All these years, Shay believed he never had come for her. Believed that when she’d walked away from him that summer, he hadn’t thought about her every waking moment until he couldn’t take it a second longer.
October, seventeen years ago, the leaves had lit the sky ablaze in hues of yellow, red and orange. The vibrant green had gone along with Shay. She had been gone for two months, and he was forgetting the way she’d smelled and how her lips had felt pressed against his. Those little details had kept him going, but without them he’d felt lost. Like a part of him had been ripped away.
He’d been supposed to help his dad out on the farm that morning, but instead he’d hopped in his car and had driven nonstop until there were less and less trees. The buildings had gotten taller and the traffic had gotten heavier and he knew he was close.
He’d called Kate to find out where exactly Shay lived. Kate had been so excited, telling him it was just like the movies. A smile had cracked on his face as he’d thought about how those movies had always ended with the girl in the guy’s arms, both ridiculously happy and in love.
They’d never showed you beyond that but you knew the couple lived happily ever after, and that’s what he’d wanted. He’d wanted Shay in his arms, both of them ready to start living toward their happily ever after together.
He had no idea what he was going to say or what he was going to do, but it didn’t matter because he knew when he saw her, the words would come. He would look into her eyes and pour his heart out. He’d only hoped that she felt exactly the same. That she would jump into his arms, and he’d smell her sweet scent and feel her lips again.
In his mind, everything had been perfect. There simply had been no room for anything else.
He’d found a parking garage that had charged him half of what he had in his wallet, but it didn’t matter. None of it had. The only thing that had mattered was Shay. He had happily taken the ticket and left his car with the attendant. He’d asked to be pointed in the direction of 82nd and York then took off running.
Her building had been taller than the rest with a doorman dressed in a suit. Matt had looked down at his faded jeans, dirty from work on his parent’s farm, the worn hoodie that he’d pulled on in a rush. His boots had been still caked in mud from helping out in the pumpkin fields. He hadn’t belonged there. If anything, he’d belonged with the homeless man, sleeping on the doorstep of the church he had passed.
He’d stepped back as the realization had set in. Shay’d been upper East side Manhattan, and he’d been a farm boy from Red Maple Falls, a town so small you couldn’t go anywhere without someone knowing you and your entire family.
Shay’d deserved nothing but the best, and the only thing he had to give her was his love. He had thought that would’ve been enough, but looking up at the building, the women coming and going in clothes that had looked like they’d cost more than his car, a sinking feeling had dipped into his heart. Love wasn’t enough.
“Can I help you, sir?” the doorman had asked.
Matt had shaken his head, defeat settling over him as he’d stepped back. “Sorry, wrong building.”
“It happens.”
Matt had forced a smile to be polite then had turned to walk away, slamming right into the one woman he’d despised. The woman who hadn’t let Shay stay. Who’d taken her away from him. The woman who’d drilled into Shay’s head that money and prestige had been more important than love and happiness.
Not a single brown hair had been out of place on her head. Her black coat that’d been tailored fit with gold buttons and a tie at the waist had sat over a pair of black dress pants and expensive red shoes. Her matching bright red lips had pursed, and she’d let out an annoyed breath as if talking to him had required energy she didn’t want to use.
She’d slid a pair of leather gloves off, pulling each finger one by one. It’d been a brisk fifty degrees, but barely cold enough to warrant a coat. Matt had assumed the gloves were only part of her outfit, to show the world that she could afford such luxuries.
“Shay isn’t home, but even if she was, that wouldn’t make a difference.”
“It’s fine. I was just leaving.”
“I hope that means you have come to your senses. I’m sure you’re a nice boy, Matt, but Shay doesn’t need a nice boy. She needs a man who can take care of her. Who can provide for her just as her father and I have.”
“She needs someone to love her.”
“And she has someone who does. Me. And that’s more than enough.”
“If you loved her, you wouldn’t control her. You’d let her make her own decisions.” Matt had been raised to respect his elders, but his temper had waned, his voice rising with each word.
“That’s where you’re wrong. I do these things because I love her and I know what’s best for her.”
“That’s bullshit!” The words had rushed out of his mouth hot and angry.
Mrs. Michael’s had arched a perfectly sculpted eyebrow at him. He’d hated the smug look, as if him cursing had just proven her point. That he hadn’t been good enough. As if people who lived in the city had never gotten angry and cursed.
She’d stepped closer to him, surrounding him in a cloud of too strong perfume. She’d looked around and when she’d only noticed the doorman, she had leaned toward Matt’s ear. “Bullshit or not she is my daughter, and she’ll do as I say. So, I suggest you leave before I call the police and report you for stalking.”
“You wouldn’t.”
A wicked smirk had curved her lips. “Try me.”
He wished he could say he’d challenged her, called her bluff and gone after Shay anyway, but he hadn’t. Like a wounded dog, he’d put his tail between his legs and had headed back home. Mrs. Michael’s had reinforced his own insecurities and he’d let her win.
And just like last time, he’d let her win again.
***
Matt had been in a cab, a train, and now a bus. He was mentally and physically exhausted. All he wanted was to go home, down a beer, and forget this day ever happened. The bus pulled into the station just before midnight, and Matt let out a sigh of relief. Finally.
He stood before the bus came to a stop and hurried off once it did. He felt beat down and utterly defeated. There was only one other time in his life where he’d felt that way, and it was the last time he’d walked away from Shay.
This time was different, though. She had a fiancé. A damn fiancé that she never cared to mention. It didn’t matter if she broke it off with this guy, what mattered was that she didn’t trust Matt enough to tell him the truth. She’d had plenty of opportunities. More than plenty. He put two and two together and now realized Shay probably thought Robert was the one who was breaking into her shop. You’d think by the second time she might have clued him in. She clearly had suspicions, yet she’d acted like it was no big deal. Like he had been overreacting.
Matt had spent plenty of time on his journey doing a few internet searches. The asshole had stolen from Shay and dragged her name through the dirt with no remorse. He was a lying, manipulative piece of shit. Matt didn’t know what angered him more, the fact that Mrs. Michaels pushed him onto Shay or the fact that Shay allowed her to.
He was angry and frustrated, but most of all he was hurt. Shay should have told him. Relationships were built on trust, and without that, they had nothing.
Matt walked through the parking lot until he spotted his brother. Mason stood with his arms folded, leaning against his truck.
“You want to talk about it?” Mason asked as he approached.
“No.”
“Okay.” Mason pushed off the truck and slipped into the driver’s seat without another word. It was exactly why Matt had called him. He would be there for Matt, no questions asked, but most importantly, he wouldn’t push for answers.