The tears I’d been fighting slipped free. Not ravaging, desperate tears like those I’d cried in front of Roane, but that didn’t mean they hurt any less. “This place isn’t my home,” I denied. “It never was.”

Milly squeezed my arm, giving me a pitying look. “You know that’s a lie. Because for someone who supposedly doesn’t think that, you sure made yourself at home here, meddling in people’s lives. We can’t even be sorry for it,” she rushed to assure me as my face fell. “Look at all you’ve done since you came here. You gave Penny the opportunity to see if Melbourne was the right place for her. You helped Caro find the confidence to leave that wicked woman behind and start her life. You brought Annie and Maggie Foster together after years of separation. And I know that it was you that meddled between Viola and Lucas.” She gave me a semi-chastising look. “Viola told me you were the one who realized Lucas cared for her, and although I wish some things didn’t happen the way they did, I can’t say I’m not happy for how things have turned out. That boy looks at my bairn like he’d take a bullet for her . . . and although I was worried about them, how can a mother not be happy that her bairn is blissfully in love with a boy who loves her back just as much. With everything he has. Lucas loves Vi just as much as Roane loves you.”

“Milly—”

“And because of you, Kathy Elliot came to me.”

Shocked, I shut my mouth.

“Aye. We talked for the first time ever. All because she doesn’t want to lose Lucas. She and I made peace, Evie. Not with West. That’ll never happen. But Kathy and I made peace for the sake of the kids. And that’s because of you.” Her eyes shimmered now as she reached up to caress my cheek, her expression almost motherly. “You’re a piece of magic, lass, and this place needs you.”

The strength I’d been holding on to failed me and I ducked my head as I shuddered and choked on my tears. After a minute of trying to keep it together, I raised my head. “I’m sorry, Milly,” I whispered with regret. “I can’t stay.”

With that, she pulled me into a hug, one that was almost comical with our height difference, but the moment was too sad for humor. She squeezed me tight and without another word pulled away and marched out of the store.

When my cab appeared a little while later, I was still trembling as the driver helped me out with the luggage. As he put my suitcases into the trunk of his car, I locked the bookstore, popped my key into an envelope, and slipped it into the store’s mailbox.