One and Only

by Leeanna Morgan

  She closed her eyes when another wave of sadness washed over her. “One day, I walked into the hospital’s chapel. I’d just had another radiation treatment and I was feeling really low. The chapel was so lovely. There were stained glass windows along one wall and vases of sweet smelling roses on the altar. I sat in a chair, thinking about my treatment, about the cancer cells invading my body. As I sat there, I realized that none of it mattered. Whether I lived or died wasn’t my decision to make. I also realized that if I wanted to live, I had to learn how to let go.” Elizabeth bit her bottom lip. “Is this making sense?”

  “I think so.”

  She took a deep breath. “So, I closed my eyes and let go. I stopped worrying about whether my treatment was working. If other people were sad, I didn’t try to make them happy. I resigned from my job and focused on what was important. Working fifteen-hour days and living off takeout wasn’t important. I didn’t need to be the best criminal defense attorney in Cedar Rapids and I didn’t have to change the world. What I wanted was to be happy.”

  “Is that why you came to Bozeman?”

  “Yes. It took a while but, eventually, I got here. I wanted to be closer to Daniel. We’d grown apart, set our lives in a direction that would never overlap unless something changed.”

  “Do you regret leaving Cedar Rapids?”

  Elizabeth shook her head. “Apart from my work colleagues, I didn’t have any close friends. The worst part of moving here is being farther away from mom and dad.”

  Blake leaned forward. “So why do you still bottle things up?”

  “Because I’m a work in progress. I’m a flawed, totally lovable human being who still gets worried. When I first saw Anton, I felt as helpless as when my oncologist told me I had cancer. But seeing a gun pointed at Sam’s head made me angry. Anton had no right to be in the clinic, to blame me for what happened to his sister.”

  “You fought back.”

  The pride in Blake’s voice sent a rush of pleasure straight to her heart. “I did. At the time, I didn’t feel very brave. I just wanted to get everyone out of the clinic.”

  “How do you feel now?”

  Instead of focusing on her aching body, she went deeper, right to the core of who she was. She thought about Sarah and Sam, about the desperation on Anton’s face. “I feel sorry for Anton. He thinks violence is the only way to deal with what happened to his sister. He couldn’t be more wrong. Sam and Sarah were amazing. They kept their cool and didn’t panic. I feel fortunate to have them in my life. And apart from being incredibly sore, I feel awesome.”

  “Did you feel awesome when you came into the kitchen?”

  “No. Is this where you tell me ‘I told you so’?”

  Blake smiled. “Could be.”

  Elizabeth held Blake’s hand. “If I weren’t so sore, I’d kiss your cheek. Thank you for reminding me of what’s important.”

  He leaned over and gently kissed her cheek. “That’s what friends are for. Are you ready for some pain relief?”

  Elizabeth nodded. If the pills were as strong as the ones she’d taken in the hospital, she’d be feeling even better in half an hour.

  On Monday morning, Blake walked down the hallway and opened the door to the garage. The sweet smell of lavender wafted across the room.

  Elizabeth had spent most of yesterday making soap. He’d helped to wrap some of them with twine and sprigs of dry lavender. Even though he’d never done anything like that before, he was impressed with how they’d turned out.

  “I thought I’d find you here.”

  Elizabeth looked up from the workbench. “I’ve nearly finished the order.”

  At least thirty bars of soap were sitting in molds, waiting to dry. “That’s great. When did you start this batch?”

  “At five o’clock this morning. I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Do you need more pain relief?”

  “Not at the moment.”

  He could guess why she wasn’t sleeping. Even with the pills the doctor prescribed, it must be uncomfortable doing everyday things. And lying in bed would be one of them.

  “I’m about to make breakfast. Do you want me to get you something?”

  Elizabeth wiped her hands on her apron. “I can make myself something. It’s time I had a break, anyway.”

  When she turned toward him, Blake bit back a sigh. The bruising on her face was worse than yesterday. The red welt had slowly turned purple and now was an inky black. “The swelling seems to have gone down.”

  Elizabeth lifted her hand to her face. “My skin doesn’t feel so tight. It’s a pity about the bruising. Even a pair of sunglasses won’t hide what’s happened.”

  “Are you still going into town to meet Paul?”

  “We’ve postponed our usual catch up time. He has an appointment with another client.” Elizabeth walked into the kitchen. “Besides, I look like I’ve been run over by a bus.”

  “True.” He grinned.

  Elizabeth swatted his arm. “The bruising will be gone in a few days.”

  “And then there’ll be no stopping you.”

  “I hope so.” She poured her homemade granola into a bowl. “At least I can eat crunchy things again. I needed a change from my smoothies. Do you want some?”

  He nodded and took the container Elizabeth handed to him. If she ever went out of the soap-making business, she could start selling her granola. It was the best Blake had ever tasted. “What else are you doing today?”

  “I was supposed to meet the chairperson of the Chamber of Commerce, but I’ll postpone the meeting. My face might be too much of a distraction. Other than that, I’ll be working on my marketing plan.”

  “Will you be all right on your own?”

  Elizabeth frowned. “Of course, I’ll be all right. Besides, Sam is taking the day off work. She’s coming for lunch.”

  “How are her ribs?”

  “Sore. She’s just grateful they aren’t broken.” Elizabeth left a carton of milk beside her bowl. “I’ve been thinking about the money from your grandmother’s foundation.”

  Blake picked up the milk. “What have you decided?” He tried to keep his voice steady, to hide how much her decision meant to him. Apart from knowing the clinic would make a huge difference in the community, he really wanted to help make Elizabeth’s dreams come true.

  “I’m going to write to the foundation and thank them for their donation.”

  “You’re keeping the money?”

  Elizabeth nodded. “You reminded me that I was slipping into old habits. Accepting help from you isn’t a bad thing, as long as it doesn’t happen all the time.”

  A smile spread across Blake’s face. “I’ll remember that. Does Paul know?”

  “I texted him last night. He’s going to rework the project plan and talk to me tomorrow.”

  Blake started eating. If he didn’t do something with his hands he would be tempted to hug Elizabeth. Just knowing that she was accepting the money made him happy. Happier than he’d been in a long time.

  Elizabeth dipped her spoon into her bowl. “You know, it’s just as well you broke my heart when I was younger.”

  He nearly choked on his cereal. “Why is that?”

  “Because I’d be tempted to date you instead of the handsome lawyer your Crazy Love app matched me with.”

  Blake’s happiness quota took a sudden nosedive. “You’re still going to call him?”

  “Not now. But I will when my bruises disappear.”

  And that, thought Blake, was almost the worst thing she could have told him.

  Chapter 13

  Elizabeth wrapped another bar of soap. “I’m not going with you.” For the last hour, Blake had been trying to convince her to go to Manhattan with him.

  “It’s only for three days, a little longer if you count the time it takes to get there.”

  “It’s five days away from Bozeman. I’ve got meetings with Paul, more funding applications to fill out, and another order for more soap. Besides, wh
o’s going to look after your kittens?”

  Blake crossed his arm in front of his chest. “The animal shelter recommended a bed and breakfast for cats. It’s called Faithful Companions.”

  Elizabeth’s eyebrows rose. “Are you joking?”

  “Do I look as though I’m joking,” Blake growled. “The cats will be fine. It’s you I’m worried about. I don’t like the idea of you staying here on your own.”

  “I almost won’t be on my own. Sarah and Sam are almost around the corner and Daniel can be here in thirty minutes. If anything happens, I’ll call 9-1-1 and barricade myself inside your house.”

  “That’s not the point.”

  Elizabeth placed an empty mold beside the sink. “What is your point? Because for the life of me, I can’t work out why you’re so worried.”

  “Anton is in jail, but we don’t know if he was working alone. For all we know, there could be another person waiting to hurt you.”

  “If there is, they’re keeping awfully quiet.”

  “It’s only been a few days since Anton was arrested. Anything could happen.” Blake leaned against the workbench. “Come with me. If you don’t want to visit the tourist hot spots, you could stay in my apartment and make your organic soaps.”

  “I can do that from here.” She pulled another set of molds toward her. After nearly two days of drying, the soaps were ready. It was just as well she wasn’t working at the Family Center or she wouldn’t be able to keep up with demand.

  Blake picked up one of the soaps and tied twine around the center.

  Elizabeth watched him add a sprig of lavender. He was really good at packaging the soaps, but she wasn’t in the mood to tell him.

  He placed the finished soap with the others. “Have the police in Cedar Rapids been in contact with you?”

  “My friend called last night.”

  “And?”

  She didn’t want to tell Blake what Andrew had said. It would only make him more serious about taking her with him. “It was just a catch-up call.”

  “Really? You do know that the bruising on your face is now black? When you tell a fib, your cheeks turn red.”

  Elizabeth touched her face. “They do not.”

  “What did Andrew say?”

  She popped a soap out of its mold. “He said to be careful. Anton’s family might visit Bozeman.”

  “I rest my case.”

  “That’s what I’m supposed to say.”

  “It’s not funny. Someone could hurt you.”

  Elizabeth sighed. “Quit worrying about me. I can look after myself.”

  Blake muttered something under his breath.

  “I’m not going to New York looking like I’ve been beaten up. And even if I did go, I wouldn’t sit inside your apartment all day.”

  Blake handed her two more soaps. “You can’t stay here on your own. You have two choices. You can either stay with Daniel or I don’t go to Manhattan.”

  “But you’re meeting your staff and clients.”

  “I’ll set up conference calls and talk to everyone over the Internet.”

  Elizabeth knew that wasn’t as good as being there in person. “I’ll stay with Daniel. I’ll even take the kittens with me.”

  “Good.”

  She waited for Blake to say something else. When he picked up another soap, she frowned. “Is there anything else you wanted to say?”

  “I’ll miss your granola.”

  She looked into his eyes and smiled. “I’ll bake a fresh batch so you can take it to Manhattan.”

  Blake leaned forward and wrapped a strand of hair around her ear. “What would I do without you?”

  “Live off Mr. Campbell’s soup, white bread, and takeout?”

  “You know me too well.”

  She looked into Blake’s eyes and sighed. Maybe too well.

  Elizabeth added another pumpkin to the coffee table.

  “Nice.” Sarah stood beside her holding two tablecloths. “Blake won’t recognize the house when he gets home.”

  “That’s what I’m hoping. I can’t believe it’s nearly Thanksgiving and he didn’t have one decoration anywhere.”

  “It’s been a busy few months. He moved to Bozeman, bought a house, remodeled a building and brought his app team here. And then he became a daddy to three adorable kittens and got you as a roommate.”

  Elizabeth sighed. “What can I say? He’s an overachiever.”

  “He’s also over-the-top gorgeous. I don’t know why you haven’t marched him down the aisle.”

  “It’s not as simple as that. He’s my brother’s best friend.”

  Sarah frowned. “I wouldn’t worry about that. You want the whole white picket fence, happy ever after life. You would be perfect together.”

  “I’m not looking for perfect. Anyway, I have a potential date.”

  “From the Crazy Love app?”

  Elizabeth nodded.

  “Have you called him?”

  She picked up a basket of wheat and dried grasses. “Not yet. I look like I’ve fallen down six flights of stairs. If I have coffee with him now, he’ll think there’s something wrong with me.”

  “Or that you’re incredibly brave. Not many people would throw themselves toward a gun.”

  “They would if it meant the difference between living and dying.”

  “Maybe.” Sarah held the tablecloths toward Elizabeth. “What color do you want on the dining table? Orange or green?”

  “Green. It will look great with my centerpiece. What about you? You haven’t mentioned dating anyone in ages.”

  “That’s because I haven’t dated anyone. Mom still needs lots of help.”

  Elizabeth gave her friend a big hug. Sarah’s mom had a stroke a few months ago. “Is she able to walk on her own?”

  “As long as she’s got her walker, she can manage short distances. But it’s little things like turning the page in a book or not being able to laugh at a funny movie that frustrates her.”

  “What have the doctors said?”

  Sarah picked up a box of painted candleholders. “They’re still hopeful that she’ll regain more mobility. Her speech is definitely better.”

  “That’s great. Are the ladies from your church still helping?”

  “They are. I don’t know what we’d do without them. Every two hours, someone arrives to look after mom while I’m at work. I couldn’t be here now if they weren’t so wonderful.”

  Elizabeth walked into the dining area. “They’re wonderful because they know how difficult it must be. Have you decorated your mom’s house?”

  “If stringing pumpkin shaped lights in the front window counts, then yes, we’re ready for Thanksgiving.”

  “We can do better than that. I’ve got enough pumpkins and wheat to decorate a barn. How about we drive to your house after we’ve finished here and share the festive spirit?”

  Sarah smiled. “Mom would enjoy that.”

  “Good. I’ve even got some apple-butternut squash soup that I can take with us.”

  “I thought you made that for your Thanksgiving dinner at Daniel’s house?”

  “I did, but I can make another batch.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Elizabeth smiled. “Of course, I’m sure.” Her smile grew wider as she looked around the open-plan living area. “Look at what we’ve done.”

  Sarah carefully placed the box of candleholders on a dresser. “It’s beautiful. If this doesn’t impress Blake, nothing will.”

  “I don’t need to impress him.”

  “I know you don’t. Each time he looks at you there are sparks in the air.”

  Elizabeth took the green tablecloth out of Sarah’s hand. “If you’ve seen sparks they’re from static electricity.”

  “What about tingles that make you breathless?”

  “Nope. None of those, either.” Elizabeth hoped her cheeks weren’t as red as she thought they were.

  Sarah’s shoulders sagged forward. “The chance of me wearing a
peach bridesmaid’s dress is getting even more remote. At least let me dream for a little longer.”

  “I’ll do better than that,” Elizabeth said with a smile. “Wait here. I’ll be back in a couple of minutes.”

  While Sarah unpacked the rest of the box, Elizabeth ran to her bedroom. Tucked in the back of her closet was a suitcase she hadn’t opened in ages. She pulled out her surprise and rushed back into the dining area.

  “Close your eyes.”

  Sarah sighed. “If he’s tall, blue-eyed, bronzed, and gorgeous, I’ll take him.”

  “My magic wand doesn’t work that well, but I’ve got something else you’ll like.” Elizabeth placed a tiara on Sarah’s head. “They’re not real diamonds, but it’s the other half of the bridesmaid’s outfit you wanted.”

  Sarah stood in front of the mirrors and smiled. “You remembered that I wanted something sparkly in my hair. It’s lovely.”

  “It’s yours to keep. If you don’t wear it to my wedding, it might come in handy for yours.”

  “It will be covered in cobwebs by the time I need it. But I could leave it on my dresser. Maybe it will bring me good luck.”

  “Or the tall, gorgeous man you’re looking for.”

  Sarah sighed. “If only.” She looked around the room and smiled. “But in the meantime, we still have to finish Blake’s house. Are you ready to sprinkle a little more magic in the dining area?”

  Elizabeth flicked open the tablecloth. “Ready and willing.”

  Blake threw his suitcase into the back of his truck. Elizabeth didn’t know he was arriving home a day earlier, but he wasn’t about to miss his first Thanksgiving in Bozeman.

  While he’d been flying to New York City, he’d streamlined his meetings. Any discussions that could be done over the Internet were postponed and the rest reshuffled to make them more productive.

  He’d spent less time in his office than he wanted, but it didn’t matter. In a couple of weeks he’d do the same thing again, only stay for the whole week.

  He pulled out of the parking lot and headed toward home. It still felt strange knowing he owned a house, a parcel of land he could call his own. None of the apartments he’d owned gave him the same sense of permanency, the same feeling of warmth when he walked through the front door.