“I’m actually heading back to Denver tonight,” Logan said. “Graham’s flight comes in early.”
Her smile fell. “Already?”
“Yeah...”
He dropped his gaze. Here was where he was supposed to say goodbye, wish her well, head on back out and pretend that those kisses and long hours together hadn’t meant anything. Logan stood there for a moment just looking down at her bare feet, at those pink painted toenails, then he said, “Come visit me.”
“In Denver?”
No, it was a terrible idea. What was he doing? Except he couldn’t quite bring himself to take it back, either. He stepped closer and caught her hand. “Come see me, Mel. I’m going to miss you. I had no intention of starting anything, but I think we did...didn’t we?”
“This is a bad idea, Logan,” Melanie said.
“I know,” he said with a helpless shrug.
“So what are we supposed to do?” she asked, shaking her head. “Date long distance? Again?”
“I’m not a kid anymore,” he said, his voice lowering to a growl.
“Neither am I,” she said. “I don’t think it’s smart to play with this. I’m freshly divorced. I’m in no way ready for...for....” She looked around as if she’d find the words in the air. “You left me once, and I’m not willing to sit out here in Mountain Springs and pine for you again.”
“Then come to Denver,” he said.
“I’m staying here.” She shook her head. “This is where my life is. This lake house...sure, it’s full of memories, but they’re my memories! And at this age, I need them—hard as they are. They anchor me. They tell me who I am. I have a plan, and I threw over my own ambitions when I married Adam. I’m not doing that again.”
“Then visit me,” he said.
“As friends, or something more?” she asked.
They weren’t friends—they were most definitely past that line. But he would only mess up a committed romantic relationship. All he could offer was the same battered heart he’d given Caroline. No better, no worse. And if this visit home had taught him anything, it was that he was more like his father than he’d ever dreamed. He was still the same man who’d made his wife wonder what it would be like to be free of him...
“As...whatever we are right now,” he said. “This.”
“This?” She shook her head. “This is a recipe for heartbreak, at least for me. I’m not ready to trust another man with my future, and you’re not ready to give your heart over to another woman. So what are we even doing here?”
“I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling something!” Logan retorted. “What am I doing here? I’m following my heart! Is it stupid? Maybe. But I don’t want to just walk away, Mel! Give me some credit for that!”
Tears rose in her eyes and she pressed her lips together. “Maybe I’m telling you to walk away. Guilt-free.”
“And if I don’t want to?” He caught her hand again and pulled her closer. “What if I want to try?”
Melanie didn’t answer, and he dipped his head to meet her lips. She let out a soft sigh, leaning into his kiss as he wrapped his arms around her. She felt so good in his arms, the perfect shape to melt into his embrace. And it had been so long since he’d felt this way—filled with longing and excitement. He pulled back and looked down into her glistening eyes.
“You’ll rethink this in Denver.” Her voice shook as she pulled out of his arms.
“Rethink it? Is this what you think of me, the guy who would forget about you with a change of scenery? Mel, I love you!”
He startled himself when the words came out, but they were true. He’d fallen for her with the same enthusiasm he had the first time, and whether it was good for him or not, there was no going back on it.
“You...” Whatever she was going to say evaporated on her lips.
“I love you,” he repeated. “You’re incredible. You’re beautiful. You’re insightful and kind and...and too good for me. It isn’t logical, because logic says I should just go home and put the last week behind me. It’s crazy. It’s fast.”
“It’s all of those things!” Melanie said, wiping a tear from her cheek. “You should go home!”
“Not until I know if I’m alone in this,” he pleaded. “If it’s just me, then fine. I can accept that. I’ve made a fool of myself, but maybe you’re worth feeling like a fool for. But if you feel something—”
“You should go home,” she whispered again.
His heart fell to the pit of his stomach, and he stared at her in mortification. “I’m sorry, Mel. I should have...”
He’d been an idiot to let his emotions get involved. She was probably smart to send him away. He was trouble—no longer on a motorbike, but trouble nonetheless, and at least she could see it.
“Look, in my own defense, I didn’t stand a chance of not falling for you,” he said softly. “You’re truly incredible.”
He wondered if it would have been better to just text her and head on out of town, but he’d promised her. He wasn’t ghosting her again. He wasn’t hiding from his feelings. He was done with breaking the hearts of the women he loved.
“Call me if you ever want to,” Logan said, pulling open the door.
“Oh, Logan...” Tears slipped down her cheeks. “I love you, too...”
Logan froze, the door partway open and the pine-scented air coming in to meet him. “You do?”
“But what use is it?” she asked, shaking her head. “I can’t just trust another guy with my life, and I can’t fool around with feelings like these. It’s too much! I’m not tough enough to roll with it. Maybe it’s been too long since I’ve dated anyone, but I can’t.” She shook her head. “And what about you?”
“What do you mean?” he asked.
“Can you just launch yourself into a serious relationship?”
He rubbed his hand over his eyes. “I made my
