The Exposure (25 page)

She bit her lip and glanced out the window. “Is it bad that I still don't want it public? I don't want to tarnish his memory at the station. Not for something that happened so long ago.”

He'd always prided himself on being truthful. Honesty was the best policy and all that. But sitting next to Meagan, he questioned the usefulness of being completely honest in regard to this issue. So many lives had already been impacted by Jake's actions and things were looking as if they would finally settle down. What would be the point in resurrecting it?

“No,” he finally said. “I don't think it's wrong.”

She let out a deep breath. “If you think I should pursue it, I will.”

“I think you should let it be. The only regret I have is that Jake didn't tell you he'd confessed to Ted. If he had, maybe it wouldn't have gone as far as it did. You would at least have known who you were dealing with. Maybe you could have stopped it earlier.”

“True. But like you said before”—she picked up the picture he'd held up to her earlier—“not only would we not have this picture, this book, but we wouldn't have memories of the night this was taken.”

He allowed himself a smile. “That was an awesome night.”

“Right? The pizza in Central Park was divine.” She said it with a straight face, but she was laughing at him with her eyes.

“Woman, if the pizza was what you remember about that night, I may never take you on another picnic.”

Now she laughed for real. “Ah, the male ego. So fragile.”

“I should spank your ass for calling me fragile,” he said in a mock angry voice.

“Did I say fragile? I meant strong and fierce.”

He inched closer to her. “Strong and fierce, hmm?” He let his lips trail across her collarbone. “That's more like it.”

“Point proven.”

He pulled back. “Tell me you didn't just say that.”

But instead of denying it, she laughed.

“Now you're going to get it,” he said.

“I'm trembling.”

“Not yet, you aren't. But you will be when I finish with you.” He pulled back with a groan. “We shouldn't do anything today. You've been through a lot, physically and emotionally.”

He could tell she wanted to protest, but she had to know he was right.

“I know you're right and I'm glad you recognize I'm not in the place or mind frame to restart anything physical,” she said. “But, damn, I wish you weren't.”

He leaned over and before his lips touched hers, he whispered a promise: “Soon.”

*   *   *

S
oon turned out to be almost a week later. Unlike years before, though, this time he wasn't silent. They talked on the phone every day, and each night before she went to sleep, he would text her dirty fantasies that had her yearning for when they would be together again.

The Saturday following the fiasco with Ted, Meagan pulled up to Luke's house, surprised to see a car in the driveway. Was he having someone over? She tapped her foot as she waited for him to open the door, thankful she had changed her mind about showing up in only a raincoat.

“Meagan.” Luke dropped his head to give her a quick kiss. “How are you doing?”

“Good. Do you have company?”

“Nathaniel and Abby came over to discuss a few things concerning the new club.”

She lowered her voice to whisper, “Will they be leaving soon?”

He laughed and the low, seductive sound sent shivers down her spine. “I'll ensure they do.”

“Excellent.”

He took her hand and led her into the living room, where they found Nathaniel standing and an animated Abby on the phone.

“I can't get there anytime soon. I'm with Nathaniel at Luke's place. We're heading into the city to pick up the kids from his
aunt and tomorrow we're all seeing a play.” Abby glanced toward the door and a smile broke over her face when she saw Meagan. “Meagan just showed up. I'll beg her to bring me.”

Meagan wasn't sure where Abby wanted to go, but unless it was a matter of life and death, she didn't see it happening. She cocked an eyebrow at Luke, but he shook his head. Apparently, he wasn't sure what was going on, either.

“Meagan,” Abby said, sliding the phone in her pocket. “I know you just got here, but I have a big favor to ask you.”

Meagan didn't want to come across bitchy, so instead of saying, “Hell to the no,” like she wanted to, she forced a smile and asked, “What do you need?”

“That was Julie.” Abby's entire demeanor pulsed with excitement. Meagan was going to feel bad letting her down. But just thinking about being with Luke was enough to assure her she wasn't going to feel
that
bad. “Jeff called her. Dena's in labor!”

“What?” Nathaniel said, while at the same time, Luke asked, “It's not too early?”

Abby shook her head. “They're monitoring everything and so far, both Dena and the baby are doing well.” She looked over at Meagan. “Will you drive me to the hospital? Nathaniel has to be in the city.”

“I can rearrange things, love,” Nathaniel said.

“It's not a problem,” Meagan said. “I'll drive you.” Dena having a baby wasn't a matter of life or death, but it definitely took precedence over sexing it up with Luke.

“I have a better idea,” the man in question said. “How about I drive you both?”

“Would you?” Abby asked, and then looked at Meagan. “And you don't mind?”

“Not in the least,” Meagan assured her.

Once it was decided, everyone moved quickly. Abby kissed Nathaniel good-bye with a promise to drive into the city first thing in the morning so they could make the play. Luke made a few phone calls and pulled Meagan close for a hug.

“You're an amazing woman,” he said in a low voice.

She gave him a kiss. “When we get back here tonight, I'll show you just how amazing.”

The drive to the hospital was lively, with Julie sending periodic texts letting them know how Dena was doing.

“This is so exciting,” Abby said, reading the latest news from Julie. “She's almost fully dilated.” Her smile faded into a frown. “Oh, shit. Her mom just showed up.”

“And that's bad, why?” Meagan asked.

“Dena's dad is an ass and didn't approve of her marrying Jeff. He hasn't talked to her since they got engaged and her mother's been the same way. Why she decided to show up at the hospital, much less how she found out Dena was even in labor, is beyond me.”

“I'm sure the impending arrival of a grandchild has something to do with it.”

“True, but did she just now realize it? Where's she been for the last nine months?”

“At least she's showing up at all.”

But Abby didn't look convinced. “I hope I don't run into her.”

They arrived at the hospital to find out from Julie that Dena's mother had, in fact, just left.

“Jeff told the staff to call security,” Julie said, after explaining that she hadn't heard anything from him in the last few minutes. “He said that woman better be gone by the time he came back.”

“I hope the lack of news means the baby's here,” Abby said.

“Me, too,” Julie agreed.

Meagan took a seat beside Luke and put a hand on his thigh. He placed his hand on top, giving it a little squeeze. “Wasn't exactly how I planned to spend the afternoon,” he said.

“Me either, but what's the saying, ‘Anticipation makes the heart grow firmer'?”

He looked at her as if she was crazy. “It's
absence
and
fonder
.”

“Actually.” She inched her hand up his thigh. “I was right about everything other than the heart part.”

“Is that right?” He stopped her hand.

“Yes, it makes something firmer, but it's not the heart.”

“You'd better watch it,” he said. “I've been thinking about you all week. I can't promise I'll be able to restrain myself much longer.”

“Funny.” She wasn't ready to stop teasing him yet. “If either one of us were to be restrained, I'd have put money on me.”

“Meagan,” he warned.

She wasn't able to reply, because at that moment, the waiting room opened and Jeff entered the room. No one said anything and even though his huge smile reassured them, the very air seemed to hush.

“It's a girl. We have a daughter.” Tears streaked down Jeff's cheeks and he choked out, “And she is perfect.”

The room dissolved into joyous chaos with everyone asking questions at the same time. Jeff held up his hand. “Six pounds, eight ounces. Twenty inches long. We named her Mireille Kennedy Parks. Dena is doing great and as soon as everyone's settled, they'll let you go back.” He took a step back, clearly happy to have shared his news, but looking down the hall as if some invisible force pulled at him. “Now, if you'll excuse me . . .”

*   *   *

“S
he's beautiful, Dena,” Meagan said about an hour later. The sleeping infant was bundled in her mother's arms and her father stood nearby, silently watching over his family with a look of such fierce love, it nearly took Meagan's breath away.

“Thank you.” Dena kissed her daughter's head and then ran her fingers over the downy black hair the baby must have inherited from her father.

“And I love her name,” Meagan said.

“We had some
discussions
over that,” Dena said with a laugh and an upward glance at her husband. “We finally went with Mireille for
miracle
and Kennedy after the lady who rescued Jeff from the streets years ago.”

Meagan thought that was sweet. “I like it when names have meanings.”

“I wanted to go with Mireille Ophelia Parks. Ophelia was the lady's given name. Kennedy was her last name.”

“And I said that would mean her initials would be MOP and I wasn't doing that to her,” Jeff said.

“I eventually saw his point and we agreed on Kennedy.” Dena sighed. “But I love the name Ophelia.”

Frankly, Meagan thought it sounded too old-fashioned, not to mention tragic. She thought Kennedy was a much better name.

“It's a good, solid name,” Luke said from near the door. “She'll grow into it.”

“Thank you for bringing Abby,” Dena said. “And I'm so glad you were able to come, Meagan.”

Meagan was happy she went with her gut and came to the hospital. “I'm glad Nathaniel and Abby were at Luke's when Julie called. It worked out perfectly since I was there.”

“Speaking of which,” Luke said, pushing back from his place on the wall. “We probably should be leaving soon.”

He gave her a knowing look she felt all the way down to her toes. It was a look that told her he still had plans for her that night and he was ready to move forward with them. And really, she wasn't about to argue with
that
. Especially since she wanted it, too.

“Do we need to take Abby anywhere?” he asked.

“No.” Meagan shook her head and stood up. “Daniel and Julie are going to drop her off.”

They said their good-byes and headed to the parking garage. Luke took her hand and for a few minutes, they walked in silence. That was fine by Meagan. She had so many thoughts running through her head after the eventful day.

She now knew where she wanted to be in five years. She wanted to be settled down. Married. She still wasn't sure if kids would be in the picture, but she figured she had enough time to work through that and didn't have to decide now.

She thought back to the conversation she'd had with Guy only days ago. He'd actually called her about the position he'd mentioned when she'd turned down his request to have lunch. Meagan had purposely put the entire conversation out of her head, telling herself she'd think about it later.

She thought about it now and suddenly she knew she needed to take it.

Luke opened the car door for her. She hesitated before getting in.

“Everything okay?” he asked.

“Yes. It's just—can we go to my place instead of back to yours?”

He motioned for her to get in the car and when he'd buckled himself in, he asked, “It'll take longer to get there, but sure. Any particular reason?”

“I need to call Guy and after I do that, I'll probably need to e-mail him some things.”

He pulled out of the hospital parking lot and headed to the interstate. “Let me get this straight. You want me to agree to go to your house instead of mine so you can not only call some other guy, but so that you can
work
, too? Hell, no.”

“It's not like that.”

He didn't take his eyes off the road, but he lifted his eyebrow. “Then tell me how it is.”

“I realized a few things today and I want to move forward on them.”

“Things like what?” he asked.

She peeked at him. He appeared to be genuinely interested. Or at least he was willing to listen.

“Things like it's time for me to look into a job I want and not one I'm settling for. Guy gave me information on a correspondent position and I've decided I'm going to go for it.”

“Will you be working with Guy?” he asked.

“Are you jealous?”

“No.”

Suddenly she had a flashback to the pizza restaurant a few weeks ago. “Yes, you are. You're jealous. Interesting, since I've told you I have zero interest in Guy. Besides, you're one to talk.”

“How do you figure that?”

“I happened to be at a certain pizzeria near Central Park a few weeks ago when you showed up with a date.” She'd actually wanted to bring it up earlier, but after everything that happened with Jake and Ted, the timing hadn't felt right.

“What? No. I haven't been on a date . . .” He started to protest, and then he must have remembered. “Oh,
her
.”