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If We Never Met

Page 27

by Barbara Freethy


  When they were finally finished, Keira sat back, putting a hand on her stomach. "I'm stuffed. That was delicious."

  "Lizzie outdid herself. Your friends really care about you, Keira."

  "I'm very lucky."

  "And very loved." He was struck again by how much Keira had in this town, her mom, her friends, her businesses—her whole life. How could he ask her to give any of it up? "Being in love is the easy part, isn't it?" he muttered.

  Her eyes widened at his words and a gleam of wariness entered her gaze. "Yes, I guess it is."

  "I meant what I said last night, Keira. I am in love with you."

  "But…" she queried.

  "I don't want you to sacrifice anything for me."

  "I don't want you to sacrifice anything for me," she returned.

  "Where does that leave us?"

  She gave a helpless shrug. "I'm not sure. There's so much to think about. I need to talk to my mom and see the house and catch my breath. I need time, Dante."

  "I understand. A lot has happened in the last twenty-four hours."

  "It has. And I think you were right. Being in love is the easy part."

  He hated the note of despair in her voice. "But neither of us has ever picked the easy way, have we? We're fighters. We like challenges—the bigger, the better."

  She gave him a faint smile. "These challenges are a little bigger than I like."

  "The bigger the obstacle, the sweeter the victory."

  "You don't accept less than what you want, do you?"

  "Not without a fight." He paused. "I know you're emotionally spent, Keira. I don't need anything from you right now. Just let me be there for you. Let me support you."

  "That sounds really nice. I just need a minute, Dante, to get myself together. Although, we may not have that many minutes before you leave—"

  He cut her off with a shake of his head. "We're not going to worry about anything that isn't happening within the next few hours. I'm going to grab a quick shower and then we'll go see your house and meet up with your mom. That's all we need to think about at the moment."

  As he got up, she said, "Dante?"

  He looked back at her, seeing the spark of light in her eyes. "What?"

  "I just want you to know that I can fight, too. And I want to fight."

  Relief flooded through him. "Then we'll see where we end up. With the two of us fighting together, I don't see how we can lose."

  Keira thought she was ready to fight, but when Dante pulled up in front of the smoking remains of the burned structure that had once been her home, she felt overwhelmed by the battles ahead of her. Her relationship, her home, her life—there was a lot to consider. But for this first step, she was very glad she was not doing this alone.

  She got out of the car and stood on the sidewalk, her insides churning. She felt sick at the sight of the destruction, and a wave of anger ran through her. Dante put his arm around her shoulders.

  "Breathe," he said quietly.

  She forced herself to do just that, because it was the only thing that kept her from screaming in pain and sorrow. And she was afraid that after the screams would come the tears, and she needed to put off that cry because her mom and Mark were walking across the grass from the house next door. She had to be strong for her mother. And focusing on that was what kept her upright. That and the fact that Dante's solid presence gave her added strength.

  She felt mixed emotions as she looked at Mark. It wasn't his fault, but she still wished he'd come clean about Mandy earlier. Maybe they could have stopped things from getting this far. But they couldn't go back in time and blaming Mark wouldn't make things better. In fact, it would just make things more difficult for her mom.

  "Keira," her mom said, her gaze running down her body and coming to rest on the boot on her foot. "How bad is it?"

  "I told you last night it's a minor fracture."

  "You always downplay your injuries. Dante? Is she telling me the truth?"

  "She's not lying, but I think the pain is a little worse than she'll admit."

  She frowned at him. "Whose side are you on?"

  He smiled. "Yours. Always yours."

  She turned back to her mother. "I'll be okay, Mom. What's going on around here?"

  "I spoke to the fire marshal. His crew left about an hour ago," her mom replied. "He said we can go inside, but he warned me that it's not good and we won't be able to go up the stairs."

  "Really? I was hoping the upstairs might have survived."

  Her mom gave her a sad look. "I don't think it did, honey."

  "Okay. Well, let's do this." She stepped away from Dante and slipped her arm through her mom's and they walked up to the house together, leaving Mark and Dante outside. They needed to do this on their own.

  As soon as they entered, they came to an abrupt stop. She didn't know what she'd been expecting, but the reality of the devastation was worse than she'd imagined. The ceiling had fallen through in several places. The steps were completely impassable, and the smell of gas and smoke was still thick in the air.

  As her gaze moved down the hall, she could see the spot where she'd been trapped. That could have been where she died. That realization sped up her heart. She'd never been so close to losing her life. But she wasn't going to share that with her mother.

  "This is awful," her mom said, her voice shaky.

  She turned to face her mom. "It is awful, but we can rebuild. It won't be the same house, but it will be a new one. And you'll get to decorate it just the way you want. We've been talking about a kitchen remodel for years. Now, we'll have a new kitchen—a new everything."

  Her mom gave her a weak smile. "You have always been such an optimist, Keira. When things get really dark is when you get the sunniest."

  "Like you said last night, we're still alive, and we have each other. That's what matters. There might be some things to salvage in the garage."

  "That's our best hope."

  "Do you want to check it now?"

  "In a minute. Mark and I talked most of the night."

  "I thought he was going back to the Sunset Lodge."

  "I didn’t let him. I didn't want him to be alone. And when we found out Mandy was in custody, it didn't make sense for him to go back to the motel. Erin and Peter were fine with him staying. Anyway, Mark is going to buy the house a couple of streets over. I'm thinking that I might stay there with him while this house is being rebuilt. You could stay there, too. It has three bedrooms. Or you could get an apartment if that's too awkward, but it's what I'd like to do."

  She stared at her mom, seeing strength and confidence in the woman in front of her. "You really are okay now, aren't you?"

  They both knew she wasn't talking about the fire.

  "I've been trying to tell you that for a while," her mom said. "I don't want you to stay in Whisper Lake for me. I only want you to stay here if that's what you want. Is it, Keira?"

  "I don't know. I have a lot here."

  "But you don't have Dante."

  "No. He can't stay, Mom. He's not like Justin or Zach. They could move their businesses here, but Dante's career doesn't happen in Whisper Lake."

  Her mom gave her a compassionate look. "I understand. But yours could happen somewhere else. Has he asked you to go with him?"

  "No. But he told me he loves me. He wants to find a way to make things work."

  A smile lit up her mom's eyes. "I thought he might love you. How do you feel?"

  "I love him, too. It's crazy. It's too fast, isn't it?"

  "Not if it's right. Sometimes you just know."

  "That's how I feel. I just know he's the one." She drew in a breath. "I'm thinking that it's time for me to make some changes, not just because I want to be with Dante, but because I've been drifting and spreading myself too thin for a long time. I thought I could do everything well, and it turns out I can't. I need to make some hard choices."

  "Like what?"

  "Put Brenda in charge of the realty business. Make Co
nnie a full-time manager at the boutique. They're both more than capable. The money can continue to come in to help support your needs and mine. However, what no one else can do but me is the design work. It's what I love the most. I've been so stuck the last few years—not because of you."

  "A little because of me," her mother said.

  "Maybe a bit, but also just because I couldn't choose a lane. Now I feel like I can, like I have to."

  "I feel that way, too. I've been restless the past year, Keira. I knew I needed more, but I didn't know more what, and I didn't know how to get it. Mark has reminded me of who I used to be, and I want to be that person again. I want to be independent and free and busy. I want to take care of people. I don't want them to take care of me." She paused. "Maybe we both needed this house to burn down in order to get unstuck."

  She smiled at that thought. "It was a drastic event, but it does force some big decisions."

  "I know you haven't asked for my advice, but I'm going to say one thing. Don't let Dante go, Keira. Not without trying to make it work. You owe it to yourself to find out if it can."

  "I think you're right."

  "So, what are you going to do?"

  "I'll let you know after I talk to Dante."

  "All right. I can live with that." Her mom opened her arms. "Give me a hug."

  She hugged her mom for a long minute, so many emotions of love and gratitude filling them both up. And then, a little teary-eyed, they left the house that was no longer their home. But there were brighter skies ahead, good changes, new people. It was an end, but also a beginning.

  After they left the house, she asked Dante to drive down to the lake. She directed him to a quiet cove that was one of her favorite places. They parked on the side of the road and then walked down to the beach. Thankfully, it wasn't far, and with her walking boot, she was able to maneuver without too much pain.

  There were only a few people about—a man walking his dog and a woman and two little children digging in the sand by the shoreline. Otherwise, they were alone.

  She led Dante over to an outcropping of flat rocks where they sat down and looked at the water. "It's so peaceful here," she said, breathing in the clean lake air, relieved to be away from the smell of the fire. "Whenever I get worked up, I come here. It always relaxes me."

  "I'm glad. You haven't said much since we left the house. Was it difficult to go inside?"

  "Yes, but it made it easier to leave. There wasn't anything there to salvage except the few boxes in the garage that might have escaped."

  "I'm sorry."

  "Me, too. But my mom and I had a good conversation."

  "You were gone a while," he murmured. "What's she thinking?"

  "She has it all figured out. Mark is going to buy the home I showed him a few days ago. It's about three blocks away from our house. My mom will move in with him while she rebuilds. I don't know that she'll ever move back in, or maybe they both will. It seems like they might have something special."

  "He does seem like he really cares about her, Keira."

  "I know. It's going to take me time to forgive him for not being honest earlier, but I think I'll get there. If he treats her well, then I'll be happy for them."

  "That's fair. What about you? Will you move back in when it's rebuilt?"

  "No. I don't think I'll ever live there again." She gazed into his beautiful blue eyes. "I'm okay with that."

  Surprise and wariness moved through his gaze. "It's early to make that final of a decision."

  "I don't think so. I got a lot of clarity when I walked into the destruction. With everyone gone, it was easy to say goodbye to the past."

  "Where do you think you'll live?"

  "Well, I have some ideas I wanted to run by you."

  "I'm listening."

  "I need to back up a little. On Tuesday, before all the craziness happened, a woman came into my shop. She's the stylist for the actress Jessica Stillman. Jessica, apparently, fell in love with Chelsea's gown, and she has a couple of events she might want to hire me for. Her stylist asked me to go to LA next week to meet with her. It could be a really lucrative contract."

  "That's great. Seriously great. You said yes, didn't you?"

  "I told her I'd call her."

  "Why would you hesitate?"

  "Because I've gotten used to hesitating," she admitted. "To saying no to things that might disrupt my life and my mom's life. But now I can see that I've been using my mom as an excuse. I can't keep doing that. She's better, and I'm happy about that. I just have to accept it and look forward. So, I think I'll go to LA."

  "You should definitely do that. Maybe Los Angeles is where your future is."

  "I don't want to live in LA. I don't think I need to. I might have to make some trips there, but I can design from anywhere." She licked her suddenly dry lips. "Even from Miami."

  His gaze lit up. "You'd come to Miami with me?"

  "If you want me to."

  "Of course I want you to go with me, Keira. But I don't want you to sacrifice anything for me."

  "I don't want to do that, either. I want to be a little selfish, Dante."

  "You deserve to be selfish. You've been taking care of your mom for years. It's your time, Keira. Look, I've been thinking, too. I'm up for a new contract at the end of this season. If we need to be somewhere that's better for you—LA, New York, anywhere—I can make a move to a team in a location that works for both of us."

  She was surprised by his words. "Really? You'd do that?"

  "In a second. Since I got injured, I've been terrified that I'd have to figure out a life without baseball, and I couldn't see one. Baseball became my happy place after my mom died, and I didn't think that happy place could be anywhere else, but I was wrong. Last night, when I held you in my arms while you slept, I felt happier than I've ever felt before. I can live anywhere, and I can do anything, as long as you're with me."

  Her eyes teared up at his words. "That's the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me."

  "I mean every word, Keira."

  "Being with you, Dante, has also given me some of my happiest moments. I think you're my happy place, too."

  "Then let's keep the happy train going." He gently swept a tear off her cheek. "I found something real with you, Keira. I can't let you go."

  "I'm not going to let you go, either. I've never been to Miami, but it sounds like a fun city. I bet you have a fancy apartment."

  He gave her a grin. "I do. I also have a boat."

  "Seriously? You never mentioned that, not even when we were on Adam's boat, although you did seem very comfortable on it."

  "It didn't come up."

  "Because you didn't bring it up. You didn't want to brag. I've always thought you were down-to-earth for being a superstar."

  "Speaking of celebrity, I can't promise that photographers won't be following us around at times or that there won't be more made-up stories about us."

  "I don't care about that. The world can think what they want. As long as you and I are honest with each other, I'm good."

  He shook his head in bemusement. "I'm so used to being around people who care very much what the world thinks. You're one of a kind."

  "So are you."

  "This is going to be good, Keira. You and me. I want a forever deal, by the way, nothing short-term. I don't commit to much, but when I do, I give it everything I have."

  "So do I. And I want to give you everything that I have." Her heart ached with love. "Can we start on forever now?"

  "Absolutely." He wrapped his arms around her, and she opened her mouth to his hot, sexy kiss.

  Epilogue

  The dressing room at the church was filled with beautiful women, but the prettiest one of all was the red-haired bride with the pale skin and the smattering of freckles on her face and shoulders. Keira smiled at Hannah as they gazed at each other in the mirror. Hannah's off-the-shoulder dress clung to her bust and fell in a soft drape of silk and lace to the ground.

  "We
look amazing," Hannah said.

  "I agree." Her bridesmaid's dress was a bold blue that was short and sexy and could definitely be worn again, as long as she made sure none of the four other bridesmaids were wearing the same dress at the same time.

  "Let's get a photo with everyone," Hannah said, holding up the phone in her hand. "A selfie. Everyone squeeze in."

  "Isn't there a photographer around here somewhere?" Gianna asked.

  "I want one that's just us, as we are," Hannah replied as the other women crowded around, and she took the group photo. Then she turned around to face them. "You are all my best friends and having you here with me today makes it so much more special. I was never sure I'd actually get married, but here I am, marrying a guy I spent a lot of time hating."

  "Sometimes you can't get out of your own way," she teased.

  "Look who's talking," Hannah said pointedly.

  "True, but I'm working on that." She cleared her throat as her gaze swept the group. "I told Hannah this last night, and she insisted I tell you all today, so since we have a few minutes, I'm just going to say it now. I'm in love with Dante."

  "Oh, we all knew that." Lizzie rolled her eyes.

  "Okay, maybe you did. But you probably don't know that I'm leaving Whisper Lake." She held up a hand at the sight of their distressed expressions. "Don't say anything yet. Let me finish. This is good news. I'm moving to Miami with Dante, but it's not just for love. The move is also going to mark the launch of my design business. I'm turning over my interests here to my managers, and I'm going to give my design dream one more shot."

  "That's great," Gianna said.

  "I think it will be great. And I may not be starting from zero. I got a call from Jessica Stillman's stylist, and I'm going to meet with Jessica next week. She loved your dress, Chelsea, and she has three events she may want me to dress her for."

 

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