Someone to Trust (18 page)

“Oh there you two are. Just catching up?” Felicia’s words dripped with honey.

“No,” Megan said, with tear-filled eyes and squared shoulders. “We’re actually quite finished.”

She moved around Trevor, and as she walked past Lee, she whispered, “Could you please take me home?”

Chapter Nineteen

The ride back to Megan’s cabin was made in silence. A couple of times, Lee looked over at her in the darkness of the truck and she could tell he wanted to talk to her. Or wanted her to talk to him. But he hadn’t pressed. She loved him all the more for it.

A war was waging within Megan. A part of her wanted to break things off with Lee, let him go so he could find the woman he deserved. The other wanted to come clean with him, tell him everything and see what happened.

Could she risk the reproach she might see on his face when he heard what she’d done? Could she bear it? Would it be better just to end it, instead of facing him with her past?

Tell him!
a voice admonished her.
The truth will make you free
.

“Would you like to come in for coffee?” Megan asked, breaking the silence as they pulled in front of the cabin.

“Sure. Why don’t I walk Sir while you make the coffee?”

Time to get her courage up as well.

Megan let them into the cabin and handed Lee the leash for Sir; the poor dog was practically dancing by the front door as if to tell them he had waited long enough for them to get home.

“Come on, buddy,” Lee invited after snapping on the leash and opening the door. He glanced back at Megan. “I’ll see you in a few.” He smiled softly before closing the door.

When Lee returned with Sir, the coffee was ready and Megan was dressed in sweats and a baggy shirt. Her face was scrubbed clean and her hair was hanging loosely. Tucking it behind her ears as she poured them each a cup of coffee, she motioned for Lee to have a seat on the couch and handed him the cup. Sir promptly laid his large head across Lee’s big feet.

Watching the two of them, they looked so natural that Megan nearly lost her nerve altogether, but she was tired of running from her past.

“I have something I need to tell you…something about my past that I’m not very proud of.”

“Megan—”

She stopped him. “No. I need to do this. So hear me out, okay?”

He nodded and she launched into her story. She remained standing because she was too nervous to sit. “I graduated college and was successfully working my way up the advertising ladder at Adams and Gilmore’s prestigious firm, where I’d landed a promotional account with a prominent law firm. Trevor Raines was the junior associate chosen to work with me on the campaign, on behalf of the senior partner and the firm.”

“This is the same Trevor who was with Felicia tonight?” Lee asked and Megan nodded.

“He was handsome, successful and determined. I hadn’t dated much and was still feeling much like the awkward, gangly girl of earlier years and probably came across very standoffish. I think he was intrigued and challenged by my allusive behavior.” She paused and looked at Lee to gauge his reaction. He showed nothing more than sincere interest.

“I’d never been pursued before and certainly not by anyone like Trevor. At first, I was a bit put off by him, but Trevor was a patient man, a determined man, especially when it came to having something he wanted.”

She stopped to take a sip of her coffee and regroup a bit before continuing. “Looking back, I think the thrill of the chase was very attractive to him. He was not a man accustomed to being denied. Thinking he couldn’t have something only caused him to desire it more; he was ruthless when it came to pursuing what he wanted.”

“I made it very clear from the beginning that I could not date anyone I worked with because it would be a conflict of interest. I also made it known I was not, nor ever would be, in the market for a married man.”

Lee nodded his head in understanding which gave her some courage.

“Trevor assured me he was not married, and even displayed his tan, empty wedding finger. As we were nearing the completion of our project, he reminded me we wouldn’t be working together forever and made it sound so plausible. Then the day came that our project did end which meant we were no longer required to work together—removing my excuse for not dating Trevor.”

As she stumbled a bit for words, Lee asked, “So, I take it you began dating him?”

“I thought we were becoming friends as we continued to spend time together. Lunch meetings turned into an evening together and then another and another. He sent me flowers and gifts while taking me to the classiest restaurants. I even introduced him to my mother.”

“Did Helen and Trevor get along?”

“Something about Trevor made my mother very uncomfortable. She could never tell me exactly what it was but something did. I disagreed with her and a heated argument followed. Mom didn’t make any comments after that.”

Megan stopped her pacing and came to sit beside Lee. “Trevor told me he had no family living and was completely alone; he said there was no one to introduce me to. I didn’t really have any reason to think what he was telling me wasn’t the truth.” She took a deep breath and continued, “Six months into our relationship, he invited me to his high-rise, luxury condominium where he had flowers and dinner waiting. I thought Trevor was everything a girl could want in a man. When he told me he loved me and wanted a long-term relationship with me, I naively believed my dreams had finally come true.”

Megan rose and began pacing again, back and forth in front of the sofa as she told Lee everything, sparing no detail, making no excuses. She didn’t want to make herself look better; she wanted him to know everything, to really know her.

As Megan told Lee of the night she and Trevor sat alone on his balcony, she went to that night in her mind. Reliving each piece.

They sat admiring the sparkling Atlanta skyline, listening to the soulful music filtering out from the living room. Trevor purposefully stood and pulled her to her feet and into his arms. While gazing intently into her eyes, he whispered passionately, “Megan, I have never felt this way about any other woman. You are all I think about; I can’t concentrate, or even breathe, when you aren’t around. I love you and want us to be together forever.”

With that, he kissed her in a way he had never kissed her before and she melted into his arms. From that moment on, she gave Trevor Raines her heart and body. He took her innocence without a second thought.

Megan rubbed her eyes as she tried to clear the vision away. “There was always a sense of guilt about being intimate with him outside of the bonds of marriage, but I pushed all doubts aside, believing it would only be a matter of time before we married. I told myself he loved and respected me and would never treat me in a dishonorable way.”

She chuckled, almost maniacally. “You know the old saying hindsight is 20/20…well, that certainly applied here. I could finally see clearly when it came to Trevor. Clues I had been blind to before were there all along. For example, Trevor had to travel almost every weekend and we spent much more time at my apartment than his. While he kept some personal belongings at my apartment, I had nothing at his.”

Lee’s soft voice broke through the fog of memories coming fast and furious. “You really don’t have to finish this, Megan.”

“Yes, I do.” She smiled gently. “About one year into our relationship, it all came to a screeching halt. It was one of the rare weekends Trevor stayed in Atlanta, and on that particular Saturday afternoon, we were snuggled together on his couch watching a movie. You know, it’s funny; I never really cared whether or not we went anywhere. I just wanted to be together, which is a big part of why this worked so well for him.”

Once more, Megan traveled back in her mind to that fateful afternoon as she continued her story.

Their sanctum was interrupted by the doorman’s buzz. Trevor walked across the room to the intercom, and pressing the button, spoke into it, “Yes, Tony?”

Tony’s response caused Megan’s heart to stop in her chest. “I’m sorry to disturb you, Mr. Raines, but your wife is on her way up.”

Trevor’s face drained of all color and his mouth tightened. “Okay, thanks, Tony.”

It took a few moments for it to register with Megan. Had the doorman said wife?

There had to be some mistake.

Megan jumped to her feet. “Trevor?” she rasped, giving him a chance to deny it. It could not be true!

Trevor took her by the shoulders, forcefully propelling her toward the door. “You’ve got to get moving, Megan. I’m afraid you are going to have to leave for now.”

“Trevor?” Megan squeaked his name again. Trevor retrieved her purse and sunglasses, handing them to her.

“I don’t have time to give you the explanation you deserve now, darling, and I really don’t want a scene with Elise. I’m afraid she doesn’t know about you either.”

“Elise? Is that your wife?” Megan felt the room spinning.

Trevor didn’t answer. He just gave her a little push but Megan stiffened and stood her ground, nearly screaming, “Is that your wife, Trevor?”

“Yes,” he offered hoarsely through tight lips, opening the door and literally pushing her through it. Megan could hardly move; the signal her brain was supposed to be sending to her feet was being muddled. She felt like she was in a nightmare where the victim knows she needs to move or run, but her legs won’t cooperate.”

“You lied to me!” she accused.

“I had to, darling, or else you would never have agreed to go out with me. I love you, Megan, and I have to have you. I fully intend on asking Elise for a divorce, but it’s just…well, it’s complicated.”

This could not be happening to her! Wake up Megan! Wake up!

“I trusted you,” she said weakly. Trevor moved toward her and she recoiled like she’d been shot. “Don’t touch me!” Her voice was barely above a whisper but held enough venom to kill.

“Look, I know you’re hurt and angry right now, but I promise I’ll straighten all of this out.” He acted as if this was nothing more than a minor misunderstanding over a small detail he forgot to mention. Once he explained everything to her all would be well, rather than what it was—he was married!

“I can’t believe you!” Megan hissed.

“Look, I need you to go down the hall and wait around the corner until I get Elise inside the condo, then you can get on the elevator and leave. I’ll call you later.”

“Don’t you ever call me again!” She heard what he said about moving, but it was as if her feet had grown roots.

The bell on the elevator dinged, letting them know the doors were about to open.

“Megan!” Trevor said, now in a fierce panic.

She wanted to scream, railing accusations at him, calling him every vile name she could think of while making a horrible scene. Instead, she did as she was told. She wanted to wait around the corner, and when his wife got into the condo, knock on the door, march in there and expose him for the lying, cheating, conniving…

“What stopped you?”

Megan realized where she was with those words. “Well, as I was hiding in the hallway, a dark attractive woman stepped into the hallway with a blonde little girl around the age of eight or nine immediately following her. Trevor stood waiting for them outside his door, with a smile. The little girl called ‘Daddy’ and ran to him, flinging herself into his outstretched arms. Trevor lifted her off her feet, spinning her around.”

“What did you do?”

“I couldn’t breathe, much less move. My initial intention was to expose him but that vanished the moment I realized he had a little girl. I just stood there and stared numbly as he and his wife embraced, and then the three of them walked down the hall and into the condo. My stomach began to heave and I knew it was time for me to leave. I know I rode the elevator back down to the first floor but I can’t say I remember it. As soon as I got off in the lobby, I walked immediately into the ladies room and wretched violently.”

Megan realized she was sitting next to Lee again as he gently took her hand. “It took a little while before I was able to stand again. I barely remember walking out of the apartment building and to the parking garage much less getting into my car. I began driving, but I really didn’t have anywhere to go. I drove for miles and miles, having no clue where I was going. I only knew I had to get away, far away.”

Chapter Twenty

Now, as she shared her story with Lee, tears streamed down her face.

“Finally, as the sun was setting, I pulled off the road into the parking lot of a hotel in Savannah, Georgia. I was physically and emotionally exhausted. After I checked into the room, I called my mother. I knew I sounded terrible but didn’t have the strength to pretend otherwise. I let my mom know where I was and asked her to call into my job for me on Monday, claiming I was ill,” Megan explained.

“What did your mom say? I’m sure she could tell something was wrong.”

Megan nodded. “Oh yeah, she knew something was wrong and asked me what it was. I knew I was scaring her, but I assured her I was okay and offered her the partial truth.”

Megan paused a moment and then continued, “I told her Trevor and I had broken up and it was over for good. I explained that I just needed a few days to sort things out.”

“It had to be hard for you to keep everything from her. I know how close the two of you are.”

“It was; I so wanted to tell her everything. But, how could I tell my mom I had become everything she despised?
The other woman.”
Megan felt shame even now as she retold the story to Lee.

“Megan, you were naive and Trevor took advantage of you. Once you were aware of the situation, you did the right thing.”

She appreciated his lack of judgment toward her but she simply could not excuse her behavior or stupidity.