It was nearing five when she finished keying in the final changes. She wrote a brief letter to Erin and attached the file, and with a tap on the touchpad it whooshed into cyberspace.
“There,” she said quietly. “All done.” Somehow the triumphant moment didn’t feel so triumphant. She glanced at Rio, lying in the shade of a palm tree. “Want to go get some water?”
Gowas all Rio needed to hear. Sadie gathered her things and Rio followed her into the apartment. After setting out a fresh bowl of water, Sadie contemplated dinner. Her appetite had been off today so she hadn’t made much of an effort for breakfast and lunch. Okay, so she’d snacked on cookies all day. Who could blame her?
She could scrape together the ingredients for an omelet with the meager supplies in her refrigerator. But maybe Sam would come over to talk. Maybe he’d suggest they eat together. She would hold off awhile just in case. She needed a shower anyway since she’d been stewing in the heat all day. Also, it would prevent her from listening for Sam’s truck in the drive.
She took a long shower, then changed into leggings and aT-shirt. And since she was right next to the front window she peeked out. Sam’s truck and trailer sat in the drive.
Her heart gave a hard squeeze. Would he come over to see her? Should she go over there? Maybe he needed space to figure things out. Just because her day had lasted eight decades didn’t mean his had too.
She touched up her minimal makeup and blow-dried her hair while Rio napped on her bed. She ran a styling product through her hair and was ready to give up and make dinner when the doorbell rang.
Sam.
Of course he usually came to the back door, but maybe he’d knocked when she was drying her hair. She took the stairs quickly, Rio on her heels. Her thumping heart and trembling legs had little to do with the sudden activity.
In the foyer she picked up the dog and opened the door. The sight of him made her world tilt upright again. “Sam.” Even she could hear the note of hope in her voice.
Rio stretched toward Sam, whining and squirming in her arms.
He reached for the dog and Sadie handed her over, taking in the way his eyes tilted down at the corners. There was no smile, no dimple. Sadie braced herself.
“Hey,” he said.
“Hi.”
“How did your work go today? Get your pages turned in?”
“Yes, just a little bit ago.” An awkward pause had her shifting in the doorway. “You, uh, want to come in? I don’t have much in the way of food, but I could whip up a couple—”
“That’s okay. I just wanted to let you know that I, ah, decidedto move back to my apartment in Bluffton. Bills are piling up, you know, and at this point there’s no reason for me to stay here.”
Pain unfurled in her chest. Adrenaline rushed through her veins, but she didn’t want to fight or take flight. She wanted to fling herself into his arms. But he didn’t want her there. “I’m really sorry about what I did, Sam. The last thing I ever wanted to do was hurt you.”
He nodded slowly, the corners of his lips lifting in something that wasn’t quite a smile. “I know that.”
She wanted to beg him to stay, but that was stupid. What else was there to say? This had always been a short-term relationship at best, despite the love she’d come to feel for him. She’d always known it would come to an end. She just hadn’t expected it to happen like this.
Or for it to feel so awful.
“Maybe this is for the best anyway. I know how much you love the city, and my life is here.”
He’d only echoed her own thoughts. But if it was really for the best, why did it hurt so much? Why did it feel as if he were ripping her heart from her chest?
“Anyway... I’m going to load up my stuff and then I’ll be going. I just wanted to come by and”—he scratched his neck—“tell you I was leaving, I guess.”
He was leavingnow? Her thoughts scrambled for purchase.Don’t leave. Not yet.“I—I appreciate that.”
He kissed Rio on the head and handed her back. “Good luck on your book, Sadie. I hope your publisher loves it.”
“Thank you.”
He gave her a wan smile and then he was gone, taking thesteps, returning to the apartment that, in a matter of minutes, wouldn’t be his anymore.
With nothing else left to do, she took Rio inside and closed the door, her legs wobbling like stilts. “Well... I guess he’s made up his mind.”
Not only was he finished with her, but just to make sure their relationship was good and over, he was leaving. She blinked against the sting in her eyes. A lump the size of Texas formed in her throat.
