Read Online Riding for Love (A Western Romance) by Tina Susedik - Free Book Online Page B

“You went on your merry way while I endured pity and laughter. One weekend people saw us holding hands, the next thing they knew you were married to someone else. I had no explanation. Oh, my last year of high school was wonderful.”
    “I know. It was wrong of me. But—”
    Eve interrupted. “If you were aware, then why?” She heard her voice rising, not caring if anyone in the restaurant listened and carried their conversation back to town.
    Dent tossed his cloth napkin on the table. “Guilt. Fear. It was difficult enough admitting to myself I was duped by her, but how could I explain to you?”
    Eve calmed down a little when he admitted he’d been scared. In his shoes, it was possible she would have done the same thing. But she wouldn’t have been as gullible. “Look, Dent. I’m not saying what you did was right.” She wasn’t ready to let him off the hook, though. “But can’t you understand what I went through? The shame and humiliation? The taunts and jokes at school?”
    He picked up his napkin and smoothed it over his pant leg. “I understand completely. I had the same reactions when she dumped me for someone richer out in California. I imagine you got a big laugh over that one.”
    “I never heard anything, except you divorced a year after moving out West. It was none of my business,” Eve admitted, surprised at the compassion flowing through her, knowing he had suffered the same humiliation. “Why didn’t you come home after your divorce?”
    “I enjoyed my job at the accounting firm. I liked the weather. Besides, I didn’t want to run home with my tail between my legs. I thought there was nothing left here for me.” He lifted his chin, pain showing in his eyes, turning them more gray than blue.
    “You were right,” she agreed. “Although, I suppose the gossips figured you’d return and crawl back to me.”
    “The thought crossed my mind many times.” His comment pierced straight to her heart. “The question is, where do we go from here?”
    She raised an eyebrow. “You’re kidding, right? I go home to my place, you to yours.”
    “You know darn well that isn’t what I mean!” Dent snapped back. “You and me. Do we have any chance at a future together?”
    “We’re not going anywhere together, Denton Johansen, and there is no future for us.”
    He shook his head to toss off her words. “I don’t believe that any more than you do, Eve Dayton. I care for you. Always have. Always will.” He took her hand in his. “I believe you share those feelings.” He paused, looking at his large hand holding her much smaller one. “Let me ask you this. Why haven’t you married?”
    “None of your business.” She jerked her hand away. At the rate he grabbed and she pulled, her fingers would be an inch longer by evening’s end. “It just so happens I’ve been too busy.” And lonely, she failed to add.
    “Hmph.” He leaned his elbows on the table and pointed at her. “Seems you weren’t too busy to go out with Mr. Veterinarian.”
    Eve sat back in her chair, surprised at the petty, childish tone in Dent’s voice. “That is none of your business.”
    His exhaled breath blew across Eve’s face. “How many times do I have to apologize? I want to get together again, see if we can resurrect what we had as teenagers.” He bent forward, closing the distance between them. “I don’t know how I can convince you.”
    Despite what her head told her, a piece of her heart split at the pain on his face. “I’m not sure what you can do. I don’t know if I can trust you again.” She tossed her napkin onto her untouched plate and stood. “Right now I need to get out of here.”
    She didn’t look back to see the helplessness on his face as she stormed from the restaurant.

Chapter 5
    Denton scratched the back of his head and rolled his neck from side-to-side. Already a month since going out to dinner with Eve, and if his level of frustration got any higher, he’d be halfway to the