One Night
Page 10
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Money talked, and within fourteen days of escrow, the cabin was habitable to the standard Liam set for Emma. They moved into a cabin smelling of fresh paint and varnish over his father's protests, causing possibly the biggest rift in the family since crazy Aunt Mabel had run off with a jazz singer in the late forties.
For the first time, he was his own man. He was gay, and he wanted to explore that side of him without interference. He wanted forever with someone, to have a family for Emma.
He wanted to talk to Micah, and he wanted to learn more about Micah. He was willing to fight every step of the way.
Chapter 15
"There's been a lot of work going on over at the Coulter place," Abbey said conversationally as she was packing away bunting from the September Wine Fair.
Rosie shifted Lydia to her other hip and held the box lid down so Abbey could tape it shut. "I heard there's been a landscaper up there too, fencing the whole thing in."
"You remember Joe, from school?"
"Joe Ames?"
"Yeah, he's got quite a good business in construction. Alex saw him at the fair, and apparently he's been there and this rich guy is converting one of the rooms into a dark room."
"A rich guy?"
They chattered on, and Micah tried to blank it out as he totaled sales. The fair had been very successful, a lot of local companies showcasing home-grown produce and goods, and all held at Seneca Blue for the fourth year running. Micah was listening to his sisters talk but was in a half daze. Despite trying to add up the columns, he was getting nowhere, and he had been like this since morning, ever since he'd glimpsed a man with blond hair who looked like Liam from the back in the crowds at the fair. Stupid idiot, it's ridiculous to think Liam is anywhere near here. Although…
"A rich guy you said?" He interrupted his sister's flow, and both turned to him expectantly.
"Yeah, rich as the Kennedys, so Joe said."
"Hmmm," he finally said and returned to adding numbers. He was not going to dwell on the remote, isolated possibility that Liam was the rich guy who'd bought the Coulter land. Whatever his fantasies, Liam realizing he missed Micah was not one of them. He was probably married now, although the date set in the papers had come and gone with no splash of announcement, not that Micah would admit to checking Google on a daily basis.
Something niggled at the back of his mind, something in Liam's eyes that final morning when Micah had seen him with his daughter in his arms and his fiancée hanging onto him. The look was one of utter confusion and desperation, and Micah still hadn't got his head around it. Micah was a man, not some prepubescent girl. He kicked himself because he should have come out with it there and then in the hotel restaurant and said, what the fuck Liam? After everything Liam had said, about how he had his life to sort out, about how he wanted time with Micah, where had it all gone wrong?
Suddenly, completely and utterly determined, he stood, and in a flurry of motion knocked the piles of receipts off the table.
"I'm going out," he announced to no one in particular, and within five minutes, he was walking the mile to the north of Seneca Blue. Dusk had begun to work its magic, dark blue pulling in around the mountains, the earth dusty and solid beneath his feet. This could potentially be the most important thing he had ever done, walking this small distance to see who had bought the Coulter land.
He reached the boundary of Seneca Blue and paused. The cabin wasn't far onto the Coulter land. It was in sight, a smudge of real against the beautiful quality of the encroaching night, and he heard laughter, a small child's tone, and …
The door was open, a small blond imp of a child standing in the doorway, a teddy trailing behind, and as he walked closer, the small shadow turned and darted back into the house and then returned, pulling someone behind her.
"Told you, Daddy, he's here… that man in tha' photy in Momma's special book."
Micah reached the bottom step, a hesitant smile on his face, and looked up at Liam in the doorway. Emma sat on the top step, drawing up her knees and looking curiously between her daddy and Micah.
"I wanted to come and see my new neighbor." Micah managed to force the words out through the emotion clogging his throat. Why was Liam here? Was it to torment him with things Micah couldn't have. "Is your wife—"
"My fiancée, ex-fiancée…."
"I'm sorry." Micah folded his arms across his chest and waited.
"Don't be sorry. She's a good person, but she wasn't the best one for Emma and me, and we weren't the best people for her."
"Still. I'm sorry given you were engaged and all…"
"You want to come in for a coffee?" Liam's words were hesitant, and he took the first step. Only two more and Micah would be able to touch him.
"Daddy said it was okay for the man in the photy to come in our house if he ever wanted to," Emma offered, smiling up at Micah.
Liam coughed and held out a hand. "Hey, Em, why don't you go in and finish your game, and I'll be in to see you in a bit."
Emma didn't argue, simply pulled herself up against Liam, and then went inside.
"Your daughter…" Micah started. "She's beautiful."
"I should explain. I wanted to at the hotel, but when I finally got the words in my head to make sense, you had already left. I wanted to tell you that, though Emma is the daughter of my heart, she isn't my biological daughter. She's my best friend's daughter, and I had married her mom."
"You've been married?"
"She was my best friend; her name was Jan, she was pregnant, young and didn't have anyone. I just gave her my name, promised I would be a father to Emma. When Jan died… I thought I needed to find a new mom for Emma. It's a long story." Liam took another step down towards him. With the added inches of the step, he was on the same level as Micah, and they ended up staring at each other for a long drawn-out moment.
"What photo does she mean?"
Liam ducked his head, embarrassment clear in his actions and in his words. "She has a book full of photos of her mom, and each year I add pictures of special moments."
"And I'm in there?" Micah couldn't help feeling a little incredulous that Liam had chosen a picture of him to place in a memory book.
"From lunch in the hills. Under the trees in the shadows. You had just finished explaining about your sisters, and your expression showed devotion to your family and to your vineyard." Liam smiled crookedly in what Micah assumed was apology. He took a deep breath and decided to cut to the chase.
"So you aren't engaged to be married anymore?" The words were calm, but he couldn't stop them sounding like accusation.
"No," Liam explained quickly, "I'm not—"
"In bed that morning, you said you were going to sort your life out," Micah finally said, dropping his hands to his sides and clenching his fists to stop himself from reaching for Liam. "Did that include ditching your fiancée?"
"No. It's not like that. She called it off, she's with someone else. Someone who makes her happy. I meant what I said Micah. I really did. I want to live my life differently and it's part of the long story. I didn't love Leigh. I was marrying her for Emma. Look, this is complicated. Do you want to maybe… would you like to come in? Emma's ready for bed, and when I've read to her, we could talk?"
"What will you be saying to me, Liam, at the core of it all?" Micah asked softly. He didn't want to go inside this cabin, this home, to be told that any burgeoning emotions he had felt at the hotel had been wasted.
"I'm gay, Micah." Liam frowned at his own words, and Micah realized he should be saying something incredibly profound at this point. Those two words—I'm gay—held so much in the way of admission and self-belief.
"I know," he finally said.
"Everyone knows now, and it isn't a secret anymore. What we need in our lives, Emma and me, is different from what other people want for us. What I feel for you wouldn't have to be a secret." Liam reached out a single hand and cupped Micah's cheek. Micah instinctively leaned into the touch. "At th
e ocean, I thought you could be part of my future, and help me be me. Even with all the denial, I think I was unconsciously doing the right thing for Emma without even realizing it."
"You do?"
"Yes, even if I wasn't ready to admit it. Please, Micah. Will you come in so we can at least talk?"
"Talk about our one night?" Micah paused and then leaned forward to place a single gentle kiss on Liam's soft lips, pulling back and seeing emotions mirroring his in Liam's expressive light-colored eyes. "If I come in, then you'll have me around a lot longer than one night."
"Micah," Liam began, with solemnity in his voice and a smile on his face, "one night would only be the start of it all…with you."
THE END
Also by R J Scott
Available at Silver Publishing:
Oracle
Moments
The Christmas Throwaway
The Heart of Texas
Valentine 2525
All The King's Men
Back Home
Deefur Dog
THE FIRE TRILOGY
Kian
Darach
Eoin (coming soon)
THE FITZWARREN INHERITANCE
The Psychic's Tale, by Chris Quinton
The Soldier's Tale, by RJ Scott
The Lord's Tale, by Sue Brown
Available at Love Lane Young Adult Books:
Love Is In The Title
Available at Dreamspinner Press:
Two Plus One
"Ascension" in A Brush of Wings
Award Winning Titles:
The Christmas Throwaway
Bestselling Book of 2010
All Romance E-books
Best Paranormal Author 2010
Nomination: Love Romance Café
Best GBLTQ Author 2010
Nomination: Love Romance Café
Oracle
Best Gay Paranormal / Horror 2010: Honorable Mention (5th)
Elisa Rolle's Rainbow Awards
Oracle
Best Cover 2010: Second Place
Elisa Rolle's Rainbow Awards
Oracle
Best Cover 2010: Runner Up
Love Romance Café
Reviews:
Lisa from Michele n Jeff Reviews gives 5/5 to The Christmas Throwaway
RJ Scott has created a beautiful and inspirational story that grabs hold of the heart and doesn't let go, even after its final words are read. It is a sweetly sentimental book that cultivates an emotional response and inspires belief that love can prevail under the most improbable of circumstances. The characters are well developed and engaging, and the attraction between Zach and Ben was entirely credible. To use a trite but true cliché, The Christmas Throwaway is simply a feel-good story, a touching and romantic read that embodies the meaning of new beginnings and happy endings.
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Book Wenches give 4.5 to Moments
Although I began reading it looking for a Hollywood train wreck, this novel is much more than that. It is a well-told story of love, personal growth and redemption that I found to be touching and quite involving. It features well-developed and arresting characters, heartfelt emotion, and a romance that's both intriguing and affecting… I will definitely be seeking out more of Ms. Scott's work in the future.
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Readers Roundtable gives 5/5 to Oracle
Oracle by RJ Scott is in one word beautiful. You have to take the journey with Alex to find that beauty but it's there and it will bring a smile, and a few tears, to your face.
* * * *
Dark Diva Reviews gives 4/5 to Back Home
Back Home by RJ Scott is a delightfully engaging novel. Strong family ties and flawed characters provide added depth and authenticity to this well-plotted story. RJ Scott has once again written a powerful and passionate romance that will resonate with her readers.