Page 76 of One Sweet Day I Found You

Then she saw the time stamp. It was from 12:46am. With dread, she began to read:

Hey Court,

I’m so sorry about today. Got called out on a rescue. I texted you this afternoon but I just realized it never went through. Didn’t want to wake you tonight so I’m sending this instead of a text. I’ll make it up to you. Promise.

xoxo,

Nick

Courtney’s heart sank into her stomach. She sat back, nauseated all over again. New tears started to gush down her cheeks.

He hadn’t blown her off. He’d tried to reach her yesterday. It was all a big, terrible mix-up. And now, everything was ruined.

Worse, still, she could’ve prevented the whole thing this morning if she’d have just read her email before she started working. She cupped a hand over her mouth in dismay, for, at least, the fifth time today.

Courtney glanced around the cottage and ran her hands across her face, wiping the tears away. She pushed some hair behind her ears.

After the nap, she had too much energy to sit still, especially with all the emotions racing through her system. Besides, she was only going to fall apart again if she sat here all night. But what was she going to do now?

She needed to think, and to burn off some negative energy. A run might help. A few minutes later, she was lacing up her shoes, a baseball cap pulled down low over her forehead. She still felt like a wreck.

House key in the pocket of her leggings, she headed toward the lake.

A few steps across the lawn, she slowed down. Ash the cat, perky and full of cheer, trotted across the lawn to greet her. “Well, look who’s out and about?” She stopped to pet him and he pressed himself against her legs. Courtney bent at the knees and scratched his head. “Nice to see you, too, Ash. How are things with Mrs. Brady?”

Ash purred and returned the affection.

“That’s a good boy.” She ran a hand across the cat’s velvety soft back.

She should stop in and say hello at the house soon. She hadn’t talked to Mrs. Brady in about a week.

But not tonight. She wasn’t up for talking to anyone. “Are you taking good care of her, kitty kitty?”

Courtney’s eyes began to well up again. Ash was just so sweet. And this was bad. Sweet, impartial animals were now bringing her to tears.

“I’m sorry, Ash, I have to go. You stay here.” Courtney rose and took to the trail, careful to make sure the cat wasn’t following her. By the time she reached the edge of the water, her run had become a sprint.

Courtney tried to steady her thoughts. It felt good to run off some of the pain. But now, she slowed to a pace that she could maintain for a longer distance.

First of all, how was she going to explain this to Nick? He was not far off to have assumed the worst—what happened looked really bad on the surface. Really bad. She needed to tell him exactly what had happened, as well as what did not.

She glanced at the lake. This summer had already turned into something so amazing. This beautiful place, these great people she’d been getting to know, and Nick.

Nick! How could she have thrown everything away like this? Had she really lost him?

She was such an idiot.

Courtney reached the edge of the marina. She slowed to watch a small sailboat in the distance that was just entering the harbor. It looked so perfect, so idyllic, her passengers probably relaxed and happy and without a care in the world. Courtney’s throat tightened up again and her eyes felt moist.

She pushed back up to speed and circled around to head toward home. Nick might be leaving work soon. She did not want to chance a run-in with him tonight. She was nowhere near ready to see him. Especially now that she felt even worse.

How could she have been so foolish?

The sun dipped its toes into the horizon as Courtney turned back onto the sandier cottage trail through Mrs. Brady’s marsh. Courtney slowed to a walk then stopped to cool down and stretch.

Just give him some time.

But just how much time? And would he even listen to her? She doubted she could wait very long. She at least had to let him know she was thinking about him. She gazed at the water. If only she could take it all back.

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