Chapter 9

Lydia held on tightly to Tyler as he maneuvered the powerful motorcycle along the idyllic streets. She was terrified. She had never been on a motorcycle and to get on one of this size was quite daunting. Tyler was enjoying the grip Lydia had on him. She was flush against his back, her arms wrapped under his, her hands up around his shoulders. It was all he could do not to drive down one of the quaint alleyways and ravish her. By the time they got to Lydia's house, they were both shaking balls of nerves, but for very different reasons.

"Remind me to never do that again," she all but whispered.

Tyler smiled and took the helmet she handed out to him. "I had a great time," he responded, missing the warmth and feel of her body. The smirk she gave him just made his smile that much bigger. He took her hand and guided her to the place they had had most of their important talks, the swing in her back yard.

"I might have to get rid of this swing," she muttered, her body tingling from the ride or being so close to Tyler, she wasn't sure which.

"Not yet," he quipped back. Sitting by the swing was the ever present cooler. This time it was filled with soda. As they sat, he handed her a cold drink.

"This is my story," he began, taking a sip of the drink. "My mom and dad were both alcoholics. It wasn't so bad when I was a baby, maybe even a toddler, but the older I got, the more they drank. It got to the point that I was taking care of myself by the time I was nine. I had to make sure I had clean clothes, food, whatever I needed to survive. It seemed like nobody gave a crap about me."

Lydia had reached over and was touching his hand. He realized it was more a gesture of support than pity. Support he could take. Pity would have torn him apart.

"I was coming around the back of the middle school one day and there were the four McCready boys getting ready to pound the stuffing out of Josiah. I don't know where the rest of the Todd boys were, but Josiah was about to be in a world of hurt. I stepped in and the McCreadys stepped back. From that point on, Josiah and I were almost inseperable. Nadine took me in pretty much. I practically lived with them. I did for about two years.

"What I really wanted was attention from my parents. I started acting out in class, acting out everywhere else. Nadine saved me every time. I don't know why, but she treated me like one of her own. Sheriff Johns and I had what you could call a close personal relationship. If she hadn't stepped in time after tme, I probably would be in prison right now.

"After Josiah introduced us, I couldn't get you out of my mind. Then there you were walking down that dark road. I had you all alone in my car. You were going to ask me in, and I knew where that was going to lead. Kissing you at the party was my down fall. I just wanted to get my hands all over you, but I knew I would ruin you. That day at the lake was my turning point. I knew I loved you to be able to walk away from you."

By this point, their hands were clasped. Lydia had known part of the story, the part about his parents. She didn't know how close he was to Josiah and his family. She hadn't known that he loved her, too. As Tyler talked about his life after Lydia, she realized how important and difficult it was to hear his story. He had chosen to withdraw from life, instead of living it.

"What's that line?" Tyler asked. "In all the places in all the world, I had to meet you here. I couldn't believe that you were living in this podunk town. I know that I cannot go back to living my life the way I was. I know that without you in my life, I might as well crawl back to my island and never come back. I also know that I never stopped loving you." Tyler slipped his hand from hers, shifting, making her look at him. "I know that I love you now and I will love you always. My question to you is do you love me?"

Lydia stared into his eyes, trying to see doubt or fear or anything except the love he felt for her. She couldn't. But she was scared. Scared to put herself out there for him, for her, for them. Would he leave her? Her mother and father had both left her. Her sister was making her own way now. Could Lydia trust him enough and take a chance?

"I never stopped loving you either," she said softly. "I had so much to be responsible for, I didn't dare hope that I would ever see you again. I didn't want to see you. I didn't want to see anybody."

Tyler had gathered her close, kissing her face, her eyes, the tip of her nose. "I'm here now, and I need you," he told her. "I need you to make me feel alive. I need to stay with you. Will you have me? Will you marry me?"

"Yes, Tyler, yes I will marry you!" Lydia exclaimed, happiness surrounding her as tightly as Tyler's arms. "Wait, wait, where will we live? I can't live on your island and run a business."

"I can, but I see your problem. I don't need that island, I need you. I can do my job anywhere. But what a great vacation spot we have," he said, picking her up, cradling her close, walking towards the house.

"Where are you going? We have to get to the cookout," Lydia protested between hot kisses. Tyler stopped abruptly. He had forgotten about that.

"Fine, but when we get back," he trailed off, leaving no doubt in Lydia's mind what he meant.

That was alright with her. She knew that Tyler would never leave her. She knew that he would be a great husband and one day a father. She knew he would always be there for her. They would always be there for each other. Tyler knew that their love would carry them through, that they would always be together. As they walked towards the shop and Lydia's car, they knew that they had found something lasting.

Part 8

Tyler didn't know what to do. He had tossed and turned all night. He couldn't stop thinking about Lydia and everything she had told him. She wanted him to stay. He wanted to stay with her. But the problem was him, not her. He had never been good enough for her and he still wasn't. Sure he had a ton of money in the bank and several well paying programming jobs coming up, but that didn't mean he was good enough for her. They had started on different levels, and would always be on different levels. But she wanted him to stay. Frustrated, he slammed the door behind him a little harder than he had planned and headed for the diner.


The smell of fresh baking pies almost made him float to the back booth where Josiah sat, drinking a cup of coffee. "Your hair looks good," Josiah said as Tyler sat. "But you look like crap. Somebody has woman problems." Tyler could have taken it a little better if his friend hadn't been smiling so big he was almost laughing.


"Screw you," he replied, running his hand through his shorn hair. He did smile as MaryAnne, the waitress, came over and placed a cup and a carafe of coffee on the table. She knew already that they would drink the whole thing if they sat long enough. It saved her a few hundred trips to fill up cups. The red head was pretty enough, but he was surprised that he had no reaction to her other than that. He was hoping for a small spark of interest or something.


"Nice come back," Josiah smiled even bigger. "Lydia?"


"Yeah," Tyler replied grumpily. There was no point in denying it. Josiah would just see through it.


"I always liked Lydia. She had a hard time growing up, but she sure has made something of herself. Her sister is in med school, and I think that's all Lydia," Josiah said, admiration in his voice. For Josiah to use that tone of voice when speaking about anyone was a miracle in itself. He didn't admire many people. "You better wipe that hang dog look off your face. Here come my brothers. If they see you, they will forever give you hell." Josiah waved at his five brothers, and the mass of handsome, broad shouldered men made it's way to the back booth, turning heads the whole way.


Tyler refocused on why he was here. Josiah's wedding. There were several activities planned for the next five days, and he needed to be at his best and on his toes with this crowd. He stood and greeted the brothers with hugs and back slaps. He hadn't seen them in so long, and now he wondered why. They had always treated him as family, even now. They finally got enough chairs pulled to the booth and MaryAnne brought more mugs. She took orders from all of them, but for some reason avoided looking at Abe. That's interesting, thought Tyler. Abe avoided looking at her, too.


The men sat and talked up until lunch time, when they ordered more food. MaryAnne had finally quit asking if they needed anything else, and just waited until they called her name across the diner. Tyler had never had a better time with the Todd boys.


"When does your mom get here?" Tyler asked, speaking to the crowd in general.


"She's here. She's at Josiah's getting it ready for the barbecue tonight," Noah answered. "Which means I guess that we better get over there so she can see your ugly mug." There were snorts and laughter around the table, and after much shuffling and pocket digging, they left Josiah with the tab. They all chipped in for the tip, making MaryAnne's week. Grateful as she was, she couldn't help muttering, "Damn man. He ought to be slapped and I'm just the woman to do it" under her breath.



"Higher, Tom, higher," Nadine Todd called, trying to get her husband to lift his end of the banner. "Perfect." Tom tacked his end, and Nadine turned for the next task.

"I wouldn't say perfect, but I'm pretty close," Tyler said, grinning at his best friend's mother. She had been the mother his couldn't, or wouldn't, be. She had given him love and a safe place to be. She had given him family, and he loved her for that.

Nadine Todd smiled at Tyler, opening her arms as she approached him. She wrapped her arms around Tyler, just like she would greet any of her children. "Sweet boy, how are you? I haven't seen you in so long. You don't call, you don't write," she chastised him as she kissed his cheek. "Do you know what pen and paper are? They are for writing, like a letter, to me."

"Sorry, Mom," he replied, feeling like a little boy all over again. "I've been busy."

"Sure, sure," she teased. "That's a great haircut. Looks good. Still a little long, but I know how you boys are." She hooked her arm through his and they walked towards the house. "So, do you have a woman? When am I going to get grandkids from you? Caleb has given me two, Simon and Gillian have one and one on the way. You remember Gillian?" And just like that, Tyler was home. Nadine had never treated him like a friend of her sons'. He was always her boy, her son, her family. He belonged.


Lydia rechecked the back door to make sure it was locked. She rechecked the lights, the store room, the dressing room. She sighed loudly, knowing that she couldn't put it off any longer. She needed to get Josie's for the cook out. After her talk with Tyler the previous night, she didn't want to go and face him. Avoiding him didn't work, and she knew she had to get over herself. She locked the front door behind her, and turned to set off for the bank. A quick deposit in the night drop and she was off. She turned to walk to her car, and there he was. He was all strong, lean legs in his shorts and flip flops. The loud Hawaiian shirt made her smile. That seemed so appropriate for him.

"Hey," she greeted him. "Nice shirt."

"It is, isn't it? I got it in Hawaii. It screamed tacky tourist and I had to have it. I came to give you a ride."

"I have my car. Can I give you a ride?" she asked politely.

She was on fire. She wanted to touch him, or have him touch her. Either way, she just wanted to be touching.

"Are you scared of the Harley?" he asked teasingly. "We need to talk, and I want to do it before we go to the barbecue."

"Tyler, please. There isn't anything else to say," she replied. She didn't want there to be anything to talk about.

"See, the funny thing about last night is that you did all the talking. I didn't get to tell you my story," he stood and walked to the magnificent motorcycle, holding out a helmet to her. "You can get on, or I can put you on."

"So now you go all cave man. I need to go to the bank, and I am not getting on that thing," she said smartly. She started to walk away when he grabbed her arm gently.

"Lydia, please," he said softly.

She closed her eyes, several emotions working. She opened her eyes, grabbed the helmet, "Fine, but can I make this deposit first?"

Part 7

"Bye, Miss Lydia," called one of the little girls walking out of Lydia's class. Her tap shoes made a little clicking noises as she wandered over to her mother.


"Bye, Tilly. Have a good night." Lydia called after her. She sat to unlace and remove her shoes, glad that the lesson was over. She had made real progress with the kids, and their recital would be soon. Just a little more work and they would be ready. She gathered her bag and jacket, spoke to the teacher that was using the studio next and wandered out to the parking lot, speaking to several of her students and their parents. It wasn't until she was almost to her car that she noticed the tall figure leaning against her door.


"Hey," Tyler said gruffly. She could tell he wasn't really in the mood for pleasantries. "I didn't know that you taught dance class."

"There's a lot you don't know. What's up?" she asked, hoping she could use telekinetic powers to make him move from in front of her door.

"You and I are going to talk," he replied. He held up a hand when she started to protest. "Josie has given us the night off. We need to talk and you know it." She could tell he wasn't going to let it drop.

"Fine. Are you riding with me?"

It was a long fifteen minute ride back to the house. The only words were spoken by Tyler. "I stopped and picked up burgers from the diner and a six pack." They had been spoken in response to her loudly growling stomach. She walked up the stairs to her bedroom to change, trying not to remember the night before. She changed quickly because it was the only thing she could think about.

"Do you want to eat or talk first?" Tyler asked. He had gone even quieter, if that were possible.

"Talk, I guess," she replied. He gestured out back, to the swing. She nodded and headed that way. He followed her, carrying the beer with him.

"Start at why you are so fired up about me leaving. Why are you so mad at me?" Tyler had been torn up in knots all day. He'd wanted to storm into her store and rant and rave at her, but he knew that would never do with her. He wanted to spank her for being hard headed and obstinate, but that just put different pictures in his mind. Instead he had bought her beer and burgers. The rich princess had certainly changed.

"My mom left when I was twelve. No note, no goodbye, no nothing. Six months later she called and wanted my forgiveness. I was devastated. I didn't know how to handle it. I didn't talk to her for a while," she started, pausing to take a sip from the bottle he handed her. "Then my dad made me join an activity when I was a junior. The only thing left was theatre. I loved it. I participated my senior year, too. It gave me confidence again. Then you gave me a ride home."

She paused, thinking about that day. She sipped her beer, watching Tyler drink his. He had been such a good looking young man. Time had only made him better. His face had character, his body firm and chiseled. Time had changed many things.

"You made me realize that I was worthy of love, that I mattered. And then you left," she said softly. "I got over that eventually and started college the next fall. Halfway through my freshman year, Daddy had a stroke." She saw Tyler still, absorbing the news about her father.

"I didn't know," Tyler said. "I'm sorry."

She shrugged, pulling her knees up and close to her chest. She played with the label on the bottle, wishing she were anywhere but here right now. But he wouldn't leave her alone until he heard her story. Lydia took a deep breath and continued.

"I had to come home. Megan was only a sophomore. Mom certainly wasn't coming back, and daddy needed me, too," she exhaled. She remembered her strong father lying in the hospital bed, weak and struggling. It had been painful on so many levels. "Three months later, he had another stroke. That one killed him."

Tyler scooted closer on the swing, draping his arm along the back, resting his hand on her shoulder. It was meant as a comforting gesture, but Lydia was too raw for it to feel that way. She was just glad to finally get all of it off her chest. Maybe he would realize why she needed someone that would stay.

"Daddy was very good at making money, he just wasn't very good at spending it," she started. "We ended up losing the houses, cars, practically everything. The only thing that didn't get touched was Meg's trust fund. I don't understand it, it's all legalese to me. I cashed mine in for Meg and I to live on. It went quick. We had to move schools because Meg was getting harassed. We moved twice, I worked three jobs, and still had to find time to get my sister raised and out of high school."

Tyler could see that there was still hurt there. But there was also strength. She'd had to provide for what was left of her family, and herself, and take on parental responsibilities. "Why didn't you call your mother? Wouldn't she have helped?" Tyler asked. The unladylike snort that came from her was his answer.

"She had already walked out on us once. I wasn't giving her another opportunity. Good, bad, or otherwise, we got through it. Meg got a scholarship to Baylor. We moved to be closer so she could live at home and we didn't have to pay for room and board. We did that for two years, then she kicked me to the curb," she finished. The look on Tyler's face was priceless and Lydia spluttered when she saw it. "Not like that. She was able to transfer to Texas State with her scholarship and I moved here to be closer. She graduated last May and is now working on being a doctor."

There was pride in her voice when she spoke about her sister. They had been through so much together, and Lydia didn't like being far away. She wanted to be there in case her sister needed her.

"I need someone that I know won't leave me. I need someone who will stay with me. I don't need someone who will leave at the drop of a hat for no reason. I can't take the pain of that. I've been there too many times. I'm not mad at you, Tyler. I'm mad at myself for caring about you. I'm mad at myself for wanting you to stay," she whispered to him. She slowed the swing enough to stand up and walk to the house, leaving Tyler on the swing.

Part 6

Lydia knew he was going to ask that question. She should have kept her head together, but being so close to him for the last few days had her reeling. "I'm not sure I know exactly what you're asking," she replied instead. "I'm also not sure this is a conversation I want to have with you," she said quickly as she disentangled herself, grabbing her robe and scooting from the bed before he could reach her. She found his pants and threw them at him. "Get dressed," she said, walking down the hallway.

Tyler was angry now. They had just shared an amazing experience, and she needed to know how special it had been. But she was angry, her back straight, her head high. He shoved his legs into his pants, looking for his shirt. He shrugged into it, marching up the hall after her.

"If you're asking why you, I certainly didn't plan this. And I can guarantee I wasn't waiting for you to come back and sweep me off my feet," she said with a little bite in her voice.

"That's not what I meant," Tyler started. "If you would give me a minute, I could explain."

"Whatever," she said. "I know you don't want to hear my sob story."

"Why are you so angry with me?" he demanded. He stalked across the kitchen, grabbing her arm and turning her. Now she was forced to look at him. Tears were the last thing he expected to see. He couldn't handle tears. "Baby, don't cry," he said helplessly.

"I really think that you should go," she said, wrenching herself from his arms, again. She liked it better when his arms were wrapped tightly around her, but he was getting a little too close to some very touchy subjects. She felt his warmth against her back as he came to stand behind her. She liked the symbolism, but knew he wouldn't always be there for her.

"I'm not going anywhere," he whispered, his breath brushing her ear. He felt her stiffen at that comment. This was not going to end well.

"Yes you are," she replied fiercely. "When the wedding is over, you're gone. And that's part of the problem, Tyler. You're leaving again." She took a deep breath and wiped her face. She turned back to him, her face blank. "I think you need to go back to the apartment now."

That went well, Tyler thought angrily as he stalked across the yard to the little garage apartment. For the last few days he had been with her way too much. He had felt the pull when Josiah had told him who the apartment belonged to, but he had tried to ignore what he had been feeling. She was right, too. When the wedding was over, he was leaving. He was going back to his island without her. That didn't make him as happy as it should have. Not looking forward to another sleepless night, he climbed the stairs to the tiny apartment, resisting the urge to slam the door off its hinges as he entered.



The bells above the door tinkled and Josie looked up. She grinned as Tyler came through the door of her music store. She liked Josiah's friend. Not only was he sexy, but he was intelligent, polite, and he made Lydia smile. "You look like hell. What's up?" she asked cheerfully.

She was rewarded with a smirk that made her laugh. There was only one reason for this mood. It could only be her best friend.

"What is Lydia's deal?" he asked. There was no point beating around the bush. Games were not on his agenda for today. Neither was the way that Josie laughed at him.

"I knew it had to be her. You aren't the first one to ask me that," she couldn't help but tease him. He was in such a bad mood, she had to.

"That doesn't make me feel any better," he said through clenched teeth. He stopped, took a deep breath, and started over.

"What have I done that made her so mad at me?" he asked.

Suddenly Josie knew what had happened. When she had spoken to Lydia that morning, she had seemed out of sorts. Now Tyler was asking about her. The haggard, sleepless look on his face was another clue. "You had sex with her, didn't you?" she whispered. They were alone in the store, but this was still not news that needed to be broadcast in this little town. "Oh, Tyler, what have you done?"

Tyler took offense to that. "We are both consenting adults," he replied in a hushed whisper of his own. "It's not like I forced her."

"I am so sorry. I didn't mean it like that," Josie hurriedly tried to placate him. "She hasn't had the easiest time over the last few years. But this is really something that she should tell you."

"She won't talk to me. I can't get her to stop long enough to look at me, much less have a conversation."

Josie fought with herself. She could help Tyler out, knowing that her friend must have deep feelings for him. But did she want to hurt her friend even more by pushing her closer to a man that wasn't staying? Were they all wrong?, she wondered. Would he stay for the right reason?

Making a snap decison, hoping her intuition was right, she blurted out quickly, "She's teaching a dance class tonight at 6. She's done by 7. Make her talk to you."

Part 5

I need to take a little license if you don't mind. I just can't get the conversation where I want it, so I'm skipping that part until I can get it right. If it works out, I'll post it. Thank you for your cooperation.


"Tyler, you need a haircut," Josie pronounced at dinner.

Somehow, they had managed dinner together every night. Josie knew that Josiah wanted to spend time with Tyler, and she was willing to give him that. But she wanted her time, too. The compromise was dinner together and then the boys could go play. Lydia was trying to decide who was trying to push her and Tyler together worse- Josie, Josiah, or Tyler himself.

Lydia wasn't having any of it from any of them. She already had way too many feelings for Tyler, feelings that had apparently not gone anywhere in eight years. He wasn't staying, though. He was going back to his island to hide. Hide from what, she could only imagine. But she knew he was running from his own demons. She needed a man that could be there for her, not holding her close one minute then pushing away. She had decided that love was not meant to be easy for her.

"I don't want a haircut," Tyler complained. He could already feel it. Josie was working those big, doe eyes of hers. Josiah had warned him. Josie always got what she wanted. "Fine, I'll get a haircut," he said, rolling his eyes at Lydia, watching the smile light up her face.

"Lydia took so cosmotology classes. She's actually very good," Josie said, looking at her friend.

Lydia just rolled her eyes. "I know what you're doing," she replied to her friend. "Tyler should really go to Paula's, if he knows what's good for him."

"I'll let you do it," he interjected quietly. "If it's too bad, we'll buzz it when you're done."

Lydia turned her head to look at him. He pinned her to her seat with the heat, and she forced herself to look away. I will not let this happen, she said to herself, yet feeling like the mantra was no longer true. She remained quiet through the rest of dessert. Unlike the previous two nights, Josie left with Josiah, instead of Tyler. That left Tyler and Lydia, and the walk back to the house.


"If you don't hold still, I'm going to cut your ear," Lydia slapped at Tyler's hands one more time. "I might cut off a finger."

"How much are you cuttin' off?" Tyler asked loudly. "There's a ton of hair down on the floor."

"You haven't had a hair cut in almost a year, so get over it," she replied. "You wanted me to do this, so stop. Be still." She slapped at his hand again, not quite able to help the smile from forming. He was like a little boy sitting in his first barber chair.

"Alright, but hurry. I want to see what you've done to me."

Lydia's hands in his hair were about to send Tyler into over load. Her hands were on his body, pleasure swelling into goosebumps all over his body. She was close enough that he could inhale and gorge himself on her scent. She smelled clean, with a hint of vanilla and lavender. His hands itched to touch her. It was all he could do to keep his hands in his lap. That part was noticing how close she was, too. The first time he had a female induced one of these in over a year and it was Lydia. After what finally seemed like forever, she stopped cutting.

"Let me see, and then I'll let you see," she said, a little breathless. Touching Tyler, being this close to him, was not good for her. It did things for her body that almost guaranteed a really bad haircut. She stepped in front of him, between his legs to check the top, and found herself trapped. He had placed his hands on her hips and brought his legs closer together, keeping her in place. She looked down and caught his eyes. Her lips parted on a smal breath as she saw the emotions that played and warred with each other.

"Please," he whispered.

One word had her moving closer, close enough to brush his lips with hers. From that moment, things moved in slow motion, yet sped by at the same time. She couldn't breathe, but had lungs full of air. He carried her upstairs and down the hall to her bedroom. She had always thought that she could get through this without giving in. She hadn't realized that the decison had already been made. She had never really had a choice but to love Tyler Wickam.

They undressed each other without a word. Their bodies, their faces said everything that needed to be said, except one thing. Tyler's eyes widened when he broke through her barrier. He had not expected that, not expected that she had never had a lover. He stilled, looking at Lydia, the shadows playing on her face. He didn't know if he should keep going or stop.

"Please," she whispered.

One word had him moving again, kissing her softly, gently while he brought her closer and closer. He was going to make it special for her. She cried out his name, he cried out hers. She was holding him as tightly as she could. He rolled over, holding her and asked her, "Why?"

Part 4

Tyler ran his hands through his hair for the millionth time since they had gotten back from dinner. He tossed and turned in a bed that was just a smidgen too small. It was just enough to make him feel even more agitated than he already was. What he needed was a beer. Then a little voice told him he needed to be slapped around for even being here. He realized he wasn't going to get much sleep. He threw the covers back and found his jeans on the floor. He slipped them on as he made his way to the small balcony that over looked Lydia's yard and lowered himself into a chair, staring into the dark.

He had felt all kinds of emotions when he had seen Lydia standing on her porch. That sundress was enough to drive any man crazy, clinging to curves that hadn't been there eight years ago. She had let her hair grow, and now looked like a woman. At seventeen, she had been changing into a woman, but still had the softness and gentleness of a child. The memories just started running through his brain, driving him crazy.

Dinner hadn't been too hard to tolerate. It seemed like half the town had stopped by the table. That had been alright by him: it meant that he didn't have to carry on a conversation he didn't feel like having. He would sneak looks at Lydia as often as he could. He felt all the "stay far, far away" vibes, but he couldn't help but be drawn to her. He had made a joking comment about keeping a secret. Her eyes had flashed at him and she had made a snappy little comeback. That was new. She hadn't been that way at seventeen.

What her eyes could do to him. They had torn him up for months. He had met her in town one day while he was hanging out with Josiah during a summer home from college. She had been very shy, not quite meeting his eyes. But then he had seen her a few weeks later, a different attitude, a different person all together. And her eyes had been full of life. Then came the day he had picked her up when she had been walking home. Her sweet trusting eyes tearing him up inside. He had made reference to the big bad wolf when he dropped her off, hoping she would get the hint that she should be careful of him. Then he had seen her at the party. He had had a little buzz rolling, and couldn't help kissing her seeing a little fear, but then trust because it was him that had her. And that had lead to way too many emotions.

He had never had anybody care about him for what seemed his whole life. Except Josiah, and his brothers, he didn't have any friends. Nadine Todd treated him like one of her own, a cherished child. His own parents preferred spending time with a bottle than with him. He would have probably died if it hadn't been for the Todds. And then Lydia Adams had changed his life.

That day at the lake had made him realize that he was going to ruin her life, ruin her if he didn't make her leave him. He would drag her down into his miserable life if she didn't run as far, as fast as she could. They had both somehow managed to get naked on that blanket. And the way she felt, and tasted, and smelled, and looked, and the little moans coming from her had him losing all sense of reality. He was not a good boy by any means. He had realized that all the acting out had been him looking for his parents approval. But at the last possible second, he had pulled back, knowing what they were doing was wrong for her. She needed to be loved and cherished and a man that would be there for her. He was not that man.

He had walked away from her a couple of days later. He had broken her heart to get her to leave him. He had known what it would take, and he needed her to think he was a bastard. If she didn't, she would never leave him. Tyler had saved both of them was how he thought of it. He then walked away from everything that was reasonably safe to him and started a business. He had become extremely successful and wealthy. But he had also become a ruthless bastard.

Here he was eight years later, pining for a woman he had given up eight years earlier. Josiah hadn't told him that she was living in this small town now, instead of their hometown outside of Austin. Tyler had never told anyone about his relationship with Lydia. He kept it too close to share it with anyone.

The sound of her back door creaking brought Tyler back to the present. He watched her tote a small cooler to a swing hanging from a huge tree in her backyard. He watched her open and drink a bottle of beer, toeing the ground to start the motion of the swing. He was going to have to talk to her. He needed to clear the air and put her at ease. Knowing the conversation was going to be difficult, he hoped she had a couple of beers for him. He threw on his shirt from earlier, not bothering to button it. He padded softly down the stairs and walked across her soft grass.

"Can I have one of those?" Tyler asked. He gestured toward the swing. "Can I sit?"

Part 3

The breeze cooled the light sheen of sweat on Lydia's body. It had been an eventful evening, and she was finally settling down. Josiah had showed Tyler the apartment while Josie had cornered Lydia in her kitchen.

"He is so dreamy," Josie sighed. "You should think about a quickie affair while he's town." She waggled her eyebrows at Lydia.

"I'm not really the affair type," she had responded. What she wanted to say was that she had been there and done that. But she hadn't told anyone, and apparently neither had Tyler. It wasn't something that Lydia wanted to open up about.

They had waited for Tyler to shower, then Josiah had driven them to The Country Club for dinner. Time had passed quickly with all the well wishers that stopped by the table. Josie and Josiah had managed to keep the conversation flowing, and Lydia had managed to not say too much about her life. At one point, Tyler had leaned in close and whispered, "As quiet as you've been all night, it makes me think you're keeping a secret."

"Yeah, you know me," she had replied a little too tightly, "I'm keeping all kinds of secrets." She only had one, and he was the only one who knew what it was. That had received a smoldering look from Tyler. He was used to women that threw themselves at him, not ones that shrunk away everytime he touched them. But he had touched Lydia before. And, eight years later, he wanted to touch her again.

Lydia took another sip of her beer as she remembered the looks he had drawn from the eligible bachelorettes in Harper's Bend. She touched her toe to the ground, gave a little push and the swing she was in started drifting slowly back and forth. As the swing drifted so did her thoughts, back to the day her life had changed.

She had been seventeen and lonely. Her mother had run off when she was twelve and hadn't bothered to even say good bye. It had taken Theresa Adams almost six months before she had contacted her daughter. And Lydia hadn't known how to handle the emotions and the turmoil she was experiencing, so she started withdrawing. Her father had worried about her and made her join an extra curricular activity. She was forced into theater when all the others were full. Thankfully, she loved it. She was finally making friends and coming out of her shell.

Practice had run late one night and she was the last one to get in her car. All of her friends had already left the parking lot when she realized her car wouldn't start. She had started the long five mile walk home thinking of it as a great adventure. Two miles into it she was ready for the adventure to be over. When she had seen the headlights approaching, she had been elated and scared. What if it was a serial killer? She had wanted a ride so badly, she was willing to risk it.

She recognized the car when it stopped. It was Tyler Wickham, Josiah Todd's best friend. Most people called him Wicked, male and female. He was TROUBLE and proved his nickname fit as often as he could. He put the car in park, unlocked the door with a push of a button, and waited for her to get in. She sank into the seat with extreme gratitude and beamed a smile at him.

"Where to?" he asked, barely moving his lips.

"I live past Josiah's. My car broke down and I thought I could walk it," she started, fumbling with her seat belt as he put the car in gear. She was suddenly feeling very clumsy and awkward around the town bad boy. "Turns out I'm not as athletically inclined as I thought I was," she finished with a nervous smile and what was supposed to be a small laugh. Tyler just stared at her, expressionless. He suddenly smiled and let out a huge laugh. Lydia relaxed a little and gave him directions to her house.

She had invited him inside when he pulled up to her front door. He just shook his head and warned her about the big, bad wolf. She had a feeling he was talking about himself. That thought made her shiver, but she couldn't get it out of her mind all night. The shivers it produced later weren't from fear.

They had run into each other that weekend at a party. She had been talked into going, at least once while she was in high school. She could hear the whispers when good girl Lydia Adams walked into the house. She had fled upstairs after a while, looking for a place that was quiet. She had run into Tyler coming around a corner, and he had grabbed her arms to keep her from falling. He stared at her, Lydia unable to tear her eyes away from his sky blue irises. He leaned closer to her, she retreated to the wall. When he leaned closer, softly rubbing his lips against hers, Lydia thought she was going to faint, her knees soft, legs rubbery, and heart pounding.

They had seen each other every day after that. But not in public. He didn't want to ruin her good girl rep, he kept telling her. She met him wherever he wanted, whenever he wanted. They kissed and touched and talked and kissed some more. Tyler made her body hum and she knew what all the girls were talking about. He taught her lots of things, but he didn't make love to her. He almost got carried away one day by the lake. They were spread out on a blanket and both ended up naked, but he had pulled back, walking away, his back straight. She dressed quickly and waited for him by the car. He refused to take her virginity, telling her she deserved someone better than that.

A few days later, they had the talk. She had met him at the lake again, and he seemed distant. She knew what was coming. She knew he was going to break her heart. He kept insisting that he was a poor boy from the other side of the tracks with a couple of non-caring alcoholics for parents. She insisted that just because her father was the richest man in the county, she was still in love with Tyler and didn't care where he came from. She left in tears, crawling back into the shell she thought was finally gone for good.

Lydia felt the pain of that day all over again. She had buried it for eight years and it was rearing it's ugly head. She wiped a stray tear from her face, muttering, "Stupid fool." She had just opened another beer when she heard soft footsteps crossing the grass.

"Can I have one of those?" Tyler asked. He gestured to the swing, "Can I sit?"

Part 2

"I cannot believe the whole town is booked. I didn't expect this many people to actually show for the wedding," Josiah continued. Tyler laughed at that, making Josiah grin along with him.

"You are Josiah Todd of the Austin Todds. You are the eldest son of the eldest son. Do you really think that people don't care if you get married?" Tyler teased his friend, blue eyes twinkling in the morning sun. "Besides, this town only has, what, six people living here? So where am I leaving the Harley?"

"The town has about six thousand, believe it or not. It's smaller than where we grew up," Josiah replied, laughter in his voice. "You will be staying with Lydia Adams of all people. Do you remember her? We went to school together. I still can't believe she woumd up here."

Josiah could have been speaking gibberish for all Tyler heard. As soon as Lydia's name had been mentioned, he was thrown back in time to nineteen and the month he had spent with Lydia, learning how to feel, learning he had emotions and he didn't like them. He hadn't even told his closest friend about the experience, it had made him too raw. And then he had left her. He was trying to refocus on Josiah's voice, trying to push back the emotions and the memories.

"So we're free for now. Let's take a tour of the town," Josiah finished.

"Yeah, sounds great," he replied with what he hoped was enthusiasm.

Harper's Bend, Texas was typical of every small town. It had the quaint Main Street, small park around downtown and lots of shops and old timers sitting around shooting the breeze. The clock tower at City Hall was a cool feature and Tyler appreciated the architecture and easiness of the town. The gazebo in the middle of the town square was a nice touch. He could feel his feet ready to travel already.

They approached a small cluster of stores and Josiah was reciting the history of each. He had learned as much about the small town as he could to impress Josie and now the information was coming in handy.

"You just fit right in, don't you?" Tyler quipped, a smile hovering around his lips.

"Crazy, isn' it? I sure didn't expect it," Josiah laughed with his friend. "Come on, let's go to the diner. Margie is crazy about me. Maybe we can mooch a piece of pecan pie." Tyler laughed at the thought of his friend, who was from one of the richest families in the state, mooching a piece of pie. But readily agreed as Josiah described the pie to him.


Lydia was trying to get her palms to quit sweating. She wasn't nervous about Tyler seeing where she lived, or about the apartment. She was nervous about seeing the man that had rejected her. She was nervous about facing the man that had ripped her heart out without a backward glance. She was worried she might throw up if her stomach didn't settle down. One more time she wiped her palms on her dish rag.

She had closed the store a little early, in order to prepare herself for tonight. And she knew she was in trouble when she comped herself the blue sun dress. She frequently wore the merchandise she sold. It was free advertising. But the blue sun dress was different. It had been a purely frivolous buy. She had fallen in love with it, and several customers had tried it on. But it hadn't worked for any of them. It worked for Lydia. The sapphire blue brought out the deep red of her hair and the paleness of her eyes. It was perfect for her. That made her nervous, too.

At six on the dot she heard Josiah's big truck pull in to the driveway. She also heard the loud rumble of a motorcycle. But not just the dirt bikes or sport bike that most people rode in this area. This was a serious machine, the deep rumble of the pipes announcing the arrival of its owner. She wiped her hands again as she headed for the door.

Josie was already on the porch, Josiah talking to Tyler as the two men trailed behind. "I knew that dress would be incredible on you. I still don't know how you can tan so well being a red head. I don't think it's fair," Josie told her as she embraced her friend.

"Hey, Lydia," Josiah said, stepping onto the porch, dropping a quick kiss on her cheek. "You remember Tyler, don't you?" Josiah stepped aside an she got a good look at Tyler, all grown up and no longer nineteen.

She took Tyler's hand, heard his soft "Hello, Lydia", and knew before the night was out, she was going to throw up.

Part 1

Please be advised that the following is the intellectual property of me. You may not, in any form, reproduce or copy any of the following.


There was that feeling again. It was the one that felt like a knot in her stomach. The feeling that said something was going to happen today. It could be good, but most likely, something, or someone, was going to give her grief. Lydia Adams walked slowly towards the quaint little boutique she owned. The Central Texas sky was deep azure, the clouds light and fluffy, and the sun was shining brightly. But Lydia could only feel the knot in her belly. She unlocked the back door, listening to the familiar squeak of the hinges. After disconnecting the alarm, she headed for the small office at the top of the back stairs.

Her cell phone rang just as she sat behind her ancient desk. She pulled her deep red hair back into a quick up flip and answered the phone. It was her best friend, Josie Timmons. Josie always knew when she arrived, and Lydia would have been more shocked if the phone hadn't rung.

"Good morning. What's the count for today?" Lydia asked her friend.

"Twelve days and counting. Can you believe it? I cannot believe it," her friend gushed. "I am finally going to be Mrs. Josiah Todd." Lydia was happy for Josie, but couldn't stand the gushy sentiment. She hoped when her time came she wasn't this gross.

"I still think it's weird that's y'all's names are so close. I think it's eerie," she teased her. Lydia shuffled some papers on her desk, looking for the invoices she had left last night.

"Ha, ha. I know. But I need a favor. Actually, Josiah and I need a favor. We have an unexpected guest coming and I was wondering if we could put him in the guesthouse," Josie inquired.

The guest house was their nickname for the apartment above Lydia's ancient garage. Josie herself had lived there when Lydia bought the house. They became such good friends, Lydia never kicked her out. She had only recently moved to a much larger house, bought by Josie's soon to be husband. The apartment was tiny with one bedroom, one bath, a tiny living room, and a kitchen. Lydia didn't know how Josie had lived in it for so long.

"When is he getting here? I'd like to freshen it up first," Lydia replied.

"He's already here. He came pulling up this morning. You may know him. Josiah said he went to school with y'all. His name is Tyler Wickham."

Lydia felt her vision narrow down to a pin point at the mention of Tyler's name. It had been eight years since she had seen or heard from Wicked Wickham. Eight years since she had been broken hearted and, worse, broken spirited. More had happened to her in that time than she could have ever wanted. She had been young and vulnerable, and desperate for someone to love her. She'd wanted it to be him, but that hadn't been in his plans.

"Lydia, are you there?" Josie asked, concern in her voice.

"Y-yes I'm here. I was looking at an invoice, sorry," she replied, trying not to feel guilty for lying to her friend. "Yeah, I remember him. Tall, dark hair, right?"

"And so much more than that now," her friend laughed. "If I didn't already have Josiah, I might go after him. He has this dangerous, come get me if you can, thing going on that is too sexy."

Lydia was all too aware of Tyler's dangerous side. It was what had attracted her to him. It was what attracted all women to him. It was the dangerous things he did that got him the nickname Wicked.

"Anyway, I'll send him over about six. Is that ok?"

Lydia barely remembered the rest of the conversation. All she could think of was that Tyler Wickham was going to be back in her life. He would be way too close for comfort. And she was scared as hell.


Tyler sipped his coffee, watching the birds fly and play in the back yard. It was quiet and peaceful and it was grating on his nerves already. He didn't usually do weddings. And he definitely wouldn't have shown up when he did, if there hadn't been a week's worth of activities leading up to the wedding. But it was Josiah that was getting married. The only other human being to care if he lived or died. And Tyler had to be here for him, he was the best man.

He hadn't told Josiah he was coming. He just showed up. That was the way he operated. Josiah knew it, because he hadn't asked anyone else to be his best man. He had four brothers and any one of them would have been more than happy to stand by him. But he had chosen Tyler, and Tyler wasn't going to let him down.

"We got you a place to stay," Josiah's deep voice broke through his reverie. "It's a friend of Josie's."


That's as far as I got. I know it needs some polish, but I am not open to bad critique's. A little help would be much appreciated.