“No!” Ella jumped to her feet and walked away from him, but he only followed.
“Why not?”
“Because I can’t let you hurt me the same way again. Your hours were too much, the time we spent together too little. That doesn’t make a healthy relationship!”
“Maybe not then, but I can cut hours, Ella. I own the company. All I’ve ever wanted was to spend more time with you. We can do this. I’ll tell Sheena as soon as I see her.”
“Then you’ll be ending us both,” Ella whispered. “I refuse to go into a relationship with you again. Don’t you see that I can’t? You destroyed me last time.”
“I see that now, but it doesn’t have to be that way again. I’ll marry you right here and now. I’ll take you to Vegas. We can plan the biggest wedding the town has ever seen. We can get married, just like we both want.”
Ella shook her head. The look in his eyes slowly turned from excitement to weariness. “It’s not what I want, Linc. Not even close.”
“Then tell me, Ella. Tell me what you want so I can do it. This is about us, the once in a lifetime love I never thought I’d get a second chance at. Please, Ella!”
To see him begging was a bittersweet moment. Hadn’t she always dreamed of this? Envisioned him crawling back every time she saw her own tears in the mirror?
But not like this. Not when her own heart was on the line, again. It was unfair for her to ask anything of him when there was still another woman in the picture. And she refused to talk to him any longer about the matter until they were rescued, and she had some space to think.
In the distance, she heard a buzzing sound.
“Linc! I hear a boat!”
They both ran out of the brush to the beach. Sure enough a small fishing boat was heading toward the island. Both Linc and Ella waved their hands like mad men. When they were sure the boat was coming and the driver had in fact acknowledged their waves with one of his own, Linc turned to Ella.
“I’m not giving up, Ella,” Linc said, taking one of her hands into his. “There’s a lot we still need to discuss.”
Ella said nothing as she watched the boat coming to their rescue.
It was all over. Again.
****
Once he was back on the mainland, Linc worked on getting his affairs in order so he could pay Ella a visit at her office. After a little digging, he discovered the listing had reversed the coordinates of the island, and he hadn’t been so distracted after all. Instead, an intern who no longer worked for the real estate company had entered the information incorrectly.
Try as he might, Linc couldn’t regret his time on the island. He’d been brought back into Ella’s life and he wasn’t going to take it for granted. Whether by divine intervention or just plain luck, Ella was a part of his life again. The way it should be.
Two weeks had passed since they’d been rescued and he’d last seen Ella, but he had been keeping tabs on her. She was still in town. Didn’t appear to have a boyfriend or anyone she was really close to other than a few friends he already knew about. Worked long hours. Another sign she was just as miserable as he was.
Sheena took the breakup surprisingly well, especially when he explained what all had happened in his past with Ella, then how he’d felt on the island. She agreed with him that the engagement shouldn’t move forward with his emotions tied in knots. He felt good about everything. And his decision to marry Ella. She might not realize how much she wanted the same thing, but he was determined to help her understand it. Starting tonight.
Linc picked up the phone and dialed her office number.
“Ella speaking, how can I help you?”
“First, you can go on a date with me tonight.”
Silence.
“Then we can kiss each other goodnight like we mean it afterward.”
The line went dead. Linc looked at the phone.
He dialed her again.
“Ella speaking, how can I help you?”
“After the kiss, you can agree to give this thing between us another shot.”
“Linc, it’s not going to happen.”
“Yes it is.”
“No, it’s not, because I don’t love you.”
“It’s been awhile. It’ll all come back.” He was so confident in the fact that she was suppressing her feelings for him, it didn’t even occur to him that maybe they really were done.
“Linc, you’re wasting your time.”
“I don’t think I am, Ella. I was there when you kissed me back.”
“Physical attraction is lust. Love is so much more.”
“At least agree to meet me tonight for dinner. Please?”
He heard her sigh. Her capitulation was just around the corner.
“I’ll be on my best behavior,” he added softly.
“I’ll meet you at Sam’s Pizzeria at seven,” Ella finally said.
“Deal.”
But the line had already gone dead.
****
Ella was such a statistic. Just a few words and she was putty in his gentle hands. Even now she couldn’t find the power to call him back and tell him no. And she knew he was on some selfish mission to get them back together, but it wasn’t going to happen. There were only so many times a woman could shatter and once was plenty for her thank you very much. Linc could have a one-track mind. It had served him well in the business industry, but with her, it had only annoyed her. There was no middle ground, no gray.
On the island, he’d still shown her what a stubborn mule he could be, but he’d also shown his softer side when they kissed, when he held her during the thunderstorms, cared for her bleeding feet, provided her with water when she was sun poisoned…
Speaking of which, she was still a nice shade of crimson and her skin was peeling in places she didn’t know she had. Maybe Linc would think she was hideous and forget this ridiculous notion that he still loved her.
Ella yanked open the door to the pizzeria only to find he was already there, waiting in their usual booth. She sighed. She could do this and come out with her pride still in tact.
“Evening, beautiful,” he practically purred and stood to kiss her cheek.
She ignored him and slid into the booth instead. “What do you want from me?” she asked without preamble.
“I want us to try again, Ella. Sheena and I agree that the engagement is off. We’re free to try again.”
“You’re forgetting something, Linc.”
He raised his eyebrows and waited.
“I don’t want to try again. We were a disaster. We’re both workaholics, have our careers, there’s no time for all this romance you seem to think we still have.”
He studied her but finally sighed. “Okay.”
“Okay.” Ella didn’t believe for a minute that it was that easy.
“Do you still love me?” The confidence in his voice wavered and his eyes searched hers.
She could lie and say she didn’t, or she could tell him the truth and give him that crumb of hope that wouldn’t allow either of them to move on.
“You know the answer to that, Linc,” she whispered and looked away.
“No, I don’t. I want you to tell me.” He took her hand in his and squeezed.
She couldn’t lie. She was bad at it anyway. “Yes. I still love you.”
“Then there’s nothing we can’t get through. We can be on a jet to Vegas tonight. Go to a judge tomorrow and elope. I want you as my wife, Ella. We love each other and there’s no reason in the world that we should be apart.”
“Marriage won’t solve all the problems we had before. When would we have time for each other? We’re both too stubborn to make this work.”
“Listen. I’ve been working on getting everything in order at work. I’ve hired an assistant and cleared lesser hours with the board. I know and recognize all the problems we had before and why it drove us apart. My career is not worth losing you again. I’ll resign if I have to.”
For the first time in years, Ella
felt hope surge within her. Did he mean it? Could they really find solutions to all their problems?
“Your career is your life, Linc. How can that ever change? How can we ever change?”
He squeezed her hand again. “Because two weeks ago, someone reversed the coordinates on an island listing and we got stuck together for a few days. While we were there, I realized I couldn’t live my life anymore without you in it.”
“So what do we do?” Ella’s breathing came in little short gasps. Dare she hope?
Linc smiled tentatively. “We get married like we should have done two years ago. We love each other. We hold each other. Have babies. Grow old with each other.”
“Linc…”she whispered.
“Say yes, Ella. Be my wife.”
“What about Sheena? This is all too soon.”
“Sheena was a distraction. I never loved her. I cared about her, but I never loved her. I never wanted to be everything to her. With you, I need to be everything. I need you with me.”
“What if we’re wrong and we fall into our old ways again?”
He smiled patiently at her. “Then we fix it. Because nothing is more important to me than us.”
Linc seemed to have the answers to everything. Ella was on the verge of giving in when he suddenly sank to one knee, producing a small box with a not-so-small diamond inside.
“Ella, I’ve never wanted anyone more than you. I’ve never wanted to be on a deserted island with anyone but you. I’ve never loved anyone the way I love you. Will you marry me?”
Tears filled Ella’s eyes. She could have it all if she just said yes. Yes to everything she’d wanted for years.
“You just proposed to me in a pizza joint.” She laughed through her tears.
Linc shrugged and grinned. “Italian is your favorite, right?”
Ella nodded. Not about the pizza, but for everything. “Yes, Linc.”
“Yes to which question?”
Ella bit her lip and tasted her salty tears. She studied his beautiful green eyes, boring holes through her at that moment, waiting for the answer.
“Yes to all of it,” she whispered.
Linc didn’t bother to put the ring on her finger, but instead came to sit by her on the bench and kiss her senseless.
“Tomorrow,” he finally mumbled.
“What?”
“Tomorrow. We get married tomorrow. I can’t wait another day.”
Ella nodded. She didn’t care if they went to Vegas or the courthouse or what, tomorrow she would become Mrs. Ella Ellis.
Finally, Linc pulled away from her and slipped the large diamond on her left ring finger. It fit like a glove and sparkled in the dim lighting of the restaurant.
“Tomorrow,” Linc said again, as if needing her confirmation.
“Tomorrow,” she said with a nod and kissed him again.
Epilogue
“Ready?” Linc called out against the wind as it tossed his hair back and forth and created havoc with his balance. It was strong today.
“Can’t find your sea legs today, Linc?” Ella called out just before she entered the comfort of his arms and hugged him close.
“Hush, woman,” he said with a grin.
She looked up at him, the picture of perfection and offered a kiss. He’d be an idiot to turn that down. He bent to cover her lips with his for a brief moment.
He looked into her eyes. “You glad we did it? It’s been six months and I feel like it’s all brand new.”
“Marrying you was the best thing I’ve ever done.”
“Promise?” He rubbed her nose with his.
“Yeah.”
“So,” he said, putting her at arm’s length. “I have a small belated anniversary gift to give you.”
“You mean the boat wasn’t enough?”
Linc waved a hand of dismissal. “This was for both of us. Silver Lining was a good ol’ boat but it was time for an upgrade.”
Ella smiled up at him. “Silver Lined was the perfect name for the new boat.”
“It’s a symbol of our life together. A little wild, carefree, and will carry us to our future.”
“Huh?”
“You’ll see.”
Linc gave her a knowing grin. He set the coordinates on the GPS and pulled her below deck to keep her distracted. Or maybe it was the other way around. Either way, when they resurfaced, the island was in the distance.
“What are we doing here again, Linc?”
“Well, you see, I developed a certain fondness for this girl on this island. And since I was already in the market to buy… you know, a private island, I decided to buy this one, too.”
“What about the other one? The one Agnes wanted you to buy?” A smile loomed on her face and told him she was just as pleased as he was.
“I bought that one too. But I’m turning that one into our family home because it’s much closer to civilization. This island, however, is going to be just ours. Build a little cottage up on the mountain, come here on the weekends to relax and make babies.”
“We might have rushed into marriage, but there will be no babies for awhile. I want to enjoy just us for a little bit.”
Linc kissed her temple, then whispered in her ear, “Doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy the practice.”
“Exactly.”
She giggled and Linc felt like the luckiest man on earth. He might have enough money to buy two private islands and a new boat, but money had never been able to buy Ella. He’d always appreciated that about her. Even now, her gaze was on him, not the island. He cut the engine and dropped the anchor.
“I love you, Linc. This island is perfect.”
“No. You’re perfect. We’re perfect together. This island symbolizes more than just us getting back together. It was a brand new start for both of us. And I love you, too.”
“Forever?” she asked, gazing into his eyes.
“Forever.”
About the Author
Stephanie Taylor wrote and illustrated her first novel, at the tender age of six: several notebook pages stapled together to open like a "real book”. Over twenty-five years later, she lives in Alabama with her husband of twelve years and is a homeschooling mommy of three by day and a writer and business owner by night. She has a doctorate in Multitasking and can actually walk a tight rope while preparing dinner with one hand and typing her next novel with the other. Well, no not really, but close. You can find her online on Facebook and Twitter or at her publishing company, Astraea Press. www.astraeapress.com.
Also From Stephanie Taylor
Chapter 1
“Cut!”
Deborah Atkins threw her hands up in frustration.
“Zach! Deb! Over here now!”
Deb shot Zach Sparks an exasperated look. This was his fault anyway.
As they approached the director, Stephen Fernbank, who sat in his little director chair, she saw from the stern look on his face it was reckoning time.
“Okay,” he said in a low, tightly controlled voice. “I want to know what’s going on. The chemistry between you two is unmistakable. All of a sudden, you’re acting like you’d both rather be in a room full of hungry crocodiles. I can tell you right now it’s making this film suffer, as well as your careers.”
Zach spoke first just as Deb was about to apologize. “I’m not trying to place blame, Mr. Fernbank, but Deb is making it really hard for us to work together.”
Deb’s jaw dropped in astonishment. The idiot!
“Sir, that’s not true at all. I’ve gone above and beyond to accommodate his silly idiosyncrasies.” She shot Zach another look, but he avoided eye contact.
“What started this?” Mr. Fernbank crossed his arms.
Zach and Deb looked at one another, but Deb wasn’t willing to tell the director the genesis of their feud.
“Don’t tell me this has to do with that crazy marriage I just read about,” he demanded. “I thought it was just tabloid fodder.”
This time Deb spoke first, albeit reluctan
tly. “Yes, it does. Zach, the Academy Award-winning actor here, decided to take advantage of my rather inebriated state and didn’t like it when I woke up horrified.”
“Oh, what a lie.” Zach laughed heartily. “She dressed in next to nothing and threw herself at me. I merely suggested a marriage as a joke, and before I knew it, she’d hauled me into a chapel. It’s not my fault the paparazzi caught everything.”
Mr. Fernbank nodded. “So, in other words, you’re both at fault.”
Deb clenched her teeth. When he put it that way, she couldn’t argue. Yes, they had both made mistakes in Vegas almost two days ago. Despite her drunken state, Zach knew full well a marriage was what she wanted. Not necessarily with him but someone. He just happened to be the lucky winner. But, most of all, she was embarrassed she had taken his proposal seriously. What had she been thinking? Moreover, what had he been thinking to allow it to happen?
“Look.” The director stepped off his pedestal and looked each of them square in the eye, one at a time. “I’m cutting filming short until this is resolved. We’re wasting our time and our efforts here. It’s almost the holidays, so I’m going to do something I’ve never done before.”
He continued to eye them and Deb bit her lip. What he was about to say couldn’t be good.
“I’m ordering both of you to spend the next few weeks together. And while you’re at it, resolve all this pettiness and come back ready to work, understand? Even if you get a divorce to put you back where you were before you married in Vegas. If I find out either of you broke this deal, I’m finding new actors. You’re lucky I’m giving you this opportunity instead of just replacing you.”
“But…” Deb squeaked, not wanting to push her luck but knowing she had to say something. “I’m going home for the holidays.”
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