Champagne and Lemon Drops: A Blueberry Springs Chick Lit Contemporary Romance (36 page)

"Where are you, Beth?"

"Away thinking."

"I heard you broke up with Nash."

"I guess so."

"You're not sure?"

She stared at the ring on her finger. "I'm
confused." Scared. "I saw my dad."

"Really?" Oz's voice perked.

"He told me to open my eyes. And..." She
sighed. She wanted this to be easy. But she was afraid if she ran
to him he'd only break her heart again.

"And what?" he asked.

"Nothing."

Silence stretched down the line.

"Make sure you do what'll make you happy. If
he..." his voice broke off.

Anger burned through her, lighting her mind
on fire. Oz had asked her back, but was implying that she shouldn't
be too hasty in dumping his rival?

"What will make you happy?" he asked.

"How the hell am I supposed to know?" she
snapped. "Why didn't you tell me what was going on with you, Oz?"
Her voice wobbled and she clung to the phone. "Why did you shut me
out?"

"I was scared." He paused, his deep voice
soft and strong. "It seemed easier and safer than to try and live a
different life. I was afraid of losing you. And then everything
started to feel as though it was too late. And no matter which way
I turned I wouldn't be able to give you what you needed. I couldn't
find a way to be true to your needs. If I quit the firm we'd be
broke and if I stayed there I'd be broken." He sucked in a slow
breath and she could picture him running a hand through his hair,
messing it up. "Sometimes I think we'd still be together if I'd
been man enough to stand up and say I needed to make some changes
in my life. That we would have found a way."

She almost replied that of course they would
have made it. But in her heart she wondered if the old Beth would
have understood. If she would have been as accommodating and
flexible. She'd been so determined that kids were the only thing
worthwhile on her horizon that she may not have been able to give
him the space he needed to find himself while they were together.
"I should have known you weren't happy."

"The past is the past." Silence. "You need
to do what will make you happy tomorrow."

"I don't even know what
happy
is
anymore!"

She slammed the phone down
and let her tears breach the brim. She flung a pillow across the
room, sending the vertical blinds jangling. Picking up the
receiver, she jammed her finger down on
redial
.

"You're never going to let me in, are you
Oz?" she said as soon as he picked up.

"Beth," he said with a hint of exasperation.
"You're already in. You have been for years."

"But I don't even know you.
I don't know
any
body anymore. Even myself." Knowing who you wanted to father
your children should pretty much be a gimme kind of answer at this
stage of the game. And the way she was feeling, kids didn't even
feel that important anymore. She knew what she wanted and that was
the old Oz. But the old Oz was gone. She didn't know the new Oz.
What if he pushed her away again? What if they couldn't get past
their history and habits?

She sniffed and swiped at
her eyes, her anger building. "I used to know exactly what I wanted
until you messed up everything. I'm different now. I'm
different
, Oz. I'm
stronger. I'm a good, caring person who makes a difference in the
lives of people who are near the end of their time. And it feels
good to be that woman. To be strong and to be needed. I'm
independent and make my own choices. And I don't need a man, Oz. I
don't
need
you. I
don't even need kids. I have family, Oz. I have Blueberry Springs.
There are people looking out for me. If I need help, all I have to
do is ask. The problem is you, Oz." She put a hand on her hip. "I
don't know you. I don't trust you. How can I when you kept yourself
from me? You ask me back but I don't even know who is asking me. I
know
nothing
."

"Come get to know the new me. See if we
still fit," he said. "I'm an open book. All you have to do is
ask."

"Fine," she said sharply. "Do we have a
chance together?"

"I'm not a fortune teller."

"Oh, so, no then? Nice." Her eyes stung.
"That's all I wanted to know."

"Beth." The pitch of his voice edged higher.
"That's not what I said." He sucked in an audible breath, and his
pitch slid lower. "It's what we make of it. Everything in life is
what we make of it."

"So, I've made my life a big mess, have I?"
She was unable to stop herself from twisting his words. "I'm the
only one to blame since I'm not happy?"

"Beth, there's hope. There is always hope."
He paused before continuing gently, "Where are you? Let me help
you."

"I don't
need
help. I need to
be
alone
.
I
need to make this
decision." She dug her fingernails into her palm. "I'm still
totally in love with you, and I don't even know who you are!" She
flinched at her words, not wanting to love Oz. It was complicated
and it hurt. She swiped at her runny nose with a tissue. If she had
Oz, she might not have kids. By the time he was ready it might be
too late for her. And while it pained her, it didn't bother her as
much as the idea did a year ago.

"Beth, I still love you, too. More than
anything. And that's more than anyone else can offer. Come home.
Let me love you again."

Tears streamed off her chin
and she wished she could close her eyes, click her heels, and
repeat over and over,
There's no place
like home,
and wake up to find herself at
home with Oz, everything as it was before Harvey's heart attack.
But she couldn't because she wasn't Dorothy. She was the cowardly
lion. Except she didn't even have Oz.

And like everything in life, it was hard to
go back.

PART 4: Where it Ends... Or Does it
Begin?

(April...
Still)

Chapter 22

Beth slipped past Oz and into the trailer's
living room. "You should take down the for sale sign for a while.
And maybe forget those mortgage papers for a bit, too." She
frowned. She was getting way too ahead of herself. "Not like you've
ever been in a hurry to get them to me."

He lifted his hands in surrender. "A last
ditch hope against hopes."

Beth frowned, hands on hips. "Are you going
to tell me everything? Or are you going to keep secrets?"

Oz sighed. "If I sold the place it was
letting go. And I couldn't. I turned down five offers. And I never
sorted out getting your name off the place because I couldn't bear
the idea of it. Your name is still on my truck, too. Even though
Mandy wanted to peel it off."

Beth plunked onto the couch, excitement and
nerves battling against each other. She could do this. She could
start over with the one thing she wanted. All he needed to do was
accept and they'd see where the future took them.

Pulling in a deep breath for courage she
blurted, "Let's date."

Oz scratched his head, making his hair stand
on end. She smiled. If things went according to plan she'd have the
right to smooth that unruly head of hair under her fingertips once
again. He raised his eyebrows hopefully, but she saw fear lingering
there as well. Did she show it too?

He took a lemon drop out of the bowl on the
coffee table and carefully asked, "What are you saying, Beth?"

"As in... date. Start over. You and me.
You're different. I'm different."

"Okay," Oz said slowly. "That sounds good. A
fresh start." His shoulders lost their stiffness.

She stood and walked toward
him. "We can't assume we know
anything
about each other. We have to
act like we've just met. We need to see if we're still good
together."

Oz nodded, his face a myriad of
expressions.

She waited, watching him. Somehow she'd
imagined this going a little more...
glad-to-have-you-back-let-me-sweep-you-into-my-arms-I've-been-waiting-for-this-moment-since-the-second-I-let-you-go.

"We're both different, but we're both still
attracted to each other." She stepped closer. "Right?"

He gave her a goofy grin. "It's 'cause I've
been working out, isn't it? I saw you staring at my abs when you
came to chew me out." He patted his flat midriff.

Beth rolled her eyes. Too
much talking. Not enough kissing. What did a girl have to do to get
him to say
yes
?

"Look, Oz." She stood at full height. "I
can't be that 75-year-old woman sitting in continuing care
wondering about the one that got away, torturing herself with 'what
ifs'." Her voice rose. "God dammit, Oz. I can't shut you out of my
heart. I want you. Nobody else. I always have. More than anything
else out there." She held his face in her hands. She looked him
straight in the eye. "More than kids."

His eyes filmed with unshed tears, the
windows to his soul warm and open. Inviting. She lowered his head
to hers and gently kissed his lips. He tasted like home.

She whispered, "I've always loved you, Oz.
I've never stopped—even when I tried my hardest."

He pulled her into his arms. "I've never
stopped loving you, either, Little B."

She laughed. "I think I can handle having my
lemon drop every day." She reached down and plucked a lemon drops
out of the bowl. She gave him a long, sweet kiss. "You've always
been my favorite."

The End

Before you
go...

Thank you for reading
Champagne and Lemon Drops.

Did you enjoy your free read? Tell your
friends on your favorite online book site or leave a review on your
favorite online bookseller. I appreciate your feedback.

As well...

Read on for a sample of book 2 in the
Blueberry Springs series, Whiskey and Gumdrops, more about the
author, as well as a sneak peek bonus from Cali MacKay's
contemporary romance, The Highlander's Hope.

***

Don't miss the next
adventure in Blueberry Springs featuring Mandy! She's not the girl
Beth thinks she is... (turn the page!)

Whiskey and
Gumdrops

By Jean Oram

Coming Fall 2013

Chapter 1

Mandy stood behind an elm and watched the
front of the church, her feet turning to nicely pedicured ice
blocks due to the slush seeping through her designer boots. The old
teak doors swung open and the bride and groom burst into the spring
sunshine smiling at each other like they were the only ones in the
small town of Blueberry Springs.

Mandy turned away to catch her breath, the
rough bark of the tree snagging her long hair. She peered around
the trunk, waiting as the couple kissed and waved their goodbyes
before piling into the waiting limo. She took several quick steps
to the right and crouched behind a budding bush, seeking better
cover as the limo pulled away. The last thing she needed was word
to get back to her ex that she'd been wedding-stalking him.

Was it crazy that she'd needed to see the
proof of his nuptials herself? To see with her own eyes that he had
indeed chosen to spend the rest of his life with her rival? To
slide that knife a little deeper into her soul?

She sighed and wiggled her left foot which
was threatening to fall asleep due to her cramped position. The
decent man options in town were waning and, like the men available,
she wasn't getting any younger. Before long the only ones left
would be used and abused models—divorcés—or the late model lemons
nobody had wanted in the first place.

If everyone worth snapping up was snapped
up... did that imply she wasn't worth snapping up? Well, obviously
not by the man she'd been with for eight years and had hopelessly
chased for the past three and a half. That stupid kiss he'd given
her two years ago had given her unrealistically high hopes. She was
embarrassed in how she'd acted, following him around, setting her
kitchen on fire—well, that was an accident—and basically, trying to
respark the connection they'd once had. But she was only
embarrassed because it hadn't worked. And maybe a little bit
because her ex had been a safe option. Risk free. Not like the
trial offers other men offered. You didn't know if a man was a
lemon until you test drove him for a while.

And, God, sue her but that felt like so much
work.

She stood and stretched her tingling leg as
the limo swung around for another toot-toot drive-by. Quickly, she
ducked behind a shrub, hoping to be sheltered from view. A light
rustling caused her to glance down. Mrs. Everett's cat, Fluffy, was
prancing like she had to pee.

The whole outdoors is yours, kitty.

Mandy took a second glance at the cat,
noting the wide, white stripe down her back—a stripe Fluffy did not
possess on her all-black body. The skunk aimed her poofy tail
straight at Mandy's carmel leather jacket with the Italian style
zipper.

"Shit!" Mandy scrambled backward, the butt
of her perfectly worn in jeans landing in wet, cold slush as the
skunk filled the air with its potent aroma, stinging Mandy's
eyes.

"Son of a bitch!" She gagged and choked. She
whipped a handful of heavy slush at the skunk, sending it hustling
for protection under a nearby shrub. "You know how much this outfit
cost? I'll never be able to wear it again!"