The Heart Between Us

by Lindsay Harrel

  That was her grandiose plan? To just ask the guy to laugh? The guard didn’t even flinch. “Crystal, I don’t think—”

  “We’re in a bit of a predicament.” Crystal shook her head at Megan, as if to say “not now.” “We have a task, and that’s to get you to laugh. I know. I know. I’m sure many people have tried this. But we have a great reason.” She proceeded to tell the guard about Megan’s quest to fulfill Amanda’s bucket list. And was it Megan’s imagination, or were the guard’s eyes softening? “Of course, we didn’t want to be disrespectful of you, since you are a real soldier serving your country. We knew we couldn’t pull any antics, or touch you, or whatever.”

  The guard’s nose twitched. Maybe this was actually going to work . . .

  Megan jumped in. “We’d be so grateful if you could give us a little chuckle. Or a small smile. We don’t want to get you into trouble, though.”

  She and Crystal eyed each other and waited. The guard continued to stare straight ahead like a statue. They waited for five minutes. Finally, Megan sighed. “Come on, Crystal. The bucket list only said ‘try.’ ”

  Crystal frowned and nodded. She grasped the strap of her backpack and hoisted it higher on her back, then turned to the guard once more. “Thanks, anyway.”

  As Megan turned to head back through the gates, she heard it. A quick, low laugh. She and Crystal spun at the same time and looked at the guard, but his gaze remained on the horizon, his face a mask of stoicism. “Did I imagine that?”

  “No. No, you did not.” Crystal waved at the guard. “Thank you.”

  Megan and Crystal burst out giggling and made their way down the road from Buckingham Palace to St. James’s Park.

  Megan held a stitch in her side. “I can’t believe we did it.”

  “I can. We’re amazing.” Crystal checked her watch. “And we finished in plenty of time.”

  Why was her sister being such a stickler for the schedule? Megan couldn’t even remember what they had planned for the day. She was just enjoying being together. “Let’s take some time to relish the victory.”

  “I’m fine with that.” As they reached the greenery of the park, Crystal ran her hand along the edge of a short wrought-iron fence with black loops at the top. A gray squirrel jumped onto the fence next to them, and as they continued down the path, a gorgeous pond came into view. People sat along the banks, feeding a variety of waterfowl.

  Megan stopped and took off her shoes, tying the laces together and flinging them over her shoulder. Her toes stepped into the long grass, the blades tickling her feet as she continued walking. “I love that we’re finally having fun together again. It’s been so long. I’ve missed it.”

  “Me too.” Crystal eyed Megan’s bare feet, then took off her shoes as well. Her face displayed her pleasure at the change.

  “How many nights did we spend giggling as kids and making mischief for Mom and Dad?” Even in the hospital—when she was able to be there—Crystal would try to entertain her with Mad Libs and all kinds of stories about the dumb guys she flirted with and silly mind games her friends would play. But eventually the laughter had been replaced with awkwardness and guilt, on both their ends.

  “I remember having sleepovers in your room. I’d sneak over and we’d talk until midnight, or until Dad came in and gave us that look.” Crystal watched two children flying an orange kite and an older woman giving instruction from behind. The kite’s tail fluttered high above their heads, trailing green-and-purple swirls across the bright sky.

  The memory was sweet—but tinged with grief too. “But then one day you just stopped coming. Why?” Megan asked.

  Her sister’s gaze moved back to her. Crystal chewed her lip. “Mom caught me coming to your room late one night. She was very gentle but told me you needed your rest.”

  Tears threatened to push their way through her tear ducts. “Oh.” In an attempt to cater to her health, what other damage had been done unintentionally?

  No more.

  Megan looped her arm through Crystal’s. “Let’s not focus on all that. This day is perfect.”

  “You’re right.” Crystal straightened, seeming to shake off the sad memory. “Speaking of perfect, I’m still shocked at how calm you’re being about seeing Caleb again.”

  “That’s not till tomorrow.” Butterflies threatened to take flight in her stomach and carry her away with anticipation.

  Crystal got a strange look on her face.

  The butterflies fluttered. “What?”

  “We’re meeting up with him today, not tomorrow.”

  “You’re wrong.”

  “No, I’m not.”

  “Yes, you are.” She’d written the date in her mind over and over again. “It’s tomorrow.”

  They stopped at the edge of the pond. A black-and-green duck approached them. Crystal dropped her shoes to the ground and pulled off her backpack. The duck fled at the movement. Crystal dug around for a moment and her hand emerged with a notebook, which she opened and scanned with a finger. Then she turned the notebook toward Megan and pointed. “See? It’s right there on the calendar. ‘Caleb, July sixteenth, noon, St. James’s Park.’”

  Heat flushed Megan’s skin and her fingertips got tingly. “Are you sure? I have the seventeenth in my head.” She pulled out her phone and navigated to her e-mail exchange with Caleb.

  July sixteenth, not seventeenth. Right there in plain English.

  Megan groaned. “How did I make such a mistake?”

  “I’m not sure.” Crystal scrunched her nose.

  “I mean, I know I’m not the most organized person, but you’d think I’d remember the date I was going to see . . .”

  “The guy you have a mega crush on?”

  “What?” Megan started pacing, the bright-red paint on her toenails standing out among the green grass. “Is it that obvious?” If Crystal could read her, then Caleb might as well.

  “Uh, yeah.”

  “Fat chance of my feelings being returned. I mean, look at me.” If she’d known the meeting was today, she wouldn’t be wearing her hair in a ponytail, nothing but a tiny bit of lip gloss on her face, with jeans and a T-shirt on. Maybe it was silly, but she’d already laid out a cute new sundress for their meeting tomorrow.

  Sure, she’d planned to renew their friendship, but it wouldn’t hurt to give Caleb other ideas and see what his reaction would be. Now he’d see her lack of effort and probably not give her a second thought.

  Her sister grasped her elbow. “You look fine. And besides, if Caleb doesn’t see below the surface, he’s not worth it. Still, confidence is the most attractive thing.” Crystal dug in her backpack once again and produced some powder, mascara, and blush. “And lucky for you, I never leave home without my arsenal.”

  “You’re a godsend.” Megan closed her eyes as Crystal made quick work of applying the makeup.

  “Now, turn around.”

  Megan obeyed and felt Crystal tug the ponytail holder out of her hair. The bristles of a brush swept against her scalp, pulling at her hairs. When Crystal was finished, she handed Megan a small mirror. “Ta-da.”

  Her hair was now in a loose bun, which softened her features. Her makeup made her eyes pop and smoothed her cheeks. Megan handed the mirror back to Crystal and threw her arms around her neck. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” Crystal patted her back, then withdrew. “And looks like we finished just in time . . .”

  Megan followed her gaze and her heart slammed into her chest. Caleb walked toward them. He wore a blue button-up plaid shirt with the sleeves rolled to the elbows, jeans, and a casual pair of boat shoes. A five-o’clock shadow on his cheeks and chin granted him a rugged appeal that was only slightly diminished by that pair of boyish dimples Megan knew so well. His grin told Megan a number of things—primarily, that when it came to Caleb, nothing had changed.

  And yet, thanks to the blood coursing rapidly through her veins and the heat flushing her face, she also knew that
everything had changed.

  Next to her, Crystal whistled low. “Wow. He doesn’t look the same at all.”

  Her “I know” got stuck in her throat. All Megan could do was watch her friend walk toward them. When he finally reached their location, he studied Megan for a minute and then pulled her into his arms. “So good to see you again, Meg.”

  “Caleb.” She placed her head on his chest. At six feet, he’d always been the perfect height for her to rest comfortably against him. His scent was different, some sort of spiced rum that sent shivers down her spine. The cotton of his shirt embraced her cheek with its softness. Megan listened and heard the bum-bum of Caleb’s new heart beating steady inside him.

  A throat cleared nearby, and it took Megan a moment to realize it was her sister. Oh yeah. Crystal was here with them. Megan pried herself loose from Caleb’s arms—pried, because she wanted nothing more than to stay there in the safety that came, had always come, from being in his embrace.

  She pushed her eyes upward until they met Caleb’s green gaze. “Hi.”

  “Hi.” It seemed like he wanted to say more.

  She broke their connection and swiveled toward her twin. “You remember Crystal.”

  Caleb shook whatever he was feeling from his face and turned, his smile breaking out again. “Of course.” He extended his hand and her sister shook it. Even though they’d met several times, her sister had never really known Caleb—not like Megan had. “Nice to see you again.”

  “Likewise.”

  “How are you?” Unsure what to do with her arms, Megan crossed them over her chest. “Thanks again for making time to meet up.”

  “It’s my pleasure.” And his gaze told her it really was. Was he just being nice . . . or did he maybe feel the same way about her that she did about him? “What have you ladies been up to?”

  She and Crystal told the story about making the guard laugh and filled him in on what sights they’d seen so far.

  Crystal glanced at her watch. “Speaking of sightseeing, we were going to hit St. Paul’s, the Tower of London, and Westminster Abbey today. Do you want to continue with those plans, or would you guys like to hang out alone?”

  “I don’t trust you not to work if you’re by yourself,” Megan teased. Besides, Crystal provided a nice buffer for Megan’s fledgling feelings. It would be a lot less awkward with her there.

  Then she glanced sidelong at Caleb. “What do you think?”

  Caleb shrugged. “I came here to hang out with you, so whatever you’ve got planned, I’m in.”

  Megan tried not to read too much into his words.

  Tried . . . and failed.

  Chapter 25

  What a difference half a week could make.

  Crystal swallowed her pills with a glass of water, marveling at how much better her stomach felt since her episode in the Irish castle. She replaced her cup on the restaurant table, which was covered in a red cloth. She, Megan, and Caleb were having breakfast in an outdoor bakery. Her bland meal of toast and applesauce hadn’t tasted particularly good, but her stomach didn’t feel unsettled like it used to, so that was a plus.

  All around them, diners’ forks clinked against plates, waiters walked by to accommodate the morning rush, and sunlight warmed Crystal’s hands.

  Megan took the final bite of her egg white scramble and pushed her plate away. She inclined her head toward Caleb, who was sipping on his coffee. He’d just finished telling them a story of his time taking photos in the wilds of Africa. Her sister was clearly shocked that Caleb had come almost face-to-face with a lion and survived. “Weren’t you terrified?”

  A lazy grin spread over Caleb’s face. “I mentioned that I was in a vehicle, right? On a safari?”

  Relief spread across Megan’s features. “I hate you so much right now. You scared me.”

  “Come on, Meg. You gotta live a little.”

  Crystal settled back in her chair and watched the interaction between Megan and Caleb. They seemed comfortable with each other, but there was something unspoken between them, something they needed time to explore for themselves. By themselves. Yesterday had been filled with sightseeing, and they hadn’t stopped to talk much.

  Maybe today she should give them an opportunity. After all, tomorrow they were moving on to the countryside, and Caleb would return to his photography elsewhere. “I’m feeling a little tired. I think I’ll go back to the hotel for the morning.”

  Megan’s head whipped around and she bit her lip. “Is your stomach hurting again?”

  It felt so foreign for Megan to be worrying about Crystal. “I’m fine. Really.”

  “Maybe I should go with you.” She glanced at Caleb, an apology written on her face. “I don’t want you to be alone. What if you need an ambulance again?”

  Clearly this wasn’t going to work. Crystal would try another tactic, though it wouldn’t be well received. “You got me. I need to work a little. I have some great ideas after seeing St. Paul’s and Westminster Abbey yesterday.”

  Which, she actually did. Okay, maybe not great. But an inkling of an idea, which was more than she’d had this entire trip. In fact, she felt like she was on the verge of a great discovery but had no idea how to break through the walls to get to it.

  “Crystal.” That one word was drenched with disapproval, and Megan’s frown declared it openly. “You can’t miss out on London to work.”

  “I have to work sometime. It might as well be today.”

  “We had an agreement.”

  “That I wouldn’t work for ‘several days.’ It’s been four. I’ve held up my end of the bargain.” Crystal pulled some cash from her wallet and set it on the table, then stood. “Here’s some money for the tip. I’m going to go now while these ideas are fresh in my mind.”

  Caleb pushed himself out of his chair. “I’m taking off tomorrow for a photo shoot, so I might not see you again.” He walked around the table and gave Crystal a quick, friendly hug.

  This was a good guy. “Have fun today. It’s been nice catching up with you.” Crystal maneuvered around the table and leaned down to give Megan a quick embrace. “I’m doing this for you.”

  The whispered words seemed to catch her sister off guard. “What do you mean?”

  But Crystal just smiled and waved. Megan would have to figure it out for herself. She spun and headed back to the hotel, which was only a few blocks away.

  Her light scarf fluttered in the breeze, filtering the morning air toward her exposed neck. Something about the way the sunlight flirted with the sidewalk, disappearing and then reappearing, about how the quaint shop windows hinted at the treasures that lay inside, about the Londoners and tourists milling past her, mixing and mingling together until she couldn’t tell them apart—it all took a paintbrush to her insides and dipped her soul in a bright yellow she hadn’t known in a long, long time.

  Maybe Megan’s no-work policy had been exactly what Crystal needed. Not that she could have done much work anyway, since her body had to recover a bit from her episode in Ireland and then traveling to London. However, it was time to start brainstorming again.

  But for the first time in she didn’t know how long, Crystal almost dreaded opening up her laptop and perusing her e-mails.

  A slight panic built at that thought. She couldn’t lose her drive. Not now, when she desperately needed it. This trip was turning into a good one, but when she got home, she’d regret missing out on the Lerner project. Just because things were going better with Megan didn’t mean her desire to work on her dream project had diminished. In fact, as she’d allowed herself to open up emotionally little by little, her desire had only increased.

  She quickened her steps and rounded the corner, glimpsing her hotel and making quick work of climbing the steps and entering the small lobby. Yes, she’d make a cup of tea and sit on her balcony. That was sure to—

  “Crys.”

  Her footsteps halted. It couldn’t be. But there, rising from one of the high-backed chairs near the lobb
y’s fireplace, was Brian. A mixture of joy, fear, and something else burst through her chest, overwhelming her senses.

  She had the urge to run to him, to bury her face in his chest and tell him how sorry she was. For everything.

  But instead, she gripped the strap of her purse and stayed rooted to the spot. “What are you doing here?” It was all she could manage.

  “I was worried about you. With the ulcer. And everything else.” He’d reached her now, towering over her. She was suddenly transported to the first time they met. The firm where she’d been an intern in grad school had purchased tickets for the Fireman’s Ball, and she’d been standing around a cocktail table with some coworkers, drinking a club soda, when he’d approached. He’d looked so out of place in his tuxedo, like he’d rather be wearing sweats and a T-shirt. But he’d come right up to her, all six five of him, and asked her to dance. Straightforward, no-nonsense, but with a twinkle of sweetness in his eyes.

  He’d taken her breath away then, just like he was doing now.

  “I’m f—” Oh yeah, he hated that word. “Okay. I’m okay.”

  His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides, as if he couldn’t decide what to do with them. He finally reached out a hand and lightly touched her stomach. “You sure?” His voice was low and husky, and it was all she could do not to crumble inside.

  “Yes.” She whispered the word, afraid that if she spoke too loudly, the moment would end and he’d vanish. Because suddenly, though she hadn’t expected him—and she hated the unexpected—the idea of him not being here was too much. “I’ve . . . missed you.”

  A smile spread, the same smile he’d given her countless times. He pulled her into his arms, tender enough that he wouldn’t hurt her but fierce enough to communicate he wasn’t ever letting go.

  July 17

  Blog Post Title: Hidden Treasures: Exploring London

  Post Content:

  Who knew that a scavenger hunt around London could lead to the discovery of more than mere landmarks?

  “What’s the plan for today?” Caleb took the last bite of his breakfast and shoved the plate away, then washed it down with a swig of coffee.