Page 47 of It’s Only Love (Citrus Pines #1)

Christy waited until she heard the front door slam. She couldn’t stomach the thought of Dean witnessing what she was about to do.

“What the hell is going on?” Beau demanded, and she told him everything. About finding those heart-breaking letters filled with love, regret, and honesty that came too little too late.

Her father loved her, it was all over the pages, but he couldn’t find the courage to send them. He begged for her forgiveness, begged for her love and now she was about to beg too.

“I can’t sell this house Beau. I know it’s too late now, but I’ll buy it back from you, no matter what it costs.”

“What are you talking about?”

“I need to buy the house back, I can’t let it go now.” Her voice cracked with emotion, she was barely holding it together. He looked at her like she was crazy.

“Please Beau, I’ll beg. I’ll get on my knees and beg you if I have to. I can’t let it go, my father…” she trailed off.

Beau shook his head and tried to place his hands on her shoulders.

She dropped to her knees, tears spilling from her eyes. “I will give you everything I have, whatever you want. Please don’t take this from me, I can’t leave him Beau, I can’t leave him here. It’s the last piece of him I have, don’t take it from me, I’m begging you!”

Huge gut-wrenching sobs tore from her throat as she stared up at him, his eyes wide and shocked.

The more she repeated herself, the harder his expression became.

She was humiliating herself, but she didn’t care what he thought, she just didn’t want Dean to witness her mortification.

Beau grabbed her under the arms, hauled her up, and sat her on his lap on the bed.

He tried to soothe her, but broken pleas fell from her lips, and she was powerless to stop them.

“Christy, please stop, this is killing me. You don’t need to beg.

I would hand it back to you in a heartbeat, please tell me you know that?

” his voice wavering slightly. She pulled back to look at him, wiping her eyes.

“But I want you to think about it carefully, I’ll give you all the time in the world to think about it.

Do you want the house that’s caused you so much pain?

There are so many bad memories here. The letters can erase some of the hurt, but they can’t change what happened here.

” He spoke gently now, she knew he wasn’t trying to hurt her, just as Dean hadn’t when he kept his knowledge of the letters from her.

She tried to take a step back and think about it.

She knew Beau was right, the memories weren’t good and finding those letters wouldn’t change that .

“I think it’s time for you to let this place go, end the torment and move forward, free to create new memories with those of us that love you. It doesn’t mean you lose the last piece of your father. He’ll always be in your heart.”

Christy’s mind was reeling. Beau was right, she needed time to think. She and Beau spoke a little longer before he hugged her and left.

She needed sleep. She was exhausted, but there was only one place she wanted to be.

She grabbed her purse, got in her clapped-out car and drove to Dean’s house.

He wasn’t there so she let herself in using the spare key, and got straight into his bed, feeling her mind calm.

Tucked under his comforter, shrouded in his scent, in his home, it was like he was there with her, and she was able to sort through her thoughts.

Her eyes drifted closed and the last thing she thought was that she couldn’t wait to see him when she woke up.

*

“Are you worried you’re gonna run out? Pour me another goddamn shot!” Dean slurred at Kayleigh who reluctantly poured him another shot of whiskey.

“To getting kicked in the guts by love!” he shouted, and tipped his head back, downing the amber liquid, nearly falling off his stool as he did.

Damn, these things are a safety hazard. He slammed the glass back down on the bar and gestured for a refill, well and truly on his way to numbing the pain.

He wanted to keep going until he was ready to black out, so he didn’t have to think about her anymore.

How much he’d hurt her and how she didn’t love him.

How he would have to be happy for her and Beau because they both deserved so much happiness .

“I really don’t think you should have any more, sir,” Kayleigh said tentatively.

“Sir?” he barked out. “I ain’t my father and I don’t remember asking your opinion, so pour me a fucking drink!” he shouted.

A look of fear passed over her face and penetrated his drunken state.

“ Shit , I’m sorry Kayleigh,” he said. “Maybe I am my father,” he muttered to himself. He decided it was time to go, the warm floaty feeling was kicking in, but the thought of going back to his empty house, that smelled like Christy, was too painful to contemplate.

He tried to smile at Kayleigh, but he didn’t think it was one of his best.

“Can I have my usual room, please?” He remembered to add in a ‘please’ so he didn’t seem like a complete asshole. She bobbed at him and went into the office. Did she just curtsy? At least Taylor was out on a date this evening, she would have cut him off immediately.

A prickly sensation traveled down his spine, and moments later a cold hand settled on the nape of his neck.

“ Baby !” A shrill voice squealed. “There you are, I’ve missed you!

” He turned, his vision swimming from the alcohol and saw Darcy standing there.

She planted a kiss on his lips, he tried to duck away, but the alcohol slowed his reflexes.

“What do you mean, there you are ? I told you I wasn’t interested.” He was so not in the mood for this, she placed her hand on her hip and popped it to one side.

“I know you didn’t mean it, you were just playing hard to get, and it totally worked,” she pouted, her botoxed lips puckering grotesquely.

God, what had he seen in her? Thankfully, Kayleigh came back and handed him the key.

Dean thanked her, reminding himself he must apologize in the morning when he was sober.

“Oh goody, round two!” Darcy clapped.

“No thanks, I’m leaving . Alone .” He fell off his stool but managed to get himself back up without too much trouble.

“Let me help you.” She grabbed at him, plastering herself to his body under the guise of trying to keep him upright.

“I’m not interested, Darcy. I told you I belong to someone else.” Even if she doesn’t want me back.

“Okay fine, I get it. At least let me help you though? No funny business, I swear.” She held up two fingers in a ‘scout’s honor’ salute.

“Bye, Darcy,” he said, tripping his way over to the door.

He made it outside but fell down the steps, eventually picking himself up and trudging around the back to his cabin.

It took five attempts to get the door unlocked, but he finally made it inside and when he tried to kick the door shut behind him, a stilettoed foot blocked it, he cursed.

“I just want to make sure you’re okay,” Darcy said, barging into the room.

“Darcy, I don’t know how to make this any clearer. I don’t want you, I never did and I never will, now get out.”

He needed to fall into oblivion, he could feel it beckoning. He pulled his shirt over his head and collapsed onto the bed, trying to sit up to take his jeans off. Darcy marched over and jumped on the bed straddling his hips and giggling loudly.

“What are you doing?” he shouted, reaching up and grabbing her arms, trying to shove her off him. That only made her writhe against him. He felt sick, alcohol sloshing in his stomach. Sleep trying to pull him under, his eyelids starting to close.

“Oh my God, Dean?”

He would recognize that voice anywhere. He turned his head to the side and saw Marilyn Monroe standing in the doorway to the cabin.

Eyes wide and pretty pink mouth open in horror as she took in Darcy rubbing herself on his half naked body, his hand on his zipper.

No, not Marilyn Monroe, Christy . Then she was gone and panic clawed at him.

“No, wait!” he called out, but his limbs wouldn’t move. The numbing darkness he was begging for only moments earlier finally descended and he passed out.

*

Dean came awake spluttering, cold water dripping down his face. His head pounding at his sudden movement, like someone had taken a sledgehammer to it. His stomach roiled and he turned to the side just in case he vomited but found himself face to face with Darcy.

“What the fuck!”

“Exactly, Dean. What the fuck !” He turned to the other side and saw Taylor and Beau stood near the bed, Taylor had an empty glass dangling from her fingers, her expression deadly. Darcy stirred beside him and sat up.

“Get rid of the angry redhead, she makes my head hurt,” she pouted.

“Oh, I’ll make more than your head hurt, you skank!” Taylor growled, and lunged for her, spitting fire. Beau was quicker though, slinging an arm around Taylor’s waist, he hauled her away.

“Okay, calm down, Mike Tyson,” Beau grunted as her flailing limbs connected with his. Taylor shoved him off and moved to stand on the other side of the room .

“You need to leave,” Dean said to Darcy, his tone leaving no room for argument. Seeing she was outnumbered and unwanted she grabbed her stuff and slunk out of the room.

“Dude, what the hell?” Beau asked, looking at him with such disappointment. Dean felt his temper flare remembering how things were left yesterday.

“You tell me, buddy,” he spat.

“What?”

“You. Christy. Her bedroom. Even I’m smart enough to put that one together.”

“Wow, and here I thought you were such a nice boy, Beau. I’m a little disappointed in you,” Taylor’s tone dripped with sarcasm.

Beau sent her a withering look, then turned back to Dean. “You clearly aren’t that smart after all. I don’t know what you think is going on but it’s nothing like that,” Beau exclaimed. Dean scoffed at him. “It’s true! Look the truth is, I’m the one buying her house.”

“Congratu- fucking- lations,” Taylor deadpanned.

Despite the situation Dean felt a smile almost form at her sass. Almost.

“So, you’re moving back to town?” he asked.

“Yes, I wanted it to be a surprise. She knows it’s me who’s buying the house, she’s known all along, and she wanted to ask to buy it back.

You should’ve seen her Dean; she was so distraught she got on her knees and begged me, actually begged.

I guess that’s why she sent you away, she didn’t want you to see it. ”

This was too much information for Dean’s hangover-fueled brain to comprehend, but he knew one thing: he was a fucking idiot. He groaned loudly and laid back on the bed.

“I told her she could have it, it doesn’t bother me, but I don’t think she really wants it. I think she just panicked after finding the letters.” Beau added.

“What letters?” Taylor asked. As Beau filled her in on what happened, Taylor was shocked into silence.

“I need to find her,” Dean said, standing up slowly. When he didn’t vomit, he headed towards the doorway when his memory decided to finish downloading. Christy had already found him last night, with Darcy.

“Oh shit, she saw me...with Darcy. Except I wasn’t doing anything, Darcy wouldn’t get off me and leave, and then I must have passed out,” Dean explained.

Taylor cursed. “Dean, I swear to God, I told you not to hurt her!”

“I know, I’m sorry Taylor, but I’m not messing around, okay? I need her, she’s it for me.”

“Let’s go find her, now, before I beat the shit out of you for being so stupid,” Taylor grunted. All three of them made their way to the door when it burst open and Justine charged in.

“ Qué hiciste? ” she shouted at Dean, storming over to him and jabbing her finger into his chest. “She’s gone, she left town!”

Dean swore. “When?”

“She’s driving home, she left about half an hour ago,” she said to Taylor, a watery smile on her face. “At least she came and said goodbye this time.”

Taylor turned to face Dean, a fierce expression on her face. “Fix it. Now.” she said, her tone cold and deadly.

“I will, I swear.”

“No, don’t go after her, not unless you really care about her. You can’t mess around with her anymore,” Justine said.

“I do care about her, I tried to tell her I love her yesterday, dammit!” he shouted, frustration and panic clawing at him.

“Come on, she can’t have gotten far,” Beau said, clapping a hand on his shoulder. Dean’s mind was whirring away. What was he going to do if he lost her, if he couldn’t reach her? Wait a minute.

“Did you say she’s driving home? To New York?” he asked Justine.

“I guess so?”

A smile spread across his face as he stood there for a moment, thinking.

“Come on, let’s go!” Beau yelled.

Dean shook his head. “No.”

“ No ?” Taylor and Justine chorused.

“I’ve got an idea.” They all looked at him skeptically. “ Trust me .”

He sent the others back to the bar to wait and he made a few calls on his cell.

When he was done, he went and joined them.

They were sitting in a booth, the mood somber, tension filling the air.

Justine and Taylor kept shooting him death glares at his apparent lack of action, and Beau and Taylor kept sniping at each other.

After five hours he started to panic. What if he had played this all wrong?

“Dean, if this doesn’t have a happy ending, I will never forgive you,” Taylor said quietly.

“It will, trust me,” he replied fiercely.

After another two anxious hours, he got the call he was waiting for.