“Why?”
“I can’t be what she needs. What she deserves. All I have to offer her is a bunch of promises we both know I’ll break.” I met his eyes. “I don’t know how to love, Ronan. How to stay.”
“Ava would show you.”
“She shouldn’t have to do that. I can’t be fixed. My mother broke that part of me long ago.”
He opened his mouth, then shook his head. “My dad almost lost my mom because of a stupid idea in his head. You have the same one, and I wish to God I could get it out of there.” He slammed his hand on the chair, frustrated. “I like you, Hunter. My family likes you. My sister is suffering, and she won’t hear a word against you. You are throwing away the one woman who could fix you. She already has, but you’re so stubborn, you can’t see it.”
“She’s better off without me. If I stay now, I’ll only leave later.” I stood. “I want to ask you a favor.”
He lifted an eyebrow. “You have some balls.”
“Look after her. Make sure she finds her smile again. Once I’m gone, it’ll be better.”
“And this place?”
“I’m going to leave it to a rental company. They can handle the bookings and the care and send me my share.” I looked around. “I always thought I’d come back, but I don’t think so anymore.”
“We can do it.”
“What?”
“We have a leasing division. They can handle it for you.”
“Why would you want to do that?”
“Because Ava loves this place. I want your word, if you decide to sell, we get first dibs. Until then, it will be well looked after.”
“Deal.”
“I’ll bring the papers tomorrow.”
“Fine.”
* * *
I signed the papers and handed them to Ronan. He wasn’t as confrontational today and said nothing about Ava. He shook my hand and assured me they would list the property and keep me informed.
“When do you leave?”
“A couple of days.”
I was surprised when he stuck out his hand again. “Safe travels, Hunter.”
“Thanks, Ronan. Thanks for everything. I mean it.”
He turned to go, and I noticed a white envelope on the table. I picked it up. “You forgot something.”
He shook his head. “No, it’s for you.”
I turned it over, recognizing Ava’s flowing script on the front.
For your travels, Hunter.
I hope you find your place.
Ava
I looked up, puzzled, but Ronan was gone. I set down the envelope, unable to face opening it right now. I felt hollow. Empty. The usual spark of adventure for the next leg of my journey was absent. The urge I thought would hit me was gone. I only felt regret.
I went to the guest room where I had been keeping my things. I didn’t want to mess up the place, so I’d been sleeping on the sofa and using the smaller bathroom. Beside the bed were my duffel bag, a suitcase, and the two boxes I planned to take with me. I kicked at the one box, then bent and removed the package of envelopes that contained the letters I hadn’t yet read from my grandfather. Maybe before I left this place, so I could leave it all behind, it was time to read them. I needed to open the last of the envelopes that tied me to this place—including Ava’s.
I poured some whiskey into a glass, took a bracing sip, and began to read.
* * *
Ava
I sat on the rocks, facing the water. I felt tired. Weary—right to my bones. Hunter was gone. Ronan had told me he was leaving in a couple of days, and this morning, I had walked over to say goodbye, but his truck was gone and the house locked. It looked deserted without the truck in the driveway or the porch door open. I hadn’t wanted him to leave on bad terms, but I was too late.
Defeated, I had come here to the hidden inlet, knowing it would be uninhabited.
We used to play on these rocks as children, but rarely did anyone come here anymore. The sandy beach around the bluff was a much nicer place to sit and spend time.
But this was the place I came to when I wanted to be alone.
I stared at the water that hit the rocks with loud slaps today. The wind was strong, and storm clouds were beginning to gather in the distance. I wondered if Ronan would be bugging Beth to show him with the telescope he had given her all the variations in the clouds. He loved the fact that she was a meteorologist and was always asking her “cloud questions.”
I looked down at my feet, noticing my toenails were chipped. I never let that happen. I liked to keep my toes neat and pretty, but I hadn’t felt much like soaking in the tub or giving myself a pedicure. It would allow too much time to think. So, I worked. I was in the office early, stayed late, and participated in every meeting I could. I pasted on my smile, made funny jokes, and hoped like hell none of my family saw through my façade. If they did, they were too polite to tell me so.