On the Corner of Heartache and Hopeful--MIC (9 page)

She had been
glorious and feminine, if only for a night. She hadn’t been a grease monkey,
but a desirable woman. More than she ever could have hoped for. She would
always carry the memory of their time together. It wasn’t the same as a flesh
and blood person, but in the absence of such a person, she’d take the memory.
It was better than never having been with him at all.

Besides did she
truly have any other choice?

~
* ~

A whistle on his
lips, Scott ambled out onto Nonie’s front porch. Mic should arrive any time
with the Comet, and his excitement at seeing her burst through his chest. He
halted mid-step at the sight of his grandmother’s vintage, maroon sedan parked
at the curb.

That’s weird, he
thought, his gaze scanning the vacant street
.
Where’s Mic?

He didn’t like
the wisp of worry which funneled up his spine. He shook his head.
It’s
probably nothing
.

That’s when he
turned and saw the Comet keys lying on the top weathered porch step. He picked
them up, his wispy worry now a full-fledged bonfire raging in his gut.
Something was wrong. He didn’t know what, but something was wrong. And he was
going to find out what.

Clasping the
keys in a tight fist, he leapt down the porch steps. Minutes later, after the
only thing racing faster than his heart was the V8 engine of Nonie’s Comet, he
stopped in the parking lot of Anderson Automotive. By all appearances, it looked
closed.

He got out and
glanced at his watch. Only 4:15, the place couldn’t be closed. Just then a
young mechanic, his head a bit too large for his shoulders, came out the door.
Scott recognized him as one of the mechanics from when he’d been such an ass to
Mic. He chewed up the gravel ground in three long strides. “Excuse me. Is Mic
around?”

The mechanic
squinted at him. The name on his shirt read
Boyd.
“Nah. She left over an
hour ago to return some guy’s car.”

Scott hiked a thumb
over his shoulder at the Comet. “That car?”

Boyd turned his
squint on the car. “Yep.”

“But you don’t
know where she is right now?”

“Nope.”

“Look, can you
give me her home address. It’s important that I find her.”

With an
eyeballing stare, Boyd turned to lock the door. “I could, but I won’t.”

Scott sighed in
exasperation. “Why not?”

Boyd looked
back, his gaze narrowing. “I remember you from a couple of days ago. You came
into the garage all pissed off about something. Maybe you’re still upset.
Wouldn’t be a good idea for me to tell you where to find the boss, now would
it? ‘Sides, that sorta thing is against the rules.”

“All right. What
about her number? Can you give me that?”

“Nah, uh.”

Another sigh. “I
don’t suppose anyone else is around that I could talk to?”

“Nope. It was an
easy day so we quit early. Everybody’s gone. It’s my week to clean the
bathrooms. That’s why I’m still here.”

Scott could feel
his tenuous control over his temper slipping fast. “Look you have to
understand, I don’t mean any harm to Mic, but I do need to find her. It’s
imperative.”

Finished with
the lock, Boyd pocketed the key. “Sorry. Can’t help you.”

The young
mechanic sauntered toward a beat-up Ford truck. To keep from bashing in the
punk’s skull with his fists, Scott spun on his heel and stalked back to the
Comet. He attempted to pull his thoughts together.

What could have
made Mic disappear like this? Had he insulted or angered her somehow?
Everything had seemed fine between them that morning. He couldn’t figure it.

Scott started
the engine and pulled out of the lot. He took the longest way back to Nonie’s
house he could, cruising every street in Tatum, his gaze peeled for any sign of
Mic. In spite of the fact this town was the size of postage stamp, he realized
the chances of finding her like this were nil. But at least he was doing
some
thing.
After an hour of driving around, he put the gear shift into “park” in front of
Nonie’s house and sat there, his heart heavy in his chest.

The one thought,
which he’d kept at bay, now dominated his mind, curdling his insides like milk
in the summer sun. Mic had changed her mind about him.

~
* ~

Mic watched
Scott trudge up the porch steps, oblivious to her sitting on the swing. As he
unlocked the door, she pushed back and the rusted swing chains squealed in
protest. He rifled his gaze to her, his expression joyful at first, then
cautious. She pushed again and the chains complained louder.

“Hey,” he said
from the spot he seemed rooted to.

“Hey,” she
responded, staring at the gnarled wood grain of the swing seat. She traced a
curvy line with a stubby fingernail.

He came near,
hesitancy in his movements. She understood his reservation. Breaking up was
probably messy. She could’ve taken the easy, cowardly road and just stayed away
until Scott left Tatum. But she’d never been a fan of cowardly acts. Nor easy
ones for that matter.

He sat at the
other end of the swing. “I’ve been looking for you.”

Liar!
Tears burned the back of her eyes. She kept her gaze diverted. “Found me.”

“I, uh, need to
talk to you.”

She nodded as a
tear escaped. “Me, too.”

“Um, you wanna
go first?”

Did she? Would
it be easier to say the words or hear them?

Scott cleared
his throat. “Okay. I’ll start.” He paused, staring at his clasped hands.
“Things have moved awfully fast between us—”

Mic surged to
her feet. Hearing the words was worse. Way worse.

She marched to
the railing, her arms wrapped around her middle. Turning back, she saw he’d
stood as well, his hands in tight fists at his sides. “We both know this won’t
work,” she said in as even a voice as she could muster.

He took a single
step forward. “What, exactly, won’t work?”

Her hand sliced
the air between them. “This.”

She spun away,
raw emotion suffocating her. With a deep breath, she placed a shaky hand to her
forehead then coerced herself to look at him. God, she was going to miss him.

“Us. You and me.
You should go back to New York. It’s where you belong.” She choked on the air
in her lungs. “With Snookie.”

“Who?”

“Snookie. You
know, your girlfriend.”

Confusion
blanketed his face as he came nearer, his hands outstretched. “I don’t have a
girlfriend.”

“Please don’t
lie to me.” She dodged his touch. “I came by the house earlier and heard you
talking on the phone. To Snookie. You said your obligations here were almost
done, that you’d be back in New York tomorrow…You convinced her not to leave
you…you said…you loved her.”

Comprehension
lit Scott’s face and he threw his head back with a barking laugh. A blinding
sheet of rage dropped over her eyes.

She stomped to
him and jabbed her finger into his chest. Not satisfied when his ear-to-ear
grin remained, she shoved him back, hard. “How dare you?” She shoved him again.
“Our time together might not have meant a damn thing to you, but it meant
everything to me. Do you hear me? Everything.” Another shove. “I will
not
have you laugh about it.”

She
whirled
away, knowing if she didn’t, her right cross would
connect with his jaw. Before she could take one step, strong arms wound around
her waist, lifting her feet from the wood porch. “Let me go.”

She torqued in
his embrace, no match against his strength. He turned her in his arms as she
slapped and punched any part of him she could reach. The next thing she knew,
his hand was on the back of her head holding her still, and his mouth was on
hers.

Mic tried her
mightiest to shove him away, but it was useless. With a feeble whimper, she
slumped in his arms, his mouth and tongue never ceasing their gentle mugging.

He eased away
enough to mutter against her lips. “Now, listen here, Michaela Anderson. What
you heard was
not
me talking to my girlfriend, but to my secretary,
Beatrice Snooker.”

“But I—”

He reclaimed her
mouth for another swooning kiss, then pulled back. “No, buts. The business that
bought me back to Tatum is almost done, but not the business which I hope will
keep me here for a good, long time. And I did tell Snookie not to leave—the
company we work for. A grandmother her age shouldn’t have to worry about
finding another job. And for the record, I do love the old girl, but I am not
in love with her.” He caressed the tears from her cheeks with his thumbs. “I’m
in love with you.”

She hiccupped.
“You are?”

He kissed her
nose. “Very much so.”

“But that’s not
what you said yesterday.”

“That’s because
yesterday I didn’t know how it felt to have you gone from my life.” He laid his
forehead against hers with an unstable sigh. “When I couldn’t find you, I went
crazy thinking you’d changed your mind about us. It made me realize how empty
my life truly was, until I found you.”

He guided her
back to the swing and sat her on his lap. He held both her hands against his
chest, her head tucked to his shoulder. “Come with me.”

“Where?”

“Back to New
York.”

Mic lifted her
head. “You said you were staying in Tatum.”

“I am, but I need
to close my work files and that’ll take a couple of weeks.” He intertwined his
fingers with hers. “Have you ever been to New York?”

“No.”

“Then come with
me. Let me show you the city. It’ll be a vacation.”

“I just came
back from a vacation.”

“Take another
one.”

“I can’t afford
that.”

“Yes, you can.
I’ll pay for everything.”

She jerked
upright. “If I didn’t take Ester’s money, what makes you think I’ll take
yours?”

He tightened his
arms around her. “I meant no offense.” He laid his forehead to hers. “Just say
you’ll come with me.”

“Why is this so
important?”

“Because I
couldn’t stand being away from you for a couple of hours. Being without you for
several weeks will kill me.”

She laughed. “I
doubt that.”

“Are you willing
to take the chance?” he challenged, his eyes dancing. “I might just curl up and
die.”

“What makes you
think that?”

“Because I love
you, remember?”

Mic’s smile
withered and she dropped her gaze to their folded hands in her lap. How she
wanted those words to be true. Her heart twisted around itself. Could she trust
him not to hurt her? Mic knew she wasn’t a beauty. She was a car mechanic.
Would there come a time when he’d want something more? Something better?

“You know,” he
prodded, giving her a gentle shake. “When someone says they love you, the
customary response is to say you love them, too.”

She swallowed
the emotions jamming her throat, still unable to look at him. “I do love you,
Scott. Since high school, I’ve loved you. But…”

His finger
tenderly compelled her to meet his eyes. “But?”

Mic stared into
Scott’s gorgeous eyes, so sincere, and the truth of his words stopped her
heart. Something deep within her soul opened like a flower to the sun.

She
could
have her happily ever after, with Scott, if she trusted him. Trusted him enough
to love her. She cradled his face with her hands and smiled through her tears.
“Like you said, no buts. I love you and I’ll go anywhere with you. Tatum, New
York, Timbuktu. Anywhere.”

Scott grinned,
his mouth hovering near hers. “How about New York for a couple of weeks then
back home?”

“Sounds like a
plan,” she sighed against his lips.

Mic’s fairy tale
on Heartache and Hopeful had finally come true.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

I’ve always loved stories. Especially love stories. Growing up
in the Midwest, I’d
lie
awaked at night, making up
stories, usually to my favorite TV shows.

As I got older, the stories didn’t relent. They only got
stronger, the characters more insistent, until I had no choice but to put it
all on paper. It’s become an obsession, one I can imagine living without.

When not sitting at my computer, I spend my time working as
a fitness instructor. I live in Reno with my husband of nearly thirty years and
our two pampered pooches. Please visit me at
www.lyndabailey.net

Here’s a sneak peak at Lily
Rede’s
upcoming novel, SAFE FROM THE DARK; available
October, 2012.

SAFE FROM THE DARK

by

Lily
Rede

BLURB:

Nursing a broken heart and a couple of bullet wounds,
no-nonsense
Evie
-Asher leaves her career with the
NYPD to move into her grandmother's old house in a small New England town in
the middle of nowhere. She wants nothing more than a new start and a chance to
forget the mistakes of the past and get her life back on track, minus the
shootouts. Her plans are shattered when her new neighbor, the town's hunky
young mayor, begins receiving death threats from a dangerous stalker.
Evie
is unwillingly drawn back into a world of peril, and
while her bruised heart tries to resist the out-of-control sparks that zing
between them, she is forced to stay close to keep him safe as the stalking
quickly turns to murder...

Colin Daniels has his hands full running
Bright's
Ferry as their popular and busy young mayor. He doesn't have time for stalkers
or threats, much less a lovely gray-eyed cop with control issues who seems
determined to get in his way at every turn. When the situation takes a deadly
turn, Colin finds that he has no choice but to give up some control himself and
rely on
Evie
to protect him until they can unmask the
killer. Passion sizzles between two stubborn hearts as they clash over the best
way to handle a dangerous situation, but can they keep each other safe as the
dark closes in?