Some Kind of Wonderful (Puffin Island 2)

“What about you?” Philip’s smile was interested. “Now that your wrist is healed, there’s no stopping you. Have you decided what you want to do next?”

“Yes.” She made her decision in an instant. “I’m going back to England.”

Philip looked surprised. “Really? Because I thought maybe—”

“What?”

“Nothing.” He smiled. “I can’t thank you enough for your help this summer. Anytime you want a job here, it’s yours. I hope you know that.”

There was a burning in her throat and a salty sting in her eyes. “I’ll do that.”

“So it looks as if it’s all change.”

“Seems that way.” And because the burning in her throat was growing more intense, she decided she needed to get away from him. “I need to go, Philip. Good to see you and I’m so happy that everything’s working out.”

Instead of driving home, she walked the short distance to Harbor House and found Emily in the kitchen, experimenting with a new recipe for waffles while Lizzy covered a large sheet of paper with splotches of paint.

“I can’t believe I used to buy these. They’re so much—” Emily took one look at Brittany’s face and ushered Lizzy into the garden to play with Cocoa. “What’s wrong? Is it Zach?”

Brittany flopped onto one of the kitchen chairs. “Who does that? Who makes the same mistake twice? I’ve only been in love twice in my life and each time it was with the same man.”

“So maybe that tells you something,” Emily said quietly and Brittany dropped her head into her arms.

“It tells you I’m an idiot. Shoot me. Shoot me now.”

“What happened?”

“I’ve been kidding myself, that’s what happened.”

Emily, sensitive as ever, didn’t ask for the details. “What are you going to do?”

“I have no idea. None.” Her emotions were so shaken up she couldn’t think straight. “I’m like an addict. I can’t stop wanting him even though I know he’s not good for me. The only way to keep myself safe is to leave.”

“But this is your home.”

“And now it’s his home, too. And this island isn’t big enough for both of us.” Brittany blew her nose. “That sounds like a line from a bad movie.”

“I can’t bear this.” Emily sat down on the chair next to her with a thud. “You two have a real connection. I know he cares about you.”

“Apparently not. Can I use your laptop? I need to book a flight before I change my mind.”

“Where will you go?”

“I don’t know. Somewhere I’m not going to find a casserole on my doorstep every day. London. Cambridge.”

It didn’t really matter, she thought, because wherever she ended up would be somewhere without Zach.

And life without Zach felt like a wilderness.

A FEW HOURS LATER Zach walked into Harbor Stores and loaded a basket with supplies. It was a few minutes before he realized everyone in the shop had stopped talking.

“So you’re staying put and helping Philip and Celia with the camp.” Hilda patted him on the arm approvingly. “We’re all glad to hear that.”

He didn’t even bother asking how they knew.

He thought, not for the first time in his life, that humans were the strangest creatures in the animal kingdom. “I thought you’d all be locking your doors.”

Hilda pursed her lips. “Not much point in doing that, seeing as you’re an expert in opening just about anything, Zachary Flynn.”