Seth could have brought up the vow he’d made to Jan, but after his conversation with Ivy this morning, he’d come to a realization. The promise his wife had demanded had simply been Jan’s way of trying to ensure her daughter’s happiness.
Even though Mitch had said the promise made it appear Jan hadn’t trusted him, he knew she had. What she’d said to Ivy had sounded like the woman he married, the woman who all her life had trusted him to do the right thing. The woman who promised Ivy he’d do what was necessary for them to have happy lives. That woman would have never tied his hands.
If he believed that, why wasn’t he on Lauren’s doorstep right now?
“She’s at your grandma Borghild’s house now,” Josh said. “I can call Stacie, make up some excuse to get my wife out of there so you can have some time alone with Lauren.”
Still, Seth hesitated. He loved Lauren. But this wasn’t just about him. He wanted to do the right thing for her.
“Spit it out, Anderssen,” Mitch taunted. “What’s holding you back?”
“Lauren is the smartest woman I’ve ever known,” Seth said. “She has a great future ahead of her. Is it fair to ask her to give it all up for me?”
“I don’t think she’d be giving it all up for you,” Mitch said with a wry smile. “She could have a good life in Sweet River.”
“Let Lauren make the decision,” Josh urged.
“He’s right,” Mitch echoed before Seth could respond. “Think about how hurt Anna was when you didn’t initially invite us over for Christmas Eve. Not asking takes the choice away. What’s fair about that?”
“Nothing.” In fact, Seth realized that’s what Lauren’s father had always done, or, rather, attempted to do. “If she doesn’t want to stay, she’ll have no trouble telling me no.”
Mitch chuckled. “Glad to hear you’re going in with a positive attitude.”
Seth fixed his gaze on Josh. “Call Stacie. Say whatever you need to say to get her out of that house. Lauren and I have some serious talkin’ to do.”
Chapter Eighteen
Lauren dumped a pile of shoes on the bed and tried not to listen to what was obviously a private conversation. Based on the ring tone, she knew Stacie was talking to her husband. Instead of chattering a mile a minute, her friend was doing an awful lot of listening. Lauren couldn’t wait to find out what was so fascinating.
Stacie set the phone down, her cheeks a bright pink. “That was definitely interesting.”
Pushing the shoes aside, Lauren plopped down on the bed. “What did he have to say?”
The pink darkened to a dusky rose. “He wants us to, uh, get together. Have some fun of the bedroom variety. He said he was coming to get me and didn’t even give me a chance to say yes or no.”
“You’re newlyweds. I’m sure he knows you’re interested.” Lauren fought back a pang of envy. “My only question is, why aren’t you waiting at the door?”
Stacie glanced around the bedroom cluttered with suitcases and clothes and shoes. “I promised to help you pack.”
“There’s still tonight If you’re not too worn out,” Lauren teased. When Stacie still hesitated, Lauren rose to her feet grabbed her friend’s arm and pushed her toward the door. “Go. If I had a husband who called me for a little afternoon delight you can bet I wouldn’t be standing here talking to my girlfriend.”
Stacie gave Lauren a quick hug. “I’ll be back soon.”
“Take your time,” Lauren said. “I’m not going anywhere.”
Today was a packing-and-tying-up-loose-ends day. Tomorrow she’d say her final goodbyes and hop a plane to Denver. Her friends still thought she’d be moving to Virginia, but after her talk with Seth, she’d done some serious thinking.
Just this morning she’d made her decision. Though King’s College was a well-respected institution, going there didn’t feel right. So she’d followed her gut and declined the offer.
After she received her PhD from the University of Denver, Lauren would decide where she wanted to settle. Not where her father thought was best, but a place that would feed her soul as well as allow her to best utilize all her skills.
Being in Sweet River had made her realize that for her, “success” wasn’t tenure at an Ivy League college or a list of publications in a scholarly journal. It was doing what she loved—teaching and counseling— while surrounded by people she loved.
In that respect, Sweet River would be a perfect place to settle. Her friends were here. She’d already started to build a practice. With the boom in Internet educational offerings, there might even be the possibility of teaching some online courses.
There was only one problem—Seth. While it was going to be hard to move away, Lauren knew it would be harder to stay. Seeing him, wanting him and knowing he could never be hers would be pure torture.
No, she had to leave. After she received her PhD she would look for another small town, one where she could feel part of a community. Where she could make friends and start to build a life. A life without Seth and Ivy.
Lauren was still lost in thought when she heard a light tapping followed by the front door creaking open. She blinked back the tears and hurried down the stairs, ready to set her friend straight. Stacie’s priority right now should be Josh. She could do her own packing, thank you very much.
She turned the corner with the words poised on her lips and skidded to a stop. “Seth. What are you doing here?”
Her gaze lingered on his face. On the strong masculine features. On the laugh lines and the worry lines. On the eyes that reflected honesty and integrity. A deep sorrow rose inside her. She couldn’t imagine ever loving another man as much as she loved him.
“You can’t leave me,” he said.
The desperation and pain in his voice told her
