She smoothed her hand over his hair.
“I haven’t been able to talk about this with anyone since it happened.”
She smiled at him. “I’m glad you told me.” She reached for his hand, brought
it up to her chest and rested it against her bare skin. “I will tell you what; let’s
not keep anything from each other again. From now on, I want us to tell each other when something is bothering us.”
“I will like that,” he said to her with a smile.
“And I will like that too.”
She pressed her other hand over his, smiled and locked eyes with him.
He kept his hand there and smiled back.
Chapter Fourteen
She was coming down the stairs the next morning when the doorbell rang. She paused for a second and glanced at the door, wondering if she should go and answer it.
Lila or one of the other women always got the door, but Lila wasn’t here, and she didn’t know where Marlene and Mrs. Jenkins were. They were probably off somewhere doing something. Lila had gone into town early this morning with a long list of things to do, and wouldn’t be back until noon.
Christmas was only four days away and things were getting really busy at the ranch. Keane had invited some of his friends from the city to spend Christmas with them. And, surprisingly, she was looking forward to meeting them. She felt this would go way better than the last dinner with his other friends. And she had decided to go to the Hamptons to meet his parents for New Year’s. She was feeling that good about their relationship now!
The doorbell rang again, and she shrugged her shoulders, and ran down the rest of the stair to answer it. Whoever was out there was certainly in a big hurry!
She reached for the doorknob, swung the door opened, and the small smile on
her face froze.
“Margo, what are you doing here!”
No one was as surprised as she was to see Margo standing at the door.
She wished she had gone ahead and ignored the door. And she would have—if only she knew who was on the other side!
“Took you long enough! I have been ringing forever! Don’t you have someone here who answers the door?” Margo gave her a once-over, taking in the white blouse and blue skinny jeans she was wearing. “Going somewhere?” she asked in a less than friendly voice.
She decided that she didn’t have to give Margo a run down of her daily
schedule. “You just miss Keane,” she said instead. “He will be back later today. You can drop by then.”
She tried to shut the door, but Margo blocked it with her boot.
“I’m not here to see Keane.”
She gave Margo a very confused look. “Lila isn’t here either. But I can always get one of the staff to come talk to you.”
She made another attempt to walk away.
“I came here to see you, Becca.” Margo pushed her out of the way and barged right in.
“That’s really nice of you, Margo, but I was right in the middle of doing
something.”
She couldn’t think why Margo would want to see her. The woman had hardly said more than two words to her at the dinner. But she had received an abundant of dirty stares and snide remarks from Margo when she was close enough to hear them.
“What—wash your hair?” Margo gave her untidy curls a quick look.
She knew she needed a haircut. Her hair was growing like weed. And she didn’t know any good salons around here to go in for a deep conditioning and trim. She would ask one of the women about it later. Plus, she hadn’t bothered because Keane kept telling her how beautiful and shiny her hair was.
His word was enough to make her feel like a million dollars!
Her hand went up to touch her hair. “Actually, yes. I was just off to the salon. So, some other time, then.”
She reached for the door again and held it open, hoping Margo would take a
hint and leave.
“Interesting! I can always recommend my hairdresser if you are looking for a
good one.” Margo’s eyes went up to her hair again. “Roberto is a genius! He can
do wonders, even with you!”
“I’m good, thanks.”
Margo shrugged her shoulders. “Suit yourself.”
“Well, as much as I’m enjoying our little chat, I have to get going!” She was
still standing at the door waiting for Margo to go out.
“This will only take a minute.”
“Jeez, I wish I had a minute, but I don’t.” She glanced at her watch.
“You know, Becca, if I didn’t know better I would think that you are trying to get rid of me.”
She stifled a small, guilty laugh. “What gave you such an idea?”
Margo spun around and headed straight to the living room without another word.
And she had no choice than to follow.
Margo took a seat on the sofa and crossed her long legs.
“Well, aren’t you going to offer me some coffee?”
“I would, but we are all out. I just finished the last cup.”
There was a full pot of freshly brewed coffee in the kitchen. She wasn’t much of a coffee drinker, and it usually stayed there until Lila emptied it out at the end of the day.
“Then go and make some. Or have one of the maids do it! I can wait. I’m
not in a hurry.” Margo took off her fur jacket and tossed it over the back of the sofa.
She decided she’d had enough of her rudeness. “Sorry, but I don’t do coffee!
And everyone is busy!”
Margo appeared surprised. She sat forward and gave her a nasty, hateful look—if looks could kill!
“Then what do you do around here, Becca? You know what; don’t bother telling me!” Margo waved her off. “I have a pretty good idea already. And for your information, I knew that Keane wasn’t here. I spoke with him last night and again early this morning before he left.”
The color went to her cheeks. She couldn’t believe that Keane was talking to this vicious woman and she didn’t know about it! She wondered what they talked about. She hoped she wasn’t their topic of conversation, in any form or way.
She took a deep breath. She needed to stay calm. She wasn’t going to let Margo get to her!
“Then why did you drive all the way up here! Oh, I forget, you mentioned you want to see me, but I can’t think of a single reason why you would want to.” She pointed out to Margo with a sweet, fake smile on her face.
Margo sat forward and glared at her. “Cut the crap!”
“Excuse me.”
“You heard me! You may have Keane and the others fool with your naïve school girl act, but both you and I know that you are none of those things, Becca. At least Jerry saw right through you. Why do you think he took you to that
room?”
Her eyes widened with disgust. She was struggling to catch her breath. She was still having a hard time with what Jerry tried to do to her, and to hear Margo talking about it in such a casual, cruel way! Her dislike for this woman just went up a million times!
“So you were in on it with him! Why aren’t I surprise! I wonder how Keane will react when I tell him. I’m sure you know what he did to Jerry.”
“Are you threatening me?” Margo took the time to lit one of her cigarettes and took a long draw from it.
“Take it anyhow you want!”
“You know I can say the same thing about Keane. He has quite a few secrets of his own that he has been keeping from you.”
She was losing her patience. “What do you want, Margo? Clearly, this is not a friendly visit.”
“I want you to pack your things and leave the ranch. And I want you to do it
before Keane gets back from his trip tonight. I also don’t you to contact him
again,” Margo told her bluntly.
It was her turn to laugh—she looked Margo straight in the eye and burst into a loud fit of laughter. “Wow! You certainly
don’t mince words, do you!”
“I have a check here for you.” She watched as Margo fumbled in her
designer’s bag and produced the check. “It’s for twenty-five thousand dollars.”
Margo held it out to her. And she refused to take it. “I can make it out for more if you want.” Margo waved the check around. “It’s enough to get you back to where you came from.”
“Get out!”
“So you are refusing to go.” Margo’s voice was cold, even threatening.
“It took you long enough to catch on!”
“Okay. You have only yourself to blame then.” Margo stood and came close to where she was standing and walked around her a few times. “Something has been bothering me about you ever since I met you, Becca—that is your real name, isn’t it?”
“I wonder what has been bothering you, Margo—is it because Keane finds me more desirable than you? It must burn you to know that I’m living here with him.”
She looked at the embarrass scowl on Margo’s face and smiled.
“Don’t fool yourself, little girl! Keane is a wealthy sophisticated man. He has seen the world. Don’t you know anything about him and the women he has been with by now! He will get tire of you and toss you aside soon enough. It’s only a matter of time before he sends you packing.” Margo took a long pull on her cigarette and blew the smoke in her face. She held her breath and tried not to cough. “What I don’t get is, why is Keane here with you playing house. I keep
wondering what he sees in you.”
“A lot—by his admission.” Becca taunted her.
“Yes, you are a very pretty girl with a great body. And you are probably good in bed, but those things are never enough to keep a man like Keane Whitmore. He needs more, much more. He needs a woman who is wild and sophisticated as he is; someone who understands the world he lives in.”
“Maybe he is tired of those kind of boring women, haven’t you ever thought of that.”
“So he chooses a nobody like you! You are nothing but his sex toy, darling. It’s the holidays. He’s probably caught up in the sentiments of the season—reality will soon set in for him, and then you would be yesterday’s news. He has one of those moments every year, even when he was with Larissa. One woman is never enough for a man like Keane.”
“Insult me all you want, but that’s not going to change the fact that Keane and I have something very special going on between us. And I am not going anywhere!”
“He’s playing the field. You are just another woman he brings here to have fun with.”
“Is that what he told you?”
Margo took a puff on her cigarette and looked at her. “I didn’t think so! If you
are hoping that Keane will dump me and come running to you, then don’t hold your breath! I don’t think he’s interested in you in that way.”
There was a huge smirk on her face.
“Don’t you dare mock me! You know nothing about him, you hear me! Nothing!”
Margo was filled with so much rage that she was shaking at this point. Her face was a bright red, and her eyes looked glazed over.
Becca looked at her and took a couple steps back. No one could act that crazy without being on something. She wished she had slammed the door shut when she saw Margo standing there. She should have never allowed Margo to set foot inside the house.
“Goodbye, Margo.” She made an attempt to walk away.
Margo pounced on her. “I just want you to know that I was there for
Keane when he lost Larissa. I was the one he turned to. He wouldn’t open up to
anyone, but he did to me. I spent days and nights comforting him, in one way than onother.”
“That’s very sweet of you. You were being a very good friend,” Becca told her in a condescending tone. “Thank you for being there for him when I couldn’t. I’m sure he appreciated everything you did. And now I figure you are looking for some kind of reward from him.” Becca folded her hands across her chest and met Margo’s steely eyes with disdain. “Sorry, but he clearly doesn’t think that you deserve one. From what I can see, you are both on two completely different pages. That’s why I am here with him, and you are there fuming from the outside!”
Margo flew in a rage. She lifted her hand to slap Becca, and Becca grabbed her hand and held onto it firmly. She glared at Margo. “Don’t you dare think of doing that!” She seeped. “You came here looking for a fight, and I’m trying to avoid giving you one. I think it’s time for you to go.”
She shoved Margo away.
“He will eventually see you for what and who you are, if he hasn’t already.”
“You know what, Margo.” She took a very deep breath and rubbed her forehead in frustration. “I do not want to do this with you anymore. Leave, and take your check with you. You should have this conversation with Keane. You can tell him exactly how you are feeling about him. I’m sure he will appreciate your honesty and probably reward you for it. I’m done!”
She walked away from Margo.
“You know I did some digging while you and Keane were here playing house,
and I find out some very fascinating things about you, Becca. Well, aren’t you going to ask me what they are!”
She froze. She couldn’t take another step. She swallowed hard. Her heart
rate went up. Her heart was beating so fast that it hurt. If she didn’t know better, she could have sworn that she was having a mild heart attack.
She took a deep breath, clenched her ten fingers together into tight fists, and kept them glued at her side. She turned her back to Margo so she wouldn’t see her face.
“I’m not interested,” she finally said in a small, distant voice.
Margo came over to where she was standing. “Suit yourself!”
“I will be sure to tell Keane that you were here.”
“Oh, don’t do that. I’m sure he has an idea by now.”
Margo continued to the door, and she followed close behind. She couldn’t wait for Margo to walk out the door.
“By the way, I have something for you.” Margo paused and bent down to pick up a bag that was lying next to the door.
She hadn’t seen it when Margo walked in. It was a large leather handbag
with a Hermes logo. “I believe this belongs to you.” Margo held up the brown handbag for her to see.
“Mine?” There was a dumbfounded look on her face.
“Yes! Yours! Don’t act as if you haven’t seen it before! It was locked away in Keane’s office. I found it in one of the drawers when I went in to take a quick peep the night of the party, while he was upstairs comforting you. You see, I didn’t leave with the others. I must tell you that I was suspicious of you two from the very beginning, and I was right.”
The smile on Margo’s face was intentionally cruel.
“This is some sort of mistake.” Becca stared at the bag.
“It’s yours, alright!” Margo barked at her. “If I were you, I will check to make sure everything is in there. I told you he was keeping things from you! You must know that your bag went missing!” Margo shoved the Hermes handbag at her.
She held onto the bag and waited until Margo went out the door. And she waited some more; until she heard Margo’s car backing out the driveway and driving up the lane. Then she went to the window to make sure Margo was completely gone.
She didn’t want Margo coming back and surprising her.
She clutched the bag tightly against her chest and walked back to the living room with it. She only got as far as the stairs. The bag fell from her shaking hands and all of its contents, including a cell phone and wallet spilled out onto the floor at her feet.
She stared down blankly at everything, before bending down and picking up whatever she could slowly. She held some of the cards in her hand and stared at them.
She was curious.
A driver’s license and another ID card had a picture of her face on them. It
was her! She was Rebecca
Rose Maloney, born December 11, 1998! She held the cards to her chest and smiled. She finally knew her name! Becca Rose Maloney! She repeated it to herself, over and over again.
The two other names didn’t ring a bell to her, but she knew they were hers—it said so right there on her driver’s license and the other cards! She wasn’t Becca-anything, anymore! She squeezed the cards tightly in her hand and burst into tears. She was overcome with emotions—she finally knew who she was.
It was the beginning.
Then the feeling of anger, hurt and betrayal quickly set in. She didn’t understand why Keane had kept this, something so very important to her, from her. What was he thinking! Why had he lied to her?
She remembered she had asked him about her handbag and phone. He had denied finding them—yet they were there in a locked drawer in his office! He had purposely misled her about where they were.
And if Margo was right—and she was sure that she was, Keane had them all this time in his possession, and had deliberately chosen not to say a single word to her. Was he that desperate to keep her here with him!
Letting her know would have prevented the days and nights of raw agony she
had gone through not knowing. She didn’t think that she could ever find it in her
heart to forgive him for this.
He had selfishly destroyed what they had together, and even now, she wasn’t certain that anything they had shared was real, well at least to him.
She blew her nose in the tissues she had taken from the box of Kleenex, and dried her eyes. She stood up slowly and walked to the door. There was no way she was going to stay here with Keane now, knowing what he had done. He must have had some sort of sick reason for doing it, but she wasn’t going to stick around to find out what it was.
She hurried out the door, and took off down the snowy path, leaving the Hermes bag, her wallet, and everything in it scattered on the floor where they had fallen from her hands.
Chapter Fiveteen
She would be happy if she never saw Keane Whitmore again.
In fact, she had absolutely no desire to see him, not now or ever again! Whatever they had shared between them was finished—done! He had betrayed her in such a way that she didn’t think she could ever trust him again.
What the Heart Desires Page 17