by Trisha Grace
He bent down and kissed her, softly and tenderly.
“But—” she said as she broke from the kiss.
“No buts.”
She opened her mouth to speak but decided against it. She nodded and was turning to leave when Tyler took her hand.
“Help me unpack.”
She pursed her lips. She did have some work to complete.
“Please.”
Narrowing her eyes at Tyler, she studied him for a moment. “Why?”
“I’m afraid that you’ll go back to your room and start getting worried again.”
She gave him a lopsided smile. He was right; she probably would. So she stayed and helped him with the packing.
They went through his parents’ belongings, looking at all the things they used to own.
Tyler flipped through the old records and pointed out those that his parents used to play. “They used to love this song.”
She leaned over to have a look. “Dream a little dream of me,” she muttered. The same song she’d heard that night when she saw the couple dancing away.
Then, it hit her.
She got up and headed to the study.
“What’s wrong?” Tyler asked as he followed.
“I just want to check something.” She went over to the mahogany desk and pulled out the lowest drawer, taking out a photo frame.
Standing side by side, Tyler’s parents grinned at the camera with their hands intertwined. His mother wore a green sleeveless dress while his father wore a gray button-down shirt.
“What?”
“They were the couple I saw,” she said, feeling the goosebumps on her arms.
Tyler took the photo frame from her hand and pushed her fringe behind her ear. “You probably saw this picture before; you were probably half asleep.”
That was true.
“Yeah.” But it seemed too much of a coincidence. Shaking the thoughts from her mind, she continued. “You’re right. I’m thinking too much. This is a nice picture; we should put in into an album or something.”
He nodded, placing the frame down on the table. “Later. Let’s pack up the attic first.”
She glanced over at the picture again before leaving the study. “Yeah, let’s pack up the attic.”
By the end of the day, they had his parents’ belongings sorted.
He was only keeping the valuables and the photos; the rest would be thrown or donated.
She knew how difficult it was to part with some of the things.
The last book his mother was reading with the bookmark still within. The blueprint of an unbuilt playground with his father’s notes scrawled all over it.
Her heart ached to see those items, and she couldn’t imagine how Tyler must have felt. But he didn’t appear upset. He went through the items, smiling as he placed them into the respective piles.
“Are you all right?” Tyler asked as she skimmed her hand over the boxes.
“I should be the one asking you that question.”
“I am.” He pulled her into his arms, giving her a kiss on her forehead. “Stop worrying about me,” he said and gave her a light tap on her nose. “I’ll take the boxes out.”
Evelyn arrived while Tyler was moving the boxes.
It was still too early for dinner; Evelyn probably just wanted to get more details out of her. While Dan sat watching television downstairs, Evelyn and Kate went to her room to chat.
“So, tell me everything,” Evelyn asked as she closed the door behind her.
And Kate did. She told her everything, from what happened at the shed to the talk she had with Tyler.
“And now? What do you think now?” Evelyn asked.
“When he’s around me, when he tells me that he’s willing to risk it all …”
“But?”
“But when I’m here, sitting and thinking about things, I can’t help worrying.”
“Because that’s who you are, you worry. You have to make sure that everything will be perfect for everyone before you can feel good.”
“That isn’t true.”
Evelyn rolled her eyes. “I don’t believe in love or relationships, but I must say this is different. Everyone around here keeps saying he’s like another person when he’s with you. But it isn’t just him. You are another person when you’re with him. I’ve never seen you like that around another guy.”
She stared blankly at Evelyn.
“You’re always so independent. If the situation of your injured leg happened while you were with Benjamin, you would’ve thrown him out if he had tried to interfere with your work. This is the first time I’ve seen you let someone take care of you.”
“But we’ve only known each other for three months. What if one month down the road he realizes that he’d jumped into things too quickly? What if reality sets in and he realizes this is a mistake?”
“Do you think it’s a mistake?”
“No.”
Evelyn’s head bobbed up and down. “You know, the events leading up to you staying here at the mansion is uncanny. It seems like fate.”
“Fate?”
“You don’t believe in fate?”
“I don’t believe that Evelyn Jordan is telling me about fate.”
“Just say yes when he asks you to marry him.”
“What?”
Evelyn sighed. “I guess the people involved never see things the way they truly are. What I’ve heard from this whole conversation is your fear that he’ll wake up and realize that he’s made a mistake with you. I’m telling you now that your fear is stupid.”
Kate narrowed her eyes.
“Kate, the way he looked at you on the first night I was here. That was the first time in my life, that for a moment, I wished someone would look at me like that. Nothing in this world can make him regret kissing you; nothing in this world can change his feelings for you. Stop worrying.”
“That’s a long speech from someone who doesn’t believe in love.”
“I believe it for you.” Evelyn raised her index finger when Kate was about to speak. “Don’t start trying to convince me that it’s for me, too.”
That night, the guys cheered when Tyler walked in with his hands intertwined with Kate’s. The news had clearly been disseminated even before they got to the kitchen.
Evelyn, being her usual self, warned Tyler that if he ever hurt Kate, she’d still hunt him down.
Even Mr. Sawyer was all smiles, congratulating the both of them.
Only one person remained silent throughout it all: Joanne.
Evelyn had told her about the conversation Joanne had with Tyler. Joanne must’ve expected to see a disgruntled Tyler or even a fight between them.
“So what has she been doing all these afternoons?”
“She was here, preparing his birthday present,” Ryan answered.
“Some touching up of drawings in a shed that Ty will never take us to,” Joseph added, and Dan laughed in agreement.
“You all knew?” Joanne asked.
“Since you’ve already gotten your first present, we can reveal ours,” Joseph said, ignoring Joanne.
“Yeah.” Ryan made the drum rolls and Joseph gave Dan the honor of announcing it.
“On your birthday weekend, we’re all going to North Carolina! You can bring Kate to the cabin, and the rest of us can just stay at the ranch to give you two some privacy.”
“I thought you guys were giving him a watch?”
“I lied,” Evelyn answered. “I’m going, too. Dan says he’ll teach me how to ride.”
Ryan gave a booming laughter. “Are you sure, Dan? You aren’t Ty; you haven’t been on a horse for a while.”
“It’s like riding a bicycle; you won’t forget,” Dan countered.
“Everyone can stay at the cabin,” Tyler stated.
The entire hullabaloo instantly ceased, and everyone turned to stare at Tyler. Kate beamed at him and leaned onto his shoulder.
“Are you sure?” Joseph asked.
“
Yeah. Marianne, are you coming?” he asked as he pulled Kate’s chair closer to him, hanging his arm over her chair.
“Of course. If I’m invited, that is.”
“Of course you are. We won’t go anywhere without you,” Ryan said. “And you too, Mr. Sawyer.”
Mr. Sawyer smiled back politely. “Well, thank you. I’d love to join all of you.”
Kate couldn’t help but notice that Joanne hadn’t said anything, and she didn’t dare to ask if Joanne wanted to go. She seemed to be the last person Joanne wanted to see.
Thankfully, Evelyn seemed to have read her mind.
“Joanne, do you want to come along? It’s over the weekend, so you won’t have to work anyway.”
“It’s all right. I’d rather not.”
Soon after, Joanne said she was tired and left without even finishing up her dinner. Moments after she left, Kate stood and went after her.
Tyler grabbed Kate’s wrist, stopping her right by the chair. “Don’t. Just let her be.”
“I’ll be right back.” She gave him a peck on his hair and hurried after Joanne, catching up with her by the car. “Joanne.”
“What?”
“I’m sorry.”
“Really? If you’re really sorry, then return Ty to me.”
“He was never yours in the first place. And even if he were, I’m sorry, but I won’t—I can’t,” she replied.
Joanne rolled her eyes and opened the door.
“Look, the first time we were at my house, he asked me if I was happy. I couldn’t give him an outright answer. I think I’ve done quite well in life, but I couldn’t give him an answer. I have the answer now. I’m really happy, and for that, I’m selfish enough to hang on to it. And I think I make him really happy, too.”
“The two of you have only known each other for a few months, do you actually think you’ll last? What’s his favorite food? What’s his favorite color?”
“I don’t know. But I know that he loves the sunrise more than the sunset. I know we both love crime novels. I know he doesn’t like animals, except horses, because he was once attacked by a bulldog while playing basketball with the rest of the guys. And when it attacked, Tyler pushed Ryan away and ended up getting bitten, which explains the scar on his right arm. I know he’s humble because he merely told me that he was bitten. Marianne filled me in on the rest. I also know that he’s determined. When his right arm got injured, he learned from scratch and trained his left arm without a word of complaint. I know he’s extremely good at figuring out games, though he may not be particularly fond of playing them. I know he’s a good dancer.”
As she rattled on, the concerns she had about them being together disappeared.
She had thought that the only thing holding them together was the mansion. That Tyler treated her differently because she knew the stories about the house and the photographs. She was afraid that once she’d told him everything, once he remembered everything about the house, then he wouldn’t need her. She was worried that once the year was up, they’d move on with their lives, and there would be nothing to keep them together.
But having said some of the things she knew about him, she realized it wasn’t the house keeping them together.
The house brought them together, but it was the things they loved, the way they could talk to each other about everything, and the way they wanted to share their happiness with each other that was keeping them together. And all that had nothing to do with the house.
“You’re the shiny new toy,” Joanne interjected to stop her from continuing with her list.
“I’m not. I’m the one person whom he wants to tell things to. I’m the one person whom he doesn’t mind touching his things without permission. I’m the one person whom he wants to protect without being asked.” She smiled, shaking her head at how the situation turned out.
She was intending to apologize and leave. But she’d stayed, and the more she spoke, the more certain she was of them.
She thought for a moment and continued. “And the one who makes me happy, the one I want to share my joy with, the one I can’t take my eyes off, the one I can’t stop thinking about, and the one I’m head over heels in love with.” She laughed at her own words, realizing how needless her worries were.
Tyler walked out from the mansion and took her hand, lifting it to his lips. “I love you.”
“And I love you, too.”
“No buts?”
“No buts.” She couldn’t stop smiling. Looking into his eyes, she could see his sincerity and heartfelt joy. His amber eyes were radiating, and the gray lines of turmoil within his eyes appeared lighter, glowing like polished silver.
They looked up when Joanne’s door slammed close and watched her drive away.
“Gosh, we were so rude,” she said, guilty for not considering Joanne’s feelings before speaking.
“Personally, I thought your speech was well said.”
“You were eavesdropping?”
“You left the door open, I just happened to hear it from where I was standing.”
She laughed and gently elbowed him in his chest. “Excuses.”
Chapter Nineteen
Kate looked out of the window on the lone, single drive up to the cabin. Treasuring their privacy appeared to be a Hayes’ family trait.
The cabin stood right at the end of a long drive, and all around was nothing but acres of trees. But the deciduous forest was magnificent in autumn. Trees in myriad colors of honey-yellow, peach-red, green, and gold stood on both sides of the road.
At the mansion, the sun helped bring out the sweet and wistful sentiment of the trees.
Here at the cabin, the trees seemed to speak of romance.
“This is so beautiful,” she said as she watched the video recording while walking toward the cabin.
“I knew you’d love it.”
She cast a quick glance over at Tyler and grinned. “I still don’t understand why we have to come a day earlier than the rest.”
“To make sure that everything is in order. I haven’t been inside for a while. I’ve asked someone to clean up the place, but I’m sure you want to take a look too, right?”
With her eyes still on the video, she laughed. “This isn’t my house, so I don’t have to worry about clean sheets and all. You could’ve just admitted that you wanted to spend some time alone with me.”
“I want to spend some time alone with you.”
“Just so happens, I don’t mind spending more time with you.” She leaned over and gave him a peck on his cheek.
“And the house is mine so it’ll be yours, too.”
“Oh, now that you’ve done packing up the attic, have you thought about what you want to turn it into?”
Tyler took her hand and asked, “What do you want it to be?”
“Me? I think it’ll be a great study, or a library, or both I guess. You can build a platform to segregate it into a mini-library and study area. It’s rather spacious.”
“It could be a room for our kid.”
She shook her head and chuckled. “You did the same thing when you were trying to get me here.”
“You’re here now so I guess it worked,” he said.
“What are we going to have for lunch?”
“I believe the fridge should be stocked. I’ll cook.”
“You know how to cook? You lived with Marianne your whole life, when would you ever need to cook?”
“When I pissed her off enough for her to ignore me for days.”
Laughing, she nodded. She understood what he was saying. When Lydia bugged their grandmother about their parents’ case, the same thing happened. Though she wasn’t the one who made her grandparents’ angry, she was made to suffer along with Lydia.
That was how she learned to cook as well, through the lack of choice and the need to feed a growling stomach. “I can’t imagine it’ll be any good, then.”
He pulled her close, draping his arm over her shoulders. “Then I hope you can sle
ep well with an empty stomach.”
She glowered at him and pushed him away, but his arm held firm, keeping her in place.
“I’m kidding. I won’t starve you. We’ll cook together. So if it’s bad, you can’t blame me.”
“You know, I could be as good a chef as Marianne is.”
“Like how you could be a martial arts expert?”
She would’ve retorted, but she finally took her eyes off him and saw the lake in front of the house. “Wow.” She continued moving toward the wooden platform leading out to the lake. At the end of it, a wooden rowboat was tied to the platform’s beam. “It’s still floating.”
From behind, Tyler wrapped his arms around her shoulders. “Of course. Let’s go put our bags and cook some lunch. If we have time, and if we didn’t burn the kitchen down, we can row the boat out.”
“Sounds great.”
Turning around, they strolled toward the two-story log home that was twice as big as Kate’s own house. Tyler took their bags from the car, and they went into the house together.
The interior of the house was made up of wood as well. The light yellow wooden planks were matched with dark brown furniture.
Privacy and simplicity. That sums up the mansion and the cabin, and she guessed whatever other properties under Tyler’s name.
Tyler stood and took in the scene.
“Is everything just as how you remembered?” Kate asked.
“Yeah,” he said with a smile. Shifting the bags into one hand, Tyler took her hand and headed up the stairs. He walked straight toward one of the rooms and placed her bag inside. “Your room.”
“I don’t get to choose?”
“This is the biggest room, and the only room with a huge bathtub.”
“Oh, but what about you? Don’t you want this room?”
“Are you inviting me to share?”
She gave him a sweet smile and blinked, then closed the door in his face.