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Was she inviting him in, or just not pushing him out? To be safe, he remained hovering in the doorway. Her room was clean and tidy, her bed made, and curtains drawn neatly. Even her gathered belongings that she was clearly in the process of packing were spread out in an orderly row.
“Are you here to gloat?” Winnie asked, her back to him as she piled a stack of pristinely folded clothing into her suitcase.
“No,” he said with a frown.
“To make fun of me for failing?” she tried next.
“Of course not.”
“To convince me to leave tonight instead of tomorrow morning?”
He sighed, but more due to the fact that these questions were completely and entirely warranted. He’d been an absolute rat to her.
“Actually, I’m here to convince you to do the exact opposite,” he said.
He’d expected her to turn around in a sort of pleasant surprise, but she merely scoffed, still turned away from him.
“It’s true,” he pressed.
“I’m guessing your dad pressured you into doing this.”
Matthew hesitated. He needed to say this next part delicately, but truthfully. Was he capable of doing both at the same time?
“I did talk with him just a minute ago,” he began, “and he did tell me to come down tonight, but I had every intention of speaking with you before you left.”
She placed another stack of clothing into the suitcase. “Well, you should probably get on with that, since I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning.”
Matthew thought for a moment. He knew Winnie more than he cared to admit, just as he knew simply asking her to stay wasn’t going to work. He’d have to try another route.
“Wow,” he said, folding his arms and leaning against the door frame.
Finally, she turned around to face him, her brow furrowed. “What?”
“I didn’t peg you for a quitter.”
A spark of pride flared in her eyes, reminding him of the Winnie he was so accustomed to seeing, but in a flash, she was gone. Her shoulders fell again, and she moved to the wardrobe at the edge of the room.
“I know what you’re trying to do, but it won’t work,” she said.
“And what exactly am I trying to do?”
She gave him a sidelong glance. “You’re trying to make yourself feel better by convincing me to stay so you can be guilt-free when I do leave.”
Matthew blinked, trying to hide his surprise. She was more astute than he’d given her credit for. “That’s not entirely true,” he said.
“Only mostly,” she added.
“Well, I would like to be guilt-free if you choose to leave, but I don’t think that’s in the cards for me.”
“And why is that?”
He drew a deep breath. “Because I should feel guilty.”
She faced him, her features sharp—yet still just as appealing.
“I’ll be honest,” he continued, “I was more than ready to see you riding off into the sunset a few days ago.”
“What made you change your mind?” she asked disbelievingly. She folded her own arms and turned to face him more directly. “Daddy scold you again?”
