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“You don’t have to let her do everything she wants,” Goldie said gently. “I never expected you to.”

“I know. And I don’t intend to. But there’s a difference between deciding something isn’t safe and refusing to consider it because I’m uncomfortable.”

She nodded.

I looked toward the living room, where Sienna was quietly turning pages in her sketchbook.

“We spent the afternoon working on her costume. She did most of the design herself, and I showed her some techniques. She listened when I explained why we were using certain materials and not others. We had a good time.”

Goldie smiled faintly.

“I can tell. She looks so proud.”

“She should be.”

I paused, then stepped a little closer.

“Making Sienna’s costume doesn’t erase what I said to you.”

She looked down at the tissue in her hand.

“I was angry,” she admitted. “And hurt. I thought we’d gotten to know each other pretty well over the last few days. I knew we hadn’t had much time, but I didn’t think I was imagining how close we’d become.”

“You weren’t imagining it.”

Her eyes lifted to mine.

I reached for her hand, slowly enough that she could pull away if she wanted.

She let me take it.

“I’ve spent most of the last few years keeping my life small,” I said. “I had Sienna, the house, and enough work around here to occupy myself. I told myself I didn’t need anything else.”

Goldie’s fingers tightened around mine.

“Then you showed up on my porch with a plate of muffins and wouldn’t stop knocking.”

She gave a soft, surprised laugh.

“You were awfully stubborn.”

“I was. And you were even more stubborn. I’m glad you were.”

I brought her hand to my mouth and kissed her knuckles.

“I’ve thought about you constantly since Thursday. I like working with you. I like talking with you. I like the way you make Sienna laugh, and I like having you in my house. I’ve loved every minute we’ve spent together when neither of us was worrying about the Factory.”

Goldie moved closer.

I kept my eyes on hers.

“I’m falling for you, Goldie. I know it’s fast, and I know you’re supposed to drive back to Chicago tomorrow, but I don’t want this weekend to be all we have.”

She stared at me for several seconds.

Then she reached up and touched my cheek.

“I’m falling for you too.”