The Bridesmaid's Best Man by Susanna Carr Read Free Book Online Page A

said hoarsely.
    â€œIt’s true.” He took a step closer. She took a step back and bumped up against her car. “I’ve spent all my time and energy building up my agency.”
    â€œAnd what’s up with that?” she asked, her voice rising. “Not once did you talk to me about having your own business. You were passionate about what you did. About working with Missing Persons.”
    â€œIt’s still what I do,” he said, his eyes sparking with annoyance. It was clear he didn’t want to discuss it. “My agency specializes in tracing people. Reuniting families.”
    â€œI thought everything was fine and then it was like you changed overnight.” And it wasn’t easy to ignore when his abrupt change occurred. It was right after she lowered her guard. Once she started taking charge in the bedroom.
    Her face burned as she remembered that. She had felt sexy and desirable. Strong and assertive. She thought Cole loved it. That he wanted her to reveal this side she didn’t share with anyone else. Those moments had been special. Intimate.
    She had only been fooling herself. Seeing what she wanted to see. She thought they were solid as a couple, but she was blindsided when he dumped her two weeks later. He had walked away, saying he couldn’t give her what she needed.
    But what he really meant was that she was undesirable. Unwanted. Her fantasies were not his. She couldn’t give him what he needed. She had given him everything but she hadn’t been good enough.
    â€œI didn’t mean to hurt you.” His whisper was heavy with regret.
    She straightened up and offered a tight smile. “I’m over it,” she lied. “I just thought you were different from the other guys.”
    Cole frowned. “What do you mean by that?”
    â€œThat you weren’t in it for the challenge.” What a few men had tried to do in the past. To take on Angie Lawson. Soften her up and tame the tomboy.
    * * *
    C OLE TOOK A step back and stared at Angie. “You think I dated you because I like a challenge?”
    Angie was a challenge, all right. She was stubborn and impatient. Independent almost to a fault. She was brazen but he also saw the insecurities she tried to hide.
    â€œI don’t know why and I don’t care,” she declared. “All I know is that I’m not going to put myself through that again.”
    â€œAngie, our time together meant a lot to me. I can’t tell you how difficult it was to leave you.” It had been the hardest thing for him to do, but it had been necessary. He had started to think he could be with Angie forever. That she could fall in love with him. But that was a fantasy. Even if he tried harder and tried to be better, he wasn’t worthy of love. His family had proven that to him years ago.
    Cole stepped away from Angie and looked down. He didn’t want her to see the struggle in his eyes. “Angie, it’s very hard for me to ask, but I need your help.”
    He felt her hesitation. She was the kind of woman who automatically offered her help, but it was different now. He knew how awkward it was to offer help to someone who had once discarded you.
    â€œYou were always there when I needed you.” He hated how his voice cracked. Hated how much her loyalty had meant to him. “And I was there for you.”
    â€œWe were a couple then,” she said softly.
    â€œYou are still very important to me.” She was the most important person in his life, but he couldn’t tell her that. Angie wouldn’t believe him, anyway.
    â€œSo important that you couldn’t stay in touch?” she asked bitterly.
    He dragged his gaze to meet hers. Staying in touch would have been a constant reminder of what he couldn’t have. “I thought a clean break would be best. It hasn’t been easy for me, either. It still isn’t.”
    â€œAnd you think that being my date for the wedding