I reached for my phone on the nightstand. It was after midnight. I couldn’t call him now. What I needed to say should be done in person anyway. I closed my eyes, but sleep wouldn’t come. Three in the morning came and went. Then four.
Around five, I gave up trying to sleep. I sat up in bed and grabbed my phone again. Still nothing from Snapper. Not that I’d expected there to be. I threw back the covers and stood. My legs felt shaky, but I went to my closet and put on jeans and a sweater, then to the bathroom where I ran a comb through my hair, washed my face, and brushed my teeth.
In the mirror, I looked like hell. My eyes were red and swollen. My face was pale. But it didn’t matter.
I grabbed my keys and my phone and crept downstairs, thankful that the house was quiet and everyone was still asleep.
Outside, the air was cold enough to make me shiver. The horizon showed the first hints of dawn, but darkness still claimed most of the sky. I climbed into my truck and started the engine.
I knew Snapper would be at his mother’s house rather than his own since he’d told me it was tradition for the whole family tostay on the estate and wake up together on Christmas morning. I also knew that if she wasn’t awake already, Lucia would soon be in the kitchen, making breakfast. If she didn’t know already, I’d tell her that Snapper and I had had a falling out and ask to speak with him. No doubt she’d take me up to his room herself.
The gates of Los Caballeros appeared ahead, and I turned in and followed the familiar road to the main house. Lights glowed in the downstairs windows. Someone was awake, most likely Lucia, as I’d anticipated.
I parked, cut the engine, then sat there for several seconds, trying to steady my breathing.
I saw movement on the porch from the corner of my eye—Snapper coming out the door. My heart stopped, then started again, faster than before.
It was five-thirty in the morning on Christmas yet he was standing outside, watching me.
I climbed out of my truck and walked toward him. Each step felt monumental. The cold air bit at my exposed skin, and my breath clouded in front of my face. The horizon was starting to lighten now. Dawn was coming.
“Saffron?”
“I couldn’t sleep.” I stopped near the bottom of the porch steps and looked up at him. “You?”
“Me either.”
We stared at each other. Neither of us moved.
“Can I come up?” I asked.
“Of course.”
I climbed the steps, but maintained distance between us even though everything in me wanted to throw myself into his arms and bury my face against his chest and tell him I was sorry for everything.
“I need to explain why I reacted the way I did.”
“Okay.”
“As you know, Isabel came to see me a few weeks ago.” I wrapped my arms around myself. “She suggested I ask Felicity about your relationship with her.”
Snapper’s eyes scrunched. “Saffron, Felicity and I?—”
“I know. Isabel lied.” As hard as it was, I forced myself to continue. “When I heard the two of you talking, that’s what I thought it was about.”
“I was never involved with Felicity. Not ever. Not even close. There’s never been anyone but you, Saff. Not in any way that mattered.”
“I know. Felicity told me what you were really talking about.” Tears spilled down my cheeks. “But regardless, I should have asked instead of assuming. I should have let you explain instead of telling you to leave.”
He took a step toward me. Then stopped.
“I know about your arrangement with the bank.” I watched his expression shift. Guilt flickered across his face before he steeled it and looked away.
“I was going to tell you. After the auction. After everything was resolved.”
“Why didn’t you tell me before?”
“Because you would have refused my help. And even if you didn’t, your father would have. And then, you would have felt obligated to me. Like you owed me something.” His jaw clenched. “I wanted you to choose me because you wanted to, not because you felt like you had to.”
