Part 14 (1/2)
”I shouldn't go anywhere near her after what I did.” Cole's voice was full of revulsion.
”And we're done with the pity party. You're going to your brother's, where you'll hide out while we try to find a way for both of you to get past this. But first, you have to answer one question for me.”
”Hide out? What about the business?”
Jake twisted his lips in disgust. ”I sure don't want our staff to see you in this miserable condition. There's nothing on the books I can't handle for a week or so.”
”Fine. Okay.” Cole rubbed his face then ran his fingers through his hair. ”Whatever you want.”
”Answer one question for me,” Jake repeated, ”and tell me the truth or I'm outta here. Are you honest to G.o.d in love with her? No bulls.h.i.+t. Say it out loud so we both hear it.”
”So much it's killing me,” Cole admitted it. ”I just couldn't... I didn't know how...”
”All right, all right.” Jake cut him off. ”Will you do whatever we tell you to get her back?”
”Anything. I'll do whatever it takes. I can't lose her, Jake.” His voice was raw with need and hunger, the pain in his heart coloring his words.
”Okay. We're heading to Sean's. We'll just leave your car here. I'll have whoever's around deliver it to Sean's tomorrow.”
He called Sean and told him they were on the way.
Chapter Ten.
Tara had no idea what to do next. She could always go back to her house, taking Molly with her. She had kept the place as a backstop in case this stupid bargain came apart. But even in her darkest thoughts, she'd never envisioned anything like this.
The doorbell rang just as she finished feeding Molly her lunch. She tried ignoring it, even when it rang three more times. There wasn't a person in the world she wanted to see right now.
The ringing stopped, but heavy pounding on the door replaced it.
Then she heard Lindsey's voice. ”Tara, if you don't open this door and let me in, I'm breaking a window and coming in that way. You don't want to do that to a pregnant woman, do you?”
Reluctantly, she opened the front door. Lindsey stood there, her eyes intent on Tara's face.
Emilio was just behind her.
”You look like h.e.l.l,” she said. ”Come on.” She grabbed Tara's arm and marched her into the kitchen, Emilio on her heels.
Molly was banging noisily on her highchair tray. The little girl looked up at everyone and smiled, showing two new teeth. Lindsey sat Tara down in a chair, found a teething cookie in the pantry and handed it to the baby.
”All right.” She dropped into a chair. ”Don't open your mouth until I'm finished. I know what happened last night and before you start feeling uncomfortable and trying to hide, Jake had to tell me because he was worried about you.”
”Jake knows?” Tara's face turned red then white. ”Oh, my G.o.d. Everything?”
”And Sean,” Lindsey added.
”Has Cole told the whole world?” Tara's eyes filled with tears. She covered her face with her hands.
Lindsey tugged gently at her hands, forcing Tara to look at her. ”He didn't want to tell anyone, but when Jake found him holed up at the office this morning, Cole was close to suicidal, so Jake got the whole story out of him.”
Tara shook her head. ”I was thinking of taking Molly to my place for a while. I can't face anyone right now.”
”You listen to me.” Lindsey leaned forward, forcing Tara to look at her. ”I am not going to leave you alone, no matter what you say. You're coming out to the ranch for a few days.”
When Tara started to protest again, Lindsey just shook her head. ”Everything's already set up. You and Molly will have my old room. You don't have to do anything but sit. Luisa's wonderful about taking care of people with emotional wounds. I should know. She did it for me many times.”
”Oh, Lindsey, I can't. Thank you but that's impossible.” She covered her face with her hands again. ”There are things you don't know.”
Lindsey was adamant. ”Being alone is the worst thing you can do. Cole is a good, decent man, who suffered a terrible blow, but it's time for him to deal with it. Then the two of you need to talk.”
”I can't talk to him.” Tara shook her head. ”I can't face myself, much less him.”
”Honey, when the time is right, you have to. This thing can't just lie between you like the elephant in the room.”
”There's so much I don't understand,” Tara cried. ”What is he hiding? What is so awful that he can't tell me about it? Why does he hate Molly so much? Why did he get so drunk? Why couldn't he just come to me and...” Tara stopped, her voice threatening to crack.
”Stop. Not another word. You need some s.p.a.ce to think, and the ranch is just the place for that. So let's get going.”
”But Jake will be there and...”
”Tara.” Lindsey took Tara's hands and pulled them away from her face. ”Jake is one of the gentlest, most sensitive people in the world. He has his own history. I guarantee you he will go out of his way to respect your privacy and make you feel comfortable.” She chuckled. ”On the other hand, if I don't have any success with you, he's going to come here, throw you over his shoulder and drag you out to the ranch himself.”
Tara smiled weakly at the thought.
”All right.” Lindsey wiped Molly's face and hands and lifted the little girl out of the highchair, handing her to Tara. ”Tell Emilio where the luggage is so he can bring it upstairs. We're going to pack whatever you need for a few days for you and Molly. What we forget we can buy.
And don't argue with me. Stress isn't good for a pregnant woman.”
Tara had to admit getting away from the house would be a relief. She needed to sort out her feelings. The ranch was such a soothing place to be, and it would be great for Molly.
”You're right,” she said, giving in. ”The luggage is in the garage. If you can keep Molly busy, I'll get us packed.” She handed Molly back and hugged her friend. ”Thanks. I don't...I just...”
”It's all right. You don't need to say anything else.”
Luisa was waiting for them when Emilio brought the suitcases into the ranch house. She reached at once for Molly, who smiled and gurgled at her. The woman gave the little girl a warm smile.
”She hasn't had her nap today,” Tara told her.
”We'll take care of that right now. We'll just get her into bed, and she'll go off like a rock.
If you want to come up with us, Mrs. Ca.s.sidy, I'll show you how the room is fixed, and you can let me know if you need any changes.”
”Tara. Please call me Tara.” Formality certainly wouldn't work in this situation. She hugged Luisa. ”And thank you so much.”
She was touched at the trouble they'd gone to, trying to make her comfortable. Lindsey's old bedroom was huge, with a king-sized bed and a large dresser. The crib was set up close to the bed and even had a mobile attached to it. Jason's old changing table was set up in a corner and Luisa had stocked it with everything she'd need. Fresh flowers stood in a vase on the dresser and a stack of mysteries sat on the bedside table. There was even a rocking chair. Sun poured in through the oversized windows, giving everything a warm glow.
Tara was overwhelmed. She could feel the tears starting again. ”I don't know what to say except thank you.”