Mountain Laurel

by Donna Fasano

  Sure, she would miss him when she returned home. Her heart would break to leave these beautiful mountains, this wonderful man. But being with him now was what she wanted…was what mattered. She’d learn to live with the pain and loneliness later.

  “I want you.”

  The warmth in his tone caressed her, and her heart swelled with tenderness.

  These were the same words he’d said to her earlier, and they sounded just as delicious to her now as they had then.

  “I want you, too.” She was surprised by how quickly she was filled with yearning. “But there’s not much we can do about it here.”

  His gaze dropped to her lips before returning to drink in the hunger he saw in her eyes. Desire pulled them closer like a powerful magnet.

  “I don’t think you understand.” His voice cracked in its huskiness.

  “I understand perfectly,” she whispered, kissing him on the jaw.

  He groaned, a low rumbling in the back of his throat that only she heard. Closing the small gap between them, he pulled her to him.

  His kiss was hard, greedy, and she welcomed it. He drank of her sweetness like a man dying of thirst.

  He eased the pressure of their kiss to whisper against her lips, “What I meant—”

  “Gee, guys!” Ginny’s voice held a hint of laughter. “I can’t think of a less romantic place to make out than an emergency center.”

  Laurel sat up straight, and Michael reluctantly released his hold.

  “Is Darlene asleep?” Michael asked.

  “Like a baby.”

  “And the baby?”

  “He’s sleeping, too, with his fist stuffed in his mouth.” Ginny’s eyes misted. “He is gorgeous.”

  Laurel couldn’t help but smile thinking of the new baby she’d watched come into the world.

  “Darlene wants us to call home, tell Jim he’s a daddy.”

  “That’s a good idea.” Laurel nodded.

  “Well,” Michael said, standing to fish into his pocket for the keys, “let’s go home and call Jim. Then we can all get some well-deserved sleep.”

  Chapter Nine

  Back at the cabin, Laurel sat on the edge of the couch, feeling none of the welcoming coziness the room usually gave her. The ride home seemed to have taken several hours instead of the short time it actually took. Questions rolled through her mind, one after another, until she thought she’d scream.

  Was she sure that sharing a few precious days of unbridled loving with Michael was what she wanted? And even if it was, could she turn her back on everything she believed in—her whole way of life? She loved Michael. She wanted him. And she knew that he wanted her. But would having him for such a short time be worth the hurt and loneliness she’d feel when she returned home? Looking across the room, she saw him standing by the hearth, studying the fire. She was absently aware of Ginny’s excited phone conversation with Jim.

  Laurel rubbed the palms of her hands together in agitation. Would letting herself go be worth it? Not only that, but could she possibly spend those few wonderful days loving him without showing him her true feelings?

  Michael sat down on the hearth and stared unseeing at the hardwood floor. He’d almost told her, had almost gotten it out. He shook his head. Was she ready to hear how he really felt about her? He doubted it. Seriously. What he needed was more time. He needed more time to show her that he hated playing this stupid game, that, in fact, he wasn’t playing at all.

  He had tried, really tried, to help Laurel out with her problem with Ginny without becoming involved. But all his good intentions had been smashed on their very first date without Ginny.

  Thinking back on the night he’d taken her to work with him, he remembered how the firelight had turned her hair to burnished copper, and how she’d laughed when he’d held his marshmallow too close to the fire and scorched it. He had enjoyed being with her. It had been torture to do his job that night, seeing to the campers’ comfort, keeping everyone happy, when his eyes kept being drawn to her beautiful face.

  He remembered how his heart had warmed when she’d invited two little girls to play a game of ring-around-the-rosy so their parents could enjoy a quiet stroll under the stars. But he also remembered the ugly feeling that had welled up inside him when that guy, innocent for all Michael knew, had sat down next to her. Michael had recognized the feeling instantly. Jealousy. A jealousy so strong that it had surprised him. At that very moment he had known that not only did he want Laurel, he loved her.

  But because they were playing this “game” for Ginny’s benefit, he’d felt it unwise to tell Laurel of his feelings. So he’d opted to show her instead. With quiet dinners and long walks taken hand in hand, caresses and unexpected kisses when there was no need to act—these were the things he’d used in an attempt to reveal to her how he felt.

  Maybe the intensity of his desire for her was getting in the way of his own judgment, but even after spending so much time with her for the past two weeks, he suspected that she was still unaware of the magnitude of his emotions. Sometimes she responded to him with such passion that it took his breath away. But then, other times, she would pull back. And it was that withdrawal that kept him guessing. The frustration of wanting to be frank and open with her about how he felt had built inside him until it had become an unbearable burden.

  He’d probably been stupid to blurt out as much of his feelings as he had tonight at the hospital, but their time was so short and he didn’t want to lose her.

  But what if she didn’t feel the same? His hands clenched into fists at the thought. She wanted him; he knew that. He could and had stirred her desire. But what he wanted was more than physical. It might sound crazy, having known her for less than two weeks, but he wanted her for a lifetime.

  “Michael.” Ginny’s voice broke into his thoughts and he watched her set the phone receiver on the table. “Jim wants to talk to you.”

  Bounding across the room, Ginny plopped herself on the sofa next to Laurel.

  “Jim wants us to stay a while longer so we can bring Darlene and the baby home with us when we go.”

  “Stay?” Laurel’s insides fluttered at the thought. She didn’t know if it was from excitement or dread.

  “Yeah. Just long enough for Darlene and the baby to travel comfortably. And he said Mom wants to talk to you, too.”

  “Mom?” Laurel’s back straightened as she jerked to attention. “Is something wrong?”

  “I’m not sure,” Ginny said. “I don’t think so.”

  Laurel eyed the telephone anxiously. What could be wrong at home? Had her father gone back on his word and left her mother alone? Michael’s expression changed, and Laurel knew her mother was on the line.

  “Yes, Mrs. Morgan,” he said. “They’re just fine. We’re having a great time together. Yes. Of course. I’d like that very much.”

  Laurel wished she could hear both sides of the conversation.

  “Although your oldest daughter may have something to say about that.”

  What could they be discussing? Laurel wondered.

  “I’ve been showing them around,” he said. “There’s plenty more for them to see.”

  Michael called to her with his eyes, and Laurel stood and went over to him.

  “She’s right here,” she heard him say.

  He handed her the receiver and smiled. “It’s your mother.”

  “Thanks.” Why did he look like the cat that had swallowed the canary? She lifted the phone to her ear. “Mom?”

  “Laurel. Hello, dear.”

  Laurel barely recognized the energetic voice.

  “Mom, is everything okay?”

  “Things are wonderful, Laurel. Just wonderful. They couldn’t be better. Well, maybe they could.” Her voice dropped to a conspiratorial whisper. “Laurel, I’d really like for you and Ginny to stay there a while longer. I realize that Jim has—”

  “What?” Laurel wasn’t in the habit of interrupting others, but she was that taken aback
by her mother’s demeanor.

  “Just a little longer, dear.”

  “Mom, what’s wrong? Why are you whispering?”

  “Nothing’s wrong, Laurel.” Her mother’s tone held a touch of indignation.

  “Mom—”

  “Laurel, will you listen to me?”

  It had been a long, long time since her mom had spoken to her so sharply.

  “Your father and I…we’ve been talking. We’ve been spending time together, enjoying each other. It’s as though we’ve started over. Please, Laurel, give me a little more time alone with him.”

  Laurel was so surprised she was speechless.

  “Your dad is planning something wonderful for Ginny, too. He’s opening a small branch shop and he wants her to manage it. She’ll love it, don’t you think?”

  Again, Laurel couldn’t find the words to answer.

  “She’ll have something of her very own. It’s going to be right on the boardwalk. Laurel?”

  “I’m here, Mom. I don’t know what to say. You sound so…so…”

  “Happy?” her mother provided.

  Laurel swallowed. Different was the word that floated through her mind. Amazingly different.

  “Yes,” she said. “I guess that’s it.”

  “Don’t sound so upset.” An underlying mirth made the words sparkle.

  Tears of joy filled Laurel’s eyes. “No…it’s just…I’m…”

  “You tell Gin what’s waiting for her here. And tell her I love her.”

  “I will. I love you, Mom—Dad, too.” Laurel could barely get the words out.

  “I love you, too. And, Laurel, that young man I spoke to—he seems very nice.”

  “He is,” Laurel said vaguely, preoccupied by the miraculous change in her mother.

  “Bye, sweetheart. I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.” Laurel stared at the dead phone in her hand. The whole conversation had been incredible. Her mother had said that she loved her. Laurel had known forever that her mother loved her—she had never doubted it for a minute—but it had been years since she’d actually heard the words out loud.

  What was that last thing her mom had said? “I’ll see you in a couple of weeks.” The statement brought her up short. Two more weeks? She looked across the room at Michael, whose dark eyes were waiting, glinting with some hidden pleasure.

  How could she possibly survive for another couple of weeks without succumbing to the feelings she had for him? A couple of days, maybe. But never for two full weeks! She was sure to make a fool of herself, just as she had when she’d first met him. The thought of those first disastrous meetings with Michael sent a pang of embarrassment through her. Over and over, she’d looked like a blubbering idiot.

  She couldn’t go through that again. From where she stood she saw two options. She could stay and ultimately give in to the powerful feelings she had for Michael, or she could cut and run. Even an idiot could realize that only one of those options was viable. One option that is, if she wanted to be left with any amount of self-respect. She couldn’t make a fool of herself. She had to leave. She had to get away from him.

  Placing the receiver into its cradle, she walked slowly, calmly, over to where her sister and Michael sat. She used each methodical step to plan the best way to deliver her news.

  “Isn’t it great?” Ginny said when Laurel reached the sofa. “Michael told me that Mom sounds fantastic. She wants us to stay out here for two more weeks.”

  Laurel avoided Michael’s eyes. She sat down next to Ginny and plastered a bright smile on her face.

  “Dad has a wonderful surprise for you.”

  “For me?”

  Laurel knew Ginny’s thoughts about staying were forgotten as her expression took on an air of excited expectation.

  “Yes,” Laurel said. “And we have to go home right away.” She sensed rather than saw Michael go utterly still. She ignored him, wanting to keep Ginny’s excitement high. “You’re going to have a store of your own. Right on the boardwalk.”

  “You mean…to manage…on my own?”

  “Uh-uh. All on your own.”

  Ginny squealed and hugged Laurel to her. “A store of my own! I can’t believe it.” She sat back and looked at Laurel, her smile fading. “But I don’t know how to manage a store.” She gazed across the room, a faraway look in her eyes. “I’ve stocked shelves and managed the till. But…but…” She looked back at Laurel, panic written on her face. “Laurel, I’m going to need some help. I don’t know the first thing about keeping the books. I’ve never hired staff. I’ve never… Oh, Laurel, what if I fail?”

  Laurel smiled. “Don’t worry. You’ll learn everything eventually. And it’ll be easier than you think.” Looking at the eager flush that warmed Ginny’s cheeks, Laurel couldn’t help but know that this was the perfect answer to Ginny’s problems. Her parents had come up with the ideal solution. Giving Ginny a purpose was like handing her the key to a locked door, a door that led to responsibility and maturity.

  Michael sat straight and tense, watching the scene unfold before him. Laurel purposefully avoided eye contact with him. Why was she not telling Ginny the truth? He was certain that Laurel’s mother wanted her daughters to extend their vacation. Mrs. Morgan had told him that she needed more time with her husband, and after what Laurel had told him about her mother’s condition, he had marveled at this turn of events. He’d also felt as though he’d been handed a reprieve. With Laurel staying on Spring Mountain at least two more weeks; he would have the time he needed to show her how he felt. But here she was telling Ginny they had to leave immediately. Well, he refused to let her bolt like a skittish doe.

  Clearing his throat to get their attention, he said, “Laurel, your mother explicitly told me that she’d like you and Ginny to stay. I assured her there were plenty of sights you haven’t seen.”

  Laurel refused to look at him. She knew to meet his gaze would be her downfall. She wanted him so badly she couldn’t stand it. But she couldn’t have him and not bare her soul. She wanted something more than merely a vacation fling. And that was impossible. He lived and worked in the mountains of Western Maryland. She lived and worked hundreds of miles away on the seashore. It was too complicated. She had to leave here because she couldn’t bring herself to take only a part of him and not reach out for the whole.

  “Michael told me that Mom and Dad are talking.” Ginny’s voice was lowered in awe. She took Laurel’s hand. “As excited as I am about having my own shop, I think we should stay. Laurel, if they need more time together, we should give it to them.” Ginny looked at Michael. “It’s okay if we stay in Jim’s cabin, isn’t it?”

  “Sure.” He turned to Laurel. “We’ve had fun so far, Laurel. I’d like you to stay.”

  She sucked in her breath. Is that what he thought? Was that what he wanted? More fun? Jerking around to face him, she felt a knot rise in her throat. She needed to look at him, wanted to see the man he really was.

  She’d meant nothing to him. Nothing! All the time she’d spent learning to care for him, falling in love with him, had only added up to “fun” in his mind.

  “You want me to stay?” The words sounded raspy and harsh even to her own ears.

  Ginny must have felt the sudden burst of tension because she tugged her hand from Laurel’s tight grasp, stood and said with false brightness, “Well, this has been a long day for me. I’m going to bed.”

  Both Michael and Laurel kept their fixed stare as Ginny left the room. The hurt welled in Laurel’s throat until she was sure it would suffocate. As she watched him sitting there, silent and expectant, her wounded feelings slowly turned to anger.

  “I asked you a question,” Laurel said, her jaw so tight she could barely get the words out.

  He took a deep breath. “I heard you. And the answer is yes.” He pressed his lips together, pausing a moment before adding, “But you knew that already.”

  His eyes darkened with desire, and the knowledge that that was all he wanted
from her pierced through her heart.

  Laurel stood and glared at him. Then she went over to the front door, turned the handle and pulled it open.

  Turning back to Michael, she said, “Thank you for all of your help. I do appreciate everything that you’ve done for me. For Ginny. But I want you to know, Michael, that the play is over. The curtain’s been drawn.”

  The desire that had been evident on Michael’s face slowly morphed from bewilderment, to irritation, to anger as he stood and walked toward her. When he reached her, he locked one hand around her upper arm and pulled her out onto the porch, closing the heavy door behind him. He towered over her, ire pulsing in the muscles of his jaw.

  “I can’t believe you feel that way. I don’t believe it.”

  Laurel pried her arm out of his grip and took a backward step. She kept her voice quiet and controlled. “Well, you better believe it. I’m finished playing. I’m going home. I’m going home as fast as my little legs will carry me.”

  He heaved a deep, frustrated sigh. Why was she so set on leaving? He walked to the steps and stared up at the stars, rubbing one hand back and forth across his jaw as he dealt with chaos swirling in his chest.

  “What about your parents?” he said quietly. “Forget about us for now, us and the game we’ve been playing. You’re mother made a request. Surely you want to give her the time she’s asked for.” He glanced at her over his shoulder, stuffing his hand deep into his pocket.

  Laurel stood there, her lips pressed tightly together. Of course, her parents needed time, and she wanted to give it to them but she couldn’t stay here. She couldn’t!

  “For God’s sake, Laurel, your mother is trying to turn her life around. You’ve got to give her a little space to do it.”

  “I’ll go someplace else,” she whispered. “Ginny and I can pack up the car and go someplace—”

  “You’re running from me. From what we’ve enjoyed together,” he said. He strode toward her, not stopping until he was inches from her face. “What happened to all your big talk about maturity, Laurel? What happened to—” He cut off the rest of his sentence, his head shaking in clear disgust. “You don’t have to run from me.”