“I put myself in that position. I was so focused on saving her, I didn’t reach out to her to help save me.” He looked down at her. “If I’d told you what Desiree was doing, we could have maybe stopped her together. At least then, you would have known what a terrible friend she was to you. It wouldn’t have gotten you out of your situation, but maybe if we’d both gone to the sheriff’s department, we could have found someone who would help.”
“Her father knows I’m going to take her down. He’s agreed to stay out of it and let me handle it. He has his own reasons for not doing it himself, but he won’t stand in our way.”
Lincoln closed their circle. “Are you sure you’re really in? Because things could get dicey if she figures out what we’re doing.”
“She needs to be stopped. And I want her away from Krystal before my little girl starts acting like her mother, or worse, becomes her target.”
Lucky couldn’t let that go. “She’s been really good with Krystal. Maybe not as lovey dovey as some moms, but she provides everything she needs. I’ve never seen her be mean or aggressive toward her. It’s more that she does what needs to be done and not much else.”
“Desiree is too self-centered to offer hugs and kisses and praise.” Neil looked sick with worry for his daughter. “She needs more than the basics. She needs to know someone cares and loves her above all else.”
“You can do that for her once we take down Desiree.” Hawk brushed his hand down Lucky’s hair, giving her comfort.
Neil caught the affectionate caress. His eyes filled with regret. “And how are we going to get one over on her? Desiree is one of the most manipulative people I’ve ever met. And I’ve been to prison.”
Hawk rubbed his hands together. “We have a plan.”
They all sat quietly on the purple couch in the children’s reading section of the book store until closing. They talked through the basic plan, then went through every conceivable variable until they had everything worked out. At least they hoped so.
In the parking lot, Neil turned to her before heading to his car. “Thank you for giving me a chance to explain.”
“I’m sorry I didn’t give it to you sooner. If I’d opened one of your letters or taken one of your calls, I would have known how deceitful Desiree truly is and maybe I wouldn’t have ended up nearly dead in a ravine.”
Neil hung his head again. “If I’d told you back at the beginning the first time she pressured me into sleeping with her…”
She reached out and took his hand.
He gasped at the contact, his gaze coming up to meet hers, then look at their joined hands again. “I don’t deserve this.” He covered her hand with his free one and squeezed.
“I understand why you did what you did. I should have saved myself and Danny long before you were put in that position. I should have made the sheriff listen to me. I should have made him do his job. And if he wouldn’t, I should have found someone who would. I don’t know why Desiree took it on herself.”
“To be your hero. To keep you close. I think the more people she had under her thumb, the more she realized how alone she was. She made everyone around her hate her because she used them up and spit them out.”
“She deserves to be alone,” Hawk added.
Lucky squeezed Neil’s hand. “I just want you to know that you and I are square and I believe with my whole heart that you deserve to be with Krystal and she’ll be lucky to have you for a dad.”
“I really don’t deserve your forgiveness.”
“You have it anyway. Now forgive yourself for what you did, because your heart was in the right place.”
“I tried, I really did, to get it right. I really wanted to keep you safe.”
“I know.”
Neil hooked his arm around her shoulders and pulled her into a hug. “I hope you have nothing but happiness from now on,” he whispered in her ear. “Love you.”
She squeezed him back. “Thank you for trying and loving me when no one else did.” Well, except for her brother. But that was different.
Neil released her, avoided Hawk’s death stare, and headed for his car.
Hawk pulled her close. “You okay, sweetheart?”
“I will be.” She went up on tiptoe and kissed him.
Lincoln groaned. “If you two are going to be all kissy face, then I’m leaving. Catch you later.”
Hawk broke the kiss and called out, “Thanks for coming.”
