to having sex. God, she’d loved him back then, with all her heart and hopes.
Until he’d cheated on her at the end of their senior year, when they’d been days away from graduation. Days away from having a future of their own. What a dumb ass Flynn had been to think anyone could get away with screwing around in this tiny, gossipy community. It was almost as if he’d wanted to be busted.
As if he’d wanted out of the relationship with her.
An unhealed ache settled in her heart. God, couldn’t he have just asked for his promise ring back?
Only weeks later, she’d caught meningitis and foolish, foolish girl that she’d been, she hadn’t wanted to live. Her sister had blamed the local hospital, but Misty knew she’d wanted to die. She’d let her illness progress too far, too fast, before telling her parents, because she’d simply wanted to curl up and let go.
But she knew better now. Sure she’d been hurt over Flynn’s defection, but they’d just been kids and he’d just been another boy trying to get laid. She had a fighting spirit these days and nothing he said could make up for that betrayal.
If he’d even meant the apology he poured out when he visited her in the clinic hospital, an apology she’d barely been able to register as her fever soared. He’d likely just felt guilty more than sorry. And soon after, she hadn’t been able to hear his apologies any longer. The guilt in his eyes, however, increased tenfold.
The thought that he might pursue her out of remorse and pity made her shudder in disgust even now. She’d drawn her boundaries fast back then and stuck to them over the years as their paths inevitably crossed at the gym, the grocery store… pretty much every day and everywhere in such a small town.
She planted her hands on her hips and stood proud in her kitchen, more than a little happy she wore a body-hugging turtleneck sweater. He’d always liked her in green, said it reminded him of summer. Damn.
“What are you doing here so early?” She formed each word carefully, determined not to let him feel sorry for her, praying her voice didn’t sound too strange.
“Sunny isn’t going to make it back in time to escort you down the mountain.” He walked closer, careful to face her, always vigilant about making it easier for her to read his lips.
His lips…
The first she’d kissed.
A mouth that had once explored every inch of her body, bringing her pleasure in every way possible without actually going all the way. Back then he’d had a mustache, not much of one, but enough to tickle her. She’d thought it was such a turn-on. But she’d been determined in those days to wait for marriage—only to have him screw her best friend. Former best friend. June had come crying to her, pretending she felt guilty, sobbing about how she just couldn’t stay silent and let Misty keep dating someone who would cheat on her.
He hadn’t just kissed her. He and June had impulsively had sex in his parents’ empty house.
Misty’s hand twisted around a strap on her backpack until her fingers numbed. She’d prayed so hard her friend was lying. Then she’d confronted Flynn and quickly read the guilt on his face. He hadn’t denied anything, only asked for forgiveness.
Four years had passed and looking at him still made her physically ill. And the irony of it all? She couldn’t turn away to hide her face while continuing the conversation.
“Flynn, are you trying to make me wait, too?” Part of her wondered if her sister had done this on purpose to delay her leaving town.
“You want to go? I’m here to help. I’ll lead you out. My truck can plow through faster. I can drive the whole way if the weather holds, and hike with you just as Sunny would have if the weather doesn’t cooperate. We’re talking two days together, max, until you get to civilization. Once I know that you’ve got boat or plane transportation the rest of the way, I’ll back off.” Warily, he stepped deeper into the kitchen, wiping his boots just like old times. “I’m the best, other than Sunny, and she’s so damn beyond normal, my brother swears the government implanted a compass in her brain.”
She fought the urge to laugh. She’d always enjoyed the way Flynn could poke fun at his younger brother’s obsession with conspiracy theories. But now wasn’t the time to get sentimental