The Lost Days (Prairie Town Book 3) Read Online Free PDF Page B

really do wish I could take it all back.”
    “I know, but you can’t.” Laney’s hand touched his arm and he felt a strange tingle.  Why did it feel so weird to be touched by her?  “Just because it was terrible between us doesn’t mean it won’t work out with someone else in the future.”
    His eyes immediately met Kelly’s gaze and she looked away.
    Was she blushing?
    No, you idiot.  She just heard every bad thing you’ve ever done.  Why would you even think that?
    “Just do as Lydia asked; be a good person.  This is your chance to become the Devin you could have been, but never was.  And Devin?”
    She had his full attention.
    “Whatever you do, don’t let your father or your brothers change your mind.”
    “What?” His eyebrows pinched together. 
    What did Laney mean by that? 
    “Good luck.” She stepped away from him and grabbed Benji’s hand, exiting the room. 
    He watched as Kelly followed after them, but something in the back of his mind caused his mouth to open and a question slipped out.
    “Did I ever do anything?” His voice squeaked.  “To you, I mean?”
    Very slowly, she turned to peer at him.  Her gorgeous blue eyes moved back and forth between his for several long seconds before she finally shook her head.  “No.”
    Thank God.   He sighed in relief.
    “But you did things to my friends, Devin.  And that makes me sad.  I never understood why you did the things you did, or why you hurt people for no particular reason.”
    She stepped up to him and it felt like his innards were being squeezed.  Just being close to her caused him to get dizzy and he didn’t understand it a bit.  He couldn’t like someone he didn’t remember.  What if they had never been friends?
    “My husband—”
    Shit.  She was married.  Of course she was married.
    “Patrick always told me people like you picked on others to make them feel better about themselves.  He said that’s the only reason for shitty attitudes.  I think I understand that now.”
    There was no hate in her eyes, but he could definitely see disappointment—and maybe a hint of pain.  Had something happened to Patrick?
    “Whatever insecurities you had back then will surely still be intact when you get out of here, Devin.  Make sure you don’t use them to hurt others. Get a friend.  Talk to someone who isn’t related to you because they sure as hell don’t know how to treat other people decently.  And please,”—her voice became softer—“please don’t ever hurt my friends again.”
    “Kelly, I—”
    “Just promise me that.”
    “I do promise you that.  I swear it on my life.”
    “Good.” She nodded and some of her golden hair fell into her eyes.  He had the strangest urge to push it away, but refrained as she turned to leave the room.
    Even long after the door closed and he was left with only Doctor Thompson, his heart still fluttered erratically like a crazed butterfly.
    It just didn’t make sense to feel that way around her when Laney was obviously his ex-girlfriend. 
    Nothing makes sense anymore.
    “Well, I’d say that went very well,” Doctor Thompson spoke as he grabbed his clipboard and gazed at him.  “I am pleased with what I saw tonight, Mr. Rose.”
    “How can you be pleased with that?  You saw what happened, right?  That Jebson guy hates me.  He probably would have killed me.”
    “Yes, but be that as it may, you didn’t fight him back.”
    “I didn’t have a chance to.”
    “No, but you had an opportunity when his friend interfered.  You didn’t do it.”
    “And that’s helpful to my case, how?”
    “The old Devin Rose would have caught him off guard.  As someone told me, and I quote, ‘The Roses fight dirty.’  You didn’t.  You chose not to play at all.”
    “Doc, that doesn’t make me feel better.  None of this makes me feel better.  Those girls?  I hurt them.  I did terrible things to all of them and I have to live with that for the rest of my