“Because the station is still spinning this to fix the backlash from me being involved when Gwen Wentworth was shot. They gave me a chance to save my name if I’d write an exclusive on my ordeal. I refused. When I started, I thought I’d like working for television, but I don’t want to share intimate details of what happened to me, so I can’t see myself asking someone else to do that. My reputation is shot in television.”
“I’m sorry, honey.”
“The only upside is that I hated working for a scumbag.” She smiled at her mother. “But I did hear some good news. Brittany’s grandfather fired Stuey. And I did get an offer from a regional magazine to report on Chicago’s who’s who in business and where they’re seen around town. They seem to think since I was seen with a Thornton-Payne I must be ‘in the know.’ ” She did the air quotes with her fingers. Filming documentaries might not happen in this lifetime with the dark cloud hanging over her television career.
“Oh.”
“Why do you sound disappointed, Mom?” Not that Abbie was doing backflips over this job offer or that she believed anyone in the Thornton-Payne league would ever speak to her, but it was a paying gig if she got it and meant reporting on the cream of the corporate world.
She might run into a Thorton-Payne, as in Todd, but not Hunter. The tug of pain caught her by surprise again.
“What about that idea you had to film children at different times in their lives for a couple—”
“No.” Abbie had once thought about creating video scrapbooks for parents. She’d saved the idea to start with her own family, because filming documentaries had always been her true passion. What was the chance she’d ever have little ones of her own? Zilch if she couldn’t have a family with the man she loved.
Falling for Hunter proved trust and love didn’t go hand in hand as she’d always believed.
Worse, she still loved that bastard.
He’d said he loved her, but he hadn’t trusted her.
She couldn’t accept one without the other and Hunter lived a life that didn’t allow for opening himself up totally to a woman.
“You’re awake.” Hannah strolled into the bedroom eating a dish of ice cream and carrying a second one she handed to her mother.
“I don’t get one?” Abbie asked, annoyed.
“You’ve got laundry to do.” Hannah shoved another spoonful in her mouth and moaned.
“I thought you wanted to stay a size six.” Abbie grabbed for the bowl. Hannah stuck it high in the air.
“Plumping up a few curves didn’t hurt you. I’ll take someone like that Hunter guy you were running around with anytime.”
Over my dead body. Abbie clamped her lips shut to keep from speaking her thoughts.
“Besides, Dr. Murphy said to be careful what you ate for a few days.” Hannah stepped back and lowered the bowl to mouth level, watching Abbie for any sudden moves.
“I’m fine. I didn’t get the crap Mom had. Dr. Murphy meant I shouldn’t eat anything abrasive to my stomach.” She glared at Hannah.
“Okay, all right. I’ll get you a bowl.” Hannah left.
Thin fingers touched Abbie’s hand. She turned to her mother, whose eyes were watery. “I’m sorry you were hurt—”
“Mom, you didn’t do anything wrong. You only gave birth to him. You didn’t raise Royce to be a killer. Sigmund Jack did that to him and he put you in danger. You were set up from the beginning.” Abbie would have nightmares forever about thinking she was going to die with no way to stop the killer or save her mother. “I was more scared for you. I still shake when I think about how close we came to losing you. If they hadn’t sedated Royce so heavily, he’d have committed suicide before Dr. Murphy had a chance to do the transfusion.”
“I would have done anything to keep you safe,” her mother said. “Sigmund threatened the one thing that would keep me from ever telling about him or my son when he said he’d kill you if I did. Or if I pointed a finger at the Kore Women’s Center.”
Abbie couldn’t imagine being given that choice. She’d have fought the world to protect a child… which she’d never have to worry about since she was never getting married.
“Abbie, uh…” Hannah called from the bedroom door.
“I don’t see a bowl of ice cream in your hand,” Abbie pointed out, though she laughed to lighten her accusation.
“Yeah, well, you might not have time to eat it.”
“Why?”
“There’s a man at the door asking for you. When I wouldn’t let him talk to you unless he told me what he wanted, he said there’s a private jet waiting on you at Midway Airport. He’s driving a stretch, and I mean stretch, limousine. He has a sealed envelope for you.”
Hunter paced the tarmac at Lambert-St. Louis airport. He’d never been nervous in his life, but he was damned nervous now.
The limo driver stood at the ready next to the rear door of the black limousine.
The jet Hunter had sent for Abbie was finally taxiing in his direction. He’d debated meeting her at her mother’s house to fly with her. But that would have allowed Abbie to dig in her heels at her mother’s house or at Midway airport.
Nothing but the note he sent would have gotten her this far. He’d written that he’d share the story behind the karabiner he carried if she’d come to St. Louis to hear it.
He had the karabiner with him, hanging from his belt loop, where he’d clipped it the night he pulled Eliot’s climbing gear off his body.
What he hadn’t told Abbie was that she’d have to hear the story while she was riding in a car.
When the jet Todd loaned him, again, finally stopped and the steps were lowered, Hunter had to force himself to wait by the car and not go to her. He hadn’t seen Abbie in five days.
He’d never realized how long five days could be.
When she emerged from the airplane and started down the steps he just stared, soaking her up from head to toe. She wore jeans and a turquoise sweater. Her eyes were bluer than her sweater. Black boots padded down the steps. Her hair was free, curling to her shoulders.
The only thing missing was her smile.
When she reached him she said, “I’m here because I’m naturally curious. Not because I’m willing to compromise.”
“I understand and won’t ask you to change the way you feel.”
Her gaze faltered, as if she might have wanted him to at least try. “Glad you understand. What’s with the car?”
“I thought we could take a drive while I told you the story.”
She considered it slowly, her eyes going from him to the car. “Okay, but do not take me out of St. Louis or this state or the country.”
“I won’t take you anywhere you aren’t willing to go.”
Again, she gave him a curious look. The wind lifted her hair and floated her scent over to him. Hunter couldn’t imagine not feeling her in his hands again or waking up next to her to make love. But she’d made her position clear when she said she would not stay with someone who didn’t trust her.
Just saying he trusted her would never work with Abbie.
She walked to the car and climbed into the backseat. When Hunter slid in, she moved to the seat across from him. “Start talking.”
When the car motored away, Hunter said, “I met Eliot in college.” He told her about things he and Eliot had done and how his friend had died, leaving out classified details, but sharing that Eliot had entrusted Hunter with protecting Cynthia and little Theo. That Cynthia was the person Hunter went to see in at the cemetery.
“I can understand your caution with Cynthia’s identity, especially given the responsibility Eliot left in your hands,” Abbie said. “I’m sorry about him. I can’t imagine losing someone the way you lost him.”
She’d been clutching the side of the seat and lifted her hand. He thought she might reach for him in a gesture of comfort, but the limo pulled to the curb in front of a brick home at that moment and she pulled her fingers back.
He hid the twist of misery he felt over her withdrawal again, but he had brought her here for a reason and would not let her reticence stop him now. “I want you to meet someone.”
Abbie looked around but made no comment on the quiet neighborhood with sidewalks and trees in the front yards. Children played next door.
Hunter got out of the car and stood in sunshine that warmed the air to the mid-sixties. He offered Abbie his hand. She hesitated, then put her hand in his. Touching her again struck him like a lightning bolt. He wanted to feel her in his arms but would take what she gave him. When he turned her toward the ranch-style brick house, the front door opened and Cynthia stepped out onto the small porch. She smiled at him, expecting them since Hunter had called in advance.
When he walked Abbie to the house, he said, “This is Cynthia, Eliot’s wife.”
Abbie’s mouth opened. She couldn’t believe he was bringing her here, but she was at the steps and meeting Cynthia before she could put her thoughts in words.
“It’s so nice to meet you, Abbie,” Cynthia said, stepping back so they could enter.
“You too,” Abbie mumbled. Hunter had explained how important it was to protect this woman’s identity. What was he thinking? When she remembered her manners, she said, “Your home is beautiful.” The toasty smell of baked cookies filled the house.
“Thank you. I’d love for you to come back when you can stay longer, but I understand you’re on a tight schedule today,” Cynthia said, turning to lead the way.
Abbie followed her through rooms decorated in down-to-earth chic. They walked through a kitchen in white and blue, then outside to a back screened porch, where a beautiful little boy played with plastic building blocks.
Hunter stepped up next to Abbie. His gaze was fixed on the little cherub with blond hair.
“Theo?” Cynthia said.
Her son raised powder-blue eyes and smiled at her.
“There’s someone here to see you, Theo.”
He stood up and walked to his mother, who said, “This is Abbie.” Theo shook Abbie’s hand like a little gentleman.
“And this is Hunter, your godfather.”
Abbie couldn’t speak. Hunter had clearly not met this child before today. She held her breath as Hunter walked over and dropped down on his knees, closer to eye level with Theo.
Hunter smiled at Theo. “Your daddy was a great man and he was my best friend. When you’re older, I’ll tell you stories about your dad, but you only need to know two things. Your daddy loved you very much…” He paused, his throat working as he swallowed, then added quietly, “And he was a hero.”
Abbie’s heart thumped wildly.
“This belonged to him,” Hunter said, unhooking the carabiner from where it hung on his belt loop. “It’s yours now.”
Theo touched the karabiner with his little hands, then he looked up at Hunter with wonder in his eyes. He leaned forward, arms wide. Hunter lifted him into his arms, hugging the tiny boy.
Abbie’s heart was breaking over the loss these three had shared, but she had a feeling Hunter hadn’t healed at all from that awful night on the cliff.
He was healing now with Eliot’s child in his arms. Hunter sat Theo back on his feet, then hooked the karabiner through a loop in Theo’s jeans. The little boy’s smile filled the room like bottled sunshine. Being a tiny person who didn’t understand everything, he sat down to play again.
When Hunter stood his eyes were different, not so filled with dark shadows. He hugged Cynthia and said, “I’ll call when I get some time. You call if you need anything.”
Cynthia kissed his cheek. “Thank you.” She didn’t seem able to say anything else but walked them back out to the front porch and hugged Abbie good-bye.
Abbie was trying to assess everything that had happened, to figure out why Hunter had brought her here.
He walked over to the car and said something to the driver, who nodded, then drove away.
“How are we getting back to the airport?” Abbie asked.
“He’s not going far,” Hunter answered. “Take a walk with me to a park about a block away? Please?”
She put her hand in his. When they were out of sight of the house, she asked, “What’s this really about, Hunter?”
“You haven’t asked about Borys,” he said, blatantly dodging her question.
“Okay, I’ll play. How’s Borys?”
“He’s good. Sends his love. Says he’d like to see you. Don’t you want to know where he is?”
“No. I really understand your need to be careful.”
“He’s in Wyoming at a new location. Pretty place up in the mountains I’d like to show you.”
Abbie stopped and turned to him, but he held on to her hand. “Why are you telling me this?”
Hunter lifted his free hand and held her cheek. “Because I love you and I trust you. I’ve never told anyone about Cynthia, not even Borys. There are some things in my work I won’t be able to tell you, because it’s classified and this is what I do. But I trust you with my life and my love.”
A tear leaked and ran down her face. He really did trust her. “How do you do that?”
“What, sweetheart?”
“Make me crazy to beat you one minute and crazy to love you the next.”
He pulled her to him and kissed her. She gave up trying to figure out anything except how she could keep her hands on this incredible man forever. “I love you,” she murmured between kisses, then pulled back. “What about your people or agency or whatever?”
“They aren’t crazy about me being with someone connected to the media, but… I’m willing to leave the agency if reporting is what you want to do.”
“I couldn’t do that to the man I love,” she whispered.