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After Kyla had left the previous evening, she’d read it over and over again and cried so hard that she’d thought her head might burst.
Then she’d made a supreme effort to pull herself together.
Enough.
Enough crying.
‘Evanna?’
She turned and saw him standing there, his hair lifting in the breeze, his face so handsome that it made her catch her breath. ‘Logan? What are you doing up here?’
His gaze was fixed on her face, his blue eyes sharply questioning. ‘I should be asking you the same question.’
‘Oh.’ She scrambled to her feet and struggled to produce a smile. ‘I just needed some fresh air.’
‘Why would you need fresh air?’ His eyes didn’t shift from hers and she felt her stomach roll over.
Now. She should tell him now. It was the perfect opportunity. ‘I—I’m glad you came up here. I was hoping to catch up with you later. I needed to give you something.’ Her hand shaking, she delved into her pocket and pulled out the crumpled letter. ‘Sorry. It’s been in my pocket.’ She thrust it towards him and he took it and tore it in half in a slow, purposeful movement and then handed it back to her.
She stared at him in confusion and then looked at the torn letter in her hand. ‘You didn’t even read it.’
‘I didn’t need to.’ His voice was steady. ‘I know what was in that letter, Evanna, and the answer is no. You’re not resigning. You’re not leaving Glenmore Island, you’re not leaving the practice and most of all you’re not leaving me.’
She stared at him and felt the emotion surge up inside her again. He was being so unfair. This was hard enough for her without him making it even harder. ‘I suppose Kyla told you. You can’t stop me, Logan.’ She almost choked on the words. ‘I know it’s inconvenient for you, but I’m not the only nurse in the world. You’ll find someone else who can do the job just as well.’
‘That isn’t true. I wouldn’t find a nurse as good as you if I searched Scotland, but that isn’t why I’m not going to let you go.’
She gave a helpless shrug. ‘Are you thinking of Kirsty? Because you needn’t worry about that. I’ll stay in touch.’
‘It isn’t about Kirsty.’
‘I can’t stay, Logan.’ Her voice was a whisper. ‘I have to go. I—It’s complicated.’
‘I’ve never minded complicated. Why do you have to go, Evanna?’
Their eyes held for a long moment and then she turned away and looked at the sea. ‘That doesn’t really matter.’
‘It matters to me.’
‘Why?’ She swallowed hard and concentrated on the antics of a seagull swooping down to snatch a tidbit from the water.
‘Because we have a relationship.’ He gave soft curse and she felt his hands on her arms, his grip firm and purposeful as he turned her towards him. ‘For goodness’ sake, look at me, Evanna! This conversation is hard enough without trying to talk to your back. I want to know why you feel you have to leave the island. You owe me an explanation. And I want the truth.’
Given no alternative, she lifted her eyes to his face. He looked rough and rugged, strands of dark hair flopping over his forehead, his blue eyes sharp and observant. She’d grown up looking at his face. Seen him grow from boy to man. ‘There’s nothing more I can tell you, Logan.’
‘No?’ His eyes were very blue. ‘You’re not going to tell me exactly how long you’ve been in love with me? How long, Evanna?’
Her heart trippe
d over and she stood still, aware of his gaze on her face. Above them a seagull shrieked, but neither of them noticed. ‘For ever.’ The word was barely audible so she cleared her throat and tried again. ‘For ever, Logan. I’ve been in love with you for ever. Girl, teenager and woman. There. You wanted the truth and now you have it.’ She waited to feel humiliation or embarrassment but instead all she felt was relief. Finally there was no longer any need to pretend.
His gaze didn’t flicker. ‘And you’re leaving because …?’
‘I’ve just told you why I’m leaving.’
‘No, you haven’t. You told me that you love me. Girl, teenager and woman. You haven’t told me why you’re leaving.’
‘How can you be so insensitive? I can’t be this close to you any more. It hurts too much. I want to find a family, a home, a man who loves me, and I’m never going to find those things while you’re in my line of vision because no one else exists for me.’
