What changed since then?
Alanis came from out of the employee lounge room. Her gaze flicked between them. Something crossed her face.
“I’ll be in the kitchen if you need me,” Alanis said.
“Thanks,” Brice said. Alanis’s gaze shifted to Keena once more before she turned and disappeared through the door to the kitchen.
“I should get going,” Keena said.
“Are you sure?” Brice asked. Her stomach dropped. There was definitely a wall that had been constructed. Keena was shutting her out.
“Yeah.” She closed her coat and stalked to the door. Brice reacted before she could even think. She followed behind her and caught Keena’s wrist.
“Keena,” she said softly. Keena froze. She looked down at Brice’s hand resting against her wrist then back at Brice. It wasn’t as if Brice could truly overpower her and make her stay.
“I’m sorry.” Brice immediately released her and stepped back.
“You have nothing to apologize for,” Keena said. Her voice was flat and emotionless. Even her eyes appeared to be blank and it downright scared Brice.
“Don’t leave.”
Keena closed her eyes briefly. When she opened them, they were full of conflict.
“I have to go.” She opened the door and stepped outside. Brice followed behind her. She didn’t care that she didn’t have a coat on, she barely felt the December air. Keena began heading back toward the town square.
“What did I do?” Brice called out.
Keena stopped walking. Brice wasn’t even sure she’d get an answer.
“You didn’t do anything,” Keena replied.
“Then help me understand how we went from enjoying breakfast to this?” Brice wrapped her arms around herself. A slight breeze blew and disturbed the soft snow that surrounded them.
Keena turned and stared at her. There was a tortured look on her face. She shook her head and sighed.
“You’re perfect, Brice. It’s not you. It’s me,” Keena said.
Oh, great.That was not the excuse Brice had thought Keena would ever use. As if realizing what she’d said, Keena grimaced. She reached up and ran a hand along her face.
“I thought we had something,” Bricesaid.
“You deserve someone who can meet you where you are,” Keena said.
“But I want you.”
There. She’d put it out there with those four little words. Keena looked away from her and Brice’s heart sank. She had to bite her lips to keep her eyes from filling with tears.
“You shouldn’t,” Keena said.
“Why not?”
“Because I already found my mate.”
The blood drained from Brice’s face. Everything in her went still. She could barely breathe. She had to fight to drag air into her lungs.
“You…”
Brice felt as if someone had struck her across the stomach with a bat. Her thoughts began racing.
