Page 67 of Can't Fight the Moonlight

He started to turn, then paused. "Just for the record, you don't have to worry about Lizzie. I'm not going to hurt her."

"I hope not. She hides behind her smile, but she has a fragile heart."

"I think she's tougher than you might believe."

"Or maybe you just want her to be," Noah said with a gleam in his eyes. "Have a good night."

As the old man ambled away, Justin headed toward the stairs, Noah's words ringing through his head. Maybe he shouldn't go up to the roof. Maybe he should just go to his room and leave Lizzie alone.

But as he hit the fourth-floor landing and felt a breeze coming through the French doors leading onto the roof, he could not turn away.

Lizzie was sitting on a couch, her feet propped up on the coffee table next to a bottle of wine and an empty glass. She hadn't yet become aware of his presence, and for a moment, he just watched her. She was looking out at the view, her hair blowing gently in the breeze. It was another starry night. There seemed to be no lack of them in Whisper Lake.

As he stepped forward, she turned her head, giving him a startled look as he came around the couch.

"I found you," he said, sitting down next to her.

"I wasn't missing."

"Perhaps not, but I was missing you."

"I thought you'd be with your grandparents all evening."

"We spent a lot of time together today. We just had dinner at the Three Pigs."

"Did you get the pork chops?"

"I did. They were amazing."

"Your grandmother is going to make sure you eat well this week. Are they having a good time? Has your grandfather recovered from this morning's allergy attack?"

He gave her a dry smile. "He was apparently too sniffly to go antiquing, but he felt fine when it was time to drink wine and have dinner out."

She smiled. "Your grandfather is no fool. How was shopping? Did you buy anything?"

"My grandmother bought a jewelry box and an old desktop clock, both of which seemed old and boring to me, but she was quite excited about her finds. And they're small enough to fit in her luggage, which was apparently part of her criteria for purchasing."

"That's good. Did you carry her bags while being a good sport?" she asked with a teasing smile. "Or were you checking your phone for texts and emails the whole time?"

"I managed to keep up with some messages while also being an attentive grandson." He paused. "I saw you at the festival, but you disappeared before I could say hello."

"I had work to do."

"But no work now?"

"I just finished up. I often come up here in the late evening. It's usually empty. Most of the guests use the patio and the garden if they want to go outside. How did you find me?"

"Noah said he saw you out here."

"Right. I waved to him as he was making his nightly walk."

"I talked to him for a few minutes. He told me about Alice."

"Did you tell him to stop waiting for a woman who is never coming back?"

"I didn't say it exactly like that, but I did mention that he might miss what's right in front of him because he keeps looking to the future. He said Patty told him the same thing. But then he challenged me by asking if I'd ever let anyone talk me out of my dream, and I had to say no."

"He turned the tables on you."

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