Last night.
The kisses.
This morning.
Breakfast.
The way Keena had looked at her.
Confusion clouded her judgment. A sound escaped her. She didn’t know what it was. She swallowed several times trying to get her throat to work.
“Brice.” Keena stepped toward her but then stopped herself.
“I didn’t know,” Brice whispered. Her voice cracked. Tears blurred her vision. She blinked back the tears and felt one slip down along her face.
Keena’s entire expression was one of guilt. She looked away for a moment before turning back to Brice.
“I never meant?—
“No.” Brice pressed her fingers to her lips as she backed away from Keena. She couldn’t even speak. Had she helped someone betray the person they loved? The possibility made her stomach turn. Keena looked downright miserable.
“I’ve got to go,” Keena said. She turned and walked away from Brice. She didn’t look back. Brice didn’t move until Keena turned the corner toward the town square. She reached up and wiped away the now flowing tears. She drew in a shaky breath and turned blindly back toward her bookstore.
She entered the building and barely felt anything. The door closed behind her and she stood in place. Part of her wanted to race after Keena and demand answers. The other half—she just wanted to lock herself away and never show her face again.
“Brice?” A concerned voice broke the silence. Brice blinked and had forgotten her employee was there.
“I…” She tried to speak but nothing came out.
“What happened?” Alanis crossed the room without hesitation. Concern was etched on her face. She reached out to Brice and rested her hands on her shoulders. “What is it?”
“I didn’t know,” Brice admitted. She reached up and wiped her face with the back of her hands.
“Didn’t know what?” Alanis asked.
“I didn’t know Keena was mated.” Brice’s voice broke. She sniffed and scrubbed her face again. The damn tears kept flowing.
“Oh.” Alanis froze in place. Understanding dawned on her face. She gave Brice’s shoulders a squeeze.
“I swear I didn’t know.” Brice’s words came out rushed. “I would’ve never…I would never be a part of hurting someone like that. I didn’t mean to?—”
“Brice. Take a deep breath.” Alanis’s expression softened. “Keena’s mate died five years ago.”
“What?” Brice blinked. She couldn’t have heard Alanis correctly. Alanis released her and stepped back.
“Keena didn’t tell you?” she asked.
“No.”
Alanis pinched the bridge of her nose andsighed. A sad smile appeared on her lips as she met Brice’s wide eyed stare.
“This isn’t my story to tell, but yes, Keena’s mate, Lizzie, died.”
Brice’s heart twisted inside of her chest. Suddenly she understood the sadness she’d seen in Keena’s eyes, the hesitation, the apology after kissing her. She covered her face with her hands.
“Oh, Keena,” she whispered. She lowered her hands and looked toward the front windows of the store. The snow was starting to fall again. Somewhere out there Keena was hurting and Brice’s chest ached for her.
“I need to find her,” she whispered.
