“I love you no matter what, too. And you wouldn’t be you if you didn’t push. I’m sorry I’m letting you down.”
“I have options, Hannah. But you’re my number one.”
Hannah smiled through yet another round of tears. “I want you to take the option that getsyouwhere you want to go. You bring your podcast magic to a producer with deep pockets, and I’ll keep being a historian who tells quiet stories about true crimes that happened before our grandparents were born.”
“And we’ll still be best friends.”
“We’lldefinitelystill be best friends.”
They were quiet for a long moment, both of them breathing without the pressure of this decision hanging over them. Their gazes were virtually locked and as the anxiety faded and their pulses slowed, they smiled.
“When are you coming home?” Erika asked. “We’ll get a massive tub of ice cream and watch movies about handsome guys who get murdered.”
Hannah actually laughed, which she hadn’t been sure she’d ever do again. “I’m not sure yet. I’ll text you as soon as I have a date. And you better keep me updated on your meetings, okay? Don’t agree to anything or jump at big numbers without running them past me.”
“Why, Hannah Shelby, are you implying I’m impulsive?”
“Implying? No.” She smiled. “Look, it’s so hot and humid right now I can barely breathe, and I didn’t bring water with me on my trek to the cell signal. I’m going to go, but I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Okay. And, Hannah? He never deserved you.”
Hannah disconnected and stood, relieved to have that call behind her. She wasn’t sure what the future held for either of them, but at least they’d still be friends. Right now, she didn’t have the emotional strength to lose anybody else she loved.
The sound of male laughter drifted to her, and she closed her eyes, trying to pick out Rob’s. It was impossible, she knew. All four of the Kowalski brothers had laughs that were similar enough so even their mother might have trouble telling them apart.
It hurt to think he might be somewhere in the campground right now, sharing jokes and laughing so freely.
It hurt to think of Rob at all, and maybe it was time for more action.
As far as she could tell, she had two options. She could stay here for another few weeks and leave on the date in the agreement. She’d be miserable and lonely, and her heart would probably break all over again every time she saw Rob—which would probably be from a distance because she had a hunch he’d avoid her. Brian would probably take care of anything in her part of the campground.
Or she could pack up and leave early. She wouldn’t get a refund on the site, but she wouldn’t be stuck living in Rob’s world without Rob.
She didn’t want to be here without him.
Chapter Twenty-Three
After a long holiday weekend of working his ass off in what felt like record heat in a futile attempt to wear himself out enough to sleep without dreaming of Hannah, Rob was done. Her camper had been closed up since the last time he was there, just like everybody else’s because the air conditioners were on. By midday on Monday, he hadn’t had so much as a glimpse of her, which was both a blessing and a curse.
He skipped the store and went straight to the house after fixing a fire ring some guys had tried to move, hoping he’d be alone. It was just his luck that Brian had the same idea and was sitting on the couch with an old rickety fan they’d found in the basement blowing on him. Stella was stretched out on the floor, trying to soak up the barely cool air from the AC in the window.
Rob stopped, not wanting to lock himself in the hot oversize closet that was his room, but not wanting to stay here. He didn’t want to go in the store. He was about to grab his truck keys when Brian looked at him and did a double take.
“You look like your...” Brian paused and looked at Stella. “Like your cat just died.”
Rob shook his head, unable to manage even a weak smile at the joke. He sank into the chair, and Stella immediately trotted to him and rested her chin on his thigh despite the heat. Usually scratching behind her ears and giving her a good belly rub made him feel better, but he wasn’t sure even Stella’s love could help today.
“What happened, Bobby?”
“You were right the whole time. Fraternizing with our campers is a really bad idea.”
“She’s not leaving until the end of the month. I don’t... What happened?”
“I knew that by the end of the month, I’d be so damned in love with her I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from asking her to stay. I thought it would be easier to just break off our summer fling now, so we’d already have some distance and separation between us when she pulls out, so I told her it was over.”
Brian let his feet fall to the floor with a thump. “It was too late like a month ago.”
“Yeah.”
