Page 77 of Another June with You

Micah wound his fingers through hers and raised the back of her hand to his lips. “I’m not sure where things stand with us right now, and I don’t want to leave for Virginia like this.”

“It’s okay, Micah. We’re okay.”

“I thought I’d come see you and talk to you and just know what to say if you turned Virginia down again, but I don’t. I don’t know what to say or do. I have a job I love, that I’m really good at. I go to a great church. I have my own home and friends who’ve become my extended family. But I don’t want to leave you again.”

“I get it. I’m glad you know everything now, but I’m not expecting anything from you. I didn’t think you knowing would change anything. Don’t feel bad about going home.”

He kissed her temple and pulled her into a hug.

Shannon’s throat tightened with impending tears. Deep in the recesses of her heart, she had clung to a hope that one day maybe if Micah knew the truth, he would tell her it didn’t matter to him, that they could be happy without the house full of kids, that she was enough for him. She wanted to be all he needed to make him happy. But he didn’t tell her that just now. He told her the opposite with the words left unspoken—that his family was in Virginia and it would never be her.

Chapter 24

The entire flight home, Micah hadn’t been able to stop thinking about Shannon. His mind replayed the events of the week, every conversation, every moment he’d spent with her, and the truths he’d come to know. He loved his life in Virginia. He’d been happy there. At least he thought he had. But heading back there now without her felt wrong. His house would hold an emptiness it hadn’t before, a gap only Shannon could fill.

He understood her reasons for saying no this time. He understood why she had ended things all those years ago. He also knew that Shannon still cared for him and that meant there might be hope of a life with her after all.

He should’ve told her that. He should’ve told her he didn’t want a family with anyone but her. He should’ve asked what she thought about adoption. But once she’d said no to Virginia, he’d been confused. The whole situation was so confusing.

As he pulled up to his house, he wasn’t happy to see Jacqueline sitting on the wicker chair on the front porch. He jumped out and marched right up to her, not bothering to grab his suitcase from the trunk.

She stood and held her hands up between them. “Before you say anything, please hear me out.”

“Jacquie, you can’t keep doing this.”

“I came here to apologize.”

His expression changed from annoyance to surprise.

“I’m not going to lie, Micah. I was disappointed that you didn’t want to work things out.”

“No, really?”

Her chin quivered a little. “You don’t have to be so sarcastic all the time.”

“Sorry, but you’ve made things more difficult than they needed to be. I heard you out the other night like you wanted. Why can’t you just—”

“I’m letting you go, Micah.” Jacqueline took a deep breath in and let it out.

His eyebrows raised.

“I never believed you and Autumn were in love, that you suddenly got together after being friends all those years.” She shifted her weight from one foot to the other. “You told me so many times there was only friendship between you, that you weren’t attracted to her in that way. It wasn’t believable. I knew you were lying to me.”

“I didn’t know how else to get you to move on. You wouldn’t take no for an answer.”

“Because we were good together. Weren’t we happy in the beginning?”

“Yeah, we had some happy times, but we just weren’t right for each other. You weren’t—”

“Shannon?” Jacquie spoke her name before he had a chance to. She nodded her head. “It was eye-opening seeing the two of you together, actually. The way you looked at her was different than any look you’d ever given me or Autumn. I could see how much you loved her without you saying a word.”

“I’ve always loved her.”

“That’s why I came here today. So you and Autumn can stop your charade and you can be with Shannon.”

Micah let out a little laugh. “If only it were that simple.”

“Shouldn’t it be?”

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