Until Then (Cape Harbor #2) - Heidi McLaughlin Page 0,126

When he got to his door, he saw a note taped there.

Meet me at the pit

Ren

Graham wasn’t sure what to think about the note. Part of him found it cute, but the other half of him wanted to know why she hadn’t called and told him she was in town. Graham got back in his car and drove over to the Driftwood Inn, which was the easiest place to access the firepit. Throughout his life, he had spent so many spring and summer nights in this spot. Many of his memories included Rennie.

He parked along the side of the road to not only avoid the valet at the inn but to also cut through the shrubs. He didn’t want to run into Brooklyn—and Bowie, if he was home. Graham went down the stairs and trudged through the sand until he came upon the driftwood-log formation. There were a blanket and a pair of shoes, but no Rennie. Graham looked out over the horizon and saw someone standing near the water. He went toward the person, hoping it was her. When he got closer, he could see her multicolored hair, which he loved picking the colors out from, blowing in the wind. She was dressed in shorts and a long-sleeved shirt and stood barefoot in the wet sand.

“You’re going to catch a cold out here.” It wasn’t the first time he’d had to warn her about getting sick.

Rennie turned and smiled. When Graham was close, she wrapped her arms around his waist and held him tightly. He hugged her back. Neither of them spoke; they just stood there in each other’s arms and absorbed the moment.

It was Graham who finally said something. “I’m kind of surprised to see you, honestly.”

“I know. I’m sorry for being so absent.”

“How come you didn’t tell me you were coming up?”

Rennie tilted her head up and smiled. “I wanted to surprise you. The lawsuit against you, totally bogus. You will have a new delivery driver, though, from the distribution company. Your normal driver saw you as an easy target, concocted this whole story to get money because the insurance company wouldn’t pay for his daughter’s care because she was at fault. She wasn’t even in the area at the time of her accident. The whole thing was really convoluted and has really left a bad taste in my mouth with the firm. Donna wanted to waste resources and money to bring the case to trial, but we had enough evidence to shut her down.”

He couldn’t deny it; he liked her surprise, and he was relieved, but something else bothered him. Her lack of communication. She rose to kiss him, and he allowed it but didn’t deepen the kiss. He pulled away and enveloped her with his arms. Graham looked out over the ocean, hoping to gain the strength and encouragement he needed for what he was about to say.

“Ren, we need to talk.”

He felt her move, and when he looked down, she stared at him. He bent forward, kissed her nose, and then took her and led her back to the pit. He sat down and expected her to sit next to him, but she sat between his legs, like they were seventeen all over again.

Graham pulled the blanket over her to keep her warm, like he had on the boat. He wished they had a fire, but it would take too long for him to start one, and it would likely attract people from the inn, and he wanted as much privacy as possible.

“I saw Grady today,” he started. “He really likes his new lawyer. Said things are very promising?”

Rennie nodded against Graham’s chest. “That’s good.” She inhaled and then exhaled slowly, gathering her thoughts. “I’m in this funk, and I don’t know how to get out of it. I know I’m shutting you out—Brooklyn too. I’m trying to find a way to deal with everything.”

“Do you remember when I told you I thought you needed time to get over Theo?”

She nodded against his chest.

“I want you to take the time, Rennie. You need it, and I need to focus on Grady. And I think . . .” Graham paused and fought back the tears. His heart ripped in two, and he prepared himself for what he was about to say. “I think we need to remain friends. I had come to you with the idea that we date, and you blew me off. I really feel like I’m giving so much of myself to

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