The Country Guesthouse (Sullivan's Crossing #5)(29)



“Would you like me to clean out the refrigerator?” she asked him. “There’s not much and nothing has gone bad.”

“Leave it all and sit down.”

She sat and accepted a glass of wine. “I’ll strip the beds and toss the sheets in the washer before we leave in the morning.”

“Please don’t,” he said. “Please leave me things to do. I think I’m going to want to be busy tomorrow. And can you check in sometimes? Let me know your progress and how the drive is going.”

“Sure, but please don’t worry.”

“It was a very good vacation,” he said. “I hope you feel refreshed. The weeks leading up to you coming here were so hard for you.”

“It’s been a wonderful escape.” She sipped her wine. “My fiancé’s name was Wyatt. He betrayed me. I had to cancel a wedding. I lost hundreds of dollars in deposits. And I haven’t given him two thoughts in four weeks.”

A huff of laughter escaped Owen. “That really was a close call.”

“I’m going to think about you a lot,” she said.

“Good. Because I want you to come back. Or summon me to Minneapolis. We spent every day together and yet there are so many things left to talk about. I’d like you to meet my mother. My mother and sister—they’re probably the best parts of my life. I’d even like you to meet my ex-wife. She’s a remarkable woman.”

“I’d like to work as your assistant and go on some of your trips with you.”

His eyes lit up. “It just so happens, there’s an opening! When can you start?”

She smiled but shook her head. “You know I have to go. I have to get Noah settled. We have to find a routine. A routine will help him a lot, I think.”

“You’re going to be a wonderful mother,” he said. “You’re already a wonderful mother.”

“Everything has changed now. I was on the fast track to become regional director of sales. If I performed well in that capacity, I stood a chance of eventually being vice president of sales. Now none of that seems important. The only thing that matters is having enough time for Noah. Enough time and money to do right by him. I’d quit working altogether, but that’s just impractical—we need medical benefits and income. I think I’m going to look around for a job with more flexible hours and far less travel. Maybe there’s something in my company...”

“A transfer to a different department?” he asked.

“I don’t even know what to look for,” she said.

“Maybe you should see a counselor,” he said.

“I don’t think I need counseling,” she said, bristling a little bit.

“Not a therapist,” he said, laughing. “A career advisor. Your circumstances might be special but lots of people reach a point when their work is less than satisfying and they want to make a change, but they just don’t know where to turn.”

“Huh,” she said. “I never thought of that...”

“You could take your time. There’s no deadline.”

“You make everything sound so easy.”

“Hannah, it won’t be easy. But it doesn’t have to be an emergency. You and Noah can move forward at your own pace. You’ll find your groove.”

They talked through two glasses of wine each, like every other night. Then he took her empty glass, set it aside and pulled her to her feet. He kissed her brow, a tender smooch that didn’t quite live up to the feelings she had. “I want you to get a good night’s sleep but I don’t want you to wake up with a hangover—you have so far to go tomorrow.” He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close. “I’m going to miss you. And Noah. I think poor Romeo might sink into depression.”

“You’ll have to give him extra attention.”

“What time are you getting up?” he asked.

“About six,” she said. “That should be early enough. We’ll dress, have a quick breakfast, hit the road.”

“I’ll be up,” he said. He lifted her chin and pressed his lips against hers in a sweet, firm kiss. Then he rubbed a knuckle along her cheek. “This isn’t really goodbye. We’ll talk all the time. Probably every day. We’ll see each other again soon.”

“Sure,” she said. “Sleep well. See you in the morning.”







The family is the test of freedom;
because the family is the only
thing that the free man makes
for himself and by himself.

—Gilbert K. Chesterton



6


Hannah feared it was goodbye. Owen lived a somewhat adventurous, reluctantly famous life and in between his travels, he hid out at his cabin and put together his photos and collections. What did she really know about him? She loved his temperament and his humor, loved the way he related to Noah and even Romeo, but she had no way of knowing if he had that occasional dark side. His ex-wife, who he described as a fun-loving extrovert, said he could be quiet for long periods. She hadn’t noticed that in the time they’d been together. Would that be okay after a while? Or would it become tiresome and lonely?

Still, she felt the threat of tears while she was in the shower. She had to be so careful. It wouldn’t take much to get Noah going—he was already grieving the end of his vacation, already missing Owen and Romeo. The poor little guy had done so much grieving lately.

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