The Cure (A Michigan Sweet Romance #1)

by Parker J Cole

  Micah lacked the exoticness needed to grace the cover of a magazine. A man with a slim build and pale, freckled skin, his long hair framed a face with a razor blade nose and thin lips. A prominent but not unattractive cleft adorned his chin. Gorilla-sized pectorals and six pack abs would never find a place on his frame. He didn’t have the drop dead gorgeous looks of a male model. Yet, there was that certain something about him which drew a woman’s eye. A latent masculine grace underpinned by a firm will.

  With a fluid motion, he took his coat and dropped it on a chair beside him. Her eyes strayed to his shoulders, covered with an almond brown sweater. They lacked the massive depth of a bodybuilder, but they were solid. Once, when she’d had an unfortunate bout with food poisoning, he came over to her apartment and washed her face, pulled her hair back into a ponytail, and made her rest her head on those firm shoulders. She’d fallen asleep, comforted by his strength.

  “Savannah.” His curt tone brought her out of the memory and she mentally shook herself.

  She stood up from her seat. “Micah.”

  Keep it simple and straightforward. The only person who mattered was Liliana.

  She looked up into his face. Blank and inscrutable. It seemed he also sought to avoid the same blow-ups from yesterday.

  He tugged the bottom of his sweater and stuffed his hands into his pants pocket. “How’s Liliana?”

  “Dr. Yamaguchi says she’s more alert today and not in as much pain today.”

  A thin, blond eyebrow arched with approval. “That’s good. Third degree burns aren’t as painful because of the nerve damage. It’s the second degree burns that smart like mad.”

  Savannah’s throat dried. To think Liliana lay there with any kind of pain rippling through her body made Savannah want to howl. The little girl had been through so much already. Must Liliana suffer this agony, too?

  “She’s only three, Micah,” Savannah whispered, forgetting to be on her guard. “Three years old. This is a lot for an adult to handle. I can’t imagine how a child can hold up under these kinds of circumstances.”

  Her fingers dragged through her hair and she stared out the window. The snowstorm continued, although in abated ferocity. Her mind churned with the same turmoil. How could God allow a small child to deal with all of this? What possible purpose could there be for a young one? A few church friends had called her in the past three days. More than once she’d heard the cliché statement ‘God has a plan’. Her mind wouldn’t accept that simplistic statement. What plan?

  “Savannah.”

  Micah’s voice drew her out of thoughts. Those amber eyes compelled her to focus on him. Like a moth to flame, she gazed into their depths. “What is it, Micah?” Was that her voice that was so breathless?

  “Don’t give up.” He reached out as if to clasp her shoulders but then stopped and thrust his hands back into his pocket. “Don’t give up.”

  She ignored the twinge of disappointment. “I’m not giving up.”

  “I mean don’t give up believing things are going to get better for Liliana.”

  Her throat convulsed and her finger drifted to her bobbing Adam’s apple. “I’m trying not to.”

  Micah let loose a sigh. “I’ve seen some pretty terrible things in my line of work. I’ve seen patients younger than Liliana in situations like this or worse. I know that beyond my skill or any surgeon’s ability is something bigger. It’s the hope they will get better. And you have to hold on to that.”

  This was the Micah Reddington of her past. This warm, caring man who sought to ease her fears with words of encouragement. Here stood the fiancé of her heart, the one whose strength she could rely on. The sun’s light that filtered through the window surrounded him like an aura, bathing him in golden hues.

  “Savannah Woods?”

  The harsh grunt of another man’s voice intruded. It broke the temporary aberration and heat flooded her face. Micah seemed just as startled but he turned toward the source of the voice that called her name.

  Turning to meet the meet the man who called her, Savannah dampened down a feeling of disappointment. “Yes?”

  A large, rotund man with a comb-over and a pirate’s mustache waddled toward her. His cheeks jostled with each step and as he neared, she could hear him wheezing. Besides him walked a short, slender woman with short, spiked blonde hair and a bowlegged stride.

  The large man spoke, or rather coughed out, “I’m Lieutenant Bullard and this is my partner, Detective Chalker. Do you have a few minutes to talk?”

  “Of course.” She shook their hands.

  Lieutenant Bullard glanced at Micah. “Is there somewhere we can talk privately?”

  “You can speak in front of Dr. Reddington. He’s here at my request.”

  A look of incredible irony twisted Micah’s features and the softer memories of the past eroded. Savannah gritted her teeth. Why had she allowed some words of encouragement to sway her into thinking underneath the exterior the man she once loved still existed? He was a doctor. Encouraging one’s patient was a parlor trick they learned in medical school. Mollified despite the absurdity of her thoughts, she saw the lieutenant nod.

  They went to an unoccupied space in the waiting room. Lieutenant Bullard flopped in one of the chairs with a loud sigh and wiped the sweat from his forehead with a handkerchief he produced from a pocket in his jacket. Detective Chalker sat next to him.

  Micah settled in the chair behind Savannah. When they were seated, Detective Chalker asked, “Before we begin, Ms. Woods, how’s your daughter?”

  “Niece. She’s doing as well as can be expected. The doctor took her off the breathing machine so she’s able to breathe on her own, which is a blessing.”

  “Good to hear, Ms. Woods.” Lieutenant Bullard cleared his throat gruffly. “Here are the details of the investigation so far.”

  Without looking, she reached for Micah’s hand from behind and squeezed. It was such a natural thing to do, she wasn’t even aware she’d done it.

  She swallowed, trying to moisten her throat. “Yes.”

  The man retrieved a small notebook from his person. “The fire marshal notified us the source of the fire was from the dryer.”

  Savannah drew back. “The dryer?”

  “Yes. Apparently, this type of thing is quite common.”

  Confused, Savannah looked back at Micah, who shared her consternation. “But how can the dryer—”

  “More specifically, the dryer vent.”

  “The vent?” She didn’t understand how they were connected.

  “Over time, the dryer vent gets clogged with lint not captured by the dryer’s filter. As the vent gets more and more crowded with lint, it restricts the air flow, causing the dryer to overheat.”

  “Once that happens,” Detective Chalker added, “it presents the perfect conditions for a fire.”

  Savannah could hardly speak. “It’s so unreal. Something so small as lint could do so much damage.”

  Lieutenant Bullard nodded in sympathy. “Unfortunately, it happens often. About fifteen thousand fires related to dryers happen every year.”

  And we became part of the statistic. Liliana had been the unfortunate victim.

  “What added to this was the type of material used for the vent. Aluminum foil only helped to inflate the problem.”

  “But how did Liliana and Markita get caught?”

  Detective Chalker leaned in. “From what we gathered from witnesses, the fire had spread to the northern wall where the indoor play area is located. When the alarms went off, the staff very quickly herded the children out the building. However, Markita’s favorite doll was left there and she went back for it. Liliana went back with her.”

  “It’s still a bit hazy what happened from there but we know Liliana tried to save her little friend.”

  Savannah’s throat convulsed at the words. Tears collected in her eyes, but they weren’t just of sadness but a mixture of pride, and sorrow.

  A brisk rub along her back pulle
d her out of her thoughts and she glanced behind her at Micah. He had a difficult time controlling the emotion, but she knew he was as moved by the details as she was.

  She refocused on the officers. “What happens now?”

  “We’re going to tie up some lose ends, but we knew you’d want to know the cause.” The lieutenant reached into his pocket and handed her his business card, which she accepted.

  “Thank you for this, and for telling me.”

  The officers stood, ready to depart. Detective Chalker patted her on the shoulder. “If you need anything, Ms. Woods, don’t hesitate to ask.”

  “I’ll be sure to remember that.”

  After a handshake with Micah, the officers went away.

  “It’s almost too much to take in,” Savannah breathed when Micah sat again.

  “I can well imagine.”

  “Lint.” She looked down at her clothes and tugged off a piece of fuzz. “This caused my ladybug and her friend to get burned by a fire.”

  She met Micah’s penetrating gaze. “Why is it always something so small that can destroy something so precious?”

  ***

  Although Micah’s mind still reeled from the selfless, brave act of Fiona and Bart’s daughter, Savannah’s words evoked a different response. He stared at the lint on the tip of her dainty finger nail. It was impossible to not compare that little puff of nothing with the tube of lipstick that unraveled their relationship.

  Of course, Savannah never guessed that’s where the deterioration started. How could she? She’d been so hypnotized by Nascha it would not have occurred to her to even suspect it. She never saw the change in her best friend’s treatment of them. But he’d seen it. And it was over a tube of berry red delicious lipstick.

  Savannah’s image blurred from his vison and he traveled back to three months after their engagement. He’d gone to see her at one of her gigs. A charity fashion show to raise funds for a domestic violence shelter in Detroit. Savannah and Nascha had volunteered their services and helped to coach women who had been victims of abuse to strut the catwalk with the best of them.

  “Nascha, what do you think of this?” Savannah had said as he came up behind her.

  Typically, he wouldn’t have been seen in the dressing room area but the show had ended and most of the models had gone home.

  “What does she think of what?”

  Savannah’s happy gaze met his in the mirror and she smiled. “Hey, stranger.”

  He bent down for a brief kiss on her cheek. “Hey, beautiful.”

  A pretty color doused her cheeks at his greeting. How little it took to please his bride-to-be.

  “This lipstick.” She held up a silver tube. “One of the reps from Epic Cosmetics came over and handed out a few samples of their new line debuting next year. What do you think of the shade?”

  “Lost me at lipstick, Savvy,” Micah said.

  She stuck her tongue out at him. “Which is why I asked Nascha, not you.”

  “Hi, Micah.”

  “Nascha,” he greeted with a nod. Even then, he recognized the woman was lovely. Three quarters Native American and one fourth French, her looks had combined the best of both ethnic groups. Her rich, smooth, burnt sienna skin glowed. High cheekbones framed her face while inky, curly lashes surrounded her black, glittering eyes. Long, waxed eyebrows added a dramatic poetry to the symmetry of her features. Full lips, a slender neck, rounded shoulders, and lithe build united to create a beautiful woman.

  He could see why she was sought after despite the five or six-year age maturity of a typical supermodel in the industry. However, there was something about Nascha to him that contained an artificial air. In the few conversations he’d had with the supermodel, he’d received the impression of someone who projected an image and hid behind it. Yet maybe he was wrong. After all, everything about her was meant to enhance her. Yes, she was a spectacular-looking woman. It would have been a lie to say otherwise. But to Micah, Nascha Dubois had nothing on his woman.

  “So what do you think?” Savannah handed over the tube.

  “Looks nice.” Nascha took it and applied it to her lips. Against her complexion, the color added a nice touch. “Oh wow, I rock this.”

  A wistful glance had overshadowed Savannah’s face. “Of course you could. You can make Vaseline pop.”

  “I know, right?” Nascha answered with blatant, teasing arrogance. She primped some, and stared at her reflection with something akin to adoration.

  A wistful tilt of Savannah’s lips drew his concern. Was she seriously comparing herself to Nascha? He stole a glance at the other woman to see a hint of knowing amusement in her eyes. His eyebrows formed a V and he’d made the fateful mistake of opening his mouth.

  “Well, let’s see what it looks like on you, Savvy,” he invited his fiancé.

  Surprise had mastered Savannah’s features. “Oh, I couldn’t.”

  Once again, he caught that haughty glint in Nascha’s eyes. What was this, preschool? Micah nodded toward the lipstick. “Well, try it on, Savvy. It won’t hurt anything.”

  “I don’t know,” Savannah protested. “It already looks great on her.”

  “Obviously,” Nascha said in a joking tone but Micah noted the smugness that accompanied the word.

  “Humor me.” This was less about the lipstick and more about proving a point to this narcissist.

  “What? Are you a make-up artist now?” Laughter animated Savannah’s eyes.

  “No,” he answered with a smile. “Now I’m just curious. Go ahead.”

  Rolling her eyes playfully, Savannah nonetheless picked up another tube of the same color and applied the lipstick to her mouth. Surprisingly, in spite of its brightness, it worked well with her fair coloring.

  “Wow!” He’d exclaimed appreciatively. “That looks better on you than it does Nascha.”

  An unnatural stillness had overcome Nascha at those words. He remembered it as clear as day. Her right eye twitched with something like shock.

  “What did you say?” Her voice rose in disbelief.

  “She does! You look beautiful, Savvy.” He’d wrapped his arms around her and kissed his woman on her cheek again. Against the delicate curve of her ear, he hummed the tune of the Isley Brothers’ “Who’s that Lady?”

  “Oh go on, Micah!” Savannah had chuckled, pushing at his chest but looking pleased at his admiration of her. He’d fallen a little deeper in love with her.

  That was all to the episode and he’d put it out of his mind the moment he walked with Savannah out the door to go to a late dinner. It wasn’t until a month laterthathe noticed Nascha had begun to spread her poison.

  He’d come to take his fiancée on a nature hike. Although Savannah stayed in shape, that particular morning she was driven with an aggressive stride he hadn’t seen before.

  “Savvy, what’s wrong?” he’d asked her when they’d taken a break.

  “What are you talking about?”

  He reached into his backpack and pulled out two bottles of water, handing one over to her. “You seem a little different today. Something bothering you?”

  She gulped the water. “No,nothingat all. I’ve gained a few pounds and need to work it off.”

  Micah’s eyebrows lifted into his hairline. “Where?” His eyes roved over her slim, trim figure. If she gained weight, it must have been in her feet.

  “My hips. Nascha was telling me earlier this week.”

  He made a sound. “Well, I’ve been staring at those hips all morning and—”

  “Don’t you dare!” she interrupted him, but a blush crept up on her cheeks.

  He laughed. They both had decided to wait until they married before consummating their union; but he was a man like any other. Micah couldn’t suppress his anticipation for the intimate side of their relationship.

  “Seriously, Micah. I tried on a dress at one of the shows and it was snug. I need to lose some weight. And you can’t talk me out of it with your lechery.”

  “I t
hink you’re perfect,” he told her withoutcracking a smile.

  Her head bowed. “I know you do. But if I’m going to make it, I have to be careful of watching my figure. Two pounds can make or break me, Micah.”

  He hadn’t like the idea of two pounds being a make or break point for her but he knew her career was important to her. He had to stand by her side. So he murmured something to drop the conversation and had left it alone.

  He’d been so wrong to keep his mouth shut.

  How could he have known his admiration for his woman would be the catalyst to ruin him? Savannah’s words echoed in his mind.

  How could something so small destroy something so precious?

  He shifted his gaze backtothe bare ring finger of her left hand. The mole on it drew his eyes. A small little imperfection to some had meant the world to him.

  How could something so small be so precious?

  “Micah, what could you possibly be thinking of that you aren’t listening to a word I’m saying?”

  Savannah’s irritation drew him away from memory lane. “I’m sorry. I got lost in thought.”

  “Obviously.”

  He straightened his back and mentally shook off the shroud those glimpses into the past cast upon him. “What were you saying?”

  “What were you thinking about so hard?”

  “A tube of lipstick,” he muttered, unable to keep the bitterness out of his voice. “An insignificant tube of lipstick.”

  CHAPTER FIVE

  An involuntary jerk took hold of her limbs. Shock and something else coursed through her body as a dawning realization came to the forefront. It never crossed her mind until then that there may be another woman in his life. Else, why would he be thinking about something as mundane as lipstick?

  She slid her gaze away. Futilely, she tried to quell the rising discomfort in the pit of her stomach. It made complete sense for Micah to be involved with another female after all this time. Some other woman would be attracted to him for the same reasonsshehad been.

  How could she be so selfish? When she contacted him, she didn’t give a thought to his life and what upheavals he had to go through to be here with her. How selfish could one person be? As long as he came when she called him, that’s all that mattered. What had he put on hold in order to be here with her? Had she spoiled a dinner date when she reached out to him?