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He’d made up his mind, just like Julie asked him to. It would never work. He couldn’t stay.
“It’s my job.”
“You’ll pop in to visit, is that it?”
“Sure.”
“Brighten my day.”
His father’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
“You’re pissed off at me for leaving.”
“It’s almost Christmas.”
“They don’t celebrate Christmas in Dubai. They need me on the job.”
“Right. Because nobody else can babysit a construction site. Nobody but the legendary Carson Vance.”
His father picked up his pen and bent his head over his puzzle book, dismissing him.
He wasn’t ready to be dismissed. He walked up to the table and flattened his hands on it directly across from his father. “I never said I was moving back here. I don’t know why you thought I would.”
“I didn’t.”
“Why don’t you just admit it? You’re disappointed in me. You think I’m a failure. You’ve always thought that, and now I’m proving it to you one more time.”
The dark feeling curled tighter and tighter in his chest. He wanted to get away from it, but it was inside him.
Only here. It wouldn’t follow him when he left.
His father’s eyes burned with a steady anger. “You never commit to anything.”
“I commit to all kinds of things. I just don’t commit to this town, and it’s all that ever mattered to you and Mom.”
“Your mother was proud of you.”
“But you aren’t.”
Martin leaned forward. His face had flushed red, and his hand trembled as he tapped his finger on the table for emphasis. “This is where you’re from. It’s where you belong, with her. I’ve never understood why you’re so set on denying it. This town is your future.”
Carson slammed his fist down on the table, making the salt and pepper shakers jump. “This town is dying.”
“So was your mother.”
The comment landed with a slap. He had to take a deep breath before he could answer.
“Julie can’t rescue Potter Falls.”
?
?Maybe. Maybe not. She could rescue you, though, if you let her.”
“I don’t need rescuing.”
“You need love.”
“Love turns people into idiots.”
