Laugh Like You've Never Cried (Summer Lake 5) (29 page)

Michael swallowed down the lump in his throat, remembering that day out by the river. He shook his head. “I thought so too, Mom. But I have been known to misread these things before, remember?”

“Megan is nothing like Kay! In fact she's the complete opposite. I've come to think of Megan as life's gift to you for having survived Kay and everything she put you and Ethan through!”

Michael shrugged. “Then life really is a bitch, or at least an indian-giver. It gave me Meggie only to take her away again.” His mom put her arms around him as he swiped at his eyes. “It hurts, mom. I don't want to lose her. I don't want Ethan to lose her, but there's nothing I can do.”

***

M
egan hooked Ollie's leash back on to his collar as they walked back up the beach. “Come on, then. We'd better get back and give you your breakfast.” She'd brought him down early this morning, hoping it might calm them both. She'd hardly slept and neither had Ollie. She couldn't stop thinking about tonight, about what she should say to Ethan. She could hardly say she had to leave because his dad didn't want her. She had wondered most of the night whether she should call Michael, decide together what was the best way to handle it. She shook her head. They weren't going to be doing anything together anymore. She had to figure it out for herself. She looked up the beach and her heart leapt when she saw a guy leaning against the rail of the parking lot. She squinted, these contacts were really no help at a distance. Her heart sank again when she made out lighter hair than Michael's. It wasn't him, she'd been stupid to hope. As she got closer, he did look familiar. It was only when she almost there that she realized it was Chase. What was he doing here? That was a dumb question. His shorts and track shoes made it rather obvious he'd been out for a run. Still, it didn't explain why he was waiting for her.

“Good morning Megan.”

“Hi.” She didn't know what else to say so she waited for him to go next.

Ollie strained at his leash and went to sniff Chase. Megan was surprised when he nudged at Chase's leg then offered him a paw. Chase bent to shake it and smiled up at her. He had a nice smile, he did seem like a nice guy.

“From what Kenzie said, I didn't expect him to be so friendly.”

Megan sighed. “Kenzie doesn't like my having him, I'm afraid.”

Chase looked puzzled. “It didn't sound that way to me. She said he was awesome and did a good job of taking care of you. It's hard for her you know, not being around for you.”

Kenzie had said Ollie was awesome? And had told Chase that it was hard not to be around for her? That didn't sound like Kenzie's usual MO with a one-night-stand guy. She looked back at Chase. Now she had even less clue what to say than she'd had before.

He smiled at her. “Have you heard from her since she got home?”

Megan shook her head. “No. I've been wanting to call her but....” Oh no. She could feel the tears coming. She mustn't cry in front of him!

His eyes filled with concern. “But what? What's the matter, Megan? Are you okay?”

She shook her head and let the tears fall. “No. I'm not. Michael doesn't want to marry me and he doesn't want more children. I want to talk to Kenzie, but I just convinced her that Michael is good for me. I don't want to worry her and I don't want to her to hate Michael, but I do want to talk to her. Tonight I have to talk to Michael's son Ethan at the library and try to let the little guy down gently. I need to tell him why we broke up and I don't even
know
why!” The last part came out as a wail that had Ollie whining around her legs and Chase putting an arm around her shoulders. Oh how stupid was she? Blurting it all out to some guy she didn't even know!

He was kind though. “You'll work it out Megan. You and Michael are made for each other. I see all kinds of couples together on the dance floor when I sing. I can tell who's just having fun, who's just looking to get laid, and who's falling love. I've watched all of your friends fall in love, and I've had it right every time. Jack and Emma—well it was after them that I learned to pay attention. But Pete and Holly, Dan and Missy, Smoke and Laura? I called them all when I watched them dance from the stage. You and Michael are the same. You'll work it out. I know it.”

Megan smiled. He was trying to be nice, and she appreciated that, but he'd raised a question she wanted to know the answer to. “What about you with Kenzie, were you just looking to get laid?” She couldn't believe she'd straight out asked him. She knew her cheeks were pink, but that was okay, because his were too. She was surprised.

“Honestly? I thought I was, yeah. I suppose you could call it a perk of the job, there's something about musicians that the ladies seem to like.” He looked off across the lake and smiled. “But with your sister it was different. We talked.” He smiled again at the memory. “We talked all night.” He looked back at Megan. “I'd like to talk to her some more, but I don't have her number. Would you mind giving it to me?”

Megan thought about it. It was typical Kenzie style to disappear without leaving a number. Chase was nice though. What the hell. If Kenzie didn't like it, she'd soon put him off. “She may be mad at us both, but yes. I will.”

Chase pulled out his phone and tapped in the number as she told him. He hit save and smiled. “Thanks Megan.”

“Don't thank me yet. She may yell at us both, but I don't know, it feels like the right thing to do.” She checked her watch. “I have to go. Good luck. I hope you get to talk to her.”

Chase grinned and lifted a hand as she walked away. “Good luck yourself, Megan. You'll be all right. I know you will.”

***

M
ichael paced his office. His schedule was still patchy. Most of the time he was overbooked with new patients wanting to get signed on with him. This afternoon he was quiet. He shook his head. Of course he was, because today of all days he wanted to keep busy. Ethan was going to talk with Meggie this afternoon. Michael didn't know how she was going to explain things to the little guy, but he trusted her. She'd no doubt do a better job than he himself had done on Sunday night. What hurt the most was that Ethan hadn't made a fuss. He'd just cried quietly, and he had done every night since. During the day he was sadly resigned. Michael hadn't heard him laugh once all week. He'd screwed up and hurt the little guy all over again. He was hoping Meggie might be able to say something to make him feel a bit better. She usually did.

With no patients to keep him busy, he couldn't keep his mind off her. Couldn't help thinking that maybe, with time, she might reconsider. If he had to wait, he would. He knew in his heart he would never love another woman the way he loved her. Who was he kidding? He would never love another woman, end of story. Not after his Meggie. If he had to wait six months, a year, hell ten years, he'd wait for her to be ready. Maybe some day she would. His heart stopped beating and he went cold. She might someday be ready—if she were still here. But what if she decided to leave? She couldn't leave. But she might. He fished out his phone. He needed to call Kenzie. He was apprehensive about what she might have to say, but he needed her help to convince Meggie that she needed to stay in Summer Lake.

He realized his hand was shaking as he searched his contacts for her number, glad that he'd insisted she give it to him in case he ever needed it.

He held his breath as he listened to it ring.

“You've got a nerve calling me. I'm at work. What do you want?”

He couldn't help but smile. She couldn't be more different from her sister. “Hi Kenzie. I didn't think you'd want to hear from me.”

“You do have some sense then! So why are you calling me?”

“Because I need your help. I love her. I'm scared she's going to leave and I don't want her to. I don't think she should. I don't think it would be the right move for her.” He took a deep breath as he considered the other possibility. “But I also wanted to tell you that if she does, I need you both to know that I'll be here to help if ever you want me.”

Kenzie was quiet for a very long. If it weren't for the noise in the background he would have thought she'd hung up. His heart was racing while he waited, hoping she'd still believe that Summer Lake was the perfect fit for Megan. “Okay, Michael. You need to explain to me, from your point of view, what's happening. Why did you two break up? And why do you want her to stay there?”

It was better than he'd hoped for. “I want her to stay, because I love her, Kenzie. We broke up because she doesn't want, or at least she's not ready, to marry me. Ethan freaked her out by talking about wanting little brothers. I get that she doesn't want kids, at least not with me. But maybe someday, if she stays, she might be ready to marry me at least. Jesus, I must sound like a selfish bastard. She doesn't want me and I'm calling you to help me make her stay anyway. I'm not trying to control her Kenzie. It's just that I love her so much.” He knew his voice was shaky. He was pleading, wanting her to understand.

Instead of understanding, what he heard was laughter. Wow!

“You're not a selfish bastard, Michael. What you are is a dumbass. In fact the
two of you
are so dumb, it's not real. I talked to Chase this morning and he told me my little sister is devastated. You think she doesn't want to marry you and have babies? She thinks
you
don't want to marry
her
and have babies. When the truth is, it's what you both want more than anything in the world. For two people who are supposed to be so smart, this is the stupidest thing I've ever heard! I have no idea how you got your wires crossed so badly, but I recommend you get your ass over to the library, before your son does. You'll find one tear-stained, broken-hearted librarian. She's trying to to figure how to tell a little boy who she loves with all her heart that she's as sad as he is that his daddy doesn't want to marry her.”

Michael couldn't process was she was saying. “
What?
”

Kenzie laughed again. “You heard me dumbass. How the two of you screwed this up so badly I do not know. Nor do I want to. What I do know is that you think she doesn't want to marry you and it's breaking your heart. She thinks you don't want to marry her and it's breaking hers. You need to get off the phone with me and get your ass over to her and sort this out.”

“She thinks I don't want to marry her? Why?”

“Michael. I told you. I'm at work. And you're talking to the wrong sister. If I was there, I'd bang your heads together, but I'm not yet. So I'll save that for the wedding. Now let me get back to work before I get fired. You go make my sister happy.”

M
ichael was grinning that big stupid grin. He'd never have believed he'd be so happy to be called a dumbass—or that he'd be hoping so hard that it was true. That he'd somehow screwed up and not understood. He still wasn't entirely convinced, but he was laying everything on it being true. He'd told the receptionists to cancel the rest of his appointments for the day. Then he'd gone to see his mom to ask her if she'd come with him to the library. He wanted to get there before Meggie talked to Ethan, and he was hoping the little guy would go with his mom for a little while afterward. His mom was thrilled to be able to help, and even more thrilled when he asked if he could take something from her desk.

Her eyes had filled with tears and she'd nodded happily. “This is why I wouldn't let you have it before. It wasn't right. It is now.”

He pulled up in library parking lot and waited for his mom to pull up next to him. How he hoped Kenzie was right. He pulled himself together, there was only one way to find out. He started up the steps with his mom at his side.

Mrs. Slater was at the desk. Uh-oh, the kids didn't call her the Slater-dragon without reason. There was no sign of Meggie. Michael hoped she wasn't already telling Ethan why they had broken up. To his surprise, Mrs. Slater smiled warmly at him.

“I was hoping you might show up, Michael. They're in the back. Go on through.”

He nodded gratefully, unable to squeeze any words out. He went through the reference section and knocked on the door marked
Staff
at the back. There was no response. He knocked again, louder this time. He heard movement on the other side. As the door opened he was aware that his mom and Mrs. Slater had followed him.

“Michael!” That huge smile that he loved so much lit up her face when she saw him.

“Dad?” Ethan peeked out from behind her. “What are you doing here”

Michael looked from his little lady to his little guy and back again. His heart filled up seeing how hopeful both their faces were as the stared back at him.

He decided to take the risk. “I came to fix something. See, I think Meggie and I misunderstood each other last weekend. When you talked about getting married and having little brothers, I thought Meggie wasn't ready for any of that.” He was talking to Ethan, but looking deep into Meggie's eyes. “I was scared it might all be too much for her, so I didn't want to rush her into anything. But I screwed up. I made her think that
I
didn't want to marry
her,
that I didn't want to have babies with her.” He could feel her shaking as he closed his arms around her “I gave her the wrong idea.” Looking down at her, her eyes were wide, her lips were parted, he couldn't help dropping a kiss on them. He smiled when she reached up around his neck.

“It was the wrong idea?” her voice was barely more than a whisper.

“It was. See, little one, there's nothing in the world I want more, than for us to become a family. I want us to have kids, and I want you to marry me.”

“Really?”

He'd never seen her look so happy. “Yes, really!”

Tears started to roll down her face when he let go of her and went down on one knee. He dug the ring out of his pocket and held it up to her.

“Meggie, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” He wasn't sure whether it was Meggie or Ethan who said it louder, but it didn't matter. He struggled to stand up as they both hugged him. Once he got to his feet he caught a hand in her hair and kissed her. He could feel Meggie laugh at the way Ethan was bouncing up and down with his arms around them both while they kissed.