“I’ll see you soon.I love you.”
This time, Annie managed to bite the tears back until she got into her car.Roy pulled away, the car disappearing from sight in seconds.
This was the moment she’d imagined all week—watching them drive off.Her nerves were shot, and all morning, instead of enjoying her time with them, she’d rushed around and worried and run from that image.
Now, she sat in the silence.There were no tiny voices whining.No hands reaching for her.
Wasn’t this what she wanted?A break?Wasn’t this what she’d wished for only a few days ago, when they were within reach?They’d all three sat at the dinner table, yogurt smeared everywhere, all giggles and screams.
But no, now there was nothing but guilt.Annie took a breath and got out of her parking spot.
There was some time before her return trip to the island.She made the drive out of town to a restaurant she’d always liked and ate a meal by herself at the diner counter.She forced herself to read a book on her phone and sipped on coffee.
She managed to get through five chapters, more than she’d gotten through all month.The daring Viscount risked it all and now there was no doubt how he felt.He was the perfect man, playfully flirtatious but astoundingly noble.Handsome.Fiercely in love with the woman of his dreams.
A fantasy, she knew, but one she couldn’t look away from.
On the drive back to the ferry, a billboard caught her eye.She blinked twice, thinking she was imagining it.It was a picture of a man – a firefighter – in a white shirt and yellow suspenders.He had black hair and smoldering brown eyes.It almost looked like the man she’d seen at the grocery store – but no.It couldn’t be.
Beneath him read, “Marry my dad!Email [email protected] and tell me about why I should pick you!”
Annie sputtered out a laugh.It couldn’t possibly be real.She wanted to take a picture, but she couldn’t react in time.
Luckily for Annie, there were more ads on the ferry.One, where the handsome stranger had an ax slung over his shoulder, took up the entire wall near the bathroom.It said, “He didn’t start the fire!My dad is looking for love, contact me to see if you’re amatch!”
Itwashim.The unbelievably handsome cookie rescuer.She stared at him, unashamed because he wasn’t able to look back at her.
No wonder she’d gone into shock when she’d seen him.He was the most beautiful man she’d ever seen.
Annie chortled a laugh and snapped a picture, immediately sending it to her mom.It was just the sort of thing that would cheer her up, sitting alone in that rehab facility.
She replied right away.“That is too cute!Should I submit your resume?”
“Ha ha.Don’t even think about it,” Annie texted.
“How was drop off?”her mom asked.
“Not bad,” Annie lied.
Her mom sent back a sad face.“Try to take your mind off things.Do something fun this weekend.Something other than coming to see little old me.”
Well,thatwasn’t going to happen.Though her mom insisted she was making friends, Annie didn’t buy it.She felt awful she wasn’t able to come and see her more.
On the bright side, Margie said she’d find someone to help get the house in order so her mom could come home soon.That would help her breathe easier.
Four
Light sparked on the water, the sun making its morning appearance draped in purples and blues.Miles glided on the surface, the lean muscles of his arms causing hardly a ripple.It was so cold all he could focus on was his next move, a meditative rhythm of left, kick, right, kick.
He turned his head to sputter out a chilled breath before grabbing onto the ladder at the dock.Miles stood, steam rising from his skin, as he towel-dried in the morning air.
It felt good to be back to his daily swims.His buddy let him use the dock, and it was much easier getting out here in the morning now that Bella was back in school.All summer, they’d stayed up binge-watching TV shows into the late morning hours together.He had hardly made it out a dozen times.
He, of course, mourned the fact that they had to cut back on their tradition, but he had to put on a brave face for her.She struggled enough with getting up in the morning for high school – she didn’t need to know he was one more “Please?”away from giving in to another episode ofParks and Rec.
The rest of fall was a celebration—the changing leaves, the crisp air, the return of some calm to the islands as the tourists made their way back home.
He cast one more glance at the foliage before disappearing into the boat house, getting dressed, and jogging to his car.The skin on his arms was still numb; normally, he’d do push-ups to warm himself back up, but he had things to do, like make Bella’s new favorite breakfast – two egg whites, chopped green pepper and mushrooms, and a slice of whole grain toast with butter and strawberry jelly.
