Page 12 of Lost and Found

“I’ll make coffee,” he says, pulling me into his embrace and kissing the top of my head.

I tell myself to go, that it’s better to get it over with instead of lingering. But I don’t. I can’t. So I wait for Wyatt to hand me a mug filled with steaming-hot brew made just the way I like it, before following him outside to the front porch. We settle into our usual chairs and sit in silence for a long time, sipping our drinks. I’m not sure how long we’re out here, but it feels like both an eternity and no time at all.

Then Wyatt reaches for my hand and pulls me toward him, guiding me to sit on his lap. He holds me in his arms and rocks us slow and steady, as fresh tears form in my eyes. “I want you to stay, Molly. Don’t go.”

I’m tempted, so damn tempted. But this wasn’t the plan. None of this was the plan. I was supposed to come up here alone to get away for a while. Forget all about my wedding that never happened and my lying, cheating ex. I wasn’t supposed to meet anyone, and I damn sure wasn’t supposed to meet the sexiest, kindest man in the state of Washington.

This is just a fling. That’s all it can be. He said so himself. Maybe not in those words, but he knows I have to go back. I have a job and an apartment, a whole life in Seattle. Wyatt’s made it clear he wants nothing to do with all that. His place is here, on the mountain. I don’t see how we could make this work.

“I… I can’t, Wyatt. I have to go home. I can’t close my business and uproot my life to live in the middle of nowhere.”

His expression falls and his gaze fills with pain, making my heart sink to my stomach.

“I’m sorry. Maybe if things were different, if you didn’t feel like you had to hide away from the world?—”

“I’m not hiding. I’m happy here and I thought you were too.”

I don’t know what to say to that, so I say nothing. I stand and turn to face him, pressing a chaste kiss to his full lips and holding it for a long moment. “You’re a wonderful man, Wyatt. Don’t ever forget that.”

His eyes beg me to stay, but I ignore them. It’s for the best.

“Thanks for saving me. And I’m not just talking about my ankle.” I rise on the balls of my feet and tug him toward me for one last kiss. Then I reluctantly turn away and get into my car.

As I drive down the rugged mountain side, I refuse to look back, even when my heart shatters into a million broken pieces.

* * *

I’ve been backfor five days and I’m already going out of my mind. Has my apartment always felt this cold and empty? Were my neighbors always so loud? When did traffic become such a pain in the ass?

I’d forgotten how boisterous and overwhelming the city can be, especially compared to the quiet of the mountains. No one around for miles. Just you and the occasional wild animal and the serene sounds of the wind in the trees.

I miss it. I miss him.

I didn’t even get his phone number or his last name, convincing myself I didn’t need them and a clean break would be best. I regret that decision, and I want to call him every few hours to see how he’s doing and what he’s up to. I even miss Bear, the fluffy white furball with more energy than an entire class of kindergarteners.

Something’s missing, some vital part of me that can’t be filled. Doesn’t matter that I’ve known him for only a couple of weeks. He made a lasting impression on me, an impression on my heart. He’s changed me, and I can’t go back to the person I was. I was so determined to return to my life in the city. But now, I’m not even sure how to do that. Nothing feels right. It all feels wrong without him.

I’m suffocating. I need to leave.

I grab my keys from the ceramic bowl by the door, then take the elevator down to the garage. There’s one place I can go that always makes me feel better.

My brain is on autopilot as I drive through the heavy traffic to get to Grammy’s house. She’s not expecting me, but her face lights up when she opens the door and sees me standing there.

“Doodlebug, you’re back!” Her matronly smile makes me feel safe as she wraps me in her fragile arms for a bear hug. “I hadn’t heard from you so I thought perhaps you had extended your trip.”

I glance over a shoulder with a sheepish smile as she ushers me into the house.

After my parents died, my grandmother was all I had left, and she gave me a better life than I could’ve imagined. Work has been hectic these last few months, but I need to do a better job of getting by here more often to check on her and make sure she has what she needs.

“Yeah… Sorry about that. I got back a few days ago, but I…” I trail off, not sure how to explain that I’ve been wallowing in self-pity for almost a week. My grandmother, however, is a shrewd woman, and she picks up on my sour mood.

“I knew there was a reason I felt an urge to bake cookies.” She tweaks the tip of my nose before guiding me into the living room. “Have a seat while I go get them.”

I smile as I sit down, breathing in the scent of warm vanilla and brown sugar. I hear the muted bustling of cabinet doors closing and the refrigerator shutting. Then she returns to the living room, setting a tray of fresh chocolate chip cookies and two glasses of cold milk on the coffee table in front of us before joining me on the sofa..

“Now, why the long face? You’re not still thinking about James, are you?” She quirks an eyebrow while her lips pinch together with disdain.

I shake my head. “No, I’ve practically forgotten all about him.”

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