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What?

Why would you mention his hands?

I flushed iht with amusement and not a little bit of flirtation “You have no idea”

Andasm

Andrew cleared his throat in an atte match between me and Cooper It worked I turned to him, shamefaced

“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” he said

No

“Cooper Lawson” Cooper held out his hand to him

Andrew stared at it a ht then I’d slap hihed inwardly when he did “Dr Andrew Livingston”

I saw Cooper visibly tense before he shot me a now very not auilty even though I hadn’t invited Andrew to Hartwell

“Well, it was nice tohis aroing”

I allowed hi only worsened when I looked back to find Cooper staring after us And he was definitely not a happy handyman

As Andrew and I strolled back to the inn I had to fight the urge to run back to Cooper, to explain, even though I kneas for the best if he started to hate me

But I didn’t want him to hate me

Yet he was probably back there fixing those steps, frustrated with me, while other women drooled over him They were probably all way less complicated than I was and—

Stop!

I was in knots And it had to stop First I had to deal with Andrew

“Why are you really here?” I finally got up the courage to ask as alked up the porch steps to the inn

He pushed open the door but stopped to face me as we stood inside the eed our relationship Into an actual relationship No iventoo old for our ridiculous behavior It’s time to settle down”

The thought made me feel equal amounts of panic and irritation It was just like him to make this momentous decision without me

I’d just openedin fro so I thought you, Tom, and I could take Andrew out for drinks at Cooper’s”

The thoughtthis? “I don’t think—”

“I need a scotch after the day I’ve had,” Andrew said, apparently not registering Cooper’s name in what she’d said “Why don’t we take a nap before that?”

As in sex

Nope

I just couldn’t, I realized

“Why don’t you go nap”—I handed him my room key—“and I’ll meet you back here in a bit I pro at her store”

I was gone before he could protest

In fact, I’d never moved quicker in my life

While I was pulling ift store owned by Bailey’s friend was open It hadn’t been open thatwhen I’d passed

Dahlia must be back

As soon as I could, I really wanted to hly of her

Except you are leaving soon So why does it matter?

Slipping my shoes off, I walked down from the boards onto the beach I didn’t stop until I’d found a quiet spot on the south end of the mile, away from the view of the inn and from other tourists

I sat down on the sand and pressed speed-dial number 1 on my phone

After a few rings, Matthew picked up “Jess, everything okay, sweetheart?”

I immediately relaxed at his voice “Is this a bad time?”

“No, I’ood What happened? Last tireat time”

“What if being a doctor doesn’t actually make me happy? What if I’ve just convinced myself it does? What do I do?”

“Oh, God, JessI’ve told you beforeyou do what makes you happy”

“Isn’t it ridiculous, though, to be questioning this at thirty-three years old?” I laughed at the absurdity of it “I feel so fucking lost, Matthew”

He was silent for a while and then: “You’ve been lost for a long time, Jessica”

The mere mention of the past made me clam up I didn’t talk about it, not even with Matthew, the only person who knew the truth

He sighed aton”

“I need to know,” I said, the words co to say, “that if I decide to start over soht now I feel crazy even considering it”

“Okayare we talking about starting over in Hartwell?”

I shrugged and then remeuess what’s iton I keep fighting with that truthexcept it is the truth I thought things were going the way they should”—the way I deserved—“but row the fuck up and live the life I want, right?”

“Yes,” he said vehemently “God, yes, Jess”

“Ithe woood doctor to them”