It's Never too Late

“Nope.” His smile faded a little. “She did.”

“But you seem happy to be here.”

“Yeah, well, that’s the hard truth about Nonnie. She mouths off, but she’s generally right.”

Oh, God. She was liking this man more and more. Getting herself all twisted up when she absolutely shouldn’t.

And still she smiled again. “So, what, you applied for scholarships hoping you wouldn’t win any so you could be off the hook?” Or he’d applied because he actually wanted to attend college to begin with—which Nonnie had probably known and that knowledge had been the basis for her blackmail scheme.

Addy had it all worked out. Like she knew the two of them that well. And had any business at all speculating about them.

Or caring about them in any way.

“I didn’t apply,” Mark said.

“Then who did?”

“My guess is Nonnie,” Mark said, stepping down off the curb as they reached the lot where she’d parked her car. “She insists that she didn’t, but there’s no other explanation. It was crazy. I came home from work one day and there’s this letter in the box addressed to me. Nonnie acted like she knew nothing about it. I opened it and it’s this packet of papers telling me that I’m a scholarship recipient, giving me details of the award in terms of financials and including forms I had to fill out to accept the offer.”

“No explanation of where the money’s coming from or on what basis you earned the scholarship?”

“No.”

They’d reached her car. “And Nonnie won’t admit she applied, even now that you’re here?” She unlocked the door and swung it open.

“She’s too stubborn to admit she lied.” With a hand on her door frame, Mark handed her the bag of books, waiting while she slung them over to the passenger seat.

And then the two of them were standing there, eye to eye, trapped between the opened door and the ca

r.

Time to get in. Get home.

“Thank you for carrying my books.” She stood there, as if she was waiting for something.

“You’re welcome.” He grinned again. A different kind of expression. One that sent shards of pleasure shooting clear to her toes.

And when the moment turned embarrassing, she ducked into her car, pulled the door closed and waved goodbye.

* * *

MARK HAD BEEN looking for his new neighbor in every class that first morning of college. They were both freshmen. It stood to reason that they’d be in a freshman-level mandatory class together. He’d been disappointed that she hadn’t been in any of them.

And then he’d seen her in the bookstore. Telling himself that he’d watched for her because she was the only person he knew, he allowed that it wouldn’t be disloyal to Ella if he waited for her outside the bookstore.

He told himself he waited because he knew she’d had a rough time the night before. Because he wanted to make sure she was okay. It was the neighborly thing to do.

But then he’d failed to ask her if she was okay, to mention the night before at all. Hell, he’d almost kissed her.

Almost being the operative word. He hadn’t.

Ella had predicted that he’d move to Shelter Valley and move on from her, too. That she wouldn’t be good enough for him once he met college women. She’d broken up with him because she was afraid of losing him, but he knew she loved him. And he cared about her, too.

He’d given her his word that he would come back to her.

With his resolve firmly in place, Mark texted Ella.

But she didn’t respond.