Chapter 13

Morgan held her breath, waiting for Quinn to announce if she was taking the job in Naples, Florida. Although, deep down, she already knew the answer. It was a no-brainer.

“I’m taking the job,” she blurted out.

“Good for you.” Morgan could barely get the words out. The realization her bestie would no longer be by her side, her partner in crime, right there during so many hard, difficult and heartbreaking moments in her life, was staring her in the face. “Congratulations and believe me when I say this makes me feel absolutely sick to my stomach.”

“I know.” Quinn hiccupped. “It makes me feel sick too, but I don’t want to end up kicking myself and regretting not taking the job.”

“We both know there’s a good chance you would. No one wants to live with regrets. I guess this means I’ll have to plan trips to come and see you.”

“Ditto for me. I’ll be spending my vacations heading north,” Quinn promised.

“What will you do about your car? It’s parked in the garage.”

“I’ll have to fly up to get it and drive it back to Florida. Although I won’t be able to stay long.”

“I understand. Once you get settled in at your new job, I’ll come down to visit.”

“Thanks, Morgan, for always being my sounding board. Even though we won’t be by each other’s side, you know I’m here day or night if you need to talk.”

“Same for you. We’ll still be close, still be there for each other, no matter how many miles we have between us.”

“You’re right,” Quinn agreed. “Mom and Dad are going to freak out when I tell them. I’m pretty sure they were thinking I was going to turn it down.”

“I bet.” A twinge of sadness pinched Morgan’s heart. What she wouldn’t give to see her mother, to hear her voice, to tell her how much she loved her. It seemed the people she cared most about were slipping away and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

“Are you sure you’re okay?” Quinn knew Morgan all too well, could hear the sadness in her voice.

“Yeah. I’m fine. It’s going to be fine.” Morgan said it as much to Quinn as she did to herself. The wheels had been put into motion. Her best friend was taking a new path in her life, a path heading in the opposite direction. “Keep me posted. Send me pictures when you find your gorgeous, super awesome apartment in Naples.”

“With a water view if I can swing it,” Quinn said. “You’ll be my very first guest.”

“I better be.”

“Please don’t say anything to Brett. I want to tell him myself.”

“Of course. My lips are sealed. I think the longer you’ve been gone, the more he suspects there’s a chance you won’t be coming back, or at least to live here full time.”

“I’m almost relieved. It wasn’t fair to leave him hanging. Between you and me, I think I was falling too hard and too fast for him,” Quinn confessed.

“And it scared you?”

“Yep.”

“A lot has gone on around here. The Easton family can be too much, even without trying,” Morgan joked.

“Looking back, I didn’t realize how involved I let myself become,” Quinn said. “I should track down Mr. Odell and let him know I’ve made my decision.”

Morgan wished her luck and ended the call. She sat staring at her cell phone, her heart breaking. It would never be the same. She knew over time, the two would grow apart. Quinn would make new friends. Life would get busy. The calls and visits would become fewer and farther in between.

She tracked down Chester, grabbed her jacket and they headed across the street to the shoreline, the one place Morgan found solace, to clear her head.

Elizabeth and Gerard would marry soon. Her grandmother would be splitting her time between Easton Estate and Gerard’s place. She seemed happy…happy with the direction her life was taking. But marrying meant she would no longer be close by. Even if she was, Morgan was determined to give the newlyweds space — time to adjust to married life.

“I would give everything to have you here, Mom.” A lone tear trailed down her cheek, and she hastily swiped it away. More than anything, she wished she could talk to her mother, process the changes taking place.

It seemed as if, from almost the moment she returned from her business trip, Morgan’s world started falling apart and there was nothing she could do to stop it.

Locke Pointe’s reservations were tanking. Amber Marais was chasing after Wyatt. Quinn wasn’t coming back, at least not to live. How much worse could it possibly get?

Unfortunately, Morgan would soon find out.