“Claire.”He grabbed her hand and held it to his chest.“I don’t want to lose you.”
She held her breath in the hopes it would staunch the flood of tears behind her eyes.She’d been so worried about losing him the way she’d lost Arthur, and now she would lose him to time and distance, also killers of relationships.
They would probably give it their best shot, and she had no doubt they’d both try hard to make it last.But she’d attempted a couple of long-distance relationships in the past.Neither of them had worked.
Now, now.This isn’t the same thing, and you know it.
“Come with me.”
“Pardon?”
“Come with me to Victoria.”
“We should go inside and talk about this.”
“Claire.Come with me.Please.”
So we’re going to do this right here on the porch, huh?Okay.“And do what, Nick?”
“Bewith me.It could be a great adventure.We could travel together, see new places, experience new things, as a couple.”
“You’ll be working.”
“I get that, but we’d have evenings and weekends, which is a hell of a lot more than what we’ll get otherwise.And you could work on your photography at the same time, build your portfolio.Just think of the things we’ll see.”
“Look, I know the idea of a long-distance relationships freaks both of us out, but we haven’t even tried it.And it won’t be forever.”
“I can’t bear the idea that I won’t get to see you every day.”Nick took a deep breath.“Maybe I shouldn’t go at all.I mean, I still have the contracting business.I can stay here.”
“No.”She was adamant.“I won’t let you do that.I won’t let you give up your dream.”She knew what that was like, and she would never stand in his way.
“Then, please come.Just for a while.”
“Nick, I have commitments.”
“Right.The sanctuary.”His lips thinned.“The thing is, because of the open house, Haven only has a handful of cats right now.The volunteers can easily take care of them.”
“But—”
“David told me something at the open house, something you’ve never mentioned.He told me he’s offered to buy it from you, more than once.He said he and his partner would be happy to keep it going, but that you refuse to sell.I think his words were, ‘I just can’t seem to convince her to let go of it.’”
Claire’s lips fell open but all the words in her head wouldn’t come out.
“Is that it, Claire?Can you not let go?”
She was a goner as soon as the tears appeared in Nick’s eyes.His beautiful amber eyes, so downturned with sadness.
She’d been so proud of herself in letting go of Arthur’s clothes and her wedding rings.She’d actually been a little cocky when she’d started redecorating her bedroom so Nick would feel at home there.
And yet she hadn’t truly let go of Arthur at all.She’d dug her claws into the one thing that still represented her husband.
She wasn’t sure she knew how to retract them.They seemed fused to Haven, a place that had never been her dream.
Remember how you were going to be a photographer and travel the world?
Mia had been right all those times, and so had David.
She tried to speak, tried to reassure Nick, but knew her words would just sound hollow.
