For the Sake of Their Son

by Catherine Mann

  There was something in her voice—a kindred spirit? An understanding? Her life hadn’t been easy either, and he found himself saying, “You didn’t go.”

  “I couldn’t. Not when Lucy Ann needed me. She was my one shot at motherhood since I couldn’t have kids of my own.” She shrugged. “Once she left with you, I’d already settled in. I’m on my own now.”

  “I just assumed you didn’t want kids.” He was realizing how little time he’d spent talking to this woman who’d given him safe harbor, the woman who’d been there for Lucy Ann and Eli. He didn’t have much in the way of positive experience with blood relatives, but it was undoubtedly time to figure that out.

  “I would have adopted,” Carla confided, “but my husband had a record. Some youthful indiscretions with breaking and entering. Years later it didn’t seem like it should have mattered to the adoption agencies that he’d broken into the country club to dump a bunch of Tootsie Rolls in the pool.”

  Elliot grinned nostalgically. “Sounds like he would have made a great addition to the Alpha Brotherhood.”

  And might Elliot have found a mentor with Lucy Ann’s uncle as well if he’d taken the time to try?

  “I wish Lucy Ann could have had those kinds of friendships for herself. She was lost after you left,” Carla said pointedly. “She didn’t find her confidence until later.”

  What was she talking about? “Lucy Ann is the strongest, most confident person I’ve ever met. I wouldn’t have made it without her.”

  He looked into those woods and thought about the dream world she’d given him as a kid, more effective an escape than even his favorite book.

  “You protected her, but always saw her strengths. That’s a wonderful thing.” Carla pinned him with unrelenting brown eyes much like her stubborn niece’s. “But you also never saw her vulnerabilities or insecurities. She’s not perfect, Elliot. You need to stop expecting her to be your fairy-tale princess and just let her be human.”

  What the hell was she talking about? He didn’t have time to ask because she pushed up from the swing and left him sitting there, alone. Nothing but the creak of the swing and the rustle of branches overhead kept him company. There was so much noise in this ends-of-the-earth place.

  Carla’s words floated around in his brain like dust searching for a place to land. Damn it all, he knew Lucy Ann better than anyone. He saw her strengths and yes, her flaws, too. Everyone had flaws. He didn’t expect her to be perfect. He loved her just the way she—

  He loved her.

  The dust in his brain settled. The world clarified, taking shape around those three words. He loved her. It felt so simple to acknowledge, he wondered why he hadn’t put the form to their relationship before. Why hadn’t he just told her?

  The trees swayed harder in the wind that predicted a storm. He couldn’t remember when he’d ever told anyone he loved them. But he must have, a long time ago. Kids told their parents they loved them. Although now that he thought about it, right there likely laid the answer for why the word love had dried up inside him.

  He’d told himself he wanted to be a better parent than his father—a better man than his father. Now he realized being a better man didn’t have a thing to do with leaving this porch or this town. Running away didn’t change him. This place had never been the problem.

  He had been the problem. And the time had come to make some real changes in himself, changes that would make him the father Eli deserved. Changes that would make him the man Lucy Ann deserved.

  Finally, he understood how to build their life together.

  * * *

  The time was rapidly approaching to say goodbye to Elliot.

  Her mind full of regrets and second thoughts, Lucy Ann rocked in the old bentwood antique in her room at Carla’s, Eli on her shoulder. She held him to comfort herself since he’d long since settled into a deep sleep. She planned to find a place of her own within the next two weeks, no leaning on her aunt this time.

  The past day since they’d left Monte Carlo after the horrifying accident had zipped by in such a haze of pain and worry. Her heart still hadn’t completely settled into a steady beat after Elliot’s accident. Right up to the last second, she’d hoped he would come up with a Hail Mary plan for them to build a real life together for Eli. She loved Elliot with all her heart, but she couldn’t deny her responsibilities to her son. He needed a stable life.

  To be honest, so did she.

  There was a time she’d dreamed of escaping simple roots like the cabin in the woods, and now she saw the value of the old brass bed that had given her a safe place to slip away. The Dutch doll quilt draped over the footboard had been made for her by her aunt for her eighth birthday. She soaked in the good memories and the love in this place now, appreciating them with new eyes—but still that didn’t ease the unbearable pain in her breaking heart as she hoped against all hope for a last-minute solution.

  Footsteps sounded in the hall—even, manly and familiar. She would recognize the sound of Elliot anywhere. She had only a second to blink back the sting of tears before the door opened.

  Elliot filled the frame, his broad-shouldered body that of a mature man, although in faded jeans and a simple gray T-shirt, he looked more like her Elliot. As if this weren’t already difficult enough.

  She smoothed a hand along Eli’s back, soaking in more comfort from his baby-powder-fresh scent. “Did you want to hold him before you go?”

  “Actually, I thought you and I could go for a walk first and talk about our future,” he said, his handsome face inscrutable.

  What else could there be left to say? She wasn’t sure her heart could take any more, although another part of her urged her to continue even through the ache, just to be with him for a few minutes longer.

  “Sure,” she answered, deciding he must want to discuss visitation with Eli. She wouldn’t keep him from his son. She’d made a horrible mistake in delaying telling Elliot for even a day. She owed him her cooperation now. “Yes, we should talk about the future, but before we do that, I need to know where you stand with Gianna. She approached me at the stadium just before your wreck.” The next part was tougher to share but had to be addressed. “She said she’s still in love with you.”

  His forehead furrowed. “I’m sorry you had to go through that, but let’s be very clear. I do not love Gianna and I never did, not really. I did her a grave injustice by rebounding into a relationship with her because I was hurting over our breakup.” The carefully controlled expression faded and honest emotion stamped itself clearly in his eyes. “That’s a mistake I will not repeat. She is completely in the past. My future is with you and Eli. Which is what I want to speak with you about. Now, can we walk?”

  “Of course,” she said, relief that one hurdle was past and that she wouldn’t have to worry about Gianna popping up in their lives again.

  Standing, Lucy Ann placed her snoozing son in his portable crib set up beside her bed. She felt Elliot behind her a second before he smoothed a hand over their son’s head affectionately, then turned to leave.

  Wordlessly, she followed Elliot past the Hummel collection and outside, striding beside him down the porch steps, toward a path leading into the woods. Funny how she knew without hesitation this was where they would walk, their same footpath and forest hideout from their childhood years. Oak trees created a tunnel arch over the dappled trail, jasmine vines climbing and blooming. Gray and orange shadows played hide-and-seek as the sunset pushed through the branches. Pine trees reached for the sky. She’d forgotten how peaceful this place was.

  Of course she also knew she’d walked the same course over the past year searching for this peace. Elliot’s presence brought the moment to shimmering life as he walked beside her, his hands in his pockets. She assumed he had a destination in mind since they still weren’t talking. A dozen steps later they came around a bend a
nd—

  Four of her aunt’s quilts were draped over the branches, creating a fort just like the ones they’d built in the past. Another blanket covered the floor of their forest castle.

  Lucy Ann gasped, surprised. Enchanted. And so moved that fresh tears stung her eyes.

  Elliot held out a hand and she took it. The warmth and familiarity of his touch wrapped around her, seeping into her veins. She wasn’t sure where he was going with this planned conversation, but she knew she couldn’t turn back. She needed to see it through and prayed that somehow he’d found a way for them all to be together.

  He guided her to their fort, and she sat cross-legged, her body moving on instinct from hundreds of similar hideaways here. He took his place beside her, no fancy trappings but no less beautiful than the places they’d traveled.

  “Elliot, I hope you know that I am so very sorry for not telling you about Eli sooner,” she said softly, earnestly. “If I had it to do over again, I swear to you I would handle things differently. I know I can’t prove that, but I mean it—”

  He covered her hand with his, their fingers linking. “I believe you.”

  The honesty in his voice as he spoke those three words healed something inside her she hadn’t realized was hurting until now. “Thank you, Elliot. Your forgiveness means more to me than I can say.”

  His chest rose and fell with a deep sigh. “I’m done with racing. There’s no reason to continue putting my life at risk in the car—or with Interpol, for that matter.”

  The declaration made her selfishly want to grasp at what he offered. But she knew forcing him into the decision would backfire for both of them. “Thank you for offering again, but as I said before, I don’t want you to make that sacrifice for me. I don’t want you to do something that’s going to make you unhappy, because in the end that’s not going to work for either of us—”

  “This isn’t about you. It isn’t even about Eli, although I would do anything for either of you.” He squeezed her fingers until she looked into his eyes. “This decision is about me. Interpol has other freelancers to call upon. I mean it when I say I’m through with the racing circuit. I don’t need the money, the notoriety. The risk or the chaos. I have everything I want with you and Eli.”

  “But please know I’m not asking that sacrifice from you.” Although, oh, God, it meant so much to her that he’d offered.

  He lifted her hand and kissed the inside of her wrist. “Being with you isn’t a sacrifice. Having you, I gain everything.”

  Seeing the forgiveness that flooded his eyes, so quickly, without hesitation, she realized for the first time how much more difficult her deception must have been for him, given his past. All his life he’d been let down by people who were supposed to love him and protect him. His father had beaten him and for years he’d taken it to shield his mother. His mother hadn’t protected him. Beyond that, his mother had walked out, leaving him behind. On the most fundamental levels, he’d been betrayed. He’d spent most of his adult years choosing relationships with women that were destined to fail.

  And when their friendship moved to a deeper level, he’d self-destructed again by staying away. He’d been just as scared as she was about believing in the connection they’d shared the night they’d made love.

  She knew him so well, yet she’d turned off all her intuition about him and run.

  “Life doesn’t have to be about absolutes. Your world or my world, a castle or a fort. There are ways to compromise.”

  Hope flared in his green eyes. “What are you suggesting?”

  “You can have me.” She slid her arms around his neck. “Even if we’re apart for some of the year, we can make that work. We don’t have to follow you every day, but Eli and I can still travel.”

  “I know you didn’t ask me to give it up,” he interrupted. “But it’s what I want—a solid base for our son and any other children we have. I’m done running away. It’s time for us to build a home. We’ve been dreaming of this since we tossed blankets over branches in the forest as kids. Lucy Ann,” he repeated, “it’s time for me to come home and make that dream come true. I love you, Lucy Ann, and I want you to be my wife.”

  How could she do anything but embrace this beautiful future he’d just offered them both? Her heart’s desire had come true. And now, she was ready, she’d found her strength and footing, to be partners with this man for life.

  “I’ve loved you all my life, Elliot Starc. There is no other answer than yes. Yes, let’s build our life together, a fairy tale on our own terms.”

  The sigh of relief that racked his body made her realize he’d been every bit as afraid of losing this chance. She pressed her lips to his and sealed their future together as best friends, lovers, soul mates.

  He swept back her hair and said against her mouth, “Right here, on this spot, let’s build that house.”

  “Here?” She appreciated the sacrifice he was making, returning here to a town with so many ghosts and working to find peace. “What if we take our blankets and explore the South Carolina coast together until we find the perfect spot—a place with a little bit of home, but a place that’s also new to us where we can start fresh.”

  “I like the way you dream, Lucy Ann. Sounds perfect.” He smiled with happiness and a newfound peace. “We’ll build that home, a place for our son to play, and if we have other children, where they can all grow secure.” He looked back at her, love as tangible in his eyes as those dreams for their future. “What do you think?”

  “I believe you write the most amazing happily ever after ever.”

  Epilogue

  Elliot Starc had faced danger his whole life. First at the hands of his heavy-fisted father. Later as a Formula One race car driver who used his world travels to feed information to Interpol.

  But he’d never expected to be kidnapped. Especially not in the middle of his son’s second birthday party.

  Apparently, about thirty seconds ago, one of his friends had snuck up behind him and tied a bandanna over his eyes. He wasn’t sure who since he could only hear a bunch of toddlers giggling.

  Elliot lost his bearings as two of his buddies turned him around, his deck shoes digging into the sand, waves rolling along the shore of his beach house. “Are we playing blind man’s bluff or pin the tail on the donkey?”

  “Neither.” The breeze carried Lucy Ann’s voice along with her jasmine scent. “We’re playing guess this object.”

  Something fuzzy and stuffed landed in his hands. Some kind of toy maybe? He frowned, no clue what he held, which brought more laughter from his Alpha Brotherhood buddies who’d all gathered here with their families. Thank goodness he and Lucy Ann had plenty of room in their home and the guest house.

  He’d bought beach property on a Low Country Carolina island, private enough to attract other celebrities who wanted normalcy in their lives. He and Lucy had built a house. Not as grand as he’d wanted to offer her, but he understood the place was a reflection of how they lived now. She’d scaled him back each step of the way on upgrades, reminding him of their new priorities. Their marriage and family topped the list—which meant no scrimping on space, even if he’d had to forgo a few extravagant extras.

  As for upgrades, that money could be spent on other things. They’d started a scholarship foundation. Lucy Ann’s organizational and promotional skills had the foundation running like clockwork, doubling in size. They’d kept to their plans to travel, working their schedule around his life, which had taken a surprising turn. Since he didn’t have to worry about money, thanks to his investments, he’d started college, working toward a degree in English. He was studying the classics along with creative writing, and enjoying every minute of it. Lucy Ann had predicted he would one day be a college
professor and novelist.

  His wonderful wife was a smart woman and a big dreamer.

  There was a lot to be said for focus. Although with each of the brothers focused on a different part of the world, they had a lot of ground covered. Colonel Salvatore had taught them well, giving them a firm foundation to build happy, productive lives even after their Interpol days were past.

  Famous musician Malcolm Douglas and his wife were currently sponsoring a charity tour with their children in tow, and if it went as well as they expected, it would be an annual affair. The Doctors Boothe had opened another clinic in Africa last month along with the Monte Carlo mega-rich Hughes family—their daughters along for the ribbon-cutting. Computer whiz Troy Donavan and his wife, Hillary, had a genius son who kept them both on their toes.

  “Elliot.” Lucy Ann’s whisper caressed his ear. “You’re not playing the game.”

  He peeled off his blindfold to find his beautiful wife standing in front of him. His eyes took in the sight of her in a yellow bikini with a crocheted cover-up. “I surrender.”

  She tucked her hand in his pocket and stole the toy from his hand, tucking it behind her back. “You’re not getting off that easily.”

  Colonel Salvatore chuckled from a beach chair where he wore something other than his gray suit for once—gray swim trunks and T-shirt, but still. Not a suit. But they were all taking things easier these days. “You never did like to play by the rules.”

  Aunt Carla lifted a soda in toast from her towel under a beach umbrella. “I can attest to that.”

  Elliot reached toward Lucy Ann for the mysterious fuzzy toy. “Come on. Game over.”

  She backed up, laughing. “Catch me if you want it now.”