One Perfect Love

by Jessie Evans

  And then, finally, I tell him about the baby. How, at first, knowing I was having our child was all that kept me going, and how losing that sweet little life almost killed me. I can’t keep from crying as I confess it all, but it’s okay, because Gabe cries, too. He pulls me into his arms and wraps himself around me and my tears wet his chest and his tears dampen my hair, but for the first time, the grief is bearable, because Gabe is here to share it with me.

  By the time we’re finished talking and crying and talking some more, the sun has long set and the first stars are flickering to life in the dark blue sky, but we still don’t move for a long time. We stay entwined on the lounge chair, quiet in the darkness, giving everything we’ve shared time to settle and harden, cementing us to each other even tighter than we were before, so tight I know nothing will ever come between us again.

  “We’re going to take care of the things that need to be taken care of, and then we’re getting out of here,” Gabe says, proving he feels it, too, that he and I have become us again. “I’m coming to Hawaii with you. I’m not going back to my old school. I’ll finish up what I can on Maui, and then take things from there.”

  “I think the campus on Oahu has a law school,” I say. “We could rent out the Maui house, and move islands when you get in.”

  He hugs me closer. “You’ve got a lot of faith in me.”

  “Absolutely,” I say, pressing a kiss to his bare chest.

  “I can’t believe I left to go have the surgery without at least trying to contact you,” he says, confirming my suspicion that this is the part of our story that troubles him the most. “Something must have happened. Something with my parents.” He curses. “I wish I could fucking remember.”

  “You will,” I say, believing it with my entire heart. “So much has come back to you, just today. Give it time.”

  “It’s already taken too much time,” he says. “I hate that I wasn’t there for you. I hate that I don’t know why my parents did what they did.”

  “Then let’s go see what we can find,” I say, standing and stretching my arms over my head, feeling more satisfied than I’ve felt in ages. “I’ll take Charlene’s computer, and you see what you can find on your father’s.”

  “Sounds perfect,” he says, smacking my bare bottom, making me laugh as I turn to retaliate, chasing him naked across the roof to smack his ass before we declare a truce and walk hand in hand back to reclaim our clothes.

  Minutes later, we’re dressed and headed back down the fire escape to Aaron Alexander’s office, ready to hunt for the answers we need to put the past to rest and get started on forever.

  Chapter Seventeen

  Gabe

  “Come what sorrow can,

  It cannot countervail the exchange of joy,

  That one short minute gives me in her sight.”

  -Shakespeare

  Every minute with her is more perfect than the last. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking, making love, goofing off, or hacking into computers on opposite sides of a quiet law office, every second with Caitlin confirms that this is where I’m supposed to be.

  I understand now why, since coming home from the surgery, I’ve felt like a guest at Darby Hill. Darby Hill isn’t my home, my home is five feet, one inches of hard-working, hard-loving, fearless, fragile, beautiful blonde and I never want to leave that home again.

  “I’m not going back to Darby Hill tonight,” I say, gazing across the office to where Caitlin sits cross-legged in Charlene’s chair, clicking through her email. “I won’t be able to resist the urge to strangle my parents.”

  Caitlin doesn’t say a word, and I’ve started to think she hasn’t heard me when she says—

  “We can’t go back to Hawaii, either.” Her voice is trembling, and I know she’s found something bad, even before I cross the room to stand beside her and she looks up at me, a haunted expression on her face. She points to the screen in front of her. “Look at this.”

  I lean down, rubbing her back in gentle circles as I read through a series of emails between Charlene and two lawyers on the island of Maui. She solicited them to assist her in transferring a property to “a deserving young family” who would only accept the property if it seemed to come to them through the will of a dead relative. I read the entire string of messages, but I realize by the third response from Sumiko and Associates what has happened.

  “My parents bought you the house in Maui,” I say. “To make sure there were a few thousand miles and an ocean between us.”

  Caitlin’s breath rushes out. “And you were right. My dad was in on it. They paid him ten grand to help them pull off the inheritance story, and get me out of town. I found an email Charlene wrote to him before I found this one, but it didn’t mention anything about why they were offering the money, or why he’d agree to it.”

  I brush her hair over her shoulder. “Are you going to be okay?”

  Her cheeks puff as she blows out a long stream of air. “I mean…my dad is breaking my heart all over again, even though he’s dead, and the kids and I are homeless, but…”

  “You’re not homeless.” I urge her up out of the chair before taking her place, and pulling her into my lap. “The house is in your name. There’s no reason you can’t keep living there.”

  “It feels tainted now.” She curls into me, wrapping her arms around my neck, allowing me to comfort her in a way that makes me feel like the luckiest man alive. I never imagined being there for someone could feel like a gift instead of a responsibility.

  I also never dreamed it would be so devastating to learn I was almost a father.

  The thought makes my stomach turn to lead, so I push it away, even as I hold Caitlin closer. I can’t think about how things might have been different—if Caitlin and I had been allowed to stay together, if she’d been there for me after the surgery, and I’d been there for her during the pregnancy. I can’t imagine a scenario where our child lived without wanting to kill my parents for what they’ve done more than I do already.

  “Finding answers sucks,” Caitlin says, reaching out to click the browser closed.

  “But we still have one very big question left.”

  “Why did they go to all this trouble,” Caitlin says, completing my thought with an ease that is more evidence that we belong together. “All told, this deception must have cost almost a million dollars.”

  “And even to my parents, that’s not a small number.” I hum a tune I can’t put words to, but for the first time since the surgery, the hole in my memory doesn’t bother me. I recovered the most important part of who I used to be, and she is threading her fingers through my hair, twisting it in idle circles as she thinks.

  “Your mom was angry with me,” Caitlin says. “She said she only put up with having me around because she hoped I would convince you to have the surgery, but that she should have known better. She said she never should have trusted a girl who could fall in love with the heartless person you’d become. She thought the tumor had changed you, made you…ruthless and cold. I think those were the words she used.”

  I grunt. “Amusing that she could accuse someone else of being ruthless with a straight face.”

  Caitlin turns to me, her brow furrowed. “But she did. And she was really upset. She was crying her eyes out, just…shattered. I never doubted for a second that you were really dead, not until Sherry started trying to find out where you were being buried, and the pieces didn’t add up.”

  “So I’m guessing getting me on the plane to Michigan wasn’t an easy job.”

  Caitlin’s frown deepens. “They might have drugged you or something.”

  “Seems extreme, but after learning they dumped half a million dollars on a house in Hawaii…” I curl my fingers into Caitlin’s hip as I turn the chair away from the desk to face the window, where the moon is rising. “But I still have no idea why. They could have kidnapped me, and taken me to the clinic, but the doctors wouldn’t have operated without my consent. And why would I give co
nsent in a situation like that, without at least calling you first?”

  She shakes her head. “I don’t know, but until we do, you need to stay away from Darby Hill. And we have to make sure your parents don’t know the kids and I are in town. I was considering having the kids skip the funeral anyway, because it will be so upsetting, but now I’m definitely having them stay with Sherry.”

  “What about you?” I ask. “My parents know what you look like.”

  She curses. “I know. And with your dad being so big in the law community, I don’t know how I’m going to find a lawyer to represent me without him finding out about it.”

  “We’ll hire someone from Charleston if it comes time to lawyer up,” I say. “But I’ve been thinking about this thing with your sister, and I think we should make sure we’ve exhausted all our options first. A woman with her history must have a few skeletons in her closet she won’t want the court finding out about.”

  Caitlin’s cocks her head, shooting me a look out of the corner of her eye. “So you think we should do recon? Look into this perfect new life in Florida? See if we can find any holes in her story?”

  “I do, and I think you should skip the funeral. My parents were acting very interested in whether or not I planned to attend. They may come by to check on the festivities.”

  “I’ll go get a hat with a veil tomorrow morning, or something to cover my hair and face,” she says. “No matter how mad I am at Chuck right now…he was my dad, and I don’t want to miss his funeral. At the end, he was sorry for what he did.”

  “Too little, too late,” I say, having no empathy for anyone involved in this deception.

  “Not really. I might not have come back for the funeral if it hadn’t been for the emails he sent. But your parents aren’t sorry, Gabe. I want you to be careful.”

  “You’re afraid they’re dangerous.” I clench my jaw, the thought of my parents ripping Caitlin and me apart again making me want to pack our bags and leave Giffney tonight.

  “I know they’re dangerous,” she says. “Do you have anywhere you could tell them you’re going where they won’t ask questions? A friend’s house, or something?”

  I shake my head. “I’ll just get a room at the hotel where you’re staying.”

  “Okay, but you’ll need a story to tell your parents, and we’ll have to park your car somewhere else,” she says. “Just in case they decide to check on you. Surely you have someone you can count on to keep a secret, or who will at least let you park your car in their driveway.”

  I make a face, because there is only one person I can think of, and I burned that bridge on the way to Caitlin’s hotel.

  “What?” she asks, a smile teasing the edges of her lips. “Is it a girl?”

  I shrug, and Caitlin laughs.

  “Call her. If you were really just friends, she might still be cool.”

  “And you’d be cool with that?” I ask, lifting a brow.

  “I’m cool with anything that keeps you safe, and with me.” She kisses me and I know it’s true. I can feel it in the way her tongue teases across my top lip before slipping into my mouth, in the way she melts against me when I pull her closer. She knows I belong to her, body and soul.

  “Just call her,” she says, kissing me between the words. “Then we can go get the rental van from the hotel, and get things taken care of before it gets too late.”

  I pull reluctantly away from her addictive lips. “I’ll call now. She lives in an apartment building, and they clean the streets every few days. I’ll have to drop off the keys so she can move the car if she needs to.”

  “Perfect,” Caitlin says. “And if we hurry, we’ll still have time to christen the bed in your new hotel room when we get back.”

  I’m up and out of the chair with my phone to my ear in seconds, the chance to get Caitlin in a bed more than enough motivation to get my ass in gear.

  Caitlin

  Gabe’s fuck buddy answers on the second ring and seems eager to help which is partly a relief, and partly…worrisome.

  I have a hard time believing this woman would be so amenable if there weren’t more emotions on her side than Gabe’s. Still, I decide to go with him to hand over the keys. It would be less awkward for me to stay in the van, but I don’t want to let Gabe out of my sight. I realize I’m being paranoid, but I just got him back. I don’t want to risk him disappearing on me again.

  I park the van behind Gabe’s Beamer and join him on the sidewalk, slipping my hand into his as the door to the apartment building opens, and two pretty women dressed in jean shorts and tank tops step out. One is tall, with stick straight brown hair to her waist, and clever brown eyes that look familiar. I’ve met her at least once, though I can’t pinpoint where, but I know immediately that the brunette isn’t Gabe’s girl. His is the petite blonde, with the big blue eyes, the one, who except for the eye color, natural kink in her hair, and much bigger boobs, could easily be my twin.

  My jaw drops. The resemblance is that uncanny, and I know the other girl sees it, too. She does a double take and casts a meaningful look at her friend, who makes a vaguely disgusted sound I know is intended for Gabe’s ears.

  “Hello, Kimmy,” Gabe says with a smile, apparently the only one who doesn’t feel intensely awkward. “This is Caitlin. Caitlin, Kimmy.”

  “Nice to meet you,” I say, though it certainly isn’t. At all.

  “You too,” Kimmy says, but her eyes barely flicker in my direction before she turns back to her friend. “This is Mona. She just started working at the bar. We were headed out for late night pizza when you called.”

  “What’s up?” Mona lifts her chin, but doesn’t extend a hand. She obviously isn’t thrilled to be in the middle of this, and I can’t say I blame her. I wish I’d stayed in the van and never met Kimmy, or her intimidating chest.

  “Here are the keys,” Gabe says, holding them out to Kimmy. “Feel free to drive the car if you want. I know sometimes the Chevy isn’t the most reliable mode of transportation.”

  Kimmy takes the keys, her fingers caressing Gabe’s for a split second that is nevertheless long enough to make me nauseous. “Cool. Thanks. Oh, and I have a few of your things upstairs. I boxed them up. Should I go get them, or—”

  “If the door’s unlocked, I can go,” Gabe says, moving past her before I can make eye contact and silently beg him not to leave me alone.

  “Sure, go ahead.” Kimmy waves a slender arm covered in silver bracelets. “That way you can check for anything I might have missed. The box is next to the door.”

  “Be right back.” Gabe shoots me a smile I don’t return before he turns and practically sprints up the stairs. I appreciate his effort to be hasty, but I would have rather avoided being left to make conversation with the girl he was fucking, and her friend.

  “You’re Caitlin Cooney, right?” Mona asks, confirming we must know each other.

  “I am,” I say, forcing a smile. “But I’m sorry, I don’t remember where we’ve met.”

  “It’s okay. It was only once, at Frank’s Pies, when you came in to say goodbye to Isaac.” She shrugs. “I work part time in the kitchen. I only remember you because Isaac left to go live with you not too long after, and his mom hasn’t shut up about it since.” She glances over her shoulder and turns back with an arched brow. “But I guess you and Isaac aren’t together anymore? So maybe he’ll be moving back?”

  “Um, no, we’re not together,” I say, cursing my bad luck. I would run into someone who knows Isaac. “But I don’t think he plans to move back. He’s working for the Maui police department, and really enjoys his job.”

  “A cop.” Kimmy blinks her big blue eyes. “That’s quite a switch from Gabe, huh?”

  I pull a face, pretending I have no idea what she’s talking about, even as I wonder how much Gabe has told her about how we used to be together.

  “You know, he’s not exactly your typical nice guy,” Kimmy says. “But he’s been through a lot. It was hard on him, going thro
ugh surgery alone.”

  I feel the barb in the words, but I’m not about to defend myself. Not to her, not after everything Gabe and I have been through, so I just shrug and say, “Life’s been hard for a lot of people this past year.”

  “Don’t I know it.” Kimmy nods, the accusing expression on her face making it clear she’s not ready to let this go. “I’ve been there when Gabe wakes up screaming. It’s not pretty.”

  “Well, you won’t have to deal with that anymore,” I say sweetly, a barb in my words this time, one that I know both women hear.

  Mona shifts her weight uncomfortably, as if she’s worried a short blond girl fight is about to break out on the sidewalk, but I have no intention of lifting a finger against Kimmy. She’s helping Gabe, and Gabe didn’t know I was alive when they were together. I have no animosity toward this woman. I just want to get rid of Gabe’s keys, and get back to a place where we can be alone. I’ll hold him when he wakes up screaming tonight, and every night, for the rest of our lives if I have to. But I have a feeling neither of us will be suffering through those kinds of dreams anymore. Our nightmare is over.

  Or almost over, as soon as we get to the bottom of the mystery with his parents, and get the hell out of South Carolina.

  “Thanks for helping Gabe out,” I say, in an attempt to defuse the situation. “We both appreciate it.”

  “Of course,” Kimmy says. “I’m here whenever he needs me.”

  The fact that I am excluded from this transaction in her mind is obvious, but I don’t care. By helping Gabe, she’s helping me, whether she wants to or not.

  Gabe hurries out the door a moment later with a box in his arms. His breath is coming fast, making it clear he did his best to hurry, and the concern in his eyes banishes any irritation I felt at being abandoned. We bid Mona and Kimmy a quick good-bye and head back toward the van, while the two women hurry down the street, clearly equally eager to end our meeting.

  I walk down the sidewalk beside Gabe, stealing a glance into the box, which appears to contain male toiletries, a few tee shirts, and a couple of pairs of boxer shorts. No cell phone charger, or iPad, two things I know Gabe wouldn’t be without if he had ever stayed over for more than a night or two at a time.