Grant pulled the Jeep up to the resort and put it in park. He leaned back against the headrest and sighed, staring at the main house. He reached up and ran his hand over the three-day growth on his chin. Damn, he needed to shave. Either that or, at this rate, just grow it out into a beard.
Regret rested heavy in his gut; despondency had hung thick over him the past few days. All because he knew she was gone.
With a sigh, he climbed out of the car and walked up the steps to the front door. A couple a few feet away were dragging luggage out of a cabin, obviously checking out.
It was second nature to give a friendly wave, and the couple responded with an enthusiastic wave of their own.
He turned to open the front door and found it already open.
Roberta stood in the doorway, flour on her apron and a relieved smile on her face. “You’re back.”
“Of course.” He smiled and stepped through the door, giving her shoulder a squeeze. “You knew I’d be back.”
His gaze drifted around the interior of the building.
“She’s gone, Grant.”
Tension coiled in his muscles and he gave a stiff nod. “I assumed as much.”
Hell, he’d ordered her gone. Of course, there was that part of him that wanted her to ignore his request, to stubbornly stick around and explain to him that it had all been a mistake.
“How have things been?” he asked.
“Business as usual.” Roberta paused. “She left you a letter.”
He turned abruptly to face her, his pulse quickening. “Did she now?”
“Mmm-hmm.”
“Maybe it’s a letter saying she wants to sue us.”
Roberta clucked her tongue at him. “I somehow doubt that.”
“Did you read it?”
She waved a towel at him and scowled. “I’m nosey, Grant. But really, I have my limits.”
“It’s sealed, huh?”
She laughed softly. “Yes. And I just don’t trust that steaming it open trick.”
“Thanks. I’ll go look it over in a few.”
He turned down the hall to his room. The hell with a few, he wanted to rip it open now.
Grabbing the handle to his door, he twisted it and pushed into the room.
The letter lay on his bed like the day of reckoning put inside an envelope. He sat down on the edge of the mattress, eyeing the plain white rectangle with apprehension. Almost afraid to open it and see what she’d written inside.
He finally reached over and picked it up. It was heavier than he expected, with a lump on one side.
His brows came together as he drew his index finger beneath the seam and tugged open the seal. Turning the envelope upside down, he shook it until a necklace fell out into his palm.
The blood pounded through his veins and his mouth fell open. Not just any necklace.
He lifted the chain until the pendant swung in front of his face. The silver tetradrachm of Athens was held by tiny prongs that secured it into a pendant.
He brushed his thumb over the raised owl, the hairs on the back of his neck lifting. Was he actually holding his coin? Or was it a replica?
Reaching for the envelope, he tugged out the letter.
Grant,
I wish you hadn’t left so suddenly, without giving me the chance to explain. I know that in your eyes I’m probably just a liar and a thief, and in reality, I guess I am.
I never intended to keep the coin. I promised Brittney I’d throw it into the lake, but I couldn’t do it. And neither did I sell it. The coin was the only reminder I had of the best night of my life. The night where I screwed up and gave both my body and my heart to the man I’d gone to steal from. I know there is no defense for my selfish actions. I don’t expect you to understand or forgive me, but I thought you deserved to know my motives.
With the return of this coin, I hope your good luck returns and you find all the happiness you deserve in life.
With love,
Lanie
Grant reread the letter for the third time, his head spinning and his mouth going dry.
She hadn’t sold the coin, that realization alone was mind boggling enough. But the coin became the secondary focus. One line in her letter spun wildly inside his head. The night where I screwed up and gave both my body and my heart to the man I’d gone to steal from.
Her heart. Was she saying…? Was it possible…? His chest tightened and he dropped the letter, picking up the coin again.
How long had he wanted this back? Had he blamed all his bad luck on its disappearance?
The pendant lay heavy in his hand, a tangible reminder of all he’d thought was important to him. And yet, even with the return of the coin, he’d been dealt the biggest stroke of bad luck yet.
He’d just lost Lanie for the second time.
* * * *
“You need to stop freaking out,” Phoebe said, handing her a brownie on a paper plate. “I’m sure he’ll send the paperwork like he promised. It’s only been four days since you left.”
“I know he will,” Delanie said softly. “I’m not worried about that.”
“Oh yeah? Then what’s this about?” Phoebe lifted an eyebrow and tossed her black curls over her shoulder.
Delanie scooted over on the couch in their office, making room for Phoebe to sit down.
“I don’t know.” She tore off a piece of brownie and sighed. “I guess I just expected to hear something.”
“Huh? Oh.” Phoebe’s eyebrows rose and she gave a slow nod. “Oh, I see. This is about that letter you left him, huh?”
Delanie popped the bite of brownie in her mouth and nodded, not lifting her gaze. The rich chocolate treat melted against her tongue and she sighed.
“This is excellent,” she said after swallowing the bite. “Who made it?”
“Gabby baked them and brought them in.”
“She’s fabulous. How are things with her and Justin?”
“They’re ridiculously happy. You should have seen them this week when—” Her eyes narrowed. “Hey, you changed the subject. We were discussing Grant.”
Delanie winced at his name, and the fact that Phoebe was so quick to go back to the subject of him.
“Look, I thought you said you were glad to be off the island,” Phoebe pointed out, nibbling at the edge of her own brownie.
“I was. I am,” she corrected herself. “It’s just—”
“Well, thank God you’re out of the denial stage.” Phoebe nodded. “I mean, I could tell the minute you stepped off the plane.”
“You could tell what?” Delanie touched her neck. Had he left some kind of giant-sized hickie or something?
“That you’re completely in love with the man.”
Delanie’s eyes widened, her mouth flapping as she tried to form a response.
“It’s true, don’t even deny it.” Phoebe gave her a sidelong look while polishing off her brownie.
“Deny what?”
Gabby strode into the room, looking extra young with her strawberry-blonde braids peeking out from beneath a San Francisco Giant’s baseball cap.
At twenty-four, she was already considered the baby employee at the Second Chances office. But, despite her young age, she worked her butt off and there wasn’t a thing she wouldn’t do for the shelter.
“Nothing. I’m denying nothing,” Delanie muttered. “These are fabulous by the way.” She lifted the small bit of brownie she had left and then popped it into her mouth.
“Glad you like them.” She turned to Phoebe. “So what’s she denying?”
“That she’s in love.”
“I’m not in love.”
“You’re in love?” Gabby squealed and leaned forward to pat her leg. “That’s so great! Who’s the man?”
“I’m not in—”
“The owner of Athena’s Oasis,” Phoebe went on. “They met six years ago and, apparently, he never forgot her. And she shows up at the resort and they end up having mind-blowing sex all week. Well, until she left early.”
“Oh. My. God. It was just a fling.” Delanie threw up her hands, biting back a scream of frustration. “When did my life become a movie on some women’s network? This is completely—”
“Romantic. That’s what it is. I’m so glad I’m not the only one getting hit by Cupid’s freaking arrow.” Gabby sighed and twisted the end of her braid around a finger. “So when are you going to see him again?”
Never. The question was the final straw. Her eyes flooded with tears and her throat grew tight.
“Oh, no. Oh God. I’m sorry, I totally said the wrong thing,” Gabby said quickly. “I was just teasing you. I mean, flings are great. I used to have them before Justin and I got together.” She broke off, her cheeks bright pink. “So not what you wanted to hear… Umm, you know, I think I hear someone buzzing at that door. I’ll go check that out.”
She shot out of the room before Phoebe had even handed Delanie the box of tissues.
“Sorry, we probably overdid it a bit,” Phoebe said quietly.
Delanie grabbed a tissue and dabbed her eyes, shaking her head. “It doesn’t matter. I mean, it never would have worked between me and Grant anyway.”
“Why not?”
“Well, for one, I committed a felony against him.”
“Hush. If he was going to press charges he would have done so by now.” Phoebe stood up and folded her arms across her chest. “You’re going to have to do better than that.”
“Okay…” Delanie swallowed against the lump in her throat. “Then there’s the biggest problem. He lives in Washington State.”
Phoebe stared at her for a moment and then shrugged. “And?”
Delanie blinked. Didn’t her friend see the problem here? “And I live in California.”
“What, you don’t want to move to Washington?”
“Move to…” she trailed off, her stomach in knots over the tempting idea. “Even if I wanted to, I couldn’t. I have my life here. We helped this shelter get where it is today—”
“Delanie, sweetie, you know I love you. But let’s be real.” Phoebe sighed. “Working for an abused women’s shelter was my dream, and sometimes I feel like I suckered you into it. You helped me get up the nerve to get so involved and for that I’ll always be grateful.”
“But I love Second Chances, Phoebe,” Delanie protested, surprised at her friend’s words.
“I know you do. And I’ve selfishly kept you here for years.” Phoebe hesitated. “What I’m trying to say is that if you wanted to move to Washington for a guy you’re in love with, the shelter would be fine. Besides, didn’t you just tell me yesterday he’d offered you that job as marketing director for Athena’s Oasis?”
Just the idea of it sent a spark of excitement through her. The spark was quickly snuffed out with guilt. “I don’t know if he’d still give it to me. Besides, I’d hate leaving you here alone. Especially since you keep thinking you’re seeing your ex all over the place.”
“Completely my imagination. It’s nothing, I’m sure. Besides, I wouldn’t be alone,” Phoebe replied softly. “I have lots of friends here at Second Chances, and with Gabby getting promoted last month I’ve been spending more time with her.”
Delanie dropped her gaze, knowing her friend was right. She closed her eyes. Not that it mattered. There was still one part of the equation that made it impossible.
“You should go, Delanie.”
“Phoebe, I left him that letter. I made my feelings for him clear…”
“He loves you too.”
“Really?” The ache in her chest increased. Her lips twisted downward in disappointment. “If that’s so true, why didn’t he call me? Or come after me? He got everything he wanted from me, and that was the coin.”
“I don’t care about the coin.”
The blood drained from her head and she gripped the armrest of the couch. When she opened her eyes Grant stood in the doorway, his gaze locked on her.
“Okay. Wow,” Phoebe said. “That was weird. You must be Grant. Hi, I’m Phoebe, I work here at Second Chances with Delanie. I just have to say thank you for all you’ve done for us, and now I’m going to walk out the door and leave you two alone.”
Grant stepped to the side, letting Phoebe scoot past him through the door. Before she left, she turned around and grinned, giving a big thumbs-up.
He shut the door the minute Phoebe disappeared down the hall.
Lanie blinked, half convinced she was dreaming. Her heart pounded in her chest and her hands began to tremble.
“Did you mean it?”
“Did I mean what?” Her pulse doubled.
“What you said in the letter.” He reached the couch and sat down beside her, his gaze searching her face.
She knew to which part he was referring. The part where she’d said she’d given him her heart.
“Look, you have your coin back.” Emotion became a heavy lump in her throat and she stood up. “Your good luck charm—”
“I don’t care about the damn coin.” He caught her wrist, halting her from walking away. “And I’ll keep saying it until you believe me.”
She stared down at him, heat spreading through her body where his fingers touched. “Grant…”
“If I had been honest with myself in the first place, I could have admitted the truth.”
“And what’s that?”
“That my searching for you for six years had nothing to do with the coin, and everything to do with you.” He held her gaze and his thumb brushed over the inside of her wrist.
“What are you saying?” she whispered, her breath catching as hope flared in her heart.
“I’m saying that losing you six years ago hurt,” he said with naked vulnerability in his eyes. “But losing you now would kill me.”
Relief raged through her, weakening her knees. She bit her lip, which began to tremble.
“Lanie.” He slid his arms around her waist and pulled her close, pressing his cheek just under her breasts. “You’re the only woman for me. I suspected it back then, and I sure as hell know it now.”
Delanie closed her eyes against the tears of relief and joy. She threaded her fingers into his hair and tugged his head against her breasts.
“Oh, Grant…”
“I love you.” He sighed. “And I shouldn’t have taken off for three days the minute I saw that jackass senator show up at the resort.”
“He was out of line,” she agreed, toying with a strand of his hair. “It was all just P.R. to him. I gave my official response to the media when I got home.”
“I saw that.” He pulled her down onto his lap. “So, how do I persuade you to move up to Lopez Island and become my wife?”
Delanie’s pulse skipped, her future aligning quite nicely in her head.
“You could add a slash to it.”
“Slash?”
“I’m kind of holding out for wife slash marketing director of the resort.”
“Done. You know I wanted you to have that job.” He reached into his pocket and pulled out a chain, the coin pendant following. “I didn’t have a chance to grab a ring, but I brought this. I want you to have it.”
Her mouth parted, her started gaze locking on his. “But I just gave it back to you. It’s your good-luck coin.”
He fastened the chain around her neck and let the pendant drop against her breasts.
He touched her cheek. “If ever I had a good-luck charm in my life, you were it. And I don’t intend to let you go.”
Her stomach flipped and her knees weakened. “Good, because I’m head over heels for you, buddy. I love you.”
“I love you too,” His mouth curved into a mischievous smile. “Janie.”
Her eyes widened. Had he just called her—? She squealed as his hands shot out to tickle her sides.
“Gotcha,” he whispered and then his mouth closed over hers.