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“Well, sort of,” she said. “We’ve been texting. I had forgotten that Mom and Dad were heading off on a cruise after the wedding. Four weeks in the Mediterranean with a couple of their longtime friends. They won’t be back until after the Fourth. But they said for you to use the hidden key to come and go as you please. They’re happy to have you stay at the house as long as you like.”
“Ah. That’s nice.” Her stomach curled. She had been looking forward to hugging her grandmother and believing that Grammy could make everything okay. And if not her, then surely Grandpa.
But they were gone when she needed them most.
That was hardly a fair description. Her grandparents had been around for all the important moments of Cate’s existence, up to and including the infamous wedding. They couldn’t be expected to put their lives on hold with the off-chance their granddaughter might show up unexpectedly.
“Well, thanks anyway, Mom,” Cate said. “I appreciate you talking to her.”
“Of course, darling. And your grandmother was serious about her offer. But I’ve got to run. We’ll talk later.”
Everyonewas willing to talk later. But what about today?
Cate stared at her phone screen, bemused. According to her little green icon, she had 198 contacts stored, any one of whom she could dial right now.
The trouble was, she couldn’t think of a single person who might understand her situation and want to help.
Suddenly, her phone dinged. Her heart jumped when she saw it was a text from Harry.
It’s the weekend. Despite all evidence to the contrary, I’m not a workaholic. Let’s do something fun. What time are you coming back?
She smiled, even with the ongoing ache in her chest. This time last week she had been getting ready for her rehearsal dinner.
I’ll be there in thirty minutes...She decidednotto include a smiley face.
As she drove to Harry’s, she gave herself a stern lecture. It wasn’t his job to entertain her. He was only being nice.
On the other hand, if this was an olive branch after last night, she didn’t want to be rude.
When she made it upstairs, Harry had already changed out of his suit and was wearing faded jeans and an ultrasoft cotton shirt, pale green, with the sleeves rolled to his elbows. His bare feet were tanned.
“Hey,” he said, when she walked into the kitchen and found him. He was studying a menu app on his phone.
“Hi. You’re home early.” It was only four thirty.
He shrugged. “What good is it to be the boss if you can’t goof off on a hot summer evening?” His smile took her off guard. It was natural and mischievous, and it unsettled her.
“What did you have in mind?”
“Well, you mentioned a movie last night. We could get Chinese delivered and do that.”
Cate gnawed her bottom lip, pondering her options. Maybe it was time to go big or go home, as they say.
“Would you consider driving me to Blossom Branch?” she asked. Harry’s apartment was luxurious and safe. But as long as she stayed here, the temptation would be to avoid any kind of decisions. That probably wasn’t wise.
He raised an eyebrow. “Just for the evening?”
“No. I was thinking I might stay there a few weeks. My grandparents are out of town. They’ve offered me their house.”
“I see.”
“Don’t be offended,” she said quickly. “It has nothing to do with my not being comfortable here. I appreciate everything you’ve done for me.”
He crossed his arms over his chest. “But?”
She shrugged. “Blossom Branch is home. I always feel grounded there. As if life itself is easier and more real. That’s a fantasy, I suppose. But many of the happiest times of my life were spent in that house, that town.”
“You don’t have to sell me on the merits of Blossom Branch,” he said, his voice dry. “But I have a counterproposal. Isn’t your grandparents’ house pretty large?”
