by Natalie Ann
“Where’s my whisky sour?”
He handed her a glass and clinked his glass against hers. “To you, Meredith. May you always be smiling.”
“To us. Smiling together.”
They took a sip. Their gazes met and held. “Meredith, I dreamed of holding you in my arms for years. And then again, since the day we met in the school parking lot.”
She understood he’d forgotten her after he met Connie. A woman worthy of his love.
“I never stopped dreaming about you since our first kiss.”
“How about dreaming together in my room?”
She nodded and offered him a beaming smile. “Grab your drink and mine. The party’s upstairs.” With a wink, he lifted her in his arms.
Waking up in Daniel’s bed after a night of lovemaking filled Meredith’s heart with bubbling joy. She stirred and cuddled against his naked chest. Still asleep, he groaned, and his arm draped around her, securing her to his body. As if she’d ever want to move away from her hard cocoon.
“Sleeping?” he murmured against her hair.
“No, dreaming about last night. You?”
“No time to dream. I want the real thing.” He turned her on her back. Sparks burst and exploded between them again, and fire consumed them.
***
“Mommy,” Lizzie called once.
“Shh, it’s slumber party morning.” Noah’s voice reached them. “We can play.”
“The children?” Meredith tried to ease out of Daniel’s hold.
“They’re playing.” His husky voice indicated he could use more sleep.
“You sleep. I’ll shower.”
He let her go and rolled to his side. She showered, dressed in a pair of black shorts and a printed blouse, and let her hair dry on her shoulders. Standing next to the bed, she debated waking him up or letting him sleep. He opened an eye and patted the place next to him.
“Nope. I have to go see the children.”
“Okay. Close the door for a second.”
She shook her head.
He threw up an arm and pulled her on top of him. “I need a good morning kiss to wake up.” With a big laugh, he crushed her mouth in a deep kiss. “I love you, sweetheart.”
“I love you too, but I can’t forget—”
“Never. Go to them. Meanwhile, I’ll shower and dress, and fix pancakes for them.”
“It’s a glorious sunny day, high in the eighties. Fabulous for the first of May. We’ll enjoy the pool again.”
After they had eaten breakfast on the patio and swum for hours, Daniel barbecued hotdogs and burgers for lunch on the patio, and later napped under the umbrella, his lips slightly parted and his hands crossed on his stomach.
Lounging on a chair in the shade of a red oak tree, Meredith watched her big man’s innocent sleep and supervised the children playing on the swing set and the trampoline while their kittens rolled in the grass around them. Happiness with a capital H. A simple, easygoing, relaxed day with the children and the man she loved. She’d remember this day as long as she lived.
Two hours later, Daniel stretched his arms to work out the kinks in his shoulders. “Time for a swim, kids.”
Noah and Lizzie ran toward them, stripped off their shorts and shirts, and threw themselves in the pool. After an outdoor dinner of barbecued chicken and salad, and an after-dinner swim, the children collapsed on their beds, unable to utter a goodnight.
And Daniel pulled Meredith to his room for another wondrous night.
At five in the morning, after another explosive orgasm, he cuddled her in his arms. “Meredith, move in with me.”
“What? Are you crazy?”
“Crazy about you, yes.”
“I can’t, Daniel. I have a little girl.”
“Don’t I know that? She’s my darling daughter too. She and Noah would be delighted to live here together. They’re getting along great. Living together would make things easier for both of us.”
“I need my space, Daniel.”
“You’ll have plenty of space here.”
“Emotional space. Mental space. I need to be alone sometimes.”
“I know, sweetheart. You’ll have all the space you want. It’s a trial period before we decide to get married.”
“Trial period? Are you crazy?”
“I’m ready to get married now, if you’re ready.”
“No, that’s not what I mean. I... I have things in my life...people I feel responsible for.”
“Think about it. I’m giving you a choice, marry me or move in with me until you’re ready to marry.”
Chapter Sixteen
On Sunday, Daniel and Noah donned pants and white shirts and drove Meredith and Lizzie to their house to dress for church.
Meredith had explained to the children her plans for the day. “After breakfast, we’re wearing nice clothes and going to Mass at All Saints. We’ll light a candle and say a prayer for Daddy Steve’s prompt recovery. All right?”
“All right. When are we going to swim?” Lizzie asked with a grouchy tone.
“After lunch. Not a word now. Hurry up.”
Daniel thought the whole weekend was great. Mass was followed by lunch at Montgomery Inn, then swimming and more swimming, and finally another outdoor dinner.
A perfect weekend.
Until seven at night.
Meredith insisted on going home to prepare for a Monday of work and school. Lizzie and Noah pouted and cried. And frankly, Daniel felt like doing the same.
“We want more slumber parties,” Noah said.
He couldn’t agree more.
“Mommy, why can’t we live here with Noah and Uncle Daddy?” Lizzie whined.
“Enough, Lizzie.”
“Uncle Daddy,” Lizzie cried, lifting her arms to Daniel for a soothing hug.
“Come, baby.” He carried her, and she snuggled her head in his chest.
“I wanna stay with you.”
“Mommy is thinking about it. Let’s give her time to think.”
He’d give her until next weekend and wished she’d come to the right decision.
On Monday, the detective working on the Quentin Herb case showed up at Daniel’s office.
“I have some news for you.”
“Better be good.”
“Good news. We found Mitchell L. Connor.”
“Great. Where is he now?”
“There’s bad news too. The man signed up at an Alcoholics Anonymous center and asked for help. Apparently, he arrived at the center in horrible shape, haggard, emaciated, and almost incoherent. The director called a doctor, who diagnosed depression and anemia and had Connor admitted to a hospital for physical and psychiatric tests. At this point, the patient isn’t fit to stand trial.”
“So he’s an alcoholic.” Daniel narrowed his eyes. “How did he reach the AA center?”
The detective threw his arms up. “A friend drove him. He wouldn’t say who, but the man who opened the door for him said he thought it was a woman driving.”
“Damn. Anyhow, thank you. I’ll have to notify the Herbs.” They so desperately wanted to see the man who’d hurt their son brought to trial.
The Herbs stunned him by announcing they’d dropped their civil law suit against the driver.
“Don’t you want to see him behind bars after what he did to Quentin?”
“Huh... No. We settled with the insurance. Everything is good now.”
“What about Quentin?”
“We’ve enrolled him in a private school and piano lessons. He’s happy.”
“Seriously?” What had made them change their minds and appear so comfortable with the outcome? “All right. I wish you the best.” Regardless Daniel would pursue the criminal charges and make sure Connor pays for both his DUI and hit-and-run.
That night, he couldn’t reach Meredith. He called several times, but she didn’t take his calls.
On Tuesday evening, she texted him.
Hector called. Steve’s surgery lasted 6 h. Su
ccessful. Steve in Recovery. No visits until further notice.
He texted back.
Glad to hear the good news. I called several times last night.
A pause warned him she was coming up with an excuse.
Sorry, phone off. Tomorrow is Wednesday. I’m taking Noah.
He rubbed his chin and then thumbed a reply.
Slumber party at my place on Friday. And don’t you dare say no, Meredith.
She answered, okay.
Relieved that he didn’t have to argue with her, he focused on his work for the next two days.
But on Thursday, Hector called him. Mr. Homer wanted to remind him about the special search for a house, a secret gift for Meredith. Apparently, the six-hour surgery and loss of half his liver hadn’t decreased Mr. Homer’s mental faculties or his determination to get what he wanted.
Daniel spent Thursday afternoon and evening visiting houses with a real estate agent and reported to Hector that he’d found a splendid house, if Mr. Homer didn’t mind the price.
“Daddy, next Sunday is Mother’s Day,” Noah said as Daniel chatted with him at bedtime.
“Ah.” Daniel froze. No one had mentioned that particular holiday in his house for the last three years.
“Lizzie said she’s making special pictures as a surprise for her mommy. Can I do some for Auntie Mommy?”
“Sure.” Daniel nodded. He too would prepare something special for Meredith. Something that would erase the pain of the past once and for all.
On Friday, Meredith texted him at noon.
Bringing dinner and coming for the weekend. No need to pick me up. Stopping for a few minutes to see Steve. See you at 6.
At night, she gave him a full report about Steve’s health. “He’s doing well, considering. The doctor is optimistic.” She chuckled. “He hasn’t lost an ounce of forcefulness.”
“I figured.”
After dinner, the children went to bed early, claiming they were sleepy. “Keep Mommy away,” Lizzie whispered to Daniel after her mommy kissed them and left the bedroom. “Noah and I are making a big poster for her.”
“I will. When you’re sleepy, turn off the lights like big kids.” He closed the door behind him and joined Meredith downstairs for a drink.
“I miss you.” He peered at her intently, and a sensual energy passed between them. “Haven’t seen you for almost a whole week, except for the few minutes on Wednesday when I picked up Noah. How was your week?”
“Pretty busy. I visited the Herbs yesterday.”
“Tell me about it.” He swallowed his drink and banged the glass on the bar. “Can you imagine they dropped their lawsuit against the hit-and-run driver?”
“Really?” Her blank face didn’t show any surprise.
“The breaking news was delivered to me by a detective.”
“What news?”
“The hit-and-run driver was an alcoholic. I’ll bet anything he was under the influence when he hit Quentin. He signed up at an Alcoholics Anonymous center and asked for help. He was admitted to the hospital and isn’t fit to stand trial now.”
“Interesting.” Her hardly suppressed smile triggered a suspicious thought.
“You don’t seem surprised.”
“I often told you many alcoholics are depressed people who need treatment for both their depression and alcoholism. Maybe your guy was one of them.”
Suddenly, he crossed his arms on his chest and tilted his head, narrowing his eyes. “Meredith, have you ever treated a patient called Mitchell L. Connor?”
Her lips stretched into a little smile. “No, but I know a good friend called Les.”
“Les? Don’t tell me... Les? Mitchell Lester... Don’t tell me you were the woman who drove him.”
Her chin jutted defiantly. “I wasn’t going to let you lock him up, Daniel.”
Exasperated, he threw his hands in the air. “I think I’m going to wring your neck.”
She shrugged. “He was a sick man, Daniel. Not a murderer.”
“Don’t tell me you took our little Lizzie with you, with this man in the car.”
“I did what I had to do. I knew he’d never hurt me or Lizzie on purpose. He needed help. I’m glad he got it. Please, Daniel, don’t prosecute him.” She grabbed his arm, with a pleading look. “At least consider his extenuating circumstances. Or... Or ask the judge for a light sentence. Maybe some community service. Please, Daniel.”
Heaving a deep breath, Daniel slowly exhaled and held her gaze. He wouldn’t argue with her. Not when she was convinced she had done a good deed. Not when he wanted her in his arms forever. Meredith would always help someone in need, would always do what she had to do. Solid gold, a woman totally committed to the people she cared about. Now and in the past.
Especially in the past.
This loyal Meredith had never betrayed the boy she’d loved in high school. The knowledge twisted inside him.
For the first time, Daniel realized how much he’d hurt her by refusing to believe her years ago. That skunk Dodd must have forced his kiss on her, as she’d told Daniel.
He studied her for a moment, his mind absorbing the truth and his heart twitching with pain at his narrow-mindedness. Would she ever forgive him? He felt for the pouch in his pocket. He had planned to give it to her on Mother’s Day.
But why wait?
“Meredith, I admire you for what you did.” He cleared his throat to suppress the huskiness in his voice. “For saving Les.”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Seriously?”
“Yes. And I love you. Meredith, would you marry me? Would you allow me to be a real father for Lizzie? Would you be a real mother for Noah? Please say yes, my love.”
He held out the ring to her.
Her blue eyes sparkled with joy. “Oh my God, you’re serious about it.”
“Dead serious.”
“I want to say yes, Daniel.” Her soft hand caressed his cheek. “But... But there are too many things you don’t know about me. Too many secr... I mean too many things separating us.”
“No, Meredith, I know everything. I’m so sorry for not believing you in high school. Please let me put it on your finger.” He took the ring and slid it on her finger.
“It’s so beautiful. Still I can’t... You don’t know—”
“I know the whole truth, Meredith. Don’t torture yourself about telling me.”
“You know? How would you know, Daniel?”
“I looked at the yearbook pictures and stories. You were our valedictorian, yet you skipped the commencement. It never occurred to me that something had gone wrong until last week. I went to our school and talked to Ms. Lucia. She told me about your fainting and fall on the stairs, about the baby you lost, and the nasty gossip Dodd must have spread.”
She squeezed his shoulders and stared at him, her nails digging into his skin.
“I’m so sorry for all you’ve suffered, sweetheart.”
Tears streaming down her cheeks, she shook her head. “No, Dany, you don’t know the whole story. You heard what Ms. Lucia told you. What my parents let her believe.” She sobbed against his chest.
Caressing her hair, he held her in his arms and let her vent her pain until her sobs subsided.
“I didn’t faint on the stairs. I was a healthy girl. When I told Jerry I was pregnant, he yelled at me not to throw my bastard on him. ‘Go find the real father, you tramp. Or even better, get an abortion.’ I can still hear his words. Two days later, I was coming out of a class. He was suddenly behind me at the top of the stairs, and he said in my ear, ‘Go to hell, you and your bastard.’ He pushed me, and I pitched forward.”
“Oh my God. I’ll kill him.” Daniel jolted backward, peering at her eyes.
“Too late now. I was lucky many kids were sitting at the bottom of the stairs. I hit them, but they buffered my fall, and I rolled only the last two steps. The ambulance took me to the hospital where my parents met me. I was crying and spilled the story. Again, I was lucky. I didn’t lose the bab
y.”
Goosebumps sprouted on his arms. “What? But then...”
She shook her head. “When Ms. Lucia asked about the baby, my mother said, ‘There are unfortunate things in life, but she’ll recover.’ They assumed I lost my baby. A few days later, gossip spread about the many boyfriends I had.”
Daniel’s mind swirled with the incredible story. Dodd pushing her to kill her baby and getting away with it. His prosecutor soul couldn’t accept the unpunished crime.
“What about you and the baby?”
“I didn’t want to go to Yale anymore. I went to live with my grandmother in Louisville, Kentucky. I did well. My grandmother took me to a doctor, a friend of hers. He examined me regularly and advised me to give up the baby for adoption. I thought about it a lot. I wanted to keep my son but was afraid Dodd may find us and hurt him. For the baby’s safety, it was better to let him go. I hoped he’d be adopted by good parents and grow up as far as possible from me.”
No wonder she had those bouts of sadness.
“You did the right thing, sweetheart, but I’m sure it hurt you.”
“Oh, Dany, it hurt so much. The pain of losing him... The doctor found a couple in their late forties. I was not allowed to meet them or learn their names. I insisted on one condition. My son’s middle name should be Daniel, like the boy I loved. They agreed.”
She had given her baby his name... What other proof of deep love did he need?
Fighting his own emotion, he slid to his knees and wrapped his arms around her waist. “You loved me, and I hated you at the time. I don’t know if you can ever forgive me.”
A bitter laugh escaped her. “Well, I hated you long enough after that.” She bent and kissed him, forcing him to stand up.
“Have you ever tried to find your son?”
She shook her head. “I was always afraid of Jerry.”
“Forget about that skunk. If he had the guts to do something as horrible as pushing you, I’m sure I can find more sins to lay at his door and send him to hell.”
“I’m not seeking revenge. Only peace. I wish I could learn if my little Daniel is a happy boy. That’s all.”
“Meredith, would you allow me to do a discreet search and try to find him?”
