Page 6 of Conail (Members From Money Season 2, #150)

She took a tentative step towards him, her eyes filling with tears. "Please, just hear me out. I came back because I realized I can't live without you. I know it's a lot to ask, but can we try again? Can we find a way to fix this?"

Colin turned to face her, his expression filled with a mix of anger and longing. "You think you can just come back, and we'll pick up where we left off? Life doesn't work that way, Madeline. I have responsibilities. I can't afford distractions now."

Madeline's heart sank. She knew convincing him would be difficult, but she hadn't anticipated the depth of his resistance. "I understand," she said softly, "but I want to help. With the farm, with everything. Let me prove to you that I'm here for good."

He shook his head, his eyes steely. "This isn't about the farm, Madeline. It's about trust. You broke mine, and I don't know if I can ever get that back."

Madeline swallowed hard, fighting back her tears. "I know. But I'm willing to do whatever it takes to earn it back. Please, Colin, give me a chance."

Colin sighed deeply, the weight of their shared past pressing down on him. He looked at her, seeing the earnestness in her eyes, the sincerity in her words. He didn't know if he could trust her again, but a part of him wanted to believe.

"You broke my goddamn heart." His voice was low and throbbing with emotions, ones he could not control.

"I spent nights wondering if I did the right thing.

If I should have gone after you and I almost did.

My place is here, and you knew it. You knew that my dad was ill, and I could not leave.

I had to stay, had to be with them, to lend a hand.

And you left, you did not want to understand. "

"I thought I wanted more!" Her lips trembled, and she had to press them together and fight back tears.

"I thought I wanted the big city, and I made a mistake.

" She reached out a hand as if expecting him to take it and when he didn't, she let it fall at her side. "I know different now and I want us--"

"There's no us!" He spun away from her, his heart throbbing painfully.

All he wanted to do was to gather her in his arms and kiss her until they were both mindless with desire.

But he would be a fool to forget the incredible hurt and pain she had caused.

The sleepless nights, the hole where his heart was and the anguish and pain when he heard that she was seeing someone else.

Taking a deep breath, he turned back around, the calm settling over him.

"I have work to do." With that, he turned and walked away, forcing himself not to run.

*****

"This all of it?"

"Yes. Two suitcases and a carry on." Yasmine tried not to let the hurt show on her face as he stowed the cases in the trunk of his jeep. "I'm sorry I took you away from work. I could have rented a vehicle."

"What the hell for?" He was in a bad mood and was certainly not feeling charitable. "It's not like I was snowed under with work. As you know, the farm is all but at a standstill." Sliding around to the driver's side, he got in and waited for her to do the same.

Slamming the door, she buckled in and stretched her legs out. She had expected resentment and anger, but the animosity emanating from her brother was palpable. "How's dad?"

"He's fine." Adjusting his mirror, he made his way from the curb and onto the main street.

"It's hot. The heat just snuck up and hit me like a hot poker."

He merely grunted as he concentrated on the road.

"Colin, can you please talk to me?"

He spared her a glance, taking in the oversized white cotton shirt she had worn over dark blue capris.

They had both inherited their father's lofty height, she coming in at six feet and he three inches taller.

But they had both inherited their mother's good looks and looked more like twins than anything else.

He was three years older than her, but there was a time when they were growing up that she would trail after him.

He had not minded it one bit. When she left, she had taken a piece of his heart with her.

The distance between them felt more like miles than inches, and Yasmine tried to bridge the gap with conversation. "Colin, I know you're angry. I know I hurt you and Dad when I left, but I had to figure things out for myself."

He remained silent, the tension in the car thick enough to cut with a knife. The familiar landscape of their childhood home blurred past as they drove, the fields of green stretching out endlessly.

"I missed you," she whispered, almost to herself. "Every day."

"Doesn't change what you did," he finally muttered, his knuckles white on the steering wheel.

She sighed, leaning back in her seat and closing her eyes. The journey home was going to be a long one, and she wasn't sure if the wounds she'd inflicted could ever be healed.

Settling back, she closed her eyes, relishing the heat on her skin.

Glancing over at her, he felt himself relenting.

She had no idea what was in store for her when she got to the farm and would be in for a rude awakening.

With that in mind, he decided to put aside his anger.

He was tired of being bad tempered. Ever since Madeline had paid him a visit, he was in a state of acute despair.

It had not helped that his mother was determined to get them back together.

"It's good to have you back."

Her eyes flew open, and she turned her head to stare at him.

"Is it?"

He shrugged and turned his attention to the road. "Madeline is back."

"Oh." She felt a quick tug of sympathy. They had both gone through hell in their relationships, but she had a feeling he had never gotten over Maddy. What was worse was the fact that she still considered the girl to be a friend.

"For good?"

He shrugged again. "So, she said."

"You have spoken to her?"

"Yes," he clipped. "She wanted to apologize."

"I see." She turned sideways to get a better look at him. "And you told her to go to hell."

A smile tugged at his lips. "Something like that."

"You still love her."

His expression closed up instantly. "Here we are." He drove through the wide-open gate. Immediately, Yasmine felt the tug of nostalgia invading her. Sitting up, she leaned out the window and inhaled the scent of hay and flowers blooming.

Despite the heat, the air was crisp and heady. A hint of rain and the scent of animals filled the nostrils. They drove past the wooden shed where she had scraped her knees climbing over jagged edges and past the tree swing moving drunkenly in the breeze.

"It has not changed a bit." She felt the smile curving her lips as the old rambling farmhouse came into view.

"It has."

Refusing to allow her brother's disgruntled mood to sour her coming home, she stepped out as soon as he came to a stop at the front porch.

Her mother was waiting. Maeve Smith had her apron tied around her still trim waist and a wide smile on her face. Nostalgia bloomed inside her chest and Yasmine found herself running up the steps to meet her halfway. It had been too long, she thought as tight arms came around her waist to hang on.

"Here she is. Let me look at you." Putting her at arm's length, Maeve studied her daughter's face for any sign of suffering. "Still as beautiful as ever. Come along, honey, your brother will get the cases. I have refreshments waiting for you."

Slinging an arm around her mother's waist, she walked inside the cool and comfortable foyer.

"Where's dad?"

"Taking a nap."

A frown touched her brow as they made their way into the cozy blue and cream kitchen.

"Is he ill?"

Letting go of her daughter, Maeve went to the fridge to take out the pitcher of ice-cold lemonade she had made earlier.

"Just tuckered out. He insisted on milking Bessy, and it took a lot out of him." Shaking her head, she poured the drink into two glasses, looking up as Colin stood just inside the doorway. "Where are you off to now?"

"I have some tilling to do." His eyes scanned out the window, a frown touching his brow. "If the weather report holds true, we're in for some more rain."

"Have a glass of lemonade."

"I'll take it to go." Moving forward, he grabbed a thermos from the cupboard and handed it to her. "I put your things in your old room."

"Thanks. Will you be here for supper?"

He looked surprised at the question. "If I can."

"Thanks for picking me up from the airport."

He nodded again as he screwed the top on.

"Well, see you later."

Stifling a sigh at the distance between them, Yasmine took a sip of the lemonade and closed her eyes in appreciation. "No one can top your lemonade. It's the best."

"Of course it is." Maeve took cookies out of the tin and slid them onto the counter. "Now tell me what's been going on with you. How's the project coming along?"

"Not as well as I want." She shook her head and reached for a cookie. "But I am planning on working on it while I am here. Mama--" She hesitated briefly, wondering how to put it. "How bad is it?"