Page 87 of Harvest Moon (Riverbend 3)

“How would she? She hadn’t spoken with Mallory, and she’s been gone from this community for years.”

Though all Laurel’s pacing had made him dizzy, the resolute stillness now unsettled him. What was she thinking?

He stood and moved toward her, needing to read the emotions on her face. “I meant what I said. I could move to Asheville. I’d figure something out with the business. Maybe Wes would want to take the reins.” How quickly his career ambitions faded in the light of Emma’s need.

Then he thought of Connor—the guy Laurel had been texting. It would kill Gavin to have his ring on her finger and know her heart belonged to another. But they had to get it all on the table if they were going to make this work. “What about that guy you’re seeing?”

“Connor? We’ve only had one date. He’s not even a factor here.” Those guarded eyes sharpened on him. “But what about you? Is there someone you haven’t told me about?”

“There’s no one.”

She shook her head. “This is crazy. We can’t get married because of a child. This won’t work. Our marriage didn’t work before.”

“It would be different this time.” But would it? With Emma being their main priority and not each other? The thought caught in his mind.

“How do you know that? How do you know it wouldn’t just be one huge mistake?”

“This is what Mike and Mallory wanted.”

“But what aboutus?”

“I don’t know. I guess we’d need to be clear on, ah, the terms of the marriage.”

She gave him a flinty look. “We’d be marrying for the distinct purpose of raising Emma together. The terms would be exactly the same as they’ve been the past two weeks.”

His heart took the express elevator to basement level. Separate beds. Separate lives. Basically a marriage in name only. It wasn’t at all what he’d had in mind. Didn’t sound as if she even held out hope for more—and only now could he admit to himself that he must’ve. “So we’d just keep living together, just like this.”

“Just like this.” Her cheeks flushed even as her chin notched higher. “That’s all I could offer you.”

This time he made good use of the rug, long slow strides eating up the distance. Live together. Raise Emma together. Sleep down the hall from one another.

He stopped in front of the mantel, where Mike stared back at him from a photo. Upon seeing the family so alive, so happy, Gavin scrubbed his face with his hand. He was so selfish. His friend had his life snuffed out in a moment, had been stolen from his baby girl, along with his wife, leaving his childorphaned.And all Gavin could think about was himself.

God, help me. This is crazy, isn’t it? I don’t know what to do. Show me what’s right.

His head was about to explode. But what other choice did he have? Let Laurel take Emma off to Asheville? Hope the guardian ad litem would see through Darcy’s false charm? Lose Emma for good?

He closed the distance between them, not taking his eyes from her. He stopped when he was a step away. “I can’t leave her to that woman, and I don’t think you can either.”

“If we did this—I’d move back here. This is Emma’s home and community, and she’s more important than any job could ever be. It’s what we wanted for her all along. I would stay home and take care of her and tend the orchard—and you would rake in the big bucks.”

He dredged up a smile.

“But this is too big a decision to make impulsively.”

He nodded slowly. “You’re right. We should sleep on it.” He had his own reservations. He just didn’t see another solution.

“Agreed.” After a long beat she smirked. “You know, if we go through with this, your family will think you’re nuts.”

They would, actually. But he’d deal with them later.

“Maybe you are.” Her expression sobered. “Maybe we both are. But I know one thing: I’m nuts about that little girl, and I’m not giving her up.”

Chapter32

After a long engagement, Gavin and Laurel married in a simple ceremony in Riverbend Gap. Mallory and Mike, also engaged, were their sole attendants. The newlyweds took a short honeymoon to the Outer Banks.

After the honeymoon Laurel moved into Gavin’s Asheville apartment and continued her position as assistant manager at the nursery.

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