Below the Line (9 page)

Her voice was rough when she was finally able to speak. “I have never once thought that you were anything like your step-father. I knew that no matter how hard I pushed you or hurt you that you would never react with violence. You’re honest, but not cruel.

“I was the one lying to myself, Nate. You had your reasons for pushing women away, and I had mine for pushing men away. However, my reasons were selfish and childish. Hurt them before they hurt me. Leave before they left. Never be the one who got dumped. I have never once taken into consideration what I might be doing to the people I left behind. Not just the men I slept with but the possible friends that I abandoned the moment a shoot was over. I thought I didn’t have room for anyone else in my life. I thought I was happy and free of burdens, but in reality I was punishing myself for no good reason.”

“You didn’t want to get hurt, Marissa. Even I saw that. I thought if I pushed hard enough, you would give me a chance; but, pushing you wasn’t the right move. In the end, all that pressure caused you to run. That’s on me. I didn’t give you enough space to figure out what you wanted.” He pushed that same stray lock of hair off her face, shooting her a half smile. “I thought that just because I was ready to give a relationship a shot that the woman I was interested in should feel exactly the same way. That wasn’t really fair to you.”

“No, it wasn’t fair, but it sure as hell wasn’t fair of me to keep sending you mixed signals, either. I feel so horrible that I treated you like an experiment and then blamed you when you didn’t produce the desired results. I don’t even know what I wanted you to do. That’s the crazy thing. I wanted you but on my terms as usual, but my terms kept changing. When I came to the club that night and saw Kate all over you, I realized that I was the one with the unrealistic expectations. I pushed you away and then felt hurt by the thought that you could have actually moved on. That didn’t make any sense at all. Instead of confronting that hurt, I ran and avoided any responsibility in the mess I had made.”

The tears started again. This time she didn’t bother trying to stop them or wipe them away. Tears weren’t always bad.

“I ran all the way to Canada, you know. I got a room at a residential hotel. Every day I went to work, came back to that room, and sat on the balcony wondering why I felt so bad. I wondered why that place was so much colder than any other place I had ever been in.” She managed a smile through the tears. “When I decided to come back here, to see if you would forgive me, I realized that somewhere along the way, even in such a short amount of time, you had started to feel like home to me.”

His chest felt tight and that was a good thing. He tasted the salt of her tears on her lips and held her as tight as he could. “That’s all I’m asking of you right now, Marissa. I want this place, and me, to be what you come back to when the job is done. I want you to
want
to come back here to me. To know that I will be here, waiting and okay with that.”

There it was, in his eyes. Something she had always thought would send her running for the hills. He was offering it to her straight out and with no doubt in his words. Funny, the last thing she felt like doing was running. Wrapping her arms around him, she threw her leg over his and proceeded to show him how much she wanted to stay.

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

“Are you ready?”

Marissa took a deep breath and slid her arm through his. “As ready as I’ll ever be.” One more deep breath. “Let’s do this.”

They started down the walkway, hearts racing and mouths a little dry. Adrenaline poured into their systems. The roar of many engines filled the air. It was time.

The wind picked up and blew her hair around, for a minute blocking him from her sight. She felt just a half-second of panic, as she climbed on the bike that had been customized just for this moment.
Am I really ready?

Her mind wandered back over the past seven months. Nate had been more than true to his word. No matter where she had roamed, he was steady, faithful, and waiting on her to return. He was always happy to have her home and never once condemned her for her work. He loved to hear about her adventures, and she loved the feeling of having a place to call home.

Of course, he had come with her on some of her adventures. The opening of one of her movies in New York. A small shoot in Seattle. He had been her rock when one of her crew was hurt filming a stunt in Vancouver. Having friends had been a new experience, too; so, feeling pain for her friend had been a little overwhelming.

All in all, it had been wonderful. Nate was tough, no doubt, but his softer side showed itself more and more often. Flowers were waiting when she got home. Meals were eaten together by candlelight outside by the pool. There were many nights of slow, easy loving that made her feel cherished.

The words weren’t important, but she knew that she was ready to say them. For all of her protesting that she didn’t need anyone, she had found that needing someone made you strong, not weak.

A tap on her shoulder brought her back to the present. “You aren’t concentrating, Marissa. That could get us both hurt.” His smile was as cocky as ever, throwing a version of her long ago words back at her.

“You just be ready and waiting at the end of this road and we’ll be fine.” She pulled her helmet on over the bulk of her hair, shot him a thumbs up, and waited for the cameras to roll.

The group of biker extras roared around them. The complicated rigging with their bikes and the camera attached moved along a track at a quick pace. The man sitting in front of her was ready, and she made her move, pulling her legs under her and pushing up to a crouch. The man in front of her, one of her crew that she trusted explicitly, reacted by grabbing her jacket, making it look like he was trying to restrain her when he was actually giving her support so she could stand.

Nate was focused and ready. They had practiced this over and over, and there was no way he would mess this up and risk hurting her. His hand was steady and dry. His heart still raced, but he was prepared for that and tried slowing his breathing to compensate. Marissa had taught him that.

It was time. He reached his hand out, no longer needing to act worried because this was the critical moment when everything could go wrong. He looked from Marissa to the road. Her hand grasped his, and he let out a breath.

Marissa stood and shrugged her jacket off, the only moment in the stunt where she would be totally on her own until her hand grasped Nate’s. Her fingers slid into his palm, and he gripped hers tight, solid. She had to fight to keep a smile off her face and ruin the shot. Her eyes locked with Nate’s, and she took the leap. Just like they practiced, he pulled her arm up and over his shoulder so she could grip his neck. She let her left foot slip slightly knowing the right was locked on and not moving. It was all for show. A little breath of danger to thrill the audience.

She dropped down behind Nate, releasing his neck and wrapping her arms around his waist. Her face was hidden behind his back so that when Kate stepped in to take her place the shot would look seamless. Her heart raced in triumph when the director yelled cut and the rigging came to a stop.

Nate jumped off the bike, grabbed Marissa off the seat and hugged her tight to his body. He cheered loudly, “We did it!” He spun her around and around, making them both dizzy. His laughter was infectious and soon he had her giggling. He kissed her soundly on the lips, not caring who was watching or what they may think of them. This was their moment, and it had gone perfectly.

This
was
the moment. She knew it. She could feel it brewing in her chest. He was beyond excited and high on adrenaline. There would never be another moment more perfect.

Wrapping her legs around his waist, she pulled his head close so he would be able to hear her clearly over the cheers of the extras and crew around them. One deep breath, then another. She was calm, filled with hope and visions of a real future with everything she had never hoped to have but secretly wanted more than anything. Her voice was clear and true when she said, “I love you, Nate Bodrum.”

He went completely still. She could feel his heart, which had begun to slow slightly, kick back up. His breath was ragged and short. She began to worry that she had chosen the wrong moment.

Nate was sure that he had imagined her words. It was the excitement, the adrenaline tricking him into thinking she had said something he had longed to hear her say. Something he had longed to say to her for months. Still, his body reacted as if the words had been real, and he had to take a moment to seek out reality. Pulling back enough to look her in the eyes, eyes that held a sheen of happy tears, he asked, “Say that again.”

“I. Love. You.” Each word was enunciated to the extreme, her smile letting him know that it was real. She could see the moment it hit him. Could see the light that burst from him, warming her through and through.

“I have waited months to hear that. I love you, Marissa. I don’t ever want you to doubt that.” He put her down and cupped her cheeks in his hands, kissing her so gently that those tears that had been trembling on her lashes flowed over. Neither of them noticed that the crew and the extras had gone silent.

He dropped down on both knees, hands that had been steady just moments ago shaking so badly that he couldn’t help but laugh. This time it was Marissa who was frozen in place.

He fumbled a black velvet box from his pocket and opened it to reveal an antique ring with a flat setting that was perfect for her. “Will you please marry me?”

She couldn’t speak.
Yes
was on the tip of her tongue, but she couldn’t find the breath to speak it. So, she nodded. Enthusiastically. He stood and had her back in his arms while everyone around them started cheering for a different kind of celebration.

He slid the ring on her finger and sealed his promise to love her and be there for her― and always, always be her home.

Read on for an excerpt from
Collision Course
, Book 1 of the
Nine Devils MC
by Candice Owen

Now, a sneak peek at
Collision Course

Book 1 of
The Nine Devils MC
series

CHAPTER ONE

“Aguilar’s,”
Rose says when she answers the phone, identifying the restaurant that bears her name.

“Rose?”

“This is Rose Aguilar. How may I help you?”

“Rose… this is Melina. Melina Scholly.”

“Melina! How are you? I haven’t heard from you in ages.”

“Oh, Rose…” the woman gasps into the phone. “Tim has been killed. I thought…”

“What?” she yelps. “Oh, Melina… I’m so sorry! How?”

Rose waits while Melina gets herself under control. “He was shot, Rose. Murdered this morning. Outside the restaurant.”

Rose sits in shocked silence. Things like this just don’t happen in the community of Eagle Valley. Melina has two lovely children, Michael and Kimberly, one three and the other not quite one. Both of them are about to grow up without a father.

“Melina… I can’t tell you how sorry I am. Is there anything I can do? Anything at all?”

She waits as Melina tries to get her sobs under control. “I hate to ask…”

“Melina…” Rose says warmly. “We’ve been friends forever. If I can do it, you know I will.”

“I need someone to run the restaurant for a few days. Just until things settle down. I’m sorry to have to ask…”

“I will be happy to help you, Melina,” she interrupts. “Can you manage for a day or two until I can get there?”

Rose can hear the relief in Melina’s voice. “Yes. Of course. I can’t thank you enough, Rose. I hate to be a burden. I know you have your own…”

“Hush now,” Rose says kindly. “It is no burden. My assistant managers can run the place for a few days. I’ll be there tomorrow evening some time. Don’t worry about this, okay? You worry about yourself.”

“Thank you Rose. Thank you so much!” Melina gushes. “Will you stay with me? Please? I could use the company. I feel like I am going out of my mind and…”

“Of course. I would love to. Anything I can do to help. Hang in there, Melina. I know it is hard right now, but it will get better. I promise.”

Melina is quiet for a moment before Rose hears a great gasping sob. “I have to go Rose. I haven’t called Tim’s parents yet. I’m dreading making that call.”

“Do you want me to do it?” Rose offers.

“No… I can do it. It’s just going to be so hard…”

“I know, Melina. I know…” she comforts as she begins to struggle with her own tears.

“Thank you, Rose. I couldn’t ask for a better friend,” Melina says.

“Same here,” Rose murmurs as she hears the line go dead.

She sits at her desk, staring at the walls. Tim Scholly… murdered. Tim was the nicest guy you could ever meet. A friend to everyone. Why anyone would want to kill him is beyond her.

Rose gathers herself and wipes her eyes before picking up the phone and dialing both her managers. She needs to let them know they are going to have to pick up the slack while she is gone.

***

After meeting with her managers early the next afternoon, Rose heads north on US-95 to Eagle Valley, Nevada. It has been a couple of years since she has made the six hour drive home to the community located right outside of Carson City. Not really a town, more like a loose gathering of homes for people that work in Carson City—and the businesses that support them—Eagle Valley was her home until she left to find her own way.

It is going to be like old times, going back to the restaurant she worked in until she left for college. She, Tim, Melina, and Joseph Warner—they were best friends and the core group of high school kids that had served as waiters and busboys for her parents’ restaurant,
The Green Goose…
or as the locals call it, the
Goose.
Her parents had sold the restaurant to Tim less than a year ago when they had retired to Florida.

When her parents announced they were retiring they had offered her the
Goose
but she had already graduated from UNLV with a degree in business and hospitality management and had opened her own restaurant,
Aguilar’s
, in Los Vegas.

Where
Aguilar’s
is upscale, open for dinner only, and catering to the well-heeled, the
Goose
is open from five am until ten pm every day, serving simple meals at reasonable prices. Tim, who had worked up from busboy to assistant manager, had expressed an interest when her parents had decided to sell and Rose was thrilled that the restaurant had all but stayed in the family.

She hasn’t been home since her mom and dad had announced their plans to sell and retire, and despite the circumstances, she is looking forward to meeting her old friends. But poor Melina… Rose had worked it out with her two managers to be gone for about thirty days with just the occasional visit back to Vegas to handle any problem that might need her attention. By then Melina should be back on her feet and can take over the restaurant if she chooses. She had worked there for a long time before quitting to raise her family and Rose is confident that once she is over the shock of Tim’s unexpected death, that she will be fine and the
Goose
will be in good hands.

She slows as she cruises past the
Goose
on the way to Melina’s house
,
it’s lights off, closed because of the tragedy just past. She is saddened to see the dark restaurant. Not only because it is due to the death of her long-time friend, but also because the lights are so rarely out at the
Goose.
As she drives past she sets her jaw in determination. The
Goose
will be open for breakfast tomorrow morning at five am, just like always, if there is any way she can make it happen.

Less than ten minutes later, Rose parks her BMW in the drive of her childhood home. When the Scholly’s bought the
Goose,
they took it as a package deal with her parents’ nearby house. It was good deal for Tim and Melina because they were able to obtain the larger home their growing family needed, and they could live only eight miles from their livelihood. It was also a good deal for her Mom and Dad, allowing them to make a clean break and unload their house at the same time as the restaurant. She smiles as she pulls her suitcase from the back of the car. Except for being painted a pale yellow instead of tan, the place looks exactly the same as the last time she saw it.  

Greg Scholly, Tim’s father, opens the door at Rose’s ring. “Rose,” he says. “I’m so glad you could make it. I’m sorry it is under these circumstances.”

Greg seems to be holding up well, but his eyes are sunken and red. “I’m sorry for your loss Mr. Scholly.”

He nods and his face twists as he struggles not to cry. “Won’t you come in?” he asks brusquely after clearing his throat, stepping back and opening the door wider before taking her bag.

“Oh, Rose…” Melina says quietly, entering from the kitchen, hugging her fiercely.

Rose tries, she really does try, but she can’t hold her tears, her heart breaking over Melina’s grief at the loss of her husband… and her own at the loss of a dear friend.

“Melina… I’m so sorry for you,” Rose gasps.

Melina weeps softly for a moment before releasing Rose and wiping her eyes. “Thank you, Rose. It’s been so hard.”

Rose wipes her own eyes. “I can’t imagine what you must be going through. How can I help?”

“You just being here helps,” Melina says, trying to smile. “I knew I could count on you.”

“I’m here for you Melina,” Rose says. “Anything you need, just tell me.”  

Rose hugs Melina’s family, then Tim’s, weeping with them briefly and offering what words of support she can. No parent expects to outlive their child and Rose can tell Mr. and Mrs. Scholly are devastated by their loss. After Rose is settled in Tim and Melina’s parents leave, with Melina’s parents taking the children for the evening.

Rose then takes over the duties of answering calls and speaking with well-wishers. The grief in the house is palpable, but Rose holds her own tears, trying to be strong for Melina. They sit together and talk. There is a lot of crying and some laughing as they remember Tim and the time they spent together as kids and young adults. They reminisce over how it had been Rose that gave Tim a swift kick in the ass to ask Melina out for the first time during their junior year of high school, and they laugh about the merciless teasing that Rose and Joseph had to endure after Tim had caught them making out in the storeroom.

As they talk Rose learns that Melina wants to sell the
Goose
. Though she is saddened by the news, she can understand why. Running a restaurant is more than a full-time job, and trying to do that while raising two small children would be a nearly impossible task. The
Goose
is a well-established and respected part of the community so they shouldn’t have any problem finding an interested buyer within the thirty-day window that Rose has set aside. Tomorrow she will call her dad, find out who else was interested in the
Goose
when he sold it to Tim
,
and start making some calls.

When Melina finally falls asleep on the couch, Rose carefully covers her with a throw then retires to her own bed. Her restaurant doesn’t open until four in the afternoon and is open until one in the morning. Some mornings she is just getting to sleep when she will have to get up to have the
Goose
open at five. Rose sighs as she settles into bed. These first few mornings are going to
suck.