Jilted

by Vi Keeland

“You’ll get your day. And it’ll be with someone who deserves you next time.

Oh Lord. For six months I haven’t felt a thing, and this guy floats my boat? Between the way he looked and his cocky grin, I was certain he made heaps of boats float.

“I’m okay with a bossy woman. But there are definitely times I prefer to do the bossing.”

“It sounds like there’s a story there.” “Isn’t there always?”

People not respecting other people’s time was a pet peeve of mine.

“Have a good day. Maybe I’ll see you around later.” The kid snort-laughed. “That means you’re definitely gonna see him. I think he’s in love.”

Halfway down the hall, I felt eyes on my back. “Stop checking out my ass!” “Only if you stop walking away from me, Cupcake.”

“I don’t find making fun of someone’s disability very funny.”

Damn it. I don’t want to find things to like about you.

“What comes easy won’t last.”

A relationship of any kind is built on honesty, trust, and open communication.

“My dad taught me to always do right by the people who put their life on the line to protect us. Buy a cop a beer at the bar, pick up the restaurant check for an army private home on leave.”

“The bottom line is, you seem like a decent-enough guy. But when my Sloane loves, she loves hard. She’s had a lot of loss and letdown in her life, and some of that is still healing. I’m not telling you to keep away, because my daughter is a grown-ass woman and has a good head on her shoulders. But I’m asking you to think twice about what you want before you chase her too hard, because I don’t want her hurt again.”

“You can dream new dreams. Ones that are bigger and better.”

An hour or two after I shut the book, I forget everything I just read.”

“I cannot believe you changed your flight to come with me to sell my wedding dress.” He shrugged. “I figured Lucas could use some sleep. He was up chewing my ear off about Olivia for an hour once we got back to the hotel.” I smiled. “Oh God. Olivia did the same. I think we might have a problem.” Wilder turned the key to start the car. “Yeah, if my ball-busting little brother gets a Carrick for a girlfriend before I do, I’m never gonna hear the end of it.”

“That means he likes you. Most guys who like a woman try to put their best foot forward, show them their good side. But not Wilder. If he cares about you, he’s protective—even wants to protect you from him.

“My point is, Wilder’s only going to tell you the bad shit. But it’s not hard to find the good stuff, if you take the chance to get to know him. He keeps most people at a distance, but the ones he lets in are there forever.”

“Nah. This is why I like you. You’re just you.”

Usually it was the opposite—I’d think a man was handsome and the more I got to know him, the less handsome he became.

“I’m not so good at that—letting people take care of me.”

I guess I like it because it’s been destroyed so many times, and yet it never falls.” Sloane nodded. “Yeah. It feels … hopeful.”

but after a while you start to realize none of it is real. People want to be friends with you for the wrong reasons, women want to be with you because of your name, not who you are. After you fall for it a few times, you start to retreat. I guess on the plus side, it taught me to value the people in my inner circle.”

wanted to show Sloane Carrick everything—and not just London. The goddamned world.

“Fair warning, Cupcake. When I come into your room—not if, but when—the gentleman in me will be staying at the door.”

But the fact that he is a unicorn makes it even scarier. I mean, if I couldn’t hold on to the donkey, how the hell can I expect to saddle the unicorn?”

You can’t be afraid to take chances because you got hurt. Life is all about taking chances. Sometimes we jump off the cliff and splatter to the ground. But sometimes we jump off and fly.”

I hadn’t wanted him to see that I was insecure, so I’d pretended it hadn’t bothered me, that we were nothing to each other. Which, deep down, I knew was crap.

“Not just last night, but in general. You have doubts about my intentions, and I really can’t blame you. You do the same thing over and over enough times, people start to be able to predict the future. Even I question if I’m capable of being the man you deserve. I don’t want to hurt you, Sloane.”

“My own past has left me with a lot of insecurities and self-esteem issues, if I’m being honest. I was afraid to believe you actually liked me, and this wasn’t just about the chase.”

“I don’t know what it is about you, but there isn’t room for air between us.”

“Sometimes we say what we mean,

“We all bring baggage to a relationship. The important thing is what you do with it. You can carry it with you forever, or you can unpack it. The choice is yours.”

This was the type of man I wanted—one who put my choices first, even when my decision wasn’t his first choice. It reminded me of how my dad had always treated my mom, and that meant the world to me.

Being with you is like having Christmas every day.” “Are you stealing my lines, Cupcake?” I laughed. “I am.” He pressed his lips to mine. “I guess that’s fair, love. Because you’ve stolen my heart.”

Sloane’s dad smiled. “You care about her a lot. I can see by how worried you are.” “I do. It was scary as hell finding her like that.” He nodded. “Sloane’s mother, Lily, was diabetic. Only had a seizure once, but it was something I’ll never forget. Saw plenty of medical emergencies in my years on the job. It’s not the same when it’s someone you love.” I blinked a few times. “Holy crap. I do love her.” “You sound like you’re just figuring that out now.” Harry chuckled. “Haven’t you ever been in love before? I could have told you that two months ago, dumbass.”

“Played hard to get, huh?” “In my case, it was more scared to get hurt, but yeah … it took me a while.”

I’d needed to hear those words. “I got your back.”

“I think most of parenting you learn as you go, and most advice people give isn’t worth shit because every situation is different. But there is one important thing I learned that’s worth sharing.” “What’s that?” “You can’t make someone else happy unless you’re happy yourself.

The best gift you can give your kid is showing them not to dwell on the things we can’t change and live life to the fullest, even if it’s not the one you planned.”

“My home is where you are, Sloane. And this decision isn’t rash for me. I’ve wanted nothing but to be with you since the day I met you.”