Love, Again, page 6
He walked into the bar, leaving us alone. Cole stood at the top of the steps, and I had to look up at him. We stared at each other for what seemed like hours, but suddenly I didn’t know what to say, where to start. Hand on the rail, I took a step up closer to him and nodded down at his shirt that said Dusty Valley Fire Department on it. “How’s everything at the station going? I heard you were the assistant chief.” That was a big honor. It meant he’d worked his way up the ranks. When I left, he’d just gotten the job as a firefighter, along with helping his dad on the Haywood farm. Being a fireman was what he’d always wanted ever since we were little.
Cole’s jaw clenched, but he took a step down closer to me. “Fine. Not much going on these days.”
I nodded and smiled, wishing like hell I could see him smile at me again like he used to. I took another step up to where we were on the same level. He leaned against the stair rail, and I did the same across from him.
He crossed his arms over his muscular chest, his biceps snug against his T-shirt. “What are you doing here, Aubrey?” A laugh escaped my lips, but he just stared daggers at me. The amount of raw emotions pouring out of him was enough to choke me. I deserved it, along with his anger.
“Um…” I began, fidgeting with my fingernails. “It’s a crazy story, actually. One I hoped I’d be able to tell you.”
“Why should I even listen, Aubrey? You left me a month before our wedding, and didn’t look back. It was as if all those years together meant nothing.”
His words hit me like a slap to the face that I felt all the way down to my broken heart. My throat grew thick, and I didn’t know if I was even going to be able to speak. “I know,” I said, my voice quivering. “I looked back plenty of times, you just didn’t see me.” Even though he wasn’t on social media, the Haywood farm was. That was how I knew that his family was okay. After a while, I stopped looking. The longing and memories were too much.
Cole scoffed and turned his gaze away. “I get it, I do. You wanted a bigger and better life for yourself. I couldn’t give that to you here.”
“That’s not true, Cole. I loved you.” His eyes darted back to mine, and I could see the raw emotion in them. Hot tears fell down my face. I was determined to let him see the truth. “I never stopped loving you,” I confessed. “No one has ever been able to make me as happy as you did.”
For a split second, I could tell he believed me, but then it went away just as fast. “That doesn’t really answer my question. Why are you really here?”
I wiped away my tears, wishing I could get closer to him, but I knew he wasn’t ready for that. “I wanted to tell you I’m sorry. You have no idea how much regret and guilt I have inside me.”
“Good,” he snapped as he uncrossed his arms. “That makes two of us.” He stormed down the stairs to his truck, and sped away once he got in. I knew it wasn’t going to go well seeing him again, but I didn’t realize how devastating the blow would be.
Bennett walked out of the bar just as Cole drove out of sight. Sighing, he slowly made his way over to me while I stood there and cried. “Guess he didn’t want to hear what you had to say, huh?”
I shook my head. “Not at all. He hates me, Bennett. I don’t blame him.”
“That’s not true.” Bennett opened his arms and pulled me in close. It only made me feel worse. “He’s angry, Bree. You have to look at this from his point of view. You left him, and when he asked to come with you, you said no.” He stepped back and let me go. “You broke his heart. I don’t think he’s ever gotten over it.”
“What should I do?” I asked.
He glanced over at his truck, and then at the road Cole disappeared down. “Give him time. Let me take you home, and then I’ll go over and talk to him.” His eyes landed on mine. “Sooner or later, he’ll come around.”
Nodding, I followed him to his truck and got in. I had my doubts about Cole coming around, but I had to try. I wasn’t going to leave Dusty Valley until I told him everything, even if it was too late.
Chapter 9
Cole
Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.
I always knew Aubrey’s path and mine would collide one day, but I definitely wasn’t ready for it. For years I closed myself off from my feelings, but the second she came into town, they all hit me in the fucking face. I’d seen her on TV, winning her many awards, but seeing her in person hurt on a deeper level. It killed me to walk away from her, but I was so damn pissed. Ten years of pent-up emotions that I hadn’t been able to deal with were bursting out of me. I didn’t know how to cope with it.
Pulling into my driveway, I slammed on the brakes and hopped out. My chest felt like it’d been ripped wide open. I stormed inside my house and went straight for the liquor, knowing it wasn’t the way to deal with the issue. Turning up the bottle of the whiskey, I gulped down a couple of chugs. It burned the whole way down to my stomach, but it took the edge off. I don’t know how long I sat at my kitchen bar, staring at the half-drunk bottle before my brother’s voice echoed from behind.
“Has she already driven you to drinking?”
I turned around, and there was my brother, standing in the kitchen doorway. Gaze narrowed, I slammed the bottle on the counter. “How could you not tell me she was in town?”
Bennett sighed and lowered his head. “I’m sorry. There was no time.” Then he looked over at me. “After I ran into her at the fair, I took her to where she was staying and we started talking. She told me the truth about everything. You need to let her explain.”
I threw my arms in the air. “Like it’s going to make me forget the last ten years.” When Aubrey said she was filled with regret and guilt, I was too. I’d hated myself for not doing what I should’ve done when she left. Grabbing the bottle of whiskey, I set it on the kitchen table and sat down. Bennett sat across from me, his accusatory stare right on mine. We both knew Aubrey wasn’t the only one to blame.
“You two have a lot of talking to do, brother,” Bennett said. “I understand if you’re mad, and that’s okay, but you owe it to each other to work this out.”
I shook my head. “We can’t just turn back time.”
Bennett’s lips pulled up in a sly grin, and he shrugged. “Maybe not. Then again, it might be best you move on for good. That way, I can have Aubrey all to myself. If you don’t want her, I’d be happy to take her off your hands. We both know I’m better looking.”
A feeling I hadn’t felt in a long time ignited in my veins. Jealousy. Bennett knew better than to take what was mine. And there it was…the stark realization hitting me upside the head. I’d tried to convince myself for years that I was over Aubrey, but in fact I was still in love with her, no matter how much I wanted to hate her for leaving. I hated myself more for not following her, even when she told me not to.
I pointed a finger at Bennett. “Better be glad I know you’re fucking around. I would’ve kicked your ass if you were someone else.”
Bennett burst out laughing and slapped a hand on the table. “I knew it! You are still in love with her.”
Huffing, I slid my chair back and stood. “No shit, asshole. You know I’ve tried to forget about her.” I’d dated women over the years, but none of them were like Aubrey. There was no one who could help me forget about her.
Bennett stood and took a step toward the door. “If you want to see her, she’s at the bed-and-breakfast. I don’t know how long she’s staying in town, but I imagine it won’t be long if you keep staying pissed at her. Don’t let any more time pass by.” Turning his back on me, he opened the front door and stepped out.
“Wait,” I shouted.
He glanced back at me, brows lifted. “What is it?”
“Has she been by her house?”
He nodded. “Yes, but I didn’t tell her anything about it. I thought you could be the one to do that.”
Once he was gone, I sat back down at the table with my whiskey. I took another swig and laid my head down. The room spun, and I groaned. I wanted to see Aubrey again, but I couldn’t confront her yet, being wasted. I just hoped I didn’t fuck things up.
* * *
—
I woke up early and took a hot shower to help with the massive hangover headache. Luckily, I didn’t have to work at the station. My plan was to find Aubrey. No matter how angry I was with her, there was no denying that I still had feelings for her. Seeing her only made those feelings stronger.
Getting into my truck, I drove straight over to Lavender Hills. It was still early, but I wanted to catch her before she took off. With my luck, she was probably already on a plane heading back to Hollywood. The owner of the B&B, Lori Hodge, was outside watering her flowers when I pulled up. She waved at me, and I lowered my window as she slowly walked over. Mrs. Hodge was pushing seventy, and the years had worn her down, but nothing would ever stop her from working in her garden.
“Good morning, young man. You’re out and about early this morning.”
I tipped my hat at her. “Yes, ma’am. I’m looking for Aubrey. Is she here?”
Her smile faded. “No, I’m sorry. She left about an hour ago.”
My stomach sank. I couldn’t let her leave. “Seriously? She’s already leaving town?”
She waved me off and laughed. “Oh no, I didn’t mean she left town. She helped me plant sunflowers this morning, and then told me she wanted to drive around for a while, maybe even visit her parents’ graves.” Her smile saddened as she stared at me. “I still can’t believe she left town a month before your wedding. Deep down, I always knew she’d come back. You two belong together.”
One of the downsides of living in a small town was that everyone knew everything. There wasn’t a single soul in Dusty Valley who didn’t know about Aubrey’s and my relationship. I tipped my hat at her again. “Thanks, Mrs. Hodge. I’ll try the cemetery first to see if she’s there.”
She waved and stepped out of the way. “Hope you find her. Have a good day.”
“You too.” I drove back onto the main road and headed straight for the cemetery. Dusty Valley was a small town, so it didn’t take long to get there. Aubrey was nowhere to be seen, but I could see a fresh set of flowers on both of her parents’ graves, showing that she had been there. The only other place I could think of her being at was Mathie’s café.
It was Sunday morning, so the place was going to be packed. Mathie’s was known for their Sunday brunch. I pulled up and there were only a couple of parking spaces left. When I got inside, there wasn’t a single vacant table. There was no sign of Aubrey either. Heather was behind the counter, fixing a pot of coffee. I took the only empty seat at the bar beside our chief of police, Grady Noble.
He finished off his last piece of bacon and held out his hand. “Haywood, it’s good to see you, buddy. How ya been?”
That caught Heather’s attention and she jerked around while I shook his hand. By the look on her face, I could tell there was something she needed to say to me. “Not too bad,” I said, focusing back on Grady. “You?”
He shrugged. “Can’t complain.”
Grady was in his late forties, and one of the best leaders of our police that we’d ever had. A lot of my high school chums worked under him. Heather stood in front of me and smiled. “Coffee, Cole?”
I nodded. “Sure. Thanks.”
Then she smiled over at Grady. “And the check for you?”
Grady grinned back. “Yes, please. I have to get back to the station.” He turned to me and patted my shoulder. “I hear your chief at the fire station is thinking about retiring. Think you’ll get the position?”
It’d been my hope to, but there were plenty of qualified guys to take it. “I’d love it if I did, but if not, I’m sure whoever does will be great.”
Heather set the bill in front of Grady and he stood, placing the money on top of it. He patted my shoulder one last time. “I’ve heard the guys talking. They want you, Haywood. I’ll keep my fingers crossed.”
“Thanks, Chief.”
Once he was gone, Heather came back over, grinning slyly. “I wondered if I’d see you in here this morning.”
“Oh yeah, why is that?”
Her grin widened. “You wouldn’t happen to be looking for Aubrey, would you? She told me all about what happened last night.”
Groaning, I hung my head. “Trust me, I’m not happy with the way I acted. It was a dick move.”
“That it was,” she agreed. I looked up at her and she shrugged. “What? It was. It took a lot of guts for her to come all this way and face you after all this time. I doubt I could’ve done what she did.”
It was more than I could say for myself. I wanted to fly out to Hollywood so many times, but as the years passed, I gave up. My pride stood in the way. Not to mention, I thought she’d changed. I’d seen her on TV with all those famous people, wearing her fancy gowns. What would she have wanted with me after that? Nothing. I was just a small-town firefighter.
I lifted my coffee and took a sip. “I wasn’t the only one she left, Heather. You were her best friend. Are you trying to tell me you weren’t at all upset with her?”
She shook her head. “It takes two to make a relationship work. If you recall, I was away at college when she left. We tried our best to keep in touch, but our lives went down different paths. Did I miss her? Of course. But now she’s back and it feels like nothing has changed. She’s still the same beautiful, spunky, kindhearted girl I knew in high school.” She glanced around at the customers before moving in close, her voice softer. “We’ve all made mistakes, Cole. She’s trying to fix hers. I respect her for that, and I’m glad she’s back.”
“Yeah, but for how long? She’s not going to stay forever,” I said.
“Maybe. Maybe not. Either way she’s here. Don’t waste the time you have.”
I had no fucking clue what to do. Even if Aubrey and I got back on good terms, there was no way in hell she’d stay in Dusty Valley permanently. She had an amazing life in Hollywood that only a fool would give up. She’d never leave that for me. “Do you happen to know where she is right now?” I asked.
Heather shook her head. “She didn’t say.”
“What car was she in?”
With pursed lips, she looked out the window as if trying to remember. “It was some kind of silver SUV. I didn’t get a good look at it.”
I finished my coffee and handed her the money. “Thanks, Heather. I’m sure I’ll find her.” Once outside, I glanced up and down the road. The first place that popped into my mind was her house, but since she didn’t own it, I doubted she’d be there. “Think,” I said out loud. “Where would she be?”
And then it hit me. I knew exactly where to look.
Chapter 10
Aubrey
“What are you going to do now?” Emilia asked.
Taking a deep breath, I situated myself on one of the giant limbs of the oak tree and looked up. I used to be able to climb all the way to the top when I was a kid. “Right now, I’m going to hang out in a tree.”
She burst out laughing. “A tree?”
I could almost imagine Cole straddling the limb and facing me like he always would when we’d come to our secret spot and talk. “I probably shouldn’t even be at this place, since Cole’s not exactly thrilled I’m here. It’s his family’s land.”
“Oh, so you’re trespassing? Nice. I knew there was a bad girl streak in you.”
Rolling my eyes, I leaned my head against the tree trunk. “You’d be surprised if you knew of all the things I’d done. I used to be adventurous back in the day.” There weren’t many crazy things you could do in our small town that would qualify as adventurous. However, I did skinny-dip a time or two and chase a couple of tornadoes. I was obsessed with the Storm Chasers TV show.
“Well, it’s a good thing you’re finding yourself again. When are you going to go back to your bucket list?”
There were so many places I wanted to see, but I had plenty of time. “Soon,” I said. “I think I’m going to stay around here for a while. It’s been nice catching up with old friends.”
Emilia cleared her throat. “Do you mind if I join you?”
That caught me by surprise. “Seriously? What about the movie?”
She sighed. “Between you and me, I don’t think the producer and the director are getting along. Everything is being put on hold right now. Don’t be surprised if you get a phone call asking you to reconsider.”
That was not what I wanted to hear. Directing movies was my passion, and it was already hard enough turning it down before. “I hope they don’t,” I confessed. If things didn’t go well with Cole I didn’t know if I’d have the strength to turn it down. Working everything out with Cole was my only focus at the moment.
“What if they offer you double the money? You still going to turn it down?” Emilia asked.
Groaning, I closed my eyes. “I don’t know anything right now.” The wind made the leaves rustle, and I looked up at them. Soon they’d be turning colors once the cooler weather came.
“I’m serious about coming out there, Aubrey. I miss you. Besides, I’d love to meet this old boyfriend of yours and smack some sense into him.”
I burst out laughing. “I’d like to see that. Are you sure it’s a good idea? The town will probably go crazy with a celebrity being in their midst.”
“You’re a celebrity too, and you’re doing just fine,” she said.
Thankfully, it wasn’t like that here. The people of Dusty Valley treated me as if I was still the same Aubrey as before, not a successful world-renowned director. However, Emilia on the other hand…
