“Mum’s already texted this morning, asking after you.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That you were much better, but that you really wanted to get home to Billy, so we were going to make an early start.”
“That’s good.”
“Maybe you could eat a little bit of breakfast, at least, before we go.”
She picked up her fork, pushing the poached egg around on her plate.
“Juniper.”
She glanced up at him, then quickly away. He sighed. He had no idea what he’d been going to say, anyway.
He leaned back in his chair, one hand in his pocket, the other wrapped around his coffee mug, his own plate of food virtually untouched. She managed to force down a little to eat before pushing her chair back and rising to her feet. He looked up quickly as she came around to his side of the table. The look in her eyes nearly broke his heart as she bent down and pressed a soft kiss to his lips.
“I love you.”
He managed to speak around the lump in his throat. “I love you, too.” He moved to put his arm around her, but she shifted away.
“I’ll just get my things. I’d really like to go home now.”
“Okay.”
The drive back to Blessed Inlet seemed to take forever. He usually didn’t mind it, just cruising in the Porsche, maybe playing a bit of music, usually thinking about Juniper. But there was no festive mood in the car, just a somber quiet, with Juniper curled up in her seat, staring out the window. When they finally pulled up in her drive, she got out of the car wordlessly, waiting at the trunk for him to open it. She took her case from him.
“Juniper.” He couldn’t disguise the pleading note in his voice. “Are you angry with me?” That finally got her looking at him.
“No, of course not.”
Well, that was a relief, but then it made him more concerned. “Then why are you avoiding me? You won’t look at me, you’ve barely touched me since we got up this morning.”
“Because if I touch you, I’ll want to hold you, and if I hold you, I won’t be able to let you go.”
“Jesus, Juniper, don’t talk like that.”
She sighed, closing the gap between them and wrapping her arms tight around his neck. He squeezed her tight against him, not wanting to let go. She pulled back first, looking up at him, laying her hand on his cheek before stepping away. “Maybe I can let you go.”
He felt a sliver of icy fear curl around his heart at her words.
“Come over tomorrow night. We’ll talk then.”
“Okay.”
CHAPTER 27
Juniper
“Can William read me my bedtime story?”
Juniper looked at William in inquiry and he nodded. He was putting a very good face on it, interacting with Billy as he always did, keeping it light and fun.
As William read Billy his book, Juniper sat down on the edge of the deck that ran under the breezeway that connected the house to the shop and looked up at the sky. There was a half-moon peeking through some scattered clouds and a light dusting of stars. She drew a deep breath, marshaling all her resolve for the conversation she was about to have. She could hear William and Billy through the open bedroom window, William’s voice deep and mellow, working to calm Billy’s overexcited chatter. It took a little while and she let it play out, until finally she saw the light switch off. Then William was moving quietly through the door and to her side. He sat next to her on the edge of the deck.
“I can’t live in Sydney.”
“No.”
