Page 9 of #Resort Romance
“We’ll do it tomorrow. I promise,” he said as he released her hand and slowly maneuvered them until she was in his arms. They stared out at the water and it was just a perfect moment. “I missed you, Kelse.”
Sighing softly, she rested her head on his chest. “I missed you too. I always thought I’d see you again and it broke my heart that you never came back here.” Then she laughed quietly. “Never in a million years did I think we’d see each other after all these years right back in the place where we met.”
“Not seeing you or saying a proper goodbye is one of my biggest regrets. Back then, it just felt like no big deal when I didn’t come the first time. I went to Japan and had an amazing time, and I wished I could come here and tell you all about it.” He let out a long breath. “I feel like my senior year of high school was a blur. There was football and proms and finals and college tours…after a while, it felt like my time wasn’t my own. My parents had it planned that we were coming back that summer, but…”
There was no need for him to say more. They both knew he didn’t come back.
“Packing up and prepping for college just took on a life of its own, and by that time, I didn’t think you’d even want to hear from me.”
“At the time, I probably didn’t. I had my own stuff going on and it was all good. I just missed talking to you and spending time with you. That one month every summer was always special.”
She felt him nod.
“I know ten days isn’t really enough to make up for those two summers—or all the time since—but I’d really like to have the chance to get to know you again.”
“I’d like that too,” she whispered as his arms gently tightened around her.
“About dinner tonight…”
Pulling back slightly, Kelsey looked up at him. He looked so happy and relaxed and…hopeful.
“My family wanted to invite you and your mom to join us. I know it’s the first night and I didn’t want to impose, but I thought I’d throw the idea out there.”
Tears stung her eyes, and she knew she needed to come clean.
But first, she needed to not be in his arms or looking into his eyes.
“Okay, so…I didn’t say anything earlier and I’m not even sure why I didn’t, but…” She willed herself not to cry. “When I said I was here for my mom’s birthday, I guess it was natural for you to think that she was here with me.”
Glancing over at him, she saw the confusion written all over his face.
“My mother passed away recently,” she said, her voice trembling. “And she wanted her ashes scattered here. Honestly, I have no idea where I’m going to do it, but it is legal in the state of New York to scatter them without a permit. If this were a national park, I’d need permission, but…dammit, I hate this! I hate that I’m even talking about this like it’s not a big deal that I’m leaving my mom here and then the resort is going to be abandoned!”
And before she knew it, she was back in Jayce’s arms, and she was sobbing.
At some point, she finally stopped, but he kept holding her.
“We’ll figure it out together,” he told her, his voice low and gruff. “And for tonight, you’re coming to dinner with us. You shouldn’t be alone. Hell, I don’t want you to be alone.”
“Jayce…”
“Just humor me, okay?”
“Okay.” It was only delaying the inevitable, but for tonight, she’d take it.
Chapter Three
To say that dinner had been underwhelming would be an understatement.
The food was mediocre—even though his grandparents raved about it the entire time—and the restaurant looked dark, drab, and almost depressing.
Plus, it was an early-bird dinner, so Jayce and Kelsey were the youngest people in the room.
Still, he was happy she was there with him and his family. Knowing what he did now, it would have broken his heart knowing she was either eating by herself or sitting alone in her cabin.
On their walk back from the lake, they held hands and he’d led her directly to cabin fourteen and announced that she was joining them for dinner. When everyone asked about her mother, Jayce had felt her tense up and he quietly suggested that she go and freshen up while he talked to everyone.
“What’s going on?” his mother asked.
