by Mya O'Malley
“Hello.”
He opened his mouth to speak, but couldn’t find the right words.
“Who is this?”
Either way, Declan needed to know. “Uh… May I speak with Morgan, please?”
“I said, who is this?” More insistent, firm.
“Um, it’s an old friend. Is she there?”
Silence filled the line until Declan was forced to repeat himself.
“Is Morgan there? Answer me, please.”
This time, his question was answered. “No. No, she’s not. May I ask who’s calling?”
Something about this man’s tone of voice nagged Declan.
“Tell her I’ll call back. Tell her I’ve been wanting to call. Tell her I’m sorry…”
He hadn’t prepared himself for this possibility. His gut told him that this man was close to Morgan, a boyfriend, most likely. But he couldn’t just leave his name, now, could he?
“Who is this?” The man demanded again. He had to ask, he needed to know.
“Who is this?” Declan turned the question on the man, knowing that he would deeply regret asking.
“This. Is. Her. Fiancé. Is this Declan? It’s you, isn’t it? Answer me!”
Pain seared through Declan’s body as the man’s voice rose higher, cutting right into his aching heart.
“Yes, yes it is.”
“Leave her alone, Declan! Where have you been all this time? I’ve been here for her, bringing her back from hell…”
Pressing the END button, Declan finally allowed the tears to come. She was gone.
He should have called that bastard out and told her about the call, but he had felt that it would tempt fate somehow. Besides, it was true. He had waited far too long to try to make contact with her. Where did that get him now? Alone, damaged goods.
He despised it when he started feeling sorry for himself. It had been getting better for a while, but because of Morgan’s silence, he was back in that dark, scary place. Amber and Stephen had tried reaching him today but he had resisted and drew himself tighter into that dark hole. Even D’s sloppy kisses did nothing to brighten his foul mood.
“D, not now. You just went out.”
He sat there in the dark, staring at a vacant spot on the wall. D barked, now holding out her bone for him to throw. He placed his head in his hands and ignored the bossy yelp.
A firm rapping at his door momentarily snapped him out of his thoughts. “Go away,” he mumbled.
D barked to announce the visitor. “I know, D. I know”
“Open up.”
He would recognize that voice anywhere. Ugh.
“If you don’t come to the door, I’ll crawl through the window, just like last time,” the voice threatened.
Despite himself, he felt a grin escape. Tach. It must be desperate times if Tach had been enlisted to help him. Stephen and Amber were behind this, no doubt. It was useless to pretend that he wasn’t home; Tach was relentless. Sighing deeply, Declan stood, his bones aching from sitting for so long. Rapping turned into banging as Declan mumbled that he was on his way.
He was greeted with a firm handshake, then a pat on the back. D received a firm pat as well. The traitor of a dog jumped up for more attention.
“Looks like we’ve got a lot of work to do,” Tach muttered upon taking in Declan’s disheveled appearance, from the tip of his messy shock of dark hair to the sight of his five o’clock shadow and wrinkled khakis.
“Nice to see you too,” muttered Declan, holding the door wide open as Tach pushed ahead to get through. Some things never change.
“Get me an ice cold glass of iced tea and then sit your butt down and tell me what’s going on.” It was an order; Declan had plenty of experience dealing with orders from this man.
“Yes, sir, copy that.” Declan complied with a salute, heading off to fetch the glass of iced tea.
This was not going to be fun or easy. The man had an irritating knack for getting under his skin, but he supposed that was why Tach’s success rate with all kinds of rehab was ninety-nine percent successful. Pouring himself a glass of iced tea also, he figured he could surrender now, but Tach would never believe him.
Tach was right on his tail, not two steps behind, squinting at him, as if trying to figure him out. Tach knew him better than anyone else, perhaps even Morgan.
“Here you go, boss.” Declan placed the beverage on the counter and met his friend’s gaze head on. “What’s on the agenda? Push-ups? Pull-ups?” He pulled his own glass of the refreshing tea back and waited.
“Don’t be a wise guy,” Tach ordered as he took a sip of his tea. “What’s this I hear about you hiding out here alone, not answering calls?”
Shaking his head, Declan ran his hands through his dark mop of hair. “Listen, man. I just need some time. I’ll be fine. Amber and Stephen are worried. It’s been one day, just tell them I’m fine.”
“I’ll do no such thing. Let’s talk.”
Knowing he had no choice, Declan sighed and let D outside for a minute to calm her whining.
Once he was back in the living room, Tach started with one of his tales. Tales of hardship, perseverance, and ultimately survival. Declan gazed at the floor, sighing. Tach’s hands gripped his shoulders.
“What the hell?” Declan cried out.
“Now you listen up, and you listen good. I can tell when you’re tuning me out and that just earned you another hour with me.”
Another hour. Great.
“Yes, sir.” Declan saluted him, this time to be met with a firm smack across his face.
Tach was all about tough love, which was why he was among the best. Right now, however, Declan wasn’t thrilled to be on the receiving end of his drill-sergeant-type love. Tach was the best guy to have on your side as a friend, but as a rehab guy, not so much.
“Man up,” Tach ordered.
“Geez, Tach, that hurt.”
Rubbing his cheek, he focused his attention on Tach, listening to the rest of his tale of hardship. When Tach had finished numerous tales of soldiers before, Declan actually felt like talking about Morgan.
“I could have sworn that I had her back. I would have bet my life on it,” Declan shared with Tach after he had finished his own distressing tale.
“I would have too, based on the way she looked at you, man. Are you sure she’s not just taking some time to think?”
Declan couldn’t be sure of anything, only that he was hurting here without her. “I don’t think so; I haven’t heard a word from her.”
“It’s a tough break, that’s for sure, but we’re not going to let it break you.”
“I don’t know how I can go on without her, with half of me missing.”
He had thought of this often over the past day or so. Morgan Matthews owned half his heart, and damn, she always would.
“You’ve made it without her before. You can do it again,” Tach stated firmly, as if there were no other way around it.
“Tach? Have you ever been in love and had that person rip your heart apart?”
He doubted the man had ever experienced that kind of pain. Had Tach lived through pain on the battlefield? No doubt about that one, but from where he stood now, Declan would take that type of pain over this heartache any day.
“Declan, I’ve been around the block a few times, you know,” Tach shared with a twinkle in his eye. “I’ve done a fair share of heartbreaking and yes, believe it or not, I’ve had my heart stomped on too.” That Declan would have to see in order to believe.
“Okay, okay,” Declan acquiesced.
The man had all the right answers, Declan loved the guy, but sometimes he downright hated the guy too.
Calling Declan was the only thing on her mind after Mike had left. Why hadn’t Declan said anything about the phone call or letter? She hated to think about the rejection he must have felt as his attempts at communication went unanswered.
“Declan,” Morgan cried out upon hearing his voice.
“Morgan. My God
, Morgan.”
It was so good to simply hear the sound of his voice. “Why didn’t you tell me? I had no idea…”
“Slow down, Morgan. What are you talking about?”
“The phone call, the letter… I never knew about any of it,” she stammered, unable to hold back her tears.
“Honey, once I saw your reaction to me at the service I figured you didn’t know. I had a lot on my mind, seeing you for the first time in years, and what was the point? My goal wasn’t to make Mike seem like an ass, it was to be with you.”
“But, you should have told me. If I had known…”
“What would you have done Morgan?” He often wondered, but wanted to hear the response from her.
“My God, Declan. What would I have done? I would have run to you and never let you go.” She didn’t hesitate with her response.
He spoke moments later. “Morgan, I need to know something. Are you marrying him?”
“No, I’m not.”
She heard a sigh from him and smiled.
“I can’t tell you how happy I am to hear that.”
One man’s happiness was another’s sorrow. But she wouldn’t allow herself to feel sorry for Mike right now, not after everything he had done.
“I’m glad to hear that.”
“I miss you. When are you coming back?”
Nothing would be better than having Declan by her side again, but she had decided to take the trip to Mexico and she would follow through with her plan to de-stress.
“I’m leaving in a few days for Mexico. The trip was booked and I can’t get a refund, so I’m going on my own.”
“Your honeymoon.”
“Yes, I think after everything I’ve been through, it would do me some good. I love you, Declan and I’m not letting go of you now that you’re back in my life.”
“I love you, too and I promise you that I’ll never leave you again, for any reason.” His voice shook with emotion.
Her emotions were also raw. “I can’t wait to see you again. I’ll call you sometime tomorrow, is that okay?”
“You’d better. Get some sleep, sweetheart.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-EIGHT
PEACE WAS JUST WHAT she needed. Fortunately, the flight was uneventful. The pilot announced that they were arriving in Mexico, with warm, balmy temperatures and clear skies. That sounded perfect to her. More than once she had glanced at the empty seat beside her, purchased for Mike. It made her sad to see what a mess they had both made of their relationship. To think, he had accused Declan of being a manipulator, huh.
Luckily the resort was not one of those couples-only retreats — that would have been awkward. The first thing she wanted to do was to throw her suitcase and bags in her room, change into a bathing suit, and hit the beach with an ice cold daiquiri.
Taxi services were a dime a dozen around the airport, so she didn’t have a problem grabbing a ride to the resort. Once upon a time in high school, she had become barely fluent in Spanish, so she attempted to converse with the driver. He, in turn, chuckled and informed her that her Spanish was downright awful¸ but it was okay because he spoke English too. That was just the kind of comment that would have engaged Declan. She really missed him.
Pulling up to the resort, Morgan gasped. From the outside, the resort looked spectacular. An expansive golf resort was located to the right, and a series of individual units dotted the hilly landscape. The main building was closer to the beach, but these little rooms looked divine.
Mike had taken care of the reservation, so she wondered which type of room he had chosen. The taxi driver wished her a happy trip and dropped her off at the stunning front lobby, which was located down the hill and had open doors and windows. The fresh ocean breeze was enough to cool the inside of the lobby.
She could have stood there half the day just admiring the lobby alone but she couldn’t wait to explore the rest of the resort. As a child, she had romanticized hotel stays, enjoyed exploring; today didn’t feel any different. Even standing in line was exciting as a woman presented her with a tropical concoction, ice cold and tasting like the sweetest fruit.
“Just be careful not to drink it too fast,” the woman had warned. “It’s got some of the best rum around.”
“Thanks for the heads-up,” Morgan replied as she sipped at the cool drink.
“Miss?” The gentleman behind the lobby counter informed her that she was next. “Is your husband grabbing your bags?”
“Um… no.”
“Oh, well, I’m sure he’ll be along soon. Your room is up on the hill. One of our best honeymoon suites.”
Her heart sank a bit but she forced herself to keep the glass half full and not feel any sympathy for Mike right now.
“That sounds wonderful,” Morgan replied as she grabbed the keycard and placed her sunglasses on before heading outside.
Glancing around the property, Morgan saw nothing but couples. Great. She would make do and ignore the happy couples, like the one approaching straight ahead wearing Just Married t-shirts.
Her legs ached by the time she finally reached her room. How was she going to make it up this hill every day? At least she would be getting a good workout, she figured. Hers was a two-unit building and it looked as if she had the upstairs unit.
The management had taken care of everything. The air-conditioning was blasting, making the room the perfect temperature. It was an expansive room, complete with a king-size bed. A sliding glass door led to her own private mini pool, wet bar, and hot tub, all situated with a killer view right on top of the cliff.
This place was the ultimate romantic getaway, but she was okay having the place to herself. Unpacking would have to wait. The beach was calling her, but first she wanted to call Declan to let him know she had arrived safely.
Declan picked up the call within a few rings. “Hey, everything okay?”
She could hear the concern in his voice.
“Yes, it is. I wanted to let you know that I arrived safely.”
“Good, that’s good to hear. I wish I was there with you, Morgan.”
“Part of me really wishes that you were too, but another part of me needs this time, Declan. Please try to understand.”
“Of course I do. It doesn’t stop me from wanting to be there beside you though. I miss you.”
Her heart skipped as she listened to his voice. “Declan, I miss you too. I’ll call you later, okay?”
“You bet. Try to relax. You’ve been through a lot this past week. I love you.”
From finding out that Declan was still alive, to dealing with her emotions, and cancelling her wedding, she figured she certainly had experienced a hell of a lot in a short time.
“Talk to you later. I love you too.”
Morgan sat for a moment before gathering her things for the beach. She loved him, but she had so much to sort through. The endless beach would provide her with miles of solitude — just what she needed right now, time to let herself heal. As she sat on the bed, she yawned and fatigue crept through her bones. Stress was catching up to her. A nap before heading out suddenly sounded delicious.
After waking, Morgan stretched, feeling slightly better. There was still plenty of time to head down to the water. Minutes later, Morgan found herself walking the beach, searching for just the right spot to settle down for a few hours. The area at the end of the resort property was perfect; it was a secluded spot away from all the noise and activity.
Try as she might, Morgan couldn’t get the images from the past few days out of her mind. Declan resurfacing, alive after all these years. All of Mike’s lies. Morgan’s eyes swept the serene landscape, hoping the sense of tranquility would rub off on her.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw movement, but then it was gone. A cold chill swept over her body. Strange, but then again, weren’t there all sorts of creatures lurking in the jungle? She shook off the feeling as she figured her nerves were playing tricks on her. Before long, the sound of the waves lulled Morgan into peacefulne
ss.
As the days flew by, time alone proved to be healthy and therapeutic. Morgan had even splurged for a much-needed day at the spa, complete with a pedicure and massage. She was almost starting to feel like her old self again. After so many years in waiting, it felt good. The resort even had a gym, which she took full advantage of. Nothing like a treadmill to get those endorphins going.
By the last night of her trip, she felt more relaxed than she had in years. She missed Declan, but had also needed this time to think. Trust was so important to her and she needed to trust Declan completely if this relationship was going to work. Honesty. They would have to be honest with one another as well. Knowing that his heart had been in the right place when he had made the decision to keep her out of his life wasn’t enough. She should have been the one to decide what was best for her, not him. She loved him with all her heart, but they needed to talk before moving ahead with their relationship.
Every day that she had been away, he hoped she knew that what they had together wasn’t wrong or anything to feel bad about. Mike’s lies were unfortunate, but they couldn’t turn back time and make it go away. Given the chance to do things over, a lot of decisions would have been different.
When she got back, he secured a flight north to New York. With a shaking hand, he reached for her doorbell. Coming back to New York was surreal; it was as if the place was meant for his dreams, which was exactly where New York had been confined to these past few years. He cleared his throat as he heard her coming to the door. It was just them now. No elaborate plans this time, no Ferris wheel, no magical pier, just him and her.
After opening the door she wrapped him in her arms and held on for a moment before releasing him. Declan stood back, taking in her sun-kissed complexion. She looked well rested and content. He had to kiss her; he had been waiting to since she left him in Florida.
Reluctantly, he released her. “I’ve missed you,” he breathed.
