She drew in a deep breath. Having made the decision to leave, peace enveloped her, an inner calm that had eluded her since returning from Atlanta. It would be hard to go, but in the long run, her heartache would be easier to live with if she wasn’t living at Cottonwood. Though Edward’s will stipulated that she could work here as long as she wanted, if she left, David would immediately inherit the plantation.
Which was what he’d always wanted.
At the sound of footsteps, Tanya moved away from the window. Her heart ached at the sight of David as he came into the room.
She forced a smile to her lips as their eyes met. “Hi.”
David pulled her into his arms. “Hi, yourself.” He kissed her mouth hungrily, then leaned away and examined her face. “You okay?” Not for the first time, he wondered what she had been thinking since they’d left Atlanta. Upon arriving home, she’d been unusually quiet. Something was bothering her. Whenever he’d asked what was troubling her, she’d quickly denied anything was wrong, leading him to believe he had no reason to worry.
Until he saw her again. The inherent sadness in her eyes prompted his concern, and his doubts resurfaced.
“I’m fine. Are you ready to go? The celebration should be about ready to get underway.”
Excited about sharing Cotton Creek’s Thanksgiving celebration with her, David picked up her jacket from the coat tree as they walked into the foyer. He remembered the fun times he’d shared with his parents when he’d gone to the festival as a child. After his mother had died, he’d gone alone or with a friend.
Never with his father.
Thinking of his father failed to spoil David’s anticipation of going to the celebration with Tanya. That surprised him. Now he was able to remember the good times with his father without feeling the pain and rejection that had kept him away from home.
“You might need this,” he said, and helped her slip on her coat. “The temperature’s dropped outside. I think a cold front moved through this morning.” With the mention of the cooler temperature, David found himself thinking about being at Cottonwood during the winter months, spending even more time with Tanya. Snuggling up to a warm fire. Making love to her.
The late afternoon air was cool as they got into his car. Minutes later, as they arrived at the edge of the small town, music spilled out from the festival area.
“I think that’s a high school band,” she said as David pulled to the curb on one of the side streets and parked.
“They sound pretty good.” He was out of the car and rounding the front as Tanya opened her door. They made their way behind a row of buildings toward the music.
As they approached the celebration, a sensation of homecoming overwhelmed David. The festival, held in a large park located in the center of town, was hidden from view from the main streets. Balloons and streamers hung from the many trees. Food vendors lined the outer edges of the park, and a crowd had already gathered throughout the area. A temporary stage had been set up in the center of the park for a band to perform prior to the fireworks that would conclude the evening.
Surprisingly, little about the town and park had changed since David’s last visit. The trees were taller and some of the faces were different due to the town’s increased population. Excitement pulsed through the crowd walking along the winding sidewalks.
For the first time in what seemed like a century, David felt as if he belonged in Cotton Creek. Coming home hadn’t been as difficult as he’d once thought it would be since he’d dealt with his father’s death. Was it possible that he could put his feelings for his father completely to rest and make Cottonwood his home again?
Because of Tanya?
The thought didn’t scare him as it once would have. He could see himself living here, strolling through the park with Tanya, their kids romping in the playground. The possibility of sharing the rest of his life with her filled an emptiness inside him that had haunted him for years.
That he could even think of living here was remarkable. Because he’d been trying to prove to his father that he was a success for so long, he’d forgotten how to just enjoy life. The value of his roots.
And he had them here. They grew deep. Generations of his ancestors had made Cottonwood Plantation their home.
Memories of his mother were here, memories he cherished. How could he have ever believed that he could stay away?
As they meandered through the growing crowd of people, David tightened his hold on Tanya’s hand, interlacing their fingers. Stopping every now and then, they spoke to friends and acquaintances. He even reminisced with a few of the people he’d known in high school.
Tanya spotted a vendor selling cotton candy and she practically squealed. “You can buy it in the store now, in a bag, did you know that?” she asked, her eyes filled with excitement as she dragged him to the line. “But it isn’t nearly as good as getting it made right in front of you.”
David chuckled, then fished in his pocket for money. “It doesn’t take much to make you happy, does it?” he asked as he paid the vendor, then handed Tanya the cotton candy.
Only your love, Tanya’s mind whispered. But she already knew that was too much to ask for. She forced herself not to think about the decision she’d made to leave, wanting only to cherish each moment she had with David. Sticking her tongue out at him, she started to turn and walk to the stand where the high school band was playing, but was halted abruptly as David pulled her to him for a kiss.
“You taste like cherries and sugar.”
She grinned. “Are you complaining?”
“No, but I want to do a lot more than just taste you.” With a grin, he kissed her again, a drugging, sensual bonding of their mouths that made him want to touch her in places not allowed in public.
Tanya moaned softly as she broke away and stepped back, smiling at him. “Want some?” she asked, then before he could answer, she stuffed a gob of the sugary mass into his mouth. “Isn’t it—”
“Oh, my God! Victoria?”
Tanya started, and a chill raced down her spine. Unsure why, she shrugged off the uneasy feeling, then glanced at the woman who had spoken to her. There was a man with her, someone she was sure she’d never seen.
The woman, well, Tanya wasn’t so sure. She didn’t recognize her, but there was something about her that seemed…familiar. Her eyes were wide with shock, her mouth hung open as she stared back. She seemed genuinely startled, and obviously she thought she was someone Tanya knew. “No, I’m sorry. You must have me confused with someone else.” Smiling politely, Tanya turned and started to walk away.
“No! Wait!”
Grabbing her arm, the woman stopped Tanya. Every muscle in Tanya’s body tensed. She turned to face her again, and the uneasy feeling inside her escalated, frightening her. “Yes?”
“Victoria, it’s Imogene!” the woman cried.
Tanya stared at her, wondering what she should say. Obviously, this lady thought she knew her. But no matter how hard she tried, Tanya couldn’t recall meeting her. “I told you, my name isn’t Victoria. It’s Tanya, Tanya Winters.” But even as she said the words, a sensation that she’d seen the woman before overwhelmed her. Her pulse began to race. “Perhaps we’ve met before, but I’m sorry, I just can’t place you.”
Her gaze slid over the woman, her mind searching for some recollection of where they might have met. Only a few years older than herself, the woman’s chin-length blond hair framed her pretty face. And there was something intriguing in her striking green eyes. They were incredulous, drawing Tanya in.
Tanya drew in a sharp breath as the full impact of the woman’s statement hit her. The woman believed that she was someone named Victoria.
The man with her, well, if Tanya had met him before, there was no way she would have forgotten him. Tall and handsome, his raven hair was a stark contrast to his intense gray eyes. No, she was sure she’d never seen him.
“Look,” David interjected, concerned that the stranger hadn’t let Tanya go. “Obv
iously she looks like—”
“No, please give me a minute,” the woman implored, her voice gentle but insistent, her gaze fierce. “Please, listen to me. I’m not mistaken.” She glanced briefly at her companion, as if appealing for his help, then back to them. “Look,” she said, seeming to take a moment to calm herself. “My name is Imogene Shakir. This is my husband, Raf. My maiden name is Danforth.” As if she expected Tanya to recognize her name, she stopped speaking and waited.
Suddenly very anxious, Tanya shook free from the woman and moved closer to David. He slipped his arm around her. “Danforth? Are you related to Senator Danforth?” David asked.
Imogene Shakir nodded, and her eyes began to water. “Yes. Yes, I am. He’s my uncle.”
“Oh.” Tanya wasn’t sure what else to say. The woman looked as if she was going to cry.
“He’s our uncle.”
Tanya frowned, not really understanding what she was talking about. “No, I’m sorry. You have me confused with someone else.” But she couldn’t ignore the tears forming in the woman’s eyes, or the distressed, yet determined look on her face.
Imogene very slowly reached toward her again, grasping her arm even more forcefully this time. “You’re my sister. Your name is Victoria. I know you think I’m crazy, but I’m not.” She spoke a little faster, with an urgency in her voice. “Five years ago, you left home with a friend to attend a rock concert in Atlanta. As a birthday present, our brother Jake bought tickets for you and I to go together. But I wasn’t able to go, so you invited a girl, a new friend of yours, to go with you. Her name was Tanya Winters. You are my sister, Victoria Danforth. You disappeared after the concert. We’ve been searching for you all this time.”
Tanya could feel the woman shaking. It vibrated through her own body. Her gaze sought David’s. He was looking at her with a strange expression on his face. Dazed, she bent her head and put her hands over her face. Something flashed through her mind, a myriad of faces and settings, each moving so rapidly that she couldn’t make them out clearly before they disappeared.
“I—I don’t know.” Looking back at them, Tanya stared speechless at the couple.
“It is true,” Raf Shakir said. “I have seen your pictures.”
David held her tighter. “Tanya?”
“Think, Victoria,” Imogene implored, her voice rising. “It was the day of your seventeenth birthday. There was a big bash that day. Mom and Dad had a party with all of our family right before you left. I was supposed to go to the concert with you. Not Tanya Winters.”
Swallowing past the knot in her throat, Tanya’s disconcerted gaze went from the woman’s face to David’s. A sharp pain stabbed her in her temple as another series of images blazed through her mind. “Oh, my God. Oh, my God.” She began to shake so hard that she couldn’t breathe.
“Tori?” Imogene called out, and her eyes filled with hope.
Suddenly everything racing through Tanya’s mind stopped. She saw an image of herself and the woman standing in front of her. They were younger, just teenagers, and they were in a bedroom, sitting on a bed, laughing. She shook her head. In a blink, the image disappeared, replaced by one of herself standing in a grand house with people all around her. There were balloons, and candles on a beautiful two-tiered cake with the name Victoria written in pink on it.
Blood roared through her head. Her ears began to pound. Everything around her began to blur. Tanya looked at Imogene, squinting through tears that were now streaming down her cheeks.
“Genie?” she whispered, then she fell into a black void.
David caught Victoria as her body went slack, and he eased her to the ground. His heart in his throat, he dropped down to his knees and held her while he tried to awaken her. He gently patted her face with his palm. “Tanya! Sweetheart. I’m here with you. Come on, Tanya.” She moaned, then looked at him briefly before her eyes closed again. “Tanya, honey, look at me.”
Her eyelids floated open, but her pupils remained dilated and unfocused. “David?” Her voice came out a breathless whisper.
A crowd had gathered around them. David could hear them whispering, knew they’d overheard some of their conversation. His gaze shot to the woman and man also kneeling on the ground beside Tanya. “She may be going into shock.”
Someone shouted that they were calling 911. David ignored them. “I’m taking her to the hospital,” he said to Imogene. “It’ll be faster than waiting for the paramedics.”
“Of course. We’ll go along,” Imogene said, her tone kind but firm.
“We’ll drive you.” Raf already had his keys in his hand.
David hesitated a moment, thinking about his options.
“We arrived early and our car is parked right along the curb in front of this building. You’ll want to hold her.”
The two men exchanged a knowing look, and David gave a quick nod. Despite what they’d said, that Tanya was really Victoria Danforth, Imogene’s sister, David wasn’t giving any margin of access to her until he knew what the hell was going on.
David paced the waiting room of the hospital like a caged animal. Upon arriving there with Imogene and Raf Shakir, he’d been met by a nurse. He gave her a brief rundown of what had happened in the park, and they ushered Tanya into one of the treatment rooms.
As they’d begun to examine her, David had explained what had happened in the park to the attending doctor. He also informed him about the pertinent details of her past, of her strange dreams, her persistent headaches and her familiarity with places she’d thought she’d never been. Despite his protests, he’d been ushered into a waiting room and forced to leave Tanya in the doctor’s care.
Was Tanya really Victoria Danforth, the niece of Senator Abraham Danforth, the young girl who had disappeared five years ago?
His mind reeled from the significance of his thoughts. He couldn’t believe it, yet in a strange way, it made perfect sense. She walked with a natural grace, something he’d noticed often, most recently in the way she’d handled herself in D.C. And in spite of what they’d believed was her background, a troubled teen with no family support, she was self-reliant and confident. Though she hadn’t known who she was, her character strengths and her well-bred upbringing had shone through.
And those dreams of people that she thought she knew. Were they another clue to her identity? What about the feeling that she’d recognized places without ever remembering being there?
“She’ll be all right,” Imogene whispered, coming up beside David and placing her hand gently on his arm. She gave him a reassuring squeeze.
David turned and looked at Imogene Danforth Shakir. Her hair was blond, like Tanya’s, but Imogene’s was cut short, in a style that set off her green eyes. “Will she?” he asked quietly, wanting to believe her. Frustrated, he rubbed his face with his hand. “She’s been through so much.”
“I know this was a shock, but I have to believe it was meant to be that I found her. My family has never given up hope of finding Tori.” She bit her lip, her expression one of open curiosity. “I don’t mean to be forward, but who are you?”
“My name is David Taylor. I’ve known Tanya for the past five years, but in the past couple of weeks we’ve become…reacquainted.” He could think of no other way to describe their relationship that wouldn’t add suspicion to the concern in Imogene’s eyes.
“Has she lived with you for the past five years?” she asked. “In Cotton Creek?”
“No,” he answered. “Not with me. With my father, Edward Taylor, on our family plantation. It’s just outside of town. He recently passed away, but he took Tanya in five years ago when she had no home, no family to care for her.”
“Victoria,” she corrected him, then her gaze softened. “I’m sorry about your father.” He nodded his thanks, but when he remained silent, she asked, “How did he come to know Victoria?”
“After she’d recovered from her injury, she was set to go into a group home. When my father heard about her situation, he took her on as a
n intern and offered her a job and a place to live.”
“Injury?” Imogene’s eyes widened. “What kind of injury?”
“Apparently, she suffered a concussion. No one knows what happened to her. All we were told is that she was found unconscious by the side of the road. When she awoke, she couldn’t remember anything.”
Imogene raised a hand to her throat. “Oh, my God!” she exclaimed. “She didn’t remember anything?”
David shook his head. “She’s had amnesia ever since.”
Raf slipped a protective arm around his wife’s shoulders. “That is all over now. We must be happy that we’ve found her and she’s safe.”
“You’re right, Raf, of course.” She turned to David. “But what happened to her? Was she hurt in any other way?” she asked, her voice shaking. “Was she—”
“No,” David said quickly, wanting to assure Imogene that Tanya hadn’t been sexually abused. “Other than a concussion and losing her memory, she showed no other signs of being harmed.” His mouth tightened a fraction. He didn’t elaborate on his answer. He wasn’t about to admit that he’d been the first man to make love to her.
And he wanted to be the last.
He loved her.
Hell, he’d loved her from the first moment he’d seen her. Except at the time, he’d been too damned angry at his father to let anyone near him. And he’d held on to that anger for years, staying away from Cottonwood, away from Tanya.
From Victoria.
He fixed Imogene with a hard stare. “You’re absolutely positive that she’s your sister?”
“Yes.” She looked around her, then spotted her purse on a chair. “Wait.” Rushing across the room, she dug into her purse. She withdrew her wallet and flipped it open to a picture. Returning to David, she held it out in front of him. “This is Victoria when she was seventeen. It was taken on her birthday, the day she disappeared. I’ve carried it with me ever since. I’ve never given up hope of finding her.”
Terms 0f Surrender (Dynasties: The Danforths Book 11) Page 12