“We will.” Elise buckled her seatbelt and leaned back in her seat, closing her eyes as Hank ran around to the driver’s side and got in. Elise wasn’t the only one who needed sleep.
“It has to turn out okay, I wrote a song for Thor. I want to see him on stage at the music festival.” He started the engine; the headlights illuminated their way as they retraced their steps back to Bear Creek.
They reached her house and fell into bed, wrapped up in each other’s arms. Only when Elise’s breathing told him she was asleep did he close his eyes. Sleep came quick, filled with images of Elise fading into nothing as he tried to hold onto her hands.
“Hank. Hank, it’s morning.” Elise shook him awake, and he opened his eyes, taking a moment to focus. Relief that she was still there, that he hadn’t let her slip away, flooded him.
“You’re dressed.” He kissed her sweet mouth and sat up. She looked better this morning, although tiredness still haunted her.
“I am.” The corners of her mouth twitched as she tried to smile, but tears filled her eyes and she pulled away from him. “I made coffee. It’s on the nightstand.” She reached for her jacket, which was draped over the wicker chair in the corner of the room. “I wanted to be early, so I could see Lauren and Thor before I start work.” Elise shrugged on her jacket and picked up her shoes, slipping them on her feet as she walked toward the door.
“Any news?” Hank got out of bed, ensnaring Elise in his arms before she could escape him. She ducked her head, avoiding his eyes as she swallowed down her tears. “Hey, come on.”
“I’ll be okay.” She wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned against his chest. “And no. No news.”
“Do you want me to come with you to the hospital?” Hank ran soothing hands over her back, then squeezed her tight in his strong arms, arms that were useless against sickness and disease.
With a shake of her head, Elise pulled back. “Life goes on. You should go to work as usual, the hotel is already short-staffed with Lauren not there. I’ll let you know as soon as I have news.”
He let her go. She was strong, and she was right. They had to carry on.
Dressing quickly, he gulped down his coffee, then went downstairs. There was nothing he could do except wait, so he might as well make use of his time and write a new song. The music festival had to go ahead, and he’d pick up the slack, and make sure it raised a lot of money for the hospital. An image of Thor and Lauren’s parents, distraught as they waited for news about the woman they all loved, would spur him on. The more funds the hospital had, the more people they could help.
Hank drove to his house in the hills, grateful for the fresh morning air. Last night’s storm had broken the heat wave, he hoped it hadn’t been responsible for breaking Lauren. Knowing Elise, she would never forgive herself if their trip to the mountains was to blame. And then there was Thor. Since he was the sole reason they were in the mountains, he would spend his life beating himself up about it. If Lauren…
“She’s not gonna die,” he ground out as he parked his truck in front of the house and mounted the porch. He paused, looking in the direction of the trees, to the spot where he’d first seen Elise. “She’s not gonna die.”
With that, he went inside, made a pot of coffee, ate some cereal, and then grabbed his guitar. Drawing on the emotions coursing through him, he focused on his music and wrote out a song in a frantic flurry of scribbles and crossed out words. It was as if the song came to him from a deeper level of consciousness. When it was done, he got up and headed for the shower.
“This is good.” The unmistakable voice of his father met him as he came back downstairs, rubbing his hair with a towel.
“What the hell are you doing in my house?” Hank spat at his father, who held up a sheet of paper, filled with the notes and lyrics of his new song.
“I knocked, there was no answer.” His father’s voice creaked, as if he were a door hung on old hinges. The years hadn’t been kind. But then he wasn’t a kind man.
“So you just came in?” Hank accused as he crossed the room and took the pages from his father’s hands.
“I thought you might be avoiding me.” He gave Hank a resigned smile as he relinquished the pages. “Like you have been for the past thirty years.”
“Wait, you don’t get to just walk into my house and start this conversation.” Hank waved his hand at his father dismissively.
“One of us had to.” His father smiled weakly. “I thought it should be me. And it would have happened a lot sooner, but I could never find you.”
“And do you know the reason for that?” Hank grabbed the remainder of the handwritten fragments of song off the table and shuffled them together. He was nineteen again, facing off with his father. The years hadn’t changed either one of them.
No, that wasn’t true. Hank was a man in charge of his own destiny. This was his life and no one, least of all his father, was ever going to have power over him again.
Except our mate, his bear reminded him fiercely.
Duh, Hank spat back.
“You hated me.” His dad shrugged his thin shoulders. “You thought I betrayed the memory of your mom.”
“Betrayed her memory? Is that what you think?” Hank dragged a hand through his hair as he tried to keep ahold of his temper. “I’m not doing this. Get out!”
“Hank, please.” His father slumped forward as if defeated. “I want to clear the air between us. It’s what your mom would have wanted.”
“Don’t.” Hank pointed to the door. “Get out, or I’ll call the police.”
We could pick him up and throw him out, his bear snarled.
He’s an old man, Hank reminded him, trying to calm down as anger and pain flooded his veins.
His father swayed on unsteady feet. “I’ll go.” He turned around and left the house, and Hank let out a sharp breath. It was as if the house he loved and the new song he’d written were tainted by the man he loathed.
“Knock, knock.” A woman stood in the doorway. She was about the same age as Hank, and vaguely familiar. “I’m your wicked stepmother.” She smiled nervously. “Can we talk?”
Hank huffed out a breath. “Isn’t today full of surprises.”
She stood in the doorway, as she had that night when she’d come to Hank and told him what kind of man his father was. Only today, she fiddled nervously with her purse, and couldn’t meet his eyes for more than a second. It was as if looking too long at her stepson might turn her to stone. “I want to apologize.”
“For my dad? He’s got you doing his dirty work?” Hank stared right at her.
She took a step forward, crossing the threshold and entering his house. “No. For what I said.” Her jaw clenched, and her eyes misted up as she focused her attention on the exposed oak beams.
“What you said?” Hank cast his mind back to the only time he’d spoken to… Dammit, he didn’t even know her name.
She dabbed her eye. “I’ve lived with the guilt of what happened for thirty years. Lewis forgave me, and I’ve spent every day trying to be a good person in the hope I might redeem myself.”
“I’m not following.” Was she genuine, or was this a setup? If she was putting on an act, she belonged on Broadway.
“I was having an affair with your father. Rumors were spread, and Lewis didn’t want you to get hurt. He knew how much you missed your mom.” She looked away as she paused, her hands clasped together as she composed herself enough to continue. “Lewis ended our relationship.” She nodded, the pain in her expression raw.
“And you came and told me he was sleeping with my fans. Taking advantage of them. Isn’t that what you said?” He took a step backward, turned on his heel and circling the room as he tried to integrate these new facts into his opinion of his father.
“I did. But I lied. I was young. And he broke my heart. I knew we belonged together. Not in the same way mates do.” She shook her head. “I knew going into the relationship that I would never be your mother. He explained a
ll that stuff to me. But I also knew he loved me and needed me.”
Hank put his hands on his hips and stared out of the window. “My life has been lived on a lie.”
She didn’t answer, her quiet sobs filled the room as he fought to comprehend what would drive a person to do what she did.
Love, his bear replied. The same love that made Lauren push Thor away. The same love Elise had for her dead twin. Fated mates were not the only ones to experience deep, passionate, sometimes self-destructive love.
“I know it was unforgivable. And I know I have no right to ask. But will you see Lewis, make peace with him? And our son, he longs to meet his older brother. You don’t have to see me…”
“I’d like you to leave.” He didn’t have to ask twice, she didn’t beg or plead, she simply turned around and left his house.
Chapter Seventeen – Elise
“I didn’t want to burden you with this. Not on top of Lauren.” He stared into the mug of hot, strong coffee in his hands.
“This is what I’m here for.” Elise sat by his side on a bench on the hospital grounds. The area had been made into a sensory garden for patients to enjoy. With its small fishpond and colorful flowers, along with tall grasses that rustled in the breeze, it had quickly become one of her favorite places.
“What am I supposed to do?” Hank asked, his voice ragged.
Torn down and fitted back together in a haphazard way, like crazy paving, the pieces of his life didn’t fit together right. What he thought he knew, what he believed was true, turned out to be lies.
“What do you want to do?” Elise asked gently. “This is your choice. If you prefer not to see any of them again, then you have the right to tell them to stay out of your life.”
“Is that what you would do?” Hank asked.
“Oh, love, I’m coming at this from a totally different direction.” She sighed heavily. “What I wouldn’t give for one last day with Delia. A few hours to tell her all the things I should have said when she was alive. To hold her, touch her, and know that she’s there.”
“I have that chance with my dad.” Hank stood up and walked away from her, his hand trailing through the feathery heads of an ornamental grass. “What if all I want to say to him is bad?”
“Are you sure that’s true? If his new wife made up what happened, is he to blame?” Elise watched her mate as he stood, deep in thought.
“I can’t just flip a switch,” Hank finally said. “I can’t let go of all the hurt I’ve carried around with me for so long.”
She got up and joined him by the heavenly-scented rose bushes. “Can’t you?”
He swung his head around, looking down at her. “Could you?”
Elise shrugged. “I don’t know. But I think I’d try.”
“What about his wife?” Hank asked.
“Pamela. Her name is Pamela. I saw it when you Googled him.” Elise cupped his face in her hands. “We all make mistakes. She was young. Look at Lauren and Thor. Should he forgive her for the lie she told him?”
Hank looked at the hospital building. “How is she?”
“They’re expecting the toxicology report back soon. That might flag up what’s caused her symptoms.” Elise took his hand. “Come on, let’s go see them.”
They entered the hospital building and climbed the stairs to the first floor. Thor was in the corridor, getting coffee from the machine. He looked up as they approached, his face breaking into a smile.
“You’ve had good news?” Hank asked hopefully.
“Some. Lauren has a virus. They should be able to treat it. And the doctor said the liver can heal itself. Or grow back.” He ran his hand through his hair. “I kind of stopped listening I was so relieved.”
“That’s incredible news, Thor.” Elise hugged him tightly. “You get your happy ending.”
“I hope so.” He looked down at his feet and then rocked backward and forward as he announced, “I’ve asked Lauren to marry me.”
“Wow, you don’t mess around do you?” Hank slapped him on the back. “Good for you.”
“Yeah, well, believing we were going to lose each other… We sat up all night and talked about what we want to do with our lives. I’ve even persuaded Lauren to play at your Midsummer Music Festival.” Thor looked pleased with himself. “She’s got an amazing voice,” he gushed.
“Well, as an engagement gift, I have a song for you. I can tweak it and you could sing a duet with Lauren. The crowd will love it!” Hank’s face shone with enthusiasm, and Elise’s heart swelled with happiness. If he could heal the rift with his father, their lives would be complete.
“Maybe you could swing by later with your guitar and we could practice. Lauren’s got to stay in for a couple of days until they get her treatment right.” Thor smiled widely, but his eyes kept sliding back toward the door, behind which his mate waited for him.
“You should go.” Elise nodded. “And congratulations again.”
“Thanks. We owe you both, big time.” Thor ran back to Lauren’s room.
“When do you think he’ll realize he never got his coffee?” Hank asked, his head cocked to one side.
Elise laughed. “Young love, it makes you do the craziest things.” She looped her arm through his. “Walk me back to my office?”
“Sure.” Hank strolled along beside her. “You’re right, love does make you do crazy things. Especially young love.”
“You mean Pamela?” Elise asked as they entered the stairwell and walked to the next floor.
“I do.” He frowned as he sought out the words he needed to explain his feelings.
Elise let him continue, hoping he would find it in his heart to forgive, if not forget.
“If I don’t forgive them, then who suffers? Their son. Me. Them. Everyone.” He opened the door and then walked along the corridor to the transplant coordination department. “I just don’t know where to start. What do I say to him?”
Elise turned and faced him, placing her hands on his chest. “You got on stage and sang to a crowd of thousands. You can talk to one man.”
“You don’t know him. He was always so overbearing and pushy.” Hank took hold of her hands and kissed them. “But that was when I was a kid, and now I’m a man.”
“Exactly. You’re overbearing and pushy.” She smiled as his eyes widened. “Okay, that’s probably about as far away from the truth as it gets.” She stood on tiptoe and kissed him. “But you are not that boy anymore. Look what you’ve achieved with your life.”
“I’m not a famous record producer.” Hank smiled wryly.
“Want to help me scan some stuff? It’ll give you a new sense of accomplishment.” Elise gave him her best winning smile.
“Sure, I’d do anything to spend more time with you.” He let her go and they spent a couple of hours going through her notes and organizing the paperwork.
“One good thing that’s come out of all this drama,” she said. “I’ve stopped worrying about the department.”
“That’s because you have it under control. This is what you do.” He handed her the notes he’d scanned. “I believe in you. Believe in yourself.”
“Is that a line from a song?” Elise placed the notes back in her briefcase and looked around the empty department. Come Monday, people would start to fill the desks, she would build a team, and make this the best transplant coordination department it could be.
“No. But it could be.” Hank took hold of her hands and drew her close. “Thank you.”
“For what?” she asked, looking into the face she’d known for so long.
“Everything. For walking down that trail. For hearing my guitar. For being the woman of my dreams.” He kissed her mouth softly. “I’m going to accept that this is the path I’m supposed to be on. Instead of being angry with my father and Pamela, I’m going to think of all the great things I’ve accomplished in my life.”
“And the people you’ve helped.” Her fingers curled around the hair at the nape of his neck. “We can b
oth find a way to gratitude. The things we’ve lost will always be with us, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate what we have. And no matter how difficult it might be to start a conversation, be thankful you still can. He is your dad.”
Hank nodded and leaned forward, his head resting on hers as he held her close. They stood still, unmoving, each lost in their own thoughts. “After work, will you come with me to meet them?”
“Do you need me to hold your hand?” she teased affectionately.
“No.” He chuckled self-consciously. “You are my greatest achievement, and I want him to see you and be proud of me.”
“Hank.” She prodded him in the chest. “Are you making fun of me?”
“No.” He caught hold of her hand. “I mean it. Out of everything I’ve done, having you as my mate is my proudest moment.”
“I’m going to cry again.” She wiped her eyes.
“I’m going to work. Then, after I’ve buried the hatchet with my dad, you and I are going to put on the best music festival Bear Creek has ever seen.”
“It’s the only music festival Bear Creek has ever seen,” she reminded him as he walked to the door in his faded jeans and tight-fitting T-shirt that hugged his body in just the right places.
He waggled his eyebrows. “It’ll be a night the town never forgets.”
Elise leaned against the doorframe and watched him until he disappeared from view. Her head filled with the sound of his voice.
Only you can make me feel, the pain inside is much too real. Tell me, baby, promise me, you’ll meet me beneath the Wishing Tree.
“I’ll meet you wherever and whenever, Hank Rivera.” With a sigh, she went back to work.
Chapter Eighteen – Hank
“Hey, Jenny, can you run this over to Elise? She’s over at the catering tent.” Hank handed Jenny a microphone.
“Sure.” She looked down at it and tapped the top. “Is it on?”
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