Page 90 of Tragic (Lark Cove 3)

Ironic word, that.

It was also ironic that I seemed to have the propensity to fall in love with men who ran away from their problems. When things had gotten too hard in our marriage, Adam had run into the arms of another woman. Had Kaine done the same?

My spine stiffened at the idea of him with someone else. It had crushed me to find out that Adam had cheated, but my heart had healed—quicker than I would have imagined.

If Kaine had spent the last three weeks with someone else, I’d be destroyed.

“Will you hear me out?” he asked, setting the baby name book aside.

I waited a beat, then another, finally giving him a nod.

His broad chest caved in with a deep sigh. “I said some awful things to you that I didn’t mean. It’s not an excuse, but I was scared and let my fears get the best of me. I’m sorry.”

“Apology accepted.”

“Thanks.”

I waited for him to continue, but he just sat there looking at me with those vivid eyes.

My eyes narrowed. If he thought that qualified as a confession, he was sorely mistaken. The air in the room grew tense and heavy. My lungs seemed to be working twice as hard, but I couldn’t take a deep breath. The rage I’d been nurturing bloomed inside my chest, flaring like a campfire doused with gasoline.

“That’s it?” I asked. “That’s your confession? You were scared?”

He held up a hand. “I—”

“No.” I shot off my chair. “I’m talking now.”

Wisely, he dropped his hand and closed his mouth.

“You don’t think I was scared?” I pointed to my chest as I began pacing between my vacated chair and the coffee table. “Do you

have any idea how big of a shock that was for me? Do you think it was easy for me to come into your shop and tell you I was pregnant when I was the one who had assured you we were safe? That was my mistake and that is on me. But your reaction? That’s on you.”

He nodded. “You’re right.”

“Damn right, I’m right. You disappeared for nineteen days. That’s almost three weeks! And you couldn’t even manage to pick up the phone and let me know.”

“I didn’t take my phone. And I don’t have your number.”

I stopped midstep, shooting him a glare that could level one of the hundred-year-old trees outside. “Not a good excuse.”

“I should have called.” He held up his hands. “But I didn’t want to have this conversation over the phone. I’ve got—would you please sit down?”

“Fine.” With a harrumph, I recrossed my arms and sank into the chair.

“There’s a lot about my past I need to explain. I’m hoping when you hear me out, you’ll understand why I got scared. But—”

“There’s always a but, isn’t there?” I huffed. Kaine had avoided his past over and over and over again. When was I going to learn that he didn’t trust me enough to confide in me?

“But,” he said, his jaw ticking, “I’d like it if you weren’t seething when we had that conversation.”

“That might take a while.”

“I’ll let you cool off and come over later.” He stood from the couch. “Is that okay?”

I nodded, letting him see himself out.

The door closed behind him and I didn’t move. My heart was pounding, my pulse booming through every vein. I took a few deep inhales, calming myself down because getting this worked up couldn’t be good for the babies.