by Lena Hart
Her world had changed forever that night.
At twenty-one, Mya hadn’t been prepared to lose another parent. When her mother decided to remarry and move back to England, she had been too young to understand that her mother wouldn’t be in her life like mothers should be. But with Gloria’s help, her father had done the best he could raising a daughter on his own.
With her father, Mya had never felt unwanted or unloved, but losing him had stripped away the protective layers that kept her shielded for so long. She had been an unapologetic, spoiled daddy’s girl, and losing the first man she’d ever loved was unbearable.
But in the two years she’d spent away, the pain of his lost was no longer the crushing blow it once was. She still hurt, but she had all the happy memories to comfort her—and the practical memories to remind her of just how much he cared.
Her father’s deep voice and carefully chosen words about her relationship with Guy replayed in her head, and Mya found herself lost in the memory of their last dinner together…
“Sweetie, I know how much you and Guy love each other, but I’m just suggesting that you don’t rush into anything. You’re almost twenty-one. You should leave Cedar Bend and go see the rest of the world. Maybe even go to college. Then when you get back, you can get married and settle down with Guy and your five kids.”
There was a twinkle in her dad’s dark eyes, and Mya couldn’t help return his smile. “We love each other, Daddy, but no one’s rushing into marriage anytime soon.”
“Are you sure? I see the way he looks at you. He’s eager to get you out of my house so he can have you all to himself.”
“Daddy!”
Mya’s cheeks burned, but there was some truth to her dad’s words. Guy had been dropping a lot of hints about them getting married, and she wondered when he would make his move and ask her already.
“You’re an adult now, Mya, and I can see how much Guy cares about you. I know some day you’ll be moving on with a family of your own, but you have the rest of your life to raise one. It doesn’t have to be now.”
Mya stared at her father across the table, a bit concerned by how adamant his words were. “Why do I have the feeling you don’t want us together?”
“It’s not that, sweetie. I just don’t want you to feel pressured into anything. I can see that you two love each other, but you’re also in different places in life. A man like Guy may not be able to give you the things you want if you don’t really know what that is.”
“I do know what I want, Daddy.” Mya bit her lip, realizing how false those words appeared. She was indeed about to turn twenty-one and was still working at Gloria’s boutique with no clear plans to do much else. “It may not look like it, but I do. And I know I want to be here with you, with Guy.”
Her father nodded, but his eyes bored into hers. Mya shifted uncomfortably in her seat.
“Where is all this coming from anyway? I thought you liked Guy.”
“I do, honey. Guy is one of the good ones, which is why I don’t want you two to go through what I went through with your mother.”
Mya frowned, offended by the comparison. “Daddy, I would never leave Guy like that. I have no reason to. I love him and he makes me happy.”
Her dad shrugged. “I thought the same thing about your mother, but she wasn’t cut out for small town life, and for six years, she’d been miserable. I don’t want that for you and Guy.”
Mya smiled reassuringly at him and reached across the table to take his hand. “Well, you’re worrying for nothing. This is my home. All I know is Cedar Bend. I have no plans to leave here.”
Yet she had.
She’d done exactly to Guy what her mother had done to her father. It wasn’t a conscientious decision, but she had left him. At the time, she only wanted to be alone, to sort through her thoughts and emotions. Yet when her mother called with an invitation—and plane ticket—to come to England, Mya hadn’t hesitated.
She had left without a second thought.
What should have been a short trip had turned into months and then years, only because her mother had talked her into staying longer. And with their tenuous relationship budding, Mya hadn’t wanted to disappoint her.
But if she’d had her way, Mya would have come back to Cedar Bend much sooner. And maybe she and Guy would have started on those five kids her father liked to tease her about.
The corners of her lips lifted slightly and she rested her hand on the headstone, suddenly feeling at peace—and closer to her father than she had in a long time. Without meaning to, she had heeded his advice and gone to see more of the world. She only wished she had done so before she and Guy had exchanged generic vows.
“You were right, Daddy. I shouldn’t have rushed into things. I needed to get away. And I did. I’ve been to England and have seen places that I’ve only read about. But I’m home now and I’m here to stay.”
Mya closed her eyes and turned her face up to the clear blue sky, inhaling deeply.
This was her home. Her heart was here. She belonged here.
Seven
“Mya, would you hurry up? We’re going to be late.”
She came out of the bedroom, putting on the backs to her earrings. Guy stopped his pacing and gaped at her. His gaze moved down her body.
Guy tried to mask his reaction but failed. Just when he thought she couldn’t get any more beautiful, she came out wearing a dress like that—a deep violet dress that hugged her curves. It was a far cry from the flowy skirts and simple tops she typically wore.
In that dress, he could make out every dip of her curves, from her medium-sized breasts that fit neatly in his palms to the round flare of her hips. Guy wasn’t sure what he wanted most—to take her out and show her off, or carry her into his bedroom and strip off every figure-hugging layer.
“We don’t actually need to be there on time, Guy. It’s a party, not an appointment.” She came to where he stood in front of the door and froze. “What?”
Guy shook his head. Showing her off would have to do. Besides, it was the main reason why he’d invited her to come to the party with him. The good people of Cedar Bend loved good gossip, and once everyone saw Mya on his arms, maybe the mayor would set his unscrupulous sights on another sap to marry his daughter off to.
“Do I look okay?”
You look beautiful.
From her flawlessly made-up face to the curls piled stylishly atop her head, he could see what the influences of her time outside their small town had done to her usual style.
He cleared his throat and made a show of glancing at his watch. “You look fine. Are you ready?”
The drive to the Benson mansion was a quiet one. He was acutely aware of Mya sitting beside him in his truck. He had the car radio playing the oldies just to fill in the silence.
Guy glanced over at her. She stared out the window, her hands folded on her lap, and seemed deep in thought. At that moment, he would have given anything to know what she was thinking. In the past, she had been a bubble of energy, filled with interesting, silly, or strange topics to talk about. He’d always been amazed at how she could go from talking world events one minute to chatting about what celebrity won which award at whatever award show.
Now she sat quietly beside him, more reserved than he’d known her to be. He wasn’t sure if this new Mya was a result of her maturing or of her having spent the last two years in Europe, but there was a part of him that was nostalgic for the girl he’d once known.
The one he’d fallen in love with.
“Is Eric really running for mayor?”
Guy was surprised by the sudden question, then realized they were coming up to yet another “Vote for Eric Benson” sign.
“Yeah, he is. He announced it last year.”
“So is this party tonight politically motivated?”
“It could be. It’s an election year, so there’s going to be a lot more of these social events from both sides.”
“Wow. I never imagined he’d w
ant to come back to Cedar Bend and become mayor, of all things.”
“None of us did. Usually people who leave Cedar Bend…”
“Stay gone?” she finished.
“Yeah, they do,” he said dryly.
“Well, I guess Eric and I are the exceptions.”
“The only difference is that Eric went away to school. You just ran away.”
He felt her eyes on him, but he kept his gaze fixed on the road ahead.
“And now I’m here to stay, Guy.”
Silence once again fell between them. He didn’t particularly care how she justified her leaving. The end result was that she had made the selfish decision to split, and that was that.
When they finally made it to the Benson mansion—a sprawling three-story house that could comfortably hold over seventy people and still give them room to spread out—the party was in full swing. They made it through the double doors and past the crush of people. A sudden protectiveness came over him, and Guy didn’t want to let Mya out of his sight. He caught the looks they were getting from everyone, but it was the ogling from the men that bothered him the most.
Guy placed his hand on the small of her back and pulled her close. The possessive action was blatant, but he didn’t care. He wanted it to be clear to every guy in the room that she belonged to him.
“Guy?”
He turned to the familiar voice and was surprised by the stunning woman behind him.
“Lori?”
Eric’s twin sister pulled him into a tight hug. Guy was taken off guard for a moment but returned it affectionately.
“How’ve you been?”
She pulled back, but still held on to him. “I’ve been well. You?”
He shrugged. “Can’t complain.”
Lori Benson was the last person Guy had expected to see tonight, seeing as she was one of the few people who had left their small town and seemed content to stay away. In high school, they had dated casually, but parted friends when life took them on separate paths.
But Eric was her twin, so it wasn’t a great surprise that she would come back to support her brother with his campaign run.
“It’s really good to see you again, Guy.”
“Hello, Lori.”
Mya’s terse greeting was unmistakable. Lori turned to her, a curious expression on her elegantly made-up face.
Instinctively, Guy pulled her to his side. “You remember Mya, don’t you?”
Lori’s sky-blue eyes widened with recognition. “Little Mya Daniels?” She sized her up, and Guy could sense Mya’s growing tension. “I can’t believe how much you’ve grown.”
“So have you.”
Guy blinked in surprise at Mya’s flip words.
Lori plastered a smile on her lips, but her eyes were glacial. “Well, you’re not a little girl anymore.” She turned back to him and winked. “And you’ve managed to snag Cedar Bend’s most eligible bachelor.”
Mya took his hand and laced her fingers through his. “He hasn’t been eligible for a while.”
Lori glanced down at their locked hands, a challenging glint flashing in her eyes. “So I’ve heard… Does that mean you two will be following in Eric’s footsteps down the aisle?”
“Actually, we’re—”
He squeezed Mya’s hand. “No one can follow in Eric’s steps,” he cut in briskly. “Where’s the man of the hour, anyway?”
Guy could feel Mya’s eyes on him but didn’t turn to her. No way was he going to let her reveal their relationship in this crowded room just to piss Lori off.
“He’s around somewhere. But first, let me introduce you to his fiancée. She’s such a peach.” Lori looped her arm around his and began tugging him away. “Do you mind if I steal him for a minute, Mya?”
Mya’s hand fell away from his, and Guy was surprised at how much he missed her touch.
“He’s all yours.”
At those flat words, Guy realized then that he missed more than just her touch.
* * *
“Your misery is showing.”
Startled, Mya turned to find Damian standing behind her. She was grateful to see a friendly face that wasn’t secretly assessing her—or acting as if she were some strange object they didn’t know how to handle.
“Is it that bad?”
He nodded, and her shoulders slumped. She wanted to feign cheerfulness, but it was hard to do when it was obvious her own husband was ignoring her. Not that anyone here knew they were married, and Guy had made it clear he wanted to keep it that way.
The way Lori practically threw herself on Guy, while undermining her, had left Mya furious and miserable at the same time. Now the pretentious woman had taken Guy somewhere, and she hadn’t seen them since.
Misery tightened ground Mya’s chest. When Guy had invited her out tonight, she had held high hopes that things would be different, that he would open up again and make their relationship work.
So much for that.
“C’mon. Let’s dance. Maybe I can shuffle a smile out of you tonight.”
Mya let Damian guide her to the dance floor, ignoring the curious glances thrown their way. A slow dance number began playing, and he pulled her into a proper ballroom dance position. With his right hand on her upper back and their left hands clasped, Mya followed his lead around the room.
“I see someone has taken Mrs. Figaro’s ballroom dancing class.”
Damian laughed. “Yeah, I figured it couldn’t hurt. Besides, Eric asked me to be in his wedding, so I get to finally put these skills to use.”
“Well, I for one am grateful. I was really starting to feel like a leper in here.”
“Don’t,” he said. “Everyone’s just getting used to seeing you and Guy together again.”
Mya frowned. “Why should it matter?”
“You know how folks in this town get. Whether you knew it or not, you and Guy were Cedar Bend’s dream couple, and when you just left, well…”
Mya glanced up at him. “Well, what?”
He hesitated for a moment then said, “Some folks were kind of pissed with you. For a while, stories were going around that you left Guy for another guy.” He chuckled at his pun. “Others just thought you went away to grieve, but when you never came back, they started to get other ideas.”
Mya glanced around the room, suddenly feeling utterly exposed. She had grown up with these people, and they had turned on her, gossiping about her in the wake of her father’s death. She shouldn’t care what any of them thought, but she did.
Feeling the sting of a hundred judgmental eyes on her, Mya froze in the middle of the dance floor.
“Mya?”
She stepped out of his arms. “I’m sorry, Damian. I think I need some fresh air.”
He followed her out the back of the house and to the large terrace. It wasn’t until she was surrounded by the cool night air that she felt as if she could breathe again.
“Are you all right? Do you need me to get you anything?”
She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’m fine now.”
Damian stuffed his hands in his pockets. “You know, you shouldn’t let them get to you. No one here knows what you’ve been through. And it can’t be easy losing your dad the way you did. If you needed to stay away for another ten years, I wouldn’t blame you.”
A lump formed in her throat and she blinked the tears away. There had never been an officer killed in the line of duty at Cedar Bend. That kind of stuff just didn’t happen here. Having her father stabbed during a burglary gone wrong, and left to bleed to death, shouldn’t have been his legacy. He should have grown old and retired like many of the town’s sheriffs before him.
“Thanks, Damian. But I’m definitely here to stay.”
The corner of his lips kicked up. “You, Mya Daniels, are much stronger than me.”
Mya stared at him and recognized the sorrow that was hidden behind those coffee-dark eyes. She took his hand and gave it a reassuring squeeze.
“Is everything okay wi
th Pops?”
For a moment, she saw the stark grief on his face, a grief she’d recognized in herself when her father had passed. It was no secret that his father was in poor health. Was Damian already grieving him?
He eventually returned her gentle squeeze with a solemn smile. “It’s nothing we can’t handle.” Suddenly, a loud beeping disrupted the still air, and he glanced down at his watch. “I have to go now. Will you be okay?”
“Yes, I think I can go back and face them again.”
“Good girl. And remember, you don’t owe anyone in there a damn thing.”
Her lips trembled slightly, but she was still able to manage a smile. “You’re right.” On impulse, she threw her arms around him and gave him a tight hug. “Thanks for keeping me company.” Without thinking, she gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.
Damian pulled back then glanced behind her. “You probably shouldn’t have done that.”
Mya turned to find Guy charging toward them. From the hard set of his jaw, he was furious.
She tilted her head. Why? Because she had hugged her friend?
“I should go.” Damian left her and made his way back into the house. He intercepted Guy on the way back to the mansion, and the two men exchanged quick words before Guy continued striding toward her. Whatever Damian had said had done nothing to lessen his anger.
“What the hell are you doing out here?”
Her back drew up, and she was incensed at his nerve. “I was talking to my friend. What do you care?”
“That didn’t look like talking.”
“Why? Because I gave my friend a hug for making me feel better about my husband not paying me any attention?”
His gaze took on a hard glint. “Keep your damn voice down.”
“What for?” she spat. “They’re probably talking about us now. Especially after the way you chose to ignore me and gush over your ex-girlfriend. I guess I’m lucky you even remembered I was here!”