Love Me for Me (22 page)

“No,” her mother surfaced in the hallway. “Thanks, though.”

“I think I’ll grab a sandwich and read in the park if you need me.”

“Sounds lovely. Have fun,” Celia smiled.

Libby went into town and picked up her lunch. As she walked into the park, she saw an empty bench. That insignificant little bench wasn’t so insignificant anymore: it was a place to start, a place to just be. She decided to sit down on that particular bench to read her book. The sun was bright with not a cloud in the sky. Two birds were flying so high up above that they looked like the little black m’s she used to draw as a kid. She unwrapped her sandwich and opened her book.

As she sat there, she realized that she wasn’t reading. Her eyes were in the book, scanning the words, but the words weren’t going in. She was too busy thinking about Pete and wishing she could have said or done something more. Trying not to think about it, she forced herself to read the words one at a time, but they still weren’t making sense. She kept her eyes on the page anyway, the sun reflecting off the white paper, making spots in her vision.

Her issues with Pete couldn’t be fixed with an email or interview. They couldn’t be fixed with paint or new cabinetry. They just couldn’t be fixed. Period. She didn’t know what to do, how to proceed. She wanted to be around the people she loved, but she didn’t feel complete unless the most important person to her was with her. She couldn’t imagine being near Pete and not seeing that affectionate look in his eyes, feeling his hand in hers, having his arm around her in that protective way of his. How would she ever manage?

“Hey.”

She looked up, her pulse racing, and blinked to clear the spots in her eyes. Pete was standing over her, his sunglasses on, a bag from the sandwich shop in his hand. “Mom is looking after Pop today,” he said. “I had a little free time, and I was on my way to your mom’s when I saw you leaving the shop.” He held up his sandwich.

He sat down beside her and looked out at the grass that stretched to the tree line. Libby kept her book open in her lap to busy her hands so she wouldn’t show how nervous she had become. There was so much she wanted to say, but she knew she’d already said what she had to, so she stayed quiet. He’d come to find her. She’d rather hear what he had to say anyway.

They sat in silence for a while before he finally spoke. “I’ve been thinking since our talk, and I wanted to find you today so I could tell you what’s on my mind.” He looked right into her eyes. She watched intently for some small glimmer as to what he thought, but she had to wait for his words because his face wasn’t showing it. “Libby, you make me crazy,” he said, turning his body toward her. “You make me so mad I can’t see straight. You’re stubborn, you’re always in your head when you just need to be in the moment… But I’ve watched you with Pop. You’re thoughtful and kind with him. You flew all the way home for him. I know that you’ll be there for
him
,” he said. He tipped his head back for bit as if searching for something, but she knew he was just overloaded and tired, and she felt awful for putting him in this situation when he was already dealing with so much.

“I’m sorry,” she said.

He pulled his head up and looked at her.

She closed her book and set it beside her on the bench. “I know how much you have on your plate with Pop, and it was so selfish of me to even mention what I want right now. I shouldn’t have even brought it up. I care about you. I just want you to know that.”

“I still don’t know how it will all work out, but I’m glad you’re home,” he said.

Libby nodded, unable to control the tears in her eyes. Pete leaned back on the bench and propped his arm up behind her. She scooted a little closer and put her head on his shoulder. He moved his hand to her shoulder, and she could feel the movement of his fingers on the top of her arm. As she sat there, feeling the warmth of his shoulder against her face, she couldn’t help but wish for more days just like that.

L
ibby had spent
the last two weeks helping with Pop. She’d given her two weeks’ notice at Riddick Wiesner, and she planned to try and get Marty to give her the old job back, but other than that she had no plan for what was to come next. She didn’t know where she’d live or what was going to happen with Pete. She just enjoyed each day as it came.

Pete walked onto the sand with two glasses of lemonade and handed one to Libby. He’d been gone quite a while. She took an icy, cold sip as she looked out over the calm waters of the Chesapeake Bay, the sun on her face. Pete sat down in the chair beside her.

There’s nothing better than this
, she decided. Being beside him was more like living than anything she’d done in her working career.
This is how life should be
, she thought. There was nowhere in the world she’d rather be than by his side.

“This is perfect,” she said aloud, looking back out over the bay. “What’s Pop doing inside?”

“Mom took him into town for a while.”

They sat quietly until they’d had their lemonade. Then Pete stood up. “Can I show you something?” he asked. “Inside.”

Libby got out of her chair and followed Pete across the beach. He led her inside, down the hallway, and they stopped outside his bedroom. He opened the door and allowed her to enter. There, in the center of the room, was a gorgeous wooden chest. It was huge, the wood new and shiny with lacquer. She’d never seen anything so beautiful.

“Go take a look,” Pete said.

Libby fingered the latch of the enormous chest in front of her. It was nearly as big as the trunk of a car, the kind her mother used to keep all her baby clothes in. The scent of cedar came rushing toward her as she bent down to have a closer look at the smooth, oily looking surface. The natural grains—both dark and light—stretched along the top in beautiful, random streaks.

“Did you make this?” she asked Pete in nearly a whisper.

He nodded. “Do you know what it is?” he asked.

“Is it a hope chest?”

“For most people it’s a hope chest,” he smiled. “It’s a new memory box.” His gesture filled her with happiness. Standing there with him, she felt whole for the first time in her life. She’d always been chasing success, the next thing. In that moment, she realized that there was so much she could chase with him. Her mind went to their family and to the feeling of being with him. She wouldn’t ever have to say goodbye to anyone again.

“So much has changed since we were together as kids,” he said. “Back then, we didn’t know how to appreciate what the other had to offer. With Pop, over the last few months, I’ve seen how generous you can be, and I’ve watched you give so much to everyone around you. I’m willing to try to make
us
work if you are.”

They’d come so far, had so many obstacles in their way, but in the end, she had exactly what she needed and the person she loved. She put her arms around him as she thought about all the days she would spend doing her best to make him happy, the blank canvas of a life they had in front of them, the hope of growing old with him and being as content as Pop and Nana had been. She was ready to do her very best to make it work. With her face only inches from his, she said, “I’m so ready.”

He wrapped his arms around her waist and looked down at her. Then he kissed her. It was like no kiss she’d ever had before. With that kiss, she could finally feel what
he
felt—he didn’t hold back. His spicy scent, his strong arms around her, his unstill hands at her back, the feel of his lips moving on hers, all making her dizzy. She reached around his neck, intertwining her fingers there, pushing herself as close to him as she could get.
He didn’t kiss like this back in high school
, she thought. Then she thought about how she’d get to have kisses like that over and over and over.

“
W
hat is this
, Mommy?” Ava asks, leaning down into Pete’s hope chest. She emerges with Libby’s wedding veil. The little girl, with blush pink cheeks, wildly curly brown hair and green eyes like her daddy, puts it on top of her head and spins around. “It’s so pretty!” she says, patting the tulle with her thin fingers.

“Are you in my memory box?” Libby giggles. “That’s my veil. I wore that when I married your daddy.” As all the objects in her memory box do, this one brings back many memories. So long ago, at the bonfire and then at the winery that Fourth of July, Libby didn’t know if she’d ever again see everyone together. As it turned out, she didn’t have to leave that family; she became a part of it instead. And not only had they come together for her wedding to Pete in the church that Anne had helped to restore; everyone had come together when Ava was born and every holiday after that. Nearly everyone. Pop and Nana had probably been watching together from up above. She hoped. She swore that she could feel their presence.

The family is here today. It’s Ava’s fourth birthday and Libby is getting ready, putting on her last earring while Ava plays in her memory box. “Are you ready to have your party?” she asks, unable to conceal her smile as she looks at her daughter, the spitting image of Pete.

“
Are
you ready?” Pete’s voice comes from the doorway. He’s on his knees, his arms spread wide.

“Daddy!” Ava runs to him and wraps her arms around his neck just like her mommy does. Pete hoists her up near his shoulders, his forearm supporting her weight. “Look what I found!” she says, holding out a photo, her mommy’s veil still on her head. Pete takes the photograph as Libby walks over to them.

“That’s your great-grandpa,” Pete explains. “And that’s your mommy, and that’s me.” Ava looks closer at the photo. Libby had put it in her memory box because it was the last photo she’d taken with Pop. Helen had taken it at her birthday party, on the shore, when Libby had first come back home. It was a reminder to Libby of the family she’d found.

“That was the day I jumped into the sea for your mommy,” Pete laughs, but Ava doesn’t seem interested. She wriggles down and pulls the veil off her head. Libby, still thinking about that day, tucks the photo neatly between two other memories in her memory box.

She asks Ava, “What do you want most for your birthday?”

To her surprise, Ava answers, “A sister!”

Pete huffs out a chuckle and pats Libby’s tummy. “Maybe you’ll get your wish!” he says. “But not yet. I think Grandma Celia’s here. She’s getting things ready for us out back. Want to go and see?”

Ava runs out of the room and they both watch through the window as she bounds toward her grandmother, with Bailey, their chocolate Labrador, following behind in wild, playful strides, a toy ball in his mouth. Pete turns to Libby. She grabs his pockets and pulls him to her. He puts his arms around her and kisses her.

“I love you,” he says. “Should we go out to see everyone?”

Libby shrugs, pulling him closer, a devious look in her eye. “
Maybe
.”

T
hank
you so much for reading Love Me for Me! I hope that you enjoyed reading Libby and Pete’s story as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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