Read, Write, Love at Seaside(84)

“Wes called me the other day. We’re going to try to get together soon.” Josh turned to Kurt. “Luke is your age, Kurt, and his older brother, Wes, owns a dude ranch just outside of Trusty.”

“I look forward to meeting them,” Kurt said. “I’d imagine it’s hard to coordinate everyone’s schedules.”

“Life moves fast and changes often,” Hal said. “Yes, sir. When your children settle into their lives, it’s a good feeling.”

Jack crossed his ankle over his knee. “It’s a great feeling, Hal. I’m a lucky man to have met Savannah.”

Hal set his dark eyes on Jack. “She’s lucky, too, Jack. You’re a good man. Your father raised you boys right. And your sister, of course. She’s a nice gal, that Siena. She and Savannah are like two peas in a pod.”

“You can say that again,” Kurt said.

Hal lifted his chin toward Kurt. “You’re heading back to New York tomorrow?”

“Yes, that’s right. I’m meeting with my agent Monday; then it’s back to real life. I’ve been gone all summer, so there’s a lot of catching up to do.” Catching up. With what? Kurt usually craved getting back on schedule after spending time away from home. Now his muscles corded tight at the thought of returning home instead of going back to the Cape to be with Leanna.

“Did I hear a rumor that your little lady is moving in with you?” Hal crossed his thick arms over his chest and smiled.

Kurt’s stomach clenched. “That was the plan, but she’s been offered a contract for her business, and it looks like she’ll be staying at the Cape.” He tried to keep the disappointment from his voice, but even he could hear the thread of sorrow.

“Staying? When did this happen?” Jack narrowed his eyes.

“Yesterday.” Kurt rubbed his hands on his thighs to try to calm his nerves.

“Yesterday? Why didn’t you tell me? Are you okay with this?”

No. “Sure. I mean, I have to be. When I met Leanna, she told me she was trying to get this business off the ground. I’d have to be a pretty selfish guy to ask her not to do it.” He scrubbed his face with his hand and sighed. “I want her to be happy.”

“And what about you?” Hal asked.

“Me?”

“Yes, son. What about you? Are you happy with the woman you love miles away?” Hal held his gaze.

Kurt shook his head. “No, but I’m a big boy. Until I met Leanna, I wrote seven days a week. Now I’ll write five days a week and I’ll spend my weekends with her at the Cape.”

“If my Adriana were in another state when she was alive, I think I’d have lost my mind,” Hal said with a serious shake of his head. “No sir. My heart wouldn’t have been able to handle knowing she was living hours away when I could have been with her.”

“I didn’t even make it one night away from Savannah when we came back from the mountains after we first met,” Jack reminded Kurt. “Have you considered moving there? To the Cape?”

“Sure. I’ve gone through all the options. I could move there, but you know my life is in New York. Our whole family is there, Jack, and my agent, my public relations rep, my friends.” Friends? More like acquaintances. “What would I do with my house? What about Mom and Dad? They’re getting older, and I’m the closest one to them. Since I work from home, I can be there in case of an emergency.” He’d been going over this in his head for hours, and there was something that he wasn’t admitting to Jack. He barely admitted it to himself. Kurt hated change. It was that simple. He lived his life in a methodical fashion, and that kept him focused and comfortable. Leanna had thrown his world off balance, and he’d found that it took him only opening his heart to her to find his balance once again, this time with Leanna by his side. But that was when she was coming into his world. Could he give up the safety net he’d created to be with her and leave his life behind?

Give up New York, where he’d worked so hard to put down roots?

Move away from his family?

Jack opened his mouth to speak, and Hal settled a hand on his arm, silencing him.

“You have a point, Kurt,” Hal began. “The question is, where is your heart? Is what makes you whole in here”—he patted his chest—“in New York, or is it in Cape Cod?”





Chapter Thirty-One





JENNA LEFT EARLY Sunday morning with her car packed to the hilt. Leanna and Bella waved to Amy as she drove out of the complex two hours later.

“I guess that just leaves you,” Leanna said to Bella.