“Yes.”
“Is it me?”
I shouldn’t be asking her this because it’s a blunt question. If she says yes, I’m going to know I’m not crazy, and that maybe, just maybe, mates really do exist. Who would have thought I’d find love in a tiny little town like Claw Valley, though?
And who would have thought I’d find it with the little bartender?
She swallows hard and looks at me. Meredith is so damn brave. She’s not scared of anything. At least, she doesn’t let anyone see her fear.
When I look at her, she radiates courage. She’s been through so much, but she’s still fighting. She’s still working hard. She’s still pushing forward in a beautiful and wonderful way.
And she is so, so brave.
“Yes.”
The word hangs in the air, and my heart feels like it’s going to explode. I feel it and so does she.
“Robert, I’ve never felt anything like this before. Have you?”
“Never.”
“What about with your ex?”
“I never felt anything like this before.”
It’s not a lie and it’s not a line.
I’m being totally, completely truthful with Meredith right now. The reality is that this feeling, this draw? It’s kind of freaking me out. It’s making me nervous and scared and I feel more wound up than I ever have before.
“Me neither.”
“I’m scared,” I admit to her.
“Why?”
“It’s a strong emotion. I don’t want to screw it up. Besides, I have a lot going against me.”
“Because you’re new?”
“No offense to the citizens of Claw Valley, but people here aren’t exactly welcoming,” I tell her.
“I know,” she shakes her head. “And I’m sorry. After my mom died, well, people weren’t that friendly to begin with. It made things worse, though.”
“She must have been very well-loved in your town.”
&nb
sp; “She was totally adored,” Meredith says.
“I can’t imagine how hard that must have been to lose her.”
Meredith nods and looks around the room for a second. She takes a deep breath: her chest heaving. Then she speaks.
“I bought this place for her to grow old in, you know.”
“I didn’t know.”
“I thought that since my dad was gone, you know, that the two of us would have a lot of happy years here. It’s too big for me and sometimes, I feel like I’m going to suffocate in this place.”