Sophie was right. Unfortunately, the person she wanted the most was in Savannah looking over his new restaurant and gearing up for the big move.
“Now, go do what you wanted to do,” Sophie demanded. “I’ll work around here.”
“I’ll be in the garage if you need me.”
Macy knew full well that planting vibrant flowers in the new colorful pots she’d brought home from her store wouldn’t ease the raw ache. But at least she’d have something to do to pass the time.
And later, she was going to get a punching bag, because she had some serious frustrations to take out on something.
* * *
“Would you make up your damn mind?”
Liam rubbed his hand over his jaw. “I’ve made it up. This is it.”
Braxton and Zach both stood across from the center island and glared at Liam. He’d come back to Haven earlier than expected, after Sophie’s text regarding Lucy. But he hadn’t come straight to the resort.
“My plans are all in place,” he went on.
Zach narrowed his eyes. “Why the change of heart?”
There were too many reasons to list. The heart in question had gone through a complete transformation. He was no longer the man he’d been even a month ago. Even with the uncertainty of his injured hand and his relationship with Macy, Liam knew he was exactly where he should be.
His brothers had questioned the status of his hand, but he quickly brushed them off. As much as the nerve damage scared him, he refused to dwell on the fear.
“Does it matter? I’m here, I’m staying.”
“Have you told anyone else?” Braxton asked.
Liam shook his head, not bothering to go into the fact he wanted to explore the whole prospect of opening his own bakery as an expansion of Bella Vous. He had no clue what the hell was going to happen with his hand. So far, he still couldn’t feel a damn thing on his palm and a portion of his fingers. He knew the injury would require more time to heal, but the unknown terrified him. Despite these uncertainties, he refused to give up his dream. The dream he’d once held had shifted somewhere along the way and a new one had taken its place.
The intense stare from his brothers unnerved him, but he wasn’t sorry he’d made the decision. His entire life was here in Haven, as was his future.
Zach didn’t let up on his skeptical gaze. “Something happened in Savannah.”
More like something had happened in the past several months, but Savannah was a smack in the face—one he’d needed to wake him up. The text from Sophie had simply solidified his decision. He wasn’t sure when he’d fully decided not to take the offer in Savannah, but now that he had turned it down, he had no regrets.
Liam had been so anxious to get to Magnolias this morning, but once he’d arrived and was really able to comprehend exactly what life would be like, it didn’t take long for him to see that perhaps his goal had changed. That was definitely something he hadn’t seen coming.
The homey kitchen he’d gotten used to at Bella Vous fit his life better now. Liam wasn’t quite ready to get back to the hustle and bustle of long hours and a staff that was good, but not family. Besides, he figured he’d miss the elderly ladies discussing books or the bachelorette parties and their quirky requests.
He needed to call Mark as soon as possible. First, though, he had a few other things that were slotted higher on his priority list.
“You haven’t told Sophie or Cora?” Braxton asked.
“Or Macy,” Zach added.
“I had to tell you two first.” Liam swallowed. “And to make sure you weren’t pissed and planning to change the locks and take my key.”
Zach snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. “We’re pissed, but we wouldn’t lock you out. And since you came to your senses, we’re not as pissed.”
A wave of relief flooded Liam. Not that he’d expected his family to turn him away, but he’d been ready to leave, to turn his back on them. Sending money to keep supporting the financial aspect of the resort was one thing, but actually being here and getting his hands in the family business was another.
“I guess I won’t be needing to interview this afternoon for my replacement.”
“I’m going to go tell Cora.” Braxton headed for the wide hallway leading to the front of the house. He stopped, gripped the door frame as he threw a glance over his shoulder. “I hope you didn’t actually believe we wouldn’t welcome you back.”
Liam watched his brother walk away, then turned back to Zach. “What?”
Zach merely shrugged. “Just glad you finally realize where you belong, that’s all.”
Liam still had work to do in the resort kitchen, no matter how much he wanted to get to Macy. Pulling out the bowls of ingredients he’d put together last night, he started finishing up what would be dinner in a few hours. The numbness in his left hand was beyond frustrating, but if he kept dwelling on the negative, he’d totally miss what was happening now and all the possibilities awaiting him.
Besides, he could learn how to work without the feeling in his left hand. He’d damn well make sure he did because he wasn’t about to let his family—or Macy—down.
“You don’t have to look so smug,” Liam muttered.
“I just enjoy being right.”
Liam couldn’t help but laugh, but then sobered quickly. “Have you seen Macy today?”
“No.” Zach eased onto one of the bar stools. “Sophie went over there and then texted me. She said Macy is doing okay, but she’s heartbroken.”
Liam knew how much she wanted Lucy. The love Macy had for Lucy was undeniable. Macy had gone into fostering with her heart wide open, just as she’d done with him. Twice she’d been crushed and he’d have to live with the guilt of doing his part to hurt her.
“Why don’t you leave this,” Zach stated, waving a hand at the various bowls. “What the hell is it anyway?”
“I was going to do roulade.”
Zach tipped his head. “A who?”
“Never mind.”
“Can it keep until tomorrow?” Zach asked. “Sophie and I can whip something up. I do a mean spaghetti.”
“Spaghetti? Ajar of sauce and box noodles will not be served from my kitchen.” Liam shook his head. “I’m going to get this roulade done. Macy doesn’t want to see me right now, and as long as she’s not alone, that’s all that matters. I’ll go see her when the time is right.”
Later. Much later. He needed to figure out what the hell he wanted to say to her. Assuming she even wanted to see him again was presumptuous on his part. They’d pretty much parted ways after the double wedding.
Right now she was hurting. If he told her he was staying, she might think he was staying out of guilt. He just needed to figure out how to approach her, how to help her heal and move beyond the hurt she faced now. He couldn’t botch this up.
“I’ll leave after I get dinner ready and you and Sophie can serve the guests.” Liam stirred in more spices, gripping the bowl with his good arm. “That work?”
“So long as you go straight to Macy.” Zach flattened his palms on the counter. “I have no idea how you left things, but she loves you. Five minutes with you two and it’s obvious.”
Liam stilled, refusing to look up. “I’ll go see her. I just . . . I need to get my head on straight.”
If he told her he was in Haven for good, he didn’t want to just assume they’d pick up where they left off. She might not want to give him another chance. He’d hurt her—he felt responsible for that. She’d wanted him to stay, but she hadn’t come out and asked. From here on, he had to be honest with her and tell her everything that was on his mind, in his heart.
Over the next couple hours, Liam figured the words would come to him while he cooked. At least, he hoped they did.
* * *
Since Macy’s dad had filled in for her at the store, she didn’t mind that he’d asked her to come in and finish up the invoices. It wasn’t as if she had to get Lucy in bed early. Macy actually welcomed th
e distraction.
As she pulled into the store lot, she noticed Liam’s SUV sat in the back. The hurt in her heart actually burned. She rubbed her chest as she shut off her engine.
Most likely he was up there packing the rest of his belongings. Considering all of the boxes he’d left unpacked, it shouldn’t take him long.
Her thoughts had bounced back and forth today between wondering how Lucy was adjusting to another home and if Liam was already falling in love with his upcoming changes. He’d gone to Savannah, but she didn’t know if he was working out restaurant details or if he was checking out the condo. Either way, he was moving on, pushing forward, and whatever they’d had would just have to remain a memory.
Just like Lucy.
Macy rested her head against the steering wheel and pulled in a deep breath. Perhaps she’d just get the paperwork and take it home. At least there she could put on a movie, have some wine, and hide. She could ugly cry on her couch and nobody would have to know.
The tap on her window startled her. Macy jerked around to see Liam standing there. She unbuckled her seat belt and opened her door.
The last thing she wanted today was to come face-to-face with more pain. There was only so much she could handle.
“Can you come upstairs for a minute?” he asked.
Macy smoothed her hair away from her face, jerking it all over one shoulder. “I’m tired and I still have invoices to work on.”
“No, you don’t.”
Confused, Macy propped her hands on her hips. “My dad stopped at my house and told me—”
“I asked him to get you here somehow. He already did the invoices, but that’s all he could think of to get you here.”
Macy’s heart quickened; nerves churned in her stomach. “I’m emotionally drained. Today has been—”
He put a finger to her lips. “I know.” He removed his hand, then gripped her shoulders. “I heard. Just give me five minutes, Macy. That’s all.”
He slid his bandaged hand down to hers, holding on to her fingers.
When he started toward the back steps, she followed, trying not to read too much into this. In her heart she hoped he was going to tell her he was staying, that he wanted her and nothing else mattered. But that was absurd. He wanted that big-time restaurant, not a small-town resort that hadn’t ever been a blip on his dream radar.
He released her hand as he climbed the steps. He probably wanted to discuss moving or packing or something else that would take him away. But why go to the trouble of having her come back?
When Liam eased the door open, Macy stepped inside. The wall of boxes were still stacked, but there had been more added. A man staying would have unpacked those final boxes. Her heart sank. Even his free weights were missing from beside the sofa.
“Follow me.” He didn’t leave her much choice as he headed toward the bedroom.
Okay, not what she was expecting. Slowly, she made her way down the short hall. When she rounded the corner, Liam stood there with a pair of boxing gloves, bright yellow ones, actually.
“What are these?”
He gestured for her to take them. “Yours. I bought them for you as a going away gift and I actually have a heavyweight bag being delivered to your house.”
Macy rubbed her head, but didn’t take the gloves. “You called me here to give me a going away gift? Are you serious?”
Anger bubbled up. “You’re leaving, so you get me a stress reliever. How ironic. Did you think I actually wanted to come here and see you again? I thought we left things the way that was best for both of us, considering.”
The burn in her throat, her eyes, was inevitable. Tears were a staple in her life today. She wasn’t even sorry for the display of emotion—she was human.
“I had to hand over Lucy today. Just hand her over like she didn’t make a huge difference in my life. I had to think about where she was going, if they knew she liked to be rocked and sang to before bed. Then I’d start thinking of you and what you were doing. And the people who’d come into my life were going in different directions and I’m here. And . . .”
Macy’s voice broke as the sob spilled out of her. “I can’t do this.”
She spun around, heard Liam curse behind her a second before he wrapped his arms around her from behind. Pulling her against his chest, he kissed the side of her head.
“I know you’re hurting,” he whispered. “I didn’t mean to be insensitive. I just thought you might want to get some of that tension out. Or you can punch me, I don’t care.”
“I’m tempted.” Macy closed her eyes, dropping her head back against his shoulder. “But punching you or the bag won’t fix my problems.”
“It won’t bring Lucy back,” he agreed. “But I was hoping if we took one of your spare bedrooms and turned it into our boxing room—”
Our boxing room?
Macy spun around. “What?”
Liam swiped her damp cheeks with his good hand, then tipped her chin up. “I’m staying in Haven.”
She had to have heard him wrong. The migraine she’d battled earlier had clearly messed up something in her mind.
“You just went to Savannah today.” Way to state the obvious. But she was too stunned to come up with anything else. “What made you change your mind?”
“Everything.” He released her, stepped back, and shrugged. “The resort, my family, you. I wasn’t feeling at home in that kitchen like I thought I would. As my boss and I were talking, something was just off. Then there’s my hand.”
“You never talked about what the doctor said, but you still have a bandage on it.”
Liam nodded, the muscle in his jaw clenching. “He’s not sure if there’s permanent nerve damage, but . . .”
Oh, no. Her heart hurt for so many reasons, but now she literally ached for what Liam was possibly facing.
“Liam, I had no idea it was that bad.”
His brief nod spoke volumes as to how much he didn’t want to discuss just how “bad” the injury truly was.
“I’ll make this work. For Chelsea, for my brothers, for you. I’ll make everything work out. I was already thinking of everyone back here when I was in Savannah, then Sophie texted me about Lucy.”
Realization dawned on her. Macy held up her hands. “If you tell me you’re staying out of guilt—”
“No.” His firm tone stopped her. “I’m staying because I love you.”
Macy dropped her hands. “You just figured that out today?”
He smiled, as if she needed another reason to melt into a puddle at his feet. “No. I’ve known for a while, but I couldn’t trust myself. I was in love once. She didn’t feel the same, though I was clueless. She used me and I swore I’d never fall in love again.”
“Yet here you are.”
He closed the gap between them, reaching for her once again. “Here we are. Everything we have is brand new to me. I botched it up because I was afraid. My ex, Angela . . . she hurt me, more than I wanted to admit. I thought she loved me, and I was ready to spend my life with her, but she was just using me as a stepping stone until someone with more money, better looks came along.”
Macy hated this faceless woman, but was thankful she’d moved out of the way. “She won’t find a better man,” she told him, fully believing every word. “Her loss.”
“I see that now,” he explained. “I see it because of you. I didn’t want to get close again, but I had no choice. I couldn’t stop myself from falling for you, Macy.”
In ways she’d never thought possible, they’d healed each other. Her heart had never been this full.
“I only paid my rent through the end of the month,” he murmured, holding his gaze steady with hers. “I’m looking for a place to stay.”
And there went that flood of tears again. The emotional roller coaster that summed up this day was more than she could bear.
“Macy.” Liam framed her face, catching each tear as it fell. “I’ll foster every kid you want, we’ll adopt them, have our own�
�I don’t care. But I want you to know I’ll get you through this and when you’re ready, we’ll bring in more. You did what Lucy needed at the time and she is now somewhere where she is equally loved.”
Macy nodded, unable to speak for fear that he’d never make out a word she said as she continued to sob.
“But I won’t leave you again,” he continued. “You’re it for me. I should tell you that I’ve been offered a chance to open my own bakery at Bella Vous that serves to the public. I need to wait and see about my hand, but that’s an avenue I’m definitely exploring.”
“That sounds perfect.” Macy threw her arms around his neck and held on tight. “And I think I know a place you can stay.”
Liam gripped her waist and nuzzled her neck. “Is that right?”
“The rent is free, but I hear the landlord is prone to emotional meltdowns.”
Sliding his hands to her backside, he jerked her hips against his. “I’ve only heard she loves cowgirl boots and sexy panties.”
Arousal shot through her as she backed him up toward the unmade bed. “I believe we’re talking about the same landlord.”
Liam stopped, nipped at her lips, and murmured, “I plan on changing her title from landlord to wife as soon as possible.”
Macy jerked back. “Wife?”
Those captivating eyes held hers. “Are you rejecting my proposal?”
“Are you proposing?”
Liam drew his brows in. “I got you yellow boxing gloves. What more do you want?”
Laughing, Macy pushed him down onto the bed. “I’ll show you.”
Epilogue
“Too late to turn back now.”
Liam tightened his hold around his bride as he pulled her flush against his body. The setting sun cast the perfect orange glow all around his beautiful wife. When Macy smiled wide everyone around them ceased to exist.
“I’m not going anywhere. I’ve waited a long time to become Mrs. Liam Monroe.”
His heart swelled. In the past month of planning this whirlwind wedding, he’d only grown to love her even more. She’d healed him in so many ways. His hand and career might still be in question, but each day he was getting more feeling back and hoped to make a full recovery. His family was quick to pitch in when he asked, and he’d had to swallow his pride and let others come to his aid.
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