Page 87 of Meet Me on Lilac Lane

“They’re both exhausted from the day and the storm.” From the sound of her voice, the kids weren’t the only ones who were exhausted. “I’ll just lay them down and then we can talk.”

All right then. He’d have to think of another way to warm up. Looked like he and Mia would have some alone time after all.

He sat on the couch and waited for her. The room was different without Troy’s chair in the corner. Lighter somehow. Or maybe he was projecting, because despite the bad news he’d come to deliver, right now he felt lighter, and the specter of Troy didn’t seem to matter as much between him and Mia.

Mia came in. She’d tied her hair back, but a tendril of it framed her face. His fingers itched to stroke that lock. She sat in the easy chair next to the couch.

“Cody, why are you wet?” A furrow creased her brow.

He pulled his hat off and ran a hand through his wet tangles. “I, uh, was out on the lake.”

She shot to her feet. “In the storm?”

“Yes.”

Her eyes flashed. “I hope you had a good reason.”

“I did have a good reason, but before we talk about that, there’s something I have to say.” Her face turned stony, which wasn’t super encouraging. But he’d promised himself he’d tell her. He stood too. “Mia, I’ve waited too long to tell you this. I love you. I think I’ve loved you since the day you came to the island. You are talented and kind and funny. You bring out the best in me.” She opened her mouth then shut it again. Were those tears in her eyes? “I want to be with you. I want to stay in the lives of those amazing kids of yours. I want it all, Mia.”

“Cody.” Mia’s voice tightened, and he reached for her. So, they were tears. She shook him off. “The last few hours have been traumatic for me. When the storm came up, I had flashbacks of the night Troy died. And now I find out you were in that storm? And all you can say is that you love me? It’s too much.” She pressed a fist to her mouth then tapped it on the arm of the chair. “Why were you even out there?”

“A good reason, I promise. I went over to Port Joseph. I met with the Harpers.”

A look of horror crossed her face. “You went over there after you said you wouldn’t? It wasn’t enough that I sent one man to die, you thought you’d make it two?”

“I’m sorry, I—” She gave him a sharp look, and he bit off the rest of the sentence. Except, wait. “You didn’t send me. I wanted to go. I offered, remember? And I never said I wouldn’t go.” Was it cold in here?

“But you wouldn’t have gone if it weren’t for me. I told you I’d figure it out. You didn’t need to endanger your life for this. You didn’t think I could do it?” She tightened her lips and breathed deeply.

That wasn’t what he’d thought at all. “I wanted to help save your house.” Yeah, it hadn’t worked, but they could figure that out together. “I don’t get why this is such a big deal.”

“What’s a house compared to you dying?” The words should have been loving, but the hiss she delivered them in stung. “You didn’t trust me to do it on my own, so you took an unnecessary risk. And for what? A contract I could get signed in a few days?”

His gut clenched. “Mia, they didn’t sign. They don’t want to move here.”

All of the color drained from her face. She opened her mouth. Shut it.

“We can figure it out together.” He reached for her again, but again she shrugged him off.

“I don’t think I can be with you.”

“What? You’re overreacting.”

“Don’t tell me I’m overreacting. My husband died out there. Do you get that? Died.” Every word she said punched him in the gut. “My children have no father.” She pointed toward the hall. “Maggie never even met him. It doesn’t matter how I feel about you. I can’t open myself and them up to that again. If this is how it’s going to be, I can’t do it.”

“I can’t promise I won’t go back out on the water.” He squared his feet. “And I won’t apologize for doing it this time either. I was trying to help you.”

“Some kind of help. It didn’t even work.” She crossed her arms. “Sorry. That was uncalled for.”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “Look, Mia, going out on the lake is part of my job, part of the life I’ve chosen. But I’d give it up to be with you.”

“I can’t ask you to give up your dreams.”

“But that’s just it. You’re my dream. Mia, I love you and I want to be with you.”

“Have you not been listening? I can’t be with you.”

“But you love me, right? I know you. I can see that you feel the same way about me.” He leaned forward. “We can figure this out together. I will fight for you.”

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