Hot SEAL, April's Fool by Becca Jameson (smart books to read .txt) 📗

He winced. “Yes.”

April sat straighter, nearly shouting. “And you bought that story? From the town gossip?” April gritted her teeth. “Why, Cole? Give me one good reason why you would have fucking trusted that bitch.”

He ran a hand over his head.

“I was an idiot. I was scared. She was so believable. She didn’t come at me as if she’d overheard some gossip. She made it seem like she knew something that I already knew.”

Cole pushed to standing and started pacing. “She winced when she found me and said she was so sorry to hear about you and me. That she thought we were solid and most likely to succeed. I let her ramble because I had no idea what she was talking about. Eventually, she expounded, telling me that she thought you were making a terrible decision letting me go. That you must not be very committed if you didn’t think we could survive the distance and time apart. It went on and on.”

“And you believed her,” April deadpanned.

Cole stopped pacing to face her again. “Like I said, I’m an idiot.”

April scrambled to get out from under the covers so she could stand also. She came at Cole with both hands and shoved him as if she could make him budge. He did at least have the grace to take a step back. “I was so in love with you that I couldn’t see straight. I was overly confident you were going to put a ring on my finger before you left town. You shattered my world and broke my heart.”

Cole lowered his gaze. “I’m so sorry.”

April let out a short, frustrated scream. “How the hell could you have believed that woman?” There was no umph in her question. It was more of a statement. She was burned out and so very done with this conversation.

“There’s no excuse. I was scared. I was also devastated. I thought you loved me. I carried that ring around for weeks. I couldn’t wait to ask you to marry me. The bottom fell out of my life when I found out you weren’t interested in marrying me.” His words came out filled with the same sorrow as hers. Dead.

April dropped back onto her bed with a sigh of frustration.

Several seconds ticked by before he spoke again. “I didn’t really know Violet that well. I never paid much attention to her. I don’t think I fully grasped she was so devious and would go to such links to break us up. What was in it for her? It’s not like I was going to ask her out just because you turned me down.”

April continued to stare at the floor. “She was jealous of what we had, so she thought she would feel better if she ruined it, I guess.”

“That’s so fucked up.”

“Not as fucked up as you letting her control our lives,” April added. “Not as fucked up as me hearing all of this from her today when you’ve had five days to tell me yourself.”

Cole’s hands were shaking. She’d never seen him this shaken up. “I...” He cleared his throat. “When I arrived here, I still didn’t know that she had lied to me, April. I hoped we could get back together under the assumption that you maybe no longer thought we were too young or headed in different directions. I wanted to tell you about that day and why I left. I would have eventually. But… Fuck, April. I thought what you needed to hear from me this week was that I was sorry I took off instead of giving you the space I assumed you needed. All I could see through my narrow glasses ten years ago was that the woman I loved didn’t want to marry me. It occurred to me that maybe you weren’t ready yet. That I was rushing you. That eventually you would have married me. That I should have slowed down and given you more time. I was stupid.”

April sucked in a breath and met his gaze. “I would have married you that day, Cole. That very day. I would have eloped if you’d asked me. I would have done anything for you. Dropped out of school. Anything. You fucking left without a word. You had one damn conversation with the town gossip and trusted her word over a three-year relationship with me. That stings, Cole. I’m so mad at you.” She dropped her gaze again, crossing her arms, shivering with frustration and anger and loss.

Silence reigned again for several moments. Finally, Cole spoke, his voice desperate. “Where does this leave us? I’m just as in love with you today as I was ten years ago. Perhaps more. The thought of not having you in my life now that I’ve gotten you back makes my chest hurt. Ladybug?”

April flinched. “I don’t know, Cole. I need some time to think.” She tipped her head back. “You hurt me. Again.”

“I know.” Cole took a step forward and stopped. “I spent the last week worried sick about how you would react when you found out what had happened and what an idiot I was. I couldn’t bring myself to ruin what we were building.”

“When did you realize Violet had lied? Did she tell you that morning? The morning she brought you muffins?”

He shook his head. “No. You told me actually. Your total confusion about why I left and how much you’d cared about me spoke volumes. It didn’t match with Violet’s gossip, so I realized I’d made a mistake when I listened to her.”

April stared at him. She couldn’t process all of this. It was overwhelming.

“I thought you hadn’t wanted to commit to me. It devastated me and left me blinded.” His voice was low, defeated.

“I’ve never had a single commitment issue when it came to you, Cole. Never. Not then. Not now. You were always the only one for me. Even when you were joking around to hide a pain you never shared with me. Even when you