At dinner that night—a Mexican casserole that had come out just right, much to Shay’s relief—they chatted about the different vegetables they’d planted and what they would make with them.

“Spaghetti sauce with fresh tomatoes,” Josh said.

Shay nodded as she swallowed the bite she’d been chewing. “And a salad made completely from your own garden.”

As they talked, she almost forgot that Josh’s cabin was just a brief way station on the path to her new life. It had almost come to feel like home, but she quickly dismissed that idea. It was Josh’s home, not hers, and since she’d already decided that she needed to leave at a time of her choosing, she needed to choose that time.

Now that the garden was planted there was really no reason to stick around. Plus, Josh’s evasiveness about what he had in that barn made her want to leave sooner rather than later. She’d had enough of hiding the truth with Will. In the beginning of their relationship he’d charmed her, and by the time his true nature had come out, she had already gotten caught in his web to the point where it wasn’t easy to leave. She had no intention of letting herself get caught in Josh’s web, whatever that web entailed, even though he was super hot and had been nothing but kind to her. Except for when he’d kicked her out that first morning.

Speaking of, now that they’d become more friendly, maybe she could get him to tell her why he’d come for her that day. When he’d kicked her out she’d thought she would never see him again. What had changed his mind?

“So, Josh,” she began.

He looked up from his plate, his eyes narrowed at the tone of her voice. “Yeah?”

Grinning, because she’d asked this question before, she said, “Now will you tell me why you came for me? That day you made me leave? And why did you make me leave in the first place?”

Sighing audibly, he frowned. “I thought we’d gotten past that.”

What was the big deal? Why wouldn’t he tell her? Then it hit her. Maybe he’d had to hide the evidence of his criminal activity. Maybe once he’d decided to let her stay he’d had to give himself time to hide…whatever it was he had to hide.

Not ready to settle for his refusal to answer, she said, “You never answered the question.”

Scowling, he said, “Maybe I should make you leave now so that I don’t have to keep hearing the question.”

Her mouth slammed shut as her smile vanished. The reminder that he had the power to push her out the door on a whim, coupled with his evasiveness, solidified something that had been brewing in her mind—the knowledge that she couldn’t keep putting it off, that it was time to move on.

Once they’d finished planting the last flower that afternoon she’d known she could leave without feeling like she’d stuck him with an unfinished project, but the moment that thought had entered her mind, she’d pushed it away. She didn’t want to leave. Not with how much she’d grown to care for him. But now the fear that had seemed to hang around the edges of her mind, the fear that she had no control over her future, burst forth once again.

The decision had been made. She would leave. First thing in the morning.

* * *

Of course Josh hadn’t meant it. He would never kick her out. Not as long as that man was searching for her. But dang it, why did she have to keep asking him the same question? Telling her that he’d thought she was a groupie would force him to admit who he really was. Something he wasn’t willing to do. Not yet.

She hadn’t replied to his threat, instead she’d turned her attention to her meal.

“Look,” he said, “can we just enjoy this delicious casserole you made?”

She lifted her gaze and stared at him. “I am enjoying it.”

There was something new in her eyes, something like determination. He liked it, but he wondered why it had suddenly appeared. What was she thinking?

“I’m sorry I made you leave that morning,” he said, hoping to placate her. “I should have believed you when you said you were stranded.”

She looked up, her eyes sharp. “Believed me? What do you mean?”

Had he inadvertently told her more than he’d meant to?

Setting her fork down, she locked eyes with him. “Why didn’t you believe me?”

Because I thought you were a football groupie who had broken into my house. Since he couldn’t say that, he had to come up with a reasonable explanation for his doubt, but he was drawing a blank. “Because,” he said, his mind scrambling. “I didn’t know you.”

Her eyes narrowed as her head tilted. “What difference did that make? What reason would I have had to lie?”

It came to him and he nearly grinned with relief. “You could have been some homeless girl looking for a place to squat. And since I wasn’t home…” He let the words trail off.

* * *

Shay couldn’t argue with that. Besides, she was a homeless girl. But not a squatter. She’d just been desperate for something to drink. And a safe place to spend the night.

“Okay,” she said. “I guess.”

“Anyway,” he said with a smile, “I’m sorry I didn’t believe you at first.”

“So you came for me because you decided I was telling the truth?”

“Yes,” he said, his eyes wide like he hadn’t realized the reason until she’d said it. “Yes, that’s exactly why.”

Did she believe his explanation? It still seemed like he wasn’t being completely truthful with her. Looking through the lens she’d been wearing, the one where she assumed he was a criminal, she still thought her original explanation that he’d had to hide something before he could let her stick around made the most sense. It fit with his secretiveness around his barn and the sense she got that he wasn’t being truthful.

It didn’t matter though. Her mind was made up. The next morning while he was working in his office, she’d leave. She wouldn’t even say good-bye. She would just leave. It would be better that way. Better if she didn’t have to look into those amazing blue eyes and say good-bye forever.