Deception E-Book

Heather M. Borger

• Herausgeber: BookRix
• Kategorie: Gesellschafts- und Liebesromane
• Sprache: Englisch

Veröffentlichungsjahr: 2013

Beschreibung

The very moment when secrets are revealed, trust is lost. If you don’t want to lose trust, you must choose to deceive. Four years ago, Beth and Mattie’s world was turned upside down when their mother revealed a long-kept secret. Mattie’s secrets added to the betrayal Beth endured. She didn’t understand then, but Beth soon learns the motivation for secrets when she meets someone that may be the man of her dreams, yet is everyone else’s nightmare. If Beth listens to her family, it is a choice that will break her heart. But, if she chooses to follow her heart, it will be a treacherous decision and she may lose more than she ever thought possible. Is deception the only choice for Beth? Is he worth the risk?

Leseprobe

Heather M. Borger

Deception

BookRix GmbH & Co. KG81371 Munich

Deception

by: Heather M. Borger

Editor: Kelly Bocich

Text Copyright 2013 © by Heather M. Borger

No part of this text may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means - electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise - without written permission of the author.

Dedication

To the women that love recklessly led by their hearts, leaving their eyes closed to the danger that may ensue.

***

“Let me ask you, Mattie, do you have to try really hard to sabotage my life, or does it come easy to you like everything else?”

“Stop it! You know I would never try to hurt you.”

“Well, you win again. I promise you that you’ll never have to see me with Chris again. Good night.” Beth stormed out, slamming the door.

Chapter 1

Several years had passed since Mattie and Ty last walked through the door of their friend Sarah’s boutique in Los Angeles. So much had happened in the meantime. There had been the movie premiere, the accident, the proposal, and then four years of on-line college classes that kept Mattie so busy she didn’t have time to worry about anything else. And now there was the upcoming wedding. She and Ty had spent endless hours planning for the best day of their lives. Their wedding was less than a week away and today Mattie and Ty were back inside Sarah’s shop so Mattie could try on the dress she had fallen in love with through pictures Sarah had emailed. Soon, they would drive back to Riverside and have the fairy tale wedding Mattie had always dreamed of.

“Hi! I’m so glad to see you again!” called Sarah as she ran to meet them at the door. She threw her arms around Mattie.

“Hello, Sarah. It’s great to be back in LA. I couldn’t wait to see you either!”

Mattie noticed a man walk out from the back room and smile widely at the two of them.

“Is this Mattie?” he asked. “So, do I finally get to meet her?”

“Yes, Mike,” responded Ty, smiling at his friend. “This is Mattie, my fiancée.” The two men shook hands.

Mattie knew Mike had been upset about not seeing Ty the last time they were in LA, so Ty had promised to give more notice of their next visit.

Mattie smiled and took Mike’s outstretched hand as he turned toward her. “Hi, Mike. It’s great to finally meet you. I’ve heard so much about you.”

“Uh-oh. I hope you know how to tell the difference between the truth and what Ty makes up to make me look good,” Mike said with a smile, and Ty laughed. Their friendship was hard to disguise.

“Okay, guys. Sorry, but you need to get out of here. Mattie has a dress to try on.” Sarah took over. She knew the guys would never leave if she didn’t push them out.

“So, are you seriously going to keep me from seeing your dress until our wedding?” Ty sounded disappointed, but Mattie was sticking to her decision to finally do something the old-fashioned way.

She placed her hands on her hips in an assertive stance. “Yes. You will not see my dress until sundown on our wedding day.”

Mattie reached up and pulled Ty’s face toward her. He pretended to resist, but gave in quickly and allowed Mattie a soft kiss. She playfully held his lower lip in her teeth for a moment. Ty noticed the mischievous sparkle in her eyes as he freed himself.

“Okay. I still love you, Kiddo.” Ty’s voice cracked and he took a deep breath, composing himself as he looked at Mattie with a ‘why do you do that to me?’ look. “Bye.”

“Good-bye. I still love you more!” Mattie’s smile was full of pride and Ty knew she wasn’t going to change her mind about the dress right now.

“Have fun ladies. Call us when you’re done.” Mike was more excited to leave than Ty. He had apparently made plans for the afternoon.

“Good-bye.” Sarah practically pushed them out the door. Then she turned to Mattie. “So, are you ready to see your dress?”

“Yes! I thought they’d never leave!” Mattie was all giggles as Sarah pulled her around to the back of the shop.

“Here it is.” Sarah pulled the bag from a hook behind her desk. She opened it and revealed the dress inside to Mattie; it took Mattie’s breath away.

“Sarah! It’s beautiful! Even better than the pictures.”

“I’m glad you think so. I agree. Let’s get it on you!”

Sarah helped Mattie change, then led her to the mirrored wall. When she looked up, Mattie almost didn’t recognize the reflection as her own.

“Oh, Sarah! Thank you so much! It is perfect!”

Sarah smiled at Mattie. It fit her perfectly. The measurements Mattie had taken by a seamstress a few months ago at a dress shop up north were all Sarah had needed to guarantee an impeccable fit.

“You are going to be the most beautiful bride Riverside has ever seen.”

“Thank you, again. I wish I didn’t have to take it off.” Mattie spun in excitement watching the fluid movement of the dress.

“Well, I won’t make you, but it will get wrinkled if you try to sleep in it!” Sarah smiled. She remembered the feeling Mattie was experiencing from her own wedding. “I’m really glad you like it. Can I take a few pictures?”

“Sure. Whatever you need.”

Sarah had ordered the dress for Mattie and planned to use pictures of Mattie as advertisements for her shop in the coming months. It was a win-win situation for Mattie, who was more than happy to help out. Especially if it meant she was able to stay in the dress a little longer.

Soon, however, Sarah was finished and Mattie was back in her jeans. Sarah packaged the dress carefully for the long trip and helped Mattie carry it to the RV. After Ty’s accident, he was determined to get something bigger to travel in, but Mattie convinced him they couldn’t drive an RV around a town like Riverside. They compromised and allowed Ty’s parents to help them buy the RV that would make him happy, but bought a small Jeep to tow behind it for their other driving. It wasn’t the small black Wrangler Mattie had loved, but it was close enough.

“So, should I call our guys back, or should we sit and have some girl time first?” Sarah asked Mattie, hoping for some time to relax and talk.

“Oh, I think we have some time to talk first. Who knows when I’ll see you again. After the wedding we’re off to Tennessee for a little, then Ty’s next full movie is going to begin filming in Arizona. They’re scheduled to start there in a few weeks.”

“Will you guys have time for a honeymoon?” Sarah couldn’t believe Mattie would give up a honeymoon, but their upcoming schedule seemed to have minimal room for anything.

Mattie chuckled and sighed wistfully, “I hope so. We are planning a quick, quiet getaway right after the wedding. But we’ll need to be ready to drop everything and run the minute they’re set up in Tennessee because when they’re ready for Ty, they’ll need him right away and there may not be much notice. They realize we’re getting married and it’s nice that they’re being accommodating, but he’s not as excited about this short piece as he has been with other opportunities like it because the rest of his crew is going to be in Arizona.”

“Arizona? I thought he stayed with the same production crew all the time,” Sarah asked in confusion.

“He does. But this smaller crew needed someone with more experience and requested Ty. It was really an honor for him to be asked to do it; he just wishes he wouldn’t miss setting up on the set of his own movie because of it.”

“Gotcha. At least he’s not floating around out there waiting for work.”

“No. That hasn’t been a problem for him,” Mattie laughed. She was proud of Ty’s abilities but it was exhausting at times to try and keep up with his schedule. She didn’t know how he did it most days.

The hours passed quickly for Mattie and Sarah. Neither of them noticed the time until Mattie’s cell phone rang.

“Hello.”

“How long, exactly, does it take to try on that dress? Because if you’re going to need this much time, I now understand why you wanted a sunset wedding.”

Mattie could tell Ty was smiling as he talked to her. In fact, when she looked at the clock on the wall, she couldn’t believe it had taken him so long to call.

“Sorry. The dress is safe in your RV. We were just talking and lost track of time. I guess you can come back now.”

“Good. We’re right outside. Mike just warned me to call and be sure it was safe to come in first.”

A few seconds later, both guys walked in. Mike took off immediately for the camera sitting on the counter and picked it up to look at the pictures.

“Wow, Ty. I must say, these ladies know how to pick a dress.”

Ty reached for the camera but Mattie jumped in front of him slapping his hand down. She laughed at his attempt.

“Don’t even try it, mister.”

“Oh, come on. Mike looked.”

“Yeah, but I’m not marrying Mike.” Mattie smiled at Ty’s frown and gently pulled him back across to the other side of the room.

A few minutes later they were saying good-bye and leaving. Their next stop would be Riverside.

“Don’t be strangers. We know you’ve got to go to another movie premiere in LA eventually,” Sarah yelled after them.

“We promise to stop by again soon. Thank you for everything.” Mattie hoped Sarah heard her final shout of thanks before the door closed behind her.

Seconds after leaving the shop Ty couldn’t contain himself any longer. “Will you tell me anything about the dress? This is killing me!”

“Sorry. You’ll have to wait. You know, you’re acting like this is new, but grooms everywhere have always waited to see the dress.”

“You’re right, this is nothing new - it’s totally old-fashioned! Get with the times, Kiddo. Let me see your dress.”

“First of all, you shouldn’t talk about being old-fashioned and getting with the times. And second, you will see my dress. You will see it perfectly as the sunset reflects off of it when I walk toward you on the dock in a few days.” Mattie smirked at Ty, she knew that he was completely aware of what she was referring to.

“Where did you learn to be so mean?”

“I’m not mean. Just old-fashioned, remember?”

Mattie laughed, but she knew Ty would not give up. This would be a test of wills over the next few days. One of them would win and get their way. Mattie, however, had every intention of winning this battle. She desperately wanted to see Ty’s face the moment he saw her in her beautiful dress for the first time. And, she wanted it to be on the dock in front of everyone. It would be as wonderful as the day they first saw one another at that exact spot.

Their trip across the country seemed shorter every time. Mattie had to admit the RV definitely helped. It was nice to simply find a rest area, pull over, and crawl into bed next to Ty. Even if it was for just a few short hours.

They were about half-way to Riverside when Ty got the phone call that would begin unfolding a disturbing series of events neither of them could possibly have seen coming.

“Hey, Buddy. What’s up? … How’s Arizona? … Great. … What? … Yeah! I’m sure she would be. Why? … Really? What happened? … That’s great! Well, not great for whoever got hurt, but you know what I mean. … Okay. I’ll have Mattie call her now. … Yes, send them out. I’m sure she’ll say yes. … Yeah, I’ll call you right back. Thanks again, Buddy. … Yup, bye.”

Ty hardly took a breath before glancing at Mattie. When he spoke, he was practically out of breath, “Mattie, do you think Beth would be willing to audition for the movie we’re filming in Arizona?”

“Are you kidding? You mean the softball documentary? She’d kill for a part in that movie.”

“Not just ‘a part.’ I’m talking about one of the lead roles. Their star pitcher just called the producer to tell him she broke her arm in a game yesterday. They want to audition Beth because of her experience - she won’t need any softball training.”

“I’m sure she’d do it.”

“Then give her a call right away. The taxi is already on its way to pick her up and take her to the airport. She needs to be in Arizona on the next flight or they can’t guarantee her an audition - or that she’ll be back in time for the wedding.”

“Yeah, sure.” Mattie began dialing the phone. She hoped Beth was at home today.

“Hi, Beth. Are you busy? … Good, can you pack an overnight bag and be outside in twenty minutes? … Remember how I told you about the film Ty is working on in Arizona right after the wedding? … Well, their pitcher broke her arm yesterday and you have an audition in a few hours if you’re interested. … Yes. There’s a taxi on the way to get you. … You’ll be back in time, don’t worry. This is your big chance! … Okay. Good luck, love you. … Bye.”

“She’s packing now. She’ll be ready in five minutes.”

“Good. I was pretty sure she would be ready when I heard her scream over the phone. Can you call Mack back and tell him she’ll be waiting?”

“Absolutely. Thanks, Ty.”

“No problem, Kiddo. It’s Mack who deserves the thanks, though.”

Mattie was dialing the phone as quickly as her shaky fingers could work. “Hi, Mack. It’s Mattie … Yes, she’s packing as we speak. She’ll be waiting outside the house in a few minutes. … Thank you so much. … I know, but you have no idea how much this means to her. To all of us. Thank you. … Yes, your kids will both get special Teacher’s Pet status in the fall, I promise. … Okay. See you soon. Bye.”

Mattie hung up and glanced at Ty. “Do you really think she stands a chance without any acting experience?”

Ty chuckled at Mattie’s concern. “Yes, I do. They need someone young enough to play the role of a college softball player who can also play softball like a professional. They don’t have time to train anyone. They can work on her acting as they go. And, if I recall, she’s pretty good at the acting as well.”

He smiled at Mattie knowing she would remember how Beth deceived everyone a few years ago in order to avoid having Mattie tell her that she was about to run off with Ty. No one had any idea that Beth knew where Mattie was all along. Mattie had to agree, Beth did have a knack for acting.

“You’re right. She’ll be fine.” Mattie smiled. Ty was usually right.

It was late that night when Mattie’s cell phone rang. They had already stopped driving for the night. She answered it immediately, knowing who would be on the other line.

“Hello. … SO? … Beth, that’s great! I’m so proud of you! … When did they tell you that you need to be back there? … Too bad we have to detour to Tennessee first, you could have come with us. … Don’t worry about that. You can stay with us. … Yes, call Mom and Dad. We’ll be home soon. … See you then. Love you, bye.”

Mattie threw herself against Ty and kissed him. She was so excited for her sister that she couldn’t contain herself.

“Wow. I think I need to get Beth more acting roles. I’m assuming this is because she did get the part, right?”

“Yes. She got the part! She is so excited! Thank you, thank you, thank you!”

“Anytime, Kiddo.” Ty laughed at Mattie. She was exhausted five minutes ago. But suddenly, here she was, jumping up and down on the bed like a six-year-old.

“I wish there was a way I could pay you back. You have done so much for us.”

“Well, you know, there is one thing,” Ty smirked.

“What?” Mattie became playfully hesitant. She sat back on her knees as she grinned, waiting for his response. Ty’s requests sometimes had a way of being more work for Mattie than fun. He enjoyed it that way.

“I still really want to see your dress. I mean, I really, really, really want to see your dress. Tonight.”

Mattie smiled at Ty and shook her head. “You don’t play fair. You know I would do anything for you, but not that.”

“Anything but that? Okay. I get it.”

“You have less than a week to wait. Why would you want to ruin it now?” Mattie hoped to help him understand her reasoning. She laid back down next to him and traced the outline of his chest with her finger.

He moaned and rolled toward her. “Okay, okay. I get it. I have to wait less than a week.”

“Less than a week isn’t so bad after more than four long years.” Mattie was always teasing Ty that he thought it would be better for them to wait until she graduated to get married.

Ty laughed at the exasperation in Mattie’s voice. Beth wasn’t the only one in the family with a bit of a dramatic side.

“Well then, let’s get some sleep. We need to get to Riverside.”

Ty pulled Mattie in and they kissed one another good night. Time stood still for them when they were together. Mattie didn’t think she’d be able to wait even another day for their wedding.

Chapter 2

It was just after midnight when they pulled into the school’s parking lot. Mattie knew no one would be up waiting for them, so she and Ty decided to sleep a little before heading to Mattie’s house. They would have three short days to make sure all their plans were in place and everything was ready. Thank goodness for Mattie’s parents. They had made practically all the arrangements in Riverside including securing rooms for Ty’s family, who would be arriving tomorrow from California. Then, Friday night at sunset, Mattie would walk down the dock and marry the most wonderful man in the world. She fell asleep dreaming about their future.

Ty watched Mattie sleep. It wasn’t the first time he’d ever watched her sleep before drifting off himself. Tonight, however, she appeared so peaceful. Mattie was home and she seemed more at ease than normal. She smiled as she slept. Ty adored Mattie’s smile. He couldn’t believe he would marry her in just a few days. He allowed his mind to drift as he watched her. Their future was so bright. Mattie would travel with him and teach on-line classes. She also planned to home-school Mack’s children wherever they went. The topic of their own family had come up as well, and Ty couldn’t wait to start a family with Mattie. From here on out, they were going to be together. Ty laid down next to Mattie and fell asleep holding her. He never expected to be so happy, not in his wildest dreams.

As the sun rose, Ty was the first to wake up.

“Kiddo. Are you ready to get up? I think your family should be up by now.”

Ty’s soft voice roused Mattie from her sleep. She quickly remembered they were back in Riverside and she was home for a short time. Mattie never regretted leaving with Ty, but she only had a few brief visits with her family since she left so quickly four years ago. She treasured each trip home and tried not to waste a minute of her time in the beautiful town where she spent the first 18 years of her life.

Mattie stretched as she turned to gaze into Ty‘s eyes. “Yeah, thanks. How’d you sleep?”

“Great. How ’bout you?”

“It was wonderful. I dreamed about our wedding all night long.”

“Is that why you were all smiles?”

“Yes.” Mattie pulled herself on top of Ty’s solid frame and held him. She kissed his cheek and sat up to get out of bed.

“I’ll get dressed and be back soon. I love you.”

“I love you too, Kiddo.”

Ty sat there a while longer remembering the first time he ever saw Mattie. She was with her sister and best friend attempting to spot someone famous at the filming down at the dock. He couldn’t get away from his camera long enough to say hello and Mattie left before he had a chance to talk to her. He was devastated as he watched her walk away. Later that night, he confided in Mack and spent the entire night trying to devise a plan to find her again. Mack reluctantly promised to knock on every door in the small town the next afternoon looking for her. Luckily, Mattie appeared at filming the very next day and that was the last time either of them was ever alone. They instantly became inseparable.

Mattie hopped back into the room and begged Ty to get ready.

“You’re not dressed yet? Everyone is probably up by now. Come on!” Mattie begged.

Ty laughed, “Sorry. I just got distracted for a little. You are so wonderful. I can’t wait until Friday.”

“Me either. I wish it was sooner.”

“Well, it couldn’t get much closer. It is Wednesday morning all ready.”

Ty got up and dressed. They were leaving ten minutes later. In two short blocks they were walking up Mattie’s front steps. Beth must have been watching for them because she had the door open before they even reached it. She ran outside and threw her arms around Mattie in a tight embrace, then quickly ushered them inside. The incredible smell of homemade pancakes, eggs, sausage, and fresh maple syrup filled the kitchen. Mattie’s mom ran from the stove as soon as she saw them.

“Mattie, Ty, it’s so good to have you home! Oh, we’ve missed you. How was your drive? When did you get here? Your dad went for a walk this morning and saw the RV parked already.”

Mattie backed out of her mom’s embrace laughing at Stephanie’s rambling. Standing arm’s length apart, but unable to unlock her hands from Stephanie’s tight hold, Mattie tried to answer all her mom’s questions.

“We missed you too. The drive was fine. We pulled into the school a little after midnight, so we slept a bit. How are you guys?”

“We’re fine. It’s good to finally have you here.” Stephanie finally dropped her daughter’s hands in order to give Ty a hug. She patted his shoulder as she continued, “Beth has been going on and on with questions for us that we can’t possibly answer for her. So you may want to hide if you don’t feel like talking about work today.”

Ty smiled and shook his head. “I’ll stick around. Breakfast smells too good to skip out now.”

Mattie’s dad walked in and rushed toward them as he realized what all the commotion was about.

“Hey, Mattie. Hi, Ty. How are you? I saw your RV at the school this morning. When did you get in?”

Mattie met him halfway and threw her arms around his waist. “Hi, Daddy. We’re great. We got in just after midnight.” She dropped her arms and gave him a sideways grin. “When did you start walking?”

“When I knew you guys should be here and we didn’t hear from you yet. You know, it just took a little curiosity to get me moving.”

“You could have called. We have our phones with us.”

“Yeah, but the doctor’s been telling me I need to exercise more. So, today was as good a day as any to start.”

Everyone sat down and starting eating and talking all at the same time. There was so much to say and so many schedules to coordinate. It’s no wonder no one heard Eddie emerging from upstairs.

“So, this is what happens when you oversleep in this house, huh? Did I miss out on a complete breakfast, or just most of it?”

“Eddie! Hi! It’s so good to see you again.”

Mattie jumped up to say hello. The only contact she’d had with her half-brother since the night they met was a few phone calls and emails. It had been difficult to see each other. Mattie never knew exactly when she’d be in Riverside and Eddie lived five hours away in New York. Most often, by the time Mattie knew she’d be home, it was too late to arrange a meeting. Her mom still had reservations about him being in Riverside, as well. This trip especially, Mattie’s mom had made certain Eddie would be alone. She seemed frightened at the possibility he might ask to invite his father along. No one understood, but no one asked questions, either. That was just the way it had to be according to their mother.

“Hey, Mattie, Ty. It’s great to see you guys again, too. Congratulations. It’s hard to believe that the last time I saw you I thought you were saying good-bye to each other and now, here I am ready for your wedding.”

Mattie glanced down at her hands and nervously twisted her engagement ring between two fingers. “Yeah, how about it. We, um, didn’t exactly have the best plan for leaving, did we?”

“No. But, let’s not dwell on that today. It’s in the past.” Matthew spoke up quickly as he passed Mattie and rubbed her shoulder reassuringly.

Leave it to Mattie’s dad to be positive. She was more than happy to have her bright, upbeat, eternally optimistic father back in her life. The summer after she and Beth graduated was the same summer their entire family found out about Eddie, Stephanie’s son from a previous relationship. Stephanie managed to keep Eddie’s existence a secret from everyone for twenty-two years, until Eddie found her that summer. Although it was a shock to them all, their father took the news the hardest. He eventually forgave their mom and regained his positive outlook on life. In the end, Matthew even included Eddie as a part of that life.

“Eddie, sit down. There’s plenty here. We didn’t eat it all - yet,” Stephanie interjected, getting the conversation back to breakfast.

Mattie’s mom slid her chair down to make room for another spot at the table and the conversation picked up again. They discussed the day’s agenda which included a walk around the dock to be sure Mattie’s vision of the layout was reproduced perfectly, then a trip to the Bed-n-Breakfast to do the same. Mattie and Ty had no trouble deciding to get married back in Riverside, but the details took time to work out. Then, Mattie had to depend on phone calls and email to relay her ideas back home so everything could be ready when the time came. Ultimately, they decided a wedding on the dock would be perfect. Mattie and Ty first saw each other at a filming session along the dock and that spot held special meaning for them. The Bed-n-Breakfast was an ideal location for the reception. Not only was it the most beautiful spot in Riverside, but it was also where Mattie and Ty officially introduced themselves to each other.

Mattie couldn’t wait to get started. “What time do we need to be down at the dock?”

“Don’t worry, we have plenty of time. Mr. Blackstone is going to be at the General Store around nine this morning. He said we can stop in any time after that to walk around to the dock and look at the plans he has drawn up. He also has an image of the cake he’s doing that he wants to show you. He had it yesterday already, but wouldn’t show me until you were here with us.”

Mattie caught the hint of disappointment in her mom’s voice. Stephanie was enjoying every minute of the planning she could help with, and it was obvious how she felt about not being shown the picture of the cake without Mattie and Ty present.

“Don’t worry, Mom. I promise to let you peek with us today.”

As Mattie and Ty continued to talk with her parents, everyone else eventually got up and started to go about with their own business for the day. Beth, who had stayed in school to work toward her Master’s Degree immediately after earning her Bachelor’s, had tons of work to do - cramming to finish a summer class before the wedding, and Eddie had to find a quiet place to get some work done as well. Mattie kept a careful eye on the clock. By eight thirty, she was announcing the time to everyone.

“I’m leaving in five minutes. Anyone who wants to come better be ready.”

“We can drive over there, Mattie. Then we have fifteen minutes.”

“You can drive. I miss walking around here.”

She looked at Ty and smiled. The few weeks that he spent in Riverside with her were filled with those walks back and forth between her house, the General Store, and the Bed-n-Breakfast.

“How about we leave now if everyone else is driving?” Her voice begged with the playful pleading of someone who already knew the answer to their question.

“Whatever you’d like, Kiddo.”

Ty, although now aware of it, would never stop being amazed by Mattie’s optimism and positive outlook. If things didn’t go as she planned, she adjusted and found another way to make it work out for her. He couldn’t help but go along with her altered plan. And, besides, the look in her eyes when she begged him was more than he could say no to.

They left and walked hand-in-hand through town towards the General Store. About a block away a maroon minivan beeped as it drove past them. Mattie recognized her parents and waved as she pulled Ty along faster. They practically ran the rest of the way and got to the front door only seconds behind her parents.

Mr. Blackstone, the owner of the General Store, greeted them at the door. “Hello, Mattie…Ty. So good to see you again. Hi, Stephanie...Matthew. I have some great things to show you! Come on inside.”

Mr. Blackstone led them around the counter to his computer where he had images of the cake he was making as well as the arrangements he conceived for the seating and the dock where Mattie and Ty would get married. The traditional three-tiered cake decorated with deep green ivy vines spreading throughout the shimmering white background was absolutely gorgeous. The seating arrangements looked perfect as well. Mr. Blackstone confirmed that he would have everything set up Friday afternoon by five and teased that if Ty wasn’t busy, he could certainly come to help. The cake would be delivered to the Bed-n-Breakfast as soon as they were ready for it. Everything seemed perfect.

“Thank you so much for your help, Mr. Blackstone. We really appreciate the time you’ve put into this for us.” Mattie was relieved to see how flawless everything appeared.

“It’s no problem. Really. You know I love to throw a party.”

“Yes. That is true. I have had complete faith in you because of it. You haven’t ever let this town down when it came to throwing a party.”

Everyone laughed as they left the General Store. They were off to the Bed-n-Breakfast.

“Are you guys still walking or would you like a ride this time?”

Mattie’s parents aimed the question at both she and Ty, but everyone, including Ty, looked to her for the answer.

“Do we have time to walk?”

“You can do whatever makes you happy. We don’t have a set time to be there.”

“I’d like to walk.”

Mattie’s parents waved teasingly at Ty and got into the van. They could tell he was already expecting that answer as he was headed away from the car with his arm stretched out for Mattie’s hand before she even answered. They waved as they drove away.

Mattie glanced at the riverbank, then looked up at Ty. He answered her silent question with a grin and a nod. “Go ahead. I’ll sit with you for a little.”

They walked along the river to the dock and sat down. It was peaceful and calm. Mattie breathed deeply, smelling the river. Some tourists describe it as a musty, stale smell. To Mattie, it smelled like her childhood. It brought back memories of swimming on hot summer days and of picnics at the General Store. It comforted her. Ty pulled Mattie closer and held her as long as he could before they needed to start over to the Bed-n-Breakfast.

“We thought you may have decided not to come today,” Mattie’s dad teased.

“Sorry, we detoured a little. I hope it’s not been too long.” Mattie was concerned that she may have inconvenienced them by being late.

“No, you’re fine. We just finished a cup of coffee and the most delicious coffee cake,” Matthew bragged.

Mattie smiled as everyone got up from their table. She and Ty followed the owners of the Bed-n-Breakfast around the property with her parents. The main tent was already standing and the tables were being set up. The room was prepared and ready for Ty’s parents when they arrived the following day. It seemed as if there was nothing left to do but sit back, relax, and be patient. After a few more formalities, they walked out and back towards the van.

“I presume the two of you will be on your own for now. But will you be back for supper?” Mattie’s dad did not try to disguise the hope in his voice.

“Yes, Daddy. We’ll be home by supper. What time were you planning to eat?”

Mattie’s mom checked her watch. “How about we say five? That way we have time to talk, too.”

“That sounds great. See you by five.”

Mattie and Ty walked around to the back of the Bed-n-Breakfast to sit under the trees and her parents went home.

Ty pulled Mattie down next to him and looked into her eyes. He could feel every thought and emotion she was feeling by looking deeply into her eyes. He felt her go limp in his hands as he held her and enjoyed the awareness that she couldn’t control her emotions when she was in his arms. His eyes pierced through to her heart and soul and he felt as if he could see their futures materialize in front of him.

Mattie could barely assemble a smile. “Do you realize that after all this time, I still feel light-headed when you look at me like that?”

“That’s why I do it. I quite enjoy that feeling myself.”

Ty laid Mattie down and began to kiss her. She remembered the days they spent on this very same lawn trying to keep the plans for their future private. The days they discussed their expectations to confront Mattie’s parents - when the proper time came - to tell them they were leaving Riverside together. They planned everything out, but never followed through with any of it. Instead, Mattie left with Ty in an angry fit after finding out about her mother’s secret past. In time, she realized she had been too harsh on her mother, but at that moment in time it was all she could do. Ty tried to stop her. She was stubborn and insubordinate towards his attempts to make her see things clearly. She was quite lucky to have such a forgiving family. Right now, however, she only felt lucky to have Ty in her life. How she ever managed without him was a complete mystery. He kept her grounded while still, somehow, allowing her to believe all the whimsical fantasies she wanted to believe. He even allowed her the privilege of planning their entire fairy-tale wedding out herself. He did anything she asked in terms of helping and obeyed her every wish regardless of how silly it seemed.

As Ty sat up, Mattie smiled at him. She felt luckier to have him each and every day.

“Would you like to go spend some time talking to your mom while she makes supper?”

“I’d love to. Do you have something up your sleeve that you’re suggesting I help with supper?”

“No, not that I’ve planned. But I’m guessing after talking to your mom this morning that Beth is dying to talk to me. I figure I’d rather chat with her this afternoon right away. Once my parents get in tomorrow, I’d like to see them. This way, I won’t feel like I’m ignoring Beth.”

“You’re so sweet ... and wonderful … and perfect.” Mattie let her voice trail to a whisper, then leaned in to kiss Ty once more before heading for home.

They arrived quickly, surprised at how short the walk seemed as they chatted nonstop about the next few days. Hopping up the steps to the front porch, Mattie unexpectedly turned; her mischievous smiled aimed at Ty.

“What’s that look for?” Ty questioned her, a smile quickly spreading across his own face - mirroring Mattie’s.

“I just realized something.” Mattie paused for only a moment, “Scott will be filming with us, won’t he?”

Ty nodded and smiled cautiously at Mattie. “Don’t go getting any ideas. If he wants to make a move, he will.”

“There better not be any ifs. All he’s talked about to me for four years is Beth.”

Ty sighed in defeat. He knew better than to try and convince Mattie that she should stay out of this one. Especially since she was right.

Scott was a camera man with their crew and four years ago when they had filmed in Riverside, he caught sight of Beth and became interested. Not knowing she was a twin, he approached Mattie one afternoon and questioned her about her sudden interest in Ty. Scott was embarrassed when he found out he had exchanged glances with Beth and was now questioning Mattie and he begged her not to say anything to her sister. Ty also encouraged Mattie to honor Scott’s request. She didn’t understand why, but she respected Ty and agreed to keep quiet with Beth.

Only after leaving Riverside with the film crew did Scott open up to Mattie. He explained his painful past to her and his angst over ever falling in love again. Despite his fears, though, he questioned Mattie daily about how Beth was doing; he’d want to know what classes Beth was taking, if Mattie had any new pictures to share, if Beth ever talked about dating anyone. Mattie tended to fib when Beth was dating; it made it easier for her. She made the mistake once of sharing pictures Beth had sent of herself with a new boyfriend and was crushed by the disappointment on Scott’s face. No matter how fixated on Beth Scott became, however, he refused to let Mattie tell Beth anything. He was scared to death that she might actually return some of his interest and he’d have to take a chance at opening up to someone again. For Mattie, on the other hand, the prospect of Scott and Beth being in the same town for a few months was too exciting. Not only did she think very highly of Scott, but she also felt that his more laid back, relaxed attitude would compliment Beth’s high energy and exuberance nicely.

“Does Scott know yet?” She was suddenly bursting with anticipation about the coming film.

Ty nodded and grinned in defeat. “Probably.”

He was typically able to convince Mattie to see things his way - realistically - when necessary. Today, however, she was too far gone into her fantasy world.

He made one last plea, “Please let him make the first move - if he wants to.”

Mattie nodded enthusiastically and smiled, but Ty wasn’t convinced.

Ty wrapped his arm around Mattie’s waist and led her inside. Her mom was in the kitchen.

Stephanie was surprised by their earlier than expected return. “You guys are earlier than I thought. Did it get too hot out there?”

“Oh, it got hot, but not because of the weather.” Shocked at his response, Mattie reached out to slap Ty, but missed completely. Her mom laughed. Mattie couldn’t tell for sure if it was at Mattie’s poor aim or if it was an uncomfortable ‘how do I respond to that?’ kind of laugh. Either way, Ty didn’t seem to mind.

He smirked at Mattie’s misdirected slap and she chased him out of the kitchen. She ran right into his waiting arms in the living room.

“You are impossible. Are you trying to give my parents heart attacks?”

“No, just you.”

Mattie smiled and reached up for a kiss. She would never get enough of Ty. The feel of his arms wrapped tightly around her back, pulling her close made her head spin. As he lowered one hand down her back, the other reached up around the base of her neck, denying her any chance of leaving. It was fine with Mattie; she had no reason to leave his embrace.

Matthew announced his presence with a forced cough before speaking. “If you weren’t my daughter, I’d tell you to go get a room. But, seeing as how you are my daughter, I think I’ll just walk by and pretend you are someone I don’t know. Then this will be much easier.”

Mattie turned red and shot an embarrassed smile at her dad. She gave Ty a little poke in the side as she grinned at him and walked back toward the kitchen. The scent of his cologne lingered on her shirt and she breathed it in, enjoying the way he made her feel.

From the doorway to the kitchen, Mattie turned back to look at Ty, “You better go find Beth if you want to talk to her. I’m sure she has enough questions to keep you busy for hours.”

“Love you, Kiddo.”

“Love you more. See you at supper, maybe.”

Mattie smiled teasingly over her shoulder as she stepped around the corner. Her mom was waiting for her.

“The two of you remind me of your father and I. It makes me happy to see how strongly he feels about you, Mattie.”

“Thanks. He doesn’t try to hide it, does he?” Mattie was slightly embarrassed by her mom’s keen observations.

Mattie’s mom looked at her understandingly. “No. To tell you the truth, if he did try to hide it, I’d be worried. True love shouldn’t be hidden. It should be just like yours. Out there for everyone to see. When you feel the need to hide love, it’s not true.”

Without thinking, Mattie laughed and responded, “What do you know about anything but true love?”

Her mom’s smile faded swiftly and without warning. “Let’s just say if I had any doubts about how Ty felt about you or how he treated you, I would have told you immediately in order to save you from a lot of suffering and pain. I made mistakes in my past that I’m not proud of. I thought I had found love once. It wasn’t real. I had to hide it, to be ashamed of it. By the time I met your father, I was convinced there was no such thing as true love.”

Mattie instantly felt remorseful for her thoughtless comment. She knew her mom had once been engaged but left without telling anyone. She never thought about that part of her mom’s life.

“I’m sorry, Mom. I didn’t mean to upset you.”

“It’s okay. I’m just not good at talking about it yet, I guess. Someday, we’ll talk. Okay?”

“Okay.”

Mattie eyed her mom. She seemed to be holding something back. Her mom looked away quickly.

“Are you and Dad okay lately? You know, after everything that happened with Eddie?”

“Yes, dear. Don’t worry about us. That’s another good thing about true love. It doesn’t leave when things get tough. It stands by you and waits until you are ready to swallow your pride and ask for forgiveness.”

“Good. We were worried about you guys.”

Mattie paused but decided she needed to say what was on her mind. “Mom?”

“Yes?”

“I’m sorry about the way things worked out that summer. I never really got to tell you I was sorry for how I left. After the accident, I was still a bit stunned to see you at the hospital and now I realize that I never said I was sorry.”

“You didn’t have to. We all did things that summer we’re not proud of. But thank you for saying it now, anyway.”

“Did you ever really doubt Ty and me? You didn’t seem too sure in the beginning.”

“I never doubted either of you. I just never thought you’d be so strong-willed as to run off with him so soon, either. I guess I knew how Ty felt about you as soon as I met him, but I underestimated you. I thought you’d be happy having him come back between movies and visit for a while first. I should have known better. I never would have allowed your father to leave this town without me.”

“So, I made the right decision?”

“Yes. Not the best exit. But entirely, completely, and utterly the perfect decision.”

Mattie smiled to herself. She helped her mom finish preparing everything, then left to gather her family for dinner.