Only You

Chapter 1 Back to the Land of Dixie

THANKS to Sasha at cockyhead for the revised book cover.

Life upset Rena Blackshear.  One phone call had turned her perfect world upside down and now she was in a place that she'd rather not be.  She'd rather be in her penthouse at the Le Meridian, the 5 star hotel she managed in New York, or at her condominium in Cobble Hill.  Rena left Savannah, GA years ago and had only returned to bring her father's body back to the south and to attend his funeral.  There were no memories that she wished to remember about her former home or family.  The price she'd paid for emotional memories was too high. Rena Blackshear was an expert at forgetting the past. 

She was tired from the trip, upset that one of her bags was mistakenly sent to the east coast, and now her brother Ian was late.  She struggled to remove her other heavy suitcases from the carousel.

"He should have been here to help me.  All I asked him to do was to show up at baggage claims, help me with my bags and take me home.  He was never good for anything,"

The final bag she tried to pull from the carousel popped her finely-manicured nail tip.  She winced, looking down at her finger.  A popped nail tip added to her growing frustration.  Rena Blackshear was perfect from head to toe when she had left the office today and hopped on the plane. 

"Ugh!  I'm going to kill him.  He should've been here helping me."  She was even more frustrated when the bag slipped, sending it back around the carousel again.  She stomped her foot in frustration.

A man chuckled from behind her.  She was in no mood for someone to take pleasure in her situation.  She turned abruptly.

"Excuse me, did I do something humorous?"

She felt the color drain from her face as she turned, seeing the man standing behind her.  "Blake."

She lost her balance at the sight of him.  Her gut wrenched.  He grabbed her arm to steady her.  She hadn't felt a jolt like that since the time she was under the influence of his last mind-bending kiss.  Their eyes locked.  Rena saw awareness in his eyes that let her know she wasn't the only one who felt the rippling shock.  She quickly reined those steamy emotions inward.  Rena Blackshear was long past her relationship with Blake Glass. 

The last time she'd seen him was ten years ago, while she was home for her father's funeral.  He'd aged, but handsomely.  Those grey eyes were as magnetic today as they were then.  The five-o'clock shadow and a few streaks of grey in his wavy black hair were the only signs of aging from 26 to 36.  Everything else showed that he was ripped and buff.  He'd always loved walking on the beach and swimming to enhance his body's flawless form.

"Ian couldn't make it.  They called him to pick up your mom from the hospital."  He leaned over as the large bag made its way back through the carousel, and picked it up effortlessly.  Rena was still dazed from seeing Blake.

"Is Mom okay?"

"She has her good days and her bad days."

"Why didn't anyone tell me sooner that she was getting worse?"

There was a long pause between them, long enough to know that there were lots of words unspoken and deeds undone between the life that Rena now led and the life that Rena once had.  Rena watched Blake's jaw clench as if he were biting back words.  She was not going to open this can.  She'd keep it closed, as she was too tired to deal with it.

"I heard that you'd moved to Florida to start a restaurant.  When did you come back to Savannah?"

"Three years ago." 

He'd brought a small cart and started piling her bags on it and strapping them down.  Rena paused at his words – three years ago. That's when her mother had been diagnosed with lymphoma.  These were dots she didn't want to connect.  Did Blake come home to take care of her mother when she failed to do so?  There was no way she was going to ask.