by Gerri Hill
She smiled as she went to him, bending down to give him a quick hug. “Thank you, Charlie. This means so much to me. It really does.”
“Like I said, you deserve it.”
“Thanks. You’ve brightened up my rather miserable week.”
But that night, as she sat at home alone—staring at the muted TV—she couldn’t muster up the enthusiasm she’d had earlier in the day. It was news she wanted to share with someone. Not a friend, like Tina or Tracy. But with a lover. Someone who would be proud of her accomplishment, someone who would smile and bring her into a tight hug, and someone who would tell her she loved her.
She turned the TV off and stretched out on the old sofa, folding her hands behind her head as she stared off into space, unable to stop her tears, unable to ease the awful ache in her heart.
CHAPTER FORTY-FIVE
Reese drove slowly past Sloan’s Bar, thankful Morgan’s truck wasn’t parked out front. Hopefully, it meant she was at home.
Because Reese couldn’t go another day without speaking to her.
If Morgan wanted to end things, fine. But Reese thought she at least was owed an explanation. She didn’t believe for a moment Morgan’s excuse of not enjoying it any longer.
She stood on Morgan’s porch for the longest time, surprised by how nervous she was, afraid of what Morgan might say to her.
She finally took a deep breath and knocked. She waited a few minutes longer, then knocked again.
“Morgan? Come on. I just want to talk to you.” She heard movement, but the door didn’t open.
“Just go away,” Morgan said from behind the door.
“No. I want to talk to you.”
“Please, Reese? Just leave.”
“Why won’t you talk to me?” She tilted her head, listening. “Look, I don’t want to come in. We can just stand here on the porch. I just want to talk. Please?” She leaned her head against the door. “Please?” she asked quietly.
She stepped back when the door slowly opened. Morgan’s eyes were damp, her nose red. Had she been crying?
“I miss you,” she whispered. “I miss you so much.”
Morgan shook her head. “Don’t. Don’t do this.”
“Do you miss me?” she asked.
Morgan wiped her cheek then met her eyes. “Yes. Yes, I miss you.”
“Then why? Why are we doing this?”
“Because you’re leaving, Reese. That’s why.”
“I’m not leaving until November.”
Morgan’s tears fell freely now, and Reese didn’t know what to do. She took a step forward, but Morgan held her hand out, stopping her. “No. Don’t. Just leave. I can’t do this.”
“Why, Morgan?” Why are we doing this? Why are you crying?
“Do you think I won’t miss you when November comes?”
Morgan tried to smile through her tears. “I thought I’d practice first. Maybe by November…well, maybe I won’t miss you so much.”
Reese stared into her eyes. “Tell me why you’re crying.”
Morgan shook her head and backed up. “Please go now, Reese. Don’t come by anymore, okay?”
“Wait,” Reese said quickly. She stuck her hand out, stopping the door before Morgan closed it in her face. She felt like her heart was being ripped from her chest, and she couldn’t stand to see Morgan cry.
“No. Just go. Please?”
“Did you fall in love with me, Morgan? Is that why you’re crying?”
The pained look on Morgan’s face told her everything she needed to know. That, and the sobs that shook her as Morgan closed the door. She stood there, listening to Morgan cry, hating her own tears that were falling. She put her palm on the door, knowing Morgan was leaning against the door on the other side. Leaning against the door and crying. Crying for her.
Because she loved her.
She turned, as if in a daze. Morgan loved her. She didn’t end things because she was tired of it. She ended it because Reese had told her Winter Park had called. She ended it because Reese was leaving.
She stared into the night sky, the stars twinkling overhead, their light blurred by the dampness in her eyes.
“Morgan loves me,” she said out loud. She finally smiled.
“She loves me and she doesn’t want me to leave.”
She drove quickly to her office, unlocking the door but not bothering with the main lights. Inside her private office, she pulled out a piece of paper where she’d scribbled a phone number. She didn’t hesitate as she picked up the phone and dialed.
“Michael? It’s Reese Daniels.” She paused. “I changed my mind.”
CHAPTER FORTY-SIX
For the first time ever, Morgan called in sick. For one thing, she looked frightful. Her eyes were red and puffy, evidence of how she spent her night. And frankly, she couldn’t muster the energy to pretend she was fine any longer. She was miserable. As miserable and depressed as she could ever recall being.
One look into Reese’s eyes brought the depth of her love to the surface and only served to magnify her aching heart.
Did you fall in love with me, Morgan? Is that why you’re crying?
“Yes,” she whispered.
She wrapped her arms around herself, desperately wanting—needing—a hug. She knew she had to snap out of this. She knew she had to get over it. But right now, she hurt too much to do anything. So she sank back down into the corner of the sofa and tucked her legs under her, staring at the far wall, staring at nothing, fearing she was falling apart.
Reese couldn’t get the silly grin off her face. And she couldn’t wait to get to Morgan. She wasn’t answering her cell, but that wasn’t surprising. What was surprising was Tina’s admission that she’d stayed home sick. Morgan was never sick.
Reese knew it was her fault. She knew Morgan’s tears were because of her. And now she was about to put an end to those tears.
Last night after she’d called Michael Stewart to tell him she wasn’t going back to Winter Park after all, she’d also called Ron Brightmen. He was thrilled to learn she was staying. And he was more than happy to extend the use of his cabin for as long as she needed.
And this morning, bright and early, she’d driven into Gunnison, and spent the next hour touching, holding and cuddling puppies at the animal shelter.
She looked over at the ball of fur beside her and scratched the little ear. “I hope your new mommy isn’t mad at us.” They’d told her his mother was a yellow Labrador, but the father was unknown. There were four puppies in the litter and they all looked like labs to her, but the staff picked this one out, saying he looked just like his mother. Now she only hoped his new mother would love him.
She parked beside Morgan’s truck, then rolled the windows up some in hers so the puppy wouldn’t crawl out. “Don’t chew on anything important,” she told him as she got out. The nervousness she felt last night was magnified tenfold today. Today she would tell Morgan she loved her. Today she would ask Morgan to share her life with her.
But this time she didn’t hesitate as she knocked on the door.
They’d wasted enough time.
“Morgan? It’s me. Open up.” She knocked again, then heard footsteps on the other side.
“Please go away.”
She smiled. “Are we going to do this again? You know I’m not going away, now open the door.”
“No.”
“Please open the door, Zula,” she said.
Finally, the door opened and Morgan stood there, her eyes swimming in tears. “You’re killing me,” she whispered.
“No. Never.” Reese reached for her. “Come here.”
“No.”
“Yes,” she said. She pulled Morgan into her arms, her heart breaking as Morgan’s sobs shook her. “Don’t cry, sweetheart.”
“I’m sorry,” Morgan whispered as she clung to her. “I’m dying here.”
Reese closed her eyes, holding Morgan tight, feeling complete again, whole again with Morgan in her arms.
“I can’t leave you,” she said. “I fell in love with you too, Morgan.” Morgan tried to pull away, but Reese held her tight.
“When I told you Winter Park called, I wanted you to ask me to stay. But you didn’t. You seemed almost happy.”
“Oh, my God. I thought you wanted to go. That’s why I pretended to be happy.” Morgan wiped at her tears. “You love me?” she asked weakly.
“With all my heart.” Reese tilted her face up, meeting her eyes. “I never thought I could have this, could feel this way about someone. I never thought I’d find someone to love me. I never thought I’d want to share my life with someone. I don’t want to leave here, Morgan. I don’t want to leave you.”
“Oh, Reese,” she whispered. “I love you. I’ve loved you for so long.” Her tears fell again and she let them. “When you said you were leaving, I just wanted to die. I just wanted to curl up and die.”
“I’m so sorry.” She kissed her lips softly, tasting her tears. “I love you, Morgan. I want you to come back home.”
“Yes.” Morgan smiled as she buried her face against Reese’s neck. “Yes.”
A high-pitched puppy bark pulled them apart and Morgan looked at her questioningly.
“Oh, yeah,” Reese said. “I kinda forgot about him.”
“Him who?”
Reese took her hand and led her to the truck. “I thought, well, I’ve never had a pet before. And you had Jackson and he’ll always be yours.” She stopped before opening the door. “I thought it’d be nice to have one together. One that would be ours.”
Again tears, and Reese smiled. “You’ve got to quit crying. You’re giving me a complex.”
But Morgan flung herself into Reese’s arms, nearly knocking her over. “God, I love you so much. A puppy?” Then she quickly pushed Reese out of the way as she opened the door, laughing as she scooped up the yellow ball of fur.
Reese stood back, watching as the tiny pink tongue kissed away Morgan’s tears, and she felt her heart swell with emotion.
Yeah, it felt so damn good to be in love.
CHAPTER FORTY-SEVEN
Reese stood looking out the window to the nearly deserted street, wondering if the light dusting of snow would change their plans. Morgan wanted to hike the meadow trail to the river and let Cody get some play time in the water. It had become a once a week ritual, followed by burgers and beer at Sloan’s.
She was still amazed at how much her life had changed, and how much she loved all the changes. After Charlie retired, they bought his cabin along with the two horses he was going to ship off to Thompson’s Ranch. The house was bigger than they needed, bigger than either of them had lived in before, but it was slowly becoming their place and no longer Charlie’s.
The late summer had been idyllic as they grew comfortable in their love and they’d slipped back into their familiar routine of spending most of their time alone, cooking, talking, hiking…and loving.
And now winter was upon them again and they’d come full circle. And added one furry member to their family. She felt like the luckiest person alive.
“I guess I’m going to head out,” Eloise said.
Reese nodded. “Where’s Googan?”
“If I had to guess, he’s called it a day and is over at Sloan’s.”
Eloise motioned out the window. “She’s here.”
Reese turned, smiling broadly as Morgan got out of her truck, Cody right behind her. “That’s a pretty sight now, isn’t it?”
Eloise just smiled and shook her head as Morgan and Cody burst through the door.
“Hi, Eloise,” Morgan said. “On your way out?”
“Yes. How are the roads?”
“Oh, they’re fine. Slushy.”
“Well, you two have a good evening. See you tomorrow, Chief.”
“Drive carefully.”
The door had barely closed before they moved together, Morgan pulling her close for a kiss.
“I missed you today,” she said.
Reese smiled. “Is that right?” Reese cupped her hips and brought Morgan flush against her, loving the tiny moan Morgan uttered.
“Don’t start,” Morgan whispered against her mouth. “You promised me a hike.”
“It’s cold out,” Reese said, her hands sliding up to Morgan’s breasts.
“What about Cody?”
“He’ll understand.” Reese’s finger circled Morgan’s nipple, eliciting another moan.
“Someone could come in.”
“I’ll lock the door,” she murmured between kisses.
Morgan laughed. “You’re insatiable.”
“I’m just in love, Zula.”
Morgan pulled back, meeting her eyes. “I love you too, Clarice,” she said softly as she pulled Reese again to her mouth.
And so their hike was forgotten, and Cody too, as he settled himself on the rug, waiting for their passion to be sated. Reese had a feeling he would be waiting longer today than usual as Morgan’s hands fumbled with her jeans.
Insatiable and in love.
Yes, a wonderful state to be in.
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