Kincaid didn’t realize she was crying until she felt the tear drip off her chin. “Lord. How am I supposed to stop loving him when he writes shit like that?”

Taryn shook her head and pressed a finger to the corner of her eye. “This boy’s got me tearing up.” She handed Kincaid the letter. “This sounds like a guy who would do just about anything to be with you. Maybe instead of deciding that he can’t live here, you should give him the chance to make his own choice. Maybe he just needs the chance to say yes.”

Kincaid held the letter in her shaking hands, staring down at the deliberate handwriting, picturing a teen Ash pouring his heart onto the page and then letting Graham take credit for it, giving her the guy she thought would make her happy.

Kincaid carefully folded the letter and set it aside. “I’m going to need a big-ass glass of wine and a ride to the Lowells’.”

Taryn lifted her hands above her head and cheered. “Woo-hoo! Field trip!”

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Kincaid’s heartbeat was in her throat as she walked up the sidewalk to the Lowells’ front door. The glass of wine had done nothing to quell her nerves. She had no idea what she was going to say, which was a completely foreign feeling. She always had something to say.

She looked toward the driveway, and Taryn gave her a thumbs-up from the car. Kincaid shook her head and forced her feet up the sidewalk.

After a long pause at the door, she rang the doorbell. Grace answered almost immediately and smiled broadly when she saw Kincaid. “Oh, honey, what a nice surprise.”

“Hi, Grace,” she said, smoothing her lipstick and trying to quiet the tremors working their way through her body. “Can I talk to Ash?”

Grace frowned. “Ash? Well, honey, he left over a week ago.”

Kincaid blinked. “What?”

Her brows dipped. “I thought you knew. He said something came through for his book, and he was going back to New York to meet with his editor.”

“New York,” Kincaid repeated dumbly.

“He said you knew,” she said, looking confused. “Oh, and he left something for you. Hold on. Let me see where I put it.”

Kincaid stood there, feeling stupid and lost. He’d left. Of course he had. The bookstore was done. They were done. What did he have to stay for?

Grace came back with a manila envelope. “Sorry. I was supposed to get this to you a few days ago, but with taking care of Charlie, I just hadn’t had the chance to drive out to your place. Ash said you’d know what to do with it.”

Kincaid had no idea what it could be. Another letter? An apology? No. Probably a goodbye. She didn’t want to open it. “Thanks, Grace.”

Deep lines bracketed her mouth. “You okay, sweetheart?”

Kincaid tried to look upbeat. “I’m fine. Just a little tired. I’ve been working long days, getting everything moved in.”