Love Me Tender (Seven Brides, Seven Brothers)

by Calhoune, Belle

  Layla's sharp intake of breath was oddly comforting. The entire Donahue family had been struggling to deal with the cruel medical diagnosis that had turned their lives upside down.

  “Oh, Nick,” she whispered. “I'm so sorry. What a scary time for your family, especially on the heels of your father's stroke.”

  “She's amazing, you know,” he said, his eyes prickling with moisture. “Instead of worrying about her own health, she's been buzzing around making sure we're all fine.” He shook his head in disbelief. “Everything I'll ever know in this world about love comes from my parents.”

  She sent him a tender smile. “I feel the same way about mine. I always have.”

  The silence that now stretched out between them was no longer awkward. It was a moment of appreciation for their families and the unconditional love they'd been given. Just as they'd always done in the past, they'd managed to bridge the distance by bonding over their love for family. And for Nick it felt like the start of something wonderful.

  “When I was a girl I was so afraid to take chances. Being a fully grown woman has taught me that taking chances is what life's all about.”

  Maggie Donahue

  Chapter Four

  Dinner with Nick was a lot more comfortable than she'd ever imagined. For most of the day she'd fretted about being alone with him. Even after all these years he made her heart pound like crazy. And she had a hard time keeping her eyes off him. She'd always been attracted to men with dark hair and eyes. His restaurant was a showstopper. The interior was just as impressive as the ocean view from outside. It had a sleek feel due to the gold accents set against burnished wood.

  Their meal of grilled swordfish with grilled vegetables and couscous was the best she'd had in years. The peach sangria complimented it perfectly. Not that she'd gone out a lot in Seattle. Every time she'd gone out to a restaurant with Grant, he'd accused her of flirting with the waiter. His idea of flirting was saying hello or asking a question about the menu. She'd learned to keep her head down and to have Grant order her meals for her. It meant keeping herself safe and pacifying her husband.

  Nick had invited her to choose their meal for them this evening. His simple gesture had filled her with gratitude. It was such a small thing for most women. For her it was epic. It was independence. It was freedom. And there was no judgment being heaped upon her. No fear of what might happen later behind closed doors.

  When it was time for dessert, the Maitre d' brought out a two tiered cart of delights. Mini eclairs. Cheesecake tarts. Baklava. Tiramisu.

  “Mademoiselle?” Robert handed her a small plate and regarded her with kind eyes. Although she knew he was waiting for her to select something, it was near impossible to decide. She cast Nick a dubious glance.

  He let out an amused chuckle. “I'm a sucker for the cannolis, myself. And the eclairs.”

  She looked back towards Robert. “I'll have a cannoli, an eclair and one of the chocolate covered strawberries.”

  Nick nodded approvingly and said, “The same for me, Robert.”

  Layla bit into the chocolate covered strawberry and let out an appreciative moan. She couldn't think of the last time she'd indulged like this. Lately, her life had been all about saving money and staying one step ahead of Grant and his rage.

  “Oh, this is sinful,” she said with a groan.

  “All the desserts come from Sweet Treats,” Nick explained. “I knew that no pastry chef could ever do it better than my parents.”

  “That's wonderful,” she said. “It's like you're in business with them.”

  “Exactly,” he said. “With the restaurant being so successful, I wanted to pull them in so they can share in my good fortune. At first they resisted, telling me they didn't want to horn in on my business venture. But I told them Sweet Treats is a part of the Donahue family legacy. It's part of me. And I wanted it to be a part of The Cove.”

  She could picture the whole scene unfolding. The Donahues were what she'd always wanted her family to resemble. Although there was a lot of love in her family, there were many things that remained unsaid. Try as they might, they'd never managed to be great at communicating, despite being devoted to one another. To this day, she'd never told them a word about the abuse in her marriage. She's cringed every time her parents had voiced their “disappointment” about her divorce from Grant.

  “That's what's wrong with this generation,” her father had grumbled. “They give up on their wedding vows at the slightest hiccup.”

  “Oh, Layla,” her mother had fretted. “God doesn't want us to go back on our wedding vows.”

  Layla was pretty sure God didn't want her to die at the hands of her husband either. And, even though she'd always protected her parents against the cold, hard truth of her marriage, she still expected them to take her side. No matter what. It had hurt to be judged by the two people who should love her above all else.

  “I think it's wonderful. And these desserts are lip smacking good.” She placed a hand over her abdomen. “I'm stuffed.”

  “I'm glad you enjoyed it. By the way, how are your parents? I forgot to ask earlier.”

  It was almost as if he'd read her mind just now when she'd been thinking about them.

  “Wonderful. Dad is teaching over in Brussels, so they're living over there for a few years. I'm planning a trip to visit them.” She shook her head. “One of these days I'll actually do it.”

  Nick graced her with an easy, laid back smile. “I believe you will. You always accomplished the things you set out to achieve. Being a lifeguard. Making the all-star dance team. Julliard.”

  A warm feeling nestled inside her chest at Nick's words. Sometimes she forgot how tenacious she'd been in the past about achieving her goals. Nick was reminding her of everything she wanted to accomplish in this lifetime. Even if the goals were out of her reach, she still wanted to stretch herself to her limits. From this point forward, it was all about the journey.

  “Nick, I should be getting home. It's been a long day.”

  Nick stood up and pulled her chair out for her. “It's been great catching up. Let me walk you outside.”

  As Nick walked her through the main area of the restaurant, she received several curious glances from customers. Mostly female. No doubt they were wondering about the identity of the woman Nick had been dining with out on the patio. Little did they realize they were just old friends. Nick's invitation tonight had been gracious, but not romantic.

  So why was her heart fluttering? And why did the idea of being merely friends with Nick leave her with an unsettled feeling?

  The truth was simple and powerful. Nick Donahue—gorgeous, smart, funny Nick Donahue—was not the sort of man one could be friends with after occupying a place in his heart. Had God placed her back in Breeze Point for a reason other than a safe place to rebuild her life?

  As Nick walked her to her car a slight breeze from the ocean swept over them. Even though it was a warm August night, the temperature had cooled down considerably, making it a balmy evening. When she went to pull open her door, Nick smoothly got in front of the door and leaned against it, his movements as graceful as a panther.

  “I had a great time tonight. Thanks again for joining me.”

  “Thank you for inviting me. It's the best meal I've had in ages.” She looked back at the sight of his impressive, Mediterranean style restaurant. It made her proud to know he'd achieved his dream of owning his own business.

  Nick shoved his hands in his front pockets and rocked back on his heels. “Can we do this again? Maybe something more casual like a picnic on the beach or catching a movie?”

  Layla looked down at her sweater and began fumbling with the top button.

  “And here I thought I was making a good impression,” Nick teased.

  She swung her gaze back up so they were looking into each other's eyes. “Being here tonight was wonderful, Nick. Considering we haven't seen each other in ages, it was a lovely gesture—”

  Nick scrunched his
brows together. “But?”

  “But going out with you again...seems like a date.”

  Nick's eyes went wide. “Do you have something against dates?”

  “In a perfect world, no. It's just that I haven't been divorced all that long, and I'm not really in a good place. Plus, our history...is complicated.”

  “Layla, I can respect all those things. Most of all your divorce. With regards to us, all I can say is that I've missed you. When I saw you at the cottage...a hundred different memories came to mind. I've thought of you more times over the years than I can count. And I'm not embarrassed to say I've looked for you over the years...without a hint of success at finding you.”

  Her throat went dry. “Y-You looked for me?” The thought of Nick trying to find her over the years almost did her in. That hadn't once occurred to her. Not ever.

  “Yes,” he admitted, a sheepish expression etched on his face. “I went online and did a lot of digging. I was looking for Layla Mason or L. Mason. I even looked under your parents. I found absolutely nothing, probably because of your married name and your parents living in Europe.”

  Tears swamped her eyes, and there was nothing in this world she could do to stop them from overflowing her lids. Nick's mouth flew open, and he began murmuring apologies. “Sorry. Me and my big mouth. Please, Layla. I'll shut up right now if you want me to.”

  “I'm not sad. Just overwhelmed. The last few years have been....rough. And knowing that during those tough times you were looking for me...I wish I'd known. It would have been a comfort to me.”

  “This may or may not be appropriate, but here's the deal. I want you in my life. Even though we started out as friends all those years ago, I can't say I look at you in that light. When I look at you I think of all the reasons why I've spent years missing you and kicking myself for letting you slip away. And if it makes any sense to you at all, I believe with all my heart that God led you back to me. It's hard for me to sit back and let you slip through my fingers again.”

  He leaned down and placed a swift kiss across her lips. Although it took her completely by surprise, she responded to it as if it was the most natural thing in the world. It had been a long time since she'd been kissed with such conviction and passion. Nick's woodsy scent filled her nostrils as the kiss swept her off her feet. Nick was in control, guiding the kiss to a height that left her breathless. She pressed her hands against his chest and pulled back, knowing she might just fall off the edge if the kiss continued.

  “Please don't say you regret that, because I don't. And I never will,” he said boldly.

  “N-No, Nick. That would be a lie. I very much enjoyed kissing you. I always did.”

  Nick grinned so hard that it seemed as if it might overtake his face. He seemed very pleased with himself. “So, I think that means we should go out. On a date.”

  Layla felt her lips twitching. “I suppose you're right. The kiss has spoken.”

  “How about taking a spin out on the harbor in my boat? We can take a picnic lunch and head out towards Hyannis and have lunch down by the public garden.”

  She nodded. “That would be terrific. I haven't been out on the water in years.”

  “No? I thought San Francisco was known for boating?”

  “My husband didn't like boating, so we didn't do it,” she said with a shrug. It was just one thing in a long list of things that Grant hadn't liked or wanted to participate in. It had been yet another way of cutting her off from feeling joyful. Of putting his thumb down on her as if she was a bug he wanted to squash. Her spirits sagged a little as the realization hit her of how far she'd drifted away from the person she'd worked so hard to become. As a teenager she'd been an honor student and worked relentlessly to excel in dance. How had all her hard work just been erased in a few short years?

  “I bought my own boat a few years ago. Nothing too fancy, but I love it.”

  His own boat! Nick really had turned all his dreams into reality. Once again, she felt ashamed. Once upon a time she'd shared her dreams with Nick. Together they'd plotted and planned their future. It had been a road map of where they wanted to be in their lives in ten years' time. Nick had stuck to those dreams and made a smashing success of himself. She'd failed.

  Who was she? A former ballerina who had allowed herself to be swallowed up by a violent man? A woman who lived in fear every day of her life?

  Nick reached down and swept a finger across her cheek. “Hey. Where did you go just then? You seemed a million miles away from here.”

  Oh, Nick. You don't want to know where I've been. I'm way too ashamed to ever tell you my truths. Because if I did, I know you'd never look at me the same way ever again. You'd probably run in the opposite direction.

  “I was just thinking how lovely a day of boating sounds. Why don't you let me bring the picnic basket?” Excitement was beginning to creep through her veins. An afternoon out on the water with Nick! It didn't get any better than that. At least not in her world.

  “That will be great. Can't wait to see if you remember my favorites,” he said playfully.

  Nick opened her car door with a flourish and held it as she settled into her seat.

  “How about I swing by and pick you up Saturday morning around eleven o'clock? We'll make a day of it.”

  “Sounds good,” she said as she revved her engine. Something told her she'd be counting the days till Saturday. Nick shut her door for her and waved as she drove away and back down the winding road towards the cottage. Her chest felt so tight with emotion she thought it might burst. For so long her life had been filled with nothing more than pain and fear. In leading her back to Breeze Point, God had opened up a lot of doors for her. She'd been at a crossroads, uncertain of what to do or where to go. A path had been lit for her so that she might travel the road towards her destiny.

  Was Nick her destiny? The question rolled around in her mind. Could God really be that good as to point her toward a future with the man she'd never truly stopped loving?

  As she pulled up to the cottage she chided herself for not leaving a light on in the house. Wait! She could have sworn she'd left the outside light on. She chewed on her lip as dread raced through her like an out of control freight train. Was Grant inside the house? Had he turned the front light off so he could lie in wait for her? Her heart was thumping a wild rhythm inside her chest. After a few minutes of sitting still in her car, she allowed herself to get out. With slow steps she walked towards the cottage, listening for even the slightest sound that might indicate someone was inside.

  You're imagining things! He has no idea you're in Breeze Point. Even her parents didn't know about the inheritance or the fact that she'd moved to Cape Cod. Grant had no bread crumbs to follow. She was Layla Delgado now. A dance teacher who was opening a new studio in town. A woman who'd once spent the summer here and lived with her Aunt Trudy and dated one of the Donahue boys. To the residents of Breeze Point, her past was a blank slate. Granted, she'd told Nick a few details, but nothing that could place her in any danger. Or him.

  With shaking fingers she slid her key into the door and pushed it open. Once inside she flicked on the outside light, instantly realizing the bulb must have blown out. She let out a ragged sigh. It was only a blown out bulb. She was still safe and sound. Danger hadn't followed her. Aunt Trudy's cottage, now her property, was still her haven.

  It would take some time, she realized, to get used to this feeling of safety and security. She might look over her shoulder for years to come. She forgave herself for that. It was like being a kid and looking under your bed for the bogeyman. Even though everyone tried to convince you when you were a kid that monsters weren't real, once you became a grown up you understood how very real they were.

  “If you truly love someone, I don't think they ever leave your heart.”

  Sarah Dalton Donahue

  Chapter Five

  Setting sail out of Breeze Bay Harbor was a magnificent feeling. The sky was as blue as a robin's egg without a cloud in
sight. The meteorologists on the local Cape Cod news channels had predicted a glorious late summer afternoon. It was perfect sailing weather.

  When he'd picked up Layla from her cottage, she'd been ready and waiting for him with a large picnic basket that he'd quickly taken off her hands.

  “What's in this thing? It's heavier than a ton of bricks,” he'd joked as he pretended to struggle under its weight.

  The sound of Layla's tinkling laughter had sounded like music to his ears. “I brought all the essentials. Better to bring too much than too little.” She looked casual but stylish in her white capri pants and blue and white tee shirt. She had a sweater loosely tied around her waist, which would protect her from the wind whipping around them.

  His stomach rumbled nervously as he led her down the walkway towards his boat. Perhaps he should have prepared her in some way for what she was about to see.

  As soon as he spotted his Sea Ray Sundancer tied to the pier, he stopped for a moment to admire it. She was a sleek beauty, that was for sure. Just like her namesake. It had been his first major purchase after his restaurant began churning out a handsome profit.

  She regarded the boat with wide eyes. “Funny Face.”

  Her mouth swung open. She cast Nick a sideways glance. “You named your boat after me?”

  “I did.” A feeling of happiness flowed through him. Layla understood he'd named his boat as an homage to her.

  “I can't believe you remembered.” Her tone was filled with awe.

  “I remember everything.” And he did. The memories were seared on his heart for all time.

  Nick took her by the elbow and guided her onto his boat.

  Funny Face was a famous musical starring Audrey Hepburn. It had been Layla's favorite movie. She'd watched it over and over again that summer until he'd felt cross-eyed. By the end of the summer he'd begun to call her funny face as an endearment. After buying his boat, he'd been forced to come up with an official name for it. Funny Face had immediately come to mind and he'd grabbed hold of the idea with both hands. Funny Face. It had been a tribute to the woman who'd transformed his life by loving him and showing him the meaning of true love.