Page 108 of The Best Thing He Never Wanted

He scowled. “Better not be Brody.” He hadn’t meant to say that out loud.

Bea’s eyebrows rose.

“Long story. He’s a good guy. We’ve known him forever. She had a thing for him when she was seventeen.”

“And?”

“And he was twenty-eight.”

“Ah.”

“Yeah.” He jerked his chin toward the horizon. “Don’t want to miss the last of the sun.”

~ ~ ~

Driving back to the house, Blane understood why Bea had wanted to get home before dark. There were no streetlights, few road markings, and plenty of places where steep drop-offs ran close beside the road. Even the last stretch, through the village and up the narrow, winding lane to the house, wasn’t difficult, but he hated the thought of her driving it alone. When he pulled through the gateway, he decided once and for all that he was going to get a damn gate hung there. It didn’t seem right to him that the opening stood empty like that.

Once he’d parked, Bea turned to him, looking a little concerned.

“What?”

“I was about to ask you the same thing. You’re obviously not happy about something, but I don’t want to joke in case this time it’s something serious.”

He deliberately drew his eyebrows together into a deep scowl.

She laughed and swatted at his arm. “Oh, good. I know that’s not a real scowl—so, it’s nothing serious, is it?”

“Matter of fact, it is.”

Her smile disappeared. “Oh no. What?”

“Just thinking about you driving these roads in the dark by yourself.”

There it went, that flash of sadness in her eyes again. He hadn’t meant to cause it, but there was no avoiding the fact that in a few more days he’d be gone and she’d still be here, driving these roads by herself.

He reached over and rested his hand on her shoulder. “I know, Bea. I hate it too. But I have to go.”

“I know. I’m sorry, and I didn’t say anything.”

“I know you didn’t. I didn’t mean to either, but…”

“It’s okay. You’re right. And honestly, Blane, you don’t need to worry about me driving in the dark, because I simply won’t.”

He nodded.

“I thought you’d be pleased.”

“I want to be, but I hate that it means you won’t be able to sit somewhere and watch the sunset.”

“I will. I’ll be able to watch it from right here.” She reached for the door handle. “Come on. Let’s go and get a drink, shall we? I wouldn’t mind another glass of wine, and I think you’ve more than earned yourself a glass of whiskey tonight, don’t you?”

“I don’t know about earned it, but I’ll take one, yeah.”

As soon as they got out of the SUV, something snagged at Blane’s attention. He stopped and looked around the courtyard. He couldn’t have said what was different, only that something was. Bea seemed to pick up on the change in him and came to his side.

“Do you think everything’s all right?”

“Probably.”