Her Last Love (Small Town Hearts Trilogy #1) (25 page)

"Please understand that I realize they have a mother. And I would 
never 
try to interfere with that." 

"Lynn." Her name came from his lips in a near whisper before he picked up his chair and moved it closer to hers. He took her hand in both of his, he looked into her eyes. Lynn surprised and moved to see his eyes shining with tears. 

"First, I understand you would never try to take Hillary's place on purpose, unless it was necessary and in the best interest of the boys to do so." At her nod, he continued. "Second, you will never realize how much it means to hear you say you love my sons as your own. I think that means as much to me, or maybe more, than hearing you tell me you love me." He reached up to swipe away the tear sliding down her cheek with his thumb. Lynn reached up and held his wrist so that his hand cupped her jaw and leaned in to kiss him. 

"I do love you. And days like today make me love you more." She sniffed, then pulled back, so they were face to face again. Lynn took a deep breath and ran her hands over her face and smiled. "But if we don't finish eating and get this mess cleaned up, I will end up a crying mess on your couch." 

Carter reached over to grab his plate and wine, and the two finished their meals while laughing over amusing snippets from their day. After putting the leftovers away and the dishes into the dishwasher, Lynn turned to Carter. 

"I guess I should go." Her tone told him she was uncertain, like she wanted to stay but didn’t feel she should.  

"And why would you want to do that?" he asked as he wrapped his arms around her. 

"I thought that maybe you'd want the house to yourself for a while." She mirrored his movements, then she tilted her head back to grin up at him. "You know, to find the house under the mess." 

"That kid," he laughed as he shook his head. "Brutally and often times inconveniently honest." 

"It was funny!" 

"To you maybe." Carter looked down at her, and his look became serious again. "But back to the matter at hand. You don't have to go. I was hoping you'd stay." 

"I'd hoped that you were hoping I would stay," she said, smiling. "I even packed a bag just in case. Mind getting it from the car for me?" 

He kissed her nose and patted her butt before going for his coat so he could retrieve her bag. He turned to her, grinning from ear to ear as he pulled it over his shoulders. 

"I love it when you come prepared." 

* * * 

Later that night, they lay curled together in the middle of Carter's king size bed. Even though it had been a long day, they had found the energy to pleasure each other. Now, they lay in silence, the only sounds were of their breathing, and the occasional snoring from Trooper, who lay outside the bedroom door. 

"I don't know how you do it." 

"Oh, that? Lots of practice, honey." 

"Smartass." She laughed as she smacked his bare chest. "Not 
that
, though it was pretty good." 

"Pretty good?" He asked, mocking insult. 

"Mm-hmm," she murmured, snuggling in closer, her head on his shoulder. "But what I meant was, I don't know how you can handle the quiet." 

"Your house is quiet." 

"Yes, but my house is always quiet. I don't have two little people running around, laughing, arguing. Here, you have all that, and it fills the rooms, so it seems extra quiet when they're gone." 

"Guess I never noticed it." 

"Well, when I'm here and they're not, I do. Seems emptier somehow." They both lay still, studying the quiet. 

"Do you remember how we used to lay and talk like this?" Carter asked, running his fingertips up and down Lynn's arm. 

"Oh, you mean how we'd squeeze into that small bed of yours and pray we wouldn’t smother each other? Or worse, fall off?" She laughed at the memory. 

"Yeah, that too. But how we'd just talk. Especially there before you left to go to basic training." 

"Yeah. We were joined at the hip those last few weeks, huh?" 

"Well, we wanted to spend as much time together as we could, knowing we wouldn't see each other for months. The thought of that about killed me because I saw you all the time." 

"Me too. I felt that about you, and my family, and my friends. Did I ever tell you about when it came time to take my induction oath?"  

"No, I don't think you did." 

"Trust me, you'd remember if I had. Because when it came time to swear in, I almost didn't do it." 

"What?" He slid his arm out from under her head, turned so they lay face to face, and propped himself up on his elbow. 

"I almost freaked out to the point of a panic attack. I barely remember raising my hand."  

"You never said anything." 

"Yeah. At the time, I think I felt overwhelmed, and embarrassed about the fact I wanted to chicken out in the middle of it all.” 

"But at the airport, you never even gave a clue." 

"Because I was too busy sleeping, trying to escape the nerves. You know, I still have the picture somewhere my mother took of the two of us on the chairs at the airport. The one where I'm asleep in your lap, and you're laid over on my shoulders sleeping too." 

"God, I remember that trip like it was yesterday," he admitted with a slight shake of his head. "The drive to Louisville, do you remember? We got halfway there, and you flipped out because you had forgotten about the time change, and you would be late for checking into the station." 

"Yeah, I remember." She laughed as she closed her eyes for a moment. "I remember thinking, 
Well this is a great way for me to start out in the military, being late for swearing in
." 

"But you did it. I was so proud of you and devastated at the same time. You were gone from my everyday life, but you were doing something important." 

"It didn't seem important back then. It felt like a lot of work. And a lot of sore muscles." 

"I know what you mean." He laughed, thinking back to his own days in basic training for the Navy. "I remember every day, checking the mail, hoping that there would be a letter from you." 

"I used to do the same at evening formation, because that's when we got our mail. People 
hated 
me during mail call." 

"Why is that?" 

"Because between you, and my family, not to mention Kari, Bethany, and other friends, I got a lot more mail than most people." She laughed as she thought back. "The drill sergeants had this rule that for every piece of mail we got, we had to do so many push-ups. That didn't last long because I got too much mail for them to keep up with it." 

"I got a lot mail from you too. A surprising amount, considering where you were and what you were doing." 

"There's a reason for that." 

"Oh, yeah?" 

"Uh-huh. See, we would get to go to the PX once a week, so we could get any personal items we needed. And while I was there, I would buy those sappy cards I was always sending you. So even if I didn't have time to write a real letter, I could at least drop a card with a couple lines in the mail, so you'd know I was thinking about you. And on the nights I had fire guard duty, I would write you the long letters. Even though it technically wasn’t allowed, everyone did it because it kept us from falling asleep. But anyway, during those times, I'd have hours to write and think, and by morning I could finish it and put it in the mail." 

"You sneaky little devil you." He told her as she lifted a shoulder in a slight shrug.  

"You do what you have to, so you can keep going." 

"True." He brushed the hair back from her face. "You know what helped keep me going?" 

"What's that?" 

"I counted down the days with you until graduation. Because I'd be able to come down with your folks and see you." 

"Really?" 

"Knowing I'd be able to not only see you, but touch you." His fingers grazed the curve of her breast, smiling at her quick gasp. "And kiss you." He slid his lips across hers. "And hold you." With that, he gathered her up in his arms, and showed her just how much he had missed her back then.  

16

The days had been rolling by, often in a blur. Before Lynn knew it, a glance at the calendar told her that Christmas was only a couple days away. This year, she'd be spending the day with her family for the first time in longer than she cared to admit. Before then, though, she would open her home to family, friends and co-workers for a Christmas Eve celebration.  

She'd been planning for weeks. Even though the party was a casual, drop-in style, everything was ready, the menu set, food and alcohol purchased. The last few days had been spent in a cleaning frenzy. Though her house always tidy, Lynn had gone through every room as if she were preparing for a command inspection. The kitchen counters were now scrubbed and neat, the floor mopped to a high shine. The living room was vacuumed, dusted, and polished to within an inch of its life. And the bathroom, also scrubbed down, now boasted new fluffy guest towels, fancy soaps, and cinnamon potpourri in a crystal bowl on a shelf above the sink. She had closed the door to her room, hoping guests would take the hint that the room was off limits. If not, then she would simply lock the door.  

After her cleaning frenzy each evening, she also spent time scattering decorations throughout the house. Among them was the tall Victorian Santa that stood next the fireplace, the family of cheery snowmen on the mantel above it. A sprig of mistletoe, bound in bright red ribbon, hung from the top of the doorway between the living room and the kitchen where traffic would be heaviest. Then there was the tree.  

Carter had come by one evening a couple of weeks ago, to help her haul her new tree from the car and get it put together. It now stood, in all its beautiful glory, in the corner of her living room. Standing at seven feet tall, the tree had a glowing presence all its own. The evergreen was decked out in strands of soft white lights, with red tinsel and glass balls of varying tones of red and silver hanging from the branches. Tucked in among the shiny new ornaments were old family ornaments from Lynn's childhood that her mother had packed up and brought over to her. Gifts piled under the tree atop a silver tree skirt. The Victorian style angel in a white gown at the top completed the decorations. Lynn looked forward to lighting this tree every evening.

Late morning on the day of the party, she found herself alone in the kitchen, going over her list of last minute things to do. There were party trays to put together, glasses to gather, and last minute details to take care of. Hopefully with the help of her friends. After a glance at the clock on the stove, she saw she a had a little time before they were due to arrive. After filling her cup with her second dose of hot caffeine, she relaxed at the kitchen table. Her phone, having been switched over to silent without her realizing it, showed a text message from Carter.  

Good morning, beautiful!
  

God, is it any wonder I'm in love with this man
,
 she thought to herself. She sipped her coffee as she picked up the phone and replied.  

And good morning to you, handsome. 
   

She gazed out the window as she waited for him to reply. The wind had picked up, causing the bare branches on the tall tree out back to sway. The sky was cloudy and gray, even though there was no snow in the forecast for the day. Another absent minded sip as the tree continued to dance before her phone chirped with an incoming message.  

Ready for the big party? The boys and I can't wait to see you.
  

Just getting going. Waiting on Beth and Kari to get here to help. Can't wait to see you guys either!
  

Let me know if you need extra help. I'll come over.
  

Thanks. Should be fine though. :) See you tonight! Love you!
  

The sound of her front door opening and closing, of a voice calling her name, shifted Lynn's attention from her phone, just as it chirped again with a 'love you too' message from Carter.  

"I know that dopey expression." Kari teased her as she came into the kitchen and set a small stack of shiny white bakery boxes on the table before shrugging out of her coat. "Somebody's been chatting with her 
boyfriend
."  

"Yep, and he 
loves 
me." Lynn gave a cheeky grin. "What's all this?"  

"This, my friend, is my contribution to the party. A few dozen spiced cookies, glazed with white icing. And mini cupcakes, three dozen each of chocolate and vanilla, also with white frosting. Thought we'd let the girls decorate them while we're putting everything else together."  

"Sounds like a plan, and thanks for bringing all of this." Lynn gestured to the boxes as she stood and went over to pour her friend a cup of coffee. "Speaking of girls, where's yours?"  

"She’s with Bethany." She took the cup Lynn held out to her. "She stayed last night with Kristin." Kari sipped her coffee, hummed her approval as the liquid, hot and sweet hit her tongue. "They should be here any time now."  

Lynn nodded, leaning against the counter, thinking and assigning the tasks that needed to be done to those who would be on hand to help. Just as she was opening her mouth to tell Kari what she was thinking, she stopped and listened as the sounds of car doors slamming came from her driveway.  

"I think they're here." Lynn set her mug on the counter, she strode over to the door and peeked out the window, held the door open as her friend wrangled three girls and balanced grocery bags on her arms. The group hustled their way up the walk, the girls chattering away.  

"Hey, all!" Lynn stood in the doorway, arms wrapped around her middle to help ward off the chill from the air.  

"Hi, Aunt Lynn!" The girls rushed to her, pulled her into a quick group hug before making their way inside.  

"Hey, girl." Bethany greeted her, sound harried. Lynn reached out to help unburden her of some of her load. "Sorry we're late. We’re a little behind this morning."  

"Don't worry about it. We have plenty of time." Lynn, hands now full, nudged the door closed with her foot. She followed Bethany into the kitchen, and her bags joined those already sitting on the table with the bakery boxes.  

"Okay, before we get started, did everyone bring their clothes?" Lynn's friends, and the girls, would get ready for the party at her house instead of rushing home to change at the last minute. "Makeup, hairspray, all that fun stuff?"   

"Mine's out in the car," Kari said.  

"Mine too." Bethany nodded. "And the girls' stuff, of course."  

"Why don't we bring all that in, haul it up to my room and get it hung up. Then we won't have to get back out in that cold air again later."  

"Good idea." Kari grabbed her coat off of the back of the chair where she'd tossed it earlier. Bethany walked out with her, leaving Lynn in the kitchen with the kids.  

"So, ladies. How was the sleepover?"  

"Fun." Kristin and Jenna grinned at each other. "We all got our nails done, after we watched Nightmare Before Christmas." Both girls held out their hands, showing off pretty nails with white painted snowflakes. Lynn heard her friends come back inside and head down the hall, but she continued to admire the girls' manicures.  

"Very nice. I hope they won't get ruined when you decorate the cookies and cupcakes."  

"We get to decorate them for the party?” Kristin asked.  

"Yep. I think Kari brought everything you guys need."  

"Awesome." This from Jenna, who looked at her friend in excitement. "If mom brought the stuff to decorate with, it's gonna be so much fun!"  

"Harper, would you rather decorate with your sister and Jenna, or help with something else?"  

Harper chewed on her lip, on the fence about where she wanted to be. On the one hand, she wanted to decorate the goodies with the other two. But on the other hand, she was in middle school now, and thought she could work with the adults instead.   

Lynn sensed her indecision and laid a hand on Harper's shoulder before speaking to her.  

"How about this? You start out with the girls, keep an eye on what they're doing for us, make sure they don't make a huge mess? Then we'll find something else for you to do in a while?" Harper smiled and nodded, relieved that her honorary aunt understood.  

"Okay, then." Lynn raised her voice so she could address all three girls. "Let's find aprons and get you guys started."   

After getting the girls set up at the table with an assortment of decorations, some of which included edible glitter and airbrush frosting in silver and gold, Lynn was thankful they'd had the foresight to protect the area with newspapers for easy clean-up later.

The adults worked at the kitchen island, so they could spread out to work and keep an eye on the kids as they decorated their cupcakes. They divided up what needed to be done, each woman setting herself to work on her assignment, chatting while they worked. Lynn made a platter for small sandwiches, rolling lean slices of ham and turkey, placing them on the silver tray that already held small, sweet Hawaiian rolls. Slices of Swiss and American cheeses were layered prettily on the other side of the rolls before Lynn covered the tray in plastic wrap and slid it into the refrigerator.  

She looked over to her friends, saw Bethany had sliced fruit and was arranging it around a bowl of sweet dessert dip, concocted of marshmallow fluff, cream cheese and whipped topping. But the real masterpiece was the vegetable tray. Kari had taken simple veggies and created a work of art with them. Cauliflower florets sat in the midst of radish roses and carrot curls. Slices of cucumber, skins now striped thanks to Kari's deft hand with a vegetable peeler, sat alongside plump black olives. And she had taken a simple red pepper, sliced it in half lengthwise and set it on bed of ruffled kale before filling it with creamy ranch dressing. More kale dressed up the edges of the platter for presentation.  

"Kari, that's beautiful!"  

"Thanks. I've had a lot of practice." She referred to her days of working in a deli before opening her café.  

"I almost hate to let anybody eat it." Lynn studied it one last time before Kari covered this one with plastic wrap, too.  

"Well, they will, and I won't feel bad about it. And neither should you." Kari chided her as she found a space to put the tray in the refrigerator." She wiped her hands on a towel, looked around the work area. "What else needs to be done?"  

"Let's see. We’ll tray the cupcakes and cookies, once the girls are done." Lynn glanced over to check their progress. "And the hot chocolates. One for the kids, and a grown up version."  

"I'll start on those. You go nudge the girls along so we can get those on a tray. Then we'll all break for a long, leisurely lunch - which I have going on the stove, thank you very much - before we all get ready for the guests to arrive." 

"I think that sounds like the perfect plan." Bethany chimed in as she put the finishing touches on the fruit tray. "I don't know about ya'll, but I'm ready to party. Let's do this!" 

* * * 

Two hours later, Lynn was pulling herself from luxurious hot bubble bath. After lunch, her friends had insisted she take one after all the time and work she'd put in preparing for this evening. Thirty minutes minimum, they'd ordered. Soak and relax for at least thirty minutes. Lynn, feeling a little guilty, had stretched it to forty five. Now she had to get a move on, or she'd be late greeting her own guests. Slipping into the dress she'd laid out earlier, she turned to the mirror as she smoothed it over her curves. The dress was the ultimate definition of an LBD, black and short. It stopped just above her knees and hugged her all the way up to the scoop neck and cap sleeves. She kept the jewelry minimal, adding a long silver necklace that stopped just above her naval.  

Since it was a party, she left her hair down so that the soft waves flowed over her shoulders. Lynn took care with her makeup, deepening her eyeshadow and liner to emphasize her eyes. After slicking on some lipstick in a shade of red that didn't clash with her hair, she slid her feet into a pair of black heels that would increase her already admirable height. Satisfied with how everything had come together, she headed down the hallway to prepare to greet her guests. She was the one greeted, however, by the sound of Carter's voice as he chatted with Kari in the living room. 

Carter heard her heels clicking down the hall, looked over from his conversation, and swore his heart stopped. How was he supposed to get through this party, a party that his sons were attending, when she looked like 
that
? Miles of leg under a black hemline, a hint of cleavage at the bodice, snugged in at the waist. Killer green eyes and long tresses of auburn hair. 

"Breathe, Carter." Kari spoke under her breath, before patting him on the arm and going back into the kitchen. 

"Right. Yeah. Breathe. Breathing's good." He muttered to himself, trying to gather the few brain cells he had left so he could form a full sentence. Carter walked over to Lynn, he stopped an arm’s length away before saying, "You are stunning." 

"Thanks. You don't look so bad yourself." Dressed in a charcoal gray suit and white shirt, Carter looked like he could grace the cover of GQ. The snowy shirt, minus the tie, was open at the neck, revealing skin somehow still tanned from the summer. She shook herself out of dangerous mental-image territory, she met his gaze. "You're here early."