“All right,” she said smoothly. Jorie cocked her head. “You know, I—”
Hilary couldn’t stand there any longer. She wanted to sort through what Dane said about seeing each other again and concentrate on the lingering effects of his kiss. Jorie’s babbling would diminish everything. In fact, she was sure whatever Jorie had to say would kill the mood, intentionally or not.
Chapter Seventeen
Hilary stood near the tiger maple credenza, drumming her fingers on its marble surface. She was anxious. There was no reason for it other than she didn’t like flying, but even that wasn’t so bad that it would affect her now. Next to her, Darcy tapped away on her keyboard.
Darcy squinted at the computer screen. “I’m so sorry to keep you waiting. These check out mornings during conferences are so hectic.” She took out a book, flipped through a few pages, and then hit some buttons on her keyboard. Seconds later a receipt spit out of the printer next to her. Darcy handed it to Hilary.
“I hope you enjoyed the conference,“ she said, looking directly at Hilary, even though Jorie stood nearby, scrolling on her phone screen.
Hilary smiled. “I did very much. Thank you.”
“I’m happy that you seemed to connect with so many people,” Darcy said, her focus again on the computer. Hilary didn’t miss the double meaning behind her words though. When Darcy looked back at her, her eyes flitted to Jorie before they rested on Hilary. “Especially some of the presenters.”
Beside them now, Jorie sniffed loudly. “Dane Porter seemed to be an especially good resource.” She smiled brightly, and Hilary couldn’t help but notice how forced it looked.
Darcy closed her laptop. “You’re lucky he stuck around a few extra days so you were able to pick his brain.“
A few extra days? “What do you mean?” Hilary stopped tapping her fingers.
“He was supposed to leave on Wednesday morning. He extended his stay by two days.”
“Why did he do that?” Jorie asked. “That must have cost a fortune. Speaking from experience, of course.”
Darcy ignored Jorie and gave Hilary a pointed look. “I think he was worried about what he’d miss if he left early.”
Hilary swallowed. The sense of melancholy she’d woken up with descended on her again like a shroud. It was even worse when she found out he’d left hours ago, practically in the middle of the night. Why didn’t he tell her when she asked to see him this morning? Her texts to him went unanswered too. Maybe it was better ending their time together with that kiss. She couldn’t count how many times she’d played it over in her head, committing it to memory. It had been perfect. Anyway, with Jorie’s talent for showing up at inopportune times, who was to say there would have been a chance for a proper goodbye.
“He probably learned as much as we did by networking.” Hilary played off Darcy’s comment so Jorie wouldn’t catch on. Hilary wasn’t looking forward to the two-hour ride to Duluth, especially if Jorie lectured her again about focusing on the inn.
"Maybe, but I don’t think that was it,“ Darcy said. She glanced at Jorie again, but she was busy tucking the receipt into her bag.
Hilary studied Darcy for a few seconds. Darcy smiled again. This time she seemed to say something with her eyes.
“I’m heading outside to lock up the cabins,” Darcy said. “I’ll help you with your bags if you’d like.”
She didn’t wait for an answer. She rolled Hilary’s suitcase toward the side door, the wheels rumbling across the wood floor with Jorie trailing behind them.
Outside, milky clouds rolled across the sky. Hilary lifted her suitcase into the back of the Subaru wagon Jorie rented in Duluth. Hilary looked back at the inn, taking a mental picture of it. How different the week turned out. She’d arrived carrying resentment on her back like a load of bricks. Now she looked back on the week with a full heart. A full but conflicted heart.
Jorie was already in the driver’s seat, buckling herself in.
Darcy laid a hand on Hilary’s arm.
“I didn’t want to say anything inside,” she said, giving Hilary an envelope with the Blueberry Point Lodge logo in the upper-left corner. It was sealed. Darcy glanced toward Jorie. In a lower voice, she continued, “Sean took Dane and the others to the airport at four this morning. Dane asked me to give this to you.”
Hilary stared dumbly at the envelope. He could write a letter but not answer her texts?
“Dane and I aren’t lifelong friends, but I know him pretty well. He’s not one to fall hard and fast for someone. He’s very careful.” Darcy’s usual exuberance was tempered. She gave Hilary a soft smile. “He’s worth whatever trouble you have to go through to make it work.”
Whatever trouble you have to go through.
Hilary slipped the note into her pocket. “Thanks for letting me know.”
Darcy dropped her hand from Hilary’s arm. “Safe travels.”
Inside the car, Jorie tuned in to a classic rock station. It played softly, Boston singing “More Than a Feeling.” Hilary didn’t want to listen to a song about regrets and watching someone walk away. She switched it off.
