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‘I half expected you to be pining after me all this time.’

Fury burst through her instantly. She tipped her head back to glare at him. ‘Do not fucking push me.’

TJ’s eyes glinted with a dark and twisted triumph. Leaning close, he whispered, ‘There you are, Wild Skye.’

She bit off a curse, turned her eyes away from him, and crossed her arms defensively. ‘What do you want?’ she repeated.

TJ was quiet for a moment. ‘There’re things I need to say to you, Skye. Things I need to tie up.’

‘I’m not a loose end that you get to put a pretty ribbon on, TJ.’

Frustratingly, he just said, ‘I know.’ He handed her the box of coffee and the bagels.

Skye stared at the offering as if it were some malicious bargain, a deal with the devil.

‘Don’t be stubborn.’

‘I’m only taking this because I genuinely have battery acid in my stomach,’ she informed him. But she took the bag of bagels, gripped the coffee by the handle.

‘Come to dinner tonight.’

‘No.’ The refusal was instant. As much as the invite surprised her, not even coffee and bagels softened her that much.

‘My mom knows you’re in town. She wants to see you.’

Skye shook her head, frustrated that he’d go there. Because she genuinely adored his parents. ‘How are they?’

‘Good.’ He tipped his head. ‘But you could come see that for yourself.’

Skye was curious – and hated herself for it. ‘We’re heading out actually.’ It wasn’t a lie. The moment she’d seen TJ again, she’d made up her mind to move on. And even though she would have loved to have seen Janey and Ryan, she couldn’t spend more time than necessary with TJ. It hurt too much.

‘They’ll be sorry to hear that.’ He tapped the arena fence. ‘I guess I’ll just be off then.’

‘Be seeing you,’ she replied nonchalantly.

And although he replied with a cryptic, ‘Yup,’ Skye was too focused on his severe limp as he walked away to think much on the words.

TJ’s right leg hitched with every step, and when he came to his truck, he had to use the interior grip to haul himself into the vehicle.

She watched as he drove away, scowled when he gave a friendly honk off his horn before heading down the drive.

Skye turned back for the trailer, the bagels and coffee in hand. She saw Stevie and Andrea, their faces glued to the window, and couldn’t help but sigh when they ducked down. By the time she opened the door, Stevie was sitting on the sofa, brushing her hair. Andrea was lying in bed again, her eyes glued to the TV.

‘Coffee and bagels.’ Skye dumped both on the counter by the sink.

‘Wow, that was fast,’ Andrea commented.

‘Is there a place nearby?’ Stevie asked casually.

Skye leaned back against the sink. ‘You guys know you can just ask, right?’

Stevie went first. ‘Are you okay?’

‘Yes,’ Skye answered honestly. ‘I’m glad it’s over.’

‘What did he want?’

Skye frowned, but she answered Andrea’s question. ‘I have no idea. He said he had some things to say to me – and then never actually said them.’