Begin Again (Crimson Romance) Read online

  Ryan laughed. “No, I didn’t get any.”

  She felt his forehead with mock concern. “Feeling okay?”

  He smiled. “I feel fine.” He looked into her eyes. “How do you feel?”

  She kissed his neck. “I feel good.”

  “You know what sounds great?” He lifted her onto his lap. “A hot shower.”

  Her tone changed in an instant. She went rigid in his arms. “Let’s just skip the shower and go to bed.”

  Yep, something was off. He needed to get to the bottom of it now. He didn’t know what else to say except the truth. “Maisie, I love you.”

  Her mouth fell open into a wide smile and she hugged him. “I love you, too.”

  She loved him. Thank God! He pressed his lips to hers and held them there, savoring the taste of her. “That’s not the way I wanted to tell you, in your kitchen over cheeseburgers.”

  She laughed. “Then why did you?”

  “Because you needed to know before I ask you something.”

  Her face grew serious. “What?”

  He took her hands and rubbed his thumbs over them. “Am I imagining it or are you hiding something from me?”

  She swallowed, and her eyes misted. “Maybe.”

  His thumbs continued to stroke her soft hands. “You know you can tell me anything. I’ve told you everything about me.”

  She shook her head. “I’m afraid.”

  “Don’t be.”

  “It happened over two years ago.” She looked down at the tile floor and bit the inside of her cheek. “I … I can’t.”

  “We love each other. I’d like to marry you, if you’ll have me, but first you need to tell me what happened so you can let the past go. Maybe it’s time to begin your life again.”

  She wiped the tears from her eyes and studied his face. “Did you just ask me to marry you?”

  He smiled. “Kind of. I don’t have a ring. Damn, I’m really messing this up.”

  Maisie let go of his hands and pulled her shirt over her head. She stood there in a pink bra with a frown on her beautiful face.

  Ryan looked at the deep scars across her stomach. He reached over and ran his fingers over the jagged marks. “You’re beautiful inside and out. I wouldn’t change a thing about you, including these.”

  • • •

  Ryan really was the perfect man. Maisie opened her mouth to speak but couldn’t find the words. She closed her eyes and recited what she saw. “It was dusk. The wind was picking up. Luke liked storms, so he’d watch ’em from the porch like a reality TV show. I wasn’t as enthusiastic, so I was inside when I heard the first eerie sound of the sirens. I called for Luke to come inside, but he didn’t. So I rushed to the door just as a gust of wind slammed the storm door’s glass right into my belly. Luke was holding onto the doorjamb, and he told me to run to the bathtub. So I ran. I got into the tub and hid my head with blood pooling underneath my body. Everything was being demolished around me. I couldn’t bear to hear the howling and crushing sounds, so I started singing as loud as I could to try and drown it out.” Maisie opened her eyes. “That was the last thing I remember. I woke up in the hospital where my sister told me Luke and our baby hadn’t made it. I went into shock and then depression.

  “At Luke’s funeral, I had so many antidepressants in me that the doctor had prescribed, I was numb.” She wiped the tears streaming down her face. “My sister told me God was recruiting angels that night, but all I could think was, ‘Why mine?’”

  Ryan dried his own tears. “How far along were you?”

  “I was in my second trimester. We had only been married two years before I found out I was pregnant.” Her throat burned with raw emotion. An unspoken realization came to her. “I’ve carried around not only survivor’s guilt but guilt that I couldn’t protect the baby that was growing inside me.”

  “You must let go of that guilt. It will eat you alive. Nothing was your fault.”

  She looked down at the floor. She knew he was right.

  They both sat in silence for a couple of minutes. Ryan spoke up first, “Some things we can’t control, but some we can. You can choose to live your life thinking about what you’ve lost or create a new life with me.” He reached out his hand. “Take my hand. Give me your present and your future.”

  Maisie took his hand and squeezed it. “I want nothing more. I’m yours, Ryan Tucker, now and forever.”

  He picked her up and carried her to the bathroom. “You’re everything I’ve ever wanted and more. Don’t ever think you’re not good enough or be ashamed. If anything, I’m not good enough for you.”

  “Yes you are. You’re perfect.”

  “I’m not, and it worries me that you think I am.”

  She smiled. “Okay, well, maybe not perfect. You did forget dessert. And a ring.”

  Ryan laughed. “How about dessert now and a ring tomorrow?”

  She nodded and turned on the water. A huge weight had been lifted from her. She’d held in those words for so long. Ryan knew everything now and still loved her. And he still thought she was beautiful. She knew he wasn’t just saying it, because his desire for her never left his eyes.

  CHAPTER 14

  Maisie couldn’t wait to tell Lola that Ryan had sort of asked her to marry him and she’d sort of said yes. Thing was, she was starting to think she’d imagined the whole thing. She picked up the tip her last customer had left for her and shoved it in her apron.

  Lola peeked her head out of the back, “Maisie, you have a phone call.”

  She raised an eyebrow. “I do?”

  “Yep. I think it’s Ryan.”

  Maisie practically ran back to the phone while she ignored the glances Ginger and Lola exchanged.

  “Hello?”

  “Can you take a lunch?” Ryan’s voice was like music to her ears.

  “Um.” She bit her lip and twirled the phone cord. The diner was one of the few places that still owned a wall phone. “I never usually take an actual lunch. I’ll have to ask.”

  Ryan laughed. “Then when do you eat?”

  “I just nibble at work between customers, then I eat when I get home.”

  “I’m sure your boss wouldn’t mind you leaving for an hour. She seems like a sweet lady.”

  Maisie snorted. Ginger was a lot of things but sweet had never crossed her mind. Understanding and spirited, yes. But sweet? “Okay.”

  “Good, I’ll pick you up in thirty minutes.”

  She hung up the phone, wondering where he was taking her. Ginger walked over to her and gave her the spill-it eye.

  “Can I take an hour lunch in thirty minutes?”

  Ginger smirked. “You are entitled to an hour lunch.”

  Maisie smiled. “Thanks.” She was about to walk away when Ginger and Lola both crossed their arms and stood in front of her.

  “That’s all we get? ‘Thanks,’” Ginger shook her head in mock annoyance. “I want details. You’ve worked for me for two-and-a-half years and never asked to take a lunch.”

  Maisie pretended to examine her nails. When neither woman budged, she held up her hands. “Fine. Ryan and I are … ” What were they? Dating? Engaged? “We’re having lunch.” It was the truth — at least she thought it was.

  “Well have fun. I’ve liked the young man since the first day he put a smile on your face.” Ginger stepped out of the way and motioned for her to pass. Lola still eyed her suspiciously but didn’t say anything.

  Thirty minutes later, she was sitting beside Ryan in his SUV. “Are you going to tell me where we’re going?”

  He smiled and squeezed her hand. “You’ll see.”

  She was torn between paying attention to where he was taking her and staring at the man she loved. Dressed in his usual polo shirt and faded blue jeans, he
had to be even more attractive than he was the first day they’d met.

  When he turned the SUV into the park, she looked at him with questioning eyes. “You promised me a picnic in Blossom Field, remember?”

  Her heart pounded fast. It was a bittersweet place for her. She had been terrified and had fallen in love all at the same time. “I don’t see a picnic basket. Is it in the back?”

  His dimpled grin got wider. “You’ll see.” He parked and they got out. The muddy path had turned back into plain dirt. When they reached the clearing, what she saw took her breath away. The oak tree had mosquito netting strung over the mossy patch. Vases filled with pink and yellow roses surrounded a soft blanket that held a picnic lunch. He held open the net for to go inside.

  She had never seen anything so thoughtful. “It’s beautiful.” She started to sit down, but Ryan stopped her.

  “Hold on one second.” He knelt on one knee and pulled a small box from the picnic basket.

  She swallowed as he opened the box, revealing a white gold ring with a square-cut diamond.

  “Maisie Alexandra Scott, will you let me spend the rest of my life making sure that your smiles never fade again?”

  Her chin quivered, and tears of happiness flowed from her eyes.

  “Please be my wife.” He looked at her with tears in his already sparkling eyes.

  She nodded and knelt to the ground with him. “Yes and yes.”

  He slid the ring on her finger, and, curiously, it fit perfectly. She kissed him all over his face then, when she got to his lips, she let her kiss linger.

  They sat down on the blanket and he handed her a bowl of salad with grilled chicken and cranberries. Her stomach growled for the food, but she couldn’t take her eyes off the diamond on her finger or the man who had put it there.

  He laughed. “We are going to be so happy. We’re going to grow old together and come back to this spot on our fiftieth wedding anniversary.”

  It was her turn to laugh. “In fifty years, we may have trouble sitting on the ground.”

  After he took a bite of his salad, he looked up at her. “Did I make up for the first time I kind of proposed?”

  She kissed his smooth cheek. “Yes. It was perfect, and I’ll never forget it.”

  “I’ll never forget it either.” Their lips met again as if they were magnetized.

  “Wait, where will we live?” she said after a moment.

  “I’m only renting. I can move in with you.” He winked.

  “You’d do that?”

  “Anyplace you are is home. It’s a good thing you picked a big house, though.”

  She stopped her fork in midair. “Why?”

  “Because between the two of us we have three pets, and I’d like to have at least that many children.”

  Children with Ryan. What could be more perfect? “I’d like that.”

  Somehow between flirty smiles and kisses, they finished their lunch.

  • • •

  Maisie walked back into the diner an hour and twenty minutes later with her hands tucked inside her jean pockets.

  Ginger eyed her from the counter. “You’re late,” she teased.

  Maisie nodded. “I have a good reason, though.”

  Lola walked over and blew a bubble. “What?” they both asked.

  Maisie pulled her hands out of her pockets and flashed her diamond. “We’re engaged!” she squealed.

  Their mouths fell open, then they took Maisie’s hands and all three of them jumped around the diner together.

  The elderly man who always sat in the corner stood up and walked over to them. They stopped jumping and turned to look at him, astonished.

  “Cookies for everyone, on me! Congratulations, young lady.”

  Maisie was in shock. The guy never bought anything. Now he was not only talking to her, he was buying everyone cookies.

  He took out his wallet. “I’ve got no family. As you’ve guessed, I don’t come here for the food. I sit, I listen. I’ve watched your love story unfold from day to day.” He paused to take a cookie off of the tray Ginger had brought out to the counter. “I’ve been waiting for the right moment to tell you who I am.”

  They all looked at him in complete surprise.

  “My name is Richard Drake, and I’m the twelfth-richest man in the world.”

  Maisie laughed. “You’re joking, right? Did Ryan put you up to this?” She looked around.

  He shook his head. “No joke.”

  Ginger, Lola, and Maisie all looked at each other.

  “Wow,” Maisie finally said.

  “I wanted you to know that if I could choose a family, it would include a Maisie, a Lola, and a Ginger. It’s time for me to be moving on now, but I wanted you to know that each of you has touched my life, even if you didn’t know it.” He removed three checks from his wallet and set them on the counter then, without a backward glance, he walked away.

  Maisie gasped when she picked up the check made out to her. “One hundred thousand dollars!” Her heart jumped out of her chest.

  Lola and Ginger jumped up and down. “We got the same amount.”

  Maisie ran out the diner door to catch the man called Richard Drake, but he was long gone. She looked down the street both ways. No sign of him. Lola grabbed her and dragged her back into the diner. “Is this for real? Please tell me it is. This would pay for college, and I could live off the rest.”

  Ginger shook her head. “This can’t be real. I could pay the diner off. I could retire.”

  Maisie shook her head. “All this time he’s been listening to us. We were like his family and had no clue.” She held up the check. Surely this was some kind of joke.

  Maisie looked at Ginger. “You can’t retire.”

  Ginger smiled. “I’m not going anywhere, honey. The place is named after me. I could take a long-overdue vacation, though.”

  The women spent the rest of the afternoon dreaming about what they would do with their money if Richard Drake really was rich and the checks were legal. Maisie knew it couldn’t be real. Who gave away three hundred thousand and then walked away?

  • • •

  What the heck, what did she have to lose? Maisie stopped at her bank on the way home. She went inside the bank and stood in line. When she got to the teller, she felt silly. “Um, a friend gave me this, and I’m not even sure it’s real.” She handed her the check with her signature and account number on the back along with her ID.

  The teller raised an eyebrow and held the check up to the light. “Excuse me a moment, Miss Scott.”

  Maisie bit her lip, feeling awkward. As the minutes ticked by, she regretted her decision to even come to the bank.

  The teller came back and sat down. She handed her a receipt. “I’ve deposited the money in your account, but there will be a fourteen-day period for the check to clear.” She smiled at her. “I see no problem, though. Mr. Drake should be more than good for that amount.”

  Maisie nodded in shock. “Thank you.” She took the receipt and looked down at the pending balance of one hundred thousand, nine hundred eighty-five dollars and thirty cents. Holy moly, she was rich!

  • • •

  She arrived at home and was happy to see Ryan’s SUV in her driveway. She’d had the most amazing day, and hopefully it would only get better as the night continued.

  He got out of his SUV. She ran to him and threw her arms around his neck. “You’re never going to believe what happened.”

  He smiled. “Let me guess. You got engaged?”

  She laughed and pulled him to the front door. “Besides that absolutely wonderful thing.” She put her key in the door, and they walked inside. “Let me feed Boots and Lucky. Make yourself at home. I have peanut butter and bread in the kitchen if you’re hungry.”


  Ryan nodded and headed to the kitchen.

  Ten minutes later, she sat down at the island and watched Ryan scarf down a sandwich. He’d made her one, too, but she was too excited to eat.

  “Aren’t you going to tell me what happened?”

  “Okay, this is crazy. When I got back to the diner and showed Ginger and Lola my ring, we were jumping up and down, and the old guy that always sat in the corner came over and congratulated me.”

  Ryan smiled. “That was nice.”

  Maisie started laughing uncontrollably. “Then he bought everyone cookies.”

  Ryan nodded. “That is surprising. He’s never bought anything, has he?”

  Maisie’s eyes widened. “No!”

  Ryan looked confused at her obvious excitement about free cookies, which made her laugh even harder.

  “Maisie, what is going on?”

  “Sorry. Okay, so he introduced himself as Richard Drake. Said we were like family to him and had touched his life.”

  Ryan tapped the table. “Richard Drake … why does that name sound familiar?”

  “Because he’s the twelfth-richest man in the world.”

  Ryan laughed, “Yeah, right.”

  Maisie shook her head. “No, really. He handed me, Lola, and Ginger each a check and said he had to be moving on. I tried to catch him, but when I ran outside the diner, he was already gone.”

  “Weird. Maybe the old guy is crazy.”

  “No. Ryan, the check was for one hundred thousand dollars. I already took it to my bank, and the teller knew who he was. I have to wait fourteen days for the check to clear, but it’s real.”

  “Wow!” He rubbed his face like he was trying to figure out if what she was telling him was good or not.

  “I … we could do so much with that money. Have a huge wedding or pay off the house or keep it in savings.”

  “That is your money, not mine.”

  “You’re my fiancée — it is half yours.”

  “Maybe you shouldn’t spend the money in your head until you’re sure it clears.”

  Maisie nodded. “I know. He was so sincere, though. He said that he had watched our love story unfold and that he’d been waiting for the right time to introduce himself.”