“I guess this is goodbye, then.”
“Yeah.It’s been swell.”
She flashed a brittle smile.“Don’t suck too many lemons.”
He didn’t bother with a parting shot, though a number of inappropriate comments sprang to mind.He watched her walk away, hips swaying, and felt something deeper than disappointment over an unconsummated affair.
It felt like loss.
Chapter Eleven
Vanessa crawled intothe tent with Emily and slept for nine straight hours.
She’d almost forgotten how it felt to sleep an entire night without waking.She hadn’t obsessed about Paul or rehashed their argument.She hadn’t been plagued by feverish dreams.She’d just passed out cold and stayed that way.
In the morning, she emerged with a fresh outlook.The full night’s rest hadn’t eliminated her problems or restored her faith in men, but it had done wonders for her sense of wellbeing.After a breakfast of donuts and coffee, supplied by Jackson, she’d helped him pack up the tent without complaint.
Although Vanessa hadn’t decided where to go next, she was tired of camping.She longed for the creature comforts of indoor plumbing, air-conditioned rooms, and an internet connection.Even so, she had mixed feelings about leaving Lost Lake.It was a place of childlike joy and high spirits.It was summer personified.She went for a rousing hike with Jackson while Emily participated in arts and crafts at mini-camp.When they returned, the kids were playing board games in the youth center.Jackson and Vanessa sat together on a nearby bench and waited for the activity to finish.
“So,” Jackson said finally.“About your new friend.”
Vanessa sipped from a bottle of water in an attempt to stall.
“What did he apologize for?”
“Nothing important.”
“If it wasn’t important, why didn’t you accept?”
Vanessa twisted the cap back on her bottle, annoyed.“How do you know I didn’t?”
“Because he looked like he’d sucked a lemon.”
She laughed, despite herself.Emily must have repeated Paul’s lemon story to Jackson.Her brother smiled encouragingly and made afess upgesture.He was a good listener, non-judgmental, and she wanted to talk to someone.She’d been lonely.Her social group had fallen apart after she’d filed for divorce.Jackson was the only person she confided in regularly, other than their mother, and she couldn’t tell her mother about Paul without getting the third degree.So she gave Jackson a summary of the events leading up to last night’s apology.She didn’t mention Paul’s gunshot wound or any other health issues.Although he wasn’t her patient, she felt obligated to respect his privacy.
“He said, ‘You need to keep an eye on her,’ and stormed away.”
Jackson’s brows rose with understanding.“Ah.”
“Can you believe it?He was implying that I’d neglected Emily in my desperation to hook up with him.”
Her brother didn’t dispute this claim, though he wore a skeptical expression.
“That’s not all,” she said, getting irritated again.“He said I don’t trust men because of my bitter divorce.”
“Hmm.”
“I don’t need psychoanalysis from a day laborer.”
Jackson chuckled at the snobby remark.“Does he have kids?”
“No, why?”
“Emily likes him.”
“Emily likes everyone.”
“Did I tell you how we met?”Jackson asked.
