He gritted his teeth when she paled and glanced away.“I know I was a bastard to you, and I want to apologize.”
She peeked up at him through her lashes.“Why?”
“You might not believe this, but it’s the honest-to-God truth.I wanted you the very first time I saw you.”
She snorted and shook her head.
“No, wait, listen.I really did, but you wouldn’t give me the time of day.I tried to talk to you several times, but you always walked away.”
“I vaguely remember that, but I was so shy, I didn’t know what to say, so I fled.”
“After we graduated and I matured a bit, I realized that.I hate myself for the way I treated you.I was a spoiled brat and always got what I wanted until you came along.It drove me mad to see you every day and be unable to talk to or touch you.”
She looked at him in pure shock.“Why are you telling me this?”
“Because it’s been driving me crazy for the last eight years.You know I tried to find you?”
Her eyes widened.“No.When?”
“I didn’t see you at graduation, so I went to your house.Your mom told me you had already left for college.”
“Yes.I wasn’t ever planning on going to the ceremony.”
“Because of me?”
She shrugged.“You weren’t the only one who was mean to me.”
“I blame myself for that, too.”
“Why?”
“Because I was the leader and had everyone following my behavior.”
She looked away and concentrated on the calf finishing the bottle.
“I also tried to find you when you were at college.”
Her head snapped up in disbelief.
“It would have been your last year of college.I wanted to know if you were moving back.”
“The calf is done.What should I do?”she asked.
Blake set his calf down and stood before he reached for the bottle she held.“I’ll be right back.”
