Unraveled (26 page)

Lauren smiled into the phone. “I can’t believe it. I don’t even know what to say.”

“Tell me you’re headed this way, silly,” Shannon said. “He keeps saying your name. Pretty persistent for a guy who’s been comatose.”

Lauren’s heart soared.
He wants to see me
. But the distance between the ferry and the dock continued to grow and a surge of adrenaline set her in motion. Deserting her bags, she raced across the deck toward the crew chief.

“Can’t you read the sign?” The crew chief barked above the engine noise, pointing at a placard prominently displayed nearby. “No cell phones back here.”

“I gotta go, Shan. I’m on the ferry—I’ll be there as soon as I can.” She ended the call and gathered up her courage. “I—I’ve changed my mind. We need to go back.”

“No can do, missy. The lines are off.” He moved to step around her. Case closed.

“Please.” She blocked his path and gripped the navy blue sleeve of his uniform. “I have to get off this boat.”

“Captain can’t exactly shift into reverse, you know.” He frowned at her hand.

“My boyfriend just came out of a coma. He’s awake and asking to see me. I’m begging you.”

His face softened and he reached for the walkie talkie clipped to his belt. “Alright, alright. Who can resist a story like that?” He motioned for the wiry, gray-haired man on the dock to catch the lines while he spoke to the captain on the radio.

A minute later, he relayed the captain’s response. “Looks like today’s your lucky day. We’re headed back.”

“Oh, thank you!” She resisted the urge to hug him and flashed Matt a thumbs up instead.

Matt pumped his fist in the air then cupped his hands to his mouth. “I’ll drive you over!” Tugging his keys from his pocket, he jogged back toward the parking lot.

The engines rumbled again and the ferry eased back toward the dock. The crew dropped the gangway and after tying off the line, the gray-haired man hustled over as she fumbled with her luggage.

“Here, let me.” He grabbed both suitcases from her hands and hauled them onto the dock like they were Barbie-sized and filled with feathers. He lifted his hat and scratched his head as Lauren pulled a tissue from her purse and mopped the tears on her cheeks.

“Is this the rafter with the head injury we’ve been hearing so much about?”

Lauren nodded, smiling through her tears.

“Well, you tell him Lefty’s got everybody down at Mack’s pulling for him.”

“I will. Thank you,” she said as Matt pulled up next to her.

The butterflies cavorting in her stomach were almost more than she could stand. They rode in silence to the hospital, too stunned to even formulate words. She couldn’t imagine what Blake would have to say. Did he even remember?

Matt drove up to the front door and she hopped out before he could even shift into park.

Shannon was waiting for her at the nurses’ station, a huge grin stretched across her face.

“Here,” she held up a Styrofoam cup with a lid and a straw. “I’m absolutely swamped this morning.” She feigned exhaustion with a hand to the back of her forehead. “You’ll just have to take this cup of ice to my patient. Think you can handle it?”

Lauren reached for the cup and felt her cheeks grow warm. Her heart thrummed in anticipation and she followed Shannon down the hall. “Doesn’t his mom want to see him first?”

“She already did. She slept next to his bed last night. Once he woke up and she knew he was okay, she went home to tell Ben the good news.” Shannon stopped outside Blake’s door, her eyes wide. “Are you ready?”

Lauren’s stomach did backflips and her knees trembled. She nodded.

“I’ll leave you two alone.” Shannon winked before disappearing around the corner.

Lauren tapped on the door lightly and pushed it open. Blake was lying in bed, looking out the window. But when she came into the room, he turned to look at her. The blue squares in his gown made his eyes seem even more intense. His lips curved into a gentle smile, sending her stomach into another series of flips and turns.

“Hey.” His voice was gravelly. He stretched a hand toward her. “Come here.”

She practically floated toward the bed and slipped her hand into his. He wrapped his fingers around hers and squeezed her hand.

She held the cup out to him. “I brought you a drink.” She rattled it and the ice jiggled against the Styrofoam. “Well, ice chips, anyway.”

He licked his lips. “Put it down. I just want to look at you.”

Lord, have mercy
. She smiled. “You do?”

“While I was sleeping, I kept hearing your voice. I was swimming through the murkiest water and my head, my chest … everything hurt so bad. I wanted the pain to stop, but I couldn’t get away from it. But your voice. It saved me.” He lifted her hand to his lips and kissed her palm. “Thank you.”

Her pulse skyrocketed. “You’re welcome.”

“I know things probably didn’t go so well the last time we talked.” He winced and swallowed hard.

“Shhh.” She offered him some ice chips. “Don’t wear yourself out. You’ve been in a coma, for heaven’s sake. We can talk later.”

He shook his head. “No. We need to finish this.”

She sank into the chair next to his bed, her blood running cold as she remembered his harsh words in the shop.

“Blake, I’m sorry. I’m sorry I didn’t tell you about our baby. I don’t expect you to forgive me. But please know that given the chance, I would do it all so differently.”

He nested her hand against his chest, brow furrowed as his gaze roamed her face. “Why did you run?”

She brushed away a tear that leaked from the corner of her eye. “I thought if I told you, it would ruin all of your plans. You had that basketball scholarship and everyone was so proud of you. I couldn’t stand to be the one that messed everything up.”

“Seems to me there were two of us in the back of my truck that night. Don’t you think I at least deserved to know you were pregnant?”

Lauren dropped her chin to her chest, thought again of all the times she’d reached for the phone that first year in Oregon and then changed her mind. “I’m sorry,” she whispered again.

“Why didn’t you keep him?”

“I wanted to. But I could barely support myself, much less a child.” Her chin quivered. “I made an adoption plan, picked the family that I thought would raise him well. In the hospital, I had an opportunity to change my mind, but—”

Blake’s eyes filled with tears.
Oh no. She couldn’t stand to see him cry.

“I would’ve done anything to help you. You know that, right? And I can hardly stand it that he’s out there in the world. Without us.” Blake swiped at a tear that oozed from the corner of his eye.

She gulped back a sob. “He has a great life. Much better than I could’ve given him on my own.”

“I’m still in shock. I don’t even know where to go from here.” He was silent for a minute, his strong hands still holding hers. “But I’m proud of you for choosing to give him a better life. That was an incredibly selfless act.”

Her legs trembled and she gripped the railing on his bed with her free hand.
Selfless?
She was anything but. He had it all wrong. She opened her mouth to protest but he pressed a finger to his lips. “I’m not done. Listen to me.”

She steeled herself for whatever might come next. This was probably the part where he told her to get lost. That even though she’d admitted the truth, he couldn’t get past that level of deception.
Let’s get this over with
.

“I want you to know that I forgive you.”

She blinked rapidly.
How could this be?

Blake’s thumb traced circles over her knuckle. “Did you hear me?”

She nodded slowly. “I don’t know what to say.”

His eyes traveled over her face. “Wait.” He frowned. “There is one more thing I need.”

Her heart stuttered. “Anything.”

He slid his fingers up to her elbow and reeled her in until her face was just inches away from his. “This.” He pressed his lips to hers, gently at first. When she responded, he deepened the kiss, sliding his hand into her hair and holding nothing back.

“Wow,” she whispered, a shiver of desire shooting down her spine. “I think you should fall into the river more often.”

“Stick around. There’s more where that came from.”

She planted a string of kisses along his jaw. “There’s no place else I’d rather be.”

"Special delivery.”

Lauren’s heart stuttered at the sound of his voice. She opened her eyes as Blake ducked under the beach umbrella, two lidded coffee cups in hand. Breathing in the aroma of her new favorite Kona blend, she welcomed the cup Blake offered her. “Thank you.”

“That’s going to cost you.” He sank into the chair next to hers, those incredible blue eyes staring at her lips.

She leaned in, her skin tingling as he tilted her chin with one finger and brushed his lips across hers.

He pulled back, a smile playing at the corner of his lips. “One more.”

Warmth flooded through her as she kissed him tenderly. “I can’t believe this day is finally here.” She touched her forehead to his. “I love you so much.”

“I love you, too. Keep kissing me like that and I’ll bring you drinks all day.”

She giggled. “But then we’d be late for our own wedding.”

“Call me crazy, but I think they’ll wait for us. I know the pastor pretty well.”

Lauren took a long sip of her coffee, keeping her eyes locked on his. Their families were all about a destination wedding. Matt had counseled them through some pretty intense sessions. But the past was behind them. Time for a new beginning.

Blake wrapped a tendril of her hair around his finger. “It’s been a whirlwind, these last eighteen months. I wouldn’t trade a minute of it. But I can’t wait to just
be
, you know? To savor these first few days of being husband and wife. To love you the way you deserve to be loved.”

Her eyes welled up. “Blake Tully, that’s quite possibly the most romantic thing you’ve ever said.”

He pressed her fingers to his lips and kissed each tip, one by one. “Well, selfishly, I thought if we weren’t spending all of our time sightseeing we’d channel our energy into … more meaningful activities.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

She felt her cheeks warm under his mischievous gaze. “Now the truth comes out.”

“Don’t get me wrong. A guy can’t really complain about winning state and getting married all in the same week. But I’m looking forward to a relaxing honeymoon.”

“I’m proud of you, juggling it all so well.”

“Thank you. I couldn’t have done it without you by my side. I’m so glad you made it back for the championship game.”

Lauren cringed. “That was close, wasn’t it?”

She’d spent the first week of March in Portland, testifying in court. Apparently Holden sold narcotics to an undercover officer on more than one occasion. She shivered. It was unnerving to sit on the witness stand and provide evidence against her former fiancé. But she took comfort in knowing that if Holden was out of the picture, maybe Monique and other victims could finally get the help they needed to conquer their addictions.

Blake’s first season coaching basketball was a struggle. The critics were harsh, blaming his losing record on everything from his former addiction to his near-drowning. Lauren knew their doubts were unfounded and Blake’s determination paid off. In only his second season as head coach, he led the Emerald Cove Huskies basketball team to the state tournament. Funny thing, they just kept winning. Thankfully, Lauren had caught the last flight from Portland to Anchorage, just in time to see Blake’s team win with a last-second shot at the buzzer, earning the much coveted title of Alaska state champions.

“I saw your Granny sitting in the lobby of the hotel. How do you think she’s doing?”

Lauren smiled. Granny looked radiant at breakfast, charming the waiter and cracking jokes. “Believe it or not, I think this trip is exactly what she needs. She’s a little out of sorts, but I know Shannon will look out for her today.”

Jess and Shannon would stand beside them tonight, as best man and matron of honor, still newlyweds themselves. Megan, Angela, Jeremy and Seth would round out the bridal party, with Lauren’s nieces and nephews serving as ring bearers.

Her brow furrowed as she thought about the one who would not be present when she and Blake exchanged vows on the beach at sunset.

“Hey.” He tipped her chin and searched her face. “No frowns for the bride-to-be. What’s wrong?”

“I just can’t help thinking about Shaun today, that’s all.”

“I’ve been thinking about him, too.” Blake tucked a lock of hair behind her ear. “We’ve come full circle, it seems like he should be with us.”

“I told his parents we were getting married but she never answered my email.”

Blake winced. “His parents. That sounds so … weird.”

She leaned her head against his shoulder and stared out at the waves breaking on the sand. “I will always love him. But I know they have given him what we couldn’t. And that’s what I cling to when I’m feeling sad.”

“See? You thought your whole world had unraveled. And now look at you. God weaved something beautiful out of a tangled mess.”

“Yes. Yes he did.” She reached for Granny’s locket and smiled at the man she loved more and more with each passing day. “God has big plans for us.”

Blake leaned in and sealed her declaration with a kiss.