Come to Me Free

by Leah Atwood

  “Have fun, I’ll see you tonight.” Dani returned to the kitchen, preparing the last order of the day.

  Historically, Christmas Eve was a slow day, but today broke that trend, especially in the last hour before the scheduled early close. When she realized she wouldn’t have time to run home and change before the service as she’d expected, she’d called Gina, begging a favor and asked her to bring a change of clothes. Thank goodness she’d hidden a spare key in a planter.

  When the last customer was gone, she helped clean up so everyone could leave as soon as possible. After shooing Mindy out, she was finally alone with room to breathe. The smell of food clung to her. She went to the large industrial sink and used hand soap to clean her arms and face. Back in her office, she changed out of her soiled clothes and slipped into the red dress she’d bought with Christmas in mind.

  Once dressed, she pulled out the bottle of dry shampoo she kept in her desk for occasions like these. She pulled her hair free from its ponytail, spritzed the shampoo on and rubbed her locks thoroughly. Her hair had been pulled back too long for it to lay right, so she twisted it into a quick up-do and secured it with a clip. Holding up a compact mirror, she looked at her reflection and shook her head. That will have to do for now.

  Someone tapped on the office door. “Knock, knock.”

  All breathing stopped when she heard the familiar voice. She looked up. “Rob.”

  He smiled and jerked his head toward the main door. “You really should keep the back door locked when you’re here alone.”

  Overcoming her shock at seeing him, she stood in slow motion. Returning his smile, she walked to him at a languid pace. “I don’t think so. You never know when a handsome stranger might drop in and sweep you off your feet.”

  “I might not be a stranger…” He took the final step for them to meet. “…but I’ll gladly sweep you off our feet.”

  Before she realized what he was doing, he’d picked her up and spun her around in a circle. She squealed and laughed until he set her down. Standing back, she took in the sight of him. And he looked good. Uncharacteristically dressed up, he wore black dress pants and a charcoal gray button down shirt. His jaw and chin sported a few days' growth of neatly trimmed facial hair.

  “What are you doing here? I thought you were spending Christmas in California?” In her excitement to see him, the words poured out on top of each other.

  “I’d planned on it.” He took hold of her hand. “I’m glad I went to see my family. You were right that I needed to go back, and I’ll be visiting more frequently from now on, but while I was there, one thing became increasingly clear.”

  Her breath hitched again, anticipating what he’d say. “Which is?”

  “Home isn’t in California, or even Nashville. It’s with you, wherever you are.” Raking his free hand through his hair, he took a deep breath. “Gram and I talked and worked out some arrangements.”

  “There you and Gram go again, making plans without me.” Her voice was airy.

  “I wanted to surprise you. I had this big elaborate plan worked out for tonight.” He looked flustered, his unruffled demeanor lost.

  “Plan for what?”

  “This.” He dropped to one knee.

  Tingles shot down her spine. She backed up a step, leaning against a chair for support. Her attention fixated wholly on him.

  “I love you, Dani. For too long, I shoved aside feelings and life, but you brought me back to the living. I know our schedules and lives will be hectic, but I love you and want to spend my life with you. Will you marry me?”

  “Yes.” She sank to her knees in front of him. He pulled a ring from his pocket and slipped it onto her finger. Wiping away a tear of joy, she looked at it—a flawless, round cut diamond solitaire. “It’s beautiful.”

  “You outshine it.” His Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed. “I love you, Dani. So much that it hurt being away from you.”

  “I love you, too. The second I heard your voice and looked up to see you standing at the door, I felt complete for the first time in weeks.” They switched from kneeling, to sitting. She didn’t care that they sat on carpet that needed a good vacuuming.

  “There are still times I’ll have to go to Nashville, especially over the next year until I finish with the band, and then the final tour next summer.” He held her hand, circling the engagement ring with his thumb. “If you are okay with the plan, I’m going to move in with Gram until you and I marry. She’s lonely, and the house is too big for her to maintain upkeep all on her own, so I’ll help her out while I’m here.”

  “So you’ll live in Oden Bridge, except when work calls you away?” It was too good to be true.

  “Yes.”

  Her cheeks ached from her broad smile. “I think I could get used to these plans you and Gram devise.”

  He threw his head back, laughing. “If you only knew. Did you know her trip to Nashville was a contrived plan between her and Bryce to get us together? She slipped and mentioned it the other day.”

  “No, but thinking back it puts things in perspective.” She grinned. “Too bad the joke was on them.”

  His laughter stopped, and he sobered. “I really did have a fancy proposal all mapped out. One day you’re going to tell our kids what an unromantic man their father is.”

  Brushing her fingertips against his cheek, she shook her head. “No. I’m going to tell them their daddy was so in love with their mama, he couldn’t wait another minute to propose.”

  He pressed a kiss against her forehead. “It’d be the truth.”

  Epilogue

  March roared in like a lion, and Dani feared she’d made a mistake in not setting a later date for the wedding. Ten days of heavy, soaking rain left the earth saturated. Puddles and mini-lakes were everywhere. To her dismay, it showed no signs of letting up.

  She stood on Gram’s screened-in porch, praying for a miracle.

  “Penny for your thoughts?” Rob came behind her, draping his arms over her shoulders.

  “What are we going to do if the rain doesn’t stop? The yard is never going to dry in time—the wedding is in two days.” Attempts at warding off the panic were futile.

  “We’ll move it inside, or have it at the church. With such a short guest list, it wouldn’t take much in the way of logistics to change venues.”

  She turned in his arms to face him. “You know how much I want to be married here, outside in Gram’s backyard.”

  “If it’s that important, we’ll make it happen, even if we have to change the date.” He cupped her chin and arrested her with his gaze. “All I want is to marry you and make you happy.”

  He brought her back to reality. Her worry was pointless, and the location wasn’t what mattered. Leaning in to him, she sighed with contentment.

  “If we have to change locations, I’m fine with that. Where we marry won’t change how much I love you.” She poked his chest and smiled. “And don’t you dare suggest changing the date again. Your family is already here and the guys and their families are coming in from Nashville today. Plus, if we push the date back any further, we’ll barely have time together before you leave.”

  “Have I told you today I love you?” Rob started laughing and pulled her tighter.

  “What’s so funny?”

  “I was just remembering another wedding, where I seem to recall you telling Gina you wouldn’t date me if I were the last man on earth. Not even a year later, here you are, berating me for even suggesting pushing back our wedding date.”

  “I wasn’t berating…” She trailed off when she saw him give her that lopsided grin that made her heart puddle.

  “Look, there’s a break in the rain.” Turning around, her vision followed the direction of his pointed finger.

  An hour after the rain stopped, the sun made its first appearance in days.

  TWO DAYS LATER, Dani stood at the rear of Gram’s house, waiting for the music to begin. She wore a vintage-style wedding dress with French lace laye
red over a satin lining, and she carried a bouquet of white dahlias and coral peonies.

  The “Wedding March” played, and she walked down the makeshift aisle, on her father’s arm, toward the magnolia tree in front of which Rob stood. His eyes never left hers as they recited their vows.

  Caught up in the moment, she failed to memorize details of the wedding or the reception afterward, but she’d never forget, and had stored in vivid memory, the loving way Rob looked at her, the enchanting shivers of joy when he called her his wife and the unconditional love she knew they would always share.

  Come to Me Again

  Dominic Sellers dreamed of escaping a life of poverty and making a living playing music. On the brink of giving up, he’s offered the chance of a lifetime to be the new guitarist for Bryce Landry. His life finally aligned with his goals, but something was missing.

  Four years ago, Maisy Rothchild walked away from her fiancé—her best friend and the only man she’d ever loved. She’d give anything to go back and change that day, but that wasn’t possible. There were factors that complicated the situation, things she couldn’t tell anyone.

  When she makes a bold move to restore their friendship, can the same love that tore them apart bring them back together?

  Continue scrolling to read an excerpt.

  Come to Me Again Excerpt

  “I’m sorry, sir, but your card was declined.” The bubbly girl behind the register gave Dominic Sellers a sympathetic smile and returned his credit card. “Would you like to use an alternative form of payment?”

  Dominic took the rectangular-shaped piece of useless plastic and shoved it into the empty slot of his worn leather wallet. He stared at the two bags of groceries sitting on the bag carousel and pointed to the one on the left. “Give me that bag for now. I’ll come back later for the rest.”

  “Not a problem at all.” The cashier—Kimmie, if the name on her badge was correct—began the task of removing the items to rescan them.

  “And the flowers.” He would skip lunch if needed to account for the extra cost—some things were more important, like seeing Nana smile.

  “Sure thing.”

  As she removed each item from the second bag, she waved it over the scanner and voided the amount from the register. “Your total is thirty-eight dollars and five cents.”

  “Here you go.” Dominic held out two twenties, the last of the bills in his wallet. Shame and frustration gripped him. One day he wouldn’t have to worry if his credit card was maxed out—he wouldn’t even need them.

  “Add the second bag back in. I’ll cover the rest.”

  Dominic’s blood went cold. He’d know that voice anywhere. Deliberately, he made no move to turn around. “As I said, I’ll take the single bag.”

  Kimmie lost her smile. A bewildered expression took over her features. She tilted her head and her mouth curled. Her fingers inched toward the money he held out, but she appeared hesitant to accept it. She darted a glance at the person behind Dominic, and then back to him. “Are you sure? Mama always told me to accept an act of kindness because it’s a blessing for the other person.”

  “Positive.”

  Half-smiling now, Kimmie took his money and laid it on the register while she moved the voided items to a basket marked Return to Stock. Once she finished, she tapped a few keys, and the register door popped open. “One dollar and ninety-five cents is your change,” she said, handing him the money.

  “Thank you.” Dominic crumpled the money and, eager to escape, shoved it in his pocket. As if the decline of his card wasn’t bad enough, there had to be a witness.

  Not just any witness, but her. The worst possible person to see what happened.

  “And thank you for shopping at Lenny’s Fresh Mart, your hometown grocery.” Kimmie lifted the flowers from the bag carousel and gave them to him. “Have a wonderful afternoon.”

  Scooping the brown paper bag off the stand, Dominic muttered a reply. He didn’t mean to be rude, especially when the cashier had been so friendly, but his sole focus was exiting as quickly as possible.

  Of all places in Dillonton—all right, it was a small town—why did she have to be there, in the exact location with him, at his moment of sheer humiliation? The embarrassment wouldn’t have been nearly as severe if it had been anyone but her who witnessed the scene. Why was she even there? Last he’d heard, she’d left the small coastal Carolina town and was living in a posh apartment in Washington, D.C.

  Shoulders squared, he walked to his truck, an older model Ford 150 that had once been a chestnut brown, but the paint had long since faded to a light tan with a hint of pink. Yes, pink. His hand was on the passenger door handle when she called him from a distance.

  “Dominic, wait up.”

  He froze, his fingers still curled around the metal. All the good manners in the world couldn’t make him turn around and face her. He didn’t trust what he might say. Pulling the handle, he opened the door and placed the groceries and flowers on the bench seat. Five seconds passed. He took a deep breath and turned around.

  “Maisy.” No salutations, no pleasantries, only a basic acknowledgment of her presence. His arms crossed over his chest.

  “You weren’t even going to say ‘hi’ to me?” Maisy looked at him from under long eyelashes that framed amber-colored eyes. Not much had changed in her appearance during the last four years. Waves of brown hair had streaks of blonde. Her skin was naturally tan and vibrant. There was something different though, but he couldn’t place what it was.

  “Sorry, I didn’t realize it was you.”

  “You never were a good liar.” She projected a nervous laugh that did little to fill the uncomfortable air between them. “Your eyes are too expressive.”

  He made a point of lowering his sunglasses from their resting place on top his head. Too bad he hadn’t done so before he left the store. “Would you prefer the truth that I’d rather not acknowledge you?”

  Maisy winced, and immediate regret swamped Dominic. His mom hadn’t taught him much of anything that was useful, but she’d insisted that her son know and practice good manners—even if she didn’t practice what she preached.

  “You’ve changed, Dominic.” Golden specks of sadness flashed in Maisy’s eyes. “I never thought you could be so cold.”

  “I’m sorry.” He shifted his stance. “That was uncalled for.”

  She shoved her hands into the pockets of her jeans, a designer brand, no doubt. “It’s been four years. Can’t we at least be civil?”

  “Yeah, sure.” He kicked a loose piece of gravel.

  “How long are you in town for?”

  “Just until Friday.” The original plan was to leave Thursday, but he wasn’t about to tell her he was dead broke and wouldn’t have gas money for a return trip until his paycheck hit Friday morning.

  “Visiting Nana?” Her voice wavered with uncertainty and concern.

  “Yeah.” Pretty sure one-word answers didn’t count toward civility, he added, “She’s not doing so well.”

  “I know. Roxy and I talked the other day.”

  His arms dropped to his sides. “You talked to my sister?”

  “We, um, ran into each other at the store last week.”

  He clenched his jaw. She wasn’t the only one who could read the truth. He knew from the casual way she’d said ‘Roxy’ that a friendship existed between his sister and ex-fiancé. “You’ve never been a very good liar, either.”

  “Better than you think,” she mumbled.

  At least that’s what he thought she said. Whatever. He’d have to have a little chat with Roxy later.

  “What does Daddy Dear think of your friendship with her?” Oh yeah, Mom wouldn’t be pleased with his behavior, but the feeling would be mutual. They had a long way to go before the score was even when it came to disappointment.

  “My father doesn’t dictate my friendships.”

  He snorted. “Only who you marry, then?”

  “I’ve always wondered what would
happen when we saw each other again, and now I know.” Was that regret that flickered over her eyes? She slowly ran a hand through her highlighted hair. “Maybe one day you’ll stop hating me.”

  “You made your choice.” The words were dull, without the sharp edge he’d been using. Tired from the emotional onslaught that accompanied seeing her for the first time since she’d walked out on him, he sought escape. He turned to his side, blocking her from his sight and circled to the driver’s side of his truck.

  Once in the truck, he turned the key in the ignition switch and looked in the mirrors. He sucked in a quick breath when he saw Maisy standing by a car, staring his way. Her shoulders slumped, but he couldn’t imagine he’d been the one to cause that. On the other hand, maybe he had been too hard on her. After all, their history was four years old.

  No, he had to ignore the nudge of conscience. The bitterness of her rejection flooded his entire being. She hadn’t just left him. She’d cast him out because he wasn’t good enough.

  Backing out of his spot, he was careful not to look in her direction again. Realistically, he knew he would see her again one day, but he’d hoped that time would come after he’d succeeded. Not when he was barely scraping by and having his credit card declined at the grocery store.

  A Note From Leah

  Dear Reader,

  Did you read the Bible verse at the beginning of Come to Me Free? It’s a verse that took on special meaning in my life over the last several months.

  Like Dani and Rob, too often we grasp tightly onto things that hold us back—guilt, work, jealousy, or a multitude of other things. Then there are times in our life, when, like Rob, we question God. We don’t understand his plan, or why he allowed something to happen. We want answers then get frustrated and upset when there is none. That is how the New Year started for my family. In a two week period, we received back-to-back blows.