Chapter 28

28

MERRITT

T he café buzzed with the usual morning energy. The hum of the espresso machine was the equivalent of the clatter of keyboards or phones ringing back in the office. The first couple of days, it had been distracting, but now it was all very normal. I was able to tune it out.

And the espresso and croissants were damn good. I took a drink and quickly scarfed down the buttery pastry.

I had taken my usual spot in the corner by the window, laptop open, notepad ready. My second meeting of the day was scheduled to start in a few minutes. My gaze drifted out the window to the people walking by. My thoughts went to last night and him.

What was I doing?

I didn’t want to hurt him again. I felt horrible that I had caused him so much trouble. To think I had made an innocent woman miserable before her death weighed heavily on me. I couldn’t have known. I had no idea Kannon felt that way about me. He could have called. He could have reached out. Hell, he could have told me before I left town.

My laptop screen lit up with a notification. The video meeting was about to start. I adjusted my posture, straightened my sweater, and put on a practiced professional smile. I expected to see my client, but it wasn’t him.

It was supposed to be a breeze, a casual check-in with a long-time client, but the moment my boss, Ron, appeared on the screen, his expression told me otherwise. I assumed the client was late. My boss sometimes got on calls, so to see his face wasn’t a huge surprise, but his expression said there could be an issue.

“Ron? Hi. I wasn’t expecting to see you on the call.”

“Merritt, we’ve got a situation,” he began, his voice heavy.

I stiffened. “What kind of situation?”

“One of your accounts—Haven Interiors—is on fire.”

“Fire? Like literally?”

“No, no. Although that might be better than reality. Their latest project hit a roadblock, and they’re threatening to pull out completely.”

I closed my eyes and counted to three. “It can’t be that bad.”

“I’m afraid it is. How is it going there?”

I knew what he was asking. “It’s going. I still have some work to do on the house.”

He didn’t say anything, but he didn’t have to. I knew what was coming.

“I hate to ask, but we need you back in Miami. Just for three days,” he said, holding up a hand like it might soften the blow. “I know it’s an inconvenience, especially with everything going on in your personal life. I want to be respectful, but this is serious.”

“Three days,” I repeated, staring blankly at the screen. “Ron, I just?—”

“We’ll cover all the travel costs,” he interrupted, rushing to sweeten the deal. “First-class, if you want. You’ll be compensated generously. But you’re the only one who can fix this. You’ve built a rapport with their team that no one else has.”

I nervously tapped my fingers on the table, feeling overwhelmed. Miami. Three days. Leaving everything—leaving Kannon. The thought made my stomach twist. “Ron, I don’t think—there’s someone here I can’t leave behind. It’s, well, it’s hard to explain but it’s important.”

His brows lifted, and for a split second, I swore he looked amused. “Then bring them with you,” he offered. “We’ll cover his flight, too.”

I blinked at him. “Seriously?”

“Seriously.” He leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. “You’re worth it, Merritt.”

I wasn’t going to ask how he knew it was a man. I didn’t think Kannon would have any interest in going to Miami, but just in case.

“Fine,” I said, not trying to hide my reluctance. “I’ll be there.”

“Thank you, Merritt. We’ll see you soon.”

By the time we ended the call, my head was spinning. The idea of going back to Miami, even for just a few days, felt like stepping back into another life—one I wasn’t sure fit me anymore. I had only been in Dallas a couple of weeks but I felt different. I felt more like me. The old me. The real me.

I finished up some work. At least, I tried. My head wasn’t into it. I kept trying to figure out how I would pose the question to Kannon. Was it weird? Would he think I was trying too hard?

I packed up my things and decided to get back early in the hopes I could catch him before he left for the day.

On my way home, I called Lucia and Dominique on a three-way call. It was always easier to talk to both of them than try to repeat the same thing or to ask one of them to tell the other. Inevitably, one would get hurt feelings that I didn’t call them directly.

“Merritt!” Dominique shrieked. “Tell me you’re coming home.”

“Actually, yes, I am,” I said. “But only for three days.”

“That’s three whole days we get to see you,” Lucia added. “And, let’s be honest, I’ve missed you more than Dominique has.”

“As if,” Dominique shot back. “Well, she missed you so much she cried over that stupid candle you left behind.”

“It smelled like her!” Lucia argued.

“Anyway,” I cut in before they could really get going, “I’m thinking about asking Kannon to come with me.”

Dead silence.

“Wait, what?” Lucia finally asked. “ Kannon ?”

“The guy you’ve been pining over since middle school,” Dominique said, laughing.

“She’s done a lot more than just pine for him,” Lucia said. “Does this mean he’s no longer a meanie?”

“No.”

“Spill,” Dominique said. “What the hell have I missed? You’re bringing him to Miami with you, which means there is something going on.”

“I didn’t say I was bringing him with me,” I corrected. “I said I am going to ask him to come with me. At least, I was thinking about it, but I wanted your opinions.”

“We can’t give you an opinion until you explain how you went from thinking the guy was an asshole to inviting him home,” Lucia said. “Start talking, young lady. I know you two fooled around and he got mad when you started asking questions behind his back.”

“Did I miss a phone call?” Dominique asked. “Have you bitches been holding out on me? You fooled around with him?”

“And then we hooked up again,” I admitted, heat rising in my cheeks despite the privacy of my car.

Lucia let out an ear-piercing squeal. “I knew it! Details. Right now.”

“There are no details,” I said quickly, though my grin betrayed me. “We’re figuring things out. It’s a really long, complicated story.”

“You have to bring him,” Dominique said firmly. “I don’t care if you have to drag him onto the plane.”

“You think it’s a good idea?” I asked, biting my lip. “It feels big.”

“It is big,” Lucia said. “But you deserve something big, Merritt. Go for it.”

“You guys, he is a Texas boy. Always has been. I don’t know how this would work. I don’t even know if that’s what he wants. It was sex a couple of times. And he’s got a complicated past.”

“Because of his wife?” Lucia asked.

“What?!” Dominique screeched. “He’s married ?”

I wasn’t sure it was my place to talk about his late wife. But it was a big part of the story.

“Kannon was married for a couple of years,” I blurted out. “She died.”

The declaration was met with silence.

“Is he still in love with her?” Dominique finally asked.

“No. I don’t think so. Apparently, I was a problem in their marriage.”

“I thought you guys hadn’t talked in ten years,” Dominique said.

“We didn’t,” I said. “But he had feelings for me, and I didn’t know it. I didn’t know, but his wife did. It was a source of contention in their marriage.”

“Damn,” Lucia said. “Wrecking marriages from halfway across the country.”

“That’s heavy, Mer,” Dominique said. “But it also means something, right? Maybe now is the time for you guys to figure things out.”

I sighed, my thoughts a whirlwind. “Maybe. Or maybe it’s too late.”

“It’s never too late for love,” Lucia said in a tone that made it clear she believed every word. “Especially if there are still feelings there. And there clearly are.”

“I just don’t want to mess up what we’re starting to rebuild. What if bringing him to Miami scares him off?”

“Or it could bring you closer,” Dominique said. “You won’t know unless you try. It might do you both some good to get away from her ghost there.”

That wasn’t a terrible idea.

“You know what, you’re right,” I said. “I should at least give it a shot. The worst that can happen is he says no.”

“And who knows?” Lucia chimed in, her tone teasing, “Maybe Miami will be good for him too. After all, he’s been a Texas boy for too long. He could use some sunshine and palm trees.”

“Thanks, guys. I’ll text you when I get my flight information. Then we’ll plan to meet up.”

I felt better about my decision. I ended the call and practiced a few ways to make my proposition.

By the time I pulled into my driveway, I was starting to second-guess everything. The bike was gone and there weren’t any trucks in the street. When I walked inside and found the house empty, the disappointment hit harder than I expected. Kannon wasn’t here.

I wandered through the house, taking in the progress he and his crew had made. The new paint on the walls, the refinished floors—it was all starting to come together. Pausing at the living-room window, I looked out at the front yard and smiled at the memory of Kannon and me jumping into a pile of leaves when we were kids. I’d screamed bloody murder when I realized the pile was crawling with slugs. He had laughed so hard he fell over, only stopping long enough to peel the slimy invaders off my coat.

That had been the first time I’d wanted him to kiss me. We were thirteen, and even though we didn’t, the moment had stayed with me. That was one of the first times I saw him in a different light. He wasn’t just my teasing best friend. He was a very attractive boy who I developed a ridiculous crush on.

I shook off the memory and headed to the kitchen to start dinner. Again, I was glad I had bought new pans. The rhythmic chopping of vegetables and the sizzle of oil helped calm my nerves, but it wasn’t long before I heard the familiar downshift of a motorcycle engine. My heart skipped. I turned down the stove before rushing to the front door.

There he was, climbing off his bike. His dark hair had the infamous helmet thing going, but there was a smile on his face. I stood on the porch and waited for him to see me.

“Nice bike,” I said.

He looked up and grinned. “I fixed her up,” he said, patting the handlebars. “Took her for a ride, and, well, here I am.”

I grinned, leaning against the doorframe. “I’m making dinner. There’s enough for two.”

He followed me inside, the smell of the peppers and onions filling the space. “Smells good. What are you making?”

“Chicken fajitas. Quick and easy.”

“Sounds perfect.”

I opened the pack of tortillas and started to heat them up.

“So,” I began, keeping my tone casual. “I have to go to Miami. Day after tomorrow. Just for three days. My boss is covering the travel costs, and he even said I could bring someone with me.”

He leaned against the counter, watching me closely. “Are you asking me to go with you?”

“Yes,” I said, turning to meet his gaze. “But if you’d rather stay here and oversee the work, I understand. It’s just?—”

“I’m in,” he said, cutting me off.

I blinked. “Really?”

“Really,” he said, his lips quirking into a small smile. Relief washed over me, and I returned his smile. “A free trip to Florida is not something I’m about to turn down.”

I nodded. “Great. I’m excited to show you around.”

“Sounds good.”

“You’re going to love Lucia and Dominique. They’re—well, they’re always at each other’s throats, but they’d literally die for each other.”

He chuckled, crossing his arms. “Sounds like entertainment.”

“Oh, it is,” I said, laughing. “They’re going to love you. But don’t let them gang up on you. They’re a force.”

“I think I can handle it,” he said, his grin widening.

I couldn’t wait to see him in Miami, a piece of this new chapter blending with the old.