“You were as heartbroken as I was.”
It was true. It had been one of the most difficult decisions of her life.
“I loved you,” she said softly. “Very much.”
“I know you did. And I loved you back. I also understood why you needed to go.”
And that was one of the reasons she’d loved him. “Those first few months were hard. You have no idea how many times I wanted to book a flight back to you.”
He held her gaze. “And you have no idea how many hours I spent hoping that you would.”
She felt a pang. No matter how much she disciplined herself not to, it was impossible to not occasionally ask thewhat ifquestion.
“It wouldn’t have been fair. Not on either of us. I’d made a decision, and I stuck to it.”
“But you never came back. Never visited.”
“I was busy.” She paused. They’d never lied to each other, and she wasn’t going to start now. “But that wasn’t it. I had a vision for the future and a purpose. I didn’t want anything to derail that. After feeling helpless and powerless for most of my life, suddenly I saw a route where I was the one in control. I was given the opportunity to build the business, and I wanted to do that. I wanted to build a secure future for my daughter and I wanted—no, Ineeded—to prove myself.”
“And you’ve done that.”
“Yes, I suppose I have.” She finished her drink. “We’ve talked enough about me. Tell me about you. I know you love your work, and I know you love this community. Did you marry?” She had no right to ask, but she needed to know.
“No. I found love twice in a lifetime. That’s more than most. You?”
She shook her head. “There was no one after you. No one important.” How could there be? Five minutes in his company was enough to remind her why she’d never been interested in anyone else. “Abby has started asking questions about us.”
“So has Evie.”
“What did you tell her?”
“Nothing. You?”
“Nothing.”
He toyed with his empty glass. “So what happens next?”
It was the question she should have been asking herself but she hadn’t wanted to.
“I’m not sure. I have a couple of people to see tomorrow and then I need to think.”
“I wasn’t talking about the business.”
“Oh.” And now they came to the awkward part. He was going to ask her what she was doing here, visiting him, and she didn’t even know.
“You said you felt a sense of closure from seeing your father.
Is that why you knocked on my door? Closure?”
“No. That wasn’t why.” This was ridiculous. At her age, with her level of competence, she shouldn’t be sitting here feeling like a flustered teenager on a first date.
He studied her for a long moment. “When are you flying back?”
“I don’t know. When my business here is concluded, I suppose.”
“Can I persuade you to take some time for yourself while you’re here?”
“You mean a vacation?”
