Chapter 23
Dallas
Dallas stared helplessly at the love of his life—the woman who held his heart in the palm of her hand. She’d always owned that piece of him. From the very first second they’d met, he belonged to her.
His eyes darted from Cheyenne to Camilla and back.
Cheyenne had planned this. She’d heard him on the phone, and she’d inserted herself into the conversation he’d needed to have with Camilla.
While she was very much the one who had lit the match to this beautifully disastrous destruction that was currently his life, he was the one who had built the bomb.
“Cheyenne,” he said with gritted teeth, “please leave.”
She shrugged. “I didn’t drive. We were going to have a fashion show.”
He closed his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose. “I’ll get someone to take you home. You can borrow Camilla’s car. Or I can call you a cab.”
She snorted. “And miss this? Fat chance. Why can’t you admit that you messed up? Again. You keep doing this and Camilla keeps forgiving you. At some point you’re going to have to accept that you’re not good enough for her. You never will be.”
He narrowed his eyes at her. Right about now, he wanted so badly to tell Camilla what Cheyenne had said about Camilla belonging to her in a way.
He didn’t have any proof, but if she was so obsessive about his dating her best friend, then how did she react to other men in Camilla’s life?
Had she meddled in Camilla’s other relationships?
His twin seemed to understand his train of thinking. At least that was how it appeared based on the sudden frown that replaced her expression of exaltation. Was that worry that he read in her expression?
Taking a step forward, he lowered his voice. “You can either make yourself scarce or I will remove you myself.”
“Dallas!” Camilla chided. “You’re not—”
“This has nothing to do with her, Camilla, and you know it.” His tone was sharper than he’d intended it to be, and he winced. He’d never raised his voice to anyone. The careful control he’d worked so hard to develop was unraveling before his eyes.
Both women stared at him. His sister looked almost triumphant, which tore into him in a very different way than the wary expression Camilla sent his way.
Dallas took a deep, measured breath. “This is between the two of us, Camilla. We’re old enough to have a conversation about what happened and work through it—alone. Please, give me that.”
Camilla glanced at Cheyenne, who gave a subtle shake of her head. What he wouldn’t give to throw her over his shoulder, toss her in a cab, and tell their mother the terrible things she’d been up to lately like they were children.
Thankfully, Camilla was willing to listen to reason. She pushed the truck door shut and turned to Cheyenne. “You can take the stuff inside and wait or you can head home. I don’t know how long this is going to take.”
His sister looked wounded by this decision. Did she truly believe that Camilla would choose her over the man she loved?
Dallas had to take this decision as a good sign. There was still a chance they could work through this. Yes, he’d made a mistake. Several. But he was trying to be a better man. For Camilla.
He watched Cheyenne as she gathered the bags in her hands and headed for the house. She glared at him as she passed, and he stepped out of the way before she could ram her shoulder into him as she went by.
Then it was just him and Camilla. She hugged herself as she continued to watch him.
They were out in the open. There was no reason for her to be worried about her safety or anything.
The only cause for concern should be on his side.
What if one of her three brothers noticed they were having an argument?
All it would take was a tear on Camilla’s cheek and they’d take him to the ground like a defenseman in the NFL.
Swallowing hard, Dallas stepped toward her. He held his hands out in front of him like he might with a wild animal. “Are you going to let me explain?”
She pressed her lips together but looked away. “I don’t know if that’s going to do you any good, Dallas.”
That was the worst thing she could have said to him at that moment.
He didn’t know if she was actively trying to hurt him, but those words sliced him deep.
He needed to believe in hope. He needed to know that she would still love him even after he told her that he’d have to leave for his job.
This wasn’t in his control. If it was, he wouldn’t go anywhere.
At that point she lifted her eyes to meet his, and they were so full of disappointment and shimmering with unshed tears that he knew he’d lost. Before the conversation had even started, he’d lost her.
“Two weeks,” he rasped.
She blinked.
“I have two weeks before I have to leave again. Sooner, if they decide to bump it up even more.”
Camilla looked away. “And how long have you known that you would be leaving?”
He scrubbed at his jaw. Technically, he knew this was a possibility from the get-go. But he hadn’t known when he would be relocated. Sometimes assignments were extended. Sometimes they were cut short.
Pulling his lower lip between his teeth, he bit down hard enough he could taste the coppery flavor of his blood. Dallas closed his eyes as his tongue ran along the small cut. It wasn’t enough of a distraction for the blow he knew he had to give. “This was always a possibility.”
Her quiet intake of breath said it all.
Camilla felt betrayed.
“It’s supposed to be a short trip. I won’t have to be gone long—”
“That’s not the point, is it?” Camilla snapped at him.
He flinched.
“I didn’t want to let you in, Dallas. I fought it so hard.” Her voice cracked and a whimper escaped her lips.
Dallas clenched his hands tight to prevent himself from going to her, from pulling her into his arms and telling her that he was sorry. He was willing to grovel if that was what it took. But the longer he watched her crumble, the less confident he felt about where he stood with her.
“I told you. After how things ended last time…” Camilla shook her head, and another tear slipped free. “We had to be honest with each other. No matter what. I needed everything up front and center. And you…” She sucked in a shuddering breath and exhaled. “You swore you would.”
“I know, but—”
“But nothing, Dallas.” This time she whispered. “You lied to me.”
“Well, that’s not fair. I didn’t lie to you.”
“Withholding information is just as bad as lying and you know it. Our relationship was doing so well. Everything was falling into place. Or so I thought.”
An uncomfortable chill unfurled in his chest. He could already see where she was going with this. Camilla didn’t want to talk this out to fix it. She’d made up her mind.
He couldn’t speak. He couldn’t argue with her.
She was right. And the worst part was that he’d withheld this information knowing it would affect them both. The truth was likely written all over his face. “Camilla,” he whispered, “I’m sorry.”
She nodded solemnly. “That doesn’t change the fact that you made a decision that could be life-altering for the both of us. You went into this relationship knowing full well that you wouldn’t be here for the long haul.” She swiped at her tears, and her expression turned almost hateful.
“I don’t know why I’m surprised. This is what you do, right? You reel someone in, and then you leave. Cheyenne warned me not to let you in. She said this would happen, but I guess I’m a glutton for punishment.” She turned her eyes heavenward and wiped once more at her face.
Dallas took a step toward her, not knowing what exactly he could do, but he had to do something. “We can work this out.”
She brought her gaze back to him, then held up a hand. “That’s just it. I don’t think we can. You broke my trust. I know this doesn’t sound like a big deal, but it is to me.”
“I know. And I promise, I was going to tell you.”
Once again, she shook her head. “It’s a little too late for that.”
Before he could say another word, another apology, she charged for the house. Cheyenne came out onto the porch at that moment, and the venomous glare she shot his way would have turned his heart to stone if it didn’t already feel like a useless lump of coal.
Camilla’s words had been cutting. They sliced right through him, causing pain despite the numbness spreading through his body. He couldn’t believe he’d actually brought the ring with him for this conversation. How dumb could he be? What did he expect? For Camilla to see the ring and forgive him?
“You look like death warmed over,” a voice muttered at his back.
Dallas turned to find Roman arching a brow. He didn’t look thrilled to see him either. Had he already heard what had transpired? Dallas wouldn’t have been surprised, considering how close Camilla was with her siblings.
“You gonna tell me what’s going on?”
Dallas rubbed the back of his neck and turned back toward the house. “Nah, I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
“What happened?” Roman’s accusatory voice was just as bad as the look Dallas had gotten from his sister.
Flinching, Dallas shoved his hands in his pockets. “Your sister is mad.”
“Does she have a good reason?”
A pause. Dallas didn’t want to go through this with Roman. It was none of his business. Much like it wasn’t Cheyenne’s. He swallowed hard. “Yeah, she does.”
Roman’s silence was chilling. Dallas half-expected the man to tackle him to the ground and throw a few punches for how protective he was with his sisters. Every muscle in Dallas’s body tensed, waiting for the moment when he was pummeled into the ground.
It never came.
“You need to go, Dallas.”
“I know. I should let her cool down and come back.”
“No. You’re going to pack up and leave.”
Dallas whipped his head around and stared at Roman. “I can’t do that.”
“You don’t have a choice. I warned you. Camilla doesn’t need this in her life.”
“And what exactly do you think that is? You have no idea what she’s even upset about.”
Roman chuckled, but it was void of humor.
“The thing is, I know my sister. Camilla has a good head on her shoulders. If she’s upset, then she’s got good reason.
” He folded his arms across his chest and lifted his chin.
“I don’t think you should stick around. Find a way to commute or something until your project is done. ”
“I’m not giving up on her, Roman.” Even if Dallas had to leave for Canada on schedule in two weeks, he’d do everything in his power to ensure Camilla knew where he stood. He just needed to get his head on straight. Once he figured out how to make this up to her, he would.
Hopefully, he’d find a way to stay in Copper Creek longer or indefinitely.
There had to be a way. Camilla was worth the effort, and he was going to make sure she knew it.