Pathway to Tomorrow (20 page)

She could always marry him of course. He’d made it very clear marriage was what he wanted, and from the outside it seemed the obvious solution, except it wasn’t. Deep down her distrust of marriage and long term relationships simmered and brewed. She had seen too much heartbreak to want to throw all her dice on the one square that was Marcus Lewis. Even though she loved him with a passion that was all consuming she was sure it wouldn’t last. It never did. Somewhere, sometime, he was going to let her down because that’s what men did. The thought brought her back to her present dilemma. How was she going to keep her promise to find time alone with Marcus while her sister was still living at home?

* * *

Izzie solved it for her when she returned to the kitchen by announcing she was going to the studio as soon as they had finished eating.

“I’ve a session with a voice coach,” she said as she dished up the pasta. “Marcus says I need to learn how to protect my throat more before I start singing in public.”

“How long is the session?” Jodie tried hard to keep her voice neutral.

Izzie chuckled as she read her mind. “Long enough!”

* * *

When Jodie answered the knock on the door she was wearing a flimsy negligee that had once belonged to her mother and her raven’s wing hair was hanging down her back in a silken curtain. With a swift intake of breath Marcus picked her up and carried her upstairs without a word. By the time he found the right bedroom and lowered her onto the bed they were both trembling.  Lying down beside her he began to kiss her, gently at first but then with a passion that made them both forget where they were as their whole world slowly spiraled into an all-consuming need.

Much later, lying in a tangle of arms and legs, their faces only inches apart on the pillow, they smiled at one another.

“Your sister has the best ideas,” Marcus whispered as he twirled his finger through a strand of Jodie’s hair.

Immediately she stiffened in his arms. “This has nothing to do with Izzie except she happens to be out for once.”

He gathered her closer, so their lips were almost touching. “Ah don’t Jodie. Of course it has something to do with her, why else would I be able to stay right here all night.”

Twisting herself out of his arms she sat up and glared down at him. “What do you mean, stay here all night? That is so not going to happen Marcus, not with Izzie in the next room.”

He stared up at her. “You mean you don’t know she’s staying over at my house tonight?”

“Why would I when she hasn’t told me anything about it?”

He laughed then and it was a genuine burst of amusement. “She’s going to be wasted on the stage you know. She could be a master criminal and rule the world if she wanted to, because she’s totally without shame.”

“What exactly did she tell you?” Jodie didn’t join in with his laughter. Instead she resisted as he tried to pull her close again.

He sighed. “She said her therapist thought it was time she tried to sleep away from home on her own. Apparently he said it ought to be somewhere familiar, and suggested my house.”

“And you believed her?”

“Why wouldn’t I? Besides she had already spoken to Mrs. Cotton about it by the time she told me. She told her all about her sleep problems too, and Mrs. Cotton said she’s perfectly happy for her to use my house as a testing ground. She said she had agreed on tonight because Izzie told her I wasn’t going to be there, so you see I have nowhere else to go unless you want to blow your sister’s cover.”

“I can’t believe she’d be so devious,” Jodie ignored his attempt at humor.

“What Izzie? Come on Jodie, being devious is her signature behavior. Besides, you have to admit it’s a good idea,” he maneuvered himself into a sitting position and tried to pull her back against his chest.

She resisted, still frowning, and then reached for her cell phone.  “But what if she isn’t alright? What if she has one of her nightmares? I’m not going to let her do it. If she wakes up screaming in a strange house in the middle of the night she could put herself back years. She should have tested it out here first.”

Marcus closed his hand around hers so she couldn’t tap in the numbers to her sister’s cell phone. “And what if she’s perfectly fine? You can’t throw this back in her face, not when she’s trying so hard.”

“I’m not…I won’t…not when it’s a genuine attempt to move on, but to do it just so we can sleep together, that’s not the right reason. It’s not even something she should be thinking about. ”

“You’re not her mother Jodie, even though you act as if you are, and if you think she doesn’t have a view on sex then you need to come to the studio and watch her flirting with some of the musicians. Izzie is trying to grow up…so have some faith in her and let go.”

“I…does she really flirt?” Her eyes were wide as she picked up on what he had just told her.

He grinned.  “And how! But you don’t need to worry, she isn’t going to sleep with any of them, she’s just testing her powers. She’s doing all the things you didn’t have time to do when you were her age.  Let her enjoy them.”

“How come you know so much about teenage girls?”

He shook his head. “You don’t want to know.”

At last she relaxed, dropping the cell phone back onto the bedside table. “You’re probably right. I don’t want to know if it has anything to do with the days when you used to tour. I know you’re right about Izzie too, but it’s just so difficult…I can’t believe how craftily she’s maneuvered us into this
or how easily I fell for it.”

“Well you did, so how about we make the most of it?” Marcus started to stroke her shoulders and then changed his mind and let his hand dip lower until it brushed against her breasts. With a shudder she turned towards him, her eyes suddenly dark with a building desire that blotted out everything except wanting him. His smile was triumphant as he lifted her on top of him and before long, hidden beneath the glossy curtain of her hair, they forgot all about Izzie and concentrated, instead, on the whisper of skin on skin and the salty taste of their love.

Chapter Twenty-four

When Jodie woke Marcus was propped up on one elbow watching her. He leaned over and kissed her. “Hello.”

“Hello,” her voice was full of sleep, her eyes soft with memory as she twined her arms around his neck and pulled him clo
ser. With a groan he gathered her to him.

“I wasn’t going to do this. I was going to creep out before people start turning up to feed the horses.”

She pulled back a little and smiled. “To protect my reputation?”

“Something like that.”

“Well you don’t need to worry because you can sneak out the back way.”

Supporting his weight on his elbows he looked down at her. “I don’t want to sneak Jodie. I want everyone to know how I feel about you. I want everyone to know how much…”

“Sshh!” she put her fingers on his lips and then followed them with her mouth, tracing their outline with her tongue. It was all it took for him to lose himself in her arms and it was a long, long time before they spoke again. When they did it was because the rattling of the gate disturbed them.

Panic stricken she leapt from the bed and made for the door. Marcus chuckled at the expression on her face. “Much as I appreciate the view I think you’d better put some clothes on before you go outside.”

Hastily she pulled on a pair of jeans. Then she seized a sweater and headed for the stairs. By the time she returned Marcus was fully dressed and sitting on the side of the bed. He grinned at her. “How did you get out of that?”

“I told them…that I overslept.”

“And they bought it?”

“They’re a bit worried I’m sickening for something because it’s the first time the gate has ever been locked. I’m usually up hours before they arrive.”

“Mmm…well perhaps it’s time you changed your habits. Marry me Jodie, or if you still can’t do that then just come and live with me and let someone else do the early morning stuff. You’ve done it for long enough.”

Without answering she stripped off her clothes and then rummaged through her wardrobe for clean underwear, a fresh polo shirt and a pair of jodhpurs. Marcus waited, enjoying her lack of inhibition but frustrated by her silence. She didn’t speak until she had brushed the tangles from her hair and pleated it into a tidy plait. Then she turned and looked at him with eyes full of regret.

“I can’t marry you Marcus, and I won’t live with you either, so if this isn’t enough you need to tell me now.”

He reached her in two strides and locked her in his arms. “I’ll take you any way I can but I’m not going to give up. You’ll marry me one day.”

She shook her head, smiling through a sudden blur of tears. “Go away. The sneak exit is via the kitchen but you can have coffee before you go.”

“Not if it’s the stuff you usually serve!” He dipped his head and kissed her, then followed her down the stairs.

Laughing she pushed him out the back door, wriggling away from him as he attempted to kiss her again.  “Wait until this evening.”

He caught hold of her wrist. “Is that a promise?”

“That depends on Izzie.” As she spoke she suddenly remembered why Marcus was standing in her kitchen. He saw the panic wash across her face.

“I’ll check on her as soon as I get home.”

She nodded; relieved she didn’t have to explain anything. Then she turned away and left him. Marcus watched her go, his heart full. He had never doubted his feelings for her but now, after spending a night in her arms, he knew he couldn’t live without her.

Chapter Twenty-five

“Jodie you’ve got to come!” Izzie’s voice was a screech down the telephone but underneath it Jodie could hear the wobble of tears.

With her heart in the pit of her stomach, she tried for calm. “Hang on. I’ll be there as soon as I can…just take some deep breaths and…”

She stared at the cell phone. Izzie had cut the call. With her imagination in overdrive she abandoned the paperwork she’d been checking and rushed out into the yard. Carol was talking to one of the young volunteers who helped muck out the stables at the weekend. She barged into their conversation.

“Carol I’ve got to go. There’s a problem with Izzie. Will you hold the fort ‘til I get back?”

Without waiting for an answer she jumped into the Land Rover and crashed it into gear, all the while wondering why Marcus hadn’t called her.

* * *

She found out within moments of buzzing for the gates to open because when they swung inwards so she could drive up to the house, the first thing she saw was Izzie running towards her. With no thought that she was blocking the driveway, she cut the engine and jumped out, ready to defuse whatever nightmare had toppled her sister into hysteria.

“I knew it was a bad idea for you to sleep over,” she said, bracing herself.  Izzie shook her head impatiently, grabbing Jodie’s hand and pulling her towards the house as she spoke.  

“It’s not me. It’s Marcus who needs you, and Luke.”

* * *

Blue was lying in his basket and the kitchen was full of the sound of his labored breathing. When he saw Jodie he tried to wag his tail. Marcus was sitting on the floor next to him, his face pinched with grief.

“I knew it was going to happen soon,” he said, without looking at her. “I just didn’t want it to be yet.”

She crouched down next to him and reached out and caressed the old dog’s silky ears. Close to she could see the rapid involuntary movement of his cloudy eyes. It was something she’d seen years before when a horse had collapsed in front of her.

“He’s suffering from nystagmus Marcus. I think he’s had a stroke.”

He nodded. “That’s what the vet said when I called him. He says he’ll come as soon as he can.”

Fighting her need to put her arms around him and hold him close, she stood up. “What about Luke? Does he know what’s happening?”

“I don’t know. Izzie’s been looking after him because there’s no one else here. Mrs. Cotton left for a doctor’s appointment as soon as I got home, and nobody else is due yet.”

* * *

She found them in the garden. All the bird feeders were lined up on the patio table and Izzie was helping Luke to fill them with nuts and seeds. She looked up when Jodie walked towards them, her eyes full of questions. Jodie shook her head as she pulled out a chair and sat down. Luke ignored her until he’d finished what he was doing then he spoke to her as if she had been sitting next to him all along.

“I need some more birdseed and some nuts, and a bird table.”

“You’d better make a list,” Jodie told him. Then she and Izzie helped him to hang the feeders on the various branches he’d chosen when she first gave them to him. It took quite a while because each one had a special place and he was very picky about it. Finally they finished.