The Reluctant Bachelorette (39 page)

He closed the door behind him and leaned against it, nodding
toward her front room. “What’s with the fan and open windows? You’re making
your apartment hot and muggy.”

“I’m trying to get rid of the popcorn smell.” Taycee cringed
after she’d said it. Seriously, who eats popcorn for breakfast? Someone who
needs help, that’s who. “Stop trying to change the subject.”

Luke’s eyes shifted to the TV, featuring
Men in Black
.
Yet another non-morning type thing to be doing. He probably wondered if she’d
officially gone insane. “Why get rid of the popcorn smell if you’re watching a
movie? I thought you loved popcorn.”

“I like to eat it, not smell it.” She waltzed over to the TV
and flipped it off. “Are you are you going to tell me where you’ve been now? I
don’t like being ignored.”

“I know.” He pushed away from the door and moved toward her.

Taycee held up a hand. “If you think I’m going to come running
into your arms after you deliberately avoided me for five days with no
explanation, you are one stick short of a bundle.”

Luke’s lips twitched as the usual teasing glint appeared in
his eyes. “What makes you think that’s what I want?”

Of all the—Taycee’s foot stomped against the floor. “Luke
Spencer Carney, you stop it right now! I am so not in the mood for this!”

“What are you in the mood for?” A lop-sided smile joined his
teasing eyes as he moved toward her. “More popcorn?”

“No!”

“’
Sneakers
?’”

“No!”

Luke closed the distance between them. “Me?”

Without waiting for an answer, his mouth covered hers with a
kiss that curled Taycee’s toes—another thing that didn’t usually happen at
nine-o’clock in the morning. Her fingers somehow found their way to the back of
his head, pulling him toward her. It had been too long since she’d kissed him,
too long since she’d felt his arms around her.

Something that was all his fault.

The almost unbidden reminder took over, smothering the happy
moment. She tried to shove it aside for later, but it pestered and nagged until
she finally gave up and pushed him back.

“You can’t do that until you explain! And even then, maybe
not.”

“Okay, okay, fine.” His hands travelled down her arms,
stopping at her wrists. “If you have to know, I’ve been in Ohio. With my
ex-fiancée.”

Taycee didn’t realize her jaw had dropped until his finger
pushed it back into place. Was he joking? The teasing glint was still there,
but she also heard an undercurrent of truth in his words. Which she didn’t
like. At all. “Say what?”

Luke sighed. “Her father—my former boss and mentor—passed away
a few days ago. I went out there for the funeral.”

“Oh,” Taycee said, feeling a mixture of relief and
embarrassment. “I’m so sorry, Luke.”

“Me too.” His thumb traced along her jaw line. “His family
asked me to stay to help out with his practice for a while.”

Taycee frowned. Awhile? What did that mean? As in more than a
few days? Her clamped her mouth shut because she knew whatever she said would
be the wrong thing. Sorry, you can’t. No way. I forbid it. Better to bite the
inside of her cheek instead.

His lips twitched as he watched her, like he knew exactly what
she was thinking. ”I turned them down. I’m back for good.”

Taycee had heard those same words before, several weeks ago.
At the time they’d nearly induced a panic attack, but not anymore. Now those
words made her heart feel bigger somehow, more powerful and capable than ever
before. Now they sounded fabulous.

Luke watched her face. Searching. Seeking. “Just out of
curiosity, if I had said yes, would you have come with me?”

Those
words, on the other hand, made Taycee’s heart
stop. “Would you have asked me to go with you?”

“I would have wanted to.”

“Then I would have wanted to say yes.”

A slow smile stretched across his face. “Really? You who hates
change?”

“Really.” Here, in Luke’s arms, change didn’t seem that scary
anymore. In fact, it seemed downright exciting. It was a strange phenomenon,
and yet not strange at the same time. Maybe Luke was the reason Taycee had been
so attached to Shelter Springs in the first place. Maybe his memory had been
what kept her here all these years, along with a deeply buried hope that
someday he’d return.

And now that he had, home was no longer Shelter Springs,
Colorado. Home was Luke.

Three Months Later

T
aycee passed through security
at
the airport and scanned the throng of people milling about. When she finally
spotted Luke, leaning against a pillar and looking around for her, a happy
smile broke across her face. It had only been three days, but it felt like an
eternity. 70 hours too long. Next time she’d make him come with her.

Luke’s eyes connected with hers, and a slow smile spread over
his face. He pushed away from the pillar and made his way toward her. She
quickened her steps and walked straight into his open arms, breathing in his
familiar clean scent as he pulled her close.

“I missed you,” she murmured against his chest.

“Likewise.” He kissed her forehead, and then took her bag and
slung it over his shoulder. His arm rested against the small of her back as he
guided her toward the airport parking lot. “So, how does it feel to finally
land your first big wedding gig?”

Taycee laughed. “Like nepotism. The only reason Caleb and
Jenny want me to do their flowers is because I come with a family discount. I
like her though. A lot. She’s perfect for my brother and will fit in great.”

”So you’re saying she’s stubborn, ornery when she doesn’t get
fed, and has a police record?”

“No.” Taycee poked him in the ribs. “I’m saying she’s pretty
awesome.”

“Oh, right. That too.”

Once inside Luke’s truck, Taycee scooted across the faded
upholstery to the center, where she leaned against his shoulder and rested her
hand on his knee. As they pulled from the parking garage, Luke said, “Since
we’re already in Denver, I was thinking we could hit a movie tonight. What do
you think?”

Not her first choice, since she’d rather snuggle up next to
Luke on her comfy couch. “I think we should rent a movie, grab some take-out,
and go back to my place.”

“But
Doomsday
isn’t out on video yet,” Luke said as he
merged onto the freeway and headed toward downtown Denver. He’d been trying to
get her to see that movie for the past month, and every time he asked, she
refused. A movie about aliens and mass destruction wasn’t her type of thing.
Not even close—as he knew full well.

“I told you to go to that stupid movie while I was gone,”
Taycee complained.

“How do you know it’s stupid if you haven’t seen it?”

“The movie trailer.”

“You might like it, you know.”

“I really don’t think I will.”

“
I
think you will. C’mon, Taycee Lynne. For me?
Please?”

Taycee hated it when he used her name against her, making it
practically impossible to say no. “Fine,” she grumbled.

Luke laughed and squeezed her hand. “Relax, I was only joking.
There’s actually this really cool little cinema that plays older movies.” He
cast a quick glance her way and cocked an eyebrow. “Want to guess what’s
showing tonight?”

“No way. Are you serious?”
Sneakers
hadn’t been that
popular of a movie, at least not in comparison to shows like
Titanic
or
Star
Wars
—movies that might draw a crowd. Seriously, who’d pay to see
Sneakers
?

Taycee and Luke, that’s who.

“I’m telling you, it’s providence,” said Luke. “We have to
go.”

“Agreed.”

In no time at all, Luke pulled up to an old-style cinema. Sure
enough, the word
Sneakers
was spelled out across a glowing white board
in bold black letters. Taycee’s head shook at the sight. How did Luke even find
this place?

Inside, the seats were shabby and worn, but the theater was
clean—and empty. Were they early? “What time does it start?”

“Any minute now.” Luke eyed the dimly lit room. “Seriously,
Robert Redford has to have more fans than just us.”

Taycee laughed as she led him to the center of the room. “I
actually love the thought of having this place to ourselves. It’s cool. C’mon,
let’s sit.” She tugged him down beside her, instantly annoyed by the armrest
that separated them. Her fingers laced through his, and she laid her head on
his shoulder.

A few minutes passed, and Luke’s foot began to tap against the
carpeted floor. He shifted positions and glanced around, and then shifted and
fidgeted yet again. It was almost comical sitting beside him, feeling each and
every movement. What was he so anxious about?

When he started biting on a nail, Taycee said, “So . . . how
about the weather, huh?’

Luke dropped his hand and eyed her with a look of confusion.
“What?”

She grinned. “You’re acting like a teenager out on his first
date. Is something wrong?”

“No.”

“Then relax, would you? You’re making me nervous.”

His foot stopped beating against the floor, but the second the
lights dimmed, it started up again. Taycee bit back a laugh. What was up with
him? Maybe he’d had too much caffeine.

The screen lit up and turned green as the opening bars of
Taylor Swift’s “Love Story” floated through the theater. The words “A True Love
Story” appeared.

Was this a preview? Taycee hoped so. She loved this song.

We were both young when I first saw you.

A picture appeared: Ten-year-old Taycee in pigtails, sitting
on the back of a horse and clinging to Luke’s waist. Taycee gasped as her hand
flew to her mouth. What in the world? Luke’s hand suddenly felt clammy in hers.

I closed my eyes and the flashback starts:

Another picture, this time of Taycee, Caleb, and Luke hanging
out at the swimming hole.

The song continued as picture after picture of young Taycee
and Luke appeared on the screen. There she was, posing and pointing to her
newly affixed braces. Then came Luke, straddling his old dirt bike. Taycee,
sitting atop his shoulders after a big football game and holding his helmet
high in the air. It was all there. Every single one of her favorite
pictures—pictures she’d kept buried at the bottom of her pajama drawer.

Jessa.

I got tired of waiting
Wondering if you were ever coming around.
My faith in you was fading

The poster for “Shelter’s Bachelorette” appeared with Taycee’s
glamorized face. Luke’s bachelor picture flew into the bottom corner of the
screen, followed by more pictures and short video clips of the opening social
and their one official date.

It was their story, Taycee and Luke’s. Tears stung her eyes,
and she let them come, her hand still clinging to his. It was beautiful. Hands
down the best movie she’d ever seen.

Taylor Swift’s voice faded out with the words,
We were both
young when I first saw you.

One last picture of Taycee and Luke appeared, huddled together
at the concert at Red Rocks, along with the words,
“
It’s a love story,
Taycee Lynne say yes.”

Her heart dropped to her feet as she blinked at the words, not
daring to hope they meant what they could mean. The chair next to her squeaked
as Luke slid to his knee and held out the most beautiful diamond ring she’d
ever seen.

“I love you, Taycee Lynne,” Luke’s voice trembled slightly. “I
want to spend the rest of my life with you in Shelter Springs or anywhere else
you want to go. Please say you’ll marry me.”

More tears came. Not trusting herself to speak, Taycee stood
and pulled him to his feet, throwing her arms around him and holding on as
tight as she could.

“Is that a yes? Because you haven’t said anything,” Luke
whispered in her ear, his warm breath sending a jolt of shivers down her spine.

“Yes,” she whispered back. Of course it was a yes.

“Would you mind saying that a little louder? I didn’t quite
catch it, and this is kind of an important answer.”

“Yes!” Taycee choked out as she laughed and wiped at her eyes.
She drew back far enough to see into his beautiful brown eyes—eyes she hoped would
reappear in one of their future children.

“That’s my girl,” Luke said, just before his warm lips met
hers. Taycee melted against him. A sensation unlike any she’d ever felt
careened through her body. It felt like every moment, every memory, every look,
every touch, collided into one massive explosion, erupting over her in waves of
happiness.

When the pressure of his lips finally eased off, Luke’s
forehead dropped to hers. He held the diamond ring between them. “Mind taking
this off my hands?” he breathed. “I feel a little silly still holding it.”