by Stacy Gail
Miranda hightailed it out of there before Katherine found a way to attach herself like a leech, with Coe at her back. She didn’t trust herself to speak until they’d gotten in the car, and she even had a vague idea of keeping a grip on the chaos inside her until they got to his house. But she could feel it bubbling up, and if she didn’t release the pressure soon she half feared her head would explode.
“Where’s the proof you got from Osweiler, Coe?”
The car swerved along with the sharp look he threw her. An alarmed, aware look. Even a little guilty.
Oh, God.
Her heart sank as sick realization hit her harder than the initial revelation. Because it was confirmed now. Coe really had found the evidence needed to hand over the low-flow valve’s patent and everything that went with it. All this time she’d been stressing over him not finding anything—something he knew all too well—and he’d kept quiet about it.
Why?
“Miranda...”
“Where. Is. It?”
The car rolled to a stop in front of a hamburger joint that had been called The Dirty Duck for as long as she could remember. “It’s in my office at the garage. Wait a sec—”
She didn’t hang around to hear another word. She hopped out of the car and marched across the road to the square, determinedly heading in the direction of his garage while a vicious kind of tunnel vision narrowed her world. She didn’t know what she was going to do when she got to his locked-up garage—maybe smash in a window or tear the door off its hinges with her bare hands.
She didn’t doubt she could do it.
Seven years. Seven fucking years she’d waited for this moment, and the bastard had the gall to keep her suspended in the hellish limbo her own father had plunged her into. No, by God. No way was this going to go on another moment longer. Nothing would stop her from getting her hands on that evidence. She had to be free of this mess once and for all, or she’d lose her fucking mind.
“Miranda, stop.”
From behind, Coe’s hand hooked on her elbow. When he pulled on her to slow her down, her manic momentum swung her around to face him. She went with it wholeheartedly by pushing him in the chest hard enough to make him step back.
“You stop, you bastard,” she raged, her hands curling into fists while fury boiled so fiercely it made her eyes sting and drip with it. “You stop pretending that you’re on my side, and that you’ve forgiven me for what happened all those years ago.”
“I have forgiven you. Jesus, you didn’t do anything wrong in the first place, so of course I’ve forgiven everything that happened.”
“Bullshit! I believed in you, Coe. I believed we were together on trying to fix what went wrong, but you’re obviously still intent on punishing me. What do I have to do to make you see that I’m sorry, that I would do anything to give back to you the one thing of value that you had in your life? What the hell kind of sick-and-twisted kick do you get out of...of torturing me like this?”
He flinched. “I’m not trying to torture you, Miranda. It’s not like that, I’m not like...”
His father. The unspoken words rang around them, but at that moment it was hard to believe him. “Then what the hell were you waiting for? There was no reason for you to not show me what you had found so that we could put an end to this once and for all.”
“That’s the reason.”
She stared at him uncomprehendingly while her eyes continued to leak out the abject anger that shook her from head to foot. “What are you talking about?”
“If I had shown you everything I found, it would have brought an end to everything.”
“So you admit you knew how important this was to me.” She was so upset her head swam with it, and she pressed the heels of her hands to her brow to make it stop. “I’m so incredibly stupid. I should have known things were going too well. But I’m such a romantic idiot that I lowered my guard and let you back in. But I’m not going to go through the heartache and grieving that I went through before. This time around, I swear I will erase everything about you from my life once this is all over, from your name on my back to the thoughts in my head—”
“No.” He moved so fast she had no hope of dodging. His arms cinched around her so tightly her feet lifted off the ground, his chest thundering against hers. In a few steps he had her inside the whitewashed bandstand at the center of the square, her back pressed hard against a thick wooden pole holding up the large octagonal roof. “Don’t you erase me, Miranda. Yell at me, kick me in the ass again, cuss at me if you have to. Whatever, I can take it. But goddamn it, just...please don’t erase me. That’s the one thing I can’t take.”
She closed her eyes. With him looking at her as if his life depended on it, it was the only defense she had. “I don’t want to talk about that. All I want to know is why you left me hanging about the will. I know you understood how important it was to me. I know it.”
“Yeah, I understood. Too well.” His breath against her temple was the only warning she got before she felt the fierce press of his mouth there. “Baby, I’m sorry you feel like I betrayed you by not telling you about what I found. But I swear that’s not—”
“What did you find?” She didn’t want to hear it.
A curse snapped out of him at the interruption, but she was beyond caring.
“Okay, fine. Remember when we talked about possible outside sources that might have information? While it’s true what I said—that I’ve never been one to write things down when it comes to design—I did remember that I’d used the idea of the valve design for a class project that was due when I was a senior. It was easier than coming up with a whole new concept, and I figured I’d get an A on it without even trying. The notebook you gave your dad was actually some of the work I’d done the night before that project was due, so when you mentioned my shop teacher, a light went on.”
Slowly, she opened her eyes. By God, she’d kill him with her bare hands. “You mean you’ve had documented proof that you are the inventor from the time my car broke down...and you never told me?”
His jaw knotted. “Yeah.”
Goddamn it. “Were you ever going to tell me?”
“I don’t know. Probably not.”
All at once, the anger that had been like an inferno inside abruptly blinked out, leaving behind a stillness that was ashen and dead. The tension drained out of her like it was her life force, and all she could do was look at him. “Let me go.”
His arms tightened. “No.”
“Let me go, now.”
“Not until I’ve had my say. You accused me of torturing you. That’s a low blow if there ever was one, because that’s not what this is about.”
“Then what is it about?”
“Helping you heal, and keeping you here so I could find a way to make that happen.” The words exploded out of him like bullets, and they were enough to stun her into angry silence. “For seven goddamn years you’ve been stuck in neutral, don’t deny it. Your dad and I hurt you so much we paralyzed you, and I can’t fucking stand that. I did that to you, Miranda. So I had to fix it. And the only way to make sure I had the time to do that was to keep you here. With me.”
“For God’s sake, you make me sound like a broken engine. That’s not what I am, and in case you missed it, I’m not supposed to be the focus of your attention.”
“Don’t tell me what my focus should be. I can figure that shit out for myself. You’re what’s important, and there’s nothing in the whole fucking world that could make me lose my focus on you.”
Something in her chest squeezed so tight it made her eyes water for a different reason than abject fury. “If that’s true, then you should have come forward with the evidence. The only reason I came back to Bitterthorn was to fulfill the obligations of my father’s will and to right a wrong that should never have happened.”
<
br /> “Yeah, I get it. But what you don’t seem to get is that with every word, you’re just proving my point. You’re still so completely stuck in the past, you’re not even hearing what I’m saying.”
“What do you mean?”
“I’m standing here telling you that I would rather have you than that stupid valve. Yet all you care about is how my attempts to hold onto you kept you from getting out from under all the crap your dad pulled. You want me to apologize for keeping you here so I could convince you to let the past go? Go ahead and hold your breath, because I refuse to apologize for choosing you over that motherfucking valve. Your happiness is the only thing that matters to me, not some dinky piece-of-shit machinery I’ve already made obsolete with some other junk I made up years ago.”
“What? Wait, don’t say another word. At this point I don’t think I could handle it.” She probably shouldn’t have been surprised at that particular bombshell, now that she thought about it. Coe was, and always would be, a mechanical genius. “You’re going to have to forgive me for being so obsessed with returning what’s rightfully yours. That valve was the only thing of value that you had in your life. That’s why it became important to me, can you understand that?”
His expression darkened. “I understand that I was a goddamn idiot for saying such a thing. You should’ve knocked my block off for spouting that stupid crap. I don’t know why you didn’t.”
“Because sometimes a person hurts so much they can’t even move.”
Abrupt silence sank between them, deep and smothering as the admission trembled on autumn air. Then his arms dropped away, and he retreated to the center of the bandstand. “Long ago I swore I’d never hurt a woman. I hate myself for breaking that promise years ago.”
“Don’t.” Pain squeezed her heart at the anguish in his eyes, but she couldn’t regret her words. The only way to get all the poison out was to let it flow freely, once and for all. “Don’t you dare compare yourself to your father. You’re a good man, Coe. I’ve never doubted that for a minute. The only thing you did all those years ago was tell me the truth.”
“No, I didn’t,” came the flat reply. “The valve wasn’t the only thing of value that I had. I had you. You gave me your love, your trust, your absolute faith that I’d never hurt you. I had it all, and I knew it. And I threw you away, just like your dad did. I know you never gave him another chance, and that’s another reason why I didn’t tell you I had your evidence. This was my second chance to heal the damage I did to you and help you move forward. I couldn’t stand the thought of throwing you away again. This time around I chose you, do you understand? I know you think I kept you in the dark to hurt you, but I swear the only thing that matters to me is you. You are the only thing of value in my life. You always have been, Miranda. You always will be.”
A tiny, slow unfurling of tension began somewhere deep inside at his words. Warmth radiated from that quiet unfurling until every cell tingled with it, and it took her a moment to realize what the sensation was.
Relief.
Sweet, beautiful relief.
He hadn’t been indifferent to crushing her feelings like they didn’t matter. This wasn’t a replay of the past. This man cared about her enough to put her first. Even if it meant losing a vast fortune. Even though he’d run the risk of losing her forever.
Finally, he had chosen her.
“I would have made sure you got the valve, and everything that goes with it.” Carefully she inched forward, because part of her feared that if she moved too fast, the dream that was his confession would vanish. “I would have forced you to marry me so that I could transfer it to you that way.”
“Ah. Yeah. About that.” He took a micro-step toward her, his actions just as wary as hers. It was so absurd to see such a kick-ass guy like Coe move so cautiously, she almost smiled. “Here’s the thing. It wouldn’t have been a matter of forcing me.”
Again she stopped dead. “You’re...I’m sorry. I think I misunderstood you. For a moment I thought you were saying you would have married me, even though you wouldn’t have had to. But you didn’t mean that, right?”
“Wrong,” he corrected, his eyes never leaving hers. “That’s exactly what I’m saying. I’m totally okay with us getting hitched.”
Lord, this man lived to blow her mind. “Why?”
“Because I need you.”
She gasped. She couldn’t help it. Those were words she never thought she’d hear from Coe. Never.
“I’ve experienced life without you, and I’ve experienced life with you,” he went on, still not looking away. It was like he needed to lock her in place with the force of his gaze alone. “When I compare the two, I noticed something kind of important. I need you in my life so I can be happy.”
“Oh.” A gush of wild sweetness poured through her, filling all the empty places inside until her eyes swam with warmth. “Being with me makes you happy?”
“It’s not just being with you. It’s deeper and crazier than that. Even when we’re apart—like when you’re up in the loft and I’m working or whatever—I’m happy with my place in the world, because I know I’m going to see you again. Just thinking about it gives me a kick. I only feel that way when you’re in my life. So if you leave, you take my happiness with you, because you’re my happiness.”
She stared at him, speechless. What he was describing was exactly what she felt, because she loved him. Maybe he didn’t know what love was, but that was okay. It was enough that he could feel it, and from the sound of it, feel it really well. She didn’t need the words.
All she needed was Coe.
“I don’t think I would have been able to leave, even if you had handed over your old school project as evidence. The fact is...” To her shock, her throat went into sudden lockdown on words that screamed in her head and heart, sending both into a baffled panic. She loved him. Despite everything that had plagued them, she loved him with all the strength of her heart. There should be no doubt in her mind, and there wasn’t. She had to tell him.
He took another step, closing the distance. “The fact is...?”
“The fact is, I lo—” Her voice squeaked as it happened again, this time hard enough to squeeze even the ability to breathe right out of her. Distressed, her hand flew to her convulsing throat, mortified and a little scared. What the hell was wrong with her? Why couldn’t she say it?
Damn it, why did it hurt so much to say it?
“It’s all right. Shh, hey, it’s all right.” His voice was a soft croon as he curled his fingers around her wrist to pull her hand from her throat. As if he feared she might break, he carefully brought her to lean against his chest. His arms were warm and sheltering as he rocked her, apparently content to ignore her horrific silence while she went to war with her rebelling throat muscles. “You don’t have to say anything now, okay? There’s something inside you that’s not ready, and I get that. This is that damage I was talking about. This is my fault, not yours.”
“No.” Oh thank God, her voice had resurfaced. Now if she could just breathe, everything would be dandy. “Not your fault.”
“Yeah it is, but it’s okay, Miranda. I’m big enough to admit it, and I’m smart enough to learn from it. I’m just happy you’re willing to hang around and give me another chance, so that I can prove I won’t hurt you again. And when I do prove that to you, those words will come. So I can wait.” He gave her a bone-creaking squeeze. “I have to admit, with your grudge-holding superpowers I’m grateful I made it even this far with you.”
She figured the swat she gave him on his butt spoke far more clearly than she could at the moment.
His chuckle rumbled against her ear. “Don’t get me wrong, I’m glad you’re no pushover. I think that’s why your dad did what he did with that crazy-ass will of his,” he went on, surprising her. “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I really ki
nd of get your dad. At least I think I get the man he was at the end of his life, anyway.”
She lifted her head to send him a baffled look, and he shrugged.
“You might look like a princess, but you can be one vicious piece of work, Miranda, no two ways about it. I think he realized at some point just how badly he underestimated you, and I’d bet real money he came to see that he’d made an unfixable mistake in throwing you away. So in the end, all he could do was try to give back to you all that he took away by making you jump through all these ridiculous hoops.”
“He took from you, not me.” She sounded almost back to normal. Now if she could just say I love you without freaking choking to death, she’d have it made.
Coe shook his head. “He helped destroy our relationship, and he knew it. In one night, you were left alone in the world by the two men you counted on the most.” He paused, his brows coming together as if in pain. “If it kills me to think about that, and it does, I’m sure it had the same effect on your dad.”
“Not enough to put things right.”
“The man was far from perfect and I hated his guts. But in his last act of life, even I can see that he was determined to make his little girl happy again. He may have had to die to do it, but maybe he wanted to find a way to give back to you what you lost, one way or another.”
“You think he actually wanted to maneuver us into marriage?”
“I think he wanted to give us every opportunity to get what we wanted the most out of this second chance. And, babe, what I wanted was you.” He kissed the top of her head. “Did you get what you wanted?”
“I got what I needed. You.” Her pulse soared when he cradled the back of her head in his palm and brought her mouth to his, as if he couldn’t help but cherish her with his kiss. When they parted, she loved how she could feel him smile against her lips. “So? Are you going to let me have the school project your old shop teacher kept?”
“Absolutely not.” He raised her hand to his lips and kissed first her knuckles, then her palm. “What can I say? It means a lot that Mr. Osweiler appreciated my work enough to hold onto it all these years. I don’t want to mess with it, especially when he went to the trouble of framing it.”
