Page 79 of Finding You

They all sat in silence for several minutes before Avery picked up another brownie and handed it to her. “I think you need this more than any of us do.”

And sadly, she took it.

And ate it.

And loathed herself the entire time.

ChapterFifteen

“Is that everything?”

MacKenzie nodded. “It is.” And the sad part was, the contents of her car represented her entire life.

Everything.

She sighed.

They were standing in Devin’s driveway early Tuesday morning and she had been waiting for him to stop her, to ask her to stay again. But he hadn’t mentioned it since the night they got home from Jade and Levi’s barbecue.

And that left her completely confused. Why? Because he showed her in a dozen different ways that he cared about her. They had spent every minute together for the last two days laughing and talking and having mind-blowing sex. They’d talked about a hundred different things–except their feelings–and all that time she kept waiting.

And it wasn’t as if people weren’t nudging him along. It seemed as if the entire population of Sweetbriar Ridge had stopped in at the shop to inquire about when MacKenzie was leaving. And every time she said Tuesday, they all just smiled and wished her luck.

After giving her the proper directions to get out of town.

And Devin had remained quiet.

Damn him.

So here she was, standing in his driveway, preparing to leave the first place she had ever really felt connected to in her entire life.

The Mustang drove like a dream–they had even taken it out for a long drive yesterday after the shop closed and Devin showed her all the sights of Sweetbriar Ridge she hadn’t been able to see during her stay. She knew he’d done more work on it than they’d agreed upon and when she’d argued it, all he said was “Just say thank you, MacKenzie.”

So she did.

It didn’t make her feel any better, though. The man had done nothing but give since the moment she met him, and what had she done? Nothing. Well…actually…she took.

A lot.

Time and time again.

Maybe that was why she’d felt so strongly about needing to leave–so she’d have something to contribute if she came back.

Something more than a carful of her lifelong possessions.

Although…she’d been too much of a coward to mention the possibility of coming back because she kept waiting for him to ask first.

Turning to face him, she sighed but tried to put a smile on her face. “So…”

“So…” he replied, smiling back at her. With his hands in his pockets and relaxed posture, MacKenzie was pretty sure he wasn’t feeling any of the turmoil she was.

Swallowing hard, she said, “So I guess it probably won’t hurt to hit the road now. I know we talked about waiting until the afternoon, but…”

“I thought you promised the girls you’d stop in at Books & Beans for breakfast?”

Had she? She vaguely remembered having a conversation with them yesterday at lunch, but for the life of her, MacKenzie didn’t remember committing to coming back in for breakfast. “I…I don’t think so.”

“Well then, you better call Ashlynn and let her know you’re not coming. I know she wanted to see you one more time. Well, her and everyone else. You know, because her shop doesn’t open until ten and all, so she has the time. She texted last night to make sure I didn’t mind that they wanted to steal you away one more time.”

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