Page 107 of All We Thought We Knew

I hadn’t gone far when a navy-blue Chevy Chevelle pulled into the yard. An attractive young woman stepped out, her tan hip-length coat lined with brilliant white fur around the collar and cuffs.

“Hello.” I walked toward her. “May I help you?”

She chuckled. “It’s me, Mattie. Paula.”

My mouth gaped. “Paula Allyn?” I couldn’t believe the difference in Mark’s old girlfriend’s appearance. She’d come to his funeral last year, but she’d looked the same as I’d always remembered. Now her hair was bleached blonde instead of brunette, and she wore a thick layer of makeup around her eyes and on her cheeks.

We hugged. “It’s good to see you,” I said sincerely.

Nash came out of the barn and stopped short when he saw us.

“Nash, look who’s here. Paula.”

An odd expression crossed his face before he slowly moved forward. “Good to see you, Paula.”

She nodded, then sobered when she faced me. “I’ve been visiting my parents this week, but I wanted to come out before I leave town and tell you how sorry I am about your mom. She was always very kind to me.”

“Thank you,” I said, my throat thick.

We chatted for several minutes, catching up. Nash was quiet, but I knew he’d run into Paula a time or two since he’d come home, so he probably didn’t feel the need to join our conversation.

“I better be going,” she said. “It was great to see you again, Mattie. When Nash and I had dinner a couple weeks ago, I was happy to hear you were home.”

“Dinner?” I asked, confused.

She cast a shy glance at Nash. “We’ve only been out a couple times.”

I stared at her, suddenly feeling like an idiot for not putting two and two together until now.

She bid us goodbye, with a lingering look at Nash, and climbed into the car and drove away.

Before he could say a word, I turned on him. “You’re dating my dead brother’s girlfriend?”

He frowned. “It isn’t like that, Mattie. We have dinner when she’s in town. She’s lonely. I was too. We mostly talk about Mark.”

I glared at him. “Why couldn’t you just be honest with me? Why does everyone in my life feel the need to lie to me?”

“I didn’t lie to you, Mattie,” he said. “But I didn’t think you’d understand. And I see I was right.”

“Don’t you dare put this on me.” A bitter taste filled my mouth. “Mark loved her.” I couldn’t say more.

I left him standing in the yard and stormed back to the house. The nurse stepped into the hallway when I stomped up the stairs.

“Your mother is resting, dear,” she said, rebuke in her tone.

Although I didn’t think Mama would hear a freight train if it thundered by, thanks to the morphine, I apologized, tiptoed to my room, and closed the door.

Nash and Paula were dating.

Was I the last person to know? Why would he comfort me, hold me so tenderly, if he had a girlfriend?Mark’sgirlfriend. I’d trusted Nash. Poured my heart out to him.

What a fool I’d been.

I paced the room like a caged lion. I needed to roar and let off some steam.

There was only one way to do that.

I headed to the barn and saddled Mark’s horse, True Blue.