by Lea Coll
STAY WITH ME
Lea Coll
Copyright © 2019 by Lea Meyer
All Rights Reserved.
This book contains material protected under International and Federal Copyright Laws and Treaties. Any unauthorized reprint or use of this material is prohibited. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by an information and retrieval system without express written permission from the author.
All characters and storylines are the property of the author and your support and respect is greatly appreciated.
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
Editing by Evident Ink
Proofreading by Virginia Carey
Cover Design by Laun Studio
Photography by Wander Aguiar
Models: Ivenise Ruidiaz and Andrew Biernat
Formatting by Champagne Book Design
Title Page
Copyright
Books by Lea Coll
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Chapter Twenty-Two
Chapter Twenty-Three
Chapter Twenty-Four
Chapter Twenty-Five
Chapter Twenty-Six
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Chapter Twenty-Nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-One
Chapter Thirty-Two
Epilogue
Excerpt from Choose Me
Acknowledgments
About the Author
Books by Lea Coll
Choose Me
Be with Me
Burn for Me
Trust in Me
Stay with Me
Take a Chance on Me (coming May 2020)
Easy Moves
To discover other titles by Lea Coll, please visit her website.
To my family who has supported me from the beginning.
Lucy
I stood in the entryway to the Chestertown Yacht Club’s ballroom, a large round room with floor-to-ceiling windows showcasing the Chester River, at my older brother’s engagement party. Watching the familiar crowd of family and friends interact, I felt like an outsider for the first time since I left seven years ago. I’d drifted away from my family, my friends, everyone. I knew I’d have to face their questions—why was I gone so long and why was I back now?
My eyes traveled the room and came to rest on my brother, Jack, who was surrounded by his tight-knit group of friends, who I barely remembered from high school. His fiancée, Samantha, looked beautiful in a blush-colored dress, strappy silver sandals, and a flush to her cheeks as the guests watched Jack pull a necklace out of a white box.
Samantha’s hands covered her mouth. “Oh, Jack.”
“This is engraved with the GPS coordinates for the exact location where we will exchange our vows.”
When it was clasped, Samantha turned back to Jack touching the silver necklace resting on her collarbone. “Thank you. It’s perfect.” She went up on tiptoes to kiss him as everyone clapped.
I took a few deep breaths, the most I’d taken since my boss told me they no longer needed me and I could clean out my desk. Apparently, I wasn’t creative enough for the department anymore. My roommate, April, said I could take over the lease since she was moving in with her boyfriend, but after two months of searching I had no job or prospects. There was no way I could afford to take over the high rent on our trendy townhome in Federal Hill. Our lease was up at the end of the month anyway, so I gave the landlord our notice, packed my meager belongings, which mainly consisted of clothes and high heels, into the back of my car, and headed here with the intention of moving back in with my parents until I could find a new job.
The silky cobalt dress I’d worn on the drive was wrinkled but I’d managed to touch up my makeup in the car and brush my hair so it didn’t look like I’d sat in a car for three hours in the heat and traffic.
The crowd, which had been watching Jack and Samantha, dispersed so I ran my fingers down the skirt to smooth out the wrinkles and drew in a shaky breath, worried I’d finally have to face everything and everyone I’d left behind.
I approached Samantha to wish her well. “Congratulations!” They’d gotten engaged before Christmas, but I hadn’t been home yet to see her ring. She held out her hand for me to inspect. “It’s beautiful.” I hugged her and whispered, “I’m so glad you’re going to be my sister.”
“Thank you,” she murmured.
I turned to Jack who said, “I’m so glad you could make it.” He pulled me in for a hug—one I needed desperately. I relaxed into his embrace trying to remember the last time he’d hugged me. Was it when he left for college? I held onto him for a long time then too, hoping he’d change his mind about leaving. He was the eternal peacemaker in our family and when he left things weren’t the same. Back then, I couldn’t wait to get away from my family, this small town, and—I pulled back from Jack, seeing him. The one I left behind. Wyatt Carter.
This was the first time I’d seen him in seven years. My pulse pounded in my ears as I took in his gray suit, his reddish-brown hair trimmed close to his head on the back and sides, left slightly longer on the top, and scruff bordering on a full beard covering his chin. So different from the unruly curly hair and smooth face he’d kept when we were kids.
My arms hung loosely at my sides as I tried to keep my shoulders back, my face devoid of emotion. But inside, my stomach was churning and my heart was beating out of my chest. He wasn’t the reason I left, but he was the reason I’d stayed away. “Wyatt. I’m surprised to see you here.”
The fitted suit, his stylish hair, and the jacket straining around his biceps made me swallow hard. He was a man now. So different from the boy I’d walked away from.
“Why is that?” Wyatt’s eyebrow raised, standing feet shoulder-width apart, arms crossed over his chest. His voice was deeper and raspier than I remembered. Everything about his posture and tone screamed that I was the one who didn’t belong, even if it was my brother’s engagement party.
His light blue eyes, which once looked at me with love and affection, now sparked with irritation. I couldn’t blame him. I hadn’t expected to see him here either.
“I didn’t know you were even friends with Jack.” I’d left for college and visited occasionally—enough to keep my parents happy. I’d wanted to escape my family’s bickering and the family business which, if I’d stayed, threatened to consume my life. Every time I returned, I couldn’t wait to get in my car and head back over the bridge to the city.
I’d been friends with Wyatt since we were kids, but after Jack went to college, he was more. He represented safety and an escape from my family, but it wasn’t enough. When I accepted a full r
ide to college, I thought I’d go without anything or anyone holding me back. I hadn’t expected the break-up to be so hard. I’d managed to avoid seeing Wyatt on those visits because I was ashamed of the way I had ended things and I was scared of my reaction if I saw him.
“There’s a lot you don’t know,” Wyatt said, his voice was tight, and a muscle ticked in his jaw. “We work together.”
I looked to Jack who watched our exchange, and his eyes were concerned. Why hadn’t he warned me Wyatt would be here? I’d dated Wyatt after Jack left for school so maybe he didn’t realize how close we’d been. And over the years, I’d never asked about him. I’d pretended he didn’t exist. Like there wasn’t anything between us but young love. That’s what I told myself so I could move on.
But now that he was here, standing in front of me, I knew I hadn’t moved on at all. All those emotions were flooding back to me—regret for how I ended it and a crushing feeling of loss. Less than a minute in his presence and it was like no time had passed—nothing had changed. When you’re a teenager, you think there’s always something better out there. How wrong I’d been.
“I’m sure you’re headed back to the city as soon as this party is over,” Wyatt said.
A few heads turned to watch our exchange, hearing the barely disguised anger in his voice. My face warmed and I wanted to escape their scrutiny, and Wyatt. My former job was so demanding I’d told Jack I might not attend the pre-wedding events. Then I hadn’t wanted to come because I didn’t want to admit I’d failed—that I’d been fired from my dream job and couldn’t afford my townhome.
I glanced at Jack, shifting on my heels. “Actually—I’m here for an extended visit.”
“That’s great,” Jack said. “Will you be able to stay for our wedding at the end of the summer?”
I hated that I’d been so absent in Jack’s life he didn’t expect me to appear at his wedding. With Wyatt’s gaze boring into the side of my head, I said, “Of course I’ll be there.”
Wyatt snorted. “You’re going to stay here? The place you couldn’t leave fast enough when we graduated?” He paused as if to rein in his temper.
My head snapped back to Wyatt who’d always been able to read me, my eyes pleading with him to drop it. “I’m here for now.”
“Did something happen with your job?” Jack asked.
It wasn’t the time or place, but I didn’t want to lie. “I don’t work there anymore.”
“I thought that was your dream job,” Jack said.
“It was my dream,” I said softly watching Wyatt’s face for any reaction. I found a subtle flash of sympathy and understanding there before the anger settled back in. “Look, I don’t want to ruin your party talking about this.”
“We’re here to celebrate, not to interrogate Lucy,” Samantha said, diverting attention from our awkward exchange by grabbing Jack’s hand and pulling him out to the dance floor.
My mom headed toward me. She’d been upset when I left home but hopeful that I’d return and help out with the business when I graduated. When I didn’t, she was unhappy and never failed to mention her disappointment. One more reason I didn’t stay long when I visited, but now I had no choice. “Lucy, when did you get here?”
“I just got here.” I rubbed my bare arms to ward off the sudden chill.
“Well, I’m glad you were able to make it. We weren’t sure there for a while,” Mom said.
“Neither was I, but I’m here to stay.” I glanced at Wyatt, annoyed he was still watching our family drama.
Mom’s forehead wrinkled in confusion as she asked, “And why is that? I thought you’d have to get back to your job as soon as possible. They never let you have time off.”
My dreams were always bigger than this town, my family, even Wyatt. And for a short time, I thought I’d made it until everything came crumbling down. “I don’t work there anymore.”
“Why ever not? Did you quit?” Mom asked, her face tight with disappointment.
I was not only jobless but homeless too, which was difficult to admit to anyone, much less my mother. I certainly hadn’t expected Wyatt’s presence during this conversation. “Not exactly. My roommate moved out so I couldn’t afford my townhome anymore. I need a place to stay.” At her hard look, I continued, “But don’t worry I’m headed back to the city as soon as I get a new job.”
I had asked every single one of my so-called friends and former co-workers if I could crash on their couch for a bit, but apparently we weren’t as close as I thought we were, or I was past the acceptable age for crashing on anyone’s couch. I’d only been here for a few minutes and I was already itching to leave.
I’d never dealt with the aftermath of walking away from Wyatt. I thought it would be easy. I thought I’d feel free, but I hadn’t. When it didn’t get easier, I numbed myself to my feelings for him. He’d said our breakup was final, and it was. It was almost easy to block out that part of my life as I started a new one in college, but now that I was back, the hurt and anger emanating off of Wyatt brought back every feeling I’d ever had for him—affection, protectiveness, and love, first as friends and then later as lovers.
“Lucy’s here.” I knew that voice anywhere, Stella Lewis, older than me by two years. The man next to her with his arm around her shoulders was Sawyer. All I remembered about him was that he was really smart. Now they appeared to be dating.
“That’s great,” Sawyer said.
Wyatt’s eyes now looked through me and he brushed past Sawyer, grumbling. “It’s really fucking not.”
Wyatt
I maneuvered through the mingling guests until I got to the hallway trying to draw in a breath. I knew I was going to run into Lucy at some point. There was no way I could avoid her, being Jack’s groomsman, but I thought I would have been more prepared. Instead I couldn’t take my eyes from when she’d appeared in the doorway or as she walked closer. I drank in the sight of her in the silky blue dress, which emphasized the color of her eyes, her long dark hair, and her toned legs. She was different. She’d changed from a cute pretty girl to a sexy and sophisticated woman.
My heart thudded in my chest, waiting for the moment when she’d turn and see me standing there unable to look away. And when she did see me, she was so surprised. She didn’t even know I was friends with Jack. How was that possible? I knew she didn’t come home often but I guess she hadn’t asked about me. If she had, she would have known Jack and I were friends. The thought of her not asking about me was harder to understand than her walking away. Had I meant so little to her that she felt nothing toward me?
When she said she was moving back home, every feeling I had when she’d broken it off came back to me—disbelief, agony, heartbreak. In high school, she talked about wanting to leave Chestertown to go to college, but I didn’t think she’d leave me. I was wrong. She couldn’t get out of this town or away from me fast enough.
The night she broke up with me, I’d pleaded with her to change her mind. I’d asked her to try long distance, suggested we take a break and revaluate our relationship when she came home for Thanksgiving, but I was met with cold indifference. When I couldn’t get a reaction out of her, something snapped inside of me. I’d told her—“If you walk away now don’t ever come back. We.are.done.” I spoke with such vehemence Lucy shivered from the force, but I’d seen the relief on her face. It was exactly what she’d wanted—a clean break. It wasn’t the reaction I’d expected. But then nothing that night was expected.
I leaned against the wall wondering how we had such different experiences. I’d been in love with her, or so I thought at the time. I’d never felt anything close to what I’d felt for her since. My lingering feelings for Lucy held me back in other relationships. I couldn’t find what we had, and I didn’t want to settle for anything less. I guess a part of me hoped she’d come back—that she’d change her mind, but she hadn’t. I was more in love with her than she was with me. I wouldn’t make that mistake again.
“Hey, what are you doing out
here?” Jack’s concerned eyes met mine. “Are you okay?”
“There’s too many people in there. I needed a minute.” I didn’t want him to ask any more questions. I was hung up on his sister and he was the last person I wanted to talk to.
Jack leaned against the wall next to me. “Is that it,” he gave me a pointed look, “or is it my sister?”
I tensed. “Why would you think that?”
“I was there. You were wound up when Lucy arrived. When I got off the dance floor, Sawyer asked me to check on you. He said he mentioned how great it was that Lucy was home and you said it wasn’t and stormed out. Want to explain to me why you’re pissed my sister’s home?”
I couldn’t speak. I couldn’t have this conversation—not with Lucy’s brother and my friend. This was so fucked up.
Jack sighed and leaned his head back against the wall. “Want to explain to me what happened after I asked you to look after Lucy when I left for college? You took that to mean you should date her?”
Fuck. I’d somehow managed to avoid this conversation since Jack returned to town last year. “That was never my intention. It slowly evolved from good friends to dating but—” I couldn’t say nothing happened. I couldn’t tell him I hadn’t slept with his sister, because I had.
His jaw was tight as he held up his hand. “I don’t want to know the details.”
Thank fuck, because I didn’t want to tell him. “It was never my intention. I did take care of her. She was upset you left and your parents were arguing all the time about the marina. Money was tight with you in school. I took her away from that. I distracted her. Trust me, I didn’t mean for anything to happen.” I paused, the pain of our break-up as fresh as the day it happened. “She dumped me before she went to college. She wants nothing to do with me.”
Jack’s eyes turned hard. “I hated leaving her to deal with that—to deal with them.”