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and held her hand.
    “I’m sorry,” she murmured. “I’m supposed to be taking care of
you.”
    “I’m all better now.”
    She smiled. “It’s a casserole miracle.”
    He leaned toward her. “Paige, you’ll get there. Losing someone
you love is difficult. You’ve been through a lot. Don’t be so hard on
yourself.”
    She nodded, knowing he was right and it would do her well to
listen. She was about to tell him that when his cell phone rang.
    He pulled it out of his pocket and took the call.
    “Woodbury.” He paused, then smiled. “Hello, Simon. Yes, the
doctor was here.” His smile faded and his gaze settled on her. “Ah, of course.
You’re right. It’s been too long already.”
    There was more, but Paige wasn’t listening. Simon wanted
Alistair to move in with him and Montana. It made sense. They were the people
he’d come to see in the first place. It wasn’t as if he were going to live with
her forever. Still, she’d thought…hoped…they would have more time together.
    When he hung up, she forced herself to smile. “Simon finally
believes it’s OK for you to be around Montana?”
    He nodded. “I have been pronounced measles-free. He suggested I
return to his place. I have imposed on your hospitality long enough.”
    “You’ve been a good guest.”
    “Speaking in my sleep while recovering from a fever?”
    “It was refreshing to play nurse. Plus, I got that mac and
cheese. That made everything worth it.”
    She spoke lightly, not wanting him to know how much she was
going to miss him. Alistair was the first man she’d been attracted to in a very
long time. The first man she’d imagined she might be able to fall in love with.
When he talked about all the places he’d been, he made her dreams seem
possible.
    She stood. “You’d better get to your packing.”
    He rose and looked at her. “Paige,” he began, then shook his
head. “I haven’t the words to thank you.”
    “No words are necessary.”
    A kiss would be nice, she thought. Not that he was offering.
But she wouldn’t say no if he did.
    Alistair nodded and headed for the house. Paige watched him go.
Rather than wasting her time on what might be, she needed to remember what was.
All this time she’d been worrying about disappointing her aunt Sophia. Perhaps
it was time to start thinking about how she’d also disappointed herself.
Alistair had reminded her of what was important to her. Now it was her turn to
act on that information and to make some changes.

Chapter Six
    Paige spent the afternoon catching up on her laundry
and sorting through the food left in her refrigerator. She’d sent most of the
casseroles with Alistair when Simon had come to pick him up. She looked through
what was left and froze most of it. With luck, she wouldn’t have to cook for a
couple of weeks. Around four, she headed for the fire station, ready to catch up
on any paperwork that had accumulated since she’d been busy with her houseguest.
While someone else filled in to answer the phone, she was the one who took care
of writing letters and making sure all the bills were forwarded to the municipal
accounting office.
    She was done by seven and started the short walk back to her
place.
    The evening was clear and cooling off rapidly. The Spring
Festival would continue the next day, so the vendors had left their booths in
the center of town. A band played in the square and Paige listened to the music
as she walked.
    She was both restless and confused. Confused because she
usually loved her life and suddenly nothing felt right. It was as if her skin no
longer fit. She breathed in the scent of flowers and cut grass and knew that
most of her problem came from Alistair being gone. In a few short days, she’d
grown used to having him around. She looked forward to their conversations and
spending time with him. Without him, she didn’t know what to do with
herself.
    “Ridiculous,” she murmured aloud. All she had to do was
remember what she’d done