Total pages in book: 112
Estimated words: 105697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 528(@200wpm)___ 423(@250wpm)___ 352(@300wpm)
My hand freezes on Bessie’s nose.
I lower my head, clenching my eyes closed. I must have hit my head because I’m imagining things.
Daniel is real, but he’s not here. He’s in New York. Somehow, he manages to have me smiling even in his absence. A balm to my bruises, even from far away.
The warmth of his hand splays across my shoulder blades, causing me to gasp. When he slides both hands around my waist, he presses his chest to the back of me, and nuzzles his face into my hair.
“I love you. I’m sorry I wasn’t here for you, Sunshine,” Daniel whispers.
I turn so fast that my nose scrapes across his chest, embracing him so hard that even the ghost of him couldn’t escape. I dare to look up, hoping my imagination didn’t totally run away from me, and this is a figment of my imagination, too.
The soulful brown eyes that I could spend hours staring into, and have, peer down at me. The soft wave of his hair that’s always a little messy from tugging looks especially unkempt. I run my fingers over the scruff of his jaw as if he wanted to get to me so fast that he didn’t have time to shave. His strong arms refuse to let me fall for anything besides him.
“You’re real,” I say, a smile slipping across my face.
“I’m real.” Cupping my cheek, he kisses my head and then lingers on my lips, filling the parts of me that have been empty since he left. “I’ve been looking for you.”
A tear falls as I find his hand, folding my fingers with his. “I’ve been right here all along.”
CHAPTER 30
DANIEL
“We need to preserve the natural beauty of our land by keeping it in the hands of someone who plans to have generations come after them. Me. I want my kids and grandkids to play hide-and-seek in the woods and swim in the water off the shoreline, not have a mega resort built where my parents got married or where they’re now buried.”
She’s sold me.
But I’m not the critic between Mrs. Dover and me.
I don’t think Mrs. Dover knows I’m out here. Summer set me on the front porch in a rocking chair to wait it out, saying it would be more comfortable than in the car. I don’t think so, but I do think she wanted me close, so I’m happy to be outside this screen door. I figure it’s no great secret that I’m here since I drove her after she insisted that she still had to shoot her shot even though she missed the deadline.
My determined, strong girl.
With the door wide open for Bessie and me to overhear the conversation, I listened to Summer tackle this presentation and nail it after she’d been in an accident, and I surprised her out of nowhere. I’m proud of her. Prepared with bullet points and heartfelt stories, she has me convinced. I’ll buy the whole damn town for her if she asks.
There aren’t any indicators of where Mrs. Dover stands on the topic, though. She’s not spoken much, letting Summer say what she needs to … even when it takes her a little longer to get to her destination.
The mention of “generations coming after” her doesn’t twist me up like it would have in the past. Roman squashed any fears I had about having kids. But marriage? After watching my parents, I’ve never felt the need to walk down the aisle. If anything, I’ve felt the pull not to do it.
Summer, on the other hand . . . There are holes in my heart that only she can fill. And that has me reconsidering my stance on many things these days.
“Summer,” Mrs. Dover sighs heavily from her chest. “It’s too late to convince me. I’ve already made my decision.”
What?
The sudden scrape of chair legs across the hard floor is followed by rapid footsteps. “Please, Mrs. Dover, I know I was late. The roads were wet and—”
“The contract has already been drawn up.”
I don’t know Mrs. Dover, but I don’t like the short tone she’s using with Summer. My jaw clenches as I continue listening—promising myself that I’ll do what I promised and stay on the porch. Not that Summer needs me to handle this for her. My girl is brilliant. But I can’t help that it gets under my skin to hear anyone be unkind to her.
Doesn’t she know what she’s gone through today? Damn. She could be more understanding.
“Our families should get to experience Mountain Laurel Cove like we’ve had the blessing to do,” Summer says. “I have the mon—”
“I’ve heard enough.” The click of Mrs. Dover’s shoes crossing the room is easily deciphered from the softer soles of Summer’s. They’re louder with every step. “Come with me, Summer.”
The screen door flies open. I stand, dragging my hands down the front of my pants, meeting Mrs. Dover’s eyes for the first time. She looks me over as she comes outside, leaving the door to swing for Summer to catch.