Coming Home (The Morgans) (17 page)

 
Tori felt like she had been run over by a truck as she rode the elevator to the 14
th
floor. It had been three weeks since she had been at work, and right now she was looking forward to the familiar comfort zone and people to bury herself in work.

 
She had half expected to receive a call from Drue or Kevin at least, but neither one had tried. Even though she was relieved, part of her was hurt. Maybe that’s why she hadn’t heard from Drue especially.   She knew he would be hurt by her letter and not telling him face to face.

 
She just wasn’t strong enough right now. She loved him too much. If she would have tried to tell him face to face, she didn’t think she would have been able to.

 
When she got off the elevator, Katy was waiting for her. One look at her friend, and she nearly lost it.

 
“Don’t say anything, Katy. Not here. I can’t talk about it. Not yet.” she begged.

 
“Of course not. We’re going to get the biggest cup of coffee we can find and get you started on the huge stack of edits I put on your desk.”

 
She smiled at Katy. “Thank you.”

 
Remembering her grandmother’s words again, if it didn’t kill her, she’d end up stronger, right?

It was just after lunch when she heard a scuffle at the front reception desk. As she rounded her cubicle she stopped in her tracks and stared.

  No, it couldn’t be. There standing in the reception area were both Drue and Kevin.

 
God, no. She wasn’t ready to face them. Turning to go in the opposite direction, she heard her name called. It was Drue.

 
Slowly turning around, she faced him as he approached, Kevin close behind.

 
Her mouth suddenly felt like she had swallowed cotton.

 
“What are you doing here?” she squeaked out.

 
“I guess I could ask you the same question, given that you are supposed to be at home with me.”

 
He stopped directly in front of her. He was angry all right, but more visible was the hurt in his beautiful green eyes, and something else. Determination.

 
Kevin reached them then. “Not like you to run, Sprite.”

 
“I didn’t run. I just didn’t want to ruin the festival and…”

  “
And what?” Drue questioned gruffly.

 
She looked at him pleadingly. “We can’t discuss this here at my place of work. You need to leave.”

 
“You are absolutely right.” He said to easily.

 
“And you’re coming with us.” He finished.

 
“No, I’m not.” she said firmly.

 
Drue took one step closer to where they were only a breath apart.

 
“You will come voluntarily, or I will carry you out of here myself.”

 
“You wouldn’t.”

 
Tori could already feel the eyes on them popping up to look over their cubicles to see what the commotion was all about.

 
Without hesitation Drue picked Tori up like a sack of potatoes and threw her over his shoulder, pinning her legs so that she couldn’t kick him in the process.

 
“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” He finished as he turned around with her in tow toward the elevator.

 
Claps and whistles erupted from her co-workers.

 
“Way to go, Tori!” someone yelled out.

 
“You can’t do this. People get arrested for stunts like this.” she huffed at him. “You’re going to get me fired.”

 
“Already taken care of. Katy talked to your boss before we got here. You’re still on leave.”

 
“Katy did what?” she screeched. “How did you…Kevin!”

 
She knew Kevin had to be behind this.

 
“Just calm down before you hurt yourself. Give me a chance to explain. You owe me that much, Victoria.” he said with warning.

 
That quieted her down. She hadn’t wanted to do this, but she didn’t see any other way.

 
“You can put me down now.” she told him.

 
“Will you come home with us so we can talk this out. At least attend the festival. Mother would be heartbroken if you didn’t.”

 
Oh, way to play dirty by throwing his mother into it.

 
“Okay. I’ll go with you, but that doesn’t mean I am changing my mind about anything.”

 
She followed them down to their truck.

 
“What about my car?” she asked.

 
“Got it covered. Katy is taking it to your apartment.”

 
She couldn’t believe her two best friends had worked against her. She would deal with them later. Right now she needed to focus on hardening her heart against whatever Drue had in mind.

  The drive back to Oak Creek was done in almost complete silence. An hour into it Tori actually dozed off. She hadn’t slept the last two nights. Leaning against the cab door in the back by herself as Kevin and Drue rode up front, primarily because he wasn’t taking any chances on her running, Drue could see the shadows under her eyes. He would make sure he was never the cause of those sleepless nights again. And if he was, it would be due to pleasure and not pain.

 
They pulled into Tori’s drive around five that afternoon.

  He opened the cab door to wake her. Gently he caressed her face.

 
“Victoria, we’re home. Wake up, honey.”

 
Slowly she stirred until recognition dawned. She sat up straight. Drue could almost see the armor going back into place.

 
She certainly wasn’t going to make this easy. Guess he couldn’t blame her.

 
“I don’t suppose you want to join us for dinner tonight?” he asked her.

  “
No, thank you.” she replied tartly.

 
“Have it your way. I’ll be over to talk after dinner.”

 
“Doesn’t mean I’ll be available.” she retorted, tired of being pushed around.

 
He had her up against the truck in five seconds flat.

 
“Still striking matches and not expecting to get burned?” he whispered against her ear.

 
“Expect me at eight.”

 
He got back in the truck and looked at Kevin who had been silent through the entire episode.

 
“What?” Drue asked his brother frustratingly.

 
“I’ve just never seen you like this. You really do love her, don’t you?”

 
“Yes, I really do.” He shifted into gear and headed home.

 
Kevin knew how stubborn Tori could be when she set her mind to it. He had to make sure she was going to listen to Drue. He stepped outside the house to try and call her cell phone. Of course, she ignored him, so he sent her a text.

 
“You didn’t hear the entire convo.” he messaged. “Listen to him. Give him a chance to explain.”

 
Tori held her phone and frowned at the messaged Kevin had just sent.

 
What did he mean she hadn’t heard the whole conversation? She’d heard enough to know they were headed for trouble. 

 
Eight o’clock sharp a knock came at the front door. Ready or not, she guessed it was time to get this over with.

 
Taking a steadying breath, she opened the door and let Drue in.

 
“Wasn’t sure if you would open the door or not.” he stated quite simply.

 
“Didn’t think I had an option.”

 
“Let’s sit down in the kitchen. I could use a cup of coffee.” He took her hand in his and led her into the kitchen. She didn’t pull away, which he took as a positive sign.

 
Whatever she was, Tori wasn’t a hateful person. In fact the entire reason she had broken it off with him was due to not wanting to come between him and his brother’s relationship.

 
Tori fixed two cups and sat across from him waiting to hear what he had to say.

 
“First let me say I’m sorry I was such a unmitigated ass.”

 
That was not what she had expected to hear.

 
“Go on.”

 
“You have to admit this thing between us opened the floodgates and there was no looking back. I wasn’t exactly prepared for the siege of emotions I would feel, especially when it came to your close relationship with Kevin.” he continued.

 
“After we made love, it got under my skin more and more. I didn’t know how to process it. I just knew I didn’t like the thought of another man’s hands on you, not even my brother’s.”

 
Tori knew he had been jealous, but that did not excuse the things she heard him say in the garage to Kevin.

 
“I wanted you more than anything and for the first time, I could see the possibilities of that being a reality. When it was, I was afraid that Kevin might get in the way of that. I wanted to keep you all to myself. I discovered I have a little alpha male in me that I didn’t know I had. Combine that with all the new feelings I was experiencing, it was the perfect combustible cocktail. When you fell into Kevin’s arms after he walked in on us, I just lost it.”

 
“I meant what I said, Drue.” she said softly with her head bowed. “I won’t be the thing that comes between you and your brother, and I will never choose between you.”

 
He sighed. “I know what you heard. Essentially you heard my little tantrum telling Kevin that you belonged to me, and I would make you choose. After I said a few more stupid things, my brother set me straight on all of it. You must of left before then. If you had stayed you would have heard him. He said if I couldn’t see how in love you were with me and that he loved you like a sister, and he definitely didn’t want to sleep with his sister. Well, you get the picture.” he said grimly.

 
“It took all the wind out of my sails and made me see how selfish and immature I was being. I have waited for you and wanted you for so long, I just didn’t want to share you. I know it was stupid, but I’m only human.”

 
Tori was afraid to believe that he and Kevin had truly worked through this. Even if they had this time around, would Drue be able to deal with their friendship in the future?

 
“All I’m asking is that you sleep on it and talk with Kevin tomorrow. Then decide if you are willing to give me another chance. If not, I’ll take you back to Chicago on Sunday after the festival.”

 
He looked at her hopefully. “Will you do that at least?”

 
He grasped her hand pleadingly.

 
Looking into his eyes, Tori saw the same pain in his as she knew was reflected in her own.

 
“Yes, I’ll sleep on it, and we can talk tomorrow.”

 
“Thank you, Victoria.”

 
Standing they walked to the front door. He embraced her then gently and kissed the top of her head.

 
“Just remember how much I love you. I’m still new at this too, ya know.”

 
With that he was gone and she was alone.

 
Exhausted she didn’t want to think anymore tonight. She wanted to get lost in dreamland where sugarplums and fairies danced, she hoped.

 
Regardless of whether she wanted to or not, she had to face reality tomorrow.

 
Today was the day the town had been waiting for all month. The Fall Festival had arrived. Booths lined   Main Street with local fare. Fresh grown vegetables, jams, pies and arts and crafts filled the four block area. Games were set up for kids and adults alike.

 
All the Main Street activities would take place until six o’clock. Then the party would start at the Morgans’s place.

 
She wasn’t in much of a party mood. Sitting on the front porch nursing a cup of coffee, she replayed all that Drue had confessed last night.

 
Was she being a coward to turn tail and run away from the love of her life, or was she making the best decision for all involved?

 
What if it didn’t work out, she asked herself.

 
What if it did? It was almost like someone had whispered in her ear. She looked to her left where the front porch swing was moving gently. There really wasn’t any breeze to speak of.

 
She smiled. I hear you, she thought to herself as she thought of her grandmother.

 
Hadn’t she been the one to push Drue to take a leap and find out where it would lead them? He had, and now she was walking away at the first sign of trouble?

 
He had been nothing but loving, caring and giving to her throughout the past few weeks.

 
Quite frankly she had been miserable the past two days without him. Imagining the rest of her life without him just wasn’t an option she wanted to accept.

 
She loved him and wanted to be with him, and if his knuckle-headed alpha male reared its ugly head from time to time, she would just have to tame him.

 
Smiling she knew it was time to start getting ready for the dance. It was going to take some time to put her war paint on.

  She had asked Kevin to pick her up instead of Drue. She had wanted an opportunity to speak with him before the dance.

 
When she came out to get in the truck, he whistled low.

 
“Wow! My brother is going to have a heart attack when he sees you in that dress, and how did you get your hair to curl like that. You look amazing!” he gushed.

 
Her violet gown brought out the red highlights in her auburn hair, which had been rolled in large banana curls and fastened and shaped around her face. Her gown was form fitting and exposed her bosom just enough for the imagination and flowed outward to the floor from the waist down.

 
“You, kind sir, are a flirt.” she teased.

 
“Ah, she smiles. Does this mean we have a truce for the evening?” he asked with slight trepidation.

 
“Answer me one question, Kevin.” she said very seriously.

 
“Anything. You know that.” he replied.

 
“Did you and your brother really work through the weirdness and adjustments of he and I being in a relationship?” Her future hinged on his response.

 
“Yes, we did, Tori. Now that’s not to say there won’t be future disagreements as we transition this and learn how to adjust, but that’s life isn’t it? The key is for all of us to work it out. You can’t run when things get difficult. You have to face your fears. We all do. He loves you, ya know.”

 
“I know. I love him too.”

  “Enough of this nonsense. We have a party to attend.”

  Guests had been arriving since six o’clock. It was now just after seven. People danced the two-step out on the laid out dance floor in the center of the barn.

 
All around were tables scattered with candles adorning them as centerpieces.

What caught Tori’s
fascination was the effect of all the white lights strung throughout the barn with greenery. It looked like the enchanted forest. It was beautiful.

 
“Ms. Bennett, may I have this dance?” Kevin bowed to her and asked for her hand.

 
She giggled and curtsied in return.

 
He twirled her around the floor, his movements fluid and at ease. He always had been a good dancer, and they had danced together for years.

 
Her gaze roamed the barn, but she still had seen no sign of Drue. Where was he? She was anxious to see him and wasn’t entirely sure where to start when she did.

 
The song ended and Kevin put his arm out for her. She clasped his as he walked her off the dance floor.

 
“How about some lemonade?” he asked.

 
“Sure. That would be great.” She thanked him as he left her to collect their drinks. Nervousness built in her. She wanted to see Drue.

 
Suddenly the sounds of Brett Eldredge’s
Mean To Me
flowed through the speakers and in her ear she heard, “Dance with me.”

  Instant tingling sensations swamped her as Drue led her to the dance floor. He pulled her in close as the song began, a man professing his love in the ways that the object of his affection meant to him. She lay her head on his shoulder as the song washed over them.

 
They fit so perfectly together. She thought her heart might burst from the emotions overwhelming her.   How could she have thought to give this man up when he was her everything?

 
She raised her head to look up at his face. All the love she felt for him was reflected in his own eyes. She gasped not even realizing it.

 
“I want to be all those things to you, Victoria, especially the one that changes your name.”

 
He stopped dancing and stepped back from her. What was he doing?

 
Looking up at the band as the song finished, he nodded his head. All was quiet.

  “What’s going on,
Drue? What are you doing?”

 
“Victoria, you mean everything to mean. I can’t see a future, not a happy one, without you. I love you.”

 
Suddenly he dropped to one knee right in the middle of the dance floor with half the town looking on.

 
“Drue…” she whispered.

 
“Let me be the one to change your name. Be mine forever, Victoria Winslow. Come home where you belong and marry me.”

 
She stood in shock and amazement as he reached in his pocket and retrieved a ring box. When he opened it, the most beautiful oval-shaped sapphire sparkled up at her.

 
“A diamond didn’t convey to you how much you mean to me. When you look at this sapphire I want you to remember every day that there is no ocean deep enough to show you what you really mean to me.”

 
Tears now streamed down Tori’s face as she watched him take the ring from the box. As he held it suspended, waiting to place it on her hand, he asked again.

 
“Will you be my wife forever and always?”

 
She nodded her affirmation because she didn’t think she could speak.

 
He placed the ring on her finger, and she couldn’t hold back. She leaped into his arms, her lips finding his. Forgetting they were in a barn filled with people, their love was cemented with an endless kiss.

 
Well, endless until the thundering applause broke through their euphoria.

 
She broke away, burying her face in his neck. He held her tightly, never intending to let her go.

 
“I love you, Drue, forever and always.”

 
He cupped her face and placed a chaste kiss on her lips.

 
“Welcome Home, Victoria. Welcome Home.”