One Step Forward

Chapter 9. Roses

Mya's POV

Two weeks passed without incident. Linc got back into a routine, and with every day that passed, he grew stronger physically and mentally. I saw more of the old Linc the last few days than I had seen since I'd returned. He wasn't the broken shell of a man that he was when I first got back. Things were getting serious between us—perhaps a little too fast because when I stop to think about it, it feels like a headrush after a roller coaster ride—dates, candlelight dinners, restaurants, movie nights, and carnivals had been on the agenda the last two weeks. 

I enjoyed it as much as I was scared of it all. When he calls me baby, I melt, and all of my insides turn to goo. He makes me crazy in many ways, and he's the only guy that ever could. I wasn't sure how things spun so out of control. I had every dying desire not to take him back, but we fell into our old ways. Some part of me decided to free fall and see where we land. I'm wise enough to know that love has no guarantees or explanations, but you'll never know if you don't try. I felt that Linc and I both grew up enough to know where we made mistakes in our relationship. We were young, we needed time to grow, and we both did.

 Linc spent his days working at the MC. The MC had a mechanic shop and a large two-story building. It was a bar and grill, but it was also the place they got together to make business decisions, whether it was related to the shop or some other business they owned. The MC made a lot of legitimate money, but I was sure they still had some side jobs that weren't so legit. 

We spent a lot of time together, and it felt like things were moving rapidly, but we hadn't gotten too physical yet. We both would pull away if things were getting too heavy. Linc didn't seem to want to get overly physical anymore than I did. 

I took a personal day off from work. I dropped Lilly off at school, and when I got back in the drive, I decided to call Linc. I hoped he wasn't too busy to talk. I knew he was already at the shop.

He cleared his throat. "Hello?"

"Hi," I said with a smile.

"Hey, baby. Aren't you supposed to work today?"

"I took a personal day. I just... needed a day."

"Oh. Do you want me to come over?"

"No, it's fine. I know you said there was some important meeting at work today. I just called to say thank you for the flowers. They're beautiful." That morning I found rose petals all over the hood of my equinox and a bouquet of roses with a little note that read Good Morning, beautiful.

"Um. . ." he trailed off. "I would say you're welcome, but. . . baby, I didn't leave any flowers."

I stopped cold in the middle of the drive and the air escaped my lungs. It felt as if someone had punched me in the stomach. I did a slow spin as I observed the neighborhood. "What?" I choked out.

"I'm coming over there," he said.

"No, no. It's okay. I'm fine. It was probably just my dad."

At that moment I heard Linc call out for my dad and ask him if he left flowers. I didn't hear my dad's answer but I heard Linc say, "I got to go. It wasn't him. I'm coming over."

"How about I just come there."

"No. I'm coming." The roar of his motorcycle told me he was in a quick hurry to get to me. "Stay put."

The phone went dead. I stared at the phone in complete shock. I didn't want Linc to know about my ex-husband, but who else could it be?

I went into the house and sat my purse down on the table. Panic rocked through me as I considered the possibilities. I knew it was likely to be Damen my ex. However, I had to consider other possibilities because Damen scared me the most. Damen was smart and he knew how to track people. It wouldn't be hard for him to figure out where I'd been hiding.