“There’s nothing to talk about. Now if you’ll excuse me....” I stood on tip-toe trying to look around his broad shoulders. Anything to distract me from those mocha pools of temptation which continued to stare at me. “I’m waiting for a colleague of yours, some surgeon who’s supposed to be here giving me input.”
Good God, I couldn’t be this close to him. Why did I think I could be in town, do this job and not run into him? Duh, because you never in a million years thought Mitch Case would still be hanging around Cape Vincent, and as a doctor no less.
“I’m the surgeon, or in your case, the stuffed shirt.”
Great, He’d obviously heard everything. Mitch moved to block my exit. More body heat and his ocean-fresh scent made breathing extremely difficult.
Kyle stopped working on the outlets and stood up as if hearing our conversation for the first time. “So where the hell have you been, Doc?”
“Kyle!” I gasped, then turned back to Mitch with a shrug. “Sorry. But seriously, why haven’t we seen you ‘til now?” I crossed my arms, trying to appear all business on the outside while hoping to hide the anxiety hammering away at my insides.
Mitch had really done well for himself. Now I was certain the wife, dog and 2.5 kids were waiting behind a white picket fence for super-dad to come home. I should be happy for him. He had everything he always talked about, while I continued to rebuild my life a piece at a time. The sound of Mitch clearing his throat drew me back to a pair of deep brown eyes hinting at annoyance.
“I can’t work patients around my schedule. It’s the other way around. Sometimes surgeries can’t wait. Reconstructive surgery isn’t just stitches, you know.”
“No kidding,” I snapped. “I didn’t mean--”
“It doesn’t matter what you meant.”
The way he pursed his lips and shook his head when he cut me off made my brains scramble. I could almost feel the blood boiling under my skin. I wasn’t an idiot, I had feelings. What was he getting at?
“It’s still all about you, isn’t it, Sidney?” His tone sounded a little exasperated, as if he were somehow disappointed in me. “And when it’s not, you don’t even try to comprehend what could be going on in someone else’s life.” He looked down at his watch, a habit which was starting to irritate me.
“Excuse me? That’s not fair.” My voice sounded defensive as I placed my palm over his wrist intending to set him straight. The charge zipped all the way to my toes. He must have felt it too, because he seemed to startle at the contact.
“It’s the truth, isn’t it?” He dropped his chin and stared me down.
“No.” I scoffed, feeling vulnerable. “And how dare you--”
Kyle coughed loudly, reminding us he was there. “Excuse me, but do you two need a more private place to talk?”
“No!” Mitch and I exploded in unison.
There was nothing private about where Mitch was headed with this. And I certainly wasn’t giving him the satisfaction of going there. I had done the right thing with my life, and he had yet to recognize it. Yes, I deserved a little public lambasting, but no freaking way was he going to pin the past all on me.
“This has nothing to do with why I didn’t marry you.”
“I think it does. You’re still that superficial daddy’s girl. Bill Edwards still pulls your strings. Why not remain his puppet so you can get more funding? Is that how it goes these days? Sure would explain all the work I hear you do for nothing.”
I glared at him, my jaw almost hanging on the floor. He was actually taking this to the next level. Well, he could bring it on because I had years of pent-up frustration to hammer all over his righteous, beautiful, buffed-up body.
“Oh, that’s right,” he continued, bringing me out of my daze. “Between rounds last night, I did a little research on you. Considering you’ve had your company now for four years, you barely make a profit, which leads me to believe daddy foots the bill for your crew’s salary.”
“My business is none of your business.” My stomach hurt, my chest ached, and I wanted to cry. I hadn’t expected him to be so harsh. I really thought he’d somehow be proud of me. I’d wanted him to be proud. I’d even set aside Scarlet and Rhett last night, to dig out his old letters and re-read each one with my glass of wine, trying to figure out what exactly had gone wrong. How foolish of me to wonder if something could finally go right. “You don’t know anything about me, and I don’t think you ever did.” I guess not marrying him hurt him more than I thought.
Well, that made two of us.
“Ditto, princess.” His tone cut like a scalpel. “Maybe it’s best if I send an associate to handle this process.”
“Maybe you’re right.” I swiped my palms down the front of my filthy jeans. I was sooo over him. Or was I?
***
Mitch was true to his word. He sent an associate, Dr. Barber, to confirm all the final arrangements with me. The guy was a total bore and strictly business, which made me miss the Mitchitude.
I made it through most of the day before bugging out to go check on Jim. Secretly I hoped to run into Mitch, if nothing more than to show him his words hadn’t hurt me. I could totally be the bigger person. To my disappointment, there was no sign of Mitch either in the parking lot or inside.
The good news was that Jim was getting stronger every day. According to the spunky day nurse with the Barbie doll figure, so was his temper. I stayed for a few hours reassuring him by midnight tonight the crew would be cleaned up and out for the ribbon cutting and dedication tomorrow. I was very proud of how everyone pulled together in Jim’s absence. It only took several reminders that if he played his cards right, the physical therapy folks might transport him to the ceremony so he could see the finished product.
After slipping him his favorite bear claw and French Roast from Millie’s Diner, I made my way out of the hospital feeling like I always did right before the unveil. Kyle would often describe me as a champagne cork ready to pop! The pride and energy bubbled within, while my heart swelled with anticipation to the point of bursting. I couldn’t wait to show off the craftsmanship of my crew.
Only, there was one part of my heart which remained hollow. How I would have loved to share this moment with Mitch, side by side, both of us involved with helping children and families in our own way.
His anger should have driven home the point of moving on, but it didn’t. I needed closure. A chance to make peace so I could move forward and put the ghost of Mitchell Case to rest in my heart, once and for all. I owed us at least that.
Now, more than ever, I wanted a chance to explain myself from all those years ago. A chance to show him I no longer resembled the young girl who spent her summers first as his side-kick, and then as his girlfriend, and then as a foolish fiancé who didn’t know what she wanted.
When I got to my truck, a small bouquet of wildflowers lay tucked under the windshield wiper. Between the flowers and glass was a note and I immediately recognized Mitch’s handwriting.
Meet me at our spot. 5:00 and don’t be late.
Maybe he wanted closure as well. My heart flew into an old familiar rhythm, and I felt like that summer girl all over again as I slid behind the wheel. One glimpse at the clock, and I flew into panic mode. Closure or not, I still wanted to look good. I only had one hour to make myself decent and then get to the cove.
My foot hesitated over the gas pedal as I remembered the first time we’d made love at the cove, with a picnic lunch and a ratty old blanket from his father’s shed. We hadn’t planned it, but two friends became more that day, and started a romance we anxiously awaited every summer after.
I drove as fast as I dared down the village streets from the hospital toward our job trailer where I stayed on site. Kyle stood at the bed of his truck, putting away tools and equipment as I flew through the doors of my temporary home. He muttered something, but I didn’t quite hear and couldn’t slow down for him to repeat.
Exactly thirty minutes later, I emerged a new person
, wearing a lime green sundress and a pair of white daisy flip-flops. My hair was still damp at the ends where it flipped up from being secured behind my ear with a green headband. I thought I looked pretty fresh as I ditched my fanny-pack, and dumped its contents into a cute straw beach bag, complete with bathing suit and towel.
“Well don’t you clean up nice?” Kyle nodded his approval as I locked the trailer. I thought of him as a trusted uncle, although he resembled a big teddy bear with his curly auburn hair and bushy beard.
“Thanks.”
“So where’s he taking you to dinner?” Kyle scrubbed his cheek.
“Dinner?” I imitated his gesture. “Who said anything about dinner? And who said there’s a ‘he’ involved?”
“C’mon Sidney, you don’t put on a dress for just anyone.”
I laughed because he was always right. But Kyle didn’t know my history with Mitch and I didn’t feel like enlightening him. Nothing was going to come of this meeting anyway, so there was not a thing to worry about. “A girl has to have some mystery, right?”
His hearty laughter showered me in love before he stopped at my truck and got all serious. “That Doc seems like a nice enough guy.”
I patted the back of his beefy hand which rested on the edge of the truck door. “He’s the best, now stop worrying.” I blew Kyle a big flirtatious kiss and pulled out of the gravel lot. It only took me fifteen minutes to reach the outside of town and head toward the lake on Pine Grove Road.
The old dirt road was now paved, and I could no longer see the houses that used to sit tucked deep into the woods. As I approached the ‘Y’ in the road where I knew to hang left toward to the cove, I slowed, spying another bouquet of wildflowers anchored on a tree. A smile spread across my face and I delighted in how he remembered my love for games, because the flowers were tied to the right.
Following his sign, I veered right down a road which used to be nothing but trees and an occasional tent set up for the weekend. Now, there were ‘Posted’ signs along both sides, and I wondered what Mitch was up to. Then I saw the most beautiful house on the bluff. Dusty blue siding, full walls of windows all along the first floor facing the lake, a gorgeous wrap-around porch along the front and stone built up along the face of the carriage house garage.
Another bright bouquet marked the entrance of the driveway.
My curiosity wasn’t the only thing heightened as I crept up the drive, admiring the landscaping and architecture of the home. I couldn’t have done better myself. It had to belong to some doctor friend or something. Although, he’d loved this piece of land since I could remember. My mind refused to believe Mitch built a house on our spot, because that would mean he’d never stopped caring.
I stepped onto the grounds, holding my ever-growing bouquet, and slung my bag over my shoulder. Individual flowers tied along the porch railing lead me all the way around the house. I couldn’t deny I was almost giddy with excitement.
From the top of the back deck I had a spectacular view of the cove and beach below. A small fire had been made, and a table set with linens and candles. My breath caught in my chest as the young girl-in-love fought for control. The girl I was back then might have been foolish, but the woman I was now knew exactly what she wanted. For as much as I’d needed this meeting to be closure, I could no longer deny the part of me that wished for a new beginning.
I scanned the scene below but Mitch was nowhere to be found. Then again, maybe his heart wasn’t in it the way mine was leading me to believe. I took a hesitant step on the stone stairs leading down the bluff. With every snip-snap of my flip-flop I was reminded of his anger. Maybe he’d asked me here to finish having his say, knowing if I was in our special place I might not run away.
Smart man, but big girls don’t back down. I had just as much to say as he did. And this time, he was going to listen. By the time I was through, he’d be in need of some reconstruction of his own.
I dropped my bag by the fire and continued toward the table dressed with a platter of fresh fruit and chilled shrimp cocktail. He’d even set up a bucket of my favorite chardonnay on ice. This certainly didn’t look like the setting for a slaughter. As a matter of fact, it looked very romantic.
And I was very confused.
***
A noise in the water startled me and I whipped around, feeling silly when I didn’t see anything. Probably just a fish jumping, I thought as I took in a deep breath to quiet my thundering heart. I was about to steal a piece of melon when I heard the splash again.
The melon ball tumbled into the crystalline sand.
Mitch stood to his full height in the lake, slicking his thick brown hair away from his face. Droplets of water danced off his tan skin and chiseled muscles, and I noticed the Celtic knot tattoo around his bicep. He could easily be a descendent of King Triton.
When we were younger, I would have stripped down to nothing and rushed in to greet him. Heat surged through every core as if a stray spark had caught my dress and I was burning from the inside out. I couldn’t stop staring. Oh yeah, a part of me longed to greet him, but we were different now. My knees wobbled and I placed my hand on the table. I still wasn’t sure why he wanted me here.
Mitch paused when he saw me, and smiled as wide as the beach while he waded to shore. I could see the sparkling reflection off the water in his eyes. He shook sand off his towel then used it to dry his hair before blotting any remaining water from his skin.
“Why Miss Scarlet, I’m ever so glad you could attend this evening.” He bowed at the waist after tying the towel low across his hips.
I was slowly and torturously coming unglued.
Putting on my best southern drawl possible, I snatched a linen napkin and fanned it down my face and neck. It did nothing to cool the heat still raging within. “Oh Rhett, you did all this for lil’ old me?” Throwing the back of my hand to my forehead, I feigned a fainting spell worthy of an Oscar.
In a flash he was behind me like I knew he would be, like he always did when we fooled around this way. His arms, still cool from the lake, held me tight and when I opened my eyes, our faces were only inches apart. The napkin floated on the breeze, tumbling down the sandy beach, freeing my hand to touch the man I used to know so well.
“God, you look incredible.” His hot breath tickled my face, echoing the words inside my head.
Thank God he’d said them, because for once, I didn’t have a voice. My traitorous hand grazed the skin on his chest, dipping down over a perfectly sculpted pectoral muscle, then back up to the hollow of his neck and around to his broad shoulder. I kept my eyes on his, I didn’t need to look. Hell, I’d memorized every inch of this man’s body. I knew every freckle and hair on his head.
“Sid? I asked if you’re thirsty.” He sounded confused as he tipped me to my feet and guided me toward the chardonnay.
“Thirsty? I’m very thirsty. As a matter of fact, I’m parched.” I took the glass he offered and downed it before he could even finish pouring his own. Licking my lips, I held it back in front of him. “More please.”
“Sure.” He chuckled while he refilled, and I felt the threads of my self-control loosening.
What happened to maybe going for a swim like we used to? What about my practiced lecture? Oh God, what happened to my closure?
Gone, they were one-hundred-percent out of here. Actually, they were on the heels of my self-control which perched nicely on Mitch’s broad, broad, broaaad shoulders. Why couldn’t he have gotten old and fat?
“Okay, I’ll bite. Why am I here?” Hey, I could be all business too. And right now I had to focus or I was going to do something I’d regret. Maybe.
“Because I left you the note.” His gaze roamed over me and he added, “So is that bite a promise?” He winked and I caught my breath.
“No, seriously.” I tried to keep cool as my body temperature continued to rise. This time I sipped my wine, looking at him over the rim of the glass.
“What if I bite you first?” Those cocoa e
yes glistened with mischief and the corner of his mouth twitched.
“Mitchell!” I gasped and he laughed before taking a sip from his glass.
“I wanted to say I’m sorry.” He dipped a shrimp in cocktail sauce and dropped it in his mouth, tossing the tail onto a small plate.
“Sorry?” I repeated, not hiding my surprise.
“I had no right to come down on you like I did yesterday. I was still in shock you were back in town, and then to have to work so closely with you on this project...” After taking another drink, he finished his thought. “I guess some of that old hurt came back and I didn’t know how to react.”
“I know. I felt the same way.” An odd feeling crept over me as the tide tickled the sandy shore. We were young lovers again about to embark on a summer-sweet journey. I pushed those memories out of my mind with the caw of a circling gull. “But there are things that need to be said, Mitch.” I stabbed a melon ball with a toothpick, and placed it between my teeth.
“Oh, I agree.” It was his turn to look at me all seductive-like over the glass and I fought to keep my business demeanor.
“You need to know why I left.”
“I’ve been wondering for twelve years, Sidney. You never answered any of my letters, so why tell me now? What’s done is done.”
I sighed, knowing he was right and that I had to make things right even if it was too late. “I had some major growing up to do.” I winced because I knew how lame that sounded. “I had dreams and I was determined to make it as a model in New York. It was all I could think about.”
“So what happened?” He looked me up and down.
“Can’t you tell? I placed a hand on my hip and gestured at my body with the other. “I like food way too much to stay a size two.”
His laughter was deep and light and warmed my heart. “You look great to me. Why didn’t you ever come back?”
“I’d failed at the one thing I’d wanted bad enough to make me walk away from a future with you. My family had money, and I couldn’t even buy my way into being a famous model.” The gull over our heads screeched before heading toward the water. We watched as the bird dove to catch a fish. I returned to my story, still feeling the need to clear the air. “Real life was not how I’d imagined it. How could I return to you as plain old Sidney? After hurting you the way I did, I didn’t think I’d ever be able to face you again.”
Extreme Love Makeover Page 2