Since You've Been Gone

by Samantha Chase

  With a slight shrug, Grace replied, “I think she’s starting to realize just how incredibly…um…what’s the word I’m looking for…?”

  “Bitchy. She’s been incredibly bitchy to all of us.”

  “Okay, I was trying to think of a less potty-mouthed way to say it, but yes. Bitchy. I’m not sure what’s behind this big transformation she’s going through, but whatever it is, she’s been almost pleasant to be around.” She paused. “So she apologized and asked if there was anything she could do to help and I told her that we need to know where he is so I can finally get my divorce.”

  “You’re really going to go through with it?”

  Her eyes went wide. “Why on earth wouldn’t I?”

  “Well…the two of you had started getting…you know…close when he was here. We were all beginning to think you were going to take him back.”

  She didn’t immediately deny it, so Garrett knew he wasn’t too far off.

  “Does she know where he is?” he asked.

  “She claims she doesn’t and I believe her. But she’s promised to help in any way she can, so…we’ll see.”

  He nodded, and they stood in companionable silence as they looked around at all the people there celebrating. “This is good,” he said. “Really good. I’m disappointed that my original plans didn’t work out, but the more I think about it, the more I realize this is better.”

  Hugging him, she agreed. “I’m glad you’re back home where you belong, Garrett. I never thought any of you boys would move back to Magnolia and now look–I’ve got two of you here.”

  “And who knows where Jackson will end up.”

  “He’s got almost another two years left of service. I don’t think he knows what he wants to do when he’s done and I’m not going to push.” She paused. “But maybe seeing that you and Austin have both settled here will encourage him to come home too.”

  “We’ll see.”

  “Oh, Susannah’s waving me over. We’re working on plans for a bridal shower for Mia.” She kissed him on the cheek before walking away.

  “There you are,” Emma said as she handed him a piece of cake. “I didn’t think you got to have any yet, so I made sure to grab a slice before they were all gone.”

  “Thanks.” Taking a forkful of the chocolate cake, he moaned with pleasure. “If I start going to Henderson’s too often, promise you’ll stop me.”

  “Only if you go and don’t bring anything home for me,” she teased. Looking around the room, she smiled. “You have a massive family, Garrett. I don’t think I ever realized how big it was.”

  “And we’re missing a few people.”

  “Really? Who?”

  “My cousins Parker and Peyton aren’t here. They’re Mason’s sisters.”

  “Oh. They don’t live here anymore?”

  “Peyton does, but she’s at some food show up in New York. She’s the one who owns the café in town. As for Parker, I think I heard someone mention that she was temporarily living down in Florida. She’s house-sitting for some friends or something.”

  “Oh, okay. Good for her!”

  “She’s the traveler in the family, and it seems whenever I’m home, she’s got a story to tell about someplace she’s recently visited so she is definitely living her dream.”

  He caught her looking over at his mom.

  “Something the matter?”

  “Well, I guess your mother and Dominic haven’t patched things up yet. I asked her if he was coming and she could barely talk. I hate that things happened the way they did.”

  “Yeah, me too. But this is what happens when Cash Coleman is around. He stirs up trouble and leaves a big mess in his wake. It’s been his M.O. for his whole life. So it doesn’t matter if he’s dying or not, he refuses to change.”

  “You think Ryder’s guy is going to find him?”

  “It really won’t matter if he does or doesn’t. It’s not going to change anything. The damage has been done. Again.” He felt himself getting angry again and reminded himself that this was a party in his honor. “Come on. Let’s go outside and sit on the beach and watch the sun go down. It’s been a while since we’ve done that.”

  Together they walked hand in hand out onto the deck and down the steps to the sand. They waved and talked to a few of his cousins along the way, but they were alone again by the time they were near the water.

  They sat down and watched the waves crash, and Garrett felt himself relax. “You know things are going to be crazy for the next several weeks, right?”

  She nodded.

  “I mean, between getting things set up at the clinic and then going back to Norfolk to move out of the apartment, I don’t think we’re going to have more than a few minutes to breathe.”

  She nodded again.

  “Em, we’re looking at probably a solid month of craziness and then we should probably start thinking about moving. Your life’s been nice and simple for a while, and I’m complicating it a lot. Are you…?”

  Turning, she slapped her hand over his mouth. “Garrett Coleman, if you ask me one more time if I’m sure about anything where you and I are concerned, I swear I’ll scream! My life has been staid and boring for far too long. You came back and put life back in my life! So for the last time, I am all in with you and all the craziness and all the complications! Stop worrying so much about me and start believing in us!”

  She was right. He was a worrier and planner by nature, and it was hard to break old habits. Emma was going to be good for him, and the thought of planning a future with her was more than he ever thought he’d deserve.

  But she was worth it.

  They were worth it.

  And from this moment forward, he vowed to himself that they weren’t ever looking back. There was no more Steven and no more Cash because that was their old lives, and together they were building something new.

  Something better.

  The sky was growing dimmer, and behind them, voices were getting softer. He hated to get up and move, but he knew they should return to the party. He still wanted to talk with Ryder some more and spend some time with Ed and Christine.

  “Come on, beautiful girl. Let’s go mingle for a little while longer,” he said as he held out his hand to help her stand. They brushed the sand off each other and strolled back up to the house. Almost everyone was gone within an hour, and Ryder asked if they could get together tomorrow because he had some calls to make.

  When it was down to just them, Austin and Mia, it seemed like the perfect way to end the day.

  “Aren’t you glad you returned my call this morning?” Austin asked.

  “I can’t believe that was only this morning. I feel like I’ve lived an entire month today.”

  “That’s how I felt this whole week,” Emma said, resting her head on his shoulder. “It’s crazy how everything fell into place, but it certainly took a lot of work.”

  “So what’s the plan for the two of you now?” Mia asked.

  “We are going home and crawling into bed and not getting out of it until we have to meet Ryder for dinner tomorrow night,” Garrett said with a grin. “I have a feeling that’s going to be the last time for a long while that we’ll be able to sleep in like that.” He looked at his brother. “Which reminds me, you need to come to Norfolk with me either next weekend or the one after to move my stuff.”

  “Can’t you hire someone to do that?”

  “Consider it brotherly bonding time. You know, since you’ve missed me so much.”

  Austin threw a plastic cup at him with a laugh. “You’re such an ass, but yeah. Whichever weekend is better for you, I’ll be there.”

  “Thanks, man. I appreciate it.”

  Beside him, Emma yawned, and he took that as the perfect cue for them to leave.

  “It really has been a long day and I appreciate you hosting the party for me,” he said as he stood and stretched. “This has been amazing. Thank you.”

  Mia hugged him before Austin walked over and did th
e same. “I’m proud of you, G. And I’m glad I get to watch you do your thing with the clinic. This town is lucky to have you.”

  That made him chuckle. “There was a time they didn’t particularly think that way.”

  Austin shrugged. “Who cares? We showed them, huh? We’re no longer those wild Coleman boys who wreaked havoc around town. Now we’re the ones they call when they need help, so…good on us.”

  “Absolutely.”

  Emma yawned again and he tucked her in close to his side and kissed her cheek. “Let’s get you home.” She thanked Austin and Mia and they made plans to get together for dinner once the move was done.

  Out in the car, Garrett got Emma settled in the passenger seat before getting behind the wheel. It wasn’t until they pulled out of the driveway that she spoke.

  “Thank God you finally took the hint. I don’t know how many more fake yawns I could have handled.”

  “Fake yawns? You mean…?”

  “I want to go to bed, Garrett, but I’m not sleepy,” she said seductively.

  And there had never been a better incentive to get home.

  Epilogue

  Three months later…

  “That has got to be the last of it.” Stretching, Emma looked around their new kitchen and smiled. Everything was officially unpacked and put away, and she didn’t think this day would ever come.

  They were renting a house that was only a few blocks away from the clinic, and it was everything she had ever wanted in a home. Eventually they hoped to buy it, but Ryder–who bought it as an investment and was more than happy to rent it out to them–assured them that he’d help them find someplace even better when they were ready.

  And as much as she hated to admit it, he hadn’t been wrong on anything they’d discussed with him. Ever.

  She cut the final box down, flattened it, and put it out in the garage with the others before walking out to get the mail. It was a beautiful day and it was nice to just walk barefoot to the mailbox while waving to the neighbors.

  This is home…

  There were just a few items in the mailbox and she flipped through them as she walked back into the house. The last one made her pause. The return address was from Ryder’s lawyer and it was for her, but she had no idea what it could be. He was doing the work pro-bono so it couldn’t be a bill, but she also didn’t think he’d send a letter about anything happening on her case with Steven. It had been a while since there’d been any progress, so maybe he was just touching base with her.

  With a weary sigh, she sat down at the kitchen island and opened the envelope.

  It was a check.

  “What the…?” She stared at the amount for several minutes and swore she must need glasses because she couldn’t possibly be reading it right. With shaky hands, she read the letter that was attached to it.

  Dear Ms. Ryan,

  Please find enclosed a check in the amount of $85,000.00. Per our discussions, this is half of the amount owed to you…

  Her heart was racing and it seemed almost too good to be true. There was more to the letter, she knew that, but she needed to call Garrett and share the news with him because this was huge! Grabbing her phone, she swiped the screen and saw she had a text from him. When she opened it, there was a link to an Instagram post. Her finger was poised to tap it when the phone rang.

  Garrett.

  “Hey! I just saw your text. What’s going on?”

  He chuckled. “I’ve been waiting for you to check that link for almost ten minutes,” he said, still laughing. “And you’re telling me you haven’t even looked at it yet?”

  “Um…no. I was unpacking the last of the kitchen stuff and then I went and got the mail. Garrett, you are not going to believe it, but…”

  “No! No, no, no…I don’t want to hear anything until after you watch the video, so…go watch it and call me back.”

  “But…”

  He hung up.

  “Seriously?” she murmured and was about to click the link when her phone dinged with a message from her mother.

  “Oh, my goodness! Did you see the video?”

  Now her curiosity was piqued.

  Another text came in. This one from Mia.

  “I’m crying! Please tell me you’re on your way!”

  Apparently everyone they knew had seen the video because her inbox was exploding with messages. Instead of reading them all, Emma opened Garrett’s text and clicked the link.

  The video opened on a closeup of his face and she couldn’t help but smile.

  “Hey, Everyone! It’s Dr. Garrett Coleman, and I’m here at Happy Tails in Magnolia Sound, hanging out with some friends.” The camera pulled back and she laughed out loud.

  He was shirtless.

  “It’s been a while since I’ve done one of these videos, but today is a special occasion. You see, I’ve got someone very special for you to meet.” Pausing, he bent down and then there was Axel’s little face pressed up against his. “This is Axel. He’s a Border Jack mix, and he has been desperately avoiding being adopted.” He turned his head and exchanged glances with the dog before looking at the camera again. “Happy Tails is an animal rescue here in Magnolia and they have been saving dogs from kill shelters for almost twenty years. The work Ed and Christine do here is absolutely amazing.” The camera panned around to show the property as he explained a little more about what they did.

  When the camera was back on him, he was smiling. “But back to my friend here. You see, all these sweet dogs running around behind me are looking for loving homes. Axel has been picked by three different families in the past, but they always brought him back. He’s not a bad dog, he just knew the family he was meant to be with hadn’t come for him yet.” He turned and looked at Axel again. “Your wait is over, little man. Today, your family is bringing you home.”

  Emma was openly sobbing while trying to figure out just what it was she was supposed to do. Was Garrett coming home? Was she supposed to go to Happy Tails?

  The two of them looked like Axel was whispering something in his ear. “What’s that?” He paused and pretended to listen. “You think we should do that today?” Another pause, and then he nodded. “I like that plan. Let’s do that.” He looked at the camera and gave a smile she knew was especially for her. “Emma, we’ve both waited a lifetime to be a family with you. Won’t you come here to us so we can make it official?” Then he winked and the video ended.

  “What the…?” She threw her flip-flops on and ran out the door in less than a minute.

  Even with the move, she was still several minutes away from Happy Tails and it was like everyone in the world was trying to drive down Main Street. Her frustration made her yell all the bad words, but she forced herself to calm down when she finally turned onto the dirt driveway.

  She parked and spotted Garrett standing in the middle of the dog yard, still holding Axel, and surrounded by her family and his.

  And he’d put a shirt back on.

  Dammit.

  Initially, she thought she’d run across the yard to greet them, but now that she was here and it was happening, emotion threatened to overwhelm her, so she walked toward them.

  When she got close enough, her brother held up a phone and she knew this was being recorded and possibly happening live, but she didn’t care. Her cheeks felt hot and tears were already blurring her vision, but it didn’t matter.

  Garrett gave her a lopsided grin. “If you think I was going to let all those guys outdo me with their videos, you’re crazy,” he whispered to her.

  In truth, they had more volunteers than they knew what to do with when it came to shirtless social media posts. His cousin Mason did one with a dog in the office with him. His other cousin Sam did a cute one on a riding mower with a puppy. Scarlett’s three brothers all did posts–one at the firehouse, one on a construction site, and one in a convertible that were all big hits. And just last week, Austin did one while fishing at the beach.

  Clearly Garrett was feeling a l
ittle competitive and decided he was going to outdo them all.

  “Emma Ryan,” he said, his voice strong and confident. “You once told me that you dreamed of moving into a place of your own that had a yard so you could bring this little guy home with you. And since you said we are officially unpacked and completely moved in, it seems only fair that he not wait any longer.” He passed the squirming dog to her, and Axel covered her face in puppy kisses while she laughed.

  “Oh my goodness! You have no idea how long I’ve dreamed about this day,” she said, kissing the top of his little head while she hugged him tightly. Then she smiled at Garrett. “This is amazing. I’m so glad we’re doing this today.”

  Her mother stepped forward with a little suitcase and dog bed, and her sisters moved a dog house beside it that looked a lot like the Happy Tails barn.

  “Oh! That’s one of Scarlett’s designs, isn’t it?” she said with awe as she crouched down to examine it.

  “It is,” Garrett replied. “Let him check it out and see what he thinks.”

  Axel jumped down and immediately went into the little house and sniffed it out, making her laugh. “I think he likes it.” When she turned, Garrett was kneeling beside her.

  Actually, he was on one knee.

  It was all too much. This entire day was just…

  “Somebody needs to pinch me,” she whispered.

  “Um…what?” Garrett asked, confused.

  “Pinch me! Someone needs to pinch me!”

  “Em…I’m kind of in the middle of something…”

  “Then you need to…ouch!” Turning her head, she glared at her sister Maddie. “What in the world?”

  “What? You said someone needed to pinch you, so…” She grinned and stepped just out of Emma’s reach.

  Garrett cleared his throat and Emma rubbed her sore arm before facing him. “Sorry.”

  He grinned. “Okay, Emmaline Ryan…”

  Because, of course he needed to use her full name.

  “I’ve been in love with you since I was eight years old. I know this is fast and maybe you think it’s too soon, but I want us to start our lives together. You own my heart and there is nothing I want more than to be your husband.” He opened the ring box he’d been holding behind his back. “Will you marry me?”