Emily gave her a grateful look. “I appreciate that. I really do. And I do understand the enormity of this opportunity. If there were no other considerations, I’d say yes in a heartbeat.”
Marilyn smiled. “So, it’ll take a few heartbeats before you have your answer. Talk it over with this man of yours. We can wait.”
“For a week,” Sophia said determinedly. “Not forever.”
“Then you’ll have my answer in a week,” Emily assured them.
That would give her time to think this through and to talk it over with Boone, though the phone was not the best way to do it. This conversation ought to be taking place face-to-face. Maybe she could squeeze in an overnight visit to North Carolina before she was due in Aspen to finish up the last-minute details at the ski lodge.
She and Boone had been meandering along, feeling their way as they explored the various paths that they could take to make this new relationship work. Maybe this was the push they needed to take that final leap into the future, she thought optimistically.
Or maybe, despite all his promises, it would be the thing that tore them apart forever.
* * *
Boone was on his cell phone pacing the dock outside of his restaurant when he saw Emily crossing the parking lot. Startled, he wrapped up his call and started her way.
“Hey, you,” he said, pulling her into his arms and holding her tightly. “Was I supposed to be expecting you?”
She laughed. “You mean my schedule hasn’t been programmed into your calendar?”
“Actually it has been, but I could swear you’re not due back until after that ski lodge opens.”
“Disappointed I’m here early?” she teased. “Don’t tell me you’re juggling me with another girl. Have I spoiled your plans?”
“Not a chance,” he said, then studied her closely. Despite the teasing note in her voice, her eyes seemed to be filled with worry. “Is something wrong? Cora Jane’s okay, isn’t she? I haven’t seen her for a couple of days, but I spoke to her yesterday. She didn’t mention any problems. Nor did she say a word about you coming home.”
“Grandmother’s fine and she didn’t know about this trip, either. I just had an unexpected break, so I decided to take advantage of it. I have to fly to Aspen tomorrow, though.”
“I thought you were down to the wire on the ski lodge,” he said, surprised that she’d been able to get away with that deadline so close. “What’s so important that you needed to fly in for one night?”
“Maybe I just missed you,” she said, a defensive note in her voice that warned him something serious was on the agenda.
“Everything’s on schedule for the lodge opening? Derek’s not freaking out?”
She laughed. “Of course he’s freaking out. It’s what he does. But it’s all good. I made sure of that before I came here.”
He still sensed something was wrong. “You’re happy with how it’s turned out?”
She smiled. “It’s going to be fabulous. I have pictures on my laptop. I’ll give you the ten-cent tour later, complete with before and after shots. You won’t believe the transformation.”
“I can’t wait.”
“You seemed pretty distracted when I got here. Is there a crisis of some kind that needs your attention?”
Since she didn’t seem inclined to reveal the reason for this unexpected visit, he accepted the change of subject. “I was on the phone with Pete. He’s been determined to fix that snag we ran into on the Charleston property. He’s handling it, but I probably should give him a call back. I’m not sure why he’s got his mind set on opening there, but if I don’t stay on top of this, he’s liable to make concessions I won’t be able to live with.”
“Then I’ll head on over to Grandmother’s and get settled.”
“Dinner tonight? I’ll throw some chicken on the grill, maybe see if Ethan wants to stop by.”
Emily frowned. “Do you really want Ethan around when we have so little time? Surely you aren’t still trying to keep B.J. from figuring out how serious things are between us. I thought that cat was out of the bag when he saw us kissing?”
“I was just thinking it would be nice to get together with Ethan,” Boone said defensively.
“Not this time, okay? We need to talk about something.”
Boone sucked in a breath. So, there was something on her mind, something that had brought her clear across the country. “Fine. I’ll invite him over another time,” he said. “But maybe you should tell me what’s going on.”
“Tonight will be soon enough. I’ll be over around six-thirty, if that’s good.”
Boone had a feeling he ought to keep her here now, settle this once and for all, but Pete’s call was still weighing on his mind. He also knew they weren’t likely to settle a single thing until they had more time together to explore their options and discuss how they each saw the future working out. Just as he had when he’d impulsively suggested they get married, he wondered if they weren’t going to spend so much time thinking things through that they never actually moved forward.
He also had a gut-deep feeling that Emily’s unexpected appearance here today was about a whole lot more than taking advantage of a break in her schedule. She was unmistakably tense, and if he knew her at all, that couldn’t mean anything good.
* * *
Cora Jane regarded her granddaughter with surprise. “Well, look who the cat dragged in. Thought you weren’t coming till closer to Christmas.”
Emily shook her head. “You and Boone!” she muttered.
