Shay poured flour into a bowl as she had been spending most of her nights at the bakery. She didn’t want to go home because it only reminded her of how utterly alone she was. She didn’t want to go out because she didn’t want to answer questions. Town gossip spread like wildfire, alerting the people that something happened in New York and she and Matt were no longer together. Seventeen years in the making, and it was over before it started.
Baking usually brought Shay peace and happiness, but as she cracked an egg, tears poured down her cheeks. Unable to control the onslaught of emotion she dropped the egg, shell and all, into the bowl. She sobbed into her hand as the events of the last week caught up with her.
After indulging in her own pity, she took a deep breath and wiped away the tears. Unfortunately, she used the hand covered in flour and egg. She went to the bathroom and stared at the mess she made. Flour covered her cheek, mixing with tears and turning to paste.
Lately, she was making a mess out of everything. She loved Matt so much it hurt. Not being with him was like losing a piece of her heart—a piece that had been missing for so long.
She dampened a paper towel and wiped at the flour and egg on her face. She lost Matt once and survived, she could do it again…
Her mind drifted to their nights in the hammock while he held her tight, talking about their day then making-out beneath the stars like a couple of teenagers before he carried her to bed. She loved that Matt was the last person she saw before falling asleep and the first person she saw when she woke and she’d be damned if she was going to let that go again.
“No!” she exclaimed to her reflection. “I will not.”
Seventeen years ago, she didn’t fight for him, and she’d be damned to not jump in swinging this time around.
He might’ve given up on her, and she couldn’t blame him, but she wasn’t about to give up on him. Not without a fight.
Victory was her only option and she was ready to put it all out there and go to battle for the boy she once loved and the man he had become, and whom she loved even more.
She tossed the paper towel into the trash and dashed out of the bakery. It was Sunday, and she knew exactly where to find him.
***
Three hours later, defeated and mentally exhausted Shay pulled back up in front of the bakery. Matt was nowhere to be found. She thought for sure he’d be at his parents for Sunday night dinner, but she was sadly mistaken. Mason said he was there earlier, but had taken off without an explanation. He assumed it was something down at the station so that’s where Shay went next, but Martha told her Matt was off for the evening, and no emergencies had come in. Next, she went to his house and sat on his deck for over an hour until accepting defeat.
Either he was avoiding her, or the universe was working against them. It didn’t matter because she was still alone, and Matt may never know how sorry she was for everything. How much she loved him. Had always loved him.
She got out of her car and walked toward the bakery, knowing that even if she went home she wouldn’t be able to sleep. Maybe she could get a head start on the Marshall’s order.
Her heart slammed against her chest and a scream erupted from her mouth at the figure sitting on the counter. When she recognized those sexy green eyes, and amused smirk she slapped a hand to her chest. “You scared me half to death,” she said to Matt as she sucked in a much needed breath.
“The door was unlocked,” he said, his voice firm and void of emotion.
“I left in a hurry. I forgot to lock it.” She couldn’t believe this whole time she was looking for him, and he was right here.
“Everything all right?” he asked, his eyebrows pinching together.
Despite it all, he still cared, and to her that simple gesture meant more than anything in the world.
“No,” she said, her eyes burning with fresh tears. She fought to hold them at bay, refusing to let her emotions take away this moment from her.
Matt jumped off the counter and hurried to her side. His hand rested on her elbow. “What’s the matter?”
Her nose twitched as she held back the tears. She parted her lips to speak, but couldn’t manage to get the words out. Determined, she tried again. “I’m sorry. For everything. I made such a mess of things and I understand if you can’t forgive me, but I need you to know that if I could do it all over again I would. I’d fight for you like I should have that summer. I wouldn’t have just told you how much I loved you, I would have shown you too. I would have shown you by standing up to my mother and choosing you because it’s always been you. It will always be you.”
Matt didn’t move. His silence was all the answer she needed.
“I just wanted you to know that.” She lifted up on tip-toe and kissed his cheek, lingering just long enough to savor him before turning away.