As Long As You Love Me ✓

38. It Must Have Been Love

"At least wait a few days, Gabe. She might forgive you."

He shook his head, staring down at his hands clasped together. "No. It's better this way."

*

As soon as Zari saw Gabriel's number, she let it go straight to voicemail. After listening to his message, she pulled to the side of the road and blocked him along with everyone else in her family. The last thing she wanted was to talk to anyone who'd been a part of the scheme. An explanation wasn't necessary. She remembered the conversation in the hospital and how she'd locked lips with him the minute she saw him. This was her fault. At least most of it. She'd been convinced Gabriel was her boyfriend. How could her brain play such a dirty trick and why couldn't she remember Perry? And why had he not shown up until now? So many questions, but the biggest one was her identity.

In Dallas, she had been a different person. Dead end job. Drab clothes. Boring life. Gabriel was right about one thing. For the last few weeks, she'd been happy. But none of it had been real. Except for her feelings for him. Or had they? Had she transferred the relationship from one man to the other?

She pounded the palm of her hand against her forehead. Why couldn't she remember? If her relationship had been so great with Perry, why would she replace him with a stranger? She needed time to get things straight in her mind. She leaned her head on the steering wheel and sobbed.

The crazy thing was that she didn't know what she was crying about. The lies? Gabriel? Perry? She felt as if she'd been split open and everything scooped clean, leaving nothing but empty space. Thank goodness Dale and Jerry scheduled vacation during Christmas. Between the bruising and her hollow heart, she didn't feel like entertaining anyone.

She wiped at her eyes and pulled back onto the highway. Ten minutes later, she parked in the alley behind the bar and shuffled in through the kitchen. Jerry glanced up from stacking plates on a shelf, then rushed to her.

"Oh, my God! What happened to your face?"

His surprise got Dale's attention, and he came to join them. He raked her hair back and eyed the damage. "We're waiting for an answer. What happened?"

"I fell," she deadpanned.

He knit his brows together. "Are you sure?"

She shook her head so fast a wave of dizziness clouded her head. "Oh, it's not like that. Gabriel would never hurt me. Physically." She had to add that last part because he had hurt her. More than she could say. More than she ever remembered. "I really did fall. During my walk with Rebel, a car got a bit too close."

Dale stepped back. "I wasn't thinking Gabriel. Some guy came in asking about you, and I got a bad vibe."

"Really? What did he look like?"

"White. Dark hair. Tall. Clean cut. City boy type."

Perry.

Jerry eyed the duffle. "Why do you have your bag? Gabriel leave town again?"

Zari's bottom lip trembled. "No. We had an argument. I need to stay here for a few days. If that's okay?"

"Sweetie, the room is yours anytime you want it. For as long as you need it. Have you eaten? How about a bowl of soup?"

Zari ran her hand across her stomach. She was hungry but didn't think she could keep anything down. "No. Maybe just a cup of hot chocolate."

"Coming right up. You go get settled, and I'll bring it to you."

As soon as Zari got inside her bedroom, she stripped off her clothes and put on her pajamas, then crawled beneath the covers. Thoughts swirled in her brain like a Texas dust devil. The way she'd acted with Gabriel. Things she'd done. The way she'd gone after him—a complete stranger. Oh God, what he must think of her!