“It’s sweet of you to offer, but I could never ask you to support Katie or pay off my debts. Plus, as much as I love the idea of not going in to work every day, I’m not physically able to do a lot of things around the house with my back. So being a housewife isn’t something that would work for me.” Aurora ran a hand through her hair. “If I found a job that was like this one, I could consider it. But my clinic needs me. Everyone there is amazing, and even if nonprofit pay isn’t fantastic, the benefits are outstanding.”
“We’ll figure it out.”
Aurora looked down, unsure. She didn’t even want to ask about him moving back to Riverton, because she knew what the answer would be.
“Hey.” His gentle tone made her look up. “I promise. I’ve dreamed of you too long to let you get away.”
“You have?”
“Well, literally after I saw your lace.” He winked, and Aurora laughed. “I also dreamed of that barn incident more than once over the years, even in high school. Except every time I reached you, you disappeared.”
Her heart melted. “Oh, Duncan. I think everything worked out for the best in the end. Who knows, we might have burned out if we had started dating that young.”
“Yeah, I’m glad things worked out the way they did too.”
“Why’s that?”
He counted off on his fingers. “First, Katie is a delight. Second, now I can make mind-blowing love to you as a man, and not as some awkward teenager.”
They both chuckled. Then he noticed the time on the laptop.
“Roar, it’s almost eleven there. Don’t you have work tomorrow?”
“Oh, shit. I’m so sorry. I didn’t want to hang up.” A yawn overtook her.
“I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Okay. Sweet dreams.” She winked and blew him a flirtatious kiss.
“Good night, beautiful.”
Duncan hung up and sat back on his couch. She hadn’t asked him about moving back to Riverton. Strange, since it would have been fair after he asked her to move to California. She had a lot of reasons to stay in Riverton; he couldn’t argue with her there. Still, it would be nice to be enough reason for a woman to change her life, just once. She wanted him to fight for Ryder to prove he’d fight for her? He could do that … and something else. He had to email Carlos right away with the idea he’d had on the plane.
There’s No Cure Like Travel
At five o’clock Pacific Standard Time, squeezing a plate and fork onto the desk, Duncan dialed goddessofthebrokendawn for their daily chat. It had only been a week since the gala, but he barely ate dinner in his kitchen anymore, and only if he’d dragged the laptop out there. The kitchen didn’t miss him. Aurora did.
When the video call connected, a surprise was waiting for him on the screen. “Hi, Duncan!” Katie was in her mother’s office.
“Hi, Katie. How are you?”
“I’m good! How are you?”
“I’m doing well. Is your mom home?”
“Yeah, she had some photos on here I wanted to print off.”
“Cool. What for?”
Katie’s voice drifted down to Aurora’s ears as she took the stairs for her nightly call with Duncan. Who was she talking to about her photo collage project?
“What about Jade? I thought she was your best friend.”
Was that Duncan?
“She’s been too busy for us. She got a boyfriend.”
Aurora could hear Katie’s eyes roll. Pausing at the top of the stairs, she smiled and waited to hear what Duncan would say to that.
