Courting Trouble (The Texas Two-Step Series, Book 3) (19 page)

Diedra shrieked and jumped up to make sure he was okay. After reassuring them all he was just fine, he asked them to move the picture. "Maybe you need to reconsider buying, Jeff. There's probably a bovement afoot to rename it the Bates Botel. Don't shower alone."

"We've already signed the papers." Jeff took Meagan's hand. "We both want a small town to raise our kid in and this is the perfect opportunity. I've always wanted to work near water."

Alec shook his head. "I just can't believe it. What about your law bractice?"

"You know I never really liked it. In fact, it was a relief leaving the law firm in Colorado. But then you had to supply me with an endless stream of clients."

Alec grinned, thinking about ol' Mimi. "Yeah. But why were you in such a hurry once you decided to reconcile? Why couldn't you tell us what was going on?"

"We were going to call you today," said Jeff.

He had never been very responsible and this was typical of him. Maybe his decision to buy this place and move away from Dallas would be the making of him.

"We had to move fast," Jeff said. "Uncle Bob, the fellow who's selling this place, said if we weren't here with a cashier's check by this morning at nine o'clock sharp, he was selling to a conglomerate that planned to tear it down.

"We take possession next week."

Meagan smiled lovingly at Jeff. "We couldn't let them do that to this sweet marina."

Alec almost choked. Flea bitten, yeah. But sweet?

At least this explained why Sarah had mentioned something about an Uncle Robert. Jeff must have said he'd call them from Uncle Bob's. "So that's why you needed that cashier's check."

Jeff laughed. "Yeah. What did you think, we were skipping the country?"

Alec grinned at Diedra, well aware they'd both made fools of themselves, but she wouldn't meet his gaze. Was she mad at him? Longing to be alone with her, to tell her how he felt, he wished Jeff and Meagan would leave. However, they'd better get all these explanations over with first. Otherwise, Diedra wouldn't be satisfied that all was well with her sister.

Jeff grinned. "We decided not to buy the yacht, though. A friend told us it was for sale, so we thought we'd try it out. After you guys caught up with us so fast, we've decided it's too slow."

Meagan giggled. "I still say if we'd known they were chasing us, we could have given them a better run for their money."

"This doesn't explain why Jeff went through my dresser yesterday," mused Diedra.

Meagan giggled again. "He told me about that. He had the wrong room." Her face was radiant. "Oh, Diedra, I'm so excited. He had to go for me because I was at my fifteen-week checkup. They did an ultrasound to check the due date. The baby is completely healthy. I saw his little heartbeat, and they even made a DVD."

"Her heart beat," corrected Jeff with a goofy smile.

"It's too early to be sure." Meagan smiled with pleasure.

"Nonsense," said Jeff. "She's going to be a beautiful girl, just like her mother."

"This is all well and good, but it doesn't exblain why you went to New Orleans," commented Alec, wanting to hurry things along. He was sweating again and suspected his fever had returned with a vengeance. A little sleep would help. They hadn't done much of that for days.

This time, Meagan looked embarrassed. "Diedra, you know when I thought Jeff was having an affair? He wasn't. You were right, my hormones were working overtime. Look!" She held up her left hand.

Diedra gasped. "It's beautiful!"

"I don't have my contacts. What's beautiful?" Alec was feeling neglected. Fighting back a chill, he slid more deeply under the covers.

"The ring I had made for her," answered Jeff. "I hired a jewelry designer in New Orleans to make it for our wedding anniversary. If the goof ball here had thought to ask why I was making all the secret phone calls, I could have explained. Instead, she left. She won't be making that mistake again." He put his arm around Meagan's shoulders.

Meagan nodded. "We've gotten it all worked out now. I've promised to never jump to conclusions again." She whispered something in Jeff's ear. He kissed her forehead.

Alec could barely keep his eyes open, he was so drowsy and dizzy, but he was just alert enough to realize he was a little jealous of their happiness. It would be good to get things settled with Diedra. He was ready for a little of that kind of happiness for them. Maybe his fever was helping him see things more clearly, but he couldn't believe how long he'd fought admitting how he felt about her. He loved her and she was the only woman who'd make him feel complete.

Jeff and Meagan were so sappy, it was almost more than his weakened condition could bear, but not quite. One matter was still unresolved. "I've been thinking, Jeff."

"Yeah?"

"About the door. Since you're going to be the new owner, you're not going to charge me for it, are you?"

Jeff guffawed. "After Meagan told me how you were wearing your pants backwards when you kicked down the door, I think you've been punished enough."

"Oh, geeze. My sweats were on backwards?" He did something he hadn't done in years. He blushed.

Chapter 19

Once Meagan and Jeff had left, Diedra tried to stay busy, hoping Alec would doze off. She could tell he wanted to talk and she wasn't ready for that. He wasn't in any condition for it, either.

The bathroom light was now working perfectly, so she got busy. She cleaned up the mess from their dinner, tossing cardboard cartons and aluminum foil into the small wastebasket. She repacked her overnight bag and cleaned out her purse.

Still Alec didn't go to sleep. He just sat there, watching. Waiting. It grated on her nerves. Why didn't he say something?

He was like one of those mummy masks she'd once seen at an exhibit. All eyes but no expression. Shrugging, she decided to ignore him. She brushed her teeth and turned out all the lights except for the bathroom fixture.

The TV chose that moment to flicker on and off.

Maybe he'd take the hint and go to sleep. She tiptoed to her bed. Just as she climbed under the covers, she heard him sit up.

"Are you going to tell me what's bothering you?" he asked.

Diedra took a deep breath and snuggled further under the covers. "Nothing's bothering me."

"Yeah, right. And I don't habe a cold."

She heard more rustling from his bed covers and a click. The bedside lamp came on. She looked over at him.

He smiled at her. "I like to see who I'm talking to."

"Alec, it's late. What do you want?"

"I want to know what's wrong. All night long you avoided beeting my eye. You neber directed one comment to me. I know something is wrong." His voice rose. "And I've got something important I want to tell you."

She couldn't stand this. It was too painful. Cutting to the chase, she said, "I'm going home in the morning."

"Yeah, we're going hobe."

Again, the TV flickered on and off.

"No. I mean I am going home. Alone. Without you." Was she going to have to spell it out?

"You bean it's over between us?" He was silent for a minute. "If it's because I'be been so cranky, it's just because of the cold. I'm not norbally this way."

Diedra sighed. "I know, Alec. That's not it."

He sat still, waiting for her to go on. How could she tell him that leaving him was like tearing out her own heart? She couldn't do it. She'd break down and never be able to leave, even if it was for his own good. She loved him too much to make him spend his life suffering the way she had. If something happened to him because of her, she'd shrivel up and die. She wouldn't do it to him. She loved him. Oh, God. She loved him.

"It's no good between us," she whispered.

"I disagree. Everything between us is good." He got up and moved over to kneel on the floor beside her bed. He caressed her hair.

She wanted to cry.

"Diedra, you care about me. I know you do. You want me as buch as I want you."

She turned her head away, afraid he'd see just how right he was. She had to leave for his own good. "Alec, there's something you don't know." She willed her voice not to break.

Hysteria rose in her throat, squeezing it nearly shut. She had to maintain control or she'd never get this out. "I have to leave, Alec. It's the magnetic thing. It's rubbed off on you."

"You bean the TV?"

"The TV, the lights, the damn boat." She had to maintain control or she'd never get the words out. "I have to leave because I didn't do those things. You did."

"Does it really batter who did it? I stopped caring about that stuff a long time ago."

"Yeah, right. I know how you fought your attraction to me, all the things you worried about. How precious your image is." Releasing his hand, she pushed away from him. "It would ruin your life.
I
would ruin your life. And I won't be responsible for that."

He couldn't believe what she was telling him. He was so feverish, he knew he couldn't think clearly enough to argue with her right now. The room seemed to spin.

Earlier, he'd looked in the mirror. The precious image she'd so cavalierly referred to was shot already. What was image compared to happiness? Diedra made him happy, made him feel complete. Whole. Sound. Like he had a reason, a purpose, rather than just going through the motions.

She wasn't an inappropriate woman. Instead, he'd been an inappropriate man. He'd already changed, grown so much. He knew they could make things work.

Hell, every time he'd thought about the future, she was part of it. The boat. Going home. Always Diedra was in the very center of the picture. "We're going to buy that boat."

He was annoyed that his words came out slurred. "You belong with be. In a boat." That hadn't come out right. He was so tired.

Her soft hand touched his face and moved to his forehead. "Damn, Alec. You're burning up again. Get back in bed and I'll get more aspirin."

His head spinning, he allowed her to help him under the covers. Without protest, he took the medicine. She placed a soothing damp cloth on his forehead. As he faded off, he grasped her arm. "You won't leave?"

"Don't worry. I'll stay until morning."

"Good, we can talk then," he murmured as began to doze off. "See? I knew. You wouldn't hurt Mr. Siebert, would you?"

"No, Alec." Her voice was a whisper.

Slumber claimed him.

* * *

Diedra moved quietly about the room, careful not to awaken Alec. During the night, his fever had broken, so she knew he would be fine on his own.

She hadn't been able to rest. Her mind was operating at warp speed and she couldn't shut off her thoughts. Maybe she was overly tired or maybe it was stress. She needed to get this over with. Then things could return, if not to normal, at least to the old routine.

Uncle Bob had called for a cab to take her to Corpus and her car. Alec could rent a car or fly home. He'd be fine.

Really he would.

She knelt to give him one final kiss on his forehead. It was cool to her lips. He looked adorable. Sleep creased his face, relaxed his body. She longed to crawl under the covers and enjoy the warmth in his arms, to kiss him one more time. But that would prolong the agony for both of them.

With extreme caution, she tucked a note under his pillow. Writing that had felt as though she were stabbing her own heart. They could never work things out, she had written, so she was cutting out early and saving each of them the embarrassment.

Tearing herself away, she picked up her bag and tiptoed from the room. She closed the door as silently as possible.

Turning, she ran directly into Meagan.

"Good morning, Sis," Meagan said gaily, reaching out a hand to steady her. "How are you this morning?"

Diedra glanced at her sister, unable to say a word.

Meagan's face fell. "It's okay. Tell big sis all about it."

"I can't. My cab should be here by now."

"I'll walk with you. Hang on a sec while I tell Jeff." Meagan darted into her motel room. In less than a minute she was back.