Trouble Don’t Last Always (38 page)

“Your father?” Powell looked from the strikingly handsome young man to Myron Crawford on the stand.

The body build was similar, but there the resemblance ended. The younger man’s features were softer, but the eyes were just as hard. He was dressed in freshly pressed jeans and a denim shirt and jacket. His hair was in a foot-long ponytail.

Myron came out of his chair. “He’s a liar! Just like she is!”

“And I suppose these are lies.” Rafe ripped off his T-shirt and shirt. Women and men gasped. Welts and loop marks made from belts and extension cords criss-crossed his muscled back.

“Bailiff, bring that man up here.”

Rafe was already moving. “You want to see what a loving father I had? Take a good look.”

“You were willful. A man’s got a right to chastise his child. It says so in the Bible.”

“Not beat,” Rafe told him. “Lilly tried to stop you once and you beat her. If it hadn’t been for Grandma, I would have killed you.”

“See!” Myron gestured toward his son. “See what a devil I had in my house!”

“Is she a devil, too, Myron? Lilly never did anything except try to be a good wife and mother,” Rafe said, his fists clenched. “But that wasn’t good enough for you. You treated her like a hired servant instead of a wife. Wives are supposed to be submissive to their husbands, you always said. You could quote the Bible when it suited you in your wrongdoing.”

“I based my life on the Bible.”

“You based your life on cruelty and deceit,” Rafe said contemptuously. “You hurt her in the cruelest way a man can hurt a woman, you bastard.”

Myron’s nostrils flared with fury. “That’s a lie! If I’d treated her so badly, she wouldn’t have stayed!”

“She stayed because she wanted to help me and Shayla, even though my sister was too selfish to realize it then and apparently that hasn’t changed.” He shot a glance at his sister, then turned back to Myron. “But Grandma did.”

With an enraged cry, Myron came out of the witness stand. The bailiff finally moved to stop him. The judge shook his head.

“You shut your mouth!”

“Grandma moved in with you to try and help. She told me so.”

“To help?” Lilly said.

Rafe whirled. “Didn’t you ever wonder why an independent woman like Grandma would move into another woman’s house?”

“She was sick,” Lilly reminded him.

“She wasn’t that sick, not at the beginning, but watching Myron’s hatred took its toll on her. There was a darkness in him that all her praying couldn’t eradicate.”

Tears pricked Lilly’s eyes. She thought she had sacrificed her happiness for Mother Crawford the past five years. It had been the other way around.

“You’re lying!” Myron yelled. “You weren’t even here for her funeral.”

Rafe faced his father. “Because I swore I’d kill you if you ever laid a hand on me again and I didn’t want Grandma’s funeral to be the place.”

His expression murderous, Myron stepped closer. “Well, you’re such a big man. Come on.”

“Gladly.”

“Bailiff!”

The uniformed guards moved swiftly to separate the two men before the blows started. It took two additional men from the court next door to accomplish the task. The judge banged his gavel although the courtroom was eerily quiet. “Everyone sit down. I’m ready to give my verdict. Young man, put your shirt back on. Take a seat, Mr. Crawford.”

Glaring at his son, Myron straightened the coat of his black suit and went to his seat. His lawyer refused to look at him when he did.

Lilly grabbed Rafe’s hand and pulled him down into the chair beside her. “No matter what, I’m glad you came.”

“In view of the testimony I’ve heard here today and in view of the fact that there are no assets to divide, I hereby grant Lilly Crawford the divorce from Myron Crawford on the grounds of mental cruelty.”

“What!” Myron surged from his seat.

“Sit down, Mr. Crawford, unless you want to be held in contempt of this court.” Judge Lowell stared at Myron until he sat down. “Let me say that although your son is a grown man, your treatment of him is reprehensible. To call yourself a Christian is a disgrace to God and fellow Christians. As for the three men who testified here today, if I find they lied they’ll be held for perjury. Case closed.” He banged his gavel.

Lilly hugged Rafe. “Thank you.”

“Thank you for taking care of Grandma.” Briefly he lowered his head. “I couldn’t take it.”

“She understood.”

He nodded and pulled out a white card and gave it to her. “If you ever need me, you can reach me at this address.”

Lilly clutched the card in her hand without looking at it. “I’m glad the investigator found you.”

“Me, too.” He glanced away briefly, then centered his gaze on her. “I never thanked you for taking care of me and Shayla.”

Her hand closed on his muscled forearm. “You didn’t have to. I wanted to.” Her eyes saddened. “I know it wasn’t easy coming back here. I appreciate it.”

“That’s what families are supposed to do. Help each other,” he said simply. “We got it right even if they didn’t.”

Lilly wasn’t sure if he meant his father or her mother, then realized it didn’t matter. “We certainly did.” Opening her purse, she took out pen and paper and wrote down her Shreveport address, then, after asking Eleanor, wrote down Adam’s Sausalito address and phone number and handed the slip of paper to Rafe. “You’ll be able to find me at one of those addresses.”

Rafe glanced at Eleanor, then back at Lilly. “I’m glad you found friends and happiness.”

The hint of sadness in his voice troubled her. “Rafe, don’t let your hatred of Myron ruin your life.”

There was a brief flicker of something in his dark eyes; then it was gone as quickly as it had come. “I won’t. Stay safe and be happy.” Kissing her on the cheek, he turned and walked from the courtroom.

“Good-bye, Rafe,” Lilly mumbled to his retreating back.

“He’s quite a young man,” Eleanor said, watching Rafe walk away.

“We would have lost without him,” Powell said, gathering his papers and putting them in his briefcase. “I don’t guess you’ll be staying on in Little Elm.”

“No. I realize now I could never be happy here. People and circumstances wouldn’t let me.” Lilly extended her hand. “I’m leaving, but there’s a couple of things I have to do first.”

Outside the courthouse, she ignored the whispers and stares and searched the crowd. Seeing Myron in the parking lot with the three men who had lied about her on the witness stand, she headed in that direction. The crowd parted as if they were the Red Sea.

“Lilly, don’t do this,” Eleanor pleaded, worry in her voice.

“I have to. Wait here. Please.”

Leaving Eleanor on the sidewalk, Lilly didn’t stop until she stood in front of the man who had made her life hell for six years, and she had been coward enough to let him. “Myron.”

He spun; contempt and hatred flared in his eyes. The three men who had testified against Lilly refused to meet her gaze and quickly scurried away.

“Come back here!” Myron yelled. The men practically ran to their cars. Motors roared as they sped away. Myron swung back around and glared at Lilly. “If it’s the last thing I do, you’ll pay for what you did today.”

“You did it to yourself.” She was unfazed by his anger or threats. “There’s over a hundred witnesses this time. Hit me again and you’ll go to jail. I guarantee it.”

His head jerked up and around. He glared at the watchful crowd, then brought his furious gaze back to her. “They won’t always be around.”

She refused to cower. She’d done that too many times. “You are a sneaky, vindictive coward, Myron. Mother Crawford knew it, Rafe knew it, and now the whole town and Shayla know it.”

Rage distorted his features. Shayla had always been his Achilles’ heel. He drew back his balled fist.

Eleanor screamed Lilly’s name.

People gasped.

Instead of raising her hands protectively over her face, Lilly did what she had always been afraid to do. She kneed Myron in the groin.

His eyes bugged in pain and surprise. Clutching himself between his legs, Myron moaned and fell to the ground, hurling curses at her from between clenched teeth.

“You’ll never hit me again, Myron,” she told him, her voice surprisingly calm. “I’m free of you and I’m going to be happy. Somehow I don’t think you will be, and you only have yourself to blame.” Turning, she started back to the limousine.

On the way out of town they stopped by a florist shop. At the cemetery Lilly laid the dozen deep red roses on Mother Crawford’s grave beside the dozen already there. Rafe.

“You won’t be forgotten. I promise. Thank you for looking after me.” Standing, she went back to the limousine where Eleanor waited.

Aboard the plane Eleanor had the stewardess open a bottle of champagne and toasted Lilly. After a couple of sips, Lilly put in a call to Adam. Disappointment slumped her shoulders when the housekeeper informed her that he wasn’t there. He and Kristen had gone out. No, she didn’t know when they planned to return.

Slowly, Lilly hung up the phone. She had so much to tell Adam. He’d be so proud of her.

“You love him, don’t you?” Eleanor asked quietly from beside her.

“Yes.” Lilly didn’t even think of lying.

“I’m glad.” Eleanor smiled warmly.

Surprise widened Lilly’s eyes. “You don’t mind?”

Eleanor’s smile widened. “Why should I mind that my son is loved by a wonderful, caring woman who makes him happy?”

Lilly was stunned…and overjoyed.

“Now that that’s settled, how about some more champagne?” Eleanor plucked the bottle from the ice bucket.

Grinning wildly, Lilly lifted her glass.

Arriving at Adam’s house a little after three that afternoon, Lilly was disappointed to learn that he and Kristen were still out. Since the housekeeper wasn’t sure when they’d return, Eleanor invited Lilly to go shopping with her to search for a wedding dress. Certain she’d worry and watch the clock if she stayed, Lilly accepted the invitation.

“Lilly, how about this one?” Eleanor asked two hours later.

Lilly glanced up from the chair in the fitting room of the couture salon in Neiman Marcus. Eleanor’s face glowed with happiness as she slowly pirouetted in a Valentino ivory suit with a long-sleeved, side-tie jacket and tea-length skirt. She looked beautiful and deliriously happy. Lilly couldn’t help wondering if she’d ever get the chance to wear something so exquisite and feminine for Adam.

“Jonathan will be speechless,” she assured Eleanor, letting the joy she felt for her push aside any doubts about her own unsettled situation with Adam.

“I saw another suit in lilac, and if I’m not mistaken there’s the most darling hat you ever saw in Accessories that would match. The combination would be perfect for the garden wedding we plan.” Eleanor stepped off the platform and reached for the side tie. “I think I’ll just slip this off and try it on. Do you mind?”

Lilly stood and pushed the button for the saleslady. “Not at all.”

Darkness had settled over Sausalito when Eleanor opened Adam’s door. “Thank you for going shopping with me.”

Lilly’s gaze went up the stairs before she gave her attention to Eleanor. There had been no word from Adam since they returned to San Francisco. “Of course. I enjoyed it. Thanks for letting me tag along.”

Eleanor hugged her. “You’re welcome. I had fun.”

“I just hate you didn’t find anything,” Lilly said. “I think the problem was that you looked great in everything you tried on.”

Eleanor’s smile was quick. “Thanks for the compliment. I still have seven weeks. You sure you don’t want to go with me to the art council meeting?”

“No,” Lilly assured her. She preferred to wait for Adam. “I’ll be fine.”

“He and Kristen should be finished with their errands shortly. Good night.” Eleanor shoved the silver chain strap of her purse farther over on her shoulder, then turned toward the door, stopped abruptly, snapped her fingers. “I almost forgot. Adam left a list of books he wanted me to get on his night-stand. Do you mind getting it for me?”

“Of course not.” Lilly swiftly climbed the stairs. Her thoughts were on Adam when she opened the door and gasped.

“I take it you’re surprised?”

Lilly whirled sharply to see Adam merge from the shadows in the room filled with the mellow sounds of jazz and bathed with the soft, warm glow of flickering vanilla-scented candles. The effect teased the senses.

“For you.”

With hands that trembled, Lilly took the single red rose he held out to her. “Thank you.”

“My pleasure,” he said. The back of his knuckled hand grazed her cheek.

Heat spiraled through her body at his touch, the husky timbre of his voice. She swallowed.

“Mother said you’d already toasted your freedom, but I hope you’ll have dinner with me and toast again.”

Lilly finally pulled her hungry eyes away from Adam’s compelling features long enough to see the table setting for two on the balcony. The white tablecloth and crystal glowed in the moonlight. “Oh, Adam. It’s beautiful.” She brought her gaze back to him. It was impossible not to. The candlelight illuminated his handsome face and made her spin foolish fantasies.

“I’m glad you think so.” He chuckled. “I had to threaten Kristen to leave me in here with the candles. She went out the back door when we heard Mother’s car.”

Lilly’s gaze went back to the groups of candles scattered around the room. They sat far enough back for Adam not to accidentally knock any over unless he fell, and he was too self-assured for that. “This was all planned, I take it.”

“I wanted to give you a beautiful memory by candlelight. Couldn’t very well do that in the daytime.” Taking her arm, Adam led her to the balcony and expertly poured each of them a glass of champagne. “To second chances.”

“Second chances,” Lilly repeated and drank, her eyes on Adam. The dinner might be a celebration, but the candles moved into the realm of romance. Her pulse raced.

He reached for her glass and set it on the table, then stepped closer until their body heat mingled. “Are you hungry?”

Her breath seemed to clog in her throat. “N–Not very.”

“Good. I’ve wanted to do this for so very long.” Pulling her into his arms, his mouth brushed gently over hers, once, twice.