His temper was at a dangerous level and Marshayla could tell. She rushed through the story for her own sake. She truly felt that she might never work again if she didn’t confess. A lot of important people considered him their friend.
After she had revealed the lies, Trevor’s eyes bulged in their sockets from concealed anger.
“You’re fired!” he exploded.
“You can’t fire me. My contract isn’t up!” she exclaimed.
“As far as I’m concerned, it is. You won’t receive another penny from me, even if you were starving to death. Now, please leave my office now or I’ll have you removed bodily.” The threat was evident. He pointed towards the door. “Go!”
Marshayla fought hard to gain her composure. Trevor knew that she probably wanted to scream and rant in fury. Marshayla Forbes was just that type of spoiled, selfish woman. He could picture her causing a scene. He prayed that she’d leave before he had to escort her out and he was in no mood to be nice about it.
“It’s doesn’t matter anyway,” she retorted in a tone laced with bitterness. “I’ll get hired by someone else in no time. I’ve had plenty of offers, Mr. Grant. I’ve even had some offers from Penthouse. I have a great deal going for me, you know.”
“That’s funny,” Trevor replied. “Because, it seems to me that the only thing going is your looks – and fast.” He swept her a contemptuous glare. She arched her body proudly, as though posing for a camera. “Frankly, my dear,” he continued. “You’re starting to look old.”
Marshayla gasped then drew back her arm to slap him. He caught her wrist before her palm could connect with his face.
“Nice try, Miss Forbes! I wouldn’t attempt to do it again, if I were you,” he warned.
“You bastard!” she hissed. “You think you’re on top of the world, with your high and mighty attitude. Personally, I think you’re gay!” She didn’t get the response she had hoped for. Instead of anger, Trevor threw back his head and roared with laughter. That only increased her fury. “Y- you!” she sputtered. “Damn you!” She snatched her arm from his grip. “Go chase behind your little virgin, bride-wanna-be. You think she’ll make you happy? I hope you both suffocate in your make-believe flower world!” She flounced from his office trying to maintain at least a small shred of dignity.
Trevor hated that confrontation with Marshayla, but it had been inevitable. Marshayla had no right to impose in his life the way that she had. He had no doubt that Panzina felt hurt and betrayed. In her state of mind she might do something foolish, like elope with Telvin. He prayed that he hadn’t lost her forever. She had entered his life and made the darkness turn to sunshine. Without her, he didn’t know if he’d have the strength to make it. He loved her and he at least wanted a chance to let her know.
He needed to leave in order to clear his head. Everything weighed heavily on his shoulders- the altercation with Marshayla, his thoughts of Panzina possibly eloping, his sister’s death- he needed to get away.
* * *
Trevor was at the beach, walking along the shore, deep in thought. He couldn’t forget the night that he and Panzina had gotten a little carried away. He’d let his emotions get the best of him. He’d almost told her that night how much he cared. His cellular phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. It was his secretary, Grace.
“Mr. Grant, I hate to trouble you. I know you’re dealing with a lot, but a woman by the name of Mrs. Stearns keeps calling for you. She has left several messages. She said that it was urgent that she talks with you. I thought I should let you know. Sorry for disturbing you.”
“No problem, Grace. Thank you. Give me that number and I’ll call her right away.”
He dialed the number from his cell phone after hanging up with Grace.
“Hello, Mrs. Stearns?”
“Mr. Grant, I am so glad that you called. I didn’t want to alarm you, but I’m very concerned about Panzina,” she told him. “She hasn’t returned any of my phone calls. That’s totally unlike her. You’re the only person I could think to call to inquire about her. She’s all by herself out there, you know? I’ve tried to call but I can’t get through because of the storm.”
“She’s out where all by herself?” Trevor’s heartbeat quickened.
“Oh, she didn’t tell you? I thought you were aware that she was going to Orlando to house sit for an elderly couple that I know.”
“I was out of town. I guess she forget to mention it.” He asked her for the location and she told him. “Thank you Mrs. Stearns. Thank you so much.”
Trevor breathed a great sigh of relief. So, Panzina hadn’t rekindled her relationship with Telvin as he had feared. He still had a chance.
* * *
All that morning angry storm clouds had gathered in the sky. Panzina hadn’t prepared herself for any catastrophes. She hadn’t counted on the threat of a hurricane. It was just her luck. She started rummaging through the house for flashlights, candles, and other emergency supplies, not quite sure where the homeowners kept these things.
News snatches informed of the impending danger. By five that evening it was inevitable that she’d have to evacuate. The ground level was too low for her to remain. There had been warnings of possible flooding, power failures, and severe thunder and lightening storms. She’d already discovered that she didn’t have a working telephone. She didn’t want to be caught alone during a hurricane with no way to contact anyone.
Panzina packed a small case with a few personal belongings then filled the back of the SUV with canned goods, bottled water, blankets, and a first aid kit. She also brought along a flashlight, candles, matches, batteries, and of course, a can opener. All these things she had managed to locate in one upstairs closet. Obviously, the homeowners valued safety first.
As she drove towards the nearest evacuation site, the clouds burst. Heavy rain bombarded her rental. The noise was deafening. She had to pull to the side of the road several times because of impaired vision. She breathed a relieved sigh when she finally saw the neon hospital sign up ahead.
* * *
Trevor switched on his headlights to illuminate a path a few feet in front of him. He could barely see the yellow lines in the middle of the street. Rain came down in torrents and the windshield wipers swished back and forth vigorously, to no avail.
“Damn! I need to get to Panzina!” he muttered. As he inched further down the road an explosive sound split the air. “What the he-” From out of nowhere, it seemed, a large tree branch crashed down. Trevor swerved to avoid it, but it fell on top of his car, and trapped him inside. He could go no further. His thoughts were of Panzina as he fought to remain conscious.
* * *
Panzina busied herself helping the short-staffed hospital. She passed out blankets, food, and did whatever she could to assist the wounded. She was giving a small child a cup of ginger ale when the stretcher carrying Trevor rolled in. From a distance, she didn’t recognize him.
“Can someone see to this gentleman?” the hurried attendant asked no one in particular. “He’s not fatally wounded just some minor fractures. I suspect a concussion, but it’s highly unlikely. Can someone see to him?” he repeated to doctors and nurses who scurried past to other major emergencies. Their time was valuable. Lives depended on them.
“Can I do anything?” Panzina asked as she stared into the eyes of the fretful, young attendant.
“Thank you,” he said in relief. “Just watch him closely. Seems that he was out when the worse of the storm hit. Apparently, a tree limb fell on his car. He banged his head on the steering wheel pretty badly. He has a rather large lump on his forehead, but otherwise, he’s in top condition,” he informed. “Thank you,” he said again, graciously and went on. “This storm is the pits! So many people panic and that’s when the accidents occur. I really must get back out there.” With that, he turned and hurried for the elevator door that had swung open.
Panzina walked over to the stretcher and peered at the face of the man who lay so still. Her eyes w
idened in shock and she gripped the rail of the roller for support.
“Oh my God! It’s Trevor!” she gasped, and for the second time in her life, she fainted.
CHAPTER TEN
Trevor had to do a great deal of talking in order to convince Panzina that he was fine. When she’d calmed down, he took her hands in his. It overjoyed him to be able to look into her precious face. It was like staring into the face of an angel.
Trevor had been totally surprised to see Panzina at the hospital. In fact, she was the last person he expected to see there. When she swooned at the sight of him, he had leapt from the stretcher and caught her before she could hit the floor. He hadn’t left her side since.
“Why are you here?” she finally asked, once she’d recovered from fainting.
“A tree fell on my car. I was knocked unconscious.”
“No. Why are here in Miami?”
“Oh. I had to find you. I was worried out of my mind! I was thinking all sorts of things. II even had the fleeting thought that you’d ran off and eloped with that Timothy guy,” he admitted.
“Telvin,” she corrected. “And no way! Why would you think such a thing? Don’t you know me well enough to know that I would have told you something that important,” she scolded.
“Yes, I do, but people do strange things when they feel they’ve been deceived or betrayed.” Panzina glanced down. She knew what he was referring to, and didn’t want him to recognize the pain in her eyes. “I need to clear up a few misconceptions that you might have. About Gayle-”
“Trevor, there is no need to explain,” she interrupted. “I understand that you- that you will always love her. I just thought-” She shrugged and averted her eyes. “I hoped that you had enough room in your heart to love me too. Just a little,” she added. A tear slipped past her closed eyelids. “You don’t have to design a line of clothing for me or anything,” she added, trying to lighten the mood. But she only ended up crying.
“Panzina, don’t cry.” His voice caught with emotion. “I do love you, Darling, more than you could ever know,” he confessed. Her eyes snapped open in wonder. She stared directly into the windows of his soul. She saw love, pure and plain, defined in their depths.
Trevor reached out his hand and gently brushed the tear from her cheek.
“Gayle was my fiancée. She died six years ago of Leukemia. I loved her very much, but I don’t have a shrine in her memory, like Marshayla concocted. I have accepted Gayle’s death and it’s time for me to go on with my life.”
“The clothes- I – I saw them,” Panzina said softly. She still had a small amount of doubt. She wanted to believe Trevor’s sincerity, but she held back.
“Panzi, those were her creations. She was also a fashion designer. I never sold those things because they were hers. I had no right to do so, though Marshayla begged me every chance she got. Haven’t you ever wondered why the woman irritated me so?””
“Oh,” Panzina said. Marshayla had really pulled a number on her. She wondered how she could have been so naïve to fall for that woman’s lies.
“I got the entire story out of that wasp, Marshayla. I swear I could have wrung her neck like a country chicken. But I didn’t!” he added quickly, erasing the shocked expression from Panzina's face. He knew someone as caring and kind-hearted as Panzina detested violence of any kind.
“Trevor, were the two of you lovers?” she rushed on to ask before she lost the nerve. She needed to know the truth even if it meant more pain. She wanted everything out in the open.
“No, my dear. No way in hell,” he said with conviction. “I don’t mix business with pleasure, anyway. But, it wasn’t like she didn’t try. I just never had any feelings for her, at all. To be truthful, she was a painful thorn in my side. She kept bugging me about letting her model Gayle’s designs. I wouldn’t hear of it. I’m so glad to be rid of that woman. She was, what’s that saying the young folks use? Oh yeah, “off the chain!” They both laughed. Finally Panzina took his hand in hers.
“Trevor, I’m so sorry for doubting you,” she apologized. “I mean, Marshayla was so convincing, and that night you stayed over, you woke me up. You were calling out Gayle’s name in your sleep, saying that you loved her.”
“I guess it was brought on because of my sister’s death. I had tried to repress everything but it all came back. Who can determine why we dream what we do? It was just a dream. I loved her in the past, now I’m in love with you.” He stared into her eyes. “What about your fiancé? Do- do you still love him?” He seemed to brace himself for the answer.
“No,” she shook her head. “I never loved Telvin. I guess I was just comfortable with the relationship since we’d been together for so long. I can’t believe you’d think I’d elope with him.” She shook her head. “He broke off our engagement over the phone. I was glad that he called it off because I’m in love with you,” she finally confessed.
“Thank you, God!’ Trevor exclaimed. He took Panzina in his arms and hugged her as if she would evaporate at any moment.
“I remember that first day I saw you,” he reminisced. “You looked so innocent and frail, yet strong and determined. I guess I fell in love with you that day. If not then, I was sprung when I saw you in the parking lot of the nursing home. I wanted to hold you in my arms and comfort you, even then. I wanted to protect you and not let anything ever hurt you again. You got under my skin.”
“I guess it was cowardly of me to leave without thanking you that time,” Panzina said. “I was afraid. I didn’t know what love really was. It caught me completely off guard. I thought that a handsome man of your stature could never love a girl like me.”
“Oh, sweet Panzina, how wrong you were. I almost went mad! When you didn’t show up before I left for Memphis, I was so worried. Especially when I saw your overnight bag, but not you. When I got back in town, I called you but your phone was off. I went by the house. I’ll have to get your front door fixed,” he added sheepishly and shrugged at her look of bewilderment. “I didn’t know what else to do, and I was nearly out of my mind, so I kind of let myself in.”
“I’m sorry,” she apologized again. “I promise not to ever worry you like that again.”
Trevor’s eyes shone with love as he took Panzina’s face in his hands. “Will you promise me one other thing?” His eyes searched hers.
“Sure. Anything,” she replied, completely mesmerized.
“Promise me that you will become my wife.” He got down on one knee and proposed to her like she’d always dreamed a man would propose. “Will you marry me, Miss Panzina Wilson?”
“Yes! Yes! A thousand times yes!” she exclaimed as he slipped a pear shaped, 3 Carat diamond ring on her finger. Her heart filled with happiness. “I love you so much, Mr. Trevor Grant. And this woman is in love with Trevor Grant the man, not the millionaire.” They kissed, right then and there, oblivious to the crowded hospital.
EPILOGUE
“Panzi, wake up! I have a surprise for you,” Trevor whispered in Panzina’s ear.
“Trevor, just ten more minutes, please,” she begged. “I need my beauty sleep, especially now.”
“What do you mean? Honey, you are more beautiful now than the day I married you,” he said.
Panzina stood up and Trevor gazed lovingly at her protruding stomach. She was six month’s pregnant. Never had she looked as lovely to him, than at that moment. With is heart in his eyes, he took her hand and placed a gentle kiss in the palm of it.
“Silly, what was that for?” she asked.
“I love you,” he said.
“I love you, too. Now, where’s my surprise?” she asked. “I’m curious now. Is it that rocking chair that I’ve had my eyes on?”
“If I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise, now would it?” he teased.
Panzina followed him awkwardly in her advanced state of pregnancy. They headed for the unused suite of rooms. It puzzled Panzina when they stopped in front of the one that had housed Gayle’s creations. Trevor ha
d long since shipped everything to Gayle’s parents, who lived overseas in Germany.
“Go inside,” he urged. Panzina gazed at him and he nodded in encouragement. “Go on.”
“I just know it’s that rocking chair! It will be perfect for when I’m nursing-” Her words trailed off. The sight that greeted her was amazing.
The entire room was filled with tons of baby clothing. There were cute little frilly dresses, small booties, bibs, shorts, jumpers, everything. There were baby blankets, sweaters, coats, and hats. The room had everything a baby could ever use.
“These are so beautiful. Trevor, why did you buy so many things?” she wondered aloud. “We’re not having twins.”
“Look at the tag,” he suggested and she did.
“Panzina,” she read aloud and tears of happiness formed in her eyes.
“Created for the beautiful woman that I love,” Trevor said proudly.
In answer, Panzina threw her arms around his neck.
“I’m the luckiest woman in the whole world,” she whispered. At that moment the baby chose to kick and Trevor felt it.
“Correction, I’m the luckiest man,” he responded as he embraced her and the child, brought about as a product of their love.
“Maybe our child is a girl,” he whispered, placing his hand on her stomach. He felt another kick. “But with that swift kick, it’s got to be a boy.”
“Maybe it’s a flower child.” She looked into his eyes and smiled. He threw is head back and roared with laughter. It wasn’t long before Panzina joined in. Their happiness reverberated off the walls. It was the sound of true love.
DEAR READER,
I hope you enjoyed reading Panzina’s Passion. If you liked this book, I humbly request that you leave a review. Also, please consider purchasing other titles written by me.
If you can be so kinds as to pass on the word about this title as well as others that you have read, I’d be so grateful. Every little bit counts and independent authors truly appreciate it!
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