The Woman I Love: Book One (The Woman I Love Series 1)

by G S Binkley

  Gage astutely noticed beads of moisture form on Lacy’s forehead when she redirected her daughter to the larger tunnel. Before proceeding, Gage grasped her arm and with a soft whisper asked. “You okay?”

  Nodding, Lacy’s mind took a short trip down memory lane. Her thoughts of the smaller tunnel bolted forward from the recesses of her mind. After a challenge from her older brother, Hank, the then eleven-year-old Lacy walked confidently into the cave armed with only a flashlight. Lacy discovered the small tunnel opened up to a fairly large theater like chamber. She gazed as the small pool glittered against the light from her flashlight just before the trick her mischievous older brother played on her came to light when her flashlight petered out as the batteries died. Deep in the alcove of the smaller cave’s opening, Lacy spent half a day wandering aimlessly around in the cold, dark, damp tunnel desperately searching for the way out.

  When the rescue team led by her oldest brother, Denny, finally reached her, Lacy was in a state of hypothermia, barely conscious. After a full recovery, Lacy did find one advantage to the whole devastating event. She had her guilt-ridden brother, Hank, wrapped around her little finger for weeks.

  Seizing the opportunity to explore further, Dani edged down the cave with flashlight in hand, blowing her whistle, amazed at the sound of its echo. Gage brought up the rear with the second flashlight. They searched the cave for a couple of hours before Lacy called a halt to their little adventure.

  When one of the flashlights started to fade, Lacy quickly pulled out the extra one from her bag. Handing it to Gage, her hand shook violently. “I think its time we head back.” Her words echoed in the cave emitting a tone that brooked no arguments.

  Not happy with her mother’s proclamation, Dani pouted, but soon perked up when Gage announced. “The fair starts tomorrow and we want to get an early start. Right?” Gage touched Lacy’s arm in reassurance and whispered. “When we go to town, I’ll get some fresh batteries.”

  Retracing their steps, Dani paused a brief moment longingly eyeing the smaller tunnel opening before reluctantly following the rest of her crew out the mouth of the cave. I need to check that….soon. I got a funny feeling about it.

  ***********************

  Happy with the outcome of the day, Dani was ready and willing to hit the bed. Once again, she guided her brother to their bedroom as Lacy tucked them in.

  Gathering her nightclothes, Lacy entered the bathroom to change. A short time later she emerged, running into Gage who had just taken a quick peek in the second bedroom, checking on the children.

  “Oh. Sorry.” Gage apologized.

  An awkward moment passed, blue searching green for the answer to her unspoken question, before Lacy reluctantly moved toward the second bedroom. “Good night.” I don’t want to intrude but I wish……

  Sucking in a deep breath of courage, the writer gently grabbed the star’s arm turning her back around. “You know, those beds are awfully small and…I got this huge bed just down the hall.”

  Her wish came true. Even as she followed Gage down the short hall, Lacy absent-mindedly made a case against sharing the huge bed. “Actually, they’re not any smaller than the one we shared in the boathouse.”

  Gage abruptly turned, confronting her invited guest. “And your point is?”

  Understanding reigned supreme, quickly amending her earlier statement. “It was a bit uncomfortable.” Gage offered a raised eyebrow of her own. “I mean, it was nice…. but small.” Caught between a twin and a king size palette, she sighed. “Can we just go to bed?”

  “My thought exactly.”

  It didn’t take long for Gage to change and join her bed companion. Neither ready to have the day end, they rested together in silence, glancing covertly at each other from time to time until Lacy quietly asked. “Tell me about your friend Mark…..and your future plans. Making movies together.” She added quickly, not wanting the writer to discover the remnants of jealousy that lingered when it came to Gage’s mysterious business partner.

  “We’re just starting our production company really. Getting ready to produce my first screenplay. Mark’s been doing a lot of the pre-production, getting a crew lined up while I finished writing this other story.” Gage said, glad to talk about her project. “Mostly, I guess, I really want to write, but I always thought it would be exciting making a movie.” She propped herself up on her elbow, looking at the star lying next to her. “Is it?”

  “Yes and no.” Lacy answered, gazing at an unidentified spot in the air.

  “Talkative, aren’t we?”

  “I’m sorry. I was just thinking.” Turning her full attention to Gage, she continued. “It can be. You get to experience so many different things. Learning to shoot a gun, self-defense, dressing up and… you get paid for it.” Her expression turned grave. “Though it doesn’t make up for the long hours…. missed hours with your family, children…..failing them.”

  “Hey, I’ve seen you with your kids. They adore you.”

  Without really listening, she elucidated further. “Two failed marriages doesn’t…..”

  “You can have that and not be in show business.” Gage stated.

  “My first marriage failed because of my career and this one, well, it’s crumbling as we speak.” Thoughtful, she continued. “It’s ironic, with Jason, I was full speed ahead on pursuing my career and he wanted something different for us. With David, I’m the one who is looking for something different. At least, slow down a bit while David keeps shifting into a higher gear.”

  “How long were you married to Jason?” Gage asked.

  “Almost two years. It’s been ten with David. Why?”

  “Why? Why do you keep categorizing your relationships as failures?”

  “Because they ended. They didn’t last.” Perplexed by the question.

  “Lacy, from what you’ve told me about your first marriage… you said was mostly good and with David, two great kids and ten years together seems more of a success if you delete the forever clause. You did have lots of great times, didn’t you?”

  “Yes, we did.” A pause. “It was only after Derek was born that things started to… we grew apart, wanting different things.” Lacy confirmed, adding more to her self. “I realize that now.”

  “In every relationship, no matter how long it lasts…. it seems to me if you enjoyed it, learned from it.” Altering the pace of the conversation. “Listen, relationships change every day. They evolve…. grow. Once you stop growing, you start to die. Sometimes we grow together, sometimes not. Instead of calling it a failure, the worst you can say is that it changed or you can just as easily say these relationships were successes.”

  “I suppose so.” A hiatus filled the air. “Society would disagree though.”

  “Are you a slave to society?” Gage countered.

  “As much as I’d like to say no, I’m sure I am in some things.” Lacy admitted, thinking of the feelings she’d recently been experiencing about Gage while still being married. And then there’s the fact that we’re both females.

  Noticing the frown play on the star’s face, she changed the gloomy subject and Gage inquired. “What do you want out of life now?”

  “I did want more children.” Lacy didn’t hesitate. “But now….” She let this thought dangle in the air.

  “What about your career?”

  “I’d like to continue it. But not at the expense of my children. Never that again.” The star vowed. “You?”

  “I already told you about my career plans.” Gage flopped back down. “Though what I really want is to be with the love of my life. My soul mate.”

  “You believe in that concept, huh?”

  “Absolutely.”

  The writer’s assuredness to that question prompted the next one. “You know who it is?”

  “I have an idea.” Seeing the questioning look from the woman beside her, Gage allowed a wicked grin to grow on her face.

  Chapter Seventeen

  As Dani guided the
boat to dock under Gage’s supervision, they saw the fair’s skyline against a cloudless sky. Derek tried to leap from his mother’s arm to get closer to the festive sound of carnival music playing that inevitability drew children like a magnet. After the boat was anchored securely to the dock, the foursome walked the short distance to the fairgrounds.

  Derek could hardly contain himself, scrambling out of his mother’s arms onto the ground, making a beeline to the yellow rubber ducks floating in a small pond. “Ducky.” He leaned over the short tank, grabbing at one of the ducks, on the verge of falling in until his mother rescued him from a certain watery fate. Pulling him back up in her arms, Derek ripped a huge smile across his face with his prize in hand.

  The carnie cast a sharp eye at the young child and was about to protest when Gage stepped up between them. Knowing full well Derek would not part with his new friend. “Listen, sir. How bout I give you…..” She jammed her hand in her pocket retrieving some money. “A twenty… for the duck.”

  “No can do.” He scratched his week old beard. “But you can play.”

  So Gage, along with Dani and Lacy, selected numerous ducks, flipping them over to see what they didn’t win. Derek was oblivious to the outcome; he was already a happy little camper.

  “Thank you.” Lacy whispered to Gage.

  A confused look washed over the writer’s face. “David would have made him put the duck back.” A pause. “He’s a bit frugal with his money.”

  This made Gage smile, thinking. Twenty dollars was a drop in the bucket…pond, she amended. Compared to that smile the kid now wore.

  Dani decided to take charge of her crew and led them directly to the Ferris wheel. She wanted to ride high on the round machine so she could see where everything was located. “First stop, Ferris wheel.”

  Dani rode with her mother while Gage escorted the three year old. He scooted closer as the chair rose higher and higher in the air. Dani waved frantically to Derek from the chair above them before her mother settled her daughter back down.

  As if on cue, Dani’s got her wish when her chair stopped at the very peak of the wheel. “There’s the scrambler.” She squealed. “And we have to go ride that round thing over there.”

  Following her daughter’s arm, Lacy noted. “I think that’s the ring of fire.”

  “Cool.” Then her attention diverted to a building like structure across from the ring of fire. “Is that a fun house?” Dani leaned over the chair’s rail causing it to tip forward. “Derek, you want to go to the fun house?” She yelled below.

  Lacy tried to equalize the rocking motion her daughter started, pulling her back. “Dani, you can ask him when we get down from this?” Lacy didn’t really mind heights exactly though she was dubious of it. There was a near accident on the set of her show when her harness slipped, plummeting her to the ground only to stop a few feet from the hard concrete floor. She sucked in a deep breath, willing the chair to still and it did. But only for a brief moment before the carnie started the wheel on its circular journey.

  Finally on the ground, Lacy suggested they have some lunch before taking any more rides. But, the high carb and all too sweet lunch served up did nothing to settle her stomach. So they decided to visit some of the farm animals to Derek’s delight and Dani’s consternation. She was the kinda girl that liked action.

  Gage was all too happy to go along with whatever they wanted, savoring the time spent with what she had come to think of as her new family. She knew it was wishful thinking, but then again sometimes dreams do come true.

  At last, Dani was leading her gang toward the fun house when Derek spied a big yellow giraffe that you would think the kid couldn’t live without the way he was carrying on. I’ll never get to the fun house at this rate. And we can’t go on rides hauling that big thing around. “Can’t we do that later?”

  Her mother shot her a look that offered the young girl no alternative. Dropped shoulders gave away her resolve. “Then let’s get on with it.”

  “Dani!” Lacy said sharply, letting her daughter know that indignant tone was not acceptable. “This is a family outing. We all get to do something we want.”

  Lacy’s words regarding family did not go unnoticed by Gage. The smile on her face shown brightly and even someone in a space shuttle overhead would have easily seen it. So ecstatic by her companion’s words, Gage picked up the rifle on the table in front of her positive she would win the big yellow giraffe for Derek. Apparently, Derek’s favorite color is yellow. This was another fact she would stow away for later.

  Slapping some money on the table, Gage took careful aim. Twenty dollars later, she still hadn’t got pass winning a couple of small gray elephants. Looking the rifle over, she demanded. “Got another one? This one’s sights are off.” Shaking his head, the carnie offered her a third rifle.

  With the last shot being fired and missed, Lacy took pity on her. “Here.” Lacy traded her son for the rifle. Two dollars and three perfect shots later, Derek had his giraffe.

  Lacy shrugged, looking directly at Gage. “I learned to shoot from my dad and on the show.”

  With Derek in her arms and the giraffe wrapped in his arms, Gage strolled off. “Yeah, well, some people are just lucky. What’d ya say we hit that fun house?” I should be able to do that without embarrassing myself.

  Lacy rolled her eyes, holding a smirk firmly on her face. I think I bruised someone’s ego.

  “It’s about time.” Dani skipped off.

  As they waited in line, Dani felt someone staring. She twisted her head around from side to side, intently taking in the crowd.

  “What is it?” Gage asked.

  “I don’t know.” Her eyes fell on the young man moving behind her mother. “It’s him.”

  Ned, followed closely by his friend, Buddy, bumped into the star.

  “Excuse me.” Lacy turned, paling when her concerned blue eyes rested on the two teens.

  Startled, both Ned and Buddy froze in place until a heated liberating voice thawed their bodies. “Ned, get up here!” Ned and his friend jumped ahead, joining his mother in the line near the steps of the fun house.

  “That’s Mrs. Raye and her son.” Dani informed Gage.

  “I know. And that’s Ned’s friend.” Nodding her head in the landlord’s direction, Gage asked. “Who’s that guy with them?”

  Dani shrugged as Lacy answered. “The handyman, Ralph. Remember, I told you about him when I went back to the cabin that next day.”

  He finally turned around facing them. Ralph’s mean brown eyes surveyed the couple then landed squarely on Dani. Her mother pulled her closer out of his view waiting until he turned back around.

  Having now recognized Sally Raye’s handyman, Gage asked. “Do you want to do this later?” Concern written all over her face.

  Dropping her eyes to her daughter, Lacy nodded. “No. We’re fine.”

  Dani jumped in the two-seated cart. She shared the front seat with her mother and as usual Gage and Derek partnered up again in the backseat, with giraffe tagging along.

  The fun house turned out to be a haunted house, starting out with a ride through a long, dark and scary tunnel filled with objects meant to be menacing to its guests. At the end, they had to take a short walk out of a semi-lit corridor that led to the exit.

  Dani loved it, making bloodcurdling sounds of her own while Derek climbed on Gage’s lap. When the ride was over, Dani jumped from the cart while Lacy helped her son out and Gage wrestled with the giraffe. Dani ran ahead down the dark corridor unmindful of any danger that might lie in its wake.

  When Lacy heard the scream sail down the corridor, she scrambled ahead leaving Gage to take care of her son. Lacy approached an older man from behind, jerking him around as he was about to lean forward to where her frighten daughter stood. “What the hell are you doing?” She demanded, recognizing the handyman instantly.

  Gage caught up with her, taking a place next to Dani, pulling her out of the line of fire from the anticipated altercati
on. “Come here.”

  “What’s it to ya?” The irascible handyman spat back, letting go of the whistle wrapped around the young girl’s neck. “Damn girl, just started screaming.”

  The protective mother clenched her fist, cocked and ready to fire even though it hung at her side. Through clenched teeth, she summoned all of her tolerance. “I suggest you get out of here…NOW!” The command left no room for doubt.

  Ralph backed up a few steps. “You people are all alike. You think you’re better than everyone else. Well, I got news for……”

  Stepping forward, Lacy loomed over the short man, cutting off any more of his spiteful retort. Ralph reasoned retreat was the better part of valor even though he didn’t know what it meant.

  Scampering off quickly, hoping to catch up with Sally and let her know he’d stood up for her. Ralph, who had cared for Sally for years, appointed himself her protector, which automatically made him Ned’s protector, too. She’d let him hang around knowing full well he was in love with her even though Sally was just using him. It was nice having your very own puppy dog and she got him to do her bidding no matter how nasty.

  Ralph listened well when his love ranted that if it weren't for that high kaflutten movie star seducing her innocent son into returning to the cabin, Ned wouldn’t be in trouble with the law. They both ignored the fact that nothing came of the break in since no one filed any charges.

  Lacy rushed to her daughter. “Are you all right?” Running her hands over Dani’s face and arms, looking for any sign of harm, Lacy heaved a sigh in relief.

  “He just scared me… a bit.” Dani assured her.

  Fussing the young girl’s dark hair, Gage subtly altered Dani’s perception of her admission. “You did good, yelling like that. I think though that you scared him.” Gage presented a knowing wink.