Payback Page 11

  “I want a divorce,” she announced with a fierceness that made her voice shake. “I don’t care how difficult it is to arrange. I want a divorce right now.”

  Harry went very still for a moment, then he touched her gently on the cheek, his mouth quirking into a smile. “Gee, Ellie, I don’t know. I’m an old-fashioned kind of a guy. I’d always thought we would get married first before we moved on to the divorce stage.”

  She knew he was teasing her, of course, but she was so flustered at the mention of marriage, even in a joke, that she could only mumble something garbled about not talking about him but about Ron, all the while hoping against hope that her cheeks weren’t as flaming-red hot as they felt. Good grief, she was fifty-three, not twenty-three!

  “You know what?” Harry stroked his hand down her neck and let it rest on her shoulder. “I’m mighty sick of talking about Ron Raven. In my opinion, the whole world has wasted far too much time discussing him for these past six months.”

  “But we can’t avoid talking about him right now.” Ellie sighed. “Avery didn’t call just to be sociable. She called to say there’s a chance Ron may not be dead after all.”

  “What?”

  “You heard right.” Ellie gave a small smile. “One of Avery’s friends claims to have seen Ron at a restaurant in Washington, D.C. This friend apparently isn’t the type to be mistaken about something so important.”

  “Is there any reason in the world to believe this friend?” His gaze narrowed. “Did they speak? Ron and this friend, I mean.”

  “No, Ron ran away. He had a woman with him. At least, according to Avery’s friend.”

  “If it’s true that it was Ron and that he ran way, we have to accept that he doesn’t want to be found.” Harry made a dismissive gesture. “Count me in with the folks saying I hope he succeeds in staying hidden.”

  “I don’t understand the way his mind works,” she said tiredly. “Even if he’s bored with me and Avery, why would he hide from his kids?”

  “How do you want me to respond to that, Ellie? I’m betting you can think of all the same unpleasant answers I can. And he most likely isn’t hiding from you or his kids. Based on everything we’ve learned since Ron disappeared, it’s clear he led a pretty ramshackle kind of a life. Could be any number of folks he’s hiding from, not just you and Avery.”

  She stared at the dogs, not yet ready to look at Harry. “It’s incredible to think he’s made such a mess of his life that he has to pretend he’s dead! What can he have done, for heaven’s sake?”

  Harry shrugged. “Who knows? Heck, Ellie, the man I thought I knew and you thought you married didn’t exist. And the real Ron Raven probably isn’t a man either one of us would like all that much.”

  “I feel stupid,” she said in a soft voice. “Stupid and betrayed.”

  “Well, you sure aren’t stupid and Ron can only betray you if you care. Otherwise, whatever he does, however malicious, he’s just pissing into the wind.”

  “And that’s almost the worst of it. After all those years of marriage, I don’t believe I do care about him anymore. That’s why I want a divorce. While I was talking to Avery just now, I realized I’m done with Ron Raven. I’m done dancing to his tune. As far as I’m concerned, it’s over. Finished. I want to get on with the rest of my life.”

  “Good for you.” He touched his knuckles to her cheek. “I’m real happy to hear it.”

  “Ron and I…we were married for thirty-five years. I was eighteen, fresh out of high school and crazy in love.” Ellie realized she was sad for the girl she’d once been, but not for the woman she’d become. “When I heard Ron was dead, I felt I owed him a couple of years of grieving, at least. Now that I’m not sure whether he’s dead or alive, I realize I don’t owe him anything. He’s let us down one time too many.” She spoiled the effect of this assertive speech by gazing up at him uncertainly. “Does that make me a bad person, do you think?”

  “No. It makes you a mighty smart person not to allow Ron to ruin your life. He sure isn’t worth it.” Harry’s eyes held a smile that warmed her clear through to her insides. He took her hands and pulled her close, his gnarled hands rough and yet soothing as they moved on her arms, ending up clasped around her waist. He was almost six feet to her five foot one and he had to tilt her chin upward to see her face clearly when he spoke.

  “This may not be the right moment, but what the hell. Is it too soon, Ellie, to talk about us? You know I’m in love with you, don’t you? Have been for years, in fact.” His mouth twisted into a wry smile. “I wasted a heck of a lot of good fishing time over the past ten years, wishing you weren’t married to Ron.”

  “You did?” Ellie wasn’t quite sure she believed him, but it was obscurely pleasing to picture Harry sitting on a riverbank, trout swimming past as he pined for her.

  “I absolutely did.”

  “Maybe I still am married to Ron. If he’s alive, I guess I must be.”

  “Either way, whether he’s alive or not, let’s talk to Cody Holmann and get him working on a divorce. I’ve no idea how you set about ending a marriage when you don’t know if one of the parties is alive or dead, but Cody will know.”

  “Cody’s already drowning under the paperwork from Ron’s estate.”

  “Who cares? If Ron’s alive, the paperwork for his estate is irrelevant. If Ron is dead, Cody has wasted a few days organizing a divorce instead of sorting out the mess the son of a bitch left of his finances.” Harry brushed his thumbs across her cheeks, his gaze tender. “Heck, Ellie, I’m willing to wait if you say you’re not ready to start a new relationship. But it doesn’t sound to me as if that’s what you’re saying. The opposite, in fact.”

  “I don’t know, Harry. We’ve been friends for so long and you’re really important to me, but I have to admit I’m a bit gun-shy where love is concerned.”

  He put his finger against her lips, stopping her excuses. “We’re both fifty-three years old, we’ve known each other since grade school. What’s holding us back?”

  “Well, there’s Megan and Liam to think of. Not to mention your twins.”

  “That’s an excuse, not a reason. Our kids are grown and out of state and doing well, thank God. Yours and mine, both. My ex has been happily remarried for ten years, so that’s taken care of. Why do we need to hang around, waiting for the old biddies at the church supper to decide that enough time’s passed since Ron disappeared for us to move on? Marry me, Ellie. I promise to make you happy.”

  “You do make me happy.”

  His smile sent her heart racing. “Trust me, it’ll be even better when we’re married.”

  Without expending any effort at all, Ellie could think of half a dozen reasons why it was crazy to consider marrying Harry Ford, even though she loved being in his company. The truth was that as sheriff he probably shouldn’t get entangled with Stark County’s most notorious widow. From her point of view, there was the indisputable fact that her last marriage hadn’t worked out too well. You’d have thought her experiences with Ron would make her suitably wary about jumping into a new relationship when it was barely six months since her marriage had been revealed as a sham and a fraud from top to bottom.

  And yet, she realized her hesitation in accepting Harry’s proposal had nothing to do with her feelings and everything to do with her sense of what was right and proper for a middle-aged woman whose husband had disappeared in a cloud of mystery and scandal. Then the full absurdity of her reservations struck her with powerful force. Heavens above, she and the rest of Ron’s family had endured weeks as the focus of a nationwide media blitz. It sometimes seemed like everyone in the entire world knew her husband had been a bigamist, with a fancy, socialite second wife in Chicago. At least half the folk in Stark County were secretly convinced Ellie must have known the truth about Ron’s marital status. Quite a few people had made it plain they suspected she’d kept quiet because Ron had been rich and she liked his money. What were the gossips going to say that could be worse tha
n what had already been said? In Stark County, everyone knew everyone else’s business, anyway, so it wasn’t exactly a secret that Harry spent most of his free time with her. Marrying him probably couldn’t tarnish either of their reputations one bit more than they were already tarnished.

  The decision to say yes left her breathless, terrified and excited in about equal parts. She rather liked the heady strangeness of the feeling. She gave him a shy smile. “You’re a good man, Harry, and a kind friend, and I’d like to marry you. That is, if you think the sheriff of Stark County can survive being married to the local scarlet woman. I don’t want you to lose the next election because of me.”

  “Ain’t gonna happen.” He grinned. “And if it does, I’ll just have to apply for a job as security chief at the fancy new resort you’re planning on building here with Megan and Adam.”

  “I don’t think you’d much like rounding up drunken guests after being sheriff for the whole county.”

  “Heck, Ellie, I’m not worried. I’m guessing I can stay sheriff until I decide it’s time to retire. Marrying you isn’t going to change that, for heaven’s sake!” His smile deepened. “The only reason folks are going to care if I marry you is because all the other bachelors will be jealous I was the one who managed to catch such a sexy woman.”

  She blushed, hoping he didn’t really believe she was a sexpot. She was afraid nothing could be further from the truth. If she’d been any good in bed, presumably Ron wouldn’t have needed a second wife in Chicago, not to mention yet another woman to keep him company in his Miami hotel room.

  She shoved the dispiriting thoughts aside and gave Harry another smile, this one more confident. “Then let’s do it as soon as Cody can clear up my legal status. And to heck with the old biddies.”

  If Harry noticed that she hadn’t actually said that she loved him, he was wise enough to make no comment. He tightened his hold around her waist and bent to kiss her full on the mouth. His kiss was gentle at first, and Ellie felt awkward and embarrassed. Eager as she was to stop living in the past, it struck her as somewhere between immoral and embarrassing to be kissing a man who wasn’t Ron. Even without Ron to worry about, it seemed to her that when you were fifty-three, it was indecent to be making out with a new man. Or if not indecent, at least a tad on the ridiculous side.

  But Harry, it turned out, was really good at kissing. Something caught fire deep inside and Ellie’s entire body suddenly felt hot. Not a hot flash, she thought in wry amusement. Good Lord, she was experiencing the sort of intense, pulsing desire she remembered from years and years ago when she was fresh out of high school and the whole world was a magic playground, opening in front of her eyes. It was, all in all, a mighty fine feeling.

  She allowed herself to relax and returned Harry’s newly demanding kisses with a fervor that no longer embarrassed her. Instead it made her want to rip off her clothes and his, too. Apparently Harry felt the same way. “Come to bed with me,” he whispered. “Come now, Ellie.”

  Years of being sensible intervened. “There’s chicken for dinner roasting in the oven—”

  Harry reached behind him and switched off the oven, one hand still resting on her waist. “Not anymore there isn’t.”

  He didn’t ask her again, just took her hand and led her into the bedroom that had once been Liam’s and was now a guest room. She and Harry had been friends for so long she didn’t have to explain to him that she couldn’t have sex with him in the king-size bed she’d shared with Ron. He knew, thank goodness.

  Harry also seemed to know a few interesting secrets about what else he needed to do to prove to her that she was something of a sexpot after all. Ellie supposed that tomorrow she might be horrified at the intensity and uninhibited passion of what was happening between her and Harry on the guest room bed. But for right now, not only did everything about her body feel absolutely wonderful, it was also gratifying to know, beyond any possibility of doubt, that Harry was enjoying the experience every bit as much as she was.

  He took a long time making sure she was ready, and when he thrust into her she was already soaring so high that she was the one who climaxed first. Harry followed quickly and for a few minutes afterward she was content to collapse into his arms and marvel about how easy and right sex could sometimes seem and how perfect it was on those occasions. She felt flushed, satiated and obscurely triumphant.

  When they’d both caught their breath and come back down to earth, Harry propped himself up on one arm and looked down at her, his gaze loving in the gathering darkness. “You’re an amazing woman, Ellie,” he said. “Thank you.”

  “You’re pretty amazing yourself.” She was glad the light had faded, because it wasn’t easy for her to put her feelings into words, even when they were talking about sex and not deeper emotions. Ron had so battered her self-esteem she wasn’t sure that she knew anymore what it meant to tell a man you loved him.

  Harry rolled out of bed, tall, rangy, naked, and unbelievably desirable. Good Lord, she couldn’t possibly be thinking that she’d like to make love again. She was fifty-three, for heaven’s sake, with the wrinkles to prove it!

  “Let’s go and eat dinner,” he said, turning to smile at her. “Then maybe we can try that again. If you want to, that is.”

  She returned his smile. “Yes, please. I definitely want to.” She stretched luxuriously, glad that long days on horseback and all the hard work of running a ranch had kept her body supple. She’d lost ten pounds since Ron died, and that was enough to make a big difference since she was so short. When Harry looked at her like that, she could almost believe she was beautiful. Well, not an old hag, at least.

  He glanced down at her, his smiles fading into an expression that sent a thrill of excitement chasing down her spine. “What the hell,” he said, getting back into bed and pulling her close. “Dinner can wait. Seems I can’t.”

  Ten

  October 19, 2007

  “U ncle Paul!” Kate made her way around the bakery counter and greeted her uncle with a surprised smile. “Nobody told me you were waiting for me out here.”

  He leaned forward and gave her cheek a friendly peck. “I didn’t want to interrupt. I know how busy you are as it gets closer to the weekend. Don’t worry, I wasn’t bored. I entertained myself buying some of your wonderful pastries. I chose some éclairs that looked worth an extra hour on the treadmill.” He held up a box tied with La Lanterne’s distinctive forest-green-and-silver ribbon. “You’ve finished for the day, right? I thought we could go and get a coffee.”

  “Sounds great. I could use the caffeine. I’ve been at work since five and I’m wilting.” Kate passed through the door he held open for her, waving goodbye to the two clerks behind the counter. “I can’t remember how long it’s been since you stopped by the bakery, Uncle Paul.”

  He grimaced. “Work’s been insane the past six months, as you can imagine. Carrying the load alone and surviving the scandal surrounding Ron’s disappearance…Still, that’s no excuse. Family should come first.”

  “You’ve always been there when we needed you. I know Mom really appreciates the help you’ve given her since Dad went missing.” That was true, even if Kate sometimes wished her uncle would stop treating the pair of them as fragile blossoms in acute need of a strong masculine arm.

  “Thanks for the kind words. I’ve wanted to do everything possible for Avery after your father…Well, anyway, your father is the reason I came to find you. I just received an e-mail from George Klein.” Paul patted his pocket. “I have a copy with me. I’ll give it to you when we get to Starbucks. I thought we should discuss what he has to say face-to-face.”

  Kate looked up quickly, her heart thumping. “Has George managed to find the elusive Mr. Jones?”

  “No, but he’s obviously been working hard. Luke was right to recommend him. I’m impressed with his thoroughness.”

  Kate’s heartbeat slowed. She fished in her coat pockets for her gloves, which she had apparently left in her car. The early afterno
on was gray and rain looked imminent, but they had less than a block to walk so she shoved her hands into her pockets and lengthened her stride.

  “The wind’s bitter today.” Paul hunched into the collar of his cashmere overcoat. “So much for global warming. I swear winter starts earlier in Chicago every year. I remember when October used to be the best month of the year. Nothing but sunshine and clear skies. Now look at what we’re enduring.”

  Kate murmured something noncommittal, not bothering to point out that it had been sunny up until yesterday. She wasn’t about to get involved in a discussion of climate change with her uncle, since he was convinced global warming was a myth concocted by mad scientists and tree-hugging liberals to make life difficult for hardworking entrepreneurs like himself.

  Even in mid-afternoon the coffee bar was busy, but Paul managed to spot a vacant table and they were soon sitting in a comfortable corner with their steaming drinks. Kate took a luxurious sip of her foamy mocha latte and leaned back against the wall, stretching muscles aching after a busy day. “You look grim, Uncle Paul. I take it George Klein sent bad news?”

  Paul rubbed worriedly at his chin. “I can’t decide. Realistically, his report isn’t definitive enough to be good or bad.” His mouth turned down at the corners. “Besides, do we want Ron to be alive or dead? What would be good news? Damned if I know.” He gave an apologetic grimace. “Sorry, I know it’s your father we’re talking about and I ought to be more tactful.”

  “That’s okay. Where my father is concerned, the situation moved way past tact months ago.” Kate frowned. “I guess I’ve reached the point where I just need to know the truth.”

  Paul nodded his agreement. “Me, too. Still, I’m angry enough about how Ron treated your mother—not to mention you and me and all our colleagues at Raven Enterprises—that it might be better if I never get the chance to confront him in person. Anyway, here’s the e-mail from George Klein. I printed it out so you can judge for yourself.”