him while she tried to gather her thoughts. Jane hadn’t planned on dropping that little bit of vulnerability out there, but there was no taking it back now.
*
“Aw, Janie.” Dan went to her as soon as the words sank in. “Come here.” Talk about opening a raw wound. He pulled her into his arms and held on tight, hoping he could convey to her how much he cared. He didn’t dare tell her what he wanted to. That she was everything to him. He didn’t want to flip back a response that was predictable and trite. Jane might see it as a way to win points, but the truth of it was that he wanted nothing more than to stay here with her and make a life.
With her head pressed into his chest, she slipped her arms around his waist and held on. “I lost you once,” she said, her voice filled with sadness. “I don’t know if I could deal with that again. Especially now.”
“You won’t lose me. Even if I’m on the other side of the world, that’s not going to happen.”
He didn’t know how to reassure her. He meant every word, and more, but convincing her would be the challenge. How do you prove your love to someone who is so afraid, she might not want to accept it? That’s where Danny was right now. He was so in love with Jane, it consumed him. They were right for each other, of that there was no doubt. But she didn’t trust him, no matter what she said.
“I was at one of your signings once. Did you know that?”
He leaned back and took in her beautiful face. Her eyes were overly bright, on the verge of tears. “You were? When?”
“Four years ago. I went to the signing and book talk you had at The Strand. It was packed.”
He nodded, remembering the event. It was chaos, mostly because the book was also made into a movie and that brought out even more people. He hated when that happened. Often the book and the movie had little in common, and he didn’t have anything to do with the production other than to show up and collect his checks.
“Why didn’t you say something? I had no idea you were there.”
“I tried. The books were sold out already, so I was just going to say hello. But security didn’t buy my story that we grew up in the same town. I left you a note. I guess you didn’t get it. They shuffled me out pretty quickly.”
“Shit.” Her experience wasn’t his doing, but it was a testament to the kind of insular life he’d been leading. Security, handlers, he was a writer and he had a damn entourage. It was so bad she couldn’t even say hello. “God, I’m sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault. I mean you didn’t know I was there. We hadn’t kept in touch.”
“I was the one who didn’t keep in touch. I should have known.” With a finger under her chin, he tilted her face to his and kissed her softly. “I will not let you go again. I promise. You’re stuck with me now.”
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep. Your life isn’t here.”
“How do you know that?” Well, now he’d stepped in it. There was no turning back. “I can write anywhere, and Angel Harbor has been good for me.”
Her eyes locked on his, and in them he saw his future. “What are you saying? You want to live here?”
“No.” As soon as he said it, he saw her face drop and realized what he was trying to convey wasn’t translating well. “I’m saying I want to make a life here. I don’t like being so disconnected from my family, and I think we owe ourselves a chance, don’t you?”
He could see that what he’d just proposed, a simple chance, sparked a tiny bit of joy in her dusty green eyes. He’d take it. He would do anything for her, including saving her store.
Jane threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his shoulder. He was going to guess that was a yes. He splayed his hands across her back and pulled her as close as he could, reveling in her weight, in her curves. She fit him perfectly. Dan couldn’t believe how long it had taken him to get to this place. Finally.
“You’re sure you want to do that? Take on the small-town life? The gossip and the politics and the nonsense? It can