At Hidden Falls (Angel's Bay Novel)

by Barbara Freethy

  “I don’t know if I’ll be any good.”

  “You will be,” Tory assured her. “Because you’re his mom. And I’m not.”

  “You’re being so nice to me. I don’t deserve it,” Annie said.

  Tory got to her feet. “Whatever happened in the past shouldn’t affect your son. Do what’s best for him, Annie. That’s all I ask of you. Because being a mother is a precious, precious gift. It doesn’t happen for everyone. Don’t throw it away unless you’re really sure that’s what you want.”

  Charlotte fought back tears as Tory’s words reminded her of the baby she’d lost so long ago.

  Tory walked over to the baby, touched his forehead with the tip of her fingers, and gazed down at his face for a long moment. Then she turned back to her husband and said, “You don’t deserve him. But you’d better do right by him now.”

  The pulse in Steve’s jaw was beating in triple time as he stood up. “I will do what’s right,” he said, looking from his wife to Annie. “I’ll support you, Annie, and the baby. I should have stepped up a long time ago. But I’ll do better.”

  Neither Annie nor Tory looked that inclined to believe him.

  “You should go,” Tory told her husband. “I’ll get a ride home from Nick.”

  “All right. If that’s what you want.”

  After Steve left, Tory turned back to the group. “Now I want to hear what happened, Nick. I got your message last night that Megan had disappeared, and I spoke to Colleen, who said you were out looking for her. But how did you all come to be together? How did you find Annie?”

  “Megan went up to Hidden Falls with some friends and ended up getting lost in the woods,” Nick said. “Isabella and I went searching for her, and we found her this morning. Megan had stumbled into the encampment that Annie’s father had set up. There was a bit of a struggle, but we took him down.”

  “Isabella tackled him,” Megan put in.

  “What?” Joe asked in anger and surprise. “What were you thinking, Izzy?”

  “Nick and Megan needed my help. He pulled a gun on them,” Isabella said, “so I had to act. I hit him the way you taught me, Joe. Then Nick did the rest.”

  “We were going to search that area later today,” Joe said. “I wish we’d gotten to you sooner, Annie.”

  “Joe has been working nonstop on finding you,” Charlotte said. “We were all so worried about you. So what happened while you were with your dad?”

  “Not much. We moved a couple of times. He said the enemy would be coming. I cried a lot, and he got mad and hit me a couple of times. He said it was for my own good. I told him I missed my baby.” Annie held the baby in her arms a little bit tighter. “He said I didn’t deserve a child, because of my sins. That the baby would be better off without me and that everyone here just wanted the baby, not me. I was so tired I got confused. I thought he might be right for a while. But deep down, I knew he wasn’t. He’s just a sick person who needs help.”

  “We’re going to make sure he gets it,” Joe said quietly. “He served his country. It’s time his country served him. He’s at the hospital now. We need to make sure he’s not a danger to you or anyone else or even to himself.”

  “I think your father tried to break into the house a couple of nights ago,” Charlotte said. “Did he tell you that?”

  Annie nodded. “He said he would get my things so I’d understand that I was never going back. But he didn’t return with anything.”

  “I scared him off,” Charlotte said. “I’m just so happy this is over and that you’re back.”

  “We should get going,” Nick said. “Megan’s had a long night. Tory, are you ready?”

  Tory started, her gaze still lingering on the baby. “Yes, I’m ready.”

  “I am sorry,” Annie said again to Tory. “I didn’t want you to ever find out. You were really nice to me when we met, and I felt so guilty.”

  “We all make mistakes,” Tory said with a generosity that Charlotte admired. “The important thing is to do the right thing now.”

  “I’ll catch a ride with Joe,” Isabella said, exchanging a quick look with Nick.

  Charlotte walked the others to the door. As Nick, Megan, and Tory left, she saw Andrew coming up the walkway. She instinctively pulled the front door shut behind her and met him on the porch.

  “What’s going on?” he asked. “Has something happened?”

  “Annie’s back. Nick and Isabella found her in the woods.”

  “Praise the Lord. Is she all right?”

  “She will be. Her father wanted her back with him once the baby was born. Nick and Isabella had to wrestle a gun away from him. Joe is going to make sure that he gets help and doesn’t get near Annie again.”

  Andrew nodded. “That’s good. I’m really happy everything has worked out.”

  He didn’t look all that happy, Charlotte thought, wondering if he was put out that he hadn’t had more to do with the resolution. But maybe she was reading him wrong.

  “What about the adoption?” he asked.

  “Steve Baker admitted to being the father. Annie obviously hasn’t had time to make any decisions, but I suspect she’s going to keep the baby. And Steve has promised to provide child support. I’m not sure his marriage to Tory will last, but maybe she’ll find a way to forgive him. She’s a very generous person.”

  “As are you.” Andrew gave her a smile. “You went above and beyond the call of duty taking Annie in and mothering her child. You were good at it, too. I wonder if the experience will make you reconsider having your own children.”

  She wasn’t quite ready to admit that. “We’ll see.”

  “Do you mind if I come in and say hello to Annie?”

  She hesitated. “Joe and Isabella are inside. Annie is exhausted. Maybe later would be better.”

  “All right.” He paused. “Now that Annie is back, I’m going to hold you to that dinner date you promised me. I’ve had a chance to think about what you told me the other night, and I wondered if that secret was what was holding you back from seeing me again.”

  She wasn’t sure how to answer that. “It was part of it but not all of it.”

  “Well, let’s put it to rest and move on. I want to start over, clean slate. What do you think?”

  “I’m not sure it’s possible to do that.”

  “At least, promise me one thing.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Give me a chance to compete with the chief.”

  She stiffened. “Joe and I aren’t seeing each other.”

  “Not yet,” Andrew said. “I want an opportunity to show you who I am now. Just think about it. We already know the worst of each other. Maybe now we can find the best.”

  Joe paced around the living room. Through the window, he could see Charlotte talking to Andrew, and as usual, his blood pressure began to rise. It figured that Andrew would show up when all of the work was done and try to cash in on the celebration. He didn’t like Andrew and didn’t particularly trust him, although he seemed to be alone in that opinion. Andrew was quickly growing in popularity as his charismatic sermons brought more and more people back to church.

  “Who’s out there?” Isabella asked curiously, walking over to him as Annie took the baby into the kitchen for a feeding.

  “Reverend Schilling. Charlotte’s high-school boyfriend,” he said shortly.

  Isabella raised a curious eyebrow at his tone, and he could have kicked himself for revealing so much. He decided to change the subject. “When you left me that message yesterday, I had no idea you were out in the woods all night. Why didn’t you call me back and ask for help?”

  “We didn’t need help. We were just going to wait by the falls until Megan came back, and I didn’t think there was anything you could do in the dark. I was going to call you this morning, but we lost service.”

  “I can’t believe you went after crazy Carl Dupont,” he said with a bemused shake of his head. “I hope Nick realizes how amazing you are.”
>
  “He seems to be happy enough with me at the moment,” she said with a smile.

  He grinned. “You like him?”

  “Yes.” She sighed. “Way too much.”

  “Why too much?”

  “Because I don’t know if we can be together. Megan ran away because she saw Nick and me kissing. Her mother dumped her on Nick so she could get married, and all Megan saw was Nick doing the same thing to her. She needs her father’s attention.”

  “Don’t you think Nick is capable of giving you both what you need?”

  “He’s got a lot of guilt to work off. I’m not sure he could justify taking any happiness that might come at Megan’s expense. And I can’t blame him; they need each other. But I think after seeing her father throw himself in front of a gun for her, Megan will begin to accept that he really does love her. So no matter what happens, a lot of good came out of this.”

  “It’s amazing that Megan ran into Annie and that somehow you and Nick were able to find her.” He gave her a pointed look. “Want to tell me how that happened?”

  She nodded. “I had a vision. It was vague and hazy as always, but Nick pushed me to look at it, embrace it. He told me that if I couldn’t believe in myself, he’d believe in me.”

  Joe saw emotion well up in her eyes and knew that had meant a lot to her. “He’s in love with you.”

  “I think he might be,” she said softly. “And he knows that I’m a little bit crazy, which makes it even more remarkable.”

  “You have a lot to give any man. I hope he’s worthy.”

  “He saved my life.”

  “And you saved his and quite possibly his daughter’s. Maybe you should come work for me. You’ve solved more crimes than I have this week.”

  She smiled. “Thanks, but I’ll stick to my sewing.”

  “Are you going to stay in Angel’s Bay?”

  “I don’t know yet.”

  Joe paused, his gaze catching once again on the couple on the porch.

  “Joe,” Isabella said, “is Charlotte the reason you don’t want to call Rachel back?”

  He cleared his throat. “Charlotte has a line of men who’d like to take her out, including the one at the door.”

  “You never used to be afraid of a little competition.”

  “It’s been a long time since I had to fight for a girl. But I thought you wanted me to reunite with Rachel.”

  “I want you to be happy, Joe.”

  “I want you to be happy, too. Maybe you should stay here and see what happens.”

  Nick tucked Megan into bed as if she was a little girl. After dropping Tory off at her house, he’d made Megan a big breakfast, encouraged her to take a hot shower, and now she was settling in for a nap. She hadn’t slept a wink the night before, and she was so exhausted she’d almost fallen asleep over her pancakes.

  “I’m sorry, Dad.” She gazed up at him now. “I messed things up for you and Isabella.”

  He sat down on the bed next to her. “Isabella is special to me, but you have a huge place in my heart that belongs only to you, Megan. I was there when you were born, when you first opened your eyes. I held you when you were a baby. In the middle of the night, it was always me and you.” He took a breath for strength. “When your mom took you away from me, I was destroyed.”

  “I’m still kind of mad at you for letting me go.” she said, “but I don’t want you to send me away. I want to live with you, not Mom.”

  He’d never thought he would hear those words. “I want you to live with me, too.”

  “I’ll piss you off,” she warned him.

  “And I’ll make you angry, as well. But I will never send you away—no matter what you do. I love you, Megan. I’ve never been as scared as I was last night, when I realized you were out in the woods all alone.”

  “You jumped in front of me when that guy was going to shoot us,” she said.

  “What else would I do? You’re my child. I’d die for you.” It was the absolute and utter truth.

  “Well, I’d rather you didn’t die. I need you to teach me how to drive. And maybe play the guitar.”

  His breath caught in his chest at the love shining out of her eyes. For the first time, she wasn’t afraid to show it. “It’s a deal.”

  “I’m going to sleep now for a long time,” she said with a sigh. “You should go talk to Isabella.”

  He shifted uncomfortably. “I’m sorry that you saw us kissing.”

  “It wasn’t that big a deal.”

  He raised an eyebrow. “You ran away.”

  “I know, but I had a lot of time to think last night. You’re going to be with someone, so why not her? She’s nice. And she did save both of our lives today.” She gave him a funny look. “It’s weird how you guys keep doing that for each other. If you two don’t belong together, I don’t know who does. You should go talk to her.”

  “I’m staying here with you.”

  She shot him a disgusted look. “Dad, don’t be stupid.”

  “Megan, I’m happy for it to be just the two of us for a while.”

  She smiled sleepily. “We’re going to be fine.” And with that, she drifted off to sleep.

  Isabella walked onto Joe’s back deck and gazed out at the sea. She saw whitecaps on the horizon and thought about the shipwreck that had tossed so many people into the sea, some of whom had made it to the bay and found a new start in a new place. The image resonated with her, and she felt sad at the thought of leaving.

  But to stay here and not be with Nick was unthinkable. They could hardly keep their hands off each other, but he needed to be with Megan. And she loved him more because of his determination to do right by his daughter.

  “I’m headed back to the station,” Joe said, stepping onto the deck. “Are you going to be all right, Izzy?”

  She glanced back at him. “I’ll be fine. Thanks, Joe.” She turned back to the view, wondering if it would take more courage to leave or to stay.

  A few moments later, she heard a sound behind her and turned, thinking that Joe had forgotten something, but it was Nick.

  “Your brother let me in,” he said.

  “How’s Megan?”

  “She’s taking a nap.” He walked over to her. “And she told me that letting you go was a stupid idea.”

  Isabella swallowed hard. “I saw her face when we kissed in the costume shop. She looked betrayed.”

  “Her perspective changed overnight, especially after she saw you rush a man with a gun to save my life. Her life, too.”

  “I’m getting a lot of credit for making an impulsive and risky decision.”

  Their gazes connected for a long, intense moment.

  “Joe said you’re thinking of leaving. I don’t want that to happen.”

  Her heart flip-flopped.

  “I want you in my life, Isabella. Last night, you stayed by my side through the dark and the cold. You fought with me and for me. You’re strong and brave and someone I can count on. You showed me what it’s like to have a partner. I don’t want to lose you.”

  She shook her head, her eyes blurring with tears. “Oh, Nick, whatever I did for you, you did ten times more for me. You believed in me when I couldn’t believe in myself. You gave me the courage to accept a part of myself I’ve been running away from my whole life. I’m the one who’s grateful.”

  He stepped forward, sliding his arms around her. “We need each other, Isabella. We’re both better together than apart.”

  She looked into his eyes, seeing the promise of a future that she yearned to explore. “It’s been pretty fast and intense.”

  “And I don’t see it ever slowing down, because we connect on an incredibly deep level. I’m not asking you to give up your life for me. I can build us a house in L.A. or here or anywhere. You and Megan and I can be a family. We can make it work.”

  “I love you, Nick. So much I don’t know what to do with it all.”

  “Then stop fighting me. The universe wants us to be together. Don’
t you know that by now?”

  “You told me you didn’t believe in destiny.”

  “I’ve changed my mind. Besides, I saved your life. That means you belong to me.”

  “And I saved yours. So you belong to me,” she said with a smile.

  “Exactly.” His lips touched hers, setting off a fiery heat that burned to the tips of her toes.

  “Do you need to get back to Megan soon?” she asked.

  “No. She told me that she was going to sleep for a long, long time,” he said with a wicked smile.

  “Funny, I was thinking of taking a nap, too,” Isabella said with a grin. “Want to join me?”

  “I thought you’d never ask.”

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  by Barbara Freethy

  THE WAY BACK HOME

  Available July 2012 from Pocket Books

  “We need to buy rafts, hire guides, and update the reservation software, and I have no idea where we’re getting the money to do any of that,” Alicia Hayden told her father, frustration overwhelming her as she walked across the back deck of Hayden River Adventures. The one-story building, set on the banks of Northern California’s Smoky River, was the launchpad for their world-class river-rafting adventures company. Next to the one-room office was the boatyard where they kept their rafting equipment. On the other side of the building, tucked behind the trees, was a dirt parking lot that was empty now. About a hundred yards away and up a grassy incline stood the family home.

  In the spring and summer months, they rented rafts and launched day trips off the pier. For more adventurous white-water experiences, they bused their guests ten miles north for the higher-class guided rapids tours. They’d been in business for more than sixty years, and three generations of Haydens had run the company. But now their business was sinking fast, and Alicia wasn’t sure they could save it.

  Her father, George Hayden, didn’t reply. Leaning heavily on his cane, he’d fixed his gaze on the wide, winding river that ran through the Sierra Nevada mountains. The late-afternoon foggy mist that had given the river its name was a little thicker than usual. While the winter rains had finally tapered off, the late-March air was cold, and luminous clouds shadowed the sun.