Walking on Sunshine

by LuAnn McLane

  “I guess not,” Mattie said. “But you look pretty serious. Okay, look, I have to close up the restaurant and I’ll need dry clothes, so I’ll meet you at your place in about an hour if that’s okay.”

  Garret nodded. “Sure.” He hated the wary look on her face, but sitting here on the dock in wet clothes wasn’t where he wanted to have this conversation.

  “Oh, and I forgot to ask if you wanted to go to Shane’s for dinner tonight. Laura Lee asked me earlier, but it skipped my mind until now. She seemed to really want us to come and apologized for the late notice.”

  “We’ll see,” he said, and forced another smile.

  “Whenever my mother said we’ll see, it really meant no,” Mattie said with a small nervous-sounding laugh. She put a gentle hand on his arm. “Garret, is everything okay?”

  “Of course, love.” He stood up and offered his hand. “I’ll see you in a bit.”

  Mattie nodded but didn’t appear convinced. When she walked off he had the urge to run after her and give her a reassuring hug, but he headed over to the cabin instead.

  Garret took a hot shower and then decided he needed a stiff drink. He wondered why in the hell life had to be so damn complicated. After pouring bourbon over ice he peered down at the amber liquid and sighed.

  Needing to look out over the river, he headed out to the back deck and leaned against the railing. He gazed out over the small marina and then turned to look at Mattie’s little restaurant. She’d explained that her family had worked hard to keep the business through hard times, and Garret knew how much Mayfield Marina meant to her. She had her brothers, her friends, and the quaint town of Cricket Creek. How could she ever up and leave all that behind and go all the way to London for an extended period? Did she care for him enough to do so?

  Maybe she did.

  And maybe she would be miserable.

  Garret scrubbed a hand down his face. Did he even have the right to ask her to do such a thing? They hadn’t known each other that long. Perhaps the right thing to do would be to tell her he was going to do the show and that he would return in a few months. And he could fly back and forth now and then. She could come for a visit. But he thought about having a long-distance relationship after having her within a stone’s throw away and he knew it would be difficult at best.

  God, maybe he was all wrong for her after all and he should leave altogether and let her go back to the life she’d had before he came barging in and turned it upside down. Maybe she’d go back to wanting Colby. Had he inadvertently screwed up her life too? Did he even deserve someone as good as Mattie Mayfield?

  Garret set his glass on the railing and gripped the edge. He’d never been this torn up over anything in his life.

  “Ah, so there you are,” Mattie said.

  At the sound of her sweet voice Garret turned around, thinking she looked so pretty in a buttercup yellow sundress that showed off her light tan. She’d pulled her hair up into a French twist and she wore strappy little white sandals. “You look lovely.”

  “Why, thank you, Garret.” She spun in a circle, making the skirt billow out, and then tipped her palms forward. “Do you notice anything different about me?”

  “Your hair?”

  “Mmm, no. I’ve worn it like this before.” She raised her eyebrows and caught her bottom lip between her teeth, looking so sweet that his heart ached.

  Garret took a step closer and then noticed diamond studs glittering in her earlobes. “You got your ears pierced!”

  “I did! And it hurt so much I thought I was gonna pass out right there in the mall in front of a little girl sitting next to me who took it like a champ.”

  “I would have gone with you, love.”

  “I wanted to surprise you.”

  “Well, they’re pretty.”

  “I splurged just a little bit. Used tip money I’d stashed away.”

  “Well deserved.” Garret thought it was so commendable that she didn’t take anything for granted. “You look just smashing. I want to go out and show you off.”

  “I thought we might go over to Shane’s, so I dressed for dinner. I texted Laura Lee and said we’d let her know if we could make it, and she said no worries.”

  No worries . . . Garret blew out a sigh. He had a big worry on his mind.

  Her smile faded. “Are you going to tell me what’s going on?” She walked closer and put a hand over his. “Let’s have the chat, Garret.”

  When he nodded silently she pointed to his drink. “Do I need one of those?”

  “Maybe.” Garret handed her the glass. “Have a sip.”

  “Oh boy . . .” Mattie took a swallow and waited. She appeared so vulnerable and he hated that he had to tell her the news.

  “I’ve been offered a job as a judge on Sing for Me.”

  “The TV show?”

  “Yes.” He nodded and felt a surge of pride at the admission.

  “Oh my gosh!” Mattie’s eyebrows shot up and she immediately smiled. “That’s wonderful!” She looked up at the sky and then laughed. “And here I was thinking you had bad news . . . or you were going to break up with me.”

  “Break up with you?”

  She shrugged. “I dunno.”

  “Never, Mattie. I adore you.”

  “Well, I’m relieved. So it’s a country music version? Set in Nashville?”

  “No.” His heart pounded. “In . . . in London.”

  Her face fell. “Oh.” She licked her bottom lip. “How long would you be gone?” She kept her voice light, but he could see the sadness in her eyes.

  “Four months or so depending on several factors. I’ve only been offered one season thus far.” He gave her a small shrug.

  Mattie glanced over at the river and then back at him. After a few beats of heavy silence, she finally nodded. Her eyes were stormy, but to her credit she managed to smile. “Congratulations, Garret. Sing for Me is a huge hit. I like the American version. It’s . . . it’s quite an honor. You must be thrilled.”

  “I want you to come with me.”

  Her eyes widened. “To London?”

  “Yes, I’ll rent a flat in Notting Hill, in a beautiful old Victorian house not far from my mother. The studio will be within walking distance from where the show will be filmed. You can come and watch,” he said, and when he realized how very much he wanted her to come along, his plea started picking up steam. “We could do some other traveling during the stay as well. Mattie, I’ll take you to Paris. Dublin . . . wherever you want to go. Please, say yes.”

  “But I have the restaurant to run.” She glanced over and looked at it before turning her attention back to him. “I mean, I know it must not seem like much to you, but it means a lot to me and to the people who eat there,” she said with a slight edge of defensiveness.

  “Mattie, love, I know that. I’m not belittling the importance of your shop or what you do.”

  “I know you don’t mean to, but I think perhaps you are.”

  “I’m not in the least.” He shoved his fingers through his hair. “But . . . but could someone else run it for a bit?”

  “No. It’s my place.” She shook her head hard and he saw tears forming in her eyes.

  Garret’s heart plummeted. “I understand.”

  “How long have you known about this?”

  “A month maybe,” he answered quietly.

  “Don’t you think it would have been fair to tell me then instead of waiting until now?”

  “I wasn’t sure what I was going to do. Mattie, I’ve put the producer off for weeks and I have to finally give him an answer.” He took a step closer. “But if I’m going to lose you, I’ll turn it down.”

  “And have me live with the fact that you’ve turned down the chance of a lifetime? The recognition you’ve wanted and deserve?” Mattie shook her head slowly. “I’d never do
that in a million years.”

  “Then come with me! You’d get to see some of the world.”

  “My world is here.” She lifted her chin and Garret realized he’d offended her again. “This is my home. I can’t leave.”

  “You could. It wouldn’t be forever and it would be an adventure for you. We’d get to do so much, and although I’ll be busy I’ll also have downtime. It is a chance of a lifetime, Mattie, but it can be that chance for you too.”

  “But what if you want to stay? What if they offer you a permanent position?”

  “We don’t have to worry about that. We’ll cross that bridge if we come to it.”

  “Really? Don’t worry? Garret, I could never live so far away from my family. I know you’ve traveled and lived in different places, so this is nothing new to you.” She waved a hand in an arc. “This is the only home I’ve ever known.”

  “Will you consider it at least? Come for a while? If you hate it I’ll send you home straightaway.”

  Mattie closed her eyes and then blew out a sigh. “I was afraid that you’d find it boring in a small town.”

  “I’m not one bit bored. This offer came out of the blue. This wasn’t something that I planned.” He took a step closer. “Mattie, I would never do anything to hurt you.”

  The look she gave him was wary.

  “Wow, you don’t believe me, do you? Mattie, I’m not that guy from the tabloids.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “You didn’t have to.”

  “This took me by surprise. You’re not being fair. You should have come to me with this sooner.”

  Garret felt sadness wash over him. “You’re right and I’m sorry. I suppose I was afraid that you’d react the way you just did and I wanted to hold on to you for as long as I could. But all you have to do is say the word and I won’t go.”

  “I will never do that.”

  “And you will never go with me.”

  She nodded. “I’m sorry, Garret. I’m just a small-town girl. I would never fit into that lifestyle.”

  “Lifestyle?”

  “A big city in a foreign country.”

  “You’d be with me. And I do believe once you’re there, you’ll truly love it. There is so much to see and do and we’d do it together. It would be an adventure,” he said, but when she didn’t budge he sighed. “Okay.” He took her hands. “But the offer remains open if you want to join me. I love you, Mattie. And I hope someday you’ll realize just how much.”

  “And I love you enough to let you go. Garret, you’ve enriched my life and given me confidence. But this is only the beginning for you. London . . . and then what? I won’t hold you back, but I can’t come with you either.”

  “God, why does this feel like good-bye?” He felt panic at the thought. “I wish this offer had never come my way. Mattie, I’m going to turn it down!”

  “No . . . don’t say that. You must go. I’ll make it easier by leaving.” She went up on tiptoe and gave him a kiss and then she turned and walked away.

  Garret felt as if his heart were being ripped out of his chest. He didn’t think it was even possible to hurt this much. He pictured them walking hand in hand through the streets of London. He knew without a doubt that she’d love the beauty of Notting Hill and the vibrancy of Portobello Road, famous for its shops and fresh markets. He smiled, thinking she’d go crazy in Hummingbird Bakery, but then shook his head. She’d made her position clear and he’d respect her decision.

  Garret tossed back the rest of the bourbon and then took his cell phone out of his pocket. It was time to give Russ Randall a call.

  25

  Crazy Little Thing Called Love

  “MATTIE?” LAURA LEE CALLED. “ARE YOU HERE?”

  “In the back by the books,” Mattie shouted, and a moment later Laura Lee found her.

  “You’re reading mysteries?”

  “I’m sick of romance.”

  “You are such a liar.” Laura Lee sat down on the floor beside her and patted her leg.

  “Easy for you to say. You’re happily engaged.”

  “And you’ve been asked to go to London with a man who adores you. And here you sit for the past two weeks sad and depressed ever since he’s been gone. At least call him, Mattie.”

  “I can’t!”

  “Pardon me if I don’t feel sorry for you. You’re feeling sorry for yourself enough for both of us.”

  “We’ve gone over this a million times. I can’t leave this restaurant! Where would the breakfast crowd go? Who would cook for the fishing tournament coming up? Who would take care of the books? Order the bait? Who would—”

  “Me.”

  “What?” Mattie stopped her rant in midsentence.

  “Now that Shane fired me and has a housekeeper doing all my work, I’m bored stiff.”

  “And you’d want to get up at the ass crack of dawn and cook breakfast?”

  “I’d have Shane help me.”

  “Right . . . a famous country singer slinging hash and waiting tables. That’s funny.”

  “It is kinda funny. He’d love it.”

  “Ha, sure he would.” Mattie pretended to read the back jacket of the book, but she felt a little flash of excitement.

  “He wants to do it.”

  Mattie gave up all pretense of reading. “How do you know this?”

  “I asked him.”

  “Laura Lee!”

  “Hey, the man is at my beck and call. What can I say?” She glowed with such happiness that Mattie couldn’t be angry with her.

  “Can he even cook?”

  Laura Lee grinned. “He’s been having a ball practicing. He can flip pancakes like a pro and crack eggs with one hand. Mattie, you know the whole town will be knocking down the door when they know that Shane will be working here as a short-order cook.”

  Mattie shook her head. “And what do I pay him? And you? Minimum wage?”

  “No, we want to give to the literacy fund that you have here at the shop.”

  “And you’d do this for several months? What if Shane has commitments?”

  “Danny and Mason said they’d help out,” Laura Lee insisted. “And Bubba too.”

  “Why do I think there’s more?”

  Laura Lee pressed her lips together. “I might have talked to Miranda.”

  “Mom?”

  “Is there any other Miranda I’d tell?”

  “Oh, let me guess, she’s hoping I’ll finally get married and give her the grandchild she’s been complaining about not having?”

  “Yeah . . . ,” Laura Lee admitted with a guilty wince.

  “Oh, don’t even try to act all sorry. You’ve been plotting this behind my back!”

  “Mattie, I know this isn’t just about the restaurant or stocking bait. This is about change. Traveling across the ocean and living away from everything you’ve ever known. And about this crazy little thing called love.”

  “Yes.” Mattie closed her eyes and sighed. “I’m scared out of my skin. But I miss Garret so much I can’t even tell you.”

  “You don’t have to tell me. It’s written all over your pretty face. Mattie, I miss that bright smile of yours. You should go.”

  “Maybe he’s over me.”

  Laura Lee shook her head. “I have it on good authority that he’s miserable without you.”

  “Who?”

  “Can a girl get a cup of coffee around here?” shouted a woman with a clipped English accent.

  Laura Lee grinned. “Her.” She pushed up to her feet. “Follow me.”

  “Hello?”

  “Coming, Teresa,” Laura Lee said with a laugh. “Just hold your horses.”

  “You knew she was coming over?”

  “I decided I needed a plan B if I couldn’t convince you.”

>   Curious, Mattie followed Laura Lee to the front of the restaurant. A curly-haired woman dressed in a bright red peasant blouse and retro jeans shot Mattie a big smile.

  “Mattie, meet Teresa Bennett, receptionist and backup singer for My Way Records.”

  Teresa extended her hand. “Hello, Mattie. It’s nice to meet the girl who captured Garret’s heart.”

  Mattie shook Teresa’s hand. “You’re friends with Garret?”

  “I was in his father’s band back in the day. I’ve known Garret all his life. I’m also friends with his mum. I met Laura Lee a couple of weeks ago when a group of us from My Way Records all went to dinner at Wine and Diner.”

  “I tried to get you to go, remember?” Laura Lee said to Mattie.

  Mattie nodded.

  “But you won’t do anything but mope around,” Laura Lee added.

  “That’s why I’m here,” Teresa said, and then sat down on a round stool. “We need to have a chat.”

  Mattie went around the counter and poured three cups of coffee and then rested one hip against the counter. “Okay, Teresa, I’m all ears.”

  “Well, darling, it’s quite simple really. Garret is utterly miserable without you.” She glanced at Laura Lee. “And I’m told that you’re miserable without him too.”

  Mattie shook her head and looked down at her coffee mug. “It’s not that simple.”

  “Oh, but it is. You need to be together.” She shrugged and took a sip of her coffee.

  “She’s right,” Laura Lee said quietly.

  “Would you two quit staring at me?”

  They both answered with shakes of their heads.

  “I’ve booked you a flight,” Teresa finally announced in a matter-of-fact tone. “Laura Lee gave me all your personal information.”

  “What?” Mattie stood up straight. Her heart thudded.

  “You leave tomorrow morning,” Teresa said. “So you’d best start packing.”

  Mattie opened her mouth to protest but then snapped it shut. They were right and it was pointless to argue.

  Teresa reached down and pulled a packet out of a tote bag. “This has everything you’ll need. Addresses, instructions. Read it over and if you have any questions let me know.” She placed the packet on the counter and Mattie looked at it, knowing that her future was in that envelope.