It's Always Been You

by Elle Wright

  Love picked up her phone and dialed his number. No answer. Muttering a curse, she hung up and dialed again. It went straight to voice mail. Damn.

  “Mother.” Love ran into the bathroom and started the shower. “Want to ride with me? I have to get to Drake.”

  Gloria grinned and clapped. “I’m so glad you actually listened to me for once.”

  Love hugged her. “I love you. I don’t know what I would have done if you hadn’t been here.”

  “Lovely, I’ll always be here for you. Can I plan that reception now? I’ve been itching to get started on it.”

  Love laughed and shook her head at her persistence. “Fine, Mother. If Drake takes me back, you can plan anything you want. I’ll be down in ten minutes.”

  But it was only nine minutes later that Love was speeding toward Drake’s apartment, cutting through traffic like a madwoman. He lived in a huge apartment by Interstate 94, far from the hospital, which was why he was at her house, eating up her food, more often than not.

  She arrived at the apartment and let out a huge sigh of relief that his car was still parked in his spot under the carport.

  Love parked haphazardly in one of the visitor’s parking spots outside his place.

  Wasting no time, she jumped out of her vehicle. “I’ll be back, Mom.”

  “I’ll wait here,” Gloria said.

  Love ran to the private outdoor entrance to his unit. But when she raised her hand to knock, the door swung open and she tumbled inside.

  Drake grabbed her waist, steadying her. Just that contact made her stomach tighten and goose bumps spread up her arms.

  “Love?” he asked. “What are you doing here?”

  El stepped out from behind him. “Well, well, well. You came. I thought I was going to have to go over and coordinate an intervention.” She quickly realized that El was the “big guns” Lana had referred to.

  Love winced, her gaze darting back and forth between the two men. Her husband was a sight for sore eyes, dressed in dark jeans and a pale blue button-down shirt. He looked good. She leaned in to catch a whiff of his cologne.

  “Did you just smell him?” El asked, amusement flickering in his eyes.

  Drake shot him a sideways glance. “Can you leave us alone?”

  “Not before I say this. You two need to get it together.” He turned from Drake to Love. “You made it here first. We were on our way to your place.”

  She drew in a sharp breath, meeting Drake’s gaze. “You were?”

  He nodded.

  El slipped out and joined her mother, who was now standing outside Love’s car watching everything unfold. “Fix it,” he yelled over his shoulder as he crossed to Gloria.

  Love smiled sheepishly. “I guess they’re sick of us, huh?”

  “Pretty much.”

  Love motioned toward the inside of the apartment. “Can we sit down?”

  He wordlessly led her in. Drake’s apartment was modern, as opposed to the traditional style of her condo. He didn’t like clutter, so there was very little furniture in his place, only what he needed. The pieces were was sleek, the design clean, the colors neutral, with only a flash of color here and there.

  It had been months since she’d been at his place. She picked up a throw pillow as she sat on the sofa with him. “I like this,” she said lamely.

  “You bought it.”

  “Oh,” she said with a quick roll of her eyes. Deciding that now was the time, she added, “I wanted to catch you before you went to Baltimore. I feel like we need to talk, sort things out.”

  “I’m not going to Baltimore.”

  Her eyes snapped to his and her heart raced. “Really?”

  “I turned them down.”

  Love smiled and tears filled her eyes. “I... Why?”

  “You know why.”

  “But you gave your resignation at the hospital.”

  “Your dad offered me my position back. He called this morning, apologized to me for interfering.”

  “I know.” She still couldn’t believe her father actually apologized to Drake. Especially since he rarely admitted when he was wrong. “I’m shocked.”

  “I know, right?”

  Love picked at her pants, focused on the corner of the rug. Basically she looked everywhere but at Drake. “I’m glad you didn’t take the job.”

  “Why?”

  She met his gaze then, and didn’t look away. “I want you to stay. I want to work this out.”

  * * *

  Drake let out a shaky breath. Over the past few days, he’d imagined this conversation a million times. Except he’d always thought he’d be the one making the overtures. But now his wife was at his house, telling him that she wanted to be with him.

  “I realize how wrong I was,” she said. “That I can trust this. I can trust my feelings for you, and yours for me. Because they’ve always been there. I was just afraid.”

  “Of me?”

  “Of us.”

  “And you’re not anymore?”

  She shook her head. “I want you to get rid of your apartment, and let’s make this official.”

  A smile tugged at his lips. “Are you proposing to me?”

  Laughing nervously, she shrugged. “Would you accept?”

  He stared at her, marveled at the way she nibbled on her lip. When he inhaled, she smelled like lilacs and peaches. “What do you think?”

  “I don’t know. I mean, I want to hear what you have to say. You’re just staring at me.”

  He hooked a hand around her head and pulled her into a kiss. She slid her arms around his neck, pressing herself against him and melting in his embrace. It felt good having her in his arms again.

  She drew away first. “Is that your final answer?”

  Drake chuckled. “If you’d seen me over the past few days, then you’d know it is.”

  He’d been the “asshole of the century” according to his little sister. She’d overheard the fight between him and his father, and tried to be there for Drake. Unfortunately, she’d caught the brunt of his anger because she was the closest. He’d eventually run her away, but not before she gave him a piece of her mind and punched him in the arm.

  Love had been stuck in his head like a melody. Many times he’d been tempted to drive to her house and lock her in the room until they figured everything out, but he’d always convinced himself to leave it be. And now that she was sitting in front of him, putting her heart on the line, he realized that him moving to Baltimore without her would have never worked, anyway. She’d made it clear that she wanted to complete her residency in Ann Arbor a while ago. There was no way he would have been able to live without her. He was hers for the taking.

  “Marry me, Love.”

  Her mouth fell open. “What? We’re already married.”

  “No, for real.”

  Drake wanted her to have the wedding that she’d always dreamed of, complete with cake, bridesmaids and a white dress that he hoped fitted her like a second skin.

  “You’re serious?”

  “Trust me, I’ve never been more serious.”

  She beamed at him, and he closed his eyes to soak in the warmth of her smile. When she looked at him like that, his whole world opened up.

  Since she was being honest, he figured he’d tell her some truths. “Love, you’re the only one for me. There is no one else that I would rather...get rid of my apartment for.”

  Love smacked him on the knee playfully. “You’re silly.”

  “I want to say those vows again, in front of our family and friends, sober. And I want to have a redo of our wedding night, sober.” He picked up her hand, brushed his lips against her fingertips, over her palm, then her wrist. Then he pulled a ring box out of his pocket.

 
“Drake?”

  He swallowed before he opened it. The ring he’d purchased in Vegas had been sitting in his safe since they’d arrived home. It was time that she wore it. Slipping it on her finger, he kissed it before he kissed her.

  “I love you,” he murmured.

  “I love you more.” She winked. “Yes, I’ll marry you again, in front of everybody and their mamas.”

  They stood, and he pulled her into another kiss.

  “Drake,” she panted a long while later, tearing her mouth away from his. “We can’t do this here. My mom is waiting outside. El is, too. Let’s finish this later.”

  “Hopefully, not too much later.” He nibbled on her earlobe.

  “You’re crazy.”

  “You love it.”

  “Oh. One thing,” she said, holding up her index finger.

  Frowning, he asked, “What?”

  “You can’t ever leave again.”

  Drake let his gaze travel over his wife’s face. “You don’t have to worry about that. I won’t.”

  “Good.”

  “Good.”

  She slid her hand into his, lacing their fingers together. “Let’s go, then.”

  Epilogue

  One month later, Drake and Love renewed their vows in front of their families and friends. Both fathers were in attendance and on their best behavior, and Love’s mother had planned an elegant, yet simple reception.

  The ceremony was quick, because they’d already gone through that. They’d written their own vows. And Love had cried like a big baby when Drake told her that he’d follow her anywhere, go through anything, as long as she was with him. There was no minister, just them talking to each other as if there was no one else in the room.

  When he’d kissed her, the crowd roared with applause—until Gloria muttered “stop” under her breath, three times.

  It was a memorable day, filled with laughter and tears. Once everyone left, Drake whisked her away to their honeymoon in Saint Thomas, paid for by Dr. Law. It was, according to him, the least he could do.

  They’d spent the first hour making love on their private beach, which had always been a fantasy of hers. And they’d just returned to their suite from dinner.

  Love stood outside on the hotel balcony, letting the sea breeze caress her face. Weddings were fun and everything, but she never wanted to do that again. Between floral arrangements, caterers, invitations and color schemes, she was exhausted. But she wouldn’t have changed anything for the world.

  “Where did you go?” Drake asked, stepping outside and sliding his arms around her waist.

  Tilting her head back, she kissed his chin. “Just wanted some fresh air. Can you believe we got married—again?”

  “Twice within three months. Go figure.”

  Drake had been her pillar of strength during the hasty planning. She’d come home countless times with tears in her eyes and surrender on her brain. But he’d soothed her, plied her with wet kisses, massages and more.

  “Come back to me,” he murmured against her mouth. “You’re so distracted.”

  “Just thinking about everything we’ve been through. It’s been a wild few months.”

  “I wouldn’t change a thing.”

  “Not even one tiny detail?”

  He leaned back, eyed her with curiosity. “Are you trying to give me a hint?”

  “Well...” She turned in his arms and snaked her arms around his neck, pulling him down for a quick kiss. “We’ve been right in front of each other the whole time. Don’t you think about what would have happened had we got our heads out of our asses years ago?”

  “No.” He buried his face in her neck, laved the sensitive skin under her earlobe with his tongue. “I think if we’d discovered this years ago, it would have ruined us. We had to wait for the right place and time.”

  And that was why she loved him. He was calm, dependable and rationale. And sexy as hell. “Drake?”

  “Yes, Love.”

  “I love you.” She yelped when he picked her up and slung her over his shoulder.

  He smacked her on her butt, and she laughed with delight. “How about you love me in bed, all night?” Dropping her on the mattress, he bent down, placing a lingering kiss on her swollen lips. “I love you, too... Mrs. Jackson.”

  * * * * *

  Keep reading for an excerpt from OVERTIME FOR LOVE by Synithia Williams.

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  Overtime for Love

  by Synithia Williams

  Chapter 1

  Bless the soul of the person who invented air-conditioning.

  Angela Bouler sighed in ecstasy when she opened the door to the North Region Activity Center and cool air kissed her skin. Heat and humidity had combined to make summer in Jacksonville, Florida, beat Hell on the hot and uncomfortable scale. She leaned back against the open door and turned to her only nephew, who was coming up behind her. Oblivious to the heat, and enthralled by his cell phone, Cory walked slower than a two-legged tortoise.

  “Come on, Cory. Whatever is on that thing will still be there once we’re inside the air-conditioned building.” Her attempt at an upbeat tone wilted.

  After scrambling to get off work early so she could pick up Cory from her neighbor and get him to the activity center in time to sign up for a month-long basketball camp, in the middle of a heat wave straight from the pits of Hell, she didn’t feel too bad about not being perky. She’d left the blazer she’d worn to her day job as a court-appointed advocate for foster children in the car, but even without the extra layer, her blouse stuck to her back and tendrils of hair escaped the ponytail she’d swept her thick shoulder-length hair into and clung to her neck.

  Cory slipped his phone into the pocket of his basketball shorts and picked up his speed to match that of a three-legged tortoise. “I’m hungry,” he grumbled.

  “You’re always hungry.”

  “I’m growing. I’m almost a man now,” he said with a cocky, know-it-all smile perfected by teenagers everywhere.

  Angela rolled her eyes but didn’t suppress her grin. “Whatever, man. Pay me back for the box of Hot Pockets you ate in one day.”

  “I said almost a man. I’m broke.” Cory grinned and looked so much like her brother Angela’s heart hurt. He was as tall as she was, but would probably grow several more inches. Despite his slow
pace, his skin, the color of dark honey, held a red flush from the heat.

  Angela ruffled his purposefully messy high-top fade, then gently pushed him farther into the cool building. Cory tried not to laugh and brushed her hand away. Ever since her brother’s girlfriend, Heather, had dropped off Cory at Angela’s door a month ago, saying nothing more than “I can’t take him to New York—he’ll ruin my chance at a stage career,” Cory had done nothing but eat, eat and then eat more, all while growing half an inch every fifteen minutes. Her fifteen-hundred-square-foot apartment felt like five hundred and if she didn’t hide her good ice cream in an old bag of frozen peas she’d have nothing to eat. Though she suspected Cory’s never-ending appetite would eventually lead him to explore the frozen veggies and discover her hiding place.

  She closed the door and directed Cory toward the main desk. “Come on. Let’s get you signed up. This will be fun!” She managed legit excitement with the last statement.

  The grin on Cory’s face melted away. Another thing she was learning about thirteen-year-old boys—they went from happy to sullen in a split second. “This is charity.”

  “A favor isn’t charity. One of the boys originally registered for camp dropped out and my boss was nice enough to let me sign you up. There are plenty of other kids we work with who would love to be in your place. Do you want me to tell my boss to give the registration to another kid?”

  Her office got five registrations to the activity center’s coveted camp with the Jacksonville Gators professional basketball team. Angela hadn’t asked for Cory to get the newly opened spot, but couldn’t turn it down when her boss approached her at the last minute. Cory deserved some joy. Her brother, Darryl, was serving time for embezzling funds at his job—the idiot—and his mom had up and left for New York. Angela refused to be another person who let him down. She would do whatever she could to make Cory feel wanted. Even though she had no idea what she was doing. Kids hadn’t been in her short-or long-term plans.

  Cory stuffed his hands into his pockets and shook his head. “No.”