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“I just want to make sure you know that you don’t have to move here for me. I don’t want you to feel obligated.”
“I don’t.” But that wasn’t entirely true. “I mean who wouldn’t want to live in the great metropolis of Albany, New York?”
She chuckled. “You might want to work on those expectations, pal.”
“Don’t you worry. They’re properly managed.” He’d actually done quite a bit of research on the area. And Landon had told him so many stories about his life there, Wes felt like he’d grown up there himself.
“I just want you to know I do have people here I can count on. I’m not alone, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
“I know that. But it’s settled, all right? This is what I want.” He lightened his tone. “And if you don’t stop pushing me away, you’ll make me feel unwanted.”
“I’m not pushing you away! I’d love for you to move here, and Albany would be lucky to have you.”
“That’s more like it.”
They talked awhile, until she yawned, then he let her off the phone. After a quick shower, he turned in. For a long time he lay in bed thinking of Landon. Thought of the silly prankshe used to play on his friends, of the way he gave out candy to the refugee kids, and the way he pushed himself and the whole crew to excellence.
Thoughts of Avery crowded in. That contagious laugh, her sparkling green eyes, those faint freckles. When he was with her, they rarely ran out of things to say. And when they did, the silence was comfortable.
He heaved a sigh and rolled over in bed. “Don’t worry, buddy,” he whispered into the darkness. “I haven’t forgotten my promise.”
Chapter21
It was Wes’s last day in Riverbend. From the riverbank he finished the turkey sandwich as he watched the water ripple past. The afternoon sun on Monday dappled its muddy surface, and he was grateful for the shady shoreline after working on the hot roof all morning. He was almost finished.
He’d finally gotten through to the right person at the county department only to be told the inspection wouldn’t happen until Friday at the earliest. He’d have to leave the wall—and the floor—in Gavin’s capable hands.
Tonight Wes would finish painting. He’d hoped to talk Avery into letting him refinish the cabinets. They seemed kind of tired now that the walls were freshened up. But there would be no time for that.
His phone vibrated with an incoming text and he checked the screen. Lillian.
I got the job!!!
Pleasure bloomed inside at her obvious excitement. Well, that was great news. She deserved good things. Unable to resist, he found her contact and tapped her number.
“Can you believe it?” she said in lieu of greeting. “They hired me on the spot!”
“Of course they did. They’re lucky to have you.”
“My new boss, Tricia, is so nice. They’re letting me have two weeks so my families have time to find caregivers. I’ll be working with three-year-olds. There are twelve kiddos to a teacher, and I’ll just be an assistant until I’m trained and have a little more experience at their facility. But after six months, if all goes well, I’ll get promoted to teacher, which also means a raise.”
He couldn’t wipe the smile off his face. That had to be more words than he’d ever heard her utter at once. “That sounds great, Lillian. Congratulations. I’m happy for you.”
“What’s that sound? Are you running the water?”
“I’m sitting by the river. It’s right in my backyard.” His gaze climbed the mountain in the background to the startling blue sky behind it. “It’s so beautiful. I’ll have to bring you down here sometime.”
She chuckled. “I’ve hardly even left the state of New York.”
Landon had mentioned Lillian was a bit of a homebody. But she seemed excited about working outside the home, so maybe that was changing.
A child cried in the background, and Lillian soothed him in muffled tones.
“I should let you go,” he said. “I just wanted to hear aboutthis new job. And also let you know I’ll definitely be hitting the trail in the morning.”
“Oh, that’s great. How much longer do you have to go?”
“It’s two weeks to Springer Mountain—the end of the trail.”
