Текст книги "Truly Madly Yours "

Автор книги: Рэйчел Гибсон

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Текущая страница: 18 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

He drove to her mothers, but Gwen wouldnt talk to him. He looked in the garage to see if Delaney was hiding out and refusing to see him. Henrys Cadillac sat inside. The little yellow Miata was gone.

He searched for her all over town, and the longer he looked, the more desperate he became to find her. He wanted to make her happy. He wanted to build her a house on the Angel Beach property or anywhere she wanted. If she wanted to live in Phoenix or Seattle or Chattanooga, Tennessee, he didnt care, as long as he lived there with her. He wanted the dream. He wanted everything. Now all he had to do was find her.

He talked to Lisa, but she hadnt heard from Delaney. When she didnt show up to open her salon that Monday morning, Nick paid a visit to Max Harrison.

“Have you heard from Delaney? he asked, walking into the lawyers office.

Max looked him over and took his time before answering. “She called me yesterday.

“Where is she?

Again he took his time. “I guess youll find out soon enough. Shes left town.

The words hit him in the chest like a two-by-four. “Shit. Nick sank into a chair and rubbed a hand over his jaw. “Whered she go?

“She didnt say.

“What do you mean, she didnt say? He dropped his hand to his thigh. “You said she called.

“She did. She called to tell me shed left town, and she was breaking the will. She didnt say why or where she was going. I asked, but she wouldnt tell me. I think she thought Id tell her mother before she was ready for Gwen to know. Max tilted his head to one side. “This means you get Delaneys provision. Congratulations, come June, youll get everything.

Nick shook his head and laughed without humor. Without Delaney there was nothing. He had nothing. He looked at Henrys estate lawyer and said, “Delaney and I had a sexual relationship before she left town. Tell Frank Stuart and the two of you do whatever you have to do to make sure she gets that property at Silver Creek and Angel Beach.

Max looked disgusted and tired of the whole mess. Nick knew the feeling.

Two weeks after his visit to Max, he still hadnt heard a word. Hed haunted Gwen and Max Harrison, and hed called the old salon Delaney had worked for in Scottsdale. They hadnt heard from her since shed quit the previous June. Nick was going crazy. He didnt know where to look next. He never suspected that he should have looked within his own family.

“I hear Delaney Shaw is working down in Boise, Louie mentioned as he casually took a swallow of his soup.

Everything within Nick stilled and he looked up at his brother. He and Louie and Sophie sat at his mothers dining room table eating lunch. “Where did you hear that?

“Lisa. She told me Delaneys working in her cousin Alis salon.

Slowly Nick lowered his spoon. “How long have you known?

“A few days.

“And you didnt tell me?

Louie shrugged. “Didnt think youd want to know.

Nick stood. He couldnt decide if he should hug his brother or punch him in the head. “You knew Id want to know.

“Maybe I thought you needed to get yourself together before you see her again.

“Why would Nick want to see that girl? Benita asked. “The best thing she ever did was to leave town. The right thing is finally being done.

“The right thing would have been for Henry to accept his responsibility a long time ago. But he had no interest in me until it was too late.

“If it werent for that girl and her mother, he would have tried to provide for you years ago.

“And monkeys might have flown out his butt, Sophie said as she reached for the salt and pepper, “but I doubt it.

Louie raised a stunned brow while Nick laughed.

“Sophia, Benita gasped. “Where did you hear such foul language?

There were any number of places, starting with her father and uncle and ending with the television. Her answer surprised Nick. “Delaney.

“See! Benita rose and moved toward Nick. “That girl is no good. Stay away from her.

“Thats going to be a little difficult since Im going to drive to Boise and find her. I love her, and Im going to beg her to marry me.

Benita stopped and raised a hand to her throat as if Nick were choking her.

“Youve always said you wanted me to be happy. Delaney makes me happy, and Im not going to live without her anymore. Im going to do whatever it takes to get her back in my life. He paused and looked into this mothers stunned face. “If you cant be happy for me, then stay away until you can at least fake it.

Delaney hated to admit it, and certainly would never cop to it out loud, but she missed finger waves. Actually, she missed Wannetta. But it went deeper than missing one nosy old woman. She missed living in Truly. She missed living in a place where people knew her, and where she knew most everyone.

She removed the clips from the bib of her lederhosen and set them on her work station. On both sides of her, stylists cut and combed in the upscale salon in downtown Boise. Alis Salon was located in a renovated warehouse, and everything about it was trendy and new. The kind of salon shed always loved working in before, but it was different now. It wasnt hers.

She reached for a broom and swept up the hair of her last client. For the past ten years shed lived in places where she had no past, no history, no girlfriends whod lived through the agony of junior high with her. Shed lived in four different states, always looking for that elusive something, for the perfect place to grow some roots. Her life had come full circle, and it was ironic as hell that shed found the perfect place exactly where shed left it. She felt like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz , only she could never go home. Not now.

Boise was a nice city and had a lot to offer. But it didnt have a cross-dressing Santa or parades every holiday. It didnt have the same pulse and heartbeat as a small town.

It didnt have Nick.

She finished sweeping the hair into a pile, then reached for a dustpan. Not having Nick in the same town should have made her feel better. It didnt. She loved him, and she knew she always would. She wished she could move on and forget about Nick Allegrezza, but she couldnt even force herself to leave the state. She loved him, but she couldnt live near him. Not even for three million dollars. The decision to leave hadnt been all that difficult. There was no way she could live through the next five months seeing Nick with other women. Not for all the money in the world.

The bell above the door rang as Delaney emptied the hair into a trash basket. She heard a collective intake of female breath from the other work stations and the thud of boots.

“Can I help you?

“Thanks, said an achingly familiar voice. “I found what Im looking for.

She turned and looked at Nick an arms length away. “What do you want?

“I want to talk to you.

Hed cut his hair short. One dark lock curled and touched his brow. He took her breath away. “Im busy.

“Give me five minutes.

“Do I have a choice? she asked, fully expecting him to say no, so she could then tell him to go to hell.

He shifted his weight to one foot and shoved his hands in the front pockets of his jeans. “Yes.

His answer threw her and she turned to Ali, who worked at the next station. “Ill be back in five minutes, she said and walked toward the door. With Nick right behind her, she walked into the hall and stopped beside a pay telephone. “Youve got five minutes. She leaned back against the wall and folded her arms over her breasts.

“Why did you leave town in such a hurry?

She looked down at her new suede platforms. Shed bought them to make herself feel better, but they hadnt helped. “I needed to get away.

“Why? You wanted all that money pretty bad.

“Evidently I needed to get away more than I wanted the money.

“I told Max about you and me. Angel Beach and Silver Creek belong to you now.

She hugged herself tighter, fighting to hold it all together. She couldnt believe they were talking about some stupid property she didnt care about. “Why did you tell him?

“It didnt seem right that I inherit everything.

“Is that what you came to tell me?

“No. I came to tell you that I know I hurt you and Im sorry.

She closed her eyes. “I dont care, she said because she didnt want to care. “I told you I loved you, then you called Gail to come over to your house to have sex.

“I didnt call her. She just showed up, and we didnt have sex.

“I saw what was going on.

“Nothing happened. Nothing was ever going to happen. You saw what I wanted you to see, to think what I wanted you to think.

She lifted her gaze to his. “Why?

He took a deep breath. “Because I love you.

“That isnt funny.

“I know. Ive never loved any woman but you.

She didnt believe him. She couldnt believe him and risk her heart again. It hurt too much when he broke it. “No, you love to confuse me and drive me crazy. You dont really love me. You dont know what love is.

“Yeah, I think I do. His brows lowered, and he took a step toward her. “I have loved you my whole life, Delaney. I cant remember a day when I didnt love you. I loved you the day I practically knocked you out with a snowball. I loved you when I flattened the tires on your bike so I could walk you home. I loved you when I saw you hiding behind the sunglasses at the Value Rite, and I loved you when you loved that loser son of a bitch Tommy Markham. I never forgot the smell of your hair or the texture of your skin the night I laid you on the hood of my car at Angel Beach. So dont tell me I dont love you. Dont tell me– His voice shook and he pointed a finger at her. “Just dont tell me that.

Her vision blurred and her fingers dug into her arms. She didnt want to believe him, but at the same time, she wanted to believe him more than she wanted to live. She wanted to throw herself into his arms as much as she wanted to punch him. “This is just so typical of you. Just when Im convinced youre a big jerk, you trick me into thinking youre not. A tear spilled over her bottom lash and she brushed it away. “But you really are a jerk, Nick. You broke my heart, and now think you can come here and tell me you love me and Im supposed t-to forget everything? she finished just before she lost control and burst into tears.

Nick wrapped his arms around her and held her against his chest. She didnt know it, but he didnt plan to let her go. Not now. Not ever. “I know. I know Ive been a jerk, and I dont have a good excuse. But touching you and loving you, and knowing you were planning to leave me, made me crazy. After we made love the second time, I began to think maybe youd decide to stay with me. I started to think about you and me waking up every day together for the rest of our lives. I even thought about kids and taking some of those breathing classes when you got pregnant. Maybe buying one of those mini-vans. But then Gwen came home, and you said you were leaving, and I figured Id been fantasizing again. I was afraid you really would leave, so I made you leave me sooner. I just didnt think youd leave town . From within the folds of his leather jacket she sniffed but didnt speak. She hadnt told him she loved him and he was dying inside. “Please say something.

“A mini-van? Do I strike you as the mini-van type?

It wasnt exactly what hed hoped for, but it wasnt a bad sign, either. She hadnt told him to go to hell yet. “Ill buy you whatever you want if you tell me you love me.

She looked up at him. Her eyes were wet and her makeup was running. “You dont have to bribe me. I love you so much I cant think of anything else.

Relief flooded him and he closed his eyes. “Thank God, I was afraid youd hate me forever.

“No, thats always been my problem. I never could hate you as long as I probably should have, she said on a sigh and ran her fingers through the side of his short hair. “Why did you cut your hair?

“You told me once I should cut it. He brushed her tears away with his thumbs. “I thought it might help win you over.

“Its nice.

“Youre nice. He kissed her gently, tasting her lips. His tongue entered her mouth and touched hers with a soft caress meant to drug her while he reached for her left hand and slid a three-carat diamond solitaire on her ring finger.

She pulled back and looked down at her hand. “You could have asked.

“And take the chance youd say no? Not hardly.

Delaney shook her head and returned her gaze to him. “I wont say no.

He took a deep breath. “Marry me?

“Yes. She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed the side of his throat. “Now take me home.

“I dont know where you live.

“No. I mean Truly. Take me home.

“Are you sure? he asked, knowing he didnt deserve her or the happiness gripping his chest but taking it anyway. “We could live anywhere you want. I could move the business back to Boise if youd like.

“I want to go home. With you.

He pulled back far enough to look into her eyes. “What could I possibly ever give you compared to what youve given me?

“Just love me.

“Thats too easy.

She shook her head. “No its not. Youve seen what I look like in the morning. She flattened her left hand on his chest and studied her finger. “What can I give you? I get a handsome guy who does look good in the morning, and I get a great ring. What do you get?

“The only thing Ive ever wanted. He held her tight and smiled. “I get you, wild thing.