Country Romance - Carolyne Aarsen Page 0,59

better place.

"He's with his father. Kids need to be with family," she said.

"I know. I understand."

Adele heard the sincerity in her voice and knew that Leah spoke from personal experience. She and her brother had been adopted as children when Leah was four and her brother one. Leah had, of late, been wondering about her biological parents. Her adoptive parents were still alive, and she was afraid they’d feel betrayed if she asked them about it. So she had kept her questions to herself.

"I was wondering about this equipment," Adele continued. "I noticed that they split it into three lots. I didn't expect that."

"Me neither, and I'm worried about that."

Adele clutched the phone, Leah's concern giving her a tiny opening.

"What do you think we should do if it goes too high?"

"It won't. I can't see that too many people would be interested."

"You just need one more person to push the price up." Adele blew out a sigh.

Silence followed Adele's comment. Then, "What are you trying to say? You sound uncertain. Are you backing out?"

The harsh tone in Leah's voice made Adele wonder if she’d pushed a bit too hard.

"No. I'm not," she hastened to assure her. "I still really want to do this."

"I sense a hesitancy though."

Adele pulled in a deep breath and sent up a quick prayer. "I found another possibility," she said. "A fully stocked bakery with all the equipment."

"But not in Whitehorse."

"No. Here. In Millar’s Crossing."

Leah was quiet again, and the silence sprawled between them, growing heavier with each second.

"Is it because of Dean that you're considering this?"

Adele had to weigh that question. She could hide behind that. It would make it easier, but at the same time part of her needed to talk to someone. Anyone.

"I met someone."

"In Millar’s Crossing? How?"

"Dean's father."

"Oh."

That single word shivered over the line, and Adele felt as if she had stepped out into the space she’d tried to keep between herself and Wyatt.

"I'm not sure what's happening, but I feel like I know this guy. I feel like there's a chance between us."

"And if it doesn't happen? Would you still be willing to stay in Millar’s Crossing?"

Adele held that question, thinking, weighing.

"There's still Dean." Though would she be able to stay if things didn't work out between them? Wyatt had found a place in her heart that had been unoccupied before. Every minute she spent with him created a stronger connection. She knew she was on the cusp of something special. Wonderful.

"That's true." Leah sighed. "Well, we have a few days yet to figure things out. I don't know if I'm ready to ditch Whitehorse. Though lately, Chris..." She let the last word ease away.

Leah wasn’t one to say a lot about her personal life, but Adele had heard stories through the Whitehorse grapevine about Leah's brother, Chris. How Leah had bailed him out time after time. "He just got a job in Edmonton, so I'm hoping he’ll settle down."

Adele had to fight down the urge to give Leah advice. But she and Leah weren't that close, so she kept her comments to herself.

"Anyhow, I'll think about this. Meantime, I'm still heading to Edmonton for the auction. I should tell you, they changed the listing. They moved the first items to Thursday evening, the second batches to first thing Friday morning."

Panic shivered through her. This was sooner than she had figured on.

"I'm still snowed in, so I'm not sure I'll be able to make it,” she said. “Otherwise, we'll go with our other plan of me staying in touch with you on the phone while you bid." She had to trust that she and Leah could stay connected. That Leah would make the right choices.

"Not ideal, but we can work around this. I would prefer it if you could be there. In the meantime, stay safe."

Adele said good-bye and then pulled in a long breath. Nothing had been decided. Nothing was definite.

But she felt as if she had opened up another option.

An option for staying.

The lights flicked on, the refrigerator started humming, and Wyatt sat bolt upright in his bed, blinking, realizing he forgot to turn the room's lights off when he went to bed.

He checked the time on his phone. Ten-thirty. He pulled on some clothes and stepped out into the family room, walking around and turning all the lights off. He went upstairs. It was dark and he could hear the kids’ deep breathing. Adele’s room was also dark, so he returned downstairs again.

He plugged his phone in and