Just One Kiss (Whisper Lake #4) - Barbara Freethy Page 0,83

go thinking I'm not happy with my career choice. I ended up exactly where I was meant to be."

"That's good." He paused. "Are you seeing anyone?"

She hesitated. "Not really."

"What does that mean?"

"Well, I've actually reconnected with Jake. I don't know if you remember—"

"Of course I remember Jake. He was a great guy until he broke your heart and made you cry for about a year straight. You're getting back together with him?"

"I don't know. He's the same but he's different; he's better. He's been really supportive through this whole situation, and I still really like him. I'm just afraid we'll end up in the same place. I told him last night that I think we should be done."

"You're letting fear stop you from doing what you want?" Tyler asked.

"I wouldn't put it that way."

"There's no other way to put it. You just said you were afraid, so you ended it."

"He hurt me, Tyler. While he has apologized, he has never really said why he did it. And I can't deal with secrets. I need to be in a relationship where all the cards are face up on the table."

"Where's the fun in that? There's nothing wrong with a little mystery."

"There's plenty wrong."

"Well, I think you're wrong," he said pointedly. "You're also not acting like yourself. You are the girl who goes against all odds to achieve her goals. But you're letting something from a long time ago stop you from being happy now? That doesn't seem smart."

"I didn't say it was smart. It's just that Jake has so much power over me. He sweeps me off my feet so easily. I could lose myself in him. And it took a tremendous amount of effort and a lot of years for me to get over him the first time. Why would I put myself through that again?"

"Love."

She stiffened at his simple answer. "What do you know of love?"

"I might have met someone," he admitted.

"Really? Is it serious?"

"It could be. We're going to spend New Year's together in Aspen."

"That sounds romantic." She felt an unexpected wave of jealousy. She had a feeling her New Year's Eve was going to be another night alone or watching her friends fawn all over their boyfriends and husbands. Aside from Keira, the single circle was getting quite small.

"I plan on pulling out all the stops," Tyler said, an excited sparkle in his eyes.

"Good for you. When do I get to meet her?"

"We'll see how New Year's goes. What are you doing that night?"

"I have no idea. I can't think past Christmas or Kelly." She let out a sigh. "I feel so frustrated, Tyler. I want to go out and find her."

"Black Falls is a huge area. Where would you even start looking?"

"I don't know, but I feel like I have to do something. This inaction is driving me crazy."

Tyler gave a big yawn, then gave her an apologetic smile, "Sorry. You're not boring, I just need some coffee. I had to get up at three thirty this morning to catch my flight."

"Why don't you take a nap? You can use my room. Mom is planning to spend the day and evening here. She can watch Brett if I run out for a bit."

"Where are you going to go?"

"Maybe nowhere. I'm still thinking about it."

"Well, let me know what you decide," Tyler said, as he got to his feet. "In the meantime, I'm going to make some coffee."

As Tyler left, she felt a restless urge to do something; she just didn't know what.

Part of that restlessness had to do with Jake. She hadn't talked to him all day, and she found herself missing him. That was crazy, since she was the one who had told him they needed to be done. Now, less than twenty-four hours later, all she wanted to do was talk to him, kiss him, wrap her arms around him. Her body still tingled with memories from last night. It would have been a lot smarter to break up with him before she had sex with him, but then they wouldn't have had sex, and it was very difficult to regret those hours together, which had been some of the best hours of her life.

Forcing her mind off Jake, her thoughts returned to her sister. It was almost two, ten hours until Christmas, and only another eight hours after that before Brett would wake up and expect to get his Christmas gift from Santa.

Where could Kelly be? Had there been some other clue that