Love Hard (Anything But Mine Book 2)

by Barbara Justice

  Meg rolled her eyes as she sat up in bed and turned on the light on her nightstand. “Let’s look at this logically. How old is your father?”

  “He’s fifty five.”

  “Okay, so he’s clearly an adult, who can make his own choices. And so is Fiona.”

  “But…”

  “How old were you the first time you stayed out all night with a girl?”

  “Eighteen, but that’s different.”

  Meg wrinkled her brows. “Why?”

  “Because this is my father and Mrs. B, that’s why.” He jumped up and started pacing the room. “What am I supposed to do? How am I supposed to act when he comes home?”

  “We’re going to be supportive of the choice they made to be together.” She untangled her naked body from the sheets, and pulled on her plaid flannel pajamas before walking over to where Sky was standing. She wrapped her arms around him, and kissed his bare chest. “I know this is hard on you. But don’t you want them to be happy?”

  He let out a deep sigh, and pulled her close. “Yeah, of course. But it’s still weird for me.”

  “I know,” she said, as she released him from her embrace and looked him in the eyes. “But you’ve got to try to deal with it. Come on, let me make you some breakfast.”

  Trey came through the door as Sky and Meg were sitting down at the dining room table. Sky was not able to meet his father’s eyes, but Meg smiled, and said, “Good morning, Trey. Would you like to join us for some bacon and eggs? I made more than enough.”

  “Thanks, Meg.” He joined them at the table, filled his plate, and began eating. After a few forkfuls, he glanced from Sky to Meg, then back towards Sky. “You’re both up awfully early this morning, aren’t you?”

  Sky glared at his father. “And you came home awfully late, didn’t you?”

  Meg rolled her eyes. “Guys, seriously…”

  “No, Meg, my son has a point.” Trey turned towards Sky. “Yes, I just came home. Yes, I stayed at Fiona’s last night. And, no, nothing happened beyond talking and a few innocent kisses. Not that it’s any of your damn business.” He took a sip of coffee before continuing, “I want to explore the possibility of a relationship with her. I like her. I like her very much. But I’m also aware of the fact that we live several hours away from each other by plane. And I don’t want to hurt her if we get involved, and then find out it can’t work due to the distance. So we’re going to take it slow. Not that I need your permission.”

  To the surprise of Trey and Meg, Sky agreed. “You’re right, dad. I want you both to be happy. Just, please, don’t hurt her.”

  “And as I promised you last night, I won’t,” Trey replied.

  “Good,” Sky said, as he picked up a piece of bacon and shoved it into his mouth. “Glad we’ve got it all settled.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-FIVE

  In the weeks following Thanksgiving, Sky and Meg reveled in the time they spent at home together. With the Johnson Bishop Band on a break from the tour promoting their new album, they had more time to enjoy doing ordinary things together.

  Meg continued to work at the hospital trauma unit three or four days a week, but on the other days she and Sky were happy to spend what she liked to call “normal people time”. They went grocery shopping, cooked, and had friends over for dinner and classic board game nights.

  Two weeks before Christmas, Sky suggested he and Meg take a ride to get a Christmas tree.

  “Why? We’re not going to be here on Christmas,” she said. “I’m leaving in ten days for New York.”

  Sky pouted. “Even when I was single, I decorated a tree,” he said.

  “You’re still single,” she countered.

  “No, I’m not. And neither are you. We’re both off the market.”

  She raised one eyebrow, and teased, “Not officially.”

  “Yeah, right.” He grabbed her and backed her up against the wall. He planted his lips on hers, and his tongue explored the inside of her mouth, while his hands roamed her body. He could feel her heart racing through her shirt, and knew he was on the right track. “I think that’s pretty official.”

  Meg’s head was spinning with desire, her knees were weak, and she was unable to put a cogent thought together. “Umm…okay,” she managed to say. “Let’s go get a Christmas tree.”

  They climbed into Sky’s pick-up truck, but instead of heading for the road, he drove onto a trail behind the barn. He steered the truck over the rough dirt road until he reached a small clearing, where he came to a stop.

  “Where are we? And what are we doing here?”

  Sky turned towards her grinned. “We’re getting a Christmas tree.” He opened the door of the pick-up truck, and said, “Come on.”

  She looked at the axe he grabbed from the bed of the truck. “Seriously? You’re going to cut down a tree?”

  “Yeah. I do it every year. Nothing better than a fresh tree.” He winked at her as he took her by the hand. “Let me know if you see one you like.”

  They spent the afternoon walking through the woods and breathing in the crisp, pine-scented air. They settled on an eight foot tall evergreen that Sky cut down with surprising ease, before they carried it back to where they were parked.

  Once the tree was stowed in the bed of the truck, Sky pulled out two blankets and a thermos filled with hot cocoa. He wrapped one of the blankets around Meg’s shoulders, and set another one on the ground. He gestured for Meg to sit between his spread legs, and when she did, he wrapped his arms and legs around her.

  She allowed herself to lean back and relax against his chest, as warmth spread through her body. She closed her eyes, and thought, I’ve never been happier, or more content.

  They took turns sipping from the thermos while sharing stories of childhood Christmases. As the sunlight began to wane, Sky sighed and kissed Meg on the top of her head. “I don’t want this day to end. Being with you, like this, is exactly how I want to spend the rest of my life.”

  Her heart skipped a beat. “Me too.”

  When they returned to the log cabin, they dug into the beef stew that Meg had simmering all day in a slow cooker. “Fresh air always makes me hungry,” she said, as she ladled a second helping into each of their bowls.

  “Mmm…yeah,” Sky agreed. “I’m the same way.” He let his gaze settle on Meg as she ate.

  She felt him staring at her, and looked up. “What?”

  “Nothing. Just trying to figure out when we should celebrate Christmas, since we won’t be together.”

  “Well, I’m working three days next week, so definitely not any of those nights. How about the night before I leave to go home?”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Over the next few days, Sky wracked his brain trying to find the perfect gifts for Meg. He bought out the entire line of Desiree’s Desire lingerie in her size, but was unhappy with his purchases. I don’t want her to think she’s just my sex toy, he thought. She deserves so much more.

  When he was unable to come up with any gift ideas, he picked up the phone and persuaded Becky to accompany him on a last-ditch shopping mission before his and Meg’s Christmas celebration later that evening.

  After spending hours traipsing through the mall, Becky brought him to a jewelry store. She pointed at the display case, and asked, “How about something like this?” The salesman handed her a gold chain with small pavé diamond moon and star pendants hanging from it. “Her style is simple, almost minimalist, so this would be perfect. And she could wear it along with the angel wing heart pendant you gave her for her birthday.”

  “Oh, yeah.” Sky grinned as Becky handed him the necklace. “This is perfect.” He looked in the display case, and picked out a simple pair of coordinating pavé diamond disc earrings. He handed over a credit card, and had the store gift wrap the boxes.

  As they were walking out of the jewelry store, another display case with diamond rings caught Sky’s eye. He walked Becky to her car, thanked her for her help, and waited for her to drive
away before going back inside to look at the rings.

  “Can I help you with a ring, too?”

  Sky was startled by the salesman. His face turned beet red, and he pulled his ball cap down further in an attempt to hide his embarrassment. “Umm…I was just looking. Just curious.” I couldn’t be more awkward if I tried. Thank God he doesn’t recognize me.

  “Are you thinking of getting engaged? Do you have any idea the cut she’d like, or the setting?”

  “I don’t know. Like I said, I was just looking.”

  The salesman handed him a brochure entitled “The Four Cs” with his business card stapled to it. “Well, if I can be helpful in the future, feel free to give me a call.”

  “Thanks.” He made a beeline to his Tahoe, jumped in, and peeled away from the curb. His heart pounded, and thoughts swirled through his head as he drove home. Am I thinking of asking Meg to marry me? Am I ready to be married? There have been countless women in my life but she’s my first real girlfriend in years. Am I jumping the gun? There are so many other women out there. Does it matter that I haven’t dated lots of women? At the end of the day, I can’t imagine being with anyone else.

  When Sky returned home, Meg was sequestered in their bedroom. “Don’t you dare come in here,” she called out when she heard his footsteps in the hallway. “I’m wrapping gifts.”

  He stopped in his tracks, backed away from their bedroom, and went into the living room, where he lit a fire in the fireplace. He called out to Meg, “Dinner smells amazing. Is it roast beef?”

  Meg appeared in the living room carrying boxes wrapped in shiny red paper. She placed them under the tree, and snuggled up next to Sky in front of the fire. “It’s a filet mignon roast. I wanted to make something special for our first Christmas together. There’s asparagus, mushrooms, and baby red potatoes roasting, too.”

  “Horseradish sauce for the beef?”

  “Of course. I know what my man likes.”

  He kissed her on top of her head. “You sure do, baby.” He slipped a hand under her sweater, and began to caress her breasts. “How am I gonna get through an entire week without you? We’ve never been apart that long.”

  “I was wondering the same thing.” She shifted her body so she could look him in the eyes. “I’m really going to miss you.”

  After dinner, Sky carried the gifts to the sofa. “I thought it would be nice to open them in front of the fire,” he said, as he tapped his phone and Christmas music began to play through the living room speakers.

  “Great idea.” She placed a plate of cookies and mugs of decaf coffee laced with amaretto on the coffee table.

  Meg chuckled as she opened box after box of lingerie. “Did you buy out the entire Desiree’s Desire line?”

  “Yes, ma’am. I know how you love pretty things, especially under your scrubs.”

  “You know me so well.” She smiled as she opened the next box, which contained another lacy bra and panty set. “So I guess these serve a dual purpose.”

  “How so?”

  “They’re gifts for you, too.”

  He laughed out loud. “You’d better believe it, baby.” Sky opened a box containing a set of headphones. “These are gorgeous,” he said, admiring the leather headband and wood earpieces. “I’ve never seen anything like them.”

  “The ear pieces are made from old Jack Daniels casks. The minute I saw them, I knew you’d love them.”

  “I do.” He handed her two small boxes. “Just so you don’t think I only got you sexy lingerie.”

  Meg’s heart beat quickly as she opened the boxes containing the earrings and the moon and star necklace. “Thank you. I love them.” She kissed him, and handed him a package. “You have one more gift.”

  Sky tore open the wrapping paper. “What’s this? A book?”

  “It’s a scrapbook of our first year together.”

  He opened the book to the first page. “Oh wow. The meet and greet photo from the night we met.” He ran his fingers over a plastic key card affixed to the same page. “Is this the key card from your room that night?”

  Meg smiled and nodded her head. “I wanted to keep it, just in case…”

  “In case what?”

  “In case we ended up being…um…a thing.”

  He turned towards her with a twinkle in his eyes and said, “Yeah, we’re definitely a thing.” Sky turned to the next page in the scrapbook. He swallowed hard and blinked back tears when he found his hospital identification bracelet. “You saved this too? I remember when you cut it off my wrist the day we got home from the hospital.”

  “The first time we lived together,” she whispered.

  “Yeah, that’s true. I never thought of it that way.” He continued to page through the photos and other mementos Meg had saved during the course of their relationship. “You kept everything. This means more to me than anything.”

  He pulled Meg towards him, and looked into her eyes as he ran his hands through her hair. “I love you so much, baby. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me. The best gift, ever.”

  Sky dropped Meg off at the airport the following day. “See you next week,” she said, as she kissed him goodbye. Although she tried to remain brave, her lower lip quivered and tears filled her eyes.

  “Don’t cry, darlin’,” Sky said, as he pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “We’ll talk every day. And, besides, you’re going to be too busy with your family to think about me.”

  “You’re wrong,” she sniffed. “I’m going to catch up on all the sleep I didn’t get last night.”

  He laughed out loud. “Yeah, well, I had to get my fill of you, knowing that it would have to last me a week.”

  She laughed too. “You’re incorrigible.”

  “And you love it.”

  “You bet I do. You’re my favorite reason to lose sleep.” She pulled him tight and kissed him. “I’ve got to go.”

  Meg dragged her suitcase into the terminal. She was glad to have TSA pre-check status when she saw the line of travelers waiting to go through the regular security line, and breezed through screening.

  After landing at LaGuardia Airport, she was surprised when she found her father waiting for her. “I thought Jen was sending Pablo to pick me up,” she said, as she hugged Victor.

  “She was, but I thought it would be a nice opportunity to catch up,” he said, as he drove east on the Long Island Expressway. “How’s everything at work?”

  “It’s good.” Meg filled him in on some of the stories from the trauma unit. “Truthfully, even though I love my job, it’s nice to have a break. I’ve missed you, dad.”

  “I’ve missed you too.” He focused on the road ahead, instead of steering the conversation in the direction of Sky. As they traveled, they caught up on family matters and some local gossip, until they crossed the Shinnecock Canal onto the east end of Long Island. He glanced towards the passenger seat, and saw Meg staring out the window. “Penny for your thoughts?”

  “Just thinking about Sky. I’m going to miss him this week.”

  “So…living together is working out?”

  A smile lit up her face. “Yes, it is. I never thought I could be this happy.”

  “It shows.”

  “Does it? I’m glad. He’s just so…I don’t know what the right word is, but we just ‘work’. I don’t know how else to explain it.”

  “As long as he makes you happy, and he treats you well, that’s all I care about.”

  “He does, on both counts.”

  “Good.” Victor pulled into the driveway of his house. “I’m really glad you chose to stay with me this trip, instead of in the farm’s guest house.”

  She gave her father a hug. “Me too, dad. But we’re all staying at the farm on Christmas Eve, right?”

  “We’ll stay in the guest house, just like we always do when you’re here for Christmas. We have to keep that tradition.”

  She grinned ear to ear. “Absolutely.”

  CHAPTER THIRTY-S
IX

  During the days leading up to Christmas, Meg tried to keep as busy as possible in order to distract herself from missing Sky. She shopped for gifts, helped trim the Christmas trees both at the farm and at her father’s house, joined Jennifer and her Aunt Grace in the kitchen where they baked cookies and pies, and played with the newest addition to the family, Jennifer’s infant daughter Belle.

  As distracted and busy as she kept herself during each day, she found it nearly impossible to sleep at night without Sky by her side. It’s like my right arm is missing, she thought as she tossed and turned the night before Christmas Eve. She checked the bedside clock, and calculated the time difference between New York and Texas. “I wonder if he’s still awake,” she said aloud. “Guess there’s only one way to find out.”

  As she reached for her cell phone, she heard the sound of Sky singing “When I Met You”, and answered her phone. “It must be some sort of mental telepathy thing going on. I was just about to call you.”

  “Couldn’t sleep?”

  “Nope.”

  “Me neither. I miss you, baby.”

  “I miss you too. How’s life in Dallas?”

  “Everyone here is good. For the first time in a long time, Dad hasn’t insisted that I come into the office with him. I think he’s finally accepted that my life and career are in Nashville, and that I’m not going to be joining the family business.”

  “That’s good. He does love you, Sky.”

  He sighed. “Yeah, I know. It’s just…I sometimes still feel like he hasn’t forgiven me for what happened to my mother.”

  Meg rolled her eyes and sat up in bed. “You have to let this go. Just have a good Christmas with your family. And before you ask, that’s what I’m trying to do. I’m taking your advice and practicing what I preach.”

  “Good girl.”

  She yawned. “I’ve got to try to sleep, otherwise I’ll be a cranky girl, and there’s way too much to do tomorrow.”

  “Good night, darlin’. I love you.”

  “Love you too.”

  After ending the call with Meg, Sky was still unable to sleep. He paced the floor of his childhood bedroom, before pulling out his e-reader. He opened the alternate history novel he had started on the flight home, and read until he dozed off.