“Did you find somewhere to store them?”
Aidan nodded. “Daniella has some space in The Fairy Forest. I’ll send you a list of what’s being donated and an updated project plan on Monday.”
“I’ll look forward to seeing them. Has anything happened about Jackie’s store?”
Aidan smiled. “The bank’s lending her enough money to start the business. A few days ago, she signed the lease on the cottage beside Andrea’s café. It’ll be tough for the first year or two, but she’s doing everything she can to make it work.”
David started the timer on his watch. “She must be excited.”
“She can’t wait to open the store. Two knitting groups have already booked in to have their weekly meetings in the cottage.”
Aidan was proud of what she’d achieved and hoped that everything worked out for her.
For the next few minutes, he ran in easy silence beside David. With their breath coming in steady bursts, he slowly increased their pace and was pleased to see his friend keeping up with him.
“I’ll never get tired of this scenery,” David murmured as their shoes pounded against the boardwalk.
“I’ll second that,” Aidan said. “Some days I have to pinch myself when I look around me. I took Jackie out to the adventure camp the other day. It was even more spectacular than the last time I was there.”
“Was that because Jackie was with you or because of the scenery?”
“It was probably a bit of both.” Aidan looked ahead of them and frowned. “I like her a lot, but I’m not sure what we’re going to do.”
“In what way?”
Aidan glanced at his friend. Of all the people he knew, David would understand the most about how difficult it was to have a relationship with someone who lived halfway across the country.
“How did you and Andrea get to know each other when you were still working most of the time from Manhattan?”
David slowed to a jog. “It wasn’t easy. And I still miss her when I go back to catch up with the rest of the team.” He looked into the distance, and then glanced at Aidan. “You have to work out if the potential in what you’re feeling is worth the risk. And you need to be honest with each other. Andrea told me from the beginning she wouldn’t leave Sapphire Bay. She was opening her own business and the boys were happy.”
Aidan frowned. “Did you think she’d change her mind once you spent more time together?”
“A part of me wanted her to, but that was wishful thinking. She has as much right to choose where she wants to live as I do, possibly more when you take the boys into consideration. Has Jackie said she wants to stay in Sapphire Bay?”
Aidan nodded. “I can understand why she likes living here, but I’m going back to Manhattan.”
“Are you sure about that?”
“As sure as I can be. Half of my team will still be working from our head office. I like New York City. It’s close to my family and friends, and has everything I’ll ever need.”
David increased his pace. “Except Jackie.”
As David’s feet flew along the boardwalk, Aidan followed him at a slower pace. He thought about his life in Manhattan and tried to imagine it without having Jackie living close by. He’d miss her easy smile and the things she said that made him laugh. He’d miss dropping into The Flower Cottage and taking her out for dinner at one of the family-owned restaurants on Main Street. But was that enough to make him want to sell his apartment and move here?
David turned around and called out to him, “Are you coming or will I win our race again?”
Picking up his pace, Aidan caught up to him. “I’m buying coffee afterward, anyway. It’s the least I can do for a man who has a wife and two boys to look after.”
David grinned. “It’s called marital bliss. One day, you might know all about it.”
If thinking about leaving Jackie behind made Aidan feel sick, marrying her or anyone else, terrified him.
As they ran side by side, he knew he had a lot to think about. He didn’t want to lose Jackie, but he also wasn’t sure he was ready to uproot his life in Manhattan.
And, no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t find an easy compromise that would suit either of them.
* * *
