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Harry slept like the dead through the night.
Cate dozed in restless catnaps until sheer exhaustion claimed her before dawn. When she finally awoke, Harry was gone.
He had left a note...
Had to be in early. Sorry. See you later...
It wasn’t exactly a lover’s sonnet. Cate battled disappointment and fear. Was she screwed? Was there even a shred of hope that Harry wanted more than her body? What would happen if she were honest with him?
Could she beg him to change his mind about what was possible?
All day she moved in two dimensions. The practical, goal-oriented Cate searched for a place to live. Finally, one small house caught her attention. It was the definition of afixer-upper. On the fringes of a nice neighborhood, it seemed alone and abandoned.
If Cate ended up alone and abandoned, maybe she and this little bungalow could grow old together. The fantasy kept her going, even as she ran a few more errands.
It was late when she made time for lunch. She grabbed a sub from her favorite sandwich shop and took it to a nearby park. The sky was overcast. Rain was on the way. But for now, the air was pleasant.
As she made her way along a crushed gravel path, a voice from behind her called out.
“Cate. Cate. Is that you?”
She turned around and felt her stomach fall to her knees. “Jason?”
He stopped, leaving eight feet between them. “Yeah.”
Maybe she should have prepared a speech for this moment. It was bound to happen sooner or later. As it was, she found herself completely unprepared.
Her first instinct was to hug him. But that initial jolt of pleasure combined with the reality of what stood between them.
“Hello, Jason.”
She saw his throat ripple as he swallowed. “I wondered if I would see you again,” he said.
“We both live here.” She frowned. “You look good.” It was true. His fair skin was deeply tanned. His blue-eyed gaze was clear. His tall, rangy body appeared healthy and fit. “Peru must have agreed with you.”
He shoved his hands in his pockets. “It was amazing. You would have loved it.” He smiled ruefully. “Though I did take a few extra jungle excursions you’d have skipped.”
She raised an eyebrow. “Because?”
“Snakes. Tarantulas. Poisonous frogs.”
“Gross.” She shuddered. “And I suppose you got pictures.”
His smile broadened. “You better believe it.”
“I’m glad it was a good trip.” She took a step backward. “I should go.”
“Wait, Cate.” The words were urgent. “You can’t begin to understand how sorry I am for what I did to you.”
“Your timing sucked,” she said, unable to entirely forget that awful day. Seeing Jason brought it all back.
“Yes, it did,” he said. “I was a coward.”
“Maybe. You did the right thing, though, as much as I hate to admit it. But you and I should have seen the problems earlier. Or at least I should have. Clearly, you knew something was wrong.”
“I loved you, Cate. How was I supposed to destroy what we had built?”
“Well, you found a way, didn’t you?” The sharp rebuke didn’t make her feel any better at all.
