Chapter Thirteen
“No, it’s out of the question.” Tiffany shook her head, adamant she wouldn’t go.
Connor stared at her, patient as always. “Why not?”
“All of your family will be there. Not just your parents and sister, but aunts and uncles and grandparents, and cousins and third cousins twice-removed.”
“Your point?”
“The annual fourth of July party at your grandfather’s house is one big family reunion.” She was close to pouting and knew it but couldn’t stop herself from being unreasonable.
“Which means there will so many people there, one extra person won’t be noticed.” He grinned at her, as though he’d won the argument.
Not by far. “They will if it’s me.”
“So what if they do? We’re friends, Tiff, and friends can hang out with each other’s family.”
“They’ll think we’re more, considering our history.”
His eyes darkened, but when his hands reached out for hers, his touch was feather light. “Aren’t we? Why do we continue denying what’s between us? What’s always been between us.”
Tears welled in her eyes. She’d known this conversation was coming. Dreaded and anticipated it. But she’d never expected it to erupt over a last-minute appeal to attend his family’s gathering with him. “What do you want from me?”
It wasn’t a question, as much as a plea for him to tell her. Because she was afraid to broach the subject, terrified she’d make a fool of herself.
He leaned into her, his whispers caressing her cheek. “I want to grab hold of the second chance life has given us. Not pick up where we left off but build on our past with who we are today. I won’t force it though, not if you don’t want the same thing.”
She understood his meaning, knew he’d never bully her to get his way. “I want that, too.”
“That’s all I need to know.” He ran his thumb down her cheek. “And if you really don’t want to go with me to my grandfather’s, I won’t pressure you.”
Sighing, she reluctantly pulled away. “It’s not what you think.”
“Talk to me then, help me understand.”
“I stole from you parents, Connor. In their home. What must they think of me and how I turned out?”
His became fidgety, not making eye contact for several seconds. When he finally looked at her, he seemed nervous. “I never told them.”
“What do you mean?”
“I couldn’t bring myself to tell them you stole medicine from them. For all I know, they never noticed it missing. Maybe I should have, but I didn’t.”
She hadn’t seen that coming. “But our breakup. Surely you told them the truth then.”
He shook his head. “I told them we saw different paths for our lives. It wasn’t exactly a lie at the time.”
Still stunned, she narrowed her eyes and peered at him. “Why?”
“Despite it all, I loved you. So did my family, and I couldn’t bear for your name to be tarnished in any way.”
“I…I don’t know what to say, except thank you.”
“I would have done anything for you. I still would.”
The tears spilled over, and she fanned them away. “I don’t deserve you.”
“Don’t ever say that.” He pressed a hand against her arm. “God has a way of working out our lives. We’re here now, and that’s that.”
