Destiny Lingers (28 page)

“Forever.”

“Forever.”

Chase takes my face in his hands and pulls it close to his. I see his beautiful green eyes as the lightning strikes. He continues to kiss me deeply and sensuously, looking at me longingly all the while, as the thunder roars outside. I pray that this kiss and that look lasts forever. I totally surrender my heart, body, and soul to this one man.

Crack! Crash!
Boom!

I shudder in sudden alarm and fear, grabbing Chase’s strong arm. The sky explodes with a spectacular show of thunder and lightning. Chase holds me tightly, rocking and soothing me while the wind whistles through every crack and crevice of the beach house. Sheets of rain continue to pour. The ocean swells and surges, sending powerful waves pounding the shore like monstrous fists of fury. The second stage of Big Belinda’s wrath has begun.

“Don’t be afraid, Destiny.” Chase soothes me with a soft kiss on my cheek. “I’m right here, baby. I’m right here.”

I bury my head in Chase’s chest. I inhale deeply, trying to capture every single molecule of his being until we become one.
If I die today, please, dear God, let me have this moment now
. It’s as if we have no choice. We are driven by our love and nature. We are grabbing and pawing at each other as if we’ll never see each other again or as if we may not survive this brutal night. The lightning bolts above the beach house continue to crack, while the thunder consistently booms outside. The wind has a horrid howl, but neither of us is focused on the life-threatening storm right now. We are far too focused on each other, as if we are discovering one another for the first time. The electricity surging through the air only heightens the electricity surging in our souls. While Hurricane Belinda wreaks havoc, we make love as if our lives depend on it.

I take my lover’s hand and lead him to my bedroom, where we continue our mad, passionate lovemaking, promising in deep, breathless whispers to never leave each other—not ever again. Chase’s tongue travels all over my body, kissing every inch of me with intention and purpose, as he peels off my clothes and takes me in his arms. I love him more with every passionate kiss and whispered promise of loving me and caring for me forever.

I cling to Chase as our bodies mold into one, grinding and sliding, feeling skin to skin, chest to chest, tangled into a love knot. I feel his sigh on my neck, his hand on my thigh. I am tangled into one with Chase.

“Oh, Destiny,” he says, panting.

“Yes, my love?” I whisper deep into his ear, as he rolls over on top of me. “Talk to me.”

“No talking.” Chase pants as he takes his muscular thighs and separates mine.

I open myself to him, both of us wanting and waiting for this moment forever. Chase slides his big strong hand under me and pushes his long, thick, hard love into my deep, wet softness. I lift myself to him as he digs into my soul, deeper and deeper, until I can’t hold it anymore and burst into tears of happiness and ecstasy. Chase kisses me through my emotions, while he loves me deeper, harder, working into a frenzy of desire and need.

We cum at the same time, screaming, moaning, and panting in ecstasy over the pleasure and release that blocked out the raging storm at sea. It is the best love I have ever had or made. I want Chase McKenzie for the rest of my life. I want this love to last forever.

While the hurricane rages outside, here inside Tranquility, there’s only the warmth of spirit and the golden glow of love. Chase and I fall asleep in each other’s arms, knowing that God, the angels, and Aunt Joy are watching over us. For the first time in a long time, and despite the storms of life and sea, I feel, safe, loved, and alive once again.

Chapter
Thirty-Five

I
awake to the manly smell of Chase McKenzie and the feel of his strong arms still wrapped around me. The birds are tweeting happily outside my window, as if nothing at all unusual happened last night. Despite the horrendous storm, I finally feel a sense of happiness and peace, a cleansing and safety that I can barely describe. I feel like a survivor, and I can do anything.

“Good morning, sunshine.” Chase smiles down at me and kisses my forehead.

“Good morning, my darling.” I smile back up at him.

“Well, we’re still here,” he teases.

I chuckle. “Yes, and thank God we are.”

“Let’s see what awaits us.”

The storm has passed. The wind and rain have stopped. Outside the sun is shining brightly again. There’s not a cloud in the sky. The ocean is blue, calm, and gentle, with barely a wave licking the shore. She is as glassy as a lake and as innocent as a lamb. If not for all the debris scattered around—the mass destruction left behind, some residents’ homes and longtime businesses now missing—we wouldn’t guess a vicious hurricane just struck. We still don’t know how many injuries or if any lives were lost. Looking at the calm seas and skies right now, one would never believe a horrendous hurricane had brutally battered this area. How in the world did we survive?

A military evacuation chopper, surveying the area, spots us and makes an emergency rescue landing on the beach.

“Everybody okay?” shouts a soldier over the loud thump-thump-thumping of the helicopter’s propeller. “Y’all are lucky to be alive! You okay? Any injuries?”

“No, we’re just happy to be here, man,” Chase says.

We board the emergency aircraft. Chase holds me closely, warding off my fears. We fly away to safety, together preparing to rebuild our lives and the little island where our love began so many years ago in a very different time.

Chapter
Thirty-Six

C
hase was right when he predicted it would take weeks for workers to bulldoze the huge piles of debris out of the way before the rebuilding crews could get back on our devastated little island. Emergency crews eventually evacuated everyone safely. There were some minor injuries on the mainland and a few babies born a lot earlier than expected—a natural phenomenon during these times—but fortunately, no deaths to report in the area. Many homes were badly or completely damaged, leaving residents stranded and struggling to find emergency housing, food, and insurance representatives.

Chase and I are working hard around the clock, volunteering for the emergency relief efforts. Topsail Island is hurting badly, and we are staying here to help rebuild our treasured home.

Chase’s potato house fared well in the storm, perhaps protected by the thick marsh trees. He insisted I move in with him after the hurricane, at least until my beach house is restored. It may seem strange, my living with another man so soon, but it doesn’t feel strange at all living with Chase. We blend and harmonize well together, as if we have known each other all our lives—and quite truly, we have.

Grossman gave me a chance to report about the hurricane disaster, live from the island, even using my battered beach house as the backdrop for my reports. Whether I meant to or not, I witnessed this news, upfront and personal, and again my big lead story made the national network broadcasts. Mother and Daddy were again relieved that I survived another big news story and once again were extremely proud.

While out in the field, gathering interviews on the hurricane relief efforts, a cameraman from our local affiliate in nearby Wilmington, North Carolina, told me about a job opening in the station’s Investigations Unit. He encouraged me to call the news director myself, saying he’d probably be happy to have an experienced New York City reporter, who’s also a native North Carolinian, on his investigative team. So in a tremendous leap of faith, I called the news director to inquire about the job and just as the cameraman predicted, his boss was thrilled about my inquiry and hired me on the spot. After Grossman realized he couldn’t talk me out of transferring to North Carolina, he called our sister station himself to put in a good word for me. He also told me I always had a place back in New York City, if I ever changed my mind.

Mother was not at all happy about my decision to remain on Topsail Island. “Are you
crazy
? You got a master’s degree in journalism from Columbia University
in New York City
. You are breaking your teeth in the
number-one market
. We’ve always had big dreams of your winning that Emmy one day, and you’re just
that
close to going network, and
what
? You blow it all for
love
with a
white boy
—on a tiny, little countrified island?”

“Mother, I’m not blowing anything,” I say as I patiently try to explain the situation and my choices to her, but she just rambles on and on about what a tremendous mistake she thinks I’m making. I know in my heart that while this may not be the decision Mother would make, it is the only decision for me. “Look, I am with the man I love, on the island I love, and still able to pursue the career and the passions I love. What’s so wrong with that?”

“But there’s so much more out there for you to accomplish, Dee.”

“Mother, listen to me—you have always pushed me to be the very best at everything I do, and I deeply appreciate that. I tried it your way, but my dreams are not your dreams. My choices aren’t yours. Mother, can’t you see how happy I am—for once? Again, this is not about
you
. I want a much simpler life for myself than maybe you would choose. Just let me be happy, Mother, please? Can you please just be happy for me for once? Please?”

Mother is quiet. I’m not sure whether she’s sincerely contemplating my words or about to blow a gasket. But I rest in my finally knowing what I want for my life and for the first time, I’m determined to get it, not craving anybody’s approval or caving under anybody else’s pressure. I am destined to be happy, fulfilled, and—as Aunt Joy always reminded me—I promise not to give up on love. I will truly, deeply, forever love Chase Monroe McKenzie, as I always have, all my life. And I will never second-guess our love again.

“But, where are you going to live, Dee?” Mother asks. “The beach house needs so many repairs.”

“Chase has asked me to live with him, at least until Tranquility is ready.”

“Dear Mary, Mother of God! Your father is going to have a fit.”

“I know,” I say, resigned to the fact that Daddy will only see my living with Chase as shacking up. “He’ll come around. After all, I could still be living up in ‘the ghetto’ with Garrett. I really do need your support right now. Chase and I both do.”

“Well,” Mother says resignedly. “I don’t know what we would have done without that Chase. I must say, that young man does stand by you during the worst of times, doesn’t he? He seems to be there for you no matter what. That’s very important, Dee. I guess that quality in a person is admirable—in any color.”

“I appreciate that, Mother.”

Life keeps getting better every day.

While I have this break from my volunteer work on the island, I decide to do some more hurricane cleaning around Chase’s house while he remains on around-the-clock duty. So many things need to be put out to dry before they mold and mildew inside. Other than some flooding and lots of dampness, the good news is that Chase’s dream home turned out to be stronger than we imagined. Flooding or not, it feels wonderful being in the house that Chase built. Something deep in my heart tells me he built this home with me in mind.

I am hanging Chase’s kitchen rug over the front porch banister when I hear a vehicle slowly creeping up the long driveway through the marsh trees toward the house. I know it’s not the familiar rumble of Chase’s big truck, and we’re not expecting anyone, so who in the world could it be? The car gets closer, slowly entering the clearing around Chase’s home. I have never seen this car before. The car slowly grinds to a halt. I cannot see the driver’s face from up here on the porch because of the sun’s bright reflection.

The shadowy driver sits there. He does nothing, which gives me even more of an eerie feeling. I stand on the porch and wait for this unexpected intruder to make a move. I remember Chase left an emergency radio sitting on the kitchen table. I will use it if I have to. Maybe it’s just my New York instincts that have me on edge right now, but I feel there is something weird about this approaching car.

“Hello,” I call out. “Can I help you?”

There is no movement.

“Hello?” I repeat. When still no one budges from the car, I storm into the house, grab Chase’s emergency radio, and then march back onto the porch, preparing to recite the car’s license number to the radio dispatcher. Finally, the car door slowly opens, and to my shock and surprise—out steps Garrett Nelson.

“Hey, baby,” he says smoothly as he slides his sneaky way out of the car. “Don’t get all excited now. It’s me.
Surp
rise
!”

“Yeah, some surprise, all right!” I am livid that Garrett has the nerve to resurface on Topsail. “Why are you here and what do you want?”

“Hey, hey, easy, Dee. I come in peace,” he teases as he saunters closer to the house.

“Garrett, get right back in that car and drive straight back to New York where you and your mess belong.”

“Dee … Dee, look, hold up,” Garrett says, making his way toward the steps.

“Stop it right there, Garrett! Don’t you dare come a step further. You are not welcome here. Go home!”

“Not welcome here? Wait. Hold up.” Garrett kicks the sand. “I come all this way to see you because I was worried about you, baby. I heard you got caught on the island down here in that big hurricane. I heard you were homeless. Then I hear you’re living back here in the woods somewhere with some white dude. I was just worried about you, Dee. I came to take you home.”

“Take me home? What home? We don’t have a home, Garrett. You destroyed that months ago, remember? Around the time you were impregnating Eve!”

“Baby, please, listen to me. Let’s talk.” Garrett walks up the first few steps.

“Back up, Garrett! Get off the steps!” I feel as if I am shouting at a bad dog. “Go home! Now! It’s over between us. I want nothing to do with you.”

Garrett looks like I just knocked the wind out of him. He gives me one of those puppy-dog looks. I will never ever buy into that look again.

“Destiny, please, just listen to me for a minute. Baby, I made a big mistake, and I know that now. I took you for granted, and I think I was angry that married life wasn’t as easy as I thought it would be. I started believing you were more in love with your career than with me. Eve was just there, baby. I swear I never stopped loving you. I want another chance, Destiny. I swear I’ll work harder.”

“Garrett, you sound ridiculous. And does your pregnant girlfriend, Eve, know you’re down here groveling in front of me like this? You can’t just waltz into my life whenever you feel like it. It’s over, Garrett. It can’t be more over, and no amount of begging and looking at me all sad like that is going to change the circumstances or the situation. I have already moved on!”

“But I want us to try one more time, Destiny. Honey, please, I’m begging you.”

Then the fool actually starts to cry. Something horrible must have happened between Eve and him, something so horrendous that it made him drag his pitiful ass all the way down here to Topsail Island and track me down with some big old crocodile tears to plead for a second chance. Garrett might have lost Eve and me, but he still hasn’t lost his nerve.

“Okay, what happened, Garrett? What happened to you and Eve and the baby?” I wait at the top of Chase’s stairs, staring down at my pitiful soon-to-be-ex-husband.

“There is no baby,” he mumbles.

“Excuse me? What did you say? I didn’t hear you.” I can’t believe what I really heard. But then again—yes, I can.

“I said, there is no baby. Eve was lying all that time. Can you believe that?”

“What do you mean, can I believe it? You lied to me all that time too!”

“Yeah, but to lie about a
baby
, just to
trap
me into leaving you—that wasn’t right.”

“Oh, Garrett, it happens all the time.” I sigh and muse that for a smart man, Garrett can be so stupid.

“Hey, and get this—Eve was cheating on me too.” Garrett looks up at me in wide-eyed hurt and disbelief from the bottom of the stairs that I will not let him climb. He has been hoodwinked and bamboozled by a stone-cold perpetrator. Eve duped us both. “Dee, I swear she was fuckin’ Maxine behind my back. She left me for fuckin’ ghetto-ass Maxine—a
woman
. Damn! I still can’t get over that shit!”

“Well, too bad,” I say.

“Plus, she was a slob, Dee. All she wanted to do was lie around all day. She didn’t want to get a job, but she always wanted presents. And she couldn’t touch you in the kitchen, baby.”

“Why are you telling me all of this?”

“Baby, Eve always accused me of one day going back to you. She never completely trusted my love for her. She said I’d always love you, not her completely, and it’s true. She was real insecure about you. She knows you’re the better woman.”

“Garrett, go away. It’s over between us,” I say, exhausted. What did you really expect from me when you came here today?”

“I don’t know. I wanted to check in on you, surprise you, and make sure you were all right. But baby, I really wanted to see if maybe we could get back together, you know—start all over again. I admit I made a mistake, and I am here to say I’m sorry, and I want you back, Destiny. Heck, I was thinking maybe we’d go to the movies tonight.”

“Funny, I was thinking we wouldn’t see each other anymore.”

Garrett scowls.

“It’s time for you to go home now, Garrett. It’s over. I’ll call and have my attorney draw up the divorce papers tomorrow.”

“
Tomorrow? Divorce papers? Whoa!”
Garrett hops up the steps, coming face-to-face with me. “Can’t we talk about this, baby?”

“What is there to talk about, Garrett? You fuck my best friend and destroy our marriage, and you want me to act like nothing ever happened. I swear, you have a lot of fucking nerve, Garrett!”

“Destiny! I said I was sorry. Damn! Gimme a break!”

“Oh, I’m going to give you a break all right!”

Garrett looks desperate. “Okay, I made a mistake,” he says. “But what? You can’t forgive me?”

“I forgive you. I forgive myself for marrying you. And mostly, I’ve moved on, Garrett,” I say firmly.

“Moved on? What the hell does that mean?”

Suddenly, I hear the deep rumble of the engine of Chase’s big red truck. He is coming down the driveway to the house. Garrett looks in that direction, raises an eyebrow, and then looks back at me.

“You better go now,” I advise. The last thing I want Chase to see is Garrett standing outside his house, begging me to get back with him.