by Chris Taylor
The thought of her with someone else, married to someone else had become unbearable and he was seized with a feeling of urgency that if he didn’t act soon, it would be too late. A woman like her wouldn’t wait around forever and he was sure there were plenty of willing applicants just waiting for a chance to claim her for their own.
But what if she turned him down, tired of his indecision? Wasn’t interested in his declarations of love. Love? Was he in love with her? All the signs pointed in that direction.
He’d always enjoyed her company. She was intelligent, beautiful and funny. They shared a similar sense of humor and both worked hard at their careers. They were certainly sexually compatible. There was no question there. The night of the storm he’d burned with a need so great he’d been surprised he hadn’t been consumed.
But it had been less than twelve hours ago that he’d told her he could never give her what she wanted. What if she refused to believe him? How was he going to convince her that he’d changed his mind and that this time, he really meant it?
Colt sighed and his gut twisted once again with nerves. Had he blown it with her forever? Had his fear and cowardice pushed her out of his reach? There was only one way to find out. He picked up his phone.
* * *
Morgan rinsed her hands in the bathroom sink after coming in from outside. Her walk around the perimeter of her father’s property in the company of Uncle Leslie had been pleasant, but it had only served to highlight the fact her dad was still not home. She missed him and it had become an almost physical ache.
It was probably because here, in Armidale, she had so much more time on her hands and being in her hometown reminded her of him. She’d never visited without staying with him, spending time with him in the garden; down the street having coffee at a café; watching movies; playing cards; talking about anything and everything. She missed all of it and was more than ready to see his Ford Ranger turn into the drive.
Reaching for the hand towel that hung from a hook near the sink, she noticed the toothbrush that stood in a charger near the faucet. It was her father’s toothbrush. She’d bought it for him for Christmas. An electric one, with all the bells and whistles.
He’d laughed when he’d unwrapped it and declared he’d always wanted one. She’d made sure it was in his favorite color – blue. Surely her uncle couldn’t have the same one? She’d heard all about how in tune twins were, and identical twins even more so, but to own the same toothbrush? Was that taking the twin thing too far?
But what other explanation was there? Her father had gone away. It was obvious he’d planned to be away for some time. He’d been gone more than a month already. There was no way he’d leave without packing his toothbrush.
Unless he simply forgot it or took a travel toothbrush that didn’t require electricity? She hated that she didn’t know, that he wasn’t there to answer yet another question – questions that were piling up. On impulse, she walked into his bedroom and strode over to his closet. Pulling open the doors, she scanned the racks of clothes and shoes, all neatly arranged on the shelves.
Nothing appeared out of the ordinary. Her shoulders slumped on a sigh. She didn’t know what she was looking for, but unease had been gnawing away at her belly. It wasn’t any single thing that had caused it, but a host of little things: the missing figurines, the furniture, the laptop, the missing pictures, Rusty…and now the toothbrush. She didn’t know what to make of it and she wished once again her dad were there, safe and sound, laughing away her fears.
And then it struck her. Her father’s closet looked the way it always had and therein lay the problem. He’d gone away. There should have been empty hangers, vacant spaces left by clothes and shoes he’d taken with him. She looked up to the ledge where he stored his suitcases and noticed both were still there.
Her sense of foreboding grew and with it, icy tentacles of fear. They crept insidiously along her veins, prickling her skin as they went. She shivered and rubbed her arms in an effort to force them away.
She was being ridiculous. Of course her dad was away. He was traveling across the outback. He’d even told her so. It had to be true. There was no other possibility. Because if it wasn’t, it meant—
No, she refused to go there. He was traveling, clearing his head, and soon he’d be home. She was sure of it. In fact, she’d go and check her emails right now and see if he’d sent a new message.
Hurrying from the room, she headed down the hall to the living room in search of her handbag. Turning the corner, she came up short. Uncle Leslie was at her father’s desk, typing on the computer. Confusion flooded her mind.
“Oh, Uncle Leslie… I’m sorry. I… I didn’t realize you were using Dad’s laptop.”
Her uncle spun on the chair like he’d been shot and immediately closed the screen. Morgan caught a glimpse of the mail program and became even more intrigued. Slowly, she walked further into the room, her heart hammering against her ribs.
“I thought you told me you didn’t know one end of a computer from another?” she murmured, keeping her voice calm.
Her uncle laughed, but there was tension around his eyes. “Did I tell you that, honey? I might have exaggerated a little. I took a few courses here and there over the years. I’m not exactly proficient, but I guess I know enough to get by.”
Morgan swallowed her surprise. Another surge of unease flooded through her veins. She wondered how many other things her uncle had exaggerated about.
“Don’t look so worried, honey.” He chuckled. “The truth is, I’ve never had much of an opportunity to work with computers. When I arrived here, your dad was surfing on the net. I was curious and he showed me how it worked. I couldn’t believe the kind of things you could discover with just a few keystrokes. It blew me away.”
His eyes sparkled with delight, like a small child on Christmas morning. Morgan’s dread eased. She was worrying over nothing. It was just the fact she hadn’t spoken to her father for so long and her nerves were frayed from worry. Toss in the crushing disappointment with Colt and it was no wonder she was more than a little on edge.
“In fact,” her uncle added, “it was probably my fault your father left his laptop behind. He’d been showing me something right before he left. I think he walked out the door and didn’t even think about it.”
Morgan sighed and nodded. “He was probably so fixed on his upcoming trip, he didn’t give anything proper consideration. He didn’t even pack his toothbrush.”
She thought her uncle paled, but it could have been a trick of light. Just then, her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out of her shorts. She glanced at the screen and her heart skipped a beat.
Colt.
What could he possibly have to say to her? Perhaps he’d gone home for lunch and had discovered she’d left. Her luggage was missing. It wouldn’t take him long to realize she’d moved out – and why. It couldn’t have come as a surprise.
She debated about letting the call go through to voicemail, but her uncle was looking at her with a curious expression on his face and she had no choice but to answer it. Turning away, she headed back down the hall toward her bedroom. She pulled the door closed behind her.
“Colt, what can I do for you?”
Her tone was barely warmer than frosty and she didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty. He couldn’t lead her on, then dash her hopes so spectacularly and not expect a little punishment, even if it were only a lack of desire to encourage conversation.
“Morgan, I… I wanted to apologize for last night.”
“There’s no need to apologize, Colt. In fact, I’m a little tired of your apologies. You said what you needed to say. In fact, I should thank you for being so forthright. Again. It would have been much easier to let me continue to believe you’d changed your mind about commitment and marriage and enjoy the…benefits of our relationship. So I guess you did me a favor. At least now I don’t have the slightest doubt where I stand. Misunderstandings have never been my thing.”
“Are you done?”
His quiet question caught her by surprise. She thought he’d be pleased she’d reiterated his position and made it clear she knew where they stood.
“I’m done.”
“Good. Now, last night wasn’t the first time I’ve told you I’m not the marrying kind. I’ve even told you why. The divorce rate scares the hell out of me and it continues to climb. The fallout from a failed marriage is terrible to see. Two people who once loved each other and vowed to support each other for the rest of their lives are reduced to unrecognizable monsters filled with vile anger and hate. Kids get fought over like they’re chattels without feelings or thoughts of their own. I’ve seen it happen time and again with friends and colleagues and even people I don’t know – and it’s devastated me each and every time.”
He drew in a ragged breath. Morgan listened in silence. Where was Colt going with this? She’d heard it all before. Did she even care enough to want to find out? Much to her chagrin, her heart answered with a resounding yes.
“But despite all that,” he continued, “I decided I was wrong. I want to take the chance, I want to see if we have what it takes. There’s something between us, Morgan, whether you’re aware of it or not. It’s been there right from the beginning, from the very first moment we met.
“Back then, the timing was all wrong. We were barely adults, starting out in the world, trying to find our way. A baby wouldn’t have worked for either of us and we made the only decision we could. I believe we would have become part of that statistic eventually. Our decision was right for us then and I still believe we made the right choice.
“But things are different now. We’re both in such a better place. You want to know the joy of being a mother, to have a husband – a family of your own and though I didn’t think I’d ever hear myself say it, I want those things, too. With you. If you’ll have me.”
A rush of emotion tightened Morgan’s throat. She wanted to maintain her anger against him, but she could barely see through her tears. Colt wanted to have a relationship with her, perhaps even get married. It was everything she’d dreamed of and more than she ever hoped. The only thing that didn’t set her heart singing was the fact he hadn’t made any mention of love.
Still, she hadn’t told him how she felt, either. Perhaps he was still coming around to the idea? It had taken her long enough to recognize her true feelings. She was prepared to cut him some slack. Given the fact that less than twelve hours earlier he’d told her quite plainly that he couldn’t give her what she wanted, his impassioned speech of a few moments ago was nothing short of astounding.
“Morgan? Please say something. Don’t leave me hanging here. Oh, hell. It’s too late, isn’t it? I’ve made a mess of it all. I’ve been a complete jerk, going back and forth, unable to make up my mind. I was weak and gutless. You have every right to turn me down. It’s nothing less than what I deserve. I should never have expected—”
“Are you done?” she interrupted, breaking into a smile.
There was a moment of stunned silence and then, “I’m done.”
“Good. Now listen, and listen well. “From the very first moment I saw you across the room at that Christmas party, I was drawn to you. It was like the music, the crowd, the room – everything disappeared.” She laughed, a little embarrassed. “It sounds corny, but that’s exactly how it was.”
“It doesn’t sound corny at all,” he replied, his voice husky and low. “It was that way for me, too.”
Her heart fluttered with pleasure at his announcement, but she wasn’t finished yet.
“I have a lot of friends who are happily married, some for many years. I get that you see the worst of it and more than most people should, but I don’t want to hear any more of your fears and insecurities on that score. Almost two-thirds of marriages last the distance. We both come from stable, happy homes. There’s no reason we shouldn’t be among the successful ones, but I need to know you’re one hundred percent on board. I can’t go into marriage or any other kind of long-term relationship without knowing you’re just as certain as I am that we can make it. Do you understand?”
This time, he didn’t hesitate. “Yes, I do and it gives me strength knowing you feel that way. I’m going to rely on you to keep me focused on the positive. I want to believe we can make it, I truly do. I’m determined to work on my fears and insecurities and put everything but you and me aside. We’re all that matters and together, we’re stronger. I need you to help me, Morgan, and in return, I’ll do everything in my power to be the man you need me to be – the man I want to be.”
“You want kids?” she asked and bit her lip waiting for his answer. A ‘no’ to kids would be a deal breaker.
“Yes, I want kids,” he finally answered and she breathed a quiet sigh of relief.
“I’ve never had anything against children,” he added. “It was what happens to them when everything falls apart that always held me back.”
“We’re not going to talk like that any longer, remember?” she chided gently.
“You’re right.”
She chuckled and was relieved when Colt followed suit. A comfortable silence fell between them. Morgan was the first to break it.
“What are you doing for dinner?” she asked. Colt quickly assured her he was free.
“Great. I’m at Dad’s, with Uncle Leslie. I… I actually brought my bags over here. After last night… Anyway, he’s going to make a special dinner to celebrate my birthday. He’s even going to make me a cake. I told him it wasn’t necessary, but he’s insisting everyone deserves a cake on their birthday. I don’t have the heart to tell him I can’t remember the last time someone made me a birthday cake. It seems so important for him to do it, I had no choice but to agree. Will you come over and help me celebrate? I’m sure my uncle won’t mind.”
“I’d love to,” Colt replied, his voice thick with emotion, “and I hope I can convince you to come back home with me tonight.”
Morgan swallowed the lump in her throat and wondered if it would be too rude to tell her uncle she was no longer staying the night. Perhaps she’d leave that news for after dinner. After all, when he’d told her about it during their walk, he’d seemed so excited about preparing her a birthday celebration she wouldn’t forget. She didn’t want to take the shine off his thoughtful gesture by making him think she didn’t appreciate his kindness or that she’d received a better offer.
“Great,” she managed. “What time do you finish?”
“Six. I’ll stop by home and shower. I could be at your place by seven.”
She smiled and another wave of joy rushed through her. “That sounds fabulous. I’ll let Uncle Leslie know.”
“What about your dad? Is there any chance he might make it home?”
“I’m not sure. I’ll have to check my emails. He was supposed to be heading home from Darwin. It’s possible he might make it back tonight. That would be so amazing! It would really make my night. I can’t wait to see him! Did you know, in addition to his laptop, he also forgot to take his toothbrush?”
“What do you mean, he forgot his toothbrush? Did he really do that?”
Morgan laughed. “Yes. I found it in the bathroom, where it’s always kept. That gives you some idea how absent-minded he is, or at least, was while he was preparing for his trip.”
“Mm,” Colt replied, his voice a little distant.
Morgan heard voices in the background and the sound of a ringing phone. Then Colt was speaking in muffled tones and she realized he was talking to someone else.
“I’m sorry, Morgan. Something’s come up. I have to go.”
“That’s fine. I understand. You’re at work. You’re busy.”
“Yes. I’d rather talk to you for the rest of the afternoon, but we have a situation that needs to be dealt with. I’ll see you later tonight.”
“Seven, right?”
“You betcha.”
CHAPTER TWENTY
Dear Diary,
; It’s all coming together and I can barely contain myself. Tonight is the culmination of everything I dreamed of and more. Who could imagine Leslie Lexington could one day be a wealthy man, a respected member of the community, with a house, a car and land?
It’s beyond anything I could ever imagine and I still pinch myself to check that I’m awake. I feel like somehow it’s all been a terrible mistake, that I’ll wake up and my carefully laid plans will all come crashing down.
But no, I refuse to let my thoughts travel down that depressing path. This is karma, this is meant to be. It’s only fair I take my rightful place in life and experience what my brother got for free – at my expense. It’s my turn now, and that’s exactly how it should be.
I was a little alarmed when she told me her detective was joining us for dinner. My initial thoughts were that it would spoil my plans and my birthday surprise would have to wait. I can hardly poison the girl in front of her boyfriend.
But then I thought about it a little more and an idea fell right into my head. It’s so perfect it takes my breath away. I’ll simply kill them both. An unfortunate case of severe food poisoning. I’ll even come down with it myself. Perfect.
* * *
Colt ended his call to Morgan and allowed himself a tiny sigh of satisfaction and relief. She felt the same way he did and was willing to give them yet another try. Though his fears that they could make the distance hadn’t been erased, the fact that she was aware of them and was willing to do whatever it took, reassured him – and the dread he always felt way down deep in his gut when he thought of marriage had eased. Turning in his chair, he faced the detective who waited to speak with him.
“Jared, what can I do for you?”
“One of the units was doing a patrol this morning on the outskirts of town. They came across a white Ford Ranger. It’s been half-submerged in a dam. They’ve had a bit of a look around it and can’t see anyone inside, but it’s a bit hard with the front half filled with water.”