by Sandy Loyd
“I’m fine, Paul. I guess I’m tired. I didn’t get much sleep.”
“I saw you with Dev last night. Kate tells me you two are more than friends. He’s a good man. I hope it works out.”
Warmed by his heartfelt tone, she smiled. “Thanks, Paul, so do I.”
“You deserve love, Judith,” he said, taking her hands in his. He gave her a kiss on the cheek. “Happy birthday.” He released her hands as Kate walked into the room, and quipped while reaching for the stacked gifts, “You women sure are slave drivers.”
“Paul, you know you’ll do anything to have your way with me, so stop complaining and get moving,” Kate said.
Used to their teasing, Judith rolled her eyes. They each gathered armfuls and walked out to her car.
Once everything was loaded, Judith hugged Kate and Paul good-bye. Minutes later, alone and heading for her house, only one thing preyed on her mind. Dev. What was she going to do about him? Back and forth, her mind replayed the events of the past couple of months. By the time she parked, unloaded her car, and climbed the stairs to get ready for bed, she’d come to no conclusions.
She sat on the edge of her bed, eyeing Dev’s wrapped box in the pile of gifts. She hesitated. Stared at it for a while. Soon, curiosity filled her. She grabbed the box, tore the wrapping, and opened it.
Judith was shocked to see an official-looking piece of paper. Damn. Tears threatened as she read the card. It was a deed to the office building on Hyde Street along with a promissory note. Dev had signed ownership of the building over to her along with agreeing to pay for the full cost of the renovations.
“Oh, Dev,” she whispered, her tears flowing freely when she realized what this meant. “You always know how to touch my soul.” Emotionally drained, she placed the deed in the box and set it on the floor beside the bed.
She couldn’t think…couldn’t react. How did one react to someone so overwhelming as Devon McAllister and his gift?
She wasn’t about to make any decisions tonight. She was too tired to be objective. She’d sleep on it, and think about things tomorrow.
Problems were always easier to handle in bright sunlight.
~
Dev drove home with thoughts of Judith uppermost in his mind.
The evening had been a total bust.
Her outright dismissal once he’d arrived had hurt. Still, she hadn’t told him to leave, so that was something. Though he’d really wanted to be next to her, he’d sat at the empty spot, accepting it graciously and tried to remember he’d been lucky to have a seat at all. He’d known from the beginning how hard it might be to make amends, but his impatience kept resurfacing during the meal.
The desire to snatch her up, to take her somewhere and to force her to listen to him, all but overwhelmed him too many times. He’d tamped the feelings down because the stakes were too high. He couldn’t risk losing.
Dev laughed. There was no amusement in the brittle sound. He’d already lost his edge in dealing with Judith and had no control where she was concerned.
Why had he stayed? Instead of annoying her as he’d hoped after being so curtly dismissed when he first got there, all he’d done was torture himself. All evening, Dev had pretended nothing was wrong, but the effort almost killed him. He should have stayed home. Judith hadn’t glanced at him once. Damn, how could she not even acknowledge him? He’d had her naked in his arms just hours ago, and she acted as if she’d never seen him before. Unable to keep up the charade, he’d finally given up and left. Defeat left a putrid taste in his mouth.
Dev parked in his garage. Mike was out for the evening and the thought of going inside alone sounded unappealing. He decided on a walk to clear his head. He headed to the marina, then ambled along the water’s edge for a mile or so, up and back. It was a beautiful night with a light breeze, the fog rolling in, curling around the Golden Gate Bridge and the lonely moan of foghorns resonating in the background. The desolate sound matched his mood.
Right then, he felt utterly, completely, immensely alone.
Damn it all! She had to forgive him. While he walked, the scenes of the last few months played over and over in his head. Judith. That’s all he saw.
How could she be so upset as to treat him with such indifference?
True, he’d originally been motivated by revenge. She’d been an obsession for so long. Yet after spending one evening with her, his plans had crumbled. He hadn’t stood an ice cube’s chance in hell of going through with his original plans. She’d held his heart from the very beginning as a seventeen-year-old innocent. He knew without a doubt that if he’d finished what he’d started so long ago, he and Judith would now be married with a couple of kids. She was his better half. He must have recognized it instinctively back then.
Why was she running now and not giving them a chance? Those questions tore him in two as he let himself into his house.
Chapter 18
Judith stirred early the next morning. Well rested, she reviewed the events of the last few days more objectively. Memories filled her mind, of Dev and how their relationship had evolved. She groaned, placing an arm over her eyes. She’d simply overreacted. Sometime during the course of the past two months, his motives had changed. Maybe he’d intended full revenge in the beginning, but revenge played no part in their lovemaking.
How could she have believed otherwise? If her heart hadn’t told her so, the deed to the building shouted the news.
She loved Dev, but she began to realize her feelings weren’t just about him. Everything was jumbled together inside her brain. She needed to think things out. Ponder why she overreacted.
She groaned louder. Knowing Dev as she did, she had to be prepared for his onslaught. He wouldn’t give up until he got what he wanted. His gift told her he wanted her. And even if he hadn’t told her he loved her, she felt his love.
Two days ago, she might have acted differently. Now she wanted to be sure she’d be going to Dev without baggage. Love was hard enough to keep alive without the past interfering.
She smiled as images of Dev and what he’d do filled her mind. The picture of him making plans to lay siege in an attempt to mow down any obstacles blocking his objective bounced around her brain. There was no way he would sit patiently on the sidelines until she figured it all out.
If she didn’t act soon, Dev would be beating on her door within hours. Of that, she was sure. She was vulnerable where he was concerned. She wanted to come to terms with things on her own, without pressure. The magnetic pull of his personality influenced her too much.
What she needed, she realized, was breathing room.
Judith climbed out of bed, feeling lighthearted and pleased with the plan she’d formulated to give herself space. She knew where she’d go. A place where Dev would never find her.
She quickly made a few calls and packed a bag.
~
Dev woke up refreshed, eager to begin his day. After stewing for hours, he’d decided his best approach would be to confront Judith, to wipe out her indifference and force her to deal with him. After all, they’d be setting precedence for the rest of their lives. Indifference had no place in a marriage…and marriage was his ultimate goal. He’d settle for nothing less. If he left Judith to simmer, gave her time to build up her wall, it could become habit, and he had no intention of letting her build walls he’d have to break down every time she got upset.
He would stop by the site at lunchtime and waylay her. He’d done it before; he could do it again. With his plans in place, he pushed them to the back of his mind while he finished dressing. Soon, he headed out the door.
“Morning, Vickie,” Dev said to the receptionist on his way to Maude’s office.
He stopped at her door. “Morning, Maude.” He couldn’t keep the grin off his face. He felt like dancing.
“Somebody must’ve had a good weekend.” Maude grinned in response.
“As a matter of fact, I did.” He cleared his throat. “I have several things I need to do this af
ternoon. Can you clear my schedule?”
“I’ll get right on it.”
“Thanks.” He turned toward his office, intending to take care of last-minute details.
When ready to leave, he once again stopped outside Maude’s office.
“I’m available on my cell if you need me, but only if it’s important,” he said. “Anything else can wait until tomorrow, got it?”
“Got it.” With eyebrows raised, she asked, “Hot date?”
“Maybe.” His assistant was the only person in the office who could get away with such a question. “If it works out, you’ll be the first person besides my mother who’ll get an invitation to my wedding.”
“Well, it’s about time.” Maude offered a knowing smile.
Ignoring it, he swung around and waltzed out of her office.
Dev’s great mood quickly deteriorated when he learned Judith wasn’t at the site.
He searched for over an hour before he finally found someone who knew something.
“She’s taking time off?” Dev said to the contractor. “How could she be taking time off?”
“Said she needed personal time.”
“You’re sure?”
“Yeah. No big deal. I know what needs to be done. She gave me a detailed list of things to do and I told her I’d keep track of the work.”
Dev questioned him for several minutes before he realized she wasn’t coming back to work—not for days.
He promptly left the site and rushed to her house, only to find Judith wasn’t there either. The house seemed deserted. He didn’t have a key and he walked around the perimeter, peering into windows. He was heading to the front when he saw her next-door neighbor walking a dog.
Dev walked swiftly over to her.
“Excuse me.” He put out his hand and put on his warmest smile. “My name is Dev McAllister, and I was wondering if you could help me.”
“Hello, I’m Mrs. Kaminski.” The woman stopped and offered him a limp handshake. “It’s nice to meet you. Have I seen you before, young man?” She eyed him warily, then nodded. “I know you. You and Judith are dating, right?”
“Yes, we are,” he replied, amused at her nosiness. “She wasn’t at work today, and we had plans. I’m worried about her. Have you seen her?”
“Well, yes. I saw her leave around nine. She opened the garage and then put a suitcase in her car. It looked like she was leaving for a few days, but since she usually asks me to water her plants, I’m not sure.”
“Thanks, I guess I’ll have to check my messages.” Not wanting the busybody to know he had no idea where Judith was, he added, “We were supposed to meet. Maybe our signals got crossed.”
“I’m sure she left you a message. She’s not flighty like most young people today.” The elderly woman shook her head with a frown and clucked her disapproval.
Wanna bet, Dev thought to himself. He thanked her for her time and started for to his car, becoming more annoyed by the minute.
He drove away from the curb and it began to dawn on him that Judith had thrown up another hurdle. How dare she do this? Damn her! She wasn’t going to get away with it. His patience had snapped. He was tired of the chase. He’d hunt her down. Then he’d take her to Reno and they’d get married right away.
~
On Thursday evening, Dev stalked into his club to meet James for a drink, thoroughly convinced he was going to have to wait for Judith to return home on her own.
He’d spent days trying to track her down, calling friends and co-workers who might know where she’d gone. There was nothing more he could do but wait and the wait was driving him insane.
Recalling his conversation with Kate, he had to believe she was just as clueless as he was to Judith’s whereabouts. It was like she’d just disappeared. Dev had started to worry.
His nights had been unbearable; sleep elusive. He’d tossed and turned during those hours of darkness until he fell into a fitful sleep, only to awake an hour or so later with thoughts of Judith roaring through his brain. It was those same thoughts that kept him from falling back to sleep.
By Wednesday, when he’d finally received word, he’d been frantic. Maude had informed him of Judith’s response to his many anxious calls to her cell phone. If not for that phone call, he would have had the police put out an all-points bulletin for her.
And her message? Judith called to say she’d be in touch when she was ready.
What the hell had she meant? When she was ready? Her message merely pushed him closer to the edge.
He’d been furious to learn she’d called while he was out.
“You’d better not be in league with Judith’s scheme or you can find yourself another job,” he’d ranted to Maude.
“I tried to get Judith to call your cell,” Maude had said with genuine concern mixed with horror. “I told Judith you were really worried about her, but she was still adamant about only leaving a message.”
Maude’s sincerity had mollified Dev, but did nothing to keep him from leaving a few more heated messages on Judith’s cell phone. Eventually, one fact became clear. He had no choice but to accept her decision. She wouldn’t be back until she was ready.
Though her message had calmed his worst fears, his temper tonight was at the boiling point. As he nursed a beer while waiting for James to arrive, Dev decided it was just as well she was out of his range right now.
He wasn’t used to waiting. Not being able to take charge to work the situation to his benefit took its toll. He looked as haggard as he felt from lack of sleep. His mood was surly.
This was how James found him as he walked up to the table.
“Hey, Mac.” He pulled out a chair and sat. His gaze took in Dev’s appearance and quickly divined his mood. “Are you okay? You look like shit.”
“Yeah? Well, nice to see you too,” Dev said belligerently. He guzzled his beer, glaring at James, daring him to say more.
“Cheer up! I’m on your side. I’m here to help.”
“What? You mean you no longer wish I’d screw it up with Judith so you can sweep in and take over, ‘pick up the pieces’ when I’m done, if I remember right.” He sneered as jealousy overcame him. He knew he was being churlish but he couldn’t help it. He had to lash out at someone.
“Hell, Mac.” James sighed. “I never had a chance with her and you know it. Besides, your relationship gives me hope.”
“Right! Some relationship I have. My partner is absent. Has been for the last five days. To make matters worse, it appears I’m responsible for her departure.” And because he wanted to think of something other than his own problems, he asked, “I’m curious, though. How can my relationship give you hope?”
“Hope that I’ll find someone someday.”
He snorted. “And what is it about my wonderful relationship that makes you think so?”
“Well, here’s my theory,” James said, grinning and rubbing his hands together. “I’m sure there’s someone out there for me. After all, I’m not nearly as cynical or as hard to please as you. Besides, if Judith can bring the mighty Dev McAllister to his knees, there’s hope for me.”
Dev winced. James’ description was closer to the truth than he realized. The memory of him on his knees, bowled over in pain, flashed through his mind. He smiled for the first time in several days and said, “Be careful what you wish for, James. Sometimes love hurts.”
“If I had someone like Judith, I’d have to say, bring on the pain because it’d be worth it.”
Dev burst out laughing.
“What?” James looked up with eyebrows raised. “It wasn’t that funny.”
“Trust me, there are some kinds of pain you don’t want.” He stood, feeling revived, and asked, “You want a beer? I’m heading up to the bar for a refill.”
James nodded. “Sure. Whatever they have on tap would be fine. When you get back, I’ll tell you my news.”
Dev headed to the bar. He returned carrying two longnecks. He set one in front of James, the other
in front of his chair, and took his seat.
“Okay, what’s your news?” he demanded.
“Well, I think I may know where Judith is.” James took a swig, then set his bottle on the table and grinned.
“What, and you didn’t tell me the minute you sat down?”
“Hey, I just got here, and I just got my beer. Man, I’ll be glad when Judith returns and you’re back to normal!” James laughed good-naturedly, shaking his head.
“Where is she?” Dev’s impatience was ready to burst. “Get on with it.”
James slowly brought his beer to his lips and spent another long moment drinking.
“Well?” Dev urged.
Finally, as if figuring he’d tortured him enough, James grinned and said, “I think she may be at the house in Tahoe.”
“Why do you think that?” Tahoe? Dev’s brain spun.
“My mom. I called to tell her I was going up this weekend, and she told me I couldn’t. Said it was being used.”
“Don’t other people use it? I’m not driving four hours on a hunch.”
“Yeah, but usually she tells me who’s using it. Most times, I can still go up and stay in the guesthouse without disturbing anyone.” He paused to take a long swig.
“Don’t stop now,” Dev said. “Finish telling me your reasons.”
“Mom wouldn’t give me a clue as to who’s up there and she was very evasive when I tried to pry a name out of her. Finally, she said it was one of Dad’s business associates and they were staying in the guesthouse as well.”
“Sounds logical.”
“Yes, but Detective Morrison, here,” he said, tapping his own chest, “thought her explanation was too pat. So I called Dad. But I didn’t want him to know I already talked to Mom.” He winked. “Spying can be tricky, you know.”
Dev glared and waited.
“Okay…okay. No patience,” he said, shaking his head. “I asked him if I could use the lake house. Do you want to know what he said?” He stopped and looked at Dev. At his impatient nod, James said, “He said, ‘Fine.’ Can you believe it? He had no clue. When I asked about someone from his company staying there, he seemed puzzled. Said no one from the company was using the house.” James laughed. “I told Dad what Mom said. It was pretty funny, he got all flustered and tried to cover it up by saying, ‘She should know, so I guess she’s right.’ And not wanting to alert Mom, I told him that was good enough for me and I wouldn’t go up. I quickly ended the conversation. Then I called you. So what do you think? Am I better than Inspector Clouseau or what?” James asked, obviously pleased with his detective work.