Seduced The Unexpected Virgin - By Emily McKay Page 0,58

and sells it off bit by bit, he’s still committed to Hannah’s Hope.”

“And you think him showing up at the festival will do that? You think it will magically convince everyone he’s a great guy?”

“I’m not suggesting he come to make balloon animals and eat cotton candy. He should say a few words.”

“About what?”

“Hannah’s Hope is in honor of his mother. Surely that means something to him.”

“In other words, you want him to trot out his grief and parade it around to reassure the citizens of Vista del Mar.”

“That’s not what I said.” She poked the scrubber in his direction, wielding it like a sword. “You’re being obtuse.”

“Excuse me if I don’t think Rafe talking about his mother is going to make anyone feel any better at all.”

“How can you not have sympathy for these people? They need someone to stand up for them. They need an advocate. They feel helpless in the face of Rafe’s power. And if you could just imagine what that feels like—”

Tired of waiting to be swatted with that damn scrubber, he snatched it out of her hand and tossed it on the counter, out of her reach. “Don’t think for a minute that I don’t know what it feels like to be helpless and scared. I know all about that.” His tone was harsh. His voice foreign to his own ears. “If you think the threat of losing your job is scary, well, I gotta tell you, it’s nothing compared to the fear of losing your wife. So I know all too well what fear is like and the kinds of things it does to you.”

Ana looked up at him, her eyes wide and filled with anguish. For a second, he thought she might even cry. Or maybe apologize. He didn’t think he’d be able to stomach either of those reactions.

But instead, she wrapped her arms around her waist as if she were unbearably cold. When she spoke, her tone was brittle and bruised. “It always comes back to her, doesn’t it?”

“I don’t know what you mean.” The anger that had been so close to the surface just a second ago faded.

She continued talking, almost as if she hadn’t heard him. “Everything always comes back to her. Cara’s right there under the surface. No matter what else is going on in your life. You won’t push Rafe to trot out his grief in public, because you’ve never gotten over having grieved for her that way.” Ana sucked in a deep breath, like she need strength to continue. “You’re right. I don’t know what it’s like to lose a spouse to cancer. I hope I never know what that’s like. But I can’t be in a relationship with someone whose entire existence is centered around that one experience.”

“That’s not true,” he said, trying to deny it.

“Then why haven’t you sold the house? Why haven’t you gotten rid of her sunglasses? Or her art collections? Why don’t you play the Alvarez?” She met his gaze, her own eyes wide and tearful. “I can’t do this anymore. I think you should leave.”

What could he say to that? He could hardly beg her to reconsider. Not when he knew she was making the right decision for herself. All he could do was nod and say, “Fair enough.”

“Ward, I’m—”

He abruptly let her go and turned away.

“—sorry.”

And with that, he stormed out, before his anger really got the better of him. He didn’t take any comfort in knowing that he’d done right by Hannah’s Hope. In knowing that even if he’d hurt her, he’d done right by her, too. He’d seen the flash of pain in her eyes. Heard the anguish in her voice.

He’d pushed her away. Maybe that’s what he’d been trying to do all along. Either way, he was pretty sure he’d just done a bang up job of crushing the rose.

The day after the barbecue at Ana’s uncle’s home, Ward found Ricky’s house about three blocks away. The tiny bungalow where Ricky lived with his mother sat on a scorched swath of dead grass with a rusting bike in the front yard and an even rustier late-model compact car at the curb.

Though Ward had been up since his dawn run on the beach, he waited until after ten to drop by Ricky’s house. There were some things even stardom couldn’t excuse and Ward knew from experience that waking up a night owl too early was one of them.

Ricky answered the door after the first knock, dressed in