Page 147 of Traces Of You

Clay let very few into his life and Lexi had been one that was always there.

His brother would blame himself for missing this just as much as him.

“I’m going with you,” Reenie said.

“No,” he and Clay said together.

Reenie slapped her hands on her hips. “It’s my stuff she ruined. Not yours. She took most of her fury out on my clothing. It’s all I have here. I have a right to know why. I want to hear it from her lips. It’s not like you’re going to let anything happen to me. Either of you. And if Clay is right, that she did it to get to you, Ford, I want her to know I will not tolerate it.”

He looked at Clay. “She’s right. Because I want to hear what Lexi has to say too.”

He couldn’t believe that someone wanted him his whole life and he had no clue about it.

Knowing how he felt about Reenie and not being able to have her could have caused rage if he was a lesser person.

To watch so closely as the person you loved never saw you the same. It’d kill him if Reenie was with someone else and he had to witness it. If she almost lost her life by being with that person.

“I’ll bring her to my office first,” Clay said. “Come over in five minutes.”

“You’re going to tell her we know?” Ford asked. He didn’t think his brother would show his cards that easily.

“No. But because she is like family, I’m going to give her the courtesy of doing this in private without you and Reenie being there when I call her in. And you need to gather yourself because it’s all over your face that you’re taking the blame for this. It’s not your fault.”

But it felt as if it was, if what Clay said was true. Just like he witnessed the same feelings on his brother’s face.

He was believing he was such an idiot for years.

Clay marched out and got in his truck, then took off back to his office.

“Come here,” Ford said. “Are you okay? You look more annoyed than upset and I hate that this is happening.” But annoyance was better than fear.

“I am now,” she said. “When I first saw everything, I had a flashback to the mess I left behind. I was fast to remember this had to have been after your mom was here. That made me realize it wasn’t the same as what Randy would have done. This was more of a jealous fit and an emotional breakdown and then when she saw my stuff, it was about hurting me. It was to see if I could break and run again. Months ago, I might have. But not now. If I hurt, you hurt. Clay is right.”

“Why didn’t you tell me you thought someone was watching you? Or that you suspected Clay or I went through your things?”

“I didn’t think it was you. Or I hoped not. I really thought it was Clay and I didn’t want to start any problems. I didn’t want to burden you with more. You and your family were already doing so much for me and it’s his property. He has a right to be here without me.”

“He’d never do that and I’m sorry you thought what you had. If you’d told me you suspected you were being watched, we would have done more.”

“I told you in town I felt it. Even at the event. But you thought it had to do with you.”

“I was right,” he said, his voice dropping. “It did. But not like I thought. People were watching us together, but Lexi must have been for another reason.”

“Let’s go,” she said. “I want to be the one to talk to her. Will Clay let me?”

“Not alone. I’m not allowing that,” he said firmly.

“I didn’t think you would.”

He held his hand out for the keys. It was his left leg; there was no reason to let her think he couldn’t even drive.

She was done relying on him to fight her battles, and he was done pretending she needed to take care of him. They were both strong enough on their own, and together.

She gave him the keys without a word.

They had to start fresh. They had to start now.

When they got inside the mill, the two of them made their way to Clay’s office, many waving to them. Rod one of them.