Time Out (24 page)

“Yeah, but Mom
didn’t have all of Meg’s hang-ups. She wasn’t afraid of marriage
and kids and-” Ty’s laughter cut him off. “What’s so funny?”

“You may think
you know your mama, but you didn’t know her back then. She fought
me hard, but there was no way I was gonna give up on her. I loved
her. As far as I was concerned, no one else could ever make me feel
the way she did. Hell, she still makes me feel like the luckiest
guy in the world every damn day.”

Nick smiled. “I
didn’t realize how lucky I was to have you guys as parents until I
met Meg. I saw the hell her family put her through and the way it
affected her. I realized she didn’t have anyone she could count on,
and it made me appreciate y’all so much more.”

Ty leaned
forward and gripped Nick’s shoulder. “I couldn’t be more proud of
you, kid. You forged your own path and proved you could be
successful in your own right. From where I sit, the only thing
that’s been missin’ in your life is the right woman to share it
with. Now you’ve found her. I know no matter what it takes or the
challenges y’all face, you’ll fight for her and what you have.
You’re smart enough to know a woman like Megan doesn’t come along
twice in one lifetime, am I right?”

“Yeah, you’re
right.”

The men stood,
and Ty pulled his son into a back-slapping hug. “Don’t worry, I
know this is all gonna work out the way you want it to. You just
have to be patient and see it through. If she needs a little more
time, you’ll give it to her. Just don’t ever give up on her.”

“I won’t. I can
promise you that.”

***

Nick was
pouring himself a drink at the bar shortly after their guests left
when Megan came up behind him and slipped her arms around his
waist. “Hey, you okay? You seemed a little off tonight.”

He tipped the
highball back and downed the amber liquid. “I’m okay. I’ve just had
a lot on my mind lately.”

She felt it
like ice running through her veins. His subtle withdrawal. The
distance between them when he thought she’d fallen asleep, the way
he looked at her sometimes when he thought she wasn’t looking. The
words he started to say before he cut himself off. She couldn’t
live with the uncertainty anymore. If he wasn’t happy, she had to
know.

“Whatever it
is, just say it, Nick.”

He ran a hand
through his hair with a heavy sigh. “It’s not that easy.”

“Yes, it is.
Whatever it is, I can handle it.” She told herself she was ready to
hear his explanation, but how could she watch her dreams slip
through her grasp? She didn’t know that she could handle that, but
she would never burden him with guilt over her. He didn’t deserve
that. She knew from the beginning their relationship was a
longshot, and she took the risk in spite of the threat of
devastation if it didn’t work out.

He reached for
her hand. “You know I think you’re amazing, Meg.” He brushed her
hair off her forehead with such tenderness, her heart ached.

“I feel the
same way.” She willed away the tears forming. She would not cry, no
matter what. She wouldn’t leave him with the knowledge he’d broken
her heart. She forced a tight smile, hoping it didn’t appear as
brittle as it felt. “I’m so glad we’ve had this time together.”

He frowned. “So
am I. These past months have been… incredible.”

She reached up
to kiss him, knowing it would be their last. She couldn’t stand
there another minute and listen to him explain his reasons for
ending it. “I just want you to be happy, Nick.”

“I want-”

Megan pressed
her finger against his lips. If he uttered another word, she would
fall apart, and she couldn’t do that. “Please, don’t. There’s
nothing left to say.”

He grabbed her
wrist, and for the first time, she saw something akin to alarm in
his eyes. If he was questioning his decision to set her free, it
was too late. She couldn’t stay knowing they were one day away from
goodbye.

“What the hell
are you talkin’ about? I have a lot to say. I-”

“I have to go.”
She shook him off and sprinted toward the stairs, praying he
wouldn’t follow her. She’d left one suitcase packed… just in
case.

“Megan! Damn
it, where the hell do you think you’re goin’? Get back here.”

She wasn’t
surprised Nick wanted to discuss his motives for ending their
relationship. He wasn’t the kind of man to take the easy way out.
She told him, “You don’t have to explain. It’s fine. I’m fine.” She
was anything but fine, but she’d perfected her acting over the
years. She could smile in the face of death, rejection, and
heartbreak. There would be time to fall apart later. When she was
alone.

He followed her
into his walk-in closet. His shock was evident when he saw her
reach for the leather suitcase. “What the hell is that?”

“What does it
look like?”

“You’ve been
plannin’ to leave me all along? Why the hell did you wait so long
to tell me?”

Megan squared
her shoulders. So he wanted her to accept responsibility for their
break up? Fine. She’d play it his way. At least she would walk away
with her dignity intact. “We both knew this day was coming
eventually, didn’t we? I told you in the beginning. We’re too
different. It could never have worked.”

The raw pain
twisting his handsome face made her wish she could recant. She
wouldn’t hurt him for anything, not even to save herself.

“How can you
say that?” He paced, his hands fisted at his sides. “I can’t even
believe what I’m hearin’ right now. I’ve spent every minute of
every day lovin’ you, and you were plannin’ your escape the whole
goddamn time?”

Megan’s head
hurt almost as much as her heart. She didn’t know what he wanted
her to say. Breaking up was what he wanted. Why was he making it so
hard for her to walk away? “I don’t want to end it this way, Nick.
You’re a good man. I respect you so much. You don’t owe me any
explanations.”

“Yeah, well you
owe me one.” He braced his hands on his hips and turned to face
her. The rage on his face was quickly eclipsed by regret and
sadness that rivaled any she’d ever witnessed. “What could I have
done differently to make this work?”

“You couldn’t…
I can’t…” She knew she couldn’t have that conversation without
revealing the depth of her sorrow. “I’m sorry, Nick.”

He grabbed her
arm as she walked by. “You’re sorry? You’re sorry for lettin’ me
believe you loved me? You’re sorry for lettin’ me fall in love with
you?” He explored her face with his eyes as though he expected to
expose the truth.

“I’m sorry I
wasn’t strong enough to…” Her voice cracked, and she tried to free
her arm, but he wouldn’t let her go. “Fight my feelings for
you.”

“Why would you
want to? Why are you runnin’ away?” he whispered.

She didn’t
understand why he was asking her that when he’d made it clear, with
actions and words, that his feelings had changed. Knowing he
wouldn’t let her go until they addressed it to his satisfaction,
she said, “I’ve felt you withdrawing.”

“What you felt
was me tryin’ to give you the space I thought you needed.”

“You thought I
needed space?”

He reached for
her suitcase and set it beside the dresser before leading her
toward the bed. “You’d get this haunted look in your eye from time
to time, and it scared the hell out of me. I always wondered
whether you were thinkin’ about leavin’ me.” He glanced at her
suitcase. “I guess now I have my answer.”

“I kept that
suitcase packed because I thought… I didn’t know if this was just a
temporary arrangement.”

He brushed his
knuckles against her face, and she melted, just as she did every
time she heard him say those three little words. “I love you. When
I love, I love forever. Not for a month or a year. Forever. I
thought you understood when I came to L.A. it was because I wanted
to build a life with you.”

“It’s been
great since we’ve been back.”

He reached for
her hand, brushing his lips across her knuckles. “I think so, too.
But something’s been missin’ for me.”

Megan closed
her eyes and vowed to take the blow like the strong, independent
woman she was before she met him. She’d had a life without Nick
once, and she would again, someday.

“This,” he
said.

She opened her
eyes and saw a large oval diamond clutched in his hand. Her eyes
flew to Nick’s, and for the first time, he looked hesitant.

“I don’t know
what you’re thinkin’ or how you’re feelin’ right now, Meg. But this
is the only way I know to express where my heart and my head are.
I’m in this for the long haul. Forever.”

Megan covered
her mouth with her free hand. No words could express the relief she
felt. A few moments ago, she’d thought he was telling her it was
the end of their road. Instead, he was promising her a brand new
beginning.

“I know we’ve
never really talked about marriage or kids, so this is probably
comin’ out of nowhere for you. But I’m tired of livin’ with
uncertainty, and I hate seein’ that haunted look in your eyes. I
need to know we’re both committed to buildin’ a life together.”

Marriage. Kids.
Her own family. With the man she loved. No words could express her
relief.

“Meg, please.
Say somethin’. You’re killin’ me here.” He fisted the ring, looking
resigned. “If it’s too soon-”

“No!”

He looked at
her. “You’re sayin’ no?”

Megan threw her
arms around his neck, her laughter and tears merging. “No, it’s not
too soon. Yes, I’ll marry you.” She giggled.

“Thank God.” He
slipped the ring on her finger. “You scared the hell out of me,
girl.” He looked at the suitcase and scowled. “I’m throwin’ that
damn thing out the window, ‘cause you’re never, ever leavin’
me.”

“My home is
here, Nick. With you. Forever.”

To learn more about this author or
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Nights or Next Generation series, visit
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Thank You

Book Seven –
Face Value

Real estate
developer, Lauren McCall, needs a new contractor yesterday. Someone
who’s good, fast, and reliable, but her only option seems to be her
friend’s deadbeat ex-husband. According to her friend, he’s a skirt
chasing, beer drinking, loser who’d rather play pool than play with
his kids, but desperate times call for desperate measures, so
Lauren gives him the job. She just hopes she doesn’t live to regret
it.

Tucker Brooks
knows his new boss doesn’t like him, and he doesn’t much care. He
knows his ex-wife will spew her venom to anyone who’ll listen, and
if Lauren’s naïve enough to believe everything she hears, so be it.
He’s determined to show up for work, get the job done, and avoid
the boss lady as much as possible. If only she’d stay the hell out
of his dreams.

Book Eight –
Blown Away

Ava Cooper owns
a successful Internet dating site. Her life’s work is to connect
people and hope they’ll fall in love, but she isn’t looking for her
soul mate. On the contrary, she’s a busy professional with a full
life. She has a great family, friends, and a cute little dog who
follows her wherever she goes. When she gets a private message from
a man who’s intrigued by her profile, she’s knows her assistant,
Tara, is to blame. She’s determined to help her boss find a man,
apparently against her will. Ava insists she isn’t interested, but
if this guy looks anything like his picture, he’s bound to be
someone’s Mr. Right.

When architect,
Brent Armstrong’s, brother emailed him a link to a dating website,
he thought he was just giving him grief again, but when Ava`s
picture appeared on his screen, he couldn’t breathe. He knew that
woman. For days he tried to get her image out of his head, but when
that didn’t work, he decided to swallow his pride and send her a
private message, hoping she`d remember him. When hours turned into
days, he had a choice to make. Should he let it go, or give her a
friendly reminder of the night she rocked his world?

Coming Summer
2013