no for an answer.
The night breeze felt amazing. I bypassed the boardwalk, and I decided to skip the margarita truck and just enjoy my walk. The stars were low and bright, and the cool salty air was just what I needed after the stuffy, crowded restaurant. I stopped to lean on a rail and watch the water down below. A cleansing breath did a lot to calm me down. I was still pissed off about the guy in the bar and about Billy. There was no reason to let it ruin a nice evening in a beautiful place though. Billy had made me feel so alive, so happy in our short time together. I let myself think about it, gave my imagination free rein as I strolled. I thought I heard footsteps behind me. I shrugged it off and kept walking, strolling along waiting for whoever it was to go on past. I got slower, and the footsteps remained behind me, keeping pace, adjusting to my speed to stay back there. I felt a cold sweat break out on my skin as I swallowed hard. I knew damn well who was following me.
Chapter 14
Billy
The walk was supposed to clear my head. I mean that was the idea. I could stop obsessing over Morgan and our one night together. It wasn’t working. I’d been preoccupied with thoughts of her and turned my ankle—a gaffe that could’ve cost me my business if it had been a client who was hurt because I’d had my head up my ass. I had gotten too attached to Morgan too quickly, and it was a liability. I sighed deeply. It wrenched me to cancel on her, and I had wished a hundred times that I had spent the evening with her instead of being pissed at myself. But the fact I wanted her so much, the fact I couldn’t get her off my mind was proof enough I’d been right to put an end to things with her.
I had been walking around for about an hour when I ran into Karin. She had Lucas in the baby sling as she strolled along.
“You’re out awful late,” I said. “What’s Mick think of that?”
“I wouldn’t know. He’s already asleep. He had an early excursion before the one you two did together. I’m just trying to get this little guy tired out. Sometimes a walk will do him in. But tonight he’s just wide awake.”
I touched his little bald head with its fluff of ginger hair on the top, “You need to give your mom a break, kiddo,” I said.
“So what brings you out on a night like this?” she asked.
“I’m just trying to get my head on straight. I’m sure Mick told you that I fell and busted my ass today.”
“He said your ankle, but yeah.”
“Okay, well, I was distracted.”
“Morgan.”
“So he basically tells you everything?”
“Yeah. It’s a perk of being his wife. I get all the gossip on the O’Shea boys,” Karin said.
“You’re right; it’s Morgan. She’s a travel writer, and here to do a story. I got mixed up with her. It was supposed to be pretty casual, just have some fun while she was here, but I got in too deep. I found myself in a predicament where I was letting my personal life interfere with my work and endanger me and others."
“So having feelings for a woman is going to lead to death and destruction? And I thought Mickey was dramatic. Must be a family trait. Now get over yourself, Billy. You know I love you, but you’re so extra right now. You tripped and fell. That doesn’t mean you need to go live in a cave and be a hermit because you’re a danger to yourself and others. You managed to focus during a war. You can focus on a fucking hike. Just put your mind to it. I mean, you need to be straight with her either way, but you deserve to be happy. I’m not sure you know that.”
“Thank you,” I said, feeling a little uncomfortable.
“Maybe your distraction means that you have Morgan on the brain for a reason. Like she’s the one, or at least if you’re that into her, you should give it a real shot.”
“She’s just here for a work trip,” I said miserably.
“Yeah, so was I. Now look at me,” she said with a grin, indicating the chubby baby starting to drift off in the carrier strapped to her chest. “A woman likes to have a choice, you