Book 2 Fool for Love #3
David has stage-two Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and has started chemo. Janey can’t believe he never told her. She’s sorry for what he’s going through, but they’re done. This incident has shown her that marrying him would have been a mistake. He apologizes to her, and they agree to part as friends.
Mac and Maddie argue about her keeping the news about Janey and Joe from him.
Later, they make up, and she asks him to understand that she wants to be good friends with Janey and needed to follow her lead on who to tell and when.
She mentions her friend Sydney Donovan, Luke Harris’s ex-girlfriend, who recently lost her husband and children in a drunk driving accident that left Sydney badly injured. Sydney is back on the island.
After Janey drops David off at his mother’s and convinces Kay that they’re really over, she goes to the Beachcomber to see Joe.
She apologizes for what he overheard and tells Joe that David has cancer.
He wants to know if they’re back together.
They’re over, Janey says. Joe wonders if she’ll ever love him-love him, and she says yes, she’s very close to that, and suggests they date like normal people in the meantime.
They agree to wait to have sex again until she’s sure of her feelings.
He sends her flowers to the vet clinic. Janey tells Doc Potter that she’s considering vet school, and he’s supportive.
Mac comes to see her at work, notices the flowers, asks if they’re from Joe, and wonders why she didn’t tell him. “I’m a grown woman, Mac. I can sleep with anyone I want to, and believe it or not, it’s none of your business.”
“You’re right.” He’s happy for her and Joe and promises not to let their relationship come between him and Joe.
Janey tries to convince Francine to come to Maddie’s shower at Linda’s house.
Grant, Adam and Evan McCarthy come home to Gansett for Mac’s bachelor party and wedding.
Mac and Joe make up, and Mac gives his approval of Joe being with Janey, not that either of them needs his approval.
And then Joe has to deal with Big Mac, who’s heard about Joe and his “Princess.” Joe tells Big Mac he loves Janey and is encouraging her to go to vet school.
They find out Sydney Donovan was on the ferry with the McCarthy brothers, news that shocks Luke Harris.
Drunken Mac blurts out he’s glad Joe is sleeping with Janey, who’s with Maddie during the bachelor party.
The news is out. Joe gives Janey a ride to town, and they have sex in his truck.
The next day, Janey and Linda host Maddie’s shower.
During the shower, Doc Potter calls with big news that he pulled strings as an alumnus and got her into Ohio State Veterinary School for that fall.
She decides she has to end things with Joe because she can’t do another long-distance relationship.
His whole life and business are rooted in Gansett.
Right when she’s sure she loves him-loves him, her long-time dream comes true out of state.
Maddie is thrilled when her mother comes to the shower.
Later, Janey cancels plans with Joe. He’s immediately on alert for trouble and goes to her house, where she tells him she made a mistake and they’re done. He calls Mac and tells him something is wrong with Janey.
Luke Harris rows his old boat across a pond to check on Sydney Donovan, the only woman he’s ever loved.
She suffered devastating injuries in the same crash that claimed the lives of her husband and kids.
He sits in silence, watching over her, wishing he could do something to help, and vows to keep coming back to watch over her.
Mac checks on Janey, and she tells him about vet school.
He tells her how Joe gave up his dream of art school to run the ferry company after his grandfather died.
Mac says it’s not fair for her to make decisions for him and says he’ll fix it for her.
Janey waits for days to hear something from Joe but doesn’t see him again until Mac and Maddie’s wedding.
After they dance together as best man and maid of honor, Joe picks her up over his shoulder and carries her away.
“I missed you so much, and it was only four days. Oh, Joe, how will we ever be apart for four years?” The idea alone was enough to reduce her to tears.
“Who said anything about being apart?”
“But you live here. Your business, your whole life is here.”
Staring down at her, he shakes his head, his eyes filled with what looks an awful lot like regret. “I guess I haven’t done a good enough job.”
“Of what?” she asks, confused.
“I thought you’d know by now that everything I want, everything I need, is right here in my arms. The rest is just details, Janey.”
He’ll get someone to run the business so he can go to Ohio with her. She loves him-loves him. He tells her not to cancel the wedding she has planned for next summer and says Dr. Janey Cantrell has a nice ring to it as he gives her an engagement ring.
Janey holds him close. “Thanks for waiting for me, Joe.”
“You were well worth the wait, my love. Very well worth it.”