She studied the screen. “What’s that for?”
“It’s the ‘buy it now’ button. If you really want something, there’s a purchase price that’s usually double the actual value.” He smiled. “For those who are impatient or unwilling to take the risk.”
“How often do you use the ‘buy it now’ button?”
“Me?” He chuckled. “A lot.”
“Figures.”
They wandered through the various sections, then Santiago took her to the Super Silent area.
There were bottles of wine that looked a lot like the wine they’d seen before, but based on the opening bid obviously weren’t. Someone had donated a sapphire and diamond pin. There was a bronze sculpture of a mother and baby penguin, a suite for a Mariners game and a couple of travel packages.
“See anything you like?” he asked.
She looked at the sculpture. The opening bid was twenty-five hundred dollars. “Ah, not really.”
“It’s for sick children, Callie. I’m prepared to be generous. What’s appealing?”
Her gaze settled on a brochure for a hotel up in the mountains. The pictures were beautiful with lots of trees. The package included three nights in a luxury suite, breakfast, one dinner and a couples’ massage. She’d never heard of the resort but according to the brochure, Whistler, British Columbia, was only a few hours away by car.
She handed him the brochure. “You said it had to be special the first time. Does this count?”
He looked from the pictures to her, then grabbed his phone and punched the “buy it now” button.
She laughed. “So that was a yes?”
“You’re killing me, you know that, right?”
“I wasn’t sure but it’s good to know.”
Their gazes locked. She felt her attraction to him all the way to her toes. When she was around him she felt cared for, adored and safe. He was good and funny and smart and kind. She had no idea why she’d been so blessed, but Santiago was a true miracle in her life and she planned to hold on to him for as long as she could.
* * *
“Delaney? Is that you?”
Delaney saw a tall blonde woman hurrying toward her. “Emilie-Louise! I can’t believe it.”
The two women embraced. Emilie-Louise took her hands and stepped back a couple of feet. “Look at you. You’re just as beautiful as ever. Don’t you get older?” She released her hands and sighed. “I’m such a horrible friend. I’m sorry. I’ve been meaning to get in touch, but time got away from me. How are you? How is everything?”
Delaney and Emilie-Louise had worked together at Boeing. They’d been hired within a few months of each other and had often worked together on projects. Delaney’s climb had been a little faster but she would guess Emilie-Louise had passed her by now.
“I’ll go find our table,” Malcolm whispered in her ear. “And leave you to have a little time with your friend.”
She gave him a grateful smile, then turned back to Emilie-Louise. “Everything is good.”
“We miss you. I know you went through so much. You’re back in college, right? I think that’s what I heard.”
Delaney nodded. “What about you? How are you doing?”
Emilie-Louise held out her left hand. “I’m getting married in a few months. Oh, you have to come to the wedding. And I want us to get together for lunch. I mean that.”
They talked for a few more minutes before Delaney excused herself to go find Malcolm. She’d run into more people than she’d expected. Old friends and people she’d worked with. Everyone had been so pleased to see her. None had looked at her as if she’d emotionally abandoned them. They’d all said they missed her and were sorry they weren’t seeing more of her but there hadn’t been blame and more than one friend had claimed responsibility for the lack of contact.
While she appreciated the support, she was left more confused than ever. Had she been the one to cut herself off or had it simply been circumstances? Had she retreated after Tim had died and her father had been shot because she’d needed to preserve her resources or had she been hiding?
This was not the time or place to figure that out but when she had some time to herself, she needed to think on the problem.
She made her way to a table by the stage. As Malcolm’s company was a major sponsor of the event, they had prime seating. She spotted Callie and Santiago together—they made a handsome couple and Callie looked amazing in her dress.
Malcolm saw her and moved toward her. When he reached her, he put his arms around her and lightly kissed her.
“You’re a fun date,” he said. “And the most beautiful woman in the room. How did I get so lucky?”
“I have no idea. How did you?”
He smiled and pulled her close. Being next to him felt good. Right. He was the only thing that made sense in an increasingly confusing world.
“You know a lot of people here,” he said, holding out her chair.
“From my previous life.” She looked around the room. “Sometimes I miss it.”
Sometimes she wondered if she’d made the right choice to leave it.
“You could go back.”
“I could.” She leaned close. “But I’d rather spend tonight thinking about being with you.”
He smiled at her. “See? I’m the luckiest guy ever.”
* * *
“I can’t believe you didn’t take a picture of Delaney,” Keira grumbled late Sunday morning as she and Malcolm walked along the waterfront. “I wanted to see her dress.”
“Sorry. I didn’t think of it. For the record, she was beautiful.”
More than beautiful, he thought, remembering the kick in the gut the first time he’d seen her. Stunning. Incredible. Everything he’d ever wanted.
The last thought had him stumbling on the perfectly level curb. Did he mean that? Was he finally ready to trust again, and if so, was she the one? He thought maybe she was.
They walked into a bakery and stood in line. Keira admired everything in the case before turning to him.
“I want coffee.”
“No,” he said mildly.
“I’m thirteen now. I should be allowed coffee. Besides, you’re not the boss of me.”
He raised his eyebrows. She sighed.
“Okay, maybe you are the boss of me but you don’t have to act like it all the time.”
“Fine. Have you had coffee before?”
“Once, with Angelina.”
“Did you like it?”
“No, but everybody drinks it all the time. I live in Seattle now. I have to join in.”
“You want a drink you know you don’t like? Okay, kid, you’re on.”
“While you’re in a good mood, I want to say that Callie’s nearly done with her driver’s training. She’s taking her test in a couple of weeks.”
“I know. And?”
“And you should buy her a car.”
“You’re very free with other people’s money.”
She rolled her eyes at him. “You’re rich and she’s your sister. You like her and she needs a car. Besides, when does anyone ever get to be that much of a hero except in the movies?”
“You might have a point.”
“Might, smight. You know I do.”
He grinned at her. “Yes, you do.”
It was a great idea and he was sorry he hadn’t thought of it himself. The kid had game.
They reached the front of the line.
“I’ll have a mocha,” Keira said confidently. “With extra whip. And one of the egg and sausage sandwiches. And a chocolate croissant.” She looked at Malcolm out of the corner of her eye, as if not sure the order was all right.
“I’ll have the same food,” he told the woman at the cash register. “But make my coffee a regular latte.”
They
found a table by the window. Keira sat across from him. After a couple of seconds, she said, “How do you know if you like someone? Like a boy. I guess a girl for you. And if you like them, then what? I’m not sure I get the whole dating thing. I mean why do it? I’m not sure I like boys yet. They can be mean sometimes. My therapist says that being mean isn’t just for boys and that I should be careful and at the same time give people a chance.”
She shifted in her seat. “I kind of know what she’s saying but when you think about, it really doesn’t make sense. One of my foster sisters was raped by our foster brother. I wasn’t there when it happened, but it scared me and I know not all boys do that, but some do.”
Just when he thought things were going well, life jumped up to kick him in the ass, he thought grimly. He honest to God had no idea what to say or do.
“Did you talk about what happened with your therapist?” he asked.
“Yeah. It was right before you came and got me, so I wasn’t sad to leave that house. And it didn’t happen to me, but I don’t know. There’s this guy at school I think is cute and sometimes he smiles at me. I like that, but the rest of it, I’m not so sure. Sex sounds really stupid.”
“It can be, which is why it’s a good idea to wait. Back to your foster sister.” He paused while a server delivered their breakfast. “What happened to the boy?”
“The police came and he was taken away. I don’t know anything else. I left a few days later. Everyone was upset, though, and there was a lot of crying.”
He was so out of his depth and completely the wrong person to be having this conversation. Only Keira needed to talk to someone and for reasons he would never understand, she’d chosen him.
“Keira, a good guy won’t hurt you,” he began.
“How do you know the difference?”
“Sometimes it’s hard to tell, so you have to listen to your gut. If you’re uncomfortable, pay attention to that. As for dating and sex, that’s a long way off. I think this is something we should continue to talk about over time.”
She bit into her sandwich and nodded. “That’s what my therapist said, too.”
“How would you feel about taking up some kind of martial arts? So you’d be able to beat the crap out of anyone who tried to hurt you.”
Her eyes widened. “That would be so cool. Could I do that?”
“Sure. Let me do some research. I’ll find a class and you can get started.”
The sport would give her confidence, he thought. And she would know she could handle some handsy asshole who tried to take advantage of her.
“How about if I took the class with you?” he asked.
She grinned. “I double-dog dare you to do that. Let’s ask Callie to come, too. It will be all of us.”
“You’re on.”
“Yay!” She took a sip of her coffee and wrinkled her nose. “That is so gross.”
“Want a hot chocolate?”
She sighed. “Yes, please. I’m sorry I wasted your money ordering this. Thank you for not making me drink it anyway.”
“You have life lessons to learn. Liking or not liking coffee isn’t one of them.”
She laughed and got up. He handed her five dollars, then called her name. She turned back to him.
He held out his arms and she threw herself against him. He held her close.
“I promise I will do my very best to always take care of you,” he whispered. “For always. I swear.”
Her thin arms tightened around him. “I know. I love you, Malcolm.”
Her words caught him off guard. His throat tightened and it was a second before he could speak.
“I love you, too, Keira.”
chapter twenty-seven
Sunday brunch at her dad’s house was better this week than the last time Delaney had been there. Conversation flowed easily, the food was delicious and she found her tension was dissipated. Probably the result of a wonderful evening, she thought.
The gala had raised nearly four million dollars for local children’s charities including two that supported hospitalized kids and their families. She and Malcolm had had a great time. They’d danced and laughed and enjoyed each other’s company. Later, at her place, when he’d made love to her, she’d felt a connection that had helped soothe the rough edges of her soul.
After the brunch dishes had been washed, Beryl excused herself to go shopping with a friend, leaving Delaney with her father. Delaney half suspected Beryl’s absence had been arranged in advance, which meant Phil had something to talk about. She sat on the sofa next to his wheelchair and waited. It didn’t take long.
Her father shook his head. “I’m worried about you, baby girl. Something’s going on and I don’t know what it is.”
Her good mood evaporated. She tried to hang on to the feelings, but they faded as if they’d never been and she was left uneasy and empty.
“Dad, I’m okay. I’m wrestling with a few things, but I’ll figure it out.”
“Like whether or not you want to be a naturopath?”
“What? How do you know that?”
He squeezed her hand. “Delaney, I raised you. Of course I know what you’re thinking. I’m sorry you’ve had to go through so much since the shooting. Losing Tim, me. Everything’s different. You loved your old job—I never understood why you felt the need to leave it.”
“I was too exhausted,” she admitted, remembering that time. “I didn’t have anything left. I felt as if I needed to change.”
There had been more. A gnawing restlessness that had never left her. A need to help or run or something...
“Do you think you made a mistake?” he asked. “Leaving finance?”
“Maybe.”
“You could go back.”
“No. It’s too late.”
“It’s only been a few months. I’m sure you could find something at Boeing. Or maybe another company.” He grinned. “Beryl loves shopping on Amazon. Go work there so we can use your employee discount.”
She tried to smile and failed. “Dad, it’s not that easy.”
“Sure it is. You’re the one making it hard.” He studied her for a few seconds. “I know you still miss Tim, but you’ve got to let him go, Delaney. You can’t live in the past.”
Something burned hot and dark inside of her. Like a collapsing star, she felt pulled into something she couldn’t define.
She wasn’t going to say anything, she promised herself. She was going to nod and listen and—
“I don’t,” she said before she could stop herself. “I don’t miss him. I wasn’t even sure I wanted to marry him. I felt trapped and alone even before he was killed. It was awful, Dad. To fit in, to be like everyone I grew up with, was really hard. I’d been with Tim forever. How could I not be with him? But I wasn’t sure. That’s why I kept putting off the wedding. I couldn’t let go, but I couldn’t surrender to what was happening.”
She turned away as tears slipped down her cheeks. “I know that makes me awful. I just didn’t know how to tell anyone I didn’t want to be with him. Not him, not you, not anyone.”
Her father squeezed her hand again. “I’m sorry you feel that way.”
“Right,” she said bitterly. “Because I’m supposed to mourn Tim forever. I’m never allowed to move on or have a life or anything.” She stood and glared at him. “That’s what’s wrong, Dad. That’s why I can’t decide. I don’t know who I am or who I get to be, because it sure as hell isn’t my decision.”
“That’s a lot of energy.” Her father’s tone was mild. “How long have you been wanting to say that to someone?”
“What?”
“Delaney, you feel how you feel. I’m sorry you felt trapped with Tim. I wish you’d said something before. He loved you but he wouldn’t have wanted to marry you knowing you didn’t feel the same way. As for the neighborhood, they w
ould have gotten over it. They would have forgiven you.”
“You don’t know that.”
“Yeah, I do. I’ve known these people over thirty years. They would have figured out a way to be okay with the information.” He studied her. “The problem isn’t them, it’s you. You’re defining yourself by what you assume everyone else thinks. You say you weren’t in love with Tim anymore, but the truth is you’ve never recovered from what happened. You’ve been going through the motions of having a new life, but you’re as trapped now as you were six weeks before your wedding. You can’t decide if you’re willing to be your own person or if you’re going to live by everyone else’s rules. What do you want, Delaney? What would make you happy?”
She sank to the floor and covered her face with her hands. “I don’t know,” she admitted for the first time in nearly two years. “I really don’t know.”
* * *
Callie stared at her phone. No, she thought. Absolutely not. She wished she could throw the stupid thing across the room, but it wasn’t the phone’s fault. She read the text again.
How about a long weekend in August?
August? It was nearly June. August? Santiago intended them to wait over two more months? Was he insane?
Callie stomped her foot before grabbing her pillow and screaming into it. Stupid, stupid man. She was not waiting until August to have sex.
She looked at her bedside clock. It was just after five. Keira and Malcolm had gone out to an early dinner before Keira’s therapy session and Grandfather Alberto was playing bridge with his friends. No one was going to be upset if she had a little evening out herself.
August is an interesting idea. I have to go. Are you going to be home later?
Heading there now for a quiet evening. Text me when you can.
Promise.
She would do more than text, she thought as she crossed to her closet. She would show up in person and explain that she was done waiting. They were going to have sex and they were going to do it now. They could also do it in August and many times between now and then, but the whole “You’re so special, I have to wait” crap had gone on long enough.
When We Found Home Page 32