Hope Falls_Cookies & Kismet

by Mayra Statham

  I wanted to say he was a man. Men did one thing. They did exactly as you expected, and if they surprised you, it was because they somehow found a way to disappointment you. Not that she would have ever agreed with me. She was married to an incredible man. But I used to believe this like I believed the sun would rise every morning.

  With Nathan Sharpe in my life, I wasn't so sure anymore.

  ***

  Elena had left over an hour ago, and I was delaying the inevitable. I needed to pick up the phone and call him to cancel our weekend. Our cookie-making, festival-toting weekend.

  Picking up my cell, I scrolled down my contacts and found him.

  As I sat in my over-sized reading chair, I dialed and held the phone to my ear.

  The phone rang once. Twice. And I almost wished I would get his voicemail. Leaving a message to cancel would be so much easier.

  “Hey, baby.” His voice snapped me out of my thoughts and only confirmed it. Yup. It would have been a lot easier to cancel via voicemail.

  “Hey. I’m sorry to call. Is this a bad time?” I asked, nervously biting my nail.

  “I don’t think there could ever a bad time to hear your voice, babe. And believe it or not, you have perfect timing. I just left my meeting and am heading to the airport. Hoping I can get an earlier flight. What’s up?”

  "Oh." God, he is so dang perfect, I thought to myself, shutting my eyes. "I... I kinda have some news."

  "What’s up?" His voice went deep, and I hated how sad I felt at the thought of him not being here. When had I become this person?

  “This weekend…”

  “I know. I can’t wait! It’s going to be fun.” The joy in his voice killed. “You should see the star I picked up!”

  “Star?”

  “Yeah. I know you said that one we mickey-moused was okay, but I saw this in a store window by my work and couldn't resist.”

  “Oh. Umm… I have to cancel,” I blurted. Rip it off like a Band-Aid, I told myself.

  “What?”

  “I have to cancel this weekend,” I repeated, somehow finding steel to infuse into my spine.

  “Why? You okay?”

  “Oh, I'm … I'm fine. My sister—“

  “Elena?”

  “Yeah.” I paused and frowned. “How did you know that?”

  “You told me about her on the island.” My eyes burned. Damn. He remembered that? ”She has three kids, right?”

  “Yeah.... you remember that?” I asked softly, feeling too much for this man who was way too far away at the moment to show him how I felt. I love him. I loved him with everything I had. Head over heels, fairytale kind of love.

  “Baby, I think it would freak you out what I remember.” Something about the honest tone in his voice didn’t let me doubt it.

  “Why?” I couldn’t help but ask. The cynic in me always got the best of me.

  “Because when it comes to you, it’s hard to forget any detail.”

  “Oh.” He left me speechless.

  “So… your sister?” he prompted, reminding me of the beautiful plans we had made that wouldn’t happen anymore.

  “Oh yeah.” I sighed. “She needs me to watch her kids. She was able to pick up a couple of extra shifts at JT's Roadhouse this weekend, and she needs me to watch them.”

  “Okay...” he said slowly. “But why do we have to cancel?” he asked, and just like that, a small flicker of hope grew and burned brightly in my chest.

  “It’s three kids, Nate.”

  “I like kids,” he answered easily, and I frowned.

  “You do?” I asked. I didn’t know why his answer surprised me, but it did in a good way.

  “Yeah. Don’t you?” he inquired. I pressed my lips together.

  “Of course, they’re my family, but honey, they can be a handful,” I realistically answered. This was his time off. I didn’t want him to go back home more tired than he arrived.

  “So can my sister’s kids, but you know... you enjoy them. It’s our job as an aunt or uncle. We get to be the fun ones.”

  “They're going to be spending the night,” I pointed out.

  “Okay. So that means no crazy monkey sex in the living room?” he joked, and I laughed.

  “You sure about this? If you come, you'll be meeting them.”

  “Yeah. That would happen. And?”

  “And? Umm… that means you'll meet my sister,” I stressed.

  “I'm not worried, Ang. Plus, I like us heading in this direction.”

  “You do?”

  “Baby, what do you think we’re doing here? You said it yourself a couple of nights ago. I’m yours and you're mine.” He was right. Wow. We were serious.

  “I know.”

  “Then?”

  “I just...” I didn’t have the words without somehow making an idiot out of myself by blurting out I loved him.

  “Look, babe, if you don't want them to meet me, I get it. But—“

  “I want you to,” I quickly cut in, not wanting him to doubt that. “I do. I swear.” I needed him to understand I wanted him in my life. “I just...”

  “What, baby? You just what?” he asked calmly and patiently, and he took my breath away. God, he was wonderful.

  “I haven't done the whole meet-the-family thing in... like forever.”

  “Okay.”

  “And ...” I tried to collect the words, while he waited patiently for me to continue. I was grateful he knew I needed that. “I really want this to work between us,” I finally spoke.

  “I do, too.”

  “But with us being, you know, bi-coastal, I worry,” I confessed, bringing up the elephant in the room. How long would he be able to travel like this to visit? He would tire of it. I could make a couple of trips here and there, but nowhere like he was with coming every weekend. There was no way I could afford it.

  “That makes sense. Now, I have a question for you. What if we weren't?”

  “What?” I whispered.

  “What if we weren't bi-coastal? What if we were closer?”

  “If wishes were horses.” I couldn't help myself.

  “Just tell me. Would you be as worried about us and what we are and what we could be?”

  “Nate.”

  “Please?” His voice went rough, and a shiver ran down my spine all the way to my toes.

  “No,” I answered honestly.

  I had no idea how I knew, but I did. I knew if he were closer than thousands of miles away, I wouldn't worry about our relationship. I knew we would have a huge chance at finding what my parents had. What my sister had with her husband.

  “That’s all I needed to know,” he calmly commented. I had so much to ask him, but I didn’t.

  “Okay,” I whispered instead.

  “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “They'll be here tonight.”

  “Good. I’m looking forward to meeting them.” I smiled, “How about I bring some stuff?"

  "Like what?"

  "I don't know. How old are they?"

  "Nena is twelve, and Massey is the youngest. She’s five."

  "And Freddie?" Wow, he did remember everything. Even my nephew’s name.

  “Eight,” I whispered as I fell even deeper in love with him.

  “Sounds good. I will think of something.”

  “Nate...” I called out his name before he ended the call. My heart was overflowing with emotion.

  “Yeah?”

  “Thank you,” I softly breathed into the phone. Those two words weren’t enough for what he was making me feel. God, I wished he were here, next to me.

  “For what?”

  “For... for being you. For wanting whatever it is we have and exploring this with me.” It wasn’t the three words that would have said it all, but it was something.

  “You’re mine. If that means girlfriend/boyfriend, then consider us going steady, baby.” His voice was carefree and honest. I smiled.

  “Boyfriend, huh?”

  “Yep.”

/>   “That’s pretty serious.

  “You have no idea how serious I want us to be.” His words made my heart flip and flop, and I couldn’t help but grin.

  “I like that,” I whispered. “Be safe?

  “Always. I’ll be darkening your doorstep before you know it.”

  “I can’t wait. I will see you soon.”

  “Babe?” he called out right before I ended the call.

  “Yeah?”

  “Did you pass it by your sister?”

  “What?” I stilled.

  “That I might be there? Maybe you should call her, and while you talk, maybe ask if it’s okay if we take the kids to the festival.” There was no way this man could be this amazing.

  “You want to take three kids to the festival?”

  “You heard me. Talk to her—“ I could tell he was smiling by the tone in his voice, but I still cut him off.

  “Nate, babe, they have a lot of energy. Massey—“

  “We can handle it,” he quietly reassured me. “I mean, it’s good practice, right?”

  “What?” I stilled. Practice? Was he saying what I thought he was saying?

  “Nothing. Look, I think they would like it. I mean, what kid doesn't like a festival? The food alone is like a kid’s daydream.”

  “True,” I mumbled, my mind still on the whole practice comment.

  “So, you’ll ask?”

  “Yeah. I mean, she has no problem with you staying here, but I’ll ask about the festival. Maybe I can trade cars with her.”

  “Don't worry about it. I was going to get a bigger rental this time, anyhow.”

  “Oh, why’s that?”

  “It might snow.”

  “Okay. See you soon.”

  “Later, babe.” With that, he ended the call and I stared at my phone.

  I pulled up the pictures I had of us and couldn't help but smile. Pictures of us in Hawaii. Pictures of us in my house, cozied up on the couch before we started watching a holiday movie. The silly faces we made at the camera stared at me, and I liked what we had.

  I love him.

  He was moving hell and high water to be here with me. Not only were the airline tickets pricey to buy weekly, he had to be moving things around in his schedule. In Hawaii, he had mentioned he was a workaholic.

  Maybe I could find a way to surprise him in Miami before school started back up?

  Either way, however long this would last, I was going to enjoy the ride.

  Nathan

  He was glad he had upgraded his rental to an SUV as he drove through the now colder roads. It was very impressive what a difference a week made when it came to the weather. There wasn’t snow yet, but the forecast said there was a chance.

  The area started to look familiar as he got closer, and a tingle of excitement rushed through him like it usually did when he thought about seeing his girl. It wasn't about sex. Well, it wasn’t only about sex. It was about being around her. Spending time with her. A need to hold her in his arms and keep her safe. Not that she wasn't; she totally was. Hope Falls was amazing. It was more having to make sure of it regardless of where she was.

  Thankfully, the last meeting of the day had gone without a hitch and his goal of being closer to her might even come to fruition before he had planned.

  He usually parked in her driveway, but knowing her sister would probably be visiting, he drove up and parked on the curb in front of her house, leaving the space free and clear for her sister. Stepping out of the car, he grabbed his duffel bag and the goodies he had stopped at Target to pick up to help keep the kids entertained for a little bit, and maybe be able to sneak off and make out with Angie for a couple of minutes.

  After knocking on the door, he looked around the neighborhood like he usually did. It was nice. Small cottage homes mixed with craftsmen and cabin-like ones. The street was well lit and quiet. It was a nice place to live. A hell of a lot more domestic than he was used to in his high-rise apartment. But he found he liked the area more and more. The reality of what he had planned settled well with him and he was excited about the future in a way he hadn’t been for a really long time.

  The door opened and light blue, almost gray eyes looked up at him.

  “Aunt Angie, your boyfriend is here,” the kid called out, never looking away from him. Nathan’s lips twitched.

  “You must be Freddie,” he said, extending his hand, and watched as the kid’s small hand took it and gave him a firm handshake.

  “Yes, sir,” he politely answered, still holding his hand, and if he wasn’t mistaken, tighter now. The kid kept talking, “You should know that while my dad is gone on leave, I’m the man of the family. You break her heart, I hurt you,” he told him, laying out his truth. Nathan pressed his lips together. He knew the kid was just doing what he thought was the right thing, and he had no doubt he was being protective of his aunt.

  Nate really fucking respected that.

  “Freddie!” Angie scolded, and Nathan stayed serious.

  Crouching to the kid’s level, he looked him in the eye and tried to reassure him as honestly as possible.

  “I promise you, man to man, I won’t hurt your aunt,” he swore, meaning every word.

  “Good,” Freddie answered, his face still serious. “I guess you can come in.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Did I interrupt?” a female voice said behind him, and he turned around. Without having to ask, he knew who she was. Angie’s sister Elena.

  “Elena, this is Nathan Sharpe. Nate, this is my sister, Elena Kerrigan, who somehow magically got out of her shift early.”

  “Nice to meet you.” He shook her hand, and she nodded.

  “Nice to finally meet you, too,” she said before letting go. “And I’m not off work. I’m on lunch and wanted to tuck the kids in.” She smiled. He heard Angie grunt.

  “And snoop.”

  “Maybe a little.” Her sister laughed, patting him on the shoulder. “But can you blame me? My baby sister has a man. It’s my job to meet him.”

  “Oh, my God.” Angie shut her eyes tightly. He wanted to laugh.

  “She’s right, Angie,” Nathan chimed in and watched Angie’s head pop up in surprise.

  “What?” she asked with wide eyes.

  “Huh.” Elena stared at him as something processed behind her eyes.

  “I’ve been greedy with Angie’s time,” he admitted. “I’m sorry about that. She’s special to me, and I want you to know she means a lot to me.”

  “Well, our girl is one of a kind, so you better be good to her,” she warned. He nodded, but before he could say anything, the kid beat him to it.

  “Don’t worry, Mom. I already warned him,” Freddie added.

  “Can we let Nathan come into the house, you guys?” Angie stepped forward, and he heard Elena laugh. “I’m sorry about—“ He smiled and winked at her.

  “Hey.” He leaned into her face, his hand cupping her cheek. “Missed you.”

  “Missed you, too,” she returned softly, and he kissed her lightly on the lips.

  “Okay, kid, let’s go get you guys into bed,” Elena said. Nathan and Angie pulled away and looked at the two.

  “But Mom!” Freddie whined, and Nathan glanced at Angie.

  “I think we have given the neighbors enough of a show. How about we get inside? You know, where it’s warm?”

  He watched Angie’s older sister’s lips twitch and wrap her arm around her son’s shoulder, just as Freddie looked up at Angie. “I like him, Aunt Ang.”

  “Me too,” Elena muttered as she walked past them, giving him a sly wink.

  “You got here early.” She looked up at him. He wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her into a strong embrace. With her in his arms, everything melted away. “I’m glad you’re here.”

  “You ready for me to meet your family?”

  “Totally,” she answered and beamed up at him. Before he could lead them into the house, she grabbed his hand, and he looked at her, unable
to read her. “Would you want me to meet yours?” she asked nervously, and he gave her a warm smile.

  “I do. I was thinking about it on the plane ride. It’s one of the things I want to talk to you about.”

  “Oh?” Excitement sparkled behind her dark eyes, but it wasn’t the moment for them to talk. Soon.

  “We’ll get to that this weekend. Promise.” He winked at her before kissing her forehead and getting them out of the chilly outdoors.

  Chapter Eleven

  Nathan - December 16th

  The festival in the cozy mountain town was the best he had ever been to. He doubted anyone could be there and not get wrapped up in the spirit of the holidays.

  Cinnamon and sugar hung heavily in the air from the food vendors. It made his mouth water. From the moment they stepped out of Angie’s home, the chill in the air had him smiling. He liked it more than he would have expected. Then again, it made for the perfect excuse to have his girl in his arms as they walked around the Riverwalk.

  After going into her house, the night before had been interesting. Angie and her sister had quickly introduced him to Nena and Massey, then quickly got the three kids settled into her guest room. He’d found watching the sisters bicker and joke around with one another amusing. He liked that they were comfortable enough around him to be themselves.

  As quickly as she’d arrived, Elena had left with a quick wave as she rushed back to work. He had helped fix a fire and they had sat and cuddled on the couch. Before he knew it, he had nodded off halfway into Die Hard, a movie Angie insisted was a holiday must-watch.

  Their morning had been a flurry of whipping up breakfast, sneaking in kisses, and getting three very active and amusing kids ready to go and out the door.

  Now, standing in front of a booth that had hair accessories and colorful tutus, he watched Angie with her youngest niece as she helped her decide on the perfect one. The little girl was adorable, and watching her with Angie, he felt something deep. Something very much like what he had felt earlier as he’d watched Angie in the kitchen with the kids. Almost a slight glimpse at a future he really wanted.

  His girl smiled at him, her eyes twinkling with something pure and beautiful and a hell of a lot like love as she caught him staring. Thankfully, she gifted him with a wink before returning all her attention to the cute little girl.