Page 87 of Forever Home

“It felt a little different to me,” Sean said. “I thought it was to you, too.”

“Well, it wasn’t.” Delaney’s voice got tight, sounded a little choked. “We should’ve known this is how things would go. You like to chase and I like to run. That’s all we ever were. All we could ever be. Pretty soon, you’ll get bored and I’ll get antsy. It’ll just be a game of chicken to see who flinches first.”

Some silence passed before Sean spoke again. “Maybe that’s how you see it. But I thought we were good together. Better together.” Sean reached for her, but she stepped back, well out of his reach.

“This shop isn’t going to make it, anyway, Sean. I didn’t win the money I needed—thanks to the mother you want me to magically reconnect with—and the Dudes have pretty much sunk my chances with all their bad press. I probably won’t be here much longer.”

“So you’re giving up?”

“No, I’m not giving up.” Her words snapped out. “I never stood a chance.”

“You stand a good chance, if you don’t quit.” Sean knew which way this was going to go, even as he spoke. But he couldn’t stop himself. “No matter what the Dudes said, you’ve got bikers behind you. Every single woman in this county.” Sean loosed a laugh that had no humor. “And if money is the problem, you’ll find it. All you have to do is let someone help you for once in your life.”

Delaney’s jaw dropped.

Sean knew it was time to shut up, but he just kept going. “You think everything is fight or flight. And that’s okay. That’s how you’ve been trained to live for a long, long time. Your mistake is thinking you have to fight alone. You have a whole army of people here to help you. So quit making excuses. Quit looking for a reason to bolt.”

Her eyes flashed, rivaling a lightning storm in a tornado’s yellow sky. “Get out.”

“Sounds like I touched a nerve.”

“I saidget out.”

“Don’t worry.” Sean’s words came out a hard growl. “I’m leaving.”

He paused as he reached the door, his gaze settling on Wyatt. The pittie was perched near the Willie G, up on a lift. His ears were pinned back, his eyes anxious. The dog let out a nervous whine. “You gonna bail on him, too?” Sean’s voice came softer than he expected.

Delaney had her face in her hands, and didn’t lift it. Her shoulders twitched.

“That’s a damn shame.”

Then Sean turned and left Delaney Monroe’s motorcycle shop.

Maybe for the last time.