Page 89 of True North

“Say something, Harry.” Her hands are tight around her cutlery, and I swear she’s holdin’ her breath.

“You mean, Mama’s Place? In Lewistown?”

She huffs a strained laugh. “Yes, one and the same.”

I’m shocked in the best way possible. A jumble of words tumbles up my throat. None are good enough. So, I simply say, “Come here.”

A heartbeat later, Louisa May is on my lap. I can’t handle the way she is lookin’ at me right now. Hope tangles with something like worry in those pretty green eyes. “I don’t know the first thing about business, so I’m kind of hoping you’d help me out there.”

“You want my help to run the restaurant? When do you take over?”

She tells me of the conversation she had with the Mancinis, and I take in every word. Pride swells. Only to be overshadowed by the overwhelming realization that Louisa is stayin’.

For good.

Life is ironic. I lose one great woman in my life, the one who stood by me for the last twenty-eight years. Now I have a shot at spendin’ the rest of my days with the only person to ever hold my heart indefinitely.

Absolutely and completely.

“It feels like bad timing now, with Ma and all,” she whispers.

I shake my head.

“No, Louisa, perfect timing doesn’t exist. I’m living proof. Besides, Ma would’ve wanted this for you. For us.”

Us.

Lou’s face blanks, and I fear I’ve gone too far. Fine hands cup my face, soft velvety pink lips brushing over mine as they mouth the wordus.

I crash my mouth into hers with the intensity of a man who’s felt too much and needed for too long. I haul her onto my hips as I stand. But when she loses the world’s biggest yawn, I rest my forehead to hers.

“Bath and bed, little lady. You’ve done more than your share of takin’ care of this man for one day.”

“Only if you come, too.”

“I highly doubt we’ll both fit on the sofa.”

She shakes her head.

“No sofa?”

“No sofa,” she breathes, green eyes flooding with depth, stealing the air from my lungs.

Abandoning the pancakes, I pad to the bathroom. Depositing Lou on the vanity, I run the shower. While heat and steam shroud the small space, I relieve her of the old work shirt. Standing now in only her panties, she has me hard as fuck. But one glimpse of the purple bags under her eyes, and I usher her into the steaming water.

When we are both washed and I find Lou another of my clean shirts, I sweep her off her feet and tuck her into the right side of my bed. Like she goddamn belongs there.

I pad to the window and draw the curtains closed. Turning back to climb into bed, I find her sound asleep. I crawl in behind her and wrap my body around hers.

A small, soft noise leaves her lips as she wriggles backward, closer to me still. Burying my face in her hair, I thank whatever supreme being Ma used to talk to in the trees that I have Louisa in my life again.

This time for good.

My heart aches with the loss of my mother, and I hug Lou tighter. It’s surreal she isn’t just down the hall like she’s always been. It’s as if life decided I couldn’t have too much of a good thing. I couldn’t have MaandLouisa.

That Ma will never see us together, never witness the life I plan to build with Lou, stings. Tears soak the pillow, and I let them fall. I cling to Lou. My life preserver.

Sleep tugs at me, and I go down willingly. The world will have to wait.

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