Page 115 of The Runaway Bride of Blossom Branch

Being with Becca was therapeutic, too. The two of them had a great time ordering stock and planning all the ways they were going to create eye-catching displays when the remodeling work was done.

It felt good to be friends with her sister for the first time ever, really. In the past, their rivalries had defined their sibling relationship. The new shop had served as a neutral environment where they could cautiously learn how to trust each other. They had both changed. In positive ways.

One month passed, then another. Cate missed her Labor Day deadline, but she decided late October would be soon enough. That would be a popular tourist time, too. Apples and fall leaves. A home run. And if the shop wasn’t finished until November, she would deal with it.

When she looked in the mirror at night, she could see she was losing weight. Food wasn’t appealing at all. Added to that was the strain of pretending to all her family and friends that she was delighted and content with the new direction her life was taking.

The lie grew heavy.

She and Jason texted occasionally. Nothing of significance. Mostly just cautiously maintaining a connection.

It was a shock to open her door near the end of September and see her former fiancé standing on her doorstep.

He didn’t wait to be invited in. Instead, he pushed past her and took a seat in the living room. The comfy seating area was still missing a few key pieces, but she couldn’t summon up the energy to care.

“We have a problem,” he said. “Something’s wrong with Harry.”

Her heart stopped. “What do you mean?”

“I stopped by his place to return a book he loaned me. He looked like death warmed over. Sunken eyes. Crazy hair. I’ve never seen him like that. He wouldn’t let me in. Said he had a bad cold.”

“So he’s sick? Is that all?”

Jason leaped to his feet and paced. “More than that. I’m telling you, Cate. It’s bad. I’ve never seen him like this.”

“Did something happen with his father?”

Jason gaped. “You know about him?”

“Yes. But it’s too soon for parole...right?”

“That’s my understanding.”

“Do you think his mother is harassing him? That woman is one big bowl of trouble.”

Now Jason’s gaze narrowed. “You’ve met her?”

“Yes. When Harry hurt his knee and couldn’t drive, I had to take him there.”

“When did Harry hurt his knee?”

“While you were in Peru. He fell.”

“Here in Atlanta?”

“No. He and I were staying in Blossom Branch. We were out running one night, and Harry tripped on a piece of broken sidewalk. I had to take him to the hospital, but it wasn’t as bad as we first thought.”

Jason held up his hands. “Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why am I just now hearing about all this?”

Cate glared. “You dumped me. What I did was none of your business.” She had needed an impartial sounding board for weeks now. But how could she tell Jason the truth about Harry when she hadn’t been able to tell anyone else? All her rapidly changing feelings had been bottled up inside for so long now, they strangled her.

His expression gentled. “Come here, Cate. Sit down. Tell me what’s going on.”

And just like that, her heart cracked wide open.

Jason was the one person who might understand.

“I fell in love with him.”

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