Page 24

“It suits you,” he told her.

“That is very pretty. It’s feminine and petite, juts like you,” the woman behind the table told them.

Alana smiled at the woman as Jeb placed it on Alana’s wrist.

“How much is it?” Alana asked.

“Twenty,” the woman replied, but before Alana could hand over her money, Jaxon was there giving the twenty-dollar bill to the woman.

Jeb smiled.

“Isn’t it perfect?” Jeb asked Jaxon.

Jaxon lifted Alana’s hand up but held her gaze, instead of checking out the bracelet.

“She is perfect.” He winked, and Alana blushed.

“Jaxon, please.”

“Come on. Let’s continue to look around.”

Jaxon placed his hands on her shoulders, and she was grateful he didn’t take her hand. She might do something stupid like hug him. But as they walked through the fair and around the vendors, she caught sight of the others, including Gabe sitting at a large table. Her heart began to pound again, this time bringing instant sickness and fear.

How can I sit near by Gabe and act like he doesn’t exist and like we weren’t in love? How can I pretend to be friendly when all I want to do is scream and cry, yell at him and demand he come back to me and be the man I remember? How can he just give up on us and what we had? Why doesn’t he love me? How can he just ignore me and not want to hold me like I’ve longed to hold him? God help me get through this. God, I can’t do this.

She paused three tables away from where they all sat.

“I’m sorry. I need to use the lady’s room. I’ll meet you after,” she told Jeb and Jaxon.

Jaxon gave her that look. An expression a commander gives a soldier when he knows he’s up to something.

“I’ll walk with you,” Jeb offered.

“No. I’ll be fine. Go with your friends, and I’ll be back.”

He gave her a knowing smile and then ran his knuckles gently against her cheek.

“Hurry back,” Jeb said, and she nodded, turned away, and instantly felt the sickness lessen.

As she quickly headed toward the center of the fairgrounds, where there was a building with restrooms and information, she turned to her right and bumped into someone.

The man grabbed her by her waist and stared right into her eyes.

His eyes were dark, angry, and definitely creepy, and she stepped back, but he didn’t release her.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t see you,” he said to her.

“That’s okay. It was my fault too.”

“Have I seen you before?” he asked her, releasing his hold but still in her space.

She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

“No, I don’t think so.”

“Well, you look familiar. I would remember such a pretty face.”

She thought the man was kind of strange, especially the way he looked her body over and even eyed her breasts. She knew she was well endowed, but he was blatantly staring.