“Something’s wrong with him,” Mari said. “I think he’s cracked.”
“Nope, he’s processing,” Brody said. “Wasn’t long ago I was in the same situation. I’ve seen that look in my own mirror.”
“What should we do?” Mari asked.
“Give him some space. I’ll make sure everything’s off so the house doesn’t burn down around him.”
“Good idea,” she said.
“You know, I’m sitting right here,” Matt told them. “I can hear every word.”
“You’re coherent. Well, there’s that,” Brody said.
“I feel like I should get on the first plane to Nashville and talk to her,” he said. “I mean, I know she said she needed time, but I’m worried if I give her too much she...won’t come back.” That twisted his gut. “I told her in the email that it was my fault. Maybe she can’t forgive me.”
Mari put a hand on his shoulder. “It’s sweet that you want to go after her, but don’t.”
“What?” Matt looked up to see she was frowning.
“She texted me, too. Give her the time she needs. Don’t push too hard. I’m afraid if you do... I won’t spoil her confidence. But she’s aware she’s just as much at fault. She told me that she has to sort herself out first. And that’s all I’m saying. It isn’t just you, Matt. It’s been an intense six weeks for you guys. Maybe a little space isn’t such a bad thing.”
Except that he might die without her. Well, that was kind of dramatic, but it did feel like she’d left Corpus with a big chunk of his heart.
Time. Well, if that was what she wanted, he’d give it to her. Three weeks. But then he was going after her.
He typed back.
Three weeks. And then I’m coming after my heart, which you stole.
Maybe that sounded like a threat. It was. Chelly was his everything. He was going to make sure she knew.
She didn’t reply.
19
GRIPPING HER ARMRESTS, Chelly held her breath as the plane landed. Always a nervous flyer, it didn’t help that, except for the two pilots up front, she was the only one on the private jet. Not that it was a terrible hardship having to fly on a country star’s private plane, but there was no one to distract her.
Admittedly, her thoughts about Matt were pretty distracting. She’d thought of nothing else but him.
That was one of the reasons she was here. It had been three weeks since she’d been in Nashville. Three weeks since she’d last seen him. Three weeks since her feelings had been crushed to a fine powder.
Now for a few hours she had to pretend to be one of the top new faces in design for a popular magazine. Matt’s two projects had netted her a great deal of notice from the trades, and it didn’t hurt that her biggest fan, said country star, was talking her up in the media.
Chelly had finished redoing the private music studio and an airstream for the star, and now she had more business than she could handle. So much so, she and Mari had joined forces. And her online business was bringing in more in a month than she’d made total the last five years.
It was hard for her to believe how fast her fortunes had changed.
A lot could happen in three weeks. That was why one part of her life was going so well, and the other part was a wasteland where her heart used to be. All she was capable of doing since the breakup was throw herself into the work.
Matt’s projects were complete. She’d done what she’d promised, finishing them via texts, calls, a bit of Skyping and using go-betweens. Mari’s assistant Abbott had checked on the job sites, using her phone to take videos of all the final details. His parents’ house was on the market. He’d received an offer the first day, but the agent had suggested holding out a bit to see what other ones came in.
Matt had kept things professional, just as she’d asked. Never once had he tried to contact her.
She wished...
The only inclination to the contrary was that text he’d sent her the night she’d left telling her he was coming after his heart.
Now here she was in Texas for the photo shoot, and to decide on her next move. It wouldn’t be to Nashville; it just didn’t feel like home. Corpus did. But there was no way she could stay. Too many memories.
When the door of the plane opened, she jumped up and grabbed her bags. “I’ll help you down with those,” one of the pilots said.
At the door, she was met by—Brody? “Hey,” she said. “Nice surprise, but what are you doing? My truck is here. I can get where I’m going.”
The Marine smiled. “Change of plans. Mari wanted to make sure you were delivered to the river house right away.” He threw up his hands in surrender. “Before you ask, I have no idea. I’m just supposed to take you out there, and I do as I’m told.”
She hoped there wasn’t a problem with the job. From the photos Abbott had sent, everything had appeared to be great.
Brody helped her up into his big truck and put her bags in the cab.
“Strange that Mari didn’t let me know before I left,” Chelly said as Brody got behind the wheel.
“Probably happened while you were in the air. And hello? You’ve hit the big time, traveling around in private jets.”
She laughed. “Uh-huh. Actually, they were bringing the jet back to get it fitted with something that’s only made in Corpus. Despite everything that’s happening, I’ve gotta keep a level head. Although the perks are kind of cool.”
He nodded. “So is it good to be home?”
Yes and no. This place had felt like home once, but now she wasn’t so sure. “It’s good to see you. And I can’t wait to see Mari. By the way, congrats, she told me you heard the baby’s heartbeat for the first time.”
Brody grinned. “One of the most exciting days of my life. Well, except for when Mari and I got engaged and then married. That baby has no idea how much he or she is loved.”
“Do you care if you have a boy or a girl?”
“Nope. Mari and I made that baby. I’ll love the kid no matter what. I just can’t wait. I mean, I know how hard it is. I used to have to take care of my step siblings, but what they say about it being different when it’s yours is true. Nine months feels like a long time to wait, though, and I’m not a patient guy.”
Sighing, she returned Brody’s grin. Mari was a lucky, lucky woman. Brody would do anything for her, and there was no doubt how much he loved her and their child.
That’s when she realized what she wanted most. What Brody and Mari had. That kind of love that left no doubts.
On the half-hour drive out of town she and Brody talked about all kinds of things, but she was grateful he never brought up Matt. Mari had probably threatened him if he did.
She had finally confided in her friend. Mari’s advice was good about figuring out herself first. The same thing Carrie had told her. The singer had since become a great friend to Chelly. She’d been right about their being meant to know one another. They occasionally butted heads, but Chelly usually got her way about design issues. And while she’d never had a sister, it felt as if she had one in the recording artist.
When Brody pulled up to the house, Chelly’s eyes watered. It was one of the most special places on earth. Perfectly blending into the riverside, surrounded by trees, mountains, open sky.
Home. Only it wasn’t hers. Pain tightened her chest, squeezing the breath out of her. It was all she could do not to tell Brody to take her back to the airport. This was too much. She thought she was ready to face Matt, and all of this, but she wasn’t.
“I hav
e instructions to take you out to the barn first,” he said, but she barely heard him.
He continued the drive along the gravel road to the huge structure Matt had planned to use as his workshop. It would be filled with his stuff. What was Mari thinking?
Is she trying to hurt me?
Mari knew that Matt hadn’t contacted her. In truth, she hadn’t talked to him, either, other than asking about his choices for last-minute finishing touches. And Abbott had handled most of that.
Brody parked the truck and then went around to help her out, ever the gentleman. The Marines really did have a code.
The thought stopped her. Regret sat heavy on her chest. She shouldn’t have run. If she’d been smart, she should have stayed and had it out with Matt. Told him what he’d done wrong and how he’d hurt her.
Carrie was right. Communication was key. They’d talked about everything, she and Matt, but not about what was most important.
And now it was probably too late.
“I’m gonna split. Mari said that I’m supposed to give you this.” He handed her an envelope. “You’re supposed to open it when you get inside, but not before. And don’t ask me why she’s being so cryptic. I have no idea. I’m merely the messenger and the driver. She’s really mean at the moment, so I do everything she says. The doctor explained one more month and her moods should even out, but for now she’s scarier than any enemy I’ve ever faced.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “She loves you so much.”
“Oh, I know. And I love her as fiercely, but yesterday she threw a roll of paper towels at me because I said it was too early to think about baby names.”
“Hmm. Yeah. You might want to go with the flow when it comes to all things baby related for a while. If it makes you feel any better, she told me that she felt like she was being too hard on you and she wasn’t sure why you put up with her.”
“Aw. Now see, that’s why I love her. I gotta go.” He pointed to the letter. “Open that, but only once you’re inside the barn.”
The day couldn’t get any weirder.
“Okay. Thanks for the ride.”
He gave her a quick hug. “See ya.”
Brody pulled away and she stared up at the barn, curious about why Mari wanted her here. That’s when she noticed there was a chimney. Who put a fireplace in a barn? That wasn’t in the plan. And the basic structure had been up before she’d left.
She opened the door and expected a dirt floor. She gasped. There were bamboo floors, and the rough-hewn pine that made up the interior of the barn had been painted white. Near the fireplace, facing a bank of windows, was Matt’s mother’s desk from the pool house. The one Chelly had loved so much. As she glanced around, there were other pieces from the pool house. The daybed was angled in a corner with a bedside lamp and table. Another corner held a cozy chair and lamp for reading.
He’d turned the barn into a very girly office.
The perfect office—for her.
Wait. Was there someone else in his life? Already? Was that why he hadn’t said anything?
No. He wouldn’t do that. Matt was a good man. She understood that now.
Against the opposite wall were rows and rows of shelves. A lot of her inventory was displayed there.
Hold on.
Had Mari set this up for the photo shoot?
No one was that cruel. Mari knew everything about what had happened, and while she might be moody, she wouldn’t do something so hurtful.
The envelope dropped to the ground, reminding her that it had been in her hand. She bent down and picked it up.
Mari better have a good excuse for this.
But when she opened the envelope, the letter wasn’t from her friend. It was from Matt.
Dear Chelly,
Funny thing happened. Well, it’s not really funny. You left for Nashville and took my heart with you. Probably because I didn’t tell you how much I loved you. But I do. More than anything.
My life has been empty since you left. So much so that this house—honestly, it’s not what I want anymore. It isn’t a home without you. I understand that now. I don’t want to live any place where you aren’t. You’re home. You’re my heart. I love you with everything that I am.
If there’s a possibility you can forgive me, meet me at the boat dock. I love you with every bit of my being. I’ll be waiting, Chel, for as long as it takes. But for the record, this has been the longest three weeks of my life.
–Matt
A sob escaped her lips and she threw a hand over her mouth. He loved her. So much so that he’d built this beautiful place for her.
She turned and took it all in. Everything she’d ever talked about with him when it came to her designs and what she’d want for her office was here. From the place to take a nap to the comfy chair to sketch in.
He’d listened and he’d remembered. All of it.
She had to force herself to breathe.
Matt loves me.
She’d asked him for time, and he’d given it to her. And all the while he’d done this. Created it without knowing if she would ever come back. He’d believed in her. Trusted her to know what was right.
I’m the fool, not him.
This was a dream. It didn’t feel real. Her knees shook a bit, and her hands trembled. He was at the boat dock.
But she couldn’t move. Was this happening? Maybe she was asleep on the plane and she needed to wake up. She forced herself to take a step so she could glance out the window. The river was running rough, churning in much the same way as her nerves.
Taking a deep breath, she left the barn and followed the stone pathway down to the dock. Not sure how her shaky legs made the trip.
The pier was more elaborate than the last time she’d been here. There were flower garlands and twinkling lights draped around the steel posts and on the edge of the roof he’d added. She had tried to convince him that the fishing would be better during the hotter months if he provided a bit of shade. He’d done everything she’d mentioned and then some.
She followed the flowers and lights. At the end of the boat dock he stood there, dressed in his Marine uniform, holding a handful of wildflowers.
“I was worried you weren’t coming,” Matt said, his voice husky. He cleared his throat. He was probably as nervous as she was.
Why did I walk away from him? Dumbest move ever.
She held up the envelope. “I’m a slow reader.” She sounded so calm, but inside not so much.
He smiled, but it was an anxious one, as if he was waiting for her to say something else.
She paused and took in the sight before her. From head to foot, he was glorious. Even now, the pull was there. That thing that connected them.
“It’s okay, you don’t have to come closer if you aren’t comfortable. I promised to wait until you were ready and I meant it.”
“I’m not sure I am.”
“Oh.” His shoulders sagged a little. “That’s all right. It’s probably a lot to take in.” The expression on his face didn’t change. He just stared at her as if he was taking pictures that would have to last a lifetime.
“I mean,” she quickly said, realizing her words had been misconstrued. “Yes. It is a lot. And so unexpected. I thought we were doing a photo shoot.”
He nodded. “About that. It’s not really until tomorrow.”
“What?” she said.
“The photo shoot isn’t until tomorrow. I asked Mari to have yo
u come in early so I could talk to you. I love you. That was hard for me to say before. It isn’t now. Hard, that is. What’s hard is living without you, not having you here is probably the worst thing I’ve ever been through, truly. I do love you. And if you’ll let me, I’ll spend the rest of my life making you understand how much.”
“It’s a lot.” It was all she could say. Emotions overwhelmed her—happiness and dizziness, dang. She was so dizzy.
“Breathe, Chelly,” he said softly. “I’m in no rush. I kind of put on the hard court press here. Maybe it was too much. But I wanted to show you that I care. What I couldn’t do before. What I was afraid to do. I won’t pressure you. Maybe—and this kills me to say this, but if you don’t feel the same way—”
“I love it,” she blurted out. “All of it. And you. Mainly you. So much.”
He held out his arms and she rushed into them.
“I’m so sorry, babe,” he said as he squeezed her tight. “So very much.” He kissed the top of her head.
“I ran,” she said. “I couldn’t... I was a coward.”
He chuckled and lifted her chin. “Nope, that would have been me. If it makes you feel any better, I knew within hours of you leaving that I’d made the worst mistake. So many times I almost flew to Nashville. But I wanted to give you time.”
She gently slapped a hand against his chest. “You made me wait three weeks.”
He dropped a light, sweet kiss on her lips. “I thought you were through with me. Not once in your text did it sound like you wanted anything to do with me. And then when Abbott took over, I assumed it meant we were over. And then I was afraid you’d think I was harassing you if I texted.”
“Coward,” she said, pointing to herself. “It hurt too much. Just seeing your name on my phone. So dumb. We hurt each other for no reason.”
“Never again,” he said. “If I mess up, you have to tell me. Don’t run. And I will mess up. Even though I’m going to try my darndest not to, I’m not perfect.”
Make Mine a Marine Page 16
