just because she feels she is supposed to and not because she really believes it anymore.” He said, “She has one son who is a convicted killer and one son who is a cop.”
Megan measured her words carefully. “And you feel you have to always be the one to give him the benefit of the doubt?”
Alec looked at her, his dark eyes hooded. “Someone has to.”
Megan closed her eyes. Nothing had changed. This was something they wouldn’t get past. He had apologized for not being there for her, for leaving her and the baby, but his family would always come first. She realized this now.
It hurt her so profoundly that this man who had just kissed her so tenderly still didn’t quite believe her. She knew that if Alec had to do it over again, he would probably make exactly the same decision that he had twenty years ago.
This would always be between them.
She turned away from him, blinking away hot tears. She was remembering. There was always a darkness stirring just beneath the surface of Bryan’s eyes. They would be joking and laughing, having a wonderful time and Megan might say something that she thought was pretty funny and suddenly Bryan would get a serious look on his face and say, “Megan, that’s not funny.” And he was serious. In short, she was a littleafraid of him. That’s why they only went out a few times. She never told this to Alec.
Even when Bryan came along on their dates, she didn’t complain that sometimes she was afraid of him.
You don’t mind do you that he comes along on our picnic? He’s had a bit of a rough day.
Sure, sure, I don’t mind.
She could tell Alec wanted to kiss her when he dropped her at her cabin at Trail’s End. And she felt so drawn to him that she wanted him to. And then she forced herself to get back in control. She backed away from him, fled inside her cabin and closed the door behind her. From around the edge of the curtain she could see the way he looked at the cabin door, puzzled for a few minutes, before he drove away.
Earlier she had toyed with the idea of inviting him in for a cup of coffee by the fireplace, but not now. She decided to e-mail her godmother Eunice. She needed to talk to a friend. Even if it was only by e-mail. Plus, someone should know that she was really here and not holed up in her apartment in Baltimore.
She ended up telling her godmother all about Alec, the murders, everything.
Her phone rang at ten-thirty and eagerly she answered it thinking the only person it could be was Eunice. They would have a good, long talk. Maybe Eunice would even pray for her over the phone like she did sometimes.
“Hello,” she answered.
“Hey there,” said a male voice she didn’t recognize.
“Hello?”
“This is Brad from next door. Welcome home.” He chuckled and in her mind she could see the glimmer of those big, white teeth.
“Thanks.”
“Hey, have you had a chance to cook up a Web design for me yet?”
“Not yet. I’ve been away all day. Just got home.”
“Not just all day, but all night, too. We came over. You weren’t there. Place was all locked up. We were worried about you.”
Megan was momentarily irked. She was a grown woman after all. She said, “I’m fine. Why would you be worried about me?”
“Oh.” He chuckled again. It was a big and hearty sound. “Not me so much, but Vicky. You know Vicky. She can be a mother hen at times.”
No, I don’t know Vicky. What Megan didn’t need right now, with threats and murders on her mind, was someone she didn’t even know worrying about her.
“Vicky really was worried. Especially when your car was there all night and you weren’t. We thought maybe you’d gone out hiking and got lost in the woods. I thought of checking with Steve and Nori. Vicky was ready to call the police,” Brad said.
Megan softened. Maybe this was just honest concern. She wasn’t used to people, other than Eunice, worrying about her. Maybe that’s all this was. “I’m sorry that you were worried.
Megan measured her words carefully. “And you feel you have to always be the one to give him the benefit of the doubt?”
Alec looked at her, his dark eyes hooded. “Someone has to.”
Megan closed her eyes. Nothing had changed. This was something they wouldn’t get past. He had apologized for not being there for her, for leaving her and the baby, but his family would always come first. She realized this now.
It hurt her so profoundly that this man who had just kissed her so tenderly still didn’t quite believe her. She knew that if Alec had to do it over again, he would probably make exactly the same decision that he had twenty years ago.
This would always be between them.
She turned away from him, blinking away hot tears. She was remembering. There was always a darkness stirring just beneath the surface of Bryan’s eyes. They would be joking and laughing, having a wonderful time and Megan might say something that she thought was pretty funny and suddenly Bryan would get a serious look on his face and say, “Megan, that’s not funny.” And he was serious. In short, she was a littleafraid of him. That’s why they only went out a few times. She never told this to Alec.
Even when Bryan came along on their dates, she didn’t complain that sometimes she was afraid of him.
You don’t mind do you that he comes along on our picnic? He’s had a bit of a rough day.
Sure, sure, I don’t mind.
She could tell Alec wanted to kiss her when he dropped her at her cabin at Trail’s End. And she felt so drawn to him that she wanted him to. And then she forced herself to get back in control. She backed away from him, fled inside her cabin and closed the door behind her. From around the edge of the curtain she could see the way he looked at the cabin door, puzzled for a few minutes, before he drove away.
Earlier she had toyed with the idea of inviting him in for a cup of coffee by the fireplace, but not now. She decided to e-mail her godmother Eunice. She needed to talk to a friend. Even if it was only by e-mail. Plus, someone should know that she was really here and not holed up in her apartment in Baltimore.
She ended up telling her godmother all about Alec, the murders, everything.
Her phone rang at ten-thirty and eagerly she answered it thinking the only person it could be was Eunice. They would have a good, long talk. Maybe Eunice would even pray for her over the phone like she did sometimes.
“Hello,” she answered.
“Hey there,” said a male voice she didn’t recognize.
“Hello?”
“This is Brad from next door. Welcome home.” He chuckled and in her mind she could see the glimmer of those big, white teeth.
“Thanks.”
“Hey, have you had a chance to cook up a Web design for me yet?”
“Not yet. I’ve been away all day. Just got home.”
“Not just all day, but all night, too. We came over. You weren’t there. Place was all locked up. We were worried about you.”
Megan was momentarily irked. She was a grown woman after all. She said, “I’m fine. Why would you be worried about me?”
“Oh.” He chuckled again. It was a big and hearty sound. “Not me so much, but Vicky. You know Vicky. She can be a mother hen at times.”
No, I don’t know Vicky. What Megan didn’t need right now, with threats and murders on her mind, was someone she didn’t even know worrying about her.
“Vicky really was worried. Especially when your car was there all night and you weren’t. We thought maybe you’d gone out hiking and got lost in the woods. I thought of checking with Steve and Nori. Vicky was ready to call the police,” Brad said.
Megan softened. Maybe this was just honest concern. She wasn’t used to people, other than Eunice, worrying about her. Maybe that’s all this was. “I’m sorry that you were worried.
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