“Yeah because I need to be on top of my A game for breakfast with my girlfriend’s parents.”
“My parents like you.”
“They like me as Oliver’s business partner. I don’t know how they feel about me as their daughter’s boyfriend.”
“You financially backed their son’s dream. I think you’re golden with them no matter what you do.”
“I’m staying at your apartment. They’re going to know that I’m getting under your skirt. Your dad might not think that I’m so golden when he thinks about that.”
“Kiss me and then shut up and go back to sleep.”
And that’s what we do.
“I want to know everything. When, where, how—all the details of how this came to be.”
My mom is all smiles and I’m waiting for her to clap her hands like an excited toddler at any minute.
“We met at the beer festival a couple of months ago when I went over to visit Oliver. We hit it off really well, but decided that it wasn’t a good idea to pursue a relationship. Four hundred miles is a lot of distance between us. Plus, Lucas was afraid of what a relationship with me might do to his partnership with Ollie.”
“You don’t have to explain that. We all know how protective your brother can be.”
Lucas places his hand on top of mine and butterflies flutter in my stomach. “I couldn’t stop thinking about her after she left. I jumped at the chance to see her again when I found out that Oliver was coming for a visit. I completely crashed his business meeting in Macon.”
“Lucas’s visit to Savannah is the real when, where, and how part of the story.”
I still love how he walked into my shop and told me that I had bewitched him. Best pickup line ever.
“Oh, what a great story. But I have to ask how Oliver reacted when you told him?”
“He’s okay with it now.” After many declarations to not hurt me.
“Well, we think it’s wonderful.”
“Thanks, Mom.”
“I don’t know if I ever told you this or not but your father and I had a long-distance relationship for two years before we married. I stayed here and went to school at Georgia. Your dad, being the brilliant man that he is, got a full scholarship to Texas A&M.”
I knew that Dad had graduated from Texas and that they married right after finishing college, but I didn’t put two and two together.
“How often did we see each other that final year at school, Lib?”
“Twice? Maybe three times?”
I can’t imagine only seeing Lucas every few months or so. That would be brutal.
My dad smiles at my mom. “Boy, we made it count when we were together, didn’t we?”
“We sure did.”
Hearing them talk like that makes me giggle. “Twice a month doesn’t seem so bad when you compare it to that.”
“It’s easier today with cell phones, FaceTiming, emails, skyping. We were limited to ten-minute calls every few days,” my mom says.
“Don’t forget the letters.”
“Lots of love letters. I couldn’t get enough of your dad’s love letters.”
Love letters have become obsolete in this day and age, and it’s such a shame. I would be thrilled to get a love letter from Lucas.
“There’s something to be said for checking the mail every day, desperate for a perfume-scented letter from the woman you love.”
My father cups his hand over my mother’s, and I can’t help but think how wonderful it must be to walk through life with someone special by your side.
I look at Lucas and see the possibility—a future that includes him holding my hand over breakfast, maybe telling our children about the time we shared a long-distance relationship and made it work.
It could happen.
Lights dim. Soft, seductive music. Warm oils. I’m all set to give Lucas the best massage of his life.
“You want me on my stomach?”
“No. Lie face up on the bed from side to side.”
This rubdown isn’t going to be anything like what he’s expecting. I’m going to hit all his erogenous zones as well as the sexual trigger points.
“Close your eyes and completely relax.”
I begin at the top of his head, scratching his scalp with my nails, and he breaks into a smile. “You’re giving me goose bumps.”
“Good. You’re the one getting them for a change.”
I gently press the center of his forehead between his eyebrows and temples, the area known as the third eye. I gently hold pressure there for a minute and then lightly rotate my fingers on his temples. It’s said that this motion relieves tension and allows sexual excitement to flow. Guess we’ll see.
“Doing okay?”
“Mm-hmm.”
I pour a generous amount of oil on my hands and rub them together. “Ready for me to move on to something a little more fun?”
“Oh yeah.”
I climb onto the bed and kneel beside Lucas. My finger circles the rim of his belly button for a moment before I move lower and gently press the Gate of Origin. “This opens sexual energy for when I move on to the erogenous zones.”
“Feels pretty erogenous to me.”
“This is just the beginning. I’m not even close to getting you turned on yet.” I place the heel of my hand against the thick tendons in his groin, holding steady pressure. “There’s so much more to come.”
My phone vibrates on the nightstand, interrupting my concentration and the mood. “Dammit.”
I want to ignore it so badly but I can’t. It’s Winter. She wouldn’t call unless it was something important. “I really need to take this.”
“Of course.”
“Hello.”
“Hey, Law. I’m sorry to bother you but I’ve got a problem at the store. There’s a woman here who claims to be your mother and is demanding to see you. I can’t close the store because she won’t leave. Do you want me to call the police?”
Damn Christie. “No. I’ll be right there.”
I end the call and inhale deeply before yelling at the top of my lungs. “Fuck!”
Lucas sits up and rubs his hand down my arm. “What’s wrong?”
I push my hands into my hair and press my temples. I’m the one who needs a massage. “I can’t believe this. Christie is in my shop demanding to see me.”
“What the hell is wrong with that woman?”
“She’s nuts.”
“You took out a restraining order, right?”
“Yeah, but a lot of good it’s done.”
Lucas moves off the bed and grabs his jeans from the floor. “I’m going with you.”
I pull my shirt over my head and yank on my shorts. “Poor Winter. I hate for her to be dragged into this mess. And you.”
Lucas wraps his arms around me and kisses the top of my head. “I’m not being dragged into anything. This is your life and I’m a part of it now.”
We enter the store and I find Christie lounging in one of my new patchwork chairs. “That’s for sale. Not for you to wallow all over.”
“Hello, daughter. So good to see you again.”
Christie’s eyes dart toward Lucas. “Well, look at that. There’s the reason.”
I know what she means. “No.”
“Did you know that Lawrence refuses to give her dying mother one of her kidneys because she wants to have babies with you?”
Fuck my life, she could have said anything but that. She always knows just how to hit me in the most vulnerable spot.
“What kind of daughter chooses to let her mother die?”
“Why are you here?”
“You won’t take my calls or answer the door when I come to your apartment. I had to do something to get your attention.”
“You aren’t supposed to come within three hundred yards of me, yet here you are again. Do you want me to call the police?”
“Call ’em. They won’t keep me; I’m a sick woman. All they have to do is find out that I’m dying, and t
hey’ll turn me loose in under an hour. No jail wants a terminally ill person in it. That means you can’t keep me away with a restraining order.”
“Please leave me alone.”
“You can keep your damn kidney if you want but be prepared to pay dearly for it. I’m going to make your life hell.”
It has been her mission in life to make me suffer but no more. I didn’t have a choice when I was ten years old, but I am a grown woman now, and I won’t allow her to do this to me anymore.
I point toward the door. “Get out. Now!”
Christie’s face takes on an expression I’ve seen a thousand times. And it’s pure evil. “Make me.”
“Challenge accepted.” Lucas moves toward Christie and yanks her out of the patchwork chair, putting her in a bear hug from behind. “When I throw her ass out the door, you lock it behind her.”
I run to the front door as Lucas drags her, and I prepare to lock the door as soon as Christie is on the other side.
“Get your hands off me. I’m a sick woman.”
“You are a very sick individual and there’s a special place in hell for people like you,” Lucas says.
Christie slams the back of her head against Lucas’s face and blood instantly pours from his nose. He grunts and shakes his head. I know that had to hurt.
Christie lifts her legs and kicks a shelf of oils, causing them to crash to the floor. “This is assault. I’m filing charges against you.”
Lucas shoves her out the door and I quickly slam it, turning the deadbolt. “Oh my God. She’s completely lost her mind.”
Lucas wipes his nose and lifts it into the air as he holds pressure on it. “Damn.”
“Are you all right?”
“I’m mostly okay.” His voice is a groan.
“Come with me.” I take his free hand and lead him to the bathroom. Even in there, we can hear Christie kicking the door.
“She’s pretty damn strong for a sick woman.”
“Should I call for the police, Law?” Winter asks.
Lucas grabs my wrist as I inspect his nose. “You have to. This shit with her can’t slide anymore. That woman is mentally unstable and every incident needs to be documented. She could be capable of harming you.”
I don’t like considering that possibility but he’s right. I’ve overlooked this for too long. “Call ’em, Winter.”
Spending one of our few nights together at the police station making a report about Christie isn’t the way that I envisioned our evening going.
“I’m so sorry that this happened but I’m glad you were here with me.”
Lucas takes my hand in his and brings it to his mouth for a kiss. “I’m glad, too, so you didn’t have to face her alone.”
With Lucas, I never feel alone.
Another weekend with Lucas has come and gone.
I lean against my front door, crying. Lucas is on the other side, maybe even still standing in the hallway waiting for the elevator. I didn’t walk with him to wait as I usually do. I could feel the tears coming and I didn’t want him to see me cry. Saying goodbye is getting harder each time.
I can’t stand it. Tears or not, I need one moment more with him.
I open the door and dash down the hallway to catch him for one last embrace before he gets into the elevator. “One more kiss.”
He drops his bag on the floor and reaches for me, grasping my face in his large hands as his mouth lands on mine. He pushes me against the wall, imprisoning me in his embrace, as his lips own mine. “I hate leaving you.”
“I didn’t know that it was going to get so much harder every time.” But I’m learning that’s how it goes when you’re in love.
His lips are still touching mine. “I left something on the bed for you.”
A big smile spreads on my face. “What is it?”
Leaning away, he wipes the tears that have fallen from my eyes. “You’ll see.”
He places one last kiss against my lips. “I will see you in eleven days. Be thinking if you want to do Birmingham or meet somewhere in between. Maybe Macon or Atlanta. We can do a concert or maybe a show of some sort.”
“Okay.”
I blow a kiss to him as the elevator doors close and then dash to my bedroom to find a folded piece of paper on my bed.
Boho girl,
I will miss you more this time than ever before.
I’m falling hard for you. I hope you’re feeling the same.
Lucas
I read the two handwritten sentences over and over, smiling a little bigger each time. I don’t feel the same because I’m not just falling for him. I’m falling completely in love with him.
I go to my desk and find my stationery, writing my first-ever love note.
Lucas,
I love you.
Your boho girl
Three simple words.
That’s all I need to say.
“Sorry I’m late, guys.” I hate being late but it was with good reason. I had a terrible time parting ways with Lucas.
“It’s okay. Your twenty-minute tardiness overshadows my ten-minute tardiness.”
Ivy ain’t lying. I’m usually the one sitting at lunch waiting on her and Kelsey.
I see that they’ve gone with tea but I’m in the mood for alcohol. I think a prosecco will do nicely. It’s my go-to drink for celebrating.
Kelsey lifts her brows when I place my order. “Alcohol at noon? Someone either has really good or really bad news to tell us. But since you went with prosecco I suspect it’s good.”
“It’s really good.” Or at least I think it is.
“I’m guessing it has something to do with a hot Cajun.”
Indeed.
“He left a note for me to find after he was gone.” Thinking about it gives me butterflies.
“A love note,” Ivy squeals. “And it said what?”
I take the folded paper from my bag and hold it out for them. Kelsey snatches it first and sticks her tongue out at Ivy. “Lawrence, I will miss you more this time than ever before. I’m falling hard for you. I hope you’re feeling the same. Lucas.” Kelsey looks up. “At least that’s what I think it says. His handwriting is shit.”
Ivy’s mouth drops. “Lawry. That’s as good as saying he loves you.”
I think so too but I’m afraid of jumping the gun. “Are you sure?”
“Com-fucking-pletely.”
Ivy snatches the note from Kelsey’s hand. “Damn, she’s right about his penmanship. It looks like it belongs to the doctors I work with, but these words are full of some serious sweetness.”
“I wrote him back.” I take the sealed notecard from my bag and hold it up. “I was thinking I wouldn’t mention anything about his note to him and maybe drop this in the mail today so it’d be a surprise when it arrives.”
“What does it say?”
“Three special words.”
Kelsey grins. “More cunnilingus please?”
Ivy punches Kelsey in the arm. “Stop being such a twat. This is important to her.”
“I’m kidding. Lawry knows that. You do know that, right?”
“Yeah, but I need advice. Do I send this or not?” I love you. You don’t trifle with words like those.
“I think you should send it.”
I knew Ivy would say yes. She lives for the white knight. The fairy tale. The happily ever after. Kelsey not so much.
“You wrote those three words to him, which I assume are I love you, because you love him?”
“I do.”
“I see it like this. Love is like a wall you can’t climb or penetrate. The only way in is a swinging door. Sometimes you’re lucky enough that it opens to let you in. But if you wait too long, it’s going to slam like a motherfucker in your face. You wouldn’t look great with a flat face so I say go for it.”
“That was almost beautiful.”
Kelsey bows her head and does her sitting-curtsy impression. “I do my best.”
Kelsey’s words may not be scholarly b
ut she makes a good point. “I’m going for it.”
Sometimes being strong is about following your heart. Taking chances. Stepping forward when the door swings open before it slams and flattens your face.
21
Lucas Broussard
It’s been two days since I left Lawrence. And the note on her bed. She hasn’t mentioned a single word about it. I must admit that I expected some kind of response—and a happy one. Hell, I thought I’d get a call before I made it out of Savannah. Guess I misjudged the fuck out of where we are in our relationship.
It was way too soon to talk of love. I shouldn’t have brought up falling for her. She wasn’t ready. And now I’m afraid I’ve ruined everything with her.
“You have mail, boss. And it smells like a woman,” Molly says as she tosses an envelope on my desk.
My heart pounds when I see the return address. I don’t know if I should be happy or scared shitless.
Only one way to find out.
I slide my envelope opener through the fold and sniff the inside before removing the note. Lavender and vanilla. Mmm… smells just like my bohemian girl.
My heart pounds as I slide the piece of paper out and unfold it to read her words.
I love you.
There it is in black and white. Those three simple little words I was desperate to hear. Or in this case, see.
Lawrence Thorn loves me. And it scares the hell out of me. But also makes me the happiest man in the world.
I close my office door and dial her number. I have to talk to her right now.
“A call in the middle of the day, Lucas? What could this possibly be about?”
“I wanted to tell you that I just got your note.”
“You did?”
“I love you, Lawrence.” There. I’ve said it and it’s a fucking relief. I think I’ll say it again. “I. Love. You. Lawrence”
“I love you, Lucas.”
There’s only one thing that would make this moment better. “I really wish you were here so I could show you how much.”