“Then go.”
“But what if I do go and Will and I find we’re not good together? We might ruin our entire friendship because we leapt in like this.”
“Is that likely to happen? You’ve known each other for a long time, right? Not like you met him after the wedding. Oh, Lori, give it a try. New Hampshire will always be here. If it healed your heart once then it will again, right? Call me a hopeless romantic, but don’t you think you and Will deserve a chance?”
Lori grimaced. “That’s what I’m going to try and figure out.”
“Talk to Mr. Goss. If he decides he wants to fill the position and hires you, well, then that’s what’s meant to be. If not, that’ll be a sign to go back to Florida and make a go of it with Will.”
“I guess.”
“Not that I wouldn’t want to work with you, because I think that would be awesome, but I’m kind of rooting for Will right now.”
Tina stood and left Lori alone to consider her fate and destiny.
Chapter Eight
She should have been home a week ago, but Lori was still in New Hampshire. Though they talked at least every other day, Will’s frustration grew with each conversation. Lori was cryptic about what she was doing up there and nothing Will said would push her to reveal more. She hadn’t said she’d gotten the front desk job at the inn, but did say she currently worked for the owner. Doing what, he didn’t know. She also told him she was still thinking about where their relationship was heading, trying to figure out what to do about them.
He told her he loved her. That was true enough and he wasn’t going to hold his feelings back. He’d already held them in for too long. Maybe if he’d said something sooner, years ago, they wouldn’t be in this position.
Each time he said it she returned the sentiment, and Will knew it was true.
But would their love be enough to bring her back?
He just didn’t know.
At least he wasn’t the only one not getting information. Connie was furious. Apparently, Lori wasn’t being any more open with her. “I’ll go drag her back here if I have to,” she had told him the morning she showed up at his office in search of answers.
“I don’t think that’ll do much good. She’s got to make her decision on her own. Pushing her isn’t going to make things any easier.”
Connie frowned. “Probably doesn’t want to run the risk of seeing that ass and his new plaything. I can’t say as I blame her. I wouldn’t want to be reminded of it either.” Since that meeting, both of them were still waiting for some solid news.
The “ass” and his “plaything” weren’t going to be an issue. After the second week of Lori’s extended absence, Brian showed up in Will’s office, definitely agitated. Even though Will would have rather sent him packing, he decided to allow to talk.
“Why isn’t she coming back?” Brian demanded as he paced the office. “She should’ve been back two weeks ago. She’s all right, isn’t she? Have you talked to her at all?”
“I talked to her two days ago.” Will kept his voice calm. There was no way he was going to let Brian know the status of his relationship with Lori.
There wasn’t much point if she wasn’t going to come back to Florida anyway, but Lori didn’t need the added hassle of Brian bugging her every five minutes.
“We have too much to talk about and she knows it. Man, she’s doing this on purpose. To get back at me. I called her work, you know. She quit her job. The day she was supposed to return, she called her boss and apologized for not giving two weeks notice. Is she actually staying up there?”
Will sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose to ward off the headache gathering right between his eyes. “What business is it of yours? You made it pretty plain you don’t want anything to do with her anymore. If it’s her stuff in the apartment you’re worried about, I’m sure Connie and I could go and get it packed up. We can store it at my place.”
“Hell no, that’s not the problem. The problem is I need to talk to her. Tell her I’m a jackass and want her back.”
The headache that hovered as a mere shadow now pounded like a sledgehammer straight between Will’s eyes. “Excuse me?”
Finally, Brian sat down across the desk from Will. “Sounds stupid, I know, but what can I say? I made a mistake. I want to fix it.”
“Well, I don’t know if you’ll ever get that chance.”
Lori would never give Brian another chance. Of that, Will was sure.
* * *
It didn’t take Lori more than a minute to realize Brian was still living in their apartment. It took another minute to determine no indication of feminine inhabitation. So the bimbette wasn’t living under her roof. That was something anyway.
She carried two empty boxes down to her bedroom. It would take too long to get all her stuff packed up. Most of it she’d be leaving behind anyway.
All she would be taking with her was personal stuff. Brian could have the dishes, the furniture, and all the stuff that was theirs. She didn’t want any of it.
As soon as she’d finished transferring the contents of her closet into boxes and suitcases, she turned to her dresser.
“You came back.”
Lori stiffened. She’d hoped she could do this without seeing him, but Brian stood right behind her. She clenched her fists and turned around slowly. “To get my stuff. How did you know?”
He didn’t look good, a bit thin in the cheeks. A small amount of cold triumph filled her. She hadn’t expected it, though. Didn’t expect the tired circles under his eyes or the rumpled clothes.
“Mrs. Paulson. I asked her to call me if she saw you come home.”
“Great.” Mentally she cursed her neighbor. Rue Paulson always did have a soft spot for Brian. “Fine, then I won’t have to leave a note. I’m just taking my stuff. You can have everything else. You can have the apartment, but I want my name off the lease. I don’t care about the security deposit.”
Brian stepped toward her. “I don’t want you to leave.”
“No way I’m staying here. I’ll give notice to the landlord.” Maybe Bimbette had a better place to live. After all, what woman would want to be surrounded by the ex’s things? Whatever.
“No, Lori, I want you to stay here. With me.”
“Excuse me?” She couldn’t have been more surprised if he’d slapped her across the face.
“I made a huge mistake. I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness but I’m asking for it anyway. Please. Let’s just forget the last month ever happened.”
Lori wanted to laugh. It was very funny, after all. Just forget the last month, as if nothing ever happened? As if he hadn’t taken seven years of her life and thrown it out the window?
“Just like that.” She shot him a bland stare, brows raised. “You think it would be a simple thing just to kiss and make up and pretend you didn’t leave me at the altar to deal with all our friends and family while you were off with your little— No, Brian, I’m not going to be able to put that behind me and pretend it didn’t happen. She broke up with you, didn’t she?”
Before he replied, confirmation briefly flashed in his eyes. His male pride couldn’t hide his humiliation entirely. “No. No, I left her.”
His denial spilled out too quickly. He lied.
“Sure,” she said.
“I did. I realized she couldn’t hold a candle to you. Come on, baby, it’s true. I love you. I don’t know what I was thinking. I was a stupid bastard. I know that, but I love you.”
Lori pulled a handful of socks out of her dresser and tossed them into a box. “No, I don’t think you really do. Not in the way I deserve anyway. Because I deserve a hell of a lot better. I can’t just pretend it didn’t happen. I’ve got my pride too. And honestly, I’ve discovered you were right. We lost our love a long time ago. Getting married was the next logical step, but I should actually thank you for realizing it was all wrong.”
Brian stepped to her and seized her hand. She didn’t try to pull away though his touch left her emp
ty.
“It wasn’t all wrong. It’s just that damned mistake I made. Let me make it up to you, Lor. I know I can do fix everything.”
“Never. Not only can I never trust you again, not only do I really know how you felt about me, about us, I’ve also figured out how wrong it was. You might as well leave and let me finish packing.”
“Where are you going? Back to New Hampshire?”
“That’s really none of your business.”
“Fine.” He let her go and stepped back.
There was a long pause and Lori continued to empty another drawer, thinking he’d leave, but he continued to stand behind her.
“For what it’s worth,” he said flatly. “I am sorry I screwed things up for us.”
“Actually, I think you set me on the right path. Guess I should be thanking you.”
He left without a reply.
Lori finished up and an hour later, she had the small U-Haul she’d rented filled with her boxes. She headed over to the storage unit she’d leased that afternoon as soon as she’d gotten into Orlando. By the time she had transferred everything into it, night had begun to descend. She’d checked into a hotel earlier, but before she returned, she had one more important stop to make.
She had to let Will know she was back.
It was too late for him to be at work, so she went directly to his house.
His truck sat in the drive. She parked behind it, climbed out and walked up the path. Standing at his door after pushing the doorbell, she crossed her arms tightly, suddenly awkward. He wasn’t expecting her. She hadn’t told him everything about what had been happening in New Hampshire since he’d left. She needed to fill him in.
When he opened the door, he stared for a long moment, his eyes wide as if he couldn’t believe she was actually there. She took advantage of the moment and drank him in. His solid build—clothed in a snug-fitting, charcoal grey T-shirt and faded jeans—excited her. It didn’t take much to recall the way that body pleasured her. Desire burned her cheeks.
She let her gaze travel up to his short, dark hair with the cowlick, down over his face, with his nose that would’ve been straight except for the time he broke it playing football in college, the mouth she had come to know so well. She remembered his taste and feel on her skin, and his strong jaw that had a dark, end-of-the-day stubble. She allowed her gaze to slide back up to his eyes. They were nearly the same color as his shirt, dark gray, tiny laugh lines at each corner. Such a dear face. Lori couldn’t help but reach out and caress his cheek, and then she smiled.
“Come in.” His voice was impossibly soft. He caught her hand in his firm grip, as if she were going to turn and leave.
As if. No, she would do no more running. She’d made up her mind.
“You didn’t tell me you were coming back. I would’ve met you at the airport.”
“I had Connie pick me up.”
“Can I get you something? When did you get in?”
“No thanks, I’m fine. I got in about eleven. I wanted to get some things done before I let you know I was back.”
He hadn’t taken her into his arms yet. Why hadn’t he kissed her?
Maybe he had given up on the idea of them. Maybe he was waiting for her to make the first move.
“I was packing up my stuff at the apartment. Brian found out I was there and came home.”
Lori carefully watched the expression on Will’s face. His eyes narrowed and his lips tightened just slightly. He nodded briefly.
“Guess he and his plaything split up.”
Will nodded again. No surprise on his face. So, he had heard that bit of news.
“He asked for another chance.” Again, she waited for a reaction but only got another tightening of his mouth and shake of his head. He may have known about Brian’s plans, but it was obvious he stewed about it…was angry about it.
“Don’t worry. I said no. Never. After all, how could I go back to a relationship like that after you?”
He let out his breath. “Just tell me if you’re going back to New Hampshire.” His voice was tight, as if he were waiting for the worst.
“I didn’t get hired for that front desk job. But it’s okay. Something better happened.”
His eyes narrowed again. She stepped toward him and lifted one of his hands. His fingers tightened around hers, but he didn’t make any other moves to close the gap between their bodies.
“Mr. Goss, the owner of the inn, asked me to consult on a new computer system for the inn. Something more up-to-date and user friendly.
“And it happens that he has two brothers who both own hotels, one in Myrtle Beach and the other in Daytona Beach. He’s hooked me up to do the same thing for them. This might not lead to a career or anything, but it’s something and I enjoyed doing it. It got me thinking of other things I can do, consulting and updating hotels like this, or hell, maybe I’ll take a plunge and buy my own hotel.”
“In New Hampshire or Florida?”
Finally, she couldn’t stand not being in his arms. “That would depend on where you were. If it’s not too late, Will, I want to be wherever you are.”
Will’s brows furrowed. “If it’s not too late? Lori, it’s definitely not too late. I’ve spent the last two weeks trying to figure out how I could relocate to New Hampshire if it came to that. This has been the worst damned two weeks of my life, waiting to find out what was going on.”
Finally, he pulled her gently to him and she slipped her arms around his body. She sank into his strength, his palpable and solid love.
“I was kicking myself for coming back down here. I wish I had stayed. I nearly went back, several times. But I wanted to give you some space. I was afraid you’d step back and think this was a rebound relationship and not take it seriously. The thought nearly killed me.”
Such words. Lori closed her eyes and let them wrap around her like his embrace. “You really would’ve come to New Hampshire for me?”
“I’d go anywhere for you, Lorelei. I love you. I want us to be together forever. I want to raise a family with you, grow old with you. Wherever you want to live, I’ll go.”
Lori kissed his jaw, his chin, the stubble of his beard rasping against her lips, and then she kissed his mouth, a long kiss, drawing out the sweet, slow-burning passion that could flare into a raging fire at any moment. She pulled back and gazed up into his gray eyes. “I don’t think we have to go running off anywhere anytime soon. But thank you, Will. Maybe someday we can go back to New Hampshire.”
“How about for our honeymoon?”
She grinned. “Why, Will, are you proposing to me?”
Will dipped his head and claimed her lips again in a strong, heady kiss before pulling back a fraction of an inch. “Call it a preliminary proposal. I’m going to do it properly, and when it happens, it’ll knock your socks off.”
Lori laughed and hugged him tightly. “Too late. You’ve been knocking my socks off for weeks. I can’t imagine it getting any better.”
“Oh, it will, Lorelei,” he whispered. “It certainly will.”
The End
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Since the age of 12, Cerian has known what she wanted to be when she grew up. Now, many, many years later she still says it’s been her dream to be an author. Countless notebooks are filled with her stories written over the years while she’s worked jobs from cleaning stalls in New York to booking cruises in Maine. Currently she’s happily settled in southwestern New Hampshire with her husband and four children. She works for a well-known children’s magazine company, but in her spare time she’s busy weaving stories and continuing to pursue her dreams.
Cerian also writes as Ceri Hebert with titles Sweet Forever and Where One Road Leads.
Praise for Cerian Hebert and The Better Man, previously released as Yesterday’s Tomorrow:
“I really liked the premise. The plot moves at a steady pace, never delaying the action by explaining how Lila comes to be where she is. I would recommend Yesterday's Tomorrow
for a fun, face-paced read.” D. Moncrief
“Yesterday’s Tomorrow starts with an intriguing premise and gets even better. This book is about dreams, those realized and those deferred. I loved this story. Quite a lot to accomplish in forty-six short pages, but Ceri Hebert manages it quite nicely. Good job, Ms. Hebert.” Five Star review from Long and Short Reviews.
The Better Man Page 7