Page 86 of So Close

“Yes.”

“At some point, maybe it was when my mom died, I don’t really know, I decided no one was ever going to suffer again because of a man’s inadequacies,” he said. “Karina. Carl. Brynn. You. I was going to take care of all of them. Everyone. With money. My way. And if there was someone I couldn’t take care of properly, it meant I didn’t deserve her.” He took a deep breath. “I wish I could promise never to do it again, but you know how hard bad habits die.”

“I do. Like my bad habit of assuming that if a man has a will as strong as mine—okay,almostas strong as mine—” she smirked at him “—he probably also wants to control me?”

“Like that.”

“We could maybe make a pact. To not run away the next time we get scared or frustrated or feel like we aren’t what the other person needs or the other person isn’t what we need. We could justtalk about it.”

“Yes. That sounds like an excellent plan. And that’s a damn good thing, because I hated not being with you.”

Now she was the one crying. “I hated not being with you, too.”

“Can you—come out from behind that fucking desk?”

“Yes,” she said, and did. And this time, when he kissed her, there was nothing between them.

44

When they broke apart, she said, “I need to show you something.”

“Yeah,” he said, dropping his gaze to where his board shorts revealed all. “Me too.”

She swatted at him. “No. Seriously. Come with me. Wait, hang on.”

She went behind the desk, fumbled for a moment, and came back around again. “This way.”

He followed her out to the guest cottage. She unlocked the door and let him in.

“You put in a new desk!” he said. “With a built-in charging station.”

“And I upgraded the Wi-Fi.”

“Did you do this—?”

“I did it because you were right. It’s time for a change, and it has been for a while. People want to sit down and answer emails and charge their devices, even when they’re on vacation. But I also did it because …”

She stopped, and looked up at him, all big blue eyes, wide and … worried.

“I wanted you to be able to come here and work whenever you want.” She took a deep breath. “If you want.”

“You did this … for me.” He was filled with a bright, unfamiliar wonder. Of course, she was marvelous. He’d known all along. But this was different. This wasfor him.

When was the last time anyone had done anything for him?

When was the last time he’d wanted anyone to?

She reached into her pocket. “I made you a marketing postcard. I was going to send it. But I didn’t get a chance.”

It was a collage—a photo of Beachcrest, one of Breaker Rock, one of the whole beach. And the text said, “Come for the newly upgraded Wi-Fi, stay for the owner, who loves you.”

He stared at it, warmth filling him up. Chasing away all the cold and numb spots.

“You—”

“I love you,” she affirmed.

“Even though I wanted to tear down your inn? And even though I almost made you lose it? And even though I acted like an ass after I almost did?”

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