Page 24 of Love In Harbor Falls

She told me one day that she needed to get away from Harbor Falls for a few days and from all the wedding stuff. I took it as she needed to get away from me. So, she went to Seattle to visit her friend, and I figured once she came back, her head would be clear, and everything would go back to normal, which they never really did. I loved her and wasn’t giving up even though everyone around me said things didn’t seem right. As much as I thought I had made her happy and did everything I could for her, it wasn’t enough.

She told me she loved me the night she left, and her decision had nothing to do with me. It was all her, and she couldn’t see herself married yet and having children. I offered to postpone the wedding until she was ready, but she wanted to leave Harbor Falls and explore other things. So she did, which left a mark on my heart for a long time. I wasn’t interested in dating or getting to know another woman until Adalyn Richards entered my bar.

* * *

Adalyn

I arrived home earlier than anticipated. The gallery was scheduled to be done in a few days, and I couldn’t wait to get everything set up for the storage room, which was already filling up quickly. Grabbing my phone and a bottle of water, I stepped onto the deck and called Luis.

“Hello, darling. How is life in the magnificent town of Harbor Falls?” his perky voice asked.

“It’s good. The gallery will be ready in a few days for me to set up and get everything ready for the opening.”

“Excellent news. You must be so excited.”

“I am. I can’t wait until it’s finally complete.”

“How’s my friend, Colin, the handsome bar owner doing?”

“He’s fine. In fact, he’ll be over in about an hour. My garbage disposal broke this morning, and he’s going to put in a new one for me.”

“Ah. Nice. Do I sense a nice dinner afterward?”

“If you must know, he’s bringing dinner with him. Remember that bed and breakfast I stayed at when I first came to Harbor Falls, and I told you how wonderful the owner, Rosie, and her husband, Carl, were?”

“Yes, I remember.”

“It turns out they’re Colin’s aunt and uncle. I just found out last night when Rosie invited me to dinner, and Colin and his twin sister, Katherine, were there.”

“Oh. So you saw him last night, too?”

“Yes. He asked me about my divorce. Well, not technically. He overheard Annie at the bar telling one of her friends that I was divorced, so he mentioned it.”

“Little Miss Annie needs to stop gossiping.”

“You gossip all the time, Luis.” I laughed.

“Yes. But not about you, darling.”

“Anyway, Colin told me that he was engaged a couple of years ago, and his fiancée broke it off a week before the wedding and moved to Seattle.”

“That poor man. It sounds like the two of you have something in common: both betrayed by the ones you loved. Maybe the two of you can heal each other’s hearts.”

“Luis, I’m warning you.” My voice was stern.

“Just kidding, Addy. But seriously, don’t be afraid to get to know him. Not all guys are like your soul-eating ex. Speaking of, I saw him at the café yesterday morning with some anorexic-looking bimbo.”

“Hannah saw him too the other night. She didn’t know if she should tell me or not. Did he see you?”

“He sure did. He asked how I was doing, and I very nicely flipped him off and then walked out without saying a word.”

I let out a laugh.

“Thanks for that, Luis. Anyway, I just wanted to check-in. I need to do a few things before Colin arrives.”

“Okie, dokie, darling. Do yourself and me a favor tonight, please.”

“What?”

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