Ugh. Avoidance mode wasn’t her style. She wasn’t someone who hid from things, no matter how difficult. It was long past time to buck up and deal with the situation calmly and coolly.
“Duncan,” she said in as impersonal a tone as she could manage while looking into his eyes, “I appreciate that you’re willing to work things out with Moira. I’m planning to run everything by her by midday tomorrow, and after that, she’ll hopefully be in touch so that you can work out the finer details of the agreement.”
She could easily read his expression, because it was exactly what she was feeling herself. Longing for things to be different, to go back to being as perfect as they had seemed just days ago. Longing for the happy ever after that had seemed like it might actually be within reach. Longing for the love they’d thought they’d found with one another.
“I’ll do right by her, I promise.”
Just then, a gray-haired couple approached. The man, whom she guessed to be in his seventies, reached out a hand. “Come dance,” he insisted, leaving Lola no room to argue. Not that she would have, given the twinkle in his blue eyes and the fact that he had just given her the perfect excuse to put some distance between Duncan and herself.
The woman Lola assumed was his wife pulled Duncan up from his seat, as well. “We can’t let them show us up, can we?”
The band was playing one of Lola’s favorite big-band songs, “Lady Be Good.” Lola let herself be swept up by the music and her very talented dance partner. As the band segued smoothly into “I’m Getting Sentimental Over You,” it was lovely to let her guard down for a few minutes, to dance and laugh and pretend this last weekend had never happened. As long as she didn’t accidentally catch a glimpse of Duncan looking handsome and charming as he swept his partner across the floor.
By the time she realized her partner was twirling her straight into Duncan’s arms, the older couple was dancing away together.
Lola knew exactly what she needed to do: wrench herself away from Duncan, grab her things from the table, and leave. But now that his arms were around her, and his mouth was so deliciously close, she simply couldn’t find the strength to do it.
Time stood still as they danced, and Lola was taken back to their first night together when they’d been so close. Being in Duncan’s arms had felt like the most natural, perfect thing in the world. And no matter how she tried to tell herself it didn’t feel that way anymore, she couldn’t manage that big a lie. Not when all she wanted was to take his hands in hers, pull him off the dance floor, and kiss him the way she’d been longing to kiss him all day.
Neither of them spoke as she clasped her hands around his neck and he moved his hands to cradle her waist and hips. The utter sensuality of their dance took her breath away. But even bigger, even more powerful, was the heightened emotion of the moment as they couldn’t look away from one another, and both knew another kiss was inevitable.
His kiss was everything she knew it would be. Desperate. Full of longing. Sinfully sexy.
But it was also bittersweet after everything that had come between them since Friday night at her parents’ house, when Moira had walked in and interrupted their joyous dancing.
Oh God. Moira.
Somewhere in the dance, in the kiss, Lola had let herself forget how Duncan and his brother had nearly ruined her friend’s life.
Guilt gave Lola the strength to finally tear herself away, quickly cross the dance floor, grab her things, and dash out of the restaurant to hail a cab.
She could sense Duncan behind her and knew that if she looked at him again, she’d be lost. Thankfully, luck was on her side as a taxi skidded to a halt mere seconds after she raised her hand. Throwing herself into the backseat, she told the driver where to take her to pick up her car, her heart racing as they drove through the rainswept streets of Boston.
It felt like being in a getaway car after a bank robbery. Only she wasn’t the one who had stolen something—it was Duncan.
He had stolen her heart.
And despite everything she now knew to be true about him, she wasn’t sure she’d ever get it back.
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
It wasn’t until Lola was on the freeway heading home that she felt like she could breathe again. By the time she got to her Bar Harbor cottage, it took all her remaining energy just to crawl beneath her sheets fully clothed to fall into an exhausted sleep.
When she woke at sunrise, she was momentarily disoriented. Too soon, it all came flooding back. Unfortunately, she hadn’t dreamed her broken heart, as her brain replayed her best—and worst—moments with Duncan on continuous repeat.
Enough!
Determined to stop feeling like a heartbroken zombie, she stripped off her clothes and headed into the shower, hoping the hot water would wash some sense into her brain. After she dried off, she did her makeup more carefully than usual to hide the ravages of her nearly sleepless weekend and exhausting trip to Boston. If anyone knew how to transform themselves on the outside, even when they were shattered on the inside, it was Lola.
When she was confident that she had her game face on, and that her parents would be awake, she walked to their house. Her mom and dad were having breakfast, and they lit up when she walked in.
Her mother gave her a big hug. “Can I get you anything to eat or drink?”
So very glad for the warmth and comfort of her mother’s arms, she said, “Thanks, but I’m fine.”
The truth was that she was anything but fine. But what was the point of working so hard on her appearance if she was going to admit that the moment she walked in?
When her father hugged her, he held on a little longer than usual. Clearly, he could see beneath her mask. From the look in her mother’s eyes, she guessed that Beth did too. Thankfully, neither of them said anything that might break Lola’s composure.
“I’ve come to talk with Moira. Is she in the guest cottage?”
“We returned from a sunrise walk along the waterfront a half hour ago,” her mom informed her. “I know she’ll be thrilled to see you.”
Not entirely sure that was true—especially given that Lola came bearing news of Duncan’s offer—her heart started pounding hard when she saw Moira in the garden deadheading roses. “Hello, Moira,” she said softly. “I hope I’m not disturbing you.”
Her friend turned around with a wide smile, her arms opening automatically. “Of course you’re not,” Moira said as Lola stepped into her embrace. “As always, you’re a sight for sore eyes. Although,” Moira added as she pulled back to study Lola’s face, “it doesn’t look like you’ve been sleeping any better than I have.” She stroked Lola’s back, just as she had when she’d comforted Lola as a child. “Please don’t lose sleep over what happened. You had no way of knowing who he was. It’s just one of those strange coincidences.”
“It was an awful coincidence,” Lola said, her words drenched in guilt. Especially in the wake of her kiss with Duncan last night. The best kiss of her entire life, even when she included all of their kisses that had come before. “Again, I’m so sorry. But today, I have what I hope will be good news.”
“Come inside, then, and have a cup of tea with me.”