Since You've Been Gone Read online

  Feeling very excited over the idea, she quickly explained it to Shelby as she checked out her books. “Please don’t think I’m rude, but I’d love to go and run this idea by my mother and see what she thinks. Then I’ll go to the school tomorrow and…”

  Shelby laughed softly. “Emma, it’s okay. Go. Go and take care of things. I’ll talk to you next week and we’ll see if the idea for the library is even viable.”

  “Thanks, Shelby! Have a good night!”

  The sun was already starting to go down and when she looked at her phone, she saw it was after five. It meant her mother was probably cooking dinner and trying to get everyone to do their homework and chores. And as much as she wouldn’t mind dinner with the family, it had been a long day and she really just wanted to grab some takeout and head home. She’d call after dinner and run the idea by her then.

  Feeling a little better now that she had a plan, Emma considered her options. Chinese takeout was really what she wanted, but she also needed to do a little grocery shopping. “Okay, I can call in the order while I’m shopping and pick it up on the way home. No big deal.” And again, now that she had a plan, she got in her car and drove the short distance through town and parked in front of the Publix. As soon as she opened the car door, the smell of pizza hit her and she wondered if maybe she wanted that instead of the Chinese food.

  Too many decisions…

  While she thought it over, she shopped for her groceries.

  Or…tried to.

  The bakery was closest to the entrance, and suddenly all thoughts of dinner were gone and replaced by whether she could simply skip it and just have cake. Or cookies. Or brownies. Heck, she was an adult; she could have all three if she wanted to!

  And right now, with so many delicious options, she seriously wanted to.

  She was so busy strolling and staring down at the baked goods that she didn’t notice the people around her.

  Particularly the guy she just rammed with her shopping cart.

  “Oh, my goodness!” she said as her hand flew to her mouth. “I’m so sorry!” Feeling completely horrified that she’d been so clumsy, Emma took a step around her cart to make sure the guy in question was alright.

  He turned around before she got to him and she completely froze.

  “Garrett?” she whispered.

  His smile was lethal–dimples and all–and she wasn’t sure if she should laugh, cry, or hug him. “Hey, Emmaline,” he replied quietly. “Fancy running into you here.” And yeah, he was making fun of her in the sweetest way and she instantly relaxed.

  She hesitated and forced herself not to run over and hug him. They weren’t kids anymore, and since she could still picture him without his shirt on in all those videos, she had a feeling no matter how innocent she might think a hug would be, her mind would immediately go to all kinds of not-so-innocent thoughts.

  So she stayed where she was and smiled at him. “I…I didn’t know you were in town. Are you here to see your brother? I heard he recently got engaged.”

  He nodded but didn’t say anything, so Emma just let herself look at him–and tried not to fan herself. Garrett Coleman had always been handsome; even as far back as the third grade, she thought him to be the most handsome boy in school.

  And to be honest, the videos did not do him justice because up close and in person, he was damn beautiful.

  She felt herself blush as she took a small step back and cleared her throat. “So…um…how…how have you been?”

  Great. After all these years of not stuttering, you choose now to start again?

  “I’m doing well, thanks. How about you? How have you been?”

  Her first instinct was to tell him the truth–that she was exhausted and stressed and almost in dire need of a miracle–but now wasn’t the time for that. Instead, she gave the polite answer.

  “Yeah, I’m doing good, too. Keeping busy,” she said with a practiced smile. He was studying her just as closely as she was studying him, and she wished they had met up at any other time or place–preferably after she had about sixteen hours of sleep and fresh makeup on rather than at the end of the day when she most definitely looked tired. There were so many things she wanted to ask him, but all she could do was nod to the marble pound cake in his hands. “Good choice. It’s one of my favorites, too.”

  “My mom’s a little partial to it and I didn’t want to go home empty-handed,” he explained.

  “That’s very sweet of you.”

  “Well, I’d hate to prove you wrong,” he said, his smile going from charming to a little shy.

  “Um…wh…what do you mean?”

  She could have sworn he muttered a curse as he looked away, but when he faced her again, he took a step closer. “You know…your comment on Instagram the other day. You said you were glad to see I was still sweet.”

  O-kay…where was a sinkhole when you needed it most?

  Why couldn’t lightning strike her down?

  Anything to avoid this awkward exchange!

  “Oh, well…yeah. Your videos are amazing,” she forced herself to say. “It looks like you’ve helped a lot of scared animals, Garrett. That’s pretty incredible.”

  Wait…was he blushing now?

  With a slight shrug, he took another step closer and Emma felt ready to sway toward him and give him that hug she was fighting. “You know I’ve always enjoyed working with animals. Goes back to the times I used to come over and help out at the barn. Your stepdad was always so cool and really helped me figure out what I wanted to do. He encouraged me a lot.”

  “Really? Ed did? Why didn’t you ever tell me?”

  Another shrug. “I don’t know. I sort of felt like it was this cool thing between Ed and me. It was nice to have someone take an interest in me and what I wanted to do, considering my own father never did.”

  “Wow,” she replied quietly. “I bet he’d love to know that.”

  “He follows me on social media and we’ve messaged back and forth a lot over the years. I think I’ve thanked him like a thousand times, but…it still doesn’t feel like enough. I mean, how do you truly thank someone for making such a strong and positive impact in your life?”

  And she knew he wasn’t just saying it because Ed was her stepfather. He was saying it because it was true. Ed was genuinely one of a kind. He married Emma’s mom when Emma turned nine and he always treated her like she was his own daughter. When her mother got pregnant with their first child, Emma feared that she would be tossed aside. After all, she was just a stepchild.

  But she never was.

  They’d been one big family of equals and it warmed her heart to know that Ed had also shown that kind of love and acceptance to Garrett.

  “He’s truly a great guy and you’re so lucky to have him as a stepdad.”

  Emma nodded. She thought back to how long she and Garret had known each other. The two of them had initially bonded in Mrs. Reed’s third-grade class over their speech and reading habits, the fact that both their dads weren’t in their lives, and eventually, their love of animals. Garrett Coleman had been one of her best friends and it just hit her how much she’d missed him.

  So she gave in and did the one thing she told herself she shouldn’t.

  She hugged him.

  Garrett didn’t respond for all of three seconds, but then he gave in and wrapped his arms around Emma, hugging her back.

  She was a little thinner than he remembered, and she felt delicate and fragile in his arms. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail and smelled like wildflowers, and it was all he could do not to inhale deeply.

  Five minutes after seeing her again and you’re already playing with fire. Awesome.

  When she pulled back and smiled at him, he blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. “Have dinner with me.”

  Her whiskey-colored eyes went wide. “What?”

  Nodding, he repeated himself. “Have dinner with me.”

  Now she completely stepped out of his embrace an
d looked mildly uncomfortable.

  Way to go, dummy.

  “I mean…you know…we can just go and grab some pizza and catch up,” he stammered, trying to erase that wary look off her face. “If you’re busy…”

  “No,” she quickly interrupted. “It’s not that. I j…just thought you w…were going to your mom’s.” She nodded toward the pound cake.

  Damn. He’d forgotten about that.

  “Oh, she’s not expecting me until later tonight. I was going to surprise her, but…”

  “But…?”

  Yeah, either he was going to come off as sounding like a crappy son or cheesy.

  He opted for both.

  “Like I said, she’s not expecting me, and I’d really like to visit with you for a little while. It’s been too long since we’ve hung out.”

  Thankfully, that put a smile back on her face. “Well…I was planning on just grabbing some takeout after I shopped, but I guess I can shop afterward, so…”

  Don’t appear too anxious…

  Carefully, he placed the pound cake back on the shelf and smiled at her. “Then let’s go!”

  It was a little crazy how excited he was about this and how it was a genuine effort not to let it show and scare her off.

  Together they put her cart back and walked down to Michael’s Italian Restaurant while they made small talk about shops they passed along the way. Garrett held the door open for her and was pleased when they were seated right away. “I thought there’d be more of a wait,” he commented once they were situated.

  “It’s still kind of early.” Then she laughed.

  “What?” he asked, unable to hide his own amusement. “What’s so funny?”

  “It’s like we’re one of those old couples who come in for the early bird menu!” She laughed again, and once he looked around, he realized she was right. They were the youngest people in there.

  And when she noticed him looking around, she did the same and laughed harder.

  Then they were the ones being looked at.

  “Okay, okay, okay,” he said, his voice getting quieter with each word. Reaching across the table, he gently grabbed her hand as they took a few minutes to collect themselves. “I think we’re a little too rowdy for this crowd.”

  With her free hand, she wiped at her eyes and nodded. “Oh, my goodness. I don’t know why I thought that was so funny, but…it was!” Letting out a long breath, she straightened in her seat. “Sorry about that.”

  “Nothing to apologize for. I thought it was funny too.” He looked down at how her hand was still in his and wondered if he should let it go or…just keep holding it.

  Emma slowly pulled her hand free and he did his best not to take offense.

  “So,” he said, “what’s been going on in your life?” Because he and Ed kept in touch, Garrett probably knew more about her than she realized, but there was no way he would let on. “Where are you working?”

  “Well, I’m a speech therapist now,” she began. “I work with the elementary schools in the county as well as tutor after school.”

  “That’s great, Em. And speaking as your first student, I can say with great certainty that you’re a great teacher.”

  She looked at him funny for a moment. “What do you mean?”

  “If you remember correctly, it was back in Mrs. Reed’s class that we were reading buddies and you helped me learn how to read. You were an awesome teacher back then, and you tutored me quite a bit through middle school and high school, so…” He grinned. “You were a great help to me and I know I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for you.”

  Her cheeks turned the sweetest shade of pink as she looked away. “Somehow, I doubt that.”

  “It’s true!” He waited until she was looking at him again. “I was a terrible reader and had a short attention span. As I got older, I had a hard time keeping up with what was being taught and couldn’t take notes because of it. You were there to help me out more times than you probably signed on for, and…I don’t know.” He shrugged. “I don’t think I ever thanked you for it, so…thank you.”

  She was still blushing but she gave him a small smile. “And you’re a veterinarian. Tell me about that.”

  Now it was his turn to blush because he knew she’d seen his videos.

  Honestly, it started out as a dare from one of the lab techs at the clinic where he was working. One of those, “Hey, let’s make a video to draw some attention to these poor dogs,” and Garrett had agreed to be the face on the camera.

  He still wasn’t sure who dared him to take his shirt off or why that became the ongoing theme of the videos, but they were working, so he kept doing it that way.

  With a nod, he told her about college and veterinary school and how he was currently looking for a clinic to call home and all the ones he had scheduled to work with for the rest of the month.

  “Wow! You’re certainly in high demand,” she said with a small laugh. “Good for you! Have you picked a favorite yet?”

  “There is one up in Delaware that I’m leaning toward, but…I don’t know. I need to meet with them all and get a feel of the area so I know I’m making an informed decision. I have until the end of the month to let my top choice know my decision.”

  Her shoulders sagged a little as she said, “Oh.”

  “What? What’s the matter?” It seemed like an odd reaction to his news, but for the life of him, Garrett had no idea why she seemed disappointed.

  “It’s nothing,” she murmured and picked up a menu. “What do you like on your pizza? I’m totally a pepperoni and mushroom girl, but if there’s something else you’d prefer…”

  “Em?”

  “Or maybe we should get the Sicilian with the fresh mozzarella and basil. It’s very yummy.” Her face was buried behind the menu and Garrett reached over to pluck it out of her hands. Her eyes went wide as she tried to snag it back.

  But he held it just out of her grasp.

  “First, I happen to like both those options, so whichever you prefer, that’s what we’ll get. And second, why did you seem disappointed about my decision at the end of the month?”

  “It…it just seems like you’re rushing, that’s all. I mean…wh…what if something else comes along next month? What if you haven’t explored all…all the options?”

  He hated that he was making her stutter. She didn’t do it much–only when she was nervous, it seemed–and the last thing he wanted to do was make her uncomfortable.

  “Believe me, I’ve been looking at all my options for the last two months and this is what I’ve narrowed it down to. They’re all great clinics and I’m sure I’ll be happy no matter which one I choose.”

  “How come none of them are in North Carolina?” she asked, her voice slightly tentative.

  There was no way he could explain to her why he’d made that decision initially, but he had to say something. “I guess I wanted to see what else was out there. I grew up here and never traveled anywhere else until I left for college. Plus, there really wasn’t anything for me here,” he admitted.

  “Your mother’s still here and I know you have other family here in town. Plus, I thought I heard somewhere that your older brother lives here now. I would think they all count as something here for you.” There was no condemnation in her tone, just genuine concern.

  “Maybe,” he said with a shrug. “I guess it’s something to think about. I do have a lot of friends up North who have been like family to me. It would be hard to say goodbye to them.”

  “I imagine it would be.” She paused and looked about to ask something when the waitress came over to take their order.

  “Which are we getting?” he asked Emma.

  “Hmm…they’re both so good, but…”

  Garrett held up a hand to stop her. Smiling up at the waitress, he said, “Can we get the Sicilian with the fresh mozzarella and basil and add pepperoni and mushrooms to it?”

  “Oh, my goodness, Garrett!” Emma said with a laugh. “That�
��s going to be too much!”

  “Nah. There’s no such thing as too much pizza. Trust me.” Once the waitress got their drink order and was gone, he focused on where they were before. “What about you? What made you decide to come back to Magnolia after college?”

  “My family,” she said simply. “I couldn’t imagine not living near them. My brother and sisters are a handful for Mom and Ed, and I like to help out whenever I can. Plus, I think I’d miss being away from Happy Tails. It’s such a part of who I am that I don’t know what I’d do without it.”

  “So you help out there a lot?”

  She shrugged. “As much as I can with my work schedule.” She paused for a moment. “Actually, tomorrow I’m bringing one of my students there to read to the dogs. She’s a little shy, and I thought getting her to read to the animals might help. I’ve done it with a few other students with great results, so I’m hoping the same will happen for Callie.”

  “That sounds amazing! What a cool idea!”

  “I’d like to take credit for it, but I can’t. I’ve read studies on it, and it just so happens that I have access to a bunch of dogs in desperate need of love and attention. Too many of them, sadly.”

  “You’ve got a full house there, huh?”

  “Right now, we’ve got more dogs than we ever have so Mom’s a little frazzled.” She paused and, again, she looked like she wanted to say more but changed her mind.

  “I’d love to come by and see everyone if that’s alright. Ed mentioned how they bought more land and are expanding. It’s been so long since I’ve been there, and I guess now that I’m grown and a vet, I’m curious about the day-to-day of the place.”

  “They’re really amazing at what they do. I wish more people were willing to do what Happy Tails does. Heck, it would be cool to see it as a franchise and locations saving dogs all over the country!”

  The thought made him smile because he knew how much it was needed. He’d seen far too many animals who’d been neglected and in desperate need of care and a home.

  Hence the videos.