“We’re talking about two national holidays, Sam, and one once-in-a-lifetime event. Three lousy days out of four months.” She twisted her fingers together into a warped steeple. “I told my family all about you. They wanted to meet you. I told them you might be someone they’d be glad they got to know. Someone I might have in my life…” A few tears dropped from her eyes, making the green even brighter. She swiped them away viciously and bit her lower lip.

I took a step away from the two of them. I didn’t belong in the middle of this and, I’ll admit, I was beginning to feel a few pinches of remorse for my — how did Camryn put it? Oh, yes. My anger and total bitchiness.

I took another step back but, in a flash, I was pulled nose-to-nose with Sam.

“Don’t. You. Dare. Leave,” he said in a low, very dangerous voice, his clenched fist full of my pink light-knit shirt. “If we’re having a public confession session, you’re damn well going to be a part of it, Ellie Barnett.”

I swallowed and looked into his enraged face. He hadn’t changed much, really, in the years since I’d last seen him this close up. His skin was a little tauter now, perhaps. His bone structure a bit more defined. His hair a fraction shorter. His muscles a tad firmer. His eyes were the same cool blue, though, with maybe a hint more malice.

Jane cried out, Make him release you. Insufferable man!

“Let go of my shirt, Sam,” I managed to say in what I hoped was a composed and level voice. Inside, though, every part of me quivered, and I couldn’t figure out the reason. Fear? Shame? Anger? Jane’s unaltered disdain? All of the above or something else entirely?

Sam released me, but his eyes didn’t let me go. They trained on me with a wrath I hadn’t been the recipient of since, well, since high school.