“This is Dusty’s dream house, not mine. Has he seen it?” She hoped she didn’t sound like a desperate teenager trying to finagle a date with her favorite boy.
Lorna shook her head. “No, he’s, uh, backing off the search for a while.”
Tessa’s heart squeezed, more at the tone than the words—and the fact that he hadn’t told her. “He’s decided to keep his house?”
“Actually, I think I have an offer on it. And Dusty? He’s spreading his wings. He’s asked me to find a Realtor in Vermont, which is random and shocking.”
Tessa tried not to react. “He mentioned a cousin in Vermont and the possibility of going there,” she said.
But that was a long time and lot of feelings ago. She’d completely forgotten that, especially since he never talked about it during any date or boat ride or long walk or romantic dinner.
But…Vermont.
“I guess that kind of changes everything,” Tessa added under her breath, but Lorna heard, and winced.
“Tessa, I have to be honest. I thought you two had a real shot,” she said quietly, her words echoing Tessa’s deepest feelings. “But he’s…scared.”
“Oh, please.” Tessa gave her hand a flippant wave as if this news didn’t affect her a bit. “He’s had his soulmate, Lorna, and no one gets two.”
Lorna made a face. “I promised Kelly I’d help him,” she said softly. “She wanted him to find love, but he’s not ready.”
“I know,” Tessa said. “And I’m not ready for a kitchen that needs this much work, so this is a miss for me. But thanks so much, Lorna. We’ll keep looking.”
For a house…and a forever man.
They said a warm goodbye and then she and Kate headed out, not speaking until they were back in the car. Tessa slid into the driver’s seat, hands gripping the wheel, but didn’t start the engine.
“Guess that’s that,” she said. “Another one bites the dust and all.”
Kate reached across the console and took her hand.
“I’m so damn tired of doing life alone,” Tessa admitted, tears threatening to wreck her mascara. “For once, I wanted something more. I thought he might be it.”
Kate leaned over and wrapped her arms around her. Tessa let herself fall into the hug, pressing her face against Kate’s shoulder like she had when they were little girls and the world felt scary.
“I’m going to end it tonight,” she whispered. “I deserve better than being somebody’s ‘good time.’ And he should have told me he was looking in Vermont.”
“Yes, he should have.” Kate kissed her temple. “And, yes, Tessa Wylie, you deserve everything and more.”
They sat in silence for a while before Tessa turned to her. “Can I give you some advice, Kate? Not that I’m a relationship expert, but I love you and I know you and I’ve watched you with Eli.”
Kate grimaced. “You’re going to tell me to work it out.”
“Yes,” Tessa said. “Don’t let him go because he has some beliefs that don’t align with yours. You two have something real. Don’t let fear ruin it.”
Kate closed her eyes.
“I mean it,” Tessa said, driving home her point. “His faith and your lack of it is not an insurmountable problem. He’s not running away, he’s not afraid of the future, and he’s not saying one thing and…moving to Vermont. He’s a good, good man who we’ve known our entire lives. Please give him a chance. You deserve everything, too. And I think Eli Lawson is ready to offer it.”
Kate just looked at her, then nodded. “That’s good advice, Tess. Thank you.”
But would she take it? Tessa didn’t know, but she hoped so.
The sun was just dippingbehind the tree line when Tessa pulled into Dusty’s driveway late that afternoon. She sat in her car, hands still on the wheel, taking in the comfort and arches off the porch he’d rebuilt himself, phrases from Vivien’s old diary entry she’d read last night floating through her head.
She’s the girl everyone looks at, but maybe no one really sees.
Maybe she had been that girl for fifty years, but that could change. Now. Tonight.
