Call Me Michigan (22 page)

“You’re worried about him, aren’t you?”

She lowered her eyes. “You worry about Ash, don’t you? It doesn’t matter that he could’ve never held my heart the way you do. He was still a friend I shared a few years of my life with. Of course, I worry, and it won’t ever change. What bothers me, though, is that Andrew loved money. Seriously, he lived and breathed wealth. He could’ve sold the business, and I would’ve been none-the-wiser. Why didn’t he? Instead, he gave it all to me, but the little bit that I got from him for my part of the business.”

“Which, by the way, is ridiculously little, considering what it clearly was worth,” he scolded, and she shrugged.

“I didn’t want it. I just needed money to tide the farm over in the beginning if I messed up. Nothing else.” God, she was too damn perfect.

“Did you mean that with the shared account?” He cupped her cheek, making sure she met his eyes.

“Of course. Someone needs to spend all your money on books and decorations.” She grinned but then sobered. “Mason, with us, it’s all in or nothing at all. If we get married, we share a house, a bank account, and a family. If that’s not what you want, you might as well make me leave right now,” she demanded, her jaw set.

“I want at least two children with you. A boy and a girl.” He named his conditions, and she beamed.

“Family,” she repeated, and he leaned in, kissing her hard on her mouth. Never, in all his years, had he expected that a relationship could feel as this one did.

“So I need to get into town, and you need to finish cooking.” He grinned, getting up with her on his arm before putting her down on her own two feet.

“Deal,” she agreed, giving him one of those smiles that would forever warm him, no matter what would come their way.

they had to stop and talk to you, making sure you knew how much they appreciated and loved you. Sunburn took ‘love your neighbor’ to a whole new level during the holidays. Mason rarely was hugged as much as he was on that day. One more day to go until Christmas Eve; he was excited to bring home gifts and make everyone happy.

He had forbid Taylor to buy anything for anyone because her money would pay some of Becca’s college education if not all of it. He had a feeling, though, his stubborn fiancée wouldn’t really listen.

Making his way to the grocery store, he pulled out the list Taylor and his mom had compiled. He nearly groaned as he realized that he’d probably need two carts to get everything he saw on it. The store was filled to the brim with patrons, and while he didn’t mind, it just meant more small talk and hugs.

“Mason Stiles. One of the best guys I ever got the chance to teach.” Mrs. Crook, an old lady with white hair and a friendly smile, approached him. She had been his teacher throughout high school, always pushing him to do better. Only it hadn’t been her initiative that had gotten him where he was now. That had been Taylor.

“Mrs. Crook, hey,” he greeted, giving her a beaming smile. She still had been his favorite teacher ever, and only during her class had he bothered to really listen. “How are you doing?”

She patted his chest, clearly happy to see him. “I’m peachy, boy. My daughter and her family came to town, and she’ll be cookin’. In fact, she already invaded my kitchen, so I needed to get out of the house. My son and family will be here tonight, and so will my second daughter. The house will be stuffed with people like we stuff the turkey on Thanksgiving.” She shook her head, looking as if she regretted having them all over, but Mason could see that this wasn’t true. She was clearly excited, her cheeks flushed and her eyes shining.

“How many people are we talking?” he asked, taking the time to talk to her even though he wanted to go home and just be with his family.

“Fifteen so far. Suzy’s been trying to get my sister and my brother to come, too. And then they’d probably bring their grandchildren. Of course, at some point, not everyone could stay at my house anymore. And you, Mason? Celebrating with that beautiful fiancée of yours?”

Mason nodded, feeling a blush creep up his cheeks as he realized that the whole damn town probably knew every little bit of their story. “Yes, Ma’am. She’s bringing her sister and her brother over and we’ll just mix the families,” he told her, and she nodded slowly, her expression going soft.

“The Collins kids need a family. It’s a shame what Bonnie and Wayne Collins did to their kids. Pressuring a young girl so much that she doesn’t see any other choice than to leave her hometown and never return.” She shook her head in regret. “I had Taylor in class, and then her sister, Tamara. Bright kids. Taylor was such a nice and outgoing person. Everyone wanted to be better for her. Tamara was the total contrary of her sister, though, always quiet, somewhat subdued. Not having her sister around hurt her bad,” Mrs. Crook mused, and Mason had no doubt about that.

“Taylor is back to correct that mistake,” Mason whispered, and the old teacher’s head snapped up.

“Mistake? If she hadn’t left, nothing would be saving the family now. Bonnie and Wayne never were meant to stay together. If Taylor had stayed back, letting her father and mother push her into a role she didn’t want, you wouldn’t have a fiancée now, boy. There’d be nothing left of the girl you fell in love with. Destiny is what it is. You wouldn’t be here now if Taylor had stayed. She would’ve destroyed herself over her family, and you probably would’ve left town because you wouldn’t be able to see that. No. Taylor and Tamara came out stronger on the other side, and that’s what matters. So how is Taylor doing with your daughter?”

Mason wasn’t the least bit surprised that people were curious about that. “What do you think?”

“Is she already calling her mom?” The old lady winked, and Mason took a deep breath.

“She is. It didn’t take that long, and I don’t think it bothers Taylor is at all. She’s doing everythin’ a mother should be doing. Sometimes, I think Becca loves her more than she loves me.” He grinned and Mrs. Crook chuckled.

“No wonder. People always preferred her to you,” she teased, and he couldn’t help but laugh.

“She always has been amazin’,” he agreed and then checked his watch. “Okay, I gotta run, or said woman is gonna hurt me when I get home.” He winked, and his old teacher reached up and patted his cheeks.

“You’re a good man, Mason. Take care of the Collins kids. They deserve a happy life,” she mumbled, and he nodded, promising that he had no other intentions.

His phone buzzed in his pocket, and he sighed. It was most likely Taylor, wondering where he got lost, so instead of answering, he filled his cart and hurried to the checkout. Once finished, he pushed his cart toward his truck, patting down his pockets to find his car keys. It took a moment until he spotted Brad. His smartass greeting died on his lips as he saw the pale face of his best friend.

“What’s wrong?” he asked, starting to load the truck with the shopping bags.

“Your Christmas is going to take a turn for the worse,” Brad predicted, and Mason snorted.

“Taylor doesn’t cook that bad,” he replied, and Brad grabbed his arm, halting his movements.

“How about you take me serious for a second, Mase?”

“How about you tell me what got your panties in a twist, and I might actually be able to?” he snapped, feeling how the tension rolling off Brad infected him, too.

“Dude, this isn’t exactly … I had hoped someone else might have informed you already. I don’t wanna be the ass to deliver bad news,” Brad confessed, and Mason swallowed, uneasiness settling in his stomach.

“Bad news?”

“What could possibly ruin Christmas for you?”

As much as Mason wasn’t ready to play games, he sighed, putting serious thought into it. “If Taylor wasn’t there,” he finally replied.

“Or cryin’ the whole time?” his best friend suggested.

“I don’t like where this is going,” he admitted, and Brad closed his eyes before gritting his teeth.

“Mason, oh my God, I’m so glad I caught you before you went back home.” Ashley joined them, being out of breath from hurrying over. “Have you told him?” she asked toward Brad, her brows raised in annoyance.

“I was working up to. This isn’t easy to say,” his best friend defended himself.

“You just don’t have the balls to,” Ashley snapped. “Bonnie Collins has been seen back in town. Down at the gas station, she told the other patrons she was here to reclaim her family.”

Clearly, Ash had no problem holding back, making Mason feel as if the breath had been knocked out of him.

“When?”

Ash shrugged. “I just heard. Probably this mornin’ or late last night. I couldn’t get a hold of Taylor, but then I don’t know how she’ll react. I’m … Jesus, Mason, what are we going to do?”

He shook his head, not having an answer. “Maybe she’s amicable.”

“She cleared out her daughter’s whole room two days after she left town. She left her family. Mason, no matter what she thinks she is, do you honestly expect Taylor to be happy? Tamara? Tim?”

No, Mason didn’t. This spelled disaster more clearly than anything else ever could.

“I gotta go. I at least wanna be there in case she shows up. Lucky break that we decided to celebrate on our farm,” he decided, hoping it was true. Maybe, just maybe, it would give him enough time to prepare Taylor and her siblings for what was waiting for them soon.

***

Taylor heard the doorbell ring and saw Stella move, but Tim was quicker, already reaching for the doorknob.

“I got it, Grandma,” he called while pulling open the door. Taylor didn’t see him anymore, but she heard the snarl that answered his statement.

“She’s not your grandma, son. But hi, big boy!”

Taylor moved up against the wall, seeing from across the room how Stella all but flew off the couch and then briskly walked toward where Taylor’s little brother stood, most likely paralyzed.

“Hey, Timmy, why don’t you go and let me handle that?” Stella asked gently, and it didn’t take long before Timmy came around the corner, throwing himself into Taylor’s waiting arms. She hugged the boy while listening intently to what transpired at the front door.

“Bonnie Collins. Never thought I’d see you again,” Stella chided.

“Just here because I cannot get into my own house. Since my son is here, I have no doubt at least one of my daughters is too. May I speak to either of them?”

“I’m babysitting your son since Tamara is away at college, and Taylor actually has stuff to do, no matter what you think.”

Tim still sobbed into her shoulder, and Taylor wondered if she should be stepping forward.

“It’s interesting how you speak about my kids. As if they aren’t mine, but yours in fact,” Bonnie pointed out.

“I’d ask you in, but we are gearing up for Christmas, and while we used to be somethin’ akin to friends, you lost that privilege when you treated your daughter as if she was the pariah for wanting her own life.”

“I’m not sure you’re in a position to judge me and my family. Just because your boy never was smart enough to have any bigger dreams than this, you don’t need to attack me,” Bonnie replied. Taylor didn’t care when she was the one put down, but attacking Mason? That was out of the question.

“Go and get yourself some ice cream,” she whispered to her brother before straightening herself and marching over to the front door.

“Mother,” she greeted her, deliberately putting a sharp edge into the word. “It’s funny how you judge me for leaving and Mason for staying. In case you didn’t realize, he’s EMT and a helicopter pilot while taking care of the family farm. The only real disappointment here is you since I had an amazing business I had to sell in order to return to take care of the family you clearly never wanted.”

“A family you left.”

“I didn’t leave the family, Mother. I left you. You were the one telling me that either I take care of the farm, or you never wanted to see me again.” Taylor was surprised that she actually managed to keep her voice calm.

“You never returned when I left, so I guess it couldn’t only have been me,” her mother goaded, but Taylor lazily leaned against the doorframe, watching her mother. She was acting less affected than she felt, and to her surprise, it seemed to work, too.

“Tamara and Timothy were taken care of, and I had a business to run. Besides, I returned to them the moment they needed me. And now, if you wouldn’t mind –”

“Did he finally take you, Taylor? The boy you’ve been so smitten with since high school? Were you finally good enough?”

Taylor knew it was a low blow, and her mother tried to get a reaction out of her, but she told herself not to react.

“Mommy!” Taylor closed her eyes as Becca called from the top of the stairs, coming down with a naked, glittering doll and a beaming smile on her face. No matter what her mother would now say or think, Taylor refused to ignore the little girl.

“Hey sweetie,” she whispered, kissing Becca. She picked her up as Mason’s daughter stretched her arms.

“Betsy and Loony aren’t friends anymore. Can Betsy sleep with Daddy and you?” It was incredible how children could be oblivious to tension inside a room.

“I’d ask you inside, Mother, but it’s not my house, and you’re clearly not welcome.” Taylor arched a brow at Stella, who stood rigidly behind her, arms crossed in front of her chest and a hostile expression on her face. “And while we’re at it, the other house is mine, and you aren’t welcome there, either. It’s what happens when you neglect your family, Mother. Things change owners out of necessity. How about you go to a bed and breakfast and maybe, if you’re really nice, we’ll talk to you when we see you on the street?”