the coffees.
Frowning, Polly dropped into the visitor chair on the other side of the desk. “What’s the matter? You don’t look happy.”
“Of course I’m happy,” Skye countered. “It’s summer, you brought me a free beverage and...” Her words faded away, but her inner voice kept talking...reckless Gage is going back to danger—and doing it in the most dangerous manner possible.
That was why she’d decided to put him out of her mind.
She sipped at the hot drink. “Perfect latte.”
Polly shrugged. “From your favorite barista at Captain Crow’s. He sends his best.”
“Mmm.” Skye sat back in her chair, her gaze running over her friend. “You look energized.”
“Yes. Well.” Polly shifted on her seat. “I have a confession to make.”
“You’re going out with Maureen’s brother again.”
“Who?” The other woman’s face went blank.
“Your teacher friend. Her cute brother. That blind date?”
“Oh.” Polly shook her head. “I’d completely forgotten about him.”
Skye set down her cup to play with the envelopes she’d yet to open. “I can’t say I’m sad to hear that. While he sounded nice, I got the impression there weren’t any sparks.”
Sparks. The word made her think of Gage and that final, fiery argument. After he’d slammed out of the house, the smoke of their last exchange had lingered in the air.
Didn’t I say you wouldn’t want to know!
I don’t want to know you!
“Skye, what’s wrong?” Polly’s voice interrupted the memory.
“Nothing,” Skye said. Using her letter opener, she slit the manila envelope on top of the pile. “Nothing at all.” She was forgetting about Gage.
“So, I came to say...” Polly’s head bent over her cup.
Frowning, Skye stared at her friend, sensing something amiss. “How was your bike ride this morning?”
“I’m afraid I crashed your bicycle.” Polly grimaced, her face going red.
“Are you all right?”
“Yes. I... Yes. Fabulous, actually.” She glanced up, her expression sheepish. “Teague ran me off the road.”
“What?”
“But he was very sweet about it...well, no, he actually was very angry, though—”
“Teague angry?” Even when he claimed to be heartbroken over Tess, he’d never shown a surfeit of emotion. Skye wasn’t sure the easygoing man had it in him.
“There might have even been a whiff of rage,” Polly confessed. “Then he became very, very determined.”
“Determined to do...what?”
A smile broke over her friend’s face, lighting her eyes, lighting the whole room. She put her coffee on the desk, then fluttered her left hand. “Determined to get me to say I’ll marry him.”
A diamond winked on Polly’s finger. Skye stared at it before lifting her gaze to meet her friend’s bright eyes. “Pol, this is great! He finally came to his senses?”
She nodded. “He built me a castle.” Then Always Private Polly burst into tears.
Of course tissues and hugs happened next, and Skye got the whole story from “friends with benefits” to the visit to a jeweler. She had to scold, however. “You didn’t tell me anything about going to bed with Teague.”
“You’ve been too busy doing the same with Gage.”
“Oh,” Skye said, returning to her seat without bothering to explain there’d been a change in circumstances. She wasn’t thinking about him anymore, she reminded herself, sliding a sheet from the envelope she’d opened.
“I still haven’t gotten to my confession,” Polly said, her voice going quiet.
Skye looked up. “What could be bigger than getting engaged to the man you were convinced you could never have?”
“I’m moving in with him. With Teague. This is official notice that I’ll be leaving the cove.”
Shadows invaded the corners of the room. Had a cloud passed over the sun? “O-of course,” Skye managed to say, casting a wary glance over her shoulder. “I’m so happy for you both.”
Polly bit her bottom lip. “Thank you...and I’m sorry. I realize I’m breaking our friends-before-men pledge.”
“Oh.” Skye tried to laugh. “I didn’t take that seriously, no worries. I’m just thrilled you worked things out with Teague.” She hoped her voice didn’t sound as hollow as her stomach felt, and she dropped her gaze to camouflage her sudden dread.
Come fall, she’d be alone.
“Skye...”
She pretended to study the piece of correspondence in her hand. “Hey, look at this,” she said. “It’s an early copy of the Crescent Cove article being published in Sunday’s paper.” Thrusting it toward her friend, she jumped from her chair.
In the doorway, she inhaled great gulps of sunny, salt-laden air. “Tell me I don’t come off sounding like an idiot.”
She’d done so many idiotic things lately. Going to bed with Gage, not just once, but many times, letting him into her—
No, she had put him out of her mind.
“It’s a