Love Me Tender (Seven Brides, Seven Brothers)

by Calhoune, Belle

  Everything stilled in the room. Nick resembled a statue. He didn't even seem to be breathing at the moment. “I know lots of people think that God frowns on divorce, but I think God frowns on husbands who hurt their wives. I just couldn't let him hurt me anymore. And even though leaving was the most dangerous thing I could do, I did it. And for the last year and a half I've been watching my back, filing restraining orders, calling the police.”

  She paused for a moment, then continued. “Just now...that feeling of you when you fell on top of me...it reminded me of the times he put his hands on me, the times he tried to choke me.” She shuddered, then began shaking uncontrollably.

  “Layla.” Nick finally spoke. His jaw looked tight, and he seemed to be clenching his teeth. “Can I hold you?”

  Dear, sweet Nick. He was hesitating to come toward her out of concern for her well-being. Even though she'd just pushed him away on the love seat, there was nothing she wanted more in this moment than to cling to Nick and feel the strength and power of his arms around her. She nodded her head, unable to say a word. If she did she knew she'd break down. She might break in two.

  Nick walked towards her with arms outstretched. He leaned down and placed the sweetest of kisses on her forehead, murmuring words one after the other as he pulled her into his arms. She sank into him, letting out a tremendous sigh as she did so. A weight had lifted from her as soon as she'd told Nick her truths. Because, even though it might be impossible for him totally understand what she'd been through without having walked that road himself, she knew empathy when she saw it. She felt it in the vibe hovering around them. It was in his embrace, in the very way he held her and crooned her name over and over again. The way he said it made it sound like a benediction, as if she was someone sacred.

  “Layla,” he breathed. “My kind, brave, lovely Layla.” For the first time in a long time, it felt as if she were enough. “If I could, I would erase every scar, every moment you lived in fear, every second he stripped you of your essence. If I were able to, I would go back to that night when were supposed to meet in Times Square...and I'd be there, Layla. I'd be there. If I could, I'd erase time itself so that nothing bad ever happened to you.”

  “Oh, Nick. I wish that were possible. I wish I would have left him sooner, but I was so afraid.”

  “It's not your fault. None of it was your fault.” Nick lowered his head and began raining kisses down all over her face—her nose, eyelids, cheeks, temple. “You are still the beautiful, loving woman I met collecting sea shells on the shores of Breezy Beach. Nothing can ever change that, especially not the actions of a soulless coward.”

  “For a long time I blamed myself.” She wrapped her arms around herself. “That's how it works. The abuser makes you think you're worse less than nothing and that everything happening to you is all your fault. They isolate you. Make you even depend of them financially so you can't leave. I'm ashamed to say that I even gave up the ballet because of him...I was so tired of explaining all the bruises and the marks. But I did one thing right. I started putting my ballet money in my own account. Little by little I built it up to a decent nest egg. That's going to get me my dance studio.”

  “Smart girl. I bet it threatened him that you'd achieved something so magnificent with the ballet. Classic abusive behavior....chip away at your accomplishments.”

  Layla let out a tightly held breath. He got it. Nick wasn't blaming her, nor was he questioning why she'd stayed in an abusive marriage for so long. He was empathizing with her and lending support. Her worst fear had been being judged or shamed. Or that he would discount her as being weak. She should have known Nick would never have done those things. But, living in fear and isolation so long had warped her thinking to a degree. Each and every day away from that world made her stronger. Better. Each and every day she was finding new things to love about herself.

  “Thank you,” she said, wishing those two little words could convey the depth and breadth of what she was feeling. Gratitude swelled in her heart. She'd told her truths, and she was still standing. Nick hadn't run out of the cottage, never to return. He was looking at her with nothing but comfort and support radiating from his eyes.

  In so many ways, the truth was setting her free. She was pulling back the mask and revealing herself, for the first time in years. It was painful and gut wrenching and humiliating. Even though it wasn't her sin, she still felt tainted by it. A Bible verse ran through her mind. “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” She needed to cling to that verse and make it her reality. Truth was always more powerful than a lie. Her life in Seattle had been reduced to one big lie.

  Nick reached out and smoothed back her hair. “Thank you for sharing something so personal with me. I know it can't have been easy.”

  “It was high time I told someone. I've spent so many years hiding in the shadows because of this. Moving to Breeze Point gave me more than a new start, Nick. It's given me a chance to become the woman I want to be, free of shame or fear. Without even knowing it, Aunt Trudy set me free.”

  Nick braced his hands on her shoulders and look intently into her eyes. “You're a strong woman. What you've been through has messed with that a little bit. It's understandable. I'm not going to say I understand what you've been through, because I haven't been in your shoes.” His face hardened for a moment. “But I do know what it's like to be thrown away, to be discounted. I know what it's like to feel shame and isolation. And for what it's worth, what makes you amazing is still there inside you, Layla. There are some things that can never be taken away from us. It lies in our very core.”

  “I kept telling myself to hold on, to grab on to the piece of me that was still me. And even though I still look over my shoulder every now and again, I feel a freedom I thought I'd never see again.”

  “And from everything I've learned in my life...and all the things you're teaching me, I find it only fair to tell you that I'm falling in love with you all over again.”

  “Oh, Nick,” she said, her voice cracking with emotion. Nick reached down and tilted her chin upward. He placed the tenderest of kisses on her lips. Layla closed her eyes and gave in to the emotion of the moment. Being with Nick and having him shower her with acceptance and love felt as if she'd hit the jackpot. She'd didn't know what she'd ever done in this lifetime to earn this second chance with the love of her life. But in the spirit of the new way she was learning to live her life, she was going to grab this second chance with both hands and hold on for dear life.

  *

  It was a few minutes to six as he pulled up in the parking lot of Sulla’s Tavern. It had been weeks since Nick had made a Donahue boys' night out at their hang out joint. No one had said a word to him about it, but he had a feeling it wouldn't go unaddressed. He cast a quick glance at their regular table. All six of his brothers were sitting at the table, all settled in as if they'd been there for ages.

  Hey! They were already chowing down on chicken wings and mozzarella sticks. What was going on? He glanced at his watch, making sure he hadn't read it wrong. Nope. He was right on time.

  What a bunch of Neanderthals!

  Stuffing down a feeling of annoyance, he strode over to the table.

  “Hey! You guys started without me.”

  Six pairs of eyes swung in his direction. He wasn't sure if it was his imagination or not, but they all seemed to be smirking. He sat down at the table, noticing that there were only six place settings and glasses.

  “Nick! We didn't think you were coming,” Brandon drawled.

  “What are you talking about? I talked to Mac yesterday.” He glanced over at Mac.

  Mac shrugged. “I guess I forgot.”

  Nick frowned. “Forgot?” Mac's mind was like a steel trap. He forgot nothing!

  “Yeah. He forgot,” Wyatt said. “Same way you forgot to tell us about your new girlfriend.”

  “Or should we say your old girlfriend,” Blue added.

  All six of his brothers started grinning. He was being ra
nked. Clearly, his brothers were razzing him about Layla. He wouldn't be surprised at this point if they'd changed the meet-up time at Sulla’s to give him an even harder time. They knew he'd walk in and wonder why they'd all gathered without him.

  “How did you find out?”

  “Mom spilled the beans,” Ryder explained. “She's thrilled by the way.”

  “We're kind of hurt that you didn't tell us,” Remy said. He made an exaggerated gesture of his heart breaking by placing his palm over his heart.

  “And you've been missing in action lately. Don't think we haven't noticed.” Mac leaned back in his chair and folded his arms across his chest. He looked as impenetrable as a mountain.

  “What is all this?” Nick asked. He was suddenly catapulted back into childhood, when he'd been the object of the most amount of teasing due to his being the baby of the bunch. “I'm not a ten year old.”

  “Lighten up, Nick. We're just having a little fun,” Wyatt said.

  “We just wanted to get back at you since you didn't tell us about your significant other,” Remy drawled. “Come on. You did give some of us a hard time when we fell in love. We just decided to return the favor.”

  “If you could have seen your face when you walked in here,” Remy added.

  Blue snapped his fingers. “Aww. We should've taken a picture.”

  All six of his brothers were in hysterics. Brandon had his head down on the table. His shoulders were shuddering because he was laughing so hard. Wyatt nearly fell out his chair. Blue couldn't stop smiling to save his life.

  Nick shook his head as he looked around at his older brothers. “Wow. I just have to say that you guys are incredibly immature.” Nick stood up to leave.

  Blue reached out and grabbed his arm across the table and pushed him back down. “Hey, don't leave. Seriously. We missed you. Don't go AWOL again. Okay?”

  “I can't promise to always be here. Layla...she's going through something—” All of his brothers stilled and quieted at the somber tone of his voice. In a heartbeat, all the frivolity was gone. He had their complete attention.

  “Can you talk about it?” Ryder asked. “You know we have your back no matter what.”

  He let out a harsh laugh, remembering how not so long ago he'd ranted and stormed off when it had appeared as if the bonds between his brothers had been fraying due to the women in their lives. He'd been afraid that he was losing his brothers and the tight family connections they'd always shared. Now, with Layla back in his life, he was the one who was distancing himself from the group. The irony hadn't been lost on him.

  “I know I must seem like the ultimate hypocrite because of all the things I said in the past. I guess that's what happens when you fall. But...all I know is that I want to be around her all the time. I want to protect her.” Nick hedged, not wanting to violate Layla's trust in him.

  Wyatt raised an eyebrow. “Protect her from what?”

  Nick steepled his fingers in front of him and looked down at the table. “Code of silence.”

  Anytime any one of the Donahue brothers uttered those words, the other Donahue brothers knew implicitly that it was confidential information not to be discussed outside of their circle. Nick knew that by uttering those words he was gaining his brothers' unwavering loyalty and confidentiality.

  All of his brothers nodded their heads and repeated the words “code of silence.”

  “Layla came to Cape Cod in part due to her abusive ex. The guy sounds like a real psychopath. I won't go into details,” he said through gritted teeth. “But he made her life miserable. Even though she's divorced him and filed restraining orders, he's still focused on her. She had to leave the West Coast under an assumed name to break free of him.”

  “She's lucky to have gotten away,” Remy said. “A lot of domestic violence ends in loss of life.”

  “Any thoughts as to whether he knows she's here?” Blue asked, raising the very question that had been worrying Nick.

  “Layla doesn't believe so. And if he even thinks about coming near her, he's going to have to go through me,” Nick said fiercely, an uncharacteristic edge to his voice.

  “And me,” Mac growled.

  “Not to mention me,” Brandon said with an angry expression.

  “All of us,” Ryder said.

  “Every single last one,” Remy added.

  Nick felt a fierce swell of love building up inside him. He knew he was lucky to have six wonderful brothers, but at a moment like this, when so much hung in the balance, it meant all the more to him to have their unwavering loyalty.

  He swallowed past a golf ball sized lump in his throat. His eyes stung. “You guys are amazing. You know that, don't you?”

  Wyatt leaned over and put him in a headlock. “Yeah. We know, little brother.”

  “I may be the little brother, but I can still take you,” Nick said as he turned the tables on Wyatt and placed him in a headlock.

  “Hey guys. Settle down. I have some news to share.” Blue looked serious. His demeanor immediately grabbed the attention of all six of his brothers. Six pairs of eyes swung in his direction.

  Blue splayed his hands on the table. His gold wedding band glinted in the dark interior of the tavern. “Things don't always stay the same. Sometimes it's important to shift your priorities a little. I think that's what Nick was pointing out.” He looked around the table. “Sarah and I....we're having a baby.”

  A hush fell over the table. For a few moments, no one made a sound. Everyone reacted at once with shouts of congratulations and raucous cries of support. Mac got up and thumped Blue on the back. Nick got up and hugged Blue for all he was worth. It felt like his heart might burst like a balloon. Even though not so long ago he'd felt as if the Donahue family was fracturing under the weight of all the changes in their lives, all he felt at this moment was pure, powerful joy. The thought of Blue and Sarah becoming parents was awe inspiring. He was going to be an uncle.

  “Have you told Mom and Dad yet?” Nick asked, unable to imagine the joy Blue and Sarah had handed them on a silver platter.

  Blue nodded, an amused expression etched on his face. “Last night. We invited them over to the house for dinner, along with Sarah's folks. They thought they were coming over to see how the house is shaping up with the new addition being added. It was pretty monumental. And entertaining. They were battling for who gets the first babysitting gig.”

  “Was there a clear winner?” Brandon asked with a good-natured chuckle.

  “I have no idea,” Blue admitted. He looked down for a minute. A tremor danced along his jawline. His lips trembled. Nick knew his brother was trying to keep his emotions in check. “I have to admit, all I could do was focus on Mom and Dad. They were...ecstatic. With Dad's stroke and this terrible diagnosis for Mom...I felt like I was giving them the moon and the stars.”

  Nick leaned in and put his arm around Blue. “You did good.”

  “To Sarah and Blue and this amazing gift they're bringing into the world.” Ryder raised his glass and toasted the good news.

  As he settled into celebratory mode with his brothers, Nick couldn't believe how good fortune seemed to have shifted in their direction. After weeks of bad things happening to the Donahue family, things were moving in the other direction. Blue and Sarah were man and wife now with a baby on the way. Both Remy and Ryder were engaged. His father's condition was getting better every day due to his various therapies. And his whole life had changed for the better the moment Layla had walked back into it. Despite the uncertainty revolving around his mother's diagnosis of vascular dementia, he'd never felt more content in his life. God was good. He continued to shower them with blessings. At this moment his heart was filled to overflowing with an abundance of hope, not just for himself and Layla, but for all the people he loved.

  “Never underestimate the redeeming power of love.”

  Layla Mason

  Chapter Ten

  As days turned into weeks, the end of summer lay within reach like a low hangi
ng branch of a tree. Layla considered it a blissful time, filled with romance and fellowship. Her days were spent working on her dance studio while her nights were spent in Nick's company. With the help of Nick, she'd found a space for rent in the downtown area. It was situated on Main Street, a few doors down from the Donahue family bakery. The very thought of it made Layla smile. Every time she walked outside she could smell the delicious aroma of baked goods wafting in the air.

  Was everything in her life really falling into place just the way she'd imagined?

  Today she was waiting for a furniture delivery. She'd ordered fuchsia colored velvet chairs, a pink table and a faux diamond chandelier for the girls' bathroom. Nick had come up with the idea of having his brother, Remy, paint a mural on one of the walls. Remy, a world famous painter, had agreed to do it for free. Just the thought of having his work on her walls was thrilling. It was all about the little touches, Layla decided. She was going for a fun, girly atmosphere that would provide laughter and smiles, as well as creating a desire in the girls to hang around the studio and perfect their craft. Due to all the delivery men coming in and out, Nick's brother, Mac, working on cabinets and flooring and potential clients wandering in to the studio to inquire about classes, Just Dance was a whirlwind of activity.

  Out of nowhere Nick appeared, dressed in casual clothes and not the usual business suit he wore to work. She stood back and admired him for a moment as he greeted Mac. With his dark head of hair and olive skin, he was a striking looking man. Of course she was biased, but in any environment, Nick would stand out from the crowd. When he turned in her direction and first spotted her, his face lit up. Her heart lurched inside her. Whenever he looked at her like that it created butterflies in her stomach. He'd been making her feel this way ever since she was eighteen years old. She'd heard of couples who still felt this way about one another when they were eighty-five years old. Would she always feel this way when Nick walked into a room?

  Nick quickly strode over to her. “Hey! This place is buzzing like a bee hive.”