Amorous (The Lincoln Series Book 1)

by Baer, Susan

  She tried to remember Janet’s number and even AJ’s, but she didn’t have to dial theirs either. She never realized how dependant she was on her phone. She took a deep breath to try and calm herself but the more she tried to remember each number the more she panicked.

  Marie felt tears of frustration fill her eyes and she sat down in the desk chair. With a heavy sigh she leaned back. The first tear rolled down her cheek and she could taste the saltiness when it reached the corner of her mouth. Jake had set the trap and she’d walked right into it. She closed her eyes and let the tears flow.

  Jensen returned to the den. He entered quietly and saw Marie crying. The pain on her face tugged at his old heart. Jake had refused to let go of his foolish plan to make her his. Jensen knew Marie didn’t love Jake and he tried to stay out of it to let them work it out. He had hoped by refusing to let her hide from Jake during dinner that the matter would’ve been settled tonight. But the pain he saw in her face told him Jake hadn’t relented. He needed to put an end to this foolish game before it went too far.

  Jensen had raised Jake from the time he was born and he’d tried to teach him right from wrong, but the absence of his parent’s love had consumed Jake from a very young age. Little else mattered to him than gaining his parent’s attention, including their anger. And keeping Jake out of trouble had become a fulltime job.

  As an adult, Jake wasn’t much better. He was still trying to gain love and acceptance, and at the very least, attention. Only now he didn’t care who it came from or what he had to do to get it, as long as he got it. Jensen knew his latest target was Miss Marie Adams.

  Marie jumped when Jensen cleared his throat.

  “Oh! I’m sorry. Do you need me to leave?” She stood from the chair and wiped the wetness from her cheeks.

  “No, my dear, you may stay as long as you need. Despite your earlier claim I thought you might like some tea.” He set the tray down near the fireplace and began pouring a cup.

  “Oh, uh, no thank you. I don’t really…like…tea.” Her voice died to a whisper when she realized she was getting a cup of tea whether she wanted one or not.

  She walked to the chairs by the fireplace and sat down. He handed her a cup and saucer. Steam rose from the colored liquid and she reluctantly took the offered beverage.

  “This will make you feel better. It has a touch of Chamomile to help soothe your senses.”

  “Thank you.” She sipped the tea and tried not to taste the bitterness. She was surprised when the flavor was pleasant. “It tastes like fresh raspberries.”

  “It is a recipe handed down from my grandmother. She was quite knowledgeable about berries and such. This one is my favorite.”

  Marie took another sip and let the warm tea penetrate her insides. The aroma was mild and soothing and she could feel some of the tension melting away.

  “Were you able to make your phone call, Miss Adams?” He straightened and stood to her side with his hands clasped behind his back.

  “No. I couldn’t remember his number and without my phone I don’t have my address book.”

  “I’m sorry to hear that, Miss Adams.”

  “Mr., uh, Jensen…I’m sorry. Is Jensen your first name or your last name?”

  “It is my sir name, Miss Adams.” He was still standing next to her, his expression was stoic.

  “May I ask what your first name is?” She wanted to laugh in spite of herself when his only movement was to raise a single eyebrow in curiosity.

  “My given name is Henry. If you wish, you may use either.” He bowed slightly in her direction.

  “I’d prefer to call you Henry. It makes you sound like a friend and I could use one right now. Would you mind sitting with me for a while?”

  A smile slowly appeared on his face. “I would be delighted to sit with you, Miss Adams.”

  “And please call me Marie. Miss Adams makes me feel like an old lady.”

  “As you wish, Marie.” He sat in the chair next to her.

  The two sat in silence for long moments staring into the fire. When he spoke again his tone was softer, gentler.

  “You seem so distressed, Marie. Is there something I can do for you?”

  “Can you turn back time? I’ve made some bad choices lately.”

  Henry placed his elbows on the arms of his chair and folded his hands together in his lap. “You seem a bit young to be wishing to go back in time. Some decisions we make in our lives are important enough to determine the course of our future, and I have found that even the worst situations can be turned to our advantage. Perhaps these choices you have made are not as bad as they seem.”

  “I would give anything for that to be true, but either way I’ve traveled down a road I don’t want to be on anymore.”

  She lifted her head and looked at his eyes. She saw years of wisdom in his gaze and hoped somehow he could help her see what she needed to do.

  “Some of the roads we travel in life are difficult. The purpose we must fulfill isn’t always easy, but it is always necessary. I believe God gives each of us different challenges because we are meant to learn different lessons. What we do and how we handle those challenges is what our judgment is based on. We can’t escape our challenges.” He smiled. “That’s called cheating.”

  “I don’t want to escape. I want a chance to handle things differently. I walked away from the man I love without telling him why, and now I think I’ve lost him. A part of me was hoping he would follow me but he didn’t.” She looked down at her hands. “When I left he wanted to come with me and I told him I wanted to be alone, that I needed time to think. And he just let me walk away.” She paused. “I guess I should be careful what I wish for.”

  Henry reached across and squeezed her hand gently. “Being a member of the male persuasion myself I can tell you we don’t always think clearly in matters of the heart, and I doubt he would give up so easily. You are too lovely for any good man to let go. Maybe you should give him another chance.”

  “I want to, but I don’t know how to reach him.” Marie could feel the tears threatening to fall again. “I can’t call him because his phone number is in my phone on speed dial and I never actually dialed it. I thought of calling Janet or Dr. Carrington but their numbers are in my phone too. I don’t know what to do. I don’t know how else to get out of here. I mean—”

  “First of all, I want you to take a deep breath and relax.” He patted her hand. “We’ll figure this out. Now this friend of yours, Janet was it? Would her number be in the phone book?”

  “No. She doesn’t have a landline. She uses her cell phone for everything, including work.”

  “Well, if she uses her phone for work, wouldn’t it be—?”

  Marie snapped her head up to look at Henry. “Yes! Of course, why didn’t I think of that? She uses it for work. It will be listed. Do you have one? A phone book I mean.”

  “Of course, my dear.”

  She followed him to the desk where he reached into the top drawer and pulled out a Lincoln phone book.

  “I think you might find Miss Becker in here.” He winked at her.

  She took the book from him and flipped through the pages with trembling hands. When she found Janet’s number she picked up the phone and dialed. She listened to the ringing and swallowed past a lump in her throat.

  “Becker Realty, this is Janet.”

  “Jan, you have to help me.” She blew out a heavy sigh and tried to calm her nerves.

  “Marie, honey, where the hell are you? We’ve been worried sick. Are you okay?”

  “I’m fine. I’m at Jake’s castle, or his parent’s castle, or whatever it is.”

  “Are you insane? Why didn’t you call me? You know you can’t trust Jake.”

  “I know. I just…I need a ride, Jan. Can you come get me? Please. I have to find Warren. I really screwed up.”

  “He’s on his way to you so stay put because if you’re not there when he gets there I’ll kill you myself. He’s been a mess since you left
.” She paused. “Marie, why didn’t you tell him about the baby?”

  Marie’s vision blurred. She looked up at Henry when he patted her hand.

  “I will give you some privacy and wait for him to arrive.” He smiled at her and turned to walk out the door.

  When the door clicked shut behind him she exhaled the breath she’d been holding.

  “He doesn’t want the baby. I heard him say it. He said a baby would screw up his life. I don’t want to lose him Janet but I won’t give up my child. It might be all I’ll ever have of him.”

  “Stop being such a drama queen. You’re letting your hormones run amok. If he didn’t love you he wouldn’t have spent the past twenty-four hours combing the city looking for you. He’s on his way to you right now, Marie, because he loves you. And thank God AJ’s with him because he’ll kill anyone who gets in his way at this point. By the way, is Jake there with you?”

  “No. The only one here is Henry.”

  “Who the hell is Henry? You better tell him to hide before Warren gets there or he might end up dead.”

  “Now who’s being dramatic? Henry is Jake’s butler and a very nice old man.”

  “You mean Jensen?”

  “Yes.”

  “Okay, good. Now all I have to worry about is whether or not Warren strangles you when he gets there. What the hell were you thinking going to Jake for help?”

  Marie sighed. “I wasn’t. I panicked. What am I going to tell Warren, Jan? He doesn’t want a child right now.”

  “I wouldn’t be so sure about that. He knows, Marie, and he’s been desperate to find you.”

  “Great. He probably does want to strangle me for letting this happen. I told you not to tell him.”

  “I didn’t tell him. I just helped him figure it out. He’s not exactly a blockhead you know. He would have figured it out on his own eventually.”

  “Was he angry? What did he say?”

  “No. He’s not angry about the baby, Marie. He’s hurt. You ran out of his life and he had no idea why.”

  “I was scared. I didn’t think about what I was doing. I didn’t mean to hurt him.”

  “He loves you, Marie. You do know that, don’t you? Talk to him. You two will get through this together. And for God’s sake tell him you love him. I think he needs to hear you say it.”

  “I will.”

  Guilt consumed her when Janet’s words sank in. She had wanted to strike out at Warren and hurt him as much as his words had hurt her. But she never realized how much pain she would feel to know he was suffering, and to know she had caused it.

  Emotion closed her throat and speech was impossible. She ended the call in silence and prayed to God he could forgive her.

  ****

  Warren could see the Winston Mansion as they came to the end of the trees lining the driveway. He hadn’t been in the house since he was a kid. It certainly hadn’t changed on the outside. It still looked like a castle from the middle ages. Sir Winston and his wife were from rural England and it had been quite obvious from their taste in home style.

  AJ put the car in park, but before he could cut the engine Warren opened his door and headed up the steps.

  “Warren, wait!”

  AJ stepped between him and the front door.

  “Take a deep breath. You need to calm down. She is obviously here for a reason, namely to hide from you. If you go in there guns blazing she’ll run.”

  Warren clenched his hands into fists and growled in frustration. He looked at AJ and said, “So, what am I supposed to do? Just let her walk away because she thinks I don’t love her?”

  “Of course not. But keep your focus on her and how scared she is right now. If Jake is in there let me handle him, you worry about Marie.”

  “Fine. Just keep him the hell out of my way.” Warren took a couple deep breaths then rang the doorbell.

  The door opened and he recognized Jensen immediately. Despite all the years since they had seen the man he hadn’t changed much.

  “How good to see you, gentlemen. Please come in. I believe you are expected.”

  They stepped across the threshold and a car screeched to a halt next to AJ’s.

  “Get the fuck out of my home!” Jake ran toward them and took the steps two at a time.

  Jensen turned to Warren and AJ. “Please step into the study. I will be with you momentarily.”

  Warren stood just inside the door of the study and watched the exchange.

  “Get them the hell out of here! They aren’t welcome in my home!” Jake charged for the study.

  Jensen caught his arm and stopped him in his tracks. “Jacob, listen to me.”

  Jake tried to pull his arm free and couldn’t.

  “What the hell do you think you’re doing? Let go of me, old man.”

  “They are here at the request of your houseguest. I have no right to deny them entry. You must let them visit unless you plan to evict Miss Adams as well.”

  Jake jerked his arm free of Jensen’s grip and straightened his jacket. “Fine. I still have a right to know what’s going on in my own home.”

  Warren stepped out of sight when the two men approached the study. He waited for Jake to pass and stepped behind him.

  “Where is she?”

  Jake spun around. “None of your business.”

  “Everything about Marie is my business.”

  AJ stepped to his side. “Warren, let me handle him.”

  Jake cocked his head. “Not anymore, Warren. And why would you care? She’s used goods now isn’t she?”

  Warren took a step toward Jake. “How dare you—”

  “Isn’t that what you playboys call pregnant women?”

  Warren’s breathing nearly stopped when pain shot through his heart. She told him. Marie told Jake she was pregnant. She walked away from him without a word and ran to Jake. She trusted Jake to take care of her, not him.

  “The child she’s carrying is mine.” Warren couldn’t tame his rage and he barely recognized his own voice.

  “A child you don’t want.”

  “I didn’t know she was pregnant when she walked out.”

  “Then she obviously thinks you’re not man enough to take care of her.”

  “She knows you’re a user. She’d never trust you.”

  “She’s here, isn’t she?”

  “You manipulated her.”

  “She chose to come with me. She chose me to take care of her because she knows she’s safe here.”

  Warren could feel the anger heating his blood. How could she betray him like this?

  “She’ll never be safe with you,” Warren said. “You only want her because she belongs to me.”

  “Not anymore. She belongs to me now.” Jake turned and walked toward his desk.

  The cocktail of pain and anger sent tremors through Warren’s limbs and he flexed his fingers to hide his reaction.

  “Marie will never belong to you because she loves me. She’s carrying my child.”

  Jake turned toward Warren and crossed his arms.

  “So what happened, Warren? Change your mind? Decide to be a man for once?”

  Warren moved close to Jake and looked down at him. It took all his strength not to strangle him.

  “Tell me where she is!”

  Jensen stepped behind Jake. “This game is over, Jacob. Let Warren take her home.”

  “Stay out of this old man.” Jake kept his eyes locked with Warren’s.

  Warren shoved Jake. “Tell me where she is!”

  “In my bed.”

  “You son of a bitch!” Warren lunged for Jake.

  AJ caught his arms from behind and held him back. “Warren. Let me handle this.”

  Jake smirked. “Marie is mine.”

  “Like hell she is,” Warren yelled.

  “Soon you’ll be nothing more than a faded memory.”

  “Jacob! That’s enough.” Jensen reached for Jake and missed as he collided with Warren.

  Warren twisted out o
f AJ’s grip when he fell backwards onto the coffee table. He shoved Jake off him and jumped to his feet.

  Jake regained his balance and Warren connected with his jaw so hard pain shot through his hand. He ignored the ache and swung again, this time Jake doubled over when the air rushed from his lungs. He watched Jake sink to the floor and lean back against the sofa.

  Warren grabbed him by the lapels and pulled him to his knees. “Tell me where she is. I’m not leaving without her.”

  AJ grabbed Warren by the arm and pulled him back. “I told you to let me handle him.”

  Jake rubbed his jaw. “The baby will be mine because Marie already is.”

  Warren lunged for Jake and Jensen stepped between them.

  “Stop it! Both of you! You’re acting like children.”

  AJ looked at Warren and spoke softly. “Damn it, Warren, get a hold of yourself. Remember what I told you. Concentrate on Marie.”

  He was concentrating on Marie. And the pain of her betrayal was killing him.

  AJ extended his hand to Jake.

  Jake ignored AJ’s offer and got up slowly on his own. “Get out.”

  “Dr. Jackson, may I have a word with you in the hall please?” Jensen gripped Warren’s arm tight.

  AJ jerked his head lightly in the direction of the foyer and Warren conceded.

  “Yes. Of course.” Warren relaxed his muscles and allowed Jensen to lead him out of the room.

  “I do apologize for Jacob’s behavior. I wish I had known what he was up to.” He let go of Warren’s arm. “I completely understand your desire to thrash Master Jacob but I believe there is someone who needs you more right now.”

  “Is she alright, Jensen?”

  They stopped in front of a door at the end of the hall and the old man turned to face him.

  “You know better than that, Warren. Jacob doesn’t know how to treat a lady properly but he’d never lay a hand on a woman. And even if he would, I can still handle him.”