“Where are your grandparents now?”

“They both passed. Now this place sits here, like a tomb of my childhood memories.” His gaze reaches the rafters. “I stayed here once, a few years ago. It wasn’t the same.”

“You need to make new memories here.”

He seems to ponder that for a moment. “Yeah, maybe.”

Hachiro pokes his head in from the porch. “Okay, I have the perfect setup. Can I get you out here?” He glances at me. “You look a lot better. More color in your cheeks.”

“Yes. A lot rosier. Those drugs you have work well.” Henry says mockingly.

I hide my embarrassed blush behind his broad back as I trail him out, giving him a playful jab in the side. “Yes, they definitely help.”

“Okay, I want something casual and hip, but manly. Take the coat off for this one and throw that beanie on. Yeah, yeah... perfect,” Hachiro murmurs, as Henry follows directions. I can almost feel the eye roll he’s stifling. “Okay, now lean over the railing. Wait.” He grabs the deck rail and shakes it. “This isn’t going to break is it? I don’t want you plummeting to your death.”

“I’ll be fine.” Henry smirks, resting his forearms over the wood, his eyes catching mine for a brief second—flashing amusement—before refocusing on the camera. Hachiro has already started snapping.

I find my spot behind the spunky little photographer, mimicking Henry with my pose. The view of the cove here is much more quiet and peaceful. I can’t even see the hotel from here, hidden by trees.

Below is a rocky shoreline. I picture a young, brown-haired Henry standing on the edge with a fishing rod, or splashing in the water. What must he have been like growing up? And what was his childhood like? So different from mine, I have to assume. Were his parents here with him? Did he get along with his brother as a boy?

I would love to spend time up here, just us. No Mr. Wolf and assistant. No worries of inappropriateness. Not that we’ve been acting at all worried. Maybe we should be more cautious. For a guy who could lose so much, he sure seems driven by his dick lately. Maybe the threat from his father is empty. Wolf Cove is doing exceptionally well, after all. How can his father begrudge him that?

If the last few days tell me anything, it’s that a weekend alone here would be all-consuming lust. All Henry.

He is a surprisingly soft and passionate man.

But how long can this last?

And what will it be like to say good-bye to him at the end of summer?

These aren’t thoughts I want to or should be having right now. We just only started this thing. And I just ended a lifelong relationship; I shouldn’t be in a rush to find another one. I need to take step back and relax and enjoy him. Thrive on what he’s giving me, which is incredible sex.

I don’t even realize that Hachiro has turned the camera to point at me until I catch the lens from the corner of my eye. “What are you doing?”

He shrugs. “I saw a moment, and had to capture it. I’m a photographer, that’s what I do. Okay, Mr. Wolf, one more of these and then we’re golden.”

My tall, beautiful man resumes his pose.

“Eyes over here.”

He turns to look at Hachiro. Past Hachiro, locking gazes with me. In them is something unreadable.

Chapter Twenty-Four

Mama must have ESP.

I swear that’s the case, because the moment we step through the door of Penthouse Cabin One, my personal phone rings.

“You going to get that?” Henry tosses his jacket onto the chair and then, as if thinking better of it, he hangs it up on the entranceway hook.

“It’s just home calling. And I have a pile of things I have to do for you.”

“Go ahead and answer.” He strolls past me, tossing his wallet and room keys on a side table and heading for his bedroom.

I heave a sigh. May as well get this over with, I guess. “Hi, Mama.”

“Oh, you’re there! I thought I’d be leaving another message.”

“I know, I’m sorry. It’s been a zoo around here with the hotel opening.”

“You can make ten minutes for your mama, Abigail,” she scolds in that stern voice.

“Yes. I know.” And I could have, easily. She doesn’t get that she’s as much the reason I needed to get away as Jed is, and I don’t have the heart to tell her.

“And why am I just hearing about this new job of yours? What happened to landscaping?”

I roll my eyes, playing through various degrees of separation between Mama and Lucy. Mama doesn’t usually go to the feed mill and she doesn’t like my childhood friend enough to strike up a conversation. Who am I kidding? She probably heard it from Jed. “It was a sudden change, but it’s good. I’m making a lot more money.” And enjoying it immensely.

“And this man that you’re working for?” She spits the word out like it tastes bad.

“What about him?”

“I don’t like the looks of him.”

“You don’t like good-looking men?” I laugh.

“That’s exactly what I mean, Abigail,” she snaps. “Men who look like that only want one thing from women.”

I’m used to Mama’s unfair judgment, but hearing it directed at Henry irritates me. “He’s my boss, Mama. I’m here to schedule his meetings and keep him organized, that’s all.” Unease slips into my shoulders. I didn’t hesitate to lie to her. I don’t know that I’ve ever lied to her before. But she’s overbearing, and I’ve had enough.

“Until he starts lookin’ for more. ‘Wolf.’ What a name.” She lets out a derisive snort.

“He’s been nice to me.”

“I’m sure he has. That’s because he hasn’t shown you his teeth yet. You be careful around him, you hear me? I’ll bet he’d love to take advantage of a girl like you. I knew this was a bad idea, you going up there,” she grumbles. “You should be back here, where you belong.”

“He would never take advantage of me.” I glance over my shoulder to make sure Henry isn’t standing behind me.

“Like I said. You can’t be trusting men like that. They lie and cheat until they get what they want. Mark my words: if you give him what he wants, he’ll have you on the first plane back to Pennsylvania. You and him are from different worlds.”

“He doesn’t want that from me, Mama!” I say this with as much conviction in my voice as I can, even as I stare at my reflection in the mirror, my cheeks still flushed, and my body sore in all the best ways. I feel like a different person.

“I know how the world works.”

“How? You’ve only ever been with Dad. You’ve never left Greenbank!” How worldly can she possibly be? I struggle to hide the growing frustration as that little voice in my head, the fearful one, asks if she could be right. What if she’s right? Do I really think this is going to continue for four months? Only days after he hired me, I’ve already given my virginity to this man. Days. Will this last four days, let alone four months? Will he keep me around for that long? What if he gets bored with me?

I have to give Mama one thing: we certainly are from different worlds.

I’m scowling at my reflection. Leave it to her to introduce worrisome thoughts into my consciousness after a day of bliss.

“You already don’t sound like yourself. Don’t you be losing your way up there.”

Losing my way. Since this whole turmoil with Jed, she has been afraid that I’ll “lose my way.”

I need her off this topic before she weasels the truth out of me, like only Mama can do. “How’s everything at home? How’s Dad? Managing the farm all right without me?” Dad will be turning forty-one this November and, while his health is leaps and bounds better than hers, he’s not nearly as spry as he once was.

“Oh, you know your father. He’s complaining about a sore back but won’t leave the grain for the workers. Says they work hard enough. Jean’s daughter had her baby. Eight pound girl. They named her Rosalina.”