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I sniffed and wished I could sit in his lap like I did when I was a little girl. “The offer of assisted living in New York is still on the table.”
“Too expensive,” he said, shaking his head. “After my Social Security, too much would be leftover to pay every month. We couldn’t afford it.” He took my hand again. “Besides, I don’t want to leave Dave here without me. We’d miss each other too much.”
I knew he didn’t want to leave his best friend. And I didn’t want him to, either.
We talked for a while, and soon it was his dinnertime. And time for me to do my final packing and make sure I was prepared to leave for New York the following day.
I hugged him one last time. I had a hard time letting go.
“I love you, Paw-Paw,” I said, loving how his face lit up at the name.
“I love you too, sweet pea.”
“I’ll call you as soon as I land,” I promised, wiping my eyes. Then I hurried away before I bawled like a baby right in the hall.
18
DYLAN
I hurriedinto the senior home with the low-sugar cupcakes I’d bought for James and Grandpa and nearly ran into a woman rushing out at the same—
“Lana,” I said, caught off guard to see her. Especially with her eyes so puffy and red, like she’d been crying. “Is everything okay? Is James—”
“Oh, yes,” she said with a laugh and a deep sniff. “He’s okay. It’s just been a day. They’re about to go to dinner.”
Her red-rimmed eyes made me think it was more than a trying day.
I hadn’t seen her since the day she brought soup for Todd a month ago.
Since the day I almost kissed her.
“Are you sure you’re okay?” I asked, reaching for her.
She took a step back before I could touch her arm. She looked away and bit her lower lip. “Really, I’m fine. Just in a hurry. Tell Dave I said hi.”
Before I could say anything else, she ran for her car, leaving me standing there to watch her go.
I’d waited to call or text her, even though I’d wanted to the minute Todd told me she’d ended things between them and ordered me out of his house.
I’d told myself it wasn’t right to swoop in on your brother’s ex-girlfriend. Not when he was still hung up on her. I couldn’t do it. Especially with Todd still angry and not speaking to me.
I went inside and found Grandpa and James at their dinner table together. I pulled up a chair and talked while they ate, both of them eyeing the chocolate cupcakes I’d brought.
“I saw Lana as I was coming in,” I said to James. “She looked upset. Is everything okay?”
“She’s just sad that I’ll be here, and she’ll be in New York, that’s all.” He paused mid-bite, staring at me.
Probably because I was in shock, and it showed. “New York?”
“Got a job at a big fancy marketing agency in the city.” He cleared his throat. “She leaves tomorrow, you know.”
Fucking hell.I didn’t know.
I’d waited, trying to do the right thing. Trying not to hurt Todd more than he was already hurting.
And just like the day I’d met Lana, my hesitance had cost me my chance with her. Maybe it wouldn’t have made a difference and she’d still be moving away.
There was almost no chance of anything happening between us, not with her in New York and me in Oregon. What was the point in saying anything to her now?
