Practice Run (Mount Faith Series: Book 5)

by Barrett, Brenda

  Deidra wasn’t quite sure her legs would keep her upright long enough to reach the inside of her car. She would have found it easier to fall back into his arms than walk away, an acknowledgement that shook her up even more. Her body felt tight, overheated, and unfamiliar. She was aware of it in ways that were new to her.

  All the time her brain was set on enumerating her mistakes. She shouldn’t have stopped when she saw him, shouldn’t have allowed him to kiss her, and certainly shouldn’t have encouraged him by responding, in the church parking lot of all the places.

  She looked around. His pregnant girlfriend was heading towards them with a determined look in her eyes.

  "No, Marcus," Deidra said, her lips trembling. "This is over."

  Marcus shook his head. "You are wrong. You and I never really began, and I am going to spend the rest of my life convincing you of that."

  Deidra got into the car and reversed out of her parking space to avoid an encounter with an angry-looking Tiffany, who had her face made up like a storm.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Deidra was making the last adjustments to the designs that she was supposed to present to Coach Griffin in the morning when her phone rang. It was 1:15am.

  She answered the phone reluctantly. She was in a crunch. For some reason, Coach Griffin had given her an almost impossible time limit: just three days. If she had been a big name designer, she would have told him some choice words—Who wanted to be presented with designs at five-thirty in the morning? Apparently, he did, and at the university track where they trained too.

  She answered the phone sullenly. It was Natasha.

  "Sorry to wake you up," Natasha said brightly. "I didn't even realize the time. Remember that guy who ran you and Marcus down, Levaughn Hartley?"

  "Yes," Deidra said brightly. "I remember him of course. What's up with his case? Did you ever talk to Neil about the connection?"

  "Yes I did," Natasha said. "Apparently, Neil is paying his school fees and sponsoring him through college."

  "Oh," Deidra said, "I told you Neil was a nice guy."

  "I don't know." Natasha was in her apartment pacing. "I asked the clerk in his posh store, Gillian, about him having any girlfriends, just routine questions you know, and Gillian said that Neil's girlfriend's name is Tiffany. Gillian said they had lunch dates all the time and that Tiffany would hole up with him in his office for hours.

  Normally, that would not ring a bell, but I am thinking, how coincidental that you were run over by a guy who was beholden to Neil and that Neil and Marcus had girlfriends with the same name."

  Deidra shuddered. "It does sound coincidental."

  "I did say I was going to get to the bottom of this case, and that guy Levaughn, who just got a pat on the wrist from trying to run you guys over. He got just four weeks probation and three months community service, but something about this case feels unfinished for me. I'll be coming to Kingston tomorrow early, say about ten. I have a class in the evening. Want to join me at Neil's place? I am bringing an old friend of mine along, Jamal. We have to get to the bottom of this."

  "Okay," Deidra said, staring at her blank sheets of paper. "Count me in. I need to check out some of Neil's merchandize anyhow. I want him to carry some stuff for me."

  When Deidra hanged up the phone, she glanced once more at the stuff she had put together. She had designed them with Marcus in mind. Every single piece: the shirt, the shorts, the pants and the hoodies were designed with him in the forefront of her mind. She had even sketched him training in them.

  She had to turn her mind off. Every night since he kissed her in the parking lot at church, she had rehashed the kiss.

  Why did he do it? She had all but gotten over him and the crazy situation he was in. She had looked at him and only a twinge of feeling had rocked her; she was healing. She had made an effort to get on with the business of living without him and then he had messed it up with that kiss. Now all of it was back, haunting her as it did at the beginning of the year.

  She looked on the layout she had prepared for Griffin and they were all running together. She decided to give it a rest. She was tired; at least she could get four hours sleep and hope that she would sound coherent for her first presentation to a client.

  ******

  When Deidra made her way to the track club at what she was beginning to think of as the most punishing time to get up, she turned on the radio, hoping to find something to keep her alert. Toto's song Africa came on and she almost changed it. Marcus' song to her on her birthday.

  She didn't want to hear it, but she listened to the words again, especially the line, it's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you. Yeah right!

  Long after the song had stopped playing she thought about the words. It's gonna take a lot to drag me away from you. Well, Marcus really had a lot going against him. A new child and a girlfriend. There was no room in his convoluted life for her.

  She almost snagged her portfolio when coming out of the car and she inhaled nervously. Focus on the positives, not Marcus. Then the thought gripped her that Marcus was now the opposite of positive for her these days.

  She looked around. The sun was just making its way over the horizon. The mountains in the distance were looming like dark hulking figures; the morning air was crisp and cool.

  She headed for the office and Griffin King. His urgency over the last few days had her scattering around, trying to find the perfect material samples and colors. She hoped that he liked them.

  She stepped into what looked like a common area. There were large photos of the club's star athletes and one of a smiling Jamaican relay team. She stopped and stared for several seconds at Marcus' picture as he posed with a silver trophy, and then forced herself to move on. She headed to what looked like rows of offices and to a door that was wide opened and had lights on.

  "Coach, I told you I am not ready." Marcus was saying to his coach, who had out of character bullied him into showing up for training. He rubbed his leg subconsciously.

  Deidra stopped at the door. "Oops, good morning. I thought you said five-thirty." She said trying to avoid looking at Marcus. Instead, she focused on the older guy who looked to be in his early fifties. He was sitting around a desk. He sported a goatee, bushy hair and was in a tracksuit.

  He stood swiftly when he saw Deidra. "Oh, Miss Durkheim, this is the right time. Come on in. I presume you know Marcus Bancroft?" He indicated to Marcus.

  Deidra turned slowly. "Marcus."

  Marcus, who had gone into paralysis when he saw her at the door, grinned, "Deidra."

  "Oh, so you two know each other?" Griffin sat back in his chair. "Have a seat Deidra. Maybe Marcus can help us out in our decision making."

  "What decision making?" Marcus' eyes hadn't left Deidra. She was tense and gorgeous. He watched as her long lashes covered her eyes. He could feel her rejection of the idea of him being in the room. That made him sit back in his chair and cross his leg.

  Deidra turned to the coach and asked plaintively, "Why does he have to be here?"

  "He's one of my star athletes." Griffin shrugged. "I would like his input. After this, he is going to train. His first, since the accident. I am especially inviting you to attend this momentous occasion, while he takes his practice run so to speak."

  Marcus turned to his coach, a protest on his lips.

  "Okay, let me see what you've got." Coach said to Deidra, overriding Marcus' imminent protest. "The day is galloping away like a horse."

  Deidra glanced at the clock over his desk it was just five-thirty-five.

  "Well," Deidra unpacked her portfolio, "after we spoke, I did some research. You said you wanted to incorporate your basic club colors and to keep your logo in the design. I came up with these ideas."

  While she was speaking, Marcus kept his eyes on her. He could listen to her voice all day. He really loved this girl. That kiss the other night had been impulsive, and not a wise thing to do, but he was happy that he did it.

  Deidra's
kiss had unlocked most of his memories. He remembered Africa; he remembered getting on the plane to come back home, but he couldn't recall the last few days leading up to the accident.

  He was tired of trying. He knew enough. He knew that when he had been on that plane, he had been thinking of Deidra. He had loved her even then. He was anticipating coming back to her. Why he had sex with Tiffany after that was a mystery to him.

  "Do you agree Marcus?? Griffin was asking him, his eyes darting knowingly from Marcus' lovestruck expression to Deidra's stoic one.

  "Huh?" Marcus zoned in. Deidra was holding up a design and had cloth samples stuck to it. “That purple is a bit too lavender,” he said, pointing to it.

  Deidra nodded. "I thought so too. So I have another sample." She held up another sample.

  Marcus nodded. "Right purple, wrong design, it looks familiar."

  Deidra held up another one and then another until both Marcus and Griffin were nodding in unison.

  "I like that Griffin declared, looking at the clock. You are hired." He rummaged on his desk, found a piece of paper. "Here's the order."

  Woee! Deidra was screaming in her mind, but she was a professional now, so she smiled politely and took the paper. Looking it over, she saw that she had nearly a hundred pieces to do. She had to write up a bill. She had real honest to goodness work to do.

  "Ehem," Griffin cleared his throat, "Marcus is going to train now. I know that not many persons have the privilege of seeing behind the scenes a star athlete in training; want to come by?"

  Deidra looked at Marcus, who was about to protest to his coach. He was terrified of training. She could see it on his face, read it in his body language. Would her being there help him to release himself from this fear?

  "I'd love to stay for a while," she said easily.

  "You would?" Marcus looked at her. "Are you sure?"

  "Very sure." Deidra said, "I'd love to see what you do."

  Marcus got up. "Okay." His heart was singing: More minutes with Deidra. He didn't care if he had to fast walk. He was going to do something this morning.

  Griffin watched Marcus as he worked through his paces to warm up.

  "Let's move closer that way," he said to Deidra who was standing at the side of the track, looking at the mountains in the distance.

  "I know," Griffin said, "it would be nice if you stand at the finish line." Griffin scratched his head as if the thought had just occurred to him. "I would prefer if you are standing right there at the end for this his first run."

  "Okay," Deidra looked at Griffin. It suddenly dawned on her that there was some type of plan afoot.

  Was this why Griffin had insisted on her doing the project, and having her come in to do the presentation so early? He thought she could cure Marcus' runner’s block!

  "You should have asked Tiffany," she hissed to Griffin. "Tiffany is his girlfriend and she's going to have his baby."

  Griffin looked at her innocently. "Whatever are you talking about, Miss Durkheim?"

  Deidra looked at his puzzled expression and sighed. "I know you know that I know." She stomped off to the finish line. Was her first job because she was a girl that Marcus liked?

  She shrugged off the thought. She didn't care why she got the job but Griffin was sneaky. She wondered if Marcus had put him up to it but he had seemed genuinely surprised to see her this morning.

  She watched as Marcus got on his marks and Griffin whistled, his stopwatch in hand. Marcus got up out of the starting blocks and easily powered down the tracks through to the finish line. He ran right up to Deidra and hugged her almost crushing her as he swung her off her feet.

  "You did it!" Deidra said, hugging him back. "I am happy for you."

  Marcus put her down and touched her cheek softly. "I did it because you were at the finish line. Thanks."

  "You are welcome." Deidra blushed. "It's not everyday a girl gets to inspire one of the rising sports stars in the country."

  "Deidra, you inspire me everyday."

  Deidra swallowed. "But you have Tiffany and a family. I can't be third wheel."

  "I don't want you to be third wheel," Marcus said, "I want you to be my other half. I want to marry you and live with you forever."

  "Why?" Deidra blinked away the tears that were forming. "Why me?"

  "I don't know. You are here, in my heart and in my head, and even when my head was not around my heart backed me up on this: It has to be Deidra."

  "I can't trust it," Deidra said, her lips trembling, "I can't trust you, and I can't risk you suddenly having an urge to have sex with Tiffany again if you and I get together."

  Marcus shook his head. "I must have been possessed to have left the airport and gone to Tiffany when all I was thinking of was you. Norman said he dropped me at Mount Faith. I just don't understand it."

  Deidra looked into his tortured eyes. "You were thinking of me?"

  Marcus nodded. "Everyday I was in Africa. I was happy to come back home early and to see you. I intended to come straight to Mount Faith. My stupid brain can't even remember sleeping with her. Deidra, you have to believe me."

  Deidra sighed. "If you can't remember sleeping with her then..."

  Griffin came over to them and slapped Marcus on the back. "So she got you out of your funk, huh? I knew she would, and the physiotherapist had me going about a psychiatrist. Let me tell you," Griffin said boastfully, "I may not have a paper walking around that says I am a psychiatrist, but I have common sense."

  "Want to stay and have breakfast with me when I am done training?" Marcus asked Deidra.

  Deidra hesitated and then shrugged. "Sure. Want to come with me to Neil's place?"

  "I'll go anywhere with you," Marcus said, jogging back to the start line.

  While Marcus was practicing, she sat in the stands and thought about it. Marcus was serious. He really couldn't remember sleeping with Tiffany, but she is pregnant. Everybody believed Tiffany when she said the child was his. Why did everybody believe Tiffany? Because Marcus couldn't remember?

  The magnitude of what Tiffany was doing made Deidra feel sick. She felt it within her that Marcus was telling the truth. Surely, Tiffany couldn't be so barefaced though, as to try to pass off the child as Marcus'. Didn't she expect him to recover his memory?

  Deidra exhaled. She was itching to hear what the truth was. It would be lovely if Tiffany confessed but that wasn't going to happen, was it?

  If only Marcus could recall what happened and clear up the whole situation so that they could move on with their lives.

  She loved him. The thought made her feel stronger, and she was going to trust him on this. She watched him as he went through his paces and then hatched a plan to get Tiffany to Neil's place.

  Chapter Eighteen

  They enjoyed a light breakfast. Deidra only had unsweetened yogurt and watched as Marcus wolfed down a protein shake. His rented place was sterile, and still had that new smell that she hated.

  "Do you even stay here?" She asked him, looking around.

  Marcus shrugged. "Hardly. In the first weeks, I spent a lot of time in the rehab pool."

  "It shows." Deidra ran her eyes over him appreciatively. "I am happy you are getting back into a groove."

  "I am happy that you are talking to me again," Marcus said, heading for the kitchen sink with his glass, "even though I have a memory issue at the moment."

  "Remember my birthday?" Deidra asked Marcus, twisting her spoon in the yogurt bowl. "When you had those guys sing “Africa” for me? I honestly thought we would be together when you got back. I stupidly thought that you would have left Tiffany. It hurt me deeply when she said she was pregnant."

  Marcus hunched his shoulders and looked down into his sink. "I honestly don't know what to say."

  Deidra got up and hugged him from behind. "I love you."

  Marcus turned around and hugged her back. "I love you too. I am sorry. If I could just remember why I made such a stupid..."

  Deidra placed her finger on his
lips, "I don't think you have anything much to be sorry about," she said cryptically.

  "Hold on; you forgive me?" Marcus looked down at her. Her head reached him at his chin. "I am very happy that you have forgiven me. I wish I could forgive myself."

  Deidra kissed him on his lips, a slow kiss that soon turned into a fiery surge of hunger, moaning low in her throat at the sweet sensation of them being together after a long time.

  He lifted his head to survey her stunned expression. "No more kissing." His heart was thundering in his ear. "What we have is a bit too explosive for that. You and I are not going to live together." He gently pushed a tendril of hair from her face, "We are getting married."

  Deidra gasped. "Marcus."

  "Life is too short, anything can happen. I love you; you love me. Why wait? I already have the ring."

  "You bought me a ring?" Deidra gasped. "We weren't even talking."

  "I bought it in Zurich," Marcus grinned. "It's a purple diamond."

  Deidra opened her mouth in shock. "That's when you were in Europe. You bought me a ring from the time you were in Europe. You, oh you." She hugged him tightly. "My Daddy will not allow me to get married without fanfare."

  "Neither will my Mommy," Marcus said laughing. "Let's elope."

  "When?" Deidra glanced at the clock. It was 9:30, she was supposed to meet Natasha at Neil's.

  "Today?" Marcus said eagerly.

  "Nope, not today," Deidra said moving out of his arms. "Today we have a mystery to solve."

  "What mystery?" Marcus asked, puzzled.

  The mystery of the lying pregnant woman, Deidra said in her mind. Out loud she said, "Come on, you will enjoy this."

  *****

  When they drove up to Neil's, Natasha was already there. She was leaning on her car and talking animatedly to a tall handsome guy who was in full black combat police regalia. He had on dark glasses and looked like he meant business.