“Are you sure you won’t let me take you to the ferry?”
“And miss the chance to ride in Gus’s sidecar again?” Paige shook her head. “No way.”
She had insisted Lucas wait at the house for his former in-laws to arrive. He hadn’t liked the idea last night, and he liked it even less now that she was ready to leave. He knew she was right, that a goodbye on the docks would have been awkward if they’d run into Jenny’s parents—and even if they didn’t, the mere sight of him embracing “the jogger,” as Sophie informed him she’d been dubbed by the busybodies, would have stirred up enough gossip to keep the island humming for weeks.
But now that it was time for her to leave, he felt like a real horse’s ass for not taking her to the ferry himself.
Paige swung the door open. “Hey, Gus, thanks so much for giving me a ride.”
He tipped his cap. “Not a problem, ma’am. Gives me an excuse get the old heart pumping.” Lucas knew it also gave him an excuse to take a break from his wife’s “honey do” list and, since he was there anyway, cast a few lines down at the dock.
“Good to see you, Lucas,” Gus said as he shook his hand. He tipped his hat to Maddie as well. “You too, Miss Maddie.” He smiled at her. “Lordy, how you’ve grown.”
Maddie stood up a little straighter. “I’m five.”
Not for two weeks, but who was he to stop her from rounding up?
Gus nodded to the puppy in Maddie’s arms. “And who might that be?”
“This is Leo.” She kissed the small pup on the head. “His real name is Leonardo. He’s a mutant.”
“Ninja Turtle.” Paige tried to explain but the reference was lost on the older gentleman.
“Appreciate you helping out, Gus,” Lucas said. “Have some folks arriving soon, so I really need to—”
“Don’t mention it. Glad to see you’re back in business.” Gus picked up Paige’s suitcase. “Meet you out at the sidewalk,” he told her before ducking out the door.
“Well, I guess I better get going,” Paige said. She looked at Lucas, and though no words were spoken, the silence was deafening. But what should he say to the woman who had awoken his heart? Thank you? Nice meeting you? See you around? At the very least, he should have kissed her goodbye.
But he didn’t have a chance.
Without another word, Paige picked up her bag and turned toward the door. When she did, Maddie set the puppy on the floor and threw her arms around Paige’s waist, perfectly capturing everything Lucas had wanted to say.
She hugged his daughter, then pushed through the screen door. Her movements were hurried, though not fast enough to hide the tear that slid down her cheek.
Chapter 21
Paige never thought she’d ride in a bicycle sidecar once in her life, let alone twice, yet there she was, leaving the island in the same manner in which she’d arrived.
Lucas had wanted to walk her back to the harbor, but she’d declined his offer. Not that she didn’t want to spend her last hour on the island with him, but because she knew saying goodbye to him and Maddie was going to be difficult. Last thing she wanted was to get emotional in front of the harbormaster. Bad enough she’d flashed him her panties the day she’d arrived. And Lucas surely didn’t need to be the target of any more island gossip. Paige could hardly imagine the tongue wagging that would have gone on if any of the locals had seen Mr. Too-Hot-for-His-Own-Good smooching the City Lady at the docks. Which was why a quick goodbye at the house was exactly what they needed.
It was a perfect plan. If only she’d stuck to it. But then Maddie hugged her and Lucas looked at her with those eyes and, dammit, she was a goner. She’d actually started to cry, and Paige Parker never cried. Not over sappy commercials, not when she broke her arm, and certainly not over handsome innkeepers who somehow made her frozen heart begin to thaw.
At least not in front of him.
The burning sensation she’d felt creeping over her face had no doubt given him a hint, but at least he hadn’t seen the tear that had slipped down her cheek. She’d wanted nothing more than to drop her bag and throw her arms around his neck. But to what end? So she could stay a few more days, a week maybe? And then what? Her life was in Chicago and his was here, with his daughter and sister. What was she supposed to do, start a long-distance relationship with a man who she’d only known for a week?
Her chest tightened as she let herself imagine a life that included Lucas Croft. Because no matter how much they might want it, a relationship between the two of them wasn’t sustainable. Sure they’d have a few months of happiness, maybe even a year. But then the trips would become less frequent and the distance would widen until all that was left was resentment over the fact that neither one of them was really living in their own reality, but rather squeezing an entire relationship into long weekends peppered between heart-wrenching gaps. It was better for everyone to make a clean break now. Better to have a manageable amount of sadness in the moment than to suffer a debilitating loss somewhere in the not-so-distant future.
“Thanks, Gus,” she said as he unloaded her bags. “Really appreciate the ride.”
He squinted in the midday sun. “My pleasure. Much nicer day this time at least.”
Paige closed her eyes and tilted her face toward the warm rays. If the sun had been shining when she arrived, would she have taken that ferry back to the mainland and never gotten past Lucas’s prickly shell? Had fate used a fast-moving storm to bring the two of them together? Her stomach rolled as though she’d already stepped onto the waiting ferry. She had to stop torturing herself. Thinking about the what-ifs was a waste of time and emotion, something she’d learned a long time ago. This vulnerable version of Paige Parker needed to be stuffed back into a closet, labeled box or not.
Her phone vibrated in her pocket.
Flight on time. Car service ordered, Sammy’s text read.
Business as usual had already begun. But then tiny bubbles filled the screen as he typed. Should I bring wine or vodka when I come over?
Paige didn’t have to think twice about her answer. Vodka, definitely vodka. For a moment, she considered telling him to skip the Grey Goose and head straight to the whiskey aisle, but tomorrow was Monday, and it was never a good idea to start the week hungover. In fact, she would normally have declined all offers of alcohol on a Sunday night, but Paige already knew she was going to need something to numb the emotions that kept popping up, no matter how hard she tried to bat them away.
One night. She’d give herself one night to wallow, and then she’d put Lucas Croft in the past. It might not have been where he belonged, but it was for the best. Maybe if she told herself that often enough, she might actually start to believe it.