Chapter 31
31
Saint had been standing, facing the bayou, when he heard the sound of movement behind him. He turned to see Mia approaching. She smiled upon meeting his gaze. “It’s a beautiful day, isn’t it, Evans?”
“Yes, it is,” he agreed, wondering what nonsense his mother and hers had conjured up to persuade her to come here to see him. He figured he would find out soon enough.
“I’m sorry your mother tried pushing you into taking me boating, Evans.”
“No problem. I know how to handle Mom when she tries getting into my business.” He paused a moment and then when she came to a stop in front of him, he asked, “What do you want to talk to me about, Mia?”
She nervously glanced over her shoulder and then back at him and said, “Can we take a walk?”
He figured she’d asked that because she, like him, was aware his mother was watching them through the curtains. “Sure.”
She moved in step beside him when he began walking. “I love your home. Your mom dropped by there after picking me up from the airport this morning. I didn’t see the insides, but from the outside it’s impressive. There’s so much land.”
“Yes, there is, but I’m sure my home and property aren’t what you came all the way from Florida to talk to me about, Mia,” he said, cutting to the chase.
“No, it isn’t.” She seemed nervous and Mia had always been a self-assured and confident woman.
She met his gaze and stopped walking and he did, too. “I made a mistake about you, Evans. It might have taken me three years to face that fact, but I have. The thought of marriage scared me because it was something I thought I would fail at.”
He lifted a brow. “Why would you have thought that? Your parents have a successful marriage, and so did your grandparents on both sides. Why would you think you’d fail?”
“Mainly because I wanted to accomplish a number of things before settling down, and I wasn’t sure I’d be able to do that while married. If you recall my mom and grandmothers were stay-at-home moms and they were satisfied with that. I’m different. I wanted a career and my career meant everything to me.”
He’d known that and had never tried standing in the way of her having one. “I don’t recall giving you grief about your work, Mia. I was always supportive.”
“Yes, but you wanted to get married and start a family. I honestly wasn’t ready for either. My boss had promised me a promotion so I knew it was only a matter of time before I would get it. I also knew that meant relocating to Florida. I had decisions to make. I figured you wouldn’t want to relocate unless I agreed to marriage, and I didn’t want to do that.”
“Why are you rehashing everything, Mia?”
She shrugged. “Because I now know that I made a mistake. My career no longer means anything to me.”
“Is the reason it no longer means anything to you because you no longer have one? At least not with Monroe, Hills and Luster since they went out of business?”
He knew her well and the blush that appeared on her cheeks told him he was right. If her career was still flying high, she would not be here. In a way he’d always known he came second in her life. She’d only considered him her safety net and nothing more.
“Okay, Evans, I admit losing my job was my wake-up call. But you knew that eventually I’d get my priorities straight and come to my senses.”
“What makes you think that?” he asked.
She gave him a tentative smile. “Because according to our folks, you haven’t been seriously involved with anyone since we broke up over three years ago. That means you’ve been waiting for me to get myself together.”
She was dead wrong and so were their parents if that was what they thought. Granted, it took him a year after she had left to move on. But he knew, deep down, that he began truly living again that night he met Zara. Something about her had reached out to him. Of course, he’d assumed it was only physical. But when their paths had crossed again two and a half years later, a part of him had known differently.
He’d never been one to believe in predetermined destination until now. There was a reason Zara had appeared and then reappeared in his life. He hadn’t been waiting for Mia to return. And she was wrong about him not being seriously involved with anyone. As far as he was concerned, Zara was an integral part of his life.
He met Mia’s gaze and held it. She honestly believed what she’d said, and that in itself was sad. For him, it showed how selfish she was if she thought she could place him second in her life during the four years they’d been together, and then over three years after their breakup, when her life appeared to be falling apart, and after not having had any contact with him whatsoever, she could waltz back into his life and think he would be happy to take her back.
“You’re wrong, Mia, and so are my folks and yours if anyone thought I’ve been waiting for you to come back. And contrary to what you’ve been told, I have been seeing someone seriously.”
She waved her hand as if to dismiss what he’d said. “I hope you don’t mean that woman you’ve been involved with over the past month. According to your mom the two of you are having an affair that will end when she leaves town.”
Even if his mother was right, that didn’t mean he would pick back up with Mia. She was a part of his past and he wanted her to stay there. Whereas he saw Zara as a part of his future. She might not know it now, but he was willing to do whatever was needed to break down her defenses...just like she had unknowingly broken down his.
“I will give you the babies you want, Saint. At least two.”
He drew in a deep breath, attempting to hold his anger in check. She wanted him to take her back and dictate her terms? He had news for her. Zara was the only woman he wanted to have babies with. “Don’t do me any favors, Mia.”
“I don’t understand why you’re being difficult when I’m giving you what you want. Marriage and babies.”
“And like I said, don’t do me any favors.” He knew at that moment what he wanted more than those two things was a woman he loved and who loved him. He loved Zara and maybe it was time to let her know it. Even if she didn’t love him back now, he believed that one day she could and would.
What they had between them now—both in and out of bed—was good. It was a start, and he honestly could see it going somewhere. He would have hope. She had bought that building in town and, for him, that meant he would see more of her. He just had to make sure she was willing to see more of him.
He gave Mia a smile that didn’t quite reach his eyes when he said, “My affair might end and then it might not. If I have anything to do with it, it won’t. I love her.”
She lifted a brow. “You love her? You’ll hang on to a woman who might not love you back?”
“It won’t be the first time I’ve done so, will it?” he asked scoffingly. Before she could respond he said, “I’m glad we had this conversation, Mia.” He truly meant that. Not for closure but to reaffirm what he already knew.
Saint met her gaze and then added, “I hope now you’ll be able to convince our parents of something that I seemed to have failed at doing, which is to finally accept that I have not been waiting for you to return to my life. We are finished and there’s no getting back together.” He paused and added, “I wish you the best in all your future endeavors. Take care of yourself.”
When he walked off Mia called out to him. “Evans?”
He stopped walking and turned around. “Yes?”
“I did love you.”
Saint stared hard at her. “If that’s true then your kind of love is something I can do without.”
He turned and continued walking.
“Did you like the movie, Margie?”
“I did. I’m glad there’s a movie theater here in the cove. I recall we used to have to drive all the way into New Orleans to see a movie.”
He chuckled. “You remember those days, do you?”
“I doubt that I’d forget them. Granted, the movie theater here only has three screens. That’s better than nothing.”
“Tell that to the young folks. There’s a petition going around to bring in one of those twelve-screen theaters.”
Margie shook her head. “What are the chances of that happening?”
“Slim.” He opened the car door for her.
She smiled as she slid across the leather. “I thought so.”
When he started driving, he asked, “Do you want to stop somewhere before we get to your house? How about to get some french fries?”
She grinned at him. “You like french fries, don’t you?”
“I love them.”
“Umm... Do you have some fresh white potatoes at your house?”
“Yes, I grow my own. Why?”
“I want to make you french fries prepared my way.”
When he stopped at a traffic light, he looked at her. “And what way is that?”
“Baked in the oven. I promise you’ll love them.”
He looked at his watch. “We’ve been gone for almost two hours. Don’t you have to check on Mr. Chelsey?”
“No. Pastor Dawkins comes over on Saturday evenings to discuss tomorrow’s Sunday school lesson with him. Then he usually stays awhile and the two of them watch the sports channel.”
Levi smiled. “In that case, I’d love to try your baked fries.”
Margie nearly held her breath when Levi bit into one of the baked french fries. When they had reached his house, they had gone into his garden together and she’d selected two of the biggest white potatoes that she could find. She peeled them and then diced them the size of regular french fries. Because Levi had a kitchen that was stocked with all kinds of seasonings, she had been able to create her mother’s special seasoning that would give them a golden-brown appearance while baked.
When he finished the first one and reached for another, she slid the plate away from him. “I want to know what you think, Levi.”
He grinned at her. “I think that was the best cooked fry I’ve ever eaten. It was delicious.”
She smiled, pleased with his comment. “It’s also healthier for you.”
“And I loved the way they were seasoned.”
“I thought you would. That was the seasoning Mom used on her fries. Dad and I weren’t allowed to eat french fries, so she came up with her own, and for years because the seasoning helps bake them a golden brown, we thought we were eating fries cooked in oil, not baked.”
“Well, you should get that seasoning patented. It’s really good.”
“I might just do that.” She slid the plate back and took a fry for herself. After sampling, she agreed with him; it was really good.
“What other kind of recipes of your mom’s do you have?” he asked.
“Several. All for a healthier version of foods without sacrificing taste. I know how to bake chicken that tastes almost fried. However, Dad puts his foot down on that one. When he wanted fried chicken, Mom had no choice but to pull out the skillet. I guess she knew what battles to pick.”
They finished off the fries with beer. He’d been surprised to discover she preferred beer to wine like he did. After they tidied up the kitchen, she called to check on her dad. “Dad said he wished I would stop calling because he, the pastor and Butterball are watching the game.”
She went to sit beside Levi on the sofa. “I guess that means you’ll have me for company for a little longer. That’s good because there’s something I want to talk to you about.”
He looked at her. “Okay, what?” he asked, shifting his position on the sofa to face her.
She nibbled on her bottom lip a moment before saying, “Weeks ago, we talked about our relationship, and I told you that I wasn’t ready for anything more than friendship.”
“Yes, I remember.”
“Well, I’m ready for more now, Levi. That is, if you’re still interested.”
A huge grin appeared on his face. “Yes, I’m definitely still interested. Like I told you that day, you’re the first woman I’ve felt anything for since Lydia. That hasn’t changed, Margie, and I doubt that it will.”
She smiled as she drew in a deep breath. “I hope that it won’t. I want to continue to get to know you. I relish your company and doing things with you. What Bellamy told me before leaving was right.”
“And what was that?”
She paused, then said, “That her dad wasn’t coming back, and it was time for me to accept that and move on. Ron would want me to be happy and to live my life to the fullest. My children want me to be happy. Bellamy has met you and likes you. I talked to David and he’s looking forward to meeting you.”
“And I’m looking forward to meeting him.”
“And I told Dad, and of course he likes you and knows Butterball likes you, too.”
Levi laughed. “That’s good to hear. So where do we go from here?”
“I still want to take things slow, Levi. One day at a time and spend as much time as I can with you.”
“I want to spend as much time as I can with you, too. I understand there will be limitations due to Mr. Chelsey. Hopefully, we can include him in some of our outings.”
“Yes, we can do that, but the older Dad gets the more he wants to hang around home,” she said.
“We can do that, too.”
“Thank you, Levi.”
He took her hand in his. “For you, anything and anytime, Margie.”
She gazed into the darkness of his eyes and studied the rest of his facial features. Bellamy was right. He was such a handsome man, and he was kind and thoughtful. She’d come to see that over the past weeks as she got to know him.
When he leaned toward her, she leaned in as well, knowing where this would lead. This would be their first kiss and she was ready. When his mouth touched hers, she wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned into him closer.
The contact of their tongues immediately sent a degree of passion stirring within her that she thought she would never feel again. She was wrong. Not only did she feel it, but she was being consumed by it. Instantly, automatically, a ball of need burst to life inside her, triggering a sexual hunger she hadn’t felt in years.
At that moment she was aware of everything about Levi. The way he was holding her in his arms and the rock hardness of his chest. Unable to help it, her hands began caressing the sides of his neck as his mouth continued to claim hers. He was making her nerves dance, her brain race and heart skip. Levi Canady was quite successfully reminding her that she was a woman. A woman who at the age of fifty-five was alive and had a lot of love to give.
When he finally broke off the kiss, he pressed his forehead against hers as they both breathed in deeply, their breaths ragged. She had been introduced to his taste and he had been introduced to hers. When he leaned back and stared into her eyes, she felt her skin tingle.
Finding her voice, she asked, “So what do you think?”
He leaned in to brush his lips over hers, which made her shiver. Then, pulling back, he smiled and said, “I think the two of us will be good together, Margie. I will go as slow as you want us to but just so you know something.”
Swallowing deeply, she asked, “What?”
“I intend to work really hard to become an important part of your life.”
When he leaned in and captured her mouth again, she couldn’t help but believe him.
It was close to nine that night when Saint returned home from spending all day boating on the bayou. Normally, he wouldn’t hang out in the marshy inlet this long, but today he had needed that time alone. To think.
Everything he’d told Mia had been the truth and it was time she’d heard it. Just the nerve that she’d assume that even after over three years of non-contact she could reenter his life like she’d never left still had his insides boiling. But then he had loved her just that much and she’d known it. As far as he was concerned, they had been four wasted years, and she honestly wanted him to believe that she had loved him?
Just to think that he once thought she was everything he would ever want and need in a woman. In a wife. He now knew he’d been wrong. The reason things hadn’t worked out between them was because it hadn’t been meant to. He had deserved better. Just like Zara—her asshole of an ex hadn’t deserved her, either. In the midst of heartache and heartbreak, one stormy night in New Orleans they had found each other, consoled one another and somehow given each other a pathway forward, not knowing that path would lead to one another.
As he began undressing to take a shower, he recalled each and every time he’d told Zara that he would never give his heart to another woman. Had she noticed he’d stopped saying that over the past weeks? Once he had accepted that he had given his heart to her?
No, she probably didn’t have a clue, but she would soon since he’d decided to tell her how he felt. In other words, he intended to ask Zara to make their fake relationship a real one. He was willing to be patient and give her time to see that he was nothing like that asshole who had betrayed her. He was someone she could trust. Someone she could believe in, count on and build a future with.
Nothing between them had to change. When she returned to Boston he wouldn’t be opposed to a long-distance romance if she wasn’t. He’d checked and there were direct flights from New Orleans to Boston daily. He had no problem with the idea of traveling to spend time with her. But first, he needed to know how she felt. From their conversation this morning she might be ready to end things between them.
He refused to walk away from her without giving it his best shot. Looking at his watch he saw it was now close to ten. He could call her but what he had to say needed to be said in person. By the time he showered and put on more clothes it would be close to eleven.
He would wait until tomorrow and pay Zara a visit. He had no idea of what the outcome would be, but what he did know was that he loved her and intended to tell her.