Get the Girl

Tatum

Heeding Celeste’s advice, I closed the shop early and headed for home. I needed to have a heart-to-heart with my mother and if I didn’t do it now, I might chicken out completely.

When did you turn into such a pussy, Montgomery?

I took my time walking home, trying to sort out my mind and my heart. It wasn’t clarity that I needed on the two issues that were nothing but clear to me—my future and Paige—it was permission. Realizing how much I needed my mother to be okay with my plans, I walked home with new resolve.

When I stepped through the door, the smell of fresh-baked bread hit me immediately, and my stomach rumbled as my mom greeted me.

“You’re home early,” she said, wiping the flour from her hands on a towel.

Not sure if I was ready for this, I forced a smile. “I wanted to talk to you about something.”

Her expression turned curious as she waved a hand toward the kitchen table. I moved to sit as she placed a plate of the fresh, hot bread in the center, butter melting off the top. Removing her apron, she tossed it on the counter before joining me at the table.

“What’s going on? Is everything okay?”

Sucking in a long breath to steady my nerves, I realized I had no idea where to begin. “It’s just…I miss her, Mama.” Suddenly at a loss for words, I dropped my gaze and focused on a knot in the wood table.

“So, what are you going to do about it?” she asked.

It wasn’t the response I expected. I thought she’d agree with me or say something similar, but that was it. When she didn’t, my gaze immediately darted up to meet hers. “What am I supposed to do?”

“Tatum, I’ve sat here and watched you give up everything you ever wanted in life. And I’ll admit that when you first stayed home after your daddy died, I was grateful. I’d lost so much and I couldn’t stand losing you too.” She glanced away for a second and wiped at her eyes. Pinning her gaze on me again, her face flushed as she said, “But that was me being selfish. I always figured you’d eventually leave, but you didn’t. And every year that passed, I allowed you to stay.”

“You didn’t make me stay,” I interrupted, but she waved me off.

“I didn’t help you leave, either. I didn’t encourage you to move on and follow your own dreams, did I? I simply allowed you to put your life on hold and stay here. What kind of mother does that?”

I reached across the table and took her warm hand in mine. “Don’t you dare do that. You didn’t force me to do anything I wasn’t willing to do. I’ve never once regretted coming back home, Mama. I want you to know that.”

“But I regret keeping you here for so long,” she said with a sigh.

“You don’t live my life for me. I made these choices,” I said, refusing to let her take all the blame for my still being here.

“I’m trying to tell you that I should have done things differently, Tatum, and I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” Her eyes filled with tears, and I pushed out of my chair and pulled her to her feet.

Hugging her, I whispered against her hair, “Don’t be sorry. Just tell me what to do.”

She sniffed, wiped her tears away, then pushed at my chest and sat back down at the table. Her expression stern, she said, “You don’t give up. You don’t quit. You go get that girl.”

“But I screwed up. I told her to leave. I was mean to her.” I winced as I said the words.

She nodded. “That you did, and that you were. But you’re not above apologizing, are you, son?”

“No, ma’am,” I admitted, because it was the truth.

“Then you go there and you find her. And you apologize to her. Don’t stop apologizing or trying to fix things until she takes you back. You hear me?”

“I hear you,” I answered, my voice unsure.

“Unless that’s not what you want? Unless you don’t want her to forgive you?” she asked as I leaned back into the chair.

“Of course I want her to forgive me. I want to be with her,” I admitted. “But I’m not sure how. We’re so different; our lives are so different.”

A thousand questions filled my mind. Paige forgiving me and wanting to give us a try meant that I’d be living there, or she’d be here, and there was no way in hell I’d allow Paige to give up her career and move here. Not that she ever would.

“That’s something the two of you will figure out. But, Tatum, you’ll hate yourself if you don’t at least give this a try. I may not know much, but that much I know for sure.”

Her lips curled into a sad smile, and I knew she was right. Losing Paige without a fight was something I’d most likely never get over.

I hung my head and let out a sigh. “She probably hates me.”

Mama laid a hand on my shoulder. “She most certainly does not hate you. But I bet you hurt her heart, so she’ll be leery about trusting you with it again. That’s on you to be the man I know you are to fix it.”

“What if it’s not enough?” I asked, worried that nothing I did would make Paige forgive me. What if I couldn’t make her see how stupid I was to let her go? Or worse, what if she didn’t care anymore now that we were apart and she was living her life?

“Whatever you’re telling yourself right now in your head, Tatum, doesn’t matter. I know you have doubts. I know you’re scared, whether you admit it or not, but I have to tell you that I haven’t seen you that happy in years. Maybe ever.”

I nodded; as usual, she was absolutely right. I had never been as happy with anyone as I was with Paige.

“What will we do with the shop? Who will run it while I’m gone?” I started going down the checklist that had formed in my mind.

She waved a hand at me, dismissing my concerns. “I’ll take care of that. You know that someone will step up to help out. Let me worry about those things. I’m tired of you putting your life on pause. I can’t have you doing it anymore.”

“But—”

“But nothing. I don’t want to hear another word about it,” she said as I opened my mouth to argue, and she raised a warning finger at me. “I mean it. Not another word.”

I smiled, but responded anyway. “What will you do while I’m gone?” Leaving the only town I’d truly ever known was hard, but leaving my mom for any length of time since my dad died was a thousand times harder.

My mother gave me a brave smile. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m a grown woman. And honestly, I’ve always wanted to see California. Maybe you’ll settle down out there and I’ll come visit,” she suggested, and her face lit up in a way I’d never seen before.

“I’m just going out there to see Paige and try to fix this. That doesn’t mean I’m never coming back here,” I said, my voice stern.

“We’ll see about that,” she said with a grin as a knock on the screen door startled us.

I turned around to see Brina on the porch, clearly dressed to impress and wearing way too much makeup. I groaned, but didn’t move from the table to greet her as my mom cast a glance my way and I shook my head at her.

Mama narrowed her eyes at me in disapproval before pushing out of her chair and giving my ex a friendly smile. “Brina. How lovely to see you,” she said as she stepped toward the door.

“Hi, Emily. I was wondering if I could talk to Tatum for a minute.” Brina tilted her head so that she could see me past my mom’s shoulder.

“What do you want, Brina?” I spat out. I didn’t want her here. I didn’t want Brina anywhere near me after everything she’d done.

My mom walked over to me and whispered, “Maybe she came to apologize. At least give her the chance to do that.”

Without a word, I walked toward the screen door, pushed it open, and stepped out on to the porch.

“Can we walk?” Brina asked.

Waving my hand, I signaled she should lead the way before falling in step beside her.

“So, Paige is gone, huh?” Brina said nonchalantly.

Really? Is that how she’s going to play this?

I stopped and glared at her. “You know damn well she’s gone. You’re the one who called her agent and told him where to find her.”