Page 18 of Perfectly Matched: Harbor Falls Romance Collection

“Hold onto you hats, folks, we’re in for a heckuva snowstorm. What we saw yesterday was nothing compared to what’s coming. This new front started rolling across Missouri and western Tennessee the past twenty-four hours, and the computers tell us it could be a doozey. So get those gifts wrapped and delivered and batten down the hatches. Santa, you may be in for a cold, snowy ride tonight. I hate to say the B word, but…”

Matt smashed his hand down on the clock radio beside his bed, halting the weatherman’s prediction.

“Great…”

he mumbled.

“Blizzard.”

He dozed again and five minutes later, White Christmas blared in his ear.

Smash!

The old clock radio slid off the oak bedside table. He glanced at it. Five minutes after six. Shit. Bing Crosby still crooned from the floor and then the DJ was back.

“Looks like we have a few hours, folks. Expect light snow to arrive around noon. We’ll see six inches by dinnertime, and another two-to-three throughout the evening hours. Hey, we’re not used to this folks, but look at the bright side—we’ll have a good ol’ fashioned white Christmas this year. Get those sleds ready, kids!”

Groaning, Matt reached for the radio’s cord and jerked it from the wall.

“Wonderful.”

Sitting up, he rubbed his hands over his face. He usually didn’t work on Saturday but had taken a short shift for this morning. With this weather though, he predicted he’d probably get the call to work later, if needed.

Christmas Eve and a blizzard. Damn. With both of his sisters driving down from Ohio, his mother would be worried-to-a-fritter until they arrived. Not to mention he would likely spend his evening helping people—who should know better than to drive on winding mountain roads during a blizzard—get out of the ditch they’d slid into.

“Bah humbug.”

It’s all right. He would find time with family and besides, he was here to serve, protect, and help his community. It was his job—it was who he was.

Rising, he stumbled to the shower, wondering why he was in such a foul mood. Ah, yes, Shelley, combined with the effect of too much bourbon last night. So why the hell was he even up?

Oh, yeah. He’d volunteered for the early shift so he could go Christmas shopping later for his nieces and nephews. Nothing like waiting until the last minute but he was a procrastinator when it came to shopping, and he had to have gifts. Today.

Hot water rained down on his back and he reached up to switch the nozzle on the showerhead to deliver a harsher stream on his neck and shoulders.

“Oh. Yes…”

he hissed.

Eyes closed, he tried to erase the vision of Shelley looking up at him with those movie-princess eyes, summer sky blue, and all that blond hair framing her face.

Tears.

Even stressed and upset, she was still beautiful.

“Dammit.”

Worse part, she was clearly upset, and he had wanted to take her in his arms and smooth all the bad stuff away, whatever it was. Even after all this time, he’d been tempted, for a moment, to say.

“How can I help? What can I do?”

But he hadn’t. Thank God. One touch to her face, one hint of her scent, one innocent and casual embrace could be his undoing.

No. He’d rescued many a damsel in distress in his day—was part of the job sometimes—but dammit if he’d risk rescuing her in any way shape or form. Shelley Hart was one woman who probably wouldn’t welcome his rescuing her anyway. But he’d heard over the past few months that things weren’t good for her and that did concern him. Still, he didn’t want to get all White Knight and everything about her and think he could make her world right again.

That wouldn’t happen.

Shelley made her choices long ago when she’d dumped him and ran straight into the arms of someone else.

Breathing deep, he let the water beat on his head and shoulders some more, hoping it would beat some sense into his thick skull at the same time. Then he stepped out the shower, dried off and dressed, and left the cabin to do whatever it was he needed to do today.

Work. And oh yeah, shopping. Right.

****

“I can’t believe I forgot the baby wipes.”

Slamming the door to her Dodge, Shelley muttered to herself and headed toward Ralph’s. Only a ten-minute drive from Suzie’s, the store parking lot looked fairly empty, and she hoped to sneak in and out with her purchase in record time. Since it was still early, she figured most people would be home in bed. Wrapping her jacket tight around her against the stiff breeze, she flipped up her furry hood and hustled toward the entrance. With any luck, she’d see no one who would recognize her and want to talk.

She didn’t need that this morning. Once she realized she’d forgotten the wipes, and that the babies would be up soon, she rushed out of the house without washing her face or brushing her teeth. Bad choice, likely, but she did it. Even though she pulled on a pair of jeans, she still wore the t-shirt she’d slept in. No bra.

Not the way to introduce herself back into Harbor Falls, by any means.

“Okay,”

she mumbled, her breath steaming from her lips.

“shop like a man. Get in, get out, get home.”

The automatic door to Ralph’s swished open and she moved inside.

“Yes,”

she hissed.

“Practically empty.”

Some weird rendition of Jingle Bells played in the background.

She scurried along to the baby aisle. Glancing right and left, she let her hood slip down to her shoulders and scoped the aisle for her brand. There. Yes. She grabbed it, tucked it under one arm, and rounded the corner. She was outta here.

Then—

Coffee.

The heavenly smell of coffee hit her full force. Oh, could she use some caffeine. Definitely. The dark kind with extra octane. Looking to her left, she spied the self-serve counter and smiled. Ralph’s was moving up. She didn’t remember this coffee service before.

Hesitant for only a second, she looked about. Oh my God, was that Betty Jo still checking at the counter? How many years had she worked for Ralph? A hundred? Another glance back to the coffee. Yes, she would risk it.

Darting forward, she realized she may actually be salivating, longing for the taste of the warm and rich liquid on her tongue.

“I swear I must be addicted,”

she muttered as she reached for the largest of the paper cups.

“Okay, so where is the yellow stuff?”

She searched for the artificial sweeteners, quickly located them, tore off the tops of three packets and dumped the contents into her empty cup. Next, she poured the coffee on top, the aroma wafting toward her nostrils.

“Um.”

She closed her eyes, inhaled, and savored a moment of pleasure.

“Come to mama…”

“Ahem. You going to stand there and breathe that, or drink it?”

Her eyes popped open. Shelley jerked. Shit! “Matt?”

“Yes. Mind scooting over so I can get some of that, too?”

Shelley looked where she was standing, right in front of the burners and the carafe. “Oh. Oh!”

She backed up and searched for the lids. She rounded him and they switched places. In the process, she scooted her hood up a little higher to cover her face.

“I need a lid,”

she said, then edged away.

“Ouch. And one of those cardboard protector thingies…”

She fumbled with the plastic disk and couldn’t get it on straight to save her.

“Here, let me.”

Large hands reached in front of her. She tried not to look at him. After all, she was skuzzy. Hadn’t washed her face…

She ran her tongue over her teeth.

He deftly attached the lid, slipped a cardboard sleeve on the cup, and handed it to her.

“There you go. Complete with one of those cardboard protector thingies.”

Shelley looked up into his face. He almost grinned.

“Thanks,” she said.

“You’re welcome.”

He didn’t move. Just stood there. She stared at her cup.

“Well, I should be going.”

“Me, too.”

Finally, she did look up. He’d not gone anywhere. Move or say something, Shelley!

“After you,” he said.

She took a step toward the cashier, then halted.

“Oh, Matt. Thanks for last night. I mean, you could have given me a ticket.”

She swallowed and looked into his eyes, really looked into them, the first time in a long, long time. She had always thought his eyes were the most beautiful color of coppery brown…

He hesitated, looking like he wanted to say something, but couldn’t find the right words.

“You weren’t going that much over the speed limit,”

he finally said.

She shrugged and held her coffee cup in both hands, clamping her left arm tight against the wipes still tucked into her left side.

“Well, it was nice of you.”

She glanced at Betty Jo who was staring at them.

“I should go.”

She turned, slightly.

“At least one of us plays nice.”

The tone of those words, as much as their implication, cut as deep as anything. She turned back.

“Matt that was a long time ago.”

“Three years, six months, seven days.”

Shit. He hadn’t… Had he? “What?”

“Three years, six months, seven days.”

“Are you still mad at me?”

He squared himself, stance broad, as if ready for action. The look on his face said he meant business.

“I’m mad as hell, Shelley. Why wouldn’t I be?”

She had no clue. “I…”

she glanced off.

“I don’t know what to say.”

“Sorry, I think, is the appropriate word.”

Looking at him again, she shook her head.

“Somehow I think my saying sorry still won’t cut it.”

She sat her coffee and the wipes down on the counter and reached for his forearm. “Matt…”

“It’s a start.”

He jerked away, stepped back.

Surprised, she continued.

“Matt, okay, I’m sorry. I know I hurt you. I hurt a lot of people and I’m sorry about all of that. I know…”

“You know? You don’t know shit.”

He sat his coffee on the counter beside hers, although a little too hard. The bottom busted off the cup and hot coffee splattered everywhere. Both jumped, but he continued.

“Hurt? Do you know the meaning of that word, Shelley? You made me the laughingstock of this entire damn town.”

His gaze narrowed and he leaned forward.

“I don’t ever, ever, want to see you again. Do you understand? So, if you are back in town for good, steer clear of me, you got that?”

Stunned, Shelley jerked back and stared into his face.

“Sure. Got it. Perfectly clear.”

Then he stomped off, leaving her standing there watching him walk away. She stood there until he left the store.

She guessed she just got from Matt what she had expected from her family. But could she blame him? She’d evidently hurt him bad—and obviously, he’d not gotten over it.

“Damn it.”

She didn’t move until Betty Jo came up with a mop.

“Shelley, dear, let me get this.”

She stepped back and investigated Betty’s facial expression.

“Oh. Excuse me. I’m sorry Betty Jo. I didn’t realize…”

No. She hadn’t realized. No really. She’d been immersed in her own world and the concerns of others were second place. Truly, all this time, she had not known that Matt Branson hurt that badly when she broke it off with him—and ran off with Cliff.

“Takes time to heal,”

Betty Jo said, not looking up from her mopping.

“It was years ago.”

“Yes,”

Betty answered, swiping the mop back and forth.

“but small towns don’t forget. Men don’t forget. It’s their ego.”

Tears welled up in Shelley’s eyes.

“I guess not,”

she whispered.

Still looking at the door Matt had exited, she wondered if she would ever live down the actions of her past with the residents of this town. Especially, with Matt.

Somehow, it mattered. Now, it mattered.

“He’s just hurt is all,”

Betty said.

Shelley finally looked at her.

“I didn’t know.”

“You do now.”

“He hates me.”

Betty stopped her mopping and shook her head.

“No, I don’t think that’s it, sweetie.”

“But he said…”

“Men say a lot of things when they’ve been hurt bad.”

She patted her arm.

“He’ll come around.”

Shelley wasn’t so certain.

“I don’t know.”

Glancing at their feet, she noticed Betty Jo had everything cleaned up.

“I’m sorry about this mess. Let me help.”

She grabbed some paper towels.

“And then I’ll pay for his coffee and stuff.”

“Never mind about that.”

Betty took the towels out of her hands and picked up the baby wipes.

“Let’s check you out and get you back to the Inn. Two little girls I understand. I bet they are adorable.”

Desperately trying to fight back tears, Shelley smiled and nodded, thankful for her kindness and change of subject.

“Yes, and they are beautiful.”

Betty Jo smiled.

“Of course, they are!”

She hooked her arm in Shelley’s and led her toward the checkout counter.

“I need to get back before they wake up.”

“Sure, honey.”

Betty Jo rounded the counter and scanned her purchases.

Wake up. Yeah. She supposed perhaps she was the one who needed the wakeup call this morning. Last night with Suzie had gone so well, she had hoped the rest of her reunion with Harbor Falls would be smooth sailing.

Apparently, that was not the case.

Families forgive. Old boyfriends do not.

Try as she might, the thought of that made her tears spill over. What was she going to do? No one in this town was going to let her forget the past. How could she move forward with the constant reminders all around her?

****

Matt sat in his cruiser in the parking lot at Ralph’s and let out a long and painful explosion of breath. His chest felt like it was going to detonate from pent-up anger and yes, hurt. He hadn’t meant to unleash on Shelley like that but the sight of her had caught him totally off guard. He’d only wanted coffee, not an encounter with the one woman he was not yet ready to encounter. Again.

Two times in less than twenty-four hours. Don’t make this a habit, Branson.

He still needed coffee.

Obviously, if Shelley was going to frequent Ralph’s for morning coffee, he needed to change his habit. Drumming his fingers on the steering wheel, he stared at the front door of the grocery and within seconds, Shelley emerged. He watched her slowly make her way to the older model Dodge Stratus he’d pulled over last night, swipe at her face and get in the car, and then drive off toward Maple Street. Was she crying? That thought bothered him a little. He hadn’t meant to make her cry. He followed the path of her vehicle until her brake lights came on at the courthouse square. She turned left. From there, she had a straight shot down Elm toward Lake Road, which would take her to Suzie’s.

He assumed that was where she was heading. He stared down the road long after her brake lights were gone.

At any rate, he’d change his morning routine. After twisting the key to start the cruiser, he followed Shelley’s path but made a turn off Elm onto North Main, then he parked in front of Sugar High Bakery, wondering if that was a bad idea too.

Shelley’s cousin, Sydney, owned the Sugar High. Was this borrowing trouble too?

But she had coffee. And he needed coffee. Now.

Sucking in a deep breath, he exited his vehicle, crossed the sidewalk, and entered the bakery. The aroma of fresh baked goods and coffee overtook him. Good choice.

“Matt!”

He glanced to his right. Over by the window sat his colleague and fellow Harbor Falls police officer Chris Marks. Matt gave Chris a nod then glanced to the counter as he headed toward the table. Sydney caught his eye and said.

“Black, right?”

“Yes, ma’am. And something sweet if you don’t mind.”

“That’s the way we do it around here, sugar.”

Sydney winked and Matt smiled.

“Good to see you out and about.”

Shelley’s cousin had always been the friendly type and a straight shooter. There would be no games played here, he was certain. He wondered if Sydney knew Shelley was back in town.

Not his business to bring it up and he wouldn’t.

He sat across from Chris.

“Morning. What’s up?”

Chris sat staring out the window.

“Not a lot. Slow morning. I got patrol out on the east end in thirty minutes. Thought I’d stop in here for a few first.”

Matt dipped his head in a quick nod. Sydney placed a steaming cup of black coffee in front of him and a gigantic glazed donut.

“Here you go, Matt. Fresh out of the fryer. The glaze hasn’t even hardened yet. Did you know Shelley was back in town?”

So, there it was. He glanced up into Sydney’s face.

“I did. And we’re not going to talk about that.”

Sydney screwed up her mouth.

“I heard about it last night. Shelley’s mom called my mom, and my mom called me. You know it was only a matter of time until she realized she needed family and all. And those two little girls, they need family too. I can’t wait to see them. We are all going over there tonight.”

Matt took a deep breath and exhaled. Sydney’s sentences always seemed to flow together, and he wasn’t sure how or if she took a breath while she was speaking—so he took a breath for her.

“That’s nice to hear. I hope you have a good time.”

He looked at Chris then, who was still staring out the window. Intent on changing the subject, he said.

“What’s got your attention, Marks?”

But Sydney went on.

“Oh, that’s Katie Long. The librarian. Chris sits here every morning watching her walk from the parking lot into the library wearing those tight, short skirts of hers and those three-inch stiletto heels.”

Chris’ brow furrowed as he turned to Sydney.

“I do not.”

“It’s why you come here,”

Sydney countered.

“I come here for the coffee,”

said Chris.

Sydney placed both of her palms on the table and leaned forward.

“As much as I would love to believe that, Chris Marks, I say bull hockey. You come here for the legs.”

Matt grinned and watched Chris’s face turn crimson. He glanced across the street.

“Good looking librarian, huh? I haven’t been to the library lately.”

Chris frowned.

“Well don’t start now.”

That’s the last thing Matt needed, and he knew it.

“Relax, Marks. I have no desire to tangle with the librarian. She’s all yours to ogle.”

“I’m not ogling.”

Sydney stood and sighed.

“Oh God, Chris. You are so ogling.”

Matt laughed as Chris sputtered. “I… I…”

Then she turned to Matt.

“Might do you a little good to ogle too, once in a while, Matt Branson. You’re gonna dry up and get old before you know it and your life is going to pass you by.”

Now it was Matt’s turn to frown.

“What the hell are you talking about?”

She leaned in again.

“She’s back. Make your move, Matt, before someone else in this town does. You’ll kick your own ass from here to Asheville and back if you don’t, and if she goes off and marries someone else again. Because you know it’s going to happen eventually.”

Matt swallowed and narrowed his gaze.

“Don’t go there, Sydney. I’m not ready.”

“You better get ready.”

He shook his head.

“You don’t understand.”

Sydney shifted her weight to her left hip.

“I understand perfectly. It was bad. Real bad. For a lot of us, but really bad for you and you’ve not gotten over it. Over her. But she’s back. Make no mistake, she’s vulnerable, and you don’t need to rush in there like a house afire, but don’t push her away before you and she even have a chance.”

Matt stood and looked Sydney square in the eyes.

“Stay out of this, Sydney.”

“She’s my cousin. And you are my friend. I’m in it.”

“I’m asking you to stay out.”

“All I’m saying, Matt, is that you might want to be a little nicer to her than you were this morning. She’s had a rough time too.”

This morning.

“What the hell are you taking about, Syd?”

She shrugged.

“News travels fast. Small town, you know? She was crying when she left Ralph’s and feels like no one here is ever gonna give her a break again.”

Shit.

“Well people need to be cautious.”

Sydney eyed him.

“Sometimes people just need to throw caution to the wind, Matt Branson. Sometimes people just need to take their heart and run with it.”