Second Chance (42 page)

Her heart pounding so hard she could barely think straight, Keeley kneeled down in front of her daughters. She rarely dressed them alike, but they’d both fallen in love with the frilly red-and-white polka-dot dresses and so had she.

The only difference in their outfits was their hair ribbons. Hannah had wanted to wear white; Hailey had wanted green. Thankfully, Hailey had compromised with red.

They both looked healthy and absolutely adorable, even if she was a bit biased. Both girls still saw a counselor twice a week; no matter what happened here today, that would continue. Their strength and resiliency amazed and humbled her. No, life wasn’t perfect for them. They still had nightmares, Hailey more so than Hannah, but with help from professionals, careful watch, and mountains of love, the outlook was good.

Now her angels looked up at her expectantly and she didn’t know quite what to say to them. How did you tell your five-year-old children that you were taking them to see a man you desperately hoped would want the job as their father? A man who in every way, shape, and form was a hero. A man with a heart as big as
Texas whose greatest strength wasn’t in physical form but in compassion, integrity, and decency.

Tears pooled in her eyes, but she battled them back. The time for tears was over. Now it was time to move forward and, if she had to, battle for a future with the man who’d saved her life, her children’s life, and the life of her best friend. The greatest man she’d ever known. But would he still want her?

Keeley stood. Holding her hands out, she grasped their small hands and marched toward the two-story red-brick home … Cole’s house. He didn’t know she was coming. Probably didn’t even know she’d been in touch with every LCR operative she’d ever met in an effort to find him. Shea and Ethan had refused to tell her; Eden and Jordan had, too. All were of the opinion that when an LCR operative wanted to disappear, that was their prerogative. Thankfully, Noah McCall had caved.

Okay, so Noah hadn’t exactly caved. She had called him every day for the last two weeks. Yesterday, he asked the same question he’d asked her each day when she called: “Why do you want to talk to Cole?”

Every time he had asked before, Keeley had always said that she wanted to thank Cole for all the things he’d done. Which was true … but there were so many other things she wanted to say. Private things that should only be said to him.

Yesterday, tired of getting the same question and no help, she’d had enough and shouted, “Because I’m in love with him and I think he’s the most wonderful man in the world. That’s why!”

In the next second, she had not only his address, but the promise of a chartered jet picking her up the next day to take her to him.

Taking a breath, Keeley rang the doorbell. She knew she was hedging her bets by having her girls with her.
Cole might slam the door in her face, but he wouldn’t do that to her daughters. Dirty trick, yes … but she was planning on shooting everything in her arsenal at him today. Might as well start with her strongest weapons.

Cole opened the door and stared at the three most beautiful females on the planet. He was grateful Noah had forewarned him they were coming. He didn’t know why they were here. McCall had just said he’d given Keeley his address and that was that. Since the man was infamous for shocking the hell out of people, he was fortunate to be able to prepare. Still, it was hard as hell to prepare to see the woman you loved if you had no idea whether she wanted to slap you in the face or kiss you.

“Hello, Cole.” Her voice was shaky and a bit husky, her eyes searching and vulnerable.

Aware that two little faces were looking up at him expectantly, Cole went to his knees and said, “Hi, Hailey. Hi, Hannah.”

As usual, they each responded differently. Hannah grinned, then went shy and turned her face against her mother’s leg. Hailey giggled and said, “Hi.”

Cole stood and moved aside to let them in. Looking even more uncertain than before, Keeley passed by him and it was all he could do not to grab her.

As the three entered his home, he said, “Would you like something to drink?”

Keeley shook her head. “We had something on the flight over … we’re fine.”

Feeling as awkward as a teenager on his first date, he said, “Come on in.” He led them into the living room, and Hailey and Hannah immediately spotted the gifts he’d gone out and bought them after Noah had called. Coloring books, crayons, dolls, and stuffed animals of all shapes and sizes filled half the room.

A soft sob from Keeley brought his gaze back to hers. She shook her head slowly. “It will take me a lifetime to tell you all the many reasons I love you.”

His heart so full he thought it might burst, Cole asked huskily, “Can we start now?”

With another sob, Keeley ran into his open arms.

   Hours later, two exhausted little girls slept in the bedroom down the hallway, while Keeley waited for Cole to lock up for the night and join her in bed. She still couldn’t believe she was really here. That Cole really wanted her; wanted to be a family.

He came into the room and her heart rate tripled in speed. She sat up and watched him approach. Had she ever seen his eyes so heated and full of emotion? Months ago, when she’d met him, she had thought him expressionless and cold. And now, she realized that beneath the façade of uncaring was one of the most gallant and loving men ever placed on this earth.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, he said, “I didn’t want to ask in front of Hailey and Hannah, but how’s Jenna doing?”

Her heart twisted as it always would when she thought about her friend. “She’s out of the Fairview hospital and is in a psychiatric hospital in Greenville until her trial.”

“Has she said anything yet?”

“Not since the first time I saw her in the hospital when she screamed at me to die.” Her lips trembled. “I guess our friendship is officially at an end.”

“I’m sorry, Keeley, I—”

Keeley leaned forward and put a finger on his mouth to stop his apology. “You have no reason to be sorry. My incredibly poor judgment brought this on … not you.”

“And you shouldn’t be blaming yourself either. She fooled people for years.”

Her voice shaking, she said, “You could have killed her … and you didn’t.”

“If it had come down to killing her to save you, I wouldn’t have hesitated … the choice would have been easy. But I couldn’t bear to see you lose someone else you loved … even if she was a maniac. And killing isn’t something I’ll do if there’s any way to avoid it. I’ve taken too many lives already.”

“You saved my life again. Thank you.”

“I’m sorry I walked out on you….” His mouth twisted. “I thought she was dying … I couldn’t bear to see the pain in your face.”

Keeley wiped impatiently at the tears pooling in her eyes. Damned if she would cry now. “If Jenna had died, it wouldn’t have been your fault. Just like you weren’t responsible for Stephen’s death. It was tragic and I hate that it happened, but Donald Rosemount is to blame, not you.”

“And Stephen’s mother,” Cole said softly.

Keeley nodded. She’d had a lot of time to think in the last couple of weeks. And as bizarre and crazy as it seemed, it made sense. Elizabeth would have seen that as a teaching lesson for Stephen. Unfortunately, it had gotten him killed.

“Jenna might be insane, but her comment got me to thinking about it all. Elizabeth saw an opportunity to scare the hell out of Stephen and make it look like I was responsible.”

“Unfortunately, Rosemount never revealed who hired him, so I don’t see it ever being proven that she was involved,” Cole said.

“Elizabeth will remain a vicious, embittered woman, but she’ll always have the knowledge that she was responsible for her son’s death.”

Cole’s beautiful eyes roamed her face; he looked so solemn. Hoping to break the tension a bit, she added, “A lot of things have changed in Fairview in the last two weeks.”

“Like what?”

“Let’s see. Hiram Mobley is officially out of office, along with two of his deputies. I think Honor had a lot to do with getting him fired. And, according to Miranda, who heard it from a reliable source, Elizabeth told her lawyers she no longer wants to contest Stephen’s will. And, wonder of all wonders, I saw Elizabeth at the courthouse three days ago and she asked how the girls were doing.”

Cole snorted. “Did she actually know their names?”

Keeley grinned. “Well, she called them Hilary and Holly, but I’m counting it as progress.” About to impart another bit of news, she became nervous again. “And, I, uh … I gave my house away.”

“You did what?”

Going to her knees, she placed her hands on his thighs, took a breath, and explained, “I gave my house to Miranda. You know you thought she was keeping secrets? Well, she was. Turns out, she’s been secretly working to find a place for unwed mothers to live. Working night and day on a small house about ten miles out of town. She and a couple of other people were trying to fix it up without anyone knowing about it. She knew Elizabeth would have a fit, so she told almost no one what she was doing. That’s why she was so evasive when you questioned her in front of Elizabeth. So, since my house was a gift from Stephen to appease his conscience and I was going to sell it anyway, I deeded it over to Miranda so she could use it.”

“I’ll bet Elizabeth will love that.”

Keeley giggled. “I have to admit, that was extra incentive.”

“So where are you and the girls planning to live?”

More vulnerable than she’d ever felt in her life, she whispered, “Wherever you are … if you’ll have us.”

“Keeley,” he said simply, his voice thick with emotion. Then he pulled her into his arms and covered her mouth with his.

Keeley opened her mouth to his thrusting tongue. Never had she felt so blessed, so fortunate, as to have this remarkable man in her life.

He broke their kiss to breathe against her lips, “I don’t think I’ve told you yet … but I love you.”

Tears of joy swam in her eyes. The words sounded wonderful but hadn’t really been necessary. Everything this man had done for her showed his love. “And I love you … so much. I’m sorry I sent you away … sorry I treated you the way I did.”

“I should have told you about Stephen sooner … I just couldn’t allow anything else to happen to you. I figured if you knew, you’d send me away. I had to protect you … and then I fell in love with you.”

“Thank you for saving my girls … and for saving me.”

He placed another soft kiss on her lips and then asked, “How do you think Hailey and Hannah will feel about having a new daddy?”

“I think they’ll feel like the luckiest little girls in the world.”

“Where do you want to live?”

“Anywhere you are.”

Cole lowered his head to devour her mouth. Locking her arms around his neck, Keeley gave herself up to the absolute ecstasy that only this man could create inside her. How she’d gotten so fortunate, she didn’t dare question. She’d made so many mistakes. Had trusted the wrong people, made the wrong decisions. From now on she vowed, once and for all, to get it right. She had
her angels back and the most amazing man in the world in her arms. No woman had ever been so blessed.

   The night, velvet and warm, cocooned them in darkness. Cole held Keeley in his arms, listening to her soft, even breaths of sleep and reveled in the gift of her love. Three doors down, two precious little girls, who would soon be his daughters, slept deeply, knowing they were at last safe from harm.

He never believed he could love again, feel happiness or contentment. But because of this beautiful woman in his arms, Cole realized that he had been given something incredible, had been granted a miracle he’d never expected. He’d been given a second chance.

He was tired of chasing a ghost. More than once he’d told himself she was a figment of his overactive imagination or a hallucination caused by too many blows to his head. That some three-hundred-pound bruiser by the name of Rudolph or Hans had rescued him, not a delicate-as-air blond angel named Ghost.

But she wasn’t a figment; he’d felt her, touched her, smelled her. And he couldn’t get her out of his head.

On his return from Brazil, he’d launched two investigations. One was to determine who else had been involved in his abduction other than Victor Lymes. The other was to find his mysterious rescuer.

The investigation into his abduction had taken less than a week. Lymes, working with two of the hotel employees where Lucas had been staying, had seen an opportunity and took it. The plan had been to ransom him and split the earnings. The two conspirators had confessed quickly when confronted by the authorities.

The second investigation hadn’t gone as well. It was as if the young woman who’d aided in his rescue didn’t even exist.

“Kane, do you agree?”

Lucas jerked his head around. Staring out the window like a new employee didn’t exactly inspire confidence. The twenty board members of Kane Industries stared at him as if he had a third eye.

“Yes, the takeover should go through without a hitch. Just make sure we have jobs for everyone.” He sent a pointed stare at Stanley Humphries. “If I hear that even one worker was displaced, heads will not be the only body parts rolling.”