Love Unrehearsed

“You have something you forgot to tell me?”

My phone rang twenty seconds later.

“Is he gone?”

I finished my drink. “Yeah, he just left.

You pissed him off.”

“Good. He better not make a habit of coming around.”

“I love it when you get jealous. Makes me feel wanted.”

“I’m serious, Taryn. He even stops in for a beer I want to know about it.”

“I’m not going to run off with him. You don’t need to worry. So when were you planning on telling me I am under surveillance?”

“You’re not under surveillance, hon. We hired private security to keep an eye on things since we’re not there. But we’re coming home next Friday. I have four days off.”

Hearing that made my day. “You’re coming home?”

“Yep. We’ll be in around two. I really hate that you’re not with me. I can’t sleep without you.”

“I can’t sleep, either. I’m so used to feeling you next to me . . . Thanks for hiring someone.”

“Mike and I are splitting it.” My head spun. “Why is Mike paying for my security?”

“He’s not. Security is for the both of you.

Mike is worried about Gary. Apparently his security background check revealed that Gary owns a lot of guns.”

“He does, but . . .” The thought of Gary attempting to harm Marie was infuriating.

“Hang on. I want to go upstairs.” I slipped out of the booth and grabbed Thomas’s empty glass. Marie was behind the bar just a few feet away. I ducked into the kitchen, walking past quizzical looks from Pete and Tammy, and hit the apartment steps to continue my private conversation with Ryan. “I don’t understand. Why does Mike care? Marie’s not even speaking to him.”

“Yeah, Mike said she’s avoiding him but he’s planning on fixing that. Listen, you have to talk to her. I know things looked bad but it’s nothing like it appeared and now that those pictures were published he’s pissed-off and miserable.”

“What do you mean things aren’t what they appeared to be?”

My mouth hung open as he told me the rest of what Mike was really up to.

As soon as we ended our call, I ran down the steps and grabbed Marie.

Chapter 13

Uncovered “I hate funerals,” Marie said softly as we drove away from the cemetery.

My heart was aching; the sight of seeing a casket tethered above a gaping hole brought back too many bad memories.

Seeing Thomas looking so wiped out was painful.

Just seeing him a few days ago was enough to make me replay every word we’d exchanged, each fond memory I had of him—everything. I hated him for making me reminisce.

Marie stuffed a tissue in her purse. “I can’t believe she’s gone. I didn’t even know she came home.”

“I know. I’m glad they didn’t put her on display. Melanie would not have wanted that.”

“No,” Marie agreed, wiping her nose again. “She would have bitched to high heaven if her family did that to her.” I saw her look over at me. “How are you doing?” I met her eyes. “I’m okay.”

“Spending some time on Memory Lane?” Marie knew me so well. “Kind of hard not to.”

“Well, snap out of it. Ryan doesn’t need to see that deep-in-thought pouty look.” I eyed her speculatively. “You may want to take your own advice there, missy. You still have to deal with Mike.”

She grinned to herself. “I know.”

“So, did you forgive him?”

“Yeah.” Marie nodded. “He told me that she had some personal matters with an ex who was harassing her. He didn’t go into details but I believe him.”

“Good.”

She twisted her hands nervously. “I just don’t know if getting involved with someone is wise right now, you know? I spazzed over a stupid magazine cover.”

I knew exactly how she felt. “Scary stuff when you see your man on those covers, isn’t it?”

She groaned and I could tell just from her expression that she finally could relate.

“I understand,” I said. “Believe me. Thomas’s cheating made me question every man’s motives. That kind of betrayal sticks with you forever. All I can say is follow your heart.”

“Or my vagina,” she said with a laugh.

I smiled at her.

“Speaking of confusion, where are you heading?” she asked.

“I brought all of those keys. Thought since we were over this way we could stop at the bank before the guys land.”

After arriving at the bank, we sat in the lobby, waiting for the next customer service person to help us. Marie tapped me on the thigh, noticing that the woman approaching us was smiling like a fangirl at me. I let her gush for a minute about how wonderful Ryan Christensen is before getting down to business.

The customer service clerk helped sort through the random baggie of keys, narrowing them down to a handful that might get me into Lockbox 291. Marie and I had found forty random keys when we searched; unfortunately none blatantly screamed “safe deposit box.” “Last key,” I said, trying the last one, small and made of brass. I almost felt giddy when it slipped in and turned.

We pulled the inner black metal case out and she set it on a table, leaving to give me privacy.

Marie raised her eyebrows, waiting in anticipation.

I pulled the top lid back, spying several stacks of letters rubber-banded together. The rubber was so old it crumbled around the envelopes.

I flipped through them, seeing that all of them were addressed to me from Private Joseph Malone. Who the hell is Joseph Malone?

“What is all of that?” Marie asked. “Who are they from?”

“I’m not sure.” I opened up one of the letters, scanning writing I’d never seen before.

There was also a twenty-dollar bill inside the envelope.

Dear Taryn,

I hope you had a fun birthday. Five years old now! I can’t believe how much you’ve grown. I promise when I come home I’ll take you to the toy store so you can pick out a new Barbie doll. I remember how much you liked playing with them. I’m at a place called Fort Gordon now. It’s in Georgia. You’ll be happy to know that they painted me green just like you said they would. I’m a real army soldier now. It’s really hot here. I’m learning how to do all sorts of crazy things, like crawl through the mud and climb over tall obstacles. I’m a good climber. I hate crawling in the mud. I think you’d find the mud yucky, too.