At Hidden Falls (Angel's Bay Novel)

by Barbara Freethy

  Opening his eyes, he stared up at the ceiling considering his options. His heart jumped as his phone rang, and he didn’t know if he was getting as intuitive as Isabella or just being hopeful, but somehow he knew it was her.

  “Sorry to call so late,” she said. “I’ve been thinking all night about Tory, and I just wondered how she was after I left.”

  “She actually pulled herself together. Facing Steve and the truth wasn’t as hard as all the uncertainty. But she’s going to need time to digest everything that’s happened and figure out what to do next.”

  “Will you tell your parents?”

  “I’ll leave that to her. She’s not looking forward to being the next hot topic of gossip in this town.”

  “From what I’ve seen, the people in Angel’s Bay really love your sister. They’ll have her back.”

  “She’ll still have to go through it. I wish I could fix this for her,” he said with a sigh.

  “I know you do. We’re kind of alike that way,” Isabella said. “I want to fix Joe’s relationship, too.”

  “Does he want it fixed?”

  “I think his soon-to-be-ex-wife does. Rachel keeps calling him, but Joe won’t call her back. Rachel has been with Joe so long I feel like she’s one of my sisters. They got married when I was in middle school and I grew up with her. But I can see how Joe’s life has changed, and he’s happy. So maybe I should leave it alone.”

  “I doubt you could change your brother’s mind, no matter how hard you tried.”

  “Probably not,” she agreed.

  Nick settled in more comfortably on the bed. “What did you do tonight?”

  “Had dinner with Joe, took Rufus for a walk, then looked through the boxes in my uncle’s basement for more ties to Leticia, but I didn’t find anything.” She drew in a breath, then said, “I’ve spent most of the last hour trying not to call you. Then I gave in.”

  His pulse leaped. “I would have called you, but you don’t have a cell phone, and I thought it was too late to call your house.”

  “Joe isn’t here. He went back to the station. He’s obsessed with organizing search parties and trying to track down Annie’s father. I did tell him about Steve’s confession regarding paternity. Maybe it wasn’t my place . . .” Her voice trailed away in worry.

  “Hey, protecting Steve’s ass isn’t high on my list.”

  “You were a good brother today.”

  “And you were a good friend.” She didn’t answer, and the silence made him wonder what he’d said wrong. “Are you still there?”

  “Yes. It’s just that friendships have always been a little tricky for me. I either scare people off, or I keep so much distance that the friendship isn’t worth much.”

  “If they scare that easily, they’re not worth having as friends. You can’t keep running, Isabella. You can’t keep waiting for the wind to blow you where you need to go.”

  “I don’t know where I need to go. That’s why I let the wind decide.”

  “I think you know what you want.” He paused, reflecting for a moment on his own choices. “I always knew what I needed to do, even when I wasn’t doing it. I just pretended not to. Maybe you’re doing the same.”

  “I wish I was normal,” she said with a heartfelt sigh.

  “Then you’d be boring as hell. Besides, we all have our quirks. Here in Angel’s Bay, a lot of people have claimed to see angels.”

  “Did you ever see one?”

  “Can’t say that I have.”

  “You don’t believe in angels or visions, do you, Nick?” Isabella asked.

  “I’m more comfortable with things that are real.”

  “Like buildings.”

  He could hear the smile in her voice. “Yeah. Designing buildings that can survive centuries and stand through earthquakes and other natural disasters makes me feel like I’ve accomplished something. You can see it, touch it, and it’s not going anywhere.”

  “It’s so great that you found something else that you loved besides music, Nick. You’re an awesome guitar player, but you’re also a really good architect. You have vision and imagination—even though you’re building something solid, there’s whimsy to it. I saw it in your sketches for the theater, the arches of the windows, the curves along the private boxes. You might have turned your back on your parents’ world, but some of what they love about the theater rubbed off on you. You think beyond the obvious. Isn’t that what plays are all about, involving the imagination, evoking emotion, transporting someone to another place?”

  He’d never thought about it like that, never wanted to admit that he’d taken anything from his past into the present.

  “I think I’ve put you to sleep,” Isabella said, breaking the lengthening silence.

  “No, you just gave me something to think about. But I don’t want to think anymore.”

  “You want to sleep.”

  “Actually, I want to make love to you. I want to hear that little catch of your breath when I hit just the right spot.” Her breathing quickened, and his pulse began to race. “What are you wearing right now?” he asked.

  “Pajamas bottoms and a camisole. Very sexy,” she said with a low, throaty laugh.

  “I’ll bet. Are you sure you’re not too hot?”

  “It is getting a little warm in here. I might have to take my top off.”

  He heard a rustle of clothing that tightened his groin.

  “That’s better,” she added with a sigh.

  He pictured her lying in bed, her long hair draping over her beautiful breasts. “You’re killing me, you know that?”

  “Maybe you should take something off, too.”

  “My pants are getting tight,” he said.

  “Then what are you waiting for?”

  “Are we really doing this?” he asked, half amazed.

  “I don’t know what you’re doing. I’m just getting more comfortable,” she teased.

  “Me, too,” he said, kicking off his jeans. “Okay, my pants are off. It’s your turn.”

  “Now I’m turning off the light.” She let out a sigh. “I wish you were really here, touching me.”

  He flipped off the light next to his bed, letting the dark take away the last bit of reality. “Me, too. In the meantime . . . here’s what I want you to do.” He told her in exact and loving detail.

  She laughed. “Wow. You really do have an imagination.”

  “Are you with me?” he asked, his nerves tensing as he waited for her answer. Not just because he wanted to have a little fun but because he wanted her to be with him. Even though he’d pushed her away and told her he didn’t have time for a relationship, even though she’d declared herself to be a free spirit with no intention of lighting anywhere soon.

  “I’m with you, Nick,” she said. “At least for tonight.”

  It wasn’t nearly enough, but for the moment, he’d take it.

  Monday morning, Isabella woke up feeling more refreshed than she had in a long time. She’d never had phone sex before, and while it was nowhere close to the real thing, sharing the experience with Nick had made her feel even closer to him. And afterward she’d slept all night without any troubling dreams.

  Maybe he was right. Maybe all she was supposed to do was warn him to be alert. But the pragmatic part of her wondered what good that would do.

  In the meantime, she was going to work. The theater was busy when she arrived, and she jumped into her sewing along with the other volunteers. She soon lost herself in the beauty of the costumes and didn’t realize how much time had passed until Tory stopped in just after lunch and motioned for her to join her in the hallway.

  Tory gave her an apologetic smile. “I’m sorry you had to take care of me yesterday. I feel like a fool.”

  “Please don’t. You have enough on your plate to worry about.”

  “I’ve never fallen apart like that before. I’m the one in the family who holds things together.”

  “You were due.”

  She
nodded. “Perhaps. Anyway, I just wanted to say thank you. It was really sweet of you to watch over me. And I’m glad you called Nick.”

  “I wasn’t sure if I should have called your parents.”

  “Heavens, no,” Tory said. “Not that they wouldn’t have wanted to help, but they’re so distracted with the show. They don’t need to deal with my problems.”

  “I thought you might take some time for yourself today.”

  Tory shook her head. “There’s too much to do. I’ve got to set up for the barbecue on Wednesday and go over a million other details. My parents would have flipped out if I hadn’t shown up today because I was feeling sorry for myself. The show must go on, you know,” she added with a brave smile. “If I learned anything from them, I learned that. I’ll see you later.”

  After Tory left, the rest of the day passed in a blur. Sewers came and went. Every time Isabella ventured out of the costume shop, she found herself looking for Nick, wondering if he might stop by to work on his plans, but she never caught a glimpse of him.

  By seven o’clock, everyone else had gone home. Isabella had stayed behind to finish one particularly tricky seam, but after the long day, her eyes were beginning to blur, and her neck ached. She set the material aside and stood up, stretching her arms high over her head. Then she picked up the dress and hung it on the rack. It was time to call it a day.

  But when the door opened and her stomach flipped over, she knew that she’d been waiting for just this moment.

  Nick stepped into the room, looking gorgeously sexy in jeans and a maroon sweater, the sleeves pushed up to his elbows. He walked across the room and slid his arms around her waist, pulled her up against his chest, and took his time kissing her, long and deep, until she was trembling.

  He lifted his head. “Hi,” he said huskily.

  She drew in a shaky breath. No man had ever set her on fire so easily. Every moment that they weren’t together, she missed him, almost ached for him. It was terrifying to wonder how she would ever get through life without him. Stay in the moment, and stop worrying about tomorrow.

  “Hi, yourself. I thought you were going to keep your distance,” she reminded him.

  His hands tightened on her waist. “I’m addicted to you. I’m going to need a twelve-step program.”

  “Is the first step letting go of me?”

  “That would probably be a good idea,” he said, but his hands tightened on her waist.

  “Or you could start the program another day?” she suggested.

  “Are you my enabler?” he asked with a smile.

  “Yes, and you’re mine. I was hoping I’d see you today. Every time I left this room, I was looking for you.”

  “I had to stop myself from heading over here a couple of times. You’re hell on my work ethic.” He grinned. “Did you dream of me last night?”

  “No. You wore me out.”

  “That was fun. But next time, let’s do it together.”

  “You’ve got a deal.” As she saw him glance at his watch, she had a feeling next time wasn’t going to be very soon. “Are you on your way somewhere?”

  “I need to pick up Megan. She wants to see that boyfriend of hers tonight. I tried to tell her it’s a school night, and she laughed in my face. So I thought I’d stall as long as possible.”

  “So I’m just part of your stall, huh?”

  “The best part,” he said, stealing a kiss.

  “Good answer. Megan is in the auditorium, I think. She was helping with the rehearsal earlier, and she seemed to be into it. I might have even seen her smile a few times. Oh, and she asked me about dresses, as in what to wear to the homecoming dance. I told her I’d help her shop for one—if you don’t mind.”

  “Not at all.” He slipped his hand through her hair, cupping the back of her neck for another kiss.

  “You should get Megan,” she told him, but his lips covering hers made it difficult to speak.

  “I will in a second, but first, let me show you how much I want you—”

  A loud bang broke them apart, and Isabella looked over to see a furious Megan in the doorway. She’d dropped a box of accessories on the floor.

  “So this is what you’ve been doing while I’ve been waiting upstairs for you,” Megan said, clearly angry.

  “I’m sorry,” Nick said. “I didn’t realize you were waiting.”

  “For more than an hour.”

  “I’m not that late.”

  “Yes, you are, and you would have been later if I hadn’t come down here.” Her accusing gaze swung to Isabella. “You were after him all along. That’s why you were being nice to me. You wanted my dad, and I was your ticket in.”

  “That’s not true,” Isabella said, appalled that Megan had jumped to that conclusion.

  “I was so stupid,” Megan said, ignoring her. “It’s not like a million other people haven’t done the exact same thing with my mother. I just made the mistake of thinking you were my friend.”

  “I am your friend.” She hated the way Megan was misreading the situation, but the young girl was so worked up she couldn’t see anything but her own pain.

  “And you,” Megan said, firing at Nick now. “All that bullshit about how I’m your first priority. You don’t want me. You want her.”

  “You’re my daughter, Megan,” Nick said firmly. “Our relationship has nothing to do with Isabella.”

  “Not until you decide to marry her or live with her and dump me out on my ass.”

  “That won’t ever happen,” he assured her.

  “Well, I don’t care if it does. You two can go ahead and screw each other, because I’m done with both of you.”

  “Dammit,” he swore as Megan ran out of the costume shop.

  “Go after her,” Isabella said. “Fight for her. That’s what she needs you to do.”

  As Nick left the room, she put out a hand on the worktable to steady herself. She felt horrible for upsetting Megan and ripping apart the fragile relationship between father and daughter. Would either one of them ever forgive her for it?

  SEVENTEEN

  Nick reached the sidewalk in front of the theater just in time to see Megan flying down the street on the back of her boyfriend’s motorcycle. She must have called Will earlier, when she’d gotten tired of waiting for him. Damn.

  He ran to his car in the nearby lot and jumped in, but by the time he pulled out on to the street, there was no sign of the motorcycle. Well, he’d find them. And when he did, he’d take Megan home and make her understand that he loved her and that she was his first priority.

  As for Isabella, he’d make it clear that that was over, too. It had to be, he told himself firmly. He had to prove to Megan that he could put her first.

  Finding Megan wasn’t as easy as he’d thought it would be. He tried all of the local hangouts, then stopped by Colleen’s and quizzed her son Cord about where Megan might have gone. Colleen agreed to go to his house to wait in case Megan came back while he was out looking for her. He stopped by the pizza parlor, the arcade, and the movie theater. He even went to Will Harlan’s house, but his mother was out, and his father was drunk and had no idea where his kid was.

  Two hours later, frantic and frustrated, he pulled up in front of Isabella’s house.

  She opened the door, concern in her eyes.

  “I can’t find her,” he said. “She went off with that kid on the motorcycle, and I’ve been all over town. You’ve got to help me.”

  “Come in.”

  He walked into the house. “Is your brother here?”

  “No, I haven’t seen him since I got back from the theater. Have you talked to Megan’s friends?”

  “She doesn’t have any, besides that kid. I spoke to her cousin Cord. He gave me some ideas, but none of them panned out.” He paced around her living room. “I’ve screwed this up, Isabella. I’ve lost her.”

  “You haven’t lost her. She’s just mad and licking her wounds. She’ll come home.”

  “I can’t ju
st go home and wait. I did that before.” Memories of those first horrifying moments from a dozen years ago ran through his mind. He’d returned home from work to find half the closet cleaned out, Megan’s favorite dolls gone, and a note on the refrigerator. He hadn’t known what to do then, so he’d gone out and gotten drunk. That wasn’t going to work this time.

  “Nick, this isn’t before.” Isabella’s voice brought him back to the present. “Angel’s Bay isn’t that big. We can find her. Let’s think.” She paused. “You were a teenager in this town. Where did you go when you were looking for trouble?”

  He ran a hand through his hair. “There are a couple of beaches south of town where we used to do bonfires, but that was more in the summer. I’ve been to the other places, even the old haunted Ramsay house, where we used to drink in the basement. But they finally boarded that place up so no one can get in.” He paced around the room, then stopped abruptly. “The falls. We used to go to Hidden Falls.”

  “So did your grandfather and Leticia,” Isabella said, an odd look in her eyes.

  He didn’t like the coincidence. “I don’t think their fifty-year-old love affair has anything to do with Megan.”

  “We should still check it out.”

  He hesitated. “I don’t know if you should come. She ran away because we were together.”

  “I know that, but I want to help. It’s driving me crazy to sit here and do nothing. I never wanted to hurt Megan. I’ll just help you find her, and then I’ll disappear. I promise.”

  He didn’t want her to disappear, but he couldn’t think about that right now. Megan was somewhere out there, angry, hurt, and reckless, a dangerous combination.

  “I’ll get a flashlight,” Isabella said, moving toward the desk. She grabbed the light and her coat and headed toward the door. “Don’t worry, Nick. We’re going to find her, and you’ll make everything right.”

  He wasn’t sure he could make everything right—but he would kill himself trying.

  “Did you ever bring a girl up here?” Isabella asked Nick as they parked at the bottom of the trail and got out of the car.

  “Too much of a hike for me. I was a lazy partyer.”