“She told me she loved him.”
Veridian looked at him in surprise and then considered Kayla thoughtfully. “She never told me that. I knew she cared about him, but I didn’t realize…” His voice trailed off, indecision playing across his face. After a long moment, he said, “She can sometimes come across as being a sarcastic hard-a*s, but that’s not who she is. Kayla’s got one of the biggest hearts I’ve ever seen. She’s either been hurt or has lost everyone she’s ever cared about. She doesn’t like to let people get too close.”
Carl raised an eyebrow, surprised at the volunteered information. From everything he’d seen, Veridian was a staunch defender of Kayla’s privacy. Wondering where this sudden loquaciousness was coming from, he observed, “She seems to be close to you.”
“I guess, but I’ve h
