Page 47 of Meant to Be
“I’ll be a few minutes.” He rushed past her. In the bathroom, he turned the shower knob to “C,” hating that he had to subject himself to the shock of cold. For a moment, he considered inviting her to join him. They’d never had sex in a shower while in college. The only time they’d done the deed in water was in a hot tub during a winter break ski trip.
Another option would be to take care of business on his own. He had a pretty good imagination. He could conjure images of Sydney in his shower. Instead, he let out a gasp as the cold pelted his body. The situation would be funny if it weren’t so sad and frustrating.
It was clear to him that Sydney was in Charlotte Tavern because of him. Well, of course, she was. Northerners didn’t exactly know of Charlotte Tavern. While she didn’t come specifically to reunite with him in a romantic way, she certainly considered it a possibility. That was the sad part. There’d been a time when he’d have taken her back in an instant. Not anymore.
Intellectually, he understood now that she hadn’t abandoned him. But in losing Sydney, followed by betrayal and heart-wrenching loss in Iraq, Mitch lost a part of himself: the part that could trust and love. There was no way he and Sydney could go back to those first idyllic days filled with hope and happiness.
Then again, Sydney wasn’t really Sydney anymore, either. She was still beautiful and smart, but she was… different. She wasn’t as fragile or naive as she’d been in college. Neither was he. He supposed the hardships of life changed her too.
She was also more outspoken, which was sexy in its own way. She’d drunk moonshine without a care to how it might affect her behavior. Well, either she didn’t care or she trusted him. He’d have preferred the former. He didn’t need her thinking he was some sort of good guy or hero, because he wasn’t. And he wasn’t going to trust her back. But while he could keep his heart in check, he was having a difficult time keeping his libido in line. Especially since it was clear she was open to getting naked with him.
The thought of it had Mitch sticking his head under the cold spray again.Let it go.Right now he had more important things to think about, such as who attacked Jenny and wanted Sydney dead.
He finished cleaning, dressed, and, with a deep breath to build his guard to Sydney’s charms, entered the kitchen. She stood over the sink, looking out the window.
“Ready to go?”
She turned, gave him a wan smile, leading him to think she was ruminating on her guilt again. “No breakfast?”
He hadn’t even thought about breakfast. If she was going to stay, he’d need to get some groceries. “I need to make a stop at Chelsea’s. We can pick up something along the way if you want.”
“I’ll get something at the hospital.”
“Just give me a minute.” He grabbed a reusable shopping bag with the local grocery store logo on it and went to the mudroom. He grabbed a couple of Mema’s casseroles and a few pounds of venison. “Let’s go.” He escorted Sydney out and helped her into his truck, setting the bag in a bin in the bed of the truck. As sophisticated and feminine as she was, she didn’t look all that bad in his passenger seat. Mitch shook his head of the thought as he rounded the front of the truck. They didn’t speak until he pulled in front of Chelsea’s house. Her grass was getting long, and he made a mental note to cut it for her soon.
“You coming in?” He opened Sydney’s door.
“Sure.”
He led her up the walk, taking note of other chores that needed to be done. The rainspout was starting to pull away from the house. One of the window screens had a tear, probably from the limb on the tree next to the house that needed trimming.
“Mitch?” Chelsea came to the door in old sweats and an army T-shirt. Seeing it was a reminder of why he was here.
He held up the bag. “No one thinks a bachelor can cook for himself. I’ve got more food than I can eat in my lifetime, so I thought I’d share it.”
She sighed. She knew as well as he did the gift wasn’t because he had too much. But he’d made a promise to her brother, and he’d take care of her whether she liked it or not. Still, he’d try to do it in a way that didn’t make her feel like she was his charity case. She worked damn hard to make her way in the world.
“I’ve got Mema’s casseroles.” He swung the bag like a carrot on a string. “And ground venison. You make the best venison burgers of anyone I know.”
“Even your mother?”
“Yes. But if you tell her, I’ll deny it.”
Chelsea laughed. “Come in. Hello, Doctor Preston.”
“Please, call me Sydney.”
Mitch handed the bag to Chelsea, giving her a kiss on the cheek.
“I guess you’ve heard about Jenny Taggard.” Chelsea took the bag to the kitchen.
“Yes. Fortunately, Kevin says she’ll pull through.” He glanced at Sydney, giving a quick shake of his head, hoping she understood that he didn’t want her to share any details of what was going on.
“As if there was any doubt. That girl is stronger than an ox.”
Sydney walked over to look at the pictures sitting on Chelsea’s piano. She studied them, smiling at the one with Mitch and Chelsea’s brother, Brian, covered in mud, grinning like loons.
“That was after a football game in high school.”
