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“It’s not a big deal, Mom.”

My head snapped toward Christine. “What? I thought you had a problem with it.”

She shrugged. “I mean, yeah, I thought it was kinda weird at first, but after talking to her, I can tell that she’s mature and just… a really good person.”

I smiled. “She is.”

“Besides, my issue wasn’t really the age difference. It was…” She was tense, picking at the frayed hem of her shorts. “Well, I was hurt that you didn’t tell me about her. You kept it a secret, and it made me feel like we weren’t close or something. I know you don’t have to tell me everything. But you’re always so busy, and sometimes I feel like I don’t know what’s going on in your life anymore. Then I see you kissing some woman I’ve never heard you mention, and it just… I don’t know. It hurt.”

She shrugged like she was trying to play it off as no big deal, but I could see through that.

“Chris,” I took her hand. “I’m sorry you felt that way. But it wasn’t about keeping her a secret from you. Heather and I haven’t known each other for long, we met here on the island, and I was still trying to figure things out between us.”

“And have you? Figured things out, I mean.”

I thought of the cold distance between us outside her room this morning. That made her question difficult to answer. “I know that I care about her a lot.”

“You said she didn’t matter.” It wasn’t an accusation. She wanted clarification.

“I lied. I shouldn’t have done it, but I was trying to make you feel better. The truth is that she matters a lot.”

Christine grinned. “I like her for you.”

That meant more to me than she probably realized.

Beside me, Audrey was frowning, but she waited until Christine went to the bathroom to say anything. “This woman you’re seeing… what do you really know about her? What if she’s after your money or-”

“Stop. I don’t need your approval when it comes to my love life, and I won’t listen to you say anything bad about Heather.”

“I’m just worried about you.”

“Do I need to remind you what Heather just did for our daughter? It sounds to me like she was in a potentially bad situation. Who knows what could have happened if Heather didn’t come along?”

Her mouth snapped closed, and I could see that my words got to her.

“Okay,” she said after a brief pause. “I appreciate what she did for Christine, so I’ll keep my mouth shut.”

“Good. Because I’m going to keep seeing her.”

“Even after we go home? Does she live in Louisville?”

It was funny how my perspective could change so quickly. Yesterday, I was so conflicted about the idea of her possibly moving to my city. Today, not at all.

“No, but I’m hoping she decides to move there. If not, I’ll make a long-distance relationship work. She’s worth it.”

“You’re really serious about her.”

“Yeah. I am.”

Now, I just had to find a way to get her to forgive me.

Chapter Nineteen: Heather

“Hold still,” I muttered, trying to secure the last bobby pin in Angela’s hair. “Unless you want me to stab you in the scalp.”

“Maybe I wouldn’t be moving so much if you weren’t trying to pull my hair out by the roots.”

“Beauty is pain.” I smirked at her in the mirror.