by LuAnn McLane
“Ha, thought so.”
“All right, then.” Garret reached over and took the book from her. “Deal.”
“What?”
Garret handed It to Mattie. “You heard me. A month from now we can get together over coffee with a book report in hand.”
“Okay . . . okay.” Mattie had to laugh. Garret was quite different than any guy she’d met before. “And you promised to read it in public. Here, so I can see you.” She pointed at a table. “While you’re eating breakfast.”
“It’s really hard to embarrass me. At one time that might have been the case, but I’m over caring what people think,” he added, but Mattie wasn’t really buying his declaration completely. He was cute and a bit cocky, but there was a vulnerable set to his mouth that didn’t fool her.
“I hear ya.” She lifted one shoulder. “I don’t embarrass easily either. Trust me, my brothers and his friends try super hard to embarrass me but even if I am, I never let on.” She suddenly wondered why she felt the need to tell him all this, and in truth they did embarrass her on occasion.
“Ah, never let them see you sweat.”
“Exactly.” Mattie nodded and she realized that he got it. The two of them might be more alike than what she first thought. “It’s all in good fun. They don’t mean any harm.” She didn’t want him to think ill of Mason and Danny, because they were good guys. “Do you have siblings?”
“Two younger half sisters named Sophia and Grace.”
“They sound adorable.”
“They were,” he said with a fond smile and something else in his eyes that she couldn’t quite read. “I had to participate in many a tea party, let me tell you.”
Mattie laughed. “I’m picturing you in a tiara and feather boa.”
“And you would be spot-on,” Garret admitted, and Mattie thought he might make a super-cute dad and then wondered where in the world that thought came from. He leaned closer to her ear. “Don’t tell anyone but I had bows in my hair on more than one occasion.”
“What a fun big brother you must have been,” Mattie said.
“I suppose I was at that,” Garret said, but had a look of surprise on his face as if just now realizing it. “Because I was such a rascal I think everyone thought I was going to be jealous when they were born, but they were such cute little bundles that I loved them both straightaway.” He got a rather wistful look on his face. “Very sweet little girls, those two. Still are to this day,” he added, and then tilted his head to the side. “Well, no longer little. They’re both tall like my mum,” he said, and Mattie thought it was interesting that he didn’t mention his stepfather but she thought it rude to ask.
“Are you still close to your sisters?” she asked, because he seemed to be.
“I don’t get to see them as often as I’d like,” he said with a rather sad smile. “But yes, we get along.”
“And you? Were you well behaved when you were little?”
“As I mentioned I was a little rascal from the get-go. It was a wonder that my mum wanted more children after me.”
“Oh, I doubt that,” Mattie said.
“That I was a rascal?”
“No, that your mother wouldn’t want to have more children because of you, silly.”
“Why, thank you.” Garret reached over and briefly touched her cheek. Mattie was used to tugs on her ponytail and shoves to her shoulder, making the small gesture so very tender. Something warm settled in her stomach, making her long to lean her cheek into his palm. “You’re such a sweet girl as well, Mattie Mayfield.”
“Oh, there might be some who would argue,” Mattie said with a laugh. She pulled back and felt a little bit flustered.
Garret smiled and for some reason Mattie felt as if he could see through her toughness to the girl who wanted to have her hand held and share a kiss in the moonlight. He looked at her for a moment as if trying to decide what to say. “Well, I’d better push off.” Garret held up the book and glanced at the shirtless pirate. “I’ll start reading tonight, I think.”
Mattie looked at the cover of her book. “I guess I will too,” she said, but the creepy white-faced clown with the red nose and evil eyes seemed to be glaring directly at her. “Oh boy . . .”
“I hope you don’t get too scared.”
“No, you don’t. You hope this scares the pants off me,” she said, and then felt a blush heat her cheeks.
“Don’t worry, I won’t touch that line even though I want to.”
“Thank you.” Mattie slapped her hand over her face and laughed.
“Oh, stop.” Garret pried her fingers away from her face. “See you soon, Mattie.” He paused and then said, “Perhaps you can show me around Cricket Creek when you get the chance.” It was funny but for someone used to the limelight he suddenly seemed a bit shy about asking. He seemed so bold but then somehow unsure, making Mattie want to give him some sort of reassurance.
“I’d be happy to show you around town.”
“Fantastic. Well, I’m really going this time, although I hate to leave good company.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll probably see you at breakfast tomorrow.” He patted his stomach. “Well, if I’m ever hungry again.”
“Get used to Southern cookin’. We don’t skimp.” Mattie grinned, but as he walked away she shouted, “Garret, there are some business cards on the counter by the register. The second number is my cell phone. If you need anything or have questions about town, let me know.”
He pivoted to look back at her. “Thanks, I’ll do that.” He gave her another nod and a wave.
When Mattie saw him pause and then stuff several bills into the book jar, she had to smile. She liked his company too, and as soon as he left she was already wondering when she’d see him again, hoping it was before breakfast. As a friend, of course. She still had her sights solidly set on Colby Campbell.
5
Holding Out for a Hero
GARRET’S EARLY-EVENING RUN TOOK HIM INTO THE PATH in the woods up toward the lake. He told himself it was so cool in the shade of the trees, but he knew it was an effort to head toward Mattie’s cabin. He also told himself that simple curiosity caused his feet to have a mind of their own, but in truth he knew better. He liked her. Liking her felt . . . odd. In the past chatting up a woman was for selfish reasons. Either he wanted to get laid or there was something in it for him. Liking Mattie felt innocent and pure, leaving him feeling shitty about the way he’d conducted himself in the past and yet somehow a bit cleansed with this new attitude.
Garret took the bend in the path and headed uphill. Random twigs snapped beneath his shoes, sounding loud in the silence. At first he was pissed that he’d forgotten his earbuds, but the quiet filled him with a peacefulness that seemed to give him extra endurance. He felt as if he could run forever in these woods.
Long fingers of sunshine reached through the tree branches, touching everything like a warm caress. Garret breathed deep the scent of pine and damp soil. Although he loved the energy of the city, Garret also deeply appreciated nature. Those who knew him would be surprised, and then the thought gave him pause.
Who actually knew him?
The answer was simple and rather sad: no one. Not even his mum, really. How could anyone know him? Because he sure as hell didn’t know himself. Since his breakup with Addison Monroe, Garret had been on a mission to improve the sorry-ass thing he called his life. His goal, if you could call it that, had always been to piss his father off in a misguided cry for attention. He got that now. But for many years rocker Rick Ruleman had only been concerned with himself. So Garret’s antics went pretty much unnoticed except for the eager public who ate it up with a spoon so much so that he was offered a reality show about his engagement to Addison Monroe, daughter of the famous finance guru Melinda Monroe.
The breakup was his wake-up call. Garret had
been a total wanker, trampling on hearts and not giving a damn. But when he realized that he had been turning into everything he hated about his father, he came to a screeching halt and took a long, hard look at himself. And he pretty much sucked.
Thinking about his over-the-top past, he shook his head and muttered, “Classic.” There should be a damn reality show about him traveling around the country, no, make that the world, apologizing to every girl he’d been a jerk to. “Might be the longest-running reality show ever,” he muttered, pushing harder. He had to laugh, though, when he pictured how many times they would open the door, see it was him, and give him a much deserved slap across his face.
When Garret came to a clearing he spotted the lake glistening in the waning sunlight. Basic brown cabins hugged the shoreline on the opposite side of the lake, each with its own small dock. A lovely stone and cedar cabin sat in the clearing apart from the rest. Wondering if the larger dwelling could be Mattie’s home, he jogged closer. Sure enough, he spotted her sitting on the back deck, leaning back in a lounge chair. Upon closer inspection he noticed that she clutched a book in her hand. Grinning, Garret cupped his hands around his mouth and was about to shout out to her but then hesitated. There was a spark of attraction between them and he needed to tread softly. The last thing he wanted was to break another heart, especially someone who seemed as sweet as Mattie Mayfield. But he liked her.
As he was just about to jog away, a sudden notion hit him. Perhaps they could be friends, nothing more. “What a novel idea,” he muttered with a sense of wonder, but one that appealed to him.
With that in mind, intruding upon her space seemed rude, so he turned and ran back toward his cabin, thinking with a chuckle that he had a romance novel to read.
After a quick shower Garret popped the top on a beer and took a good long guzzle. He threw together a huge cheddar cheese, tomato, and Branston pickle sandwich, added a handful of barbecue Pringles, and headed out to the back deck with his romance novel in hand. Because it was nearly dark he lit the outside light and settled into a lounge chair, propping his bare feet up onto the matching ottoman.
The story started with Dominick, the swashbuckling pirate hero, attacking the ship with lovely Isobel on board. As it turned out Isobel’s father was Dominick’s archenemy, so he promptly kidnapped her in his plot for revenge. Ah, but Dominick was enchanted by lovely Isobel, so what was a pirate to do? He locked her in his cabin while he brooded over his situation.
So engrossed in the story, Garret didn’t hear the music coming from the dock until he looked up from the first chapter. The story, although not his cup of tea, had captured his attention and in truth he wanted to know how it would all play out in the end.
After dog-earing the page Garret stood up and stretched, thinking he might like another beer, when he heard shouts and laughter mingling with upbeat music. Curious, Garret walked over to the side of the deck and saw a bonfire shooting flames upward from a big stack of wood. Lounge chairs surrounded the circle of fieldstone, keeping the fire in check. Several coolers dotted the lawn and Garret guessed they were filled with beer. Garret spotted Mattie standing near the fire pit looking cute in cutoff jeans and a white button-down shirt tied around her waist showing just a hint of skin. He must have been so immersed in the story that he hadn’t heard the commotion until now.
Loneliness washed over Garret and he wondered if Mattie had thought to invite him. He’d already put her phone number from her business card in his contacts. Maybe he could send her a random text message and hope that she’d ask him to join them. What would they do if he simply showed up? He’d crashed parties and done way crazier things in his life, but he found himself hesitating. He wouldn’t fit in, but that wasn’t anything new. The problem was that because he was a celebrity the girls tended to flock around him and the blokes tended to size him up and give him the evil eye. After a good dose of alcohol the girls would get flirty and the blokes even more pissed with someone ending up taking a swing. Garret found it amusing that because he was tall and lanky they always thought they could take him, but he kept in shape and was stronger than he looked.
“Not a fun scenario,” Garret said under his breath. And when he spotted Mattie walking away from the crowd with Colby he felt a flash of a foreign emotion that could only be, wait . . . jealousy? Garret turned away and shook his head. Surely he must be mistaken. He barely knew the girl.
Another cold beer sounded pretty damn good, but just when he was about to head into the cabin Mattie’s voice carried his way. He turned back around and after looking closer he spotted her standing on the dock nearest to his cabin. She was talking to Colby and her voice carried his way.
“I don’t want to swim, Colby. I’m not in my suit. And it’ll be cold coming out of the water.”
“Come on, Mattie. The bonfire will warm you up.”
“I don’t really like swimming in the dark.”
“That’s what makes it fun. I’ll stay close. I promise.”
Garret saw Mattie glance toward the water and hesitate. Was she really going to do something that she didn’t want to do just to impress the jackass? Garret’s jaw clenched. Swimming in the cove might not be the safest thing to do this time of night.
“I don’t know . . . ,” Mattie said.
Colby took a step closer to Mattie. His unsteady gait suggested that he’d already had too much to drink. “Well, then, maybe I’ll just have to throw you in.”
“Colby . . . ,” Mattie said in a wary tone. “Come on. Don’t.”
Garret had heard enough. “I wouldn’t do that,” he shouted, drawing both Mattie’s and Colby’s attention. They looked up at him.
“Do what?” Colby asked.
“Toss Mattie in the water. Don’t do it, dude.”
“I think you should mind your own business . . . dude.”
“Garret, it’s okay, really,” Mattie said.
“Maybe Mattie wants me to throw her in,” Colby challenged, and it was now very clear that he’d had one too many. “Dontcha, Mattie?”
“No, I—” she began, but shrieked when Colby scooped her up.
“Yes, you do.”
“Stop it!” Garret saw red. Not caring if he broke his fool neck, he hopped over the side of the deck and hit the grass a few yards in front of the dock. When a sharp pain shot up his ankle, he knew he’d landed wrong, but he rushed over to the dock toward Colby, ignoring the pain. “Put her down. Now.”
“Since when do I take orders from you, Garret?”
“Since right this damn minute.”
“Colby, just put me down,” Mattie pleaded. “Seriously.”
“You heard her.”
“I’m just playin’, Mattie,” Colby chided, but when he started to put her down he stumbled sideways, nearly losing his balance. He let go of Mattie and a moment later she went airborne with a shriek and landed with a splash.
“Mattie!” Pushing by a confused Colby, Garret jumped into the water and snaked his arm around Mattie. Coughing, she clung to him. “It’s okay, I’ve got you. Just hang on.” When she nodded against his neck Garret felt a wave of protectiveness wash over him and made his way back to the dock. “Can you get up the steps? You can hang on to me if you need to.”
“I can do it,” she answered with just enough of a tremble in her voice to make Garret want to smash his fist in Colby’s face. Maybe he would just for the hell of it.
After they were standing on solid ground, Garret wrapped his arm around Mattie’s waist, making sure she was steady on her feet. “Are you okay?”
Mattie gave him a quick nod. “Yeah,” she said gruffly. “I was just startled.”
“Mattie, damn, I’m so sorry,” Colby said with a slight slur to his speech. “I wasn’t really gonna toss you in. I was just playin’.” He shot Garret a look that tried to place the blame on him. “You shoulda just kept out of it and this wouldn’t have
happened.”
“It didn’t look that way to me,” Garret said stiffly. “Mattie doesn’t deserve to get manhandled.”
“Mattie knows I wouldn’t cause her any harm,” Colby said.
“You just did,” Garret said.
“I didn’t mean to. You know that, right, Mattie?” When Colby stepped closer Garret tightened his hold around her waist and planted his feet firmly on the dock.
“I know,” Mattie said, and she pulled away from Garret. “It’s fine, Garret. I know you meant well, but—”
“He shoulda kept out of it,” Colby insisted, and took a step forward with his fists clenched at his sides.
“Colby! Just back off, okay?” Mattie pleaded.
“You better listen.” Garret wasn’t going to take a swing at the big clod, but he stood his ground. If Colby wanted a fight, he was going to get one and end up in the river just for spite.
“Hey, what’s going on here?” They all looked over to see Danny walking onto the wooden dock. “Everything okay?” Danny asked, and looked at Garret as if he suspected he was the troublemaker.
Garret raised his hands upward. “Hey, I was just coming to the aid of your sister.” He pointed at Colby. “This dude was going to toss her in the water.”
“Seriously, Colby? What the hell, man?”
“I wasn’t!” Colby insisted, but swayed a little.
“Sure looked that way to me,” Garret said to Danny. “And she did end up in the water because of him. Dangerous if you ask me.”
“No one is askin’ you,” Colby said. “Danny, I dropped Mattie in on accident. You b-believe me, r-right?”
“You okay, Mattie?” Danny asked, and gave Colby a pissed-off look that said he’d better shut up.
“Yeah,” Mattie answered softly, but then shivered.
“Sorry, Garret. He’s been hittin’ some apple pie,” Danny said with a shake of his head.
“I think he’s been hitting more than apple pie,” Garret said.
“Apple pie is moonshine. He’s not usually like this,” Mattie explained, and Garret felt a flash of anger that she was defending him.
