“Hey, Katie, do you have a hair tie?” she called.
“Katie’s in the hall. You want me to get her?” Will’s reply was muffled by the door.
Holy crap.
She gazed at herself in the mirror for a moment. Her eyes wide. Her face pale. She dropped the brush and turned to stare at the inside of the closed door.
He came back.
Stiff, she opened the door. “Will…”
He stood near the doorjamb, inches from her. Guilt tightened its hold on her.
“Here’s how it’s going to be.” He enveloped her in his arms and tucked her head against his chest.
She let him, her own hands resting against the denim on his hips.
He cleared his throat. “I’m in love with you. I think you love me too.”
Did she? All the emotions were muddled into a ball inside her. Was this what love felt like?
Her fingers crept along his spine. “I’m sorry, Will. This wasn’t how it was supposed to be.”
He wasn’t supposed to love her.
“Don’t give up on us.”
She swallowed the hunk of emotion lodged in her throat.
“Take the time you need. But come back to me.” He tilted her chin up.
That wasn’t going to happen.
God. This killed.
“Will, it’s time for me to go.”
She released him.
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Three weeks later…
William was sweating. The bright lights of the Beach Nights Reunion studio warmed the set past comfortable levels.
He tapped his foot against the blue carpeting and stared ahead into the array of cameras and screens, production crew and directors. His blood pressure rose higher than the ratings haul the producers assured him this show was sure to carry.
Lucy wouldn’t answer his calls.
He didn’t blame her. He’d messed up. She broke it off.
But she had to know how he felt. She didn’t believe he loved her, but he did. And he was willing to put his reputation on the line again to prove it to her.
Now he only hoped to hell she’d watch the show—and they wouldn’t flay him again on national television.
“William?” Mason Hale, the host of the show stuck his hand out to William.
He shook it. “Hale.”
“Long time, huh?” Hale flopped in the seat across from William. “Heard you were a hold out to this whole thing.” He gestured across the set.
William nodded. “Took a little convincing.”
Cameras weren’t rolling, but his mic was already attached to his collar, so he knew better than to say anything that could be edited into something it wasn’t in post-production.
“What do you say we get this party started?” Hale took the cue cards a production assistant slipped to him.
“Sounds good.” William stilled his tapping foot.
He was a journalist. He had spent years in front of the cameras. He shouldn’t be terrified of what these assholes were about to do. And yet, he couldn’t stop sweating—literally and figuratively.
Makeup powdered his face one last time. A cameraman wearing a headset held his fingers out beside camera two in a silent countdown from ten…nine…
He could do this.
Eight…seven…
For Lucy.
Six…five…
Because he loved her.
Four…three…
And she needed to know how much.
Two…one…
Because his life wasn’t the same without her in it.
Camera two’s red light flashed to green. The camera guy pointed to Hale in an exaggerated motion.
They were on. Hale blabbed an intro, the rushing in William’s ears amplified, he plastered on a smile and waited for Hale to ask him something.
“We’ve got one of our most popular Beach Nights alumni with us today, but first let’s take a look back.” Hale smirked and the light on camera two flicked to red once more.
William stared at the monitor on the floor beside the camera. They put together a montage of William and his time on the show. He pressed his lips together. This was expected—the rehashing of the women, his idiocy, bringing the past back to the present. It’s what he had to get through—the price he had to pay—for the chance to get through to Lucy.
“Next please,” his younger self said from the monitor.
This is where Hale would pounce. The camera clicked to green without warning. Hale turned to William.
“So, inquiring minds want to know who is your latest next, please?” The Hollywood smile Hale flashed looked like a shark circling a bucket of chum.
The chum being William.
They were about to be disappointed.
“There’s not a new, next please. Hasn’t been for a long time.” William glanced down and then looked straight into the camera. “Things changed for me. I’m not that guy anymore.”
Ever the professional, Hale’s expression didn’t change, but William saw the way his eyes dilated briefly in annoyance.
“No one at all?” Hale probed.
“No. There’s not another next, please.”
“I’m sure our audience is disappoint—”
“Now, I have an only one,” William cut him off. He wasn’t the least bit sorry about it. “I screwed it up with her. But I want to ask for her forgiveness. Here, in front of everyone. Did you ever meet someone who just makes you happy, Hale?”
Hale’s expression faltered. “I guess that’s the question we’re asking you.”
“Yeah. I met her. She means everything, and I’d do anything for a second chance. Or a third chance. Or however many chances she’ll give me.”
Chapter Thirty
“You did not.” Katie slammed her hands on the table in not-so-mock shock.
Lucy gripped the flimsy table at the diner to steady it. “Yep. I kinda did.”
She had done it. Quit her job. Again.
After watching Will on television, how could she not?
The few belongings she still owned were loaded up, and with only the cat for company, she spent two days driving the fifteen hundred miles to Denver for lunch with Katie, and then in a few hundred more miles, she would be home.
Home. Confluence.
Katie made a circle with her French fry in the air. “So I’m clear. He went on national television, said there isn’t another ‘next please,’ so you decided that meant quit your job, drive across the country, surprise him, and hope he’s still interested?”
Well…yeah. Lucy glanced at the hot dog she couldn’t bring herself to eat because her nerves were shot. “This is quite possibly the stupidest thing I’ve ever done.”
“Or the most romantic.” Katie sighed.
“Maybe both?” Lucy shifted her elbows on the table and dropped her forehead to her palms.
Katie laughed. “Are you sticking around in Denver for a bit or headed straight through?”
“Lunch with you and then on to Will,” Lucy said to the table.
He had called her a few times since the interview. She’d tried to pick up the phone, but couldn’t bring herself to do it. Heck, she’d even attempted to call him a few times, but once his name was on the screen she couldn’t press the button.
What she had to say needed to be said in person.
“When are you thinking for the wedding?” Katie asked, casually.
“One thing at a time. I need to get to him first, find out if he even still wants me.”
“He made a whole scene about how you aren’t disposable to your parents.” Katie made a face. “He still wants you.”
Lucy hoped she was right.
Katie beamed. “Only one way to find out.”
Yes, indeed. “Guess so.” Lucy pushed the hot dog away.
“I’m thinking I’d like red for the wedding. You could do a whole red and black theme. Or is that too Dracula?”
Lucy grunted. “One thing at a time, Katie.”
> “Don’t put me too close to Jeff for the festivities. I’m not speaking to him.”
“Why not?”
“That boy has mommy issues, kid issues, job issues, you-name-it issues. Let’s just say, if it’s an issue, he’s probably got it.” She paused, thoughtful. “Except bedroom issues.”
“I’ll never be able to look at him the same.”
Katie raised an eyebrow, put her index finger at the edge of the bun, and then melodramatically pulled it out about a foot. She tossed Lucy a knowing look. “Not even kidding.”
“You did not just tell me that.”
“Nope, I believe I illustrated it. Now, either you eat that”—Katie gestured to the untouched hot dog—“or you hop in the car so I can go buy a bridesmaid dress. What’s it gonna be?”
Lucy gagged. “I think you just ruined hot dogs for me forever.”
…
Lucy gripped the pink plastic pet carrier as the elevator door opened to the plush lobby of the Crestone corporate offices. She could do this.
Mitzy scratched at the air holes and bawled.
“Stop it, Mitzy. We’re almost there.”
Will’s receptionist wasn’t around, and neither was anyone else. Lucy scooted past the reception area to where he sat, leaned over a stack of papers, the end of a ball-point pen between his lips. She wanted to be that pen.
His forehead creased, and his lips ticked down, but he still looked amazing. Two days of driving, and her appearance reflected it. She wore jeans and a purple, striped crewneck sweater liberally sprinkled with the remnants of potato chips and a few splashes of her orange soda.
He, on the other hand, looked like he just wrapped up a photo shoot for Eddie Bauer. It must have been casual day at the Crestone offices because he wore jeans and a gray pullover with a little zipper at the neck. It was unzipped, revealing a lighter gray shirt underneath.
He poked at the buttons of the phone propped on his desk.
Lucy’s own phone suddenly blared an Adele song from in her purse. She fumbled to silence it, and he snapped his head to the door.
“Hey.” She waved to him.
His jaw went slack.
Mitzy gave a disgruntled howl from her carrier.
“Luce.” He dropped the phone back into the cradle and stood. “I’ve been calling. What’re you—”
“We need to talk.” So much to say.
His expression went dark. Right. Last time she said those words to him, it hadn’t gone so well.
“No, it’s not bad or anything.” Lucy grimaced. This wasn’t going the way she planned. At all.
Mitzy slammed herself against the metal door of the carrier, apparently through with her temporary confinement.
Will’s gaze dropped to her cage. “Is she okay?”
“She’s grumpy from the drive.” Lucy held the carrier up to her eye level. “Stop it, Mitzy.”
The cat hissed.
“Should we let her out?” he asked.
“Probably.” Neither of them moved to let Mitzy out of her confinement.
If a cat could huff, Mitzy did.
“I confess I needed to see you,” Lucy said.
“We’re confessing?” His eyebrows drew together, and his hands drifted to his hips. “What are you putting on the line?”
Oh.
She dug through her purse and patted her pockets. Nothing.
The only thing she had was a furious cat. She bit at her lower lip and set Mitzy’s carrier on his desk.
His lips twitched.
“I’ll match that.” He reached into his desk drawer and removed a blue Tiffany pouch. A brilliant diamond ring slipped into his hand. He set it beside Mitzy. “It was my mother’s.”
Lucy’s lips parted slightly.
Holy crap.
The ring. The cat.
“You first.” He tucked his hands in his pockets and jerked his chin to her.
“I confess that I came to tell you…” She stumbled over the words. “I came to tell you that I quit my job. I know. It’s totally crazy. But I messed up, I didn’t listen, and new roads should be paved…and my future is here. It’s…you.”
“Roads should be paved?” he asked.
“Well, yeah. And you can change them, pave new ones.” She pressed a hand to her forehead. “I didn’t say that right. What I mean is I want to be with you.”
He ran a hand over the back of his neck and studied the carpet.
“Here’s the thing. I fell in love with you, too.”
His face gentled further. “Come here, Lucy.”
“Will? Wh—”
He walked purposely to her, and she couldn’t say anything more because suddenly his arm was around her waist, and she was there. Then her bottom was on his desk, his hips were between her legs, and his mouth moved to take hers.
“Will, you didn’t confess. That means you lose.”
His face dipped lower. “You take that ring, Princess, and I’m pretty sure I just won.”
She blinked. “You threw the game.”
“Maybe.”
“We’re engaged?”
“Looks that way.”
“Yeah,” she said on a breath.
“Four kids,” he said against her lips.
She made a face and pushed him back. “No.”
“No to any kids, or no to four?”
“We’ve been over this. Two. And that’s my final offer.”
He unpinned her hair, running it through his fingers. “Works for me.”
She curled her fingers around his arms. “I’m going to need a job.”
“Crestone has some openings. Whatever you want to do.”
“I was thinking I might try print journalism. See what they have available over at The River’s Edge.” She glanced up at him from under her eyelashes.
“You want to work for my competition?”
“Well, I can’t work here. You’re the boss. It’d be totally inappropriate. Or I could always become a breeder for hypoallergenic poodles.”
“Yeah, Mitzy would love that.”
“I’ll figure something out. I’ve got time. But where are we gonna live?”
“I bought a house a few weeks after I moved to Confluence. It’s not huge, but the neighborhood is good, and the decorator I hired has been working on it for a while, so there’s some furniture.”
“I don’t understand. If you had a house, why’d you stay in Camelot?”
His eyes got soft, and he ran a thumb along her jaw. “You.”
“Me?”
“I couldn’t be away from you.”
Her pulse skipped, and she nestled her cheek against his chest. He held her head against him, and they stood that way for a long, long time.
“Can I kiss you now?” he asked, tilting her chin so she looked at him.
“Wait.” She held up a finger to his lips. “I almost forgot. I brought you something.”
She leaned back and rummaged through her purse, digging out the letter she wrote him and the little package.
“What’s this for?” He shook the package.
“For waiting for me.”
The lines around his eyes relaxed.
“Open it,” she urged.
He tore off the shiny brown wrapping paper. “A cat-shaped letter opener?”
“It goes with this.” She slipped the thick envelope into his hand. “I know you have a thing about opening letters, so I figured I’d help out with that.”
He flashed his dimples at her and slid the opener along the top of the envelope, breaking the seal and reading the first page. “Luce,” he whispered.
“I couldn’t remember exactly when I fell in love with you, so I wrote down all the times I knew I loved you.”
His gentle expression was unreadable as he shuffled through the pages. “Some of these are from things from when we were in Florida?”
“Well, yeah. I was kind of in love with you back then, too.”
The Adam’s apple in his throat worked. “Most o
f the pages are blank?”
She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Well, I didn’t actually expect you to open it.”
He tossed her a bland look.
“Kidding.” She trailed a finger along the edge of the papers. “Figured I’d need lots of pages so I could fill them in for the rest of our lives.”
He searched her face, his golden eyes probing, consuming her. She moved her hands up along his sweater, along the ridges of his chest to his neck.
He kissed her then. Thoroughly.
When he broke the connection, the hope of a lifetime together reflected in his eyes. “I won.”
“No, I think I did.” She stroked the tender spot under his ear.
“Are we getting married?”
“Yeah,” she replied.
“Then I won.”
With those words, the pieces of herself she’d spent so much time barely holding together finally bound tight. Whatever he might think, clear to her bones she held the knowledge that she had won.
Epilogue
The KDVX live news van was parked in the dirt lot at the Miracle Mike Festival. A crowd had gathered to watch the interview as it broadcast on the five-thirty news. The rooster actually spoke this time. William grinned from his perch on the van’s step. Lucy had insisted on taking the headless chicken interview. Turned out she had a bit of a competitive streak and wanted to prove the rooster would talk to her. He hadn’t believed it could be done. She was proving him wrong.
With the sun tucked behind a large cloud, the dry heat of summer in Confluence took a break. It didn’t matter, though. Lucy was oblivious to the world around her when on the job. In the summer heat or a winter blizzard, she didn’t care once the camera rolled. His wife was funny like that.
Yeah, he had married her. It’d been almost a year now with no signs of the honeymoon being over yet. About two point five seconds after she’d accepted his proposal, he dragged her to the courthouse, and in front of God and a judge, they vowed to love each other as long as they lived. That was a lie, though. If any kind of afterlife existed, he’d love her then, too.
She now owned half of everything that was his, including KDVX. Apparently, that made it okay that she worked there sometimes. She didn’t hang out at the station often, but every once in a while she’d tackle a story “to keep her skills sharp.” That wasn’t the whole truth, but he understood she got off on the high of being on camera, and he loved that about her.
The Honeymoon Trap Page 23