The Accidental Encore

by Hayes, Christy

  “I don’t have any defense except to say that you scared me, Allie. Loving you means you have all the power, and I promised myself I’d never be that vulnerable again.”

  She raised her head and stared him in the eye. It seemed she had some fight left in her yet. “That’s crap. You hold just as much power and—as demonstrated—you know how to aim where it hurts.”

  “Allie…” He reached inside and released her seatbelt. “You’ll never know how sorry I am for what I said to you. You scared me and I panicked. I get mean when I’m scared. I love you and I don’t want to lose you.”

  “Don’t,” she said. She knew her eyes were still swollen and puffy. She felt as fragile as a thin piece of glass. “Don’t tell me what you know I want to hear when you think so little of me. I had to tell you about the baby, but I’m done.”

  “It’s the truth.”

  “No, Craig, it’s not. You don’t love me. You think I’m after your money? Please, there isn’t enough money on the planet for me to put up with you. You think I did this on purpose? Who would do this to themselves? Who would bring a baby into the middle of this mess? Not me, Craig. I may have been stupid enough to fall in love with you, but I’m not stupid enough to want a baby on top of it all.”

  He rocked back on his heels. “You don’t want the baby?”

  ***

  “Quit twisting my words around,” Allie said as tears began leaking out of her eyes. “Of course I want the baby.”

  Craig dropped to his knees and pulled her out of the seat and into his arms. He’d earned her distrust with his careless words. He’d use better words, spoken from the heart to make her believe. “You want to know what I think of you? I think you’re the strongest woman I’ve ever known. I’ve been falling for you since the moment you crashed into my life. I’m not going to lie, at first it was your looks. You’re the most stunningly beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, but if that’s all that you were—a pretty face—I’d have walked away months ago. You’re so much more. You’ve got this insane kindness, a tender and generous heart, and the most optimistic outlook on life I’ve ever seen. I can’t make this love I feel for you disappear; I can’t stifle it or wish it away. As these last few weeks have proven, I could fly to the moon and still be in love with you. So if you walk away, Allie, it had better be because you don’t love me, because there isn’t another man alive who could ever love you more.”

  It felt so easy to tell her the truth, to open his heart to her. She’d been everything he needed all along and he’d pushed her away from the start. “I need you, Allie. Please forgive me.”

  She pulled out of his embrace and grabbed his arms. When their eyes met, he knew he hadn’t lost her quite yet. He felt the web around them growing stronger. This time, he welcomed the tug.

  “What about your wife?” she asked.

  He wiped the tears from her cheeks. “We were kids when we fell in love. What we had wasn’t a grown up kind of love. It wasn’t meant to last forever. Ma helped me forgive her. It was as simple as saying it and meaning it. I’m finally free.”

  “Tied to me and the baby is more like it.”

  “If I could, I’d tie the knot so tight it’d never break.”

  She gave him a hard push, but he held firm. “How can I trust what you’re telling me? Thirty minutes ago you doubted the baby was yours, and now you say you love me? Don’t lie to me, Craig. Like it or not, we’re connected through the child we made. That connection won’t break no matter how we feel about each other, but I won’t let you lie to me or to yourself because of the baby.”

  “I’ve never fought so hard against something in my entire life and if I have to, I’ll fight even harder to make you believe in me. In us.”

  “Why does everything with us have to be so hard?”

  “Everything?” He slid his hand up her back and cupped the back of her neck, inching her face to his. He kissed the tears on her cheeks, her eyelids, and her chin before tugging her hair so she’d open her eyes and see the love reflected back in his.

  “You left me naked in your bed.”

  “I was trying to save you.”

  “You were scared.”

  “Yes. A lesser man couldn’t have walked away.”

  “You mean smarter?”

  “It took Herculean strength. And just so you know, you don’t need to lose weight.”

  Allie snorted and dropped her forehead to his. “That’s good to know because I’m going get fat in the next few months.”

  “I’ll still love you when you’re fat.” He kissed her temple. “And when you’re old and gray. Do you forgive me?”

  “I don’t have the energy to fight you, Craig. I’ll say it and mean it once and for all. I forgive you for being an ass.”

  He’d never heard sweeter words. “It probably won’t be the last time.”

  “I know it won’t.” She pushed him back when he went in for her lips. “You need to hear this. And you need to listen.”

  “Don’t I always?”

  She took a deep breath and stared into his eyes. “I’ve got a boatload of flaws, Craig, but they aren’t the same as Julie’s. If I’m feeling ignored or taken for granted, I’ll tell you. If I’m feeling unloved, the only one I’ll come to is you. And if I ever feel tempted to stray—which I wouldn’t because you only stray when you’re looking—you’d be the first to know. I respect us both too much to do anything else.”

  What the hell had he been so afraid of in the first place? But he still needed to hear the words. “Does that mean you still love me?” he asked.

  “I don’t want to. I really want to drive away and not give a damn what happens to you, but I can’t. You’re it for me, and now there’s a baby to seal the deal.”

  “Would you love me if it weren’t for the baby?”

  “I loved you before the baby. The question is, would you love me if it weren’t for the baby?”

  “Yes,” he said without hesitation. “I’ve loved you all along.”

  “Well, what in the world were you waiting for?”

  Good question. “A sign from God, I guess.” He slid his hand inside her coat and rested it above her jeans on top of her sweater. “It’s in here. Our sign. Marry me?” he said. “I don’t want to waste another second.”

  “I didn’t come find you so you’d propose marriage. It didn’t feel honest keeping the baby from you.”

  “I’m not proposing because of the baby. I love you, Allie, with everything I’ve got. I’m so damn tired of fighting what I’ve wanted all along. I want you. All I want is you. You’re all I’ve ever wanted.”

  “Oh, Craig. You make it hard to say no.”

  “Then don’t say no.”

  “I’m not saying no. I’m saying yes.”

  He snaked his hands inside her coat, around her back, and pulled her close just as a car zoomed past honking the horn in greeting. He found her lips and everything inside of him settled and heated in the most powerful combination. “I love you, Allie. You’re going to get sick of hearing me say it.”

  She burrowed into his chest. “I’ll let you know when I am.”

  “I’ve got to get a ring.”

  “Craig.” She gripped his jacket and pulled his lips to hers. “I don’t need a ring. All I need is you.”

  “Oh, wait.” He hopped to his feet. “Wait right here.” He ran to his truck, opened the driver door, and pulled the tiny blue bud vase Allie had admired at Sharon’s wedding into his palm. He dropped to his knees in front of her and opened his hand. “It’s not a ring, it’s nothing really, but I wanted you to have it.”

  She picked it up and he had the pleasure of watching her shed tears of joy instead of sorrow. “When did you get this?”

  “Before I left town. You loved it, Allie. Your whole face lit up when you saw this. Don’t cry.”

  “I can’t help it.”

  “You’re still getting a ring. A big one. Guys will see it for miles. It might even flash or glow in the dark.”
<
br />   “A glow in the dark ring with flashing lights. Could it play music?”

  “I’m sure I could make that happen.”

  “Okay. I’m sold, but this is it for me, Craig. For better or worse, you’re going to be stuck with me.”

  “That works both ways. We’re stuck with each other.”

  “And the baby.”

  His eyes misted with tears. Oh, yeah. This was it all right. “And the baby,” he whispered. “We should have known. Look at what happened when we crashed. We fell in love. What the heck did we think was going to happen when we made love?”

  “We made a life,” she said.

  “The first of many, I hope.” He helped her to her feet and then promptly whisked her off her feet. “You know what they say about sex?”

  She nuzzled her face in his neck. “I’m afraid to ask.”

  “Practice makes perfect.”

  “In your mother’s house?”

  He nipped her ear. “I was thinking about the cab of my truck.”

  “In the middle of the day? We’ll get arrested.”

  “I’ve got an in with the sheriff.”

  “Well,” she said, “at this point, I guess we’ve got nothing to lose.”

  Epilogue

  Allie felt nervous as Leah wobbled onto the stage wearing the two-inch heels Carolyn had tried in vain to discourage her from wearing. When Leah scooted behind the bench and took a seat, Allie let out the breath she’d been holding and gave the girl a nod. The song began at just the right tempo. Practice, Allie knew, made all the difference.

  Allie bobbed her head in tune with the song and stifled a smile at Leah’s fierce expression as the melody carried nicely through the small auditorium. She glanced at Mark and smiled. He gripped Carolyn’s hand, his foot tapping to the beat, and stared with wonder at his daughter. She couldn’t decide who looked more proud—Mark or Carolyn.

  Craig didn’t look anxious at all, not with his ankle crossed over one knee and his arm stretched along the back of Mark’s chair. He looked so handsome in the blazer she’d found in his closet and insisted he wear. The man had a lot of nice clothes. He caught her staring and gave her a wink that had the tips of her ears burning and gave a nice little flutter to her stomach. Allie turned her attention back to Leah as the passionate crescendo of the piece brought memories of the night before floating through her brain.

  She’d played for him, naked as requested, and they’d done some very interesting post performance antics. She couldn’t believe how things had changed, how open and giving and playful Craig had become. Every day they spent together, every night they shared, felt like a gift.

  Leah’s piece ended with thunderous applause and she exited the stage, followed by Allie’s last performer, six-year-old Madelyn, who brought the house down with her rendition of “Santa Clause Is Coming To Town.”

  After her backstage congratulations and hugs, Allie and Leah came down the auditorium stairs arm in arm. “You did great, Leah. I’m so proud of you for mastering both songs.”

  “Dad made me practice. A lot,” Leah admitted. “I’m glad he did.”

  “There’s my girl.” Mark extended his arms and Leah skipped to greet her father. “You played wonderfully, baby. I’m so proud of you.”

  “Thanks, Dad.”

  Carolyn gripped Leah’s hands. “I can’t believe how grown up you looked on stage. You were lovely, Leah.”

  Leah’s cheeks turned a nice shade of pink before she averted her eyes and smiled. “Thanks. It was fun.”

  Craig came through the side door from the parking lot with a bunch of roses in his arms. He bowed in front of Leah and presented her with the dazzling bouquet. “For the artist. You were magnificent.”

  Leah buried her face in the deep red blooms. “Oh, Uncle Craig. I love them.”

  “You earned them.” He returned her hug and casually placed his hands in his pants pockets and rocked back on his heels. His gaze, dark and direct, landed on Allie. “And you,” he said, pivoting to face her. “You earned this.”

  He pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and plopped it in her hand. “What is this?”

  “Open it up and find out.”

  Allie pried the lid open and gasped. “Craig. You didn’t.”

  “Of course I did. Do you like it?”

  “Like it?” She looked up into his eyes. “It’s beautiful…so perfect.”

  “Just like you.” He plucked the ring from the box and slid the emerald cut diamond on her finger. It sparkled even in the muted light. “Perfect fit.”

  “You shouldn’t have, Craig. I said I didn’t need a ring. We’re getting married in three days.”

  “We may be doing this fast, Allie, but we’re doing it right. I’m not going to scrimp on the details. We’re engaged and now it’s official.”

  “I was officially yours when you said you loved me.”

  “So,” he said. “Call this an encore.”

  “That’s some kind of encore, Allie.” Carolyn grabbed her hand and admired the ring.

  Allie wrapped her arms around Craig’s neck. “Why don’t we call it a prelude?” she suggested. “To a life full of love and happiness.”

  “And babies,” he whispered as her lips hovered near his. “Lots and lots of babies.”

  About the Author

  Christy Hayes writes romance and women’s fiction. She lives outside Atlanta, Georgia, with her husband, two children, and two dogs.

  Discover Other Romance & Women’s Fiction Titles by Christy Hayes

  Angle of Incidence

  Dodge the Bullet

  Golden Rule Outfitters Boxed Set

  Good Luck, Bad Timing & When Harry Met Sally

  Guiding the Fall, Book 2, Golden Rule Outfitters

  Heart of Glass

  Mending the Line, Book 1, Golden Rule Outfitters

  Misconception

  Shoe Strings

  Taming the Moguls, Book 3, Golden Rule Outfitters

  The Accidental Encore

  The Sweetheart Hoax

  Connect with Christy Hayes Online

  http://www.christyhayes.com

  http://twitter.com/SeaHayes

  http://www.facebook.com/ChristyHayesAuthor

  If you enjoyed The Accidental Encore, please consider leaving an honest review at your point of purchase location.

  Thank you, Thank you, Thank you for reading!!

  Continue on to read the first chapter of Heart of Glass. Available now.

  Heart of Glass

  Prologue

  Kate Donovan watched her boss, Michael Evans, founder and managing editor of Design & Build magazine, through the glass doors of his office. When he looked up and saw her, he waved her inside.

  “Kate, come in and sit. I’ve got news,” Michael announced with a beaming smile. Nearing forty, he was often referred to as striking, thanks to his dark hair, aristocratic features, and a deep tan he’d earned aboard his sailboat.

  “Your piece on Frederick Balsted was genius. I’ve moved it up to the May issue. It’ll be the cover story.”

  Kate threw her exhausted body in the chair facing his desk. Her flight back to D.C. from Oregon had been delayed due to bad weather and jet lag lay heavy on her shoulders. She tried to stifle a yawn, but gave up when the effort proved too much. “Balsted’s a night owl,” she said. “I got my best material from him in the middle of the night.”

  “So the four a.m. cruise on his yacht wasn’t an embellishment?”

  Kate jerked her eyes open wide and shoved her long bangs from her face. “You know I don’t embellish. The man needs a film crew. The written word doesn’t do his eccentricities justice.”

  “You know the written word is made for people like Balsted,” Michael said. “You’ve captured him perfectly—celebrated his artistic flair in a way that doesn’t make him seem mad.” He clasped his hands together as if in prayer. “We’ve landed a coup while you were away. You’ve been requested.”

  Kate nearly bolted f
rom the chair and faced Michael, exuberant as a child on Christmas morning. “You’ve got my attention, Michael. Between the layover and the jet lag, I was going on auto pilot, but I’m awake now.”

  “We were contacted by a firm in the Low Country. We’ve been given an exclusive.” He rubbed his hands together and pushed away from his desk to roam the office while he explained their good fortune. “A brash young builder and his architect partner I’ve only recently been made aware of. Their work’s brilliant, Kate, and the best part is they’re a naturalist firm. They’re using all kinds of green materials like sand and mud up and down the coast from Savannah to Maryland. I’ve managed to dig up some background on the architect, but finding anything on the builder has been difficult.”

  “Daniel Flannery.” Kate said his name in a whisper only seconds before Michael. She reached for the necklace she’d worn every day since he’d given it to her in an unconscious gesture of comfort. She’d rubbed the sharp edges of the sea glass heart smooth over years of touching. For the very first time it felt like a noose around her neck.

  “You’ve heard of him then? I’m not surprised.” Michael stopped pacing and came to a stop in front of Kate. “What’s with the long face? I thought you’d be thrilled.”

  “I knew him. It’s been years, a lifetime really, but…”

  “Perfect. That’s absolutely perfect. Your ability to pry into the motivations of self-proclaimed recluses, coupled with a familiar background…this could be more than I’d imagined.”

  “Michael, I…I can’t do it.”

  “What? Why?”

  She didn’t answer, but she knew he’d made up his mind.

  “Damn it, Kate. I’m your editor as well as your friend, and I’ve just given you an assignment.”

  “My relationship with Danny was...it ended badly. There’s no way he’ll talk to me.”

  Michael slid a hip on the corner of his desk and frowned at her. “Kate, they asked for you by name. I know you’re the best, and obviously Mr. Flannery is willing to overlook—or he’s forgotten about—whatever happened between you. The man’s a professional and he’s requested our very best. That’s you. He knows it and so do I.”