Lakeside Love (A Mill Creek Crossing Romance) (9 page)

“You can’t always know what happens next, Erica. Trust me,” he said letting go of her hands and leaning back against the counter. His words cut through her like a knife. How could she have said something like that to a man who’d lost his wife?

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean…”

“It’s okay, honey. You never have to walk on eggshells around me,” he said putting his hand on her cheek. “I’m developing strong feelings for you, Erica, and I know you feel the same. I’m scared just like you are. If I fall in love again, I’ll always worry that I’m going to lose that person. But isn’t love worth the risk?” His question rang through her head, and she didn’t know what to say. Was love worth it to her?

“I hope so. I’ve honestly never experienced real love. I know that now, and maybe that’s what scares me. What I had with Max for so many years wasn’t real love, and it still hurt like crazy. You’ve already lost a real love, and you know what you’re risking. I only have unknowns…”

“Have you ever heard the saying ‘feel the fear and do it anyway’?” he asked.

“Yes, but this isn’t a sporting event, Dylan,” she said. She could tell she was frustrating him, but she didn’t know what to do. “I think it might be best if I go home earlier than I planned, Dylan.”

“Are you kidding me? That’s it, Erica? You’re willing to just give up and cower away like nothing ever happened between us?” She could feel the hurt and anger in his words.

“I just can’t…”

“Never mind. Don’t finish that sentence. Safe travels, Erica.” She was shocked when he walked out the back door and started to push the kayak into the lake. She ran outside and down the stairs, mad as fire that he’d given her up so easily.

“Excuse me!” she yelled at him with her hands on her hips.

Dylan turned around, surprised to see her there. “What?”

“You just gave up that easily? Do you know nothing about romance?” At her core, she’d had no idea she wanted him to fight for her, maybe even grovel a little bit. Then she mentally kicked herself realizing he didn’t deserve that at all.

“Romance? What about caves and waterfalls and kisses and home cooked meals, Erica? Is that not romantic enough for you? If begging a woman to love me is romantic to you, then you’ve got the wrong man.”

Wait, did he just say “love”?

“Did you just say love?” she asked as the breath was sucked from her lungs.

His face went pale as he started walking toward her. “What if I did? Would you turn tail and run?”

“I didn’t run the first time.”

“You were about to pack up and leave, Erica!”

“I didn’t get a chance before I saw your cute butt high tailing it out of my kitchen!”

They both stood there staring at each other for a moment before laughter broke out. Erica was in hysterics, and tears were running down her cheeks. Dylan was bent over trying to catch his breath.

“What are we doing, Erica?” he asked when he finally caught his breath from laughing. “Are we risking both of our hearts for something that could be amazing, or are we giving up to prevent any chance of a heartache?”

“Dylan, I…”

“Let me ask you this way,” he said softly as he walked to her and put his hands on her shoulders. “If you pack up and leave today, can you honestly say you could leave me, and this time we’ve had together, behind? Or, would your heart ache anyway?”

A stray tear rolled down her cheek as she realized he was right. There was no getting him out of her head or her heart… no matter how far she ran. He would always have a permanent place.

“I couldn’t leave this behind,” she said softly as she looked up at him. He leaned in and kissed her gently.

“Good. Then, can we get on with our day?” he asked smiling. “I’ve got a pot roast to cook.”

***

On the final day of her stay in Mill Creek Crossing, Erica’s stomach was churning. She didn’t know how to say goodbye to Dylan or when she might see him again. She packed up her things and sat on the edge of the bed thinking about their time together. How had this amazing man healed her heart in less than two weeks?

During their time together, they had hiked and fished and cooked meals together. She was surprised at how much she loved mountain living since she’d always been in the city. She loved the slower pace and how everyone knew everyone else. She loved the festivals in the town square on weekends, and their little secret retreat in the cave.

Her fondest memory was of their first kiss in that cave, and she’d promised herself the first time they made love might just be there too. But she wasn’t ready for that step yet, and Dylan understood. They were both treading lightly until they saw what their relationship would be.

She loved he didn’t pressure her to have sex like so many other guys had. Even Max had pushed her when they first met, and she’d caved to keep him. Looking back, she wished she’d been stronger and saved herself for Dylan since she was quite sure Max would have broken it off earlier without sex.

Erica zipped up her last suitcase and did one last sweep of the room before going downstairs to say her goodbyes to Dylan. As she walked into the living room, she was shocked to see Callie standing beside Dylan with a big smile on her face.

“Callie? What’re you doing here?” she asked smiling with her eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

Callie cackled with laughter as she drew Erica into a big hug. “You’ve been had, my friend.”

“What?” Erica said even more confused.

“This was a test,” Callie said.

“A test?”

“Dylan and I have known each other for years. In fact, we went to middle school together. I knew Amelia too,” she said putting her arm around a grinning Dylan.

“Okay…” Erica said unsure of whether she was angry or just shocked.

“I set this trip up to see if you could open your heart up to another man, and it worked!” Callie said grinning like a Cheshire cat.

“So this was just a joke? It wasn’t very funny!” Erica said, her eyes welling with tears. “What kind of friend does that?”

“No, no, no… Erica, as usual Callie isn’t explaining things very well,” Dylan said walking to Erica. “She knew that I lived across the lake from her cousin. She knew about Amelia, and what I went through. When we reconnected on Facebook a couple of days after your wedding fiasco, she got a bright idea to help us both heal by throwing us together. So, she sent you up here in the hopes we would find each other. And we did. I didn’t know until a couple of days ago when she called me. In fact, the meal at the cave was all my idea. Total coincidence.”

“So you weren’t lying about your feelings?” she asked as she wiped away a stray tear and smiled at him.

“Of course not. I love you, Erica,” he whispered in her ear.

“You love her? Oh my God!” Callie squealed as she jumped up and down. “I should be a matchmaker!”

“Shut up, Callie!” Erica said as she looked back at Dylan. “I love you too Dylan!” Overcome by a passionate kiss, the couple lost track of time while Callie continued to grin from the other side of the room.

“Do ya’ll still love me too?” Callie asked holding out her arms. They joined in a group hug as Erica thought about how lucky she was to have two people who loved her so much.

“You and your crazy schemes,” Erica said punching Callie in the arm lightly.

“Well, at least this one worked,” she said laughing.

“Callie has always come up with crazy schemes,” Dylan said. “Once in middle school…”

“Shut up, Dyl…” Callie said putting her hand over his mouth.

“I’ll have to hear that one later,” Erica said sliding her arm around Dylan’s waist. “So, what now?”

“Well, I have something I want to ask you,” Dylan said as he turned to Erica.

“You’re not going to propose, are you?” Erica asked with her hand over her mouth.

“Of course not! We just met!” he said chuckling.

“Thank God because I am not planning another wedding anytime soon. Bad memories…” Erica said.

“What I wanted to ask you was whether you would consider taking a job here in Mill Creek Crossing. I know of an opening that would be a perfect fit for you,” Dylan said sitting down on the sofa and patting the seat next to him. Erica sat down, intrigued by what he was saying.

“Well, I guess it depends on what kind of job it is.”

“It’s actually the head of a marketing department, so I would think it’d be a great step up in pay and would look fantastic on a resume. Plus, you’d get to see my smiling face everyday, which is a fantastic perk,” he said grinning.

“That is a wonderful perk,” she said. “What company would I work for?”

“Kramer Real Estate Group.”

“Wait. Your company? Dylan, I don’t want special treatment…”

“Sure you do!” Callie said.

“Callie, be quiet!” Erica said as she tossed a pillow at her.

“This isn’t special treatment, I swear. I already told you when we met that I needed to hire a marketing person for my business, right?”

“Well, yes…”

“I was serious. I need help. My business is growing, and I need a permanent person. Plus, you could even be an independent contractor so that you can take on other clients up here. Build your own business. Plus, you can take all the time you need pursuing your writing dream.”

“And where would I live?”

“That’s the best part!” Callie chimed in. “My cousin has agreed to rent this place to you for as long as you want. He rarely comes here, so it would take a load off his shoulders. And, knowing what you pay in rent in Atlanta, this place would be way less each month.”

“Boy, you two have thought of everything,” Erica said.

“Listen, I know we’ve been clowning around, but I want you to be okay with this. I don’t want you to make a decision based on what I want. I want you to be here, but I need you to want that too,” Dylan said.

Erica stood up and walked around the living room. She imagined her own furnishings, and how great it would be for the love of her life to paddle over everyday. She would have her independence when she wanted it, which was important to her.

“Okay, I’ll do it!” she said grinning from ear to ear. The words had barely left her mouth when Callie ran in front of Dylan and hugged her tightly.

“This is the start of an amazing life, girl!” she said.

“Mind if I hug my girlfriend?” Dylan asked Callie.

“Girlfriend?” Erica asked trying to get used to the word on her tongue.

“Is that okay? I mean since I do love you and all?” he asked with a laugh.

“It’s more than okay,” she said inching up on her tiptoes and giving him a kiss. “Thank you.”

“For what?” he asked.

“For rescuing me.”

“From the lake?”

“No, from myself,” she said as she gave him a passionate kiss that almost made his head pop off.

Two Years Later

The pond was calmer than normal as Erica pulled her apple pie out of the oven. She loved the Fourth of July, and apple pie was synonymous with it.

“What smells so good in here?” Dylan asked as he slid his hands around her waist.