That makes no sense. We’re his family.
The three dots appeared and then disappeared.
She’ll explain in person. Coming tomorrow.
“Tomorrow?” Harper’s hand fell to her side. She turned on the spot where she had stopped in front of the house.
Tomorrow was too soon. She needed more time.
She dialed Isla’s number, but it went straight to voicemail. She tried again, and again but the call never connected. It was pointless. Even if she did reach Isla, what would she say?
Thank you, but I don’t want to leave?
She was going, like she’d planned all along. She had to. There was too much at stake not to. So why did it hurt so much?
Harper stared up at the house that had begun to feel like home. She blinked back tears.
She covered her mouth with her hand and turned to look up the drive toward the road. She couldn’t see further than the trees, but in her mind, she was looking all the way to LA. Back to her life.
Harper staggered to the front of the house, her legs feeling like jelly, and collapsed onto the steps that led to the front door. She wrapped her arms around her legs and sat staring at the trees but focusing on nothing.
That’s how Logan found her an hour later, still sitting there. He’d been at work, coming back to have lunch with Harper. He had pulled up next to the house in his truck, not bothering to put it in its usual spot.
“Harper? What’s wrong?”
She was vaguely aware of being wrapped in his strong arms and lifted to her feet. She managed to walk inside and collapsed onto the couch.
She lifted her tear-filled brown eyes to his concerned green ones.
“What’s happened?” Logan squatted down next to her, the leather of his boots making a faint squeaking noise as he did. He was in his usual jeans and checked flannel shirt, the sleeves rolled up over broad forearms. There was a faint scent of sawdust about him, and his ball cap was the old one he wore when working.
He was everything solid and warm and safe. And she wanted nothing more than to throw herself into his arms and have him tell her that everything would be fine. That she would be fine.
But she couldn’t.
It would be unfair. It was already hard enough for both of them.
They both knew what this was. He’d given her no indication that he saw a future for them together, and no matter what her heart felt, she wasn’t prepared to settle for anything less than a man who loved her with everything he had to give.
Like she loved him?
Oh no. This could not be happening. How could it? She knew she would be leaving all along. There was nothing for her here in this tiny Maine town.
Nothing at all.
You know that’s a lie.
She looked down at her hands, twisting together in her lap, and swallowed the words before she blurted them out and ruined everything.
“Harper? You’re starting to scare me.”
She gave him a small smile. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to.”
He ducked his head, his hands resting on the sofa on either side of her legs, mimicking the exact position they’d taken what felt like an age ago, but was really only a few weeks.
“Isla and King will be here tomorrow.”
Logan’s expression shuttered so suddenly she wondered if she’d imagined it. “Oh yeah?” He looked away and over her shoulder.
