The Fine Line Book One Between Worlds Series (12 page)

“
At least they’re
bonding,” Robin murmured.

Richard turned to her and smiled.

“
Sure seems like
it.”

“
Matt,” Robin
called.

She watched him walk to her. He wore a pair
of khaki swimming trunks, his brown leather flip flops, and a white
muscle shirt. Robin loved admiring his physique. Just thinking
about him without clothing on made her weak and she started
blushing as she walked toward him.

“
Matt,” she continued.
“This is my dad, Richard.”

With a handshake, Matt took his Aviator
sunglasses off and made intense eye contact. “Sir, it’s great to
meet you,” he said politely.

“
Sir…” Richard laughed.
“Where’d you say this boy was from?” he said looking at Robin with
a sweet smile. He turned his focus again to Matt. “Son, you just
call me Rich.”

Matt nodded. “Rich; will do.”

Soon Amy, Fred, and Maria arrived. Robin
introduced each of them to Matt and each showed their sincere
appreciation for the positive change he made in her life. In record
time, Matt earned their admiration and their confidence.

****

One lazy Sunday afternoon in late September,
Matt convinced Robin to venture into the country with him. Matt
told Robin about a place he wanted her to see; a house in the
country. As they drove down a country road on the outskirts of
town, he described the house as an old white brick saltbox style
home.

Matt pulled onto a lane, overgrown and lush
with trees. Robin saw a large area of woods in the back. There were
several other houses nearby, but not like in the city. They were
sparsely spread out.

As they continued up the lane, the large,
white two-story came into view. She glanced over at Matt.

“
You’re right. It’s
beautiful,” she agreed. In her mind, she saw what it must have
looked like when it was first built.

“
I know.”

They pulled up to the house. Robin waited
for Matt as she continued gazing up at the home, awestruck by its
size and potential. After opening the door for her, Matt grabbed
the picnic basket out of the truck bed. Robin reached behind the
seat and grabbed a blanket.

As they ate, Robin couldn’t take her eyes
off of the majestic old home. She took a drink of her wine and then
felt Matt’s lips on her ear. Gentle kisses turned into passionate
love making in the tall grass. Afterward, as they lay wrapped in
the blanket, Robin continued to be mesmerized by the house.

“
It’s so big,” she said
still gazing up at the structure.

“
Now how come you never
say anything like that about me?” he joked.

She smiled at him and then turned her
attention back to the house.

“
Come love. Let’s get
dressed. I want you to see the rest of the property,” Matt
encouraged.

After putting their clothes back on, Matt
led her inside the old house. The surroundings were rough.
Everything seemed to be falling apart. With her hand in Matt’s, she
followed him back out to the front of the home. She stared up at it
still.

Robin felt her hand drop to her side. The
nervous tension in the air came from Matt.

“
I want to buy it,” he
blurted out with a long pause. “And I want you to live in it with
me.”

She turned to him as he leaned against the
front of the truck.

“
What?”

“
Yep. I’m tired of not
being able to be beside you when I sleep.”

“
But, you sleep during the
day Vampire man. The only time we sleep together is on your days
off.”

“
Okay woman, will you let
me finish?” he said jokingly.

She smiled at him again as she turned back
to the house. She walked toward it. Like a magnet, it was as if
something greater drew her in.

“
I want to marry you,
Robin.”

She stopped immediately and then turned to
look back at Matt. With a million questions running through her
mind, she found it impossible to form coherent thoughts.

“
I want to make babies
with you and grow old with you. And I want to do it all right
here.” He continued.

Walking toward her, he could see the
surprise on her face.

“
Say that again…” she
said.

He reached for her and pulled her close.

“
Marry me,” he
whispered.

He took her hand in his and raised it to his
mouth. Kissing her knuckles gently, he looked into her eyes. She
knew he was trying to get a read on what answer may come.

“
But, Matt, we’ve only
known each other for a few months. We don’t even know if we could
even survive living together.”

“
Sometimes time doesn’t
matter. When it’s right, you just know.” He dropped her hand, but
held to it. “I feel like I’ve known you my whole life. I can’t
explain it and I don’t want to even try. Isn’t that
enough?”

“
Matt, you haven’t thought
this through.”

“
Yes I have. Do
you
have to think it through? I know I can and will love you for the
rest of my life. Aren’t you sure
you
can love
me?”

“
No, no. It’s not like
that. I am deeply, irrevocably in love with you Matt. You know
that.”

Calmly he knelt before her as she stood with
tears brimming in her eyes. From his pocket he pulled out a ring, a
large diamond princess cut solitaire in a gold setting.

“
I know and understand
what you’ve been through. I know that it’s hard for you to trust,
but like I told you, I will never hurt you and I will always love
you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. You’re the one I
want to lay beside every night and you’re the one I want to see
every morning when I wake up. This is it, Robin. You’re it. Marry
me?”

She couldn’t catch her breath and the tears
fell down her cheeks too fast.

“
I’m scared.”

“
I know you’re afraid, but
don’t be, please,” he said as he pulled her down to kneel with him.
“I love you so much.” Soothingly, he touched her face with his
steady hand. “I will never lay a hand on you or take you for
granted.”

She nodded tearfully. “Yes, I’ll marry
you.”

A few days passed. Matt couldn’t wait to
tell his family. He made phone calls to everyone. He shared the
exciting news with Avery and some other close friends at the
hospital.

As he stood at the nurse’s station, he
looked up at the clock. “Only 3 a.m.,” he whispered to himself as
he rubbed his eyes. Glad this was his last night before three days
off, he continued trudging through charts, signing here and
there.

Avery sat beside him.

“
So, you’re getting
married,” he said with a hint of negativity in his
voice.

“
That’s the plan,” Matt
replied as he continued looking through charts.

“
Well, good luck with that
buddy,” Avery concluded with a pat on the back.

When Matt turned, Sheryl stood before
him.

“
Can I talk to you for a
minute?” she asked.

“
Is Olivia okay? It’s the
middle of the night. What are you doing here?” he
inquired.

“
Yes, she’s fine. She’s
with Kyle. This will only take a minute. I just had to see
you.”

He walked silently to the doctor’s lounge,
Sheryl following closely behind. He took off his lab coat, dropped
to the couch, and folded his hands behind his head. Sheryl
paced.

“
Will you please tell me
what the hell is wrong?” he asked curiously.

Looking rather desperate, she sat beside him
on the couch.

“
Please don’t do this,”
she pleaded quietly.

“
What are you talking
about Sheryl?”

“
I know that you asked
Robin to marry you. The entire hospital knows you’ve thrown
yourself at her. I heard people talking and they are saying you can
see her ring you gave her from a mile away.”

“
Yes, I asked her to marry
me; so what?”

“
Don’t. Don’t do it.
Please. I’m begging you.”

“
Why not Sheryl?” he bit
out.

“
Matthew I still love you
and I want us to be a family.”

The rage swelled within him as he stood up
and folded his arms defensively.

“
Sheryl, you’re a player.
It’s the hunt you love, not me. You listen to me,” he said gruffly,
“this is my shot at happiness and I’m taking it. I finally found
someone who won’t hurt me; who loves me and can be a partner to me;
someone I can have a good life with. You will never understand
that. It’s always been about you.”

“
Matthew, you haven’t even
known her that long. You can’t possibly know that you’re in
love.”

“
Let me put it to you this
way. I was married to you for fourteen years. I’ve known you since
I was a junior in high school. We got married when I was a senior.
In all of that time, you have never made me feel the way she does.
You’ve never made me feel loved or accepted… not once. You’ve made
me feel like a disappointment. And then when you got pregnant with
Olly… I stood by you. I listened to all of your lies. I knew
instantly Robin was right for me. Instantly!”

“
But what about
Olly?”

“
Olivia loves Robin and
Robin loves her. Quit dragging her into this! Don’t use her to
control me Sheryl.”

“
If you love us you won’t
do this!” she shouted.

“
There’s the catch. I love
Olivia. I’ve always loved her and I always will. I’ll always take
care of her. But you,” he said as he paced, “I don’t love you. In
fact I didn’t know what love was until I met Robin. She’s taught me
more in the few months I’ve known her than you did in the last
fourteen years! And one of the things she’s taught me is that I
don’t have to put up with your mind games anymore. I’m marrying
Robin as soon as I can.”

She stood, rushed to him, and then kissed
him forcefully. He fought her off.

“
Stop this!” he shouted.
“Stop making a complete ass of yourself!”

“
We had something good
Matt. Don’t you remember?”

“
No, Sheryl, it wasn’t
good. All I remember are the nights when you would come home with
the scent of another man all over your body and how worthless it
made me feel. I remember that you got pregnant with another man’s
child. I remember quieted phone conversations. Believe me, Sheryl,
I remember
everything
.”

“
I’m so sorry. I just know
if we give it one more shot we can make it work.”

“
You’re delusional. I’m
not wasting my time with this anymore,” he shouted. “I’ve got
patients out there.”

He took a breath and began walking away but
there was more he needed to say. He stopped, turned, and walked
back to her with his finger in her face.

“
Now, I’m only going to
tell you this once,” he began quietly in a stern, serious voice,
“Leave us alone. Stay away from us. The only time you need to
contact me is when it involves Olivia. No other reason than that.
Do you understand me?”

“
You’re going to regret
this one day Matthew,” Sheryl protested.

“
The only thing I regret
is ever meeting you.”

Bumps in the
Night

Robin moved into Matt’s apartment as a trial
run at the beginning of October. It wasn’t long before they both
knew they were very compatible. Living together made things even
better between them.

They purchased the house and renovations
started during the first week of November. Every extra penny of
money they made went into the restoration. Construction continued
day and night to prepare the house for occupancy.

They made the decision to go before the
justice of the peace to get married. Neither Matt nor Robin wanted
a big wedding. They wanted to start their new lives together
promptly.

As they sat in the hallway at the
courthouse, Robin glanced over at Matt. He wore a pair of dark boot
cut style jeans, his Converse sneakers, and a gray graphic t-shirt
with a gray sports jacket. His hair gelled into the messy style
Robin preferred, she looked at him admiringly.

He felt her eyes on him and looked over at
her. She wore a pair of light washed boot cut jeans, a navy long
sleeved ribbed sweater, brown loafers, and her hair rested on her
shoulders in soft curls.