He was certain they had a connection. And she knew it, too. If he had to work harder to impress her, then that’s what he’d do.
Now there was only one destination—Shannon.
“I’m not waiting until tonight. Once the jet’s ready, I’m out of here.”
Marcus’s slow exhale spoke volumes. “Then go get her.”
Jamie knocked back the last of his whiskey, a spark of resolve cutting through his frustration. No more second-guessing.
He knew exactly what he had to do.
29
Shannon
After a while, the messages stopped coming and the unread texts waited on her phone, but she couldn’t bring herself to read them.
Before he’d left for Vegas, she held onto the fragile hope that maybe, just maybe, she could balance her career and still enjoy his company.
But then Niall had to ruin it, just like he always did with anything good in her life.
The ache in her stomach wasn’t just from hunger.
Tears burned behind her eyes as the reality of her decision crashed over her in waves. A crushing sense of shame and heartache tore at her insides, making it impossible to breathe without crying.
She had to cut Jamie off. But that ache in her chest wouldn’t go away. The hurt and regret for what could have been shadowed her every thought.
Shannon had always prided herself on her independence.She’d built a life here, one she couldn’t just walk away from when things got…tough.
She paused, that word rolling around in her mind like an echo.
What Niall did to her was fucking brutal, not tough.
Meeting Jamie had sparked a desire for more than what she had. And now, with him out of the picture, loneliness crept in, settling around her in a way she hadn’t known before.
A cold, emptiness sank into her bones and wouldn’t let her move out from under the duvet she’d dragged to the couch.
With Jamie, life would only get more complicated. Reality hit hard. Walking away would save a shit load of hassle.
Hugging a cushion, Shannon closed her eyes to think everything through.
Leaving Meadow Dawn would be easy. She could find work in another yard, rent a room somewhere else, and move on. But leaving Trixie under Niall’s management wasn’t an option.
Trixie had her heart, and that horse wasn’t just another animal to care for. It was the product of her sweat, dedication, and years of hard work. She couldn’t walk away from that.
She sat up and reached for her wine glass, taking a slow sip. Warmth spread down her throat, but even the third glass hadn’t numbed the pain.
Salty tears rolled down her cheeks, hot and relentless,as the throbbing pain on her right side intensified with each sob.
She winced with every breath. Giving into the pain would only make it worse.
She pulled the sleeve of her sweater over her hand and wiped the streaks away, sniffing.
Her breath stuttered, shaky, before she steeled herself. Huddled on the couch, alone in her loft, she rebuilt her walls, thickening them with a hollowness that would keep her safe.
With stiff, slow movements, she climbed off the couch, cursing under her breath. She hated herself for being so weak, for giving in to the hurt.
She ignored the bruises that still ached, buried the anger and self-loathing deep down where it couldn’t reach her.
