When he calmed down, he said, “It’s the way you told it. The next time I’m feeling wiped out, I’m going to call you and ask you to tell me about the clown look-alike.”
“Glad I could help.”
After talking to Xavier, she was in a great mood. Then Michael came along and ruined it. She was sitting in the sunroom writing questions she wanted to be sure to ask the attorneys she would be interviewing when Michael walked in and said those four dreaded words.
“We need to talk.”
She guessed there was no getting out of it. She knew this was coming. They were back in Boston, and Michael needed to get on with his life. As to that, so did she.
She wondered how he would react if she declined, then decided to find out. “Maybe later.”
He smiled as he pulled her to her feet. “Let’s go for a walk.”
He didn’t let go of her hand, and he didn’t say another word until they had walked all the way down to the shore and were headed back. They stopped beneath the giant tree with the arched branches she loved. The sun was setting, the breeze was light and warm, and Isabel thought it might be a perfect evening if Michael wasn’t glaring at her.
“You and I... ,” he began, then looked across the bay as though searching for his words in the distance.
“Yes?”
His eyes returned to hers. “It’s been real intense.”
She nodded. It had been intense. But wonderful, too, she thought.
“We were thrown into a situation where it was just the two of us...”
When he paused again, she thought he was waiting for her to agree. “Yes, we were thrown together, and I was constantly throwing myself at you.” She smiled as she added, “You really didn’t stand a chance.”
“But now that we’re back in Boston... I what?”
“You didn’t stand a chance.”
After making that statement she turned and tried to walk away. She didn’t want to continue the conversation because she knew where he was heading. Same old, same old. He was breaking up with her again, but this time with more finesse.
He grabbed her hand and pulled her back. “Isabel, what I’m trying to say is that I have my future all mapped out, but I don’t think you do. You’re just starting. You need time to figure out what you want, to know what’s real and what isn’t.”
“I need time away from you?”
“Yes,” he said with a firm nod.
“You need time away from me, too, don’t you, Michael?”
“Yes.”
As much as she wanted to argue, she knew he was right. They did need time apart. She knew her feelings for Michael weren’t going to change, but he definitely needed time to realize he was in love with her.
She took a deep breath and said, “When are you leaving?”
“Soon. I’ve got to finish up a couple of things with the Navy, and one of my SEAL brothers needs some legal advice.”
They walked side by side to the house, “I’ll be staying here for a week or so and then on to Silver Springs.”
Michael opened the door, turned to her, and kissed her. She thought maybe that was his good-bye.
Dinner was a quiet affair. Mrs. Buchanan had gone to a book club meeting, and Michael was also absent, so Isabel dined alone with the judge. Since Lucy wouldn’t let her help with dishes, Isabel headed to her room, but first she wanted to find Michael and ask him how long she was supposed to take to figure out her future. Would he call her, or did he expect her to call him? Hell would freeze before she did.
She checked his room and there was no sign of him. Even his travel bag was gone.
He really had left, hadn’t he?
Later that night she stood at the window in her bedroom. The moon was bright and she could see the waves dancing against the rocks. She was going to miss Nathan’s Bay. She was going to miss all the Buchanans, too. Most of all she was going to miss Michael.
Parting is such sweet sorrow. The line from Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet came to mind. In the play, Juliet tells Romeo good night and says their parting is sorrowful, but it is also sweet because the two lovers can look forward to the next time they will be together. Shakespeare’s words made parting seem so romantic.
Shakespeare was a schmuck.