Full Circle (19 page)

Liam sat in one of the chairs, his legs weak at the sight of Elisa with the baby. Years ago, she’d held
his
baby that way, though their little girl hadn’t been breathing, and no little fingers had reached out. Just the thought of it tore him up, and he hadn’t even been there. He couldn’t fathom how Elisa, even at nineteen years old, had found the strength to live through every devastating moment of that day.

Because she’s strong.
He was an idiot for believing he’d protected her from anything. She had survived every parent’s worst nightmare without him. Maybe it was time he put aside his insecurities and took her at her word—she loved him. And possibly for the same reasons he loved her—because they shared great times, endless passion, history, a child, a career. Because in each other, they found what mattered in life. Not because he was her superhero.

“I have to go get something.” Elisa handed Caleb to Laura and rushed out to her car. She returned with a small box, from which she pulled a light green knitted hat and matching socks.

“I made these when I was pregnant,” she said. “I found them last week when I was packing up to move. Luckily I didn’t know what I was having, so they aren’t pink. He might not appreciate that.”

“Oh, honey.” Laura passed her son to Justin and wrapped Elisa in a warm embrace.

Liam stood to shake the proud father’s hand. “Good-looking kid.”

Justin grinned. “Yeah, he’s all right.”

Elisa arranged the hat on Caleb’s head, though it kept falling down into his eyes, and took a picture with her phone. “It makes me so happy to see him wearing something that belonged to my daughter.”

“And mine.” The words were out of Liam’s mouth before he could change his mind. He was finished with secrets, and he wasn’t leaving town while he still carried this one. “Our daughter.”

Ignoring her brother’s dumbfounded stare, Elisa put her arms around Liam’s waist and buried her face in his shirt. He held her, keeping it G-rated with great difficulty given the weeks that had passed since he’d touched her. When she lifted her head, there were wet spots all over her face and his clothes. But she was smiling.

“Our daughter,” she repeated.

“What the…?” Justin said.

Laura laughed and told him she’d explain later.

The following day, Elisa observed nearly two dozen bouquets of flowers artfully arranged in vases around the waiting room. “It looks like a greenhouse exploded in here.”

Alexis laughed. “I like it. It brightens up the place. You need to talk to Justin about doing a little redecorating.”

“I’ve thought about taking a paintbrush to the place myself. Blue is such a downer. How about…mustard yellow?”

The phone rang, and Alexis stuck her tongue out at the mustard comment before answering it. “Windy Flats Veterinary Clinic, how may I help you?”

Elisa smiled, grateful that Justin had hired Alexis for the receptionist position. Her bubbly personality went over well with the customers, who had come back to the clinic in hordes. Some had shown up with perfectly healthy pets, just wanting to pay the fee for an office visit because they were so sorry for the way they had reacted to news of Liam’s past and even the way they’d behaved toward Elisa nine years ago.

Boy, were they sorry. The flowers had started coming within an hour of Elisa and Liam’s decision to tell their family and friends—and, via grapevine, most of the town—the truth about their child. A couple of deliveries had already been made this morning. The clinic would likely have a bouquet from every family Justin treated by the time all was said and done. Elisa was getting sympathy cards. It gave her closure she hadn’t even known she needed.

“What happened when you were in school?”

Elisa blinked, taken aback by the innocent but loaded question Alexis had asked her. “I made some bad decisions. You just have to be careful who you trust with your heart. I believed in the wrong man.”

“Oh.” Alexis nodded solemnly, as though she’d been there, done that. “Yeah, breakups suck.”

Elisa considered the simplicity of that statement. She liked it. Wouldn’t it be nice if that was all that had happened to her regarding Brett? A breakup?

“Yes, they do,” she agreed. “It’s hard to accept that people you love are willing to hurt you so badly.”

Some people aren’t.
They’d had some misunderstandings, but Liam had never done anything with the intent to hurt her. She didn’t honestly think he ever would. But that was what had gotten her into trouble the first time, wasn’t it? Just like she’d told Alexis. She’d believed in the wrong man.

But what if Liam was the right man?

Alexis grinned. “Well, he got his, that’s for sure. You have everything now.”

“I do?”

“Oh my gosh, yes. You’re going to be a doctor! And you’ve got the best family, and Dr. Barton has the hots for you. I would love to be in your shoes! Girl, you are the luckiest person in the
world
.”

Elisa stared at her. “And you are the smartest.”

Alexis waved her hand. “Nah, I’m just an average student.”

“You get an A for knowing more about life than I’ve been able to learn over the past nine years.”

Unfortunately, what she
had
figured out had come too late. Liam had already sold his house and accepted a job in Dallas. She’d taken too long to get her head on straight, and now she would have to pay the real price. One much bigger than the cash she’d given up for the clinic.

She had to say goodbye to him.

He had asked her to meet him at her place after the clinic closed for the night. He was finalizing the sale of his house today, and after they talked, he would drive to Dallas.

That evening at home, she lingered in the shower, her mind filled with memories of the times she’d spent in there with Liam. He was an incredible lover, a wonderful friend. He listened, he understood, he made her laugh. He was everything good in her life.

How was she supposed to let him go?

She sank to a sitting position on the floor of the tub and let the water run down her hair and over her body. It mixed with her tears, and as she drew the bar of soap over her legs she formed a plan.

If there had to be a goodbye, it needed to be more than a quick conversation before he jumped in the car. She had to feel him against her, inside her, one more time. Maybe she could convince him to spend the night.

But it wouldn’t make any difference. It still wouldn’t be enough.

She got out of the shower just in time to hear an engine shut off outside the window. She peered through the blinds and couldn’t miss the big moving truck parked in her driveway.

She hadn’t known until that moment she would actually be able to feel her heart breaking.

Somehow she’d held on to a small hope that Liam wouldn’t really leave, but other people lived in his house now and his belongings had been packed up and stuffed in a truck. It didn’t get more obvious than that.

She opened the door and tried to fake a smile, but her lips trembled. “Hi,” was all she could say.

He stepped into the foyer and closed the door behind him, and before she knew what was happening, grief overtook her and she crumpled into his arms. She sobbed, harder than she had allowed herself to cry in years.

“What’s this about?” he asked into the top of her hair.

She shook her head, unable to say the words. She’d told him she loved him before, and he hadn’t seemed to hear her. Now he was leaving. There would be no point in repeating herself.

He let her cry for another minute then set her away and wiped the drops from her cheeks. He didn’t look all that upset, and that only made her angry. But at least she stopped crying.

She sniffed. “Sorry. I’ve been a little emotional this week.”

“I understand that. With the issues at the clinic and all.”

“Yes,” she insisted. “And Caleb coming home.”

“Is that all?” A grin played on his lips.

Her eyes narrowed. “I’m glad you think this is funny. I guess since we’re just friends it shouldn’t be a big deal that you’re leaving.”

Liam took her hand and sat both of them on the sofa. “You know damn well we’re more than friends.”

“You don’t seem to think so.”

“I’m a man. I’m holding in my emotions.”

“Ha ha.”

He put his finger to her chin. “Tell me what else you’re emotional about.”

“I don’t want you to go.”

“Why?”

Elisa opened her mouth, but she was still too afraid to say it. Liam kissed her softly, and with his lips still close to hers, he murmured, “Tell me. I promise I’ll say it back.”

Her heart pounded. “I love you, Liam. I’ll go crazy if you’re not here.”

Her voice shook like she’d downed a few gallons of caffeine. Her body wasn’t much calmer. He smiled and squeezed her hand, probably to help her sit still before she jiggled right off the couch.

“I love you too, sweetie. Good thing I’m not going anywhere.”

She had some trouble processing those two unbelievable statements at the same time. “What are you talking about? Your moving van’s in the driveway.”

“Justin offered me the partnership. Turns out gossip is a good thing. People are so sorry, business has exploded.”

“But your house—you didn’t sell it?”

“Oh, I sold it. Unfortunately, that was already a done deal when all this happened. I wanted to talk to you about that.”

“I don’t have any money left, Liam. I gave it all to the clinic.”

His eyes twinkled. “But you still have this house.”

“I don’t own it. And Mom and Dad are going to sell it—”

“To us. Actually, they’re giving it to us. For a wedding gift.”

This time, she did fall over, luckily right into his grasp. “For a…what?”

“A wedding gift. The house is ours, paid off. So we can put all of our money into fixing it up. Assuming there’s a wedding, that is.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a box. Holding her breath, she opened it up and nearly fainted when she saw the huge diamond sparkling back at her.

She gasped. “Oh, Liam!”

“It was my mom’s. She left it to me. She must have known this was coming.”

Elisa grabbed his hand and buried her face in his shoulder, her answer coming out as a muffled squeal. He chuckled. “So, what do you think? It’s not Nashville, but I was hoping I could find a way to make your life just as exciting. Will you marry me?”

She found the strength to lift her head. “Nashville couldn’t hold a candle to you. And yes.
Yes
.”

He slid the ring onto her finger and kissed her. She practically jumped on top of him, so they both fell over on the sofa. He brushed her hair from her face and smiled. “I’m looking forward to giving Caleb a cousin to play with.”

The doorbell rang. Liam raised a brow. “Well…maybe not
now
.”

Elisa laughed and kissed him again, then ran to the door. Her family stood on the front porch grinning, her mother and Laura bursting to make wedding plans. There really was no privacy in this town, and Elisa had never been so happy about it.

About the Author

Two-time Golden Heart® finalist Avery Beck has crafted compelling fiction since age five, when she played school with her best friend and sent home a “teacher’s note” that got the poor girl in trouble.

It seems natural that her two passions, writing and studying relationships, have found an outlet in romance novels. She is fascinated with exploring the
something
that draws two people together, and she hopes to share with readers the humor, fun, drama and, best of all, joy of falling in love.

Avery writes short, sexy contemporaries and believes life is not complete without the pursuit of dreams and an intense roll in the hay…or wherever one feels inclined to roll.

Visit her website,
www.averybeck.com
, or stop by her Facebook page at
www.facebook.com/averybeck.author
.

Look for these titles by Avery Beck

Now Available:

Sexy by Design

One night of anonymous sex. Zero consequences. At least, that was the plan.

Sexy by Design

© 2009 Avery Beck

Dumped for another woman, Bree Jamison buries her white-picket-fence dreams—and her naturally shy demeanor—for a contract job behind the scenes of an erotic cyberstore. Her new life comes with a sexy public persona, and a driving ambition to earn a permanent position with the company.

On the day she’s prepared to present her best work, she’s shocked to discover her future depends on impressing her only one-night stand. The one man who could blow her cover and ruin everything.

Evan climbed out of poverty with sarcasm on his tongue and a ring in his eyebrow. He can’t believe the vixen in front of him is the same woman who fumbled her way through their single botched encounter. Her offer for a do-over is an opportunity he can’t pass up, not only to secure his reputation, but to satisfy his curiosity about the one woman he couldn’t please.

In a bedroom full of the company’s products, fiery arguments lead to experimentation—and then to a passion that strips away their masks. In that vulnerable place, their troubled pasts collide, baring secrets that force Evan into a hard decision. And Bree back on the road to heartbreak…

Warning: This title contains hot sex complete with four-letter words and battery-operated devices, as well as a kinky to-do list and the world’s most entertaining office job.

Enjoy the following excerpt for
Sexy by Design:

Bree couldn’t take the honest approach, not yet. They were barely treading friendly waters, and she couldn’t lose the upper hand until she’d convinced him that his original impression of her had been way off-base.

“I can see I’ll have to prove you wrong.” Her fingers wrapped around the handle of her bottom drawer and pulled it out so hard the entire desk rattled. Inside lay a hefty collection of vibrators in different colors, textures, and sizes.

Evan looked down at the array of fake penises and threw his head back in amusement. Chuckling, he managed to say, “I’m afraid work-related devices don’t count.”