“Still...”
“Okay, let’s think of this as a dinner between old friends. Nothing wrong with wanting to be with an old friend.”
“No, there isn’t,” she said. “Why don’t you call Andy?”
“Because Andy doesn’t have breasts.”
Okay, that hadn’t gone over well. She scowled at him and stood.
He caught her arm. “Come on, Mia. Please. Stay. I was being a smart-ass. Let’s hang out like we used to.” About a million years ago.
She gave a long-suffering sigh and dropped back into her chair. “We could get hurt all over again.”
“Maybe,” he acknowledged. “Or not. Maybe we, no, make that me—maybe I could grow up and not be so quick to jump to conclusions. I could change.”
She half smiled at that. “Yeah?”
“Yeah. And maybe you could forgive me for all the times I’ve been a shit.”
The smile was still there. “I’ll have to think about it.”
“Think about it over dinner.”
She nodded. “Okay.”
For dinner they enjoyed trout and truffle-baked potatoes, and memories of the fun they’d had in their childhood. They only basked in the good memories, leaving the door closed on the darker times and the misunderstandings. Conversation flowed easily, washed along by a nice Riesling. For dessert they split a piece of wild blackberry pie with ice cream.
There was something so intimate about digging forks into the same plate, and watching her lick her fork was torture. His biggest barrier—Lorelei—was gone and now he was ready for bed. With Mia. Totally inappropriate, considering the fact that he’d just broken up with someone. As she’d pointed out...
But what about going dancing? Was that inappropriate? They didn’t have much time before she flew back to Chicago. He needed to make the most of it. “You know, I was supposed to go to the Red Barn tonight.”
She stopped her licking and studied her fork. “You could still go.”
“I don’t want to go by myself.”
She set the fork down and looked at him. “You just broke up. Remember?”
Yes, and he wished she wouldn’t keep reminding him of that. “Which makes me a free man.”
“Which makes you a mess.”
“I told you, I’ve been a mess ever since we split, and that’s the truth.”
She leaned back in her chair and regarded him. “Do you know how different things could have been?”
If he hadn’t been such a fool. Oh, yeah, he had a pretty good idea. “Let’s go dancing.”
The Red Barn was actually an old barn, converted to a honky-tonk. It had a huge wooden dance floor, a long bar that served plenty of beer, whiskey and tequila, as well as soft drinks for the serious dancers. It also had a life-size plastic Jersey cow stationed inside the front entrance and framed photos of old barns hanging on the walls. If the name of the place hadn’t been enough of a clue, the cow sure was. No one came in here expecting anything but rockin’ country music.
Fortified with bottles of Hale’s Ale, they made their way to a corner table. The band wasn’t due to come on for another hour, but the place was packed, and the jukebox was cranked up. “Hey,” she said, “there’s Bill Will and Andy.”
Colin’s old pals sat on the far end of the dance floor, at a table for four. Bill Will was a pretty good-looking guy, and since he worked on a guest ranch, his jeans and Western shirt and boots were a perfect fit on all levels. Andy, not so much. He’d lost some weight since Colin last saw him, but he still looked like a nerd playing dress-up in his Western outfit. The little brunette with him didn’t seem to care. She laughed at something he said and gave him a playful swat on the arm.
Bill Will caught sight of Mia and Colin and waved, and next thing Colin knew, his old pal was on his way over, towing along a scrawny blonde wearing tight jeans and an even tighter top that really showed off the merchandise. Andy and his plump little brunette followed in their wake. Then it was greetings all around.
“Glad to see you guys made it,” Bill Will said to Colin, slapping him on the back. He leaned over and lowered his voice. “And sorry about, you know.”
“Not your fault,” Colin told him. “We broke up, so if you want her number...”
Bill Will frowned. “No, that’s okay.”
Colin nodded. Good call. Bill Will was even less of a match for Lorelei than he’d been. And he sure didn’t have any money to invest in a gym.
“Look at this. We’re all here just like old times,” Bill Will said. With that, he pulled up a chair, introduced his new friend, Cookie, and made himself at home. Andy followed suit and suddenly Colin’s cozy twosome was a sixsome.
The only time he was going to get Mia alone would be on the dance floor.
Still, it was good to see the guys. The last couple of times he’d been to town, he’d been too busy to call. At least that was what he’d told them. Really, he’d been too embarrassed to hang out with them and have to confess that he still didn’t know what the heck he was doing with his life. Bill Will was happy playing cowboy, and Andy was selling insurance and making a bundle.
“So, have you heard about Neal?” Andy asked as they guzzled beer. Colin shook his head and Andy continued. “Just made partner at that law firm down in California. The youngest one there. I guess he set some kind of record.”
“Cool,” Colin said and picked at the label on his bottle. Happiness for his old pal mixed with frustration over the fact that he’d accomplished nothing with his life so far, and that made for a cocktail that wasn’t pleasant to swallow.
“How’s it going in Seattle?” Bill Will asked. “And when are you coming back here?”
“Soon, I hope.” Maybe Gram was leaving him enough money for a down payment on a little house somewhere in town or a cabin in the woods. And if so, then he’d...what? Go to work in another warehouse?
Dad had expected more of him, he knew it. He’d hoped Colin would become a lawyer, but Colin had never wanted to draw up wills and power-of-attorney documents, or spend hours cooped up in some office, preparing legal briefs. Even Dad admitted that lawyers were a dime a dozen.
Still, he’d been disappointed to see Colin get a college degree and then go nowhere with it. “Son, you’re single and unencumbered. You could do anything you want. Don’t just settle.”
“I won’t,” Colin had assured him. “I won’t be working in a warehouse forever.”
He hoped he hadn’t been wrong about that.
The band was on stage now, plugging in their guitars and tuning up. Watching them, Colin couldn’t help thinking of Jake O’Brien, a hometown boy who’d stayed true to his dream of becoming a country music songwriter. Jake was rapidly working his way toward becoming a big name, touring with the likes of Dierks Bentley and Jason Aldean.
Meanwhile, Colin was waiting for life to throw open the door to success and say, “Come on in.” He needed to stop standing at the door and waiting for it to be opened. He needed to kick the damn thing down.
The band consisted of four guys—one on drums, one on bass and a couple playing guitars. They were a motley collection of locals who, when they weren’t playing, drove forklifts and swung hammers.
“Hey, there, everybody,” one of the guitar players said into his mike. “You all here for a good time?”
There was plenty of hooting and clapping. Bill Will stuck his fingers in his mouth and whistled.
“Then let’s get this party started.” The drummer counted the others off, and the band broke into a fast country song.
“Hey, we can do the Kick-Ass to this,” Bill Will declared, jumping up from his seat and grabbing his date’s hand. “Come on, Mia. You can pick this one up right away.”
She, too, got to her feet. “Come on, Colin,” she said, and headed for the dance floor, as
suming he’d follow.
He didn’t. He didn’t know very many line dances. Never was into them. After all, what was the point if you couldn’t hold the girl? He opted to nurse his beer and watch.
Mia was well worth watching. She was still wearing a short denim skirt and it showed off her legs. She wiggled her butt, did a couple of kicks and a fancy turn, right in sync with everyone else as if she’d been dancing that particular dance forever instead of learning it on the fly. Man, she was cute.
The guy who’d positioned himself next to her thought so, too. He was a big beefy guy with a snake tattooed on his arm. He grinned down at Mia, and Colin frowned. Then he put his hands on her waist and tried to turn the dance into a couple’s affair.
That was it, no more sitting and watching. Colin left his drink and quickly got out on the floor, just as a twirl separated Mia from her erstwhile partner, managing to insert himself between her and the slab of cement with legs.
“Hey, pal, what do you think you’re doing?” the guy demanded as they all grape-vined three steps to the right.
“Dancing with my girlfriend,” Colin said, trying to master that butt-shaking kick thing.
“I didn’t see her out here with you,” said the guy, and gave Colin a shove.
He was in the middle of a turn, and the shove sent him spinning. Great. He’d invented a new step, the turkey shuffle. He was vaguely aware of Mia saying, “Hey, don’t you be doing that.”
He righted himself just in time to see her kick the guy in the shin. Wow. She’d come a long way from the timid kid she’d once been.
She left the dance line and came over to Colin. “Let’s dance.”
He was about to spin her into a classic swing step when the oversize pest limped past, using a very ungentlemanly term about Mia.
Okay, nobody talked to a woman like that, especially a sweet woman like Mia. Colin grabbed him by the arm. “What did you say?”
“You heard me,” the guy growled and shook off his arm.
Colin grabbed it again. “You apologize to the lady.”
“The hell I will,” said the mountain.
“You’d better if you don’t want to wind up eating your teeth,” Colin snarled. He worked out at the gym. He could take this guy.
If he could keep his balance. The mountain gave him another shove, sending him into a dancer behind him. “Hey, watch it!” The guy shoved Colin back to the mountain, who was ready for him.
Next thing Colin knew, he was swinging wildly, hoping to connect with the big ugly’s jaw, and Bill Will had entered the fray, along with the dancer Colin had crashed into. Then Andy was in there, risking life and limb and glasses. Fists were flying and so were a couple of beer bottles, and then someone even bigger than the mountain had Colin by the shirt collar and was reminding him where the front door was. And Mia was running along behind, protesting that Colin hadn’t started it.
“We don’t care who starts it,” said the bouncer. “Our job’s to finish it.”
Finish it they did, with all three couples, as well as the mountain and a few other brawlers, suddenly out in the cold.
“Dude, that was fun,” Bill Will said as the mountain stomped off to his truck.
“I was so worried you’d get hurt,” Andy’s little brunette said, clutching his arm.
“It takes more than a punch or two to hurt me,” Andy said, puffing out his chest. His glasses were bent and his hair was sticking out in all directions, but he was smiling. This was probably the most excitement he’d had in years and, judging by the way his date was looking at him, there’d be more excitement to come.
“Hey, let’s all head over to Zelda’s,” Bill Will suggested.
That could go on all night. Colin had wanted to dance with Mia, get a chance to hold her in his arms. At the rate the evening was going, that wouldn’t happen. “Another time, guys,” he said. “Thanks for jumping in back there,” he added, and gave both his old pals a parting bro hug.
“Anytime,” Andy said, making the most of his moment of macho.
“So what was all that about?” Mia asked as they walked to the car. “Don’t tell me you were jealous.”
“What do you think?”
“I think some things never change.” Her smile wasn’t quite so teasing.
He didn’t want an argument about their past coming between them, not tonight. He decided to give it the boot. “I guess I was always a little crazy where you were concerned. And stupid,” he added before she could say it. “I’m over being stupid.” She was leaning against the car now, looking up at him. He put his arms around her. “We never did get to dance.”
“We were kind of busy.”
“Yeah, but I really wanted to dance with you.” He opened the car door, reached inside and turned on the radio. Sam Smith was singing “Stay With Me.” Colin held out a hand. “How about a dance right now?”
She let him draw her against him and they started swaying. Someone left the Red Barn and the music leached out the open doors. The band was singing “Love You Like That,” and suddenly lyrics about love were all around them. “You still feel so good in my arms,” he whispered and tightened his hold.
* * *
What would have happened, Mia wondered, if she’d flown back to Icicle Falls all those years ago and refused to leave until they had everything ironed out between them?
Never mind that. She had now, and now was what mattered. She slipped her arms around his neck and laid her head on his shoulder. With every step, every breath that ruffled her hair, the connection grew stronger, along with the pull to forget about career success and come home. And yet she’d worked so hard for it. She needed it, needed to finish what she’d started. Surely Colin would relocate for a few years.
She decided not to bring up the subject. Tonight was perfect. Why risk ruining it?
The dance ended and, for a moment, she thought he was going to kiss her. She was sure she’d felt the brush of his lips at her temple. Instead, he whispered, “Let’s go.”
They didn’t go home, though. The car seemed to have a mind of its own, taking them to Memory Lane, that little road hidden from the world. Colin turned off the engine and faced her. He reached out a hand and played with a lock of her hair. “I want to make it work this time.”
So did she. She almost said it. Almost. But first they needed to get something straight once and for all. “You know why it didn’t work last time. You didn’t trust me. I never cheated on you with Arthur. Never. And the only reason I wound up with him was because, well, he hung in there and you didn’t.”
“I was a fool,” he said.
“In the end, though, I couldn’t marry him. I guess it was like with you and Lorelei. We weren’t a fit.” His hand slid down to her neck, gently brushing her skin. Ooh, do that some more.
“It’s always been you,” he said. “I’ve tried to find someone else. What a waste of time. I’m tired of wasting my time, Mia. Tired of wasting my life. I want to get things right. I want to do something worthwhile, and I want to do it with you.”
He was already coaxing her toward him for a kiss but his words stopped her. “What exactly do you mean by that?”
“What do you mean, what do I mean?”
“How do we make that work?” Did she give up her job and come home an almost-success and hope that was good enough?
“We’ll find a way,” he said, and kissed her.
She closed her eyes and tried to imagine what their life would be like. All she could see was his father’s disapproving face.
* * *
The next day the family, with the exception of Dylan, went to church. More people wanted to hug and commiserate. Some simply wanted to make sure they had the inside scoop on what was going on with the Wrights.
“Colin, you rascal, we haven’t seen you at c
hurch in ages. I hope you’re not planning on following in your father’s footsteps,” said Hildy Johnson. “It’s important to stay connected to the Lord.”
“Yeah, but probably not with some of his followers,” Colin said, and it was all Mia could do not to snicker. Hildy was one of those sheep that only the Good Shepherd could love. People had been hoping for years that she’d get lost, but she showed up every Sunday.
She turned her attention to Mia. “And Mia, it’s been far too long since we’ve seen you. Your aunt told me you got a promotion. I guess you’ll never come back to Icicle Falls now.”
Mia was aware of Colin’s gaze and the question behind it. Will you?
“I could have moved,” Hildy continued. “Thought about going to art school in Seattle after high school. I’ve always had quite a flair for art.” She shook her head, making the slack skin at her chin wiggle. “But you know what they say, love comes in the door and a woman’s plans go out the window. So here I am, my talent wasted. But Nils couldn’t live without me.” She lowered her voice. “I swear, if he didn’t have me, that man would put his pants on the wrong way. Ah, well, men will gobble up your life like an anteater gobbles up ants.” She gave Colin’s cheek a playful pat. “So beware.”
“Is there a right way to put on your pants?” Colin whispered when Hildy turned to talk to Aunt Beth, negotiating for a discount on a coat she wanted let out.
“I guess so,” Mia replied. Poor Nils. He had to be the most henpecked man in Icicle Falls.
“Maybe while she’s at it, Aunt Beth could sew the old bat’s mouth shut,” Colin muttered.
Hildy did have a gift for irritating people, but Mia suspected there was some truth in what she’d said. Perhaps it didn’t matter if plans went out the window. Perhaps, no matter what she planned, it wouldn’t ever be good enough.
The ushers finally herded the congregation into the sanctuary, where they settled in and started singing their first hymn, “It Is Well with My Soul.” Mia knew the words. She wished she meant them.
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