Page 71 of The Candle Palace (Jamison Valley 6)
“Are you fucking kidding me?” Milo flew off the couch. “Your mom is a piece of work. Did she bail Denny out of jail?”
I shook my head. “Not yet.”
“That’s something, at least,” he muttered.
I leaned back on the couch, letting my eyes wander over the ceiling. “What am I going to do? I quit my job. My mother is dating a man who I hate with every fiber of my being. My brother is a drug addict who just crashed his truck into my childhood home. Everything is falling apart.”
Everything except Milo.
He’d been my constant, staying close all morning. His hands were always there to give me a reassuring touch. Those eyes I loved so much and his handsome smile were there whenever I needed to borrow some strength to keep the tears at bay.
“What should I do?” I asked, sitting up to give him my full attention.
“With everything that happened yesterday, I didn’t get to tell you about my calls.”
“And I forgot to ask. Sorry.”
“Don’t be.” He rubbed my knee. “I have to be back to work in a week. At least, Jess would like me back in a week. I’m sure I could stretch it to two.”
“A week.” That wasn’t enough time. Was this supposed to be good news? Because his tone made this sound like good news, but the idea of him leaving in a week was close to the worse thing I’d heard today and I’d heard some doozies from Mom. “How mad would Jess be if you made it two?”
“I don’t think we need two.” When I frowned, he grinned. “Hear me out. I talked to Maisy yesterday too.”
“She answered?”
“Yeah. We talked for about an hour. Mostly, I listened to her unload. She’s having a hard time right now but she’ll be okay. She’s tougher than she believes she is.”
“Crazy damn doctors,” I muttered.
Milo chuckled. “Here’s the thing. She’s not going back to work. She can’t be in that hospital again.”
“Okay.” My heart began to race. I knew where this conversation was headed.
“Come with me.” Milo took my hand, pressing it between his. “Come with me to Montana. I already called the hospital and they want to interview you. We can spend the next week packing. Get this place emptied out to rent or sell. Whatever you want. But Sara, I don’t want to live two states apart. I don’t want to go to sleep without you in my arms at night.”
I didn’t want that either. The idea of limiting our relationship to long-distance phone calls made my stomach churn.
But . . .
Could I move to Montana? Was I really considering this? How could I leave Mom and Denny at a time like this? How could I give up the condo Dad had bought me?
“This is huge.”
“My feelings for you are huge. I love you, Sara. Come to Prescott with me.”
There were a hundred reasons to say no. A thousand doubts in the corners of my mind. A million butterflies in my stomach. But one question popped into my head and I knew the answer instantly.
What would Dad say?
Go, Sara.
“Okay.” I smiled. “Let’s go.”
“Sara.” Milo touched my shoulder.
I sucked in a sharp, waking breath, sitting up and forcing my heavy eyelids open. “Huh?”
“You’d better wake up.”
