Love, Again, page 12
I snorted. “Yeah, yeah. I bet that’s why.”
We both laughed, and she followed me downstairs, my heavy suitcase thumping against the floor. Cole met me at the bottom of the stairs and winked as he grabbed my luggage. “Think you packed enough?”
“Hey,” I said, “there’s nothing wrong with being prepared.”
I looked over at Bennett, and he smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. Holding out my arms, I closed the distance and hugged him while Cole and Emilia carried on a conversation. “I’m going to miss you.”
He squeezed me and chuckled. “Oh, I know. How could you not?” Then he lowered his voice. “I guess Emilia’s leaving too, huh?”
I knew there was a reason he appeared so glum. He was about to release me, but I held on. “Actually, she’s staying for a while. I think she likes you.” I patted his back and winked at him as I let go.
His eyes twinkled as he looked at her. “Well, I’ll be damned.”
I smacked his arm. “Treat her good, Haywood.” And I prayed like hell that she did the same with him. Cole and Emilia finished their conversation and came over.
“Ready to go?” Cole asked.
I nodded. “Yep.”
Bennett put his arm around Emilia. “Where are you two heading off to first?”
Cole and I glanced at each other, and I shrugged. “Don’t know. We’re going to figure that out tonight.”
“Actually,” Cole said, grinning smugly. “Our first stop is right here in Dusty Valley.” He turned that grin to Bennett. “We’re going to give the news to Mom and Dad.”
Bennett burst out laughing, and Emilia squeezed my arm. “Don’t worry, you’ll be fine.” She cleared her throat. “You just happened to break their son’s heart once upon a time ago.”
Bennett and Cole both tried to hide their smiles, and failed. “Thanks for reminding me,” I grumbled. I was going to need all the help I could get.
Chapter 18
Aubrey
I felt like I was going to hyperventilate the entire ride over to Cole’s parents’ house. He’d called them to say we were almost there, and in my mind I pictured them sharpening the pitchforks. I was scared to death to see them after all this time.
Cole reached for my shaking hand and kissed it. “You have nothing to worry about.”
I snorted. “Easy for you to say.”
We turned down the Haywoods’ long driveway, and my stomach knotted up the closer we got to the house. After all these years, it looked the same—a bright yellow farmhouse with a wraparound porch. It was old and had been in their family for generations. There was a lot of history there.
Cole parked beside his father’s tractor and patted my leg reassuringly. “Come on. You’ll be fine.”
Taking a deep breath, I opened the truck door and slid out. He came around to my side and took my hand, practically pulling me to the door. The smell of chicken and dumplings wafted through the air, and it brought back old memories. His mother used to make them for me every week. I could only hope it was a good sign that she was making them again, knowing I was coming over.
Cole was about to open the screen door when his father whistled behind us, his footsteps thumping against the wooden porch floor. “Well, I’ll be damned. There she is.” There was no anger in his tone, which brought me hope. I turned around, and James looked the same as when I left, only now his hair was fully gray. He even had on the same old pair of overalls he’d always wear when he was out working on the farm. James held out his arms with a big smile on his face. “Come and give this old man a hug.”
Cole let my hand go and I rushed over and flung my arms around James’s neck. “It’s so good to see you. How’ve you been?”
“Good,” he said, hugging me hard. “The crops have been doing well the last few years.” He stepped back and took a good look at me. “I see you went off and got yourself famous. Regina and I are so proud of you.”
I looked over at Cole, and he nodded. I thought for sure his parents hated me after what I did. “Thanks,” I said, trying not to cry. “That means a lot.”
James nodded toward the door. “Regina’s dying to see you. She’s in the kitchen making your favorite.” He patted Cole’s arm in passing. “And you, young man. I need your help with this tractor. It’s giving me a fit again.”
Cole pulled me toward him and kissed me. “You’ll be fine. Go inside. I’ll be right back.”
He walked off with his dad while I opened the door slowly. I could hear Regina moving around in the kitchen. She used to be my mother’s best friend. When they were in high school, they had their futures all planned. They were going to get married and have kids at the same time so they could be best friends like they were. Their wishes came true.
I stopped in the doorway and watched Regina stir the pot of chicken and dumplings. Seeing her was the hardest. She reminded me so much of my mother. After my parents died, Regina and James took their place, even though I was already eighteen and could take care of myself. Still, they filled that hole that was in my heart.
“Hey,” I said, voice low.
Regina gasped, and jerked around. “Holy bejeezus.” Her eyes lit up and she rushed over, holding her arms out as she approached me. “You scared the ever-living crap out of me, but I’m so happy you’re finally coming to see me.” I hugged her hard, my eyes burning the entire time.
“It’s good to see you too. I was nervous coming.”
She let me go, gaping at me with furrowed brows. “Why were you nervous?” I stared at her, and it was obvious she could see the turmoil in my eyes. She waved me off and laughed. “You thought I was going to be mad at you, didn’t you?”
I shrugged. “Well…I kind of left and never looked back.”
Her smile saddened. “True, but you had your reasons. Now look at you. You’re successful and everything your mother always wanted you to be.” My eyes widened, and she nodded. “Yes, yes, I know about the dreams your mother had for you. She was my best friend, after all. I don’t think there’s a single thing she never confided in me about.”
“I guess I just figured you’d be mad at me for leaving Cole.”
She shook her head. “I was sad more than anything. It broke Cole’s heart when you left. Deep down, I always knew you were destined to be great. Working at the local dentist office wasn’t you.” I enjoyed the job, and the people I worked with, but she was right…it wasn’t me. With a heavy sigh, she draped her arm over my shoulder. “You’re back now. That’s all that matters.” She squeezed me. “Come with me. I found something the other day that I think you’ll like.”
She let me go, and I followed her down the hall to the study. It reminded me of a library. Built-in bookshelves took up three of the walls, and they were filled to the brim with books. Regina grabbed a small shoebox-size container off one of the shelves and set it on the desk. She waved me over, and I took the seat across from her as she sat down, her lips trembling.
“I was searching through some of my old photos, and I came across this box I had hidden away.” She opened it up and pulled out a stack of pictures. “I hid them so Cole wouldn’t find them. I knew it’d pain him to see them.”
She handed me the photos, and I teared up. There were pictures of Cole and me from when we were babies on up to high school. The kind of relationship Cole and I had was something you’d see in movies. How many people could say they met their soul mate when they were still in diapers?
I flipped through the pictures until I came upon one of my parents and me. It was graduation day, and I was in my cap and gown. I remembered that day like it was yesterday. My mother held my hand while my dad stood tall behind me, holding on to my shoulders. They’d told me how proud they were of me. If I’d known they were going to die just a couple of days later, I would’ve spent every waking moment with them.
A tear slipped down my cheek. “I miss them so much.”
Regina frowned. “I know, sweetheart. That night when you left with Cole to hang out with your friends, your parents stayed over for the longest time.” She took a deep breath, and glanced around the room. “Your mother and I came in here and talked for hours. Cole doesn’t know anything about this, but it’s the night your mother told me she didn’t want you stuck here. Granted, she knew Cole could take care of you and give you everything you’d ever want, but she knew you’d want to find your own self, your own independence. Honestly, I don’t think you would’ve been able to do that if you didn’t leave.” She was right, but it came at a great cost. A part of me also wondered what would’ve happened if Cole knew about that conversation. I offered her the picture, but she shook her head. “Keep it.”
“Thanks.” I held it against my chest. “And you’re right. I needed to go, but I sacrificed my heart to do it. I spent ten years following my dreams, all with a broken heart.”
Regina smiled. “That’s all over now. You have your dreams, and my son. I always knew you two would find your way back to each other.”
A knock sounded on the door, and Cole peeked his head inside. “Everything okay in here?”
I looked over at Regina and smiled. “Couldn’t be better.”
* * *
—
“I told you there was nothing to worry about,” Cole quipped. We’d spent the entire day with his parents, reminiscing about all the good times we’d had.
The wind whipped through my hair as we drove down the road. “I know. Your mother understood a lot more than I thought she would.” We were almost to his house, but he passed his driveway. “Where are we going?”
A sly smile spread across his face, but he kept his eyes on the road. “You’ll see.”
When he turned down the private road, I knew exactly where we were going. Our private spot. It was dark, but the moonlight lit up the large oak tree. Cole parked by the tree, and we got out. The stars were on full display, all twinkling and bright in the sky.
“What are we doing here?” I asked.
Cole reached into his backseat window and grabbed the blanket. “We still need to work on our list. I thought what better place to do it than here.”
He hopped into the back of the truck and helped me up. Once the blanket was spread out, we lay on top of it and gazed up at the stars. Cole took my hand and brought it to his lips. “Where do you want to go first?”
The stubble on his chin tickled my fingers. “Believe it or not, I had more than places to visit on my list.”
“Oh yeah? Like what?”
My suitcase was in the back of the truck with us, and tucked away inside was my list. I sat up, and he let my hand go so I could open my luggage. Right on top of my clothes was the notebook. Pulling out my phone, I turned on the flashlight so he could see. His lips turned up when he read it.
“I have to admit, it’s not what I expected.” His eyes met mine, all dark and sexy in the moonlight.
“There’s more to life than just places. I never realized it until I thought I was going to die.”
He focused back on the list and smiled. “I see you already marked off Banff National Park, The Fountain on Locust in St. Louis, and Sweet Martha’s cookies at the Minnesota State Fair.”
“Yep,” I said with a giggle. “I have so many stories to tell you too.”
“I’ve always wanted to visit Banff. I remember us talking about it years ago.”
I felt a twinge of regret in my chest. When he looked over at me, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. “That’s why I wanted to go,” I confessed. “I went there before I even considered coming here. If I’d have known things would turn out the way they have, I would’ve waited. We can still go there if you want. It’s an amazing place.”
His lips pulled back in that sexy grin of his. “We have plenty of time, sunshine. What I really find interesting is this list.” Chuckling, he continued reading the entries. “Play golf, dance in the rain, learn to speak in an Australian accent, snorkel in Turks and Caicos, visit Grand Teton National Park—” He stopped midsentence, and his humor was gone.
“What is it?” I asked.
He shrugged, but I could see the pain on his face. “Nothing. Just one of your entries is to fall in love with someone.” He handed me the list. “I used to think about you with men all the time and it’d piss me off. I knew I’d never love anyone like I do you.”
I slid the notebook back inside my suitcase before meeting his gaze. “Same here. But at least it’s an entry I can mark off my list.”
“You’re damn right.” He pulled me down to the blanket and cupped my cheek, his eyes focused on mine. “I always thought we’d do everything together. You’ve led such an amazing life, and I missed it all. There’s so much about you I don’t know.”
I leaned into his touch. “I’m still the same, Cole.”
He looked at me like I was crazy. “You’re not a dental assistant making a mere thirty grand a year anymore.”
To be honest, I didn’t know how much I had in the bank. I wasn’t a big spender, but I knew I was set for life and then some. “I never let the money I earned go to my head. You come from a wealthy family, you’re about to be the new fire chief, and you’re also going to own half of the Haywood farm soon. By the looks of Big Red here,” I said, patting the bed of the truck, “you’d think you only made pennies.”
He burst out laughing. “Never liked flaunting my money, but then again, I don’t actually make that much. Maybe for Dusty Valley, but not for Hollywood. I’m sure you’ve made more in a year than I’ll make in a lifetime.”
“Does that bother you?” I asked.
Cole shook his head. “Not in the least.”
“And that’s one of the reasons I love you so much.” It was hard to find men who were comfortable like that in Hollywood. Most of the men I knew in the movie industry didn’t like it when women made more than them. ’
His gaze narrowed, he regarded me curiously. “I bet you don’t have to work a single day for the rest of your life if you don’t want, do you?”
I rolled over on top of him and straddled his waist. “Put it this way, neither of us would ever have to,” I said, winking.
He slid his hands up my thighs, and goosebumps spread over my skin as his cock hardened between my legs. “Whatever happens, and wherever we go from here, I need you to promise that we’ll do it together. Your dreams are important to me.”
Leaning down, I kissed him softly. “And so are yours.”
He deepened the kiss and held me tight against him. My hips moved against his, and I was desperate to feel him inside me. Grabbing my hips, he dug his fingers into my skin and rolled over on top of me.
Looking down at me, it was hard not to tremble under his raw gaze. “We have a lot of memories out here, don’t we?” he said, voice low and deep.
I nodded. “We made love out here for the first time.”
It was his turn to nod. “And it’s also the place where I told you I loved you.”
Closing my eyes, I could envision it all in my head. We were sixteen when he first said he loved me, and only a year after that we made love for the first time. I remember everything about that night.
“It was so long ago,” I whispered. “Fifteen years to be exact. October twenty-seventh.”
He brushed a finger across my lips. “I remember. So many good memories.”
I kissed his finger. “It’s time to make more.”
His lips found mine again, and then they trailed down my neck to my breasts. He bit my nipple through my shirt, and I moaned, every square inch of my body tingling with desire. “I want you so fucking bad right now.” He lifted the hem of my shirt and kissed my stomach. “I don’t think we’re going to make it back to my house just yet.”
I bit my lip. “That’s fine with me.”
Eyes burning with heat, Cole kept them on mine as he helped me sit up and take off my shirt and bra. My heart raced as I lay back down on the blanket and watched him slide my shorts and underwear off. The wind blew against my skin, making my nipples pucker. I’d been naked outside before, and it felt amazing.
“It’s your turn now,” I murmured, my eyes raking down Cole’s body.
I sat up and watched him slide off his shirt and shorts, the muscles in his arms and abs clenching with the movement. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, especially the hardness he was slowly stroking between his legs. He approached me slowly, his eyes burning with unadulterated passion. My pulse quickened as I sat there, anxiously waiting for him to touch me.
Instead of climbing on top of me, Cole sat down and pulled me onto his lap, his cock throbbing between us. I rocked my ass against it, and he tilted his head back and groaned. “You’re killing me.” I tried to sit up and take him inside me, but his grip on my waist tightened. A mischievous twinkle sparkled in his eyes. “Not yet, sunshine. You need to get worked up a little more.”
I could already feel the wetness between my legs. “Seriously? I’m way past ready.”
Chuckling, he licked his lips. “I’ll be the judge of that.” He tugged my hair gently to get me to lean back, exposing my breasts to him. He licked his lips and pulled me to him, sucking a nipple into his mouth.
“Yep. I’m really way past ready now.” Two could play at that game. He bit down on my breast, and I closed my eyes, moaning with delight.
“I think you might be about there,” he teased, sucking harder.
I hooked my arms around his neck, torturing him by trapping his arousal between our bodies and sliding his length along my wet center.
Before I could come back with a retort, Cole pressed his lips to mine, pushing his tongue deep inside my mouth. His cock pulsed between us, and I moaned into his mouth in response. I moved my hips against him to give him a taste of what it would feel like with me riding him. Cole groaned with need and bit my lower lip. His strong grip on my ass held me firmly in place while he thrust against me.
