Page 71 of The Cowbears of Curvy Bear Ranch

“Something like that.” Was he about to getburned?

“I’m soembarrassed.”

“I’m sure you had a good reason to lie,”hesaid.

“I don’t know where tostart.”

He pulled her closer and stroked her hair. “Start with why you really leftSeattle.”

“I caught my fiancé in bed with my maid ofhonor.”

His breath whooshedout. “Damn.”

Chapter6

“Yeah. Damn.”She still couldn’t get the images out of her head. The two people she loved most in the world, naked in a twist of writhing limbs. Her stomachrolled.

He lightly stroked her arm. “Then whathappened?”

“I screamed at him and told her I hope she rots in hell. They were just lying there with the sheets pulled up to their necks with this deer-in-headlights look that would have been comical in any other situation. I went downstairs and started throwing things. I broke three of his stupid businessman-of-the-year glass trophies along with every single picture of ustogether.”

“I can’t imagine how enraging that hadtobe.”

“I was mad at first. I drove around all night until I ran out of gas somewhere near the Canadian border. A nice trucker helped me out after listening to my hysterical ranting about my ex-fiancé.” Even now, rage welled up to wrap its violent fist around her heart. In the last month, she’d vacillated between anger and despair. Each day brought with it a new way tohateBen.

Mack asked, “Why didn’t you tell me thisbefore?”

“You never would have given me the job. What was I supposed to say? ‘Hi, I’m completely out of my league and borderline crazy because I caught my fiancé fucking my best friend?’” Her sarcasm held a hint of dark humor. If she hadn’t found a few moments of laughter about how ridiculous the situation was, she would have lost her mindweeksago.

Mack turned to her and smiled. “Yeah, I can see how opening a job interview with that nugget would have been aproblem.”

“Are you saying you wouldn’t have hired a crazy, jilted ex-bride?” she asked with asmirk.

“I don’t think you’recrazy.”

“Sometimes I’m not sure I can even get up in themorning.”

“You got uptoday.”

“And almost burned down the house,” shepointedout.

“Almost.”

She swallowed and stared out into the darkness. “I’m sorry I lied. I needed to get away from Seattle and all the people who looked at mewithpity.”

“Maybe it wasn’t pity. Maybe they just careaboutyou.”

She sniffed as fresh tears threatened to fall. Her chest tightened and each breath took more effort than the last. “I feel soalone.”

She had no idea why she felt so comfortable confessing everything to Mack. He hadn’t been the easiest person to talk to when she’d first interviewed for the job. But now, she couldn’t stoptalking.

“I’m glad you’re telling me everything now. I suspected something wasn’t right this morning, but I couldn’t put my finger on what it was. I’m glad you finallytoldme.”

“You’re not always the easiest person totalkto.”

Hehuffed. “What?”

“When you interviewed me, you were rather abrupt… and a bitoverbearing.”