Forbidden Fling (Wildwood Book 1) (33 page)

Ethan laughed and pulled her with him as he got to his feet. When he set her down, he paused and looked down at the floor, his gaze scanning the wood, drifting to the plaque. “What’s this?”

“Oh.” She twisted her hands, self-conscious not only because her little secret was out but because it was being viewed by one of the family. “Um, so, I just felt compelled to do something to commemorate Ian in the remodel. I didn’t want to make it a big deal. I just . . . I don’t know.”

“Why?” His gaze lifted from the floor, confusion clear in his narrowed eyes. “He was wrong. He got himself into that fight. He was a rude drunk who put his hands where they didn’t belong.”

She took a deep breath, let it out, and met Ethan’s gaze. “He was also a son and a grandson and a brother and a cousin and a friend. No one is perfect. I’m living proof of that. And his death touched a lot of lives and shifted the ground in this town.” She gestured to the half-finished starburst. “This isn’t about wrong or right or even about that night. Honestly, part of it isn’t even for Ian. Part of it is for me. Part of it is for his parents. Part of it is for the Wildwood residents with a scar on their heart from the incident.

“I can’t really explain it. It’s . . . sort of my own gesture to acknowledge my part in the accident and lay my guilt to rest. To set it in stone and move on. And I thought if it brought me comfort, it might bring the same to a lot of other people, too.

“The wood is recycled from Wildwood High’s gymnasium during the years Ian played basketball there, including the year he brought the team to CIF finals.” She shrugged and tried for a smile, but it didn’t last. “This is the kind of historical detail I love putting into all my restorations. This one just happens to be personal.”

Ethan stared at the floor, silent, hands on hips. With every moment of silence, Delaney’s stomach coiled tighter.

When she couldn’t stand it anymore, she said, “Is it too much? I wanted it to be a healing thing, not a painful thing.”

She caught sight of a glimmer in his eyes, and her heart skipped. “I’m sorry. I can take it out. None of the boards are nailed—”

“No.” He laughed, shook his head, and turned, taking her into his arms. “It’s . . . perfect. It’s amazing.
You’re
amazing.” Leaning away, he cupped her face between his palms and scanned her with those gorgeous eyes. With a little shake of his head, he murmured, “I’ve never met anyone as beautiful on the inside as they are on the outside until now.”

Her heart released. And opened.

And she knew for a fact she’d never, ever been as happy as she was right now.

“Damn, baby,” he said, a little breathless with awe and a shake of his head. “I love you.”

A zing of panic burned through her heart. But it vanished in a millisecond. And she knew she’d been wrong a moment ago.

This
was as happy as she’d ever been.

She laughed and nodded, acknowledging the shock in his voice. “Crazy, right?” She pulled him close, kissed him, and held his beautiful gaze as she whispered, “I love you, too.”

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

A heartfelt thank-you to Maria Gomez and Lauren Plude for your enthusiasm and support in the Wildwood series and helping me pull out the best in Delaney and Ethan.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Skye Jordan is the
New York Times
bestselling author of the Renegades series and other contemporary romance novels. Born in the San Francisco Bay Area, she spent two decades working as a sonographer at UCSF Medical Center. She holds a bachelor’s degree from California Polytechnic State University–San Luis Obispo. When she’s not writing, she volunteers at a clinic in rural Mexico. She is the proud mother of two college-age daughters and lives in the historic town of Alexandria, Virginia, with her husband of twenty-five years.