Carolina Breeze

by Denise Hunter

  There were certain responsibilities he couldn’t shed. His sisters. This inn.

  But Mia was new to his life. Clearly he wasn’t capable of maintaining a romantic relationship on top of his other responsibilities.

  Her words from that day in the library came back. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the time we have. They’d repeated themselves to him before. The time we have. She’d always looked at their relationship as a short-term thing. A summer romance. Somehow he’d forgotten that these past couple weeks. Allowed himself to believe it could be more.

  She’d never said anything to make him think she might’ve changed her mind. She had to go back to LA eventually, and then the relationship would die a natural death. He’d just need to end it a little sooner.

  He watched her through the window, admiring the joy on her face despite the difficult night. He ached inside at the thought of giving her up. Molly was right. He’d fallen for her in two short weeks. And now barely five weeks after meeting her, he was head over heels. It wasn’t logical, but it was true.

  Levi had been planning to tell her tonight that he loved her. And he realized now that could never happen.

  * * *

  Mia threw the sodden cardboard box into the trash pile and listened as Grace told the story of her worst day in high school. She had Molly and Mia in stitches with her dry delivery.

  Mia glanced at the window, catching Levi staring at her with an intense expression. He grasped the mantel with one hand, his shoulders sagging as if they held the weight of the world.

  She searched his face. But before she could decipher his expression something shifted in his eyes, and his lips lifted in an unconvincing smile.

  “Be right back,” Mia said as she came to her feet, her body aching from sitting so long. They’d decided she would stay in the girls’ room rent-free. She didn’t like freeloading off them, but she understood the legality of the situation.

  When she reached the living room, Levi was pulling off the rubber boots Erik had brought over. He set them on the fireplace hearth.

  He turned and gave her a placid smile. “We should probably head to bed. The rest can wait for morning.”

  She walked closer, studying him. He looked so weary. “Are you all right, Levi?”

  His gaze skittered around the inn, avoiding her gaze. “I’ll be fine. This is a little overwhelming, that’s all.”

  She could only imagine, considering what he’d confided earlier about the inn’s financial condition. “Of course it is. I’m so sorry this happened. How long do you think the repairs will take?”

  “I don’t know. Weeks. Months. Depends how busy the tradespeople are. And being summer, I imagine they’re pretty tied up already.”

  She wanted to wrap him in a big hug. He seemed like he needed one badly. But he also seemed unreceptive, which was unlike him.

  She set her hand on his arm instead. “One thing at a time. It’ll all work out.”

  His lips pinched together. “I should tell the girls to get some sleep.”

  She tightened her grip on his arm. “Wait.”

  He paused, meeting her gaze with eyes that looked very different from the ones that had gazed back at her this afternoon. These eyes were cooler. Sadder. Detached.

  Her chest squeezed tight, even as her heart punished her ribs. “Is there something else, Levi? I mean, I know this is a lot. But . . . are we all right? You seem . . . It seems like there’s a canyon between us suddenly, and I’m not sure why.”

  He flinched, then quickly offered her a benign smile. “I’m just tired. It’s after four o’clock. We’re all beat. Let’s get some sleep.”

  “It’s more than that.” The words were out before she had a chance to contemplate them. It was late—a terrible time to discuss important things. And yet she sensed this was important. And the way her heart was ready to rocket out of her chest she knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep.

  “Please.” She squeezed his arm. “Tell me what it is.”

  “Mia . . .”

  “Please, Levi. I’m already worried, and . . . just tell me.”

  Levi shifted, his gaze skittered away before returning to hers. “I’ve just got so much on my plate right now. I have too many responsibilities, too many people counting on me. And I’m letting them all down.”

  He was so hard on himself.

  “You’re doing better than you think.”

  “Reality would suggest otherwise. Mia . . . tonight’s made me realize that I need to make some tough decisions. I don’t have room in my life for a relationship right now, no matter how much I might . . .” He gave her a pained look. “I’ve really enjoyed getting to know you—more than you might realize.”

  Mia’s heart twisted. She resisted the urge to clutch at her chest. “This is awfully sudden.”

  “I’m sorry, but I just need to focus on my duties right now. I wish that weren’t the case. I hope you believe that.”

  “You’re just tired.” Her voice was a raspy whisper she hardly recognized. “You’ll feel differently in the morning.”

  His eyes went soft, and for one hopeful minute she thought he was going to take back everything he’d said.

  “I wish that were true, Mia. But I have a lot of responsibilities right now. Things I put my life in Denver on hold for—important things. And I’ve let all that slide lately because I was too busy—”

  “Entertaining me?” Mia removed her hand from his arm, her body going rigid.

  It was becoming real now, and all her defenses were rising to the surface. So much for trusting. So much for letting her guard down. Stupid!

  He opened his mouth, then closed it again. His hand enveloped hers. “I’ve enjoyed every moment we’ve spent together. I don’t regret getting to know you, Mia. It’s been . . . I’ll never forget you.”

  She pulled her hand away, her eyes burning, her throat swelling. “It’s fine. Of course it’s fine. I’ll be out of your hair in the morning.” She turned to go.

  “You don’t have to go, Mia,” Levi called.

  Oh, she thought as she took the stairs one last time. But I do.

  forty-one

  Levi sopped up the excess water around the suite’s hearth with a towel. He hoped the efforts would help minimize damage to the original fireplace. It had been constructed with stone from the mountains surrounding Bluebell Lake. He could already see some loose grout between the lower stones, but that was repairable.

  He’d encouraged his sisters to go to bed a while ago. Thanks to their bedroom’s location on the other side of the stairwell, theirs had been the only one upstairs untouched by water. Earlier he’d heard the floors creaking with their movements, but all was quiet now.

  As tired as he was, he hadn’t let himself stop. There were three women in the house, and they were all mad at him for different reasons. That took a special kind of talent.

  He worked on things that could’ve waited till morning. He pulled the baseboard from the walls, drying them with towels. He hoped they could be salvaged with a little TLC.

  And now he worked on the fireplace. He moved around the hearth, hunching over it, blotting the lower stones. His body worked at the task while his head spun with thoughts of Mia. Of the look that had come over her face when he’d explained his situation.

  Disbelief. Raw hurt and vulnerability.

  That was the image he couldn’t erase from his memory. He hadn’t known how much pain it would cause him to hurt her. He’d considered recanting for just a moment. But then he thought of his sisters. His parents. His deathbed promise to his father. A sacred promise he’d sooner die than break.

  But that look on her face. He closed his eyes for a long second, gritting his teeth, wishing it away. But when he opened them again it was still there. He was just failing all the way around, wasn’t he?

  Along with everything else he’d lost, he’d had to give up the only woman he’d ever loved to take care of sisters who apparently didn’t even want his help.

&
nbsp; An angry cloud of billowing steam built up inside, making his face heat. His body broke out into a sweat. He smacked a stone with his palm. His flesh stung, and he welcomed the pain.

  He’d displaced the stone. Great. He frowned at it. Now he’d broken the fireplace. He pushed the piece back into place, but it was looser than he’d anticipated. Probably needed more grouting. He pulled it out and set it on the hearth, surprised by its shallow depth. He glanced back at the space left by the rock’s displacement, his eyes sharpening on the cavity.

  There was something tucked back in there. A wad of trash. Or fabric. Frowning, he reached in and pulled it out. It was cheesecloth, he thought, though why anyone would stuff it back there, he couldn’t imagine. Dust and grit floated down as he unfolded the material.

  Then he noticed its weight. Its bulk. There was something solid inside. His heart jittered. His clumsy fingers reached the end of the fabric, and his breath caught at the prize nestled inside.

  Hanging from a delicate gold chain was a stunning blue jewel. He stared at the necklace for a full minute.

  The blue diamond.

  The gem was still dazzling, having been covered and protected from the elements. Dorothy Livingston had indeed hidden her precious necklace in a safe spot. No one had found it in all these years—even those who’d been looking for it. It had been resting here all along, untouched.

  A smile broke loose, and he leaped to his feet. He couldn’t wait to tell—

  Mia.

  His smile fell. She was in bed, fast asleep. And she was angry with him—not that he could blame her.

  He stared down at the exquisite piece of jewelry, suddenly remembering its value. He was no expert, but it had to be a carat or two. How ironic that the disaster that had fallen on the inn tonight had also exposed the very thing that could save it.

  The money would be more than enough to tide them over until they could house guests again. They could even offer a full-fledged restaurant, like Molly wanted, and raise their salaries past minimum wage level. Best of all, he wouldn’t have to worry about losing his parents’ legacy. They’d already been on an upward trajectory all summer, with his marketing and the publicity, courtesy of Mia’s presence.

  Mia.

  He looked through the doorway to the hall that led to the room where she was bedded down. He remembered everything she’d divulged to him today. Remembered the longing on her face, the loneliness, as she talked about her family. Her father. She’d come here searching for her roots.

  Then his eyes fell to the necklace, taking in its design. The style reflected a bygone era. It was old. It was an heirloom.

  Mia’s heirloom.

  forty-two

  Mia woke as a ray of light broke through the slit in the drapes. She closed her eyes against the brightness, last night rushing back. It had taken forever to get to sleep, and a soul-deep weariness lingered even now.

  But it wasn’t really lack of sleep causing her body to feel weighted to the bed. No, she’d suffered worse nights.

  It was Levi’s sudden rejection.

  Even now, in the hope of a new morning, she was devastated. Her eyes felt swollen from the quiet tears she’d cried. She wanted to leave, go home, even if it meant facing the public scrutiny and scandal she’d left behind. That would be easy compared to being near the man who’d ravaged her heart.

  She should never have let herself get involved with Levi. What had she been thinking? She lived in California, and he lived in the wilds of North Carolina. It was never going to work. Had always been destined for failure. And yet she’d gone and made herself vulnerable. She’d gone and fallen in love with him.

  The breakup with Wes seemed like child’s play in comparison. And it was her own darn fault. She’d allowed herself to open up to Levi in a way she never had with Wes. She’d taken the risk, allowed him to know her—the real her.

  And he’d dumped her. As if their relationship was disposable. As if she were disposable. And once again, for the umpteenth time, she felt unwanted and unworthy. As if she weren’t enough. As if she were undeserving of love.

  Oh, she understood why she felt this way. After all, if her own father, her flesh and blood, could abandon her, who would ever stay? But that head knowledge didn’t quite translate to her heart. The heavy feeling inside weighted her lungs, making her breaths cumbersome.

  She needed to get out of here.

  On the other twin bed Molly still slept. Grace snored lightly from a pallet on the floor.

  Mia grabbed her phone and began checking flights. A last-minute flight on a holiday weekend was expensive, but she couldn’t stay here another day. She selected a flight for the evening and purchased the ticket.

  The bed squeaked quietly as she left it. She went into the bathroom, dressed, and gargled with mouthwash. There was no water for a shower, so she swept her hair back into a ponytail and slid on a ball cap.

  She began packing up her things. Levi, Molly, and Grace had insisted that Dorothy’s journal rightfully belonged to her, so she tucked it into her carry-on bag. She’d reread it when she got home. It gave her a little comfort to know she’d always have a little piece of her grandparents.

  She was just zipping her bag when Molly began stirring. Just as well. Mia wanted to say good-bye.

  “Where you going?” Molly asked, her voice scratchy.

  “I think it’s time I go home and face my mess.”

  “But what about . . . what about Levi?”

  Mia gave her a wan smile. “We broke up last night.”

  Molly gasped. “What? Are you okay?”

  “I’ll be fine.” But judging by the tears swelling her throat she wondered if that were true. She thought of Levi. Of all his burdens and the flood on top of it all.

  A wave of concern washed over her, crushing in its force. “Look out after your brother, okay? He’s got a lot on his plate.”

  Molly looked a little sheepish. “Right. I will.”

  “What time is it?” Grace grumbled. “And why are people talking?”

  “Mia’s leaving,” Molly said. “You need to say good-bye.”

  Grace squinted open an eye. “Seriously? You’re leaving now?”

  “The rumor is true,” Mia said lightly. “And I want you both to know how much I appreciate your hospitality. It’s been . . .” She swallowed back the tears. “You’ve been great. I hope you’ll keep in touch.”

  Molly came forward for a hug. “I don’t want you to leave. You’ve become a good friend.”

  “Here come the waterworks.” Grace stood, tugging down her cow-print pajamas.

  Mia leaned back to glimpse Molly’s face and saw that Grace was right. “I’ll miss you.”

  “Me too,” Molly said. “Don’t be a stranger.”

  Grace gave Mia a swift hug, minus the tears. “You’re not what I expected.”

  A chuckle gurgled from Mia’s constricted throat. That was a compliment in Grace-speak. “You’re pretty great too.”

  “Bye, guys,” Mia said as Grace disengaged from the hug.

  Then she grabbed her things and left the room before she embarrassed herself. She breathed in. Breathed out. It was hard saying good-bye to her new friends. They didn’t feel like new friends. They felt like sisters of her heart.

  And the hardest part was still ahead. One wimpy part of her hoped to sneak out without seeing Levi. He might still be in bed, after all.

  But that wasn’t right. If she were going to get any closure at all it would have to be now. And despite the deep wound he’d inflicted, she knew he hadn’t wanted to end things. He just felt like he couldn’t manage a relationship with her on top of everything else he had going on.

  Despite the hurt, she had to respect that. He saw his limitations and wanted to prioritize his life.

  She just wasn’t a priority.

  A vise tightened around her heart, squeezing until an ache bloomed in her chest. She closed her eyes against the pain as she worked her way down the stairs.

  S
he could get through this with her dignity intact. Without causing additional harm to either of them. And she didn’t want to hurt Levi. Especially when she remembered the weary look on his face last night. The way he’d seemed to age ten years in one day. This wasn’t easy for him either.

  She stopped at the bottom of the stairs, listening. Normally, Della would be making noises in the kitchen. Often Mia could hear clanking silverware and the chatter of guests enjoying breakfast in the dining room. And always she could smell the delicious aroma of baking muffins.

  Not today though.

  Then she honed in on the muted sound of Levi’s voice and caught sight of him on the porch. He was pacing, talking on the phone.

  She exited the front door, her bags in tow, blinking against the beam of sunlight that hit her face.

  Levi turned, his eyes catching on her, phone still held to his ear.

  She suddenly felt exposed, the morning light no doubt highlighting her tired, bloodshot eyes. But a quick scan of Levi’s face showed she wasn’t the only one who hadn’t slept well.

  “Okay. Thanks. See you then.” Levi tapped a button and looked back at her, at her bags, his face falling. “You don’t have to go, Mia.”

  She gave him a sad smile. “Yes, I do.”

  He seemed to weigh her words. A shadow flickered in his jaw. Then he gave a small nod. “You need that floatplane?”

  “I scheduled a flight out of Charlotte.”

  “A ride to the airport then?”

  She couldn’t tell whether it was hope or dread on his face. Maybe both. She was feeling the same way herself. “I have a car coming.”

  “Right.” Disappointment flickered in his eyes.

  That shouldn’t make her feel better, but it did. “What are you going to do? About the inn?”

  He lifted a heavy shoulder. “It’s officially closed until the repairs are complete. The insurance adjuster will come tomorrow. I’m sure it’ll work out fine.”

  But she knew being shut down in the middle of peak season was going to be devastating for a business that was already struggling. “How long do you think the repairs will take?”