When A Man Loves A Woman (Seven Brides Seven Brothers Book 7)

by Calhoune, Belle

  “I can’t believe my baby sister is giving me romance advice,” Mac said with a contented sigh. “This right here is a dream come true. You know that, right?”

  Callie leaned in to hug Mac. “Of course I do, because I feel the same way.” She held out her pinky. “Let’s make a promise to never roam very far from each other. Not ever again.”

  Mac locked his pinky with Callie’s. “I promise never to roam too far from where you are.”

  If he squinted his eyes a little he could almost pretend that he was locking his pinky with the brave little girl who had always loved sparrows and hated thunder storms. Their lives truly had come full circle. Now, providence had afforded them a new beginning with each other, one he wasn’t about to squander.

  Callie clutched his arm and looked up at him. “I feel like I’m five years old again. I just knew you were the bravest person in the whole wide world. And you still are.”

  Mac didn’t know if he was even close to the bravest person in the world. After all, he still couldn’t find a way to tell Delilah that he was in love with her. Each and every day the feeling had become more solid until now it was sitting squarely on his chest like an anchor. Somehow—perhaps when they made it back to Cape Cod—he would lay his heart on the line and pray that her heart was in line with his own.

  “Believing in myself has always been hard. I think that when you fall in love—really truly in love—it gives you wings. It helps you soar. Suddenly, you’re not so afraid anymore that you’re not enough. You’re one step closer to being the person you’ve always wanted to be.”

  Delilah Dalton

  Chapter Ten

  Delilah let out a sigh as Mac rounded the corner that led to her house. Being in Savannah with Mac as he located Callie had been amazing. They had stayed in Savannah for four days. Mac had been ecstatic about reuniting with his sister. It had been as if finding Callie had set him free. He seemed more relaxed and laid back. There was no longer anything holding him back and tying him to the past. She was extremely proud of him. Being away from Breeze Point had made her feel less secure in her relationship with Mac. It was hard to put her finger on why she was having doubts, but she knew it had nothing to with Mac and everything to with herself.

  Did she have what it took to make a man like Mac happy? Was she the type of woman whom a man would want to spend a lifetime with? She hated these insecure thoughts that rolled around in her head. She knew she was a good person. And she deserved her happy ending just like everyone else. So why did Tim’s cruel words keep rolling around in her head? Why was she so uncertain of her worth?

  She let out a yawn as Mac pulled up in front of her house. He smiled at her. “Sleepy? I know it’s been a whirlwind trip.”

  “I always get sleepy at this hour,” she said, covering another yawn with her hand. “As soon as the clock strikes nine I’m bleary eyed.”

  “Thank you for coming with me. I appreciate your support more than you’ll ever know,” Mac said. His eyes flickered with warmth and gratitude.

  She didn’t know what to say to him. She loved this man, yet she couldn’t seem to get the words past her lips. That was the big reason why she had made the trip to Savannah with him. Her heart had led her to be with him as he reunited with his long-lost sister.

  I love you.

  Mac. I am in love with you.

  I’ve fallen in love with you.

  That wouldn’t be too difficult to tell him, would it?

  Ugh. She had said those three little words in the past to several men who hadn’t deserved it, nor had they repeated the words to her. What if that happened this time, with Mac? What if she laid it all on the line and he didn’t return her feelings? Or what if he did and she managed to mess things up with him the way she always had in the past? What if things just didn’t work out, no matter how much she wanted it to?

  “Let me get your bags for you while you get the door.” Mac easily carried her two suitcases from the trunk and followed her to her front door. When she opened the door, a blast of hot air met her. She needed to open up all the windows and air the place out. It was stuffy inside. And tomorrow morning she would have to pick up Zoey from Layla and Nick’s house. They had graciously been dog sitting in her absence.

  Mac followed her over the threshold. He placed her suitcases at the bottom of the steps.

  “Would you like something to drink?” she asked, rubbing the back of her neck.

  “No thank you. You look beat.” He reached out and ran a finger across her lips.

  “I have to admit I am. I can’t believe tomorrow is a work day,” she said with a chuckle. “I might fall asleep at my desk.”

  “I’m opening up the shop at seven in the morning. And I’m sure my family is going to be stopping by to get all the details on our trip.” Mac had a big-time grin on his face. “I better head home.”

  Once they reached the door Mac dipped his head down and planted a heady kiss on her lips. It was a decisive kiss, one that took her a little by surprise. When the kiss ended Mac grazed his knuckles against her cheek. He stared deeply into her eyes. Something intense hovered in the air between them.

  “I love you, Delilah. I’m head over heels crazy in love with you.” His voice was raspy and sweet and full of tenderness.

  Shock roared through her at his announcement. Had she heard him right? She felt a bit light-headed. Noise roared in her ears. Panic ripped through her.

  No! She wasn’t ready for this. Her vocal cords were frozen. She didn’t know what to say.

  He reached for her hand. “I know this is all happening really fast, but I like to think that when the feelings are right things move a little faster.”

  She swallowed hard. “Yes. They do.” She nodded her head.

  Mac narrowed his gaze. “You look a little spooked. I hope I haven’t overstepped. I just wanted to give voice to my feelings. I wanted to let you know how I feel.”

  “I appreciate that, Mac. I really do,” she murmured. Say it back to him, a little voice urged her. That’s what he’s waiting for with that expectant look in his eye. He wants you to acknowledge how he feels. To say something meaningful.

  “Well…um…goodnight Delilah,” Mac finally said after an awkward pause.

  “Goodnight,” she said, closing the door not long after he’d stepped outside. She sagged against the door and put her hands over her face. What in the world was wrong with her? Mac had said those three precious words to her that she had been longing to hear for weeks now. And she had acted like a complete and utter fool.

  She tossed and turned throughout the night. Her reaction to Mac’s declaration of love had been awkward. She was really disappointed in herself. The stakes had been really high last night and she had choked. No doubt Mac thought she was a freak. Right about now she imagined he was regretting ever saying those three gigantic words to her.

  As much as she wanted to call him up the next morning and apologize, she felt frozen. She didn’t really have a road map for this type of situation. Her heart belonged to Mac Donahue but she was frozen with fear. And she had no idea how to get past all her doubts and worries. This was the point in all her past relationships when things had gone wrong. Pouf. One day things had been great, then the very next day everything was exploding in her face.

  She had been crushed before by romances that had gone sour. But she had never felt for a single one of them what she now felt for Mac. This was epic. It consumed her. And she knew her heart might never recover if it was broken by Mac. The very thought of it terrified her. Paralyzed her. It made her want to run for the hills and hide under her covers.

  Delilah did what she always did when things in her personal life became too tough to handle. She buried herself in work. Over the next few days Mac reached out to her on several occasions, but she didn’t return his phone calls. She avoided Sarah too. She knew her sister could read her like a book and she didn’t want her weighing in on her relationship with Mac.

  On the fourth day after the
y had returned from their trip, Mac showed up at her door after work. When she opened up her door her heart began bouncing around in celebration. It had only been a few days since she had last seen him, yet she’d missed him like crazy.

  “Hey there. Haven’t seen you in a few days.” Although Mac tried to hide it, she could hear the hurt in his voice. It made her feel ashamed. And weak. Hurting this beautiful man was the last thing she ever wanted to do.

  “Sorry, Mac. I have this crazy caseload at work that’s been occupying a great deal of my time. I need to make up for all the work I missed.”

  Mac’s gaze was unnerving. He seemed to be staring a hole straight through her. “Too busy for a quick phone call? That’s not like you.”

  “I really am sorry,” she apologized.

  He folded his arms across his chest. “You’ve been avoiding me ever since the other night.”

  Her heart thundered wildly. “It’s not avoidance, Mac. I’ve just been super busy.”

  “I told you that I loved you and you acted as if I said it was raining outside,” he said.

  She looked away from him. “I-I don’t know what you want me to say.”

  Mac winced. “I guess I’m just confused. I thought we were heading in the same direction. Then we come back from this amazing trip and you’re suddenly distant and stand-offish. Did I do something wrong?”

  She fidgeted with her fingers. “I’m just…so much is going on with you…finding Callie and getting to know her all over again should be your focus.”

  Mac frowned. “Please stop with the excuses. If you don’t want to be with me anymore just say it plainly. Don’t hide behind my reunion with Callie. I don’t buy it for a second.”

  She wanted to cry. And run into his arms for protection. Maybe if Mac held her in his arms she could confess to him all her doubts and fears. Maybe things wouldn’t seem so scary to her then.

  “You’re right, Mac. I-I’m not sure that I’m the woman you’re looking for.”

  He clenched his jaw. “Seriously? That’s what you think?”

  “I’m not sure,” she whispered.

  “Not sure of what? Us?” he pressed. “Whether you want this relationship?”

  He was pushing her into a corner with his questions and it wasn’t a nice feeling, not when she was scared and nervous. “Yes!” she cried out. “I’m not sure about us.”

  Mac bowed his head down and let out a ragged breath. “It sounds like you don’t want to do this anymore.”

  There it was! Another relationship crashing and burning around her. Why couldn’t she just tell him that she loved him? Why did it feel as if she was sinking in quicksand?

  “Mac, I-I—”

  “Don’t worry, Delilah. I think I knew you didn’t feel the same way about me the other night based on your response to my saying that I loved you.” Mac turned on his heel and walked toward the front door. Once he was outside he stopped in his tracks and turned back to look at her.

  “Just tell me one thing Delilah. How in the world am I supposed to fall out of love with you?”

  He turned and walked away from her bungalow, his broad shoulders sagging in defeat. She took a step forward to walk after him, but she ended up stopping in her tracks. How could she chase after Mac when she didn’t know if she could go the distance with him? When her ability to even seize this golden opportunity was in question? There was no doubt in her mind how she would spend the rest of this evening. It had been a long time since she’d cried herself to sleep, but she imagined that her broken heart would cause her to shed many more tears.

  And it was all her fault! Once again her crippling fears had gotten in her way. This time she would pay dearly for her insecurities. Her doubts and fears had cost her Mac.

  **

  Mac walked blindly toward his car. A red haze colored everything in his path. It felt as if a hundred pound boulder was sitting on his chest. The pain slicing through him was unlike anything he had ever felt before. Love wasn’t as wonderful as everyone always talked about. All the love songs and the poems and the movies had lied. Love was painful. Humiliating. And it lied to you. It made you feel as if you stood a hundred feet tall until you fell on your face like a chump.

  He was in love with a woman whose feelings about him were lukewarm. He had seen it written all over her face. She’d looked like a deer caught in the headlights. She’d been scared to tell him that she didn’t return his feelings.

  Mac placed his head on the steering wheel. He sucked in an agonizing breath. This hurt like crazy. He had no clue how he was supposed to walk through this world as if it his heart hadn’t been shattered. It had been like a sucker punch to the gut. And still he loved her. She was, and always would be the woman he adored. Only now he would have to do it from afar.

  As he revved his engine and roared off into the onyx night he told himself that he’d been through worse heartaches in his life. Somehow, he’d get by. If nothing else, he was a survivor.

  **

  Delilah hadn’t slept in days. Her heart was shattered. She was a wreck. Moist palms. Heart skittering. Trembling limbs. All because of Mac. She was in love with him. Over the top, happily in love with this God-fearing, wonderful, soulful man.

  But she’d been a coward. All these years she’d been yearning for love and aching to find someone who would see her—really, truly see her. And love her as is. Imperfections and all.

  Mac. Sweet, strong Mac. Against all odds he’d given her his heart. He’d opened up to her and put his past behind him in order to step out on a limb and forge something real between them.

  After avoiding Sarah for a solid week, Delilah had accepted an invitation to afternoon tea at her house. She had tearfully confessed to Sarah over the phone about her break up with Mac. Sarah had been sad on her behalf and rather incredulous. Delilah had sheepishly admitted that although she loved Mac she hadn’t been able to break down her walls to tell him so. Her sister had sounded very disappointed and confused.

  At the moment she couldn’t think of anything she wanted to do less than sit down with her blissfully happy sister who was married to the love of her life. Yep. Who just so happened to be Mac’s older brother. Things were way too complicated with her sister being married to a Donahue. It would put Mac in her orbit until the end of time. The very thought of seeing him with another woman one day gutted her.

  When Delilah arrived at Sarah and Blue’s house she was surprised to see so many cars parked outside. Was this a tea party? Had Sarah forgotten to tell her that important fact? She really wasn’t in the mood to make small talk. All she wanted to do was wallow in her misery.

  She let herself in to the house and headed straight for the dining room. Delilah stopped in her tracks. A crowd of women were gathered there—all of them bearing the last name of Donahue, with the exception of Kaitlyn who would soon become a Donahue bride. The stunning cream and lilac invitation to her beach wedding was sitting on Delilah’s bedside table.

  Six pairs of eyes swung in her direction. No one seemed particularly happy to see her, with the exception of Sarah.

  “Hey Lilah,” Sarah greeted her. “Come on in and sit down. We’re just about to start.”

  “Hello everyone,” Delilah said. She was greeted by lukewarm hellos and a few mumbled words. Hmm. It didn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out that the Donahue females were none too happy with her. Had Mac badmouthed her to them? No way. That couldn’t be it. He wasn’t that type of person.

  As everyone sat down at the table, Delilah focused her gaze on her tea cup. There was some serious tension hovering in the air. Why had Sarah put her in this awkward position?

  “So, Lilah,” Sarah said, “You’ve been invited here for an intervention.”

  Delilah’s jaw dropped. “A what? I don’t need an intervention.”

  “A love intervention,” Tess quipped. “Trust us. You need it.”

  “You need to get it together,” Rose said in a spirited voice.

  “What can I do?”
Delilah wailed. “I messed up the best thing to ever happen to me.”

  “First of all, you need to buck up and fight for Mac,” Sarah said. Her hands were folded across her chest and her head was cocked to the side. “He’s a keeper.”

  “Dry your tears and shake a tail feather,” Kaitlyn said. When the ladies looked at her questioningly, she put her hands up she said, “It’s just an expression. In other words, get a move on. Time is ticking away.”

  “I agree,” Gabrielle said, her caramel colored eyes flashing. “Mac is so worth fighting for. You can’t let another day go by without telling him how you truly feel.”

  Clearly Sarah must have spilled the beans about her strong feelings for Mac. Any other time she would have been upset about her sister blabbing her business, but at the moment she really did need the guidance of these women.

  “And the poor guy is licking his wounds,” Layla said, sending Delilah a baffled look. Delilah wanted to cry. Not only had she hurt Mac, but now her sister and her good friend, Layla, were both upset with her. Not to mention Kaitlyn, Rose, Gabrielle and Tess.

  Tess folded her arms across her chest. “Sorry, but if you’re going to hurt Mac again—.”

  “Good point,” Rose said with a pointed look at Delilah. “What are your intentions?”

  Her intentions? Oh no. Now she had to convince all of Mac’s sisters-in-law, even her own sister, that she was serious about loving Mac.

  “I won’t hurt him. Not ever again,” Delilah vowed with a vehement nod of her head. “I was stupid. And afraid. Afraid of being hurt again. Afraid of laying it all on the line only to get swatted down again. For one foolish moment I took my eyes off the prize and I allowed self-doubt and my past to color everything. For years I prayed to God to bring me a faithful, loving man who would see me for who I am deep down in my soul. I can’t tell you how sad and lonely and dejected I’ve been over the years. I thought God had forsaken me and that I was going to be alone for the rest of my life. Then, God answered my prayers. He brought me Mac.” Hot tears ran down Delilah’s face and she swiped them away with the back of her hand. “He sent me the man who I was made to love and be loved by.”