Calamity Rayne II: Back Again

by Lydia Michaels

  “I love you, too.”

  I wasn’t a fan of an empty house. True, Elara was there, but Hale’s absence was sinking into my bones like an old arthritic ache that I felt with every breath and motion.

  Jason was a nice kid—a little awkward. He was a junior at State and working toward a degree in child psychology. I asked fancy questions like why he’d consider leaving his job at the Y and I wrote down all his well-practiced answers, but I didn’t feel like he formed any actual bond with Elara during the interview.

  When he left, I put Elara down for a nap because her sleep bank was a little depleted from yesterday. Then I cleaned the house because it looked like a frat party came through. Fine for me, not so fine for neat-nick Hale.

  I was wiped by the time I put my little bubble butt to bed that night and I hadn’t heard from Hale aside from a few generic texts. I showered and changed into pajamas, and then returned to the den. Bed was boring without Hale.

  Flicking through channels, I bounced back and forth between Monsters Inc. and Black Hawk Down, because I couldn’t figure out what kind of mood I was in. With my knees folded under my snuggie, I watched explosions on screen and fell asleep sometime around Sully getting sent to the Himalayas.

  A hand brushed over my shoulder, scaring the bejesus out of me. “Sniper!” I tried to jump off the couch, but my foot tangled in the fabric and I went down.

  “Jesus, Rayne.” Hale rushed around the couch and helped me up. “Are you okay?”

  My butt hurt, but that didn’t matter. “You’re home!” I wrestled off the snuggie and hugged him with all of my strength.

  He grunted and wrapped his arms around me. “I told you I’d be back.”

  My arms tightened. “I know. I just really missed you.”

  He sighed and kissed my lips. “How did the interview go?”

  “Okay.” I felt bad, giving him more bad news. “He’s just not our guy.”

  Hale nodded. “We’ll keep looking.” The corners of his eyes wore lines of stress. “I need a shower and my bed.”

  I reached for the remote and shut off the television, happy to join him. When we made love it was gentle and tender. We held each other close and I savored being in his arms again.

  As I laid next to him in the silence, comforted by his familiar breathing, I thought about how we somehow passed the point of being apart. I didn’t like being away from Hale and I suspected I’d never live in Oregon again.

  Snippets of home played through my head, the familiar roads, the nostalgic places we hung out, my mom’s house, my old room. Those things, in which I’d found such security for so many years now seemed small and faded. I didn’t want to go back there. This made me happy, if also a little sad.

  Rolling my head on the pillow I faced Hale. His narrow nose and soft lips were so pretty when he slept, so at ease. Tonight I saw something in his eyes, a sort of desperation that wasn’t usually there. He’d held me and whispered how much he hated being away from me, how he never wanted to let me go. At first, I thought he was lost in the moment, but now I realized he was speaking of something deeper.

  My future was here, with him. Oregon was my past. Everything I wanted always seemed so blurry and uncertain, but now it was staring me in the face.

  I wanted Hale. I wanted Elara. But these weren’t simple wants. They were great big terrifying needs that might break me in permanent ways if I didn’t get them.

  I snuggled into Hale’s side. Even in his sleep he pulled me close and nestled his face to my hair.

  “You okay, baby?” he slurred.

  I smiled. I was okay. Just a little jarred at how clear my hopes were after the last few days.

  I again looked at the ring on my finger, a sense of warmth heating the marrow of my bones as I understood Hale was my person in this life. He was my permanent piece that gave me no other choice but to fully commit my heart and soul to his. It was definitely scary, but also a relief after so many years of drifting through life without an anchor.

  As I realized this was where I belonged and where I would stay, the strangest thing happened. A tear slipped from my eye and trailed down my cheek. I was happy. Sometimes it was hard to realize I was growing up.

  Chapter Eighteen

  Strangely Perfect

  Though Elara never actually said anything, I believed she, too, had missed her dad. The day after Hale returned, he avoided the office. We swam and had a picnic on the beach and Hale only took calls from Clayton who was on his way back to New York. Barrett and Elle were still at sea and Remington was staying in Maine.

  As Hale adjusted the umbrella in the sand, I watched him, still reveling in his nearness. Elara slept on her boppy and I covered her legs with a light receiving blanket so she didn’t get too much sun. Hale returned to his chair and our fingers naturally laced together.

  “It’s so beautiful here,” I said, enjoying the soft breeze and briny air.

  “It’s one of my favorite places.”

  “Which of your houses is your favorite?”

  He sipped a bottle of water. “Depends. When I want quiet, I like my place in Savannah. I love the verve of Key West and the hot weather. My New Hampshire home’s great for fishing. And Jersey’s nice right after the summer season. I don’t like it when the shoe-bees are there.”

  “Shoe-bees?”

  “Vacationers. Summer people that swarm to the Jersey shore like bees, but don’t live there year round.”

  “What about the estate up north?” It wasn’t technically his at the moment, but the remainder of the estate belonged to his family.

  “That’s my dad’s escape. I know we all own a share, but that’s inheritance stuff. I don’t count it as mine like I do the properties I purchased on my own. And it’s not mine, until I get her to sign.”

  Knowing he was speaking about Jasmine, I asked, “Did you meet with her?”

  He nodded. “It wasn’t great, but I might have gotten through to her. I’m trying really hard not to piss her off, but part of me wants to shake her for getting greedy when I did her a favor.”

  I wasn’t sure I’d call it a favor. I was glad Hale stepped up and took Elara because I couldn’t imagine a world without her, but Jasmine had been the one to carry her for nine long months. Her first choice had been to end the pregnancy at the start.

  But maybe Hale did do her a favor. Jasmine wouldn’t have to battle with the guilt that was rumored to follow an abortion since Hale stepped in and took the responsibility out of her hands. Or maybe she resented him for taking her baby. The whole thing was complicated.

  “Maybe she’ll surprise all of us and do the right thing,” I said.

  “I’m not worried.”

  I frowned, unsure how that was possible. He’d been so stressed over the last few days. Nothing, besides having the case postponed, was accomplished. This had to worry him to some degree. He seemed utterly preoccupied, despite his assertion.

  Deciding to change the subject, I said, “We should go out to dinner tonight—the three of us.”

  He smiled, but his mind was clearly elsewhere. “That sounds nice.”

  When we returned from the beach I gave Elara a bath in the sink because that was how my mom used to bathe me at that age. Hale showered and came downstairs dressed a little more formally than I’d expected.

  “Are we going somewhere dressy?”

  “Alfonse is picking us up in an hour. I made reservations at Rossie’s.”

  I raised my brow because Rossie’s was one of the places Remington frequently dined and the dress code was beyond my wardrobe’s scope. Thankfully, Hale’s sister, Seraphina, had purchased most of Elara’s clothes, so the baby looked like a pageant beauty in her ruffled socks and periwinkle romper. I wore my go-to black wrap dress.

  When I came downstairs, Hale was having a drink at the bar. He appeared distracted once again but smiled at us as we approached. Telltale signs of stress showed in his face and in the dark circles under his eyes.

  “My two beauti
ful girls.”

  There was a knock at the front door. “That’ll be Alfonse.” He’d likely started knocking after catching me dancing in my underwear. I grabbed my purse and slipped into my sandals.

  Dinner was lovely. We were the picture of a high-class family, but for as much as the lure of luxury brought me to the Davenports, that wasn’t what held me there now.

  I loved everything that Hale and I were with little Elara at our side. I would never have picked this as my version of perfect, but that’s exactly what we were together.

  After returning from the restaurant, I carried Elara upstairs and changed her into pajamas. But rather than lay her in the crib, I held her and rocked her to sleep in the chair.

  Hale found me in the nursery sometime later. “Isn’t that a pretty picture.”

  Looking up from Elara’s angelic face, I smiled. “I love her.”

  Sometimes words like “I love you” were hard to say, meaningful and full of promises people weren’t always able to keep. But confessing that I loved Elara wasn’t difficult at all. She wanted nothing from me and never spoke of expectations. When I made her smile, my heart melted and grew—sort of like the Grinch after he made right with all the Whos in Whoville.

  “She loves you, too,” he whispered, coming over to run a gentle finger across Elara’s cheek.

  My chest filled with warmth as I stared at her, so unspoiled and dainty. Did she love me? She definitely looked to me when she needed food or wanted something out of reach. It seemed such a gift to have her faith I suddenly wanted to cry.

  My lips pressed to her forehead and I whispered, “Sweet dreams, baby. I love you.”

  Hale lifted her from my arms and placed her in the crib. Together, we closed the door to the nursery silently and walked to our room.

  Chapter Nineteen

  Buzz Buzz Buzz

  “Do you have to go?” Hale was once again packing for another meeting with Jasmine’s lawyer and I was in charge of Elara, being that we still hadn’t found a nanny.

  “You know I’d stay if I could.”

  Biting my lip I tried not to pout as he folded his dress socks. The man was meticulous. “How long will you be gone?”

  “I promise to return as soon as I can. Believe me, staying with my father is not something I enjoy.”

  Elle and Barrett were on another excursion and would be back in a day or two, but that wasn’t the same. I actually considered inviting my mom to Florida for a visit, but even that thought didn’t relieve the ache of seeing Hale go.

  I glanced at the baby monitor in my hands. The fuzzy image on the screen showed Elara sleeping soundly. “What if you took us with you?”

  Hale paused and looked at me. “It’s a business trip, Rayne. I’d hardly have time to spend with you while I’m there.”

  “But Remington’s there. We could hang out with him.”

  He grunted and returned to the closet.

  “I promise we won’t be in your way.”

  Laying out four suits, he sighed. “If that’s what you want then you’ll need to have you and Elara packed within the hour. My flight leaves at five.”

  A smile stretched across my face and I squeaked. Jumping off the bed, I pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Thank you!”

  “Don’t thank me yet. New England’s cold this time of year and there isn’t much to do. Pack warm clothes for you and Elara.”

  Despite the cold weather, New England was a spectacular sight to behold. The fall foliage dressed the land in vibrant shades of orange and gold. The coast seemed carved out of cliffs and long white beaches. History was everywhere and the countryside was breathtaking, while little adventures seemed only a short car ride away from the pulsing city sites.

  Marta was thrilled to see us and I was just as happy to see her. Although I’d recently discovered my love for Elara, I was desperately in need of a break from playing nanny. Marta scooped the baby out of my arms the moment we arrived and Hale and I joined Remington and his lady friend in the grand parlor for cocktails.

  I’d never actually met one of Remington’s women, so this was a first. For some reason, I suffered such a jumble of nerves one would think I was being sized for a new stepmother.

  Hale and I sat on a small settee across from the lovebirds and I found all the jewelry on the other woman’s hands a distraction. That was a lot of glitter and gold.

  “This is Odette,” Remington introduced. “Darling, this is my son, Hale, and a dear family friend, Rayne Meyers.”

  I was a dear family friend! This made me think of all the other possible titles he could have saddled me with and I started playing a game of comparison in my head, wondering which label was best. Hale’s girlfriend. Personal Assistant. Walking calamity. Dear family friend seemed just fine.

  Odette was a redhead with lily-white skin stretched over a good deal of plastic surgery, which made guessing her age tricky. Since I was sick with curiosity, I played a little detective game to figure out how old she was.

  “Where are you from, Odette?”

  “New Hampshire, a little town just a ways from here. My family’s been dealing with the Davenports for years.”

  I raised a brow. “Any deals I know of?”

  “This isn’t a business meeting, Meyers. Sip your drink.”

  I tasted my cocktail and continued to eye the company. Remington sat close to her, but he didn’t touch her in any outwardly, intimate way. Hale appeared rather disinterested in the whole meet and greet.

  Continuing my investigation, I asked, “Did you go to college? I’ve recently started taking classes again.”

  “I did.” Odette smiled proudly with teeth too ordinary to be dentures. “I was the first female in my family to earn a Bachelor of Arts. My major was music.”

  “Odette has quite a singing voice,” Remington commented

  “Oh, Rem…” She playfully patted his knee and I curled my lip.

  It was just plain weird seeing him in this tomcat light. I mean, I knew he was a hound, but yuck. I much preferred seeing him as Remington, the arrogant business shark.

  He raised his brows and dipped his head. “It’s true. You should hear her sing. Do a few bars for them, darling.”

  Well, now I wanted to hear her. And that was two times he called her darling. Interesting. “We’d love to hear you sing.”

  She placed her martini glass on the coffee table, which looked like an antique from the first settlers, and she drew in a deep breath. I was not prepared for the sound that came out of her mouth. We were suddenly transported back in time as this tiny woman belted out the slow, sultry lyrics of Dream a Little Dream of Me.

  But what took my breath away was the shock of Remington’s raspy voice taking up the part of Louis Armstrong. He even got playful and threw out the little buzz, buzz, buzz portion of the lyrics.

  My lips stretched wide as I sat in awe of the two lovebirds. As they hit the last line in perfect harmony, I gaped and clapped.

  Odette laughed and nudged Remington with her shoulder as he swept his martini off the table and swallowed it down.

  “Remington! I had no idea you could sing!” I was beyond impressed.

  “That’s not singing. Odette’s the one with the pipes.”

  Truly charmed by the woman, I asked, “Have you ever performed?”

  “Oh, no, dear. It’s just something I enjoy in private.”

  “Very well done,” Hale commented.

  I could sense he was impressed, but his mind was, of course, elsewhere. I wished so much that he could relax for an evening and put all his worries aside, but those worries had brought us here and it seemed he was dead set on keeping his focus on the solution—whatever that was.

  He placed his empty glass on the table and rose from the settee. “I think I’ll head to bed. Long day tomorrow.”

  “Oh.” I paused, not quite ready to retire, but unsure if he expected me to join him. Chugging my drink, I stood.

  “You going to bed too, Meyers?”

&nbs
p; I hesitated, my glance bouncing between Hale and his father.

  Hale waved a hand. “Stay. Enjoy yourself.”

  Relieved, I said, “Okay. I’ll just walk you up.”

  He took my hand and led me up a sprawling staircase to the room where our bags had been delivered.

  “This house is gorgeous.” There was an almost castle feel to it. Everything was so old, but so well preserved.

  “It’s one of my father’s favorites.”

  “I think Odette’s his new favorite. They’re totally adorable together.”

  He stepped into our guest room and shut the door. “Do yourself a favor and don’t get too attached to my father’s playthings. His taste changes often.”

  I was aware of exactly who Remington was and needed no reminders, but I wished Hale would cut him a little slack. “Well, he looks happy and I’m happy for him. How old do you think she is?”

  “I’d say somewhere in the neighborhood of thirty-nine and working quite hard to keep herself perpetually under forty.”

  That was his version of a joke because the woman was definitely older than forty. At least she wasn’t twenty. “Do you need anything before bed?”

  He glanced over his shoulder as he slipped off his shoes then strolled slowly to the door where I stood. Caging me in with his arms, he looked deep into my eyes and whispered, “What are you offering?”

  I flushed and shrugged. “I told them I’d be back down.”

  His fingers trailed down the side of my body, grazing my breast through my shirt. “I can be quick.”

  “Hale, I meant did you need a glass of water or anything.”

  His fingers were at the zipper of my jeans, the button popping free with a tug. “I’m not thirsty.”

  A sound escaped my throat as he pulled the zipper down, tiny, little teeth separating one at a time. I glanced between us, as his fingers slipped into the front of my panties and found my clit.

  “Hale.”

  “Shh.” His fingers smoothed over my folds, teasing and sending mixed signals to my brain. Did I want to go downstairs or stay here? Decisions, decisions…