Page 46 of Safe With You

He was probably right about that. She shrugged. “Being here has been good for me. Except for my mom harassing me, I have a peace of mind here I haven’t had, ever.”

Drew fell silent again as he took another bite of ice cream, but she could tell he had something on his mind. Finally, he asked, “So when do you think you’ll come back home?”

She twisted her spoon in her ice cream, creating a little crater. Did she dare say she didn’t consider Elling home? That she never had? She’d avoided this topic yesterday but couldn’t put it off forever. Not with him leaving tomorrow. She braced herself for his reaction. “I think I might stay a while.”

He released a long breath that might have been a sigh, and she hurried to say, “With the lease on my apartment ending, why start a new one when I have an unoccupied lake cottage?”

“Well, I mean, maybe because it’s not anywhere near Madison?”

“I know, and I know it’s an issue, I just…I’m not ready to leave yet. The cottage brings back so many wonderful memories for me that I didn’t even let myself think about before. It helps me feel close to Grandma. I’m not ready to go back and face life there without her.”

He nodded in acceptance, though she could tell by his face he wasn’t entirely happy with the situation. She hesitated to bring up the thought in her mind, but she had to put it out there.

“Would you ever consider moving here?”

His brows shot upward. “To Two Lakes? Katie, it’s the middle of nowhere. Where would I work?”

She let her shoulders sag. “I don’t know.”

Of course, she knew it could never work for him to move here. He had to be near a large hospital to be a surgeon, and he wouldn’t be happy just anywhere. Still, the confirmation stung because it left her in a position where she had to choose between him and a life here. Both were important to her.

The silence fell again, and not a comfortable one. Katie finished her ice cream, though the last couple of bites went down hard.

Stomach pinching, she peeked at Drew. “Are you mad at me?”

Instead of a heated expression, he gave her a look that said he was disappointed, causing her heart to sink. “No. I’m just afraid the longer you stay, the less you will want to leave.”

It was a valid concern. “I know.” She drew a deep breath. “And I know I have to come back for this to work. I just need more time to come to terms with everything.”

Sometimes, relationships required sacrifice, and if maintaining her relationship with Drew required her to return to Madison, she would do that.

He seemed to accept the situation. “Take the time you need.”

Finally, she managed to smile. “Thank you.”

“And don’t forget, you can always come back here to visit whenever you want. It’s not going anywhere.”

Katie nodded. At least, when she left this time, she wouldn’t be thousands of miles away.

Katie picked out a pretty red dress she had modified and would have worn to church this morning if Drew hadn’t wanted to have brunch before he left. While not a ritzy place, the Lodge catered to a higher-end clientele. Her usual patched jeans didn’t quite cut it. Supper had been delicious, so she looked forward to breakfast, but the meals were more expensive than she would ever want to pay regularly.

Since it was still early, she sat on the couch reading her Bible while O’Malley chased one of his crinkle balls around, making her laugh. Keeping him had been one of her best decisions despite the discomfort it caused for Drew.

When it was time, she finished her makeup and headed to her car. The drive into town passed peacefully, though she kept thinking about her conversation with Drew yesterday. If only she had a better idea of what the future held. Her entire being rebelled every time she thought about returning to Elling, but she forced it out of her mind for now. She still had time to prepare herself and make that decision.

At the Lodge, a large set of automatic doors welcomed her inside. The spacious lobby had deer antler chandeliers hanging from the log beams of the vaulted ceiling and a taxidermy black bear standing beside the front desk. Off to one side rose a massive fireplace surrounded by plush chairs. Several guests crisscrossed the room and waited at the desk, suitcases in tow. A couple of kids dashed in front of her. No doubt everyone was getting ready to head back down south after a weekend vacation in the Northwoods.

Stepping around a pile of luggage, Katie met Drew in the sitting area. They greeted each other and entered the dining room. Breakfast consisted of omelets, hash browns, sausage, and fresh blueberry muffins. Though delicious, they were not quite on par with Evelyn’s, in Katie’s opinion.

“So,” Drew set aside his coffee mug, “what are you going to do about your apartment if you’re staying here?”

“I guess I’ll have to come get my stuff before the end of the month.” It didn’t leave her much time, especially since next week was Memorial Day. She should have figured this out sooner.

“How do you plan to do that?”

“I’ll figure something out.” She hesitated to mention the Harts. While Drew listened whenever she talked about her childhood with them, he never said much, especially when it involved Ethan.

“Well, keep me updated on when you think you’ll be coming back. I’ll keep an eye out for any job openings and apartments you might like.” A smile warmed his face. “And I’ll make sure they allow cats.”

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