The Long Road to Love

by Mary Crawford

  Suddenly, I’m aware of the stillness that has overtaken the room. Everyone is watching Nancy intently. As I look around the room, I notice Mark and Casey exchanging amused looks. I freeze in place waiting for something to happen because I’m not sure what’s going on. Finally, Nancy voices her concerns. “What are you doing, Rex?”

  I look down at the dishes in front of me. “Getting ready to help you do the dishes,” I reply, as I resume gathering plates.

  A look of shock mixed with amazement and horror crosses Nancy’s face. “But … but it’s woman’s work,” she stammers.

  I grin. “Not in my world. I was washing dishes beside my mama as soon as I was tall enough to stand on a chair. My mama would skin me alive if she heard me tell a woman it was her job to wash dishes. In our house, when we ate, everybody washed dishes.”

  Nancy’s eyes widen. “It doesn’t make you mad?”

  “No, why would it? I like to eat. That means I gotta fix my food and clean up afterwards. Just for the record, I wash my own clothes too.”

  Savannah can’t hold back her laughter anymore. “See Mom? We told you Dad and Reverend Pratchett were crazier than loons. There were no prophecies involved in their teachings. They were simply lazy. There are good men everywhere who don’t mind pulling their own weight. They don’t make a habit of belittling the women in their lives. It sounds like we’ve found three of the best. Why don’t we retire to the living room and let them clean up this mess while I tell you about what I’ve been doing in California, and you can catch me up on what’s been happening at the shop?”

  Nancy is quiet for a few moments before she responds to Savannah’s suggestion. “In a minute — but I need to say something to Rex first.” She turns to me and urges me to sit back down. “I’ve been totally unfair to you. I’m sorry. I guess I’m not finding it as easy to be unmarried as I thought it would be. George has been in my life since we were teenagers. I underestimated how much of me he changed. I thought I was finding myself again — you know, the me who I was before him. I’m afraid there’s not much of the original Nancy left. If you’ll be patient with me, I’d like to try to find the fiercely independent, confident woman I once was.”

  I reach out and grasp her hands. “Nancy, not a single thing in my life has ever turned out the way I expected it to. Eventually, I just learned to let go and embrace the journey. I’d like to go on that journey with you.”

  “Really? I’m not sure we’ll always make progress,” she cautions.

  “That’s okay. Half the fun is forging a whole new path when the one you thought you were going to take is blocked. How do you feel about starting tomorrow? I have the day off. Have you ever ridden a motorcycle?”

  Nancy’s eyes widen, and I can see the pulse race at her temple.

  “No, but I’ve always wanted to,” she responds with a spark of interest in her eyes.

  “Perfect! I love making dreams come true.”

  CHAPTER NINE

  NANCY

  “OKAY, YOU CAN TURN around now,” Jade says as she zips up the jacket.

  I pivot around and look at myself in the full-length mirror. My jaw drops open in shock. I can’t believe the image staring back at me. Jade has decked me out in black leather with bright blue accents. Even my pants are leather. I look like a cover model for a biker magazine. Reverend Pratchett would definitely not approve of this look.

  “I can’t believe you just had this stuff lying around,” I comment as I twirl in front of the mirror again. “Are you sure these pants aren’t too tight?”

  Jade shakes her head. “I’ve been riding forever. I’ve got riding gear in tons of sizes. They are supposed to be snug. They are not too tight. They look perfect. Just because you like to dress in baggy clothes does not mean you don’t have a nice figure under all those layers. You look phenomenal. Do you want me to take you out on the back of my bike, so you can get a feel for it before you go out with Rex?”

  “No thanks. Ketki bookmarked a few videos on YouTube for me and I studied them last night. I think I understand the basic concept. Besides, it will give me a fantastic excuse to hold on tight.”

  “That’s my girl!” Jade exclaims as she laughs out loud. “You guys have fun. Remember to lean when he leans.”

  “That actually sounds like solid dating advice too.”

  Jade brushes her fingers over her wedding ring. “You’re right — it is. You have to work together to navigate the tough stuff or you’ll crash and burn.”

  I heave a heavy sigh. “I wish I could’ve done that with George. But it’s hard to support someone who doesn’t even see you as a real person.”

  Jade stands up, walks over and gives me a hug. “Oh Nancy, I didn’t mean it like that. You can’t be expected to support someone like George. He had no idea what it meant to be a true partner. I know it won’t be like that with Rex. He has been around my family for almost as long as I can remember. He knows what it’s like to be a true friend in good times and in bad. He’ll have your back always. You can count on him.”

  I shoot her a wry grin. “I hope so. I’m about to get on a fancy bicycle with him and hurl down the highway at ungodly speeds.”

  Jade smirks at me. “I have a hunch about you. I think you have a hidden wild side and as soon as you get the hang of riding, you’ll be as addicted as the rest of us.”

  “I don’t know if I’d go quite that far yet. I just hope I survive my first date,” I reply as I check my lipstick one last time.

  My nerves are shot. I can’t calmly wait in the house so I’m pacing the width of my porch as I wait for Rex to arrive. I cannot believe I’m going on a date at my age. My oldest daughter is nearly forty. I must be crazy. What does a successful man like Rex want with a woman like me anyway? Even though I’ve been reintegrating myself into regular society for a few years now after having wandered around the country like a homeless nomad for decades, most days I still feel inadequate to cope with life. I’m not sure what makes me think I’m ready to make a leap quite this large. Without my friends around to cheer me on, this move seems way beyond my grasp.

  Just as I’m ready to chicken out and send Rex a message politely begging off, I hear his motorcycle roaring up the street. The urge to flee is strong. Then I remember I’m done running. I’ve been there, done that — and I’m tired. I lost an incalculable amount of my dignity, self-respect and sense of who I am the last time someone convinced me to run. I’m not about to make those same mistakes again simply because I’m afraid. I try to remember the breathing techniques Diamond and I learned in the yoga class we took.

  I breathe deeply and let it out. Gathering my nerve, I watch as Rex pulls up in my driveway on his chopper. He is so strikingly handsome he reminds me of the cowboys in the Westerns my mom used to watch when I was growing up.

  Almost without conscious thought I rush off the porch to greet him. When he sees me, a slow grin of appreciation crosses his lips. “I can see you are ready for this adventure. You look stunning. I would be happy to have you on my bike any day of the week.”

  Rex puts his bike kickstand down and gets off. He reaches out and cups the side of my face as he pulls me closer. “I was going to wait a little longer to do this, but I’ve thought of little else since the night I got your Christmas message.”

  The heat in his eyes makes my heart beat faster. “Thinking about what?” I ask breathlessly.

  “This —” Rex says as he leans down and brushes a kiss across my lips.

  It’s been so long since I’ve felt the loving touch of another, my body doesn’t quite know how to react. At first, I freeze. I attempt to relax into his touch and cuddle closer into his chest.

  “Mmm … Good morning to you too,” I murmur. “I could get used to greetings like that.”

  Rex grins. “You can tell me that all day, every day. I’d be happy to oblige.”

  I feel my face grow hot. “Um … let’s see how today goes first, okay? It’s my first date since high school. I’m a little nervous a
nd I’ll probably say a bunch of stuff I probably shouldn’t.”

  “Relax Nancy. I’m hardly in a position to judge. I go out on a lot of dates only because I’m expected to — you know, silver fox, eligible bachelor and all. But, you’re the first person I’ve dated who has mattered in a very long time. So, I’m just as nervous as you are.”

  “Why aren’t you married with a couple of kids? What’s wrong with you?” I blurt before I remember to phrase my question like a lady.

  The corner of Rex’s mouth quirks up. “Oh, I’m sure there’s plenty wrong with me. But I don’t know how much of that is the reason behind my marital status. Remember when I told you nothing much in my life goes according to plan? It’s especially true when it comes to relationships. I had planned to be married a long time ago. Unfortunately, the Oklahoma City bombing blew those plans to smithereens.”

  “What do you mean? Was your girlfriend one of the victims?”

  Rex nods. “In a roundabout way — Kelly Anne was a CNA who was training to be a nurse. During all the chaos of the bombing, she was pressed into service trying to save all the victims. She just wouldn’t quit working. She worked around the clock for weeks. She felt guilty every time she lost a patient. Eventually, the fatigue and the sense of helplessness got to her, and she committed suicide.”

  As his words sink in, I draw in a deep breath. “Oh, Rex — I’m so sorry. I don’t even know how you recover from something like that.”

  “I don’t know either. For a long time, I blamed myself. I asked myself questions — like why didn’t I see it coming and demand she get help?” Rex swallows hard and rests his chin on the top of my head as he hugs me.

  “Finally, I realized even Kelly Anne, who had medical training, couldn’t recognize the risk her illness posed. It took me a long time to forgive both of us. By the time I finally got around to doing that, there wasn’t anyone special in my life until you.”

  I lift my head up and kiss the underside of his jaw. “I’m sorry we both had to go through so much pain to get to this point.”

  Rex returns my kiss. As he pulls away, he says, “Me too. What do you say we trade our painful pasts in for a little time on the open road? I think it’s time we left our pain in the rear-view mirror. There is a long road to love. I’m excited to go on this journey with you.”

  “That’s the best idea I’ve heard all day,” I respond.

  Rex helps me onto the bike and as he releases the kickstand and pulls out of the driveway, he turns his head and says, “Whatever you do, lean with me.”

  I rest my cheek against his warm, strong back as I smile. “That was always the plan.”

  EPILOGUE

  REX

  I TUCK A HIBISCUS flower behind Nancy’s left ear and kiss her tenderly. “Are you sure everyone will be okay with this?” I ask as I look at her exquisite pearl ring.

  Nancy giggles. “It’s too late now. The state of Hawaii says we’re married. Personally, I think this was the perfect Valentine’s Day surprise.”

  “We’ve set the bar sky high. We’re together because of your Christmas message and then we got married on Valentine’s Day. What’s next?”

  “I don’t know. Rogue keeps teasing me about Tristan’s propensity to go to Paris on a random Tuesday. Until I met you, I never quite understood the appeal of his methods. Now that you’ve turned me into a free-spirited traveler, the idea has some merit.”

  “I can’t argue with you there, Mrs. Hudson. But I think we’ll have a few scores to settle with our family and friends first. I know Ketki was lobbying to be a full-scale bridesmaid in your wedding, instead of merely a flower girl. Lord knows what Jett and Diamond will say about the fact that we left them out of our celebration.”

  “Yeah, I know. I dread telling Savannah and Shelby. I don’t want them to get the wrong idea. It wasn’t because I didn’t want them there. It felt special with only the two of us. It’s as if we’ve shed the baggage of our pasts. As much as I love my kids, when I look at them, I see glimpses of George. I didn’t want the ghost of him to interfere with our day.”

  “I understand. I think our friends will get it too. This was just a spur of the moment decision made out of pure love. We’ve made no secret of our love for each other or our plans for forever.”

  “That’s true. I think the kids figured it out even before I did.”

  I raise my eyebrows as I smirk playfully at my wife. “But, you’ve got it all figured out now, don’t you?” I ask, tongue-in-cheek. “You do love me?”

  “More than I ever thought possible.”

  “Besides, it’s not our fault Casey had exams and Ketki, Shelby, and Mark are at a gaming convention. When everybody’s free, we’ll just have a huge party back home and everyone can witness the power of a well-written Christmas message,” I tease with a wink.

  Nancy picks up a heavy lei from a nearby table and places it around my neck. “Thank you for helping me find the real woman who was buried under a lifetime of heartache and broken dreams. I am so grateful you believed in me. I love you, Rex Hudson. I’m honored to be your wife.”

  “I love you too, Mrs. Hudson. Boy, that has a nice ring to it, doesn’t it?”

  “It is simply the best,” my wife says as we walk down the beach hand-in-hand with the sun setting behind us.

  NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

  Dear Reader,

  Thanks for giving my novella a read. If you liked reading about people who are not so stereotypical, then I've got good news…

  … there's more.

  Identity of the Heart is the first novel in the Hidden Hearts Series and it introduces the primary characters who work at Ink’d Deep.

  Ivy wanted to shake up her life and come out of her shell a little.

  But not like this.

  Online dating was supposed to be fun — not change everything you thought you knew about yourself.

  When Tristan is brought into solve a case of identity theft, he’s sure he’ll find a textbook case of cat fishing.

  What he finds isn’t like any textbook he’s ever read.

  The question is will anyone be happy he solved the mystery?

  If you love sweet romance with a hint of mystery, Identity of the Heart is for you.

  ~Mary

  Because love matters, differences don’t.

  ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

  No book ever gets written in a vacuum. I often get story ideas from conversations I’ve overheard in the grocery store or in a restaurant. In this case, the tiny nugget of the storyline about how to find love the second time around came from the inspiring story of Toni, the epically cool mom of one of my high school buddies. Congratulations on your new marriage.

  Sometimes when you write characters in a series, one of them seems to get orphaned in the middle of the book and you don’t get to tell the rest of their story. Writing a novella was the perfect opportunity to tell you Nancy’s story.

  Thank you to Justin Crawford and Kathy Faltinson for your help with proofreading, Brianna Tubbs for editing, Kathern Watts and Becca Draper-Ristanovic for beta reading, and Lacey Redding for your expert help with promotion. I couldn’t be the author I am without your help.

  A huge shout-out to my fans who continue to show they believe that because love matters, differences don't.

  RESOURCES

  If you need help immediately, call 911.

  National Domestic Violence Hotline:

  800-799-SAFE (7233) or 800-787-3224 (TDD)

  National Sexual Assault Hotline:

  1-800-656-HOPE (4673)

  Domestic Shelters.org— A tool that enables you to find a domestic violence shelter in your area by ZIP Code or address. You can search by the specific service you need. There are also informative articles about how to help someone who may be a victim of domestic violence or sexual abuse.

  RAINN (Rape, Abuse, Incest National Network) — The nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization. RAINN operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1.800.656.HOPE
and the National Sexual Assault Online Hotline at rainn.org, and publicizes the hotline’s free, confidential services; educates the public about sexual assault; and leads national efforts to prevent sexual assault, improve services to victims and ensure that rapists are brought to justice.

  When Georgia Smiled—A Foundation created by Robin McGraw to create and advance programs that help victims of domestic violence and sexual assault live healthy, safe and joy-filled lives. Initiatives include a phone app that helps create a safety plan for use in domestic violence date rape situations, education initiatives for use in high school and college settings and support programs for women.

  ABOUT THE AUTHOR

  I have been lucky enough to live my own version of a romance novel. I married the guy who kissed me at summer camp. He told me on the night we met that he was going to marry me and be the father of my children.

  Eventually, I stopped giggling when he said it, and we’ve been married for more than thirty years. We have two children. The oldest is a Doctor of Osteopathy. He is across the United States completing his residency, but when he’s done, he is going to come back to Oregon and practice Family Medicine. Our youngest son is now tackling high school and where he is an honor student. He is interested in becoming an EMT.