Death of a Waterfall (The Hayden Falls Saga) (19 page)

"When was the last time you went out with your friends?"

Teghan bit her bottom lip in an effort to stop her tears. The night Donnie had shown up at her dorm. God, she missed him so much. "I don't know," she mumbled.

"I'm taking your mother to New York to visit her sister for New Year's Eve. You should be with your friends, Teghan. Stop moping around in your bedroom. It's not healthy."

"I don't want to go out."

Her father, like usual, ignored her and continued to make plans. "I've already made all the arrangements. You can have a small gathering here at the house, a handful of friends. Alex and Annabelle are working on the guest list. Your aunt and your sister will be here to supervise."

Teghan stomped her foot. "Damn it, Dad!" She cupped her hand over her mouth, her eyes widened with fear. Swearing at her father was something she'd never done before, and she was admittedly scared about what her father would do about it.

"Watch your mouth!" His booming voice made Teghan cringe.

"Sorry," she said, thankful that he didn't yell any more or punish her. "I just...Dad, please just respect my wishes this one time. I don't want to have a party, and I don't want to go out with my friends. I just want to be left alone."

"You don't have a choice in the matter."

"What else is new?" she muttered.

"Excuse me?" He raised a brow.

Teghan grit her teeth and slowly counted to ten before speaking. "Fine. I'll go."

"Good." He smiled.

"On one condition."

"You have conditions? This should be interesting." Her father pulled a cigar from the end table drawer and put it in his mouth.

"I'll even concede on waiting for the trip, but there's something I want from you in return." Teghan tucked her shaking hands into her pockets. She watched him light the cigar and take several short puffs on it. The smell was disgusting.

"Go on," he said.

Teghan took a deep breath and swallowed the nervousness from her voice. "I want you to let me bring some friends with me on the trip."

He continued to puff on his cigar. "Which friends?"

She cleared her throat. "Annabelle, Alex, and...Donnie." Why the hell had she asked for Donnie?
You know why.
Who knows if Donnie will even want to see Teghan again after she tells him? That thought alone was more heartbreaking than the entire two and a half months she'd been without him.

"Take Trevor in Donnie's place and you've got a deal."

"No." Teghan shook her head. "This is my condition, Dad. It's non-negotiable. Besides, I want to go on a cruise and Trevor hates boats. He gets seasick."

"I don't want you getting involved with Donnie."

"Why not?"

"He's not good enough for you, Teghan."

She took her hands out of her pockets and balled them into fists by her side. "How could you possibly know that?" Teghan glared at her father from across the room. "You didn't. Dad! Not again."

Rob sat down and crossed his legs. "I'm not about to apologize for doing what's necessary to keep you safe."

"Doing a background check on any guy that shows interest in me isn't for my safety. It's so you can keep tabs on me and control me."

"He comes from a broken home. What kind of stability do you think he's going to be able to offer you?"

Never had she felt the urge to slap her father. Until now. The way he sat there, puffing on his cigar, acting like he knew what was best for her, was trying her patience. "Is that the best you got, Dad?"

"Okay." He set his cigar in the ashtray and stood up, tucking his hands into his pockets. "Do you know he spent three months in a juvenile detention center for assaulting a teacher?"

Fuck! Leave it to her father to have information like that at his disposal. "So what?" She shrugged as if that information had no effect on her whatsoever. But it did. Why hadn't Donnie mentioned it to her?

"He's a delinquent and I won't have you getting involved with him."

"Let me get this straight. It's not okay for me to get involved with Donnie because he has a juvie record, but it is okay for my sister to marry an ex-arms dealer?"

"Two completely different situations, Teghan."

"You're a hypocrite!" she shouted.

"This isn't open for discussion."

"You're right," Teghan said. "It's not. If I want to date Donnie, I will." Once again, she walked out of the den, slamming the door behind her. She came face to face with Annabelle and Alex, who were standing in the foyer. It took her a moment to remember Alex had called and asked if they could come over. She hadn't expected them so soon. "What're you smiling at?" she asked Annabelle.

"Looks like you've grown some balls," Annabelle said.

"Damn right I did." Teghan could feel the intoxication of rebellion ooze through her body. It was empowering. She walked with a determination that had been missing for far too long.

~ * ~

Donnie awoke in the living room chair and glanced at the clock. It was just after midnight. "Ouch." He tried to rub the stiffness from his neck. His cell phone vibrated on the coffee table. Picking it up, he checked the display. How the hell had he missed three calls?

"Donnie? Are you still up?"

"Yeah, Ma. I'm in the living room." His mother came in and gave him a kiss on the forehead. "Are you just getting home?" he asked.

"Yes. The ER was packed tonight and we were short a nurse."

Donnie yawned. "You look tired."

She laughed. "So do you. Go to bed, honey. I'll clean up in the morning."

He looked around at the empty soda cans, food wrappers, and dirty dishes that littered the living room and frowned. "Sorry, Mom." Donnie gave his mother a kiss on the cheek before heading to his room. Once he got settled into his bed, he listened to his messages.

"Donnie, its Jake. Look, man, I'm sorry about the other day. Well, whatever dude. Give me a call." Donnie shook his head and deleted the message.

"Yo! Dickhead! This is Trevor. Teghan's brother." Donnie sat up straight. Why the hell was Trevor calling him? "I don't know what the fuck happened between you two but she's been in serious bitch mode lately. Man up and make this right before I have to fly across the country and beat some sense into your bitch ass!" He held the phone out in front of him and looked at it with disbelief. Saving the message, he tried to prepare himself for the third one.

"Donnie, it's Teghan. I'm pregnant. And before you ask, yes, it's yours."

Chapter Sixteen

It was New Year's Eve. Teghan stood in a circle near the waterfall with her close friends while everyone else partied around her. It was nice to have them around, even if she was trapped in her mind with her thoughts. "I want to apologize to all of you for the way I've been acting these past few months. I know I've been miserable, but I really wouldn't have made it through this without you guys. So thanks." She shrugged.

"That's what friends are for," Harmonie said, giving Teghan a hug. "Without sounding like totally insensitive, are you over him?"

Teghan smiled. "No, but I finally called him."

"You did?" Logan asked, his voice full of shock. "When?"

"Yesterday."

"And?" Annabelle asked.

"I haven't heard from him." Teghan looked down at the ground. "It's been almost three months since I've seen or talked to him." Tears stung the corners of her eyes. She was back to crying all the time again and it sucked.

"Oh, Teeg." Annabelle gave her a hug. "I'm sorry, sweetie."

"It's okay." Teghan forced a smile and gently touched her stomach.
Why hasn't he called? Even if it is to say he wants nothing to do with me or the baby. At least then I'd know.
She sighed. "Enough about Donnie. Let's have some fun, huh?"

~ * ~

The night flew by and Teghan was having more fun than she'd had in months. She poured champagne for her friends before taking the bottle of sparkling white grape juice from its hiding spot in the vegetable drawer of the refrigerator and pouring herself a glass of it. As she headed toward the waterfall to meet them, sadness crept up on her. It was almost over. Then she'd kiss the last year goodbye, along with all the mistakes, and start over with the New Year.

"Wait," Trevor said before anyone could take a drink. "We have to make a toast." They all raised their glasses. "To a new year, new friends, and--"

"What the hell?" Teghan turned toward the sound of shattering glass. On the opposite side of the pool, a group of rowdy partiers had tipped over the glass topped patio table.

"What the fuck?" Trevor shouted across the expanse of the pool. "I'm not cleaning that up." He looked at Teghan.

"Don't look at me," Teghan said. "Let our sister deal with it. She's supposed to be supervising."

"Yeah, where is she anyway?" Annabelle asked.

"If I know her, she probably took off with her fiancée," Teghan said.

Annabelle laughed. "Nice to see she hasn't changed much."

"Okay, back to the toast," Trevor said. "To a new year, new friends, and new love. And for those that can't find love, well, go whack off in a glove."

Everyone laughed and Teghan simply shook her head. Leave it to Trevor. "Remind me to tell mom to hide the gloves," Teghan said, fighting tears as the countdown began. All she wanted was Donnie.
Ten...Nine...
She'd give anything to feel his arms around her right now.
Eight...Seven...
To feel his soft lips teasing hers.
Six...
To hear his voice whispering at her ear.
Five...

"Looks like your sister forgot to take out the trash," Logan said.

Four...
Teghan looked over her shoulder.
Three...
Oh. My. God.
Two...
"Donnie?" Teghan said.
One...

"Happy New Year, Teghan," Donnie whispered as he slipped his arms around her waist, his lips covering hers. She kept her eyes open, fixed on him, desperate to hold on to this fantasy for as long as she could.

She placed a trembling hand on the side of his face. "You're here." Tears filled her eyes.

Donnie cupped his hand over hers and leaned into her touch. "I'm here," he said.

Teghan ran her hand down his face and neck, over his broad shoulder and across his chest. She let out the breath she'd been holding before looking up into his green eyes. "You're really here," she repeated as tears fell down her cheeks.

"Well it's about damn time," Trevor said.

"Shut up, Trevor!" It was a moment she'd read about in fairytales and romance novels, and she wasn't going to let her brother ruin it for her. "How? I mean...wow." Teghan shook her head in disbelief. "I thought...you didn't...I called."

"I know." He wiped her tears with his thumbs.

"You didn't call," she said.

"I'm sorry," Donnie said. "I needed to know," he whispered. "I had to see you. Is it true?"

Teghan nodded, fresh tears trickled down her face. She slowly turned around to find Logan shooting a look that could kill at Donnie. Annabelle had her arm looped through Trevor's in what appeared to be an attempt to keep him still. It was all too much to take in at once. Donnie was here. At her house. Holding her in his arms. God how she'd missed him.

"I'm glad you're back, Donnie," Alex said, breaking the awkward silence.

"Thanks, man."

Teghan stifled a sob as Donnie stepped around her and gave Alex a hug. She reached out to touch him again, to feel him beneath her fingers, to know that this wasn't just another dream.

"Teghan?" Annabelle gently nudged her. "Are you okay?"

She shook her head before flinging her arms around Donnie's neck and kissing him like it'd be the last kiss she ever had. He tasted incredibly hot and inviting. "I'm sorry," she said, peppering him with short kisses. "I'm so sorry."

"You have nothing to be sorry about, Teghan. Nothing. I'm the one who's sorry. I should've called."

"No, no, no," she said. "I'm so happy you're here."

"Can we talk?" he whispered, holding her tight.

Teghan nodded. "We'll be back," she called over her shoulder to her friends as she led Donnie into the house and down to the basement. She flipped on the light and paused before locking the door. It'd been too long and she wasn't going to take any chances. She went to the couch and sat down, tucking her legs underneath her. "Why didn't you call?"

Donnie sat beside her; a short silence ensued before he said, "After I got your message, all I could think about was getting here to see you. You're really pregnant?"

Hearing it said aloud suddenly made it very real, and Teghan felt a wave of unease. "Yes," she said. "A little over twelve weeks. But, I mean, why didn't you call before? During these last few months?"

"You didn't call either," Donnie said.

Teghan sighed. "I know. I almost did. A lot of times, but you really hurt me, Donnie."