Elissa was glad she was sitting down. Fallon’s assessment of her character had her reeling, maybe because it was so accurate. Still, it was humiliating to have her most private flaws discussed publicly. “But I—”
“Not yet,” Fallon said. “I’m not finished. Cole invited you to meet his grandfather, he came to you after he’d recovered from the shock of hearing the man had died. He probably wanted you to go with him to the funeral, but when he saw you packing, he jumped to conclusions. After the past you two shared, do you blame him? If he doesn’t trust you, he’s obviously a very smart man. Instead of standing your ground and insisting you go with him to New York, you left. By walking out, you just proved him right. About everything, little sister.”
Elissa sat feeling stunned. Her tears had stopped and her mouth was hanging open. She closed it, then asked, “Are you done now?”
“No, but I’ll let you talk.”
“I’m not sure where to start defending myself.”
“Don’t bother. You were a hundred percent in the wrong.”
It was as if her words clicked on a light in her brain. Elissa sat up straight and gasped. “Oh, no,” she whispered.
Images from her time at the orphanage flashed through her mind. Memories from the past, incidents, conversations.
“I did it again,” she said, wondering why she hadn’t figured it out for herself. “I left him yesterday just like I did five years ago. I wanted him to prove he cared by making me stay. I wanted him to make me feel special and important.”
“Doesn’t he do that anyway?” Fallon asked.
“All the time.” Elissa clutched the receiver more tightly. “Every moment he’s with me I know I’m so lucky. All his touches, all his actions. He cares about me. If it’s not love, it’s very close. If I’d stayed…”
She dropped her head to her knees. “What have I done?”
“You’ve made a mistake. It’s done some damage, but it’s not fatal.”
“I told him I wanted a divorce.”
“That was so stupid, Elissa,” Fallon snapped, then sighed. “Sorry. I know you need me to be supportive. I lost it for a second. Go to him and tell him you realize you were acting like a child, trying to get his attention. He deserves the honesty, if nothing else.”
“What if he won’t give me another chance?”
“Beg. Camp out on his doorstep if you have to. Move back into the orphanage and campaign to win him back. Send a notarized letter promising you’ll never leave again, no matter what. Prove to him you’ve learned your lesson.”
“Thanks, Fallon. I appreciate the advice.”
“No problem. Call me if you need anything else, or just to talk.”
“I will. I’ve got to do some thinking now, so I’m going to go.”
They said their goodbyes and hung up.
Elissa covered her face with her hands. She’d been a fool. In her childish quest for attention, she’d thrown everything away. Risked it all. And for what?
Would Cole be willing to give her another chance? If she were in his position, would she trust herself? She didn’t think so. Still, she had to try. Somehow, she would figure out a way to convince him.
* * *
Cole waited for the elevator doors to open, then stepped out into the thickly carpeted hotel corridor. The funeral was over, as was the reading of the will. He had another appointment with the attorney tomorrow, to go over the details. Right now he was too tired to think. All he wanted to do was fall into his bed and sleep.
Yet lately sleep wouldn’t come. As soon as he shut out the lights, all he would do was remember Elissa and miss her. He figured the wound would stop bleeding in time. Maybe in a hundred years or so. Maybe when he was dead.
In addition to all his financial wealth, his grandfather had left him a great apartment. The penthouse, of course. Maybe he would consider staying in New York. There was plenty of work to do. If he could keep busy enough, he might trick himself into forgetting.
Or he could do the smart thing and go after her. The long flight had given him time to think. Elissa had been packing to come with him; she’d been willing to stand by him. His assumption that she was leaving—more proof that he refused to trust her—had driven her away. If he was alone now, he could only blame himself.
He had to find a way to get her back. She had loved him once; surely he could convince her to love him again. At one time he wouldn’t have taken the chance or risked trusting her. His grandfather’s death had taught him differently. Time was precious. He and his wife had been given a second chance, unless they were both stubborn enough and foolish enough to throw it away.
He was determined to prevent that from happening again. They’d already lost so many years, because he wasn’t willing to put it all on the line. Funny how he could risk everything for a deal, but in matters of the heart he played it safe. Caution had nearly cost him the person who mattered most.
As he reached his door, he heard someone call his name. He glanced up. The floor concierge walked toward him.
“Mr. Stephenson, I need to speak to you for a moment. I’ve done something and if it’s wrong, I need to correct it right away.” The man was in his late twenties, well dressed in a tailored suit and expensive shoes. His hands twisted together nervously.
“What’s the problem?” Cole asked.
“Your wife is here. She asked me to let her into your room, and I did. As I said, if that’s a problem, I’ll be happy to remove her.”
Elissa? Here?
He fumbled with the key and realized his hands were shaking. “You did fine,” he said, jamming in the plastic key. At last the green light flashed and there was a click as the mechanism unlocked. “Just fine.”
“Thank you, sir. If there’s anything—”
Cole stepped inside and closed the door, cutting off the other man’s words.
He’d left in the afternoon and now it was after 8:00 p.m., so he would have expected the suite his grandfather’s attorney had reserved for him to be in darkness. Instead, soft light glowed from the sitting room and spilled onto the carpet from the bedroom beyond.
He saw proof of Elissa’s presence. Her purse on the table by the door. A pair of pumps next to the sofa. A bottle of his favorite white wine chilling on ice. Relief so sweet he could taste it swept through him. He didn’t care why she’d come back. If there were conditions, he would meet all of them. He loved her and he never wanted to lose her again.
He sensed movement and turned toward the balcony. Curtains fluttered in front of open doors that beckoned him. He walked across the floor and stepped out into the moonlit darkness.
She stood at the railing, facing the park. Instead of one of her usual summer dresses, she wore a tailored black suit. The style flattered her figure, drawing attention to her slim waist and long legs. She’d piled her hair on top of her head, leaving her neck bare. His arms ached to hold her; his mouth wanted to touch the delicate skin at her nape.
She stiffened slightly as if she’d sensed his presence. Slowly she turned toward him. Without saying anything, she crossed to him and hugged him close.
For that moment, as she offered and he accepted comfort, there was no need for words. They communicated with touch, her body telling him of her sorrow on his behalf and of her willingness to be what he needed. At least for now.
“Are you all right?” she asked.
“I’m not sure. Numb.”
“I’m so sorry about your grandfather,” she said. “I wish you could have met him.”
“Me, too. We talked on the phone, but I wanted more. I wanted to meet him and look him in the eye.”
The heat of her body reminded him of their last parting. “Elissa, I—”
“No.” She cut him off with a shake of her head. “I’m sorry, but I have to go first. There’s a lot I have to tell you and I don’t want to forget it.”
She disentangled herself and returned to the balcony railing. “I don’t remember the city being this pretty,” she
said.
“That’s because the view from our apartment wasn’t this nice.”
“Maybe. I prefer to think it’s because I’ve changed.” She shrugged. “Not that I expect you to believe that. After the way I behaved a couple of days ago, I don’t deserve anything from you. All my promises of love and commitment. All the times I said I wasn’t leaving and at the first test, I bolt. Some lessons are hard to learn.”
“You don’t have to tell me this.”
“Yes, I do. When we were first married, I was terrified of you. Not that you would hurt me in any way, but that you would be disappointed by me.”
“But I loved you.”
“I know that now, but then I wasn’t so sure. I never had much confidence. As the middle of my sisters, I was always the peacemaker. I had a role. I believed that I had value because of what I did or what I could give. That never really changed. When I married you, there didn’t seem to be anything I could give you. You were always working late, so I couldn’t cook. The sex was a problem, so I wasn’t offering much there. In the end, rather than face my own shortcomings, it was easier to believe you didn’t care about me. So I left, fully expecting you to come after me. But you didn’t.”
“I thought you didn’t love me anymore. I wasn’t going to force you to stay with me.”
“I know that now. At the time all I could see was another rejection. I lived with that for years, until the inheritance gave me the false confidence to try again. This time I was going to be Lady Bountiful, giving to all in need.”
He thought of all she’d given. Not in money, but in time and caring. “The children adore you.”
“And I love them. But it’s not about the money or gifts, is it? They don’t know it was me and they still care. I think that’s when I started to get it. That’s when I started to realize that I had value on my own. But I was still afraid.”
She turned toward him. The light from the hotel room spilled onto the balcony, illuminating her features. Her smile was sad. “I think I would have been able to hang in there if you hadn’t inherited all that money. Once you had that, I realized you didn’t need me. Again. The past overwhelmed me and I ran, as I had before.”
He crossed to her and took her hands. “This time I was coming after you.”
She squeezed his fingers. “I’m glad it didn’t come to that. I finally get it, Cole. It’s not about the money or who comes after whom. It’s about loving myself enough to believe someone else would bother. I’m not sure I’m a hundred percent on that, but I’m working on the problem.”
She drew in a deep breath and raised her gaze to him. “I know you have no reason to believe me, but I’m going to say it again. I love you with all my heart. I swear, I’m never going to leave you, no matter how many inheritances you have, or how much money, or where you have to live. If necessary, I’ll camp on your doorstep, I’ll hide in the back seat of your car. Maybe I’ll even get a job at your office and be in the way all the time.”
His heart flared hot enough to burn away the darkness in his soul. Light poured in. Light and love.
He drew her to him and touched her cheek. “That won’t be necessary.”
“I’m almost afraid to ask, but why?”
He smiled. “Because I love you and I want to be with you for the rest of both our lives. I want to grow old with you. I want to have children and watch them grow. I want to build a home next to the orphanage and divide our time between Ojai and New York. I want you. It was wrong of me to assume you were leaving, and I apologize. Please forgive me and stay with me as my lover, my wife, my other half.”
Wonder filled her green eyes. “I don’t understand. You love me?”
“Yes.”
“You believe that I love you?”
He laughed. “Yes. Why is this so hard to understand?”
“It just is. Does this mean…” She paused. “Do you trust me?” she whispered.
“With my heart and soul.” He bent his head and kissed her.
Their lips clung together in a moment so perfect it defied description.
When they separated, he held her close. “I don’t promise not to get weird from time to time,” he said. “Old habits are hard to break.”
“I’ll just slap you until you snap out of it.”
“That’ll work.” He cupped her face. “Are you sure?”
“More than anything.”
“Then I have something for you.” He hesitated, suddenly embarrassed by the gesture. Maybe it had been a mistake.
“What?”
He reached into his trouser pocket and pulled out the plain gold band he’d slipped on her finger when they’d first been married. “Five years ago you left this behind,” he said. “I’ve kept it, hoping one day you’d want it back.”
“Oh, Cole.” She took the ring and put it on. “Thank you for saving it. And for believing in me, and for loving me and just everything.”
They kissed again. He was content. Whatever the future might hold, both Elissa and the eternal symbol of their love were back where they belonged.
* * * * *
Read on for an excerpt from THE GIRLS OF MISCHIEF BAY, book one in the Mischief Bay series!
Susan Mallery, the New York Times bestselling author of Three Sisters, is world renowned for her “insightful, funny, and poignant” stories (Booklist). With her Mischief Bay series, she brings vivid color to the story of three friends on the brink of a new life.
The Girls of Mischief Bay
Looking for more? With more than a hundred ebooks available, you can enjoy dozens of other memorable titles from New York Times bestselling author Susan Mallery, including her Blackberry Island trilogy: Barefoot Season, Three Sisters and Evening Stars!
Don’t miss the charming Fool’s Gold series. All titles available in ebook!
Until We Touch
Before We Kiss
When We Met
Christmas on Fourth Street
Three Little Words
Two of a Kind
Just One Kiss
“Halfway There” (ebook novella)
A Fool’s Gold Christmas
All Summer Long
Summer Nights
Summer Days
“Almost Summer” (ebook novella)
“Only Us” (ebook novella)
Only His
Only Yours
Only Mine
Summer Brides (anthology)
“Sister of the Bride” (ebook novella)
Finding Perfect
Almost Perfect
Chasing Perfect
Yours For Christmas
Chase Me
Hold Me
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HarlequinBlog.com
One
“DID TYLER MAKE THAT FOR YOU?”
Nicole Lord turned to look at the picture she’d posted on the wall of Mischief in Motion, her Pilates studio. Three large red hearts covered a piece of pink construction paper. A handprint had been outlined over the hearts. The hearts were wobbly and highly stylized, but still recognizable. Not bad, considering the artist in question was not yet five. The handprint had been traced by one of his teachers.
“He did,” Nicole said with a smile. “I promised him I would bring it to work and show everyone.”
Her client, a thirtysomething fighting her way back from a forty-five-pound pregnancy weight gain, wiped sweat from her face and smiled. “He sounds adorable. I look forward to when my daughter can do more than eat, poop and keep me up all night.”
“It gets better,” Nicole promised.
“I hope so. I’d always assumed once I started having kids, I’d want six.” The woman grimaced. “Now one is looking like more than enough.” She waved and wal
ked toward the exit. “See you next week.”
“Have a good weekend.”
Nicole spoke without looking, her attention already back on her computer. She had her noon class, then a three-hour break before her late-afternoon classes. Which sounded nice until she thought about all she had to get done. Grocery shopping for sure—they were out of everything. Her car needed gas, there was dry cleaning to pick up and somewhere in the middle of all that, she should eat lunch.
She glanced at the clock, wondering if she should text Eric to remind him to pick up Tyler from day care at four. She reached for her phone, then shook her head and sagged back in her chair. No, she shouldn’t, she told herself. He’d only forgotten once and he’d felt awful about it. She had to trust him not to forget again.
Which she would, she told herself. Only these days he was forgetting a lot of things. And helping less around the house.
Marriage, she thought ruefully. It all sounded so romantic until you realized that hey, you not only had to live with someone else, but there would also be days when they actually thought you were wrong about things.
She was still trying to figure out in which order she was going to run her errands when the door to her studio opened and Pam Eiland strolled in.
“Hey, you,” Pam called cheerfully, an oversize tote hanging off one shoulder.
Anyone who didn’t know Pam would assume she had a clutter problem if she needed to haul around that much stuff in her bag. Those who did know Pam were privy to the fact that her actual handbag was fairly small and that most of the space in the tote was taken up by a soft blanket and a very weird-looking dog.
Right on cue, Lulu poked her head out of the tote and whined softly.
Nicole stood and approached them both. After giving Pam a hug, she reached for Lulu. The dog leaped into her arms and snuggled close.
“I see you’re in pink today,” she said, stroking Lulu’s cheek, then rubbing the top of her head.
“We both felt it was a pink kind of day,” Pam told her.
The Secret Wife Page 22