The Marine's Red Hot Homecoming (22 page)

Clutching the Lego, Caleb exited the bedroom. Moments later, he held his commanding officer’s letter and reread it. He had always had the choice. There had been no pressure to go out again. The commander understood the necessity of Caleb taking over his family’s conglomerate of businesses. He’d even gone so far as to state that Caleb had earned the right to stay stateside and reclaim his life. The only reason he wanted to return to the Marine Corps was he’d let his pride blind him again. Yes. Serving his country had brought him the acceptance he’d craved, but it had also offered him a way out of dealing with the reality of his father’s infidelities and how that had impacted his entire family.

He’d been afraid to turn into his father, and how that would hurt Hannah. But in the end, he’d committed the same damn crime. He’d used the Marines as an escape hatch rather than trusting her 100 percent with his heart.

The lines blurred and blended together. Emptiness, and a sensation of being hollowed out slipped like death under his skin and into his bones. He had been a fucking idiot and had used the very values he had lived by as a Marine to justify another tour of duty out when his family needed him to live by those values at home. Even when she’d flat out told him what she deserved, what they deserved, he’d run from it like a coward. He had been afraid to accept her love. He’d been fucking terrified of destroying everything they had together. How could he ask her to take that kind of chance on him?

But he had made a huge mistake. Because the woman who had born him a son and raised him by herself for over a year had a heart that had waited for Caleb all along. He was such a first class dope that he didn’t recognize that from the very first moment he had walked back into her life.

If he went on another tour of duty, he’d be running away from the one thing that mattered most. Hannah. And the promise of a future filled with love, laughter, and hope.

She’d known from the beginning the one thing that Caleb had always wanted and she had given it to him freely. Her heart. Folding the letter in half, he realized that he only had one more chance to save his ass and claim that heart again.

He’d have to give her exactly what she had asked for, and this time failing wasn’t an option. Because if he lost Hannah, he’d never get to where he really belonged.

Chapter Nineteen

Everything that Hannah had worked so hard to achieve was finally coming together. In less than an hour, the Mayor would perform the ribbon cutting ceremony and Sweetbriar Springs’s downtown historic district would reopen.

Jason had spent the rest of the weekend with his grandparents which had given her time and space to regroup after leaving Caleb. It had been the hardest thing she had ever done, but he had given her no choice.

She stepped outside, then waved to the baker two doors down. “We couldn’t have asked for a prettier day to celebrate,” she called while she readjusted the red, white, and blue bunting she had hung the day before.

“Yep!” The baker continued sweeping the sidewalk in front of her door. “Not a cloud in the sky.”

Sunshine warmed her back and the sweet smell of azaleas and spring flowers filled the air. But a cold, lonely feeling dipped low in her belly just the same. While there wasn’t the slightest possibility of rain in the forecast, she couldn’t shake the gloom shadowing her thoughts.

She missed Caleb. Missed his support when she had extra work to do in the evening. Missed the quiet and steady strength he had whenever a task had to be completed. And she missed the warmth of his embrace, the slide of his body against hers in the still of the night after they had tucked little Jason into bed.

Oh, she could go it alone again. But this time she’d know exactly what she was missing every day now that she had tasted the sweetness and simplicity of having Caleb by her side.

Her assistant opened the door and stepped outside. “Everything is in order inside.” Terry `passed a to-go cup of chai tea to Hannah, then sipped her own drink. “Looks like we’ll have quite the crowd today. You must be thrilled.”

Hannah shaded her eyes from the sun’s glare. The town square park already had several families and couples picnicking at the benches. A group of teenagers had started a pick up game of Frisbee golf, finally free of their high school for the summer. She recognized most of the faces, picking out her parents, Caleb’s folks, and Jason along with her sister, and brother-in-law as they crossed the park from the other side of the square.

Michael’s van had pulled up on the other side of the street. One of his former Olympic teammates jump out the driver’s side to ready the lift for Michael to exit it in his cherry red motorized wheelchair. In the distance, a very pregnant Kennedy lounged next to Zach near a picnic table while Chelsea Anne played with her baby doll. Her babysitter Lori walked arm in arm with her latest conquest near the gazebo where the ceremony was about to begin.

“The entire clan is out to support you,” her assistant said. “Go on. Join them. Won’t be long before the band plays and the ceremony begins.”

“You sure you’ll be okay on your own?”

“Absolutely.” Her assistant nodded. “Enjoy this day. You’ve done a marvelous job. You’ve earned the right to bask in the limelight with your family and friends.”

She hugged Terry. “Thanks.”

Walking toward her family and friends, she searched for the one person she had hoped would be there. If not for her, then for his son. But she didn’t find him.

Most likely he had made good on accepting his orders to serve and had returned to his base. Sighing, she closed the distance between her and her family, each step felt like she was slogging through mud instead of walking on air. Though she finally had everything she had dreamed of: a thriving business, the respect of her community, and a group of loving family and friends, she couldn’t shake the ever present sadness that had haunted her sleep and waking hours.

Being with Caleb, knowing the possibilities that existed between them, had changed her forever. She couldn’t go back to the woman she had been before Caleb had turned up less than a month ago. And she couldn’t accept anything less than a man who gave himself to her 100 percent. No matter how much she loved him, no matter how alone she felt, and no matter how much her heart ached for him, she refused to settle for less.

She had to find a way to get the happiness she deserved with or without Caleb.

Hannah greeted her friends, then rushed to give Jason a huge bear hug. “I missed you little guy,” she said, inhaling his scent of baby lotion, earth, and animal cracker cookies. “Thanks for watching him, Mom.”

“We got a little reinforcement from Janet and Steven.” Shannon placed her hand on Hannah’s shoulder, squeezed gently. “You hear from Caleb?”

“No. I don’t expect to.” Hannah settled Jason on her hip, then glanced at the Mayor standing next to the big red ribbon tied from end to end of the town center’s gazebo pavilion. “But I’m sure he’ll contact me once he’s on base to arrange child support and visitation. He’ll do what’s right for his son even though we’re not together anymore.”

Shannon swallowed hard. “I’m so sorry. But please don’t let this ruin your special day. You’ve worked too hard to make it happen.”

“I couldn’t have done it without your help. Or Caleb’s after the fire.” Her throat ached and tears pricked behind her eyes. Still, she refused to let them fall or upset her family. She pasted a bright smile on her face. “Today is all about new beginnings, so let’s get them started.”

Shannon nodded. “Give me Jason. We’ll take care of him during the ceremony.”

Hannah released him into her mother’s loving arms. “After it’s over we’ll all go for ice cream.”

“Sounds like a plan,” Michael said, cruising to a stop next to her. “But you sure you don’t want me and Zach to knock some sense into Caleb’s thick skull while we’re at it?”

“Give it a rest, Michael,” Kennedy said. “There’s only one person who can fix this and he’s not here.”

“Fine. But I still say I should run him over with my chair. I bet I could inflict some serious damage with my wheelie skills.”

Hannah laughed, appreciating Michael’s humor. Life would get better even if Caleb wasn’t in the picture. “Give Jason a ride and we’ll call it a day, okay?”

“You got it, sis,” Michael said. “Now go before the Mayor starts without you.”

She moved away from her family toward the gazebo. A light spring breeze lifted the hem of her skirt and strands of her hair flicked against her cheeks. The band played the Sweetbriar Springs’ High School fight song while sitting in the chairs that had been set up inside the gazebo.

The Mayor clasped her hand when she arrived at his side. “An excellent turnout. Well done.”

“Thank you, sir.” She only hoped the mayor stuck to the thirty-minute speech she had pared down for him versus the hour long one he had originally proposed. Otherwise their potential shoppers would fall away from sheer boredom.

The last chords of the fight song rang and she heard the thunder of a V-rod roaring in the distance. Her heart skittered and she glanced toward the sound, searching for the machine that had grown so familiar to her.

The V-rod parked and the driver swung off the bike. When he removed his helmet, her pulse jumped into serious overdrive. The air shimmered between them. She only had eyes for him, drinking in his unexpected presence like a parched soul at the bank of an oasis.

Around her, the audience seemed to collectively hold their breath while Caleb crossed the lawn, his stride fast and purposeful. Her legs turned to jelly and she struggled to remain rooted to the ground.

The mayor cleared his throat, ready to speak, but she put her hand on his arm, stopping him with her brief touch. “Hold on,” Hannah said. “Please.”

She expected Caleb to join their family and friends, but he stopped in front of her, blocking the sun with his powerful, broad body. His indigo eyes locked onto hers and slowly, ever so slowly, he dragged his dog tags over his head.

Her insides cartwheeled. “What are you doing?” she asked.

Still holding her gaze, he reached for her hands and dropped the tags into them, closing his over hers until they were bound as one. “I’ve been a world class fool, Hannah. I gave you a house when you asked for a home. I told you I belonged to the Marines, but I only belong to you. You offered me your heart, and I forgot to tell you that you already had mine. You gave me everything I dreamed of having, and I didn’t accept your gift. Not because I don’t love you, but because I was terrified that what I had to offer wasn’t enough.”

Her heart lodged in her throat, tears bubbled in her eyes, blurring her vision. “Caleb,” she said, the chain in her hands cool to her touch but the blood in her veins rushing hot and wild. “Your heart has always been enough. All you have to do is let me in.”

“I am. I will.” Caleb lowered himself onto his knees, still holding her hands, his eyes imploring her. “I’m so sorry I screwed things up. I will do anything to make you happy. You want me to stay here. I’ll stay. Willingly. You once told me you wanted a man who loves you and wants to be with you because you deserve his love. I want to be that man. If you’ll give me one more chance. A family and a home and a husband who loves you more than life itself. Please forgive me for being an idiot.”

“You gave me a house key,” she reminded him though her heart soared.

“I know. Huge mistake.” He dug into his pants pocket and retrieved another white box wrapped in Tiffany blue ribbon. “I can’t promise I won’t mess up again, but I can promise to give you everything I have and more. I can promise to be the man that you deserve every day for the rest of our lives.”

She draped Caleb’s dog tags around her wrist, then took the box from him and opened it. A beautiful princess cut diamond ring surrounded by tiny companions sparkled in the sunlight. “It’s beautiful,” she said. “A lot better than a mountain house.”

“Will you marry me?” he asked. “Will you forgive me? Please?”

Hannah looked at the people who circled around her. Her mother and father with Jason standing between them, his little hands clasped in theirs. Caleb’s parents slightly apart from the group, Janet’s arm encircling Steven’s shoulders as she gave a small, encouraging nod. Kennedy leaned into Zach, tears glistening in her eyes and her lips curving into a smile that reached her glowing cheeks. Michael, with Jessie and Blake flanked on either side of his wheelchair, giving her a lopsided grin and a weak thumbs up.

Everyone who mattered to her silently, joyfully, celebrated this one moment. A moment she had dreamed about for years. But before she could agree to be Caleb’s wife, she had to know if he had truly let her in.

“Do you really want to walk away from the Marines? Turn your back on this next tour of duty?” she asked, praying he could give her the answer they needed to hear.

###

Caleb stared into Hannah’s hazel eyes, his heart thudding against his sternum. Facing this fierce, strong woman and convincing her that she meant the world to him had been priority number one from the moment he had realized he had fucked up royally. What if he screwed up again? Losing her would be worse than risking his neck overseas.