Chapter 10
10
T illy stepped from the front door just as the limo pulled in. Gerry had told her that Rex was on his way back, and she just wanted to set the record straight. That she was okay and that when enough time had passed, they could close the book in their fake reunion. But she wasn’t going to get the chance because the limo backed up and drove away.
Hurt quickly turned to anger.
She stood outside, trying to control her raging pulse, but no amount of deep breathing would help, so she tried pacing in the front yard.
That only made it worse.
Fifteen minutes after the limo left, she stormed back into the house and slammed the door, rattling the painting on the wall.
“Tilly,” Judy said from the sitting room, tipping her head and glaring at her over her cheaters as she continued her knitting. “That was totally uncalled for.”
Tilly no longer cared what his family thought. “Rex took one look at me and turned around and left.” She pulled her phone from her back pocket and pulled up his contact information.
“I doubt that, dear,” Judy said.
“Well, that’s what he did.” She started to send a nasty text but then decided he wasn’t worth it if he couldn’t even get out of the car and face her.
“What happened between the two of you?” Judy set her yarn on her lap.
“We found out the hard way that we aren’t a good fit.”
“Oh,” Judy said, setting her glasses down. “I see.”
“It doesn’t matter and honestly, I think this actually gives us closure.” She rubbed the back of her neck. “I’m going to get my things and head to my apartment.”
“Wait until after dinner. Rex’s sister and brother will be here. I’m sure they will want to see you.”
Both Emily and Miles had been supportive of Tilly over the years, but she didn’t need to be around them tonight. “It’s really best if I go. It should just be immediate family right now.”
“You’re immediate family,” Gerry said as he waltzed into the room.
“No. I’m not.”
He rested his hand on her shoulder. “I really don’t know happened, but I just got off the phone with Rex. I told him you thought he left because of you and?—”
“Gerry, why would you say that?” she screeched.
“Because I don’t understand why you’re so upset.” He arched a brow. “He said he’s sending the car back for you shortly.”
“Why?” She looked at her phone and saw that Rex had texted her twice and called three times. She pulled up the messages.
Rex: We need to talk. Sending car back for you.
Rex: Are you there? I’ve called and called. This is important. Please. Answer me.
The honking of a horn startled her.
“The car is here,” Gerry said.
She swallowed, looking out the window at the stretch limo. The driver stood outside, his hand on the rear passenger door.
“Go,” Judy said, waving her hand. “Whatever it is, don’t you think you owe it to yourself to find out?”
“No,” she said.
Gerry took her by the forearms. “You and Rex are so stubborn. And sometimes so much so you can’t see straight. Just do it. See what he has to say and you can say your piece as well.”
She sucked in a deep breath. “Fine.” She took slow tentative steps toward the vehicle. The driver opened the door, and she slipped inside, half wishing Rex was inside so she could just get this over with and leave. “Where are we going?”
“I’ve been asked to take you to the club.”
“The club? Why?”
“That’s just what I was told.”
She leaned back, folding her arms over her chest. Nothing made sense anymore. She wanted to go back to when she’d been given the choice to leave him on his boat. He said he would have come anyway, so that first night wouldn’t have happened, and neither would last night have.
The ride to the club took all of ten minutes. She was greeted by a young bag boy in a golf cart.
“Mr. Jordan is waiting on the ninth green.”
“Why?” She stared at the young boy who had the stupidest grin plastered on his face.
“I’m not at liberty to say.”
As they rode across the golf course, the golfers stepped to the side, pointing and waving. They rolled down the eighth fairway and all she could think about was their first kiss, right there on the ninth green.
What the hell was he up to?
Her heart hammered against her chest. Through the trees, she saw Rex standing at that very spot, roses in hand.
“Turn this sucker around,” she whispered. The last time Rex had given her roses was the first night they’d slept together. He hadn’t done it since, saying that roses were only for the most special of occasions and then teased her that she wouldn’t be getting them from him again unless he were to propose.
“Are you serious?” the bag boy asked with a high-pitched squeak.
“Yes. No. I don’t know,” she muttered. No way could he be asking her that. Maybe he was just going to apologize for being an asshole. She could deal with that.
The kid pulled the cart up next to Rex. The flowers in his hands shook.
“You made it,” he said, holding out his hand.
She didn’t take it. “What do you want, Rex?” Mentally, she beat the crap out of herself. Being a bitch wasn’t going to help the situation.
“Do you remember what happened here?” he asked. His voice had a funny tone to it.
“Our first kiss,” she mumbled.
“That was mind-blowing.”
“I suppose,” she said, pinching herself, trying to change her attitude. He was making an effort. The least she could do was meet him halfway.
“Are you mad at me?” he asked.
“Ya think?”
He scowled. “Whatever I did to upset you, I’m very sorry.”
“You left without saying goodbye and went back to Florida.”
“I was there for an hour to get some?—”
She held up her hand, painfully aware that a crowd of golfers had gathered in the distance. “You didn’t wake me to tell me or leave me a note or even bother to text me. Considering our past history, what was I to think?”
“I left a note.” He pinched his nose. “I said I’d be back.”
“It felt like you snuck out. I don’t mind being used, considering everything you’re going through. I mean, I offered myself up to you, but you could have done the decent thing and?—”
He cupped her mouth.
She batted it away. “Don’t hush me.” She wasn’t about to be quiet now. He hadn’t really apologized for anything and didn’t even understand why she was upset, and she was going to tell him exactly what was on her mind.
“You’re yelling on a golf course, and people are starting to stare.”
“You brought me here.” She planted her hands on her hips. “And I have a few things I want to say to you.”
“This isn’t going as I planned.” He scratched the side of his face. “Here. These are for you.” He held out the roses, which trembled in his hands. “I also have something I want to say.”
“Why are we here?” She took the roses, lifting them to her nose and inhaling the fresh scent.
“I had this whole thing planned to ask if you remembered our first kiss and the first time we…” He glanced around, and his cheeks flushed red.
She’d never seen him blush before. Ever.
“I remember the first time vividly,” she whispered. Her throat dried up, and she could barely swallow. “I appreciate the gesture, but I’m tired of the?—”
“I gave you roses.”
She nodded.
“Do you remember what I said about roses?”
“Oh my God. You can’t be serious?” She reached out and clutched the nearest tree. “This is all just for show, right? For your mom, right? Give a dying woman her wish? Jesus, Rex. I can’t do this.”
“Tilly, I’m sorry that me leaving last night upset you. Or that you didn’t see my note and that this isn’t going the way I envisioned, but this isn’t for show. If it was, I would have done it in front of my mother.” He lifted her chin with his thumb. “I’m not a flowers kind of guy. I’m certainly not a romantic.”
“No, you most certainly are not. And you have a weird sense of humor.”
“I’m not laughing,” he said. “I love you, Tilly. I always have. I’m sorry that me racing off to get my mother’s ring hurt you?—”
“Ring?” She dropped the flowers. Her muscles felt like jelly. “What ring?”
“My mother’s ring,” he said.
“What do you mean? What ring?”
“Her engagement ring, and she sent it to me years ago. I don’t know why I kept it. I thought about sending it back to her, but never did,” he said. “It was on my boat in Florida and I couldn’t propose without it. That’s why I went back. I had to get it.”
“This isn’t happening,” she whispered, staring into his smoldering eyes.
“Do you love me, Tilly?”
She blew out a puff of air. “I never stopped.”
He lowered himself to one knee.
She clutched her necklace, staring down at him holding out a diamond—a huge diamond ring.
“The second you stepped onto my boat, I couldn’t deny any more how much I missed you. I’m not going to give you any kind of ultimatum. I can be a firefighter anywhere. It doesn’t have to be in Jacksonville and the Aegis Network is constantly expanding. Maybe they would let me?—”
“I can’t let you give up your life’s work for me.”
“I can and I will. But know if you shoot me down today.” He took her hand and dropped his forehead to it. “Which I hope you don’t, I will stick it out and fight for us this time.”
“You’re really asking me to marry you?” A wide smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. Her heart fluttered, and she felt like she was floating on air.
“Yes.”
“That’s my line,” she said.
He slipped the ring on her finger and kissed her hand. “Is that a yes?”
“Can I think about it?”
He stood, taking her into his strong, protective arms. “You’re killing me here.”
“I love you, Rex Jordan, and I’m never going to let you go. Not now. Not ever. You’re stuck with me now.” She pressed her lips against his, listening to the cheers in the background.
“I love you,” he whispered in ear. “I have one more thing to ask you.”
“What’s that?”
“Can we get married right away? I know you probably want the white dress, big wedding?—”
“We can get a marriage license tomorrow and since this is because you want your mother there, I’m sure she’d let us have a small ceremony at the house.”
A golfer in the distance yelled, “Fore!”
They climbed up on the back of the golf cart. “I’m not letting you leave the life you carved out with your buddies in Florida.”
“We can figure all that out later,” he said. “But there is something else I’d like to ask you.”
“Yeah, what’s that?”
“How do you feel about having a family of our own?”
She bit down on her lower lip. “We were careless last night.”
He shrugged. “We’re not getting any younger.”