Oh, she knew how to tear out his heart, didn’t she?
“Harper?”He headed toward the stairs.
She came out and looked over the railing to the open living-room area below.“Jack.What are you doing here?”
And wasn’t that a nice hello?
“I...”Whatwashe doing here?“I...What’s going on?”
She glanced behind herself, then sighed.“I’m packing.It’s not a lot of stuff, but you know, it needs to be moved now that Mom’s selling the house.”
He raised an eyebrow.“She’s selling the house?”
“Yeah.She got a job offer from this guy she met on her cruise.Back east.You know she’s always wanted to move back to New York.And apartments are so expensive there, so...”She lifted a shoulder.
He just stared at her.“So...I don’t understand.Are you leaving me, Harper?”
Her mouth opened, then closed, and she swallowed.
The gesture, her entire expression, exploded inside him.“It’s true.You got a job in Nashville.”
“I didn’t ask for it—it was Clarice.And?—”
He couldn’t move.“When did you get it?”
Her voice fell.“A week or so ago.And I don’t know why you’re so surprised?—”
Oh no.“I’mnotsurprised.Of course they want you.You’re talented and smart and a fantastic writer?—”
She was nodding, her eyes shiny.
“I just thought...”He sighed.“If that’s what you want, Harper, I don’t want to”—he ran a hand across his face—“stand in your way.”Wait.What was hesaying?Of course he wanted to stand in her way.But what kind of jerk would that make him?
And he should just say that, right?But then her voice softened.“Is there...any...I mean, I...why should I stay?”
Words simply left his brain.Why should shestay?His breath stopped and cut off a reply.
“I mean, my mom is leaving and...I don’t have a home?—”
“You...sure you do.I mean...you’ve always had a home here.”
A beat.“No, I don’t.My mom is leaving, and you know, it’s an opportunity of a lifetime?—”
What her mother had said.And yes, shoot—it was.
Compared to living in a bus...aw.He couldn’t do that to her.Make her travel around with him, solving crimes, when she had this dazzling, amazing future in front of her.
He couldn’t take that from her.His throat burned.“You’re right.”He’d finally found words.“Absolutely.”
He was already backing toward the door.“And you know, Conrad’s right.I mean, who wants to live in abus?”A harsh laugh bubbled out of him.
She closed her mouth, her expression tightening.“Yeah.Exactly my thought.It’s a good thing you didn’t let me talk you into Power Flowers.”
He stared at her, his entire body a fist, tightening, burning, choking off his words.Be strong.For her.Let her go.“Good luck in Nashville.”
Then he turned and pushed out into the night.Not running.Simply stalking back down the path, every breath a razor until he reached the King’s Inn property.
The fire had died, the families finished with their s’mores, the chairs vacated.The remains of the fire glowed, tiny red eyes blinking.He picked up a bucket of water, walked to the lake, filled it, and returned.
