The Contract (The Contract 1)

She shook her head. “Nothing is open this time of night, Richard. It’s off-season. We’d have to drive farther to get to a bigger town. It’s a good hour away.”

“That’s fine.”

“I can make us some scrambled eggs.”

I relented easily, not really wanting to go anywhere. “All right. I’ll make toast.”

“You can make toast?” She gasped, laying her hand on her heart.

I yanked her close, kissing her teasing mouth. “Yes. My wife taught me. She’s a smart woman.”

Her cheek folded in, and I knew she was chewing on it. I tapped the rounded flesh. “Stop it.”

“I like it when you call me your wife,” she admitted.

“It’s funny how often I found myself thinking of you as such. Never Katharine or Katy, but my wife. I liked the way it sounded, although I never questioned why.” I snorted. “Too stupid to realize how I felt about you, even in my own head.”

“Or too scared.”

The air caught in my throat. As usual, she hit the nail on the head. I had been too scared to admit what I was feeling. To admit an idea I had my entire life was wrong.

“I’m not scared of loving you anymore, Katy. I’m only scared of losing you.”

She curled herself into me, resting her head on my shoulder. I cradled her close, stroking through her hair in long passes.

“I’m here,” she whispered. “You found me.”

“Thank God.”I set down my plate on the old coffee table, my gaze on Katy. The firelight played over her face, the flames casting a red glow around her head. She pulled her legs to her chest, chin resting on them as she stared into space. She hadn’t eaten much, but she did finish the toast. I polished off all the eggs and ate both her apples. We’d replace them, and more, in the morning. For now, though, I needed to find out how she wanted to proceed together on the road ahead of us.

“What would you like to do, Katy?”

She turned her face toward me. “Hmmm?”

I ran my knuckles down her cheek. “Tomorrow. The next day. The one after. Tell me what you’re thinking.”

“I don’t know.”

“How long did you want to stay here? Or do you want to go home?” A sudden tightness enveloped my torso, making me breathless. “Are you coming home?”

She slipped her hand into mine, one word easing my worry. “Yes.”

“Okay. Good. When?”

“Can we stay here for a few days? Or if you have to get back, I’ll follow you then?”

I shook my head. “I’m not leaving here without you. If you want to stay, we can. I’ll bring you back in the summer, too.”

“The cottages won’t be here in the summer.”

“Why?”

“Scott passed away last year. His son, Bill, is selling the land. After speaking with him, I gathered whoever buys it will tear down all the cottages and develop something new and modern.” She looked around the room, her eyes drinking in memories. “He told me business has been poor, but it’s a good time to sell because of the location. The land is worth a lot of money. It’s a good opportunity for his family.”

“I’m sorry, sweetheart. I know this place is special to you.”

She smiled, rubbing her cheek on my hand. “I have my memories. I’m grateful Bill let me come back one last time.” She sighed, the sound low and sad. “I have one more good memory to add.”

“We can make our own memories, together. New ones.”

She nodded.

“Do you want me to buy this place for you?” I searched her eyes. “I can afford it,” I added. “If you want me to, I will.”

“No! No, Richard. You don’t have to buy an entire resort for me. What on earth would I do with it?”

“If it made you happy, I would. We’d figure something out. It’s probably a good investment. We could rebuild it, including a bright blue cottage with white shutters just for you.”

She leaned forward, teary-eyed and kissed the corner of my mouth. “Thank you, my darling, but no. The fact you would offer means more than I can say.”

“Okay. If you change your mind, let me know.”

“I’ll do that.”

I reclined back on the sofa, looking around the room, an idea forming in my head. I would have to see if I could arrange it. I tugged on Katy’s legs, bringing them onto my lap.

“We’re going to have a lot of questions to answer when we get back.”

“I know.” She drew in a deep breath. “Do you think they’ll ever forgive us?”

I was honest. “I don’t know.”

Graham had been more than fair after our talk. However, I knew it wasn’t over. Once I had figured out her whereabouts, I wasted no time throwing a few things into a bag and heading for the car to arrive before dark. I had called him prior to leaving, telling him I knew where Katy was and I was going to find her. He had been encouraging and wished me luck.