Shattered Dreams (Moonchild) (14 page)

Rafe knew he faced a decision. How could he deal with Tom and what he had done? Could the investigation surrounding the accident be re-opened?

A groan emerged. He needed to find the answer. Though the final shards had slid into his memory of that day, he felt no peace. Tom’s action had torn a huge chunk from the life once planned. Had the accident been for good or ill? The results seemed mixed.

During the days of recovery, he had learned patience. His tolerance for physical pain had increased. His career choice had taken a turn. He’d become a nurse because
of Gran and the women and men who had helped during the recovery and for the lessons he had learned while helping others at the rehab hospital. But he had lost Manon that night.

He was back in
Fern Lake to help Gran, to make a home and to see if he and Manon could have a life together. He only hoped to succeed.

“Forgive me,” he whispered.

“For what?”

“For pushing all thoughts of you aside. For not asking Gran for news of you. For not finding you.”

Manon straightened. “Not sure you could have found me. Jay knew where I was but he wouldn’t give my secret away. I went to college in Washington State and used my mother’s maiden name until I began med school.”

“So Jay knew where you were. What about your father?”

“He didn’t. I couldn’t risk his appearance and dramatics.” She touched Rafe’s face. “Let’s not rush. We now have time to learn who we are.”

Rafe cupped her face. The desire to kiss her grew stronger. He leaned forward. A banging at the door broke the mood.

She slid from his lap. “What and who?”

“I don’t know.” He rose.

“Manon, I know you’re in there. Get out here at once. Don’t believe anything he says.”

Rafe crossed to the door. “Tom, go away. Your presence isn’t wanted or needed. The only thing you’ll find here is trouble.”

“The pounding grew louder. “She’s here. I saw her car so don’t tell me she isn’t inside. Until I see she’s all right I’m staying.” He pounded again. “Let me in.”

Rafe opened the door a crack. “Control yourself. You have no right to make demands.”

“She’s going to marry me. I’m not leaving.”

“Isn’t marriage her choice to make?”

Tom pushed the door. “You’ll hurt her again.”

Rafe grabbed Tom’s shirt, dragged him inside and propelled him across the room. “Where Manon chooses to go and who she cares to listen to is not your business or mine. She doesn’t need you to act like a stalker.”

Tom’s Adam’s apple bobbed. “You should have died.”

Rafe heard a click. Had Manon turned on the recorder? “You should have made sure.
A little pressure on my mouth and nose would have worked.”

“I heard a car.”

“Interesting.” Rafe drew a deep breath. “So you were there. I thought I’d imagined your face. I was helpless. Guess you were a chicken. Glad you ran and the other car arrived.”

Tom’s gaze shifted past Rafe. “And I was lucky no one saw me.”

“You were but luck doesn’t last forever.”

Tom pulled away. “I’m lucky now. If you touch me I can yell for a cop.”

“Are you forgetting you’ve invaded my apartment?”

Manon rose. “You were the only one who knew about Rafe’s accident. You stood in the doorway of my bedroom and told me Rafe was dead. My memory is finally clear.”

Tom shrugged. “Your father told me.”

She shook her head. “You’re lying
. I hid that part of my memories. Now I remember that I saw you. My father stood behind you and laughed.”

"So.”
Defiance rang in the single word. “Memories can be false.”

“Not this one. I was crying so loud my ears hurt. The doorbell rang. Moments later you told me the news. I screamed and told you to go away.”

Tom’s face blanched. Rafe pushed him into a chair. “What Manon said is true. I remember how you stood above me and shone a light in my face. I’ve had nightmares about seeing you since that night. Why not admit the truth?”

“If you saw me, I’m glad.” Tom tried to rise. “I’m happy you’ve had nightmares.”

Rafe pushed him back. “Tell me about the money you insisted Manon’s father gave me. None was found.”

“Cops took it.”

Rafe hovered over the seated man. “I don’t think so.” He clenched his hands against the desire to punch Tom. “There never was any money.” He paused for a moment. “If I was dead the way you thought why spread stories about bribes.”

“I was told to say it.”

“By whom?”

“Mr. Lockley.”

That made sense. If Manon’s father had seen the letters he’d written to Manon, he might have given such an order.

“So you’re saying you lied about that,” Rafe said.

“Yes.”

Manon stepped beside Rafe. “I want to know about some photos my father showed Rafe.”

Tom’s head jerked. “Pictures.”

Rafe laughed. “Have you forgotten we know how obsessed you were with snapping photos? Didn’t you have your own dark room?”

Tom’s mouth gaped. “How did you see them?”

“Manon’s father couldn’t wait to show them to me. Then he ordered me to leave town before he used them. I grabbed them, tore them to shreds. He didn’t fight me. What happened to the negatives?”

“He took them before he paid me. Burned them.”

Manon scowled. “Tom Sands, you make me sick. I know you’re responsible for a lot of evil.”

Tom smiled. “They really turned me on.”

Rafe clenched his jaw. He raised a fist. But punching Tom would do more harm than good.

“I’m glad I gave you a bloody nose,” Manon said.

“If your father hadn’t dragged you to
Europe, I would have shown you I’m better than Rafe.”

“In your dreams.” Manon slid her arm around Rafe’s waist. “You should be charged with attempted murder.”

Tom laughed. “Too late for that. Been longer than seven years. If he’d died I would be in trouble.”

Manon turned to Rafe. “Isn’t there something we can do?”

“The court of public opinion is open,” Rafe said.

Tom pushed against the arms of the chair. “You would spread gossip that puts you in a bad light.”

Rafe leaned forward. “Damn straight. But I won’t use gossip.” He grasped the recorder. “We have you on tape. Played to certain people like your law partners and a certain nurse and the story will mushroom. That certain nurse told me things you’d said about me.”

Manon fisted her hands. “I’ll go for a restraining order and let the world know how you tried to lure me into committing insurance fraud with your weekly visits to my office and your failure to follow up on the consults I suggested.”

Tom’s laughter sounded forced. “I shredded the records your nurse gave me.”

Manon straightened. “I’m no fool. I kept a printed copy as well as a computer file.”

Rafe stepped closer to the chair. “”There’s a way to settle this without a public vendetta.”

“Really,” Manon said.

“I have a tape of the conversation and you have your files. They could be forgotten if he leaves town.”

Tom glared. “Give me three weeks.”

“Two.” Manon turned to Rafe. “Is that acceptable?”

“Yes.”

Manon popped the tape from the recorder. “Two weeks or this gets played for others.”

“All right.” Tom walked to the door. “You’ll regret this. I’m the better man.”

“In your dreams,” Manon said.

“Goodbye, Tom,” Rafe said. “Just go.”

When the door closed Rafe pulled Manon into his arms.

Chapter 10

Manon rested against Rafe’s chest. Dark emotions leached away. A lightness filled her with hope. They had explored the events of the past, sorted truth from lies. Now they knew who had killed the seeds of young love. A moment or regret rose. If she and Rafe hadn’t been rudely separated, she wouldn't have joined her father on the tour. When she turned twenty-one she would have closed the keyboard and returned home. What kind of life would she and Rafe have found?

That no longer mattered. The time had come to weave new dreams. Could she? Her body relaxed.

Tom was leaving town. The threat of exposure had been the trigger. A shame he couldn’t be punished for causing Rafe’s injuries in the murderous attack.

She raised her head. In Rafe’s blue eyes she saw love and more. “Do you really believe those negatives were destroyed?”

“If Tom had been in possession of them he would have used the photos to blackmail you into his bed. I’m sure your father made sure they were destroyed.”

She smiled. “You’re right. Father wouldn’t have wanted publication of those snapshots. Could have ruined the tour.” She shuddered. “Spare me from men with selfish agendas
.”

“How do you know mine isn’t?” he asked.

She reached for her purse. “Never you.”

Rafe plucked the bag from her hand. “Don’t leave yet. Have you forgotten you brought dessert?”

Laughter rose. She bit her lip. The man wanted dessert or was this a delaying tactic. “I’ll stay for a bit.”

“I’m glad.” The husky undertones in his voice sent fire flowing through her. She thought of the last time they’d shared ice cream. Her body pulsed. Did she really want to leave? Though all she’d learned in the last hour or so rattled her thoughts, they all seemed to drive her toward surrender to her need and more. What beyond sex did Rafe want? Her face felt as hot as the rest of her body.

Rafe strode into the kitchen. “Do you want yours in a bowl or should we eat from the carton?”

A hint of disappointment raised a frown. What had she wanted him to do? Sweep her into his arms and carry her to bed. She was the one who had said she wanted time and he was giving her some.

“Either will do. Why do you want me to stay?”

He opened the freezer compartment. “There are a few things we need to discuss.”

She stared. “I don’t want any more words tonight.”

He winked. “Silence is possible.” He opened the container and scooped ice cream into a bowl and took two spoons from a drawer. “Just a few bites.”

She filled one of the spoons. The chill treat slid down her throat. She watched him savor a bite, curling his tongue around the spoon. Her nipples tightened.

He groaned.

“Are you in pain?”

“I’ve just added another favorite taste. Bacon blue cheese burgers, giant fries and catsup, this ice cream and you.” He brushed his lips over hers. “You taste the best.”

Manon felt the ice blocking her emotions begin to melt. Would the pain and anger she’d held close for twelve years vanish that quickly?

Rafe set the bowl on the table. He stepped closer. Her heart rate sped like a race car on the speedway.

Yes, this was the time.

He held out a hand. “Come with me.”

She pointed to the nearly full bowl. “And dessert?”

“I want you for mine.”

She lifted the dish and set it in the freezer. “Let’s not waste this like we did an entire quart at my house. We may need the energy later.”

He grinned. “I’ll make sure we do.”

As she clasped his hand, her heart thudded. “One question. Why did you decide to let Tom leave town rather than publishing what he did?”

He tugged her forward. “Since he couldn’t face a jury and receive a jail sentence, there was no sense pushing for anything more than his absence from
Fern Lake. Do his parents live here?”

“They moved to
Arizona years ago.”

Rafe wrapped his arms around her. “Another reason I didn’t push. I got the girl.”

She pressed against him. “Are you sure? Perhaps the woman has you.”

“That’s a given.” His laughter blew jets of air against her neck. “You can have me anytime and anywhere.” He entered the hall and pushed her ahead of him. “Any objections?”

“None.” Being with him was what she needed and what she’d always wanted. The last cold fragment vanished. Her emotions soared. She felt so relieved tears formed. She couldn’t cry. He wouldn’t understand. Love for Rafe cascaded through her with the force of water over Niagara Falls. Until she knew his intentions she couldn’t tell him her feelings were as strong as ever. She turned to face him.

He tapped the end of her nose with a finger. “Are you sure I’m who you want?”

She sucked in a breath laden with the aromas of desire. “Yes. Could I ask another question?”

“Only if you rub the genie.”

A peal of laughter erupted when she thought of the name they’d given his penis years ago. His erection pulsed against her palm. Anticipation of what was to come nearly caused her to forget the question. She caught a breath. “I’ve been in Fern Lake for a year. Mrs. Patton knew. Didn’t she tell you?”