From the Start

by Cheryl Etchison

  He rose to his feet and handed her the small bouquet he had bought at the gift shop. Then, he pressed a chaste kiss to her mouth, right before he leaned close to whisper in her ear. “Sunshine, I’ll give you any kind of ride you want, anytime, anywhere.”

  Then he stood back and watched in amusement as that slow blush burned across her cheeks.

  They chatted about unimportant things as they made their way to her place: football, the weather, his drive up from Savannah. But once her apartment door closed with a thud behind them and they were inside the privacy of her home, everything they were carrying was dropped. Including the bouquet, which met the concrete floor in an explosion of petals.

  Wasting no time in picking up where he left off in the courtyard, Michael cradled her neck with one hand, his lips skimming the delicate skin of her throat. But for Kacie it wasn’t enough. Immediately, her hands went inside his suit jacket, sliding up to his shoulders until she pushed it free from his arms. And then she took hold of his tie, practically leading him to the bedroom. Their hands worked in frenzied motions as they removed each other’s clothes. And then finally they tumbled onto the bed where they made up for three months’ worth of being apart.

  As day turned into night, he propped his head on one hand, content to watch her sleep. He brushed the tiny strands of hair back from her face; he listened to the soft huffs of her breath. All the while counting the moments until he could stare into those green eyes of hers. He didn’t have to wait long as Kacie roused herself from her catnap and rolled over to face him.

  “So . . .” She skimmed her hand along his face, under his jaw to his chin. “I never asked, but when do you start your new job?”

  “Two weeks.”

  “Why so long before you start?”

  He raised one shoulder and let it drop. “Because I needed time to find a place to live. And to pack up all my stuff and bring it up here.”

  Kacie shot straight up in the bed, covering herself with the bedsheet. “No.”

  “No?”

  “That’s right.” Her tone softened and a smile appeared. “You don’t need to find a place to live. Because you’re going to live here. With me.”

  Part of him had hoped that’s exactly what she’d say. But he’d been afraid to hope too much.

  “You’re sure?”

  “Absolutely.” She climbed out of the bed and picked up his white dress shirt off the floor, slipping it on. “As a matter of fact, I think we should start right now.”

  She disappeared into the living room and then returned with his suit jacket and his bag. He couldn’t help but think how sexy she was when she walked past the bed, towing his suitcase along behind her. He liked how her wavy blond hair fell wild over her shoulders, liked how she rolled the sleeves of his shirt up her arms, and especially liked how the hem of it only reached midthigh. And since he knew she wasn’t wearing anything beneath it, it made for one helluva sexy version of peekaboo.

  One by one she unpacked his things. She hung his suit in the closet along with the golf shirts and pants he’d packed. She made room in a dresser for his socks and underwear and then gave him two drawers in the bathroom for his toiletries.

  With his suitcase empty, she brushed the imaginary dirt from her hands and smiled. “Done and done.”

  They ordered pizza for dinner because neither wanted to go out. And since they had nothing else to do during the forty-minute delivery wait, they made love yet again. Once it arrived they sat side by side in bed and ate straight from the box as they watched the Thunder and Warriors play. He climbed out of bed to refill their water glasses, but was struck by the view upon his return. Wearing nothing more than a white bedsheet, Kacie sat cross-legged in the middle of the bed. Her hair was pulled haphazardly into a knot on the top of her head, while a few tendrils dangled against her shoulders. Hovering over the open pizza box, she took another bite of pepperoni while watching the game.

  When he told all the guys he was leaving 1st Batt, they couldn’t understand why. What could possibly be better than life at HAAF?

  If he could, he would tell them all about this moment, about this woman who captured his interest from the start, who he fell in love with by accident. The one who was only supposed to be a summer fling, but ended up stealing his heart.

  Handing her one of the water glasses, Michael settled on the bed next to her, reclining against a stack of pillows.

  At the commercial, she turned to look at him and smiled. “There’s a few slices left if you’re still hungry.”

  “You go ahead.”

  “No, I think I’m done,” she wiped her fingers on a paper napkin. “As a matter of fact, I know it.” She tossed the napkin in the box before closing the lid. She climbed off the bed to take the box to the kitchen and he found himself amused as she struggled with the bedsheet and fought to not drop the box every step of the way.

  He was still smiling when she returned sans pizza box, an excess of white fabric trailing on the floor behind her. She circled around to the opposite side of the bed and climbed in.

  “Why does this always happen? I end up naked while you’re fully clothed.”

  “Haven’t the faintest idea. I still don’t see the problem with it.”

  Kacie arched a brow. “Says the man wearing clothes.”

  “Well, one of us had to answer the door when the pizza man showed up. Of course, if you’d answered the door wearing that, we might have gotten the pizza for free.”

  She took hold of a pillow and swung it, scoring a direct hit to the head. Unwilling to let such an attack stand, he countered by tossing the offending pillow from the bed. And then he reveled in the sounds of her shrieks of laughter as he wrestled her to the mattress, finally pinning her down with his lower body.

  With his breath rushing in and out of his lungs and heart racing, he caged her between his hands and hovered above her, staring down into her calming sea-glass eyes. “You know I love you, right?”

  Her smile was soft and warm and sweet and tender all in one. “I suspected as much.”

  “If I’m going to live here with you and spend every night in your bed, you’re going to have to get used to me saying it,” he said with all seriousness. “Life is too short to not be happy. And I don’t ever want you to think you don’t make me so very happy.”

  Kacie slid her hand free from his grasp and smoothed her fingers across his forehead, his brows. She traced the line of his nose and the edge of his jaw. And after pressing a kiss to his lips, cheek, and jaw, she whispered in his ear. “I love you, too.”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  February 2014

  As they crossed the intercoastal waterway, Michael reached across the center console and took Kacie’s hand in his. “Are you ready to do this?”

  “As I’ll ever be?”

  The tone of her voice raised concern, and when he glanced over at her, she wore a smile on her face that said she was trying to convince herself as much as him.

  He chuckled and gave a quick kiss to the back of her hand, along with a squeeze for encouragement. “You’ll be fine, I promise. My dad is going to love you.”

  Since he had started working in the emergency room four months ago, this was the first full weekend both of them had off at the same time. Kacie was busy with her fellowship and required clinical hours, and with his ever-changing work schedules, there were some weeks they were like two ships passing in the night. But they were making the best of it. And as far as he was concerned, it was far better than the alternative.

  He’d adjusted well to civilian medicine and found himself far happier working in the hectic environment of a level-one trauma center than spending the bulk of his time pushing paper. After all, treating people and saving lives was the whole reason he became a doctor in the first place.

  Talking to a therapist also helped. Once every couple of weeks he’d take the time for a tune-up, so to speak, to keep him from falling back into old habits and destructive ways of thinking.

&nbs
p; And his relationship with Kacie was all the better for it.

  But he didn’t leave the military completely behind, choosing to serve in the army reserve medical command with a support team out of Fort Bragg. There would be deployments in his future, but not as long or as often as the 75th, and not always to a war zone.

  With 1st Batt returning to Afghanistan within a matter of weeks, Danny and Bree decided to take a break from home renovations and spend the block leave with their families instead. And when Danny suggested making it a family reunion of sorts, Michael quickly jumped on board. While it required weeks of planning, some careful negotiating, and swapping shifts here and there, he and Kacie were able to get the job done. So early that Saturday morning, they loaded a small suitcase into the trunk of his car and hit the road for a short getaway.

  As they neared the Grand Strand, traffic slowed as usual, despite the fact it wasn’t tourist season. He pointed out a few of his old hangouts along the way and noted how much the city had changed since he’d last visited. Finally, they reached the mid-’60s single-story ranch where he grew up, one of many on the street with an American flag waving proudly from the front porch.

  “I’m not sure what I was expecting. A frat house, maybe,” Kacie teased as they pulled into the long, single car driveway. “But it’s cute. I like it.”

  Admittedly, Michael never thought much of the generic redbrick house with black shutters when he was growing up. It was on the small side and felt more than a little run-down when compared to some of the newer, larger houses his friends lived in. Now that he was older, he had greater appreciation for this place. In a way, it was exactly what he wanted in his future: a nice house on a quiet street with a yard big enough for kids to play in and large trees for them to climb. He wanted a wife who loved chocolate, kept him on his toes, and made him laugh all the time. He wanted two, maybe three kids with eyes the color of sea glass and wild, wavy hair. And finally, a dog. Maybe a cat or some fish if the kids asked nicely, but otherwise he’d be perfectly content with just a dog.

  As they climbed out of the car, the screen door flew open and Danny came bounding down the front steps. “It’s about damn time you got here!”

  He made a beeline for Michael, grabbing hold of him in a bear hug, lifting him from the ground and shaking him a bit. Then after dropping him back on his feet, Danny dramatically grabbed at his lower back.

  “Damn! Civilian life is making you soft. How much weight have you put on? Twenty? Thirty pounds?”

  Michael gave his brother a healthy shove. “You’re so full of shit. If anything I’ve lost weight I’ve been so busy.”

  Danny laughed at him as he walked away, circling around the car to Kacie. “It’s really wonderful to see you again.” He flashed her what Kacie had teased him was the trademark MacGregor grin and extended a hand.

  Kacie’s cheeks pinked. “Same here.”

  Always the flirt, his little brother.

  “Okay, that’s enough.” Michael jokingly stepped between them. “Do me a favor and grab our bag from the trunk, would ya? I’m going to introduce Kacie to Dad.”

  Danny snapped to attention and saluted his brother. “Yes, sir.”

  “Come on, Kacie.” He placed his hand at her lower back and walked her to the front door.

  “Wow,” she whispered. “I’m kinda surprised you let that go so easily.”

  “What can I say, sunshine,” he said with a wink. “I’ve grown in the past few months.”

  No need for her to know that he was using his free hand to flip Danny the bird. And when his brother laughed, there was no question as to whether or not he’d seen the gesture.

  They climbed the front steps, but just before he pulled open the door, he stopped and turned to her. “I forgot to warn you that it’s kind of a time warp in there.”

  A little crease appeared between her brows. “What do you mean?”

  “The house looks just the same as it did when my mom died.”

  Kacie’s eyes widened a bit. “Oh.”

  “Yep.” Michael took a deep breath and opened the door for her. “Here we go.”

  But the joke was on him the moment he stepped into the living room.

  The wood floors had been sanded and stained and the walls and trim had received a fresh coat of paint. His father’s recliner had been replaced with a far more stylish and modern leather version and no longer was there an ’80s floral sofa occupying the middle of the room. In its place, a comfortable-looking tan sectional and ottoman that offered far more seating than ever before. And there was actually room for a wall-mounted flat-screen TV.

  His jaw was still on the floor when Danny walked in, the screen door slamming shut behind him. “What’s the matter with you?” he asked.

  “I want to know what the hell happened in here,” Michael said as his brother dropped the small suitcase at his feet. “And why does it seem brighter?”

  “The new windows are bigger than the originals. And the recessed lighting makes a huge difference as well.”

  Michael turned to see his dad standing in the doorway leading into the kitchen.

  “Well, do you like it?” his dad asked.

  As he struggled to find the right words, Kacie quickly spoke up. “I think it looks fantastic.”

  “And I like you already.” Mac chuckled and walked toward her with open arms. “You must be Kacie.”

  Michael watched as his father embraced her as if he’d known her his entire life. And vice versa.

  “It all started with a leaky shower pan in the bathroom. The fixtures looked worn out with all the brand-new tile, so I replaced everything in there.” He tucked Kacie’s hand in the crook of his elbow and led her down the hall for a tour. “But soon I realized I was the only person who ever saw the best-looking room in the house. And that’s a very bad thing.”

  Their laughter echoed as they disappeared down the hall and out of sight.

  Michael smiled, then looked to his brother. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

  “Dad wanted it to be a surprise.” Danny gave a slight shrug as he folded his arms over his chest. “Marie did most of the design. For free, I might add. Bree came home a few weekends to help him pick out furniture.”

  “But that doesn’t explain why he decided to change everything now.”

  His brother gave him a knowing smile. “He did it for you, for me. He wanted this house to be a place where we’d want to bring our families.” He nodded at the suitcase at Michael’s feet. “You should go check out your bedroom by the way.”

  His curiosity piqued, Michael picked up his bag and headed down the hallway, passing the closed door to Danny’s old room along the way. “Surprised” didn’t even begin to describe how he felt the moment he stepped in his old room. Gone were the old, dusty books and small, worn-out bed. The windows were noticeably larger now and the room had been painted the color of a peacock. The color could’ve made the room feel small, but the new queen-sized bed covered in white bedding made it feel big. Only his large wooden dresser remained, although it had received a face-lift of its own: on top sat several framed photos. The first was of him and his mom. Another was of him, his dad, and Danny while on a fishing trip they’d taken years earlier. But the largest was a family photo taken at Danny and Bree’s wedding. And Michael knew in his gut that one day a similar photo from his and Kacie’s wedding would take its rightful place next to it.

  “Now that door we’re not going to open,” he heard his father say. “That’s the last room to do. And as my wife used to say, ‘It looks like a bomb went off in there.’”

  Their combined laughter led them down the hallway to his room.

  “Ooh.” Kacie’s eyes brightened the moment she walked stepped through the doorway. “I love the color. Did you pick it yourself?”

  Michael chuckled. “Yeah, Dad. Did you pick everything yourself?”

  “You know damn well I didn’t pick any of this out.” Mac then turned to Kacie and smiled. “But I’m glad you like it
just the same.”

  When the house phone rang, Mac excused himself to go answer it, giving Michael a few minutes alone with Kacie. He took hold of her hand and tugged her close, wrapping his arms around her waist. “See? I told you he’d love you.”

  Her palms skimmed up and over his chest, finally wrapping around his neck. “I gotta say I think he’s pretty terrific, too. You’re one lucky man.”

  Michael pressed a gentle kiss to her lips, then whispered against her mouth. “Don’t I know it.”

  It wasn’t long before Mac returned to finish his guided tour, once again taking her hand and tucking it in the bend of his elbow. Kacie liked how he took time to tell her the stories behind each photograph that hung on the wall or sat atop a dresser, and his pride for his sons was undeniable. It was also plain to see he was a man who remained deeply in love with his wife despite her death so many years before. Photos of her could be found in nearly every room, making certain her presence was there in spirit if not in body.

  Since the weather was unseasonably warm considering the time of year, they all settled on the back porch where the three MacGregor men attempted to one-up each other with their stories. They teased. They bickered. They harassed each other. Most of all they laughed a lot, their affection for one another obvious and genuine. However, the fun was interrupted momentarily when a familiar default ring tone caused all three men to reach for their pockets, which of course ended up being just another reason for them to laugh.

  Danny held his ringing phone in the air. “Winner winner chicken dinner,” he said before swiping his thumb across the screen. “Hey, sweetheart.” Within a matter of seconds he was rising to his feet. “Bree just turned in the neighborhood and she’s got a carload of groceries.”

  And that was enough for the three of them to hop up out of their chairs and rush out the front door. Uncertain what to do, Kacie wandered through the kitchen and into the living room. Just then, Bree pulled open the front door and held it as the men paraded inside, each with several bags in their hands. Without further prompting, they dropped everything on the small dining room table and pulled items out left and right.