Page 17 of Luke

"But why did I have to take any time off? Why couldn't you wait?"

"Because I couldn't. School was just a roadblock for me. I wasn't learning anything there."

"Well, I was."

He frowned and let out a heavy sigh.

"Wasn't it easier in the long run that I didn't go with you?" she challenged. "I would have slowed you down. You've been all over the world, jumping out of planes, climbing the highest mountain peaks, challenging the most difficult rapids…" She shook her head. "You would have gotten so frustrated with me. You're afraid of nothing, and I'm afraid of almost everything. We were very different people, Luke. The only thing we did really well together was—" She stopped herself just in time.

A glitter entered his eyes. "At least you can admit that, Lizzie. You could never say you loved me, but you could say you wanted me."

It had always been a bone of contention between them, but admitting love had always been difficult for her. "We need to let the past be the past, Luke. What we had was a decade ago, and we both made mistakes. I can admit that. Can you?"

His lips tightened. "Maybe."

She was actually a little surprised by his answer. "Okay, then. So let's move on."

"I moved on a long time ago."

"I mean—let's move on with this conversation. I'm sure there have been lots of other women in your life."

"Lots," he agreed with a nod.

"Great. Then we don't need to talk about our past anymore." She refused to admit to herself that she felt even the faintest hint of jealousy at the thought of Luke and other women. "Let's focus on the present, on why you're here. I have to admit it still seems surreal."

"To me, too. The last few days have been a bad dream. One minute I'm jumping off a mountain in Norway, and the next my aunt is telling me that my father is dead. And then the lodge and you…it's been a crazy time."

She heard the raw pain in his voice and understood. "I know what it feels like to lose someone you love in a sudden and abrupt manner. When Kelly died, I was confused, angry, and in denial for a while. But I couldn't wallow in emotions. Kaitlyn needed someone to step in and take care of her. She wasn't just emotionally wounded; she also had some minor injuries that needed care."

"Wait. She was in the car with her parents?"

"Yes. She won't talk about it, though. I sent her to a therapist, but she wouldn't open up to her, either. Kaitlyn says she doesn't remember anything. I don't know if it's true, but I know that she's still suffering. I wish she would talk to me. I keep hoping, but there's a wall between us, and I can't seem to tear it down. Every time I ask her anything about her parents or the accident, she clams up. I just hope time will do some healing. Because right now she is one angry kid." She took a deep breath. "I need to keep my job, Luke."

"Look, I get it, Lizzie, but maybe there's a way I can sell the place and stipulate that you have to keep your job here for at least a year."

She supposed that might be better than nothing, but would the new owners be people she could work with? The last thing she needed was more drama.

Thinking for a moment, she realized what she needed to do was show Luke why the resort was important to his dad and why Colin Brannigan had bought it in the first place. Luke might have negative and complicated feelings about his dad, but not when it came to his mother…

"Let's go," she said abruptly. "I need to show you something."

"What's that?"

"A tree."

He raised an eyebrow. "You're going to show me a tree? I'm looking at about a hundred of them right now."

"It's a special tree. Come on."

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