Damn, Veronica’s face as she checked me out in the bathroom was freaking hot. The desire in her eyes had been enough to bend my will completely. If it hadn’t been for the surprised innocence lurking beneath her expression, I would have pulled her into the bathroom and taken her on those white tiles.

A half-smile tugged at my lips as I lay on my bed thinking about her. I hadn’t left my room since I walked in and got dressed. The more time I spent with Ronnie, the more she consumed me. I’d introduced her to a whole bunch of new experiences throughout the week, and she’d taken to them with an ease and courage I hadn’t expected. She was a heady combination of sexy innocence. There was more Nessa in her than she realized; she just hadn’t had the chance to discover it yet.

Reaching for my phone, I opened Spotify and found my Latest Likes playlist. I’d been checking out a little country flavor, looking for songs that I could send to Ronnie to make her smile. I’d heard one called “Angel Eyes” the night before, and it encapsulated her so perfectly.

I pressed Play and leaned back against the headboard, gazing up at the ceiling with a dreamy smile. It’d only been a week, but I couldn’t help thinking that maybe I was falling in love. It was different to what I’d felt for Nessa—stronger, more powerful. It made me wonder if my thing for Nester had just been plain old infatuation. Because whatever I had going with Ronnie was something else entirely.

My heart squeezed inside my chest then took off like a racehorse as the singers started talking about holding her all night and her sexy innocence. I grew hard just thinking about what she’d feel like wrapped around me.

Clenching my jaw, I closed my eyes and tried to remind myself that she wasn’t here for that, but my will wasn’t strong enough. A broad smile took over my face as I heard her door open and shut for the second time and knew she was headed downstairs for breakfast. Leaping off my bed, I threw on my T-shirt and strapped on my watch before collecting my phone and heading down there after her.

“Why are you here?” Jimmy’s sharp and snappy tone made me frown. I raced down the stairs to find Ronnie at the bottom with Jimmy towering over her.

“I’ve already told you.” Her reply was soft and calm, but I could feel the nerves rolling off her. “I’ve been trying to tell you every single day. Now, please. You have to let me see her.”

“Nessa doesn’t need this.” Jimmy flicked his hands in the air and paced toward the kitchen. “She has enough to deal with. Do you have any idea what she’s been through in the last year?”

“I can only imagine.” Ronnie scratched the side of her neck then looked up and studied Jimmy as he stalked toward her again with a pained expression.

I walked down the last two steps and stopped beside her. I didn’t like it when Jimmy got that wild look on his face. He could sometimes be a little unpredictable, and like hell he was taking out his angst on Ronnie.

Nessa’s little sister looked up at me, her face flushing pink for a second before her eyes dropped back to the floor.

“I just…” Jimmy huffed. “The tour was hard on her, okay? She puts on a brave face, but she’s exhausted. She’s due a vacation, not a shitload of family drama!”

Ronnie flinched at his loud bark, but then relaxed, her face cresting with a sweet smile. “I like that you want to protect her. She was always a hellcat. I never thought she’d get herself a boyfriend. She used to scare guys away at elementary school.”

Jimmy jerked still and stared at Ronnie, his lips twitching. Finally, he snorted out a dry laugh then shook his head.

“What’s going to happen if Ness returns to say good-bye? What does your mother really want?”

Ronnie’s shoulders sagged as she let out a dejected sigh. “She’s dying. She needs some peace. I think death has made her reflect on some of her past decisions.”

Jimmy’s eyes narrowed into thin slits, his arms folded tight across his chest. “She nearly ruined my girl. I’m guessing you don’t know the whole story, or you wouldn’t be asking this of her.”

“I’m guessing you’re right.” Ronnie swallowed. It was a nervous, thick sound that only added tension to the room. “Thing is, Mama’s in pain. But she won’t let go,” she squeaked, instant tears flooding her eyes. Her face bunched tight and her voice came out in a wobbling whisper. “She keeps murmuring ‘Vanessa’ in her sleep. I don’t know what else to do. She needs closure.” Ronnie sniffed. “I just… I can’t watch her suffer anymore.”

My heart was going to shatter. Ronnie’s sweet face bunched in agony. The tears trickling down her milky white cheeks. It hurt. It physically hurt to watch her like that.

And it wasn’t just killing me either. Jimmy’s hard anger melted away. He gripped his arms and let out a heavy sigh.

“They both need closure. Ness hasn’t slept since you got here, and her tossing and turning is driving me to drink.” He huffed, running a hand through his fine hair before tipping his head toward the guesthouse. “Come on, let’s give this another shot.”