Had To Be You (6 page)

After a moment, the town library and high school came into view, the familiar landscaped grounds of both historical brick buildings a lush green against the backdrop of ocean blue. She could use the empty parking lot to make a U-turn and switch directions.

Pulling in, a surprised smile lit her face when she noticed someone very familiar walking up ahead. She rolled up behind him, slowing the car to lean her head out the window.

“Hey, Mr. O’Shea.”

Kevin glanced back expectantly, and then his eyes widened in surprise.

“Rory?”

She laughed, throwing the car into park, and hopped out to meet him in a warm embrace.

“What are you doing here?” he asked, grinning happily as they broke apart.

“Home for the weekend,” she explained, and then narrowed her eyes. “You’re just leaving
now
?”

“Yeah, the kids got an early release because of the upcoming Monday holiday, so I stayed around to take advantage of the peace and quiet and get some things done,” he explained, smoothing a hand down his tie. “I actually have my own classroom until the end of the year, since Mr. Harrison had to go in for knee surgery. So I need to see if I can come up with a game plan that can actually keep them interested for the next few weeks, now that they have their blinders on and all they see is summer vacation in view.”

“Kevin, that’s great! Well, maybe not so much for Mr. Harrison, but for you.” Rory knew he had only been filling in as an assistant and substitute to date.

Growing up, the O’Sheas seemed more like a second family, and their house was always a welcome respite from hers. Though they all shared the same dark hair and vivid blue eyes, Kevin was quieter and slighter in build than both his brothers, not quite as bold and gregarious, and marched to his own beat throughout their adolescence.

And, while he wasn’t the one who had pretty much taken up all of her heart all those years (and she most
certainly
wasn’t his type), Rory loved him dearly. It made her happy to see him so happy now, fresh out of college and embarking on his new teaching career.

He clasped his hand on her shoulder to bring the conversation back to her, smiling as if he still couldn’t believe his eyes.

“Are you staying at your mom’s?”

“That was the plan.” She was still smarting a bit from her mother’s attitude, and it felt better to be able to tell someone who was familiar with her life. “But, according to her, there’s no room at the inn. We have a bunch of family coming in. I guess I’ll crash on a couch or throw a sleeping bag on the porch. Whatever. I’ll figure it out.”

Kevin’s smile faded in concern. “You should just stay with us—with Danny and me.”

“Oh, no.” Rory shook her head. She knew from talking with Jill that the brothers had recently bought the house out on Surfside Beach, but that was not at all what she had been fishing for. “I can’t put you guys out like that, Kev.”

“What are you talking about?” He lifted his arms in the air. “You haven’t even seen it yet. It’s great. We have a whole spare guest bedroom with its own bath downstairs. Maura comes and stays with us all the time.”

“Maura is your sister.”

“Like you’re not family?” He made a sort of scoffing sound as he laughed. “Come on! You’re here for Memorial Day weekend, and we’re literally right on the beach. It would be silly for you not to stay with us. Besides, Danny’s going to be pulling a ton of shifts this weekend, Matt’s obviously working, and I’m looking for a partner a crime.”

The mere mention of his name caused her heart to do a little unexpected flip.

“Well, when you put it like that.”

“This will be great!” he exclaimed. “We were already planning on throwing some food on the grill in a while. My first stop on the way home is the package store. What do you feel like? Wine, beer—you name it.”

“Don’t worry about me. Whatever you’re getting is fine,” she assured him. “I was just finishing up an errand for my mom and then I was going to see if she needed any more help getting ready for this weekend.”

“Well, come over as soon as you can. Last one on Seaview Lane, blue trim, right off the old beach road. You’ll see Danny’s truck in the driveway.” He hesitated, and something shifted slightly in his expression. “Hey, does Matt even know you’re here?”

“Um, no.” Rory made sure to sound nonchalant. “I only just rolled into town this afternoon, so, you know…”

Kevin nodded in acknowledgement. If he was going to say anything more on that particular subject, he obviously thought better of it.

They hugged again and Rory got back into the car. She found it heartening that he was actually glad to see her, and took some much needed courage in that.

She returned down Main Street; her mind turning back time. There was an open spot by one of the meters directly across from the bar. No more excuses. Easing in to park, she took a deep breath as she cut the engine and climbed out of the car.

Slowly walking up the boardwalk to the main entrance, she clutched the keys nervously in her fist as her eyes traveled over the outdoor patio, easily accessible to anyone pulling their boat up to the open slips at the public landing. Lit with strings of illuminated brass ship lanterns, hurricane lamps warmed the small tables. Inside, the bar was filling with the beginnings of the local Friday evening after-work crowd, mixed with the first-of-the-weekend vacationers. The din of voices was punctuated by frequent bursts of laughter, a festive mood permeating the air.

Easing through the front door, her eyes scanned the room, finally spotting him out on the floor of the main bar area. Her heart did yet another little unexpected jump, like it was vying for attention, reminding her it was still in there.

For a moment, Rory was content to just observe from afar as he entertained a large group seated at a table. His hands were in motion as he spoke, sending everyone into ripples of laughter, and she couldn’t help but smile.

It was then that he glanced in her direction.

Their gazes caught and held. Rory froze, afraid to move, nearly afraid to breathe. And, as he stared at her through the crowd, his expression a complete unreadable blank, she feared this had been a terrible, horrible mistake.

Then, finally, that familiar grin ignited a spark in his lively blue eyes, the warmth of it spreading until it practically lit up the entire room. She relaxed in relief, taking a tentative step towards him.

Matt didn’t react with the same hesitation at all. Crossing the bar in several wide strides, the next thing she knew she was being swung up and around in his strong arms, his hug lifting her right off the floor—not that her feet would have even felt the ground either way.

“
Rory!
I can’t believe it. What are you doing here?”

He placed her down, releasing her, and that’s when it hit her.

She had no idea what she doing here. She didn’t know what she had been thinking to make such a drastic, impetuous decision. She didn’t know what she was supposed to even say to him. And what made her think that anything she
did
say could actually make him change his mind—change his life? Who was she to even assume he would still do anything for her?

She lifted her arms helplessly, still beaming from his greeting.

“Just, um, home for the long weekend.”

“Really?” He seemed pleased to hear this, and took a step further back to let his eyes drift over her. “So, New York looks good on you.”

“You look good, too,” she said.

And he did. He’d probably never looked better.

Matt brushed the compliment off without even missing a beat. “Eh, yeah, I know.”

She laughed with a roll of her eyes, and gave his arm a playful little shove, anything just to touch him again.

“You’re such a jerk.”

He lowered his voice with a tilt of his head. “But still a loveable one, right?”

Rory self-consciously smoothed her hair behind her ear. “So, business seems good.” She glanced around with a smile of deliberate avoidance.

“Yep. Can’t complain.” He nodded briefly, glancing around as well. He quickly returned his attention to her. “And how is everything with you?”

“Can’t complain.”

In turning back to face him, Rory miscalculated her cool and made the mistake of tumbling directly into the deep blue ocean of his gaze. Suddenly it was as if she were flailing about, desperately gasping for air.

“I can’t believe you’re really here,” he repeated, and this time his voice softened with a long-lost intimacy, almost as if he could see right through her.

And for a moment, she almost wished he could. The funny thing was he was just about the only person in the world who might understand.

“Matt, I, ah—I just wanted to say…” She stumbled and had to pause, her smile tightening along with her throat. “…To say congratulations. I’ve been meaning to call or, you know, get in touch. But I’m so happy for you.”

His own smile shifted, quickly rearranging itself. “Thank you,” he replied, much quieter than before.

“I mean,
marriage
—wow,” she finished lamely.

“Yeah, it’s, ah—it’s that,” he agreed.

They both stood there another moment, trapped inside a slightly awkward silence, until he finally broke it.

“So, um,” he said, ducking his head, “I take it this means you did get your invitation?”

She nodded, averting her eyes slightly. “Sorry, I know I didn’t get my response back yet, but I’ve been so busy with work and—”

“It’s okay,” he cut in gently. “I just hope you’ll be there.”

She met his gaze again, wondering how she could do that. How could she ever be there to watch him marry someone else? Before she was forced into some painful reply, a nervous-looking member of the wait staff came looking for him. Apparently his assistance was needed with a large and loud party out on the patio that had decided, after the fact, they wanted separate tabs.

He gave her a brief, apologetic smile. “Just give me one minute?”

Rory quickly shook her head. She feared Amanda might be lurking about, and the thought of having to meet and make small talk with the person who was about to end up with everything she’d ever wanted or loved was just too much to bear. “No, really, I should let you get back to work. We can talk later.”

Matt stopped short. “But when?”

She was mildly startled by the unexpected intensity in his question, especially when doing her best to escape.

“Matt, um, should I void this one or what?” The waiter interrupted, still holding the check, customers still waiting outside.

He ran his hand over his short dark hair in distraction. “Rory, if you could just hold on.”

His attention, however, was almost immediately pulled away in yet another direction. A bartender was now searching for a missing case of wine. While he tried to deal with all the issues at hand, she glanced around the bar one last time before returning her gaze to him with a sad smile.

“I should let you go.”

“No, really, just give me one sec—”

But when he turned back, she was already gone.

***

“Matt?”

Trudging up the dock, he slowed to a stop. Golden sunlight reflected off blue waves with near blinding rays, so for a brief moment he didn’t know whether to trust his own eyes.

Then her tentative, hopeful smile tugged gently at his heart, reeling him in, and he realized this wasn’t just some trick of the light.

“Rory…what are you doing here?”

“My internship ended yesterday,” she explained, brushing the windswept hair from her eyes. “And classes don’t start for another few weeks. I figured I’d spend the rest of my summer at home.”

He nodded slowly, taking it all in.

“I was going to call,” she continued. “But I thought I might find you down here.”

A small smile tugged at the corner of his mouth and he started towards her.

“I was thinking maybe, if you’re not busy, we could do something. Go see a movie tonight, or grab a bite to eat?”

Holding her gaze, step by step, he gradually closed the distance between them.

“Maybe lobster rolls at that place by the beach?” Something trembled through her voice, but she didn’t look away as he approached. “It doesn’t really feel like summer without…”

He paused only when standing directly before her, gazing down into those beautiful eyes.

“Without?”

Her lips parted, but any attempt at a response was lost, swept up in his arms, swallowed inside his kiss. It went on and on, her body molding to his as they were buffeted by the wind, the wood dock swaying just slightly beneath their feet.

When they finally broke apart, she smiled against his lips.

“Did you miss me?”

“Only when I breathed in,” he murmured, halfway into another kiss. “Breathing out, not so much.”

FOUR

Dumping her bag on the bed, Rory paused to glance out the bedroom window. A dusky blue twilight blanketed the beach, and it occurred to her for the first time since driving into town that she hadn’t exactly packed for a weekend by the shore.

The evening breeze ruffled the sailcloth curtains, carrying the voices from the deck, punctuated every so often by the deep boom of Danny’s laugh. The enticing aromas from the marinated steak tips and salmon on the grill caused her stomach to rumble a little. She couldn’t remember if she’d had anything other than coffee today.

After rushing out on Matt, overwhelmed by the onslaught of feeling and emotion she had kept buried for so long, Rory had to pull the car over to the side of the road until she gained enough composure to continue the two miles to her mother’s house.

She pictured it all so differently in her mind, like the romantic ending scene of some really great old movie. The actuality of her moment of truth was unexpected, even for someone who prided herself on being pragmatic. Rory had to face reality. She might not be able to do this. (Whether or not she actually
should
do this, however, was the kind of reality she chose to ignore for the moment.)