Austin looked confused. “And you’ll be what, a camp counselor?”
“I’d be running the arts program at the camp,” she explained “It’s five days a week, nine to five, and it pays great.”
Actually, she’d be earning an absurd amount of money. Eight thousand dollars for six weeks of work, which Mari still couldn’t believe. She remembered working at a camp when she was a teenager and earning five hundred bucks for the entire summer.
Austin’s confusion seemed to grow. “You’ve only been in Paradise for a week. And now you’re considering moving here?”
“I won’t necessarily be moving here. This will just be for the summer. But…” She hesitated. “Harriet did say they’re looking to fill Jessie’s position at the school as well. She’ll be on maternity leave for the upcoming school year, so…yeah, I guess this camp thing could lead to a teaching position in the fall, but it’s no guarantee. Just in case, I can reschedule my interviews in Iowa for the end of August, after camp wraps up.”
Austin released a heavy breath. “You want to do this, don’t you?”
She bit her lip. “I don’t know. I mean, I get that it sounds nuts, but I really do love it here.”
“That makes one of us,” he mumbled.
She stifled a sigh. “You don’t mean that. This is your hometown, Austin. And no matter what you say, I know you’re happy to be back.”
“Part of me is,” he admitted. “But I travel for a living, Mari. There’s a reason I don’t own a house here—I’m gone for at least eight months out of the year.” He paused in afterthought. “Where do you plan on staying if you take the job?”
“I’m not sure yet. But when I went shopping with Charlotte and Lexie the other day, Lexie did mention that Cooper is looking to rent out his cabin. He moved into Lexie’s house in town last month.” To Mari’s delight, she’d also learned that Cooper’s cabin was about a mile east of Nate and Charlotte’s, which meant they’d be neighbors, but she didn’t voice her excitement because Austin was now staring at her unhappily.
“I don’t want to say goodbye to you,” he said thickly.
The pain that squeezed her heart was so strong it surprised her. She hadn’t realized just how much she’d come to care about him, but now, as she imagined saying goodbye, she didn’t feel as excited about Harriet’s offer.
She loved being with Austin. He was sweet and gruff and impulsive. Amazing in bed. And he could be so very tender when he dropped his guard and allowed himself to be vulnerable.
“I don’t want to say goodbye either,” she murmured.
“Then come with me,” he urged. “You weren’t intending on finding a job when you agreed to come to Paradise, so it’s not like you’re losing anything. We can go to Malaysia and help out, and then you can head back to Iowa in time for those job interviews at the end of July.” He swallowed. “We’ll have an entire month together.”
God, it sounded so damn tempting, and a part of her desperately wanted to say yes. But this job offer was an equally strong siren call, and her doubts about Austin’s motives refused to dissipate.
“Are you sure this isn’t about you running away again?” she asked quietly.
A dark cloud floated into his green eyes. “What do you mean?”
“We both know you haven’t been giving your mother one hundred percent. You’ve spent some time with her, sure, but you’re not letting her in. Not fully, anyway.”
He didn’t answer.
“I think a part of you is using this tsunami as an excuse to skip town. That way you won’t have to deal with all the awkwardness anymore.”
Looking frustrated, Austin gestured to the TV. “Look at those people, Mari. They need help.”
“Well, your mother needs you. Della needs you, Austin. If you leave now, all the progress you’ve made will disappear. You’ll just end up gone for months, the distance will grow, and then you’ll have to start all over again the next time you come home.”
“I already told my agent I’d go. He’s probably contacting publications as we speak.” His voice came out hoarse. “Right now, the only question is—will you come with me or not?”
A tornado of indecision spiraled inside her. She swept her gaze over Austin’s handsome face, the face she’d spent almost an entire month looking at. He’d finally shaved a few days, so his jaw was now smooth and clean-shaven, which made him appear younger. But his dark hair was still as scruffy as ever, one rogue lock falling across his forehead, the ends curling under his ears.
She really didn’t want him to go.
But could she seriously just hop on a plane and go with him?