Say You’ll Stay by Susan Mallery

CHAPTER EIGHT

JUSTENOUGHCLOUDSlingered through the evening to produce a perfect sunset. Shaye walked next to Lawson, her hand in his as they strolled through the neighborhood where he’d grown up.

He pointed to a modest ranch-style home. “My friends and I TPed that house when I was nine. My dad wasn’t happy when he found out and made me go back and help with the cleanup the next day. Toilet paper is not easy to get out of bushes.”

She smiled at him. “Did you learn your lesson?”

“Absolutely. I never did it again.”

“But you found other ways to be bad.”

He chuckled. “It depends on how you define the term. I was a regular kid, so it’s not like I stole a car and went hot-rodding.”

“Car theft would be crossing the line.”

They’d had a quiet dinner together at Blitzen’s Pub, enjoying fish and chips and imported lager. Conversation had flowed as easily as ever, as they’d talked about their respective days working on people’s gardens.

She was still confused about what she wanted for her future, but she had to admit the more time she spent with Lawson, the more she knew he was one of the good guys. Just as important, being around him made her happy. She enjoyed his company, liked hearing his opinions. They made each other laugh, and when he touched her, the tingles were impressive.

She still knew she was going to have to make her decision about staying or going, independent of how she felt about him, only she was afraid that untangling him from her life wasn’t going to be easy.

They turned the corner, and he pointed to the large park surrounding a very small lake.

“The town’s outdoor ice-skating rink,” he said. “At least, in the winter.”

“It’s pretty here.”

There were lots of trees, picnic areas and a playground for the kids.

“On weekends and the week before Christmas, they set up booths selling things like hot chocolate,” he told her, pulling her toward a cluster of trees. “The music changes every night.” He grinned. “Ice-skating to hip-hop is kind of a challenge.”

“Not if you’re a really good skater.”

“True, but for the rest of us, it’s not pretty to watch.”

They stepped into the darkness of the trees. Lawson didn’t go far before leaning against a sturdy trunk and drawing her close. She wrapped her arms around him as he cupped her face. And then he kissed her.

It wasn’t the first time, but she sensed more passion in his touch. They were in relative privacy, or maybe it was they were more comfortable with each other. Unlike the other times, he didn’t hold back. Instead he claimed her lips with a level of desire that stole her breath.

Caught up in the feel of his mouth, his tongue and the heat they generated, she instinctively moved closer, pressing her body against his. She felt the hard lines of his chest, the thickness of his erection, and she wanted more than this. She wanted him.

But she didn’t say that, nor did she suggest they take things inside. As much as she would like to make love with Lawson, she knew they weren’t ready. She needed to get her head together first and make a few decisions. But it was nice to want him, to feel the desperate ache of need.

After a few minutes, they drew back. His eyes were bright with need.

“You take my breath away,” he murmured.

She smiled. “I was thinking the same thing.”

“I want you.” He shook his head. “That’s information, not a request. I want you, Shaye. In my arms, my bed, my...” He stopped talking, as if internally editing his words, then returned his attention to her. “I’m enjoying getting to know you.”

My what? What had been about to say? His life? His heart? Happiness and concern fought for dominance and had to settle on an uncomfortable truce.

“I’m enjoying getting to know you, too,” she said, hoping her unease didn’t show. She wasn’t sure how to tell him he was moving too fast without sounding mean.

He touched her cheek. “All right. Let’s get you home before I start begging. You’d be forced to let me down gently, but I’d be crushed, and I suspect my tears would upset you.”

“I don’t think you cry very often, but I appreciate the visual.”

He put his arm around her as they walked out of the park. “I tend toward those high-pitched little sobs that make your voice catch.”

She laughed. “You are so lying.”

“Maybe a little.”

LAWSONFOUNDHISsister folding laundry in the family room. There were piles on every chair and on the sofa.

Adien shook her head when she saw him. “No judging. I can’t seem to catch up this week, and Jack has been working as much overtime as he can get.”

“I don’t judge,” Lawson said, walking over to the sofa and grabbing a towel. “You want everything in place for when the baby comes.”

She rubbed her back. “Three kids. What was I thinking?”

“That you want a big family.”

“I know, but right now, it feels overwhelming.”

“Call Mom.”

“And have her descend? No, thanks. I’m playing that card after this one makes an appearance.”

“Let me know what I can do to help.”

She pointed to the stack of towels he’d started on the coffee table. “Keep doing that and I’ll be happy.” She looked at the clock. “You’re home early from your date.”

Lawson had wanted to stay out later with Shaye, but she was getting to be a little too tempting. He knew he had to go slow, but every time he was with her, he wanted her more and not just for sex.

“I’m falling for her.”

Adien looked at him. “I can’t remember you ever saying that about anyone else you dated.”

“I haven’t.”

“So it’s the real thing?”

“It is for me.”

His sister smiled. “For what it’s worth, I like her a lot. She does a good job at the pie shop. She’s honest and hardworking. The customers adore her. More than one has stopped by the store to talk about how sweet she is.”

His sister’s assessment only confirmed what he already knew.

“I’m not sure she’s staying,” he told her. “Her plan was to settle in Seattle.” He told her what Shaye had said the first day they’d met. “Wishing Tree is a pit stop, not a destination.”

“Maybe she’s changed her mind. Or maybe she will. Toby offered her my job.”

Hope flared. “Did she take it?”

“Not yet.”

Hope died. “So she hasn’t made up her mind yet, and I don’t know what that means. Is she being careful, or is she just using me to pass the time?”

“I doubt it’s that.”

“I don’t know. Sometimes I think she’s as into me as I’m into her, and other times I have no idea what she’s thinking.” He finished with the towels and moved on to the kids’ clothes. “There was a guy back home. He treated her badly. I know she’s still working through that.”

“Don’t worry about another guy,” Adien told him. “You’re going to measure up to anyone.”

“I just don’t know what she wants. I don’t think she knows, either.” He looked at his sister. “What if she leaves? What if the plan is more important than what we’ve started?”

“Maybe you should wait for the bad thing to happen before you start worrying about it. Lawson, this isn’t like you. You don’t usually anticipate trouble.”

“Shaye matters. I don’t want to lose her.”

His sister put down the T-shirt she’d been folding. “You’re in love with her.”

Words he didn’t want to hear but wouldn’t run from. “Yes.”

She smiled. “Good for you.”

“Not if she leaves.”

His sister picked up the shirt. “I want to tell you to convince her to stay, but we both know that won’t work. She has to want to make a home here or not.”

“I won’t try to influence her decision. Not after Cori.”

Because when his ex-girlfriend had started to express doubts about them and their future, he’d done everything he could to convince her she would be happy in Wishing Tree. He’d pushed and she’d pushed back. They’d ended up fighting way too much. By the time they’d broken up, the fighting had ended. There hadn’t been anything left to say.

With time and maturity, he’d seen that. Now he knew that Shaye had to make her own decision based on what she believed to be best for herself. If she wanted to stay, then he would woo her until she fell in love with him or told him it wasn’t going to work. But if she left, he would let her go without saying a word. There would be no attempts to change her mind.

“I wish I knew which way she was leaning,” he admitted.

“Bring her to dinner Sunday,” his sister offered.

“With the family? No way.”

“Why not? It’s big and loud, and she’ll have fun. And you’ll see her in a different setting. If she can’t handle the craziness, then she’s never going to marry you anyway, so you might as well find out now.”

“I’m not ready to share my time with her.” If she was leaving, there weren’t that many days left. Selfishly he wanted to spend them all with her.

Adien’s gaze was steady. “You know I’m right. Invite her to dinner and see what happens. The evening will answer a lot of questions.”

His sister was right—a fact he didn’t much like. “I’ll see if she wants to join us.”

“Try to be at least a little enthusiastic when you ask her,” she teased.

“With any luck, she’ll say no.”

SHAYEABSOLUTELYSHOULDhave said no, she thought as she walked beside Lawson. It was too soon to be meeting the parents, not to mention the other members of his family. But when he’d asked, she’d been swept by an incredible longing to be a part of what he’d described as general chaos over a rib roast. She’d been on her own long enough that the thought of real family time was irresistible.

She’d taken over Kathy’s kitchen for the morning and had made sugar cookies that she’d carefully iced and decorated. Given that it was Christmas in July, she’d created Santa hats, Christmas trees and ornaments, then had wondered if they would see the humor in her gift or just think she was weird.

Thankfully the delivery of the newly painted red car had been a nice distraction. She’d spent the afternoon starting the reassembly process before having to stop to get ready for her date.

Lawson’s parents lived close to what had been the old downtown, before the retail area had moved to The Wreath. The house was a big, sprawling, three-story beauty on an oversize lot in a neighborhood filled with families. The front yard was dotted with tricycles and balls. A stuffed bear sat by the front door.

As they climbed the porch steps, Lawson looked at her. “I need to tell you something.”

Her already nervous stomach clenched. “Yes?”

“We’re not having a roast. My folks are barbecuing burgers. There will be some salads and stuff, but there’s no roast. I hope that’s okay.”

She stared at his serious expression. “I don’t know. That changes everything. Maybe I should come back another time.”

“Understandable. I lured you here with false pretenses. I’m sorry.”

Before she could think of something funny to say in return, the front door opened, and a dark-haired woman in her fifties waved them inside.

“Lawson, what are you doing? You don’t leave your guest on the porch like that. What will she think about how I raised you?” The woman smiled. “You’re Shaye, yes? I’m Norma. Come on, come on. The party’s in back.”

Shaye found herself hustled through the house to the kitchen. She passed through large, comfortable rooms and high ceilings, then she was in what was obviously the heart of the home.

Adien stood at the biggest stove Shaye had ever seen, stirring a huge pot. Another woman, about her age, had a baby on her hip. Through the big bay window, Shaye could see more children running through the backyard.

“Everyone,” Norma said in a loud voice, “this is Shaye.”

Adien turned and smiled. “You made it. Welcome. I hope you brought earplugs. We’re loud.” She laughed. “That’s my sister Sabrina. Mom, let’s avoid giving her the kids’ names. There are too many.”

“Nice to meet you,” Sabrina, as pretty as Adien, said with a weary smile. “They’re a little wild today. I apologize in advance.”

“Nice to meet you, as well.” Shaye turned back to Lawson’s mother. “I made some cookies. I decorated them in honor of Christmas in July.”

“Oh, you bake!” Norma looked at her daughter. “She bakes. That’s good.” Norma set the container on a table overflowing with food. “Let’s go outside and meet the rest of the family.” She looked at Lawson. “You’ll have to watch your father with the burgers. He doesn’t like to cook them enough for the kids.”

“Dad knows, Mom.”

“He knows, but does he listen?” Norma linked arms with Shaye. “A five-year-old doesn’t want a raw burger, am I right? It’s not good for them. Yes, we get the meat from a local rancher, but still. Cook the food. They’re babies. Be kind to their tummies. Not that he’s the one who they come to when they have to poop for three hours in the middle of the night. No, then it’s the mother. Always the mother.”

Shaye honestly didn’t know what to say as she went outside with Norma. She met Lawson’s father and both his brothers-in-law but she wasn’t sure which man went with which sister. Something that would sort itself out over the course of the afternoon.

Henry Easley was tall and handsome, with a charming smile. The man obviously adored his wife which, after so many years of marriage, was lovely to see.

She was invited to join a game of croquet with the older kids—all of whom were still under the age of ten. Lawson stayed with her, helping her keep names straight and settling a couple of disputes about the rules.

The sun was warm, the sky clear, and the sound of laughter and happy conversation added to the party atmosphere.

“Is it like this every weekend?” she asked him when the game ended and they all lined up for lemonade.

“We do the big dinners about once a month,” he said. “My parents always host, but my sisters take turns cooking. In the summer, we usually barbecue like we are today, but when it’s colder, the meals are a little more formal.”

“And with the roast you lied about?” she asked, her voice teasing.

“Yes, with that.”

She looked around at the kids running everywhere and his dad talking to his sons-in-law. “You must have missed this while you were overseas.”

“More than I can say.”

She believed him. While this wasn’t anything like her small family had been, she still felt the same kind of love and support. This was what she’d been missing in her life. A family. Belonging.

His mother appeared at the back door. “Shaye, I need your help in the kitchen.” She shooed Lawson away. “You can talk to your pretty girl later. Now it’s my turn.”

Lawson grimaced. “You don’t have to answer anything you don’t want to. Remember that. I’ll check in on you every ten minutes.”

She laughed. “I like your mom. Don’t worry. I’ll be fine.”

Once in the kitchen, she was put to work peeling carrots for the veggie plate. Norma positioned herself close.

“So, Shaye, tell us about yourself. You’ve been married before?”

She nearly dropped the carrot she’d been holding. “What? No.”

“Any children?” Norma held up a hand. “I’m not judging. I’m asking. You can have children. It’s fine.”

“Mom!” Adien shot Shaye a sympathetic look. “Could you at least try to be subtle?”

“What’s the point in that? I want to know if she has children. I like children. It would be nice.”

Shaye cleared her throat. “No, um, children.”

“But you want them?”

“Mom!” Sabrina joined in with Adien. “Stop.”

Shaye grinned, kind of liking the free-for-all grilling. If she could handle this, she was tougher than she’d realized.

“I like children very much and would like to have a few of my own one day.”

Norma smiled at her daughters. “See, a good answer. What about prison? Have you been?”

Shaye couldn’t help laughing. “I have never been arrested, so no prison time for me.”

Lawson walked in just then. “Mom, what are you asking? Prison?”

“Your father and I saw a show about young people in prison. It’s not a good place to be. You should avoid it.”

“Thanks for the tip,” he said, taking the peeler from Shaye. “We’re going back outside.”

“She wants babies,” his mother said. “That’s a good thing. I said it was good, and I know you agree.”

He eased Shaye out of the kitchen and onto the back porch. “I am so sorry.”

She laughed. “Don’t be. I like that she’s direct. You always know where you stand with her.”

“Yes, but don’t say that like it’s a good thing. Next up she’ll be grilling you about our sex life and telling you to make sure I always wear a condom.”

“But we don’t have a sex life,” she said, intending the remark to be funny, only to realize it wasn’t at all. Longing filled her, and she swayed toward him.

He stared into her eyes. “I’m very clear on that. You know why, don’t you?”

“Yes.”

“Tell me.”

She smiled, confident in her answer. “Because you care about me and us and you want both of us to be sure. Sex too early tends to change things and not always in a good way.”

“Yeah,” he said softly. “That.”