The Husband Maker Boxed Set

by White, Karey

  Fortunately, we had only seen two other golfers today and they were probably finished with the course by now, because I was slow. In a real round of golf, I’m sure I would have incurred a time penalty.

  Flynn joined me in the long grass. “I should have just walked along and watched you golf,” I said.

  “Then what would I have laughed at?”

  “At least I’m providing you with some good entertainment.”

  We paced back and forth in the area we had seen the ball drop.

  “Oh, steamin’ jobbies. You might want a new ball.” Flynn had bent over and was holding the grass back.

  “What did you say?” I walked over to see what he was looking at.

  “I said you might want a new ball.”

  “No. Before that.”

  Flynn looked up at me, squinting in the sunshine. “I said ‘steamin’ jobbies.’”

  I leaned over and rested my hands on my knees, laughing. “Steamin’ jobbies? What does that even mean?”

  Flynn pointed at the ground. My ball sat in a giant mound of sheep poop. It wasn’t perched on the pile, ready to be hit. It was half buried. There would be no hitting the ball without sending sheep doo doo flying all over. “I think you should take a stroke and drop a new ball.”

  “Yeah, I think I will. But what is ‘steamin’ jobbies?”

  Flynn stood straight and stepped back onto the shorter grass.

  “I don’t know. My dad used to say it. I guess it could mean a hot pile of that.” He pointed at the mess my ball was in. “Dad said it when he was bealin.”

  “Bealin? Sometimes I swear you’re not speaking English.”

  “Bealin is angry. Very angry.”

  I laughed. “Steamin’ jobbies. I think I might have to use that at home.”

  Flynn smiled. “It’ll be like takin’ a piece of Scotland home with ya.”

  It was my last night in Scotland and the Isle of Lewis had bestowed upon me a perfect night. The sky was clear and bright. The moon and the stars, like precocious children, clamored for attention.

  We sat around the fire pit in Flynn’s back yard. Mary and Jessie had joined us for the giant marshmallows. The creek softly bubbled in the background.

  “Are ya happy to get home?” Mary asked.

  I shrugged. “It’ll be nice to see my family, and I have a project I’m excited about at work, but I have some hard things I have to take care of, and I still don’t know what I’m going to do.”

  “You’ll figure it out,” Flynn said.

  “This has been the best vacation of my life.”

  “Maybe you should stay a while longer,” Jessie said.

  I laughed. “I think Flynn might want his house back.”

  “You can stay in my house as long as ya want, but the hard things won’t go away just ‘cause you’re here.”

  “I know.”

  “It’s been a pleasure having you here,” Mary said. “You’re just like a Scottish lass.”

  I knew that was a huge compliment coming from a woman who had every reason to resent American girls. “Thank you. And I’ll be able to cook like one when I get home, thanks to you.”

  Jessie cleared her throat and I knew it was time. “I’ll be right back,” I said.

  I walked to Flynn’s house and retrieved the guitar I had found in his closet. I had used a guitar tuner I’d found in his case to try to tune it. It sounded okay to me, but only someone who played a guitar would know for sure. I carefully carried it out to the fire and sat down.

  “You play the guitar?” Mary asked.

  “No. But I heard Flynn does.”

  Flynn shook his head. “No, no, no.”

  “It’s my last night here, Flynn. Please play a song or two.”

  Flynn looked back and forth between Mary and Jessie. “It wasn’t me,” Mary said, putting her hands up in surrender. Jessie just smiled.

  “I’m not any good. Let’s just enjoy the sound of the water.”

  “Someone’s going to play a song tonight. I’ll just start playing until you’re ready to take your turn.” I grinned at him and settled the guitar on my lap. I wasn’t sure if I was holding it right, but I pretended I knew what I was doing.

  And then I started strumming and holding down random fingers. The sound was abrasive and unpleasant. “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine.” I continued singing and playing, even though the two actions had nothing to do with each other. I sang as much as I knew and then paused. “Should I keep going or do you want a turn?”

  Flynn shook his head.

  “You are my sunshine . . .” I began again.

  “Fine, I’ll do it.”

  Everyone laughed.

  Flynn started playing, his fingers moving easily over the strings. I was surprised at how good it sounded. And then he started singing about a lass with sad, brown eyes and I felt like a balloon was being inflated bigger and bigger inside my chest and might pop right out at any moment. Flynn’s voice was rich and mellow and the song was so melancholy.

  “Wow,” I said when he finished.

  “I told you he was good,” Jessie said, and Flynn gave her a good-natured glare.

  “Consider that your going away present,” Flynn said.

  “Thank you. Can I have one more?”

  “I don’t know very many songs without music.”

  “Just one more?”

  Flynn started strumming again. This song was happier. It was a song about lovely Stornoway. After a couple of lines, the others joined in, first Mary and then Jessie. I wished I knew the song and could sing along. I certainly agreed with the lyrics. When the song was over, Flynn leaned the guitar against his chair and sat back.

  “Thank you.” I knew he had just shared something he usually kept to himself. Flynn smiled at me and if Mary and Jessie hadn’t been there, I would have had to hug him.

  “I’m tired. I think it’s time for me to go to bed.” Mary pushed herself out of her chair.

  “I’ll walk you home, Mum.”

  “Be sure to stop by in the morning and say goodbye,” Mary said.

  “I will.”

  Mary put her arm through Flynn’s and they left.

  “I’m glad you told me he could play,” I said to Jessie when Flynn and Mary were too far away to hear.

  “He must really like ya,” Jessie said. “He doesn’t play for people very often. A couple of times when I’ve brought something by the house, I’ve heard him playing, but that’s just for himself. Once I stood by the door and listened to three or four songs before I knocked.”

  “You have a lovely voice, too,” I said.

  “Naw,” Jessie said and waved me off. “I think I’ll go home now. Ya don’t need a tag-along on your last night here.” I wanted to assure her Flynn and I were just friends and she could stay, but I had a couple of things I wanted to talk to him about, so I didn’t discourage her from leaving.

  “It was wonderful meeting you,” I said, standing to give her a hug.

  “You too. Maybe you’ll come back some time.”

  “I don’t know. This has been amazing, but it might have been a once-in-a-lifetime thing for me.”

  Jessie hugged me back and then walked to her car and left.

  I sat alone for several minutes. The flames had died to embers but I didn’t want to go inside yet, so I threw on a couple more pieces of wood and it crackled back to life. I looked at the back of Flynn’s house and felt a surprising twinge of sadness. How strange to feel homesick for a place that had never been home.

  “Where’s Jessie?” Flynn asked.

  “She went home.”

  “You warm enough?”

  “Yes. It feels good.”

  Flynn slid his chair a little closer to mine and sat down.

  “I’m sorry you’re leaving.”

  “Me too. This has been perfect. You’ve all been so kind and generous. Thank you.”

  Flynn nodded. We watched the fire for several moments and then he spoke. “Have you de
cided what you’re going to do when you get home? About Angus?”

  I sighed. “I don’t want to hurt Aleena.”

  “Do you want to hear what I think about it?”

  “Of course.”

  “If you and Angus love each other, Aleena will get over it.” I cringed a little. I still wasn’t used to thinking about me and Angus loving each other. “But if you don’t tell him how you feel, and he marries her even though he loves you... If she ever finds out, that will be much harder for her to get over.”

  I nodded. “This is so hard.”

  “Do you love him?”

  “I don’t know.”

  “Charlotte.”

  “I guess I do.”

  Flynn leaned toward me and put his hand on my arm. “You’ve suffered enough. You’ve watched a lot of men leave and go on to find happiness. I know you’re worried about your friend. That shows what kind of person you are. But you deserve to be happy, too. You need to tell the truth.”

  “I know.” And I did know. I wasn’t sure how I was going to do it, but this last nine days on this beautiful island, with time to think and laugh and find peace, had convinced me that I had to be honest, no matter how hard it was.

  I turned in my chair and took Flynn’s hand in both of mine. “And now I need to tell you the truth.”

  Flynn raised his eyebrows. I smiled at his confused expression. He looked so lovely in the firelight that I felt a pang of sadness that I wouldn’t fall in love with him, that I would probably never come back to this heavenly place. “Flynn, you deserve to be happy, too. You deserve to be loved. I don’t want you to be lonely.”

  “I’ll be fine.”

  “I want you to do something for me.”

  “I’m not marrying you, Charlotte, no matter how much you beg me.”

  “You’re breaking my heart.”

  “You’ll get over it, I’m sure.”

  I smiled at him. “I want you to take Jessie to dinner. On a date.”

  Flynn laughed and tried to pull his hand away, but I held it tightly. When I didn’t laugh, he got quiet. “She’s in love with Bruce.” I shook my head. “She’s loved him since before he went to school.”

  “Bruce has been gone a long time. I know he left a hole here for all of you. But you’re here. And so is Jessie.”

  “So you think she should settle for me?”

  “Oh, Flynn. Whoever ends up with you will not be settling.” Flynn looked at our hands. “Please. Promise me you’ll take her out to a nice dinner.”

  “You’re really desperate to keep that husband maker record going, aren’t you?” The side of Flynn’s mouth was quirked up, so I knew he was teasing.

  “You don’t want to be my one failure, do you?”

  “I’ll take her to dinner.”

  “Make sure she knows it’s a date. A real date. Okay?”

  “Okay.”

  “Promise?”

  “I promise.” I let go of his hand and sat back in my chair, satisfied.

  The fire died down and eventually we walked to the house. Flynn put his guitar away and then we stood at the door. “I’m glad ya came, Charlotte. Even though things didn’t turn out like I’d hoped, I’m glad ya came.”

  “So am I. You’ll never know how much this meant to me.” I reached up and put my hand on his cheek. “You are the very best kind of man.”

  Flynn took my hand from his cheek and kissed my palm before he turned and walked out of his house.

  Mom and Dad picked me up at the airport. Mom hugged me tightly before she pulled back and looked at me intently.

  “How was your trip?” Oh, Mom. In spite of the ordinariness of the question, I could tell she was really asking, “Are you in love with Flynn? Are you moving to the other side of the world? Are we losing our daughter?”

  “My trip was wonderful, but I’m not moving to Scotland.”

  Mom let out a quick breath, like someone had punched her in the stomach. “Really? Things didn’t work out?”

  I shook my head. “Flynn will forever be a dear friend, but that’s all.”

  “I’m sorry, dear.” Now that she knew I wouldn’t be moving to Scotland, she could be generous in her condolences.

  “It’s okay. I’m so glad I went. I wish you could see the Isle of Lewis. I’ve never seen anything like it and this was exactly what I needed.”

  After Stornoway, I found San Francisco too big, too loud, too crowded. It felt both familiar and disquieting. I reminded myself that this was home. I knew that after a few days I would adjust to the commotion and the pace and that made me a little sad.

  “What have I missed?” I asked from the back seat.

  “Will and Gina’s living room is finished,” Mom said. “They even got new furniture. You’ll have to go see it once you’re settled back in. They did a great job.”

  “And Emily just keeps growing,” Dad said.

  “I need to get over there before she’s walking.”

  Grandpa Guo was sitting outside his shoe repair shop, holding his laptop. “Charlotte, where have you been? I haven’t seen you for days.”

  “I took a trip to Scotland.”

  “Oh, so far away. I thought maybe you’d moved.”

  “Nope. I’m still here.”

  “Good, good. I thought you’d moved and Mia’s man would move in.”

  I thought about what he had said as we climbed the stairs and then it came to me. Had Graham called Mia? I was disappointed she wouldn’t be home from work for a couple more hours. It seemed we had some things to catch up on.

  “Come out to dinner as soon as you’re over the jetlag,” Mom said. “You can show us your pictures and tell us all about your trip.”

  I was tired, but I wanted to be sure I saw Mia when she got home, so I snuggled in with a blanket on the couch. I fell asleep almost immediately.

  “Shhh. Don’t wake her. She’s probably exhausted.”

  “Maybe we should go out to dinner and let her sleep.”

  “Just let me change real quick.”

  It took me a minute to realize I was hearing voices and not dreaming. When I opened my eyes, Graham was standing in the doorway of the kitchen, his back to me. I pulled myself to a sitting position and rubbed the sleep out of my eyes.

  “Graham?”

  Graham turned to face me. “Sorry, did we wake you?”

  “That’s okay. What’s going on?” I pulled my feet up under me.

  “We’re just going to get some dinner. As soon as Mia changes.”

  “No. I mean what’s going on?” I motioned back and forth between Graham and Mia’s bedroom.

  Graham smiled and stepped over to the couch. “I’ll let Mia tell you.” Then he lowered his voice. “But just so you know, I haven’t told her I saw you in Philadelphia.”

  “Oh. So I shouldn’t say anything?”

  Graham shrugged. “That’s up to you.”

  “Hey, you’re awake.”

  “Yeah. Sort of.”

  “Welcome home.” Mia came to the couch and leaned over to give me a hug. “It seems like you’ve been gone forever. Two weeks is too long.”

  I sighed. “I don’t know. I think I could have stayed another week or two pretty easily.”

  “That good, huh? I want to hear all about it.”

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “No Scottish boyfriend?”

  I shook my head.

  “Ah, I’m sorry. I was hoping you would come home in love.”

  Funny. I think I did come home in love. It just wasn’t what everyone would expect. “It’s okay. I had a great time, and the whole trip gave me some much-needed perspective.”

  “Good. If you’re happy about it, then so am I.” She stood in front of me, her hands on her hips, smiling. “Do you want to come to dinner with us?”

  “No thanks. I’m too tired. I’d probably end up face down in my food.”

  Mia smiled at me. “Would you like us to bring back something for you?”

&
nbsp; “I don’t know. Where are you going?” I glanced over at Graham, and he was smiling too. They exchanged a look and then continued to smile at me.

  “We were going to Mosso’s. Do you want some lasagna?”

  “Sure. That sounds good.” I looked back and forth at them again. “Okay, what’s going on?”

  “Nothing,” Mia said, swinging her hips a little, her hands still on them.

  And then I saw it. “No way. No way. Are you serious?” I looked back at Graham, and he was nodding, a huge smile on his face. I looked back at Mia and she was beaming.

  “We’re engaged.”

  “Graham. Good work. Seriously.”

  “Thanks. I went to see my brother and his family and had an epiphany. I decided I’d better snag her before someone else did.”

  I stood and hugged Mia. “Congratulations. I’m so excited for you.”

  “Me too. I knew he’d come around eventually.”

  Graham stood and hugged me, too. “Thank you,” he whispered.

  “Any time.”

  “Welcome home, Charlotte,” Will said as soon as I answered the phone. I leaned back to talk, glad for the break. It was my first day back at work and it had seemed interminable.

  “It’s good to be home. Mostly.”

  “Fun trip?”

  “Truly amazing, Will. It’s like I just spent two weeks in heaven. It was so beautiful and the people were so nice. And I learned how to cook some amazing things. I’m thinking I should invite the family to Mom and Dad’s and I’ll do the cooking.”

  “You name the time and we’ll be there. By the way, have you talked to Angus or Aleena since you got home?”

  “No. It feels like all I’ve done is sleep. I can’t seem to get caught up. Why?”

  “I’m sure it’s nothing.”

  “What’s nothing?” I sat up a little straighter. I should have talked to them when I got home, but knowing what I had to do, as soon as I psyched myself up, made it hard to call them. I didn’t want to be fake.

  “It’s just that I haven’t talked to him since before you left. I could tell something was on his mind, but when I asked, he said he was just weighing some options for his future. I figured he was about to dump Aleena. Sorry. I know she’s your friend. I just know how hard it is for Angus to move on past a certain point and I figured he was about there.”