by Nicki Day
“Michael, what are you saying?”
“I love your daughter. I’m insanely in love with her, but damn it, she’s stubborn. I know this is going to sound arrogant, but I believe she feels the same way. Even though she keeps pushing me away.”
Connie smiled. “My dear boy, she never stopped loving you.”
“How do you know that?”
“A mother knows her daughter. Why do you think her marriage didn’t work? I don’t believe she ever really loved him. I think she’s trying to search for something that she thought was lost with you.”
“If it’s all the same to you I’d rather not talk about her marriage,” he said, trying to keep his stomach from turning.
“Believe me, there’s not much to tell. It didn’t last very long, and—” She held up her hand. “But enough about that. I’ll shut up now. What is it I can do for you?”
“I want to win her back, Connie. And this time I won’t let her go. But I think I’m going to need your help.”
She grinned. “I live a very boring life, Michael. If you have a plan, you’ve got an accomplice in me.”
He smiled and hugged her. “I was hoping you’d say that.”
Chapter Fifteen
Vicky got ready to go to church with her mother for the annual Christmas Eve mass when she heard the doorbell ring. If she hadn’t been wearing nothing more than a towel she might have tried to answer it. Luckily her mother had yelled that she was answering it.
She slipped on a pair of jeans and looked for a nice blouse to wear when her mother knocked on the door.
“Just a second.”
Her mother opened the door, ignoring her request to wait. “Mom!”
“What?”
Vicky stood there, covering her tatas and wondering at what point in her life her mother would ever stop caring about the normal boundaries that most people would not cross.
“I’m getting dressed,” she explained with annoyance.
“I hate to break this to you, honey, but I have seen you naked more times than I can count.”
“Yeah when I was a little girl.” Vicky turned and pulled a bra from her suitcase and quickly put it on.
“You’ll always be a little girl to me.”
“Yeah well I also have C-cup boobs, so if it’s all the same, I’d rather not be naked around you.”
Connie shrugged. “Fine. Whatever.”
Vicky pulled a red sweater from her suitcase and turned toward her mom. “So who was at the door?”
“Huh? Oh… a neighbor picking up a pie.”
Vicky eyed her mother curiously. Connie Browning was eternally truthful and every attempt she’d ever made at a lie had always failed miserably. This was clearly one of those times.
Any other night she might have questioned her mother further, but she hadn’t the energy to do so tonight. As it was she was running late. She’d been lagging all day from a restless night filled with far too many frustrating thoughts of Michael.
She’d regretting leaving him the moment she’d done it. She’d had to do it, though. He was a Marine. He had a whole other life somewhere. Even though she knew that was what was happening, she’d hoped having her walk away from him would soften the blow to her heart.
Despite all the years apart, last night had reminded her of that love she’d felt for him. When he was inside her, taking her to heights of pleasure she hadn’t felt in years she realized exactly why she’d had zero interest in her husband. To put it simply, he hadn't been Michael.
She was sure that made her selfish and utterly insane on some level and she knew she probably needed to seek counseling when she returned to Denver. It couldn’t be normal for anyone to hold onto their high school sweetheart the way she obviously had for all of these years.
As crazy as it was though, that seemed to be exactly what she’d done. And she had absolutely no doubts that when she got back to Denver she’d cry her eyes out over him all over again.
Not now though. Not on Christmas. She’d promised her mom they would have a great holiday together. If that meant pushing her feelings for Michael aside for the next week or however long he remained in Dove Creek then that would have to be what she would do.
“Vicky? Hello?”
She turned to see her mother waving her hand in front of Vicky’s face. “Huh?”
“I was trying to talk to you. Where exactly were you just then?”
“Oh, sorry mom. What were you saying?”
“I said I need you to go over to Mrs. Barnett’s house and help her with the drinks she’s bringing to church tonight.”
Michael’s mother? No. Not just no, but hell no. She couldn’t go over there. Especially not after last night.
“Mrs. Barnett’s house? Why? Can’t her sons help her?”
Her mother crossed her arms and gave her a look of disappointment. “Now, Vicky Browning is that how I raised you? You know us here at Dove Creek have always looked out for one another. If Mrs. Barnett says she needs help, then she needs help.”
“But, Mom—”
She argued like she was a teenager all over again, until her mother quickly cut her off. “No. Now, I have other things to take care of at the church early. I need you to do this for me.”
“Mom, please. I don’t want to go over there,” she begged.
“Vicky, for crying out loud, you and Michael dated over a decade ago. Aren’t you a grown woman now? Go over there and help her with the drinks. It’s not that difficult of a job.”
She began to argue a second time, but her mother held up her hand dismissively and left the room.
Vicky sat on the edge of her bed, half dressed and the wind nearly knocked out of her as she tried to fight the panic attack she felt coming on.
Looking at herself in the mirror she said, “You are so screwed.”
Chapter Sixteen
Vicky had been dragging her feet the entire walk over to the Barnett house. She still couldn’t believe that her mother’s overly generous personality was causing her to go to the very place she wanted to avoid.
As she approached the house she silently prayed Michael wouldn’t be there. Maybe he was out for a walk or already at the church, or so she tried to convince herself while walking up the front steps to the door.
She exhaled a breath of courage and knocked on the front door. No one answered and she waited a moment before knocking again. Then the door clicked and opened slowly.
“Hello?” she asked when she stepped inside.
The room was dark except for a light coming from the kitchen. Figuring Mrs. Barnett had opened the door before quickly returning to the kitchen to get the drinks, Vicky closed the door and stepped into the living room.
“Mrs. Barnett?”
“She’s gone,” Michael said.
She turned to see him standing on the landing by the front door. “Michael? What… where’s your mom?”
“She’s at the church already. Along with my brother and Kaylee.”
“But I thought… my mom said…”
“You mom did me a favor.”
“You mean…?” She shook her head and made her way for the door, angry that not only him but her mother had played a part in duping her.
He stepped in front of her and stopped her from leaving. “No. I’m not going to let you run away this time.”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me.”
Now angry, she balled her fists at her sides in an effort to hide her emotions. It was bad enough that her heart would be left broken once they went back to their own lives, but to force her to stay and prolong the heartache was just cruel.
“Michael Barnett, I don’t know who you think you are, but I can leave if I want to.”
“You’re right.” He nodded. “You can. On one condition.”
“And what might that be?” She crossed her arms.
“I’ll step out of the way and let you leave. I won’t run after you, I won’t even try to stop you.”
�
��As long as I do what?” she asked, thoroughly annoyed at his pushiness.
“All you have to do is tell me that you don’t love me.”
“What?”
“You heard me. Tell me you don’t love me and I’ll let you go.”
“Look, I don’t know what kind of game you are playing, but I—”
Her words were silenced by his lips. He crushed them against hers and devoured her in an instant. His tongue greedily slipped inside her mouth and stroked her own. Any fight she had left in her quickly dissipated as she felt herself melting into him.
He made it all seem so easy and feel so right. She hated him for that. She wished she held the willpower to walk away from him now before he did it to her.
The kiss lasted for minutes before he pulled away. They were both breathless as he leaned into her. “You can’t kiss me like that and expect me to believe you don’t have feelings for me.”
“Michael…why…?”
“Why what? Why do I kiss you? Or why does it feel so right?”
“Why are you doing this?”
“What am I doing, Vick? What’s so wrong with us?”
She shook her head, fighting against his hold until she freed herself and stepped away. She needed to put distance between them before she fell completely under his spell.
“There is no us, Michael. There was. A long time ago. But that was a lifetime ago. We’re not kids anymore.”
“Exactly. We’re not. We’re both adults. I’ve grown up. I don’t want to live another thirteen years wondering how my life would have turned out if I hadn’t of let you go.”
“We let each other go,” she reminded him.
“But I was the catalyst. I know that. I know how badly I hurt you. But more than that, I hurt myself. I love you, Vicky. I loved you then, but I was too young and stupid to do anything about it. I don’t want to lose you a second time. I can’t.”
“What? You’re a Marine now. You have a life out there. A life that—”
“Is missing something. It’s missing you.”
“Me?” she asked in bewilderment, wondering if she was dreaming and hadn’t woken up from last night.
He smiled at her and stepped closer. Lifting his hands, he cupped her cheeks and brushed his thumbs across them. “Have I ever told you how adorable you are when you are surprised by something? Your eyes get wide and your mouth hangs open. It’s so cute.”
“Michael, I…”
“Say it.” He dropped his head against her forehead. “Tell me you love me, too. I can see it in your eyes, baby. All you have to do it say it. Tell me.”
She closed her eyes, mad at herself for being so damn transparent when it came to him. He’d always seen right through her. Even when they were young, she could never keep anything from him.
“I do,” she whispered. “I love you.”
“Thank God.”
He crushed his mouth against hers. Fierce and with intention, he kissed her in a way that evoked more than passion. It held promise and for the first time she truly believed he loved her.
He bent down and scooped her up into his arms.
“Michael, what are you doing?”
“Shh. I’ve got something I want to show you.”
He pushed open the back door and carried her through the yard until he got to the garage.
“Can you reach the handle?”
“You know I can walk,” she reminded him.
“I’m trying to be romantic, so open the door.”
She smiled and did as he asked. She had no idea what he was planning, other than maybe another night like the one they shared less than twenty-four hours ago. Unless of course she was dreaming and none of this was actually real. Even if it did turn out to be exactly that, she had every intention of enjoying the hell out of it.
He kicked the door shut with his foot and carried her up the wooden steps. She wished she hadn’t done so much eating since getting to her mom’s place. She must have put on five pounds in the last two days. Something his back could probably feel.
She didn’t wait for him to ask her this time. When they reached the top of the stairs she opened the door so they could go inside. And as soon as they did she saw the flashing lights of the small tree he’d set up on the desk by the window.
“Michael? I can’t believe you—”
“What? Remembered?”
She smiled and realized then that any doubt she had left no longer mattered. His eyes were sincere, his words true and everything he told her was something she’d wished for.
“It looks like the tree I put up here for you our senior year.”
“I know.”
He set her down on the bed and crossed the room to the tree. Picking up a small box he came back and knelt before her.
“I got this for you.”
“Oh no. I feel awful, I didn’t get you anything.”
“Yeah you did. You told me you loved me. I’ve been waiting to hear that longer than even I realized.”
She couldn’t help but smile at how sweet he was being. The old Michael never had a silver tongue. He struggled finding the right things to say to her more times than she could count. This new side to him was nice.
“Should I open it now?”
“I hope so. It’s been sitting in that box for thirteen years.”
Her eyes widened. “You mean you got this—”
“Right before I left for basic training.”
“Well, I guess I better open it then, huh?”
She ripped it open like a kid on Christmas morning, allowing the shredded wrapping paper to fall by her feet. The small wooden box looked old, like something that one would see in an antique shop.
“What is it?” she asked.
“Only one way to find out.”
Curious and excited, she flipped it open and saw a ring. It was ornate, intricate in its design with scrolls and accents of some sort of flower made out of silver filigree. In the center sat a small round stone that appeared to be a diamond.
She looked up at him, confused and unsure of what she was looking at. “Michael, I…”
“When I went to find you thirteen years ago I brought this ring with me. I know I didn’t handle it right when I thought you were pregnant. But, after I calmed down I talked to my dad—”
“Oh my God. Your dad knew, or thought, that I was pregnant?” She couldn’t have been more mortified to hear this.
“I may have been a jerk at first, but even I knew I screwed up. Then he asked me some very important questions and we talked. As it turns out Jack Sr. was a pretty wise man. He made me realize that whether you and I had a baby at eighteen or twenty-eight, it wouldn’t change who I wanted to be with or who I wanted to have a family with.”
“But I wasn’t pregnant.”
He shrugged. “No, you weren’t. But, neither of us knew that at first. This was my grandmother’s wedding ring, my dad’s mom. He let me have it to propose to you.”
“You mean…the night you came back…the night I screamed at you and said all those awful things, you were going to ask me to marry you?”
“Yep.”
“Oh my God. What did you dad say when you told him we broke up?”
“Well, first I had to tell him there was no baby, or else he would’ve kicked my ass. But then… then he told me to keep the ring.” Michael chuckled.
“What?”
“He told me that I’d give it to you someday. After we broke up I thought he was being the crazy old man that he was. But what do you know? He knew what he was talking about.”
She pulled the ring from its velvet holder and stared at it in the light. “What does this mean?”
“It means that you have two choices. One you can say you’ll marry me. Or two, you can run away, but I’ll chase you. And some day... I will catch you.”
Vicky smiled and clasped her hands around his neck. “Michael Barnett… you’ve already caught me.”
Chapter Seventeen
Seven days l
ater…
She and Michael tiptoed up to the room above the garage. They’d spent the evening playing card games with his family and her mother, but with only fifteen minutes before the ball was ready to drop they’d snuck out the back door with a bottle of champagne and two glasses.
When they were all alone in their little hideaway, he tackled her onto the bed. Laughing, she fell down and wrapped her legs around him. For the past week they’d been fooling around like bunnies trying to set a record. He reminded her daily that they had a lot of lost time to make up for. Not that she’d needed much convincing. It was easy to melt under his expert touch.
With his tongue laving long sensuous licks along the column of her neck, she couldn’t help but feel guilty about ducking out on their families.
“Michael, are you sure we shouldn’t go back downstairs?”
He lifted his head to look up at her for a moment. “Hmm… cards with my mom, or in bed with you? Yeah, I think I’ll take you naked in bed.”
Giggling she pushed him off. “I’m serious.”
“So am I. Now get out of those clothes so I can ring in the New Year properly.”
She quirked her eyebrow up at him and smirked. “Is that what our live is going to be like now? Eat, sleep and have sex?”
“I see no problem with such a life.”
“What about work? The Marines?”
“Well, okay. We’ll take time off for that, but when we’re at home I think we owe it to ourselves to be in bed at all times.”
“You’re incorrigible,” she teased.
“And you love it.”
“This is true.” She pushed him off of her and stood up. “You know there is one advantage to all this sex we’re having.”
He rolled over on his side and propped himself up on one elbow. “One advantage? I can think of many.”
Since the weather had warmed up in the past week, she was wearing a simple pencil skirt and blouse. As she slid the zipper down her skirt and shimmied out of it, she exposed thigh-high stockings that clearly pleased him from the apparent twinkle she saw in his eye.