[Invitation to Eden 15.0] Return to Sender

by Steena Holmes

  With a sigh, she turned the knob on the door and pushed it open.

  The warm glow in the room surrounded her, the soft music that played danced around her but it was the sight in front of her, or rather the person, that made her already weak knees give out until she crumpled to the floor in a heap.

  Marc was here. He couldn’t be. That couldn’t be him. Could it?

  Whomever it was, he rushed over to her and knelt down.

  Neither one said anything. Lauren couldn’t. Her mouth had gone dry and all she could think was why. Why?

  “Hello, beautiful,” Marc said to her.

  Marc. It was really him. She would know his voice anywhere, because it still whispered to her in the middle of the night, even now, after six years of believing she wasn’t enough for him.

  She smiled and raised her hand to gently stroke his cheek. It was really him.

  “I’ve missed you,” Lauren whispered. She swallowed past the lump in her throat and then struggled to get up.

  With her hands firmly enclosed in Marc’s, he helped her up off the ground and they both stood there, their hands clasped, small smiles on their faces as they stared at each other.

  “I take everything back that I thought about this island. I love it,” Lauren said.

  Marc’s eyes lit up and he pulled her close. “I can’t believe you’re here. Really here.” His gaze traveled over her face and she loved the way he appeared to be memorizing everything about her.

  It had been six years. She wasn’t as young, or as skinny as she had been back then. There were a few wrinkles at the corner of her eyes and her skin didn’t glow like it used to. Did he notice?

  “I...” they both said at the same time, stopped and then said it again before they laughed.

  “You go,” Lauren said.

  Marc shook his head. “No, you.”

  They were at a stalemate and Lauren loved it. Happiness flooded her soul and she couldn’t believe he was here, in the flesh. That it was his skin touching hers, his presence that filled her up...him.

  Her hungry stomach beat them both as it growled loud enough to fill the room. Lauren winced before she looked behind Marc at the table and noticed the basket of bread there.

  “Are you here to have dinner with me?” What a silly question, and yet...she was afraid to take anything for granted right now. It felt like a dream come true, having him here. But not all dreams ended with a happy ending.

  “I thought that would be a nice way to end your day, if that’s okay?”

  She felt a bit tongue-tied. What was she to say? Ask him how he’d been? Why he’d been silent for six years? Why he stood her up and never contacted her? Why he was here, now?

  “I’d love that,” was all she said.

  Marc pulled out a chair for her and she caught the brief scent of his aftershave. Still smelled the same. When he sat beside her, there was a brief lull between them that carried a sense of awkwardness.

  She watched him, as he buttered his bread, poured their wine and did anything else at the table that would normally be considered mundane. She memorized the way he moved, the way he held his knife, cocked his head and even smiled at her. Everything she would need to get her through the next six years.

  As much as this seemed like a dream come true, even she knew princesses woke up from their slumber. If they’d ended right there and then, with things being on the surface between them, she could have gone back to her room in a state of bliss, excited about what tomorrow would bring.

  But then Marc had to ruin it.

  “I couldn’t believe it when Lexi showed me a photo of the two of you on the beach.”

  Lauren almost sputtered the wine she’d just sipped and ended up coughing instead.

  “You know Lexi?” she managed to squeak out after her extreme coughing fit.

  She asked the question again, despite his nod. It wasn’t possible. How could he know her best friend? How?

  “I’ve known her for a few years now. Since she started to date Paul.”

  Her heart sunk. He knew both her best friends. How, in God’s green earth, could they have gone six years and never once mentioned Marc to her?

  “They never mentioned me before?”

  He shook his head and then shrugged. His posture was suddenly rigid and he pulled away from her a bit.

  It was only a slight tilt, but it spoke volumes.

  “I don’t understand. They’re my best friends.” Marc heard the solid emphasis on my. “Lauren and I went to school together, and I met Paul during my trip to Europe, after...”

  Marc nodded. “After you left me in Paris. I know. He told me all about it.”

  “Paul told you...when? When did he tell you all about it?”

  “Last week.”

  “Last...” He’d only found out about her last week? She’d talked to Lexi a few times during the week, and there’d been a flurry of text messages between her and Paul yesterday over the wedding cake he was making for her client.

  Marc nodded, a somber look in his eyes. “I wish I had known years ago...so close and yet, so far apart.”

  Lauren let out a haggard breath and felt as if everything inside her was being wrenched apart. Lexi and Paul had been in her life for ever. How could Marc’s name never come up? How? She shook her head and rubbed her neck as she racked her brain to remember whether he’d ever been mentioned. He must have.

  “What is Paul to you?” Maybe they were just passing friends. That would explain it. And she’d never really told Lexi about Marc, never had to. They both nursed their broken hearts in private, knowing there’d been a connection between them but never needing to explore the reason behind it.

  “He’s my best friend and business partner.”

  Her head whipped up. “What?” She pushed aside her half-eaten dinner and reached for her glass of wine.

  “I know. How have we never crossed paths before? How?” He shook his head but then reached his hand over to touch hers.

  She moved hers away.

  She wasn’t sure how to react, how to respond, or even what to do. This was crazy. Crazy.

  There had to be something he wasn’t telling her. Something he was hiding from her. She pushed her chair back and guzzled her wine, not taking the time to savor it as it slid down her throat.

  “I’m sorry. I mourned you. Mourned you for six years. I thought I’d lost you forever...why didn’t you come and meet me?” She reached for the wine bottle; she poured the liquid into her glass and then gulped it back again.

  Did she really want to know the answer? Wasn’t it better to live in her dream world, with all the scenarios she’d built up for herself?

  “I mean, I know your parents were ill,” she stared down at her wine and swirled it in the cup, “so I just assumed something happened and that’s why you never showed up.” She lifted her gaze but he stared down at the table. That didn’t look good.

  She needed to get drunk and fast. Maybe then her mind would be able to process this and stop her heart from breaking apart again.

  “You never called me. Never said goodbye.” She hiccupped. She wanted to die from embarrassment. This was her tell, or so her sisters said, for when she was upset. “Never explained why,” hiccup, “you weren’t there when I,” hiccup, “returned.”

  All the tears she’d cried in secret, all the whispered longings, the questions she’d never been able to share with anyone poured out of her and the only thing she now felt was relief.

  Relief to let it all out.

  “I’ve loved you forever.” She took a deep breath, calmer now. “I loved you until there was nothing left inside me, and you didn’t care. You tossed me aside, like I wasn’t worth anything, and moved on.” She wiped at the tears before she pushed her chair back even farther. Her legs wobbled as she stood there and she was suddenly nervous that she’d fall down again, at his feet.

  Oh God. She wanted him to deny it, to give her an explanation that made perfect sense, one she could easily forgi
ve and understand. Like his mom was on her deathbed, or an emergency had come up and he’d tried to get there but... All he did was sit there, his gaze downward, as if he were too embarrassed by her reactions.

  “I’m sorry,” he finally said.

  She waited for something else, for an explanation, but he just sat there. And the longer he sat there, the more her ire picked up until she wasn’t embarrassed but rather angry with him and his lack of response.

  “I’m sorry? That’s all you have to say?”

  He finally looked up then and in that moment, she knew, no matter what he said, she would rather have lived with not knowing.

  “We were just kids.”

  Lauren took another drink of her wine and sputtered at that.

  “Just kids? It was only six years ago, Marc. I’m almost thirty now. I think I was more than just a kid.” If he dared to use that as an excuse...

  “I’m sorry. That came out wrong.” Marc sighed and ran his fingers through his hair. She could tell he was nervous.

  “I made a mistake. One I’ve regretted every day since.”

  She swallowed hard. She wanted to stop him, to tell him to stop, but she couldn’t. She knew, though, that she would hate everything he was about to tell her. Everything she’d worried about but never wanted to admit.

  “You never came, did you?” she said.

  He shook his head. “I couldn’t.”

  She almost sighed with relief. He didn’t come because his mother was sick. That had to be it.

  “I was scared.”

  “Scared of what?”

  “Of our future.” He stared at her, a plea in his gaze, and she tried so hard to be understanding.

  “What about the stories you told me of your parents? How they were soul mates and how you wanted a love like that. How we could have a love like that. Did you lie to me?”

  Marc reached out to her but she stepped out of his reach.

  “I didn’t lie. But once you were gone, reality sunk in and I...I wasn’t ready. Lauren, I wasn’t ready for what love really meant.”

  That hit her in the gut, hard. “What did you think it meant? That it would ruin your life?” By the look on his face, that’s exactly what he’d thought.

  After six years of wondering why he never showed up, never contacted her...now she knew and it wasn’t what her dreams had been made of.

  “Reality sucks, sometimes,” she whispered. “I’ve held you up to a high standard. I loved you. Loved you. But I never really knew you, did I?” Her nostrils flared as she struggled not to cry. She needed to get out of here, away from him. But he stepped towards her and reached out. She smacked his hand away, wishing it had been his face or chest she’d hit instead. “Leave me alone.”

  She rushed through the door, not caring that she’d just left her heart broken on the floor behind her, and ran down the hallway. She almost tripped over Tyler, who stood there at the end.

  “Whoa, slow down.” Tyler’s grip on her arms soothed her. She sank into him and let the feel of his arms around her comfort her.

  “Can you take me back, please.” Her voice was muffled against his shirt.

  “Lauren.” Marc called her name.

  She raised her head and looked up at Tyler. “Please?” she begged.

  She read the concern in his gaze and breathed a sigh of relief at his nod. He turned them both and went down a short hallway until they exited through a door, down another hallway and then out into the night.

  Lauren tilted her head back as a warm breeze wrapped itself around her.

  “Looks like the storm ended, just in time,” Tyler said. He led her to a cart, helped her in and then drove down a pathway. Lauren had no idea where they were but she knew they were headed towards the water. The sound of the surf crashing upon the sand welcomed her as they pulled up to the wood deck.

  Without a word, Tyler helped her out of the cart and walked with her up to the cottage. The lights were on, candles aflame all around the room and the tears welled up again.

  “Are you going to be okay?” Tyler asked.

  She nodded, not trusting herself to speak before she shook her head. No, she wasn’t going to be okay. She was confused. More than confused. Hurt and even a little angry, but she wasn’t sure who to blame.

  “Do you...would you like some company?” Tyler asked her.

  Lauren let out a small laugh, which turned into a cry. She sat down on the couch and sobbed into her hands. Tyler joined her and pulled her into his arms, giving her a refuge while she continued to cry.

  Eventually she sat up and patted at his now wet chest. She took the tissue he held out to her and wiped her eyes and nose. She wasn’t a pretty crier; she knew her face would be all blotchy, her nose swollen and her eyes bright red, so she attempted to hide her face from him.

  Tyler scooted to the edge of the couch and briefly touched her knee. “How about some chocolate?” he asked.

  She laughed, and when she realized it sounded like a croak, she laughed again.

  “I never did get dessert,” she said.

  His eyes widened. “We need to fix that then. Why don’t you go have a hot bath and relax and I’ll make sure you get some of that dessert I heard was being made for you tonight. Okay?”

  She pulled her knees up to her chest and nodded.

  “Are you going to be okay?” He asked.

  She attempted a small smile. “I’ll be fine after that chocolate.” Chocolate was always the answer, no matter the situation.

  “I’ll come by in the morning and take you for breakfast, okay?”

  “You won’t be back?” The minute she asked, she knew she’d been a fool. Of course he wouldn’t be. He wasn’t the reason she was here and it wasn’t fair of her to lean on him right now.

  “Forget it—silly question.” She let out a long sigh. “See you tomorrow.” She rubbed her face, sniffled a bit and rested her head back on the couch while Tyler left.

  Now what? What was she supposed to do? Marc was here. HERE. She’d envisioned this night for years, working through scenarios if she ever met him again. Never had she thought of this one.

  She jumped up from the couch and headed into the bedroom, where her phone rested on the nightstand. She picked it up and checked to ensure there was a signal.

  Tell me you didn’t know. She texted Lexi.

  While she waited for a response, she headed into the bathroom where a large, two-person claw tub sat, and started the water. A long soak was exactly what she needed right now.

  Thirty minutes later, her phone buzzed.

  Give him a chance, Lexi texted back.

  Lauren couldn’t believe what she read. Lexi had known. She’d known and not said anything.

  Give him a chance? Are you kidding me? How could you? You should have told me. Given me a heads-up at least.

  I’m sorry.

  So am I. Lauren had no idea what to do now.

  He loves you.

  Lauren snorted at that. So much, that he stood me up six years ago and never looked back.

  Let him explain. Please.

  Explain? What could he possibly say?

  No. She thought she’d been in love with a man, but all she’d been in love with was a memory. And that hurt more than anything else.

  How was she supposed to deal with that?

  Chapter Seven

  He’d paced his cottage all night and waited for the lights in her room to go out. It had taken everything inside him to leave her alone, to not go to her and try to explain.

  Last night had been a disaster.

  He’d almost been out the door when the light in her room finally went out. He could have kicked himself for chickening out, for not manning up and going after her.

  What had he been thinking?

  He’d finally sent Paul a text and Lexi her own separate one and realized what an ass he’d been. Give her time, was their advice. But he knew better. He’d known better. She’d already had six years—why had he allowed another m
inute to go by? Why?

  He checked the time and hoped he’d given her more than enough time to get up and get dressed. He wasn’t willing to waste another minute without her by his side. He didn’t care whether she was angry or sad or...no, he lied. He did care. He cared more than he thought possible.

  Watching her run from him last night just about killed him. But to see her in another man’s arms destroyed him.

  He reached for the bag she’d left behind last night and left his small cottage. The moment he stepped outside, the bright glare from the sun blinded him and despite lowering his sunglasses, it took a few seconds for him to see that he wasn’t alone on the deck.

  Lauren was there, outside his door. Waiting for him.

  “Hi, neighbor,” she said. Her voice was low, a bit hesitant but it warmed him like the sun couldn’t.

  He swallowed.

  “Hi, back.” Hi back? That’s what he said? Honestly? He joined her at the railing, where she was half leaning, and handed her the bag in his hands.

  “Thanks.” She set the bag down and leaned her elbows on the wood rail to stare out over the ocean.

  He couldn’t take his gaze off her. She was beautiful. Her dark brown hair shimmered in the sunlight; the length of it rested on her shoulders and curled down around the tops of her arms. She wore a beautiful white sundress with soft pink sandals and her skin glowed.

  She was a goddess and he so much wanted to kiss her.

  He turned and stared out over the water as well, hoping to find something there to hold his attention but there was nothing. Just...water. So he turned back to her, not caring if she noticed.

  “Have you had breakfast?” he asked. They could talk about why she took off last night later. Right now, all he wanted was to spend time with her. He realized last night that he needed to try a different tactic with her.

  Six years ago, there had been an instant connection. He needed to prove to her that it was still there. He’d seen it last night between them before everything had fallen apart. He planned to go slow, to show her that he was still the same guy she’d fallen in love with in Paris.

  “Not yet. I was...I was going to see if you wanted to join me?” A brief smile kissed her lips and his heart swelled.