Excitement fills me as I verify my ideas with more research at the county courthouse in Webley. Once they close, I race back to my hotel room to start working on compiling all the forms and filings I’ll need to make it happen.

And then I lose track of time. It’s nearly eight and almost dark when it finally smacks me that I never called Tomas back.

Dammit!

I immediately call him but it goes to voice mail. “Listen, I need to talk to you. I’m sorry I got delayed. Please, call me back as soon as you get this.”

Screw waiting, though. I’d planned to show up at his door instead of calling him back, but that was before I got ass-deep into what I was doing and stupidly missed that opportunity. I grab my phone chargers, my laptop and tablet, make sure I have the rings, and race out the door without even changing out of my suit.

I want to say everything to him in person. I want to stand in front of him, where he can’t hang up on me or not look me in the eyes when I apologize, admit how wrong I was, and beg for another chance with him. I want to talk to him, drop to my knees, and grovel.

I can only hope it’s not too late for that.

A mix of disappointment and relief hit me when I pull up in front of his house and find his driveway’s empty. It doesn’t mean he’s not involved with someone else but a guy can irrationally dream, right?

Jumping out, I race up to the door and knock, just in case, but the house is dark and no one answers.

So I try calling him again. This time when his voice mail picks up, I hang up.

In the window next to the front door, the curtains move and I see Jester’s face poke through. Choking back a sob, I laugh and walk over to touch the glass.

“Hey, buddy. How are you? Long time, no see.”

His muffled maow as he sniffs at the glass where my finger is makes me laugh again. I’ve missed this little guy, too. I remember the day we adopted him from the shelter up in Colley. As much as I hated saying good-bye to him, I knew it wouldn’t be fair to take him with me. I wanted Tom to have him, and I knew Tom would have far more time to spend with him.

Plus, I didn’t have time for any pets the past couple of years. It wouldn’t have been fair to them to leave them alone for so long, or constantly arrange for boarding or pet sitters.

Another reason I knew I could never be with Freddy—he hates having animals as pets and he’s allergic to cats.

Anxious energy flows through me. I don’t want to just sit here all evening. I want to find Tom. Talk to him. Despite knowing the hardware store is already closed I drive past it anyway, including circling around the back to see if his truck’s there.

Nope.

He’s not at Alacea’s, either, because I can see through the front windows that they only have two customers.

That’s when it hits me—it’s book club night. Maybe he went there. But there’s no sign of his truck in front of Edith’s house when I cruise past.

Well, darn.

I spend a few minutes driving around town and looking for his truck. Yes, I feel somewhat like a stalker at this point.

Returning to his house I find he’s still not home, although Jester’s now sitting in the window and watching me. I think about the keys in my pocket and know that’s a really bad idea. Tomas never revoked his standing permission for me to come home anytime, but it’s been…a while.

Yes, I let my heart override my common sense. When I slip the key into the lock, I feel relief when the knob turns. I already have the door open when I realize I don’t know if he’s added an alarm or not.

Guess that would be one way to get him home fast, though, wouldn’t it?

But no telltale beeps break the silence. Only Jester’s happy maows as he jumps out of the window and runs over to twine around my legs.

I shut the door behind me and scoop him into my arms. “Hey, buddy. Missed you, too. Where’s Daddy?” I walk through the house as I carry the happily purring cat, cautiously optimistic to see no signs of someone’s presence other than Tom.

There’s only one toothbrush on the vanity in the master bathroom upstairs, and none in the second bathroom.

Everything looks achingly and comfortingly the same as it did that last time I was here, with very few changes.

Home.

I try calling him again after I go to the kitchen and look at his wall calendar where he writes appointments. This time, I leave another message. “Hey, please give me a call back as soon as you get this. I have some news. Good news. I want to talk with you. Love you.”

There are no odd appointments on his calendar for this month. Yes, I flip back a few months and find nothing more than haircuts, Jester’s annual vet check, and Tom’s scheduled oil change. He writes everything down on this calendar, because he checks it every morning while waiting for his coffee to brew.

Okay, then. So, where is he?

I find a grocery store receipt on the counter from this afternoon from a store up in Colley. So he’s not at the Pig—well, he wasn’t there when I cruised through the parking lot a little while earlier.

Where else could he be?

I mean, yeah, he could be with someone but I don’t want to let my mind go there.

As I walk back to the living room with Jester on my heels, I spy that morning’s newspaper on the console table behind the sofa. A quick flip through it, and an ad catches my eye for the Falls Inn.