She felt her mind go numb. What had happened? Her day had started out so well. Dean had been almost loving today, God, she loved him so much. But after what he had said to her today, there was no way she could stay with him anymore. Being so close to him would tear her apart. What must he think of her? He had thrown her away like a piece of trash. She had never had anyone treat her so cruelly, first Alcide physically hurting her, and then Dean, tearing her heart out and punishing her emotionally. She sighed heavily; she couldn’t wait to get out of Kentucky.
Her phone rang and she saw Jason’s number. He must have realized that she was gone. She declined the call and turned the ringer off. Within seconds it buzzed with a text. ‘Lucy where are you? I’m worried.’
Lucy sighed as she texted him back. ‘I’m going home Jason, please just leave me be.’
Jason was furious as he drove back to Dean’s estate. He had a bad feeling and went back to the hotel, but the desk clerk said she never checked in, she had in fact called a cab. Lucy was gone, she was alone in a city she’d never been in, and to top it all off, Alcide hadn’t been found yet. He had thought she’d be safe at the hotel. God, if anything happened to her, he’d never forgive himself. The bell boy said she went to the train station or something he wasn’t sure. He had gone looking for her, but he couldn’t find her. She wouldn’t answer his calls and had only answered his text with pleas to leave her alone.
He strode into the house and held his hand up to stop John from keeping him from Dean’s study, he was going to listen to him by God, if he didn’t he’d never work for him again. He found Dean deep in thought behind his desk. His monitors were all on, but his eyes were unseeing. He raised a brow at him when he slammed the door behind him.
“By all means Jason, please come in.” Dean said sarcastically.
Jason stopped in front of his desk and rested his hands on the edge of his desk. “Dean, first off you are my friend. I know you can be an asshole, but I never thought you were an idiot.” Jason shouted at him, Dean only acknowledged him with a scowl.
“Did you ever read the contract you and Lucy signed? Of course not, you were only interested in what you could get out of it.” Jason threw a copy across the desk at him. “She had me make an addendum on the plane on the way here. She didn’t want the extra money; the only thing she wanted was her normal wage and the help with her son’s tuition. I talked her out of it, I figured the least you could do was pay her something for being away from her family. I also paid her bills for her for a month, but that was all she would let me do. She also refused the bonus, when her time was up here. She said the financial part of the contract really bothered her. She’s no gold digger Dean, she had never heard of you before we approached her, and she never even knew you existed.”
Dean looked up at Jason as he read the addendum and the notes that Jason had made on the bottom. He’d been wrong; she had never been interested in his money. He threw it back down on the desk. “It doesn’t matter, she’s still crazy.”
“Really, how could she have known? Everyone here was told not to talk to her about family business. The few people she’s had contact with wouldn’t have said anything. How could she know? The details she gave, right down to how she was injured.” Jason paused as he glared at Dean. “You just let the best thing you’ll ever have leave; in fact you pushed her out.”
“I did no such thing; she’s still here in the house. I’ll have Stella bring her to me, or I’ll go see her later.”
“You think so huh, you’re blind as well as an idiot. I took her to a hotel two hours ago, but she’s already gone you ass, she never checked in. She’s somewhere in the city all alone.” Jason stormed out the door and almost knocked Max over as he passed him.
“Dean.” Max said as he came into the room. He held up his hand when Dean opened his mouth to kick him out. “No, I have to tell you something, it’s important. It’s about Jasper.”
“Evidently no one who works for me is listening today.” Dean mumbled under his breath. He rubbed his hands over his face. “What about him, Max?”
Max tossed a partial life saver wrapper onto his desk. “Lucy has been giving these to Jasper. I’ve watched her come every day and give him these. He is a completely different horse, even Jimmy and another groomsman took him out for a ride.” Max put his hands on his hips as he looked down at Dean holding the scrap of paper in his hands. “How the hell could she have found out about the life savers? I sure as hell didn’t tell her and I know that you wouldn’t. The only other person that knew was Nicole.”
“I don’t know.” Dean said quietly. Dean stood up and patted Max on the shoulder as he passed him. “Thanks Max, I need to go talk to my father.”
Dean climbed the staircase with a heavy heart, what had he done? He had pushed her away, treated her cruelly. He was such an asshole. He walked down to his father’s room and found him sitting in a chair looking out at the garden. He noticed the cane that leaned against the wall beside him. He looked around the room, it looked like a bedroom again, not the hospital room it had been. He noticed he had color in his face, he looked healthy; thanks to Lucy he was finally able to sit down and talk to his father.
“I heard about what happened Dean, how could you do it? Why did you send her away?” Stan asked.
“I was wrong Dad, I’ve been wrong for a long time. Maybe if I’d have listened to you and Nicole she’d still be alive.” Guilt tore at him as all the feelings he had suppressed for years came back with a vengeance.
“Dean you can’t blame yourself for what Alcide did. You thought he was your friend, I never liked him, but I never had him pegged as a murderer.”
“Have you seen Nicole Dad?” Dean held his breath as he waited for his answer.
“No son, I haven’t. “ Stan said sadly. “Sometimes I feel her though, mostly when Reggie is around. Have you talked to Reggie at all? Son I don’t think Lucy lied to you. She’s a good woman; she cares about everyone around her.”
Stan looked at him thoughtfully for a minute. “When I was sick at the hospital, she was taking care of me one night. She pulled my book of poems from under my blanket and read to me. The thing is I never packed that book. I looked for it the day I left, but it was gone. It was on the shelf here that first night we came back home. I thought maybe I had imagined it, but now I’m not so sure.”
“Have they found Alcide yet?” Stan asked.
“No, his car is still here, but one of the horses is missing. They are searching the grounds right now and they’ve already checked the house. They figured he won’t get far.” Dean moved closer to his dad and took his hand. “I still can’t believe that I almost lost you too. I tried to act like I didn’t care, just like when Nicole died. Do you think that he watched her die?”
“I do now; he is a bad man Dean. I know you think he was your friend, but I think he only wanted your connections with money and women. You know how he is with women; maybe something happened with him and Nicole that we don’t know about. Lucy was lucky she got away from him today. I feel bad that I got her to come home with me, I almost got her killed.”
“I’m glad that she came here dad. I have to figure out how to get her back.”
“Papa, Papa!” Reggie came running into the room crying. “Stella said Lucy is gone. Why? She was my friend.” She pouted at Dean.
Dean watched as she climbed onto his dad’s lap and he held her close. Man he had really screwed up, it seemed like everyone hated him.
“Reggie honey, do you talk to your mama?” Dean asked her.
Reggie looked at him and then back at Stan and nodded. “She told me not to tell you, I looked for her today, but she wasn’t in the garden. Do you think she left too?” She started to cry again as Stan held her tight.
“Where do you see her?” Stan asked.
“The garden, and sometimes with Jasper, but he acts funny when she talks to him.”
Dean stood and looked at his dad. If she was hanging around Jasper it was no wonder they
thought he was crazy, obviously he didn’t know what she was.
“What are you going to do?” Stan asked.
“I have to get her back.” Dean ran his hands through his hair unconsciously showing his father how frustrated he was.
“Did you tell her you love her yet son?” Stan smiled when Dean looked at him quickly.
“No.”
“You need to tell her son, she needs to know.”
“You could give her a puppy.” Reggie said helpfully. She gave Dean a grin as she looked up at him. “She likes the one with the floppy ear, Max knows which one. She’d never say no if you gave him to her.”
Stan laughed as he hugged Reggie to him. “It couldn’t hurt son, it just might give you the edge you need.”
Dean leaned down and kissed his dad’s forehead, he noticed the tears in his eyes when he stood back up. “I love you Dad.”
Stan smiled up at him. “I love you too Son.”
Dean walked out and down to his room, he had to call Jason, he had something he needed him to do before he left.
Lucy opened her front door to drag her bags inside. She had managed to hold it together and spent two days with Will. She was exhausted, she hadn’t slept much, and all she saw was Dean’s face when she closed her eyes. All she wanted was a hot bath and a glass of wine. After she started the tub she opened a bottle of her favorite white wine and emptied her suitcases. She had a small smile on her face when she pulled out the underwear. Stella had tossed out all of her things, so she had no qualms about having taken them. She hadn’t taken any of the clothes though; she had never considered them hers.
She settled back in her claw foot tub and sighed. It wasn’t long before the tears started. She had managed to hide her broken heart from Will. She had told him that she missed Stan, but since he was doing so much better they didn’t need her anymore. She had enjoyed her time with Will, they had dinner together and she had even met a few of his friends. The hotel she had stayed at was near the campus so he was close by the whole time. That thought had been very comforting to her. The silence of the house reminded her that she was alone again.
An hour later she got out and dried off, she had just enough energy to pull on an old t-shirt and then fell into bed. She had finally succumbed to her exhaustion; unfortunately she had forgotten to lock the front door before she fell asleep.
Lucy woke the next morning and felt something tickling her face, she opened one eye to see a little black nose and a pink tongue just before it licked her cheek. She sat up and rubbed her eyes, taking the pup in her arms as her forehead creased in confusion. Her sister must have gotten a dog, but wait. She knew this pup. She stroked his ears and noticed the one that stayed flipped down. She rubbed his belly and saw the little black spot on his pink skin. He was the only one in the litter that had that mark. Max had said he would be hard to sell because of his ear, but how on earth did he get here? She looked into the pups eyes, willing him to answer her unspoken question.
Lucy looked up and saw Dean come into the doorway of her room. She gobbled him up with her eyes and her heart started to pound. Even after he had hurt her she was so desperate for him. She tried for a cool expression when she met his gaze.
“I’ve been waiting for two days for you to come home.” Dean said in a firm voice.
Lucy lifted her chin a little, she would not cry again, at least not in front of him. “Why are you here Dean? I already know what you think of me. What more do you want?” Lucy couldn’t help the edge in her tone or the catch in her voice when she finished talking.
“I was worried about you.” She hadn’t kicked him out yet so he continued to talk to her. He took her in for a few moments, her face was scrubbed clean of makeup, and her hair was tucked behind her ears. He liked the worn t-shirt she had on, she looked beautiful, and his heart ached in his chest just from looking at her. “Alcide confessed. He said he watched Nicole die after he spooked Jasper. He explained it all, just like you said. I’m sorry that I didn’t believe you, but you have to admit it sounded off.”
“I’ll give you that, but I never wanted your money.”
“I know, I never read the addendum you had Jason add. I only cared about what control I had over you and how long I could keep you there. I never wanted you to leave.”
“You don’t blame me for leaving do you?” Lucy asked tartly.
“No I don’t, everyone told me what I ass I was, even my dad had a few choice words for me.”
Lucy looked at him thoughtfully for a moment. “You talked to your Dad?” She gave him a small smile when he nodded. “I’m glad; he told me how much he missed you.”
“I have a new contract for you.” Dean came towards the bed and handed her some papers.
Lucy raised one brow as she took the papers from him. She was curious to see what he was up to. After all he had traveled through two states to find her. Absentmindedly she stroked the pup in her lap as she read.
He wanted her to come back to live with him, she would receive an allowance. She would act as a hostess and attend engagements with Dean. He would personally give her riding lessons for Jasper, who Stan and he had agreed should be hers. She would have to help raise Reggie, she would essentially be the lady of the house and the staff would be available to her whenever she needed them. She would still act as a companion to Stan, and any relationship she chose to have with Dean was negotiable.
“You want a relationship with me Dean? I never wanted your money, what makes you think that a contract would make me come back? This has nothing in it that would make me stay with you.” The only thing she wanted he didn’t have listed.
“Actually I want to marry you, but I thought I’d be pushing it.”
Lucy held her breath for a second. “Why do you want me to marry you? There is nothing about that in here.” She looked at him curiously, was he at a loss for words? She’d never seen him so out of his element. He looked lost like when she had told him he was hot. He almost looked nervous.
“Because before I met you I was broken and you fixed me. I love you Lucy.” He met her eyes as he came closer and knelt on the floor. He saw her eyes widen a bit. “I’ve been hurt before Lucy, that’s why I treated you the way I did. I think I’ve loved you since our first breakfast together. The way you looked at me when I was acting so controlling.” He smiled at the memory. “I thought you were going to hit me or something.”
“Close, I almost saluted you, but I didn’t want to get into any more trouble.” She took a deep breath. “Can I get what you just said in writing?” He raised his brow at her. “Add it as an addendum to your contract and I’ll sign it. I love you Dean, all I’ve wanted was for you to love me too.” She felt tears come to her eyes as he gave her a sweet smile and moved to sit on the edge of the bed.
He held her face in his hands and kissed her gently. “I really do love you Lucy, will you marry me?”
“Yes Mr. Moore.” She gave him a tremulous smile and kissed him back.
Dean sighed as he pulled her into his arms and kissed her fiercely. He finally felt whole again, she was what had been missing all his life. He had been waiting for days wondering if he would ever hold her again. He pressed his lips to her forehead. “God I missed you so much, please don’t ever leave me again.”
They held onto each other for quite some time, neither one wanting to let go. Lucy looked up at him when she noticed the puppy was asleep beside them.
“The puppy was a nice touch, by the way.”
Dean smiled as he kissed her cheek, “it was Reggie’s idea. She said you wouldn’t say no if I gave him to you since he was your favorite.”
Lucy laid her hand on the pup’s belly as he rolled onto his back to get more comfortable, his big paws moved fast for a few seconds. Maybe he was chasing a rabbit. “I feel bad for him because of his ear. Max said it should have stood up by now. He’s really cute, but I think he is perfect just the way he is.”
“I think you are perfect, perfect for me.”
; Six months later….
“Good morning beautiful.” Dean said as he opened his eyes and reached for his wife. He smiled as he noticed the dark head that lay on Lucy’s pillow with hers. Then he felt Tinker’s warm body by his feet and his tail started to thump against the bed when he realized that someone else was awake. Reggie must have snuck in during the night. Good thing they had worn something to bed the night before. He rolled to his side and put his arm around Lucy’s waist and pulled her hips flush with his. He liked the way that Reggie lay cuddled up against her.
Lucy rolled over with a grin and pulled a giggling Reggie between them. “Good morning”, she said huskily to Dean as she smiled up at him, and then she tweaked Reggie’s nose, setting her off into more giggles.
Lucy smiled as Reggie touched the wedding ring on her finger. Stan had given Dean his mother’s band to give to her. The engagement ring Dean had picked out, Lucy had worried that it was too much, but he had told her in a stern voice that he expected her to wear it. It was at least three carats, she hadn’t asked, and it had little sapphires embedded in the band. It really was beautiful. The white platinum band that had been his mother’s went perfectly with it. Stan now referred to her as his daughter and they spent time together every afternoon. He was getting better every day, the poison had damaged his heart so he was fatigued easily, but otherwise he was relatively healthy.
Dean had insisted that they marry in the garden where she had first met Nicole. He had hoped that she would be with them somehow. Neither she nor Reggie had seen her since the day Lucy had left. It was a beautiful wedding, Will had given her away and Dean had her family flown down in the private jet so they could all attend too. Will was Reggie’s new favorite person, she followed him constantly when he came to visit, and of course she had him wrapped around her little finger already.
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