The SEAL's Christmas Dilemma by Julianna Morris

Author:Julianna Morris
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Harlequin
Published: 2022-08-16T12:01:42+00:00

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SOMETHING DEEP INSIDE Blair froze as if exposed to the coldest of Montana winter storms.

No one outside of the O’Brien family knew about her mom and how she’d gotten into trouble. Blair had confided in Alex because she trusted him and now he was using it against her.

“Is that honestly what you think I’ve been doing?” she asked, feeling as if she could shatter at any moment. “My fiancé is in the hospital and when he wakes up, I no longer love him in a healthy way, but compulsively. Or else I just want to stay with him out of a misplaced sense of duty. On the other hand, I’m also not allowed to pick another college major because of the plans we made—plans that you no longer seem to want anything to do with. How is that fair to me or even make sense?”

Alex’s face turned red. “I didn’t say you shouldn’t have picked another major.”

“Pretty darned close. I saw your expression when I mentioned computer science. Now, I could have explained that I’d realized it was possible to make a good second income working from the Sunny Crest after we got married, which would help support the ranch. More and more companies allow employees to work remotely now. But we couldn’t talk about anything. You wouldn’t take my calls or let me visit.”

“Because you’re beautiful and smart and talented, and now I look like this,” he blurted, gesturing to his face and neck, though most of his scars were covered by a high turtleneck sweater.

Blair would never minimize what had happened to Alex, but she didn’t see his scars, she saw him. And even if she was furious for what he’d said about her mother, it had nothing to do with how he looked.

She crossed her arms over her stomach. “So, the truth comes out. It’s all about appearances. Which means if I’d been in that truck when it crashed, you would have expected to break up because I didn’t look the same as when we fell in love. Not too promising for when I started getting wrinkles, either. This seems to be a lucky escape for both of us.”

Alex’s eyes widened. “That isn’t what I meant.”

“That’s how it sounds. Whatever you may think, believing in marriage and commitment and standing by someone through thick and thin is a good thing, Alex. Although, ironically, right now I’m wondering what I ever saw in you.” She pulled the chain with his class ring from around her neck and lobbed it at him. “Make up your mind who and where you want to be. Just don’t expect the rest of us to stop living while you’re figuring it out.”

Turning, she then walked up the stairs. She’d promised herself that she would never give that ring back to him unless he asked. Well, there were more ways than one of asking.

Yet her heart was curiously silent, the pain blunted by disappointment and shock. Aunt Sarah was right, they might have grown too far apart in the time since the accident.

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