Secret by McKenna Lindsay

Author:McKenna, Lindsay
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Military, Romance
ISBN: 9781929977444
Publisher: Blue Turtle Publishing
Published: 2016-11-21T05:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 7

February 1

After dinner, the Lockwood family offered Mark and Mattie some quality time alone. Daisy gently suggested a private place to chat—the family’s card room on the other side of the house. “Why don’t you take your coffee in there and relax a bit,” she urged.

Mark was both relieved and nervous at the prospect of being alone with Mattie. Throughout dinner he’d sat opposite her, drowning in her country-girl beauty and wanting so badly to hear what her decision was regarding their on-again, off-again relationship.

At the dinner table, he’d forced himself to eat, even though his stomach was contracting with apprehension. Obviously, Mattie’s mom wanted to put more meat on his bones, and he couldn’t disappoint the woman who had been like a second mother to him.

Now, as he followed Mattie down to the card room, he wondered whether his whole world was going to blow up beneath him, or if Mattie was going to give him another chance. And he had no idea what she would decide.

Mattie opened the heavy oak door and they walked in.

Mark looked around the room. “You know, there are so many good memories in here,” he said, shutting it quietly behind them.

“I agree,” Mattie said, looking around the small room that had two card tables made of oak, bolted to the floor. There were four wooden chairs around each one. “Mom taught all of us so many great card games in here.”

“I remember. Where would you like to sit, Mattie?”

“How about on the sofa?” She gestured over to the floral-print couch sitting against the southern wall of the room.

“Sounds good,” he murmured. Mattie sat at one corner and Mark followed her lead, taking the other corner. He tried to read her expression, but it was closed, which was unlike her. He tried to relax, but couldn’t, so he sat up, legs open, elbows resting on his knees, his hands clasped between them, holding her shadowy green gaze.

“When Mom called and asked me to come out for Friday-night dinner,” Mattie began, her hands folded in her lap, “I was torn.”

“Why?”

“Because she said she wanted to invite you to dinner, too.” She sighed and gave him an exasperated look. “Ever since you came home, Mark, and came to see me that night, I’ve been up in the air about us. I’m just not sure what you want from me and what I’m willing to give or not give to you.”

“If you want the whole truth, Mark, I’m scared, scared to try again with you. When you left for the Marine Corps, I was devastated! When Doug Freeman, who works at the local office-supply store, asked me to marry him two years after you left, I stupidly said ‘yes’. I was still hurting because you’d left me, Mark. I was angry at you, and my heart was broken.”

He said nothing, letting her find the right words.

“I married Doug, but eventually I realized I didn’t love him. I divorced him when I was twenty-five.” She drew in a ragged breath and pushed on.

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