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Cate blinked, her ears roaring.She?“This must be a verygoodfriend,” she said, her voice tight.
Harry shrugged. “We go way back. She’s expecting to show you around tomorrow morning at ten.”
“And if I don’t want to go?”
“It’s time, Cate. You said so yourself. Besides, if you don’t show up, it will make me look bad.”
“Well, we wouldn’t want that.” She tried to swallow the lump in her throat. It was one thing for Cate tochoosemoving out. It was another thing entirely for Harry to foist her off on his smarmy girlfriend. “Are you kicking me to the curb?” she asked quietly.
For some reason, he didn’t meet her gaze. “I’m catching a flight to LA early tomorrow morning for an architectural conference. I can arrange movers as soon as you let me know a firm date.”
“And how long will you be gone?”
“Hard to say.” Finally, he lifted his head. Despite his patented opaque expression, she could swear she saw pain. “It’s been fun, Cate. I’m glad I could help out during a hard time.”
Inside her body, every cell and drop of blood crystallized and shattered. “And what about tonight?” she whispered, unable to believe the change in him. What had she said? What had she done? This couldn’t be about Jason...could it? Surely Harry knew how she felt.
He grimaced. “I have several hours of work to do before I fly out in the morning.” He came around the table. She had the impression he was forcing himself to do so. He kissed the top of her head and stepped back quickly. “Good night, Cate. And goodbye.”
Cate spent the next hours and days walking around Atlanta in a shroud of heartbreak and confusion. What was it about her that invited the careless cruelty of men who were supposed to care about her? First Jason. Now Harry.
As required, she met with Harry’s sophisticated lady friend and discovered that the condo was indeed perfect. Signing on the dotted line gave her no pleasure at all.
Because Leah was willing to help, Cate didn’t contact Harry about movers. What was the point? All she had was clothes and suitcases. While Cate waited for furniture deliveries—a bed and a sofa, a TV, and a washer and dryer, she stayed a few nights in Leah’s apartment.
It was awful.Pretendingto be happy and upbeat was almost impossible.
Especially because Leah knew her so well. At dinner the first night, Leah’s big brown eyes studied her with concern. “The last time we were together, I had the feeling you were doing much better. But now you look so sad. Talk to me, Cate. Tell me what’s going on.”
“I saw Jason. We ran into each other in the park. Cleared the air. It was good.”
“Does that mean you might get back together?”
“No. Oh, no. That part of my life is over. Jason was right. We love each other, but we’re not in love.”
“And that makes you sad?”
“Well, of course it does, but that’s not why I’m—” Cate stopped short. She desperately needed to talk to someone. Leah was the perfect sounding board. But the end of Cate’s relationship with Harry was so terrifyingly raw.
“Cate?” Leah’s troubled gaze held both compassion and doubt. “You’re hurting so badly. I can see it.”
Cate swallowed hard and manufactured a smile. “Some things take time. I’ll be okay, I swear.”
“I hope so. But don’t hold it all inside. You’ve always been there for Gabby and me. I’m here whenever you’re ready.”
Finally, Cate made it to her first night alone. Her new place was lovely. Cozy, homey. Even without a full complement of furnishings, it was clearly where she was meant to be.
Unfortunately, the aching void in her life meant walking the floors at night, unable to sleep because her heart was crushed.
A million times she asked herself if Harry had been upset that she had seen Jason. He had to know it was going to happen sooner or later. Why would he react so vehemently?
All along he had let her know their relationship was based on physical compatibility and affection. He’d been almost insultingly clear on that point. A man who decided never to marry or father children wasn’t going to get into a situation where the woman wanted more.
The calendar mocked her—all the squares empty until she invented ways to fill them. Becca went with her to close on the property in Blossom Branch. Their grandparents were delighted to spend time with Cate and Becca both.
One day, a set of architectural drawings showed up on Cate’s doorstep. She hired a man Ginny Black knew to carry out the changes on the second floor of her shop and to construct her built-in display shelves.
The museum gig was more successful every week, so much so that Cate committed to two classes instead of one. The students charmed and touched her. They made a little of the ice around her heart melt when she was with them.
