Page 88 of True North

The sun is still rising over the mountains when a pile of pancakes appears in front of me. Lou drops into the seat at my left side and dishes up a hearty serving I’m sure would feed an entire corps of Marines. I ain’t complaining. This beats her not bein’ here. Beats doin’ this thing alone.

“Here, syrup.” Louisa leans over, passing me the glass bottle of maple syrup.

My hand folds over hers, halting her movement as I pin her with my gaze. I want her to know how much her being here means to me. How much I wish this could be our normal.

Our life.

“Thanks, darlin’,” I manage, my voice rough from last night.

“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” She offers me a soft smile before returning to her plate. She looks tired. My old work shirt is still the only thing covering her body besides panties.

As if reading my wandering eyes, she straightens.

“I’ll go get changed.” She moves to stand.

I cover her hand with mine for the second time. “Don’t.”

“Harry...” she pleads breathlessly.

“I need you to be you right now, Lou. Not worryin’ about what’s the done thing. Or how things will turn out tomorrow or next week or even twelve months from now.”

She chews her bottom lip, dropping her focus to her plate.

I know that look.

There’s something she’s not tellin’ me. And I don’t know if I’ve got the heart to hear her out today.

To my surprise, she simply sits down and takes a bite of her breakfast. I do the same, not tasting a mouthful, even though I am desperate for some sort of distraction from the only other sensation in my soul—grief.

“I meant what I said earlier,” Louisa says between mouthfuls.

“Which part?” I bite the portion from my fork.

“I’m staying.”

I freeze mid-chew.

She looks back to her food, cutting another morsel of fluffy pancake before stabbing it with her fork.

I swallow hard. If she is stayin’ because of what happened with Ma?—

“I need to tell you something. But I’m nervous, and I don’t know if it’ll pan out?”

I set my cutlery down on the plate.

Now she has my attention. “Well?”

Her expression falls, and my own softens.

“I have—” She shifts on her seat and glances to the ceiling. “I made an offer on the restaurant.”

I lean back in the chair.

NowthatI didn’t see comin’.

I stare at her. Louisa’s been hot and cold with this old town since the day she blew back in. Almost as much with the folk who live here. And with me, well, it was touch and go for a while. But the restaurant, that’s a huge commitment.

She would be stuck here.

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