Built To Last (Saltwater Springs #1) (17 page)

T
he gunshot caused
Luke to flinch and he ceased struggling with the guy on the floor. As the sound reverberated in his head, he waited for the pain to settle somewhere in his body.

And waited. And waited.

It didn’t come.

The man below him groaned, spurring Luke to action. The guy’s hands were sprawled out on either side of his body and the gun lay beside him. Luke pushed the piece of metal so it slid across the floor, coming to a stop underneath one of the prep tables he’d installed last week.

As a test, he shifted some of his weight off the guy, and when he didn’t move, Luke rolled off of him completely. The douchebag was bleeding from his thigh, the light denim he wore saturated in blood.

Shit
. Luke may have wanted to kill the bastard himself when he’d seen him pointing a gun at the woman he loved, but he didn’t actually want him dying in Scarlett’s new bakery. He rose quickly to grab one of the towels off a nearby shelf when Scarlett came racing in from the back of the store.

“Luke! Luke! Oh my God, are you okay?” The fear in her expression was palpable as she ran toward him, panic clear in her eyes.

“I’m okay.” He reached for the towel and heard a gasp from Scarlett.

When he turned his attention back to her, the color in her face had disappeared, leaving only a sickly gray pallor.

“You’re bleeding!” she cried out.

Luke glanced down and saw that fresh blood covered a section of his jeans. Must’ve soaked through when Luke was on top of the guy.

“I’m fine, but this asshole’s shot himself.” He kneeled beside the guy moaning on the ground and used the towel to apply pressure to the area that was bleeding.

Scarlett seemed to snap out of her panic and hurried over to sit beside him. Luke didn’t want her anywhere near the guy. It couldn’t be easy for her, what with the fact that this shithead was the one threatening to kill her minutes before.

“I called nine-one-one,” she said in a monotone voice.

Luke glanced over at her. She was still pale, but now her entire frame shook.
Damn it.
She must be in shock.

“Scarlett.” She continued to gaze down at the guy’s bloody leg. “Scarlett,” Luke said a little more forcefully.

“Huh?” She looked up at him with a dazed expression.

“Why don’t you go wait outside so you can flag down the ambulance? But put your coat on first.” He needed her to stay warm.

She nodded slowly and began to rise. “O-Okay.”

He watched as she took her coat from off the counter beside the register and slowly made her way to the front of the shop.

As Luke continued to put pressure on the bullet wound, the desperate need to help Scarlett had been replaced with fury now that she was out of harm’s way. He pushed down a little harder than necessary on the wound and the guy groaned.
Served the bastard right.

Everything that just transpired solidified the decision Luke had made, which was the sole reason he’d needed to see Scarlett in the first place. He was just thankful that he wasn’t too late.

H
ours
later it was just Luke and Scarlett. The ambulance had already taken the guy away, the cops had come and recorded their statements, and Scarlett had gotten checked out by the paramedics—at Luke’s insistence. Now the two of them were picking up baking equipment off the floor.

Apparently, the guy was going to be fine. The police had photographed everything they needed to and gathered the evidence before giving Scarlett the all-clear to clean up the place. She hadn’t said much since, and he suspected that the severity of what had happened was beginning to set in.

“These will all need to be washed,” she said as she dropped some stainless steel mixing bowls into one of the large sinks with a loud clank. She sighed and supported herself on the edge with both hands, staring down into the sink.

“Why don’t you go sit down? I can finish this for you.” When she didn’t respond, Luke placed the items he was holding on one of the tables and walked over to her. “Hey.” He gently took her upper arm and tugged so she’d turn and face him. Tears swam in her eyes as her gaze met his. “C’mere,” he said softly, pulling her into his embrace.

She wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed him like she never wanted to let go. “Thank you,” she said in a hoarse whisper. “I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t come.”

Luke didn’t want to think about it. He couldn’t, not without feeling like he was going completely insane. “I’m just glad I got here when I did.”

Scarlett pulled away and looked up at him with questioning eyes. “What were you doing here anyway?”

Luke blew out a big breath. I guess they were doing this now. “I needed to tell you something. When I got here, the door was open.” He wanted to scold her for once again leaving the door unlocked, but he refrained. He was pretty sure that after tonight she’d never forget again.

“So I walked in, and right before I was about to call out to you, I heard a man’s voice. He was obviously pissed about something, though I couldn’t hear what he was saying until I reached the kitchen.” Luke took a step away from her and pushed a hand through his hair. If he hadn’t had his head so far up his ass, she never would have been here on her own in the first place.

“Stop.” Scarlett’s voice was forceful and his gaze darted down to hers.

“Stop what?”

“I know that look. Somehow in that thick skull of yours, you’re blaming yourself.”

In two quick strides he stood in front of her, his hands on either side of her face. “When I saw him threatening you with that gun…God, Lettie, if anything had happened to you.” Luke fought back the tears stinging his eyes. They held one another’s gaze for a long moment before Scarlett spoke.

“What did you have to tell me?” She sounded nervous…of course she did. Why wouldn’t she after the way he’d reacted during their last encounter?

“First, I owe you an apology.”

She tried to shake her head, but he held it firmly between his hands. “After what I—”

“No. I do. I acted like a complete ass. Of course what you told me was upsetting. You had to have known it would be. But I flew off the handle without stopping to think of how scared you must’ve been. You lost our baby”—he almost choked on the word, but held steady in his resolve to get it all out—“the ability to have children, hell, you almost lost your life. That’s a lot for anyone to deal with, let alone a teenager. I
understand
why you did what you did. I can’t stand here and tell you the news didn’t hurt like hell. It ripped me apart. It still does. But I understand and I forgive you.”

“You do?” A tear fell as he nodded. Scarlett lunged forward and embraced him. “Thank you. It’s more than I could’ve ever hoped for.”

He returned the hug and drew in a relieved breath at being able to hold her in his arms again. “It took me awhile, but I realized that one of the things that made me the most angry was you not trusting that I loved you enough to support you and help get us through it.” Scarlett’s body stiffened in his arms, and he knew he’d hit the dead center of the bull’s-eye. “Sometimes you need to let the people who love you be there when things go to hell in a handbasket. And for the record, let me make something perfectly clear…I will
always
be there to support you. Always. There is nothing you could do or say that will change that.
”

He pushed her off his chest and stared down into her emerald eyes so she could see the conviction behind his words.

“Lettie, what I feel for you is greater than a moment in time. A decade has gone by, but my love for you today is stronger than ever. My commitment and devotion to
us
is more than the idea of what I thought our lives would be like.” Scarlett’s eyes widened. “
We
lost our baby that night, and I know that, to you, we lost the life we thought we’d have together. That may be true, but it doesn’t mean I want to live my life without you in it. We can’t let what happened be the end of us, too.”

“Are you saying…” The hopeful glint in her eyes was almost his undoing.

“I’m saying that I want to be with you. No matter what the future does or does not hold.”

“Oh, Luke.” She slung her hands around his neck and kissed him fervently. Cupping the back of her head, he returned the kiss and melted into the connection between them until Scarlett pulled away abruptly. “I love you. I love you, Luke Garrity. I never stopped loving you.”

Luke let out a whoop and fist-pumped the air. “Finally! Do you know how long I’ve been waiting to hear those words from you again?”

She giggled, and the sound was like an angels’ chorus to him, all the more beautiful because, only hours ago, he didn’t know if he’d ever get to hear that melody again.

“I’m going to say it so much now you’ll be sick of hearing it,” she said, giggling again.

Luke laughed, too. “I’m pretty confident that is never going to happen.” He leaned in and kissed his Lettie again, knowing that nothing and no one could ever separate them. Not now…not ever.

I
t was
the day of the bakery’s grand opening, and even though she should be dead on her feet between cleaning up the mess from the robbery, the number of times she and Luke had made love, and all the baking she’d done early that morning, Scarlett was chipper and full of nervous energy.

She stood at her front counter looking out over the bakery that was now a reality. Today was the culmination of a lifelong dream. Scarlett could only hope that someone from town showed up to witness it. Otherwise, she’d have a shop full of stale baked goods and a cash register full of cobwebs.

She felt a pair of hands snake around her waist from behind and she leaned back against Luke’s hard chest, inhaling his woodsy scent that she liked so much.

“I hope people show up.”

Luke squeezed her. “Relax. They will. If for no other reason than curiosity, and then your baking will win them over.”

“I sure hope so.” She’d sent invites to all her friends, as well as some of the other local businesses on Main Street, inviting them to stop by her open house. It was the week before Thanksgiving and she planned on letting people taste her creations. Hopefully, they’d enjoy them enough to return.

“Let me get a picture of you on your big day,” Luke said. He let go of her and moved around the counter with his phone in his hand. “Okay, smile pretty.” He raised the phone and snapped off a few shots. The door chimed as he took the last one.

“I hear this is the best place in town to get an apple turnover.” Shelby strode in looking as fresh as a spring day, her blonde bob bouncing as she made her way to the counter.

Scarlett smiled at her friend. “You heard right.”

“The place looks—and smells—amazing, Scarlett.”

“That’s all thanks to the gorgeous arrangements you made for me.” The small autumnal centerpieces Shelby had adorned the tables with had taken Scarlett’s breath away. Full of orange, burgundy, and yellow flowers, not only did they look like they were straight out of a home and gardening magazine, they helped to create the cozy, stay awhile feel Scarlett had been aiming for.

“You’re a hoot! I’m not talking about the flowers, sugar, I mean the baking.”

They both laughed and satisfaction filled Scarlett chest. “Thank you. Did you want to try a sample of something?”

“Oh please, girl. I don’t squeeze a quarter so tight that the eagle screams. I’m here to buy my own goodies to take home.”

Scarlett chuckled. “All right then. Have a look at the displays and let me know what you’d like me to package up for you.”

Shelby began perusing the glass cases along the back of the shop as the chime sounded again. Scarlett glanced up to see Mrs. M marching in with a posse of elderly ladies behind her. She stifled a laugh at how much they looked like a geriatric gang, shuffling in with their heads held high and an aura of superiority.

Mrs. M stopped in front of Luke when she reached him and the six ladies behind her followed suit. “I hear you’re the hero,” she said with a raised brow, eyeing him up and down.

Luke’s face darkened for a moment, Scarlett assumed because he was remembering the danger they’d both been in. “I did what anyone would do,” he said gruffly.

Mrs. M guffawed. “I don’t know about that, but thanks for keeping our Scarlett safe.” She nodded at him and continued on her way to the counter.

Scarlett’s chest warmed at Mrs. M referring to her that way. She smiled at the elderly lady when she finally reached the counter. “How are you, Mrs. M?”

Mrs. M reached out and patted Scarlett’s hand with her frail, liver-spotted one. “Never mind about me. How are you? I heard you had a lot of action over here the other night.”

“I’m good now. The guy’s been locked away and it doesn’t look like he’ll be getting out anytime soon.” The police had called her yesterday to explain that the con artist-turned-robber had developed a drug habit the year prior to when he started ripping people off. Apparently, he was using the money he’d stolen from people to feed his habit. After he’d been arrested and subsequently released on bail, he’d gone on a bender and was high on meth when he decided to pay Scarlett’s bakery a visit. New charges were being filed and he wouldn’t be getting another opportunity for bail while he awaited trial.

“Glad to hear it. We stick together in this town, which is why I’ve brought all these old bitties with me.” She pointed her thumb in the direction of the group behind her. They didn’t seem offended by Mrs. M’s choice of words as they raised their hands and smiled in greeting. “Told them you have the best goodies in town, and even though it’s no good for our diabetes or our waistlines, we’re obligated as Saltwater Springs residents to come out and support you.”

Scarlett squeezed the crotchety old lady’s hand in her own. Mrs. M was a straight shooter and didn’t sugarcoat a thing. She didn’t care who she offended, but Scarlett was beginning to suspect there was a soft side to her that she hid well.

“I appreciate that,” Scarlett said, then she raised her gaze to the group of gray-haired ladies behind Mrs. M. “What can I help you ladies with today?”

Between them all, they ended up ordering ten different pies for their Thanksgiving dinners, claiming they were too old to be on their feet all day in the kitchen. Scarlett suspected that, for some, it wasn’t true, but it gave them an excuse to support the bakery, for which she was beyond grateful.

By late afternoon, the store was buzzing and full of people, and there were few baked goods left in the display cases. Layla apparently had told everyone that sat in her chair to check out the bakery’s open house. Marlena Gibbons even made an appearance and seemed to be on her best behavior. Blessedly, her daughter stayed home.

As Scarlett enjoyed a rare lull at the counter, she thought about Mrs. M’s comment and decided that she’d look into creating some diabetic-friendly treats for her crew. Luke came to stand beside her and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his side.

He’d been and enormous help to her throughout the day, whether it was carrying packages to people’s cars or chit-chatting with customers while they stood in line waiting for Scarlett to ring them up.

“So, how do you think it’s going?” he asked.

She turned to face him and his hand slid down to her waist. “Amazing! I can’t believe how much support everyone has shown me. Even people I don’t know.”

“That’s the beauty of a small town.” He paused for a beat and stroked his knuckles along her cheek. “When someone needs support, everyone steps up.” He leaned in and kissed the top of her head.

“I guess that makes up for the fact that everyone in town knows every single piece of your business…sometimes before you do.”

They both laughed and had just pulled away from each other when they heard a small voice rise above the murmur of the crowd. “Uncle Luke! Scarlett!” A second later Gabbie came bounding up to them with a bright smile on her face. She didn’t pause on the far side of the counter, instead making herself right at home and coming around the back of it.

“Hey, kiddo.” Luke bent to pick her up and placed a kiss on her cheek once he held her in his arms. “What are you doing here?”

“Grandma said we have to come down to Scarlett’s new store because she needs us to show her how much we care. Her friend drove us.”

Scarlett looked out over the sea of people crammed in the bakery and saw Betty, a floral patterned scarf covering her head, speaking with someone near the entrance. She smiled brightly when Scarlett caught her eye.

Scarlett smiled at Gabbie and reached forward to pinch her cheek lightly. “That’s so sweet of you two.”

“Oh, and Grandma said you make the
best
chocolate brownies in the whole wide world. She said I could have one if I was really, really, really good and remembered to use my manners the whole time we’re here.”

“Well, what do you say you and I go pick the perfect brownie just for you?”

“Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!”

Joy filled Scarlett at the little girl’s exuberance. Gabbie leaned forward and wrapped her tiny arms around Scarlett’s neck. When she took Gabbie from Luke, peace and contentment settled over her as the little rugrat wrapped her legs around Scarlett’s waist.

Luke leaned forward and placed a warm but chaste kiss on Scarlett’s lips. “Welcome home, Lettie.”

With a contented sigh, she said, “You know…I finally feel like I am.”

They say home is where the heart is, and Luke had always held hers. It took coming home again to put the broken pieces in place, but it was love that sealed them all together.