I’d always loved putting a smile on my girl’s face, but this one was the best.
“Are you serious?”
“Yeah. I’ll show you some stuff I’ve got just to prove how serious. I’ve even made some contacts about jobs. But first,” I stood up with her in my arms and me inside of her, “I want to take that shower now. You up for that?”
“I think I could go for a good scrub down. I have this one spot that may need some extra attention. I think I may have gotten it a little dirty today. You see, I have this boyfriend who did these awful things to me...”
I caught her lips with mine before she could finish.
CHAPTER THIRTY
Caroline
I was on I-40 headed west. Justin and I would rendezvous in Phoenix. We’d stay there for two weeks, because the thought of being away from each other for more than a month was killing us. Then he would head out to Salt Lake City and I would continue on to Los Angeles. He was going to spend a few weeks in SLC and then Seattle would be our final destination. I would get there first and start a job hunt.
I had found a place to live and he was going to be moving into the same condominium building. It looked like an awesome place...walking distance to everything. I would reserve judgment on how cool it really was until I lived there for a while.
He didn’t want to buy anything until he had a feel for the place. He’d lived in Seattle for six years when he did his residency and fellowship so he knew a fair amount about it. He’d suggested this area so that how we ended up here.
I needed to get furniture and lots of other things because I didn’t own a damned thing. Preston was arriving today to help me move in. I was excited to see him and I really wanted the two of them to get along. Justin had issues with him, but they would have to work them out.
Preston had agreed that we had a sound plan. We were going to have a “chance” meeting as neighbors. Invite each other over, that sort of thing and then progress into a full blown relationship. Preston would have to be a separate part of my life from Justin’s family. I couldn’t introduce him as my brother to anyone, so he was now a former coworker from back East.
We would always be sure the paths of Preston, my mom and the Middletons would never cross. That would never be possible. Ever. Justin knew that.
Preston and I went shopping and I purchased a bed and sofa, as well as a chest of drawers, desk, dining table, four chairs and two bar stools. I also stocked my kitchen with the basic necessities.
“I think I went overboard,” I told him. “I slept on a couch most of the time I spent at EPIC.”
He rolled his eyes. “I remember.” He hugged me. Hard. “I owe you. Hell Caroline, I won’t ever be able to pay you for the fucking hit you took because of me. I totally screwed up your beautiful life...all because of my goddamn profession.”
I gaped. It was the first time he’d ever been so open about this.
“Well, it’s going to end well.” I smiled and winked at him.
“At what cost? Justin had to leave his home, his family. Both of you...what you went through. Christ Caroline, I thought you weren’t gonna make it. I really did. I questioned whether it would’ve been better to have shot you instead when I saw what you went through.” He scrubbed his face. “And then I kept thinking about what Justin was going through, wondering if he was doing the same thing. Fuck. I wanted to blow those bastards away. I could barely keep up my cover at the time.”
I hugged myself. I found I had no argument for anything he’d said.
“Fucking government won’t even pay you what they owe you afterward. You bring down the biggest cartel. Your intel is responsible for the largest drug bust in the history of this nation, and those fuckers won’t even compensate you. You gave up your whole damn life for them and they won’t even goddamn recognize you with a little money.”
“Blah. Government. They’re too big to do any good any more. They have their noses where they shouldn’t be and don’t have them where they should. Let’s not talk about the fucking government. I don’t want to waste my time with you talking about them.”
“Yeah. You’re right. Are you hungry?”
“Starved.”
“Let’s go eat.”
One thing Seattle wasn’t short on was great coffee joints and great restaurants. We grabbed some dinner at a awesome seafood place and came home and drank a bottle of wine and chatted.
“Can I just say Preston, I’m so fucking glad you’re not a drug addict.”
We laughed. “Me too. That shit was getting so old, shooting up saline. My arms got so damn sore. And then I’d have to pretend I was hunting needles. I’d have fresh ones hidden, but no one could know, so I’d be on these crazy ass needle rampages all the time. And living in filth. It was nasty.
I had to ask. I’d always wanted to, but we never talked about it. My voice dropped and I said, “Preston, tell me about prison.”
“No.”
“I was...”
“Caroline, look. It was bad. Awful. Horrible. I try to put it out of my mind. But it’s impossible. It won’t ever go away. Most guys that go in have a past...a record. I didn’t so I had to take it on the chin and fight my ass off. I was in the infirmary a lot. I’ll give you this pass this one time. Don’t ever ask me about it again.”
“Fuck Preston. I’m sorry.”
He shrugged and asked, “You got any liquor?”
“Yeah. Over there.” I pointed to a cabinet.
He pulled out a bottle of bourbon and poured some into a glass and drank it straight down. He stood by the bar with his back to me and I could sense the war that raged within him.
I walked up to him and put my arms around him from behind. He flinched at first, but then relaxed. “Life’s a bastard, isn’t it?”
“It sure has been to us.”
He put his arms on mine and hugged me.
“Well, I think I’m gonna crash.”
“Me too. You have any extra blankets?”
“You bet.” I pulled the new ones out of the bags we bought today. “Sorry they haven’t been washed yet.”
“Are you serious? This is heaven compared to some of the shit I’ve slept on.”
“Good night Preston. Thanks for everything today.”
“Hey, I’m glad to be here Caroline.” He winked and I shook my head. I’d never get used to being Caroline.
********
Two weeks later, I “bumped” into my sexy new neighbor when we both walked outside on our way to get some coffee. It just so happened we were both headed to the same place. And we had something else in common. We’d both just moved here. His name was Justin Middleton and he was an orthopedic surgeon specializing in repairing shattered bones of all kinds, mainly accident victims.
Tall, dark and unbelievably hot, he smiled and I was smitten. Exactly like the first time. I invited him over for dinner the next night. He asked what I did and I told him I was a freelance research analyst. I was currently looking for work, so if he knew of anyone needing someone, I was available. He winked and I winked back. And so it went...the second time around. I think I can safely say for the both of us that we enjoyed it every bit as much as the first time.
CHAPTER THIRTY ONE
Justin
My family hosted a farewell dinner for me. They did their best to persuade me to stay...I had to hand it to them. Pearce and Andrew pulled me aside during the cocktail hour and we had a little brotherly chat.
“Man, I have to say, you look the happiest I’ve seen since...well, you know.”
I smiled and said, “Yeah, I know.” I wanted to really smile and shout out from the roof tops, but I couldn’t. So I acted reserved and held my elation in check. “I think it’s the idea of starting a new life away from here. Getting rid of the painful memories and making some new ones. I always liked Seattle, although I’m not looking forward to the gray skies, but who knows. They have a great ortho program there and I feel honored to have been invited back as an attending.”
<
br /> Pearce clapped me on my back and Andrew did the same.
“Well, Big Brother, I’m gonna miss your mug around here,” Andrew said.
“Yeah, I know what you mean. I guess you’re just gonna have to step in and fill my shoes then, huh?”
Avery, my grandmother made her entrance and we all went to hug her. In front of everyone, she announced, “I’m glad you’re getting out of this town Justin. You’re the first Middleton that’s had the balls to do something like this. The rest of us have all been too damned chicken.”
The whole family started laughing...well, everyone except my mom. I hugged my grandmother and whispered in her ear, “Just what I needed. But you know my new home won’t be complete unless you come out to visit.”
“Oh you can count on it. At least I won’t have to bring a damned bikini!” She gave me a big wink.
Lexi hugged me and told me how much she would miss me. Of everyone here, she understood the most. Of course she would. She had been in that terrible accident with her boyfriend and he had died as a result if it. She blamed herself for years and tried her best to destroy herself over it. She had to leave her home in Virginia because of it, so she was totally on board with me moving and starting a new life. I wished so badly I could tell her that her best friend was still alive, but since I wanted to keep Caroline that way, there was no way I was ever going to speak those words to anyone.
After dinner was over, everyone wished me the best and left me with Mom and Dad.
Mom was crying and Dad was trying to calm her down.
“Mom, it’s not like you can’t hop on the Middleton jet and come and visit once a month,” I chided her.
“I know that, but I feel like you won’t ever be coming back here.”
I looked at her and knew I couldn’t be anything less than honest. “Mom, you’re right. I won’t be. Charleston isn’t home any more. It’s filled with too much unpleasantness that I need to free myself from. Leaving here and the idea of beginning a new life has brought me hope that I haven’t had in a long time.”
“I can see it, it’s just that I’m sad that you won’t be here.”
“I’m not the first son to ever leave home Mom.”
“I know, but your my first son...and all the way across the country.”
“You dealt with it before and you did just fine. Charleston isn’t my home anymore. My heart isn’t here.”
“I know Justin. I’m just being selfish. Go. Be safe. And have a wonderful life out there. And Justin, meet a nice girl that will love you like Terri did. Don’t settle for anything less.”
“Oh don’t worry Mom, I would never do that. I love you.”
********
Living next to Caroline was the greatest thing in the world. Even when we were in Charleston, we weren’t this close. I loved my new girl too. Not that I didn’t love the old one. But this one was confident in a way I couldn’t come close to describing. She carried herself differently. Her outlook on life was different. My other girl was excited about the future. This one wanted to sink her teeth into it and get every last bite out of it she could. Nothing escaped her...the gentle breeze, the birds chirping or the taste of the salt on her tongue, courtesy of the Pacific Ocean.
My happiness was endless. My work at the University was awesome. I was with an amazing team of physicians teaching other newly trained orthopedists how to fit the puzzles of a splintered bone back together. I would think of Caroline’s leg every day and pass that magic on to them in the hopes that they could help other patients like her walk again.
On a misty Saturday afternoon, about six months after we’d been in Seattle, we were laying in bed. Her sexy, naked body was stretched out on top of mine after a luscious heated session of lovemaking. Her head was tucked into my neck and my nose was nestled into her hair, exactly where I liked it, so I could feel its silkiness and smell her lavender shampoo that she still used after all this time.
“I think it’s time,” I whispered.
She lifted her head with a puzzled expression on her face and asked, “Time for what?”
“For this. Caroline Cole, will you marry me? You put the beat into my heart and the spirit into my soul. I want you as my wife, my partner. I don’t want to be your neighbor anymore sweetheart. I want to be your husband. I want to marry you. Say yes. Run away and marry me. Please say you’ll be mine forever.”
“Oh Justin, I’ve always been yours. Of course I’ll marry you. What took you so long?”
Then she kissed me and we laughed.
“Were you serious about eloping?”
“Hell yes!” I shouted.
“When?”
“When do you want to get married?”
She gave me a cheeky grin and said, “Yesterday. But, since that’s passed, as soon as possible.”
I looked at her for a second. “Can I be in charge of the venue?”
“Yeah! You always did have a flair for that.”
“I do have a request though.”
“What is it?” she asked.
“I want you to wear a wedding dress. I know how important it is to a woman to do that. And...I want to be able to show our children one day how beautiful their mother looked on the day she married their dad.”
That must’ve been the right thing to say because, well, she just got all soft on me and then my heart just did that little number in my chest. We held each other silently for a few moments until I heard her take a deep breath.
“I just realized something.”
“What would that be?” I asked her.
“I love you now more than ever.”
Her blue eyes (she never wore her contacts when we were alone) cut right into my soul.
“Babe, I know exactly what you mean. My dad told me once that when he fell in love with my mom, he thought that was it, but he found out he was wrong. His love only grew deeper as the days passed. I guess that’s how it must be with us.”
“You know something else?”
“What?”
“Justin, your family is going to kill you for eloping.”
“Naw. I don’t think so. I think they’re going to say, ‘Good for him, he found someone else.’”
“You think?”
“Yeah. But if they only knew.”
We laughed about that.
“Justin, do you think they’ll ever recognize me when they meet me?”
I was worried about that. “Honey, the only one I’m worried about is Lexi. She was so close to you. And here’s the thing. When I first saw you, it wasn’t your looks. It was your mannerisms that tipped me off. That’s what you’ll have to be careful about. She knows you so well.”
She nodded. “That’s what Preston said too.”
“Babe, let’s just worry about that when the time comes. Okay?”
“Yeah.” Then her eyes brightened. “So, what did you have in mind for our wedding?”
“It’s a surprise.”
“A hint?”
“Nope. Your job is to get a dress. As soon as you do that, I’ll get the place.”
I was rewarded with another one of her mind blowing kisses. She was good like that.
EPILOGUE
Six Weeks Later...
The couple stood at the top of the clearing that overlooked the Pacific Ocean at the Post Ranch Inn. The groom had outdone himself on the accommodations and site for their ceremony. This place made Amanyara, Bora Bora, and Kauai all look like a slight step down. The backdrop was Big Sur with its magnificent cliffs, crashing surf and the beginnings of a western sunset that was unrivaled by anything the bride had ever seen. The day had been bright and sunny with a perfectly clear blue sky that Californians often boast of. The bride wore a simple yet elegant gown made of the lightest silk that whispered like the breeze every time she moved. The groom looked sexy in his black Armani tux. Even though they were the only two present at such a lovely affair, they didn’t seem to mind a bit. In fact, their behavior indicated quite the opposite.
&nbs
p; The bride’s blonde hair moved with the gentle wind floating up from the ocean and her smile was radiant as she looked up at the groom. The minister spoke the words while the couple secretly looked at each other, and then they repeated after him. When the groom slipped on her ring, which caught the rays of the sun, tears also glistened on her pink cheeks.
The minister pronounced them as husband and wife and it was quite sexy watching them kiss. Every female witnessing their display of affection wished it had been like that on her wedding day. For those that were still single, well they now had something to dream about.
As the couple turned, arm in arm and walked away, a photographer caught them in a multitude of casual poses. When the photographer was finished, the couple smiled and slipped off into the sunset, eager to begin their new life together as Dr. and Mrs. Justin Middleton.
Preston
They had no idea I was there. I’d registered as David Stockton. There wasn’t a chance I would let them go through with this alone, without some kind of protection. He was a Middleton after all so his name would soon be plastered everywhere, announcing their marriage. Pete Kowalski was also here. He didn’t tell me what name he was using.
I dressed in a pair of jeans, long sleeved shirt, hiking boots and I pulled a baseball hat down low over my eyes, which were covered in sunglasses. I walked with a slight limp and I had shaved my head. On the back of my neck was a large tattoo of a winged bird, completing my disguise. This would wash away after a few days.
Late in the afternoon, as the sun was sinking low, I found the perfect spot behind a copse of trees to watch Caroline and Justin exchange vows. I was too far away to hear anything, but I was able to see everything from this vantage point. Pete would be on the opposite side, checking things out on his end. All was clear and nothing was amiss. The only thing that bothered me was that damn photographer snapping all those photos. I was going to have to “borrow” her camera afterward, to remove her smart chip. I would get the pictures to Caroline, so she would end up knowing I’d been here after all. I just didn’t want to take a chance of having those pictures ending up online anywhere. Way too risky.
Shattered Edge Page 22
