Seaside Whispers: Matt Lacroux (Love in Bloom: Seaside Summers)

by Melissa Foster

  She held her breath, watching a smile curve his beautiful mouth. The mouth that had just professed his love for her.

  “I love you, sunshine. I love you and Hagen so much I can’t imagine not loving you. I love when you smile, when you laugh, when you crinkle your nose. I love the way you worry about everything Hagen does, and how you feed his need for facts. I love how much you care about my father and how you cherish your family. I love your big heart and your brilliant mind and your insanely sexy body. I love how you look at me, the way you touch me.”

  Overcome with emotion, her voice lodged in her throat. It was all she could do to tighten her hold on his ass, where her hands had been resting.

  “Especially when you touch me,” he said with a spark of dark pleasure in his eyes. “I want more of you. More of these days with Hagen. More nights like this.”

  She’d waited so long to be here with him, to fully open her heart, to allow herself to let go of the protective walls she’d created around her life with Hagen. A tear slipped down her cheek, and he kissed it away.

  “I love you, too,” she managed, seconds before his mouth descended on hers, and they began to move. “But when you leave…?” We’ll go with you.

  “I’m not going to leave, baby. I’m building a life here. I’ve been away long enough. I want to see you and Hagen and my family. I want to be on the Cape. There’s nothing left for me in Princeton. I’ve achieved everything I can there.”

  Her mind spun. He loved her and wanted to stay on the Cape. This was huge news. Bigger than huge. Ginormous. “But you could still get the job as dean, if not now, a few years from now.”

  He shook his head and kissed her softly. “That’s an impossibility, and one I don’t want to think about anymore.”

  As their mouths came together again, she felt all the pieces of her life shifting into place. The unanswered question of Matt’s future no longer loomed over them like a thunderous cloud waiting for the air to shift. The air had shifted, and he was staying at the Cape.

  And he loved them.

  He loved them both.

  She gazed up at him, needing to hear it again. “You’re staying?”

  “Yes, baby. I’m staying. Now let me kiss you and stop that beautiful brain of yours from spinning.”

  They made love carefully at first, as if their confessions had opened new doors and they wanted to walk through them together. His hands skimmed over her sides and hips, and her body conformed to his as it had so many times before, but this felt different, more powerful, as if this time they were branding each other.

  “I love you, baby,” he whispered, and kissed the corners of her mouth before taking her in another thrilling kiss.

  As his thrusts grew stronger, driving his thick shaft deeper, filling more of her, the depth of his love electrified the surface of her skin, heated her blood, and became the very air she breathed. His hands pushed beneath her bottom, lifting and angling her hips so he could love her more thoroughly, until her entire world was filled with him.

  “Mira,” he panted out. “I love you, baby, and I want to say it a million times because it feels so good to finally set the words free.”

  She wanted to say it back, to tell him so many things—how much she loved him, how she’d been waiting to say the words, too, how his love for her son meant the world to her—but waves of ecstasy crashed through her, drowning her as she succumbed to the haven of their love.

  Chapter Twenty-Four

  MIRA SAT IN an office in the back of Mr. Sag’s Hardware Store in Boston Monday morning with her heart pounding so hard she was sure the men sitting across from her could hear it. Ken Sagner, the owner of Mr. Sag’s, had a much larger office than Neil’s, with a window view of the street behind the store and modern, comfortable furniture. While Neil had all sorts of family pictures posted on the wall with thumbtacks, their edges curling and yellowed, Ken’s pictures were all nicely framed and featured him and an older man with the same dark brown hair and sharp blue eyes. His father, she assumed.

  Mira fingered the edge of the file containing the documents she and the girls had prepared, hoping they were enough to get the job done. What if these men knew even more than she did about this subject? What if she’d miscalculated something?

  She’d practiced her spiel so many times she could recite it in her sleep, yet here she sat, so nervous she was sure when she opened her mouth she’d babble incoherently.

  She recalled what Matt had said before she’d left the two-bedroom suite at the hotel that morning. These guys are probably just like my father, hoping this is the answer to their small-business prayers. You have the knowledge it takes to help them. Keep that in mind, and let your personality and your brilliance shine through, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll get them to focus on business instead of how hot you look in that sexy little skirt. Good luck, sunshine. I love you. Now go blow them away.

  He’d told her he loved her a hundred times since the first time, and still every time he said it, emotions bowled her over. Although they hadn’t verbalized a need to keep their confessions from Hagen, she’d noticed that Matt, like her, had been careful not to say he loved her in front of him. She knew that when the time was right, the words would come, but as a mother, she wondered if she should talk to Hagen about her feelings first, or if that was unnecessary. A parenting manual would be a good thing to have right about now.

  She sat up a little straighter and looked across the table at Ken and Martin Long, the owner of South Side Hardware. Forget the parenting manual; she needed a sales manual. Ken and Martin were not like Neil Lacroux. Ken was the son of Arnold Sagner, who had built the business Ken was trying to save. Martin was older, probably closer to fifty based on the gray sprouting around his temples. Martin looked skeptical, which she understood, even if she didn’t like it. They were more like Mira and Matt than Neil. Her mind drifted to Matt. He hadn’t tried to step in and take over this project, or take credit for any part of it, though he was helping her every step of the way. He was with her boat-loving son right this very second at the Boston Tea Party Ships and Museum, where they had tickets for the interactive exhibits and historical reenactment. He hadn’t seemed the least bit worried about being with Hagen twenty-four-seven for the next several days, and Hagen had been elated about it. Matt’s whole family had pulled together to make this happen. There was a lot riding on her to pull this off.

  Mira opened her folder, clearing her throat to push the surge of emotions down. She’d given birth and raised an amazing little boy. She could handle Mr. Sharp Blue Eyes and Mr. Skeptical, even if they knew more than she did.

  When there’s a will…

  “Thanks for meeting with me,” she said confidently. “I think you’re going to like what I have in mind.”

  LATER THAT AFTERNOON, after meeting Matt and Hagen at the hotel, changing her clothes, having lunch at a café, and listening to Hagen recount every moment of their day, Mira was still reeling from the meeting. She didn’t want to go into too much detail in front of Hagen, so she briefly filled Matt in. She told him how nervous she’d been at the start of the meeting, and how, once she began presenting the information she’d worked so long and hard to prepare, her confidence had returned.

  “It was as empowering as it was frightening,” she admitted.

  “The idea of a co-op is not an easy sell by any means,” Matt said. “I’m so proud of you for taking it on.”

  “I hope at least one of those two men comes through.”

  When they arrived at the Boston Public Library, Hagen stood wide-eyed and jaw gaping on the front steps of the stately building. Mira’s reaction wasn’t much different, temporarily distracting her from her racing thoughts. The magnificent arched windows, triple-arched entrance flanked by wrought-iron lanterns, and granite carvings made for a visual feast of grandeur. The interior was no less impressive, with marble as far as the eye could see, murals that looked like they were painted by the gods, and vaulted ceilings with domes in the side
bays. They’d seen it all online, but experiencing the stunning architecture in person was a thousand times better. Of course, once inside the actual library rooms, Hagen wanted to run his fingers along the spines of every book.

  As they took it all in, Matt gave the six-year-old version of a history lesson on the twin lion sculptures by the main staircase, the murals, and a number of other facts that Hagen ate up and undoubtedly memorized to recount later in great detail.

  Several hours later, Mira was still thinking about the meeting.

  They walked beside a wall of elegant dark wooden shelves. When Hagen was distracted inspecting a row of books in the next aisle, Mira took advantage of his absence to talk with Matt about the meeting. “I’m pretty sure Ken was at least curious. Hopefully he will want in after he reviews all the data without me shoving it down his throat, but Martin was clearly on the fence. He’s worried about going into business with people he doesn’t know, of course. We all are, but it’s the only way to make something like this work without selling out. I hope he comes around, but I’m not sure he will.”

  Matt kissed her cheek and whispered, “Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

  Her heart skipped. She’d never tire of hearing those words from him.

  He didn’t wait for an answer. It was like he just couldn’t hold back telling her, and that made her a little dizzy in the best possible way.

  “You gave them both the same presentation,” he reminded her. “They’ll probably discuss it at great length, and if Ken wants in, he may help sway Martin. You can follow up in a day or two with a phone call. Remember, sunshine, he didn’t know you at all before today. Give him time to digest and reflect on you and your presentation. I’m sure he’ll come around, but if not, we’ll see where we are after you’ve met with everyone at the end of the week.”

  Over the course of the afternoon she grew terrified that this wouldn’t work and she’d let everyone down. How could Matt be so calm about it? He never seemed to get flustered. When she and Hagen had woken up that morning, Matt had already been writing for two hours, wearing those heart-stopping glasses. He hadn’t given any indication of being annoyed when Hagen tore out of the bedroom and leaped into his lap, disturbing the little work time he had while they traveled. He’d simply pushed his laptop to the center of the table and fell into a conversation about “While Mommy’s at her meeting…”

  Like I would have.

  Like a parent. The thought surprised her. Their lives had melded together in every way. They’d had dinners together every night for the last few weeks, saw friends together, put Hagen to bed together. They’d become a family as seamlessly as they’d become lovers.

  She shifted her eyes to the library shelves, scanning the spines of the books to distract herself from the impact of that thought, but all she saw was Hagen in his pajamas sitting on Matt’s lap at the table in the hotel and the smiles that brightened her little boy’s and Matt’s features. Her pulse quickened at the enormity of her emotions. Being in love was magical and wonderful, but a lifelong commitment was a whole other story. And what if the co-op didn’t work and she let everyone down? Would it affect their relationship?

  Her mind righted itself on that thought, forcing rational thoughts to the forefront and pushing her girlish dreams aside. She had a little boy’s heart to protect, even if it already belonged to Matt, too.

  “Aren’t you worried that I might blow this?” she asked quietly, to keep Hagen from hearing.

  “Not even a little. I have unwavering faith in us.”

  Was he talking about the co-op or their relationship? “But this is your family’s legacy. What if we can’t make the co-op work?”

  “Then we’ll try something else. I know how important this is to you, and now that I’ve finally got my head out of my a—” He glanced at Hagen, then back at Mira and lowered his voice. “On straight, I realize how important it is to me and the rest of my family. We’ll make it happen. There’s nothing we can’t do. We’re a team.”

  He glanced at Hagen again. “A team of two and a half.”

  He placed a hand on her lower back and reached for Hagen’s hand as they headed into the hallway. “Ready for the Children’s Library, buddy?”

  Hagen nodded eagerly.

  As much as she loved knowing he believed in her and in them, she felt like she was under a mountain of pressure. There was a good chance she wouldn’t be able to pull off the co-op, even though she truly believed it was a smart business move. Ken and Martin might both decide they weren’t interested. Maybe all six prospective partners would.

  She glanced at Matt as he listened intently to Hagen telling him what books he wanted to find at the Children’s Library, and her chest filled with love for both of them. She was wholly and completely in love with Matt, and she knew her little boy was right there with her.

  They were a team of two and a half, and that just might be more powerful than any six people could ever be.

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  MIRA BURST OUT of the bedroom of their New York hotel suite Friday afternoon after changing out of the professional outfit she’d worn to her last meeting and flopped onto the couch with a loud sigh, looking beautiful in a peach-colored top and sexy, summery skirt.

  “It’s finally over.” She rested her head back against the cushions. “Five meetings in four cities over five days. I don’t know what I was thinking. Don’t ever let me do anything this crazy again.”

  She looked at Matt, and he wondered if she saw how much he adored her. Could she tell when she left the hotel each morning how proud he was of her for having the courage to take on such an enormous endeavor when she already had such a full life? She glanced at Hagen, sitting on the floor playing with his robot, and her expression warmed. The look of love that came over her when she looked at her brilliant boy was the most beautiful thing he’d ever seen. She met his gaze again, and he wondered if she realized that the way she was looking at him, like she was desperately in love, made his insides melt. Did she know he felt like the luckiest guy alive to have her and Hagen in his life?

  He smiled and touched his toes to hers. “I guess I won’t tell you about the road trip Hagen and I are planning for his Christmas break from school.”

  “Do I have to talk people into going into business with strangers?”

  “No,” he answered. “But you might have to go on Space Mountain.”

  Her eyes filled with disbelief—and just as quickly, with excitement.

  “And to the Animal Kingdom!” Hagen added with a wide grin.

  “Animal Kingdom I can do, but Space Mountain? Not happening. I’d get too nervous.” She mouthed, Disney World? to Matt, and he nodded. She shook her head, as if he were making promises he shouldn’t, but the smile on her face told him she wasn’t really upset.

  “Remember how nervous you were when we went parasailing? And then you loved it. And in Boston, before your meeting? By the time you did the presentation in Connecticut, you said you only had minor butterflies. And this morning you were like a true New Yorker, full of guts and glory and ready to take on the world. There’s nothing you can’t do. You’re a force of nature.”

  An incredibly enticing force of nature.

  Mira’s eyes shimmered with the spark of positivity he adored. “I nailed it today, too. I have a really good feeling about this last meeting. Rhode Island was rough, and Connecticut was iffy, but this one? I’m ninety-nine percent sure I got him hook, line, and sinker. Still, I never, ever want to do something this crazy again.”

  Hagen climbed onto her lap, and Matt sank down onto the sofa beside her.

  “But it’s been so fun!” Hagen exclaimed. “We got to see two of the libraries on our list and we’re seeing the third today. Matt said I could ride the carousel and see the castle, and we got tickets to see the Lion King. I love the apple!”

  Hagen had been an excellent traveler. He was interested in everything, slept well in every hotel, and seemed to enjoy the time he and Ma
tt spent alone as much as Matt did.

  “The Big Apple, buddy.” Matt pulled him onto his lap.

  “That’s a lot for one day.” Mira patted Hagen’s hand. “Are you sure you’re not too tired?”

  “I’m not tired,” Hagen insisted. “This morning we went shopping and I didn’t get tired, did I, Matt?”

  “You sure didn’t,” he answered, hoping Hagen wasn’t going to tell her where they’d gone shopping and ruin his surprise. “Are you too tired, sunshine? You’ve had the extra stress of being on this morning. Do you want to stay here and rest while Hagen and I head out to find the best pizza in the city and hit the library? We can come get you before we go to Central Park to see the carousel and Belvedere Castle. I’d like to take you guys to Times Square, too, but if it’s too much we can skip it.”

  “No!” Hagen complained. “I want to see the square.”

  “I’m not about to miss a minute of the Big Apple with you or Hagen,” Mira insisted. “I want to see Hagen’s face when he finally sees the lions out front of the library, and hold your hand as we stroll through Times Square. I’m not tired. I’m just glad I don’t have to do any more presentations.”

  “Good,” Matt said, ruffling Hagen’s hair. “We’d rather you were with us, too. Now are you ready for some really great news?”

  “Always.”

  “I spoke to my father this morning. He said he got a call from Ken yesterday afternoon. They set up a conference call for Monday afternoon, and he said you should plan on leading it.”

  “What?” She bolted upright. “Are you kidding?”

  “Nope. See, sunshine? You’re a miracle worker.”

  “A miracle worker,” Hagen mimicked.

  “When did my little boy turn into such a tease?” She tickled Hagen’s ribs, earning a stream of giggles. “That’s incredible. We might actually pull this off after all. Can you imagine?”