I paused. “Right. Good point. I take it back.”
Laughing, he lifted his chest off me and looked down. “You do?”
“Yes—you’re still a jerk, and you need to go home and think about what you did.”
“Oh, I will.” He pressed his lips to mine. “You can be damn sure of that.”
A little later, I walked him down to the door. “How was the girls’ first day at school? I was thinking about them yesterday.”
“Good. I pick them up Sunday after church. I’m sure they’ll be on your doorstep soon afterward.”
I laughed, pulling my robe closed tighter around me. “I’d like that.”
“They’ll be sad to hear you’re moving.”
“I’m sad to move away too, but the offer is too good to pass up.” I’d been telling myself that for two days.
He nodded. “And you leave when? Early October?”
“Yes. I have to fly back a couple weeks later for that wine tasting dinner I’m co-hosting with Ellie, but the woman who hired me said that was no problem.”
He thought for a moment. “So you have about a month here.”
“Right.” I gave him a flirty grin. “Think you can fully redeem yourself in thirty days?”
“I don’t know,” he said seriously, scratching his head above his right ear. “I mean, you’re pretty hard to please.”
“It’s the new me.” I stood taller. “I’m setting higher standards for myself.”
He took my forearm and pulled me toward him, wrapping me in his arms. “Good. You should.”
With my cheek against his chest, I snuggled against his warm, hard body and waited for him to make another joke, but he didn’t. Tucked in the shelter of his embrace, I felt safe and content—so safe and content, I quickly grew uneasy.
“Okay, time for bed.” Gently, I pushed against his chest and stepped back. “See? This is me being independent. The old me would have asked you to stay the night.”
“And the new you is kicking my ass out?”
I nodded. “Straight to the curb.”
“Good.” He pulled the door open and glanced over his shoulder. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
“Night.”
Then he was gone, pulling the door closed tight behind him. I was still standing there looking at it when two soft knocks made me jump. I pulled it open.
“I forgot to tell you I don’t love you.” He shrugged. “Given how nice I was tonight, I didn’t want you to get worried or anything.”
I laughed. “Thanks for the reminder. I don’t love you either.”
But as I went up the stairs, I couldn’t help thinking it was a damn good thing I was moving away soon. Because I might not love him now, but I could.
I easily could.
Around one the following afternoon, I knocked on my Aunt Chloe’s office door.
She looked up from her computer and smiled. “Hey, Win. What can I do for you?”
“Got a minute?” I asked.
“Of course.” She closed her laptop. “Take a seat.”
I perched on the edge of one of the chairs in front of her desk and looked around. Her office was bigger than my dad’s, but just like his, the shelves were full of family photos—a wedding picture of her and Oliver; school photos of their teenagers, Sawyer and Elsa; a professional family photo of them on the beach in coordinating khaki pants and white button-downs.
She followed my line of sight and laughed. “Oh God, that picture. I fought Oliver so hard on those stupid matching outfits, but apparently it’s some sort of Pemberton family tradition.”
“It’s a nice shot,” I said. “Your family is so beautiful. Elsa looks just like you.”
Her sigh was wistful. “Hard to believe she’s in high school now. Time flies.”
I nodded, my fingers twisting together. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”
“Shoot.”
“I was offered a job as head of events at an inn in Newport called The Alexander.”
Her eyebrows rose. “Good for you. Did you take it?”
“I did,” I said, “but it doesn’t start until October, so I’ll be here at least three more weeks. I can help you find someone to replace me, if you’d like.”
She waved a hand in the air. “Don’t worry about that. I’m excited for you! Tell me about the job.”
Relaxing, I described the position to her, and she eagerly opened her laptop and checked out the Alexander’s website.