A Healing Heart

  “Shane offered me a great position at the company he’s working at right now. The salary is fifteen percent more than what I’m getting right now and the benefits are better. Collin, I have to do this for our family. If you really don’t want to go, you’re eighteen now, you can choose to live on your own. I hope that’s not what you choose, but it is your choice to make.”

  Lacey bolted from the couch where she had been sitting next to Ashley. She flung herself into my arms.

  “Please don’t leave me Collin, please.” I stroked Lacey’s hair tenderly, trying to soothe her.

  “It’s okay, Lacey, I won’t leave you.” My heart plummeted to my stomach. How was I ever going to tell Bailey? I realized that I wasn’t going to be able to tell her, not yet, not until I had figured out some sort of plan. I needed some time to think things through first. There had to be a way to work it out. Las Vegas was not really that far away. Somehow, some way, we would make it work.

  ~ Savannah ~

  I was sitting at the table across from Collin, trying really hard not to smile. I couldn’t believe how easy it had been. I had given my dad just a few subtle suggestions on how great it would be if there was a job for Jared. It would be like it used to be when the two families lived near each other again. Never in my wildest dreams did I think it would happen this quick. June. They’d be moving in June, just a mere two and a half months away. When Jared had given Collin the option to stay here, my heart had lurched, fearing my plan would backfire. But Lacey sealed the deal. I knew there was no way Collin would leave his beloved sister alone.

  In just a little over two months, Collin would have to leave his precious Bailey and be miles away from her and just minutes away from me. Having Collin closer would give me a better opportunity to win him over. I knew in the end I would get him to fall in love with me. I just needed more time and Bailey out of the picture. Now to just wait out the next few months, and in the meantime, making a few plans wouldn’t hurt.

  CHAPTER NINE

  ~ Bailey ~

  It had been almost four weeks since Savannah had gone home; I really hoped I would never have to endure her presence again. I was just extremely thankful that she lived a distance away.

  April had quickly slipped by, and before I knew it, May had arrived, and with it my seventeenth birthday. Birthdays had always been something I looked forward to, before. Over the past couple of years, I had tried to ignore their existence. This year, though, I was actually a little excited; I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. Collin had taken the afternoon off from work and was taking me somewhere after school. Later we were joining my friends for dinner at my favorite restaurant. I had tried several times to extract the details from Collin, but each time he refused to tell me what we were doing, simply saying, “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  I finished getting ready for school. I was wearing the new outfit my aunt and uncle had given me the night before. The deep green in the shirt made my eyes appear greener than their usual gray color, the jeans were comfortable, and I adored the tall brown leather boots that hit just below my knees. My aunt had a knack for picking out just the right thing for me.

  When I reached the kitchen, my aunt was still sitting at the table with her ever-present coffee mug and a bagel while she read through the morning paper. As always, she was perfectly dressed in a pantsuit that set off her auburn hair and deep brown eyes, warm and tender just like my mom’s. There were still times when it was unsettling that they were identical twins. It was comforting in some ways as it felt like my mom was still there with me; other times it was painful. Today it was just comforting.

  “Morning.”

  “Happy birthday, Bailey! Wow, that outfit looks great on you! I knew it would bring out your eye color.”

  “Thanks, Aunt Rachelle, I love it! Thank you again.” I reached the table and gave her a big hug.

  “I’m glad. I have a special muffin for you. It’s on the counter.”

  I glanced over to the counter and started laughing. Sitting on the counter was a blueberry muffin with candles covering the top. Without counting, I was pretty sure that somehow she had found room to shove in seventeen of them.

  “I don’t do the baking thing, and I know you don’t really like the birthday cake or cupcake thing. You have always liked muffins, so I decided that was as good a substitute as any.”

  “Thanks. I guess there’s always a first for everything, and I have to say that this is indeed my first birthday muffin.”

  My aunt got up from her chair and began lighting the candles.

  “You really don’t have to actually light them.”

  “Oh, yes, I do, and you’re going to blow them all out and make a wish. It’s the least I can do.”

  Laughing, I could not deny her. Once she had them all lit, I made my wish and proceeded to blow the candles out.

  “There, now. It’s officially your birthday. So, what did you wish for anyway?”

  “Come on, now, you know I can’t tell you, otherwise it won’t come true!”

  “Yeah, you’re right, but I had to ask anyway. I think I can take a pretty good guess it has something to do with that amazing guy you’ve been seeing the last couple of months.” She leaned casually against the counter, smiling.

  The heat rushed into my cheeks, and I knew they were stained pink.

  “Still not telling.”

  “I know, but had to try. You better hurry, though, so you’re not late for school.”

  I finished my birthday muffin, grabbed my backpack, and walked out the door to my car. Once I stepped outside, I noticed there was something on my windshield. Locking the front door behind me, I hurried over to see what it was. As I got closer, I could see it was a long-stemmed red rose, with a note under it. I quickly picked it up and opened the note.

  Happy Birthday Bailey!

  I love you,

  Collin

  Grinning, warmth flooding through me, I wondered when he had come by. Usually I could hear his car approach, but this morning I hadn’t heard anything. I tossed my backpack in the car and was off to school. The perfume from the rose was strong and my car quickly smelled like it was full of roses.

  Mia and Natasha were waiting for me when I got to school, both greeting me with birthday wishes. I thanked them while scanning the crowd for Collin. He usually beat me to school, but today there was no sign of his car or him. It was getting late, so I went to English a bit disappointed.

  Sliding into my seat just before the bell rang, I grabbed my notebook and was just setting my backpack on the floor when I could feel my phone buzzing. Grabbing it quickly before class started, I smiled. It was a text from Collin.

  Sorry I missed u before class. Was running late. I’ll see u in a bit. Love u!

  thanks for the rose! love u too

  I slid my phone back into my backpack and focused on our morning assignment. Just before class ended, a student came into class and delivered a note to the teacher and left.

  “Bailey, you have a message.”

  After pushing back my chair I walked to the front of the room and my teacher handed over the note. I opened it as I returned to my seat, reading as I walked, the note said I needed to go to the office. The bell rang, I grabbed my backpack and walked in the direction of the office, a little worried as to why I had to go.

  Entering the waiting room of the office I noticed the huge arrangement of colored balloons with a large Happy Birthday balloon in the middle. My face turned beet red; somehow I knew they were intended for me.

  “Are you Bailey?” the receptionist asked. I could never remember what her name was, but she was always smiling and nice.

  “Yes.”

  “It seems you have a delivery.”

  Completely embarrassed, I walked across the waiting area to pick up the balloons. “Thanks.” I took the arrangement and wondered what I was going to do with them the rest of the day; surely I wasn’t supposed to carry them around with me. As I hurried out the door the ballo
ons blew in front of me cutting down my line of sight so I never saw Collin’s approach. I only felt his arms as they slid around my waist, pulling me tightly to him and turning me so that we faced each other.

  “Happy birthday, sweetie!” His lips touched mine softly, making my legs feel like butter. It was still surprising to me how just his slight touch affected me so completely.

  “Thanks. Don’t you think the balloons are a little much?”

  “Absolutely not. Now everyone will know it’s your birthday.”

  “And that’s a good thing?”

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “It’s just a little embarrassing is all.”

  We started walking toward my next class, his hand holding my free one while my other hand held the obnoxious bouquet of balloons that trailed behind us. Part of me wished I could just let them fly away, but the other part of me loved them because they were from Collin. Annoying or not, I would keep them.

  “You look great, by the way. I love that shirt on you. It makes your eyes really bright.”

  “Thanks. It was a gift from my aunt and uncle.”

  “So are you ready for this afternoon?”

  “Well, I would be if I knew what was up.”

  “You’ll just have to wait and see.”

  His smile lit up his face, and I wondered even more about what he had planned for our afternoon.

  * * *

  I had raced home after school to freshen up a bit before Collin arrived to take me off to wherever he had planned for the afternoon. Checking the time, I realized I had a few minutes to spare and decided to use the curling iron on my hair. Just as I was finishing clipping a few strands back from my face, I heard Collin’s car turn the corner down the street. I quickly spritzed my wrists with my favorite perfume and went downstairs to meet him.

  The doorbell was ringing just as I reached the bottom stair. I threw open the door and was met not only by Collin but a tall glass vase full of what appeared to be not one but two dozen long-stemmed, red roses.

  “Oh, wow! They’re beautiful, Collin!”

  “I thought you might like them.”

  “Thank you!” Taking the tall vase, I stretched up to give Collin a kiss and then walked toward the kitchen with him right behind me.

  “So are you ready?”

  “Yes. Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

  “Nope, you’ll just have to wait and see.”

  Laughing, I decided not to push the issue. It was actually kind of fun not to know what the plan was for the afternoon. After situating the vase on the counter, we went out to Collin’s car. As we reached the passenger door, he stopped me.

  “Do you trust me?”

  “Um, yeeeesss. Why?”

  “Okay, then turn around. I’m going to blindfold you so our destination is a surprise.”

  “Are you serious? I can’t even see where we’re going?”

  “No, I told you it’s a surprise. Are you game?”

  “Sure, why not.”

  Collin reached around and carefully tied a silk blindfold over my eyes. “Can you see anything?”

  “No. This better not make me carsick!”

  “We’re not going far, you’ll be fine,” he laughed.

  Collin helped me into the car and buckled me in. I sat in darkness and focused on my other senses. Taking a deep breath, I could smell his cologne as it lingered in the car. I realized that the fragrance of his cologne would probably always fascinate me, its scent light and clean. It stirred a sense of excitement within me. Sitting in the seat, I racked my brain trying to figure out where he might take me. The driver’s door opened, and Collin got in and started the car.

  “Are you ready?”

  “Yes, let’s get this show on the road! I’m dying of curiosity now!”

  The drive was pretty quick. I was trying to figure out where we were going, but after the second turn, I was totally disoriented. The car slowed and finally came to a stop.

  “Can I take this off now?”

  “No, not yet, just a little bit longer.”

  I heard Collin get out of the car and open my door to help me out. Holding my arm, he gently guided me along. The surface we were walking on was yielding, there were sounds of kids laughing in the background, and the smell of recently cut grass was strong. I realized that when my sight was taken away, my other senses seemed to take over. After a short walk, he stopped me and then helped me sit down. I could feel a soft blanket under my hands. The breeze had picked up and blew strands of hair across my face.

  “Alright, how much longer do I have to endure this?”

  “Hold on, just a little longer.”

  I could hear clinking and something being shuffled around but was uncertain what he was doing. As I felt him move next to me, he finally untied the blindfold from my face. Opening my eyes, I realized we were in the park, the same park, under the same oak tree that he had been sitting under that first day we had “officially” met. A blanket had been spread for us to sit on, and in front of me was a picnic basket with snacks, sparkling apple cider, and a small silver-wrapped box. I was blown away; I couldn’t believe he had gone to so much trouble.

  “Happy birthday, Bailey!”

  “Collin, this is crazy. I can’t believe you did all of this! I’ve never had anyone do anything like this before.”

  “Well, do you like it?”

  “Yes! What made you decide to do this here?”

  “I thought our first meeting was special, an instant connection. I can’t really explain it. I sat here under this tree watching you sitting over there on that bench, focused on Riley. There was something about you that drew me toward you. When our eyes met, it was like nothing I’d ever felt before. I knew I had to go over and talk to you.”

  “I felt it too, but you know, it really wasn’t the first time we’d run into each other. The day before I about ran you over in the parking lot.”

  “Yeah, I remember. It’s not every day a pretty girl comes flying into you.”

  “I didn’t think you knew who I was. You didn’t seem very happy.”

  “I knew who you were because of Quinn. I was in a hurry that day—my morning wasn’t going well. Sorry if I was a bit abrupt with you.” He flashed me his big smile and all I could do was laugh.

  “I have to say, as of right now, I’m really not sorry I ran into you that morning. From that moment, things in my life have changed so quickly—for the better. I feel like my head is spinning.”

  “Yeah, I’m not sorry either, and I’m glad that I chose to take Lacey to the park that Saturday afternoon. It’s like forces were moving beyond our control, tossing us into each other’s paths.” He picked up the small box that still sat undisturbed at my feet and set it in the palm of my hand. “Well, are you going to open this or not?”

  “I think I’m being spoiled! First the single rose on my car, then the balloons, the two dozen roses, and now all of this? All I needed was you.”

  “You deserve this, Bailey, and I wanted to do this for you. So open it.”

  Taking the small silver box, I tugged the purple, glittered bow off the top and tore the paper. Lifting the lid of the box revealed a white leather jewelry box. I looked up at Collin in shock, wondering what could be inside the small box that I held in my hand. Carefully, I flipped the lid open to reveal a necklace. Gasping, I carefully lifted the pendant and watched it twirl in my fingers; it was a gold heart, with an emerald nestled in the center. Near the bottom of the heart on one side, there were two halves of a heart intertwined; each half had one small diamond set at the top. It was as if the two halves had melded together and formed the single complete heart. It could not have been more perfect. I could feel the tears forming in the corner of my eyes. As I looked up at Collin, the tears slid down my face.

  “Collin, it’s beautiful! I don’t know what to say. I’ve never had anything like this.”

  “You like it? I thought it suited you. Here, do you want me to hel
p you put it on?”

  Removing the necklace from its box, I handed it to Collin and turned my back so that he could clasp it around my neck. After it was fastened, he turned me back around so that he could inspect it. “It looks good on you.”

  I reached up and held the necklace in my fingers; I was still in shock. “Emerald is my birthstone, but I’m guessing you already knew that.”

  “Yes. Do you know the history behind the emerald and the diamond?”

  “No, I’ve never really thought about it. No one has ever given me jewelry like this before.”

  “I did a little research. It is said that the brilliant green of the emerald is like a reflection of spring, new growth, a rebirth. The ancient Romans saw the emerald as a representation of fertility and rebirth and dedicated the stone to Venus, the goddess of love and beauty. Many believe that wearing an emerald will bring wisdom, growth, and patience, and it is considered symbolic of love and fidelity. Diamonds are seen as a gem that is often surrounded by romance, mystery, and passion. The ancient Greeks believed that a diamond reflected the flame of everlasting love. The word itself is from a Greek word that means ‘invincible.’ Some ancient Greeks felt that diamonds were splinters of stars fallen to earth, or tears of the gods.”

  “I never knew there were such meanings for the different stones. That makes this gift even more special.”

  I shifted over closer to Collin so that I was sitting just in front of him, facing him. I leaned over to kiss his lips, my hands wrapped around his neck, my fingers threading through his thick hair. His hands came around my waist, pulling me closer to him; I was practically sitting on his lap. Slowly he leaned back a little, his nose gently touching mine.

  “Thank you, I’ll treasure it forever. There really are no words for how special this is.”

  “Good, I’m glad you like it. I think it was made just for you and was sitting there waiting for me to find it.”

  “So, I have to ask, how did you have all this set up here and be able to leave it to come pick me up?”

  “Ahh...that’s my secret. But I guess I will confess that I did have a little help holding down the fort while I went to get you.”