The Only One for Her

by Carlie Sexton

  Once inside my hotel room, I needed time to regroup. His words had overwhelmed me. Dane had said the same thing to me when we were dating. Dane had waited for me to be his wife before we ever made love. I was his princess and he was my prince.

  I wrapped my arms around myself as I thought about how incredible my evening with Trace had been. Had another prince found me? I just hoped if this was my new fairy tale it would last forever this time. But that was the thing with time. Sometimes it was unmerciful, fleeting. It took no prisoners and made no apologies for shattering your life.

  Placing my hand on my neck, I picked up the locket Dane had given me, opening it. One side held a picture of my wonderful man. The other side had the words, “Marry me,” engraved on it. That’s how he’d proposed.

  Taking me out to the most romantic Italian restaurant in town, Dane presented the locket to me at the end of our dessert. When I opened the box and saw it, I instantly loved it.

  “Before you open it, Lindy, I want to tell you that you are the only girl for me. I love you more than I ever thought I could love someone. You have been with me through so many hard times. You are my rock and I want to be yours for the rest of our lives.”

  “Dane, what are you saying?”

  “Open the locket, Lindy.”

  I opened it, seeing his picture, thinking it was like a promise ring. But then I saw the other side and the simple two words etched in it. Marry me. He was asking me to marry him. I looked up to find my handsome man on one knee.

  “Lindy, will you make me the happiest man in the world? Will you marry me?”

  “Yes, Dane. You’re all I want and all I need. I love you so much.”

  “I love you too, baby.”

  Sighing, I put the locket against my chest again. I never took it off. It guarded my heart, not letting anything or anyone penetrate. But tonight, tonight I thought Trace might be the man I would take off my locket for. The man I could give my heart to. I had allowed the locket to protect my heart for a long time. Perhaps now I could let it rest, be put away as a special treasure I would always love. Was I finally open to love again? Hopefully, tomorrow would give me more insight as to whether or not my locket would be stored away.

  My phone lit up just as I was thinking I should call Ro.

  “Are you still on your date? Am I calling at a bad time?”

  “We just said goodnight,” I said laughing. “You sound like a nervous wreck.”

  “I am a wreck. You just went on a date and I need to know everything that happened.”

  “It was so good, Ro. Trace was such a gentleman and I had a great time.”

  “I’m so glad. I wanted this day to end on a positive note. You deserve to have fun, Lindy.”

  “It was fun, overwhelming, sexy. It was a lot of things.”

  “Sexy, huh? What happened?”

  “After dinner, we went for a walk on the beach and Trace held me in his arms. We ended up kissing for a long time.”

  “Just kissing?”

  “Yes, just kissing. I just met the guy, Ro.”

  “I know, I know. Going slow is good.”

  “Well, I did kind of blurt out an invitation for him to come in, but he said he could tell I wasn’t ready and he didn’t want me to do anything I would regret.”

  “Seriously? He put your feelings before his own? He sounds so great. Most men wouldn’t have thought about your feelings. They would have just thought about what they wanted.”

  “I know, right? He really made me feel special.”

  “You are special, Lindy. You have so much to offer. Any man would be lucky to have you.”

  “Thanks, Ro.”

  “So, I guess it’s a good thing I couldn’t come with you after all. I might have gotten in the way of you two meeting.”

  I laughed. “I guess it was meant to be this way.”

  “Dr. Stevens is coming my way. I better go. I have a couple of questions about Todd. Call me tomorrow.”

  “I will,” I said.

  Chapter 15: Trace

  For a split second I had considered taking Lindy up on her offer. My mind rationalized that we could just cuddle. I knew I was fooling myself. It was too fast for her. I saw it written all over her beautiful face. I could see the words had escaped her gorgeous mouth and she knew she couldn’t take them back. I didn’t want Lindy to regret anything she ever did with me. I wanted her to feel cherished, not fucked. She was special to me. From the moment I heard her words on the rocks, I knew this woman was different from any other woman I’d ever met.

  I only had three more days to prove to her that she meant something to me. I felt like a heel for inviting her on a picnic I had prearranged for Angelina and myself. I had planned several romantic events to surprise my bride. I didn’t want them to go to waste, but I also didn’t want Lindy to know they were already in place for someone else. How was I going to tell her this was supposed to be my honeymoon? Shit. This slippery slope was going to be hard to navigate.

  Maybe I didn’t have to tell her right away. I had been honest when she’d asked me if I had ever been married or engaged. I told the truth, just not the entire truth. After all, we were just getting to know each other. I didn’t want to see pity on her face when I explained that my fiancée and best friend were doing it behind my back. How I found out and humiliated her in front of everyone we knew. I wasn’t sure Lindy would still be interested in me after knowing the sordid details. Would she not find me enough too? Was I not enough?

  Time. I just needed time for us to get to know each other. I’d feel things out tomorrow and then I might have a better idea of what to do. How to tell her. When to tell her. If to tell her.

  ***

  Today felt reminiscent of Christmas morning when I couldn’t wait to get downstairs and see what Santa had left for my sisters and me. But, this was way better. I was going to spend the day unwrapping Lindy’s heart, finding out more about her.

  The first thing I needed to do was confirm my picnic basket would be waiting for me at the concierge’s desk. I called the hotel lobby.

  “Napili Kai. This is Leiloni. How may I help you?”

  “Yes, Leiloni. This is Trace Michaels. I was just calling to check on the picnic basket I ordered for today.”

  “It’s being put together as we speak, Mr. Michaels. We have everything you requested. Did you need to make any changes?”

  “No changes. I’ll be there to pick it up around nine forty-five.”

  “It will be waiting for you at the concierge’s desk. Is there anything else I may assist you with today?”

  “That’s all. Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome. Enjoy your day.”

  Nerves fluttered in my stomach. We were going to spend the day together. I wanted everything to be as perfect as last night when the world fell away and Lindy and I were the only inhabitants. She deserved that and I would provide that for her.

  Walking past the dresser, I noticed an envelope addressed to Mr. and Mrs. Michaels. What? Thoughts of Angelina came crashing back. I had thought she was the one. I had trusted her. She had broken my heart like in that song; she carelessly cut me and laughed while I was bleeding. Shit. I had to sit down. Making my way to the sofa, I opened the letter from Napili Kai. It was a welcome letter with a gift certificate for dinner at the Sea House, where I took Lindy last night. Sitting there with the letter in my hands, I thought about why I was here. I came here to escape my reality of my life blowing up. But all of that changed the moment I saw Lindy, heard her words, and saved her from falling into the ocean. She had somehow, miraculously speared my heart. The anger driving me was gone. All I wanted was love. I wasn’t going to let anything stand in the way of that.

  I crumpled the letter, along with the envelope and threw it in the trash. I had things to do and dwelling on what could have been wasn’t one of them.

  I grabbed a protein bar out of my bag and put on shorts, a tank top and my tennis shoes. Working out would clear my head and relax me si
multaneously. Walking out the door, I practically knocked Lindy over.

  “Good morning,” I said, my hands reaching out, landing on her hips. I couldn’t help but notice her workout attire. “Heading to the gym?”

  “Yes,” she said. “You?”

  “Yes.” We began walking there together.

  “So, what are you planning on doing in the gym?” She looked very fit, and her defined muscles indicated she lifted weights. That was so sexy to me.

  “I was going to do legs.”

  “Me too.”

  “Well, judging by how fit you are, I’m sure you could probably teach me a couple of things,” she said, gazing up at me.

  That was so sweet. Angelina and I worked out together at the beginning of our relationship, but then she stopped. Too busy because of the wedding. Or maybe her other extra-curricular activities.

  “I’m sure I could learn some stuff from you, too.”

  “I find new workouts on Pinterest, Youtube, and Facebook. I’m always looking for a way to change things up.”

  “Ah, muscle confusion. That’s the best way to keep yourself in shape.” Lindy was a few steps ahead of me now. I couldn’t help but notice her toned legs.

  We spent the next hour sweating together in the gym. We both learned some new tricks from each other and agreed to meet in the lobby at ten.

  The stream of water beating against my muscles made me think of how much I wanted to share this shower with Lindy. I’d much rather see the water cascading down her body than feeling it on my own. Working out with her had been more fun than I’d expected. I knew by her form and intensity that she took working out seriously. As seriously as I did. More in common?

  Walking toward the lobby, I had decided to get there about fifteen minutes before Lindy. The concierge handed me the picnic basket and I checked the contents. It had everything I had requested. Along with the basket, I had snagged a couple of beach towels for us. Hopefully, we would be taking a dip in the pool at the waterfall. I wasn’t sure how adventurous Lindy was, but time would tell.

  Chapter 16: Lindy

  It had been so long, I could hardly remember what it was like being excited about a date. I was nervous last night because I had no idea if Trace and I would have anything to talk about. But our evening had turned out to be pretty special. I couldn’t believe that no one had taken him off the market yet. He was kind, compassionate, smart, sexy, and an incredible kisser. I could only imagine what else he was good at. I blushed at my own thoughts.

  Sighing loudly, I considered his ability to read me last night when I’d asked him to come in. He was a good guy for not taking advantage when he could have. He had integrity. A rare quality to find in a person nowadays. Something I could admire.

  After finishing up the last touches on my makeup, I put my shorts and shirt over my swimsuit. I had to admit even though I was fit, I was a little apprehensive about him seeing me in a bathing suit. He was in incredible shape, every muscle defined, probably only five percent body fat. It was a little intimidating. I was in shape, but I didn’t exactly look like a fitness model like he did. I had curves.

  Trace was waiting for me when I entered the lobby. “Ready?” he asked.

  “Yes. It looks like you are, too. How did you manage to get us a picnic basket?”

  “The concierge here is very helpful. All I had to do was tell them what I wanted and it was here waiting for me.”

  “Nice. And so fast. I’m impressed.”

  “Well, I aim to please,” he said, flashing a sexy grin. The flurry of a thousand butterflies took flight in my stomach. Trace had a way about him that made me melt on the inside. He was kind, and also so easy on the eyes.

  Walking out to the car, he held my hand. Such a simple thing, but it made me feel special. Like last night. I wasn’t sure what to expect from today, but I was open to getting to know him better. Excitement coursed through me like when I was seven and couldn’t wait for it to be my birthday.

  I had no idea exactly where we were headed, but Trace seemed to have it all mapped out. He took charge and I happily let him. I didn’t want to think about a thing. I just wanted to be in the present for a change. It seemed like most of my life I had been wandering in the past or attempting to figure out the future.

  We parked near a trail and he came around to open my door. He was such a gentleman, unlike many of the truckers I encountered on a daily basis.

  “It’s a short hike, just up that path,” he said pointing.

  “Great, let’s go. I can’t wait to see the waterfall.” The trail was encased with lush greenery. Plants I’d never seen before. Breathtaking was an understatement.

  “The concierge told me it only takes about ten minutes to reach the waterfall.”

  “Well, I’m so glad you thought of this. I’m really looking forward to our picnic.” I hoped that didn’t sound too eager. I was nervous. Nervous to be alone with him on another date.

  The waterfall was stunning and I could see us swimming in the pool of water it flowed into. I was glad I had my bathing suit on.

  Trace spread out the beach towels and began setting up the picnic. No one else was around but us. It was secluded and romantic.

  “I have to say again how impressed I am that you could make this happen on such short notice. And all the gourmet food looks delicious.”

  “Oh, well, the hotel has all kinds of packages for their guests. I just put in a request online and it was ready this morning.”

  We both sat on the beach towels and Trace began feeding me red grapes.

  “Mm. These are delicious.”

  “Would you like some sparkling cider or water?”

  “Water would be great. So, tell me, how did you end up owning such an amazing company? I’m fascinated by the technology to build human organs.”

  “It’s kind of a long story.”

  “Well, good thing for you I happen to love long stories.”

  Trace stared into my eyes for a moment, then slightly nodded. “It started from a promise I made to make a difference in people’s lives. When I was nineteen, my best friend Jake was killed in a car accident.”

  Trace stopped talking for a second to collect his thoughts. His downcast eyes expressed how much he missed his friend. “Oh, I’m so sorry. It’s so tragic when such a young person dies.” My words sounded hollow to me, even though I had been through such a loss.

  Trace continued his story. “I was supposed to be with him, his girlfriend and another friend that night, but my girlfriend at the time wanted to go to the movies instead of bowling with them. They had been drinking and were in a car accident. No one survived.”

  I put my hand on Trace’s. “I can’t imagine how difficult it must have been for you to lose your best friend at such a young age.”

  “It was. I found out about the accident the next day. Three of my friends were dead and it was all so…senseless. Part of me couldn’t help but blame myself for his death. If only I had been there, maybe I could have saved them. It still haunts me. We had been inseparable our whole lives. My mom jokingly called us Pete and repeat. I seriously don’t have a single childhood memory without him. So, I made a promise to Jake at his funeral that I would do something important with my life in honor of him. When I found out that because of his injuries he needed a new liver, but there were no matches in the database, I knew it had to be something medical related. He died because there wasn’t an organ available for him when he needed it.”

  I shook my head. “It’s so hard to make sense of things like this. But you know it’s not your fault, right?”

  Trace reluctantly nodded. I gently lifted his chin so his eyes met mine. “Life is fragile and we control so little of it. It’s devastating when people die before they’ve had a chance to live. But recently at church my pastor said that it’s important to ask God what He is trying to teach us…what we’re supposed to learn from difficult times. For whatever reason, you weren't supposed to be there with him.”

  �
��Yeah. I guess you’re right. I just can’t help but think maybe I could have done something. Changed things somehow.”

  “Oh, Trace. I can understand that. We all have things we wish we could change but it’s out of our control. I know your friends wouldn’t want you to carry this around with you. And because of them, you are doing something really important with your life. Creating something to save lives.”

  Trace’s eyes were locked onto mine. “It derailed me for a while. I became so depressed, I couldn’t leave my house. I dropped out of school, quit my job, became reclusive. My mom and sisters were my saving grace. Eventually, I was diagnosed with PTSD. It took over a year before I began to feel like myself again. My friend Derrick got me back into the gym and that helped to get me out of my depression.”

  “Sounds like a good friend.”

  Trace exhaled loudly and his eyes were downcast. Maybe they weren’t such good friends after all.

  “I don’t know why I told you all of that. I usually don’t share my feelings like this.”

  “I’m glad you feel comfortable enough to tell me about something so painful.”

  Trace stroked my face with his hand. “You’re easy to talk to, Lindy. I feel like I can tell you anything.”

  “You can,” I said as he began leaning his face toward mine. Before I knew it, his lips were caressing mine, taking over, consuming me. Trace moved closer and my body slowly reclined. His kisses broke down my defenses, my hand gliding up his triceps, clasping onto his shoulder. His chest was pressed tightly against me. My breathing ragged, shallow while his tongue stroked mine. My heart was pounding. Time stood still as Trace Michaels ignited a blazing inferno inside me.

  Slowing his kisses he asked, “Would you like to go for a swim?”

  “Mm. That sounds nice.” I needed something to cool me down and this was the closest thing I could get to a cold shower right now.