The internal dialogue in Mick’s head was loud. It was yelling at him. Screaming. It was supposed to be a good trip—back to a hometown that he’d worked hard to leave, but straight into the arms of a woman he had fallen in love with online. Online, Mick shook his head. It was laughable.
He should have kissed her. Right there and then.
Mick leaned over until his forehead was against hers. He breathed in—deeply. With restraint, he asked, “Why?”
“We just can’t,” Carly sighed and turned away from him.
Mick gritted his teeth. “Tell me about him,” Mick said.
She turned around to face him. “Who?”
“The guy—this Jedi.”
Carly shook her head.
“What do you like about him?” Mick leaned back on the counter and crossed his arms over his chest.
Carly’s voice quavered. “What’s the point? He didn’t show up.” She walked into the kitchen, and Mick followed. She opened the dishwasher to make sure it was full and looked around to see if there was anything that might have been left out. Not seeing anything, Carly switched it on. A click. A whir. And then the cycle began.
“I’d like to get to know you,” Mick said before she could turn around. And he meant it. He knew her online. He knew her behind the chat sessions and messages they’d exchanged. And it seemed to Mick that they just got each other. But he wanted to know more. Just tell her, he said to himself. But he couldn’t tell her he was NYJedi. They’d made too many promises to each other online. They’d agreed love was blind, just as the name of the dating site they’d both joined. Love is blind. Then why wasn’t it so now?
Carly froze. Mick could tell by her shoulders. The way that she stood—her back to him, she didn’t move.
Mick approached from behind and put his hands on her shoulders. “Turn around,” he whispered.
“I can’t,” Carly said.
“Why not?”
“We can’t.”
“We can.”
Carly turned around to face him. “There’s too much at stake. If it doesn’t work out, we could end up hurting people.”
“I’ve known you since you were born,” he said.
“Exactly. We’ve known each other all our lives. It could go so wrong.”
“Let me get to know you,” Mick said once more, his voice low.
“You don’t even live here, Mick,” Carly said. “And besides, what would everyone say? Your sister, Jenna. She’s a good friend. What are we? Twenty years apart? I’m thirty-two.”
“Eighteen years, but who’s counting?” He was. Mick had counted.
CARLY TOOK A LONG, deep breath in. How did it get so complicated so quickly? It was supposed to be the Jedi she was falling for. NYJedi was the one supposed to be holding her. Instead, he’d left her dry. But then there’s Mick. Handsome, intelligent, sweep-her-off-her-feet, Mick.
“Mick,” she said softly, “all it takes is one misstep.” She turned around and gathered the used kitchen towels. What are you doing? she scolded herself. What if he’s the one? “I think you should go.”
SHE’S RIGHT, Mick thought. I should go.
“Bye, Carly.”
He didn’t wait for her to say goodbye. She’d been clear about what she wanted, so Mick turned around and walked away. It was better for everyone involved.
Chapter 6
As Carly lay in bed that night, she stared at the ceiling and tried to process the day’s events. She’d been looking forward to the day that she would finally meet NYJedi. That turned out to be a bust. And then there was Mick. Striking, handsome, manly, Mick. Where did he come from? Could it work between them? She always liked seeing him—no matter how scarce—whenever he was in town. The last time she’d seen him was at the wedding of his younger brother, Ethan. But he hadn’t paid her any real notice then, did he? No, Carly thought. And besides, he’s nearly twice my age. And Dad’s sixty-one. He’s like, ten years younger than Dad!
Carly sat up and pulled her laptop from her nightstand. She stared at the black screen for a few seconds before blowing a quick breath out. She turned the laptop on and waited for it to do its thing.
Carly logged into her Love Is Blind account.
And there it was. On the top right-hand corner, the little bell glowed, letting her know she had a message.
Carly clicked on it and waited for the little white box to pop up. It was the white box that would tell her why NYJedi didn’t turn up today.
TO: WillowCup717
FROM: NYJedi007
Dear WillowCup
I'm sorry I couldn't make it today. Something came up, and I wasn't able to make my flight.
Were you there? While I hope that you were there to see me, I also hope that you didn't wait too long.
I wanted to be there.
Thinking of you,
NYJedi007
There were many things that Carly liked about Love Is Blind. But then again, there were a lot of things that she didn’t like either. For one thing, she didn’t like that there were so many rules, especially the one that said they couldn’t exchange personal details until they were ready to meet.
She really should have asked for his cell phone number. That would have been appropriate since they’d already agreed to meet after carefully guarding their personal details—and their hearts—over the last six months.
Something came up. Wasn’t that an overly used excuse? Was it an excuse? More importantly, was it a valid excuse?
Carly took a deep breath in and moved the cursor, hovering over the reply button. She clicked it.
TO: NYJedi007
FROM: WillowCup717
I waited... and waited. Every time someone walked through the door, I looked up, hoping that at last, it would be you. But now I know that no matter how many times I might have looked up, it would never have been you.
Something came up — Isn't that what people say when they want to dismiss another without talking about it? Or if they simply don't want to attend a prearranged meeting?
I felt very foolish waiting for you.
Carly hit the send button and watch as her message disappeared. She sighed loudly and thought about Mick. He could have kissed her. And she would have kissed him back. But whether it was the right thing to do—or not—would have been a millstone around her neck. What if they kissed, and it didn’t work out in the end? What then?
The sound of a dull bell dinged.
Carly looked at the screen. NYJedi007 has sent you a message.
Carly took a breath in and clicked on the message.
TO: WillowCup717
FROM: NYJedi007
I wanted to be there. I really did.
Don't feel foolish, please. It pains me to think that I have caused you to feel so.
Please don't be mad.
Mad? Carly processed the word. M.A.D. Was she mad? Angry? Hurt? She sighed and replied.
TO: NYJedi007
FROM: WillowCup717
I'm not mad. I think I'm more hurt than anything. I was looking forward to seeing you.
There. She said it. She was hurt. That’s what she was—hurt. Maybe a little embarrassed, even.
TO: WillowCup717
FROM: NYJedi007
What can I do to make it up to you?
Carly thought about it for a moment. Could he make it up to her? Could he? Mick’s face sauntered into her mind. Carly shook her head. “Stop it”, she said out loud with a growl.
TO: NYJedi007
FROM: WillowCup717
Tell me the truth.
Yes—the truth. That’s what she wanted.
Was there anything between them at all? Was any of it real? Is NYJedi007 real? Questions raced through her mind.
“Carly?” There was a knock on the door.
Carly quickly closed her laptop. “Yes?” It was her mom. Suddenly, she was reminded of her pathetic existence—she was still living with her parents at thirty-two. “Come in.”
June Matthews opened the
door and popped her head in. “Is everything okay, darling?”
“Mm-hmm,” Carly nodded. “Sorry, Mom. Did I wake you?”
“No, dear.” June shook her head. “I was just getting a cup of tea. Would you like one?”
Carly considered her mother. What a disappointment to her parents Carly had turned out to be. “Sure,” she feigned a smile and climbed out of bed. “I’ll join you.”
Chapter 7
Mick sat at the writing desk in his room at the White Willow B&B. He was lucky they had a room available. But then again, it was Willow Oaks.
The owners of the B&B—Amy and Sam—were two of his sister’s best friends. Mick knew that it wouldn’t be long before his sister, Jenna, found out he was back in town. Until then, he needed to figure out what he was going to do about him and Carly—and NYJedi007 and WillowCup717.
He read the reply Carly had sent NYJedi007: Tell me the truth.
Mick bowed his head in his hands and exhaled. He rubbed his head and began to type.
I can’t tell you, he wrote and then quickly deleted it.
Mick tried again.
There was an accident. No. Not that. That’s just calling for fate to intervene.
“Just tell her,” Mick mumbled.
TO: WillowCup717
FROM: NYJedi007
I had an issue at work that I couldn't leave behind. It would have cost me a client.
Mick read it silently and then again, out loud. That would have been the truth. If there were to ever be an issue at work—which was not an impossibility—he would have had to stay behind and see to it. It wasn’t the whole truth, but it was close enough.
He hit the send button and closed his laptop.
Restless, Mick put his shoes back on. Perhaps a cup of coffee would clear his mind. He wasn’t sure about the B&B house rules, but he went down anyway to see if the kitchen was open.
As he went down the wide wooden staircase, Mick noticed that the old wallpaper had been removed, exposing the house’s original timber. He recalled the last few times he was there. First was a surprise renewal of vows between his sister Jenna and her husband Dave. The second was meant to be the wedding of Ethan and Mallory. Ethan was his youngest brother. Instead, it turned out to be his mom’s wedding to the local hardware store owner, Graham. That was certainly a surprise. The third was again a wedding. That time, it really was for Ethan and Mallory. Three weddings.
When Mick walked into the kitchen, he found Amy and Sam tidying up. “Sorry, guys. I didn’t think anyone would be around.”
“Don’t be silly!” Amy walked around the kitchen island and led him to the table. “Come and sit down.” Amy pulled out a chair for him.
“What can I get you, Mick?” Sam asked. “Coffee? Tea? Something stronger?” he asked with a grin.
Mick chuckled. “Just a coffee would be great, thanks.”
“Ah! My specialty.” Amy pulled out a mug from the cupboard. “One coffee, coming up.”
“So, how’ve you been?” Sam asked as he took a seat across the table from where Mick sat.
“Honey,” Amy said, “Mick might prefer to have his coffee on his own.”
Mick shook his head when the husband and wife glanced at him. “No, no—quite happy to chat. In fact, I’m glad you’re here. It’s a bit too early for me to sleep, so I thought I’d have a bit of a look around.”
“What brings you back home?” Sam asked. “Any weddings I haven’t heard about?”
“You got me there,” Mick laughed. It was true that he was only ever home for weddings—grateful for the absence of funerals. “Just work. I thought I’d visit while I was in the area.”
“Jenna hadn’t mentioned you were coming home.” Amy placed a hot cup of coffee in front of him, alongside a little jug of milk and sugar dispenser. “Does she know you’re back?”
“Thanks, Amy.” Mick looked up at her and smiled. “Nah, I hadn’t told anyone I was coming. I didn’t really have any plans. I figured I’d tell them when I got here.”
“Is there much work for you around here?” Sam asked. Sam was a bit of an entrepreneur himself. The son of a billionaire, he had moved to Willow Oaks several years ago with his daughter. Since then, he’d restored the old B&B, bringing tourists to town. He and Amy had also invested in Jenna and Dave’s Repertory Theater, bringing artists and performers to the once sleepy town.
Mick shifted in his seat. “There’s some property that I’m interested in purchasing.” He hadn’t prepared for the third degree—but he should have known better. It was just as well that he was getting some practice with Amy and Sam. That way, when the family does find out that he’s back home, he’d have some answers prepared.
“Just on the outskirts,” Mick continued. “And while I’m here, I thought I would check out the other towns as well. See if there’s anything worth investing in.” There, Mick thought. It was a very plausible reason for being here.
“Sounds like you’ve got a packed schedule there,” Sam said. “Need a hand with anything while you’re around? What’s the current property market like?”
Mick himself was a successful property developer and everyone knew that. He’d left home when he was just seventeen years old, after a falling out with his father. Mick had done everything in his power to stay away, returning only when he’d learned of the news that his father was dying.
It had been a difficult period for Mick, battling with the guilt of not wanting to go. But he had eventually returned, though briefly, to be there for his mother. Maybe because he was the eldest son. Or perhaps he returned for closure. Except for the fact that he was going to see his father on his deathbed, the reasons for his return had always been unclear to him.
After that, it didn’t take too long for the news to spread through the town. The townspeople referred to him as the Property Tycoon. The nickname they’d given him made his stomach turn. It made him sound like a money-obsessed, unreachable mogul. But then again, Mick had always wondered if it was his wealth that made him less attractive to women or if it made him appear out of their reach. Sure, he’d had some women—here and there—but their relationships never felt genuine to him.
“It’s a bit of a tight market,” Mick said in response to Sam’s question. “But I think it’s about seeing potential in something that others don’t and turning it into a success.” The words carried a heavy weight for him. Mick’s father had never seen any potential in him.
“Is there anything specific you’d like us to tell people when they ask why you’re around?” Amy asked. “I mean...”
Mick threw his head back and rubbed his face with his hands.
“You know how it is,” Amy said gently. “They will ask.”
“Do people in this town have nothing better to do than to gossip?” Mick’s frustration at the town he once called home was beginning to rise.
“The way I see it—and I could be wrong,” Amy said. “If there’s one thing I learned since moving to Willow Oaks eleven years ago, is that to the community, it isn’t gossip.”
Mick straightened up and snorted.
“For them, it’s about knowing who needs what—and looking after each other,” Amy said. “I mean, I should be the last person to tell you about your own hometown. It used to frustrate the shizzles out of me—”
“Yup!” Sam agreed.
“But the town looks after its people. They ask, because they care,” Amy said.
Mick sighed. “Just tell them I’m here on business. They don’t need to know any more than that.”
“You got it,” Sam said.
“Listen,”—Mick got up from his seat—“I might just go out for a walk. I think the travel here tired me out too much that I can’t even rest.”
Amy laughed. “I know how that feels!”
“Any suggestions?” Mick asked. Although he knew the town well, he thought allowing Amy to share ideas was a nice thing to do.
“Of where to go?” Amy paused and thought about it. “The lakeside is
always nice this time of night. I sometimes go there when I need to clear my head. Unless you want a different vibe—then there’s always the Town & Country Tavern on Oakland Drive, just off Main Street.”
“I know the one.” Mick nodded. “Thanks! I’ll see you guys later on—or in the morning, depending if you’re still up when I get back.”
“We’re heading to bed after this,” Sam said, throwing a kitchen towel over his shoulder.
“But feel free to use anything in the house,” Amy said. “The kitchen will be open—so help yourself to anything in the fridge.”
“Oh, I don’t—”
“You’re family,” Amy stopped him mid-sentence. “Whatever you need—don’t hesitate.” She tip-toed forward and gave him a hug. “Welcome home.”
Mick was glad to know that his sister had good friends. Jenna had always been the popular one, growing up. He was grateful for the welcome that Amy and Sam had shown him. “See you guys later,” Mick said.
Chapter 8
Carly sat at the kitchen table while her mom prepared some tea for both of them. “Are you sure I can’t do that for you?”
“Oh, darling,” June said, “you’re always on your feet serving people at the cafe. Let me look after you tonight.”
Carly watched, as she had many times growing up, as her mom hummed a soft tune while she pottered around in the kitchen. No one looked more at home in the kitchen than June Matthews. “Mom?”
“Hmm?”
“Are you happy?”
June filled a kettle and set it on the stove. “What do you mean, darling?”
Carly brought both her legs up underneath her and leaned her elbows on the table. “I mean, are you happy with your life? Is there anything else you want to do? Like travel or climb a mountain?”
Love Me Timeless--A Willow Oaks Sweet Romance Page 3
