told you about. He’s found something strange.”
“What is it?”
“Money was transferred out of my bank account………..transferred out of mine and into yours.”
Amber froze. “What?”
Amber’s heart pounded as she stared up at Brian. “You don’t think I did it, do you?”
Brian blinked. “No, sweetheart. Of course I don’t. It’s obviously some kind of a misunderstanding.”
***
Amber stared at the glass pitcher in her hands. She knew it would slip if she didn’t set it down. Her hands were shaking badly.
Brian had just come home from another meeting with Matt.
“The transfer came from the computer upstairs. While Mrs. Quinn and I were away.”
Carefully, Amber set the pitcher on the island and turned around.
Brian’s head was tilted as he stared at her. “Why didn’t you tell me you needed money?” he whispered. “I would have helped you.”
Amber’s heart seized.
No. No. No.
Amber knew she should say something. Tell him he was wrong. But she was so shocked she couldn’t speak.
Brian turned around. Tugged a hand through his hair. His expression was pained as he turned back to her.
“I trusted you. I thought you cared about me. About Katie.” His voice was gruff with emotion. “My God, Amber……I was going to ask you to marry me.”
Amber stood frozen. Her breathing was ragged.
She shook her head. Jolted herself out of the numbness.
She had to make him understand.
“Brian,” she whispered.
Brian took a breath. “W as what you said about your mother a lie? Were you the one who took money from your father’s account?”
“No! Brian, I didn’t do it! I didn’t do what you’re saying. I’d never do anything to hurt you or Katie.” Amber’s heart beat furiously as the words finally poured out.
She choked in a breath. “Brian, I didn’t tell you on the phone, but one day this week, it looked like some things had been moved around on your desk. Someone must have…….”
“What? Broken into the house to take money from my account and put it into yours?”
“Yes,” Amber whispered.
“Why?”
“I-I don’t know.”
Brian was shaking his head. “Why didn’t you tell me about this break-in before?”
“I had forgotten about it.” Once the words were out, Amber realized how ridiculous they sounded.
She could see Brian’s expression change, tighten.
He snorted. “Right.”
Amber swiped tears from her face. “Brian, I’m telling the truth. Please believe me,” she whispered.
Brian closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. “I think you should leave,” he said.
Amber opened her mouth then closed it a moment later.
Her chest was constricted. Stretched tight. She could barely breathe. She stood staring at Brian.
The man she’d known these last months had vanished. In an instant.
She recognized the set of his jaw.
The man she’d first met was back. The man who distrusted her.
Saying the words again - trying to make him understand - would be pointless. He saw what he wanted to see.
Amber swiped at her tears again. She looked up to the second floor. Thought of asking to say goodbye to Katie. But she knew what he’d say.
“Tell Katie and Mrs. Quinn I said goodbye.” She choked out the words.
Amber sucked in another breath and ran past him. She grabbed her purse from the entryway table, yanked open the door and ran out.
She’d barely made it into her car before hard sobs wrenched her body. She slumped over the wheel.
He didn’t believe her. He thought she was a liar and wanted her out of his life.
Amber had begun to trust in a happy future with Brian and Katie. All of that was shattered now.
She dragged her head up. Covered her face with her hands as another wave of sobs came.
She couldn’t just sit there and weep in his driveway. She had to leave.
With trembling fingers, she started the engine. Put the car into gear and maneuvered it up the driveway.
***
“Daddy, where did Amber go?”
Brian stiffened. He wiped his eyes and turned
“What is it?”
“Money was transferred out of my bank account………..transferred out of mine and into yours.”
Amber froze. “What?”
Amber’s heart pounded as she stared up at Brian. “You don’t think I did it, do you?”
Brian blinked. “No, sweetheart. Of course I don’t. It’s obviously some kind of a misunderstanding.”
***
Amber stared at the glass pitcher in her hands. She knew it would slip if she didn’t set it down. Her hands were shaking badly.
Brian had just come home from another meeting with Matt.
“The transfer came from the computer upstairs. While Mrs. Quinn and I were away.”
Carefully, Amber set the pitcher on the island and turned around.
Brian’s head was tilted as he stared at her. “Why didn’t you tell me you needed money?” he whispered. “I would have helped you.”
Amber’s heart seized.
No. No. No.
Amber knew she should say something. Tell him he was wrong. But she was so shocked she couldn’t speak.
Brian turned around. Tugged a hand through his hair. His expression was pained as he turned back to her.
“I trusted you. I thought you cared about me. About Katie.” His voice was gruff with emotion. “My God, Amber……I was going to ask you to marry me.”
Amber stood frozen. Her breathing was ragged.
She shook her head. Jolted herself out of the numbness.
She had to make him understand.
“Brian,” she whispered.
Brian took a breath. “W as what you said about your mother a lie? Were you the one who took money from your father’s account?”
“No! Brian, I didn’t do it! I didn’t do what you’re saying. I’d never do anything to hurt you or Katie.” Amber’s heart beat furiously as the words finally poured out.
She choked in a breath. “Brian, I didn’t tell you on the phone, but one day this week, it looked like some things had been moved around on your desk. Someone must have…….”
“What? Broken into the house to take money from my account and put it into yours?”
“Yes,” Amber whispered.
“Why?”
“I-I don’t know.”
Brian was shaking his head. “Why didn’t you tell me about this break-in before?”
“I had forgotten about it.” Once the words were out, Amber realized how ridiculous they sounded.
She could see Brian’s expression change, tighten.
He snorted. “Right.”
Amber swiped tears from her face. “Brian, I’m telling the truth. Please believe me,” she whispered.
Brian closed his eyes and clenched his jaw. “I think you should leave,” he said.
Amber opened her mouth then closed it a moment later.
Her chest was constricted. Stretched tight. She could barely breathe. She stood staring at Brian.
The man she’d known these last months had vanished. In an instant.
She recognized the set of his jaw.
The man she’d first met was back. The man who distrusted her.
Saying the words again - trying to make him understand - would be pointless. He saw what he wanted to see.
Amber swiped at her tears again. She looked up to the second floor. Thought of asking to say goodbye to Katie. But she knew what he’d say.
“Tell Katie and Mrs. Quinn I said goodbye.” She choked out the words.
Amber sucked in another breath and ran past him. She grabbed her purse from the entryway table, yanked open the door and ran out.
She’d barely made it into her car before hard sobs wrenched her body. She slumped over the wheel.
He didn’t believe her. He thought she was a liar and wanted her out of his life.
Amber had begun to trust in a happy future with Brian and Katie. All of that was shattered now.
She dragged her head up. Covered her face with her hands as another wave of sobs came.
She couldn’t just sit there and weep in his driveway. She had to leave.
With trembling fingers, she started the engine. Put the car into gear and maneuvered it up the driveway.
***
“Daddy, where did Amber go?”
Brian stiffened. He wiped his eyes and turned
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