Chapter 14 #2
“You’ll be brilliant. I have no doubt. You always seem to figure it out.”
Tia looked up to see her mother standing in the kitchen doorway, pausing a moment before she came into the room. She wore a tennis dress, diamond earrings, her dark hair back in a sleek ponytail.
“What?”
Her mother came over and sat down in the chair opposite where Tia sat at the table, her laptop open, scrolling through her slides. She’d put the presentation together herself, not sure anyone else could capture the essence of Hope House and the need for a proper, rebuilt hospital.
Especially since the treasure money would be held up for years in the war between Mariposa and the Netherlands over who was the rightful owner. Ethan was beside himself—but he’d been generous enough to call some friends and set up today’s presentation.
“You have that look on your face, your thinking look.”
“My... thinking look?”
Her mother nodded. “Reminds me of your father.”
Huh. Maybe. “I’m trying to secure funding for the hospital. An MRI machine.”
And a project kept her mind away from...
Yeah. Him.
Whatever.
“What time is the presentation?” Her mother draped a gold bracelet around her wrist, trying to latch it.
“In a couple hours. I’m meeting Penny for lunch, then it’s after that.” She got up to help her mother. Took the bracelet. “You off to a game?”
“Oh no—lessons. I just can’t get my serve right. Thanks.” Her mother shook her arm to where the bracelet fell to her wrist. “Tell your sister that if she misses another family dinner, I’ll send the dogs after her.”
“That dog?” She pointed to her mother’s basset hound, who’d come in and flopped on the floor. Sighed. “Yeah, he’s terrifying.”
“It’s okay, Rochester. You can be scary when you want to be.”
He blinked at them, heavy brows, sad eyes.
Tia crouched and petted Rochester. “I think Penny was at Conrad’s game. Besides, Mother... you might need to loosen up on the mandatory family dinner. Or even, dare I say, Penny’s security detail. It’s a little creepy.”
Her mother gaped. “Her podcast gets her into trouble?—”
“I don’t have a security detail. Never did.” She stood up.
Her mother swallowed. “You didn’t... You weren’t?—”
“Kidnapped? Funny you should say that...” But no, maybe her mother didn’t need an update. “Truth is, I lived with the fear of being kidnapped all my life.”
“You did?”
She cocked her head at her mother. “Yes. Of course I did.” Tia dropped into the chair.
“For the record, we did have security for you?—”
“Mom. I don’t care about the security anymore.”
“I’m sorry, honey. We did have security, for both you girls, but yes, we gave Penny extra because we felt she needed it for her emotional state. But frankly, you never acted like you needed it. You were always so brave and calm and put together.”
Tia stared at her. “I didn’t feel like that.”
“It seemed you were born that way. You stopped nursing at four months, learned how to walk at nine months. I thought I was raising a small adult rather than a little girl.” She laughed.
Tia didn’t. “I...”
Her mother reached out and touched her hand. “I’m very proud of you, Tia. Please don’t hear anything but that.”
Oh.
“And I’m so sorry that you came home with a broken heart.”
Tia’s breath caught. “What?”
“Oh, honey. I know you. You’re always so... I don’t know. Full of life and passion and determination. You have a strategy for everything. Except... Listen, I’m not sure you even showered that first week. Started to get a little rank.”
“What? I showered!”
Her mother smiled. “Haven’t you finish the entire twelve seasons of Bones in a month?”
“I have a little crush on Seeley Booth.”
“Don’t we all.” Her mother got up, went to one of the cabinets. “Where does Annette keep the insulated water bottles?”
Tia got up and pulled out a drawer. Handed her a pink bottle. “Okay, yes, I might have... met someone in Mariposa.”
Her mother took the water bottle. “And falling for him wasn’t part of the plan.”
“I didn’t fall?—”
“Please.” She came over and leaned against the counter. “You broke up with Edward and two days later you went to a fundraiser that he was attending, and you acted as if... I just didn’t see you spend a couple weeks in your pajamas after Edward. I think he was the easy answer.”
Tia stared at her mother. “The easy answer? I loved him, Mother.”
“Oh, I’m sure you did. A love that fit into your neat box, with all the right conditions and parameters. A love that felt safe and controlled and?—”
“I did break up with him—because he loved someone else. I wasn’t exactly in charge of his heart?—”
“But you also asked him out first. And who wouldn’t be wowed by you, Tia? You’re a force of nature—a woman who knows her mind, who isn’t afraid of anything.”
“Oh, I’m plenty afraid, Mother.”
She couldn’t believe she’d said that, but—probably it was time to admit it aloud.
“I know you are, honey. That’s why you always make a plan. And that makes you feel safe, and in control, and that’s why whatever happened— whoever happened—in Mariposa totally shook you.” She leaned in. “What, did he sweep you off your feet?”
Tia gaped at her. Then, “Maybe. Mostly he just... he just showed up. Whenever I needed him, Doyle was there. And even when I didn’t need him. And he was... so impulsive. Just over-the-top. You have no idea.”
“I think I do,” her mother said quietly, winked. “That’s the smile I’ve always wanted to see, the one you never had with Edward.”
Tia shook her head, looked away. “It doesn’t matter. He lost his true love on their wedding day, so?—”
“Are you talking about Doyle Kingston?”
She looked at her mother and must have worn a look of surprise, because her mother leaned back, nodded. “I see.”
“What do you see?”
“I met Doyle a couple years ago, at a fundraising event for Beacon of Compassion International. He was one of the team leaders for disaster relief. We sat at the same table. Such a nice man, but sort of quiet. Distant. I felt like he had a lot behind that smile. I asked later and heard about his fiancée dying. And then, of course, I met Conrad, and small world. This Doyle is the same man who swept you off your feet?”
“Stop saying that.”
“It feels right.”
“Mom.”
She held up a hand. “I find it interesting that you both lost intendeds. It seems that you might understand each other better than most.”
Tia closed her computer. “Except Juliet was his true love.”
“You loved Edward. Maybe not the same way, but you lost a future too.” Her mother stood up. “I am proud of you for saying no and waiting for your true love as you and your sister used to say.”
“I don’t think I’m Doyle’s ‘ true love ,’ Mom.” She finger quoted the words. “Juliet was perfect for him. I’m... bossy and stubborn and—I just got him into trouble.”
Her mother raised an eyebrow.
“Trust me, I drove the man crazy.”
“You?”
“Mom.”
“I’m just saying, I know you’re perfectly capable of taking care of yourself, but maybe it’s okay to find someone who steps between you and your desire to save yourself.”
She had nothing, except for Doyle’s voice in her head. “Why, why, why are you so intent on getting yourself killed?”
Oh, he was handsome when he was standing in her way.
Her mother’s voice softened. “Darling. I loved Edward. But we both know that he didn’t make your heart sing. He wasn’t your One. You need someone who sees you the way God does—for the passionate, brave, determined woman you are—who stands up to you, and who makes you feel safe and cherished.”
“Please, trust me.”
Ugh, now he’d sat down in her brain. After she’d worked so hard to forget him.
Right.
“Has it occurred to you that God made you two for each other, knowing you’d need each other?”
She met her mother’s gaze. “No, it hasn’t.”
A beat.
“Because?”
“Because God doesn’t... He doesn’t really... I mean, I’m not important to Him. He doesn’t...”
“Oh, I see. You think because God rescued Penny, He’s forgotten you?”
She lifted a shoulder.
“Darling. If you were the one sheep lost, He’d leave the rest to find you. He has not forgotten you.”
“I just haven’t ever, you know, wanted to need God. I just figured He wouldn’t hear me even if I called out to Him.”
“You really believe that?”
“I don’t know.”
“Interesting. Or maybe you just don’t recognize when you have needed Him. Or called out to Him.” She folded her arms. “God knows what you need even before you ask. We ask because that puts us in a place of surrender, even expectancy, watching for Him to show up. But He goes before us every single day, saving us from things we have no idea about. Because that’s what love does.”
Tia looked out the window. “And when He doesn’t?”
“Then He’s giving us the opportunity to need Him a different way. If you never have problems, you miss the grace of God showing up.” She leaned back. “None of us want to be in the place where we are over our heads, when all we have is God, but frankly, it’s the safest place to be.”
She stood up. “If you really want to trust God, let Him be in charge of your heart. Love isn’t safe. It’s terrifying and freeing and—what was it?—oh. It sweeps you off your feet.”
“Seriously.” But Tia grinned.
Her mother winked. “I’m off to learn how to serve, again. Good luck on your presentation.”
Her presentation. She checked her watch. Oops.
Forty minutes later, when Tia pulled up, Penny was waiting outside the café, dressed in a summer dress and sandals, wearing a jean jacket, texting. She looked up and grinned, her dark hair in a braid down her back. She looked tanned despite her too-many hours in an ice arena.
She gave Tia a hug.
“I’ve never been here,” Tia said as Penny opened the door. Twinkle lights and café tables and a shelf of used books. The scent of baked cookies filled the room.
“Ironclad Desserts.”
“I thought we were having lunch.”
“We’re having inspiration. ” Penny walked to the counter, spoke to the server. “Hey, Marcie, I need a Peanut Butter Panache and a Twilight Temptation. As Conrad would put it?—
stat.”
The server laughed. “Coming right up, Penny.”
Penny walked them over to a couple empty leather chairs by the window. “You can have a salad for dinner.”
Tia sat down. “What’s a Twilight Temptation?”
“Dark chocolate, espresso, black cocoa, raspberry ganache. I promise you, you’ll be awake for your presentation. You ready?”
“I think so. Beacon of Compassion International is known for its big donations?—”
“How big?”
“If I can get Dad to match it, maybe ten million?”
“Is that enough to build your medical clinic?”
“I think so. The one we currently have, attached to Hope House, isn’t big enough, so we need to expand the one in Esperanza. I originally wanted three million, but after the landslide, we realized we needed to upgrade the trauma center and add a pediatric wing to the hospital... it’s all in the proposal.”
“And what comes next—you heading back to Mariposa?”
Marcie arrived with the cookies, warm and gooey, along with silverware. “Coffee?”
Penny nodded while Tia looked at the mound of chocolate. “I’ll be awake for a week.”
“Splitsies.” Penny cut her peanut butter cookie in half.
They traded plates.
“Oh, no, this is... this is too good,” Tia said.
“Right? Conrad likes to come here after games. When they win.” Penny took a bite of the peanut butter. “Okay, and when they lose.”
Tia laughed.
“So—are you heading back?”
Marcie delivered their coffee, and Tia picked up her cup. Sipped. “The coffee on the island is so strong that Rosa has to put sweetened condensed milk in it. It’s amazing.”
“I’m going to say that’s a yes.”
Tia shrugged. “I keep thinking about Gabriella, this amazing teenager who just needs someone to believe in her. And the Parnell twins, who I hope will be adopted?—”
“And Doyle?”
She sighed. “I think Doyle...”
“Misses you too.”
She met Penny’s gaze. “I don’t?—”
“He’s going back.”
“What?”
“I was at Conrad’s game a few days ago and heard that Doyle’s talked to Declan about doing his residency in Mariposa.”
Tia had nothing.
Especially when Penny stood up. “Don’t kill me.”
She walked away.
What—? Tia turned?—
And there he was.
“Doyle?”
He wore a jean jacket, an oxford shirt, and... a tie? He’d shaved, his hair shorter than on the island yet still windblown, and wore a pair of aviator sunglasses that he took off and set on the table. Tanned, strong, those blue eyes on her and...
And if she’d ever wondered if she loved him... Her heart just exploded, right there, a mess of unruly, clumsy, inconvenient emotions.
Her true and perfect love.
She got up. And... managed to spill her gooey cookie plate right down the leg of her white linen pants.
“Oh no!”
He grabbed her shoulders. “Don’t. move.”
He bent down— oh boy, he smelled good, the kind of good that spoke of hot summer air and stirred up memories of his hand in her hair, his kiss on her skin?—
“Okay, I think I got this. Very carefully, step away from the cookie.”
He’d taken a knife and a napkin and plopped the cookie back onto the plate. Then he held the hem of her pants and lifted the melted chocolate away.
“I think it’s going to pull through.” He set the plate on the table.
“The cookie?”
“Oh, no.” He made a face. “I think that’s done for. I was thinking of the pants. Unless you want to go No Pants to the presentation.”
And just like that, the memory rose of her walking through Esperanza without pants. She started to laugh.
He grinned. “I’m thinking that isn’t a bad idea. You do have excellent legs.”
“Stop. I’m wearing pants.” She leaned down and rolled up the cuffs. “I think I’ll just have to improvise.”
“Attagirl,” he said.
And then silence dropped between them.
“How are?—”
“Me first.” He sighed. Nodded. Swallowed, then, “You were right, Tia. I did lose myself. And I was searching. And I thought you could fill that empty place. Instead, you helped me find myself again. Helped me see the man I thought I’d lost.”
“That’s great, Doyle.”
He drew in a breath. “Tia, being with you showed me that I can trust God again. That there’s more out there... for me.” He swallowed. “For us.”
Us?
Oh, Doyle ? —
She picked up her satchel. “I gotta go. I’m giving a presentation in about”—she checked her watch—“twenty minutes. It was nice to see?—”
“I know about the presentation. Declan called me.”
A beat.
She stared at him. Wait...
He raised an eyebrow. “Oh no. It looks like he didn’t call you. Aw...”
“What? Are you?—”
“I’m your copresenter. For the new Esperanza trauma center?”
She closed her eyes, looked away. “Of course you are.”
“Listen.” He took a step toward her.
Up close, his presence simply washed over her. She looked at him.
“We got this,” he said, his blue eyes shining. Stupidly mesmerizing. “I’ll tell a couple stories; you wow them with whatever slick PowerPoint you’ve come up with.” He held up a fist.
Her heart had woken up, and suddenly everything spilled over, heat and hope and the sense that...
No, no ... She shook her head. “I... I can’t do this again. I can’t fall into your world, let you sweep me away, Doyle. I can’t be?—”
“The One?” His grin had vanished, leaving only his gaze on hers.
She couldn’t move. Except, softly, “What?”
“You’re the One, Tia.”
She drew in a breath, shook her head. “Doyle?—”
“Hear me out.” He reached out to touch her, then pulled back, his gaze earnest. “See—what I forgot is that God had a future for me already written out. He knew Juliet was going to die, and He knew I’d need someone who was... who is completely different from her, who could meet me where I’m at, who could push me and challenge me and make feel like I just might be enough for her too.”
She opened her mouth. Closed it. Took a breath.
He lowered his voice, but she felt it rumble through her entire body. “I’m in love with you, Tia. So in love with you, and... please, just... take my hand. Let’s go do this thing. And then do the next thing and... live happily ever after?”
His gaze reached out for hers, so much in it that she could nothing but?—
Nod.
Oh no. Oh yes. She nodded.
The truth in her heart had just... taken over. It was impulsive. And yet perfect and right, and she had the sense then of... not being forgotten. Not being second place.
Being the One.
“Yes?” he said. He held out his hand.
“Yes,” she said, and smiled. “Because I’m in love with you too, Doyle. And it scares me?—”
“Because it wasn’t planned.”
“It’s completely crazy.”
He stepped up to her. “And yet entirely right.”
She nodded again, and he was so close she could just lean... in...
“Attagirl,” he whispered. Then he grabbed her hand, and she held on as he pulled her out of the Ironclad.
“What are you doing?” she said as he parked her under the awning next to the shop, in the shadows of the summer afternoon.
“This is a pre-presentation pep talk.”