by Lily Santana
Oh my God.
Chapter Nineteen
When David dug his foot into the log and splashed him a puddle of water, Mitch felt the cold soak through his black jeans and his sneakers. But the bit of showmanship forced David to pause from spinning for a few seconds and allowed Mitch to adjust his stand.
Leaning forward slightly with his knees bent, he shuffled his feet in quick, sharp strikes and then, because he knew he only had the advantage for a minute or two, he bounced the log to create a little wave that had David swaying awkwardly.
David’s face turned a bright red as he struggled to remain standing, but Mitch, with the support of the crowd of spectators who hooted and yelled for the kill, used the grip of his sneakers to reverse the spin of the log. The sudden switch took David by surprise and he dislodged, splashing two hundred pounds into the cold, freezing water.
Mitch stepped onto the dock and raised his hands in victory. The salty sea spray stung his eyes and the cold seeped right into his skin. He gulped mouthfuls of algae-scented air to regain control of his racing pulse rate.
David, his hair plastered to his skull, his face flushed and his eyes narrowed, regarded him with unabashed admiration. “You birling bastard. How’d you learn that?”
Mitch grinned. “I’ve got hidden talents you could only dream about.”
A minute passed. Would David say something curt? Bruin didn’t like losing. But instead, the man surprised him by extending his hand in a conciliatory manner. “I’ll make sure to win it back from you next year.”
Mitch shook David’s outstretched hand. “You can try.”
The assumption and acceptance that he would be there next year made him regard David in a different light. Maybe there was a decent side to the building official he hadn’t known existed.
But hell, it felt good dunking the arrogant asshole. Mitch looked out at the crowd, his gaze searching and then connecting with Emma’s up on the bleachers. Seeing her look at him like he’d just slain the mighty dragon was worth the cost of pissing off the one man who could create trouble for him if he chose.
Mitch squeezed the bridge of his nose. It may have taken him thirty-one years to find the right woman, but he’d be damned if he’d let Emma’s stubbornness dissuade him from taking what he’d been searching for his entire life.
He glanced back to look for her in the bleachers, but she was gone.
* * *
Inside Surf’s tent, the music blared loud with an all-girl band on the stage. Mitch made his way toward the bar and grabbed a stool. He scoured the tent for Emma or Shane, but neither one was around.
Jack came over and patted him on the back. “You’re a god. I owe you a beer.”
Mitch grinned, shaking Jack’s hand. “Where is she?”
Jack pretended ignorance. “Who?”
“Just tell me, asshole, before I sic the fashion police on you.”
“You’re one to talk. David Copperfield called, he wants his outfit back.”
Mitch laughed. “She’s still here, right?” he asked before the singer’s sultry voice on stage caught his attention. Mitch arched his brow and then did a double take when he recognized Emma on stage, belting out “Love is a Battlefield.” Holy shit. She sounded amazing. And then he noticed her outfit.
“You want to pick up your jaw from the bar?” Jack burst out laughing as he smacked Mitch on the back. “She does this every year. It’s the one time she lets her wild child out. Isn’t she great?”
Mitch could only blink in response. She looked so beautiful and sexy up there. The way she worked the crowd into a frenzy. Her voice was deep and sultry. His heart burst with pride at the woman who never stopped surprising him. Their eyes locked and they shared a connection that cut deep in his heart. He smiled, watching her strut sexily off the stage with the crowd begging for more.
He chuckled inside. God help him. He was still smiling when out of the corner of his eye he saw his brother approach. He cringed, preparing for a confrontation.
Shane looked at the stage before shaking his head. “I can’t say I blame you. She’s something.”
Mitch expelled the breath he didn’t know he was holding. “She is that.” He waved at Jack to bring Shane a beer and then turned to his brother. “I didn’t know you were coming.”
“I figured that,” Shane said, sounding tired.
“You hear from Lansford?”
Shane rubbed what looked like a six-month-long beard project. His eyes strayed back to the stage. “Yep. She worth dunking Bruin into the water?”
“Hell, yeah.”
Shane laughed out loud. “It might drive us to the poorhouse if we don’t get that vote on Monday, but I got your back, regardless of what Lansford says. The guy’s an asshole anyway. We’ll find another investor if we need to.”
Mitch drew in a long breath and held out his hand. “Thanks, bro.”
Shane pulled him into a hug. “Never thought it would happen. I’m happy for you, little brother. You’d better go find her before someone else grabs her. She’s a keeper.”
Mitch gulped down the last of his beer before standing up. His throat suddenly felt tight and he needed fresh air. “You gonna be around tomorrow?”
Shane nodded. “I’ll be over bright and early to kick your ass.”
Mitch shut his eyes and swallowed his chuckle. “Looking forward to it.”
* * *
Emma’s heart was still racing from her performance and from having Mitch in the crowd, watching her with such a strange look in his eyes. At first she was surprised that the guy with the beard from earlier was talking to Mitch. But then she’d seen the expression in Mitch’s eyes as he watched her and she’d forgotten she was even on stage.
Emma flipped the canvas tent to exit the backstage area when she spotted Mitch. He’d changed from his pirate outfit and now wore his dark jeans with a black T-shirt under his bomber jacket. Her breath hitched at how incredibly handsome he was, especially with the way he was eyeing her like she was pirate booty.
She was thankful Sammy had left with her girlfriend a few minutes ago. She didn’t relish having an audience when she swallowed her pride and apologized to Mitch.
She clutched her raincoat tighter around her body to stave off the wind but shivered nonetheless. She walked toward him. Her pulse raced and her stomach clenched, knowing this interaction could determine her future.
The noise from the beer tent disappeared into the darkness. She drew in a long breath filled with the earthy scent of the bay and the man standing a foot away, his eyes still glued to her face.
He cocked his head to one side. “You were incredible in there. You had the crowd eating out of your hands.”
“Thank you,” she said, trembling inside. She noticed the hardness around his mouth. She’d said some awful things to him. He wasn’t going to make this easy on her. She cleared her throat. “Why didn’t you tell me about paying off my loan? Why would you do that without knowing if your project is approved?”
He crooked his brow. “You know why.”
“But I haven’t come through with my end.”
“Haven’t you?”
She blinked back more tears. “Your backup plan, would you have gone through with it?”
“You know the answer to that.”
She shook her head. “The dog park. You—”
He rubbed his jaw in frustration. “I can’t keep the dog park where it is, Emma. It wouldn’t have worked. I—”
“No, stop. It’s fine. It’s more than fine. It’s perfect. You’re perfect,” she said, her voice thick with emotion. A tear spilled down her cheek and she quickly swiped it off. She didn’t care that he didn’t want a long-term relationship. She loved him. There were no guarantees in life, even if they pledge forever. She, better than anyone, knew that to
be true. She’d take each day as a gift she’d cherish. “I owe you an apology.”
“You don’t owe me anything.”
She drew her bottom lip between her teeth. “I do. I believed the worst in you and I’m sorry.”
He arched his brow in that now-familiar and endearing way that tripped up her heart. “Just how sorry are you?”
She’d heard it. The tiny bit of tenderness in his voice that she knew had to be hard for him to allow. Their gaze met and tears filled her eyes.
She couldn’t breathe from the pressure of her heart against her chest. The thumping deafened her and made her want to fling her arms around his neck yet simultaneously flee from the terror of someday losing him. “I’ve been such a coward,” she breathed.
He cupped her face and brushed his lips across her moist cheeks. “How do you think I feel? I’ve never fallen in love before. You at least have your memories of a happy marriage, a loving husband. I’ve never experienced anything like that growing up or...ever. Not until I met you.” She opened her mouth to say something, but he kissed her fully on the mouth and made her forget her words. “Let me finish, for once, will you?” His gaze heated her skin, and she would have agreed to anything he’d asked if he would only look at her like he was doing for the rest of her life.
She nodded and a tear escaped and slid down her cheek.
“You opened up to me this crazy, insane world. And you made me want to be a part of it. A part of you.” He shook his head as if he couldn’t believe the words coming out of his mouth. “It’s been a very, very long time since I’ve depended on anyone for love.” He swallowed hard and his face flushed. “You can’t take that away from me now, lady. I want you in my life. I need you in my life.” He shrugged and his eyes shimmered with unshed tears.
Her heart would surely burst with the amount of emotions she’d locked away inside, now bursting to be free. With shaky hands, she placed her hands over his, which were still on her face. “Did you just say you were in love with me?”
He shut his eyes and shook his head. “I just threw away two million dollars by dunking Bruin in the bay. What the hell do you think this is about? I’m insanely in love with you.” He drew in a ragged breath. “You’re like this beautiful, magical siren that came out of my sand bottle. I’ve been waiting for you my whole life. The thing is, I just never imagined a tattooed rocker with big hair.”
Emma wrapped her arms around his neck, and he stumbled back from the force. She choked on her laughter as he twirled her around. Tears streamed down her face. “I love you, Mitch McKenna. It took me a while to admit that after hating the very ground you stood on. But I’m telling you now, I will love you forever, even if you don’t believe in happily ever afters.”
“Is that right?”
She nodded. “I know you don’t do long-term.”
He raised his brow and his lips quirked. “Nope. Short and sweet is best.”
She lowered her lids so he wouldn’t see her disappointment. “I know—”
“You don’t know anything,” he said. He lowered his mouth to her neck and nibbled at the sensitive spot beneath her jaw. “All you need to know is that I’m in love with you and I’ve never said those words to anyone before.”
“Never?” Her voice hitched when he slid his hands beneath her raincoat to stroke her back.
He smiled and then pulled away slightly when they heard voices in the darkness. “Why did you fight me so hard?”
She answered his smile with one of her own. “I fought so hard because I was so scared. I never thought I’d be brave enough. I can’t risk losing someone I love again. It almost destroyed me the last time.”
“Don’t kill me off yet. I’m not planning on going anywhere anytime soon.”
“Stop—” she hiccupped between sniffles, “—I’m trying to be serious.” Her admonishment was lost as he lowered his head and touched his lips to hers in a gentle but possessive kiss.
“There are no guarantees in life, Emma. You and I know that. I may not even be very good at this relationship thing, but I sure as hell want to try.”
She drew in a sharp breath and her jaw dropped open. “What did you say?” Her words came out in a jagged whisper.
He curled his lips on one side, and her stomach did a somersault. “Which part?”
“Mitch!”
He inhaled deeply and kissed her hard, his tongue exploring and teasing her until she melted in his arms. She kissed him with every fiber of her soul, wanting to tell him in action what she hadn’t yet fully expressed in words.
When they finally broke off the kiss to breathe, Mitch kept his palms on her cheeks. “Emma, Emma, Emma. What if I’m not cut out for all this?”
“We’ll strike a nonnegotiable deal.”
Keeping his arms encircled around her, he nuzzled her ears. “Does the deal spell out certain rights and privileges of a steady boyfriend?”
Warmth spread though her stomach at the implication of his words and the heat of his tongue on the tips of her ears. “Are you asking me to be your girlfriend?”
He kissed her neck, which she’d angled for better access. “It depends. Does it mean I’d have to follow you around like a groupie?” When she elbowed him, he chuckled. “Okay, I am asking. What do you say?”
“Mitch’s girl. It has a magical ring to it.”
He reared back, his eyes gleaming and dangerously sexy. “It does. I agree.”
Though he tried to inject humor in his words, she could see the insecurity in his eyes. This strong, capable and beautiful man had never said those words to a woman before. She was humbled and tears of joy streamed down her face. Her throat constricted and she could barely utter a word. After what felt like an eternity but was probably just a few seconds, she placed her moist cheek against his and whispered in his ear, “Why me?”
He turned his face and caught her bottom lip between his teeth. “Why not you?”
Epilogue
It was a perfect fall day, the slight breeze carrying the dewy musk-brine of the ocean. Bursts of yellow and purple petunias absorbed the sun from flower boxes hung across the newly constructed second-story deck overlooking the ocean. Emma stood on the porch, staring at Sammy’s jam-packed compact car and drew in the piney scent of the rosemary bush, its furry leaves and tiny blue flowers wrapped tightly around the wooden railings.
She reminded herself again for the umpteenth time today that San Diego was only eighteen hours away by car and a short three-hour flight. She and Mitch could always visit Sammy or she could send her daughter a ticket to come home for the weekend. It wasn’t like she was going to another continent, for God’s sake. But the gloom she’d expected to feel turned into panic in her heart as she watched Sammy saying her goodbyes to Bogie and Lulu.
Emma turned around when Mitch came up behind her, carrying a tinfoil-wrapped package.
“Didn’t you want to take this with you?” he asked Sammy, motioning to the package in his hand.
Sammy beamed. “Thanks, Mitch. I would have gone back in for it.”
“No worries. I need the workout after eating three cupcakes.” He winked at Emma, who rolled her eyes.
“Whatever. I counted five,” Sammy teased.
He chuckled, jogging down the steps toward her. “Here I thought no one noticed.”
Sammy lunged for the package Mitch offered. “In case you change your mind and decide to hog these too.”
Emma watched the easy interplay between her fiancé and daughter, and tears stung her eyes. Most days, she had to pinch herself to make sure this was her life and she hadn’t conjured it out of her dreams.
In less than a year, her world had shifted. It was as if the colors were brighter, her steps were lighter and her senses sharper. Dorinda had commented more than once when she’d caught her looking off into space wi
th a silly grin on her face about how youthful and animated she looked. Change, unwanted and uninvited, had bulldozed its way into her life and ripped the heavy gloom she’d been hiding under.
Pulling herself from her reverie, she moseyed over to the car and inspected the heavy load. “Are you sure she can see out the rearview mirror?”
Mitch bunched his brows before slipping into the driver’s seat. He made adjustments to the stack of boxes in the backseat.
Emma walked over to Sammy’s side. “You promise to drive safe and call me as soon as you arrive?”
“Yes, Mother. You’ve reminded me a million times in the last hour.”
“Sorry.” She resisted the urge to give her daughter another hug.
They both stared at Mitch, who was now inspecting the car’s tires.
“He’s pretty wonderful, Mom. You guys look so happy. I feel so much better leaving you here, knowing Mitch is with you.” Her daughter’s voice was thick with emotion.
Emma clasped Sammy’s hands. “It doesn’t mean I won’t miss you.”
“But you’ll be preoccupied,” Sammy teased. “Don’t forget your promise.”
She squeezed her daughter’s hands and tried to stop the stupid grin that threatened. Her face warmed nonetheless. “What promise?”
Sammy rolled her eyes. “You promised when I turned twenty-one, you’d tell me exactly how Mitch proposed.”
Emma’s gaze shifted back to Mitch and how sexy his butt looked as his body stretched to buckle Sammy’s luggage on the roof-rack of the car. “I’ve already told you the story. It was our seventh-month anniversary. We were camping out on the beach, having a bonfire. Mitch got down on one knee and proposed.” She turned back to her daughter but couldn’t quite meet Sammy’s pointed look without heat overcoming her face.
Sammy grinned. “See what I mean? Every time you tell the story, you get so embarrassed. I know you’re not telling me everything. I just know it.” Her mouth rounded to an O. “Were you guys naked?”
She was spared from having to lie to her daughter when Brandon Landis’s Jeep tore around the corner and pulled up, kicking off a bucketful of gravel in its wake.