“I know. That makes it easier, knowing Juan is looking after their son now.”
“Juan also knows what you did for him and what you lost.”
“He lost much more.” For the rest of his life Will would always feel indebted to Juan.
“Yes, he did son, but it wasn’t your fault. It was an accident, during a time of war, when nothing makes sense. I know he would thank you for what you did for Reca and Johnny, but now he would want you to finally find your own happiness. Will…I wish you’d talk to someone.”
“Mom, we’ve been through this for years. I’m fine and I’m not leaving here without Nic. But I’ll warn you, she is really mad at you guys too.” He knew it would hurt his mom to hear that.
“Well, Will, what did you expect? This whole family deserted her when she needed us the most.”
Hearing his mom say it only made him feel worse. “I know, but I needed you with me to help with Reca and then the baby.”
“Yes, you did, but you still should have told Nicole, honey.”
“You’re right. It wasn’t one of my proudest moments. I just hope I’m not paying for my ignorance for the rest of my life”
“Oh, honey, I can assure you, if you do get Nicole to forgive you, you will be paying for it one way or another for the rest of your life, if you’re lucky.” She chuckled.
Will grinned. “I hope so. I really hope so.”
Long after he’d hung up and cleaned Nic’s kitchen, his thoughts never strayed from how he could get her to give him another chance.
As he wiped down her countertops and finished putting away her groceries, he found the first tiny glimmer of hope that all may not be lost. The last item in the shopping bag from Nic’s earlier trip to the store…a large bag of M&M’s.
He smiled as he opened the bag and helped himself to a handful. He loved M&M’s; they were his absolute favorite candy. Not the peanut kind or any of the new flavors that were available, just the regular delicious milk-chocolate covered candy.
Now why would Nicole buy a large bag of something she didn’t like? She only ate the peanut variety. His smile grew even bigger. He got another handful of candies and sat down at her table. If he knew Nic, and he did, she would go someplace where she could process her feelings and make a plan on how to deal with his reappearance in her life. Probably where she wouldn’t be able to run into him. That would be fine with him because now he had new and improved plans he could put into place while she was gone. He grabbed the bag of candies and headed back to his house to put his plans into motion.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Nicole pulled into her driveway, cut the engine, and thanked her lucky stars there wasn’t a car in Will’s driveway. It had taken her two weeks and most of her savings, but she finally felt in a better place where Will was concerned. She wouldn’t let him get to her again.
After their fight she’d spent the night on Bab’s couch and then asked Harry to fly her down to the airport where she hopped a flight to Vancouver. Two weeks of walking on the beach, lying in the sun, and eating herself silly, and she was back, ready to go to battle to win her ‘Will free’ life back.
She’d finally figured out the reason she’d been so upset. It was simple really. Will had blindsided her. After two weeks of reflection, she now realized she had absolutely no feelings for him any longer; therefore, he no longer held any power to hurt her. If she cared, then she would be upset he’d chosen to pursue her to Alaska. Instead, she no longer cared what he did.
It would be easy. All she had to do was remain calm and unaffected when he was around. Eventually he would get the hint--she no longer loved him--and he would slither back where he came from.
For now, all she really wanted was a bath, something to eat and then a good night’s rest. Tomorrow she’d be back at the library, and her life would go back to normal. It didn’t matter what Will wanted. He no longer had the power to hurt her.
Nicole rolled her new suitcase onto her porch and fit the key into the lock. Since she’d left with nothing, she bought everything she needed in Vancouver. After several attempts she checked the key. She only had two keys on the keychain; one for the library and one for her house. She juggled the key in the lock again and still it wouldn’t budge. Strange.
“Hey, Sugar. Did you leave something behind?”
Nicole had been so focused on unlocking her door she hadn’t heard Sara drive up. “Hi, Sara. What do you mean, leave something?”
Sara pushed past her, easily slipped her own key into the lock, and opened the door without any fuss. “Come on in. The place was cleaned out when I got here, but if you think you left something, be my guest.” Sara swept her hand across the room in invitation.
“What…” Nicole stood in her doorway and looked around the cheery yellow living room…a living room that in no way resembled hers. Was this a joke? Where was her furniture? She took off into the bedroom and stopped just inside the door. The walls were painted pale lavender, and a full-sized bed took up the space where her twin bed had sat.
“Sugar, are you alright?” Sara asked with concern.
“What happened, Sara? Where’s my stuff? Why are you in my house?” Nicole couldn’t make any sense of what she saw with her own eyes.
“I don’t know what you mean. You moved out. Ben put it back up for rent, and I couldn’t wait to move out of my folks’ house.”
“I only went on vacation. I didn’t move out! Where’s my stuff? My furniture, clothes, books, everything!” She started to panic.
“Sugar, calm down. You’re starting to worry me. Do you mean, you didn’t really move?”
“No!” Nicole screamed, and then felt bad when Sara jumped. She tried again calmer. “No. I didn’t. I only went for a short vacation. Ben didn’t have the right to move me out. I paid my rent on time every month. He can’t do this to me.” She already had her phone out, dialing, and waiting for Ben to answer.
Three minutes later Nicole stormed out of Sara’s house with murder in her eyes. Will couldn’t just decide to move her out of her own house and into his. No way would she allow that to happen. Who did he think he was?
Nicole worked on her breathing during the entire twenty-minute drive to Will’s house. She put her signal light on to turn left into his drive, then drove for an additional five minutes until she broke through the trees and his house sat before her. She put her brakes on abruptly and rocked back and forth from the sudden stop.
Tears instantly filled her eyes. In front of her sat a dream come true. Will had built a house exactly like the one they’d always dreamed of.
From the top of the red tin roof to the white rocking chairs on the wrap-around front porch. Their dream home. She knew the floor plan by heart. They had drawn it out many times over the years, debating over where to put the laundry room or how big the kitchen island should be.
It appeared Will was expecting her. Every light in the house shone brightly as if welcoming her home. Ben must have called to let Will know she was on her way. Nicole rested her head on the steering wheel and fought for control. His house reminded her too vividly of what could have been and what he had chosen to take away from her.
She pulled up, got out, and paused at the flower beds beside the porch steps. They were bare at the moment, but she could see impatiens, pansies and hydrangea blooming during the spring and summer months. At Christmas the front railing would be wrapped with twinkling multi-colored lights and greenery.
She tore her gaze away and marched up the steps. She needed to remember what she was doing there, and it wasn’t for a trip down memory lane. She wanted her life back. Before she could knock, a breeze blew a note taped to the door. She pulled it down and read.
Go on in and take a tour. Meet me in the treehouse when you’re done.
She crushed the note in her hand. He wanted her to explore a house they’d designed as their home. She looked back towards her truck. It would hurt less if she just left. Her head swivele
d back around to the solid wood front door. Curiosity got the better of her, and her hand reached for the doorknob.
Stepping into the room was a surreal moment. Will had done a wonderful job capturing their roughly drawn plans. She walked from room to room, touching the gray and white granite countertops in the kitchen, admiring the rock fireplace that rose two stories high with a massive chunk of wood for the mantle, perfect for Christmas stockings to hang by the fire, just like she had always envisioned.
French doors opened onto the deck, exactly as she knew they would. Will’s office had evidently already been set up and was in use. Nicole grinned at the mess scattered around the desktop. He never had been a tidy worker. But he could always locate anything he needed. Next door, she found her office. The walls were painted a beautiful blue gray, and a distressed antique white desk sat in the middle of the room. Bookcases lined three walls to house all her beloved books. The room was beautiful, and exactly as she would have loved it.
Her steps slowed as she walked up the stairs. She counted the rooms. Just as they’d planned. Five bedrooms. One they would use as a guest room and three for their children. The last room she knew would be their bedroom. Did she really want to go in there?
Her body moved forward, making the decision for her. A king-sized bed with a fluffy white feather comforter and a mound of blue and white pillows was the focal point of the room. The walls were painted a deeper blue with thick white molding encasing the room. A fireplace was on the wall opposite the bed so they could lie in bed and watch the flames. A small loveseat and chair were positioned in front of the fire where she could sit and read for hours in the winter and stay warm. She spun around the room taking it all in; everything was just as she’d always imagined.
She turned and her eyes rested on another door, and her heart skipped. She didn’t want to go there, but couldn’t stop herself from turning the knob and walking into the nursery, a nursery that would never hold their child. A sob escaped and she pressed her hand to her mouth.
The walls were painted a lovely pale yellow, just like they’d planned, and by the window sat a white wicker rocking chair; the chair where they would sit and rock their children to sleep.
She made her way back down the stairs. Her hand went to her face and came away wet? When had the tears started? She brushed them off and more took their place. She went to the powder room downstairs, washed her face, and looked at herself in the mirror in disgust. Her two weeks away had been about getting rid of Will and taking her power over the situation back. Yet here she mourned for what she had lost…what they had lost.
What did Will hope to achieve by building a shrine to a life they’d once hoped to have together? Did he think that it would sway her to forgive and forget? Never could she forgive him for what he did. Why did she need to keep reminding herself of that?
With her face dried of any tears and her determination once again in place, she made her way to the treehouse to have it out with him one last time.
A pathway of lights guided her through the forest towards her destination. She was glad to see the ladder had been replaced by permanent stairs. He couldn’t pull that on her again, trapping her against her will. She would say her piece and then find out where he had stashed her stuff and leave.
Walking up to the brightly lit treehouse, she had to admit it was beautiful. But admiring his handwork wouldn’t set her free.
Will met her on the small porch. “Before you say anything, hear me out.”
Nicole spoke calmly but determined. “Whatever you have to say doesn’t matter to me anymore. I just want to know where you stored the things from my house. You had no right to do that.”
Will dismissed her question and asked hopefully, “Did you like our house?”
“Your house is lovely, Will.”
“Our house, Nic. It’s just the way we always wanted it to be. Do you remember when we would sneak out to my treehouse to make love and then talk for hours about our dream home?” He took a few steps closer.
“And we’ll put the nursery right next door so you won’t have far to go in the middle of the night when Will junior needs his diaper changed.
“Or when he needs to nurse from his mother’s breast.” Will’s eyes smoldered as they moved from hers down to her hardened nipples. Slowly he lowered his head to lick around the areola of her breast before sucking her nipple into his mouth. Her back arched and she moaned as the spark went straight to her core.
Nicole’s eyes clouded with memories before she remembered how carelessly he’d tossed them away. “That’s right. It was a dream. You saw to it that it would never be a reality. You chose someone else. Go make your dream home with her.”
He ignored her. “Do you remember when your grandparents would go away for a few days to visit your grandmother’s sister and I would stay with you? I loved those times. We said we were practicing for when we were married. You were always my girl, Nic, even from the first moment I saw you.”
“No, not always,” she answered quietly, refusing to meet his eyes.
His voice was rough and gravely. “I need you to forgive me, Nic.”
Her voice grew louder as she tried to convince him…or herself, there would never be anything else between them. “That’s not possible, Will. You hurt me, and I don’t trust you anymore. I just don’t feel anything for you any longer. I don’t love you, Will.”
Will took a few more steps closer. “I don’t believe you.” His eyes bore into hers, refusing to let her look away.
“I don’t know how much simpler I can say it, Will. Go home. There’s nothing for you here.” His stormy blue eyes held hers captive as he moved closer. Another step brought him right in front of her.
“Now you are the liar, Nic.”
Her body trembled from his penetrating gaze. “It’s no lie. Anything I ever felt for you is dead.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really.”
Will reached out and cupped her cheek with his hand.
What are you doing?” Nicole tried to move away but instead she leaned into his touch. She felt his warmth in every part of her body.
“Testing your theory.” Will’s hand moved from her cheek and tunneled into her hair. “If you’re over me, then when I kiss you, you’ll feel nothing.” He knew her well, and bypassed her lips, going right for the sensitive area behind her ear. Her body shivered in response.
“That means nothing.” Her sensitive nipples hardened and pushed against the fabric of her bra.
“I think it means a lot.” He worked his way down her neck, spreading kisses, and nips as he went. When she stretched her neck giving him better access, he knew he had her at last. He swiped his tongue over her bottom lip, and just like always she opened for him and he deepened the kiss until he felt her arms wrap around his neck, drawing him closer. He could take her right then and there, but that wasn’t the way he wanted their first time to be. She had to admit she still loved and trusted him.
As much as it pained him, he broke the kiss and stepped back, appreciating the magnificent sight of her flushed face. “It’s still there, Nic.”
“That…that proves nothing, Will.” Nicole tried to calm her erratic heartbeat.
His thumb caressed her cheek as he spoke. “It proves you still want me. The rest will come once you learn to trust me again.”
She shook her head in denial. “And that is why it will never work because I don’t trust you.” She tried to look away, but his eyes locked onto hers.
“Then prove it. Live with me for six months, and if you still don’t think we belong together, I’ll accept we’re over. I’ll leave, and you can keep this house.” He dropped his hand from her cheek and stepped back, leaving a feeling of loss behind.
“I have no need to prove anything.” Nicole crossed her arms and backed against the railing for support. Her knees were suddenly wobbly and weak.
“But you want me gone, right? You know how I am when
I want something. The only way you can convince me is to prove it to me. Six months isn’t that long.”
She caught the daring look in his eyes she knew so well. “No…no way.”
“Are you scared, Nic?” he taunted.
“Of course not.” She flipped her hair over her shoulder and her chin came up in defiance. “It would never work between us.
“Prove it. I dare you.”
Their gazes clashed. Will’s wanting a chance for redemption. Nicole’s wanting to show him how unaffected she was by him.
“One month,” she countered.
Will’s brow rose contemplating before he answered, “two.”
“Two months and then you leave and I never have to see you again.” She must be crazy. How would she ever live in the same house with Will for two months without…well…she couldn’t even think about that.
“Deal,” Will quickly said, and stuck out his hand to shake on it.
Nicole paused before shaking his hand. “Two stipulations. I have my own room.”
“Of course, Nic, whatever you want. I will be a perfect gentleman.” She wouldn’t be able to last more than a week tops before she was sharing his bed. He would make sure of it.
“And stop calling me Nic. My name is Sugar.”
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
Nicole sat on the bed in the guest room farthest from Will’s bedroom and had no idea how she’d gotten there. One minute she was telling him to take a hike; then he kissed her and all of the feelings she thought she’d buried came rushing to the surface.
What had she gotten herself into? How would she be able to live with him for two months? Nicole touched her lips still warm and tingly from Will’s lips. Her hand ran down her neck, following the trail of his kisses. It had to be her imagination because she could still feel the heat from his lips on her skin. He always knew exactly where to kiss her or where to touch her to make her crazy with desire. That hadn’t changed.
You Promised Me Forever (The Dirty Ankle Series Book 1) Page 15