Sometime around two in the morning, Becca startled awake when she heard a noise in her bedroom. She turned on the bedside lamp but saw nothing in the gentle glow. Shaking her head at her own nervousness, she decided to change and took of her work clothes and slipped on a long sleep shirt which had been on the foot of the bed where she had left it the previous morning.
As Becca hung up her work clothes in the closet a rough arm closed around her throat and another clamped over her mouth. She was jerked back against a warm male body and she heard Henry’s voice whisper in her ear.
“Who told you that you could get away with going behind my back, Becca?”
Becca couldn’t answer. The arm on her neck was slowly squeezing the air out of her. She clawed and kicked at him but he was not deterred. Henry removed his arm from her throat only to replace it with his hand. He pushed her against the wall of the closet and lifted her body until her feet dangled in empty air.
“Who were you with? I know you weren’t working. Answer me, Becca!”
When she failed to reply, Henry’s rage grew. He pulled his other hand back into a fist and unleashed it on her face. With the first punch, he let her drop to the floor. Becca doubled over from the force of the fall and the blow and tried to catch her breath. But Henry was relentless.
“Henry!” Becca screamed his name. “Please. Just list- stop!”
She tried to protect her face from the relentless punches. He hit every place he could reach: her face, neck, arms, legs, ribs – nothing could be shielded from him. She thought she heard sirens in the distance and apparently Henry heard it to. He cursed under his breath and jumped up.
“We’re not finished here, Becca,” he spat.
The last thing Becca heard before she lost consciousness was his footsteps pounding away from her.
She spent the next two weeks in the hospital recovering from multiple bruises and a fractured rib. The police told her that a neighbor had seen a man enter her appointment and thought it was strange enough to come check on her. They had heard her cries and the noise of the struggle through the door and called the police.
After Becca got home, she cashed in on her sick days and took two months off from work to rest. She told her parents that she was taking a spur of the moment vacation to relax from the hectic pace of her high-powered life. She filed a restraining order with the police against Henry, paid the fine to break the lease on her apartment, withdrew cash from her bank, paid for a hotel under an assumed name and went into hiding while she thought about her options.
A week after leaving her job and apartment, Becca began to receive threatening calls from Henry. He told her that she couldn’t hide from him and that he would make certain no one but he would be able to have her. Two days later, she spotted Henry in the hotel lobby; once he left she found out he was inquiring about her.
That evening, she pulled up a map of the U.S. online. She closed her eyes, said a prayer and pointed. Her finger had landed on Bend, Oregon. The next morning, she packed her bags, checked out of the hotel, traded in her Mercedes, bought a used Honda for cash, cleared out and closed her bank accounts, cut up her credit and debit cards, sent a letter of resignation to her firm via fax and started to drive.
Becca arrived in Oregon five days later. Bend was a very small town and when she arrived she was met with suspicion at first. She checked into a Bed and Breakfast first and began to hunt down local listings for a place to rent. She found out about Esther and Jeb Hallows’ backyard guest house from the classifieds and approached them the next day. She told them she was looking for a fresh start and just needed a place to heal. Thank fully they didn’t ask many questions. She gave them six months’ rent up-front – less than what she had paid in two months’ rent for her posh Dallas apartment. She applied for several low-key jobs in the town and was hired at the local library.
Hard to believe that was two years ago. I wish I could see my parents again though. On the way to Bend she had called her parents and told them what had happened. They were shocked and angry when they heard what Henry had done but they tried to dissuade her from leaving. She didn’t tell them where she was going but promised to keep in touch.
She loved life in Bend. Last year she had asked Esther if she could paint and decorate the guest house and Esther had agreed. When she had finished, the old dear had been ecstatic about the new look and raved to everyone in town. Soon, Becca had offers from others to do their homes or offices as well. She had plenty of work from Bend residents already and some of the neighboring towns were also asking for quotes; Becca was thinking about hiring an assistant or two to keep up with the demand.
That afternoon found Becca staring in dismay at her near empty fridge. How did I manage to run out of food? Didn’t I just go buy groceries last week? But as she did a mental calculation, she realized it had been nearly three weeks since her last excursion to the market. Becca sighed and grabbed her keys. Might as well get this over with.
***
Greg Fields was starving. He woke up to find an empty fridge and pantry staring him in the face so he had ordered food to be delivered to him for breakfast and lunch from local restaurants but he knew he needed to buy and cook real food if he wanted to stay healthy during the off-season. He drove into town in the evening to head to the one and only mega-mart in town, simply known as Joe’s.
Greg grabbed two carts and began to load them up; one man’s regular meal was considered a snack for a quarterback. He was trying to decide what cut of beef to buy in the meat section when a voice from his past made him whirl around.
The first thing he saw was a long toned pair of shapely legs clad in tight leather pants and stilettos. His eyes traveled over the woman’s form, pleased with what he saw. She was tall and curved in all the right places. Her hair was red gold and seemed to shine and move with a life of its own, even under the harsh fluorescent lights. She turned and presented him with her profile: strong jaw and pointed chin, a long thin nose, full lips and big eyes. He knew without looking that the eyes were a bright emerald. She was laughing with an elderly woman and he loved the infectious quality of it.
“Clara, you know I would do anything for you! Don’t even worry about it. Consider it my gift to you, an anniversary present. It’s not every day you celebrate 53 years of marriage!”
“Becca Stanley,” the woman known as Clara said, “you are an angel child. The room is beautiful and I love it! Even if you won’t accept payment for it, I will find some way to pay you back! Now I must go find little Georgie – no telling what that child has gotten into by now.”
“Sure thing, Clara.” Becca spoke as she flipped her hair over her shoulder and hefted a gallon of milk into her cart. “Good luck!” She waved goodbye as she swung her cart around and began walking – straight onto someone else’s foot and leg.
Becca felt the impact and heard the yowl of pain before she could even comprehend what happened. Startled she realized she had hurt a mountain of a man and quickly went over to apologize.
“Oh my goodness! I am so sorry! I wasn’t watching where I was going. Are you Ok?”
The man held his shin and put up his hand palms out as if to keep her away. He was still hunched over and rubbing his leg. She thought he was cursing her before she heard a bark of laughter escape his lips.
“Becks! I should have known you’d be as clumsy as ever”
“I’m sorry,” Becca said, taken aback. No one ever called her Becks in Bend. “Do we know each other?”
The man raised his head and she saw the twinkle of laughter in his merry blue eyes. She knew those eyes. Had dreamed about them for years. Becca’s eyes widened in disbelief. Greg Fields. She shook her head as if to dislodge a wild dream even as her eyes wondered over the handsome face she had once known.
Strong square jaw and chiseled cheeks, a broad forehead, deep set eyes, thin but still luscious lips. Wide chest and arms that were just bulging with muscles. What had to be rock hard abs and powerful legs which could not be disgu
ised even in his loose fitting tee and jeans. She was tall but he made her feel dwarfed. There was no other word for it. The man was dreamy. He was literally the stuff dreams were made of.
“Greg Fields! What are you doing here?!”
“I could ask you the same thing Becks. No one has seen hide or hair of you in Texas for over two years now! To think you were hiding out in this town?”
Oh no, I can’t have him tell everyone where I am! Henry will find me for sure.
“Yeah, I have been here.” She couldn’t bring herself to outright lie. “But listen, Greg, no one can know where I am – I never even tell my parents when I check in with them.”
“Why not?”
“It’s too long a story and I am sure you have better things to do than listen to my tales of woe. What about you? Why are you here? I thought you were in the NFL?”
“I am; I’ve been with Denver for five years. But it’s the off-season now and I am just vacationing here until training starts. What are you doing tomorrow? Maybe we can get some coffee or something and chat?”
Becca tried to put him off, the last thing she needed was to fall head over heels for Greg again. She knew herself well. She had carried a torch for the man all her life and given just the smallest encouragement she could fall fast.
But he would not be put off. Finally she agreed to meet him for coffee on Friday morning. It was Wednesday night now. Surely she could build up some kind of defense before then? As she watched him walk away all she could do was pray. Oh Lord, help me now.
***
Friday morning came way too soon for Becca’s liking. Even her usual morning run didn’t do anything to steady her nerves and she was too distracted to even pray, though she tried. In the end all she could do was repeat the prayer that had become her mantra since Wednesday. Oh Lord, help me now.
She dressed in her favorite pair of jeans and a blousy, sleeveless top. She pulled her hair into a long ponytail and nodded to herself in the mirror. She looked casual, like she was meeting a friend, nothing more, nothing less.
Becca and Greg arrived at the coffee shop at the same time. Greg smiled when he saw her and held the door open for so she could enter. Becca bit her lip and offered what she hoped was a semblance of a smile and stepped inside, breathing in the scent of fresh ground coffee beans which permeated the air. They ordered their coffee (Becca insisted on paying for her own) and sat down at a corner table.
There was an awkward pause as they both sipped their coffee and thought about what to say.
“So,” Greg started, “What are you doing in this place, Becca? I never could get a straight answer from your mom about why you disappeared.”
Becca chewed her lip while she considered her options. She had always believed honesty was best in all situations. She didn’t like to lie so she decided to put her cards on the table so Greg could understand why she could not go home. She didn’t want to risk that he didn’t know and accidentally told the wrong person where she was now.
“Okay Greg, I am going to tell you the truth. Just hear me out. I can’t go back and once you hear my story, you’ll know why.”
Becca took a deep breath before she plunged in. She told him about how she had been a high-powered lawyer and had met Henry Miller at a hearing in a court room. She succinctly described how charming he was in the beginning and how well it was going until he started to become territorial and jealous. She explained in more detail about the sudden escalation that night in her apartment and how she had woken to find herself in the ICU and the measures she had taken to protect herself after that when it became evident that Henry was not going to give up and stay away from her. She ended her tale with her arrival at Bend and how she kept in touch with her parents only through VPNs but otherwise kept to herself, immersed in her new life.
After she finished, she sat back and waited for Greg’s reply. She could tell by the look on his face that he was shocked at her tale. As she had explained her story, he had kept silent as she requested but she could clearly read the anger, dismay and sadness that drifted over his face while she spoke. The play of emotions surprised her given the fact that he had merely tolerated her in high school but she chose not to comment on it.
Greg took a deep breath. To say that he was shocked was such an understatement to how he was feeling. He had known Henry Miller since high school and still hung out with the guy on occasion whenever he was in Texas. Henry was able to talk a good talk but the guy had a mean streak and he was a closet drunk. Heck they had gotten high and drunk together multiple times. He had seen Henry’s girls the morning after he was done with them. Had even turned a blind eye to them. It was something he was ashamed of now, sitting in front of Becca, realizing that it could easily have been her.
Greg had no trouble believing Becca’s story. It just shocked him that something like that had happened to Becca of all people. He knew about her deep seated faith. He also knew how guarded Becca could be and he was glad she had decided to tell him her story. There was nothing he could say except to give her what she needed. He assured Becca that her secret was safe with her. No one would know from him where she was.
Becca was relieved. Now that her nerves were gone, she was able to relax around Greg.
“So, why did you settle in Bend, Greg? I mean, this is not exactly a bustling place like Denver or Dallas. This is more of a sleepy town. Far from your usual tastes, I imagine.”
Greg laughed wryly. “It is that, I’ll grant you. But I wanted a place where I can get away from all the “bustle” as you put it. So I looked online for some vacation homes and this place, and a cabin more up in the mountains, caught my eye.” He rubbed the rough stubble on his jaw as he continued to speak and drummed his fingers quietly on the table as he looked out the window. “I came to visit it a couple years ago and loved it enough to buy it on the spot. When I need a refresher, this is my home away from home. I like the seclusion when I am here. I got internet and cable so I am good to go in my cabin.”
Greg turned back to Becca with a grin. “You know, if your free tomorrow night, I’d love to have you over to my place for dinner. Maybe we can watch a movie and catch up on old times.”
“I think I would like that, Greg. But I am not free this weekend. How about next Saturday?” Becca responded as she sipped her coffee and rested her chin on her palm. She grinned as she teased, “If you cook, I will bring dessert.”
Greg picked up on the old joke even as he agreed to the change of plans. “Actually, Ms. Doubt-heart, I have learned a thing or two about cooking in recent years.”
“Oh really,” Becca said with a laugh, “you learned to make toast without burning it? Ooh, can you boil water now? I still remember your attempt to make spaghetti with uncooked noodles – you turned on the wrong burner and could not figure out why the noodles weren’t getting softer!”
“In my defense, the burner light was not working so even though it was on, you couldn’t see that it was on.”
“That’s why you check the temperature with your hand, Genius!”
Greg had no comeback. “Yeah, well. Why don’t you come over next week around six so I can impress you with my culinary prowess?”
Seeing Greg’s embarrassment, Becca took pity on him and agreed gamely. She got the directions from him and reminded him that she would provide dessert.
As they parted ways, each getting into their own cars, neither could help smiling as they thought about the evening.
Becca’s mind pricked her, reminding her to guard her heart but she brushed it off. I am just going to hang out with an old friend. Nothing more.
Greg was proud of himself, he had scored a second “date” with the beautiful Becca, though she didn’t know it. I can’t believe the Ugly Duckling is now a Swan; man she is hot! He reminded himself that Becca was not like other girls though. He knew her values. He didn’t agree with them but he could respect them. Crap, I better keep this in the friend zone. No way will she come to me without a ring on her finger and
a ceremony! And I’m not going there anytime soon.
***
Becca had a busy week. She was booked with three clients all needing at least two rooms done within two weeks. I seriously need to hire some assistants and maybe some handy men. This is getting to be too much for one person. So on Tuesday she told Esther she was on the look out to hire an assistant decorator and a handyman; there was no better advertising than free advertising and Esther was the heart and soul of the local gossip mill.
By Wednesday she had hired three assistants on commission, twin sisters Jenny and Jeannine - who had a great eye for color and coordination - and their cousin, Joshua, who was great when it came to working with his hands to make something out of nothing. She gave them an outline of her vision and tasked them to put schematics together so she could approve it before they did any actual work on the house.
Thursday and Friday passed in a blur of projects and before she knew it, it was Saturday. Becca loved to cook and she knew from the past that Greg loved his ice cream. She knew that he still did because she had spied four tubs of it in his cart last week. So for her dessert, Becca decided to make cheese cake with homemade ice-cream.
When she arrived at Greg’s luxury cabin that evening, she found the door unlocked and let herself in. Becca followed her nose to the kitchen where mouth-watering scents were flowing. When she realized Greg was wholly absorbed in his cooking, she softly drew level with him and picked up a small cut of meat from the prime rib he was slicing. When Greg saw her hand appear like a phantom, he nearly dropped his knife.
“Dang it Becks! You nearly gave me a heart attack!”
Becca laughed as she licked the juice of the meat off her thumb. “Sorry, I couldn’t resist. This is good. I’m impressed you managed to actually cook.”
Greg’s entire attention was focused on Becca’s thumb and he nearly missed what she said. When he realized that Becca was waiting for a reply he shook his head and mumbled an apology. “Sorry. Uh. Yeah. Thanks. I hired a private chef last year to teach me some skills in the kitchen and he was a pretty good teacher.”
[2016] A Bride's Journey Page 40
