that this wasn’t the life he wanted anymore. This job would never facilitate the kind of life he wanted—a life that included a wife and a family and kids.
A life that included Grace.
A strange feeling swelled in his chest. A wanting, a yearning for her. It filled him so full his lungs could hardly expand. He’d missed her every day, every hour since he left. Few things he’d ever done felt as wrong as driving away from Grace had felt.
And now he knew why. The question was, what was he going to do about it?
Chapter Forty-Four
October bled into November, and Grace hardly noticed the changing of the trees in the valley or the shedding of leaves. Thanksgiving weekend had just passed. Mia and Levi had flown in, and it had been good to have the whole family together for a few days.
The inn had officially been deeded to Molly and Adam, and Levi and Grace had walked away with their share of the buyout. Despite Molly’s gracious offer to continue housing Blue Ridge Outfitters, Grace had decided she needed to do this on her own.
She hadn’t heard from Wyatt since he’d left, but they had decided on a clean break after all. That realization did nothing to soothe the achy spot in her heart, however. How long would that feeling last? How long did it take a broken heart to mend? She supposed she was going to find out.
Whenever she found herself getting down, she reminded herself it had been worth it. She’d lose him all over again just to have him for a little while. Just to help him find closure.
Staying busy helped. Over the past six weeks she’d poured herself into renovating her new store. The walls had been knocked down, opening up the room. The garish shade of green had been covered with a fresh coat of greige, and the wood floor sparkled with new polish. Her tidy office in the back was all set up, but her attic space would have to wait until after she opened.
Grace hung the bells she’d purchased on the entry door and turned to survey the space. Her grand opening was three days away, just in time for the Christmas season. There were boxes of new merchandise everywhere, and racks waiting to hold it all.
She’d been working hard to get out the word about the opening. Levi had helped her with marketing ideas. Once the holidays passed, the off-season would be slow, but even after renovations she had a nice cushion in the bank to carry her through.
Grace moved behind the checkout desk, drawing her hand over the surface of her new glossy countertop. The desk was gorgeous, made from repurposed wood and facing the entryway. She could hardly wait till customers wandered in, looking for a sled or a pair of cross-country skis.
She squatted down and opened the box of Blue Ridge Outfitters T-shirts she’d ordered for her employees to wear—because yes, she’d hired two people to help run the shop. The front of the light-blue shirts sported the small, tasteful logo she’d designed. The back simply said, The Outdoors Is Calling.
She already had a great rapport with her staff and had begun forming relationships with other business owners in the community. Maybe Grace wasn’t the people person Molly was, but she was finding that she was good with people in her own way.
The new bells above the door jingled. Probably Molly or even Pamela, who stopped in occasionally to check on her progress. Grace stuffed the box under the counter and stood.
But the visitor wasn’t Molly or Pamela.
Grace froze at the sight of the man standing just inside her door. The man who’d featured in every daydream she’d had since he’d left. His eyes fixed on her with that magnetic pull she’d begun to wonder if she’d only imagined.
The corner of his mouth kicked up. “Saw your sign as I was passing by.”
He looked just the same as the first time she’d seen him, standing in the inn’s lobby, saying those same words. Her heart went pitter-patter again, but this time it was because its owner had returned.
“Wyatt.” Her brain couldn’t seem to manufacture anything more.
His gaze left her to take in her new store, and she took the opportunity to scan him tip-to-toe, reveling in the sight of him. His crisp black button-up stretched taut across those broad shoulders. He wore jeans—and he wore them well.