AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“She doesn’t love me, at least not in that way.”
“Did she tell you that?”
“No, but—”
“Butts are for sitting and not for lame excuses.”
Milo couldn’t help himself, he laughed. Mrs. Garrick always had a way with words.
“You need to tell her.”
“I can’t.”
“Oh, but you can. You just don’t want to, which if you ask me, is foolish and depriving yourself of true happiness.”
Harper had always wanted a life that was more than Morgan’s Bay, and Milo was everything that made up their small town.
“Or taking my true happiness away.” He tried to be positive, but sometimes he had to play devil’s advocate. “If I tell her, and she doesn’t feel the same way, things between us will change. I can’t lose her. I’d rather keep my feelings to myself for the rest of my life than risk our friendship.”
Mrs. Garrick’s hand slowly reached out and grasped hold of his. Her hand was brittle, and he was afraid if he moved, he might shatter her bones. “Sweetie, you will only live to regret it.”
If there was only a way, he could make Harper see that staying in Morgan’s Bay didn’t make her a failure. That she could still be everything she ever wanted to be and have everything she ever wanted right in their hometown.
“Do you have any regrets?”
Mrs. Garrick’s gaze moved across the beach to Isla. “My only regret is that I won’t get to see my granddaughter walk down the aisle or have children of her own.”
“You might not be here, but you’ll see her. Wherever it is you wind up, I’m sure you’ll find a way to be front and center, cheering her on the entire way.”
A slight smile formed on her sunken face. “Damn straight.” Silence spread between them, the sound of the waves crashing into the shore filling the void. “You’ll watch after her, won’t you?”
“You know I will.”
“I know. Just feel better saying it out loud.” She exhaled; her breath not as smooth as it once was. “These girls are lucky to have you in their lives. We all are. I never thanked you for taking me to so many doctor appointments when I didn’t have the strength to drive.”
“It’s my job.”
“Except the charges never went through on my credit card.”
Milo ran a business, but he also had enough money to keep him afloat. He wasn’t going to charge Mrs. Garrick to bring her to an appointment that was dire to her health. He just couldn’t do it.
“You would have done the same. At the end of the day, we’re a community, and we help each other out.”
“It’s nice to hear the younger generation carrying our values.”
“My parents raised me right.”
“While I don’t doubt that—your parents are both lovely people—it also has a lot to do with the individual. Take Harper for example. Her father took off, and let’s be honest, Judy hasn’t always been the best parental figure, but that girl… she’s good right down to the bone. If she could only see it for herself.”
“I’ve tried to tell her, but she’s stubborn.”
“Sometimes a stubborn heart needs a little more convincing.”
“Unless I smack her over the head with it, I’m not sure there’s much more I can do in the way of convincing.”
“Do me a favor.”
“Anything.”
