Page 129 of Second Chance at Sunshine Inn

And Cade had found it. And read it!

He hadn’t taken the time to see her before she left. So why was it so important to talk to her now? Had something in Alana’s letter caused him to change his mind?

Her phone chimed with another text.

Cade: Where are you?

She took a deep, shuddering breath and then responded with:On my way.

Pushing herself up from the uncomfortable, wobbly plastic chair in the vending machine room, she moved through the crowd and stood by the doors leading out to the parking lot. Her eyes locked onCade, leaning against the front end of her SUV, while his eyes sorted through the people walking past.

He didn’t seem to notice when three young women sauntered by him and eyed him with appreciation, but Everleigh agreed with their obvious assessment. She held on to the cold door handle and studied him—his tall stature, chiseled jaw, full lips, muscular arms and shoulders, trim waist, that messy, light-brown hair, and oh, that spectacular five o’clock shadow. A buzz of warmth spread through her as she recalled how she’d enjoyed the feel of his stubble and angular jaw the night of the terrible storm.

A sigh escaped her lips, and she tried to memorize his every detail in case this was the last time she saw him. She would never forget Cade. Sadness and regret spread through her.

“Uh, excuse me, miss,” a voice said. “Are you going to stand here all afternoon or are you going outside?”

“Huh?” Everleigh spun to face a middle-aged man whose face was inked with irritation. “Oh. Yeah, sorry.” A flush rose to her cheeks. “I was just—um—distracted.” She held the door open for him.

His wide forehead wrinkled. “Thanks,” he grumbled before muttering something about how strange young folks are these days.

Everleigh plunged her hands in the pockets of her jacket and slowly made her way toward Cade.

When his eyes found hers, relief seemed to fall across his handsome features.

“Hi,” she said as she approached him.

“Hi.” His voice was deep and rich, and she tried to commit that sound she loved so much to memory.

They were silent for a moment before they both started to talk at once.

He stopped himself, then made a sweeping gesture. “You first.”

“Okay.” She cleared her throat. “What’s so important that you have to tell me in person?”

He pulled a folded stack of papers from his pocket, and she recognized it immediately.

“That was personal. Why’d you read it?” she asked.

He held it out to her, and she took it. “Why’d you leave it for me to find?”

“I didn’t mean to.” She stuffed it into the pocket of her jacket.

“What did you think of what she said about you and me?”

Her hands trembled as she shrugged.

“Do you think she’s right about us?”

Everleigh longed to read his expression, but he was a master at hiding his feelings. If she told him she cared for him, would he let her down easy and then turn around and leave?

Then again, why had he driven ninety minutes and met her at a highway rest area to talk to her in person?

Nothing made sense, but she was determined to guard her already broken heart. “What are you getting at, Cade?”

“I asked you a question.”

She tried to keep her expression blank. “I don’t know.”

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