Gretchen would keep that in mind in case worse came to worse.
JJ filled them in on the latest about the stalker as they finished off the ice cream. Gretchen glanced at each of her friends, silently thanking the powers that be to have each of them in her life. And then they focused their attention on Cindy.
“I’m going to move out there for six months,” Cindy was saying, “and we’ll see how things go.”
She hadn’t finished speaking before they chimed in.
But Gretchen understood. She knew that feeling where you wanted to be with someone more than anything. Even your girlfriends. And she didn’t begrudge her friend a chance at love, no matter how unconventional the start of their relationship was.
The conversation circled back to Baby.
“So what’s made your week so rough?” Gretchen asked.
“Someone’s not happy with my work.”
“And that’s unusual how?” Cindy asked.
“Oh, you know. The usual. Death threats.”
“Have you called the cops?” JJ asked.
“What are they going to do? These envelopes don’t come with―” The lights went out. “Return address labels,” Baby finished quietly.
“Someone must have hit a power pole,” Gretchen said. But as she rose to find a flashlight she saw her neighbor’s porch light turn on.
An uneasy feeling swept through her. That didn’t make any sense. Last year during the ice storm, a tree had fallen on the line and everyone on the street had lost power.
“I don’t think so,” JJ whispered.
Something slammed into the front door and they all screamed. Adrenaline shot through her and her flight response kicked in. A loud grunt echoed through the front hall and then something crashed outside the front window.
Her friends were already on their feet and she reached for JJ’s hand. Trembling, she whispered for them to follow her. They got to the bedroom and Gretchen locked the door behind them. She stumbled over the edge of the rug and almost face planted but one of the others grabbed her arm.
Shards of light filtered through the curtains and she felt her way to the bed where she’d dropped her purse earlier. Thank God it was still there.
“Who do you think it is?” Cindy whispered.
“We need to call 911,” JJ said.
Baby didn’t utter a word.
Gretchen dumped her purse on the bed and blindly filtered through the contents until her hand wrapped around the cool plastic and metal of her cell phone. She wanted to hide but something told her to stay on her feet in case they needed to dive out the window. With shaking fingers, she tried to unlock the phone but kept slipping.
“Let me,” JJ whispered, her hands closing over Gretchen’s. Somehow JJ was able to hold her fear in check and dial 911.
JJ’s voice whispered through the darkness. She recited Gretchen’s address from memory and begged them to send police officers as quickly as possible. There was another loud thud and this time they jumped and clung to each other. By tacit agreement, they were staying as quiet as possible. As still as possible. But Gretchen felt Baby’s body shaking like a leaf.
She hugged her friends and prayed.
28
Greg tipped his head back against the headrest of his brother’s Jeep and stared out the window.
“So you guys don’t think I’m moving too fast?”
“For the last time,” Thomas said, turning the key. “No.”
“It’s in your head, little bro,” Ronny added. “Besides, you could name your first born son Peter. That’d be cool.”
As Thomas pulled out onto the road, Greg imagined having kids with Gretchen. Children with her big brown eyes and warm smile. She’d be one hell of a mom. Their home would be filled to the brim with craft projects, cookies, love, plenty of laughter. A wave of yearning swept through him.
“Thanks for this. I really needed to get out. Get some perspective.”
Not away from Gretchen, but out of the house. Around the men who knew him best and would slap him on the back and show him a good time. Just as he’d hoped, they’d helped him get his head screwed on straight.
“Can’t believe we’re turning in at ten o’clock. What happened to the days where we shut down the joint?” Ronny teased.
“You got old,” Thomas quipped, stopping at a red light.
Greg pulled a hand down his face. He was tired and at the same time energized. Gretchen was right. When you loved someone, you told them. You didn’t wait around for the right time, the right circumstances. The right time was any time.
He blew out a sigh, remembering the look on Gretchen’s face right before he’d left earlier. He’d been wrong; he didn’t need time. He didn’t need space or distance; in fact that was the last thing he wanted. But she didn’t know that yet and the delay was killing him. He needed to fix things. He needed to get his foot out of his mouth and start talking.
“Step on it, would you?” he called to Thomas.
“Look at little bro go,” Ronny said.
“Decides he’s in love with the girl and goes all starry eyed,” Thomas teased.
“Yeah, yeah. I’m whipped. Snookered. Head over heels. I’ll be sure to raz you guys as soon as you find someone who’ll love you back.”
“Yeouch. Little bro has claws,” Ronny said and laughed.
“Wait, pull over. To that grocery. I need flowers. Lots and lots of flowers.”
Twelve minutes and half a dozen bouquets of roses later, they piled back into the Jeep. He had a lot of talking and grovelling to do. He knew that.
They turned onto Gretchen’s street and a flicker of blue light cut through the night sky, lighting up the undersides of the tree branches. He’d been in and out of it as the cops had arrived on the scene a week ago but there were flashes of complete clarity and he remembered the bright blue strobe lights on the cop cars. They’d blistered his eyes and compounded the ache in his skull.
“Do you see that?” he asked, wanting to make sure he could believe his eyes.
“Yeah.” Thomas stepped on the accelerator a little harder.
They rounded a corner and came to the straightaway where Gretchen’s little house sat just up the hill. Three cop cars blocked the street in front of her house, lights casting a sickening glow across the neighborhood.
“What in the―” Ronny broke off as a cop flagged them down.
Thomas rolled down the window as he slowed the vehicle to a stop. But Greg wasn’t waiting around for a chat. He reached for the door handle as an ambulance pulled in from the other direction. Greg’s heart stopped. Literally paused inside his chest as fear gripped him. But then it jumpstarted and he bailed out of the Jeep like it was on fire.
“My fiancé’s in there,” he called to the cop, the lie rolling off his tongue with unpracticed ease. His heart crashed around inside his ribs as he barrelled past the cop cars. What the hell had happened? He’d only been gone a few hours. Dread and anxiety mixed inside him as he walk/jogged up the road. Fucking stiff knee. He was halfway up the walkway when Gretchen darted out the door, feet bare.
Cindy, JJ, and Baby were hot on her heels. Joe followed closely, favoring his right leg. Blood dripped down his cheek but he watched over the girls like a pit-bull.
“Greg?” Gretchen’s voice had never sounded sweeter. The icy tendrils of fear melted ever so slightly.
He reached for her and she reached for him. He held her so tight he worried he might break her ribs. She squeezed his waist just as tight, burying her face against his shoulder. Despite his fear and everything still unsaid between them, the world felt like it’d righted itself.
“What happened?” He asked as Ronny zipped by him, pulling JJ and Cindy into a bear hug.
“We caught him,” Joe said. He didn’t need to say more.
They all knew about Trevor’s stalker. The relief he felt was mirrored on Ronny’s face. Thomas uttered a ‘thank God,’ and hugged JJ.
“Sir, let us take care of that cut,”
a paramedic said to Joe. The bodyguard didn’t argue, simply followed the guy to the back of the ambulance. Baby looked torn for a moment. Her eyes were wide and she was breathing heavily. She bypassed the group in the walkway and followed Joe.
Gretchen pulled back and let out a shuddering sigh. Glancing around the once quiet neighborhood with her lower lip was wedged between her teeth and he could see the worry lines between her brows. They’d been scared.
So had he. He would forever associate flashing blue lights with overwhelming fear and prayed he never had to see them again.
He had no idea what all had gone on but he thanked God that Joe had been watching over them. Gretchen trembled in his arms.
“He cut the power,” JJ said. “And then there was this loud bang against the front door.”
“We hid in Gretchen’s room and called the police,” Cindy told Ronny.
“Smart. You guys did good. Where is the bastard?” Thomas asked.
JJ nodded toward one of the police cruisers where three officers were standing. Joe had settled on the back of the ambulance, Baby hovering to the side.
“Did you call Trevor?” Greg asked them.
Gretchen shook her head.
“Joe did as soon as he came inside and made sure we were okay,” JJ said.
The warmth of the day had given way to a cool evening. Greg shrugged out of his coat and wrapped it around Gretchen’s shoulders.
“Are you okay?” he asked, pulling back enough that he could study her.
She nodded. “I hope Joe’s okay.”
She peered around him. After everything that had happened, she was still concerned about everyone else. His main concern was her. JJ was still tucked beneath Thomas’s arm and Cindy and Ronny were talking with a police officer.
“Come on, let’s get you some shoes,” he said, wrapping an arm around her waist, keeping her close.
The inside of the house was dark, darker than he’d ever seen it. He missed the coziness that Gretchen had created with the softly lit lamps.
After turning on the flashlight feature of his phone, he swept the beam of light across the entryway and living room. Four wine glasses, half full, sat atop a tray on the ottoman next to bowls of melted ice cream. There was a bag of Cheetos on the floor with half a dozen stray orange puffs scattered around like confetti.
“I don’t understand,” Gretchen murmured. “Why come after JJ? Trevor wasn’t even here.”
“I don’t know. But I’m sure Joe will find out.”
He glanced out the front door to where JJ and Thomas were speaking with an officer. Joe was still on the bumper of the ambulance, a worried looking Baby sitting next to him. Even in the poor lighting Greg could see that the bodyguard was pissed.
“Let’s get you some shoes and get out of here. We’ll take care of all this in the morning. Things will look better then.” The platitude his mom had told him a dozen times over the years rolled off of his tongue. She’d been right. The dark monsters of night always looked more approachable in the daylight.
Next to him, Gretchen nodded slowly. They started down the hall to her bedroom when she stopped and turned to him. “Why are you here, Greg?” She searched his face.
“I needed to see you. To apologize for earlier.”
“I thought we decided you were going to take some time to yourself.”
“No, sweetheart, you decided I was going to take some time. I know I’ve been a bear and you, wonderful woman that you are, were trying to give me the space I needed. But when I was at the bar with the guys I realized I don’t need or want time away from you. I wanted to be here with you, holding your hand, watching old movies. I don’t care what anyone else thinks. You and I know how we feel so who cares about the timing. I’m sorry about what I said earlier. Can you forgive me?”
“There’s no need to apologize for being in a dark place.”
“You’re right. But I am sorry for being a lousy houseguest. For snapping at you and not thanking you enough. I think you know...” He reached for her hand. “I’m not that guy. I’m not moody or depressed or angry. You’ve seen me through the worst week of my life and you’ve been my anchor.”
He saw her smile in the eerie blue-white light but it wasn’t her normal smile. It was humorless. “Just what I’ve always dreamed of being.”
“You should be. That’s one of the most important parts of a relationship.”
“A relationship?” She sounded both hopeful and disbelieving.
“I’m saying this all wrong.” He paused and took a breath. There was only one thing to say. One thing that mattered.
“I love you Gretchen Mascoe. I think I have from the moment you walked into that hospital room claiming to be my fiancé. For the record, the cops outside think I’m your fiancé.”
Her brows rose and her lips formed an adorable O. The urge to sweep in and kiss her was strong, but stronger was the need to know what she was thinking. Surprised, obviously. He’d become fairly good at Gretchen-charades but this was too important to leave to a guessing game. Especially in semi-darkness.
“Say something,” he whispered.
“You told the cops I’m you’re fiancé?”
He chuckled. “Out of everything I said, that’s what you heard?”
“I…”
“You...” He prompted when she halted.
“I love you too. But—”
He ducked his head and slanted his lips across hers, silencing any ifs, ands or buts. Now that he’d sorted himself out he couldn’t wait to move forward with her. To kiss her whenever he wanted, hold her and make love to her.
When he pulled back she was smiling, a real, joyous smile. He grinned back, heart overflowing. Funny how what he’d always been looking for was waiting for him to wake up and pay attention this whole time.
“I’m glad you waited for me.”
“I’m glad you came to your senses.”
“I’m a little slow on the uptake apparently. Can you forgive me?”
She narrowed her gaze up at him, her lips curved into a smirk. “You’re just after my cookies.”
He laughed and his ribs didn’t even complain. “You know me so well.”
“Yeah.” She squeezed him. “I do.”
“What do you say we go get a hotel room and leave all this for the morning.” He nodded toward the living room.
“I say finally!” Cindy called from the end of the hall.
“Me too,” Ronny agreed.
“Me three,” Thomas added.
They glanced down the hall at their friends and family.
“How long have you guys been listening to a private conversation?” Greg asked although he wasn’t mad in the least. With so many siblings, privacy was a premium. He knew that, expected it.
“Long enough,” JJ said, giving them a thumbs up.
“I take it you’re not going to need a lift back to your condo,” Thomas said, obviously enjoying this way too much.
“Nope.” Greg smiled down at Gretchen before continuing. “Your chauffeuring services are no longer required.”
“Great. Glad you two finally sorted that out. What do you want me to do with all the flowers?” Thomas asked, jerking a thumb in the general direction of his Jeep.
“Flowers?” Gretchen said.
Greg smiled. “I was on my way back here to woo you.”
Gretchen’s brows inched upward again. “Woo me?”
“I’ll be out for them in a minute,” he said and turned his attention back to Gretchen. He heard Ronny escorting everyone out of the small house and was thankful for the privacy.
He cupped her cheek. “You deserve lots of wooing.”
She shook her head, paused to stare up at him and then threw her arms around his neck as laughter bubbled out of her. “You are something else Greg Fairchild.”
“But you love me anyway, right?”
She nuzzled the spot just below his ear and then whispered “more than life itself.”
Epilogue
“You’re not going to give me any hints?” Gretchen asked. She didn’t mind the blindfold but curiosity had been needling her like a demented acupuncturist for the last twenty minutes.
Since the night Greg had swept back into her house, declaring his love, her life had been almost dreamlike. Being a part of a couple was everything she’d thought it would be and more. Being with Greg, not just physically but emotionally, better than she could have imagined.
They’d had Sunday dinner two more times and she was on the lookout for a table of similar width and height since Baby, Cindy and sometimes Adam joined them.
“We’re here. Don’t take that off,” Greg said from the driver’s seat.
She heard the car engine turn off and then quiet reined. A door open and closed. She got the feeling that the seat next to her was empty. Just as she reached for the seatbelt the door to her right opened and she felt the warm May air surround her.
Greg helped her from the car and kept one hand and the small of her back, the other clasping her left hand.
“There are three steps coming up,” he told her.
“Where are we?”
“You’ll find out soon enough. Ready for the steps?”
Once they’d navigated the stairs, he told her to wait just a second. There was a brief sound she couldn’t place. A car drove by behind her. Two birds called to each other.
“Here we go.” He was back by her side, guiding her.
His hands slid to her shoulders, halting her. “Ready?”
She took a deep breath and citrus teased her nose. “Past ready,” she said.
When he’d told her he had something to show her, she’d assumed it was another table or set of cabinets that he’d built. But his workshop smelled of wood and glue, not citrus.
He released the knot on the blindfold. She blinked as her eyes adjusted to the change in light. There was a wooden staircase to the left, a fireplace to her right. She turned, taking in the space, feeling like she’d seen it before.
Falling for His Fake Fiancée (Book 2, Girls' Night Trilogy) Page 25