Page 84 of The Candlemaker

“I’ve got you,” he murmured, and only then did I realize I’d tipped forward onto him, and he held me to his chest, his fingers running a gentle path up and down my spine. “You okay?” he asked after a few minutes of silence.

My throat felt too tight to speak. Lying here with him, limbs and bodies entwined, my heart knocking against his…all of this—everything we’ve done, everything I felt—caught up to me and held me captive.

His fingers found my chin and lifted my head, and the tightness around my throat released, and with it, the words lodged inside.

“I’m yours,” I heard myself say back to him, my heart stumbling around in my chest.

A low rumble escaped his mouth as it lowered to mine, the kiss gentle and deep at the same time. His mouth played with mine like some kind of interrogation, and only when my mind was sufficiently scrambled did he pull back and murmur, “And if I want you for more than tonight?”

Hope burst in my chest like a fresh spring, my brain taking a moment to catch up to the rest of me before I could repeat myself.

“Then I’m yours.”

Sunlight buzzed over my back, slowly warming me to the ideaof waking up. I slept like the dead last night, utterly exhausted from…

Chandler.

My eyes opened, and without having to look, I already knew he wasn’t in the bed.

All his things were gone, including his car keys.

I grabbed my phone from next to the mattress, my heart lurching a second time when the only messages I had were cryptic and from Lou.

CALL ME.

It was sent two minutes ago.

One thing at a time,I told myself, staring at the spot where Chandler had been last night. And then my phone started to vibrate in my hand.Lou.

I let out a deep exhale and answered, “Hello?”

“Frankie, where are you?”

“At the inn. Where else would I be?” My voice cracked at the end.

The excitement in her voice deflated when she asked, “Is Chandler there?”

Her excitement wasn’t the only thing that deflated when I looked at the spot where Chandler had slept last night.And if I want you for more than tonight?

A chill rattled along my spine. “No. Why?”

“Oh good.” Lou sounded relieved. “I got the call from his office this morning. He’s taking my offer.”

My breath went out of me like it was a yo-yo she’d called back with her words. “What?”

“The inn is going to be mine. Your plan worked!”

My head turned slowly to the side, the empty space on themattress staring up at me like a canyon. The inn.Hers. Chandler.Gone.

“Frankie, did you hear me?”

Hear—yes. I jerked out of whatever I was in because I had to be there for Lou right now. “Sorry, spotty reception. I heard you. I can’t believe…that’s incredible, Lou.” I hoped my breathless voice came across as excitement that we’d won rather than the panic I truly felt wondering what I’d lost.

“I can’t believe it, Frankie. I can’t believe after everything…it’s finally over. It’s finally mine.”

Twice I tried to swallow before the tightness in my throat would let anything pass, let alone the words to reply.

“Frankie…”

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