Safe Harbor: A Cold Creek Homecoming

by Sherryl Woods

  “It certainly didn’t help your case.”

  “Your running away hasn’t helped either.”

  “It’s helped me find some answers about myself.”

  “For example?”

  “Maybe I have let my love for Gerald come between us. I didn’t mean for that to happen, but a part of me was afraid of the depth of my feelings for you. I was scared by the intensity, by the power you had over me. You’re so strong, so self-confident and protective. I thought I might get lost, let you simply take over.”

  “Did you really believe that could happen? You’re the most independent woman I’ve ever known. No one will ever rob you of that. Not even me.” He touched a finger to her cheek and a throbbing heat warmed her blood. “It’s a funny thing about needing someone. I’d never realized until that morning in New York how badly I wanted you to need me. I’d always equated that with love.”

  Tina shot him a puzzled glance. “But I’d told you that I loved you.”

  “Yes, but when you were in trouble, when David called about the takeover attempt, you didn’t turn to me. You hopped out of that bed, where we’d just spent the night making love, and set off alone to do whatever needed to be done. Not once did you ask me to come with you, to help you. You didn’t want or need my advice.”

  “That’s true,” Tina said slowly. “I never really thought about it. For so many years now I’ve been on my own. I’ve had to do things for myself. My parents weren’t able to help me with school. I did it myself, working nights and weekends at two jobs. When I got out of college, I didn’t have terrific connections like many of my classmates. I had to be better than the rest of them just to get a chance. For just a little while with Gerald I let down my guard. I relied on someone else.”

  Her eyes met Drew’s and they were filled with pain. “And then he died. I don’t think I realized until just now that I must have subconsciously decided never again to count on anyone. I set myself up to be the strong one in any relationship.”

  “Could it be that’s why you also felt so helpless in this crisis with DCF, because for once you weren’t in charge?”

  “I’m sure that had a lot to do with it. I wanted to fix it, to make it right and I couldn’t. I felt powerless, just the way I did when I was a kid. I remember once trying to tell someone I’d seen an accident, but they kept brushing me off. When the police started questioning people, I tried to tell them, but it was like I didn’t exist or couldn’t be trusted.”

  “Did it occur to you that it was because you were a child, not because of who you were?”

  “I realize that now, but then I just remember feeling this terrible anger and frustration. I felt the same way when Edward Grant wouldn’t listen to me.”

  “But you wouldn’t let yourself ask for help? Not even from me?”

  “Especially not from you. My feelings for you were already more than I could deal with. I was terrified of reaching out to you and finding that you’d gone.”

  “I’m not going anywhere, Tina.”

  “You can’t guarantee that, Drew. Things happen. Feelings change.”

  “And strong people cope.”

  Tina sighed. “I’m not sure I could cope again.”

  “You could if you had to.”

  “But could you deal with the fact that I won’t ever rely on you for everything?”

  “As long as you needed my love, I think I could handle it. I had a lot of time to think during the last few weeks. I’ve realized that need and love aren’t the same after all. I just want a chance to show you that, to prove to you that I can love you without smothering you.”

  Tina shook her head. “I don’t know, Drew. There are so many things we haven’t resolved. This stock business, for example. I can’t just forget about that.”

  “I wouldn’t even want you to. I’m ready to tell you everything, if you’re willing to listen.”

  “I told you I would.”

  Drew nodded and sat down on a porch step, his elbows propped on his knees, his chin resting in his hands. He watched her, his eyes boldly lingering, until Tina felt as though she’d left her clothes inside. It was a penetrating gaze, as if he might be measuring just how much she’d be willing to believe.

  “I was not behind the takeover attempt,” he said at last.

  Anger ripped through her at the blatant lie. Even now, he was just giving her more lies.

  “Oh, please.” Her voice was thick with disgust and fury.

  “Wait,” he said, holding up a hand to wave off her expression of outraged disbelief. “I wasn’t. Not at first. When I heard about it, right before the stockholders’ meeting, I started using some of my resources to buy up stock on your behalf. If you’ll check, you’ll see that all of the shares have been transferred into your name.”

  “Sure. Now they are. You did that after you knew I was on to you.”

  “If you’re talking about the date on them, yes. If you think that’s the reason, you’re wrong. They were always meant for you.”

  “Why should I believe that?”

  “If I were only interested in Harrington Industries, as you seem to think, why would I give it up now?” he asked reasonably. “I have the stock, but there was no move toward a takeover. You know that.”

  He had a point, Tina had to admit. If he’d wanted her company and didn’t give a damn about her, why would he have transferred the stock to her, rather than forcing the takeover? Was he trying to throw her off guard so he could regain her trust and take complete control in a less public way? That explanation was so convoluted even she could see it was laughable. Was it possible that he really had done it all for her?

  She sighed and jabbed the trowel she was holding into the ground with such force that Drew winced. Oh, Lord, why did things have to be so confusing? She wanted so badly to believe in him, but the last few weeks had taken their toll. Trust, slow to build in the first place, had died.

  “Sorry,” she said finally. “I don’t buy it.”

  “It’s the truth. Put your best people on it, if you like. You’ll find that a Texas billionaire with a flair for hit-and-run moves started buying your stock three days before your stockholders’ meeting. When your stock started moving, my broker mentioned it to me. He thought I might want to get in on the action.”

  “Which you couldn’t wait to do.”

  “You’re right. David had been checking the stock movement, but when I realized that both you and he were so preoccupied with the stockholders’ meeting and that you weren’t alert to what was happening on the market, I took action,” he said, then paused to add emphasis. “But only to protect your interests.”

  “Why the hell didn’t you just tell me what was going on, instead of jumping into the fray yourself? I could have dealt with it, if I’d known the truth.”

  His lips quirked in a rueful smile. “That’s the tough one. I suppose I was being selfish and protective and a whole bunch of chauvinistic things. I thought maybe for once I could do something for you. And once that stockholders’ meeting was over, I wanted your mind on me while we were in New York, not on Harrington Industries. I’m not as strong or as self-confident as you think. I’m only human, and in some twisted way that company always made me feel as though I were competing with the ghost of Gerald Harrington.”

  Tina searched his eyes and found them filled with vulnerability. His jealousy of Gerald was something he’d hinted at before, but only now was she realizing how deep his fear of losing her or sharing her had run.

  She put a hand on his arm and felt the muscles quiver and knot. “I told you this in New York, Drew. Gerald is dead. I’m not the type to live forever in the past.”

  “I didn’t say my reaction was rational. I said it was human.” He gazed into her eyes. “Before I go, I just want you to remember one thing: what I did was out of love
. It might have been wrong and it might not seem that way, but I swear to you it was out of love.”

  He turned to leave. He was all the way at the end of the walk, his shoulders slumped in dejection, when Tina called out to him.

  “Drew.”

  He turned, and hope flickered in his eyes. “Yes?”

  “Stay.”

  “Why?”

  “I want to try.”

  He didn’t move an inch, but hope and desire burned more brightly in his eyes. “Try?” he repeated softly.

  She nodded. “I must be crazy, but I haven’t been able to think of anything else in days. As much as I didn’t want to, I still love you. I want us to get back what we had before, if we can.”

  “And then?”

  “No promises, Drew. I can’t make them.”

  “Will you come back home?”

  “Not yet. I think we need some time alone.”

  “Here?”

  “This place may not be the answer either. I think I’ve made my peace with my childhood. Now I need to make my peace with you.”

  “Then let’s go to my farm in Ocala. There won’t be any distractions, and we can start over again. We can get all our problems out in the open and work on them one by one.”

  Tina grinned. “I knew your obsession with organization wouldn’t lie idle for long.”

  “Do you object?”

  “Not strenuously. Just put it to work on something useful.”

  “Such as?”

  “Making the arrangements for the trip.”

  They flew to Orlando the next morning and were picked up by Drew’s farm manager. By afternoon, Tina was riding a gentle filly around the farm.

  “Drew, I am not wild about this,” she said from the unsteady perch on the horse’s back. Her rear end already felt as if she’d been paddled.

  “Don’t be silly. She’s not going to hurt you.”

  “She may not bite me, but she’s in a terrific position to dump me on my already painful derriere. Don’t you care about that?”

  “I thought you wanted me to stop being overly protective.”

  “You picked a fine time to go along with me on that,” she grumbled as she bounced along the lane that wound through Drew’s small orange grove.

  Tina forgot all about the aches and pains a few hours later when Drew ran another steamy bath for her, then joined her in it. The man seemed to have a penchant for enormous tubs that accommodated two, even when their interest strayed from the simple act of bathing, which it did often and with astonishingly sensual results.

  Late one night at the end of the week, when Tina was curled sleepily against Drew’s side, her head resting on his shoulder, the phone rang.

  “Ignore it,” she suggested.

  “You know I can’t do that.” He picked up the receiver, spoke briefly to the caller, then handed over the phone. “It’s Sarah.”

  Tina sat up in bed. “Hi, Sarah. What’s up?” Her face promptly clouded over.

  “What’s wrong?” Drew demanded.

  “It’s Billy.”

  “Is he sick? In trouble? What?”

  “Hush a minute and I’ll find out,” she told him. “Go on, Sarah.”

  Tina listened, then began chuckling. “Okay. We’ll be watching for him. I’ll call you when he gets here.”

  “Billy’s coming here?”

  “Yes, and I’d suggest you prepare yourself.”

  “For what?”

  “It seems he has a few questions about your intentions. Sarah tried to stop him, but he went sneaking off to the bus station tonight. He should be here in a few hours.”

  “Terrific.”

  Tina laughed at the expression of frustration on Drew’s face. “Oh, don’t be such a sourpuss. Maybe this is just what we need.”

  “I don’t know about you, but I do not need a thirteen-year-old trying to manage my life.”

  “Not even if he’s going to force us to face our situation and make some decisions?”

  Drew’s eyes widened appreciably at that. “Is that what he’s going to do?”

  “I’d say so, and unless you want him to make the decisions for us, we’d better start talking.”

  “Okay. I need to ask you something.”

  “I thought you might,” she said, beginning an utterly fascinating exploration of Drew’s right arm. She’d begun at the strong curve of his shoulder, worked her way along his muscled biceps, traced the blue pattern of blood vessels that ran along the soft skin of his inner arm, rubbed the dark hairs that shadowed his forearm and sucked delicately—and she’d thought provocatively—at each fingertip. She must be doing something wrong, since he seemed intent on going ahead with the conversation, rather than using the little time they had for more pleasurable pursuits.

  “Have you checked on the stock transfer?”

  Startled, she dropped his hand and shook her head.

  “Why not?”

  She sighed, reluctantly conceding that her amorous intentions had been waylaid. “It doesn’t seem important anymore. I’ve proved I can run Harrington Industries, that Gerald’s judgment in me was not misplaced. I finally realize that I don’t need to prove anything anymore. If Harrington Industries and Landry Enterprises were to merge, it wouldn’t be the end of the world. In fact, it might be very smart.”

  “As a matter of fact, it would be. My computer division’s research would blend in beautifully with what you’ve already done. We’d become a major force to reckon with in that market.” At the flash of distrust in her eyes, he grinned. His hands cupped her face, and blue eyes gazed earnestly into amber. “But for the moment, I’m not the least bit interested in Harrington Industries. That’s your decision. I’m more concerned with a merger of another sort.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Are you ready to talk about marriage? Like you said, we’d better do it before Billy arrives on our doorstep.”

  “In the general sense or the specific? Generally, I think it’s a positive move, if made by two people who truly love each other and know the risks and are willing to work at the commitment.”

  “What about specifically? Will you marry me? The time we were separated was the worst time in my life. I don’t ever want to be without you again. I can’t swear to you that I won’t try to fight your battles for you on occasion, but I’ll respect your right to tell me to butt out.”

  “That seems like a reasonable compromise,” she conceded with an impish grin. “The only issue remaining is whether you’ll actually butt out.”

  He hesitated. “Well...”

  “Drew,” she said ominously, her eyes clouding.

  “If it’s in your best interests.”

  “Not good enough. I’m entitled to make my own mistakes.”

  “Okay. Fine,” he growled. “Make all the mistakes you want. I won’t say a word.”

  “Of course you will,” she said confidently. “You’re bound to say I told you so. You won’t be able to resist.”

  “Can you live with that?”

  She sighed. “I love you. I suppose I’ll have to. See how good I am about compromising.”

  “I think I must have missed that part. Exactly how do you plan to compromise?”

  Tina pondered the question for a moment, then brightened. “I know. I’ll give that suit you hate to Goodwill.”

  “What a girl,” he said, rolling his eyes as he enfolded her in his embrace.

  “But I’m yours,” she reminded him.

  “Yes,” he said, his lips hot and urgent against hers. “Yes, you definitely are.”

  Before they could get too engrossed in each other, the doorbell rang. Drew moaned. “We’re going to have to work on that kid’s timing.”

  They wrapp
ed themselves in robes and went to the door together. Billy’s eyes widened when he took in their rumpled appearance, and his hands balled into fists.

  “I knew it,” he growled, glaring at Drew. “You lied to me.”

  “I never lied to you.”

  “All that talk about commitment and stuff, it was a bunch of bull.”

  “Watch your language,” Drew said sternly.

  “Says who?”

  “Says my fiancé,” Tina inserted before the two could square off into a boxing stance and start throwing punches.

  A glimmer of light sparked in Billy’s eyes. “You’re going to get married?”

  “As soon as possible,” Drew confirmed.

  “That means you’ll be my dad?”

  “More or less.”

  “Oh, wow, that’s terrific!”

  “I’m glad you approve,” Tina said dryly. “Now there’s a little matter of your running away from home to discuss.”

  “I didn’t exactly run away. I told Grandmother Sarah and Aunt Juliet I was coming.”

  “And they told you not to.”

  Billy shuffled his feet uneasily. “Well...”

  “Exactly.”

  “What would be a suitable punishment?” Drew asked.

  Billy’s expression brightened. “You mean I get to choose?”

  Tina shot a disbelieving look at Drew. “That’s a rather unusual form of justice.”

  “These are unusual circumstances. The boy was looking out for your honor, after all.”

  “That’s true,” she conceded with a sudden grin. “So, Billy, what’s it to be?”

  “How about me being the best man at the wedding?”

  “That’s a punishment?” Drew and Tina said in unison.

  “Sure. I’ll have to wear a dumb tuxedo.”

  “Sounds to me like the punishment fits the crime,” Drew agreed. He regarded Tina hopefully. “Unless we elope and get married by a justice of the peace.”

  “Not a chance.”