She snorted. “Anotherimplies there is a first man. Rather presumptuous of you, Colton. I swear, you sleep with a man once, and they get all possessive of you.”
He grinned at her quip, but at his core, doubts niggled. Was she serious? Her tone had sounded a bit too dry, not light enough to mollify him. Did she not think they were a couple? That they had enough connection and chemistry to pursue a relationship?
“The call,” she said, wagging her phone once before stashing it in her purse, “was Abby.”
“Ah. So…did you tell her about Chase?”
She shot him a look of horror. “God, no! That’s not the kind of news you deliver over the phone. I told her I would be out later to see her.” She paused to sip her drink. “I’d like you to come, too, if you want.”
He nodded. “I’d love to meet her.”
She pushed her chair back and slung her purse strap over her shoulder. “All righty then. No time like the present.”
He ordered himself a coffee to-go, and they were on the state road headed to the outskirts of town minutes later.
Cal was largely silent as he drove, mulling over her distancing denials at the coffee shop. He tried to tell himself he was overreacting. She couldn’t fake the sort of passion and connection they’d had last night. Right?
“Jules, about what you said—” he began at the same moment she blurted, “I cannot wait to tell the shop owner I’m quitting the gift shop.”
He blinked. “You’re…quitting?”
“Of course I am. It was never supposed to be a career move, just a source of income that was also on Chase’s delivery route. Now that he’s not a concern, I can get back up to Winnipeg and finish my research, get my PhD and get on with my life.”
She smiled and exhaled in a manner that said she was savoring the relief that plan gave her.
“Oh.” Cal gripped the steering wheel tighter and furrowed his brow. “I see.”
She gave him a dry laugh. “What? That’s good news. Why the pout?”
His frown deepened. “I’m not pouting.”
She reached over and rubbed the crease on his brow. “Kinda are.”
He took pains to school his face and rein in his disappointment. “Well, maybe I’m just rather surprised to hear you talk about leaving town.”
“Seriously? I’ve told you from the start the whole gift shop business was a stopgap while I caught Hamilton. Abby is safe now. She can leave the hospital, and we can both get back to living our lives.”
He pressed his mouth in a firm line and drummed his thumbs on the steering wheel. “I kinda thought I was part of your life now. Last night—”
“Was great. But Red Grove isn’t my home. I’ve told you—”
“I know what you’ve told me. But that was before…” He dragged a hand over his mouth and scratched his chin, not wanting to sound desperate or needy. If Jules didn’t love him, didn’t want him, he had to find the courage and composure to let her walk away. He could do it. He could steel his heart and cut ties with her. Sure.
Liar. Just the prospect of losing Jules made him feel like his chest was being carved out with a grapefruit spoon.
Jules angled her body toward him, her fingers fidgeting in her lap. “Cal, look… I appreciate everything you’ve done for me, and the time we’ve spent together has been—”
“Don’t.” He realized his tone had been brusque. Cold. So he forced a weak smile and shook his head. “No justification necessary. Clearly, the feelings were all one-sided. I misread things.”
“Cal.”
“But I’ll be all right.”
“Cal, I—”
“This is the turn, correct?” He aimed a finger at the upcoming crossroad, and she nodded.
She sighed. “I’m sorry if—”
