Page 151 of Hope & Harmony

But she felt more alive than she had in a while. The sadness of leaving…the bliss of being in Baron’s arms…the energy ofsinging in front of a rapt crowd… She felt everything just a little more deeply today, and she wasn’t ready to give up the richness of it all. The good and the sad. So she dipped into the diner for a late breakfast and was happy to see Dee serving the counter again. She ordered a hungry man’s breakfast with water, hoping it would give her the calories she needed to get to her next stop.

When she cleared her plate, she ventured back over to Marty’s. The door was open this time, and she found Marty sitting at a two-top table with a bunch of paperwork in front of him.

“Hey, thanks again for helping out last night,” he said, handing her a small envelope of cash.

Cora didn’t bother counting it but hoped it would be enough to take her to Mississippi, maybe as far as Louisiana.

“I’m glad I could help. It was a great crowd, too. Is it always like that?”

“It’s starting to be. We couldn’t draw folks out for much other than high school football games until recently. Baron’s started up all kinds of community events to get people driving in from the nearby towns, though. I guess we just needed the right kind of entertainment. And you sure delivered. Wow.”

Cora smiled. “Thanks, Marty. I had a lot of fun.”

“You should join us next week. Same time. You’ve got a job if you want one too.”

As tempting as staying here for one more week was, it wouldn’t bring her any closer to her dreams. “I wish I could, but I’m getting back on the road today.”

“Oh yeah? Where to?”

“California, maybe? Or who knows…”

He answered with a half-smile and a grunt, like he wasn’t too impressed by Cora’s plan. She was starting to question the plan herself.

Leaving Marty’s, she inhaled the salty air and made her way to her car.

“Cora, wait.”

She spun in the direction of the voice she’d probably never forget. Baron was walking briskly toward her, worry in his eyes.

“Baron. Hi.”

“You’re not leaving, are you?”

She let out a weak laugh. “Well, yeah. It’s time, you know?”

“You weren’t going to say goodbye?”

“You left, Baron. Which is fine, but?—”

“I came back. I run in the morning. I always do. But I didn’t want to wake you up, so I showered at my place before coming back. And you were gone.”

“Oh,” she whispered, hating the heartbreak that was starting to creep in. Somehow it was easier to think that he was done with things between them. That he was ready for her to move on to.

“You don’t have to leave yet, right?”

She shook her head, tears burning hot behind her eyes. She could stay, but she shouldn’t. Nothing would get better by staying. More nights in Baron’s bed would only bind her heart tighter to his, and neither of them needed that. “I have to go.”

“But what’s the rush? You can stay at the house?—”

“I can’t keep living off your generosity, Baron. It’s not fair. Not to you…and—” Emotion seized her throat and assaulted her thoughts. “I broke down this morning. Because I realized that with everything you’ve done for me—the money and the house and getting me that gig at Marty’s—for the first time in a really long time, I could set down so much of what I’ve been carrying around. The stress, the worry, the not knowing what to expect, or if I’m making the right decision. And being with you last night, feeling safe…”

Tears streamed down her cheeks. She tried brushing them away, but she could feel that she was falling apart all over again,this time in front of Baron. As if walking away from this place wasn’t going to be hard enough already.

“Baron, you’re a good man. And this time I’ve had here has been the greatest gift. I’ll never forget it. I’ll never forget you.”

“Cora,” he whispered, drawing her close to kiss the wet streaks on her cheeks. “Baby.”

She sighed into the contact, the strength of his arms, the surety of Baron Porter and the life he so masterfully held together. If she could spend forever this way, she probably would. But forever with Baron was a foolish hope, a loftier dream than the flimsy ones she was already clinging to.

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