Page 74 of Keeping it Local

She flushed, starting in her face, and it radiated down to her chest. “He said he needed to talk.”

“Tonight? Of all nights?”

“Yeah, he asked to come down here when he texted last week, but I told him not to. Obviously, he came anyway.” She bit her lip.

“What did he want to talk about?” I tried to remain calm, my heart clenching.

She shook her head. “He doesn’t think I should be here. Thinks I need to get back home where I’m needed. Wants to get back together.”

“That makes sense,” I said, focused on ending this conversation as quickly as possible.

She reared her head back. “No, that’s not what I want—at least, not him.” She shook her head. “I don’t think of him that way anymore. It’s been years since we were really good together. I told him it would never work.”

“You look good together,” I said. “Clearly, he still has feelings for you. Otherwise, he wouldn’t make this big effort.”

“What are you talking about?” she asked.

“In a few days, you’re moving back to Randall. It’ll be pretty convenient for you both since you’ll be living in the same small town. He already works for the farm. You have the history. You should tell him you’ll give it a shot.”

It pained me to say this, but I needed to push her away. I needed to protect myself. It was the only way.

Beth narrowed her eyes at me. “It’s not what I want. I thought⁠—”

“Thought what? That we’d stay together? How would that even work? Your work and family are up there. Mine is here. There’s no way around that. Even if we tried staying together, it would just prolong the inevitable. It’s ridiculous.” I knew I was being callous and gruff, but it needed to be this way. I couldn’t have any questions about it. I needed to rebuild my wall that had dropped the last few months. I watched as she took in my curt words.

She snapped her head back. “It’s not ridiculous. I know we didn’t mean for this to happen with us, but it has. I have feelings for you. Strong feelings. I don’t want to give that up. Do you?”

Her eyes were wide, with tears threatening to fall behind them. Her pink lips parted. Of course, I didn’t want to give that up. But I didn’t have a choice. I wasn’t going to go through the same thing as I had three years ago when, clearly, she had an easy choice in front of her, and she needed to take it.

“I think you should take him up on his offer.” I stood up and put my hands in my pocket. “Sounds like a good plan. You’ve got it all figured out up there.”

“No, I don’t want that. I want this.” She took a breath, and one silent tear rolled down her freckled cheek. “I want you.” She paused, clearing her throat. “I’m tired of people telling me what I should and should not want. I decide—not him, not you. Not my parents.”

My heart pounded, and I took a step back. “I can’t do this, Beth. I’m not going to stand in the way of what you need—what your family needs. This was only a summer thing, anyway.” I needed to push her away before something worse happened to me.

“But—” She reached out her arm, and I took another step back.

“Goodbye, Beth. I’m sure everything will work out at home.”

I turned, leaving her in the dimly lit marina park. My breath hitched in my throat. This was what was best for both of us.

Even if she didn’t see it now, it was the right thing to do. There was no use stringing each other along.

As I made it to my truck, I rested my head against the steering wheel. In a few days, she wouldn’t live here anymore, and I could move on.

It would be easier. Simpler. I was sure of it.

Chapter 27

Beth

The next few days went by in a blur.

That evening, I went back home and crumpled into bed, not even taking off my makeup or brushing my teeth. The next day, I helped Mary wrap everything up at the shop. I turned in my final project for class, and I packed up the car. It felt like every last piece of my life was piled in my Jeep, and it felt wrong to leave Port St. Clair. It was like trying to break a magnetic pull the town seemed to have on me.

I leaned against the hood of the car, looking back to the little house I’d come to call home over the last few months.

“Come here,” Megan said, pulling me in for a tight hug that I felt through my bones. “I’m so sorry it had to end like this. Instead of celebrating a great festival season, you’re leaving in tears.”