She went to tell him, but he shushed her by placing his finger on her lips. "Don't tell me here. Just point the way. You do trust me, right?" As if he held the string to control her movements, she nodded.
They were not even on the first porch step before Rachel was on the porch, a broom in her hand. "Caitlin, you get in the house right now. You, young man, you get out of here and don't ever come back or I'll shoot you myself." She waved the broom at him as if it held magical powers to turn him into something or make him completely disappear.
"Grandma, don't," she said rubbing her forehead, which throbbed with each step. "He's not the bad guy."
"Yes, he is."
"It's okay, Caitlin," Scott said.
"No, it's not. You came here to tell me something and you aren't leaving until I hear it. There have been too many times when you wouldn't tell me the whole story. Today you will." She turned to her grandma. "We'll be right here on the front steps. You can watch from the window if you like. I have to hear this." The broom dropped to Rachel's side, but she gave them a look as if to say, "I'll be watching."
The porch step offered support, but Scott kept peering behind. "She means business, doesn't she?"
"Yes." Caitlin rubbed her head trying to make the pain disappear. She looked at the raindrops glistening on the grass in the morning sun. Valley View would have a beautiful day after last night's storm, but Caitlin sensed her day would not be as nice.
"You were right," he finally said, rubbing his hands on his jeans, which were soaked from the earlier rain. "I made the first phone call and then came here to set up a meeting. When I saw you in your house and the way you looked at your land, who was I to change that? No one has the right to take away your home." He clasped his hands between his knees and slightly bent forward. "If you only knew how much this town appreciates you being home. They talk about you as if you were their daughter, niece, or granddaughter. I have never lived in a place where the town is one big family of unrelated members." He turned towards her and took her hands. "This town needs you more than you need them." With a release of the hands came a long sigh. "I'm not sorry I kissed you, because my heart exploded with emotions I long thought dead. I also realized in those kisses that we would not have more than that moment."