He listened to her breathing and let his thoughts drift back to when he was a youngster. Here at Pavee Cove had been the happiest time of his life. But that had changed the day Remy had disappeared. Soon after, Aidan’s mother moved them far away, and they had kept on moving until Aidan was old enough to have a say about going or staying.
All those years he’d struggled to tamp down his anger. Unanswered questions had never been far from his mind. What had happened to Remy? Where had she gone? Had someone other than her mother taken her away? Was she still alive? If so, where was she? How had her life turned out?
The memories of that innocent little blonde girl had haunted him all his life. Through the years, expressing his emotions through painting had helped get him past some dark times. More so than the shrinks he’d tried off and on. But returning to the coast had been the best therapy, he’d discovered. It was here on the seashore that he was able to feel Remy’s spirit again, which gave him peace.
Samantha, he realized, gave him peace, too. A kind of serenity he’d never known before. He’d known women, but none had captured his soul. The fear of possibly losing someone he loved had driven him to keep emotionally distant. With Sam, that apprehension dissolved. There was something about her that made him want to hold her forever.
If he’d never come back to Pavee Cove, they never would have met. Fate, for once, had finally worked in his favor. Physically being one with her had felt like coming home. Now that he’d made love to her, he couldn’t imagine wanting anyone else. Ever.
He kissed the top of her head, and she roused and snuggled into his shoulder. When she peered up at him with those baby blues that sparkled even in the dark, his blood fired again. She had pierced the sturdy shield around his heart, and it felt good.
“Did I doze off?” she asked, yawning.
“For a little while.” He squinted at the bedside clock that glowed. “It’s late.”
“What about you? Did you go to sleep?”
He shook his head. “I’ve been lying here thinking about what a lucky man I am. You’re a special woman, Samantha. Making love to you was one of the best times of my life.”
Her gaze lowered, but her batting eyelashes and crooked smile was confirmation that she’d enjoyed it, too. “Do you want to…?” she started.
“Do it again?” he joked.
She laughed. “That’s not what I was going to ask.”
“Do I want to spend the night?” he guessed.
She nodded.
“I was hoping you’d ask.” They shared another passionate kiss. “I was also thinking about the spyglass. Where is it?”
Samantha propped on one elbow. “In my dresser drawer hidden beneath some clothes. Would you like to see it?”
“I’d love to, if you don’t mind.”
She flipped on the small table lamp, edged out of bed, and retrieved the mahogany box from the drawer. Gazing upon her firm bottom, flat stomach and full breasts in the dim light caused Aidan to grow aroused again. He scooted to a sitting position against the headboard and pulled the sheet up to his waist to hide his eager loins. When she crawled back onto the bed, she creaked open the lid and removed the brass spyglass.
He turned it over in his hands, looking at it carefully. “So this is it, the instrument that is responsible for your adventures into parallel universes.”
“That’s it.”
The image of young Remy re-entered his mind. He’d been mulling the thought over. What if he could look into the spyglass and learn what had happened to her? If he knew she was safe, maybe he’d stopping having the dreams. Maybe he’d finally be able to put the past to rest and move on once and for all. Didn’t he deserve that? Didn’t Samantha deserve a man who wasn’t preoccupied with another girl?
He gazed into her dewy, smiling face and realized he was thinking of a future with her. And he wanted that future to start now. The only way to do that was to extinguish the ghosts from his past.
“Can I look into it?” he asked.
Her smile vanished. “Why? You know the power it holds.”
“I have my reasons.”
“Tell me what they are.”
“I can’t. Not yet. But I promise I will.”
Her lips pursed. “I can’t let you, Aidan. What if something terrible happens? What if you end up in a parallel universe where I don’t exist? We could lose each other forever. You know this is not an exact science.”
She cared about him. It was obvious by the panic-stricken expression emanating from her eyes. He gently pulled her face to him and kissed her soundly. “I’ve always existed in every world you’ve experienced. You will always exist in mine. Besides, maybe it only works for you. We don’t know for sure.”
“It worked on Captain McBride,” she reminded him. “And look what happened to him and his family.”
She made a valid point, but now that the possibility had stuck in his head, Aidan felt driven to find out if Remy was out there somewhere. He flashed Sam the most soulful look he could muster, but it seemed to do no good. Her mouth was stretched into a tight line.
“What’s so important that you’ll take the chance of losing what we’ve started?” she said.
“If it doesn’t work, I’ll explain it all to you then. Please trust me. I wouldn’t suggest this if it weren’t very important to me.”
Her lips curved into a pout. “I wanted Chad to be healed and it didn’t happen. There’s a good chance you’ll end up disappointed, or you might forget me altogether. I’m afraid for you, and for me.”
Aidan brushed her cheek with his hand. “I don’t want to lose you now that I’ve found you, Sam. This isn’t just a one-night stand for me. I hope you believe me. I’ll come back to you. I swear.”
The hand of her bedside clock ticked away the seconds while she contemplated. “All right,” she finally acquiesced, although grudgingly. “I hope you know what you’re doing. Before you gaze into it, give me one more kiss for the road.” When she leaned into him, her hand slid to his lap and she pulled back and grinned. “You might want to throw on some clothes first.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
They stood together on the observation deck, him in pants but no shirt, and Samantha nude under her short robe. The breeze blew through her long hair, and the tangy smell of sea salt tickled her nose. The stillness of the night was broken only by the crashing of waves upon the shore far below.
“Are you ready?” she asked.
Aidan held the spyglass like he was holding a fragile egg. “Ready.” He leaned against the railing and placed the apparatus to his eye.
“Remember, it doesn’t work immediately,” she said. “We can go to sleep and see what happens in the morning when we wake up.”
“I didn’t want to leave you tonight anyway. I want to sleep beside you all night and wake up with you in the morning.”
She clutched his arm and gave it a squeeze. “Me too. Now go ahead and swing the spyglass to look over the horizon.”
He did.
“Do you see anything?”
“It’s dark, but the crests of the waves are very clear. They look 3D. I can see the white foam sliding over the sand like it’s right in front of me.” He held his hand in front of him and wiggled his fingers like he was trying to touch the water.
“Did the blue mist drift over the lens already?” she asked.
“Blue mist? No. Didn’t see anything like that.”
“Really? Every time I’ve looked into it I’ve seen something blue waft across the lens.” Without thinking, she reached for the spyglass and gazed into it. The mist immediately floated in front of the glass. “There it is.” She handed the spyglass back to Aidan and he peered through it a few more minutes.
“You saw the little girl from up here?” he asked.
“Yes. She came in so clear. I could see her dress and ponytail get wet when she waded into the ocean.”
“I don’t see much of anything except darkness.” He lowered the instrument. “Do you
think I’ve looked long enough?”
“Probably. I don’t think the length of time matters. It’s the act of gazing through it.” Yawning, he snuggled his arm around her waist and guided her through the door and into the enclosed part of the tower. “You must be exhausted. I’m done here. Either it’ll work or it won’t.”
Once they descended the stairs and Aidan returned the spyglass to its case and placed it on the dresser top, Samantha removed her robe and ran her hands across his muscled chest and over his rippled abs.
“I’m not that tired after all,” she said, slipping her fingers into the waistband of his pants.
Aidan’s grin filled his whisker-stubbled face, and before she could blink, he hauled her back to bed.
* * * *
The next morning, Samantha turned onto her side and reached for Aidan. Her eyes snapped open when she felt nothing but the downy softness of a pillow beside her. “Aidan?” Springing up, she looked at the clock. Eight-thirty. “Aidan?” she called louder. Hearing no noises from downstairs or from the shower, she hopped off the bed and threw on her robe and scurried down the staircase. “Aidan? Are you here?”
The room was empty. She checked the coffee table and the kitchen counter for a note. Nothing. After digging the skeleton key out of her purse, which she’d dropped into a chair the night before, she stuck it in the lock and flung open the front door. Her gaze went straight to the parking lot. His truck wasn’t there.
She ran a hand through her tangled hair. Why had he left without waking her? Where had he gone? Home, or…the thought occurred to her that maybe he’d be back soon with breakfast. That had to be it. He was sweet that way.
That hope dissolved when she remembered she had plenty of food in the kitchen. They’d run into each other at the market yesterday, so he’d known she’d been shopping. If he’d wanted to cook her breakfast, he would have searched the fridge and pantry and found a variety of things to choose from.
Snatching her cell phone out of her purse, she flipped it open to call him and realized he’d never given her his number. “Damn.”
A prickly sensation niggled under her skin. Flying back up the steps, she frantically glanced around the bedroom looking for a stray sock or his belt hanging over the back of the chair. None of his clothes had been left behind. She sniffed the air but couldn’t smell his cologne. Her gaze was drawn back to the bed where they’d made love, and her heart all but stopped. She hadn’t noticed before, but the covers on his side of the bed were untouched—like that side had been made. Or had never been slept in.
It was as if Aidan hadn’t even been there.
Samantha struggled to rein in the terror she felt. “No!” she screamed.
Forgoing a shower, she tossed on the same clothes she’d worn last night, ran a brush through her hair, and scrubbed her teeth quickly. In a matter of minutes, she was out the door and running to her car. She had just unlocked the door when someone pulled into the gravel lot and beeped the horn. Her head lifted and Daniel Rehobeth waved.
“Oh, no,” she mumbled. “I don’t have time for him this morning.”
“Mornin’, Miss Landers,” he called, exiting his vehicle and shuffling toward her using a cane.
“Good morning, Daniel.” Forcing a smile, she met him at the front of her car and shook his outstretched hand. “What brings you to the lighthouse, and so early?”
“You.”
“Me?”
“You and your antique spyglass,” he clarified. “I was hoping to talk with you some more about it.”
“Oh, yes. The cursed spyglass.” She jingled the car key in her hand. “I was just leaving. Could we talk another time? I’m in a bit of a hurry.”
“I won’t take but a couple of minutes of your time,” he said. His pale eyes drilled a hole into her.
“I have no plans to sell it,” she reminded him. “And as of right now, it can’t be donated to the museum either. I still don’t know who the rightful owner is.”
“I do.” His thin lips curved into a sly smile. “I’ve done some research, Miss Landers, and you are the rightful owner.”
Her stomach clenched, as if punched by a fist. “What are you talking about?”
“I thought that would get your attention.” He jerked his head toward the lighthouse. “Perhaps we can speak inside?”
Wavering between wanting to rush to Aidan’s cottage and hearing what Daniel had to say, Sam invited him to follow her. Once they were inside, she asked him to have a seat. He glanced around.
“I’ve never been here before. Someone did a splendid job of restoring this building and making it a functioning home while preserving its historical integrity.”
“Yes, yes,” Samantha said impatiently. She noticed he made no mention about it having been abandoned for twenty years, like he’d told her the first time they met. “Please tell me what you meant outside by I’m the rightful owner of the spyglass.”
“Exactly what I said.”
She could see he enjoyed toying with her, but she didn’t have time for cat and mouse games. “I don’t understand. Please explain.”
A smug smile filled his wrinkled face as he leaned forward and placed his hands on his knees. “I checked the public property records and found that the owner of this lighthouse is dead. There are no heirs. No family who will step forward and claim the spyglass—even if they knew it existed. Since you’re the person who discovered it, that makes you the rightful owner by default.” He leaned back in the chair and crossed his arms over his chest appearing pleased.
This wasn’t what she’d expected. She’d been prepared to hear some far-fetched story about her being the reincarnated owner of the lighthouse, or something just as ridiculous. This bit of news was almost as interesting. “What is the name of the deceased former owner?”
Daniel pulled a slip of paper from his shirt pocket and read, “Haven O’Neill.”
O’Neill? He’d mentioned that name before, at their first meeting, which he apparently didn’t remember. “Go on. What else do you know about Mrs. O’Neill?”
He referred to his notes again. “Miss Haven O’Neill was deeded the Pavee Cove lighthouse from the National Park Service on May 2, 2006. She died March 14, 2009 leaving no heirs. There wasn’t much else in the records except that she was a spinster, never married.”
“That’s not what you told me the other day. You said this lighthouse has been deserted for over twenty years, and that the last person to live here was named O’Neill. You said the rumors were that she may have come to a bad end, or disappeared by some paranormal means.”
Daniel scoffed. “I said nothing of the kind, Miss. This is the first time I’ve heard the name myself.”
“But I thought you’ve lived here all of your life. Surely you would have known this Haven O’Neill if she existed.” Sam stopped, realizing there was no use in arguing. “Look,” she said, pointing an accusatory finger, “you’re wasting my time. An acquaintance of mine, a Dr. Teagan in Portland, knows the owner of this lighthouse. They’re friends. So your tall tale about some woman vanishing twenty years ago is just a bunch of bologna.”
“You must be mistaken.”
“I’m not mistaken.” Sam felt her temperature climbing by the second. “Don’t you think Dr. Teagan would have told me if her friend was dead?”
“I don’t know what the good doctor might have told you, Miss Landers. All I know is what the property records show.”
Her hands fisted on her thighs and she struggled to squash her anger. “Well, perhaps the property records are wrong.” She shook her head and inhaled deeply, trying to center herself. What he told her didn’t make any sense. “Okay. Why don’t we start over? Let’s say this Haven O’Neill person did own the lighthouse and she died in 2009. If that’s true, someone has been taking care of the property since then. It hasn’t sat abandoned for four years, and certainly not for twenty years. It’s as clean and neat as a pin, as you can see. This is the way I found it when I moved in a few days
ago. How do you explain that?”
As he ruminated, Samantha lowered her head and pondered the reasons Dr. Teagan would have had not to tell her about Haven O’Neill. Maybe she didn’t know Haven was dead. Of course that couldn’t be it. How would she have arranged for Sam to come here if that were the case? Sam distinctly remembered the doctor mentioning that her friend was not using the lighthouse as a get-away this summer.
“I can’t explain anything except what I saw in the property records,” Daniel repeated.
“Did those records mention a caretaker?” she asked.
“No. Afraid not. Strange, eh?”
She would have thought it very strange several days ago, but it seemed par for the course by now. Her shoulders sagged. She was suddenly very tired, despite having just woken up.
“Maybe something supernatural did happen to Haven O’Neill,” Daniel suggested. “Like it did with Captain McBride. Maybe that’s why she hid the spyglass here in the lighthouse. To end the curse once and for all.”
Samantha’s head snapped toward him. “So, you’re saying you recall telling me the story of Captain McBride?”
Daniel frowned. “Of course I do. I’m not senile, young lady.”
“But you don’t remember mentioning the name O’Neill?”
“I’ve never heard that name until I looked up the records.” He stared at her like she’d lost her marbles, but he was the one who was confused this time. The thought occurred to her that she was in a parallel universe again. But how could it have happened? Aidan was the one who’d gazed through the spyglass last night, not her.
It suddenly became crystal clear. She had gazed into it! Without even thinking, she’d taken it from Aidan’s hand and looked into it when she’d asked him about the blue mist. What a fool she’d been! Obviously, a shift in reality had taken place, but what about Aidan? Where was he? Was he in an alternate reality that she wasn’t a part of? Had he found what he was looking for? A shudder ran through her body at the thought of never seeing him again.
The Spyglass Portal: A Lighthouse Novel Page 14
