She broke their kiss and pulled back just enough to study him, frowning when she noted the dark circles under his eyes and the overall weary expression—not to mention the fresh rug-burns on his cheek and chin from that slide down the stairs. “Oh, Jack, you look like hell,” she said, cupping his face. But as exhausted and bedraggled as he appeared, he still looked good enough to eat—and she hoped she’d get a chance to do just that.
Jack nodded. “Yeah, lack of sleep will do that to a guy after nearly five months.” Huffing a humorless chuckle, he clutched her upper arms and tugged her closer. “Where the hell have you been, sweetheart? We’ve been worried sick about you. For chrissakes, we were afraid you might be dead.”
“It’s a long story.” Oh, it felt so good to be in Jack’s arms again. And she wanted more than anything to fully unite with Jack…to feel him inside her again, filling her.
“I want to hear every word, Meredith.” Jack rubbed his hand up and down her spine.
“Me too,” Karyn chimed in as she ran up and joined them in a three-way hug.
After a few loving moments of crushing each other breathless, the three finally separated just enough to give each other some breathing space.
Meredith jangled her keys. “Instead of standing out here in the hall entertaining my neighbors,” the three of them laughed as two doors in the vicinity immediately slammed shut, “let’s go into my apartment so we can be comfortable.” Once they’d gone inside and closed the door, Meredith turned to Karyn and smiled.
“Happy birthday, you young whippersnapper.” She planted a big smooch on Karyn’s cheek.
“Thanks. I knew you’d be here for me,” Karyn said through a watery smile. “I just knew it.”
“Of course. We have a pact. So…did you get the birthday present I sent up?” Meredith winked.
“Mmm, I certainly did. And I really can’t wait to sample it.” Waggling her eyebrows, Karyn giggled like a teenager. “Thanks, Meredith. You have my undying gratitude.”
“I’ve never seen anyone get so excited over a bag of pistachios,” Jack said, shaking his head.
Karyn and Meredith looked at each other and burst out laughing.
“I don’t get it.” Jack looked perplexed “What’s so funny? You’re missing for months, Meredith, and all you two can do is stand here making a big deal over a sack of nuts.”
Exchanging another glance, the two women laughed even harder.
When their giggles finally subsided, Meredith wiped the tears from her eyes. “I’m sorry, Jack. I think it must be giddiness because we’re so happy, that’s all.” She breathed easier when Jack gave a semi-satisfied shrug. “Before I caught you two engaging in those remarkable stairway acrobatics, I was just on my way to try to find you, Jack.” Closing the distance between them, she traced his features with her hand and Jack stilled her fingers, kissing them when they reached his lips. “Oh, darling,” her voice cracked, “there’s so much I have to say. So much I have to apologize for. I never should have—”
“Shhh, shhh. There’s nothing to apologize for,” Jack said. “Not a thing.” He squeezed Meredith close again, holding her so tight that she had trouble breathing but she didn’t mind a bit. “Aw, baby, I thought I lost you. It’s been hell.”
“Absolute hell, Meredith,” Karyn agreed solemnly.
“It has.” Meredith sucked in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “It has, indeed.”
“Sweetheart,” Jack said, “what happened? Where have you been all of this time? I’ve had private detectives and law enforcement agencies scouring the country trying to find you.”
Meredith closed her eyes for a moment. “To Hell and back,” she whispered. “God, you’ll never know how happy I am to be standing here with the two of you.” As they hugged again she luxuriated in the warm, secure feel of their arms and sent up a silent prayer of thanks to Annie for her safe return.
“Same here, honey,” Karyn said, smoothing her fingers through Meredith’s hair. “So, were you kidnapped or were you sick or did you just run away or what?”
“Uh…I was—”
“Why didn’t you call me?” Karyn continued. “Do you have any idea how frantic we’ve been?”
“I’m sorry.” Meredith took Karyn’s hands in her own and squeezed them. She felt directly responsible for the agony she’d caused them by her disappearance. At least, thank God, things weren’t as bleak as they could have been…if she had stayed dead after that fall down the elevator shaft and hadn’t been able to rectify the results of her wicked payback scheme. An involuntary shudder took hold. “I couldn’t call, Karyn. Believe me, I would have contacted you if it were at all possible.”
“But more than four months, Meredith,” Jack said. “Nothing. No word. Not a trace…”
Wringing her hands, Meredith looked from Jack to Karyn and back again. She had to say something, but what? How could she possibly tell them what really happened? They’d never believe her. She wouldn’t believe it if the situation were reversed—if one of them had been missing and then told her they’d been to Hell and back, then to Hell again before going to Heaven and then finally back home again. Meredith had to bite the inside of her cheek to keep from laughing at the sheer absurdity of it all. As much as they cared about her, Meredith wouldn’t blame Jack or Karyn one bit for calling the men in the white coats to put her in a straitjacket and lock her away in a padded cell if she tried to tell them the truth.
“Did you have an accident?” Jack asked. “Was it amnesia?”
“Amnesia!” Meredith practically shouted as she broke into a grin so wide her cheeks ached. “Yes, that’s it!” Why hadn’t she thought of that before? It was a perfect explanation.
“I don’t understand.” Jack scratched his head with a pained expression. “All the hospitals were checked…they were on the lookout for amnesia victims. We had your photo spread all over the place, newspapers, TV, flyers posted all over. How could they not find you?”
Meredith was surprised and pleased that Jack had gone through so much trouble trying to find her. And here she thought he’d never want to see her again after that nasty trick she’d played on him. As he stood there with a quizzical expression, she realized it wasn’t a rhetorical question and Jack was actually expecting an answer. She smiled and shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“What hospital were you in?” Karyn asked.
Meredith looked to the left and right and then just smiled and shrugged again. “I don’t know. I can’t remember.”
“Well, how long ago did the amnesia clear up,” Karyn asked, “and how did you find your way back home if you didn’t know where you were?”
All these questions! As much as she loved Karyn, Meredith wished she’d just shut up. She licked her lips nervously. “Uh…I don’t really know what to tell you. The last thing I remember is stepping into that elev—uh…I mean stepping into the street…yeah, that’s it…stepping into the street after I left Jack’s hotel,” she babbled. “And then, bam!” She gestured with her hands, crashing them together. “I must have been hit by a car or something and, next thing I know I’m in some medical facility without a clue as to who or where I am.”
“Oh, you poor little thing,” Karyn whispered. “That must have been so frightening.”
“Was anything broken?” Jack asked.
“You mean bones?” Meredith blinked and Jack’s eyebrow shot up as he gave her a well-what-else-would-I-mean look. Leave it to Jack to be so thorough. “Nope. I don’t think so.” Sighing, she shoved her hands through her hair and started to pace a bit as she tried to piece together a believable story. “All the rest is terribly vague. I just remember bits and pieces. I wasn’t aware of the passage of time and until late last night I had no idea how much time had elapsed. Then…uh…then I just,” she snapped her fingers, “snapped out of it. And before I even realized that I’d left the hospital, I was in my own bed—and that’s where I woke up this morning.” Meredith licked her lips again swallowed hard and studied their exp
ressions. Jack nodded slowly as he rubbed his jaw and Karyn’s lips were pursed into a little O as she nodded. She hoped to hell that they bought the story.
After a few moments of silence, Karyn patted Meredith’s shoulder and said, “Well, I’m sure you’ll remember more later, sweetie. We don’t want you to tax yourself now, do we, Jack?” He shook his head in agreement. “In the meantime I think you should just sit down and relax.” She grabbed Meredith’s hand and led her to the sofa. Like a mama hen she plumped the pillows and cushions and gently tugged Meredith into position, propping her feet on another pillow that she set on the coffee table. And then she turned to Jack, giving him a push that seated him next to Meredith.
“Have you had anything to eat?” Karyn asked.
Meredith nodded. “Comfort food. A big bowl of oatmeal and the rest of my open four-month-old box of Belgian chocolates.” She laughed.
Karyn grinned. “Good. Are you taking any medication?”
“Um…no. No drugs.”
“Even better,” Karyn said, trotting off to the kitchen. “I’ll be back in a minute, so if you two want to do any necking, feel free. I promise not to peek…too much.”
Before Meredith had a chance to respond, Jack’s lips were on hers. She opened to him as his tongue probed and they engaged in a kiss so sweet, so hot and so ardent that she did, indeed, feel drugged.
“I want to do a whole lot more with you than just necking.” Jack trailed a line of soft wet kisses from her lips to the flesh that plumped just above her low scoop neckline. “In fact,” he cupped Meredith’s breasts and brushed his thumbs across her nipples, watching as they beaded beneath his touch, “I don’t ever want to let you go again. Just tell me that you’ll give me another chance to prove myself to you, baby. I swear to you that I’ll never hurt you like that again—ever.”
Just then Karyn returned from the kitchen, balancing a tray laden with three glasses. “I think a little celebration is in order,” Karyn said, setting the tray in the center of the coffee table. “And since you’ve eaten and you’re not taking any medication you’re free to indulge.” She handed a glass to Meredith, another to Jack and then hiked her own into the air.
“What’s this?” Meredith examined her glass.
Karyn shrugged. “Since there’s no champagne this is what we’re having to toast your return.” She glanced at Jack and Meredith and laughed. “Hey, what’s with those apprehensive looks? Okay, so I’m no expert when it comes to bartending, but I think this should probably be good. I just poured a little of each of the liquor bottles I found in one of the cabinets, plus some ginger ale into the glasses and added some maraschino cherry juice.”
Meredith sniffed the glass and then took a sip. Her eyes went wide. Just as Karyn brought her glass to her lips, Meredith screamed, “Nooooo!” Then she bolted to her feet, vaulted over the coffee table and knocked the drink out of Karyn’s hand. “Karyn, what the hell do you think you’re doing?”
As the glass went sailing through the air and then smashed on the floor, Jack shot to his feet and he and Karyn whipped their heads toward Meredith, looking aghast.
“Honey…what—” Jack started.
“Never, Karyn,” Meredith cut him off, wagging a finger at Karyn. “Never do I ever want to see you drinking anything with whiskey in it, do you hear me? Never!” And then Meredith burst out crying in shoulder-shaking sobs. With the first whiff of whiskey from her glass those horrid images of Karyn draped over Meredith’s grave, drunk and sobbing, came rushing back. And then Dev’s sick cackle of delight when Karyn’s car crashed into the tree rang in Meredith’s ears. She clapped her hands over her ears. “Stop it! I don’t want to see it or hear it anymore!”
Karyn and Jack stood silent for a few moments, still drop-jawed and stunned.
“Um…yeah…” Karyn said cautiously. “Maybe alcohol’s not such a good idea after all with you just coming out of amnesia and all, sweetie.” She went to Meredith’s side and draped her arm over her shoulder. “I, uh, I wasn’t really thirsty anyhow.”
“Right. Me neither.” Jack set his glass down, far out of Meredith’s reach. He came close, taking her hand in his and rubbing it softly. “Why don’t we all sit down quietly now and relax, honey? Do…do you want me to call a doctor or something?”
As he and Karyn gingerly moved Meredith toward the sofa she stiffened. “A doctor.” She swiped at the tears on her cheeks and scanned their worried faces. “Oh dear Lord, you think I’m crazy, don’t you?”
“No, no, not at all,” Jack and Karyn blurted in unison while shaking their heads.
They were pathetically unconvincing and Meredith couldn’t help laughing. Clearly, poor Jack and Karyn were scared shitless that she’d become a raving lunatic during her absence. “Don’t worry. I haven’t lost my mind. Honest. It’s just…well, it’s just that I’ve been through a lot…seen a lot, and I guess I’m still dealing with the repercussions.”
They sat scrunched together on the sofa and Karyn nodded. “You must have seen the results of some alcohol-related accident or something, is that it?”
“Yes,” Meredith said without hesitation. “Exactly. A woman who reminded me so much of you, sweetie,” she clasped Karyn’s hands tightly, “who died a horrible death after driving under the influence. The poor woman was an alcoholic. The,” Meredith paused and cleared her throat, “the memory came flooding back when I saw you with that drink in your hand. I would die if anything like that ever happened to you, Karyn. Please promise me that you’ll never start drinking that stuff.”
“But, Meredith, you know that I’m not a big drinker—and God knows I’d never drink and drive. Trust me, the last thing you have to worry about is me becoming an alcoholic.”
“That’s true, honey,” Jack chimed in, massaging the back of Meredith’s scalp with his fingers. “You know Karyn better than that.”
“Heck,” Karyn added, “my only indulgence is when we get together and have our chocolate martinis.” She licked her lips and chuckled. “If you’re going to worry about anything, it should be my food addiction. I swear I must have put on another fifteen pounds with all that nervous eating since you disappeared.”
“You look beautiful to me, Karyn. I never would have known about the extra weight if you hadn’t mentioned it. And the occasional chocolate martinis we share are fine, but no whiskey. Promise.” When Karyn failed to respond immediately, Meredith repeated, “Promise!” with added emphasis.
Karyn sucked in a deep breath and nodded slowly. “Sure…if it makes you feel better, honey, I promise. I hereby solemnly swear off whiskey forever.” Slipping her right hand from Meredith’s grip she crossed her heart.
Meredith breathed a sigh of relief. “Thank you, Karyn.” She looked back and forth at Karyn and Jack and gave a quizzical smile. “It just dawned on me…since when did you two become such good friends? I mean, the last time we talked, Karyn, you—”
“She hated my guts.” Jack laughed. “And she wasn’t on my list of favorites either.”
“Yeah,” Meredith noted. “So how come…” She pointed to one and then the other. “Jack…were you upstairs celebrating Karyn’s birthday with her?”
“Well, I wouldn’t exactly call it celebrating. We were waiting for you to show up. Karyn was positive you would.”
“Jack and I have gotten to know each other pretty well over the past few months,” Karyn said. “And, uh…he’s not half the monster I thought he was.” She reached across Meredith and patted Jack’s knee.
“Gee, thanks. I think.” Jack laughed.
“He really and truly loves you, Meredith. I never would have believed it after all he did to you in the past. Lord knows he was a rotten cheating no-good bastard, a scumbag, a—” Jack cleared his throat with a loud ahem. “Oh…sorry, Jack. Guess I got carried away there.” Karyn patted his knee again. “But the point is he adores you. Jeez, the man practically drove me crazy worrying about you all this time. If you hadn’t come back I probably would have had to shoot
him to put him out of his misery.”
“Me?” Jack said. “What about you? You were a basket case. I never saw so much water come out of one human being before in my life. I can’t even maneuver around Karyn’s apartment without sloshing through soggy, tear-soaked tissues.” He looked at Karyn and smiled, clasping her hand on his knee. “Now I understand why you two have been best friends for all these years. Karyn’s a very special lady.” He leaned over, lifting Karyn’s hand to his lips and kissed it.
“Well, I’ll be damned.” Meredith chuckled. And then she straightened in her seat, thinking better of the nonchalant phrase. “No I won’t—scratch that.” Jack and Karyn just looked at each other and shrugged. “I’m glad to see the two people I care most about in this world on good terms. Amazed, but glad.”
The telephone rang. “Just let it go to the answering machine, Meredith.” Karyn waved a dismissive hand.
After the fourth ring a rich accented male voice said, “Kah-rin, cara mia, where are you? Don’t make me sit here all alone when we could be doing la cucaracha together.”
Karyn snatched the phone off the hook. “I’m on my way. Stay right where you are.” She hung up and turned to Meredith and Jack, grinning. It was about the biggest shit-eating grin that Meredith had ever seen. “That was the, uh…exterminator. I, uh, I gave him your phone number.”
“Exterminator?” Meredith cocked her head. “What ex—” she stopped when she caught Karyn’s dramatic eye signals. “Oh. Oh! Right. I forgot. The exterminator.”
“Uh-huh.” Jack folded his arms across his chest and smirked. “Give it up, ladies. I wasn’t born yesterday.”
Karyn gave him her practiced wide-eyed innocent look, which didn’t quite match the still present shit-eating grin. “Why, I don’t know what you mean, Jack.”
Wicked Payback Page 18
