Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 101466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 101466 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 507(@200wpm)___ 406(@250wpm)___ 338(@300wpm)
Unable to resist, I opened the letters. There weren’t many of them since Lou and Gerard were together most of the time, but they were filled with passages of love and longing. He wrote her poetry, praising her beauty, missing her deeply. She drew him little pictures, always expressing her love in every note.
When my tears finally dried, I opened the boxes. A pretty set of pearls, creamy and rich, was in the one box, the note inside filled with the love of a groom for his bride on their wedding day. I stroked the smooth surfaces carefully, the circles cool under my touch.
The other box contained two rings. Simple bands nestled side by side, the gold dull from disuse. Lou never wore jewelry, and I fancied that she’d decided her ring should be with his rather than on her finger.
I stared at the treasure I had found. Her life. Her memories. I had no idea a love like that could exist in real life. One so deep and intense she never loved another. One so painful she never spoke of it. One so binding she chose to live where he rested simply to be close until she could join him.
I knew her ashes were in a small urn at the funeral home. Sims told me there were instructions for them, and they would be followed. Then he paused and said, “Lou hopes you figure it out. It would mean more.”
I didn’t understand him at the time.
And now I did.
I sat back, emotional and exhausted. I only ever knew Lou as the older, fun-loving “aunt.” Always smiling, laughing, eager to have an adventure and play with me. I wondered sadly if she had lived if we would have opened this box together and she would have told me her story. I had so many questions I would have loved to get answers for. In her journal, at the back, she had tucked a photo of them together. Her with her youthful beauty, and him, older, serious, but looking at her with so much love it hurt my chest. She looked so joyous. Complete. I wished there were more pictures, then remembered Jesse said he had a box that was labeled pictures he would bring over.
I sighed as I recalled him earlier. I was supposed to see him tomorrow at the station. How would he react to me? Would he be cold and removed? Friendly but distant?
I glanced at the photo album, picking it up and reading the little note Lou had written beside the picture of her in the blue polka-dot dress.
“Pure magic,” she wrote. “G couldn’t take his eyes off me.”
I knew who G was now. I looked at the dress lying on the chair, pursed my lips. An idea beckoned, but I shook my head.
It would never work.
My eyes returned to the note.
Pure magic.
Maybe that was what I needed.
Chapter Twenty-Four
JESSE
Iwiped down the last truck, grunting in satisfaction. It gleamed. Everything in the station did, ready for the open house in a few hours. We had all worked to make sure it was sparkling.
Beside me, Miller sat in the sun, his back to me. He wasn’t as happy being at the station this time. His cat friend wasn’t with him. I had told him in the truck to get used to it.
“She’s not staying, boy. They’ll be gone before you know it,” I informed him, my voice sounding bitter, even to my ears.
Why I was bitter, I had no idea. She had agreed to the rules. My rules.
Our conversation from the other night kept playing in my head. We had agreed not to see other people. Again, something I brought up and she agreed to.
I was having a passionate, incredible affair with my tenant. No strings attached and a time limit since she planned on leaving in a few months or more. Sex was unbelievable. Talking to her was pleasurable—she was intelligent and funny. I even liked sleeping beside her. And although I complained, I liked being the one who was around when she needed help. It made me feel good.
And we did it all under wraps. No one knew.
So why was I so pissed off about the whole thing?
I shut my eyes and shook my head. I had left the house without saying goodbye. Warning her to stay out of trouble. I let her think I was annoyed with her about the garden boxes when I wasn’t. I took Miller with me instead of leaving him the way I’d planned since she felt better with him around. I hadn’t checked in. No texts, no teasing, nothing. And I’d barely slept all night worrying about her. But I stayed silent, not reaching for my phone.
I was acting like the asshole she no doubt thought I was right now.
And I had no idea why.