his teeth. âCharlie.â
âHowâs it going?â the sheriff asked in his honeyed voice.
Griffin cocked a brow. âHow do you think itâs going?â
He winked at Darcy. âPretty good, by the looks of things.â
She was going to die from humiliation.
âCan I help you?â Griffin asked, his irritation clear. âDid we not leave you at Mitch and Maddieâs?â
âWhy yes, you did.â Charlie gave her another slow smile. âI was on my way home when the call came over the wire. I figured it was on my way, so I might as well check it out.â
âCheck what out?â Griffin asked.
Charlie laughed. âApparently a horn kept going off and someone complained that there were kids out on the service road again.â He ran his gaze over Darcy. âBut I had a feeling it was you.â
Griffin ran his hands through his hair, and Charlie laughed again. âProbably not the best idea for the mayor to get caught screwing around in an illegal parking zone.â
Through gritted teeth Griff said, âIâll take it under advisement.â
âSee that you do,â Charlie said, looking back and forth between Griffin and Darcy. âProbably best if you go somewhere else.â
âWill do.â Griffin sighed. âI trust this will remain between us?â
He tipped his hat again and straightened. âYour secrets are safe with me.â
âThanks.â
Darcyâs stomach dropped, and all the lust that had been riding her hard evaporated into thin air, leaving behind a humiliating sickness. She looked out the window and tried to ignore the tightness in her throat. It was always the same old story in this town. She was still that girl, but Griffin wasnât that boy.
He was one of them.
Chapter Twelve
Back on the road, an uncomfortable silence had taken hold of the car, all the heat and desire from before, gone. Griffin glanced at Darcy who stared out the window, fingertips pressed to her lips, apparently deep in thought.
They might have years separating them, but he still knew her, still remembered. She was upset. He just didnât know why.
He brushed her leg, and she moved away. âDarce, talk to me.â
âThereâs nothing to say.â Her tone was flat, with no emotion. âWhat happened back there was a mistake.â
In the darkness of the rural road he couldnât see her expression, and it frustrated him. âWas it?â
âYes.â She seemed to blow out a deep breath. âCan you take me home?â
âAll right.â He clenched the steering wheel. âAre you upset because Charlie saw us? I can promise you he wonât say a word.â
She huffed and shook her head. âYouâre such an idiot.â
He turned left onto her street and pulled up in front of her tiny house. It was run-down and dilapidated. The small porch sagged on one side. It looked old and abandoned, ready to move on from its life as a home. Ironic that it was the one thing standing in the way. He could take the house, he had the legal grounds to do so, heâd made sure of it. But at what cost?
Darcy wouldnât forgive him.
Did he need her forgiveness? Did it matter? Sheâd fight him until he won and was forced to play his hand and take her momâs house away. After, sheâd leave to go back to her life in New York, where she wanted nothing to do with him or Revival.
So what did forgiveness matter?
He looked at her. She still stared out the window, but made no effort to leave his car.
He took that as a sign to talk.
âWhy am I an idiot?â he asked, shifting in his seat to face her, despite the fact that she didnât look at him.
Seconds ticked by as he waited for her answer, and when he thought she wouldnât give him one, she spoke. âI hated the way I grew up. Hated that everyone assumed I was trash just because of where I came from.â
âI hated that
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