“Nonsense,” she finally says.
“Mm-hmm.”
She clears her throat and gives me a shy look out of the corner of her eye.
“Back to you. Are you going to be okay?”
The wind picks up, cool against my face. The heaviness is still there, sitting behind my ribs, but it’s not as crushing. Not right this second.
“I always bounce back, right?”
She pats my knee. “Yes, you do. But I’d rather you nothave anything to bounce back from…I guess a grandma can dream.”
She smiles sweetly, and I squeeze her hand.
“If only that were possible, Grandma Donna.”
“Oh my God!” I hear someone say behind me.
I turn to see the culprit standing ten feet away. Lola.
Patrick has his arm around her, and he looks at me smugly, while she looks like she’s seen a ghost.
Fuck.I guess hiding out won’t be possible.
With Lola in Windy Harbor, the town just got a helluva lot smaller, and I’m not sure I can handle it.
She’s the only woman I’ve ever loved.
CHAPTER TWO
SOME THINGS NEVER CHANGE
LOLA
I wasn’t sure it would be a good idea to go away with Patrick. We’ve been teetering toward a breakup, at least on my end. He asked me to give him another chance, so I agreed to this trip. Now that I see how beautiful Windhaven is, I can’t help but be glad I’m here. I’ve always loved Lake Superior, and this is one of the prettiest resorts I’ve ever been to—not that I’ve been to many, but this has everything I love. Down-to-earth luxury, what could be better? I don’t know much about the place, but Patrick said it’s just been built and hasn’t been open long. He swore we wouldn’t just hike the whole time, but now that we’re here, I wouldn’t mind exploring.
“Should we take a little walk before dinner?” I ask.
“I’d hoped to visit the room first,” he says, pulling my back against his chest and nuzzling my ear.
“There’s plenty of time for that later,” I tease.
“Ugh, you’re going to make me work for it, aren’t you?”
“And why shouldn’t I?” I ask.
I try to swallow back the irritation and then am annoyed with myself for considering letting his comment slide.
“I guess we’ll see if you really meant it about making every effort.” I lift a shoulder.
His jaw clenches, letting me know he didn’t like that, but I’m tired of giving in and ignoring it when he says something I don’t like.
“Come on, baby.” His voice needles.
I roll my eyes and move toward the flowers, suddenly wishing I were on this little vacation by myself.
The second I see him, I stop walking.