Page 49 of The Library of Second Chances
“No, I’m sure that’s not it. He must have a good reason.”
“It was silly anyway. He’s probably just passing through like everyone else.”
He could hear the hurt in her voice, and he thought of what the mayor had told him about her mother leaving. A long silence followed as they both gazed toward the horizon. He could only think of one thing to show he could relate.
“Remember how I told you that the newspapers didn’t tell the whole story about what happened to me in San Diego?”
She turned to meet his eyes and nodded. “Yeah.”
“Well, my side of the story is that I thought I’d met the perfect woman for me. I’d even bought a ring. I was waiting until we could celebrate the new project getting a green light before I asked her because I hadn’t had a lot of time to spend with her as we went through the final phase of government approvals.”
He paused, taking a deep breath. He hadn’t told anyone except Carly what had happened next.
“Then I came home one night to find Catherine in bed with another man.”
Lucy gasped, her hand flying to her mouth to cover it.
“This particular man happened to be the son of her father’s arch nemesis. Your basicRomeo and Julietplot, I guess. Except Catherine had worked out exactly how she could get her father to accept Joe. She’d made sure I would catch them together and be the one to break up with her. Then she ran to her father, playing the victim. She somehow convinced him that I’d driven her to Joe because I didn’t pay her enough attention.” He ran a hand through his hair. “Honestly, I still don’t understand the mental gymnastics she went through to pull it off. All I know is that in the end her father blamed me for her being with Joe. And, well, you know the rest.”
Lucy was quiet. He wasn’t sure what else to say, so he watched the ocean instead of her face.
She surprised him when she broke the silence. “I was engaged once. Did I ever tell you that?”
He turned back to look at her, but now she was the one staring out at the water.
“No.” He didn’t feel right pressing her for more.
“Yeah. He was assigned here for work for a few years, but after we got engaged, he got a job offer in Chicago.”
“Why didn’t you go with him?” He was pretty sure he knew the answer, but he wasn’t ready for her to stop talking yet.
She spread her arms out in front of her. “He asked me to, but Heron Isle is my home. It’s where I want to be. I know it might not be much to someone like you who’s lived in New York, San Diego, and St. Louis, but this town is more than just streets and houses and hotels. Do you know what the town did when my dad passed a couple years ago?” She looked at him as if he should know the answer.
“They didn’t just set up one of those meal trains where everyone makes sure you at least have something to eat every night. They took shifts at the bookstore so I didn’t have to work for a few weeks. Pete was measuring guys for suits in the back room between customers, and Nana Theresa actually moved a case of her baked goods into the store so she could run my register, all just to make sure I didn’t lose my dad and my livelihood. That’s the kind of place I want to call home.”
Earlier in his career, he might have pitied her and the way calling a place home kept her tied down. He’d always thought he had the enviable life, getting to experience new places and meet new people. But who did he have that would be there for him when the chips were down? He had his sister and Fuller, but he hadn’t lived near either of them in a long time and was lucky to see them once every year or two. Lucy was so much stronger than she seemed to give herself credit for, and it was because she didn’t try to do everything on her own. She let other people in, and they were what made her strong.
Lucy sighed. “So Carter moved to Chicago, and I stayed here, where my best prospect is some stranger who stands me up.” She laughed, shaking her head. “It’s fine, though. I don’t need someone else to make me complete. This place, the people here, they make me feel whole.”
She had the connections Carly had pointed out he was so severely lacking. He never stayed anywhere long enough to develop those kinds of friendships, but it was probably for the best since he’d only have to leave them to move on to the next job. It even made him feel guilty for trying to befriend Lucy. He’d never be a real friend, here to pitch in during her time of need. He’d be off in Boston and then on to the next place.
But there was a nagging feeling in the pit of his stomach that he wanted to be part of it all. That he wanted to be Lucy’s friend. More, even.
He was so lost in his thoughts, he didn’t notice when she stood.
“I think I’m going to call it a night. Thanks for keeping me company.” She smiled, and it felt genuine. Then she hesitated, searching his face before she continued. “And for telling me about Mildred.”
He couldn’t find any words, so he simply nodded.
“And, hey,” she pushed her sunglasses on top of her head, waiting for him to look up. “You take the cookies.” She motioned to the green box still sitting on the bench beside him. “You know, for keeping me company.”
Gone was the icy glint in her eyes. In its place, warmth radiated from her brown eyes as she smiled at him.
“I’ll see you around.”
As he watched her walk away, he could only think about how he was looking forward to seeing her again soon.
Eighteen
