Acceptance, The Read online

  “I know,” she said and he was sure she did know.

  When they reached the creek bank they stopped. “We have to cross into the water to get to the boulder.”

  She was grinning at him. “I’ve never been so excited to touch a rock in my life.”

  “We can leave our shoes here.”

  He bent down to untie his shoes and roll up his suit pants as she swiftly kicked out of hers.

  “What’s on your toenails?”

  She wiggled her toes. “Lady bugs. I thought they’d go well with my sunny dress.”

  “You had lady bugs painted on your toes for your brother’s funeral?”

  “He’d have appreciated it.”

  “You’re a wonder to me,” he said standing and taking her hand. “I can’t guarantee it isn’t cold.”

  “Are you afraid of cold?”

  He laughed now. “Not me.”

  “Good. Let’s go.” And with that she began to pull him toward the water.

  Was she afraid of anything?

  Tyler tried to get next to her and help her to the enormous boulder in the creek. “One side is lower so we can climb up.” He walked her around the front of the enormous rock.

  “This is exciting. Okay, how do I get up?”

  “I’ve never done this in dress clothes,” he said.

  “We could certainly take them off.”

  Tyler choked out a cough. He hadn’t expected that.

  “I’ve kissed you, Tyler. I know you’re not a prude. You don’t get good at kissing like that without having had a lot of practice. That shouldn’t have caused you alarm.”

  “Well it did.” He moved in next to her. “Put your hands flat on the rock and I’m going to give you a boost.”

  She set her hands on the flat of the rock and he grabbed hold of her hips and lifted her until she was on the rock. Then he boosted himself up.

  He scooted back and guided her to sit next to him.

  She closed her eyes again. “I think I could sit here forever. It’s so peaceful. The water. The breeze. The horses in the back. The sway of the fields.”

  “I don’t think I’ll ever look at things the same way now. You see more than I do and I’m looking at it.”

  “Close your eyes then,” she said and he did.

  It was then he could hear the water lapping up the side of the rock. The grasses in the field swayed. And the horses sounded as if they were having a conversation back at the stable. The air was shifting and even through closed lids, he could see it was getting darker.

  “Do you see it all now?” she asked.

  He reached for her hand and brought it to his lips. “I do.”

  “You’ve been very generous with your time today. I’m sure there were a million other things you needed to do.”

  He interlaced their fingers. “Today you were my priority.”

  “I appreciate that.” She let out a sigh. “Tomorrow things will be different. I suppose I’ll have my mother on my front step wanting to clean out my brother’s things.”

  “Seems there would be plenty of time for that.”

  “You’d think. But I know her.”

  Tyler opened his eyes and turned his head to look at her. “I should probably get you back.”

  Her head dipped. “I don’t want to go back. Would you mind taking me home? To my home, I mean. It’s in the city, so if that’s a problem I can take a bus.”

  He let out a snort. “Even if it were far away, it wouldn’t be a problem. I live in the city too. It won’t be an issue.”

  “You live in the city? I didn’t realize you’d kept a place.”

  “I didn’t. My aunt owned a house and would rent it out when she lived in New York. When my mom moved back to Nashville she lived there and when my uncle got divorced he moved in with her.”

  “Sort of a family rental.”

  He laughed. “Oh, yeah. It gets better. So my aunt moved back and her husband, who was the caretaker of the property for my dad’s company,” he shook his head. “Are you keeping up?”

  “Of course. Your uncle worked for your father and they looked after the house and he lived there.”

  “Damn, you’re better than I’d have been at that.”

  “I don’t have a very significant distraction. I’m sure if I were looking at your handsome face I wouldn’t have caught any of that. But go on. I’m very intrigued about this house.”

  “Okay. Well, they got married and the house was for rent again. My cousin Christian lived there and then my sister moved in. That was before we knew she was my sister.” It still sounded like a damn soap opera to him, even if it really wasn’t one. “I lived in the basement until I left on my trip.”

  “Your trip of self discovery.”

  “Yeah,” he said with the regret that he carried with it. “Anyway, Clara and Warner live somewhere else. Christian and Victoria live in the house Christian had built for them and,” he blew out a breath. “I’m back as the resident of the house.”

  “It sounds like a magical place.”

  “Magical?”

  She nodded. “Your parents met and married. Your aunt married the man living in the house. Your sister is married. Your cousins are married.” She turned her head toward him. “Your uncle. Did he remarry?”

  Tyler chuckled. “Yes. He remarried his ex-wife.”

  “Magical,” she sighed.

  He’d never thought about it that way, but she was right. Now he lived there and here was this amazing woman.

  Tyler shifted from his position on the boulder and slid down until his feet hit the water. “Oh! We’ve been up there longer than I thought.”

  He reached for Courtney’s hand and eased her down. “It is a bit colder, isn’t it?” She gasped as her feet hit the water.

  Tyler steadied her with his hands on her hips. As though instinct kicked in, she reached for his arms and then slid her hands up to his shoulders.

  “Thank you for sharing your spot with me,” she said with her voice light.

  “My pleasure.”

  He took her hand and led her out of the creek.

  Courtney was quiet in the car, but she was a sight sitting there in her bright yellow dress with a yellow rose tucked in her hair from his grandmother’s rose garden. He figured there was no harm in taking one since she’d already left for the night.

  As he neared the neighborhood she’d directed him to, he shifted a look her way again. “Have you heard from your parents? Do you need to call them and let them know you’re safe?”

  “When they realize I’m gone they’ll call.”

  “It’s been hours.”

  “I know.” She rested her head back against the seat.

  Tyler knew that if his mother had known how to reach him while he was gone she’d have called multiple times a day. His father would have as well. Oh, who was he kidding? Every member of his family would call him. It had only been Spencer whom he kept in touch with and that was briefly, too.

  He turned down the street she’d told him and slowed.

  “Fourth house on the left,” she said.

  He looked for the numbers she’d given him. “You live here?” he asked looking at the house that nearly mirrored his own.

  “Yes. For now I do.”

  “I live six blocks away.”

  She turned to him now with a smile. “You’re near.” Her voice had lifted.

  “I am. I can’t believe we live this close to each other.”

  “Fate, Tyler.”

  “I’m beginning to believe it.”

  Tyler pulled up in front of the house and put the car in park. “I’ll walk you up,” he said just as her cell phone rang with a song he wasn’t familiar with.

  “It’s my mother. She noticed.”

  “I can wait.”

  She shook her head. “No, I’ll let myself in.” She leaned across the car and held her hand out until she found his face. While her phone still rang she pulled him toward her and pressed a kiss to his li
ps. “Thank you for saving me today.”

  As she pulled back she pressed the button on her phone and raised it to her ear. She didn’t say anything, but he could hear her mother’s voice on the other end. As she climbed out he could hear her say, “Yes, Mother. I know, Mother.”

  He wanted to walk her up, but she seemed just fine. From the back of the little purse she’d carried at the funeral she pulled her cane out and walked up the front steps as he figured she’d done a million times before.

  With her cane tucked under her arm she searched for her keys. She slid them in the door and disappeared into the dark house.

  Out of instinct he waited for lights to turn on, but they never did. No, Courtney Field didn’t need lights to see the world, he thought as he put the car into drive. She saw more than anyone he’d ever known—himself included.

  Chapter Nine

  The rose was still fragrant and Courtney rolled it between her fingers, under her nose. Tyler had made one of the worst days of her life tolerable.

  Her mother, on the other hand, had easily solidified it back to one of the worst days with one phone call. It had taken them nearly three hours to notice she’d left. She hadn’t asked if Courtney was okay. She hadn’t even asked where she was. She’d led in with, “Did you leave the house?” and, “You were supposed to be my support.”

  Courtney couldn’t help but wonder, if she was supposed to have supported her, how was it that it had taken so long to realize she wasn’t even there?

  As she’d assumed, her mother said she’d be over the next morning at nine to go through Fitz’s things. Courtney would have liked to have held off just a bit. There were items she’d like to keep. Things that meant something to her and her mother would never know. This was one of those times when her sight hindered her from just doing what she wanted. She couldn’t see those items.

  Courtney leaned toward her nightstand and pressed the button on her clock. It told her it was eleven o’clock p.m. She’d managed to wallow in the house, alone, for hours. Her mind buzzed with thoughts of her mother arriving in ten hours. She wasn’t tired at all.

  Reaching toward her nightstand again she picked up her phone and held it in her hands. There were friends not too far away, they’d come over if she asked, right? But at that moment she couldn’t think of one that she’d want to be with. Cousins? No. She didn't even have any of those.

  There was only one choice.

  Tyler processed the noise. That was his phone ringing on his dresser. What the hell time was it?

  He kicked off the sheet and got to his feet. Shuffling through the room with his eyes closed he found his phone on what he knew would be the last ring.

  “Yeah?” His voice cracked as he’d said it.

  “Oh, I woke you. Tyler, I’m so sorry. I’ll talk to you…”

  “Courtney?” His eyes were fully open now.

  “Yes. I’m sorry.”

  He scrubbed his hand over his face. “No. Don’t be sorry. What time is it?”

  “It’s eleven.”

  “Eleven? Geeze, I’m becoming an old man. I’ve been asleep for hours. I guess today wore me out.” He walked to the bed and sat down on the end of it. “Is everything okay?”

  She didn’t answer right away and that worried him.

  “Everything is fine. I really shouldn’t have called.”

  “I think I told you on the plane to call anytime.”

  She let out a weak laugh. “You did.” He heard her suck in a breath. “Okay, the reason I’m calling is that I want to go through my brother’s things.”

  Tyler wanted to laugh but he forced it back. This wasn’t the time. “Didn’t you say you thought your mother would want to do that?”

  “Yes. And she’ll be here at nine in the morning.”

  “You did say she’d do that.”

  “But there are things I want to keep. Parts of him she will box up and I’ll never find them. But, Tyler, I need a set of seeing eyes. I can’t find the items I want.”

  “You need help before she gets there?”

  “Yes.”

  “I’ll be over in a half hour.”

  The doorbell rang exactly a half hour after Courtney had called. He’d come. He’d said he would and he had.

  Courtney walked to the door. “Tyler?”

  “Yes, it’s me,” he said from the other side of the door.

  She pulled it open. “Thank you for coming.”

  “My pleasure.”

  “Come in.” She stepped back and felt him brush by her as he walked through the door. “I’ll try to not keep you long. I just need to do this for my own peace of mind.”

  “I understand.” She felt his fingers take her hand and give it a squeeze. “Do you mind if I turn a few lights on?”

  She laughed. “Of course. Fitz used to say the same thing. He was forever bumping into things. Nothing in this house ever moved, but he could run into it.”

  She heard the click of the lamp on the end table and could see the adjustment in light.

  “Thanks. Okay, what do we need to do?” he asked.

  “Right. Let’s get started. You’ll need to be getting back to bed. I shouldn’t have awakened you. It was selfish of me and…”

  He’d moved to her and his hands were on her hips. She could feel his breath on her cheek and then his lips pressed against hers.

  Tyler’s lips were soft and his mouth tasted of mint. He’d brushed his teeth before he’d come and she found it endearing. Perhaps he’d wanted to come. Perhaps he’d had plans to kiss her, too.

  What was she doing letting him kiss her? Her brother had died and she’d buried him. He was here to help her. And—as her parents would see it—he was a stranger.

  But as she lifted her arms around his neck and he deepened the kiss she found she didn’t care.

  She’d met him only days ago on a flight that was a mere few hours. But she’d spent nearly the whole day with him today and he’d kissed her over and over. What did it mean when in such a short time she was so comfortable around him?

  This had never happened to her before. And though she enjoyed the game of trying to get the attention of men by dropping her scarf, she’d never caught one.

  Tyler pulled back. “I shouldn’t do that to you,” he said as he pressed his forehead to hers.

  “Why?”

  “I only met you. You have a lot going on in your life and I’m trying to put mine back together.”

  “All the more reason I think we should kiss and enjoy each other. We both need someone.”

  “But when the need is gone…”

  “It’ll never be gone. There’s an acceptance going on here. You’re trying to accept what you didn’t know and I’m trying to accept what I’ll never get back—my brother.”

  Tyler pulled back. His hands came to hers and he linked their fingers. “I didn’t expect this when I met you on the plane.”

  “How could you have?”

  “Did you?”

  Courtney shook her head. “No, you just smelled good.”

  That made him chuckle. “Thank you for calling me.”

  “I couldn’t think of anyone else I wanted to have over to help me with this.”

  Tyler released her hand and stroked his down her hair. “I know this is all new. You don’t know me from Adam, but you saying that means a great deal. I’m never going to let you down on purpose, Courtney. I can’t guarantee I won’t fail you at some point. But it won’t be on purpose.”

  She tucked her lips in between her teeth and let his words resonate. “So, if you disappear from me it won’t be on purpose?”

  There was no way to keep her words controlled. They shook on her voice like a wave of panic for the ears to hear.

  “I’m saying I’m not perfect.”

  “I’d despise you if you were.”

  “I’ve broken the heart of everyone I love. I walked away when they all needed me.”

  “But you came back.”

  “I never shoul
d have gone.”

  For a moment she had to remind herself that they were both momentarily broken. As much of a pillar of strength as he’d been all day, his involvement with her was stirring up feelings in him he hadn’t yet dealt with. Fair enough. She’d called him in the middle of the night to help her deal with her feelings. She could certainly allow him a moment of pity.

  “Three years in the life of a man is not that long, Tyler. In a few months the pain you think you caused will not be relevant. In a year it’ll be a slight sting. In three more years—nearly forgotten.”

  “You don’t understand. I come from this perfect family and I’m not perfect.”

  “Again, I’d despise you if you were. I cannot imagine your family is perfect. No family is perfect.”

  “Mine is,” he said very matter-of-fact.

  “What a compliment to them that you think so. But I can guarantee you they aren’t.”

  He cupped her face in his hands. “Sunday. Dinner. Are you up for a crazy night?”

  She raised her hands to his wrists. “What does that have to do with your family?”

  “Everything. I want you to meet perfection.”

  Courtney swallowed back the tears—the excitement—the fear. “You want me to meet your family?”

  “A woman who drops her scarf for a good smelling man to pick up and spends the worst day of her life kissing that man shouldn’t be afraid of one dinner with his family.”

  “Right. I’m not afraid. I’ll meet your family.”

  He stepped in and brushed a kiss on her lips. “I should warn you that…”

  Courtney lifted her fingers to his lips. “Don’t warn me. You’ll just get me worked up if I think there is something that is going to happen. I’ll be fine. You met my family and survived.”

  He chuckled as she pulled her fingers back. “I’m thinking I’ll need to meet them again. Our introduction wasn’t one of great timing and when they realize you spent the day with me and not at their house, they’ll probably change their mind about me.”

  “No they won’t,” she quickly answered. She wasn’t about to let her parents turn on Tyler. He’d been nothing but gracious. And they weren’t the only ones who lost Fitz. She’d lost him and she would mourn and hurt much longer than either of them she was sure. If she needed Tyler in her life then she’d have him.