by T. A. Foster
He knew Carly would be back any second with coffee. Time was running out and instead of bringing Haven back to him, he had set her on a path that was cracking the glass in every direction.
“There has to be a way. We can’t let this go. I’m not letting this go. I know you don’t want that.”
A tear slipped off her lashes and rolled along her cheek. “Maybe it’s what we need to do.”
“Knock, knock.” Carly peeked her head through the door. “I brought coffee for everyone.”
Haven quickly wiped the tears from her face. “Great. Evan has to get back to the ranch and I’m ready for the chorus.”
She stood, and he knew his window to convince her had closed. He should have used the damn speech.
“Sure you don’t want to stick around? You can watch us work.” Carly smiled.
“Nah, that’s all right. You two have important things to do here.”
He cupped Haven’s jaw and kissed her on the cheek. “I’ll be at home.”
“But you have to fly back.”
He turned at the door. “I’ll be at home.”
He closed it behind him and walked down the hall. He didn’t know how long he’d have to stay in Texas, but there was no way he was leaving. His entire world was about to fall apart.
THERE MIGHT be a new chorus in the song, but Haven knew it felt just as flat as the last one. She told Carly she’d work on it tonight. Driving out of the city, she didn’t know if she had it in her. It was a love song. Who was she to write about love?
It was dark when the guard waved her through the ranch gate. Evan said he’d be home, but she didn’t expect to see him. He had an early morning shoot. There was no way he’d miss that. He’d probably try to call or FaceTime later. All she wanted was a glass of wine and have Lenny fix some of his homemade mac and cheese.
She slowed the car along the curves in the road. On the way to work this morning, she noticed some of the cattle drivers had moved part of the herd closer to the dirt road. They looked like statues as she passed them. She heard Lenny mention the big auction they had in the spring at the ranch as a fundraiser. Some of the steers went for thousands of dollars. It was an annual event for the workers.
There was so much about the ranch she still needed to learn. She hadn’t even been on a horseback ride yet. Evan kept promising to take her when the movie wrapped. There was an entire stable of horses on the ranch she hadn’t met.
After today, none of that was going to happen. How could it? None of this was real. It wasn’t her home. This wasn’t her car. Everything belonged to Evan, and she had accepted it as if fairytale endings were a normal part of life. Her castle was a ranch, and her prince was a cowboy movie star who was never home. That part of the ending was never in the movies.
She pulled into the garage. On her way into the kitchen, she noticed Evan’s four-wheeler was missing.
She saw a note on the counter and picked it up:
Bud’s waiting for you to take you out. See you in ten minutes.
—E.
She turned toward the door just in time to see Bud stroll through the hallway. “You ready?” He tipped his hat.
She held the note out, hoping he could explain everything about the cryptic message.
“Where are we going? Can I change?”
He cleared his throat. “I was told to take you straight to the meeting location.”
“But I—” She saw the look in Bud’s eye and knew better than to challenge him on the spot. “Ok, fine. I’ll go.”
He led her through the garage. She expected to climb in the back of one of the black cars, but he jumped on a golf cart parked behind her car. “Hop on.” He patted the seat next to him.
It was dark, but after a few seconds, she recognized the part of the ranch that led to Evan’s favorite spot. She could never find it on her own, even though she had tried.
Bud took them through the last tunnel of trees, and they emerged in the clearing. The Silver Belle replica was lit up, and Evan was standing next to a campfire. Bud stepped on the brake. “This is your stop.” He nodded at her.
Reluctantly, she climbed out of the cart. “Thanks, Bud.”
“Sure thing.” He tipped his hat, threw the cart in reverse, and headed back through the thicket.
“What’s this all about?” She anchored her hands to her hips. She noticed the chairs were by the camper, and Evan had placed plaid blankets and pillows around the fire.
“You said something today.” Evan walked forward.
“Which thing? We both said a lot.”
“The thing about how everything changed after we left the island.”
“Oh, right. That thing.”
He tugged on her hand and pulled her to him. She tried to resist the way it felt when his skin hit hers, but the burn was unmistakable.
“Evan, don’t.” She pressed her palms into his chest.
“Don’t what? Hold you and tell you I love you?” He wrapped a strong arm around her waist, making it impossible to move anywhere but closer to him.
She looked into his eyes, darkened by the night. “This doesn’t fix anything. It doesn’t undo what I said.”
“Why can’t it? This is real. This is as real as it gets. I know that. You know that.” He moved his hands to her face. They still felt warm from the fire. “If we have to stay on the island, or here on our pretend version of the island, that’s what we’re going to do. Because I am not giving up, or letting go, or starting over with anyone else. Do you hear me?”
“But, this doesn’t fix anything.”
“Shh.” He smiled. “It does. It fixes everything.” He tipped her head back before his lips came crashing down on hers.
At first, she closed her eyes, willing her body not to react to the way his lips moved against hers. But his tongue dipped in her mouth and his hands tangled in her hair, breaking down any resistance she had cemented.
“Evan, it’s not that simple,” she whispered between kisses.
“It is exactly this simple.” He grinned. “Don’t think. Just feel.” He kissed her throat, his hands trailing down her back.
“I can’t pretend none of this happened.” She groaned. God, she wanted to forget everything except the way he felt, but nothing was resolved. Seduction did nothing to solve their problems. Part of him thought she was capable of cheating.
Evan took her by the hand, leading her to the campfire. “Look at me.”
She watched the flames dance in his eyes.
“Do you love me?”
“You know I do.” She whispered the words over the crackling pops of the fire.
“Then kiss me like this is the beginning and not the end.” He traced the side of her cheek. “Love me like we belong together.”
The words settled on her, filling her, clawing their way into her soul. She didn’t belong to anyone else. Only him. It was crazy to think she could walk away from him without it shredding her heart. But what if she was right? What if they didn’t work off the island?
Her hand encircled his neck, and she reached on her tiptoes, drawing him to her mouth. She kissed him like he was one of the songs she was writing, slow and deliberate, taking her time to make sure every touch was perfectly placed.
His tongue lashed against hers, matching the rhythm she set. She felt the deep need she had for him surfacing, taking over her thoughts, invading her blood, firing desire in her core.
She wiggled to the side just enough to ease on the blankets at their feet. Evan followed, taking her mouth again, this time at his own fiery pace. She felt all the hunger and the passion unleashed in his kisses.
“Tell me,” he growled. He pushed her back on the pillow.
Her chest rose from the pressure from his hands, and her breathing quickened. Above his head was a sky full of diamond stars.
“Tell me, baby.” He nuzzled against her neck, his teeth nipping at her ear.
“Take me,” she moaned.
His hands coasted over her hips and u
nclasped the button on her jeans. He sat upright, jerking on the jeans until they were in a pile next to the fire. She reached for his belt, desperate to do the same for him. The need to be a part of him, to love him just like he said was driving every fiber of her being. He wriggled out of the denim then focused on her lips again.
His kisses grew deeper and harder. Haven pulled on the edge of his shirt, sliding it over his arms. He had a new chiseled physique that glowed next to the fire. She ran her hands along the hard ridges of his arms and chest, pushing out thoughts of Dexter Red and Karina. He was hers. Only hers.
He braced himself on his palms and stared into her eyes. “It’s been too long since we’ve been together like this.” He settled on his heels and flicked open the first button on her shirt. “I missed every inch of your body.” He kissed the tops of her breasts.
She moaned under the contact. He slid the shirt from her shoulder, planting kisses along her collarbone. “Did you miss it when I did this?” His tongue glided along her stomach, stopping short of the lacy border running across her hipbone.
She nodded, watching his every move.
“What about when I did this?” He pushed her knee to the side, dotting kisses along her thigh.
Her back arched in response. “Mmm-hmm.”
“And what about this?” He planted a kiss between her legs, blowing a gentle, heated breath through the silky fabric.
She bit hard on her lip to stop the whimper hovering in the back of her throat. Instead, she grasped at his shoulders.
“Tell me,” he urged. “Tell me what you missed.”
She was sure it was the flames from the fire, but his eyes danced with a devilish expression.
“I missed you,” she breathed. “I missed your body too.”
Releasing the words unleashed a recklessness in her. All she could think about was being with him again, every part of him. She sat forward, pushing him on the other side of the blanket. She wiggled out of her panties, and then crawled toward him. As her hips straddled his waist, she kissed him roughly, feeling the sensation that was taking hold of her body as he pushed deep inside her.
She thrust her hips forward. “Oh, God, Evan.” His hands steadied her, guiding her back and forth until there was no going back. The sparks inside her coiled tightly. She rocked deeper taking him with her over the edge of a spell there was no breaking.
EVAN’S FINGERTIPS ran along her arm. She rested against his chest, watching the flames bounce around what was left of the logs.
“I probably should get up and throw another log on.” He leaned forward.
She shook her head. “No, don’t move. I don’t want anything to change.”
“But, darlin’, it’s going to get cold.”
Night had settled around them and the air was chilly. The only warmth was from the dying fire.
“Just another minute.” She clung to his arm, pressing her cheek against his chest. Like this, she could hear his heart pounding.
He settled back on the pillows, moving his hand to stroke her back. She closed her eyes. There had to be a way to make time stand still. To bottle this moment and keep it sealed forever. The minute she let him get up and throw another piece of wood on the fire was the minute the magic would dissolve. Decisions had to be made. Dammit, she didn’t want to decide anything but to lie here with him. Couldn’t that be enough?
“My leg’s falling asleep,” he whispered. “We can go inside, you know?” He squeezed her shoulder, adjusting her off his leg.
“We can’t go.”
“All right, but I need to get this going again, or we’ll freeze to death out here. That and I don’t want any coyotes creeping up on us.”
Haven sat up. “Coyotes?”
He chuckled. “Haven’t you heard them howling at night?”
“That’s what that sound is?”
He reached for a nearby log. “Yep. Fire seems to deter them.”
She looked at the camper. “I guess we can move inside.”
He draped a blanket over her shoulders. “Come on. I’ve got the heat on in there.”
He led her through the door and turned on a small nightlight. Neither was ready for bright lights. Their eyes were used to firelight.
She pulled the corners of the blanket across her chest, connecting them with her clenched fist.
“Evan, I—” She tried to think of how to start again. To tell him she loved him, but she was scared. All she could see ahead of them was more of the same problems in the press, more time apart because of their careers. But, God, she loved him more than anything. It hurt to think the words. How could she say them again?
“Baby, I know we have a lot to figure out…” His phone started vibrating on the table. He let it go.
“Don’t you need to check that?” She looked over his shoulder.
“No, there’s nothing more important than this.” He grazed her ear with his lips.
“Evan, wait.”
His phone vibrated again.
“Maybe you should see who it is this time,” she urged.
He shook his head. She could tell he didn’t want to, but they both knew whoever it was would probably keep calling.
He snatched the phone off the table. “Hello? Mama? Ok, Mama, slow down. What’s going on?”
Haven searched his face for an explanation. Something was wrong.
“All right. Is Anna with you? Ok, Ok. I’m on my way. I’ll be there tonight.”
He hung up the phone and looked at Haven with utter panic in his eyes.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
He buried his face in his hands.
“Evan, what is it?” She thought about picking up his phone and calling Patty back.
“It’s Dad. He’s in the hospital. I have to go.”
“Oh my God. What happened?”
“They think it’s a heart attack.” His eyes scanned the camper. He looked lost.
“Ok, I’m going with you. Wait right here.”
He didn’t move. Haven raced out of the camper and gathered their clothes next to the fire. She dared a coyote to come near her.
She darted back through the door, and shoved the clothes in his lap. “Put these on. I’ll call Bud to come get us.”
Looking at Evan, she doubted he could drive right now and she still had no idea how to navigate out of this secret clearing.
She tapped the head of security’s number on Evan’s phone and explained the urgency of the situation. Next, she called Marta and asked that she pack bags for both of them. They would need to leave the house in fifteen minutes. She glanced at Evan. He was dressed, but his expression hadn’t changed.
“Bud will be here in ten minutes, ok?” She pulled her shirt on over her head.
“I can’t believe it.” Evan’s eyes misted with tears. “He’s strong. He’s healthy. I can’t believe this would happen to him.”
Haven took both of his hands. “We will get there. If your father is half as strong as you are, I know he’s going to be ok. We’ll be there.” She didn’t know what else to say.
She saw the golf cart lights through the window, and tugged on Evan’s hand. “He’s here. Come on.”
Twenty minutes later, their bags were in the back of the car and they were pulling out of the garage. Evan seemed to snap out of his zombie state. He was on the phone with the hospital, trying to get the latest information on Joe. He was already talking about having premiere cardiologists flown in. It seemed to give him something to focus on.
Brees, Texas, was just like Evan had described it—two stoplights and fifty churches. They drove through the center of town on their way to the next city over where the closest hospital was.
Evan parked near the front entrance and ran through the doors. Haven struggled to keep up. Cardiology ICU patients were on the fifth floor. If the elevator hadn’t opened fast enough, she had a feeling he would have started running five flights on his own.
Anna and Patty were in the waiting area. Evan hugge
d them both.
“Darlin’, I can’t believe you got here so fast.” Patty looked at her son. Haven recognized the worried look in her eye. The same one hadn’t left Evan’s face.
“What are they saying? What’s going on?”
Haven stood next to him, not wanting to butt in, but desperately wanting to help.
Anna took over. “They said it was a mild heart attack. They are putting a stint in right now, and he should be out any minute. We’re just waiting on an update from the surgeon. They told us to wait here.”
“Mild? What’s mild about a damn heart attack?” Evan raised his voice.
Haven grabbed his arm, trying to calm him. Everyone in the waiting room was looking at them.
Patty laughed. “You know you sound like your father right now.”
Haven felt a bit of the tension ease from her shoulders. If Patty could make light of what was happening, then Joe must not be in imminent danger, or maybe having her son nearby was a comfort to her.
“Haven, thanks so much for driving up here.” His mother pulled her into an embrace. Haven squeezed her tightly, hoping to absorb some of the worry from her. She felt so helpless watching them.
“I wouldn’t be anywhere else.” She looked up at Evan. “Why don’t I go get drinks or coffee for everyone, and you can talk for a bit?”
They all nodded. Haven left in search of the cafeteria. In the frenzy to make it to the fifth floor, she thought she remembered signs for it in the elevator. She didn’t know what they would serve in the middle of the night, but it looked like the express section was open. She grabbed four cups and filled them to the top with coffee, then placed them in a cardboard carrying case. She added a few pastries to a white paper sack and checked out.
By the time she returned to the fifth floor waiting room, everyone was smiling.
“What did I miss?” She handed out the goodies.
Patty beamed. “Good news. The surgeon just gave us an update. Joe is in recovery and everything went just fine. I’m headed back now to see him.”
“Oh, that’s great news.” Haven sat next to Evan, trying to read his expression. The worry lines had faded. He looked stunned.
