He simply couldn’t get past the thought that in truth, he didn’t deserve another woman in his life. He hadn’t taken good enough care of the first woman who loved him so how could he take better care of another. Yeah, he knew it sounded stupid and he wanted to love and be loved just as anyone would, but he didn’t want to go through losing someone again. Losing Maisy had about killed him and as much as he hated to admit it, he felt so much more for Melissa. How would he survive if something happened and he lost her too?
You’ve already lost Melissa, you idiot!
Was it possible to love two women in one lifetime? How could Maisy have been, what he thought was the love of his life, if he felt possibly an even greater love for Melissa? God, he did love her but he’d been so cruel. He’d pushed her away so many times then pulled her back in only to push her away again. No wonder the woman left him. He ran so hot and cold with her that if it had been the other way around, he was sure he’d have gone nuts. Only, she hadn’t. She hung in there. She’d told him she loved him and yet he couldn’t say anything. You’re an idiot.
“You should have told her you love her, dumbass,” he muttered as he entered his office and picked up the phone to talk with the man about the position.
The conversation was brief, and after telling him he’d let him know about the position, he returned to the barn. He strode to her apartment, stopping in front of her door only he couldn’t move to open the door. Briefly closing his eyes and taking a deep breath, he exhaled and reached out, turning the doorknob. The door opened and he stepped inside.
All of her furniture was still there and the apartment smelled like her. A light, floral scent that he knew came from her soap and shampoo. How many times had he buried his nose in her hair and smelled it? Walking to her bedroom, he pushed the door open then walked to the closet. Her clothes were gone and it was like a knife in his heart. He wasn’t sure if she was going to send for her furniture or not. When he entered the living room again, he saw Ash standing in the center of the room.
“Ash? What are you doing here?”
“It’s true then…you let her go.”
Brayden shook his head. He wasn’t going to argue the point. “I didn’t want to lead her on.”
“What a load of shit, Brayden. You’re in love with her. You lost five years of your life because of someone else’s selfishness. You were alone all the damn time. So now, you’re going to be selfish and do it to yourself this time. Do you want to be in another prison, one of your own making this time? Because you will be if you don’t go after her.”
“I’m scared, man.” He didn’t mind admitting that to Ash. He could tell his brother anything.
“Damn right you are, but you have to take a chance sometimes. I know you’re afraid you’ll lose her but, man, you already have. Only this time, she’s alive so you have a chance to get this one back. Don’t be a fool, go after her.”
“He’s right, Brayden.”
“James?” Brayden spun around to see him standing in the doorway.
“Everything Ash said, I agree with one hundred percent,” James said.
“I don’t know—”
“Bullshit, Brayden.”
Brayden raised his eyebrows in surprise since he’d never before heard James swear. “Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I’m calling your bluff, son. All you had to do was tell her how you feel.”
“Just how do I feel, James?” Brayden said with a sneer.
James snorted. “You love her and don’t bother denying it. I’ve seen you looking at her. What’s the problem? Is it because she was Maisy’s best friend?”
“No…”
“Then what?”
“I…uh…what would Maisy think about Melissa and me being together?”
James laughed. “I’m sure she’s looking down wondering what the hell you’re waiting on, son. She’d probably be happy to see the two people she loved most falling in love. I suspect she’d want Melissa for you as much as you do.”
“I don’t know, James, for some reason I feel like I’m betraying her even after all this time.”
“Well, you’re not. Not at all. She’s been gone over five years now and I know she wouldn’t want you to be alone just as you wouldn’t want her to be alone if you’d been the one to have died. She’d love you enough to let you go and she’d never want to be the reason you’re holding back. Now, you have to let her go and bring Melissa home where she belongs. You’ve been given a second chance at love, son. Don’t let this one get away. Grab it and hold on to it.”
“What if she won’t come back with me?” He swallowed hard with the fear that she wouldn’t.
“Convince her. She loves you. You have to make her see that you love her too.”
“Do it, Brayden. Go after her. James is right,” Ash said, squeezing Brayden’s shoulder.
Brayden took a deep breath and blew it out. “All right. Can you run the place for a while, James?”
“Of course. Now go!”
Brayden nodded and walked toward the door, but then turned back. “By the way, would you like to have this apartment? Whether she comes back or not, it’s yours if you want it.”
“I’d love it. Now, go!”
Brayden seemed rooted to the floor, feeling excited, scared, suddenly not knowing what to do first but he finally turned then walked out, and headed to his house to pack. After calling the airlines, he got a flight out first thing the next day. He hoped he could sleep tonight because the thought of seeing her again was making his gut ache.
The next afternoon as he stared at the front door of the animal hospital, Brayden took a deep breath, and exhaled, his breath fogging up the air in front of him. Snow flurries swirled around him, but it was nothing like the snow in Montana. Walking up to the glass door, he pulled it open, and entered the reception area. The receptionist glanced up at him then did a double take, and a smile lifted her lips.
“Hello there. Can I help you?”
“I’d like to speak to Doctor Conroy, please.”
“Which one?” She laughed pointing to the list of resident veterinarians working at the hospital.
Brayden grinned. “Sorry. Doctor Melissa Conroy.”
“Let me see if she’s available. Who should I say is here to see her?”
“Just a friend.” He knew if she knew he was here, she wouldn’t come to the waiting area.
“Lucky Melissa,” the receptionist muttered as she left her desk and walked down a hallway.
Brayden swiped his hand down his face and took a seat in the waiting area. This had to be one of the hardest things he’d ever done. Spending five years in prison was a piece of cake compared to facing Melissa after the way he’d treated her. The woman wanted nothing to do with him anymore and it was his fault, but he wanted her back. He needed her back. Stretching his long legs out in front of him, he leaned his head back against the wall, and waited.
****
Melissa sat in her office staring at the computer without actually seeing it. Whenever there was a lull in her work, her thoughts went to Brayden. She had to stop doing that. Suddenly, someone knocked on the doorjamb. Melissa smiled when she looked up to see Justine standing there.
“What’s up, Jus?”
“There’s a man here asking to see you.”
“A man?”
“One hell of a man—he’s tall, dark hair, and has the most amazing eyes…” Justine sighed.
“Blue eyes?” Melissa had a bad feeling even as her heart nearly jumped out of her chest.
“Yes. You know this hunk?”
“Unfortunately, I do. His name is Brayden Beckett. Please tell him I don’t want to talk to him.”
“Are you serious? He’s so gorgeous––”
Melissa put her hand up. “Trust me, I know how gorgeous he is, but we have nothing to say to each other anymore. Please, Justine, just tell him to go away.”
Justine sighed. “All right.”
Melissa placed her hands over her
face and pushed back the tears threatening to send her into a crying jag.
Why was he here? If you’d go out there and talk to him, you’d find out. No!
He’d broken her heart already, and she refused to listen to him tell her he still loved his dead wife even one more time. As much as she loved him, she couldn’t be with him and compete with a dead woman. He loved Maisy, but not her. Never her. He made his point clear. Whatever he wanted, he’d have to get some other vet to do it.
****
Brayden quickly rose to his feet when someone cleared his throat. The man had him feeling damn uncomfortable as he stared at him, though he had no idea why.
“I have a feeling you’re Brayden Beckett,” the man said in an imposing tone.
“Yes sir.”
“I’m Doctor Blair Conroy—Melissa’s father. What are you doing here?”
Hell! Blair Conroy wasn’t happy to see him but maybe Melissa would be and could run interference. “I want…I need to speak to Melissa.”
“Mr. Beckett?” This came from the receptionist as she returned to her desk. “I’m sorry, but Melissa said you two have nothing to talk about.”
Brayden blew out a breath. He’d expected that but had hoped it would go different.
“All right. Thank you.” He gave Melissa’s father a nod, put on his hat, and left.
He was outside walking to his truck when he heard his name called from behind him. Brayden spun around to see Blair Conroy barreling down on him and he prepared for a fight.
“Look, I’m not sure what happened between you two, but my daughter’s been miserable ever since she came home. It took her days to even mention your name and how she couldn’t work with you anymore. Her mother thinks Melissa is in love with you. All I know is, I want my baby to be happy, and if you can do that for her, I’ll help you out. However, if you’re here for any other reason and you just hurt her again, I will personally escort you out of town.”
Brayden stared at him in disbelief. He’d expected her father to want to knock him into next week but instead, he was offering to help Brayden win Melissa back. “I’m not here to hurt her, sir, I swear I’m not. I love her and I know I screwed up. I want her back in my life. I want her to come home.”
He watched as Blair took a prescription pad out of his pocket and scribbled something on it. When he peeled off a sheet and handed it to him, Brayden frowned. “What’s this?”
Blair smiled at him. “Her home address. She’ll be there around six thirty this evening. There’s one condition to this, Brayden…”
“Yes, sir?”
“You bring her back to visit for Christmas next month.”
“Yes sir, I will,” Brayden said with a grin and shook the man’s hand.
“See you then,” Blair said as he started to walk back to the hospital.
Brayden stared down at the paper and then up again to see Blair Conroy entering the hospital. A grin split his face when he glanced at his watch. Three more hours. Taking a deep breath, he climbed into his rental truck and drove through town looking for a restaurant. He’d suddenly developed an appetite.
At six thirty, he parked in her apartment complex and walked to her door then knocked and waited. He’d never been more nervous in his whole life. This even beat out when he was waiting for the verdict to be read at his murder trial. He tried to calm his breathing before he hyperventilated.
“What do you want, Brayden?” Her voice suddenly came through the door.
“I want to talk to you. Please, Melissa. Open the door because I’m not leaving.”
A long moment passed and he thought she’d decided to ignore his presence, but then the door opened. She stared at him without a word. His heart slammed against his ribs as he looked into her gorgeous face, but he could see a profound sadness in her beautiful brown eyes, and she looked like she’d been crying. He hated that he’d done that to her.
“Why are you here?” She folded her arms across her chest in a most impatient manner. One he knew well from her.
“Can I come in?”
She dropped her arms as if highly annoyed then sighed. She opened the door wider to let him enter. He strode past her and then spun around to look at her, taking off his hat. She closed the door and leaned back against it.
“What is it you want?” she asked him. She wasn’t going to make this easy for him.
“God, you look so good.” He moved closer to her.
“Brayden,” she snapped and held up her hand to stop him in his tracks.
“I came to get you.”
“Get me for what?” She frowned at him.
“To take you home.”
“I am home. Please leave.”
“No. Not unless you come with me. Melissa…I-I love you.”
“What did you say?” she whispered, her eyes growing wide with what he could only imagine was disbelief.
“I said…I love you. I walked away from you, pushed you actually, because I love you more than I’ve ever loved anyone and it was killing me to know that. I loved Maisy. She was my world. You know that. You know I loved her, and I suppose a part of me always will, but what I feel for you is more than any feelings I ever had for her. I hated having to admit that to myself. I suppose I didn’t want to tarnish what I had with her. I know it’s all because I lost Maisy too soon and I’m terrified of loving you then losing you some day, but I did anyway. There are all kinds of ways to lose someone and honestly, the thought of going through losing you to death scares the hell out of me but it happens to everyone, and I want whatever time we have on this earth to be together. I don’t want to be without you any longer. I don’t know how much longer I’d have been stubborn before I came after you, if it hadn’t been for Ash and James kicking me in the ass but I’m here now, and I really need you to come home with me. Please.”
“You said you would never return to Texas.”
“I said I had no reason to return and I didn’t, until you. If you want to live here, we can do that. I’m home wherever you are.” Brayden stared at her, his heart pounding in his chest. He watched her tilt her head down, and shake it. It was too late. He’d waited too long. He knew what she’d felt when he rejected her. It was a pain like no other.
Then she surprised him. She raised her face and tears streamed down her cheeks as she threw herself into his arms.
“Yes, Brayden, yes, I want to go home to Montana with you—to MERAS, with you. I love you so much, Brayden.”
Cupping her face in his hands, he kissed her. “I love you too, Melissa…and Dinky misses you. He’s been sulking since you left, just as I have.”
“I’ve missed him too, but not as much as I’ve missed you.” She kissed him deep and hard.
“Will you need to give your parents notice you’re leaving?” Brayden moved his mouth along her jaw until he reached her neck.
Melissa laughed. “What are they going to do? Fire me?”
“Tell them you have a better job offer. One for the rest of your life. With me. I want to marry you, Melissa, and have children with you.”
“Sounds like a wonderful plan. I think our children will love growing up at MERAS.”
“I do too. Now, how about you show me around this apartment of yours? Starting with the bedroom.”
Melissa smiled at him as she took his hand and led him down the hallway to her bedroom.
Epilogue
Brayden took Melissa’s hand and helped her up the two steps to stand in front of the priest.
“You look beautiful,” he whispered to her as he ran his gaze down over her white satin gown that hugged her curves in perfection. It was sleeveless and her cleavage had him salivating. She’d styled her long hair up in a bun with tendrils cascading down around her ears, and a veil covered her beautiful sweet face.
“And you look very handsome in your tux.” She leaned closer to him. “I can’t wait to get you out of it.”
Brayden chuckled. “Are you ready to do this?”
“Are you?” she a
sked him, tilting her head, and gazing into his eyes.
He swallowed hard and when he saw the love in her eyes, he knew he was. “You have no idea how ready I am, sweetheart.”
A tear slid down her cheek and he reached under her veil to wipe it away.
“That’s the best thing I’ve ever heard.” She smiled at him.
Brayden squeezed her hand then looked at the priest and nodded. The ceremony began and Brayden and Melissa repeated their vows in steady voices. He never thought he’d be here again but once Melissa came back into his life, he knew she was going to be a problem but a good problem he’d just have to take care of himself. If someone had told him that falling in love with her was the way to take care of it, he would have laughed and told them they were crazy. He could feel her hand trembling in his so he rubbed his thumb over her wrist to calm her.
Once they exchanged rings, and the priest said he could kiss his bride, he lifted her veil and cupped her face in his hands then leaned down and took her lips in a deep kiss. Her arms wrapped around his neck and she pulled him close.
Lifting his lips from hers, he gazed into her eyes. “I love you so much.”
“I love you too. I have since I first saw you.”
Brayden pulled back from her. “Since you first saw me? Really?”
She nodded and smiled. “When Maisy first introduced us. I knew it was wrong but I couldn’t help it. I fell in love with you right then.”
He kissed her again. “I never knew.”
Melissa laughed. “You weren’t meant to. But now I have you and I’ll make you happy every single day.” She leaned close to him. “In all kinds of ways.”
Brayden groaned and he heard Ash chuckle.
“You two need to stop the sex talk until you’re out of the church,” Ash whispered from alongside them.
Brayden laughed when the priest agreed so Melissa looped her arm through his and they turned to face the guests. Everyone stood and applauded.
Later, at the reception hall, Brayden had his arms wrapped around his wife on the dance floor swaying to I Cross My Heart by George Strait. As he listened to the words, he knew they were exactly how he felt about her and he was happy he’d picked this one. Kissing her forehead, he pulled her tighter against him.
Brayden : A Beckett Brothers Novel Book 1 (The Beckett Brothers) Page 16