“That’s terribly kind of you, but I’m going to wait here so I don’t miss her coming home.”
“They are lovely girls,” the lady said. “So polite. And the younger one’s at college, you know?” I nodded, glancing up the road to see if anyone with treacle-colored hair was coming toward us. “Did the queen go to college?” she asked.
“I don’t believe she did,” I said.
“Prince William did,” she said. “It’s where he met Kate Middleton. Although officially, she likes to be called Catherine, you know. They met at St Andrews University. They were studying the same thing until William changed to . . . geography,” she said, poking the air as she remembered. “I like the royals.”
“Did you say you knew when Hollie might be back?” I asked.
“Well I didn’t see her leave this morning, which must mean she’s on an early shift. So . . . she should be back around one unless she’s doing a double. But it’s a Friday so probably not. One, I’d say.”
I checked my phone. If this lady’s intel was right, Hollie should be back any minute.
“If you need anything I’m just there.” She pointed at a home a few doors up from Hollie’s.
“Thank you,” I called as she made her way toward a friend calling her over.
The two women chatted while shooting me glances. I kept my eyes fixed on the road into the park. Eventually, Mrs. Daugherty and her friend scurried off, leaving me in the rain and wondering if I was going to be able to convince my love to come back to me.
Thirty-Four
Hollie
The hood of my jacket kept blowing off in the wind. I’d been planning on taking a shower when I got home, but I was getting one for free on my walk back instead. My hair was soaking and my shoulders ached. Pauly was right. Four double shifts in a week was too many. I couldn’t wait to collapse into bed.
I pulled up my hood for the nine millionth time, angled my head into the wind to keep it from flying off and turned into the park.
I managed to get to our trailer without it flying off again. I started up the steps, flipping back my hood as I got under the awning and fell back a step when I saw there was someone waiting by our front door.
Not just any person.
Dexter.
“Hi,” I said, because what else could you say when the man you were in love with appeared on your doorstep. I was rooted to the spot, unable to process Dexter Daniels against the backdrop of the Sunshine Trailer Park. He looked so out of place. It was as if everything else faded into a blur of gray, but Dexter was every color in the rainbow.
“Hey,” he replied, reaching for my hand to pull me up the steps. How did Dexter manage to get sexier, even under the Oregon sky? And here I was soaking wet and aching after too many double shifts.
“You look beautiful.”
I gave him one of my best don’t-BS-me looks. What was he doing here? “You’re a long way from home,” I said.
He shrugged. “Maybe not. You’re here.”
My insides hurt I missed him so much. But he didn’t belong here.
I pulled out the keys from my jeans pocket. He’d flown five thousand miles, the least I could do was invite the guy in. The danger was I wouldn’t ever want him to leave.
“Thought you might want to know about this.” He reached down to the floor beside him and picked up a sleek, glass trophy.
I wanted to throw my arms around him. I was so proud. It was what he wanted most in the world and I’d wanted it so badly for him too. “You deserve it. And the entire team. I’m so happy for you.”
“I wish you could have been there.”
I sighed. I wished I could have been there too. Although it was wonderful to see Dexter—he was achingly familiar despite having only been in my life a few months—it was almost beyond painful. I’d hated walking out on him and not even getting a chance to say goodbye, but at least I hadn’t had to endure this. At least I hadn’t had to look in his eyes knowing it would be the last time.
“I had a speech prepared,” he said. “I think it got lost in the rain.”
“A speech?” I asked.
I didn’t need a speech from him. He deserved an apology from me. He’d emailed Autumn over and over and I’d told her not to reply. Although she must have ignored me at some point. How else would he have known where to find me?
“I’d rehearsed it. But now I can’t remember how it starts.” He stopped abruptly. “I let Autumn have my number and you didn’t call.”
Shame circled my chest. “I know. I’m sorry. Once I was back here, I couldn’t bear to look back. I thought a clean break would be easier.”