by Mary Davis
“Not at all, for three reasons.” He held up three fingers as he glanced over at her, then switched to only his index finger raised. “One, he was only eighteen or nineteen. Too young for you.”
Well, the nerve! She sniffed at him. “How do you know I don’t prefer younger men?”
He turned his gaze from the road, and the teasing laughter she saw in his eyes almost made her smile.
“Do you?”
She gave a careless little shrug. “I’ve never really considered age a major factor—” he arched one of those expressive brows, and she allowed a small smile—“but I confess I prefer men I date to be older than I.”
Triumph filled his face and he focused his attention back on the ribbon of black highway stretched before them.
“And number two?” she prodded.
“This.” He pointed out into the darkness. “There is more than an hour’s distance separating the two of you. My guess is he’s working his way through school. Both his time and money are limited. I doubt he would spend a fortune on gas, if he has a car at all, to come see you. Not to mention the limits of time.”
So, he didn’t think someone would go out of his way to see her. “Okay. What’s number three?”
“The most important of all. You.”
“Me?”
“You didn’t seem to have the least bit of interest in him whatsoever.”
Guilty as charged. She didn’t even notice Scott’s flirting. Her interest lay elsewhere—and she figured Bruce knew that as well as she. But he could have at least acted a little bit jealous.
Why should he? There was no one around of consequence, so appearances didn’t matter.
She turned to stare out into the darkness enveloping them. Why did it always come back to that? Why couldn’t she just enjoy their time together for what it was?
Because you’re not sure what it was, that’s why. True enough. She sighed. “Where are we going now?”
“Your place.”
“But you told your mother—”
“What’s the point of escaping if we can be easily found?” He disarmed her with a heart-stopping smile. “Besides, I thought you would like to be at your own place for a change.”
He was right again. It would be good to sleep in her own bed. She sighed heavily and leaned her head back.
“Are you tired?”
“No, not really. It’s just nice to relax.”
They pulled into her driveway. They slipped from the car and she followed him as he unlocked the front door of her house, holding it open for her to enter.
“Good night.”
At the low words, she turned to face him in surprise. “Aren’t you coming in?”
He studied her in silence, a slight smile on his lips. Then he shrugged. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”
Why ever not? This had been a lovely evening and she wasn’t ready for it to end just yet. Disappointment swept her from relaxation into vexation. “Why are you doing this?”
His smile broadened. “Standing out in the cold?”
“No. Pretending to be married to me. I’m doing it for my mom. What do you get out of all this? And don’t you dare say you have a mother, too.”
He rubbed his hand on the back of his neck. “To be honest, I feel trapped in this now that my parents have arrived. I feel as if my family’s openness to faith, to what I’ve been trying to share with them, somehow hinges on this. My father is looking for any excuse to condemn Christianity, to drive a wedge between my mother and siblings and faith in Christ. I know I’ll have to tell them all the truth eventually…” He gazed out at the evening sky. “I’m just not ready yet. I’m worried about the distance it will put between us.”
She blinked back tears at his words. If only she had known that careless little lie would lead to all this.…
I’m sorry. Father, I’m so sorry.
He inclined his head and looked back at her. “Besides, I can’t really back out at this point, now can I?” There was a trace of laughter in his voice.
Would you if you felt you could? Are you eager to be gone?
His gaze captured her. She couldn’t speak or look away—or breathe for that matter. There was a spark of some indefinable emotion in his eyes. All she knew was that what she saw there made her want to throw herself in his arms for the rest of her life. His smile and the caress of his smooth voice made her heart beat faster. All logic and common sense flew out the window. She blinked, light-headed, feeling for all the world as though she were drunk.
Bruce Halloway was intoxicating.
The phone rang, startling her. She gasped in air and turned, staring at it in confusion.
Bruce grabbed her hand to keep her in her place. “Don’t answer that. You’re not supposed to be here. Don’t answer the phone for any reason.” He gave her hand a squeeze when she nodded.
The simple touch of his hand on hers sent shock waves jolting through her. Maybe he was right. Maybe it was a good thing he wasn’t coming in.
His knowing expression told her he knew how she was feeling. He lifted one hand to cup her face. “Make sure you lock up.” He ran a finger down her cheek to her chin, sending another round of shivers coursing through her body. “I’ll see you in the morning.”
She would look forward to it with great delight.
Twenty-One
MEGHANN WAS STARTLED AWAKE WHEN LUCKY SUDDENLY stood up and walked to the head of the bed. Pulling her hair out from under the dog’s paw, she swatted at her. “Lie down. It’s only six-thirty.”
Surprisingly enough, Lucky obeyed and stuck her nose in Meghann’s face. She rolled away from the dog breath. The Lab abruptly stood again, gave a little whine, and licked her cheek before jumping over her onto the floor. The whole bed shook from the movement.
Good riddance! Now maybe I can go back to sleep. She had found it difficult to get to sleep last night and snuggled deeper into the covers. Thoughts of Bruce danced through her mind, the little thrill she felt when he touched her cheek. If he could, by some miracle, feel half as much for her as she felt for him, they could live happily ever after.
Lucky’s nails clicked on the kitchen floor, stopped, then clicked back. She whined at the front door, then clicked her way back across the kitchen floor.
“Oh, go lie down!”
Lucky raced to the bedroom and nudged her owner’s hand. Meghann pulled her arm away and tucked it under the covers. “I’m asleep.” The dog put her front paws up on the bed.
Meghann sat up. “Go…lie…down,” she said firmly, pointing across the room.
Lucky ducked her head and slunk across the room. Meghann watched as the dog stared at her as though unable to believe her owner really meant to send her away. Finally, the dog circled around once, twice, and then lay down with a heavy sigh. Meghann, too, settled back against the pillow.
Just as she was drifting off to sleep again, she heard Lucky trot back out to the living room. As long as she didn’t pace in the kitchen, Meghann didn’t care where the dog was and drifted merrily off to sleep.
Sometime later, she woke to hot breath in her face. She opened her eyes just in time to see a big black dog nose close up—much closer than she ever cared to. Lucky’s tail started wagging, moving not only her head but jiggling the entire bed.
They stared at one another. “If I let you out, will you leave me alone?”
The dog’s tail wagged more vigorously. Meghann sighed and threw back the covers. Lucky pranced backward. The clock read 7:25. “I hope you know I expected to sleep for at least another hour.”
She put on her old blue velour robe—the one she had gotten in junior high school—and walked through the small house to the back door. Lucky sat at the front door.
“Come on, girl.”
Lucky trotted to the edge of the kitchen, then turned around back to the front door.
Why was her dog being such a toad this morning? Punishing her, no doubt, for being gone so much. She threw up her hands. Fine! If she wan
ts out the front, I really could care less.
She opened the door and Lucky bounded out. An inch of late spring snow covered the ground. A few flakes still drifted down, but the early morning sun was already trying to break through. By noon, the snow would all be evaporated.
Lucky stood with her front paws on the gate. Meghann looked beyond the fence to see what had captured her pet’s attention. A red Corvette blanketed with snow sat in the driveway. Bruce!
Meghann ducked back inside, changed her clothes, and ran a brush through her hair.
She brushed the snow off the side window of Bruce’s car and tapped on the glass. He started, then turned to her with a smile.
“How long were you out there?” she asked once they were inside her toasty warm cottage.
“Not that long.”
Since about six-thirty by the amount of snow on his car—and judging by Lucky’s suddenly explained actions.
“I woke up early,” Bruce said. “When I realized it was snowing, I thought I’d better get over here before the roads got too slick.” He thumbed toward the front door. “That car’s not exactly designed for snow.”
Meghann made them both some hot cocoa.
“I have something for you,” Bruce said as she sat at the table with him. He laid an oversized, aged leather-bound book on the table between them. The old volume actually creaked when he opened it. “Look there. The third line down.”
Her eyes lit on the names Bennet and Cora Jones. “Where did you get this?”
“There’s a storeroom in the basement with all the old registry books and an assortment of other memorabilia that I imagine you would love to get your hands on.”
“Could I? I would only go down there after work. I promise.” Her mind raced with the first possible opportunity to go treasure hunting.
“I was thinking, after your mother leaves, how would you like to be the new hotel historian?”
Her eyes widened with excitement. “Really?”
“Would you like that?”
“Yes. A hundred times yes!”
Meghann dragged herself away from the small piece of history and made them an interesting breakfast: oatmeal without milk but with plenty of brown sugar, fried hash browns from frozen patties, and grape Kool-Aid. She had precious few ingredients left after cleaning out the refrigerator last night. It amazed her what could grow in a cold environment.
“You mind if I use your phone?”
“Go ahead,” she said, clearing away the breakfast dishes.
“Your phone’s dead.”
“No, I just unplugged it last night.” She set the dishes down on the counter and reached over to reattach the plug.
“How many times did they call?” He said with one hand resting on the phone.
“Five before I pulled the plug. And they left three messages before that.”
“Good girl.” His words were almost a chuckle.
After Bruce finished with his calls, he rubbed his hands together. “Now what would you like to do today?”
“Do? Aren’t we returning to your apartment?”
“Not right away. We can spend the day playing tourist if you like.”
She was torn between wanting to spend more time with just Bruce and with her needy canine friend. “If we aren’t going back to our families, I really should spend some of the day with Lucky. I fear she is woefully neglected.”
“I think a walk in the mountains would do us all some good.” He got up and headed for the door. “I have a couple of quick things to do, and I’ll be back for you in an hour.”
True to his word, an hour later, he returned in a rented 4-by-4 and hiking boots. They headed up into the mountains and parked at the side of a dirt road. Bruce seemed to know right where to go.
“Would you like to eat or walk first?” Bruce opened her door.
Lunch! She hadn’t even thought about food until her stomach started growling on the way up. “You brought food?”
He pulled a basket out from the back end of the vehicle along with a tarp and a blanket. They found a sunny spot on the top of a nearby hill. Lucky raced up and down waiting for them to catch up to her while biting at the snow.
“What’s the tarp for?” Meghann asked as they reached the top. “Are you planning on making a tent?”
He gave her a sideways glance but didn’t dignify her smart-aleck question with an answer. He just handed her the picnic basket, then spread the tarp out over the thin layer of snow and laid the blanket on top of it.
With a graceful bow, he offered her a place on the blanket. “Milady, for your dining pleasure.”
After they enjoyed the feast, Meghann wandered around the top of the small hill. The view looking down on the city was fantastic, and the view looking up at the mountains so close took her breath away.
She turned back to Bruce to find him gazing at her. Talk about breathtaking.…She returned his smile, even as emotions filled her to overflowing.
I love you, Bruce Halloway. Can you tell? Can you sense it?
He stood and walked to her. Her heartbeat quickened.
“Are you ready to pack it in and go for that walk?” he asked. “I know a great path up here.”
She took a calming breath and nodded.
Lucky ran five times farther going back and forth than they ever walked. The path led them higher to a more spectacular view. Meghann felt energized in this setting and picked up a handful of snow. Bruce didn’t notice until she was about to throw it at him.
He smiled and held up a hand. “Don’t you dare.”
Dare? Oh, now he’d done it! She never had been able to resist a dare. With a grin, she hurled the loosely packed snowball at him, hitting him in the shoulder. The spray splattered his face.
“I’ll get you,” he growled, and excitement thrilled through her.
I hope so…oh, I hope so!
Meghann squealed and took off down the path. A snowball whizzed within inches of her arm. She didn’t expect the next one to miss and stopped, scooping up snow as she did. She turned, arm poised for the attack, but suddenly found her feet slipping on some loose rocks beneath the snow. Bruce’s next snowball hit her square on the front of her coat as she went down.
Hard.
She lay there, staring up at the now clear sky, trying not to laugh because it hurt too much.
“Are you all right?” Bruce skidded to a stop next to her. “I’m sorry, Meg. I didn’t mean to hurt you.”
She waved her hand at him. “You didn’t hurt me. I twisted my ankle on a rock.” She eased herself up on one elbow, lifting her injured leg slightly, testing the motion of her ankle. At the sharp pain, she grimaced. Great, just great. She forced a smile to her face. “I’m fine. Really.”
Bruce knelt beside her in one fluid motion, then took hold of her foot and proceeded to remove her shoe.
“What are you doing?”
“I’m checking your injury.” He sounded so serious.
“I’m not injured.”
“Does this hurt?” He rotated her foot gently.
Hurt? Did it hurt? She couldn’t tell. The feel of his tender fingers on her skin had her head spinning. Say something, Meghann, you dolt! Anything to keep him from looking at you and seeing that stupid grin on your face!
“I—uh, I didn’t know you were a doctor as well as a hotel manager.”
He admonished her with a simple look. “You didn’t answer my question.”
Humor him. Maybe then he’d let go of her and she could catch her breath again. “No, it doesn’t hurt, Dr. Halloway.”
He ignored her teasing. “It’s not broken, and I don’t think you sprained it, either.”
“How do you know about breaks and sprains?”
“I had my share of mishaps growing up and I saw a lot of injuries while playing sports in school.”
“Brock said you played football.” Why didn’t the man ever talk about himself? Didn’t men like to boast about themselves?
Bruce eased her shoe ba
ck on. “What else did he say about me?”
Though he tried to sound offhand, Meghann could tell by the sound of his voice, the way he’d gone slightly stiff, that it bothered him for her to mentioned his brother. What was it with these two?
“He said you were captain of the football team, class president, and valedictorian. An all-American boy. And that he bowed down and worshiped you.”
Bruce furrowed his brow at her last comment.
“See if you can walk on it,” he said, helping her to her feet.
She walked in a circle to show him she was fine.
“Does it hurt when you put your full weight on it?”
“I’m fine really.”
“I just want to make sure.” He brushed back a stray hair that danced across her cheek. “I could never forgive myself if I hurt you.”
Held in place by his gaze, she stood silent. Her pulse raced as he leaned closer to her. She’d heard of higher altitudes making people dizzy, but this was ridiculous!
Relax. He’s not going to kiss you. Why would he with no one around?
She couldn’t answer that, but his nearness and longing look in his deep brown eyes told her so. She prepared to be wrapped in those big strong arms—
Lucky chose that moment to start barking like a maniac. The shattered spell drifted off on the breeze as Bruce turned to the dog, startled. Meghann took a slow, deep breath and waited for her heart to quiet. They both turned their attention to the dog. She had chased a squirrel up a tree and had a mind she could go up after it.
After a few minutes, they managed to get the Lab to give up on tree climbing and headed down the path.
“I’m still going to help you back down,” Bruce said and put a supportive arm around her waist. “It could be weak and be injured more easily next time.”
She didn’t argue, and they walked arm in arm back to the 4-by-4.
When they finally returned to Bruce’s apartment, it was empty.
“It looks like they didn’t miss us much.” Bruce picked up a slip of paper from the hall table.
“I hope everything is okay,” Meghann said. “You don’t think my mom had a relapse or something?”
“According to this note, they are all running assorted errands.” He handed her the piece of paper.
