Steeling My Haart (25 page)

        
“Emma,
honey, is that you? Hurry and come sit down, I’m just about to serve lunch. And
can you grab Leo’s sippy cup from the room before you come in? It’s somewhere
over by the tree,” her mom shouted as she and Charlie both stepped into the
hallway. She could hear Adie chattering away with Lou and her dad and Bruce
were still deep in conversation about the upcoming baseball season.

        
“Okay,
Mom, I’ll go grab it, but can we make space for another guest, please?” she
shouted back more for the benefit of everyone else gathered rather than her
mom’s. As she walked through into the living area with Charlie now in tow, the
place fell into silence. An embarrassed Charlie shuffled as she clung to him as
if her life depended on it. “Hope nobody minds another guest for dinner,” she
said.

        
Bruce
was the first to break the silence as he winked at Emma across the room and
said, “Told you so!” as she threw him a dirty look.

Mike leapt up from the table and strode
purposefully toward Charlie, and without missing a beat, he grabbed him by the
shoulders and embraced him. “Welcome back, son,” he said, “it took you long
enough.” He slapped him heartily on the back and offered his own seat up for
him to take.

        
“So
who do we have here?” Nicky asked as she popped her head around the corner from
the kitchen. Her face lit up when she saw the guest, “Oh my,” was all she could
muster and she hurried round the table, frantically wiping her hands on the
apron she was wearing before she reached the overwhelmed figure siting at the
head of the table. “Come here, young man and give me a hug. I can’t tell you
how nice it is to see you again.” She pulled him close to her an embracing him
like along lost son. “How are you doing?” She looked him over with a concerned
eye.

        
“Much
better now, Nicky, thanks.” He smiled as she released him and patted him fondly
on the shoulder.
 

        
“Right,
now everyone, can someone give me a hand bringing in all of this food, and we
can dig in. Let’s get this party started.” She clapped her hands and rallied
the guests to help and finally taking the spotlight from their new guest.

        
Emma
was so grateful to everyone for how they had simply welcomed Charlie back into
their lives and she sat back and watched as he interacted with everyone,
including Bruce and Lou as if he had always been a part of their lives.

        
The
kids absolutely adored him, even to the exclusion of their old favorite uncles.
He didn’t seem to be ill at ease around them like she thought he might and it
was a heart-warming sight for sure. She caught Bruce and Charlie deep in
conversation on several occasions and the both seemed to be hitting it off
really well and she was touched that Bruce had made a real effort to get to
know him too. Lou was however a little more reserved, but when Charlie
announced he had been by the diner earlier and had grabbed a stash of cupcakes
that were in his car, Lou was instantly won over.

        
The
rest of the afternoon was perfect and after the nightmare of the previous day
Emma was counting her blessings that she had made the day so special for the
children. There were many sneaky glances exchanged between Emma and Charlie.
Nicky and Mike took the kids off to give them their baths and put then down to
sleep as Bruce and Lou excused themselves and headed back to her parents’
house.

        
Charlie
helped Emma clear away the final dishes and plates from the table and working
in a comfortable silence they managed to have the place straightened within no
time. As she set the dishwasher, Charlie’s gaze warmed Emma’s skin even though
he was nowhere near her. She turned to meet his gaze and her breath hitched as
the sight of him devouring her with his eyes as she faced him.

        
“I
need to get going, sweetheart. I don’t trust myself to behave if I stay any
longer tonight. As much as I need you more than I have ever needed anything, we
have to talk. I have so much to tell you and so much I want to know. Thank you
for today, you don’t know how much I’ve needed this for so long. Your family is
amazing. I am so grateful to you and them for welcoming me back. I need to do
things right this time, though. So if you can get someone to watch the children
one evening, I’d like to take you out on a proper date,” he whispered, so as
not to disturb the kids.

        
Emma
was disappointed he was leaving, but she was touched that he wanted to take her
out. “Well, I could be free tomorrow, if you are,” she replied. “Mom and Dad
are back and the kids have their favorite uncles here, too, and I am sure they
would manage to watch them for me.”

        
“Okay,
I’ll pick you up at seven. No need to dress up, there are a couple of places I
want to show you tomorrow so dress comfortably.” He said as he approached her
and lifted her gently into his arms and kissed her softly on her head. “We have
eight long years to catch up on, and I intend to find out what you’ve been up
to for every last second of those.” He loosened his hold on her and grabbed his
jacket to leave.

        
“Good
night, Blaze, sweet dreams,” she whispered back. “See you at seven tomorrow.”

        
“Good
night, sweetheart, until tomorrow,” Charlie confirmed as he let himself out of
the house and he was gone.

 
       
Emma
was rooted to the spot as she watched him leave and jumped as her parents both
tiptoed out from the kids’ bedrooms. Her mom startled her as she spoke, “Well,
that was an unexpected surprise, honey. How are you feeling?” she asked, the
smile on her face giving away her happiness at the days’ events.

        
“You
want the truth? I’m really happy. I know we have a lot of ground to cover, but
I still can’t see myself settling down with anyone else. I love him Mom, I
always have and I always will I think,” Emma admitted.

        
“I
know you do, honey and he loves you, too. You can see it in his face. Just be
gentle on him. These last few years haven’t been easy on him, either,” she
stated, slightly surprising her daughter who still thought her mom had been
pretty anti-Charlie for a few years.

        
“He’s
asked me out on a date tomorrow night, can you look after Adie and Leo for me?”

        
“Of
course, honey, and I think it might be an idea if they come to our house for a
sleepover. Then you don’t have to worry about hurrying back,” she suggested,
throwing her an overdramatic eyewink and once again shocking Emma slightly.

        
“Erm…
thank you, Mom?” she stuttered.

        
“Emma,
love, it’s been a fabulous day. Well done on coping with your first Christmas
as a parent. Those two little ones have had a ball and shouldn’t give you any
trouble tonight. I’m beat, though. You coming Nicky? I need my bed, I think
I’ve eaten too much.” He rubbed his belly as he reached over to her mom and pulled
her to his side.

 
       
“I’m
with your dad, honey. It’s been a lovely day. You should be proud of yourself.
Bring the little angels around for lunch and we will keep them overnight. Sleep
well, honey,” her mom suggested as they turned to leave.

        
She
locked up behind them and headed to bed, falling into a restful sleep within
minutes, feeling happier and more positive than she had in a long time.

        
Waking
refreshed after a full night of restful sleep, Emma felt like a huge weight had
been lifted off her shoulders as she arrived at her parents’ house with the
children. Nerves about tonight were slowly creeping in but it was Charlie after
all and she was desperate to talk to him and get things off her chest and out in
the open once and for all.

        
She
spent a couple of hours with Bruce and Lou, who cooed over her date tonight, and
trying to give her pointers for the evening.
 
They were staying on a few more days so
she would see them plenty before they had to head back. Bruce had made a couple
of connections in the area and would be following those up whilst Lou had
decided he wanted to spend a few days outside, helping Mike sort out Emma’s new
backyard.

Mid-afternoon was
fast approaching before Emma managed to drag herself away from the fun at her
parents’ house. She headed home and ran herself a nice hot bath. It had been a
long time since she had been on a date, but this one was almost a make or break
meeting with Charlie. She had a lot to tell him, and wondered if once she had
confessed to the loss of their baby, whether he might still feel the same about
her. She had carried that burden for so long, and still had issues with guilt
over the fact she may have been able to save the baby had she looked after
herself. It had become so important to her now to get closure on this part of
her life. Only Charlie could offer her the forgiveness she needed.

        
After
shaving and moisturizing her entire body, she took some time to style her long
hair in soft waves around her face. She had decided on wearing her black skinny
jeans and a soft, pink silk knitted sweater that accentuated her coloring and
flattered her curvy figure. She didn’t want to appear like she was making a
huge effort after he had said he wanted her to be comfortable. Her nerves were
pacified to some extent by the fact he was excited to show her something and
her interest was certainly piqued at his suggestion. As seven approached the
nerves came back with a vengeance. The butterflies took flight all at once when
her doorbell rang. She went to open the door. There he was, clean-shaven and
his hair styled to perfection, standing on her front porch in a pair of dark
jeans and a crisp white shirt, open at the collar. He was wearing a dark winter
jacket over his shirt and she immediately noticed the huge bunch of mixed
flowers he was holding.

        
“Those
are beautiful, Charlie, thank you,” she exclaimed as he handed them over. “Come
in a minute while I find a vase to put them in,” she offered as he stepped in
and leaned down to give her a peck on the cheek.

He stood back and took her in, his gaze
tenderly scanning over her body. “You look beautiful tonight, too, Emma.” The
compliment just slipped off his tongue with no thought.

        
Blushing
slightly as she filled a vase with water, she returned the compliment by
adding, “You look pretty good yourself.” Smiling at him she set the flowers in
the water and grabbed her purse. “So where are you taking me, then Mr. Haart?
I’m curious.”

        
“All
will become clearer when we get there, but we have a lot to catch up on and I
thought I might show you what I have been up to these last few years. I just
hope you don’t go running for the hills when you see,” he explained. “Come on. Let’s
make a move before I chicken out again.” He grabbed her hand and led her out of
the door.

       
He
opened the door of the truck and helped her in. As they set off toward the Route
66, he asked quietly, “So, tell me a little about what you’ve been up to. I
guessed you went to law school. Your dad has occasionally filled me in on a few
bits when I’ve seen him around.”

        
“He
has?” Emma was surprised. “Well, yes, I spent a few years muddling through law
school then land myself a job in New York working with a great boss, who taught
me a lot. I met Bruce through work. We did a lot together over the years and I
guess I can credit him with helping me get as far as I did,” she explained.
“And I did pretty well at my job, too. I’ve still got an apartment back in New
York that Bruce and Lou are renting from me. I’m hoping that they will
eventually buy it and make it their home. If I’m being honest I never liked
living so far away, but I was so scared to come back until Leo and Adie came
into my life.” She gazed out of the side window. He reached out and took her
hand in his and stroked her knuckles as she spoke.

        
“Why
didn’t you just come home to Oklahoma when you graduated?” he asked. “That was
the one thing that had surprised me the most.”

She turned to him and
said, “You want the truth?”

        
“Always,
Emma, there isn’t anything you can tell me,” he said instantly.

        
Before
she could reply, she realized that they had arrived at M’s Place. It took her
by surprise that he would bring her to the place he worked but she didn’t question
him but waited until he explained to her why they were here.

        
“Go
on,” he coaxed as he put the truck into neutral and fixed the parking brake,
never once letting go of her hand. The feel of his thumb running up and down
the back of her hand was soothing, but she still had a huge knot in her throat
as the spilled the truth.

        
“You,
Charlie, you were the whole reason I have stayed away.” He flinched at her
words. “After you left, I was a mess and so much crap happened in those first
few months, I nearly gave up on everything. I suppose the letter you left me
was what spurred me on to carry on in a lot of ways, but, why didn’t you come
for me like you said you would?” She looked at him with wide eyes and she could
see that all but crushed him.

Emma took in a deep breath before
continuing, “It took me years to get my head back straight. There are things I
need to tell you, too, but they will wait until later. I don’t want to spoil
the evening so early on,” she admitted. “So what have you been up to? I must
admit you’ve been pretty secretive about anything to do with yourself. I’m
guessing by the state of your hands you aren’t a mechanic anymore?”

        
“No!”
he exclaimed laughing slightly, “but let’s get inside and I’ll fill you in when
we’re seated. Come.” He let go of her hand and got out of the truck, jogging
round to open the door for her and help her out. As he walked with him towards
he diner, she noticed that although the diner was illuminated, it was empty.

        
“Erm,
Charlie, I think the place is closed. Should we go somewhere else?”

        
“I
know the owner pretty well, and he’s agreed we can have the diner to ourselves
tonight. He’s also cooking us a nice meal to have together, if that’s okay? He
assures me its never busy the day after Christmas, anyway, so we’d be doing him
a favor.” She was so touched by how thoughtful he had been and as they
approached he diner door, he took out a large bunch of keys and unlocked the
door. As she walked in, she noticed on solitary booth at the back of the diner
had been set and a candle was there ready along with a similar bunch of flowers
to the ones he had brought her.

        
The
tension between them increased by the second and Emma was blown away to finally
see her beautiful Charlie. He was the one thing that had driven her to be the woman
she was today. She wanted him to take her in his arms and bury himself inside
her. The need to show him how much she had missed him was almost overwhelming.
But that would have to wait. They had so many things they needed to talk about and
she lot to tell him. So she would fight the urge all evening if it killed her.

        
“Do
you want anything to drink while I go check on dinner?” he asked as he walked
her over to the booth. She needed to get seated and distance herself from him
for a few minutes.

“I’d just love a
water, please and this is just amazing,” she exclaimed as she took in the
surroundings.

It was as if someone
had purposely made sure the diner had a similar feel to the one back in New
York. Then things started to click into place. M’s Place, built on the site of
the autoshop. This was Charlie’s place. She realized the look on her face must
have given her away and Charlie’s voice startled her from her thoughts.
 
 
“Before you say anything,” he said quickly,
holding his hands up in front of him to halt her before she spoke “I want to
confess. This place and the diner in New York, along with three others
scattered cross the East Coast, are mine. And you, sweetheart, have been the
inspiration behind every single one of them.” Tears immediately sprung to her
eyes at this disclosure. Her hand went straight to her mouth covering it as she
started to gently cry.

        
“Of
course,” she sniffed, reaching for a napkin he was holding out to her. “How did
I not realize? M’s Place, the pumpkin lattes? And Oh my God, Blaze’s bake?
That’s yours, isn’t it?” She looked at him with disbelief but within seconds
the surprise spread across her face and she just shook her head as the tears
rolled down her cheeks. “Charlie, I am so incredibly proud of you!” She stood
from the booth to throw her arms around him.

        
She
felt him flinch at the instant contact and she could feel his long repressed
emotions as she gazed into his eyes. She saw how he battled to keep himself in
check and despite his body obviously reacting to her, he slowly pulled her arms
away and took her face gently between his hands. He turned her face up to look
at his and said with the pride he deserved, “I did it, sweetheart, thanks to
you. I finished my diploma and graduated high school six months after you left.
Uncle Hank decided to take Momma away from here and settle her nearer a center
for her arthritis. The tornado completely destroyed the auto shop. Uncle Hank
took the insurance money and used it to set up fresh. They were gone within
weeks, but he gifted me this land and I came up with the concept of a
traditional diner with a coffee shop as a business plan when was at catering
college. I went to school and learned how to cook.” As she listened intently to
his story, she hoped that her face showed him the pure adoration she felt for
him.

        
“Then
as I was coming up to graduation, my dad made contact with me out of the blue.
I hadn’t heard a word from him my entire life and it took a while but we
connected. He was a military man through and through, and I was wrong about
him, you know? I thought he had just abandoned my mom after she fell pregnant
with me and I, but the reality of it was he knew nothing about me. We have a good
relationship now, but he was discharged from the Marines about nine years ago
on a substantial military pension because he retired as a high-ranking officer.
Anyway, he gave me enough to start this diner and hasn’t wanted a cent in
return. He’s now moved back to Europe, nearer his family. I never knew, but he’s
originally from Germany, and I’ve been meaning to take a trip over there to see
him, but things just keep getting in the way. He knows all about you, you
know?” he said with a hint of a smile.

        
“Wow,
just wow,” Emma replied and planted a soft kiss on the palm of one of his hands.
“I’m stunned you have done all of this and you don’t know how many times the
diner in New York kept me from losing my mind. You realize you have actually
been there for me all these years and not known about it?” she said with awe.

        
“Well,
I kind of know a bit. George and I go way back, but I’ll let him tell the story
one day, its kind of his tale to tell. He has been my lookout for you over the
years. Although he has no clue who you are to me.” He smiled. She returned his
happiness as she pondered the conversation that they were bound to have with
George at some point. “Anyway, that brings us to here. but I have huge plans
for this place and I have been given the name of some hot shot New York
branding lawyer who’s recently relocated to Edmond who might be able to help
me,” he teased. Then he turned more serious and lowered his head as he admitted,
“I saw you in Las Vegas.
 
I was
going to come and surprise you when I heard you were going to the conference. I
had every intention of this big speech and asking you to help me then I saw you
with Bruce and…” he hung his head in embarrassment, “well, I kind of got the
whole wrong impression and assumed you were together.”

        
“Oh
Charlie, you realize just how wrong you were?” she cried.