Travis's Gift, page 6
“Sit down, Lucas! You know I cook enough for eight of ya’ll each time I cook,” Maia scolded.
“I don’t want to be any trouble, Reigna,” Lucas said.
“Good. Then sit down,” she snapped. Maia filled the bowl with gumbo and rice, then placed it in the microwave before taking several hunks of buttered French bread out of the refrigerator and placing them in the microwave for the last few seconds to warm them, too. She placed the bread and the gumbo in front of Lucas who’d sat in his usual spot. Then she handed him a spoon and took a seat across from him.
“So, what has you so down?” she asked.
Lucas spooned up a bite of gumbo and moaned appreciatively. “Oh, man. This is so good,” he remarked.
“Thanks. Now, why are you so down?” she repeated.
“No reason in particular,” he lied.
Maia called him on it. “Lie,” she said simply.
Lucas’s eyes snapped up to meet her gaze. Slowly a grin formed on his perfect, pouty lips.
“It’s not a big deal. It’ll pass,” he said.
“I’m sure it will. Especially since she’s not your mate,” Maia said.
“Some species don’t know a mate on sight. They choose their mate, and become addicted to them over time,” Lucas said.
“I know. And I know that’s how Kodiak Bears operate. But she still isn’t yours. She’s Travis’s. Always has been,” Maia said.
“Then he should have treated her better,” Lucas said, taking a bite of French bread that he’d dunked in his gumbo.
“I agree. But, for whatever reason, he seems to have gotten himself together. If there’s a chance for them, you have to let her take that chance. Libby’s never gotten over Travis — as much as she denies it, she still loves him. If she was interested in a future with you, she’d have moved past the friend zone with you a long time ago.”
“I know that,” Lucas said. “Really, I do,” he added, looking up at Maia’s disbelieving expression. “She’s a friend, a close friend, and I’ve held her while she cried over him so many damn times. And yeah, maybe I’ve been getting a little too close to her. Been spending too much time with her, but I know the difference between becoming comfortable with her and being in love with her. Don’t get me wrong. I love her, I do. But I love her, I’m not in love, there is a difference. I miss her. I miss someone to watch television with, someone to eat dinner with. You know?” he asked, looking at Maia.
“I do know. And you’ll meet that special someone. You’ll run into her in town, or on the job, or in the diner one day when she stops for gas. It’ll happen,” Maia encouraged.
Lucas nodded. “I didn’t know that was what I wanted. I never, ever wanted to be mated before. In fact, I ran from it any time it looked like some female was trying to tie me down.”
Maia smiled. “Funny how the things we thought we’d never want are the things that end up meaning the most to us.”
“True,” Lucas agreed as he took another bite of his gumbo.
“You’re always welcome to have dinner with us. I don’t want any of you eating alone in your living rooms while staring blindly at the television. Come here after work each day. Just wash up and come on over. You hear?” she asked.
Lucas nodded. “I do. But I don’t want to be a nuisance,” he said.
“You’re not a nuisance. You’re part of our Pride. Until you find your mate, you will spend your evenings with us, you will have dinner with us. Now, if you want to have some alone time, that’s fine, too, but try to make it about fifty-fifty so I’m not out tracking your ass through the property at night to make sure you’re okay because I’ve not seen you in a couple of days,” Maia said with a grin and an eyebrow raised.
“Yes, Reigna,” Lucas answered chuckling.
~~~
Travis pushed the shopping cart behind Libby as she wandered the aisles of the grocery store. He smiled, content to simply follow his woman as she made her selections and placed them in his cart. She chose bananas, cocoa, nuts, chocolate chips, flour, sugar, food coloring, crystallized sugars and candy pearls for decoration, different flavors of coffees and all the ingredients to make a variety of banana bread, cookies, and sweet treats to go with the hot cocoa and the coffees they planned to offer. She even managed to find red and green marshmallows. When they moved to the checkout lane, she stood beside the cart, going over everything she’d placed in it to be sure that she’d not forgotten anything.
“I feel like I’m forgetting something,” she said to herself, more than to Travis.
“Whatever it is, I can run pick it up when you figure it out,” Travis said.
“We’ll need candy canes, too,” she said.
“Got them,” Travis answered.
“We did?” she asked, looking up at him.
“We did. Got them at the department store when we got the table cloths, five hundred cups - did we really need five hundred? — paper plates and napkins, all the glitter, ribbons, orange twine, sequins, and glue they had, and all the tempera paints and paintbrushes to go with them.
“Wipes! We’ll need wipes for when the kids get paint on their hands or their clothes,” Libby said.
“I got it,” he said, letting go of the basket.
“No, I’ll go. Could you start putting this on the conveyor?” she asked.
“Sure,” Travis answered, stepping around the basket to start putting their selections on the conveyor for the cashier to ring up.
A quick few minutes later and Libby was back, her arms loaded with non-bleach wipes so they’d be safe to clean the kids’ hands and clothes when they painted their ornaments.
After paying and loading it all in the back of Travis’s truck, they finally headed back to Travis’s house. They’d only driven a short while when Travis brought up the subject that she couldn’t get out of her head. His kiss in the feed store.
“Are we not going to talk about it?” he asked.
“Talk about what?” Libby answered, playing stupid.
“Our kiss,” Travis said.
“You mean your kiss,” Libby said.
“Our kiss. You kissed me back,” Travis answered with a tease in his voice.
“You were just putting ‘Little Miss I’m Better Than Everyone’ in her place,” Libby said softly.
“Is that what you think?” Travis asked.
“Does it matter?” Libby asked after an uncomfortable pause.
“For the record, Libby. Anytime I kiss you, it’s for one simple reason. I love kissing you. If I see an opportunity to allow me to kiss you, I’m kissing you.”
Libby rode along in silence for a few minutes before deciding to stop skirting the issues. If he brought ‘em up, she’d answer him truthfully. She was tired of the whole situation. Tired of pretending they didn’t know each other. Tired of pretending she was okay with him driving her out of his life. Tired of pretending that she only felt anger toward him. “It’s been a long, long time since you kissed me, Travis. There are a lot of opportunities you’ve intentionally passed up. Don’t forget, I was there, too. I know it for a fact.”
“You’re right. I did,” Travis agreed.
Neither said anything more until they made it to his house.
As he put his truck in park, and Libby reached for the door handle to get out, he finally spoke again. “It won’t be happening again.”
Libby froze with her hand on the door. “I didn’t think it would,” she answered.
“Fair warning. I will not allow another opportunity to kiss you to pass me by without taking full advantage of it,” he explained.
Libby whipped her head in his direction to find him grinning at her, before he got out of the truck and closed the door.
Libby got out and went to the bed of the truck where Travis was gathering bags to bring inside the house.
“Where are you taking those?” she asked.
“Inside,” he answered, lifting some of the bags over the side of the truck and turning toward home.
“No, I was taking them home to do all the baking there. I’ll just bring them back when I’m done. We can freeze the cookies and all, and thaw them as we need them. If we start running low, I’ll make more.”
“That makes no sense at all. Why take them to your house to make them, then have to bring them back. Just make them here,” Travis said.
“Because,” Libby answered, following Travis inside his house.
“Because why?” he asked, setting the bags on his kitchen counter and reaching for the ones she held in her hands. Travis placed the bags he’d taken from her on the counter beside the others and stood facing her with one hand on the counter top and another on his hip as he looked down at her.
“Because I’d rather cook in my own home. I’m not used to your kitchen,” Libby lied.
“You’ve cooked in my kitchen many, many times,” Travis pointed out.
“So. It’s been a while,” she answered defensively.
“It has. It’s been a while for a lot of things. Time for things to get straightened out,” Travis said, moving to step around her and go back to the truck for more bags.
“Like what things?” she asked, frustrated as she followed Travis back out to the truck.
“Like you not being here. Like me chafing at the bit every damn time I know you're spending the night with Lucas. Like you holding yourself apart from me even when we’re in the same room.” He spun on her and pulled her into his arms, pressing his lips to hers and forcing his tongue into her mouth to taste her again. After the kiss he gently pulled his mouth from hers. “Like me not being able to kiss you any damn time I get the urge,” he said, staring into her eyes and daring her to say it wasn’t time to change these things.
Libby swallowed audibly before daring to stand up to him. “All of this is a direct result of you shutting me out. Of you deciding that you didn’t want me, and driving me away. You made it clear what you did and didn’t want and forced me out of your life. All I did was give you what you wanted. I stopped fighting you.”
Travis raised a hand to her face and stroked his thumb across her cheekbone. “I was a fucking asshole. I was lost and I was hurting and my pride was broken. I believed I was less than a whole male. I thought I was doing what was best for you by giving you the opportunity to go find someone that could take care of you and not the other way around.”
“I never asked…” she started.
“I know that. I know you would have taken care of me every moment of every day for the rest of my life if it had been necessary. I just couldn’t saddle you with that responsibility. Instead of seeing that you made me stronger, I thought I made you weaker. I was so full of self-pity, self-loathing, I couldn’t see around it. And every time I let my defenses down and allowed myself to miss you, to need you, I’d start to reach out. Then I’d see you laughing with Cristie, or playing football with Riley and his Pride, having a water gun fight with Scotty, and I’d remember that there are things I can’t do, and I’d pull away again, trying to protect you from me. But I have learned that I can run, and I can fight like I used to. I can be what you need.” He looked away from her eyes briefly before looking up again. “I still don’t know if I can have kids or not. But if you want them, and I can’t, maybe we could adopt or something.”
“It is far too soon for that to even be a consideration,” Libby answered.
“I know, but I’m going for full disclosure here.”
“As of right now, I can’t see past the hurt, Travis.”
“I hurt you. I know that, and there’s no excuse.”
“You were a dick,” she said matter of factly.
“I was,” Travis agreed.
“You’re still a dick,” she said.
“Probably,” he said on a grin. “But, now I realize that I can still protect what’s mine. I can still contribute to life in almost every way I could before I was injured. And I’ve never stopped knowing that I loved you. I’ve not ever opened my eyes in the morning and not had you be the first thought in my head. You are my Mate. You’re everything, Libby. I was just too bullheaded to allow you in when I thought I wasn’t enough for you. I was afraid you’d spend your life taking care of me. I didn’t want that for you. I wanted you to have the male that you fell in love with. I wanted you to have the male that promised you forever.”
“And then snatched it away,” Libby said quietly.
“I know. I’m not denying the pain I’ve caused. There’s no excuse. I just want you to know my thought processes.”
“Your thought processes were so far off base,” Libby said. “You don’t walk away from people you love when they need you most. You don’t stop loving someone because they get injured, or get sick. And you making that decision for me was all kinds of wrong.”
“I know. And the words ‘I’m sorry’ will never be enough. But if you can forgive me, give me one little chance, you’ll see that I’ve found me again. You’ll see that I know I was wrong. My only regret is you; hurting you, not allowing you to be there for me, not following through with our plans.”
Libby shook her head slowly. “I’m afraid to trust you. What if you wake up tomorrow, or next week with the same ideas of saving me from you. I can’t take that chance, Travis.”
“It’s okay. I can be patient. You’ll see. And when you do, you won’t be afraid to trust me anymore.”
“I can’t and won’t promise you anything.”
“I can and am promising you everything.”
“I don’t want your promises,” Libby whispered.
“Too bad. They’ve already been made. I’m reclaiming my mate. I’m reclaiming our future. I will not settle for less. I love you, Libby. Always have. Even when shutting you out it was because I loved you.”
“And if I don’t agree?”
“I’ll hound you until I die. I tore apart our future, and your love for me. I won’t accept that it’s all gone. It just needs to be rebuilt. Hopefully, with time, you’ll trust me again.”
Chapter 8
Libby spent a sleepless night tossing and turning in her bed while thinking and rethinking every word Travis had said to her. There’d been a time when all she’d wanted were just a few of those very same words, but now… she simply wasn’t sure. Yes, they made her stomach flip, and lured her heart to dance at his words of love and commitment. But then her brain would join the mix and she’d start to feel nauseous, and lightheaded. The uneasy, terrified feeling that anxiety left her with rearing its ugly head. She was at odds with herself.
Giving up on sleep, Libby rose an hour early and got dressed. She waited until 5:30 A.M., knowing that even when Richie didn’t go in early, he was still up early, then she called him. She waited for a few rings until he answered.
“Hey, you good?” Richie said, concern clear in his voice.
“Yeah. I’m okay. Do you think you could do without me for a couple of days?” Libby asked.
“Yeah, definitely. Riley and the guys will finish up that roof this morning. Only had to put gutters on it. Then they’re taking a break until after the holidays. With them pitching in if needed, we’ve got this. What’s up?” he asked.
“You heard Travis talking about setting up the Christmas Village here for families to come to and cut down their Christmas trees?” Libby asked.
“Yeah,” Richie answered.
“I’m going to help him get everything ready. If you need me, just let me know. I will be there every minute that you need me to be, so let me know if you end up shorthanded and I’ll come to work, then go to Travis’s after. But I have a lot to do — baking, painting, decorating,” Libby said. “I want to make it as nice as it was when his parents used to do it.”
“Naw, we shouldn’t need you. Go ahead and help Travis. Sounds awesome. I can’t wait to come see it.”
“You promise you’ll let me know if you end up short handed for a shift?” Libby asked.
“I do.”
“Okay. If you need me, I’ll be there right away. Don’t hesitate to call me.”
“I’ll let you know, Libs. Have fun, and open your heart. Maybe we can come out on Sunday and see if you need our help,” Richie said.
“We hope to be opened on Friday. But yeah, come on out.”
“See you then if not before,” Richie said.
“Bye, Richie.”
Libby ended the call and laid her phone down on the coffee table. She’d made the decision to help Travis full time — at least until it was up and running. “That’s done,” she said, getting to her feet to go back into her bedroom and get dressed. Twenty minutes later she was in her jeep driving to Travis’s house.
~~~
Travis sat up and swung his legs over the side of his mattress. He reached for his prosthetic and strapped it on, before standing up to go to the bathroom and get dressed. He looked at himself in the mirror. “She’s going to trust you again,” he said quietly. Travis looked away from his reflection, brushed his teeth, then opened his bedroom door to go make coffee.
He was in the kitchen, and had just set the coffee pot and plugged it in when there was a knock at the front door. Travis looked at the time on the microwave and his forehead wrinkled. Who the hell would be here at 6:15 A.M.? He walked over toward the door and paused at the front window to pull the curtains back enough to peek out. His face broke into a wide smile as he hurried to unlock and open the door.
“Good morning,” he said, standing back and allowing plenty of room for Libby to enter.
“Morning. I have arrived. What are we doing first?” she asked.
“What about work?” Travis asked.
“I asked Richie for a few days off so I can help you get everything ready for Friday. We’ve only got three days,” she said.
“Thank you, Libby. I really appreciate it.”
“Not a problem. Now, what’s first?” she asked again.
“Coffee,” Travis said.
“Oh, thank god,” she said, walking in and placing her purse on the small side table near the door like she used to do. “I didn’t take the time to make any this morning.”
