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second-guessed herself. That was one thing she looked forward to about marriage—finally being fully confident that the man she loved loved her back just as much.
    “You’ve done well for yourself, too, Wyatt. You’ve created a life out of the things you’re passionate about, and not everyone is strong enough to do that.”
    “You are.”
    “Ididn’t have any other options,” she found herself admitting.
    “Career-wise?”
    His question poked at something tender inside her. Most people who knew her background would’ve assumed she was talking about career choices, since she hadn’t been college-bound and hadn’t shown much aptitude at anything other than acting. Journalists sometimes asked what she would’ve done if she hadn’t become an actor. Gone to cosmetology school , she answered, which always made them laugh for some reason, but it was the truth. She would’ve followed in her mom’s footsteps, partly because she loved doing hair and makeup and helping women transform themselves, but also because it was the only thing she knew.
    But Wyatt clearly didn’t assume she was just talking about her career options—and he was right. Actinghad been her escape route, a way of transporting herself into a more livable life. Pretending she was someone smarter, stronger, braver had saved her time and time again. It had taught her how to ignore reality, a coping mechanism that had stopped her own reality from overwhelming her. “I…I guess I don’t just mean career-wise.”
    He took a sip of coffee, his shoulder brushing hers as he raisedand lowered the mug to his lips. She kept her gaze trained on the dirt between her feet and cursed herself for all the feelings she shouldn’t be feeling. They’re just memories of feelings I used to have , she tried to tell herself.
    “Nancy?” a deep, familiar voice asked from the edge of the clearing.
    She gasped, her head jerking toward where her fiancé stood with his hands in his pockets and abewildered expression as he glanced from her to the man next to her.
    “Jared!”

Chapter Five
    ‡
    “Husbands are like fires. They go out when unattended.”
    —Zsa Zsa Gabor
    “W hat are you doing here?” she asked.
    He threw her an accusing, wide-eyed look, and guilt rushed through her before she realized she had done nothing to feel guilty for. Okay, she’d been sitting next to Wyatt and silently reminiscing about old feelings,but she hadn’t done anything improper.
    She pushed herself off the ground and skirted the fire, but the hardening of his mouth told her she was in trouble. He could be sensitive sometimes. It made him a fantastic actor, a man whose talent she’d always admired. But sometimes he heard things in her voice that she hadn’t meant to communicate. Maybe she’d said the wrong thing or hadn’t put enoughenthusiasm into her greeting. Hadn’t leapt over the fire to throw herself into his arms.
    After a decade in Hollywood, she was no stranger to artists and their tantrums. Heck, she’d had them herself. It was just tricky to handle those turbulent emotions with someone she loved.
    As soon as she was close, he slid his arm around her waist and tugged her to him hard enough to take her breath away.“Don’t you mean, ‘What a wonderful surprise!’?”
    “Of course.” She gave him a big smile, because of course she hadn’t meant to sound like she was unhappy to see him. “It is a surprise.”
    “Clearly.” He glanced over her shoulder, then slid his palms to her cheeks and held her head for a deep, long kiss. Those weird feelings bubbled low in her gut again. Shame mixed with pride. She’d felt so proudto be with him and eager to show him off to the town that had seen her during the most humbling, helpless, hungry years of her life. But as he pushed his tongue between her lips, a long-buried memory surfaced from deep in the recesses of her mind, bringing back the shame. Wyatt’s voice rang in her head. Nice of him to use your mouth the way a