe, just maybe, we could have been great together.”
    “You don’t think I’ve wasted enough time thinking about that?” She stepped back and bent to pick up her discarded shoes. “I spent the better part of my marriage wondering that.”
    He was shocked to learn he’d crossed her mind while she was married. The Gabby he knew had been faithful to a fault, giving him all of herself even when he didn’t deserve it. “You did?”
    She shook her head, looking frustrated as she pushed past him. “You really are clueless, Atkins.”
     

 
Chapter Two
     
    Gabby returned to the inn’s dining room, where they’d held the wedding reception because of the threat of rain, only to find her best friend having a heated discussion with her new husband. She didn’t want to intrude, but she couldn’t help being concerned. Sage had waited years to marry the love of her life. What could they possibly have to argue about on their wedding night?
    “Hey, you guys,” she said, approaching. “Everything okay?”
    “There you are!” Sage hugged her with a sigh of relief. “Where were you? I was worried sick after Dave told me what happened.”
    Gabby looked around. There were half as many guests as there had been when she left, and Dave was nowhere to be seen. “Speaking of Dave, where is he?”
    “He left,” Sage said, curling her hand around Gabby’s wrist. “He said since you have a room here tonight, there was no reason for him to stick around.”
    She felt guilty that Dave had probably witnessed her leading Colt outside. “I’m sorry if that caused problems for you. I’ll try to talk to him tomorrow and apologize for the way things went down tonight.” She knew Dave wasn’t the type to hold a grudge, but since they lived in the same small town, she didn’t want things to be awkward the next time their paths crossed. “But what’s going on with you two?” Gabby gestured between the bride and groom. “Looks like you were pretty upset about something.”
    “I am upset!” Sage said, sounding almost hysterical. “I was just telling Wes that Colt can’t just waltz back into your life and turn it upside down again! He doesn’t get to do that!”
    Gabby hugged her friend, touched that Sage would waste time being concerned about her problems on the most important day of her life. She knew if Sage found out about her little rage-fueled striptease, she’d never believe Gabby was done with Colt though.
    “He’s not going to do that,” Gabby assured her, smiling. “I was just telling him that, so you can relax.”
    Sage sank against her husband when Wes put his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. “See, babe, I told you there was nothing to worry about. Gabby can take care of herself.”
    Sage looked over Gabby’s shoulder, her eyes narrowing as she beckoned someone closer with her index finger.
    Uh oh. The look on Sage’s face meant it could only be one person. Colt.
    “Hey, guys,” Colt said, straightening his silver tie when he stood beside Gabby. “What’s up?”
    “You know I love you, right?” Sage asked Colt. “You’re like a brother