“I’m glad,” Jake said and meant it. Nikki needed to know that at least one of her parents was there for her.
“I’ve got to go,” he said, “but I’d like to come back to see her, if that’s okay with you.”
“I think that would be great,” Jake said.
He showed Doug out and walked back to the den. Nikki looked up and burst into tears. Jake crossed the floor quickly and sat beside her.
“Please don’t cry,” he pleaded. “I can’t stand to see you cry.”
“It’s so awful not to remember anything about yourself, then to find out that even your own mother thinks you’re a liar. I must’ve been such a horrible, horrible person.”
“No!” Jake took her in his arms. He felt her tremble and hated Sara for it. “I should’ve warned you about her, but I didn’t want to hurt you. Believe me, Nikki, nothing about your relationship with Sara is your fault. She’s never treated you the way a mother should treat her daughter.”
“It’s not just her,” Nikki sobbed. “Look what I did to you. I made my own husband hate me.”
“I could never hate you, Nikki. I was angry and hurt, but when I got that phone call…I’ve never been so scared in my life. I don’t even remember the drive to the hospital. I just begged God to let you be alright.”
“You’ve been so good to me, despite everything. It kills me to know that I hurt you…and that I destroyed our marriage.”
“Honey, I won’t let you take all the blame for us, either,” he said. “I was working a lot of long hours. Maybe I was neglecting you—”
“That’s no excuse.”
Jake cleared his throat. “Did you really mean it when you said you wanted to save our marriage?”
“When I said that I wanted that more than anything, I meant it.” Nikki clutched his hands. “I want that even more than I want my memory back. I – I think I’m falling in love with you, all over again.”
Jake stared out the window, and then turned to stare at her lovely, pale face. “Mom told me at the hospital that I was going to have to figure out what I wanted, to save my marriage or to end it.” He paused. “I want you. I love you.”
***
Nikki’s heart nearly stopped when he inclined his dark head and kissed her. His warm mouth electrified her, intoxicated her. This kiss was different from the hesitant one at the hospital. This was a kiss of forgiveness. Jake Hawthorne’s arms felt like a haven to her, the only place she’d found where she felt she belonged.
Jake pulled back and she could see that the kiss had affected him, too. He cradled her face in his hands.
“I love you and I want to make this work,” he said. “I just need a little time, can you understand? I need to take it slow.”
She nodded. He’d given her the one thing she wanted: a chance.
“I’ll be right back,” he said, and strode out of the room.
When Jake came back a moment later, he sat beside her and took her left hand in his.
“I believe these are yours,” he said, the corner of his mouth curving into a crooked smile as he slid her engagement ring and wedding band on her finger.
Nikki’s eyes burned. “I – I wondered why I wasn’t wearing a wedding ring,” she admitted.
Jake gave her a rueful chuckle. “You got mad and threw them at me. You used to like to throw things.”
He tried to make light of it, but Nikki could tell the memory of it still hurt him. At a loss for what to say, Nikki kissed him again.
I won’t let you down again, Jake, she thought.
“I’d better go shave.” Jake smiled and rubbed her palm across his stubbled chin. “Probably half the county will be by to see you today when word gets out that you’re home. You’ve got a lot of friends.”
“I do?” Nikki arched an eyebrow and Jake laughed.
“Don’t let Sara get you down, babe. This will work out. I’m going to call the hospital to check on the guys and then grab a shower. Don’t open the door for anyone you don’t know.”
Which is pretty much everybody, Nikki thought.
Jake called the hospital and Nikki watched his face as he talked to the switchboard operator.
“Hank Timmons’ room, please.”
He tried three other names and broke into a smile. Cupping his hand over the receiver, he said, “They’ve all been released.”
Nikki squeezed his knee as he punched in another number and had an animated conversation with Hank. Finally, he hung up and rubbed his face.
“They’re all okay. I was so scared, but they’re all fine. Hank says he’s going into work today. I told him he’d better not, or I’d fire him, but I don’t think he’ll listen. He’s a stubborn old goat.” Jake stood and kissed the top of her head. “Going for that shower now.”
No sooner had Jake disappeared upstairs than the doorbell rang. Nikki checked her hair in the hall mirror and pressed her face to the door to see who it was. Jake’s stepbrother stood on the porch with a pretty blonde. Nikki smiled and opened the door.
“Hey, Nik!” The blonde woman waggled a paper sack. “We brought breakfast.”
Nikki grinned and held the door open wide. “Then, by all means, come in. Jake’s in the shower, but he’ll be down in a minute.”
“How are Hank and the guys?” Jake’s stepbrother asked.
Nikki was embarrassed that she couldn’t remember his name. “They’ve all been released from the hospital.”
“That’s great.” He glanced her over and said, “Hey, we didn’t get you out of bed, did we?”
Nikki sighed. “No, my mother did that.”
He reached into one of the sacks and pulled out a donut. “So how is the Wicked Witch of the West these days?”
“Eliot!” the woman exclaimed, and elbowed him.
He choked on the donut and blushed under her glare.
“Sorry!” He held up his hands in surrender, but his gray eyes danced. He winked at Nikki. “It’s your fault. You always call her that, and it rubbed off. Let me rephrase…” He cleared his throat and said, “Tell me, Nikki. How is your lovely mother, the honorable Mayor Davis?”
“The wicked witch thinks I’m faking,” Nikki said wryly. “Jake kicked her out of the house.”
Eliot stared at the ceiling with an awed expression. “Damn! And we missed it.”
The blonde stared at her with sympathy. “Oh, Nikki! I’m so sorry. And by the way, my name is Kelly. I’m the only woman in town crazy enough to marry this guy.”
Nikki led them to the kitchen and they were sitting there, drinking coffee when Jake came downstairs.
“Hey guys,” he said. “Hope you saved something for me.”
“Sorry,” Eliot said, with his mouth full of biscuit. “Out of luck. Nikki and Kelly ate it all.”
Kelly rolled her eyes and shoved another bag across the table to Jake.
“How was your trip, Kel?” Jake asked. “Eliot said you were working on a new project. I bet you actually got something done without the stooge there.”
“We’ll see,” Kelly said enigmatically and sipped her coffee. Eliot just smiled.
Nikki liked these two. It was relaxing to sit with them and talk like normal people. Eliot was so funny. She felt a twinge of sadness when they announced they had to go to work.
The doorbell rang as they rose from the table.
“I have a feeling today’s going to be a busy day,” Jake said as he helped Kelly with her coat.
“Ah yes.” Eliot gave a low bow and kissed Nikki’s hand. “All of Princess Nikki’s royal subjects will be by to pay court.”
“We’ll be back soon, guys. Call if you need anything,” Kelly said.
Darcy waited on the front steps. Jake ushered her in and Nikki caught Kelly’s frown. She wondered what that was about. After giving Darcy a perfunctory greeting, they left.
Jake’s prediction was right. By lunchtime, a steady stream of visitors had invaded their house. Nikki lost track of all the people Darcy introduced her to.
When a client arrived, Jake excused himself to his home office and left Nikki under Darcy’s watchful eye. Nikki watched the closed door and wondered if this was the client whose building had burned. They emerged nearly half an hour later, laughing. Jake caught Nikki staring and gave her a thumbs up behind the man’s back.
They disappeared through the doorway. Nikki turned her attention back to the group of women surrounding her. When she felt eyes upon her a moment later, Nikki lifted her gaze and smiled, assuming it was Jake. Elaine smirked back at her.
Jake entered his office and Elaine trailed behind him. She blew Nikki a kiss as she shut the door behind her.
Ten minutes later, she stormed out of the office with Jake on her heels. Nikki stood as Elaine approached. From the fury on the other girl’s face, she wondered if she was about to be attacked.
“Don’t you think you’ve carried this Pollyanna act far enough?” Elaine demanded.
“Elaine!” Jake said.
Elaine ignored him. “Quit being so selfish, Nikki. Jake is in danger. Don’t you even care? Tell him who’s after him.”
“Elaine, shut up,” Jake said. His voice was low, but there was no mistaking the warning in it.
Tears sprang into Elaine’s brown eyes. “What is wrong with you people?” She raked a hand through her auburn hair. “You know who she is, you know what she is.”
She glared at the girl beside Nikki. “Kara. Was it even two weeks ago that you told me how miserable it was to work with Nikki on that charity board? And Darcy! You of all people…Nikki killed your brother. You know it, I know it. How can you just sit here and pretend nothing’s wrong? I was there when you had her thrown out of his funeral service..”
“Elaine!” Jake roared.
He seized her arm and said quietly, “You and I are friends. Family. I know you’re upset and I know you’re worried about me, but I won’t allow anyone to talk to Nikki like this in her own home. Please leave before one of us says or does something we can’t back down from.”
“Fine.” Elaine jerked her arm from his grasp and swiped at her eyes. “I’ll leave, but I promise you one thing, Nikki. If anything happens to Jake because of you, you’re dead.”
Chapter 7
A tearful Elaine pushed past Jake and ran for the doorway. She collided with Catherine.
“What’s going on?” Catherine reached to steady her, but Elaine wrenched her arm away.
“Don’t touch me!” she hissed, and fled from the room.
Jake stood in the middle of the living room, looking torn. Nikki could see the anxiety on his face as he looked at the doorway Elaine had disappeared through. No matter how Elaine felt about her, Nikki knew she cared for Jake, and vice versa. She thought of her conversations with Jake about their marriage and determined that one thing, at least, would be different this time.
She would trust him.
“Go after her,” Nikki said. “She’s too upset to drive.”
Jake shot her a grateful look and ran out the door.
Nikki glanced at Darcy and saw the tears streaking down her face. When their eyes met, Darcy jumped to her feet and ran upstairs.
The woman on her left, Kara, began talking in a rush. “I’m sorry, Nikki. Elaine misunderstood. I didn’t mean it like that—”
Nikki rubbed her forehead and laid a hand on the woman’s arm to try to halt her frantic apology. “It’s okay.”
“I was just frustrated that you were holding up things—”
“It’s okay, no hard feelings,” Nikki repeated. “Excuse me, I have to check on Darcy.”
Nikki found Darcy sitting on her bed with her face in her hands. She sat beside her.
“I’m sorry,” Nikki said quietly. “People have mentioned Derek to me, but I didn’t know he was your brother.”
“It’s been so hard,” Darcy sniffed. “I miss him so much.”
“Elaine’s told me twice it was my fault he died. Is that true?”
Darcy’s head jerked up. Her gray eyes brimmed with tears. “What she said, about the funeral service. I was upset – I shouldn’t have taken it out on you. We got past that.”
Nikki reached to grab a tissue box off the dresser and handed it to Darcy.
“Derek was—” Darcy swiped at her nose. “He was a kid in a man’s body. We had rotten childhoods, like you did, and Derek started using cocaine when he was sixteen. I tried to get him off it, but it was you who finally did, at least for a while. From the moment he met you, Derek was crazy about you, but you told him there was no way as long he was on coke. He went to rehab. I’d begged for years, but he finally went for you.”
Darcy blinked at the ceiling through her tears. “He looked so good when he came home. He’d been through one of the intensive programs, not these little weeklong deals. And he stayed clean for about two years.”
She raked a hand through her thick wave of blonde hair and stood. Nikki watched her as she drifted over to the window. “Then I don’t know what happened. Maybe it was that week he spent with Mother in New York – but he got hooked again. You found out and dumped him. He went back to rehab, but by then, you’d met Jake.” Darcy trailed off as she parted the blinds with her fingers and said, “Looks like he caught Elaine.”
Nikki walked over to her and stared down at the couple below. Jake had his arms around Elaine, who was sobbing against his shirt. Nikki forced away a pang of uneasiness and turned from the window.
“Watch out for that one, Nikki. She’ll do anything she can to break the two of you up.”
“Derek dated her, too, didn’t he?” Nikki asked, remembering what Catherine had said.
Darcy turned from the window. “Yes. He broke up with her to date you, and they got back together after you and Jake married, but Elaine never had any control over him. His drug problem got worse and his feelings for you never changed. They didn’t last a year the second time around.” She cleared her throat. “In a way, I feel sorry for Elaine. The only men she’s ever loved were both in love with you.”
***
“Still friends?” Elaine asked.
“Always.” Jake kissed the top of her head.
“I’ve got to go. And you’d better get back in there. I bet Nikki’s fuming.”
“Actually, she told me to go after you.” Jake noted Elaine’s surprised look and said. “Nikki’s not faking this. She’s really changed.”
“I know you want to believe that—”
“It’s true.”
“For your sake, I hope so, but promise you’ll be careful. It scares me to death that some psycho is after you.”
“I shouldn’t have told you all that stuff.”
“No, I’m glad you did. I want to know if anything else happens, too.”
Jake watched her drive away. A little blue Subaru pulled into her parking spot and the physical therapist from the hospital climbed out. He’d forgotten all about therapy and bet that Nikki had, too. He gave the woman a cheerful wave and walked her inside.
Nikki’s company cleared out when the therapist arrived. Jake caught Darcy and Catherine as they were leaving and asked if he could speak to them in the kitchen.
“Guys, I hate to ask, but I’ve got some problems at work. My foreman will probably be out another day or so, and I have to get some things done. Could one of you stay with Nikki tomorrow?”
“I’m free tomorrow,” Catherine said. “I’ll stay with her.”
“I don’t have to work tomorrow. I could—” Darcy said, but Catherine shook her head. “I was going to offer anyway.” She looked at Jake. “I know you have to work and we’ll arrange a schedule where I can come over here, or you can drop Nikki at the house. I don’t think she should be alone for awhile.”
Jake frowned. “I don’t either.”
“I can help on my days off,” Darcy volunteered.
“And Kelly probably will, too. We’ll work it out.” Catherine opened the kitchen cabinet. “Right now, I’m going to the grocery store for you, unless you plan to live
on peanut butter sandwiches?”
Jake laughed and Darcy said, “That reminds me. Kara and some of the others brought casseroles. I set them in the fridge.”
“Good.” Jake glanced at his watch. “I’m sure Nik’s starving. I know I am.”
“Let me heat a plate for you,” Darcy said. “Nikki will probably be in with the therapist for awhile.”
She stuck her head in the refrigerator. “Okay, looks like we have fried chicken, chili, green bean casserole,” Darcy paused and peered doubtfully inside another dish. “Don’t know what the hell this is—”
“I believe that’s my chicken casserole,” Catherine remarked and glared at Jake when he snickered.
“Oops!” Darcy grinned. “I was thrown off by the…uh – is that cornflakes? And pecans?”
“It’s an old family recipe. Very good, I assure you.”
Jake clutched his throat behind Catherine’s back and Darcy’s lips twitched. She quickly ducked behind the refrigerator door. Catherine whirled, but he dropped his hands in time and gave her an innocent look.
“Ah, heat me up some of Mom’s casserole,” Jake said. “I feel lucky.”
Two minutes later, Darcy set the plate in front of him. Jake took a bite and smiled at his mother.
“Not too bad,” he lied. “Crunchy.”
Something was different about it. Was it the nuts? An unusual taste—
The telephone rang and Catherine went to answer it.
“Whew.” He made a face as he crunched through another bite. “Worse than I remembered.”
“My sympathies.” Darcy smiled.
“Jake, it’s for you,” his mother called from the other room.
“Thank God.” He winked at Darcy and pushed away from the table.
It wasn’t much of a reprieve. Evan Stephens waited on the line.
Jake explained that he’d been working on the plans and arranged to meet with him the next morning to discuss the changes. As he hung up the phone, Jake felt a little flushed and hoped he wasn’t coming down with something. He didn’t have time to be sick right now.
Unforeseen Danger Page 10