Carolina Home by Virginia Kantra

she could be describing Allison. “Not that we saw much of her. Just that one time she was visiting for Thanksgiving, and less than a year later Matt had dropped out and came home with the baby. And no Kimberly.”
    Allison took a hasty sip of tea and burnt her tongue. “What happened?”
    Gail shrugged. “He doesn’t talk about it.”
    “Imagine,” Allison murmured.
    Gail smiled wryly. “Doesn’t stop the rest of us. Not much to do here in the winters but talk.” She hesitated and then added, “Nobody blames him. He’s a good guy, Matt.”
    “I’m sure,” Allison said, because Gail so obviously needed reassurance and Allison felt guilty gossiping about Matt behind his back.
    “The thing is…” Gail wavered, clearly torn between island loyalty and female solidarity.
    Allison waited.
    “In all these years, I’ve never known him to date a woman longer than a couple of weeks,” Gail confided. “A couple of months, if she’s here for the summer.”
    “Maybe he isn’t over his ex-wife,” Allison suggested.
    “He was over Kimberly the day she walked out on him and their baby,” Gail said frankly. “But he hasn’t been in a relationship since. Nothing serious. Nothing long-term.”
    “And you’re telling me this because Lindsey Gordon’s mother saw us together at the Fish House?”
    “Word gets around.” Gail met her gaze, concern warm in her eyes. “I just thought you should know.”
    Allison’s throat constricted. She swallowed, thinking back to that scene in her driveway.
    You don’t do one-night stands
, Matt had said to her in that deep, attractive drawl.
    At the time, she’d appreciated his respect for her boundaries. She’d actually been grateful for his restraint. His understanding.
    And afterward, he couldn’t drive away fast enough.
    She felt slightly sick to her stomach. It was one thing to be the subject of gossip. It was much worse, she was discovering, to be an object of pity.
    “Thanks. But you don’t have anything to worry about. I’m sure he’s a nice guy, but I’m still finding my feet here. I’m not looking to get carried away.”
    Gail nodded, unconvinced.
    Allison tried again. “I’ve done the whole hookup scene before. I didn’t find it particularly satisfying or exciting. Next time I get involved, it has to mean something. I want an honest, adult relationship with a man who appreciates me. Who needs me, not just a warm body in bed.”
    “Matt’s plenty adult,” Gail said. “By the time he was your age, he was already divorced with a five-year-old child. Which probably explains why he’s not looking for a commitment now.”
    “Don’t worry.” Allison smiled. “I’m really not interested in being known as ‘that girl Matt Fletcher used to date.’”
    “There you go.” Gail patted her arm. “I told Suzy you were a smart one.”
    H E WAS LEAVING .
    Taylor sat huddled at the kitchen table, glaring from under the rim of her baseball cap at the three men standing atthe door, the old guy Tom and Uncle Matt and her…and Luke in camouflage and boots.
    He wasn’t as tall as Uncle Matt, but the uniform made him look wider and scary, like Master Chief in Halo, like nobody would mess with him, and in the week she’d been with him nobody had messed with her, either.
    She had never had a dad. She didn’t need a dad. But he was all she had left, and he was leaving.
    First she lost Mom. Then she’d lost their house and her little blue bedroom with the crepe myrtle growing outside her window. And then she lost Snowball, because Grandma Jolene was allergic to cats. She had to switch schools and she missed her friends and she missed her life and she really, really missed her mom.
    Her chest ached and her eyes hurt, and she felt tired and stiff from sleeping on the floor behind her bed. Her face was stiff, too, like it would crack if she tried to say anything.
    “Taylor.” Tess spoke, her voice kind. “They’re leaving for the airport now. It’s time to say