Comes the Night (Entangled Suspense)

by Cathy Marlowe

  “Thomas, what do you think?” Roused from his concerns by Alistair’s questions, he replayed the business conversation in his mind and responded.

  By the time he finally escaped the old man and his associate it was midnight.

  Midnight.

  Thomas frowned as he headed toward the nursery. After-dinner drinks had lasted forever. Because Alistair had required his presence throughout the day, he only visited Ace once. Soon, he promised himself, he wouldn’t allow Alistair to dictate his every move, but for now—well, he was still gathering information. And money. His frown eased as he acknowledged that the day hadn’t been a total loss. Ten thousand dollars rested safely in his pocket.

  Arriving at the nursery, he opened the door and slipped inside to find Ace sleeping in his crib. Maggie dozed awkwardly in the chair, wrapped in a cheap brown robe, troubled even in sleep. He studied her for a few moments before opening the door to her room, then returning to lift her. He swallowed as she curled into his embrace and settled peacefully in his arms.

  He hadn’t realized how slim she was, almost fragile. He suspected she’d lost weight since she’d arrived. Frowning at the dark circles that never left her eyes, he carried her into her room and attempted to place her on the bed. She whimpered in protest. Without considering the wisdom of his actions, he sought the room’s chair and sat down, comforting her until she settled into a deep sleep. Then he laid her with care on her bed.

  …

  At eight thirty the next morning, the door from the nanny’s quarters burst open. Maggie scurried into the room, tightening the belt of her robe. She froze at the sight of Ace, content in his father’s arms.

  “Good morning.” She swallowed.

  Thomas smiled. Her hair had come loose as she slept. Still that unattractive red clay color, he could see now that it was long and wavy, with perhaps a hint of curl. Any makeup had rubbed off as she slept. Her eyes widened at his perusal, and a faint flush rose on her cheeks.

  She was beautiful.

  “Good morning.” At the sound of his husky voice her blush deepened. He cleared his throat, trying to dissolve some of the tension that unexpectedly filled the room.

  “What…I…” In her confusion, she was momentarily unguarded. It charmed him.

  “I thought you could use some sleep.” He frowned. “You haven’t been taking very good care of yourself.”

  Her eyes narrowed. Before she could form a retort, he smiled. “Why don’t you take a shower and I’ll take care of Ace.”

  “But don’t you have to work?”

  “It’s Sunday. I’m spending the day with my boy.”

  Dismay flitted across her face. “Oh, I…” He could see that any peace she had gained through the night was gone.

  “I thought maybe the three of us might go for a walk.”

  She inhaled shakily. “I’ll just be a minute.”

  “Take your time. I’ve already fed Ace and we’re just enjoying a little talk, man to man.”

  She spun back toward her room. “Okay,” she whispered and disappeared, closing the door behind her.

  …

  Man to man.

  Lizzie leaned against the door as memories overwhelmed her.

  Unable to sleep, she’d risen from bed, pulled on a robe, and walked down the hall to check on Daniel. Zach’s voice drifted from the baby’s room, and she paused in the doorway to listen.

  “When winter gets here we’ll go down to the lake and skate. Sam will have her first hockey stick, and you, well, you’ll have the coolest sled. We’ll skate on the ice, slow at first, but then we’ll go really fast for a minute—until your mom makes us slow down. She’s a little nervous about the ice and hockey, but I’m working on that. Then we’ll head back to the house for hot chocolate. We’ll get those colored marshmallows that come in silly shapes. It’s going…” He looked up and smiled. “Hey, look who’s here.”

  “Hey, yourself. What’s going on in here at four in the morning?”

  “Daniel decided to wake up early. We’re just having a little talk, man to man.”

  Lizzie pushed the memories aside as she hurriedly washed and dressed. Taking a deep breath, she opened the connecting door thirty minutes later and entered a room filled with delicious smells.

  “Hey.” Zach looked up from a book he was reading to Daniel. “I thought you could use some breakfast.” A serving cart sat next to the chair in the sitting area.

  “Thanks.” She attempted to smile as the smell of food turned her stomach. “I’ll just have some toast.”

  “Look at this.” He rose from his chair, carrying Daniel, and walked across the room to remove the serving lid. “Eggs, bacon, melon, strawberries. A big chocolate cake that’s masquerading as a muffin! Darn, not a piece of toast in sight. I guess you’ll just have to make do.” He smiled and gestured encouragingly toward the chair. “Look, Maggie. You need to eat. You’ve lost weight since you arrived, and you’re not sleeping. If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for Ace. He needs you.”

  The sincere concern in his eyes was her undoing. She sat gingerly on the edge of the chair, pondering the significance of a breakfast that contained her favorite foods.

  Hope, fearful and sweet, filled her, as she took a bite of the chocolate muffin.

  Chapter Twelve

  “You can call me Thomas.”

  Lizzie looked at him, puzzled, silenced by a mouthful of muffin.

  He poured a cup of herbal tea and offered it to her. “You don’t need to call me Mr. Forrester. Thomas is fine. I, uh, I’ve noticed you never call me anything.”

  She took the glass from him and sipped the juice. “Thank you, T-Thomas.” The name stuck in her throat.

  “Listen, Maggie, I know we got off to a rocky start, but, well, you’re taking wonderful care of Ace…and I’d like it if you were more comfortable with me. So, I thought we could enjoy the beautiful weather, take a walk, and get to know each other a little better.” Misreading her hesitation, he smiled. “I don’t bite, at least not in a way that hurts.”

  Thankfully, she’d just taken another bite of muffin and was saved from having to respond.

  “Oh, sorry, that probably wasn’t appropriate.” He didn’t look at all contrite.

  She was momentarily distracted by the sudden pounding of her heart. Was he flirting with her? “Look…Thomas. A walk sounds wonderful. I just…I’m not sure what…” This was it, her chance to talk with him. But what would Alistair say? More importantly, what would he do?

  “Maggie, I don’t know if my father told you, but I was in an accident, and I don’t remember my life before last week. I’m going to take my boy for a walk, and since this will be my first outing with Ace, I’m more comfortable if you go with me.”

  Praying Alistair would agree that she’d had no choice, she tried to keep her excitement from showing. “If you insist.”

  While she finished her breakfast, Zach placed Daniel in an infant carrier and the three of them left the nursery. As they neared the door at the end of the hall, a voice hailed them, “Mr. Forrester, sir.” The male nurse who took care of medical needs at the estate hurried toward them.

  “You forgot your pills, sir.” Lizzie noted Zach’s slight hesitation before he took the paper cup in which two white pills nestled.

  “Thank you. I left in such a hurry I did indeed forget my pills.” Zach nodded and turned toward the door.

  “Sir, I brought water.” The annoyingly helpful nurse reached in the pocket of his white coat and removed a water bottle. “I know you wouldn’t want to wait too long. The headache when you’re not on schedule with your medication is severe.” He opened the bottle of water and waited.

  Daniel began to fuss. Zach sighed and brought the cup to his lips, dumping the pills in his mouth before crumpling the cup and handing it back. He grabbed the bottle of water and lid and took a drink. “I’ll just take this with me. Thanks.” Placing his hand on Lizzie’s back, he opened the door and steered her out into the formal garde
n, letting the door shut in the other man’s face.

  Questions about the pills hovered on her tongue, but she remained silent. They strode through the garden until they reached a path that led into the surrounding woods, out of sight of the mansion. She cast a sideways glance at him as he gulped a mouthful of water and swirled it around before discreetly spitting the water into the plants that grew alongside the path. She was pretty sure she saw the remains of two white pills when he spit. She looked up to find him watching her closely.

  “Excuse me. The pills leave a bad taste in my mouth.”

  The chirp of birds and rustle of leaves intensified as he awaited her response.

  “Okay.” She nodded. Not only had he spit out Alistair’s pills, but he knew that she knew and he was fine with that. She absorbed the possibility that he trusted her. They resumed their hike. It seemed Zach breathed more easily the farther they traveled from the mansion. Certainly her trepidation eased with each step.

  It was a glorious day. The first time she’d been outside since she arrived. She still had no idea where they were, but she was certain they’d left the continental United States. The plants were different, more tropical, and some of the staff spoke a language she didn’t recognize. Although she’d paid careful attention to her surroundings since she arrived, Alistair had been thorough in ensuring there were no obvious clues to their location—no television, no internet access available to her, no newspapers or magazines.

  She glanced at Zach as he carried their son in an infant carrier on his chest. His obvious love for Daniel warmed her heart, giving her courage.

  …

  As they set a brisk pace, Thomas noted that Maggie became increasingly relaxed the farther they walked from the big house. He wanted to know more about her. Where she grew up, what foods she liked, what she did to relax.

  Why she went to his father’s room each night.

  The sun shone through the trees, warming them as a cool breeze rustled through the leaves. Looking sideways at her, he broke the silence. “So, you know nearly as much about me as I know about myself. What about you? Obviously you love children.”

  “I do now.” She shrugged. “But when I was young? I never really planned on having any.”

  “What changed your mind?”

  “I got pregnant.” She tossed a half grin his way. “So I guess you could say the baby changed my mind.”

  “And the baby’s father?”

  She looked up at the trees, smiling at something only she could see. “Well, he ran for the hills.” A moment of silence passed before she glanced his way, with eyes that burned black as the island night. “But Sam’s real father isn’t her biological father.”

  “Sam, huh? I…”

  A small animal darted out from under a bush and cut across their path, startling her. She shrieked and lost her balance as she jumped, grabbing his arm for support. “Oh my gosh, I almost…” She gasped for breath and burst into laughter. “I almost peed my pants over a—what was that thing! Some crazy tropical rabbit?”

  His deep laughter joined hers as he placed his hand on her shoulder to steady her. The heat from her skin seeped into his fingers. Laughter faded.

  He removed his hand from her shoulder and let it drift slowly upward, brushing his fingertips against her neck, then along her jaw until finally his hand rested against her cheek. “You have a beautiful laugh.” He leaned in slowly, eyes searching, allowing her time to back away.

  Her lips curved infinitesimally as she wrapped her hand behind his neck. He kissed her, tentatively at first and then with increasing passion until they broke apart, breathless.

  Running his hand through his hair, he exhaled slowly. “Ah, you know, you’re the first girl I’ve ever kissed—at least that I can remember.” He smiled and ran his fingers tenderly along her collarbone. “And it was…great. But I admit, I never envisioned kissing my first girl with a baby between us.”

  She placed a light kiss on the baby’s head before raising her hand to touch his face. “I…I have something to tell you.” She searched his eyes and took a deep breath.

  From a distance, they heard a shout. “Mr. Forrester? Ms. Smith? Where are you? Mr. Forrester, come quickly!”

  …

  The pounding of Lizzie’s heart changed tempo, reflecting fear and frustration when before it had danced to the beat of passion and promise. She backed away from Zach and ran her hands over her hair to make sure the bun was secure.

  A breathless servant burst into sight. “Mr. Forrester, you’re needed at the house immediately.”

  Lizzie could see Zach’s frustration and apparently Daniel felt it as well, because he began to fuss. “Why—” He lowered his voice and stroked Daniel’s back, calming him. “Why am I needed?”

  “I don’t know. Mr. Forrester Sr. said to bring you back immediately.”

  “Fine. We’ll be along in a minute.”

  “Uh, it’s urgent, sir. I’m to escort you back to the house.”

  “Escort me back, huh.” Eyes hard, he nodded. “Let’s go back and settle this, once and for all.”

  She wanted to protest but felt the servant’s watchful eyes upon her. They walked back toward the house.

  As they neared the edge of the wooded area, Zach paused and lifted Daniel and the carrier from his chest. Turning to Lizzie, he helped her slip into it, running his hand lightly down her arm. “Ace doesn’t need to hear what I have to say to my father.”

  With his hand at her elbow, they entered the main courtyard. A stunning blond woman stood on the front steps talking with Alistair. Her face lit up when she saw them. “Thomas, darling!”

  He dropped his hand from Lizzie’s arm and stepped away from her as the elegant stranger ran down the steps in stiletto heels. She threw herself into his arms and kissed him soundly.

  Lizzie’s eyes narrowed. It was certainly a big day for Thomas, who didn’t seem to be working too hard to get out of his second kiss—at least that he could remember.

  Zach disengaged himself from the kiss and pushed the woman back a few inches. He scrubbed his hand along his jaw, a sure sign of distress. Lizzie fought the desire to step up and comfort him, confront Alistair, and tell the blond bimbo to take a hike—or rather to stay while she and her men took a hike!

  “Thomas?” the stranger asked, tilting her head in confusion. “Oh, sweetheart, you don’t remember me, do you?” Holding up her left hand, she flashed a large diamond. “I’m Desiree, your fiancée!”

  Looking in Lizzie’s direction, she smiled even more broadly if possible. “Ooooohhhh! And this sweet, sweet baby will be my new son!” Glancing back at Zach, she continued. “Darling, you don’t remember, but I’ve been finishing up business school in France and hadn’t even met this sweet baby yet. I’m so sorry it took me over a week to get here. Your father has sent me updates every day.”

  Lizzie turned to Alistair and considered the gleam of triumph in his eyes. Torn, she felt both threatened and strengthened by this turn of events. He must be worried about her influence to have brought an imposter to claim Zach. She could only hope his plan would backfire.

  …

  Thomas slouched at the formal dining table and played with his dinner. He had a fiancée, and she was beautiful. Feeling a light touch on his hand, he looked into her concerned face and forced a smile. It wasn’t her fault he didn’t remember her, that he felt like brushing his teeth after she kissed him so thoroughly, that all he wanted was to escape to the nursery and spend time with his son—and Maggie.

  Oh man, Maggie. What had he been thinking to kiss her like that? He barely knew her. She was his son’s nanny, for God’s sake. What if things didn’t work out between them—what would happen to Ace? His son needed her.

  What if things did work out? What if she felt the same attraction for him that he felt for her?

  By the time dinner ended and he returned to the nursery, Ace was asleep for the night and Maggie had already retired to her room. Thomas stood for a long time alone in
the darkness, gazing at his son as his fingers slid distractedly back and forth along the top of the crib’s rail.

  What if he hadn’t already made a commitment to a woman he didn’t remember?

  …

  Lizzie lay in her bed, the glow from the lamp on the bedside table lighting her tear-streaked face. Her earlier surge of confidence had faded in the lonely confines of her room.

  She pounded her fist on the mattress, and her purse toppled and landed against her arm. Biting the inside of her lip, she picked up the spare pillow and pounded it at her side, turning into it as if in frustration. Truth be told, she didn’t have to pretend very hard—she was tremendously frustrated. And scared, and angry, and hurt. Shoving the pillow aside, she covered both it and her purse when she pulled the covers over her head as though she couldn’t bear to face the world.

  Because when Alistair had looked through her purse for any personal items and removed her wallet and the picture of Daniel, one small item slipped through a tear in the lining and the miserable old man missed it.

  In the dim light under the covers she removed a picture from the lining of her purse and gazed at the photograph of Zach, Sam, and a very happy, very loved, and very pregnant Lizzie.

  Chapter Thirteen

  She ran along the path to the lake, laughing, her hair flowing behind her. If he ran just a little faster, he could catch her. The crisp winter air exaggerated the sound of their footsteps. Her curls sparkled with tiny snowflakes that fell faster and faster, until he lost sight of her in the swirl of white. “No!” he cried. “Wait for me.”

  Thomas jerked awake and fought to slow the rapid beat of his heart. He sat up in bed, running one hand roughly along his jaw. Who was the woman in his dreams? Ace’s mother? He shook his head and forced himself to focus. He could handle only one nightmare at a time.