“I know, right?”
“Hang on, I’m not agreeing with anything yet.”
“You don’t have to. Your face says it all.”
“Do you think you can forgive him? Like, do you want to forgive him?”
Carly closed her eyes and sighed to herself. Did she want to forgive him? Could she forgive him? “I don’t know,” she whispered.
“Look, honey, the reality is—unless you’re honest not just to each other, but to yourself, then you will never know the truth.”
“Well, the truth is that he lied to me.”
Charlotte put an arm around Carly’s shoulders. “I’m talking about the truth that’s in your heart.”
Chapter 21
The following day, at work, Carly did her best to get on with things—sparing little to no time for thinking about Mick... or whoever he was. And though she tried, it proved to be a lot more difficult than she had hoped. The truth was, getting to know Mick had been the best part of the year for Carly. And just like that, it was all gone.
It was now not only that Mick was eighteen years her senior that niggled at her, but just when she thought everything was moving in the right direction, it turned out to be all a big fat lie.
“Life,”—Carly thought as she grabbed some salt and pepper shakers from underneath the counter and unscrewed the lids—“what a joke.”
She began to fill the shakers, never mind that they were each about three quarters full already. “More aptly,” she thought, “love... what a joke.”
“How are you holding up?” Charlotte asked in a whisper.
“I feel like I had two people, very close to me, die in one day.”
Charlotte smiled sympathetically. “That’s a lot of grief for one person to deal with.”
Carly shrugged. “I’m okay, I guess.” That was all that she could do anyway. She had to be okay. Carly tightened the covers back on to the shakers.
“You know those are all full, right?” Charlotte motioned to what Carly was doing. “Here’s the deal—I’m going to give you twenty-four hours to host this funeral party.” Charlotte handed a jug of coffee to her.
Carly scrunched her face up. “I don’t think it’s called a funeral party.”
“Whatever—but after twenty-four hours, you gotta leave the funeral and take action. You hear me?”
“What?” Carly looked up and narrowed her eyes at Charlotte. “What kind of action?”
Charlotte nodded. “Action!”
At that moment, the bells above the front door jingled. A guy—maybe in his twenties—walked in, cradling a guitar against his chest. Behind him was a young woman, most likely his girlfriend—because everyone was in a beautiful and committed relationship. “Except me,” Carly mumbled.
“Twenty-four hours,” Charlotte repeated.
The young girl approached the counter. “Are you Carly?”
“I sure am.” Carly forced a smile. “What can I get you?”
The guy strummed his guitar and began to sing. “I found a love for me. Darling, just dive right in and follow my lead.”
Carly immediately recognized the song by Ed Sheeran.
He continued. “Well, I found a girl beautiful and sweet. I never knew you were the someone waiting for me.”
It didn’t take long for Carly to realize that she was being serenaded. Everyone in the cafe had stopped to look around and watch the performance.
The woman joined him, harmonizing with the melody.
Suddenly, another guy—who Carly had just earlier served an iced coffee to—stood up and began to sing with the other two. Two young girls, seated close to the counter, took their sweaters off to reveal long, flowy ballet skirts as they danced to the singing.
“Oh my gosh, I never thought I’d see a flash mob in real life!” Charlotte hugged herself, unable to contain her excitement. “You know who’s behind this, right?”
Carly turned to see Charlotte grinning from ear to ear.
“It’s Mick! It just has to be!” Charlotte squealed, giddy with delight.
The singing trio stepped up closer to the counter. “Now I know I have met an angel in person, and she looks perfect. I don’t deserve this. You look perfect tonight.”
At that precise moment, the bells above the door jingle once again, and in walked Mick. Holding a large bouquet of flowers, he headed straight for Carly.
Silence filled the air, and the performers stepped back to give Mick some room.
“I know I don’t deserve your forgiveness,”—Mick said as he stood before Carly—“but I’d like to keep trying.”
Carly’s heart banged against her chest. Try as she might, Carly could not stop her lips from forming a smile. Feeling Charlotte nudge her from behind, Carly stepped forward and took the flowers from Mick.
“Can we talk?” Mick took her hand.
She could see in Mick’s eyes that maybe he was as miserable as she was. She wanted to reach out to him. To hold him. To tell him that she understood. But she didn’t.
“Go on,” Charlotte whispered. “I’ve got you covered.”
Carly looked around the cafe and everyone waited in curious silence for her response. “Can you put these in water for me?” She handed the flowers to Charlotte, who took them off her without delay. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
“No,” Charlotte said. “Take the day off. We’re not too busy.”
Carly glared at her. And Charlotte glared right back at her, raising her eyebrows, communicating the message that Carly should go—end of conversation. Carly undid her apron from behind and eased it over her head.
As Carly stepped out from behind the counter and took Mick’s extended hand, the cafe erupted in soft murmurs. “Is that Mick Myers?” someone asked.
“Yes, he’s back.”
“Are they dating?”
“Isn’t she too young for him?”
“He’s too old for her.”
Carly felt everyone’s eyes on her. They burned, making her self-conscious—as if she was doing something wrong.
“Alright everyone, let’s give them some privacy.” Charlotte called above the avalanche of whispers. “Let’s all get back to our meals, please and thank you.”
Carly pressed her lips in to a thin smile and followed Mick out the door.
Chapter 22
“Thanks for agreeing to talk.” Mick enjoyed the feel of Carly’s hand in his. He rubbed his thumb over the top of her hand, which fit well in his own. Looking across to the other side of the street, the lakeside park was calling. It was an excellent day—except he had no idea if the day was going to end well...or otherwise.
“I didn’t think I had much of a choice.”
While sarcasm was apparent in her voice, Mick felt there was also a hint of tenderness. “Was it too much?”
“Huh?”
“The mob thing?”
“It’s called a flash mob.” Carly smiled. “Jenna’s idea?”
“Was it that obvious?” Mick grinned. Jenna had come up with the idea and while he was unsure that it would get Carly’s attention—and forgiveness—he was willing to give anything a try. After all, he had nothing more to lose. It also helped that Jenna was closer in age to Carly, not a lot, but still closer. And so he banked on the fact that maybe Jenna knew what would get Carly to give him another chance.
“Let’s see,”—Carly held out her hand and worked through her fingers, counting—flash mob serenade, Ed Sheeran, dancing ballerinas. Yup! It definitely has Jenna’s name written all over it.”
Mick laughed. His sister owned the Willow Oaks Repertory company and ran all the town’s plays and musical productions. It would have been clear that it was her idea. Mick led Carly across the road and over to the lakeside park. “Then I have her to thank.”
“What did you want to talk about?”
Mick looked down at their feet as they walked along step with each other. Carly’s white sneakers were dainty next to his own large shoes. He’d thought a lot about what he wanted to tell
her. But the words escaped him. “I messed up, Carly.”
Carly didn’t push. She waited for him to continue.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have lied to you. I know that it must have felt like an absolute deception to find out that I was also him. That I am—was—NYJedi007.”
Carly continued walking. “Why did you do it?”
“The truth?”
Carly looked at him with raised eyebrows. “Only the truth from here on.”
“Right—always the truth.” Mick slipped his hands into his jean pockets. “The truth is, that day that we had arranged to meet, I was all set for it. I knew that the person that I was meeting—WillowCup717—the person I had fallen in love with, was from Willow Oaks. I was prepared for that. What I wasn’t prepared for was that it was you.”
Carly licked her lips, which shimmered from her lip gloss. “And I wasn’t who you had hoped for.”
“Not like that—no. That’s not it. I had no expectations as to who it was gonna be. I just hadn’t counted on WillowCup, on you being much younger than me.”
Carly shrugged. “So you didn’t get who you wanted.”
“Like I said, it wasn’t that I expected it to be—I don’t know. I just didn’t think—”
“Yeah, so you didn’t think that it would be me. I think we’ve established that.”
Mick stopped and faced Carly. “Please don’t take it like that. It’s just...you know how this town is. As much as I’d fallen in love with you online, I just didn’t know how the town would take to it. It shouldn’t have mattered.”
“Stop saying that.” Carly looked away from him and continued walking.
“What?”
“That you’ve fallen in love with me. Stop saying that!”
But he had. He had fallen in love with her. Even now more than ever. “But I have, Carly. Tell me you don’t feel it too.”
Carly walked on, leaving Mick a few steps behind.
“Wait up!” Mick jogged towards Carly until he fell into step with her. “Carly,”—he turned her to face him—“tell me you don’t feel the same, and—”
“And?”
Mick’s mind raced. “And I’ll leave you alone.”
CARLY WASN’T SURE WHAT she wanted anymore. Did she feel the same way? Yes—but she couldn’t tell him that.
“Tell me you don’t love me too,” Mick said, “and I’ll respect that. Suck as it may, I’ll respect it.”
But she didn’t want it to end. In fact, being with Mick made her happy. It had been a tough few months with doctors’ visits and hospital tests. Being with Mick lifted her spirits and gave her hope for the future.
If Mick really was NYJedi007, then that meant that that he truly knew her. Carly had confided in NYJedi. While she didn’t tell him about her medical problems, she told him about many of her hopes and dreams—things that she had never shared with anyone before. In spite of all that, something was nagging at her.
She simply couldn’t shake the deep feeling of betrayal that sat within. It was a desolate place inside that she couldn’t quite reach, leaving her with little self-control.
“Carly... do you feel the same way? About me? About us?”
And then there was the town. The rest of the whole darned town. Although she loved Willow Oaks, it was times like this—when all eyes were on her—that she felt trapped, suffocated. “I don’t know...” Her voice trailed off.
“You don’t know how you feel?” Mick fell quiet.
Carly knew how she felt, confused as she was. What she didn’t know was how everyone was going to react, if she and Mick were to pursue a relationship. She dreaded to think what her friends would think. Or what it might do to her parents.
“I spoke with your parents,” Mick said.
With her interest piqued, Carly asked, “What do you mean?”
“Before coming to see you... I went to see them.”
Carly stopped walking and reached for his arm. “What for?”
Mick turned to face her. “I wanted to ask—I asked them... I asked them for their permission to court you.”
“What?!” Carly felt a smile spread across her face, followed by confusion. “To court me?”
“To woo you. Or to date you... whatever they call it these days.”
For the first time that week, Carly felt a burst of laughter explode from within. And she didn’t stop it from coming out. “Who says that?”
Mick smiled sheepishly. “Me... I guess.”
The look on Mick’s face was too cute to ignore. “You’re sweet,” she said finally. “So what did my parents say to you?”
Mick scrunched his face up. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt as intimidated in my entire life as I did in front of your father. He’s not someone I would ever care to cross. Do you remember that morning at the cafe when he came in for a coffee?”
“Yes.”
“He pretty much told me to leave town.”
Carly couldn’t help it. She doubled over with laughter and hung on to Mick’s arm for balance. Except Mick didn’t let her go. He pulled her up against him and gazed warmly into her eyes. “Carly Matthews, will you allow me the honor of wooing you?” Carly moistened her lips. Leaning against Mick’s hard chest made her feel weak in the knees.
Chapter 23
“Give me a shot,” Mick pleaded. “Six days—give me six days to prove to you that I’m serious.”
“Why six days?” Carly looked up into his eyes.
He could have asked for six weeks or six months even—he should have. But at that moment, those were the words that came out of his mouth. “One day for each month that we spent getting to know each other. One day for each month it took me to fall crazy in love with you.”
“And then? What happens after six days?”
It was a fair question. Mick hoped against all hope that six days would be enough to get Carly to fall in love with him again. Again—the way that he knew that she loved him too. “If after six days you still doubt my sincerity, then I will leave you alone.”
CARLY BIT HER BOTTOM lip. A part of her wanted to tell Mick right now that she felt the same. That she loved him too. But then there was the other part of her. The one that lived in fear. In her world, a lot could happen in six days. Time was never hers to promise. “So... does this mean that you’re going to woo me?” The word made her giggle. She felt like a giddy teenager. She had never been wooed or courted. And she wanted to experience it. It could be her only chance.
Mick gazed into her eyes and it took all of Carly’s self-control not to jump into his arms for him to catch. “I will woo you, Carly Matthews, the way that you deserve,” Mick said, as he planted a kiss on the tip of her nose.
Carly hesitated. She was supposed to be grieving—grieving the loss of both NYJedi007 and Mick. This wasn’t how it was supposed to happen. But she couldn’t help it. Being in Mick’s arms had weakened her resolve. Carly closed her eyes and cherished the pleasure of feeling his kiss. She tried to keep from thinking of what the next six days might bring, but she looked forward to it. Somewhere deep inside of her, the hope that she might finally fall in love with the right man was reignited.
The next morning Carly woke to a text message on her phone. She rubbed the sleep off her eyes and smiled when she saw that the message was from Mick. He’d asked her to meet him outside the cafe after her shift at three later that afternoon. She wondered how he knew her work schedule, but quickly brushed the thought aside. It also helped that he referred to her as beautiful in his text—good morning, beautiful, it read. At that moment, the little things like how he knew her schedule didn’t matter.
Carly was giddy with anticipation as she waited for the clock to strike three. Not since she arranged to meet with NYJedi had she felt this excited about anything. Six days! Six days of courtship and romance. She was beside herself, to say the least.
But just as quickly as she’d been on a high, the world stopped and her heart sank to her stomach. Carly thought about how it would
affect Mick once he learned the truth about her. They promised each other there would be no more secrets. No more secrets! But she couldn’t bring herself to tell him about her cancer. Carly feared that once Mick found out, he would be like the few others who had looked at her with eyes of pity, slowly stepping backwards as if she were a fragile glass bubble.
“What are you thinking?”
Carly jumped at the sound of Charlotte’s voice as it burst through her thoughts. “Nothing, why?”
“Yeah right—nothing,” Charlotte said.
“What if—” Carly hesitated. “Do you think I’m being foolish? I mean, what if Mick finds out about me, and suddenly realizes he doesn’t want to be with me after all? That it’s too hard to be with someone like me?”
“Oh, Carly,” Charlotte sighed. “When is your surgery scheduled for?”
“In two weeks.” Carly fiddled with her fingers. When she went to see her doctor for her annual check-up six months ago, the last thing Carly expected was to be told that the cancer had returned. It was as if she’d been swept up in a tornado, catapulted back to when she was nineteen years old.
The findings had destroyed Carly. The tests invaded her privacy. Nothing was hers—the days, the nights. Even life wasn’t Carly’s to call her own anymore. It never had been.
It wasn’t until she reached the eye of the storm that she found calm. A silent resignation. Carly had turned to the online world, where she met NYJedi007. The anonymity of Love Is Blind gave her a sense of control. It was just supposed to be for fun. What she hadn’t expected was to fall in love.
“And you haven’t told him?” Charlotte asked. “About going in for surgery?”
Carly shook her head. “I was thinking,”—her eyes filled with tears—“this might be my last chance to...”
“No,” Charlotte interrupted. “Don’t even go there.”
“Should I just put a stop to all of this? Before one of us gets hurt?” Just like bumper cars at a carnival, Carly’s thoughts rammed into each other in her mind. “Before I get hurt...”
Love Me Timeless--A Willow Oaks Sweet Romance Page 9
