Page 9 of The Last Love Song
“I’m surprised you would have an opinion on it one way or another,” she said finally. Carefully. “It’s just a talent-show audition.”
“Exactly. Yet you’re selling off your share of the business you worked hard to build? Packing up and moving in the middle of the night just a few hours after your sister gets married? It doesn’t make sense and it’s unlike you.” He was worried about her.
Before, he’d simply planned to talk to her about the mayor’s job and maybe try to convince her to have dinner with him. But after speaking to her tonight, he sensed that something was off with her whole plan. As if she was leaving to get away from something rather than like a woman running to embrace her dreams.
“How would you know what’s ‘like’ me? We’ve barely spoken outside the occasional town council meeting.” She shook her head. “Besides, it’s after one o’clock in the morning. I’mnothaving this conversation with you in my driveway.”
He held up both hands. The gesture of surrender and placation had proven useful in small-town politics. Smile and compromise.
“Of course. It’s late. I’ll see you at the wedding breakfast.”
“Wedding breakfast. Right.” She smiled, her teeth a flash of white in the darkness. “If my car’s not in the driveway, maybe I can sleep through it and they’ll think I’m on the road.”
“Because this town keeps a secret so well.” He levered open his door and walked around the car to get hers, even though she was already halfway out.
But she was moving slowly.
“Tired?” He held out his arm to help her, wondering about that wrist she didn’t want examined.
“It’s been a long day.” She limped a little on the way to the door.
“Your feet?—”
“It’s fine.” She brushed off his concern and picked up her pace. “Not everyone can do four-inch heels.”
“Didn’t you tell your sister?” He’d always pictured them as having a close relationship.
“You see why I’m so determined to leave Heartache?” she grumbled. “Everyone in your business.”
Digging in a small satin purse that matched the dress she’d worn at the wedding, Heather found her keys while Zach went back to the car for her suitcase.
She flipped on her house’s interior light as he arrived at the threshold.
“Where should I put it?” It weighed a ton. She must have packed enough stuff for two months.
Or might that be two years? There was a very real chance she might not return if theAmerican Voiceshow executives liked her. He hadn’t given that much thought since it seemed like a one-in-a-million kind of thing, even though he knew shecould sing if her pregame “Star Spangled Banner” efforts were anything to go by. He knew her music students all thought she was talented.
“By the door is fine.” Kicking off her flip-flops, she sank her toes into the living room area rug.
In the lamplight, he spotted the violet shadows around her eyes. She looked so exhausted he couldn’t allow himself the luxury of checking her out in that sexy dress again.
“Anything else you need?” He glanced around at her small house, a loft bed visible in a low ceiling over the lower-level living space.
“No. But thanks.” She rubbed her hands along her bare arms to warm them. “It was lucky for me you happened along the highway so soon after I ran out of gas.”
“Lucky for me, too.” He’d wanted to talk her out of leaving town and fate had settled the matter for him.
At least temporarily.
He said good-night and left her to get some sleep. Zach stepped out onto the front porch and stared up at the stars stretching endlessly in this quiet part of town. He’d wanted Heather to stay in Heartache so he could sweet-talk her into the mayor’s gig. He didn’t have time to run the town. He needed to focus on something more important. Two months ago, someone on the town board mentioned a rash of incidents around the old quarry where his sister had been attacked—the same one close to where Heather had been stranded tonight. And ever since, Zach had been consumed with the need to investigate things quietly.
The mayor’s job made that tougher to do, and he’d genuinely thought Heather might be a good fit to take over the role.
But she’d drawn him in tonight more powerfully than he’d expected. And although she gave off the vibe that she didn’t need anyone, Zach had the feeling something was wrong. Somethingshe was doing her damnedest to hide. He planned to keep an eye on her in case she needed him.
And not just because there’d been that moment when he’d felt her heart rate speed up as he touched her.
Sliding into his car, he already couldn’t wait to see her again.
