Love Blooms

by Jo McNally

  “You mean you realized it.” Connie lifted one shoulder. “It sounds like Owen was oblivious to everything.”

  “But he said he lo...oof!” Cecile reacted to what seemed to have been a hard kick under the table from Connie. These two were acting awfully shady. Cecile straightened, reaching up to fluff her bright blond curls. “I mean...you must have loved each other, right?”

  Lucy stared at the table, its surface crisscrossed with years of cutting marks and stains. “We fell for each other fast and hard. In a weird way, being forced to be apart so much was a bit of a thrill. We were always looking forward to seeing each other again—we were in a constant state of anticipation.” She smiled, tracing her fingers along one long scratch on the table. “But now I wonder if that was just me being in love with the anticipation.”

  That didn’t ring true, even as she said it. She’d loved Owen’s quiet calm in contrast to her frenetic energy. He settled her with all of his confident planning and his devotion to familial and military duty. He’d been her rock, saving her when she felt like she was ping-ponging between jobs and towns and dreams. She’d loved him. She still loved him, but what difference did it make when he’d be going back to Greensboro in a week?

  “And the sexy times were good?” Cecile asked, this time avoiding Connie’s swat with a fast duck to the side. “Hey, if the sex is good, you can build off that as a foundation. Charlie and I started as what they call friends with benefits, and look where we are now—happily married for almost forty years and madly in love. And let me tell you, the sexy times are still good. Never better, as a matter of fact.”

  Lucy’s face was hot, and she couldn’t stop the embarrassed laugh that bubbled up. Maybe all those opinions the woman had about BDSM romance novels were based on personal experience? It was hard to believe, with Cecile’s overall pastel fluffiness. And it was definitely something Lucy didn’t want to try imagining.

  “Oh, for God’s sake, woman.” Connie drained her glass. “Everyone knows you and Charlie are horny toads. You don’t need to fill poor Lucy’s brain with that image.”

  “But...were your sexy times good?” Cecile persisted.

  “Yeah. The sexy times were good. Really good.” Lucy giggled. “Our first time was in the back of that old Bronco of his. Parked on the beach with nothing but the moon and stars over us. And every time we got together after a separation of any sort...even if it was just a week.” She sat back with a sigh. “We came together and...pow. Fireworks and big brass bands. Every damn time.”

  Cecile’s smile softened. She reached over and put her hand on Lucy’s.

  “Brass bands every time? Yeah, that’s something to build on, for sure. Big brass band sex doesn’t come around often, and you don’t want to give that up, honey.”

  “I can’t marry a man just because the sex is good. Marriage has to be more than that,” she spoke to herself as much as to the two women with her. “Then again, what do I know about marriage? I thought my parents were happily married, and look at them. Lying. Cheating. For years. And I had no clue.”

  That was another sentence that didn’t quite ring true. If she was honest with herself, she’d known things weren’t as they seemed on the surface with her parents. She just hadn’t poked at it, not wanting to admit the Higgins family might not be the true love ideal she’d wanted it to be. But then again, as a family, they’d been good. She grew up in a loving home, even if her parents’ attention was often on her big sister more than her. She’d still never wanted for anything. They didn’t understand her love of flower arranging, but other than insisting she have a backup plan with that accounting degree, they’d been supportive of the choices she’d made. She frowned. It was less confusing when she’d been flat-out angry with them. Time was softening her anger and making her see she may have been too hasty the night before her wedding.

  But no. The problems were real, even if her response was...drastic. Her dream wedding had turned into a nightmare. She’d felt powerless. Just as she’d felt powerless when trying to get Owen to support her. Just as she’d felt powerless when she overheard her parents discussing divorce. Or when Owen had taken that extension of duty without even discussing it with her. And she was tired of feeling powerless in her own life. Her spine stiffened. She was done being powerless. But was any of that Owen’s fault?

  “Do you miss being in Owen’s arms?” Cecile’s words echoed Lucy’s thoughts. She did miss him. His touch still had the ability to send shivers of desire across her skin. That afternoon kiss at the falls had proven that their chemistry was alive and well. She nodded in answer to the question.

  “I do. When I left, I felt cornered. Like I had to fight or...lose myself.” She sighed. “But yes. I miss his touch. I miss the man he was before his last tour. I’ve seen glimpses of that man here in Rendezvous Falls, but...even if he does manage to fix things between us...what then? He’s not going to leave the family business and move here? Of course not. He made them a promise, and if there’s one thing I know, Owen is a man who honors his promises.”

  Cecile leaned forward. “But what if he did stay here?”

  Lucy’s pulse jumped. But no. “He’d never forgive me for forcing him to make that choice.”

  Now it was Connie’s turn to sigh. Loudly. And with a fair measure of disgust.

  “You two are a hot mess. You deserve each other.” Connie pointed a finger at Lucy across the table. “You’re both chicken. And foolish. Here I’ve been angry with him for bringing you that damn cat, but I bet you don’t know his allergies either. Have the two of you ever done anything other than screw in the back of his Bronco?”

  “Easy, girl.” Cecile patted Connie’s shoulder with an amused grin.

  “Bah! What I mean is—have you ever sat and made plans together? How do you know what he’d resent or not? Don’t you two ever talk?” She turned to glare at Cecile again. “You see? This is what happens when you base a relationship on big brass bands. They’ve never talked about what comes after the band marches off the field!”

  Lucy gripped the edge of the table and stood. She was pretty sure the annoyance she felt was because Connie had struck perilously close to the truth.

  “Okay, this conversation about my sex life and brass bands is over, ladies. All you’re doing is reinforcing the fact that I made the right decision. I almost married a guy who makes my toes curl when he kisses me, but doesn’t know my allergies. If I’m going to marry someone, it should be someone who knows everything about me.”

  Cecile finished her wine with a shrug, fixing Lucy with a steady gaze as she lowered the glass. “A medical bracelet can tell him your allergies, honey. But it damn sure won’t keep you warm at night. My vote is for marrying the guy who makes your toes curl.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  OWEN GRABBED CHINESE takeout from a little place near the college campus and walked back to the inn. The restaurant didn’t look like much—a tiny storefront with faded gingham curtains strung on twine, and a flickering neon sign identifying it as “Hunan City Chinese Takeout.” It reminded him of the divey little joints and food trucks clustered near the base in North Carolina, catering to soldiers too lazy—or too broke—to cook for themselves or go to a real restaurant. It had been hit-or-miss around Fort Bragg. Some had decent food—that Mexican food truck had better food than any restaurant he’d been to. But the Chinese place there had been...less than great.

  Hunan’s, on the other hand, had proved to be a pleasant surprise. The takeout was served steaming hot and the wonton soup was delicious. He started with that when he got back to his room, setting up his Saturday meal on the side table near the window as usual. Once in a while he joined the Taggarts for a meal if invited, but most nights had found him either at this table or sitting on a bench near the lake, eating his dinner from a paper bag. His mother would have been horrified.

  He opened the bag of crab rangoons and groaned when the tempt
ing scent filled the room. Piping hot and crispy...damn, he could make a meal of these alone. But he knew the sesame chicken would be just as good, so he opened that, too. There was a rumble off in the distance. It was loud enough to make him freeze for a second until he identified it as thunder. He’d heard there was rain in the forecast. Thunder wasn’t his favorite thing, but it didn’t bother him as much as it bothered some of the other guys he’d served with. Once he knew what it was, he could dismiss it as something natural, therefore not to be feared. Certainly not worth letting his food get cold.

  He’d spoken with his mother again that morning. It hadn’t gone well. As usual on their weekly calls, she’d launched into a laundry list of reasons why he needed to come home right away. His month was almost up, He was wasting his time “chasing” Lucy. He was shirking his duties at the business. He was letting his father down. He was embarrassing his mother. Making the family a laughingstock. Acting like a moon-eyed teenager. Being irresponsible. Blah, blah, blah.

  Usually he just let her rattle on without saying much, but he’d run out of patience. He snapped at her to please stop talking. Her stunned silence on the line almost made him laugh. Shocking Mom was a new skill set for him, and it was kind of fun. He filled the silence with a pointed question.

  “Did you ever listen to Lucy when she told you what kind of wedding she wanted?”

  “Why?” Mom’s voice had turned suddenly cautious. “What did she tell you?”

  “Never mind that. Answer the question.”

  There was a hesitation, then her voice hardened.

  “If you’re referring to her nonsense about wanting some hippie wedding on a mountaintop, the answer is no. Of course I didn’t listen. You were coming home from military service to take over Cooper Landscaping and be the public face of our company. I wasn’t about to let you traipse off to some barefoot woo-woo ceremony with ten people in attendance. I explained to Lucy that it wouldn’t be appropriate, and she was fine with it.”

  “She dumped me the day of the wedding, Mom. I think it’s a safe bet that she was not fine with it. And it’s also a safe bet that you knew that.”

  “Knew what? That she’d humiliate us all? Of course not! If she had any objections to my plans, she should have said so.”

  Had Lucy given in because his mother had suggested her dream wedding in the mountains would be bad for him? He was beginning to understand what Lucy meant when she said she’d spent her whole life doing what was good for other people. He’d ended the call with a terse acknowledgment that yes, he knew he was almost through the four weeks they’d agreed to. And guess what? He might need a couple more. He’d hung up before waiting for her response.

  Connie’s book club friends were right. He’d been coasting along, not paying any real attention to what Lucy needed. He’d been focused on his own needs. And that’s exactly what Lucy had been focused on, too. Damn it to hell—he was such an idiot.

  ...show her you’re the man she deserves...

  What Lucy deserved was a man who knew—who cared—about every tiny detail about her. He took the last bite of sesame chicken. And he was going to be that man. No crazy grandstanding this time. No more Dr. Find-Love. Straight from the heart.

  It had grown dark outside the window, with occasional flickers of lightning. His ears were well-trained in determining direction, and this was coming from the north. Moving fast down the valley toward town. A sharper clap of thunder echoed over the lake, and the wind started moving the trees in the backyard of the inn. Looked like Rendezvous Falls was about to get a summer storm. Being from North Carolina, he knew all about summer storms—they happened on a near-daily basis in the sultry months of July and August.

  Owen grinned as he piled his food containers into a plastic bag to dispose of them. He may not know as much as he should about Lucy, but she was a North Carolina girl. Storms wouldn’t phase her, either. He headed to the door as raindrops began to hit the windows. Just because he liked eating in the quiet of his room didn’t mean he wanted it to smell like a fast-food joint when he woke up in the morning. He always took his containers down the hall to the kitchen trash can when he was finished. Logan was coming out of the kitchen as he approached.

  “Late night snack attack?” Owen nodded toward the tray Logan carried, which was loaded with chocolate chip cookies. Logan chuckled.

  “Not for me. The women up in room 8 got the munchies, and my wife was foolish enough to tell them to text her if they needed anything. And they did. At nine o’clock at night.”

  “I didn’t know you had room service in this place.”

  “We don’t.” Logan put a hand on his chest. “That’s why I’m delivering their order instead of Piper. She’s too much of a softie. I’ll set them straight that this is a one-time thing. Nicely, of course.”

  Owen chuckled. “Of course.”

  Thunder boomed outside, and a hard gust of wind rattled the windows. The hallway lights flickered. Both men hesitated, waiting to see if they’d stay on, and they did. For about a minute. Then they flickered again, and Logan swore under his breath. Off. On. Off. Then they stayed off. Darkness and silence fell over the inn. And on the entire town, judging from the lack of light from outside.

  Owen automatically reached for the phone in his pocket, punching up the flashlight. Logan set the plate on a sideboard and did the same, but his phone rang before he could go anywhere.

  “Piper? Everything okay at the house?” Logan walked to the front lobby, guided by an emergency light over the door. “No lights anywhere outside. Looks like the whole town is out. From the way it flickered, I’m guessing a tree limb hit a wire somewhere. Or maybe a whole freakin’ tree.” There was a pause, and Owen let out a long sigh. “Yes, I know there are LED lanterns in the closets in all the rooms... Yes, I’ll knock on doors and make sure everyone finds them and is okay... Ethan’s checking on Gran? Perfect...no, you stay there if Lily’s asleep. I’ll put lanterns, cookies and some bottled ice tea and water in the dining room if anyone wants to come downstairs... Yes, I know where everything is... Piper, I got this... Love you, too.”

  By the time Logan ended the call, Owen was the one swearing under his breath. His friend’s brows rose. “What’s wrong with you?”

  “Lucy. She’s afraid of the dark. Like...really afraid. Got any extra lights?”

  “Are you kidding?” Logan clapped his hand on Owen’s shoulder. “My wife makes plans for her plans, and then plans for twenty contingencies after that. There’s a couple lanterns behind the reception desk. Take them both, because she has at least a dozen more stored in the laundry room.”

  Owen grabbed the lanterns, pulling the top up on one to turn it on. He waved to Logan and dashed out the front door. He couldn’t remember why Lucy hated the dark, but he knew she did. Their conversation in the parking lot at the falls on the Fourth confirmed it was still true. And right now she was alone in a strange house in a blackout. He took the steps two at a time to her front porch, opened the wooden screen door and knocked more sharply than intended.

  “Who’s there?” Lucy’s voice had a high, frightened pitch to it. He’d probably just scared the daylights out of her. Smooth move, Cooper.

  “It’s Owen. Are you okay?”

  The door swung open, and he was immediately blinded by a bright flashlight aimed straight at his face. He held his hand up to shield his eyes.

  “Jesus! Get that out of my face, will ya?”

  “Oh...sorry.” She was breathless, turning her head away “What are you doing here?”

  “Checking on you...damn it!” The light shone in his eyes again, but not before he realized what the source was. “Are you wearing that headlamp I gave you?”

  “Shit...” The beam of light moved to their feet. “Yes. I keep forgetting and trying to look at your face.” She didn’t move to let him in, keeping her head down. “Are those lanterns?”

  �
��I thought you might want some light. I forgot I gave you the headlamp. Good thinking.”

  A gust of wind shook the screen door, but the storm was moving off to the south just as quickly as it had arrived. The rain was letting up, but not until after he’d gotten a good soaking running to her place. He pushed wet hair off his forehead, and the movement caught her attention. Which meant she looked up...blinding him again in the process. He muttered and reached out, grabbing the headlamp off her head.

  “Okay, clearly you do not know how to operate this thing in public.” He handed her the lit lantern and opened the second one. “These might be a little more guest friendly.”

  She laughed, finally moving aside and gesturing for him to come in. “They’re a little more Lucy friendly, too. The headlamp light moved so fast when I moved around that I kept seeing creepy shadows that looked like they were moving.” She set her lantern on an end table, sending soft light around the small living room at the front of the house. “That was right about the time you tried to break my door down like a soldier on a search mission. You almost gave me a heart attack.”

  “Sorry about that. I’d run all the way here and let the adrenaline get to me.”

  She tipped her head to the side, a smile playing at the corners of her mouth. “You ran over just to check on me? And bring me light?”

  He was going to say something brilliant like it’s no big deal or that he’d do that for anyone. But he thought better of it. As his mother had made clear that morning, he didn’t have a lot of time to fix things, and he’d set his progress back substantially with that damn kitten. Time to put it all on the table. He stepped closer, taking her hand in his.

  “There are some things I know about you, Lucy Higgins. And one of them is that you’re afraid of the dark. So yes, I brought you light.” He tugged her closer, and she didn’t resist. “I also know you still think we’re through...even after that kiss at the falls. But I’m not giving up on us. Not until you really give me a chance.” He cupped her cheek with his hand. Did she just quiver at his touch? A flicker of hope lit in his heart. “So...tell me what I need to know—what I need to do—to get you to trust me. Give me a chance. Give us a chance.”