Falling for the Rebound Bride

by Karen Templeton

  “No, the Colin bit.” Although she hadn’t been asleep, she’d been playing possum. The burrito forgotten, Emily’s brows crashed. “You went to see him? Why on earth—?”

  “Because I’m a meddling old biddy who’s absolutely no good at keeping her nose out of everyone’s business. Most notably yours. Eat up, honey, those things are disgusting when they’re cold. Anyway, you’ll be relieved to know he set me straight. About your relationship. About more than that, actually,” she said, her mouth turning down at the corners. “But that’s... Never mind.” Her mother’s eyes met hers. “What a remarkable young man. Youngish, anyway. He loves you, you know. Maybe even more than you love him. How on earth that happened in a few weeks is beyond me. But apparently it did.”

  As if there was any way in hell she’d be able to eat now. Although whether Colin had admitted his feelings or her mother had leaped to her own conclusions, who knew? But since she’d done her own leaping not that long ago, this didn’t come as a surprise. What had, however, shocked her expensive, bought-for-the-honeymoon-that-never-happened designer panties right off her butt was her mother’s calm acceptance of all of it.

  Although since it was all a moot point, that might account for the calm. However...

  “None of which changes the fact that I’m staying.”

  Her mother lifted her own mug to her lips. “Oh, I know.”

  “And...you’re okay with that?”

  “I will be. Once I unstick my head from my butt.” As Emily sat there, more or less in shock, her mother said, “Colin made me realize a few things, not the least of which is that you have to live your own life. Deserve to live your own life. And that I can’t fix what’s wrong with my life by trying to manipulate yours. Or use you as some sort of shield between me and your father. But more than that...” Her eyes watered. “Keeping you close won’t bring my sister back. And Deanna swears Kathryn was happy here. Most of the time, anyway.”

  Although Emily hadn’t been around her aunt enough to be all that aware of the mental illness that robbed her of a good chunk of her adulthood, she, too, had heard enough to believe that the good outweighed the bad, even near the end. “It definitely seems that way. But I don’t—”

  Her generally undemonstrative mother wrapped a cool hand around Emily’s wrist. “I’ve let fear color things for much too long, honey. Fear for you, especially, that history might repeat itself. So I’ve promised myself I won’t do that anymore. And now I’m promising you.”

  Finally, Emily pinched off a chunk of the burrito and stuffed it into her mouth. “And I’m supposed to believe that?”

  Her mother sighed. “It won’t be easy—old dogs and all that—but I’m going to try. Although...” Her head tilted. “Maybe you should try to make Colin stay? Or go with him...?”

  “Mother. Really?”

  She sniffed. “Dignity is overrated, you know.”

  “Reality, however, isn’t. All done with the fairy tale, Mom. Not really cut out for this dream-chasing business.”

  Another breath left her mother’s lungs, but she nodded. “Well. I’m going back today. To face the mess that is my own life and leave you to live yours in peace.”

  Her throat closed around the bite in her mouth, Emily could only nod. Although fortunately her mother waited for her to swallow before saying, “That doesn’t mean, however, that I’m not hoping either you or Colin change your mind.”

  A harsh laugh tumbled from Emily’s mouth, and her mother shrugged. “I might be able to change how I act, but that doesn’t mean I can change who I am. I’m so sorry, honey,” she whispered, her eyes filling again. “Really and truly. For letting my own will blind me to how perfect you are, just as you are. When I think how I almost lost you...” Her face paled. “Or am I jumping the gun about that, too? Have I totally screwed this up?”

  “Well, you might’ve come really close,” Emily said with a small smile, “but...” Instead of finishing her sentence, she stood to wrap her startled mother in the first hug they’d shared since Emily was a little girl. What was more startling, however, was that her mother returned it.

  And, yanno, that left her feeling pretty darn fierce.

  Despite an ache in the center of her chest she doubted would ever completely go away. Because Michael—a dime a dozen, those types. Colin, however...

  He was a Talbot. And those guys were priceless.

  “When’s your flight?” she said, sitting back down.

  “At three. Josh said he’d take me into Albuquerque. Since I might’ve lucked out in finding an Uber driver to schlep me all the way out here, getting one to take me back—”

  “Forget it, I’ll drive you.”

  Her mother smiled, her eyes twinkling. “Making sure I actually leave?” she asked, and Emily laughed, only to then feel a lump rise in her throat.

  “No,” she said, surprised to find herself fighting tears. “Because the ride will give us another couple of hours together.” And her mother smiled, her own eyes just as glittery.

  * * *

  Colin pulled up in front of his parents’ house, not sure whether he was more relieved or sorry that his dad’s truck wasn’t in the driveway. His mother, however, greeted him at the door...along with the sounds of several high-pitched voices winnowing through the house from the small backyard. Zach and Mallory’s kids, he remembered—his parents were babysitting while his brother and his new wife enjoyed a short honeymoon.

  “Your father had to go into Taos for a doctor’s appointment,” she said, standing aside so he could come in. “A standard follow-up, that’s all. Nothing to worry about. He’ll be back soon, I imagine. So. To what do I owe the pleasure?”

  A simple question, one that shouldn’t have made the back of his throat clog, his eyes burn. But between his father not being there and the sounds of his nephews...

  Not to mention other things...

  “Catching a plane in a few,” he said. “Figured I’d come by before I left.”

  His mother went immediately into Mom Alert—narrowed eyes, set mouth, that slight shake of her head that said she knew damn well there was more to it than that.

  “Kind of sudden, isn’t it?” she said, heading toward the kitchen and clearly expecting him to follow.

  “You knew I was leaving after the wedding,” he said, which earned him an even sharper glance.

  “Not right after, I didn’t. I mean, I figured we’d have a little warning. That you’d at least come over for dinner or something, say goodbye properly.”

  The barely masked hurt in her eyes killed him nearly as much as what he’d seen in Emily’s the night before, when they both realized—and admitted—what they were really feeling. And that it didn’t make a lick of difference.

  “I know, I’m sorry. But a new assignment came up suddenly. Since the wedding was over, I figured I might as well jump on it before somebody else does.”

  Not entirely a lie. Another editor had dangled something different in front of him, wondering if he’d consider doing a human interest piece on how changing energy options were affecting residents of one area of the country. Not his usual focus, but something that’d been tickling the back of his brain for a while, anyway. And if nothing else it provided him with a viable, and reasonable, excuse to leave. And one nobody would question.

  His mother crossed her arms. “So what’re you running from this time? As if I couldn’t guess.”

  Nobody but Mom, that was. “Excuse me?”

  “Josh has a big mouth, God love him. Not to mention he’s worried about you.”

  “Why on earth—?” Mom gave him a don’t-talk-stupid look that halfway made Colin regret stopping here on the way to the airport. She glanced out the kitchen window to check on the boys, then turned back to him, her gaze managing to be both sharp and soft at the same time. A particular talent of hers
, as it happened.

  “Whatever’s going on with you and Emily—or not—that’s between you and her. And I’ve got no issues with your devotion to your work. I know how it feels, finding something that feeds something deep inside you. A lot of people never do, so you’ve got a leg up there, at least. However...”

  She closed the space between them to clamp her hands around his arms, her expression twisting him inside out. “What worries me,” she said gently, “is that I’m guessing you haven’t been entirely honest with yourself, about why you came back. Because you and I both know you could’ve worked on that book anywhere. You didn’t have to do it here. Especially considering how you and your daddy left things all those years ago. But it’s not that easy to turn our backs on our roots, is it? Especially if we haven’t set down new ones somewhere else.”

  Now he was really regretting stopping by. “And again—where is this coming from?”

  “The look on your face, for one thing. Which is not the look of somebody excited about getting back to his chosen life.”

  When he didn’t answer—couldn’t—Mom returned to the window, chuckling at something the kids were doing, her sleeveless blouse showing off arms as toned as those of a much younger woman. “You know, one of the hardest things we all have to learn is that it’s okay to change our minds.” She looked back at him. “That there’s no shame in admitting we were wrong.”

  And how terrible a son would he be for blowing off his own mother? Although, come to think of it, probably no worse than he’d already been. Except the thing was, he wasn’t that kid anymore. Besides which, being back here had not only shoved his face into everything he’d given up, but everything he’d refused for so long to admit he wanted. His mother was right—he’d wanted to return to his roots, to reground himself. Badly.

  Except unfortunately this wasn’t only about him. Not anymore.

  “You’re way too smart for your own good, you know that?”

  Mom snorted. “You’re not telling me anything I don’t know,” she said, and Colin smiled. Then cupped the back of his head.

  “You’re right, I’m not happy about this. But...” He pushed out a dry laugh. “I’m not running away. I swear. It’s more that... I’m deliberately getting out of someone else’s way.”

  “Oh, sweetie...” Tears gleamed in his mother’s eyes. “You’re in love with the girl, aren’t you?”

  From out front, he heard his father’s truck door slam shut. Clearing his throat, Colin dug the rental’s keys out of his pocket. Tried a smile. “Close enough. The thing is, though, I know what would happen if I stayed. What we’d both want to happen. Except Emily’s right where I was ten years ago, just beginning to find her own footing, to figure out who she is, what she wants. She needs the space to figure that out. But if I stick around—” He shrugged. “Space isn’t something you get much of in a small town.”

  “And maybe you’re not giving either of you enough credit—”

  “For what? Listening to her? Paying attention to what she needs? You and Dad...you showed us by example that selfishness has no place in a working relationship. And I can’t...won’t...” He swallowed painfully past the knot in his throat, then glanced up at the kitchen clock. “Sorry, I need to get going or I’m gonna miss my plane—”

  “You’re leaving? Already?”

  At his father’s voice, Colin turned. And man, seeing the look in his father’s eyes...at that moment he hated himself, hated the situation, hated life, pretty much.

  “Something came up, I...”

  “It’s okay, son,” Dad said, even though he was clearly fighting off disappointment. “It’s not like we expected you to hang around. As it is...well.” Grinning, he clapped Colin’s shoulder, then hauled him against his still-broad chest. “We’re grateful you hung around as long as you did.”

  “So am I, Dad,” Colin said quietly. “Really.”

  “I know.” His father let go, managing a piss-poor smile that tore Colin up inside. “You have a good trip, you hear?”

  Then his mother also yanked him into a hard hug and kissed his cheek before holding him at arm’s length, her mouth twisted to one side. “I swear, every one of you boys has a head harder than granite. Can’t imagine where you get that from.”

  “I’m gonna say both of you,” Colin said, and she harmlessly swatted his chest before they both followed him out to the front door. When he got there, though, he turned, his hand on the knob. “I will be back, though. I promise.”

  Dad crossed his arms. “Sooner rather than later, I hope.”

  “Sure thing,” he said, then got out of there before somebody called him on his lie.

  * * *

  The ride down to Albuquerque had given Emily and her mother an opportunity to talk to—rather than at—each other in a way they never had before. So much so that their hug before Margaret went through security left Emily far more torn up than she would have expected even a week ago. Not that they’d magically become BFFs or anything, but at least they’d arrived at some sort of understanding of where they were each coming from. As though they were equals, even, she thought as she got on the escalator to go down to the lower level and out to the parking garage. Not to mention that, for the first time in years, she really felt her mother loved her. That was something—

  At the bottom of the escalator, she lost her breath. Because, yep, that was Colin striding across the vast, tiled expanse toward her, his camera bag draped over his shoulder as he stared at his phone, gracefully dodging the smattering of passengers this time of day. Meaning he probably wouldn’t even see her, if she kept going—

  His head snapped up as if she’d called to him, a frown giving way to a dozen other emotions as he changed course and headed toward her, his mouth curved in a slight smile. He hadn’t shaved, she could now see. Or slept, she was guessing.

  “Hey,” he said softly when he reached her, and Emily nearly melted from how badly she wanted to touch him. “What are you...?”

  “Just dropped off my mother.”

  “Really?” He glanced around, as though expecting to see her. “She left already?”

  “Yeah. She...” Emily gave her head a sharp little shake, then shrugged. “Yeah. She, um, told me she went to see you.”

  She couldn’t read his expression. “Really.”

  “But not what you two discussed. And I didn’t ask. Although she did leave, so...thanks?”

  His gaze met hers again, and everything inside her trembled, glowed, with the memory of his touch, rough and tender and almost hesitant...those eyes locked on hers, anything but hesitant. His smile incrementally grew. “I’m surprised you let her live.”

  Emily almost laughed. “Things were definitely a little dicey there for a minute. But you know what? She’s always gonna be who she is, nothing I can do about that. What I can control is whether or not she gets to me. And those days are over.”

  Colin’s smile broadened. “So she couldn’t talk you into going back to DC?”

  The obvious pride in his voice, his eyes... Oh, dear God, just kill her now. “As if,” she said, and he laughed, but it didn’t sound normal. Or maybe that was her hearing.

  “When’s your flight?” she asked.

  “Not for a couple of hours yet. I like to get to airports early. Although I forget it’s not that big a deal here.”

  “Not really, no.” Yeesh, could this conversation be any more inane? Could her heart be hammering any harder? Or splintering into any more pieces?

  “Where are you headed?”

  “Coal country. Or what used to be. Kentucky, West Virginia. A piece on how things have changed there.”

  “A new direction for you, isn’t it?”

  “Maybe. Or not.” He shifted the camera bag. “It’s still about the people.” A smile ghosted around his mouth. “It’s always abou
t the people.”

  Don’t get sucked in, she wanted to say. But she knew that wasn’t possible, not for this man. Any more than it would be for her.

  “Take care,” she whispered, and he nodded.

  “I will. Promise.”

  “Well. I guess...”

  “Sure. It was—”

  “I know.” Crap. She was going to cry. “Um...” She swallowed so hard she nearly choked. “Have a good trip.”

  “Thanks.”

  She nodded, then walked quickly away, her eyes burning so badly she could barely see—

  “Em?”

  Muttering an obscenity under her breath, she turned, helpless to do anything save watch Colin march toward her again, even more helpless to resist when he somehow shifted everything aside to take her face in his hands and lower his mouth to hers for a kiss that was a desperate, mournful meeting of mouths and tongues and souls and hearts...until he broke the kiss to press his lips against her forehead before taking off again, his long legs eating up the tiled floor as he strode to the escalators.

  And didn’t look back as he ascended.

  Emily, however, watched until he was out of sight, although whether from a false sense of hope or a hitherto unknown masochistic streak, she had no idea. And she wondered, gripping her purse’s shoulder strap like a lifeline, how a life decision that only the day before had made her feel empowered and independent and all grown-up now made her feel like a horse stall that hadn’t been mucked out since the dawn of time.

  Have a fling, they said. It’ll be fun, they said.

  You can handle it, they said.

  Except if “they” were here in front of her right now?

  She’d slap those bitches silly.

  Chapter Twelve

  Twisting off the beer’s cap, Colin shoved aside the patio door to the bland Midwestern condo he’d used as little more than a mailing address for the past ten years, letting the humid June air—not to mention a swarm of gnats—grab at his face before he dropped into some sorry old webbed chair he’d picked up for a couple bucks when the old lady downstairs died and her kids sold off all her stuff. The apartment wasn’t horrible by any means, the kind of place he knew he could leave for long periods without worrying overmuch about break-ins. Not to mention maintenance. The rent was reasonable, the neighbors as oblivious to his comings and goings as he was to theirs, the location almost ideal for getting anywhere else with a minimum of connecting flights. It was also fairly quiet, especially since the college kids had moved out. And if it didn’t exactly feel like home... Again—not here that often. It was...enough.