why are you crying?” he asked.
“Because!”
That didn’t exactly answer his question, but he was relieved no one had attacked her. Still, she kept crying and Carson didn’t know anything else to say so he wrapped both arms around her and pulled her against his chest. Marlee tried to jerk away, but he held on and she came full against him, sobbing into his shirt.
When her tears finally stopped she eased away. Carson took his handkerchief from his pocket and gave it to her.
“Now,” he said softly. “Tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing,” she told him, dapping at her eyes with the handkerchief. Then she sniffed again and said, “Everything.”
Carson was overcome with the need to fix what was wrong—whatever it might be. He had to make things better, no matter what it took. Then it hit him that he might be the problem; it didn’t make him feel very good about himself.
“Is this because I wouldn’t donate the money you asked for?” he asked.
Marlee sniffed and drew herself up. “You are certainly entitled to spend your money as you see fit, Mr. Tate.”
She’d responded to his question but hadn’t really given him an answer. Carson knew something else was going on. He thought back to when she’d been in his office, how she’d stormed out in a huff. She’d seemed to accept his decision, though certainly it hadn’t pleased her. Nothing else had happened—
“Audrey,” he said, and managed not to utter a curse. “I saw her. She thanked me for something. Does she think I agreed to donate the money?”
“Apparently the ladies of Harmony had a great deal of confidence in my fundraising ability,” she said, and looked away. “Mrs. Tuttle booked the Laughlin Singers on the assumption I could secure your donation.”
Maybe he should have told her.
The thought sprang into Carson’s mind and for a long moment he considered telling her the reason he’d refused to make the donation.
He’d never told anyone in Harmony why he lived his life the way he did, but at this moment telling Marlee seemed like the right thing to do.
Still, Carson couldn’t bring himself to say the words, to tell her what had happened all those years ago. And besides, it wouldn’t change the problem she faced.
He drew in a heavy breath and said, “I’ll donate the money you need.”
“No.”
He looked down at her, not sure she’d heard him correctly.
“I said I would donate the money—”
“No,” she said again. Marlee straightened her shoulders and faced him squarely. “I don’t want your pity—and that’s exactly what your offer is about. I’ve spent my life handling my own problems and I will continue to do so.”
“This isn’t a good time to let your pride get in your way,” Carson said gently.
That seemed to fire her up again, which was far better than seeing her cry.
“I will raise that money somehow—without your help,” she told him.
Marlee glared up at him, defiance etched in the tight line of her mouth and the hard look in her eyes, and all Carson could think was that he wanted to kiss her.
Then she seemed to crumble again and took a step back.
“Immediately after Christmas, I’m leaving Harmony. I’m going back to Philadelphia,” Marlee said, then hurried toward Main Street.
Carson watched her walk away and a heaviness crashed down on him.
She was leaving.
And he was falling in love with her.
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