Can't Always Get What You Want (40 page)

I take a breath. “Stalker,” I mutter, and he laughs.

“For years, I’ve felt so lost, always wanting more, or wanting what I didn’t have. But I realize now that when I’m with you, I have everything I need. Believe me when I say that you are enough.”

I lift his hand to my lips. “More than enough.”

Brett doesn’t say a word. His tongue darts out, wetting his lips; his forehead is lined in concentration. He’s been quiet too long.

He quietly removes his skates and retrieves his boots from a rack behind the bench. His movements are too precise, too mechanical.

“Brett? Are you okay?”

He stands in front of me, then swiftly scoops me into his arms.

“What are you doing?”

“Taking you home. With me.”

“But what about the skates? They’re rentals!” I say, my feet bobbing up and down midair. But even as I protest, I burrow into his chest, hoping I never, ever have to leave.

“Don’t care.”

“And my boots?” I giggle, pointing back at the boot rack.

“I’ll buy you ten pairs of boots if I have to. I just want you in my bed. Now.”

“In bed?” I squeak. “Are you dropping the no-sex rule?”

Please say yes, please say yes, please say yes.

He quirks up an eyebrow.

“Guess you’ll have to wait and find out.”

I take his face in my hands, and kiss him. A slow, romantic kiss, my lips discovering again just how wonderful it is to be pressed up against his.

“I love you, Sophie,” he murmurs against my neck.

“I love you too, Brett.”

And this time, I say it with my whole heart.

Epilogue

Aftermath

It’s spring. Brett and I are walking hand in hand through Hawrelak Park. Flowers are in bloom, the air buzzing with new life.

“Beautiful day, isn’t it?” I say, squinting at him through the bright sunlight.

“Hmm. Not as beautiful as you,” he says, while pinching my butt. I slap him away with mock indignation. Although I’m secretly thrilled. He seems to love my butt as much as I love his. A match made in heaven, if ever I saw one.

“Want to walk to the lake?” he asks, swinging my hand in his. “For old times’ sake?”

I shrug. “Sure.”

Has it really been almost a year since I first met him there? Him looking every bit the scrumptious, muscular construction company worker (err, owner—what
ever), and singing along to every Rolling Stones song the band ever sang, me staring and drooling quietly in the corner?

He didn’t seem to mind the staring. Or the drooling.

How did I ever get so lucky?

In the distance, I see a young couple standing by the lake. From this far away, it’s hard to tell, but the man looks familiar. I slap a hand over my mouth.

“What?” Brett asks.

“That’s Joel.”

He sniggers. “The one with the hard-on for Barbie?”

“The one and only.”

He grins widely. “I’ve gotta meet this guy.”

“No!” I laugh, pulling his arm away. “It looks like they’re, um, busy.”

Our eyes automatically flit back to Joel and his companion, who is dressed in a short, tight pink minidress. They shamelessly paw at each other, a flying mess of hands, hair, and audible groans.

“Oh my God! Are they dry-humping? In public?” Brett asks.

“I bet it isn’t so dry…” I mutter. Brett lets out a loud guffaw, and ends up distracting Joel and his companion.

Joel squints at us. “Sophie?”

“Shit,” I whisper. “Hi, Joel!” I call back brightly. “Long time no see!”

He walks toward me, and surprises me with a hug. “It’s so good to see you, Soph. I’d like to introduce you to my girlfriend.”

He pulls the lady close to his side. Tall. Platinum blond. Enormous breasts. Eyes that would make an anime artist jizz in his pants.

He juts his chin out proudly. “This is Dolly.”

Brett grunts, and I discreetly elbow him in the ribs.

“Lovely to meet you, Dolly,” I say. “This is my boyfriend, Brett.”

The guys shake hands.

“Joel,” Joel says, explaining who he is (because I apparently suck at introducti
ons). “Nice to meet you.”

“Good to meet you, Joel. I’ve heard wonderful things,” Brett says.

Joel nods. “Well, we’d better move on. Dolly and I have a date tonight.”

“Atta boy,” Brett commends. “Taking your girl out for a night on the town, eh?”

Dolly giggles. “Oh, yes. First we’re going to McDonald’s, and then to Build-a- Bear. I just love Build-a-Bear.”

I just may die of laughter. Suppose it’s a good way to go, if I had to choose.

I manage to squeak out a quick, “Bye Joel,” and then usher Brett and me to the other side of the lake (it’s more of a pond really) so we can giggle out of hearing range.

“Well, that was weird,” Brett says, while lying flat on the grass. I’m lying beside him, staring up at the clouds.

Brett leans up on his elbow and looks down at me. He fiddles with my hair.

“Have I told you how sexy you look with your new haircut?”

“About a million times,” I reply, smiling.

It’s grown out enough that I now have a short, blond bob. I left about an inch of red on the ends. It’s pretty kickass.

My thoughts return to Joel and Dolly.

“I’m happy for Joel. He has a real-life Barbie to play with now. Suppose there’s someone for everyone.”

Brett walks his fingers onto my collarbone.

“Would you want to be my someone?”

I stretch, warm and relaxed as a cat.

“I thought I already was.”

He sits up, and gently pulls me up with him. He reaches into his jacket and takes out a small velvet box.

With the sun shining down on us, in the middle of a very public park, where we first met, Brett gets down on one knee.

My lungs just stopped working. This is not a drill, folks; I repeat, this is not a drill!

“Sophie,” he begins, “I started falling in love with you on the night we met, and have never stopped.”

Happy tears spring in my eyes. My head starts nodding convulsively.

Why the heck am I nodding?

“You have my whole heart, and if I can make you half as happy as you’ve made me, I’ll consider myself a lucky man.”

He opens the lid. Inside the box, an emerald engagement ring catches the sunlight.

“Oh, Brett, it’s exquisite,” I breathe.

He slips it onto my left ring finger.

“Just like you.”

I brush away happy tears. He holds my hands. I can feel him shaking.

“Sophie Richards, will you marry me?”

A flash of movement in the bush beside us captures my eye. It’s a small brown bird. It looks just like the one I saw last winter, when I went back to the clearing with my red balloon. It starts chirping happily, that same happy tune that gave me the courage to say goodbye. Maybe it’s Aaron’s way of saying, “Go on. It’s okay.”

I smile through blurry eyes. I was a broken person before I met Brett. And with him, I discovered I could love again. How could I answer any other way?

“Yes.”

He kisses me, and I know that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

For Chad.

Forever and ever, Babe.

Acknowledg
ments

First off, I want to thank my editor, Sue Grimshaw, for taking a chance on me. I’ve always dreamed of having my books published one day. Thank you for making my dreams come true!

Thanks to the fantastic team at Random House and Loveswept. I’m blown away at how much hard work you’ve put into my book. Thank you for being so wonderful and welcoming.

Many thanks to Chad, my love, my best friend, and my personal cheerleader. You told me to keep going, even when I thought my writing was horrible and I was tempted again and again to just garbage the whole project. Thank you for your constant support, friendship, and unconditional love.

Sorry for spending so much time with my fantasy guys. I imagined you the whole time, I promise.

(P.S.—I’m secretly thrilled that I have you reading romance now!)

Chris Jenkins, who lent me her
Rolling Stones Greatest Hits
CD when I was a teenager. I think I listened to “Paint It Black” and “(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction” about a million times. Without the Stones’ music, this book wouldn’t exist!

Janic Gorayeb from the Brain Tumor Foundation of Canada. Despite my nursing background, I had no idea how complex a subject brain cancer was. Thank you for taking the time to discuss the various types of brain tumors with me. Your input was invaluable.

Stephanie Pegler, my editor at Chicklit Club. Thank you giving me the opportunity to do something I love: read books and give my opinion on them. Thank you for being one of my first readers, for encouraging me, and for being someone I could share my publishing journey with. I wouldn’t be here without you, Steph!

Amber, Christina, Jenna, Mary, and Joanna for being my first readers.

God, for providing all of these opportunities along the way. I’m so grateful.

And thank you, reader! I truly hope you enjoy my book.

Lots of love,

Chelsey

PHOTO: © RHONDA KRAUSE OF RHONDA KRAUSE PHOTOGRAPHY

C
HELSEY
K
RAUSE
has been a nurse since 2009, and has worked in various health care settings such as doctors’ offices, long-term care, acute care, and obesity management. An article she wrote on intercultural nursing has been published in a nursing anthology. She is also a book reviewer for Chicklit Club. Chelsey lives in Canada with her husband and two children. She enjoys shopping at thrift stores, repurposing old junk, and learning new belly dance moves. Chelsey absolutely loves books, and would live at her local library if they’d let her.
Can’t Always Get What You Want
is her first novel.

www.chelse
ykrause.com