Looking for a Hero (19 page)

K
ate climbed through the hatch, and stood in a daze on the rain-soaked deck. It had stormed sometime during the night, and she hadn't even known. A hurricane could have swept across northeast Florida and she would have been oblivious. She'd been too caught up in her own hurricane, something wild and wonderful, something she'd dreamed of, something she'd wanted desperately.

The reality of it all suddenly crashed down on her.

Morgan was going to leave, and she'd never see him again.

Never…

She'd just walked away from him, left him standing in the middle of the cabin where they'd made love for hours.

He'd whispered, “I love you.”

And she'd ignored his words, ignored the fact that he'd given her his heart. But she couldn't ignore how her own heart had broken, the moment he'd said he was leaving, the moment she'd realized that going back was more important to him than staying here with her, the moment she'd known that one night with Morgan would never be enough.

Kate sniffed back her tears and slipped through the shadows until she reached the bow of the ship. For the first time that morning, she actually noticed the sun rising on the horizon, saw cars with their lights on driving along the road that paralleled the beach. They were filled with men and woman on their way to work, men and women with normal lives, who didn't know that an eighteenth-century pirate had traveled through time, who didn't know or care that she was running away from the man she loved.

Turning, she looked toward the hatch, hoping she'd catch one last glimpse of her pirate, hoping he'd call out for her to stay, but the place where she looked was as empty as her heart.

Cautiously she swung her legs over the side of the ship, dug her feet into the anchor chain and climbed down, swinging at last to the wooden dock.

The guard stood near the stern, far enough
away that she was able to sneak across the wharf without being seen. She crept past a patrol car, around the back of crates, and into an alley that morning light had yet to touch. She breathed rapidly, her chest rising and falling with each quick beat of her heart. It was late, she had to get home before the children arrived, and she needed to forget about Morgan and return to her calm, ordinary life.

If that were at all possible.

“Well, well, well. We meet again.”

Kate's arms and shoulders tensed at the sudden sound of the deep, refined voice, and when the man appeared like a specter out of the dark, she moved backward until her retreat was halted by a cold, damp brick wall.

“I have frightened you yet again. I am truly sorry.”

She recognized him as the man she'd seen last night. Had he followed her here? Had he been on the ship? Did he know who she was? Kate inched away from the wall and stumbled over a trash can tipped on its side. Her heart thudded. “Who are you?” she asked shakily.

“A man who's interested in the same thing as you.”

“And what's that?”

“
Satan's Revenge
, of course. If I'd known last night you were coming here, I would have joined you.” He smiled, his white teeth and brown eyes shining in the first rays of light. He looked toward the ship. “She's a beauty. I imagine a man would
do just about anything to possess something so exquisite.”

“I suppose.”

“I like beautiful things. Ships. Women…” He faced her again. “Like you.”

“You don't even know me.”

“That could be changed quite easily.”

“I don't think so.”

She backed away, but he took a step closer.

“I've got to go,” she said nervously.

The man touched her, his long, slender fingers wrapping around her upper arm. “Must you leave?”

Kate nodded.

He smiled again. “Your lips are quivering. I'm not surprised. It's rather wet out this morning, and there's a slight chill in the air. One would think one was in England rather than Florida.”

Behind her Kate heard the rumble of an engine and the unmistakable sound of a police radio. She took a deep breath, pulling away from the stranger as headlights flashed down the alley and illuminated him from head to toe. Impeccably dressed, stunningly handsome, but there was something in his deep brown eyes that made her shiver.

The door of the car opened, light footsteps moved into the alley. “Good morning.”

Kate spun around, relieved to see Nikki's frowning face. Her sister-in-law was shaking her head, one brow raised, and then she turned to the stranger. “Good morning, Mr…. I'm sorry. We
met yesterday on the ship, but I've forgotten your name.”

“Lancaster. Gordon Lancaster.”

“That's right. The historian from England.”

“You have a good memory, Miss Cameron.”

“Nikki,” she corrected, then laughed in her usual style, looking from Kate to Mr. Lancaster, then back again. “I take it the two of you have met already.”

“We ran into each other last night,” he said, holding out his hand to Kate, “but we haven't been formally introduced.”

Kate reached out hesitantly. Gordon Lancaster slid his fingers around her hand. His touch was cool, and he held on far too long. A foreboding tremble raced up her spine.

“I'm Gordon Lancaster,” he repeated. The name sounded familiar, something she'd heard before this morning, but she couldn't remember where.

He squeezed her fingers. “And you are?”

“Kate Cameron.”

“You and Nikki must be sisters.”

“Sisters-in-law,” Kate stated.

Nodding, he smiled as he looked at Nikki. “It would be easy to mistake you for sisters, considering the resemblance, not to mention the fact that you're both quite beautiful.”

Kate frowned when she saw the blush rise in Nikki's cheeks. The man had all the airs of a gentleman, but he gave Kate the creeps, and she didn't like the way always-in-control Nikki was falling for his slippery smooth words.

Kate linked her arm through Nikki's and took a step toward the car. “It was nice to meet you, Mr. Lancaster—”

“Gordon. Please.”

Kate smiled. “I hope you'll enjoy your visit, but I have to get to work, and Nikki's here to take me home.”

“I quite understand. Perhaps I'll see you both before I leave?”

“Actually,” Nikki said, “Kate's having dinner with my fiancé and me tonight. We'd love to have you join us.”

“I'd be honored.”

Arguing would have been useless, so Kate stood quietly while Nikki gave Gordon the time and place. Kate had no intention of going out to dinner, and she didn't like the way Nikki was adopting Evalena's matchmaking ways. There was only one man who interested Kate—and by nightfall, he'd probably be back in 1702.

“We'll see you at eight,” Nikki said, and Kate reluctantly gave Mr. Lancaster a half smile before dragging Nikki toward the car and climbing inside.

“Why did you tell him I was going out with you?”

“Because you are,” Nikki answered. “You need some other interests besides your day care center and walking around town in the middle of the night. Which reminds me, the officer guarding the ship said he saw a woman fitting your description sneaking off the ship.”

Kate shrugged, wanting to ignore Nikki's implied question, but Nikki had the gift of reading peoples' minds.

“What were you doing there?”

“Looking around.”

“All night?”

“I was tired after my walk. I fell asleep.”

Nikki shook her head. “Well, you won't be out walking tonight, and you won't be alone. Gordon Lancaster seems like a nice guy.”

“Too refined for my tastes.”

“He could grow on you.”

“You find him more interesting than Jack?”

“Of course not. But he seems perfect for you.”

Gordon Lancaster seemed perfect, and that was the problem. Kate didn't want perfect. She wanted a man with scars inside and out, a man who could hate as passionately as he could love.

A man who was gone from her life.

She stared out the window as Nikki drove away. Looking back at
Satan's Revenge
, she watched the sheets slapping against the masts, the sunlight striking the black-and-white skull and crossbones flapping in the wind, and, high up in the crow's nest, she saw a man with long dark hair billowing about his head and shoulders. He was nothing more than a phantom from another world, but Kate could see him touching his fingers to his lips, then blowing a last parting kiss toward her.

A tear slipped easily from Kate's eye, and she whispered, “Good-bye.”

 

Kate walked through the living room, pulling a comb through her tangled mass of just-washed hair. Sara and the triplets were playing in the middle of the floor, and she patted heads and caressed cheeks on her way to the kitchen. Bubba held his little arms out to her and she scooped him from the high chair, as if that was the most natural thing in the world to do.

Pressing a kiss to his plump pink cheek, she sat across from Nikki and took a sip of her first cup of morning coffee. “Thanks for watching everyone while I showered.”

“No problem.”

She lifted a knife from the plate in the center of the table, cut a wedge of coffee cake, slipped it onto a napkin, and broke off a piece with her fingers, avoiding the questioning look on Nikki's face. She'd told her on the drive home that she'd talk about what was troubling her, but only after she'd showered, only after she'd had a little while to collect her thoughts.

And now she didn't want to talk.

“What's going on, Kate?” Nikki asked over her cup of coffee. “And don't tell me nothing, because I won't believe you. I want to know what you were doing on that ship, why you were out walking, why you're acting so strange.”

Offering a bite of cake to Bubba, she popped the rest in her mouth, and picked at the crumbs on the napkin. “I met a man.”

“Well, that's a good sign.”

“I spent last night with him. On the ship.”

“On the ship? What is he, a thrill-seeker or something?”

“Or something.” She couldn't tell Nikki that the man she'd spent the night with was a pirate, and she definitely couldn't tell her that she'd forgotten to use the condoms she'd carried around the last few weeks—just in case.

“Do I know this guy?”

“No.” Kate wiped crumbs from Bubba's mouth, then looked back at Nikki. “Could we change the subject? I'd rather talk about your wedding than—”

“
Yoo-hoo!
”

Evalena burst through the living room door with Casey trailing rapidly behind.

“Hi, Aunt Nikki. Hi, Mommy.” Casey threw her arms around her mother's neck and slid a kiss quickly across her cheek before climbing into the chair beside her. “Guess what? Evie and I made lovebirds out of frosting last night. We're going to put them all over Nikki's wedding cake.”

“They're just the cutest little things,” Evalena bubbled, lowering her body into a kitchen chair. “You'll absolutely love them, Nikki.”

“I thought we'd decided on something simple,” Nikki said. “You know, a few white roses, a few leaves.”

“That was before I thought of the lovebirds.” Evalena said, patting Nikki's hand. “Don't you worry your pretty little head. You'll love the cake, no matter what I put on it.”

“I hope so.”

Evalena moved in close to Nikki. “I'm sure glad I ran into you this morning. You just
have
to tell me all about this latest murder.” She leaned over and whispered into Nikki's ear, but still Kate could hear her meddling aunt's every word. “Is it true the guy was naked?”

Kate watched the smile curve on Nikki's closed mouth, watched her shake her head.

“You know I can't give you any details.”

“Well,” Evalena murmured, “I thought, just this once you might tell me at least one little thing that no one else knows. You know I'll keep it a secret.”

“Can't do it, Evie.”

“Well!” Evie pushed out of the chair, brushed a kiss across Kate's cheek, rolled her eyes at Nikki, and headed for the door. “Guess I'll go see what the TV reporters have to say. They usually have the best scoop, anyway.”

“Talk to you later,” Kate called out, as Evie scurried through the living room, patting little heads on her way out the door.

Bubba squirmed in Kate's arms, and she looked to her daughter for help. “Do me a favor, Case—would you take Bubba in with the other kids? Tell them a story or something, so Nikki and I can have a few minutes to talk.”

“You're not going to talk about my pirate, are you?”

“Pirate?” Nikki asked. “What pirate, Casey?”

“Mr. Farrell. He lives with us now.”

Kate quickly thrust Bubba into Casey's arms. “Scoot,” she said. “Nikki and I won't be long, then maybe we'll finger paint or something.”

“That's not fair,” Casey mumbled, yet she took Bubba's hand as they walked from the room. The little boy toddled for a moment, then dropped to his knees and crawled after Casey.

“What's this about a pirate?” Nikki asked.

“It's Casey's imagination. Joe filled her head so full of that pirate stuff that she imagines everyone's a pirate.”

“But this one has a name,” Nikki said pointedly. “
Mr. Farrell.
I heard it quite distinctly.” Nikki took a sip of coffee while keeping her eyes fixed on Kate. “Is he the one you spent the night with?”

Kate nodded.

“And he's living here now?”

“Not anymore.” Kate pushed up from the table and walked to the kitchen window, staring out at the bright blue morning. “I'm never going to see him again.”

“Why?”

“He's gone. Far away.”

Kate could hear the kitchen chair scraping on the floor. A moment later, Nikki stood at her side. “You really liked him?”