"Shelby. Thanks for hearing me out." Shelby gave her as much of a smile as she could at the moment. "I just need to get my head around all this. He dropped a lot of information on me when I've already got so much to think about."

She took another drink before idly running her fingers around the rim of the mug. It didn't help that what they were talking about had been six years ago so it wasn't like she could do anything about it. And even if she could, if she'd come up with some kind of time machine, she wasn't sure she would. It had been going to New York for a year that had turned her career around. If she'd stayed then everything she'd worked for now might not have happened.

"He's a fantastic guy and I hate the idea I ever hurt him. My mother did that to my father, years ago. Walked out when I was six months old and never came back. Except for about five years ago to ask me for money," she explained with a bitter laugh. "I promised myself I'd never be like that and I guess I did it anyway. That's why it bothers me. I never wanted to be that person."