Tasha didn’t hesitate, and Christi answered them all. Or all the ones she could.

“That’s quite a story.” Her friend exhaled. “I get taking refuge in the cottage and the job at the shop and the free food. I don’t get the caretaker thing or this anonymous owner.”

“Me, neither. But it doesn’t matter. I mean, no sane person would take such an offer, right? Or decide on the spur-of-the-moment to leave a town they’ve lived in for five years to move to a place they’ve never set foot in before.”

“Unless there’s nothing to leave behind and the new place is filled with kind people who throw free food, free rent, and job offers at you.”

Leave it to Tasha to cut to the chase.

Christi focused on the cross hanging on the wall across from the bed in the cozy motel room that felt more like home than her bare-bones studio in Dallas. Charley had promised clean and affordable, but he hadn’t mentioned charming. “Are you saying I should do this?”

“Nope. That’s your call. All I’ll say is that Hope Harbor sounds like a little piece of heaven.”

“I won’t argue with that. Except giving up our weekly coffee-and-gabfest sessions would be hard.”

“Gabfests are why phones were invented—and I can sip coffee on my end while you sip on yours. Plus, it’s not like either of us has roots in Dallas. If I ever get that restaurant back in KC, I’ll be moving home anyway.”

The very reason Christi had made this trip.

“It’ll happen, Tasha. I know it. Don’t give up on this opportunity yet.”

“I haven’t. I’m bending the good Lord’s ear every day. Speaking of that . . . I’ve been praying your trip was a success. Did you finish whatever business took you halfway across the country? The business you wouldn’t share with me?” Tasha’s tone was teasing, yet there was a hint of hurt underneath.

“I haven’t finished it, but I got the ball rolling.” No way was she going to tell her friend about the loan request—or raise her hopes—unless she got more receptive vibes from Jack.

“Your marathon drive doesn’t have anything to do with me and my restaurant, does it?”

Christi caught her lower lip between her teeth. Of course, a friend who’d listened to all her dark secrets and angst would be suspicious about her reticence regarding this trip.

That’s why confining their communication to texts rather than calls had been safer.

“Why would you think that?” Lame—but she had to play dodgeball until Jack gave her an answer.

Tasha snorted. “Girl, I know you. Better than I know my own sister. And that guilt complex of yours is world-class. You have to stop blaming yourself for the accident. It wasn’t your fault.”

But it was.