Page 89 of Big Island Sunset
“I missed you,” she said when he stood straight again, taking his lips out of reach.
She hadn’t meant to say that – hadn’t meant to admit her weakness or to put that on him. He had enough on his mind. Too much to carry already. She didn’t want to be just another obligation.
But his eyes softened, and he touched the side of her face.
“I missed you too.” He sighed and bent down, resting his forehead lightly against hers. “I’m picking up as many hours as I can to save up before the baby comes. Liam’s been giving me work at the farm - overpaying me for it too, but I’m not too proud to accept it.”
He lifted his head and looked her in the eyes.
“My mom decided to sell the house. She and the twins are moving up to Summers Ranch.”
Juniper’s teeth pressed together, and her hand tightened on the fabric of Cody’s shirt. They hardly saw each other now, and he lived right next door. What would they do when he was all the way up at the ranch?
“I want to rent something for us,” he said quietly. “Here in Pualena, if we can. Or maybe some cabin on a quiet farm somewhere nearby. Something.”
“Just you and me?” she breathed.
“You and me and the baby.” His expression was serious. “If that’s what you want.”
She swallowed past a lump in her throat and nodded. “I want to be together.”
The tension fell from his shoulders, and he kissed her again.
“Are you sure?” he asked. “When you stopped coming over, I didn’t– I wasn’t sure what you wanted. I didn’t know if we–”
Juniper gasped. “You thought I was avoiding you?”
“Weren’t you?” The worry lines between his eyebrows were back, and she smoothed them out with her thumb.
“No. Never.” She blinked back tears of relief. “I thought you were avoiding me.”
“What do you mean? I’ve been here nearly every morning.”
“Yeah, you’ve been helping with work, but that’s just the sort of person you are. We haven’t seen much of each other, aside from that.”
“You stopped coming over.” There was no blame in his tone, but she could see the hurt and confusion in his eyes. “You barely even texted me back. I thought you were angry at me.”
Juniper shook her head, and the tears she had been holding back escaped. “I was just so sick.”
“And I haven’t been here.” He held her closer, and then he sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“You’ve been working.”
“I’ve been working,” he agreed. “But I could have shown up more. I just… I didn’t know if you wanted to see me.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” His expression was solemn as he wiped the tears from her face.
“I didn’t feel like I could come to your house anymore,” she admitted, still crying. Pregnancy hormones were the worst.
Cody’s eyes went wide. “Why?”
“Your mom hates me.”
“No she doesn’t!” He held her close, one arm cradling her back and the other brushing strands of hair away from her face. “She doesn’t hate you, Jun. Don’t cry.”
“She doesn’t want me there.” Juniper put her face into his shirt and sobbed.
