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“Are you getting that?”
She used to. But no matter how much hospitality she and her mother showered on people, he was right. She looked away.
“That’s what I thought. You lied right to my face.”
“I didn’t. I just told you what I see.”
His face slid into the stony mask she remembered from the first day she’d met him. “Then you’re lying to yourself too.” He climbed into the truck and left her on the path. Instead of going up to the main house, he made a U-turn and headed back down Heron Way to the main road.
She tipped her head back, felt the hot tracks of her tears as they burned down her temples and into her hair. The fresh scent of the water calmed her. The sun crept along the mountain line. A pink sky settled against the water.
It would be beautiful tomorrow. And he was gone.
She wiped her face and followed the road up to the house. Her mother stood on the porch, her red wool cape around her shoulders. She came down the stairs and met her at the end of the driveway.
“I thought I heard a truck. Why are you alone?”
“I—”
“Oh, Kendall…what happened?” Her mother gathered her under the cape, and her mother’s warmth seeped into her. Cinnamon wrapped in vanilla curled around her. The scent so familiar her tears returned. She put her cheek on her mother’s shoulder and hugged her tight.
She couldn’t remember the last time she’d let her mom hang on to her. Lily was shorter than her and softer with rich dark curls she kept in a chin-length style tucked behind her ears. The only thing Kendall had inherited from her mother was her brown eyes.
Currently a lovely bloodshot thanks to her own stupidity.
“I don’t know if I can survive losing the Heron, Mom.”
Lily rubbed her back. “Where is that man? Shane? Is that his name? I think I need to have a talk with him.”
Kendall laughed for the first time since that morning. Mama bear was out in all her Italian glory. She sniffed and drew back. “He just took off. I don’t know what’s going to happen now. He could be in town finding the Realtor for all I know.”
“All right, let’s not get sarcastic or hysterical here.”
Considering that was usually her mother’s reaction, she bit her lip. She had to pull it together and make a plan with Shane. She couldn’t lose her place. She had to make him see all the best parts of it.
But what about them? The look on his face had shredded her. Beyond the anger and beyond the surprise, she’d seen the hurt and the flash of betrayal. She’d just wanted him to see it with her eyes, not with any misconceptions.
Instead all he’d seen was a lie.
With his love of building, she’d hoped he would see the amazing under the worn. But she’d been wrong. God, so wrong.
She steered her mother back up the drive to the stairs. “Were you able to get Sully to fix the hot water heater?”
Her mother sighed. At least Kendall would get a small stay of execution on the discussion of Shane. Soon enough he’d have to come back, and they’d have to face each other.
He could take the money from the job and run. She’d been so hoping he’d want to put money into the Heron and in them. Again she’d been so wrong it hurt.
“He got it to work again, but it barely covers a shower.”
“Shane—” She cut herself off. She didn’t know if Shane would fix it now. Kendall cleared her throat. “As soon as I figure out money, I’ll get it fixed.” She might be able to go to the scratch-and-dent sales at the warehouse and find something.
“We have those two brothers from Georgia coming in to stay at the cabin on the lake. They heard that we’d gotten early snow and want to come out for a weekend.”
“That’s great. Anyone else?”
Lily sighed. “I’m afraid not, sweetie.”
Kendall nodded. She’d have to tap Bells for a temp position to help bring some money in. She had secretarial skills that came in handy around this time of year.
