Nash Brothers Box Set - Carrie Aarons Page 0,87

of the time, but it’s been hard between my father’s career and my relationship going up in flames.

The noise dulls as I walk past the last ride, it’s twinkling lights searing into my vision and leaving spots. I don’t realize where I am until the stark white structure is in front of me, and I can’t unsee it.

The gazebo.

Gosh, I wish they would raze this thing. Obviously, no one else in Fawn Hill knows the memories that exist here for me, but if I could convince someone to demolish it, I would.

Aside from the night we gave ourselves to each other, this spot was the one where Bowen took me after we saw our first movie. We would come here when neither of us could stand being in our houses, and on numerous occasions snuck here in the middle of the night just to snuggle under the stars together. It was our spot, and in the last ten years, I’ve tried as hard as I can never to come here.

But tonight, I walked into a trap. It’s snagged me, a spike stabbed through my heart, pinning me right where I am.

I should turn around, but something in me whispers to my heart to walk up the three small stairs and stand inside. The minute my sandal hits the wooden planks that comprise the floor, memories assault me.

Bowen’s hands in my hair. His sparkling blue eyes at twilight. Those three little words he’d whisper in my ear. The giggle fits I’d have knowing that I’d snuck out just to meet him, and how dangerous that could be. Thinking of the risk then had sent butterflies exploding through my stomach. Our love had been wild and exciting … with it, we could do anything.

That was exactly the reason we’d burned out in such a glorious fashion.

That was why I left the love stories to my books now. Coming up here was a mistake. I didn’t need to be reminded of how badly damaged my heart was.

But before I can turn to leave, a scuffling in the dark has me jumping to attention.

And when I turn, I’m transported back in time.

6

Bowen

My sneaker stubs the first step as I go to bolt silently, and Lily’s head whips up.

Fuck, she’s noticed me.

I can’t very well turn around now and act like I hadn’t just come to our spot to be alone. I hadn’t known she was here … hell, I hadn’t seen her here since the last time she came here with me.

Did she come to our spot often?

I wouldn’t admit, if asked, how many times I have found myself here over the years.

“Uh …” Lily stutters, caught.

Even in the dark, I can tell she’s blushing. It’s difficult to notice when embarrassment creeps over her cheeks, because her skin is the shade of the milkiest cup of coffee. But my degree is in Lily Grantham, I studied her religiously. The slightest shade of pink will flush across the bridge of her nose, work its way down to those high cheekbones, and then settle on the edge of her jaw. I used to kiss that spot, nibble it when she’d get embarrassed around me.

“Come here often?” My voice is gruff, and I don’t mean to flash the smirk looming behind my lips, but I do.

Now, Lily’s eyes go wide in the dark, the white of them bugging out at me.

Her voice comes out in a whisper. “Actually, never. This is the first time I’ve been here since …”

She doesn’t need to say the car crash for me to know what she’s thinking about.

Since I’m already here, I may as well stop teetering between the first and second step and just go all the way in.

“Were you here with your Dad?” I grit my teeth, trying to be civil and not curse at the thought of her father.

Eric Grantham and I had never liked each other much. Back then, he thought I was a cocky asshole, which I was. But I loved his daughter, I treated her like a princess, and I always put her first. Always. I wasn’t one of those high school boyfriends who ignored her on the weekends or left her at parties. I always took care of her, and he knew that. He just hated that I wasn’t some buttoned-up nerd with the wholesome look that furthered his senate agenda.

Everything in her father’s life revolved around how much power and influence he could amass. Aside from having totally opposite views as me from