Colby’s mind flashed to Sherry Waterman. He liked her and enjoyed her company. He felt the same about Norah. But it was Valerie who set his heart on fire. Valerie who challenged him. Valerie whom he needed. Not anyone else, only Valerie.
“Don’t you worry about her,” David continued. “She’ll be fine. In a while, she’ll regroup and be a better person for having experienced love, even for such a short time. As for marrying Rowdy Cassidy, I don’t think you need to concern yourself with that, either.”
“Why not?”
“Because I know my daughter. I know exactly what I would’ve done had Grace decided against marrying me. I’d have gone back to my world, worked hard and made a decent life for myself. But I would never have fallen in love again. I wouldn’t have allowed it to happen.”
Colby didn’t say anything. By now, Valerie was on the interstate. It was too late. Even if he did go after her, they wouldn’t be able to stop. Not on the freeway with cars screaming past. It would be reckless and dangerous and beyond all stupidity to chase her now. Besides, what could he possibly have to say that hadn’t already been said?
David stood. “You want another cup of coffee?”
“No, thanks. I should be on my way.”
“I’ll be in your office bright and early Tuesday morning, then.”
Colby nodded. It was time to get back to his life, the life he’d had before he met Valerie Bloomfield.
Valerie refused to cry. She’d never been prone to tears and, except for a few occasions, had usually managed to fend them off. Even as a child, she’d hated crying, hated the way the salty tears had felt on her face.
What astonished her was how much it hurt to hold everything inside. It felt as though someone had crammed a fist down her throat and expected her to breathe normally.
In an effort to push aside the pain of leaving Colby, she focused her thoughts on all the good he’d brought into her life. Without him, she would have lost her father. Norah had told her as much that first evening. Colby was the one who’d convinced her father to go to the hospital. Colby was the one who’d performed the life-saving surgery.
If for nothing else, she owed him more for that than anyone could possibly repay.
But that wasn’t all he’d given her. Dr. Colby Winston had taught her about herself, about love, about sacrifice.
She would always love him for that. Now she had to teach herself to release him, to let him go. Finding love and then freely relinquishing it might well prove to be a tricky business. She’d never given her heart to a man before. Loving Colby was the easy part. It felt as though she’d always known and loved him, as if he’d always been part of her life. It seemed impossible that they’d met only a few weeks ago.
Leaving him was the hardest thing she’d ever done.
The self-doubts, the what-ifs and might-have-beens rolled in like giant waves, swamping her with grief and dread.
Dragging in a deep breath, she fought the urge to turn the car around and head back. Back to Orchard Valley. Back home.
Back to Colby.
Instead, she exhaled, tried to relax, tried to tell herself that everything would feel much better once she got to Texas. She’d be able to submerge the pain in her job. When she resumed her position with CHIPS, she could begin to forget Colby and at the same time treasure her memories of him.
Valerie didn’t realize there were tears in her eyes until she noticed how blurry the road in front of her had become. Hoping to distract herself, she turned on the radio and started humming along with a country-western singer lamenting her lost love.
“Stop it,” Valerie muttered to herself, weeping harder than ever. Irritably, she snapped off the radio, then swiped at the tears with the back of one hand, reminding herself she was too strong, too independent, for such weak emotional behavior.
Not until she was changing lanes on the freeway did she see the Buick behind her. A maroon sedan, traveling at high speed, passing cars, going well over the limit.
Colby? It couldn’t be.
More than likely it was just a car that looked like his. It couldn’t be him. He’d never come after her. That wasn’t his style. No, if he ever had a change of heart, something she didn’t count on, it wouldn’t be for weeks, months. Colby wasn’t impulsive.
The Buick slowed down and moved directly behind Valerie’s car and followed her for a moment before putting on the turn signal. If it hadn’t been for the tears in her eyes she would’ve been able to make out the driver’s features.
The car honked. It had to be Colby. He didn’t expect her to stop on the freeway, did he? It wouldn’t be safe. There was an exit ramp only a few miles down the road and she drove toward that, turned off when she could and parked. Luckily traffic was light, and the shoulders on both sides of the road were wide enough for her to park safely. When she did, Colby pulled in behind her.
She’d barely had time to unfasten her seat belt before he jerked open her door.
“What are you doing here?” she demanded.
“What does it look like? I’m chasing after you.”
Legs trembling, she climbed out of her car and stood leaning against it, hands on her hips. “This better be good, Winston. I’ve got a plane to catch.”
“You’ve been crying.”
“There’s something in my eye.”
“Both eyes apparently.”
“All right, both eyes.” She didn’t know what silly game he thought he was playing, but she didn’t have the patience for it. “Why are you here? Surely there’s a reason you came racing after me.”
“There’s a reason.”
“Good.” She crossed her arms and shifted her position. Whatever Colby wanted to say was obviously causing him trouble, because he started pacing in front of her, hands clenched.
“This is even harder than I expected,” he finally admitted.
Not daring to hope, Valerie said nothing.