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his way down the length of her neck to the sweet valley between her breasts.
    Colton sensed there was something else, something she was holding back. He hadn’t seen her in years but there was a part of him that knew her on a level he couldn’t explain. “That’s it?”
    â€œDon’t you think that’s enough?” Her voice raised a notch, a telling mix of panic wrapped in defensiveness. She was definitely hiding something.
    â€œThat’s plenty,” he said, backpedaling hard. “You should love him if you marry him.” He still wanted the bigger questions answered. There were numerous reasons she could’ve decided she didn’t love Blanton after agreeing to marry him. Andi had always been free-spirited and fun, but she had also been very responsible. For her to decide she didn’t love the man at the eleventh hour—that realization had to be driven by something cataclysmic for her to walk out on her wedding. “But he never hit you or ran around on you?”
    Genuine surprise registered on her face. “Good God, no.”
    Colton nodded, satisfied. “Well, that’s good. Thatmeans he gets to live another day or at least he won’t wind up in the hospital.”
    â€œYou’re serious, aren’t you?” A faint note of awe colored her voice.
    What kind of men had she grown used to since he and Rion had left? No man worth a damn would put up with anyone treating her that way. “Take it to the bank.”
    â€œCome on,” Andi said. From the corner of his eye he saw her wrinkle her nose, one of those quirky things she’d done for as long as he could remember. “You know I’d never put up with something like that.”
    No, he couldn’t imagine it of the girl and young woman he’d known. He distinctly remembered when she was nine and he and Rion were fifteen, Andi had been sent home from school for fighting. She’d taken on a kid twice her size who made it a habit to bully kids half her size. All she’d needed to do was apologize to the bully. Even at nine, she’d stood firm on her principle and taken a three-day suspension instead. So, no, the Andi of old would’ve never tolerated infidelity or abuse, but people changed.
    Quite frankly, he would’ve never imagined her leaving a groom, several hundred guests and, most importantly, her mother. “Let me remind you, you did just climb out of a bathroom window to get out of marrying him.”
    â€œHel-lo. That’s because he’s boring and I don’t lovehim. Everyone kept telling me what a great couple we made and what a great catch he was and I bought into it.”
    He wasn’t buying into it. Blanton probably was boring and maybe she didn’t love the guy, but there was more to it than she was telling. Nonetheless, he simply said, “Okay.” He wasn’t going to push her. She’d tell him the rest if and when she wanted him to know.
    She leaned her head back against the headrest, as if she was suddenly exhausted. “You know, Colton, I’ve always tried to be a dutiful daughter but I realized today I had to draw the line at marrying someone I didn’t love, even if that’s what my mother wants.”
    â€œDo you really think your mother would want you to marry someone you didn’t love?”
    â€œI tried to talk to her about it.” Andi wrapped her arms around her middle. “I told her I didn’t know if I really loved him and she assured me it was okay, that even if I didn’t, I’d grow to love him. But I’m just not seeing that happen.”
    â€œThat answered that question.”
    â€œShe’s never going to forgive me for this.”
    Ms. Daisy was a different animal altogether. “It’ll take some time, but she will.”
    Andi raised a skeptical eyebrow in his direction.
    â€œOkay, well, maybe a lot of time. She still hasn’t forgiven me for Rion