Only For A Moment (The McCormicks Book 2)

by Elena Aitken

  Chelsea beamed and clapped her hands together.

  “Which is why I need one of you to give me a lift into town. Now, if possible. I can’t wait any longer. I can’t let her get away.”

  Chapter Thirteen

  It was Jade’s first time up at the Springs resort. She’d heard plenty about how relaxing and serene it was and she was not disappointed. She’d rented a room and left specific instructions not to let anyone know they were there. Not that anyone would know they were there, but she could imagine Ian trying to find Gwen, and she didn’t want Gwen going anywhere until they were done with the script.

  To get to their room, they walked down a long hallway that was completely glass on one side, exposing the mountain right outside. It was the coolest effect because it felt as if they were actually on the mountain. Which in a way, they were. The pools were located on the other side of the hotel. Jade didn’t tell Gwen but she’d packed them some bathing suits that they were only going to use as a treat when they were finished with their work. Hopefully by then they’d deserve a little relaxation.

  “This room is amazing. Can we order room service? I’m starving.”

  Jade walked in after her and opened the curtains to let in the sunshine and the beautiful mountain view. She turned and pointed to Gwen’s laptop. “Open it up. Let’s see what you’ve got first and then we’ll order.”

  “Oh, come on,” Gwen whined. “We really should get some food first, don’t you think? I write so much better after I’ve eaten.”

  “That’s crap and you know it. You write better after you exercise, and I’ll be happy to go down to the gym with you and type while you dictate to me from the treadmill if that’s what it takes, but we absolutely need to get this done, Gwen. I don’t understand what’s going on.”

  Gwen sighed and smoothed her hair back. “Okay.” She flopped down on the bed and pulled her laptop over, firing it up. She clicked a few buttons and pushed it over to Jade. “Here you go. This is what I have.”

  She half expected to see a blank page, the way Gwen had been carrying on, but she was surprised when she saw a full document. Jade settled into the armchair by the window and read through everything.

  When she was done, she looked up at Gwen, who lay on her back, staring at the ceiling. “I don’t understand,” she said. “This is good.” She glanced down at the laptop again to see whether maybe she was reading some other script because there was, in fact, nothing wrong with the one she was reading. She’d said it and she meant it. What Gwen had written was good.

  “I don’t think so.” Gwen rolled over on her stomach and looked at her. “It’s too…I don’t know…”

  “I don’t think it’s too anything. It’s great. Especially for a first episode—the teaser right at the end that you’d actually known Ian all along, it’s absolutely—”

  “Harsh.” Gwen dropped her head into the pillow.

  “I was going to say perfect.” Jade closed the laptop, left it on the chair and joined her friend on the bed. “It’s your story,” she said gently, realizing what the problem likely was.

  “That’s the whole problem.” Gwen groaned. She looked up again. “I mean, I know my story. I know our story. After all, I lived it. Hell, I even wrote about it. I know it. But somehow writing about it like this so I can watch it all play out again on the screen, it just seems too…I don’t know…”

  “Harsh,” Jade finished for her, using Gwen’s own word.

  “Yes.” She nodded. “It’s really harsh.” She pulled herself up to sitting and crossed her legs in front of her. “Was it really all that bad? I mean, was I really such a bitch to do that to Ian? To play him that way? And all for a stupid website?” She covered her face with her hands and shook her head. “I’m horrible.”

  “You’re not horrible.” Jade had to take more than a little of the responsibility for the deception Gwen had played on Ian. As her agent, she’d pushed Gwen to follow through on it, to take it further and ultimately, it became a secret too twisted for Gwen to unwind easily. Fortunately, the love between Gwen and Ian was real, and it was strong. It was their love that saved them, brought them back together and was the entire reason why their show was going to be so damn good. A love like that was incredibly rare to find.

  Jade felt a pang of jealousy, but she didn’t have time to entertain it. Gwen was the priority.

  “How can he possibly love me after all that I did?” Tears slipped down her friend’s face. “I think I could kind of ignore it before, push it behind me and not think about the terrible things I did. But now…I just don’t understand how I could have done all that. And I really don’t understand how Ian could possibly want to be with me after all of it.”

  Jade gave Gwen a moment to cry, but only a moment before she rubbed her shoulder and then squeezed gently. “I know you think it’s harsh,” she said. “But try to remember that what you wrote is only the start of the story. It’s literally episode one. You still have so much to write and as you do, you’ll be able to revisit all of the wonderful things, too.”

  She knew what Gwen was going to say, what the new objection would be. So Jade headed it off.

  “You’re going to go through this again,” Jade said. “When you get closer to the end, there will be all kinds of feelings.” Gwen nodded. They both knew what Jade was talking about. If Gwen was going to write the script truthfully, she’d have to revisit painful memories of when Ian discovered the truth. That had been a hard night, and no doubt it would be even harder to recreate for the screen. “But then you’ll get through the other side to the wonderful coming together of your love,” Jade said. “Remember that you and Ian are the lucky ones. Your love is strong and it not only made it through the adversity, it’s thriving. Focus on the good parts of your story. Don’t dwell on what you can’t change.”

  It was good advice. For a few minutes, neither of them said anything. They just let Jade’s words and the moment settle in. Finally, Gwen’s tears dried up and she sat straighter. She refastened her ponytail and wiped her face. “You’re right,” she said. “I’m just being silly.”

  “I don’t think it’s silly to feel passionately and care about what you’re working on. I don’t think that’s silly at all.” Jade gave her friend a hug. “But it is silly to question your love. What you and Ian have together is special. We should all be so lucky.”

  “You’re right.”

  “You know I am.” Jade laughed. “Now, since the first episode is done, let’s get to work on a few more. I don’t want to have to kidnap you again.”

  “Jade!” Mitch knocked on her door again. Still no answer.

  Where the hell could she be?

  The idea that she was inside her house and simply ignoring him was simply not an option.

  But it could be.

  “Jade!” He knocked louder before he glanced around. A few families walked down the sidewalk, arms loaded with inflatables, picnic baskets, and chairs. Mitch gave them a little wave and tried to look as if he belonged there. The moment they’d moved a safe distance down the sidewalk, he turned and hammered on the door again. “Open up. We need to talk! Please, Jade!”

  When there was still no movement inside, Mitch turned and sat down hard on the front steps. He’d already dialed her number a dozen times. No answer.

  He punched in the numbers again.

  Her voicemail message came on almost immediately.

  “Dammit, Jade. Where are you?”

  He admitted defeat, at least for the time being, and went in search of a coffee. She either really wasn’t home, or really didn’t want to talk to him. Either way, he’d be back to try again because one thing was for sure: he was not giving up.

  He left his car where it was in front of her house and walked the short distance to Main Street and Dream Puffs bakery. He ordered a black coffee and a muffin that smelled too delicious for his empty stomach to pass up and found the only open table, sandwiched between an elderly couple, heads bent together as they worked
on a crossword puzzle, and a couple about his age.

  Couples were everywhere. He tried not to feel the pinch of bitterness that instead of sitting there alone, he should be there with Jade, as a couple of their own.

  As he sipped his coffee, Mitch made a mental list of all the places Jade could possibly be. It was a small town; it’s not as though there were a lot of places to be. Unless, of course, she was avoiding him. Or worse, she’d left. The thought filled him with panic. No. Surely she wouldn’t have left town. Not with the show getting ready to shoot. It meant too much to her.

  Gwen would know.

  He didn’t know why he hadn’t thought of it earlier. Mitch pulled out his phone and was just about to find Gwen’s number when movement at the table next to him caught his attention.

  “I got her, babe,” the man said to his girlfriend. He reached down and picked up a baby carrier that Mitch hadn’t noticed earlier. Inside was the tiniest human he’d ever seen.

  Mitch didn’t mean to eavesdrop or intrude on the couple, but he couldn’t help but watch as the man slowly and gently unfastened the baby’s buckles and lifted her from the seat.

  She was impossibly small, especially in the man’s arms. The woman reached over and stroked the baby’s cheek before she looked up at the man. “I still can’t believe she’s ours,” she said to him. “She’s just so beautiful.”

  “Just like her mama.” The man bent and kissed the woman on the lips.

  It was an intimate moment and Mitch never should have been watching it, but he couldn’t seem to move his eyes from the scene before him that could so easily be him and Jade and their own baby in a few months.

  The thought should have scared him. Hell, it would have scared him at any other time. But at that moment, not knowing whether he’d lost Jade forever or whether he could still win her back, there wasn’t anything he wanted more than to play out a similar scene with her and their child.

  “She’s pretty incredible, isn’t she?” It took Mitch a moment to realize the man holding the baby was speaking to him. He was alone with the child; the woman must have excused herself to the bathroom while he was lost in his private thoughts.

  “Sorry,” Mitch mumbled. “I didn’t mean to—”

  “No.” The man shook his head. “It’s all good. Babies have a way of doing that to people. My name’s Seth.” He shifted the child and offered his hand for Mitch. “You’re one of the McCormick brothers, aren’t you? I’ve seen you around town. I actually helped your brother put the new boats in. But I’m sorry to say I’ve been a little too preoccupied with my new family to make a better effort to welcome you all. It’s good to meet you.”

  “I’m Mitch.”

  “My girlfriend Cynthia owns the General Store and this here is Lindy. She’s named after her Cynthia’s mother, Linda who just passed away.”

  “I’m sorry to hear about your loss.” Mitch focused on the baby. “She’s…well, she’s just…so small.”

  Seth laughed. “She is. She was born almost two months too early. But we’re lucky. She only had to spend a few days in the hospital. She’s strong. Like her mama.”

  She was so incredibly small. Mitch couldn’t stop staring at her. “That’s great,” he said. It felt inadequate, but it was the only thing he could say, and then he realized something Seth had said a moment earlier. “Did you say Cynthia was your girlfriend? So, you’re not married?” He wasn’t sure why it mattered, but for whatever reason, it did.

  Seth laughed and then cuddled the baby a little closer, making a soothing sound. “No,” he said. “We’re not married. There wasn’t time. I mean, by the time I found out about her.” He gestured with his chin down at the sleeping bundle. “It was a couple months in already and then I had to convince Cyn that I loved her and then…well…unfortunately, Cynthia’s mom was very sick. Sadly, she passed away.”

  “Oh. I’m so sorry.”

  “Thanks.” Seth nodded once. “It was a hard time, for sure,” he said. “It still is hard, actually. And with the stress of everything, Cynthia went into labor early. Which, I guess, turned out to be a good thing since Lindy here is just so perfect and thankfully was healthy enough to come home. It could have been so different, right?”

  Mitch nodded, but he had no idea what Seth was talking about. “What do you mean she was a few months along by the time you found out? You had to convince her that you loved her?” That story sounded a little too familiar.

  “Let’s just say that this little miracle wasn’t entirely planned.” The woman, Cynthia, returned to the table and stuck out her hand. “Hi,” she said. “I’m Cynthia. I see Seth here is giving away all our secrets.”

  They laughed. “I’m Mitch.”

  “I know.” She shrugged. “Small town, sorry.”

  “No problem.” Mitch scooted his chair over to join them at their table. “And I’m sorry if I’m asking personal questions. I just…” He wondered how much he should say. “Well, it’s crazy. My friend actually just found out he was going to be a father, but he’s not technically with the baby’s mother. It’s kind of complicated.”

  “It always is.” Seth laughed.

  “Do you—I mean, does your friend love the woman?”

  Mitch eyed her, but continued to play along. He didn’t know how much Jade had told, or whether she was going to tell anyone at all. Hell, he didn’t know anything.

  After a moment, he nodded. “He does.”

  Seth laughed again, this time startling the baby, who started to stir. Cynthia reached out and Seth handed her the child before continuing. “Sorry to laugh,” he said. “It’s just that if your friend loves her, it just seems kind of simple.” He glanced at his girlfriend. “I mean, it’s never completely simple. But it is easier if there’s love. Way easier.”

  “That’s very true.” Cynthia nodded. “I’d tell your friend to make sure the woman knows how much he loves her and that he’ll do whatever he needs to in order to support her and love her through everything. Babies are a blessing, to be sure. But, if they’re unplanned, they tend to come with some unexpected challenges as well.”

  Right. Mitch could totally see that. He nodded despite the fact that he still had so many questions.

  “It’s not easy, man.” Mitch looked at Seth, who looked very serious. “But it’s totally worth it. Tell your…friend,” he winked at Cynthia, “to give it everything he has. Otherwise he’ll regret losing something he may not have even been sure he wanted at the time. Looking back, I could never have forgiven myself if I hadn’t tried everything I could to make sure Cynthia knew how much I loved her and our unborn baby. Life changing, for sure. But worth all of it.”

  They chatted for a few more minutes, the conversation shifting to the more neutral topic of Gwen and Ian’s show, and of course the marina and how things were doing generally in town. Although Mitch was in the conversation, he couldn’t help but let his mind drift back to what Seth had said. And he knew what he had to do.

  He was in love with her. Of that he had no doubt.

  Now, he needed to do everything in his power to make sure Jade knew it, too.

  Chapter Fourteen

  It turned out that it had only taken Jade and Gwen a few hours to finish up the scripts for the first five episodes and sketch out another four. And they were good. Really good. Jade was confident Peter would love them and they’d be able to start filming just as soon as the rest of the casting was decided upon. Despite their work being finished up, or maybe because of it, the women decided to stay at the Springs for the rest of the day and enjoy all the amenities. After all, they deserved it after all the work they’d done.

  The fact that Jade was trying to avoid her reality had nothing to do with it. At least that’s what she kept telling herself. And she had no plans to tell herself any different, either. At least not until she’d finished soaking in the hot pool filled with naturally therapeutic waters and eating the delicious snacks that Jax, the amazing head chef, had prepared them. Maybe then she’d
be ready to deal with her reality.

  But not even one minute before.

  Jade tilted her head back against the stone and closed her eyes. “This is amazing. Truly. I think we should make this a weekly ritual.”

  Across from her, Gwen groaned in agreement. “And the massages here are to die for, too.”

  “Seriously? Okay, definitely a weekly ritual then,” Jade confirmed but then changed her mind. “Well, maybe only a monthly one. I’m not sure my checking account would like it.”

  “Monthly?” There was the sound of water splashing as Gwen sat up. Jade opened her eyes to see her friend staring at her. “Are you going to be around for a while then?” Gwen didn’t beat around the bush. “Is there maybe a certain someone keeping you here?” She wiggled her eyebrows and despite herself, Jade laughed.

  “Honestly,” she said. “I haven’t decided yet. But I think I would like to.” She waved her hands in the water, watching the bubbles dance around her skin. “I mean, I’ll be here for the show.”

  “You know that’s not what I meant.” Gwen tilted her head and examined her. “Seriously, are you thinking of staying? Cedar Springs is a great place to live.” She laughed. “Not that I really know, being new myself. But maybe we can discover it together. That would be fun, being the new girls together.”

  “You’re hardly new,” Jade said.

  Gwen had been spending her summers in Cedar Springs since she was a kid. It was only after a long absence that she’d come back recently and fallen in love with Ian. So technically, she was only new to Cedar Springs as an adult, and considering she was so different from when she was a kid, she might as well be.

  “We’re getting off topic.” Gwen sat up and moved through the water so she sat across from Jade. “Are you going to stay or what? And I don’t just mean for the show. Like, permanently? Are you staying?”