Cherishing You (2 page)

As I lean back on my car, I close my eyes just as a breeze caresses my face; even though it’s brief, it feels so nice in this humidity. I catch a faint whiff of honeysuckle in the air. Mmm, I forgot how amazing that smell was. This has to be one of best memories of growing up in the countryside. Ah, how I’ve missed this. When was the last time I smelled fresh honeysuckle?

Oh shit! How did I not think of it as soon as I smelled it? It was also the last time I saw or spoke to him.

Ethan.

The scent brings it all back to me so vividly my heart breaks all over again, as if it’s happening right here and now. I can almost smell that sweet yet spicy aroma of his right along with it. Oh, it’s so good! The memory is so strong it’s as if he’s standing right in front of me. It brings a fresh round of tears to my eyes just thinking about him.

“Hey, are you okay, Andi?”

Startled, I open my eyes and find myself staring at him, my mouth hanging open. I swear my heart stops.

What? When did he get here, and how did he sneak up on me? And
why
is he here?

It’s almost as if the memory of his scent conjured him in front of me. As ridiculous as that seems, he
is
here, all six foot two inches of him. But how?

Oh, and my memory hasn’t done him justice. I don’t know how he’s done it, but holy shit, he is sooo much hotter in person, standing here with one thumb hooked in the belt loop of his jeans. His button-up work shirt is completely undone, showing off his chiseled bronze chest.
Wow, he is totally rocking that set of abs.
And that beard is just begging to be touched, its perfectly sculpted lines framing his face and signature dimples. I love how it’s not thick and bushy but a well-trimmed, barely there, reddish-brown beard.

And that hair. Mmm, it is
just
as it was before I left. Oh, how many times I’ve dreamed of running my hands through those soft, silky locks of curly light-brown hair. Although it is shorter than before, its unruliness is sexy as hell.

“Hello? Are you not even going to say hi?” he asks gruffly. “You know, it
is
kind of hot out here.” Before I can even say a word, Ethan heads around to the hood of my car. “Were you even paying attention to the gauge, Andi? Or were you daydreaming like you are now?”

“First off, I’m not daydreaming. Second,
hello
to you too. Sure glad to see you haven’t lost your sarcastic attitude after all this time. It looks
so
good on you. For your information, I
did
pay attention to the gauges. I saw it was getting hot, so I stopped. After I shut it off, it started spraying antifreeze out the front. I thought parking would be better than driving until it locked up like
some
people do.” Referring to the time he locked up an old beater he had when we were teenagers. He didn’t hear the ticking noise the engine was making because he had the radio blasting. So instead, he kept driving it until it broke down with a trashed motor. “I’m not a complete idiot, you know.”

Jeez, what a jerk! Who does he think he is, talking to me like that. I don’t need his help anyway; Dad should be here any minute. At least that’s what I’m thinking until I look behind my car and see a tow truck, Dad’s shop logo on the back of the cab.

You have got to be kidding me. This has to be some luck to have the one man I wanted to avoid be the one person who was sent to rescue me. Ugh! Dad and I are going to have a serious talk about this when I get home.

“Let me guess, Dad called you and asked you to come pick me up, right?”

“Kind of like that. I sort of work full time at your dad’s shop. He didn’t tell you?”

“No, I’m sure I would have remembered that conversation.” He probably didn’t want to deter me from coming home.
He knows I don’t want to be anywhere near you.

“I know. I’m kind of hard to forget, aren’t I?” Ethan says, a devilish grin spreading across his face.

That grin hasn’t changed a bit either. For years, that sexy smile and those crystal-blue eyes of his have lit up my most lonely nights. Nights where I actually allowed my memories to come alive and take me back to the times where I was free with him. Times where we actually talked to each other with care and enjoyed being in each other’s company, not all this bitterness and anger. Oh, how I’ve missed that! But those times are no longer the way it is between us, and it probably won’t ever be again. Even though I can feel my heart break just a little more, I know we’re better off this way. Besides, he has more than made it clear that he no longer wants my friendship.

“Humph, I do
not
have time to waste thinking about you. Nor do I have time to be standing on the side of the road reminiscing with you. Now, if you wouldn’t mind, can we get back to the job my dad pays you to do and get my car loaded? I have a lot to get done and a short time to do it in.”

Shaking his head at me without saying another word, he moves to the side of the cab and pushes the switch which lowers the boom on the tow truck, securing it under my car. While he’s hooking it up, I grab my purse from the front and climb in the passenger side of the truck’s cab. At least it’s air conditioned; that’s something to help ease this miserable ride into town.

The ride next to Ethan could have been worse, I guess, if you consider neither one of us is talking and I’m staring out the window. I’ve felt him looking at me a few times now, but he hasn’t said a word, so I’m not going to either; he’s already caught me drooling over him, so I’m not going to give him any more ammo to use against me if I can help it. Although, I can’t say I would mind if he used his body against me. I can just imagine how all those big, sexy muscles would feel under my hands, so hard and smooth and strong. My body surges with need just imagining it. Ugh, I have
got
to stop thinking about him like this. It’s just plain torture to know how hot he is yet I still can’t have him. He will never be mine, and I need to keep that at the forefront of my mind.

As we’re pulling up in front of Dad’s shop, I see he still has that old neon sign flashing ‘open.’ I figured that thing would have burnt out a long time ago. I smile as I remember all those days growing up in the shop. Open and closing was always the same old routine, but in the daytime you would never know what we were getting into. Dad and I would work on anything and everything.

Of course, the lifelong buddies were there as usual. They were always the problem starters, sitting around gossiping and riding each other about anything and everyone. Sometimes you would think they were all married to one another as much as they picked on each other. Truth was though, there wasn’t a single thing one could need that the other guys weren’t there for him. There was an unspoken mutual bond between them all, and they always had each other’s back.

Just like Ethan was always there for me as we were growing up. There was never a struggle I was going through that he wasn’t there for. Until
she
came along, that is. She hated me, and I didn’t care too much for her either. I never once treated her bad though. Maybe I should have told her what a piece-of-crap girlfriend I thought she was and how she didn’t deserve him. Or maybe I
did
do the right thing and it all worked out as it should have.

Of course he looks good. I’m sure he’s at the height of his life with her, and they probably have a beautiful home with a couple of kids.
I glance at him, seeing how happy he seems as he climbs out of the truck and unhooks my car. Okay, well, maybe not so happy right this second, but in general, he seems to be, and that looks good on him. Meanwhile, here I am, still single with no future relationship in sight because every man I even attempt to date can never quite compare to Ethan.

Ah! That’s it. Time to get my angry face on and get away from him.

Walking into the office, I spot Dad talking on the phone. My heart immediately melts, but I refrain from running and jumping into his arms. He sees me and gives me a big grin and a wink.

“Yes, ma’am, your car is ready and may be picked up in the morning. Yes, your bill is expected to be paid at the time of pickup. We are open again at nine o’clock in the morning, and we will be more than happy to settle up then.” I smile as I think about the never-ending customer questions, all different yet the same. It’s the “I want my car yesterday for free” attitude. “Okay, yes, and thank you for your business,” I hear him say before he hangs up the phone.

“Hey, honey.” He holds out his arms for me.

“Hi, Dad. I’ve missed you so much.” I lay my head on his chest. He wraps his arms around me and I take a deep breath. It feels good to be home.

“Uh-huh, just not enough to move back home permanently though, right?” I feel his chin resting on the top of my head.

“Dad, you know how much I miss you guys and this shop full of adventures. But my work is in Texas and I’m starting a pretty good job, especially having just graduated a few months ago. I’m lucky to have even found a job this quickly.” As I say this, I realize I feel an all too familiar pang of guilt hit me right in the gut. I do miss my family, and the family business. I just feel like I need to find my own pace, at least until I’ve decided where and how I want to settle down. When I was accepted at the university, it gave me the perfect opportunity, and it was great timing too; I received the acceptance letter the same night Ethan and I had the big blowup, and I decided it was a sign that I was doing the right thing.

“Yes, honey, and I’m so proud of you, but I would be just as proud if you came home where you belong and worked here in Georgia. There’s plenty of room for growth in this old town, and it could use a fresh set of eyes,” he says as he tilts my chin up and looks me in the eye. “You look tired, and I’m sure you didn’t drive all the way here—or almost here, I should say—to have me lecture you, so I’ll quit harping on you. I love you, Andi, and most of all, I want you happy.”

I just nod because I don’t trust my voice not to crack. I love my family, and I was lonely in Texas. Sure, I had a couple friends, but no one I was really close to. No one who came close to Ethan, that’s for sure. I miss them all, and being in Dad’s arms reminds me just how much I have been missing them.
Which reminds me. . . .

“Dad, why did you send Ethan to pick me up? I thought it would be you. You know we’re not on speaking terms. Why would you put us in that predicament? Or him, for that matter?” I’m instantly angry again.

“Since when do I need to explain to you what I do? For your information, I was occupied with a customer. He had just finished a job, so I sent him to get you. I figure he was probably excited to see you after all this time. You both used to be inseparable until you took off to college.”

“Yes, Dad, but that was before our fight, and before
her
. And you knew that.”

“Well, you both survived, I see. Now, what’s wrong with your car, sweetheart?” he asks with a half-smile on his face, effectively changing the subject.

Shaking my head, I know he’s said all he’s going to say on it, so like so many other times before, I take a deep breath and let it go. Then I tell him everything I noticed with the car up until Ethan picked me up. After that point, I honestly didn’t notice anything but him. I’ll file that away to think about later. Much,
much
later. The last thing I need to be thinking about is Ethan, which has already become much harder to avoid with him working here at Dad’s shop. I’ll need to keep my thoughts in check especially since I’m only going to be home a few days.

I follow Dad out to my car, which is now in the front bay.

“It sounds like it shouldn’t be a big deal. I’ll check it out in the morning. Let me just grab your stuff and I’ll take you home. I’m sure your mother has been pacing a hole in the floors just waiting to hear you made it home,” Dad says, walking to the trunk of my car. He lifts the lid and pulls out my suitcase.

“Packing a little light, I see.” He sets it on the ground. “Is this really all you brought? You’re not planning on staying long, are you?”