Chapter 3
brAND
I shouldn't have opened the door. That's exactly what I'm thinking as Corbin Kincaid's daughter stands on my porch.
It's clear she has no intention of backing down until she gets what she wants.
The way she's standing, hands on her hips and an unwavering smile on her face, makes it very clear that she's also not afraid of me.
Which puts me in a tough spot. A very, very tough spot.
She's right. I was at the funeral. Even more, I saw her there.
Couldn't look away from her, truth be told.
It hadn't occurred to me that my presence would even be noticed, much less by her.
She'd been beautiful even then, the sadness in her eyes something that had hit me then, and it had been impossible to shake that memory away.
I could still see it now, despite the facade she was wearing.
She missed her dad. And that was why she was here.
"Since you knew him, I wondered if you'd help me with something important." She takes a deep breath, ready to launch into her argument for why I should be part of whatever plan she has, so I raise a hand to stop her.
"No."
Her jaw snaps shut in surprise and there's a flash of what I know is hurt.
"But, if you don't help ..."
I step toward her and she freezes. It's not something I do often, use my size to intimidate other people.
Not intentionally. And I don't want to do that in this moment, either.
But there's no way I can miss the way she swallows nervously, or how she leans back, automatically trying to create space between us.
My chest aches at the idea that I'm scaring her.
The only problem is, it's exactly what I need to do.
"I'm not going to help you, Lydia. I can't. So you need to go on back down to town, have a nice time buying gifts at the Maker's Market, drink some fancy cocktails, and then head home. Where you belong."
It sounds mean, even to me. I don't like doing it. It bothered me to see the grief wash over her pretty face, taking us both back to that moment in the chapel, when she was struggling to say goodbye to someone she loved.
I don't wait for her to make any other plea or ask me to change my mind. Just turn my back, look over my shoulder as I go back inside, and say, "Drive safe."
Then shut the door in her face.