Not sure I was buying that excuse, I got into the passenger seat and opened my mouth to tell him so, but my cell cut me off. Digging through my purse, I pulled it out and saw it was an international number. Penny. I showed it to Roane before I answered.

“Evie.” Penny’s familiar voice made me smile.

“Hey. How are you? How’s Australia? I’m with Roane, FYI.”

“Oh, then put me on speaker.”

I did as she asked and waited as she and Roane exchanged pleasantries. As Roane pulled out of the parking lot, Penny dropped her news.

“I’m staying in Melbourne. I’m happy here.”

Overjoyed for her, I told her so.

“We’ll miss you,” Roane added.

“I’ll miss you all too. But I think I needed to be here. To move on, finally. It means, however, that I’m selling the store. You’re still good to run it for the next four weeks, Evie, but there will be an estate agent coming in to value the store and the flat, so I’ll need you to give them access.”

I swallowed hard, bitter disappointment filling me as I realized the store would no longer be mine. Neither would the great apartment above it. “Right.”

“I’m going to send you an email with the details, who my estate agent is, etc. Okay?”

“Okay.” I cleared my throat. “Thanks, Penny.”

“No, thank you, pet. I couldn’t have done this without you.”

When I hung up, a thick tension fell between Roane and me. We still had not discussed the future—and the inevitability of me having to make a choice hung above us like a cloud that blocked out everything else.

Would it turn black and drench us in rain?

Or would it separate to reveal blue skies?

Although I was ninety-eight percent sure I wanted to stay, I didn’t know how it was possible. No matter what my decision, I would probably have to go back to the States while I applied for jobs here so I could get an extended work permit.

I was still waiting for the go-ahead from Roane. But he hadn’t spoken up. He hadn’t asked me to stay.

Once we pulled up to the store, it was only as we got out of the SUV that I realized Roane hadn’t gone to collect Shadow from Caro. I would have asked him why, but for the first time since we’d met, Roane had a wall up. His expression was guarded as I let us into the store, and the dark mood rolling off him was so uncharacteristic I didn’t know what to say.

I climbed the stairs to the apartment, feeling a burn of panic clog my throat. In an attempt to work off my jitters, I strode into the room and abruptly stopped by the dining table.

In four weeks, this apartment wouldn’t be mine anymore.