“We’ll see about that,” he said, flashing the rakish grin that she adored. He gave her another quick kiss and lifted his backpack onto his shoulder. Walking backward, he made his way to the terminal where he’d told her he could cut through to the area where his plane was housed. Smiling at her, he waved before he turned to go inside.

Erin got back in the car and wiped away tears that she told herself were from the cold, but her heart knew better. It already ached without him by her side to make her laugh and smile and to tell her everything would be all right. It had taken just over a week for him to become essential to her, and now he was leaving for who knew how long. He had to be back in Florida tomorrow night for a scheduled trip to the Bahamas the next day.

The next break in his schedule was for Evan’s wedding on the eighteenth of January, which was almost two weeks away.

Erin used the time it took to drive to the hospital to indulge in the emotional wallop of Slim’s departure. She pulled into the parking lot and tried to rally her spirits so she could be supportive of her parents, but her spirits were low today, and there was no hiding that from her mother when they connected outside her dad’s room.

“So he’s left?” Mary Beth asked.

“Yes, just now. How’s Dad?”

“He had a good night. They’ve taken him for a few tests. Now back to your Slim. He’s a lovely, lovely guy, but I don’t suppose I have to tell you that.”

As her eyes filled once again, Erin shook her head. “No, you don’t.”

Mary Beth hugged her. “What’re you going to do about him?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“Has he said he wants to see you again?”

“You could say that,” Erin said, laughing. “The first day he was home on Gansett, he asked me to come back to Florida with him for the rest of the winter.”

“Are you going?”

“I don’t know yet. I’d love to spend more time with him, but I made a commitment to the town and the lighthouse. I’m building a new life on Gansett, and I love it there.”

“I’m so glad you’ve found a place you love, Erin, but Gansett will still be there if you take some time away.”

“I know. I’m thinking about it.”

“Do you love him?”

Leave it to Mom to ask the hard questions. “I think I might, but it’s been so long since I’ve loved a guy that I don’t remember how to do it.”