“John, it’s crazy. Millie has completely fallen for this guy and she’s not going to tell him about Colin.”
I froze.
Colin? Who the fuck was Colin? Did Millie have a boyfriend back in New York?
I leaned in closer to the door and pressed my ear against it.
“Babe, I know, I’m trying to be supportive but seeing this guy … the scar on his chest. Knowing he has Colin’s heart and she’s hooked up with him … it’s weird.”
The whole hallway spun as I processed her words.
Colin’s heart…
Without thinking, I yanked the handle and burst through the door, relieved it was unlocked. Julie looked up from her phone, mouth agape.
“What thefuckdid you just say?” I growled as my hands shook.
She paled, swallowing hard. “Babe, I gotta go.”
She hung up and lowered her head in shame.
“Start talking,” I warned, the adrenaline pulsing through my veins so fast I felt dizzy and hot.
She gulped. “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” Her hands wrung together and she bopped on her heels nervously.
If she was about to say what I thought she was, I would keel over and die right here.
“Be like what?” I snarled.
Julie was pretty, brown hair, button nose, a bit plain for my liking, but cute. She looked horrified as she stood there, staring at me, frozen.
“I think Millie should be the one to tell you…” she whispered.
I shook my head. “No… you tell me. You tell me rightgod damnednow. Who is Colin and why are you talking about my heart?”
Julie’s hands shook and I knew right then and there that my fears were justified. Her words only confirmed it.
“Colin was … Millie’s husband. And you have his heart.”
Time slowed to a crawl as each one of her words slammed into me like bullets. It felt like I stood there a full ten minutes, my brain spinning out of control as a stone sank in my stomach.
Colin was Millie’s husband and you have his heart.
This was all a sick game? She … used me? I suddenly wanted to scream, break something, cry. Millie came in here, missing her husband … and got all cozy with me?
I fucked her!
“Oh my God.” I ran my hands through my hair.
“She didn’t mean for this to happen!” Julie rambled. “She came to meet you, maybe hear Colin’s heart beat with my stethoscope and then fly out by six p.m.”
Unbridled rage soared up inside of me. “Well, instead shefuckedme, took half my bar, and made my family fall in love with her!”
Julie winced. “That wasn’t—”
“Stop.” I put my hands up. “Just pack her shit and get the fuck out of town. I don’t ever want to see her again.”
Julie looked crestfallen, her mouth dipping into a frown. “Ashton, hang on now—”
