Sixteen
ELISE
The drive back to Atlanta feels more like a slow crawl. The pain in Smith’s eyes, the disappointment etched on his face, haunts me.
It’s for the best. He’s better off without you.
Still, my chest aches at the loss, what could have been.
If things were different.
But they’re not. And now I feel more lost than ever.
“Shit!” I cry out, yanking the steering wheel hard and swerving back into my lane from the shoulder.
Thud, thud, thud. My SUV slows, bouncing along the interstate, the acrid scent of burnt rubber filtering through the vents.
“Dammit,” I mutter under my breath, glancing in my rearview at the traffic behind me. I hit my turn signal and veer off the road in one quick motion.
“Mommy, what’s happening? What’s wrong?” Colton’s voice tips up with worry, and I gaze back at him.
“I think I may have run over some glass, honey. We have a flat tire. But it’s fine. Mommy will call AAA and we’ll be ready to rock and roll again soon. Keep watching your show!” I try to sound upbeat and chipper, but my stomach clenches with anxiety.
Do I even still have AAA? I wrack my brain, trying to remember if I renewed it. Shuffling through the cards in my wallet, I find the plastic card and dial the number.
“Hi, this is Elise Edwards and I have a flat tire. My member number? Hang on a sec —” I rattle off the number and hold my breath. “No? We didn’t renew. Crap. Can I renew now, over the phone? Yes? Great.” Paying the fee with my credit card, I wait as the agent checks on the ‘rescue squad’ wait time.
“What? That’s two hours from now! I have young kids with me. That’s the best you can do? Yeah, I get it. Yes, please send them out.” I give my best guess as to my location, then disconnect, cursing under my breath. Cars whiz by, shaking the SUV, and I pray we don’t get hit.
That’s when I notice a black truck reversing up the side of the road, heading straight towards us. Cold panic grips me and my hands clam up on the steering wheel. What if this person is a serial killer?
I try to stay calm for the kids, automatically reaching down and locking the doors.
A man steps out of the truck and relief washes over me.
It’s Smith.
He jogs over and I roll down the passenger window. “Hey.”
“Hey. I see you have a flat. Need some help?”
I sigh, closing my eyes and nodding. “Yes, I would love some. Thank you.”
“Hi, kids.” Smith waves to Cami and Colton in the back seat, then turns to me. “You have a spare?”
I shrug. “No idea. But I do have an owner’s manual.” Leaning over, I rifle through the glove box and produce the manual, handing it to Smith. He flips through the pages, then says, “Pop the trunk.”
“Kids — sit tight. Mommy’s going to help with the tire.”
Both of them nod, riveted to their screens, and I cautiously step out of the car and jog to the rear of my SUV.
Smith already located the spare and has it pulled out, leaning against the car.
He’s kneeling on the ground, jacking the vehicle up in the air.
My heart skips a beat, being this close to him.
There are so many things I want to say—should say—to him, but the words won’t come out.
Instead, I stand there in silence, staring down at him and wishing things could be different.
“Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to sell the house?” Smith asks, his eyes glued on the flat tire.
I take a shaky breath, exhale. “I didn’t want to hurt you, Smith.” The words sound lame as they fall from my lips, and he gazes back at me.
“How would selling the reno not hurt me, Elise?”
When he puts it this way, I feel beyond stupid. Of course that would hurt him.
“Better now than later,” I reason, my voice firmer than my resolve. Watching him crank the jack, his muscles flexing with the strain, I am regretting my life choices.
“Do you know the buyer’s Jagger Capelli? That guy who stopped by the first day, the one I warned you about?”
My hand flies to my mouth. “No…” I breathe, my stomach tensing.
“Yep.”
“But that’s not the name on the paperwork,” I say, screwing my nose up in confusion.
“Let me guess — it’s some LLC, right? Probably with the letters J, C, and D.”
I nod. “That sounds right.”
“Yeah, that’s Jagger and his brothers.”
“Well, I don’t want to sell to him,” I say, my voice full of panic.
Smith locks eyes with me. “I don’t want you to sell at all.”
My breath catches in my throat and I know I should look away, stay firm. But inside, I feel my resolve slipping away.
“Stay, Elise.”
I bite my lip, my hands trembling. “I shouldn’t, Smith. Harry is right — you shouldn’t settle for me. You’re a great guy and you deserve more.”
“What? Is that what this is about? Your tool bag of an ex?” He shakes his head, then jumps up in one fluid motion, grasping my hands. “Because your kids are right here, I’m not gonna rail on their dad, but do not buy into his garbage for even one split second.”
I blink, hot tears pricking at my eyes, my chest squeezing hard. Smith swipes his hand down the front of his jeans then cups my face.
“I’ve never felt like this about anyone before. I don’t care about your past — all I’m interested in is the future. I came to tell you that I want my future to be you. Us. Together.”
“Smith,” I breathe, gazing up at him. “I want to say yes. To you, to the house, to Seaglass Beach…”
“Then say it, Elise. Say ‘yes.’” He smooths his thumb across my cheek and my heart opens up for the first time in a long time.
I know deep-down that being with Smith — this gorgeous, kind, wonderful man — is a risk I’m willing to take.
“Yes.”
“Yes?” Smith asks, a slow smile spreading across his face.
“Yes,” I nod, smiling right back.
He kisses me, soft and slow on the lips, traffic flying by.
“This is crazy,” I murmur into his mouth, still smiling.
“Nah. This is right. I’m falling in love with you, Elise.”
My heart skips in my chest at his words. “Honestly, I feel the same way.”
“Let’s not waste any more time then. While I’m fixing this tire, call Kayla and tell her the deal is off. If that’s what you want.”
I nod. “Absolutely. But I do have to go back to Atlanta. The kids need to finish the school year, and I’ll have to work out an updated custody agreement.”
“Do you need back-up?” Smith asks, cracking his knuckles.
“No, but thanks. I have a bulldog of a lawyer. He’ll get it worked out for me. Then as soon as they finish school, we’ll head back to Seaglass. It’s only two months.”
“Two months too long. But I do have a house to renovate, so that should keep me busy.” He winks and I laugh, my entire body light.
“I can come down when I don’t have the kids. You know, to check up on the contractor, make sure he’s doing the work.”
Smith chuckles, pulling me in by the hips and kissing me again. I relax into his strong body, safe and secure.
“Thank you,” I say, gazing up at him.
“For what?”
“For believing enough in me — in us — to take a risk.”
“You’re a risk worth taking.” He laces his fingers in mine and in that second, standing on the side of the highway, I can see our entire future stretching ahead of us and it’s good. So, so good.
“I can’t wait to be home. With you,” I say memorizing the exact color of his eyes, the outline of his jaw.
Smith lifts my hand, putting my knuckles to his lips. “I’ll get the house ready. But it won’t be home until you’re there. I’ll wait as long as it takes.”
I slide my hand into my pocket, pulling out the key and pressing it into his palm. “Here. The key to the house.”
He takes the key from me, holding it up against his heart.
“I’ll keep it safe. Promise.”
Standing on tiptoe, I kiss him one more time. “I know you will.”
A car honks and a rowdy spring breaker screams at us, “Get a room!”
We both crack up laughing, and Smith pats me playfully on the rear. “I’m going to finish fixing that tire now.”
In that moment, I know I’ve found my forever and I’m finally home.