aherospromise_211-3e3.htm

by A Hero's Promise (lit)

  "Then why are you here without him? Your mom said you were having trouble."

  Jessica suddenly felt very tired, and she withdrew her hand. "Yeah. We are. I think Dane has issues about Mac… Mac and me. We’re working on it."

  "I hope you can forgive me."

  Jessica looked Roxanne in the eyes. "I do forgive you. Please promise me we can be close like we used to be. That you’ll tell me when things happen. There’s been so many times I wanted someone to talk to…"

  With elephant tears streaming down her cheeks, Roxanne dissolved into Jessica’s arms.

  ~ * ~

  Roxanne said her goodbyes just after breakfast, and Jessica had to literally tear herself away from her best friend. The call from Janet Taylor had prompted Roxanne to squeeze in a brief, thirty-six hour visit between fashion events in Los Angeles, but Jessica was glad nonetheless. It was good to see Roxanne going back to work as well.

  The last remnants of fog were just lifting as Jessica made her way down Main Street, her woolen jacket buttoned up to her chin. The town was every bit as charming as her mother said it would be. Only an occasional passerby smiled in recognition, but no one approached her. Mid afternoon she stopped and gorged herself at the local pizza pub, then continued her shopping down the opposite site of the street. Shopkeepers kindly offered to deliver her purchases to the Winslow McKenna Inn, and she gladly accepted, succumbing to a need to feel unfettered and free. Yet keeping her arms free of packages proved a lot easier than keeping her mind free of the thoughts she’d hoped to avoid.

  "Dane," she whispered, stuffing her hands into her jacket pockets. "If only you weren’t such a… such a kook." She smiled inwardly at her own choice of words. Maybe her mother wasn’t all that far out in left field. There had to be a way to shake some sense into Dane, to make him remember that they were truly right for each other.

  Jessica recalled with bittersweet irony their hasty honeymoon in Amande, and Dane’s vow that they would always be together. Yet that very promise-keeping ethic was now keeping them apart. And what was that promise, anyway? He’d mentioned it more than once.

  It had something to do with Mac, and she’d been unable to get Dane to reveal it to her. Maybe she should have tried harder. Maybe she still could.

  ~ * ~

  Dane hugged both girls together and individually before leaving them in their maternal grandmother’s care. His own concern surprised him as he watched for signs from his daughters, signs that they, perhaps, also felt a loss at his departure.

  "I hope things work out for you," Melissa said softly.

  Dane forced a tight smile. "It will be okay."

  Zoe clung to Dane’s side. "When will you come back, Daddy?"

  "Soon, Sweetie. Soon." Dane gently extracted himself and sought out his son, who was sitting on the back porch of Rita’s mansion. "Hey, Sport. I gotta go now. You help your gramma with those bratty sisters, okay?"

  "Sure."

  "Why the long face? I’ll be back soon."

  "Sure."

  Dane issued a deep sigh and sat down beside Alexander.

  "Are you going after them?" the boy asked, looking not at his father but at some nonspecific spot on the back lawn.

  "Them, who?"

  "Mom Two and Dev."

  "Don’t know. I don’t think she wants me to."

  "Dev said you would."

  "Dev said what?"

  "He said you’d come and bring him and his mom back to the ranch."

  Dane shook his head slowly. "Wonder what made him say that?"

  Alexander shrugged. "He kept saying, ‘Daddy told me he would always take care of me and Mommy.’"

  "I might have said something like that at one time or another. I don’t remember."

  "No. He wasn’t talking about you. He was talking about his other dad. Uncle Mac. He said his other dad said that you," Alexander emphasized with a finger pointed at Dane’s chest, "you would always take care of him if he ever needed it. Kinda weird, huh? Why would Uncle Mac ever say that?"

  Dane frowned and got slowly to his feet. "I’m not sure, but I think I’d better find out."

  Alexander stood also, and after a brief moment of hesitation, embraced his father. "I told him he was dumb. I didn’t want them to go. Will you tell him I’m sorry?"

  ~ * ~

  Dane felt as if the air had been sucked right out of his lungs. The feeling began when Alexander revealed Devon’s words to him, and continued right up until he boarded the Alaska Airlines flight to Seattle the next day.

  "Can I get you something, Mr. Pierce?" the flight attendant asked, leaning down slightly. "We have mimosas made up this morning, or perhaps a Bloody Mary?"

  "Coffee, please." Dane pushed his seat back a notch and looked out the window. First class was mostly empty on the 5:50 a.m. flight out of LAX. He was edgy; too much was happening, too many details to think about. His future seemed to be teetering on the brink of a precipice, and everything was riding on his ability to put the past behind him.

  As part of his attempt to do just that, he’d made another stop at his former estate home the night before, intending to retrieve and destroy the hateful journal. It was no longer useful, and its very existence was threatening to him. Now, gratefully accepting the mug of steaming coffee, he recalled his shock at arriving at the Benedict Canyon house to find the small, rear bathroom window smashed. A quick glance around created a new knot in his stomach: the journal was gone.

  Dane shook his head to clear it. Reaching into the breast pocket of his shirt, he withdrew Jessica’s letter for the third time since boarding.

  "I’m not certain what to do next, only that we can’t go on the way we are. But I’m also not ready to talk about divorce. It would be terrible for Devon. So, please, if we could just leave things alone for awhile…"

  Dane sighed and refolded the letter. Leave things alone. What does that mean?

  "Cream?"

  "Uh, no. Black is fine."

  Okay. We can leave things alone, just as soon as I talk to Devon about what his father really said. Because if Mac did say I’d be there for his son… for his wife…

  A light wave of dizziness washed over Dane and he reached for the coffee on his tray. He hated the fact that his hand was trembling. The coffee was too hot, searing his throat and gullet but the pain did serve to clear his head, if only momentarily.

  It had been no small feat getting Janet Taylor’s address out of Teddy Langley, Jessica’s agent. It was a miracle that Dane had even thought of calling Langley at all. Now, if he was able to find Jan’s house, he might just find the answers he so desperately sought.

  Thirty-three

  From the Mouths of Babes

  "This is the best you can do?" Dane asked, staring at the keys to the four cylinder economy car the clerk handed him.

  "I’m sorry, sir. If you’d reserved… there is that big summit meeting in Seattle this week. We’re tapped out of the big cars. I can give you an SUV if you’d like."

  "Crap." Dane swallowed and looked around. People were beginning to stare. "Okay, hell, give me a damned SUV."

  Another clerk, on the telephone with his back turned, called over his shoulder. "We’re out of SUV’s, too."

  The young man working with Dane sighed. "Well…"

  "Nothing else but that… that roller skate out there?" Dane asked impatiently.

  "Give him the Hummer," the other clerk called.

  "A Hummer. That’s just great." Dane shook his head and took in a deep breath. "Just give me the damned keys, will you? And I need directions."

  He was on the Bainbridge Island Ferry before he calmed down. Leaning against the rail, the cold wind in his face, he watched the retreating Seattle shoreline. His insides were burning. He’d had enough Seattle’s Best on the airplane to drown a fish, and certainly enough to re-ignite his dormant ulcer.

  The directions to Jan Taylor’s farmhouse seemed simple enough, if he could thread the mile-wide Humvee through the network of narrow two-
lane roads on the small island. What would he say when he got there? What if Jessica refused to see him?

  She’d have every right. I really, really screwed up this time.

  But whether she’d see him or not, he had to talk to Devon. And Devon would be happy to see him, he was certain.

  The exit traffic at the Bainbridge Island terminal distracted him for a time as he tried to move the vehicle between the smaller cars all opting for the same lane. Yet it took almost no time to find himself traveling down the country road toward his mother-in-law’s home. She answered the door almost immediately.

  "Why, Dane. What a surprise. Please come in."

  Whatever he was expecting, it wasn’t this welcoming woman with the sympathetic smile on her face. "Thanks. I don’t suppose…"

  "Jessie’s not home. But sit down. Would you like some coffee?"

  "Uh, no. Thanks. Had enough already. Is… Dev here?"

  "He is, yes. He’s out back watching the mares. Why don’t you rest a bit before you see him? You’ve probably been on the road awhile?"

  "Yeah, I have. Left L.A. early this morning. Where’d Jess go?"

  "She’s… taking a little vacation. Up the Sound. How ‘bout I make you some eggs?"

  Dane could not hold back a smile. "That sounds good, actually." He followed her into the kitchen and sat down, watching with amusement as the woman bustled about, pulling together the ingredients. "It’s been a long time."

  "What, since we’ve seen one another or since you’ve eaten a decent meal?"

  "Since we’ve seen each other. My ex-mother-in-law fed me yesterday."

  "Would seem you’ve had good luck with mothers-in-law, at least."

  "She’s pretty fair. Her daughter’s not so bad, either, now that I think about it."

  "I heard she’s been ill."

  Dane stretched his legs out and sighed. "Is that what Jessie called it? Ill?" He chuckled to himself. "She’s doing okay. She’ll get out in a month or so."

  "The girls are with their grandmother, then?"

  "Yup."

  "You know Dane, the reason I wasn’t at the wedding was that my daughter--your wife--did not invite me."

  Dane lifted his eyebrows but did not voice his response. Jessica had never elaborated on why Janet had not shown up. Finally, he concocted a suggestion. "Maybe she felt two weddings were enough to invite you to?"

  Janet stopped stirring the scrambled eggs and turned to look at Dane, her expression quizzical. Dane cocked his head to the side in question, and the two burst out laughing in sync.

  "Could be," Janet agreed, nodding. "Could be."

  She joined him for the meal. "Devon’s already eaten," she explained. "He just can’t wait to get out there with the horses. I’m not much of a horse person myself, but he sure has taken to them."

  "That doesn’t surprise me." Dane felt a welling of pride. "He’s a great rider, already. I was planning to give him Mariah’s foal this spring, but…"

  "But what?" Janet asked sharply, as if she’d just been waiting for the comment.

  "Well, it doesn’t look too good for us still being together as a family. I suppose I should still give him the horse, but I don’t know when or where he’d be able to ride it."

  "Nonsense."

  "Huh?"

  "I said, why don’t you go talk to him now?"

  Dane frowned and got slowly to his feet. "Right."

  Devon made a mad dash for Dane when the latter waved to him from the back porch.

  "Pop! You’re here!" Throwing his small body into Dane’s arms, Devon snuggled his face against Dane’s neck. "I knew you would come."

  "You did, huh? Why is that?" Dane asked casually, carrying the boy back toward the horses and finally perching him atop the split rail fencing the corral.

  "Because you always take care of us."

  "Well, I try to. Is there another reason why you knew I would come?"

  "No, just my daddy, you know my other daddy who got kilt in a crashed plane? He told me if he ever crashed, that you, but he said you were called Uncle Dane then, he said you would take care of me, and Mommy too, because you loved us almost like he did."

  It was several moments before the lump in Dane’s throat shrank enough to allow him a voice. "He said that, did he? When was this?"

  "One time when I was scared he was crashing his plane. He said he wouldn’t. But he did. But it wasn’t his fault."

  "No, son, it surely wasn’t his fault." Dane wrapped his arms as tightly around Devon as he could without crushing the little boy. "He was right about the other thing, though. I will always, always take care of you and Mommy."

  "Yup. ‘Cuz you’re my pop."

  Dane blinked away the moisture filling his eyes. "Hey. Did you know that Mommy’s horse is going to have a baby? What do you think about that?"

  ~ * ~

  "Sure you can’t stay for dinner?" Janet Taylor asked, her hand absently stroking her grandson’s hair as he stood by her side at the front door.

  "I’ve lost too much time already," Dane said. "You say it’s about an hour’s drive?"

  "Give or take. Depends on traffic at the bridge."

  Dane nodded. Unable to stop himself, he stepped forward and gave Janet a hug. "Wish me luck."

  "I don’t think luck has much to do with it. But I don’t think you’re going to need it anyway. Jessie might surprise you. You be careful."

  "In that? Are you kidding?" Dane responded, gesturing toward the oversized vehicle parked near the porch. "Thanks for everything."

  ~ * ~

  The drive to Port Townsend was uneventful. The scenery was tranquil and a pleasant sort of anticipation began to spread over Dane.

  So. Mac had effectively made him Devon’s unofficial godfather. It made sense. Hadn’t Dane himself, after taking a bullet from Jackie Spencer’s gun, charged Mac with Alexander’s future? It was only natural that Mac would expect the same when it came to his own son.

  But his wife, too?

  It was open to interpretation.

  Pensive, Dane drove on. Interpretation of the words of a not-quite-five-year-old boy, a boy who needed a father, and more, a happy mother. Yet this same boy was incapable of creating a lie.

  Or was he? The tiniest sliver of doubt crept into Dane’s mind. It was a fact that, even at five, Devon had become a pint-sized manipulator when it came to getting what he wanted. Was it possible that his memory of his father’s assurances had been slightly skewed? That Devon’s overwhelming desire for family caused him to tweak Mac’s words in order to insure his mother’s happiness?

  Interpretation. I can choose to interpret this any way I want. Who would challenge me? Certainly not Devon.

  Gripping the steering wheel and taking a deep breath, Dane sped past the Port Townsend city limits, determined to win back Jessica’s heart.

  For good this time.

  ~ * ~

  "I didn’t think I’d be able to get away at all," Amy was saying, reaching for a packet of sweetener. "My Wednesday girl didn’t show up today, so Case and I had to do everything. That’s the downside of this business."

  "Still, it looks like a lot of fun."

  "It is. But I don’t want to do it forever. So, did you spend all your money yet?"

  Jessica grinned. "Not quite. Did get a few things for Devon. And a beautiful, hand-glazed crock for Mom. I want to go back to that store, they were closing when I was there yesterday."

  "Sure. Let’s go there when we’re finished here."

  The girls chatted amicably, reminiscing about their college days and carefully side-stepping their individual heartaches. From her discussions with Brian, Jessica knew Amy had been through her own turmoil in recent years. Yet things looked quite rosy for her now.

  "I’ve been thinking about what you said, about not knowing too many happily married couples," Jessica ventured, her eyes momentarily focused on her plate. "Some people do have good luck with it, you know."

  Amy smiled. "Sure. I know that. I mean, Ro
x is happy, right?"

  Jessica’s own brief smile faded. "Yeah. She’s happy. Hey, your brother Brian and Judy are happy. Chrissie and Nick are blissful!"

  "And you and Mac were happy."

  Now Jessica looked up, feeling her face grow hot. "Of course."

  "Oh, Jess, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize it was still so…"

  "No, really… I’m fine. It’s just that I… I really thought that Dane and I… you know." Jessica smiled brightly. "But I don’t want to spoil our time together. Let’s get out of here and do some serious shopping, okay?"

  "You’re on. You’ve still got, oh, at least a million to spend, right?"

  They were digging through a bin filled with silk scarves when Amy’s cell phone purred to life. "What’s up?" she asked, her face taking on an animated, concerned expression. "But they said they were staying another night! Great. Okay, I’m on my way. No, it’s okay. It won’t take long anyway." Shoving the phone back into her purse, Amy turned to Jessica with an apologetic smile. "I’ve got to get back to the Inn. The Heimlich’s are maneuvering out the door and Case is having trouble with the credit card line. It’s all choked up."

  "Well, you sure wouldn’t want him to get blue. I’ll just see you later," Jessica quipped, waving her friend off.

  She spent the rest of the afternoon wandering through the shops and boutiques, her mind still unable to focus on anything but her dilemma. Passing a video store, she paused, then returned. A good movie would help. While the Inn did not have televisions in the guest rooms, Amy and Case had given her carte blanche usage of their cozy living room on the third floor.

  Casually glancing over the titles, Jessica paused in the ‘romance’ aisle, only to be stopped cold by the cover of Lost Season.

  I’m haunted, she thought with disdain. I will never get away from this.

  As she put the movie case back on the shelf, a man appeared beside her and touched her gently on the elbow. Jessica nearly leaped from her skin.

  "I’m sorry, but would you mind autographing that for me? I’d be so honored." The shopkeeper was a kind enough looking man, but Jessica was still shaking from the surprise.