To Laney, With Love

by Joyce Sullivan

“They were locked. I locked them before I went upstairs for my bath.”

  “Well, they were unlocked when I arrived.”

  “Oh, God, maybe Dallyn Vohringer found the spare key I keep hidden outside for Josh.”

  “It doesn’t matter. It’s over now.” He tugged her wrist, the gurney he was sitting on in the emergency room squeaking as he pulled her closer until she stood between his thighs. Laney’s heart stilled expectantly as he lifted her hand to his lips and pressed a heated kiss on her curled fingers.

  He drew a long shuddering breath and gave her a sheepish grin that made Laney feel as if she were going to melt into a pool at his feet. Her heart seemed stuck between beats as he continued, “McBain is probably going to bust in on us any minute and spoil this, and I know a hospital emergency room isn’t exactly romantic, but I have to tell you something and it can’t wait any longer. I love you, Laney.”

  Laney stared at him. Had she heard right? He loved her romantically?

  “No. You can’t possibly mean what you’re saying. It’s just a result of everything that’s happened.” Laney knew she was babbling like an idiot, but she couldn’t help herself. Ben was going to ruin everything and she had to stop him. “You’ve been looking out for me and Josh like a big brother....”

  Laney’s voice trailed off as he clasped her between the heat of his thighs, his fingers molding her pelvis into intimate contact with him.

  Ben’s voice deepened to a husky drawl. “I assure you my feelings for you aren’t the least bit brotherly.” The press of his arousal against her tummy substantiated his declaration. “I love you. I’ve been in love with you since Christmas. Remember when the kids baked the cookies and tied them to the balloons? That’s when I fell in love with you. But the timing’s never been right to ask you out. I had something special planned for Valentine’s Day, but I discarded my plans when you told me about Reese’s resurrection.” His face flushed. “That’s what I was working on that day you came to see me in the basement.”

  He was? What had he been working on?

  Laney’s curiosity was ignited, but she told herself . it didn’t matter what he’d been planning. The less she knew, the better. He was mistaking friendship for love...had felt sorry for her and Josh celebrating another Christmas alone...and she wasn’t going to hurt Josh by making the same mistake. Not when Josh had already been through so much.

  It was difficult to think with Ben’s warmth surrounding her, reminding her of all she might be giving up, but Laney had to put Josh’s needs above her own. And it would be so easy to admit she loved Ben. To admit that he was there for her emotionally and physically in ways Reese never had been. But that was Ben being Ben. He was innately kind and considerate and supportive, always willing to lend a hand to anyone in a crisis. And she was definitely in crisis, standing in the emergency room, still shaking from nearly having been drowned, with damp hair and mismatched clothes. She had no reason to believe that Ben’s feelings for her would be any more enduring than the feelings he had for the other women he’d dated. He hadn’t exactly offered marriage.

  She couldn’t take the chance.

  She swallowed hard. “I’m very flattered, Ben, but I can’t be more than friends with you. Josh loves you so much... he’d be terribly hurt if we dated and things didn’t work out between us. As delightfully nice and handsome as you are, I just can’t risk upsetting Josh like that. He’s experienced enough loss.”

  Laney wasn’t prepared for the raw hurt she saw settle over Ben’s features. A raw hurt that seemed to resonate through tiny receivers implanted in her body. His jaw stiffened as he asked, “What makes you think things wouldn’t work out between us?”

  Laney closed her eyes as tears welled behind her eyelids. Why was he asking her this? Making her hurt him more. She bit down on her lower lip. Her heart told her Ben deserved an honest answer, but would he think she was criticizing him? Her chin quivered as she struggled to keep her composure. “I-it’s no secret that every time things heat up between you and one of your girlfriends, you break up with her. You had three relationships last fall that I know of—and you were dating a librarian last summer. I’d prefer to remain friends with you. I need a friend like you a lot more than I need a short-term lover.” Her mouth tweaked. “No matter how good you are in bed.”

  She felt his fingers brush her chin.

  “Look at me,” he commanded.

  Ben swore softly as Laney opened her beautiful eyes and trickles of moisture seeped onto her cheeks. “But I never told any of those women that I loved them. I broke things off because there was no magic.” Not like the magic that hummed in his fingertips as he fanned his fingers over the sensitive skin of her throat. Her pulse danced as though her blood raced for his touch alone. And yet he could sense her resistance, her battle to remain immune. For Josh’s sake?

  Or, because, in her heart, she didn’t believe him? Didn’t trust him?

  He had dated a lot of women in the past four years. And Reese’s infidelity had inevitably left emotional scars.

  Ben was tempted to get down on his knees and declare his intention to wed her and love Josh as his own son, but the words couldn’t get past the insidious inner voice that warned him if he did so she might only marry him for Josh’s sake. She and Reese had had a speedy wedding because Laney was pregnant with Reese’s child. Ben wanted Laney in his arms freely, of her own choice. Not as a sacrifice for her son’s happiness.

  He spread his thighs, releasing her and let his hand drop to the gurney. “This isn’t about Josh or Scott. This is about us. But you’re right, all the magic in the world won’t make a relationship work if the relationship isn’t based on mutual love and trust. Tell me what’s in your heart, Laney. Do you love me?”

  An excruciating silence descended on Ben’s ears, the silence perhaps an answer in itself. Laney’s eyes seemed to plead for understanding from him, but he wanted to hear her answer from her lips.

  Her lips moved, but whatever she was about to say was lost in the screech of metal rings as McBain slid the curtain surrounding the emergency-room compartment aside and interrupted them. Ben exhaled loudly and tried to control his temper as Laney took two hasty steps backward. The corporal’s sense of timing was absolutely lousy.

  THE REALIZATION that Laney might not love or trust him attacked Ben with the invasive force of a debilitating virus as McBain took their statements. Charges would be laid against Dallyn Vohringer when, and if, he recovered consciousness. He was currently undergoing tests.

  Ben thought their behavior as they gave their statements must surely make McBain suspect he and Laney were being less than truthful about the details of what had occurred in the bathroom. Laney either looked straight through him as though he were invisible, or averted her eyes when he tried to meet her gaze.

  Definitely a bad sign.

  But he still wanted his answer. Even if it hurt.

  Ben tried to pay attention to what McBain was saying about an APB that was out on the gray sedan parked on Laney’s street. “It was a rental car. Vohringer rented it under an alias that matched fake ID - we found in his wallet.”

  “There were two men in the car,” Ben said. “Is it possible those two men were in the car that ran Laney and me off the highway?”

  “Perhaps. If you’re both up to it, I’d like to brainstorm a few passwords. We’ll need solid evidence to put Vohringer away for Reese’s murder.”

  “But Vohringer told us he didn’t kill Reese.” Ben frowned as he eased his left arm into the sleeve of his jacket. There was a sore spot in his arm from the tetanus shot the doctor had given him.

  McBain gave him a patient look. “And you’re going to take the word of someone who tried to kill you? Vohringer’s hiding something, we just don’t know what...yet.”

  “You and I can work together, Corporal,” Laney said. “Ben needs to go home and rest.”

  Ben refused to be summarily dismissed. “I’m fine. Besides, I have no intention of leaving you alone until Vo
hringer’s cohorts are behind bars. Josh can stay at my house tonight since he’s with my mom anyway. We’ll work out the details later,” he said with iron in his tone when Laney started to object.

  They sat around Laney’s kitchen table for three hours eating pizza and making a list of the passwords they tried entering in Reese’s electronic notebook—all without success. Ben was relieved when the corporal finally called a halt to the exercise and suggested a fresh start in the morning.

  The tension packing the house seemed to escalate as Laney escorted the corporal to the front door. Mindful of his stitches, Ben rose from his chair and helped himself to a couple of extra-strength pain tablets from a bottle Laney had put on the counter. A little blood had oozed from the wound onto the old sweatshirt of Reese’s Laney had loaned him, but the doctor had told him to expect this.

  The thought that it was now or never made his footsteps heavy as he walked down the hall in search of Laney. She was throwing the bolt in the front door.

  She must have heard his footsteps. Her eyes were wary as she turned around. “I’ll pack some clothes for Josh and me. I think it would be better if I stayed at your house in the guest room than if you stayed here alone with me.”

  Ben put his arm out to stop her as she tried to slip past him to the stairs. “That’s fine. But we have some unfinished business to discuss first. I asked you a question earlier and I want the truth. Do you love me?”

  Her auburn head sagged against his arm. Ben’s heart stopped. She made a tiny, unintelligible, strangled sound.

  “What, sweetheart? I didn’t hear you.”

  Laney tilted her head back. Her eyes were a brilliant, angry blue. “Yes,” she hissed. “I love you, Ben. You’re too perfect for your own good and I’m terrified you’re going to break my heart and my son’s heart. Are you happy now? You’ve forced me to admit it. I suppose you’re going to ask me for a date next?”

  “Maybe.” Ben fought to keep the proud grin from inching across his face. Glory be, she loved him! But she didn’t sound too happy about it. In fact, if he hadn’t been injured, he was half-convinced she’d slug him. He clasped her face between his palms and saw the doubts and fears feeding the anger blazing in her eyes.

  He touched his lips to the tip of her pert little nose. “So, Ms. Dobson, are you free some time next week to get married?”

  He received a profound sense of happiness from watching her expression change from anger to disbelief to joy.

  “Next week? Are you crazy?”

  “Yes. I’m crazy about you. And I’m going to marry you, even if these stitches are going to interfere with our honeymoon.” Ben bent his head to trace a trail of kisses from her jawline to her temple. Then he pulled back just enough to gauge her emotions from her eyes. He raised an eyebrow. “You’re not suggesting a date. How’s Friday afternoon sound? The boys have games on Saturday and Sunday. I don’t want you or Josh to ever doubt how much I want to be a part of your lives.”

  Laney started to laugh, the sound as blissful and pure as wedding bells to Ben’s ears. “Friday sounds perfect. But you’re going to have to find someone else to coach the games. You’ll be busy. With me.” Her hands hooked around his neck. “Come here, Coach.” The kiss she gave him filled him with magic.

  THEY AWOKE THE BOYS in the morning and told them the news.

  Josh shrieked and jumped down from the upper bunk bed in Scott’s room to the lower one, where he promptly leapt on Scott. “I told you so, Scott,” he crowed with obvious delight. “I told you they were in love. Now we’ll be brothers.”

  “I’m the oldest,” Scott declared, glancing out at Laney shyly from beneath Josh’s torso.

  Laney shared a look of amusement with Ben, who had his arm wrapped snugly around her waist. “You’ll be the smallest, too, if Josh doesn’t get off you,” she remarked with a grin. Then she sobered as Josh let Scott up for air. “Are you okay with this, Scott? I promise not to be an evil stepmother.”

  Scott laughed as though this was an absurd idea. “Yeah, you make good pancakes and birthday cakes. And you’re pretty for a girl. Where are we going to live?”

  “I don’t know,” Ben said. “We’re not sure yet. But we’ll figure out something practical.”

  Scott gave Josh an elbow in the ribs. “You ask.”

  Josh rolled his eyes and looked sorely put upon. “Me and Scott want to know what to call you guys.”

  “Hmm,” Laney murmured. “What do you want to call us?”

  “Mom and Dad sound practical,” Josh echoed.

  “Well, then, Mom and Dad it is.” Ben gave each of the boys a playful tap. “You boys hustle up and get ready for school.”

  Laney stopped Ben in the hallway to experience the stimulating delights of a good-morning kiss. Living with three practical men promised a never-ending supply of joys. Maybe as a wedding gift, the police would catch the two men working with Dallyn Vohringer and make her happiness complete.

  LANEY GOT her wish when McBain called a few minutes later to confirm their appointment and told her the two men had been picked up last night. She hurried over to her own home to meet McBain, glad she didn’t have to drag her mother-in-law-to-be along with her. Georgina had been so kind already with her time. And Ben had a meeting this morning with the Minister of the Environment that he couldn’t postpone.

  “You’re glowing, Mrs. Dobson,” McBain told her as he stepped into her narrow foyer and unzipped his coat. “I take it the news those two men have been arrested has lifted your spirits.”

  Laney blushed. “That, among other things. Ben asked me to marry him last night. We’re going to tie the knot next week. I just got done booking the church and the minister.”

  McBain raised an eyebrow and smiled. “Ah. So you both finally noticed what was going on right under your noses. Congratulations. I hope you’ll be very happy together. All the more reason for us to get this work out of the way so you can get your marriage off to a happy start and I can get the higher-ups off my back. Some influential corners are exerting a lot of pressure to make sure we have an airtight case against Graham Walker’s killer.”

  The corporal hung his coat on the hall tree. “I checked with the hospital. Dallyn Vohringer has regained consciousness. He has a skull fracture. I’m hoping the doctor will allow me to see him later today. Those two men we picked up on the highway to Montreal haven’t responded to questioning yet. But their names are Ivan Gillis and Rico Sanchez. Does either name ring a bell?”

  Laney shook her head as they settled into chairs at the kitchen table and she poured coffee.

  “They both have prior convictions for breaking and entering.”

  “Do you think they’re the ones who broke into my house?”

  “It’s looking that way. This turned up in one of their pockets.” McBain opened his briefcase and passed her a plastic bag. Inside, though creased and torn, Laney recognized her wedding portrait. The one she was missing from her bedroom.

  Finally, proof Dallyn had set her up for Reese’s murder.

  But they still didn’t know why.

  Systematically, they brainstormed passwords. Laney tried the titles and authors of some of Reese’s favorite books. His favorite songs. The names of clubs he’d belonged to in secondary school. Names from his family tree. The names of the streets he’d lived on. Nothing.

  She pulled out a reference volume from a shelf in the living room and they moved on to words associated with wines and the wine-making industry.

  Then they tried words like resurrection, double identity, secret identity. “Try thrill-seeker,” she told McBain, remembering something Dallyn had said yesterday afternoon when he’d tried to kill Ben.

  “No match,” McBain said with a sigh.

  “Maybe it wasn’t that exactly, but it was something like it. How about sports enthusiast? Weekend warrior? Risk taker? Risky business?”

  McBain diligently punched away. “Sorry.”

  “I’ll get a thesaurus and we’ll look up synonyms
for thrill and risk.” Laney was halfway up the stairs to her office when Dallyn’s precise expression popped into her mind. “Try thrill jockey,” she called over the banister.

  “Forget the thesaurus, Mrs. Dobson,” McBain boomed back. “We hit pay dirt.”

  Laney ran into the kitchen and peered over McBain’s shoulder. “It looks like a list of companies. Some of them sound familiar.” A lump formed in her stomach. “They’re companies Reese toured during on-site inspections for CDN Investments. But the dates listed are mostly within the last year. Maybe Dallyn found out about Reese’s insider information and wanted in.” She offered to print a hard copy of the list on the printer upstairs in her office. “Reese often printed off his expense reports, so I’m familiar with the process.”

  Studying the list on paper only increased Laney’s certainty that Yale Sheridan would soon be sweating over the harm this list could potentially pose to the reputation of the firm.

  McBain took several copies of the list over to the Ottawa RCMP headquarters to see what their experts could make of it.

  Ben called as Laney was searching through the cupboards for a can of tuna to make herself a sandwich for lunch and planning to spend the afternoon line-editing the manuscript she’d picked up the day before. Laney decided she could happily get used to the idea of him calling her to discuss the details of their lives. She told him about the list she and McBain had found in the electronic notebook.

  “That’s great, sweetheart.”

  “Even better, the church is free Friday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.”

  Ben’s voice deepened, rich and full of promises. “I’ll be there. But first things first. I’m standing here in a jewelry store surrounded by diamond rings and—”

  “Don’t you dare buy my ring without me!” Laney squealed. “I wanted to do it together.” She had to admit Ben didn’t waste any time. She had no doubts whatsoever that he loved her. The thought of him selecting a ring to wear as a symbol of their commitment to each other was thrilling, too.