Perfect Stranger (30 page)

At first I thought it to be another dream. I lay in bed, Jordan tangled around me, his breath drifting across my skin. The pleasant ache between my legs reminded me this was real, and I rolled over, to feast my eyes on him and refresh my memory. I stared in wonder at his familiar features, then examined the new grooves and lines across his forehead, and the shadows beneath his eyes. I traced the curve of his lips with one finger and followed with my mouth, hoping to wake him. Gray eyes blinked at me, and then focused, as he caught my wandering fingers and guided them down his body.

“Good morning.” I spoke softly, delighting in his obvious pleasure when I squeezed my fingers around him. “I thought you had a meeting today, in Manchester?”

“Let’s stay here instead.”

“What about your meeting?” I protested weakly as he closed his lips around my breast.

He paused a moment, raised his head slightly. “Oh, that. My assistant will set up a new date for it.”

“You’re incorrigible.” I laughed, breathless as he lit another slow burning fire within me, teasing first one nipple then the other with his tongue.

“And you’re irresistible.”

Hours later, we lay curled around each other, still in bed, and Jordan stroked my hair. “I wish we could turn the clock back.” He sounded wistful, and I sighed.

I reached for his hand. Squeezing his fingers, I said, “There are still things we need to talk about, but I’m not sure if I’m ready yet.”

“Don’t you trust me?”

Our fingers entwined and I sighed again. “Jordan, I’d trust you with my life. It’s me. I don’t trust
myself
to open up to you.” He watched me, his fingertips stroking my palm, and I went on. “Does that make any sense?”

“Yes.” He kissed my neck and swept around to the base of my throat, his lips warm against my burning flesh. “Kate, I’m not going to rush you this time. We’ll go as slow as you want.”

“There’s something I need to understand—why you were so desperate to get married when you found out I was pregnant. Why you were so remote from me.”

“I wanted our child to have two parents. My childhood didn’t amount to much, and I’d hate to bring a child into that sort of situation.”

“Did you think I’d get an abortion?”

A flush lit his cheeks, but he held my gaze. “Maybe.”

“I couldn’t do that.” I paused. “My doctor said there are no guarantees, but it’s highly likely another pregnancy would be fine. If we ever wanted to try.”

Jordan tensed in my arms. “I don’t want to take that risk again.” He held me close. “There’s something I didn’t tell you about my mother. She went into labor early with my sister. Neither of them survived.”

I gazed at him, speechless. I tried to imagine him as a small child, mourning his mother and the sister he never got a chance to know. “Was this why you were so horrified when I said I was pregnant?”

“Yes.” He looked stricken, and I regretted bringing up the subject.

“I’m so sorry for that. I can’t imagine what it must have been like for you.”

“I was terrified I’d lose you. There wasn’t no room left to be excited. Then, when I made you lose the baby, I wanted to die as well.”

“Wait. What? How did you make me lose the baby?”

His face twisted in pain. “We were arguing, and you stood up quickly. I grabbed your arm, and you fell onto the bed. That was it, wasn’t it?”

“No. It wasn’t. Jesus. That’s what you thought?” I burrowed my face against him. “I was having pains before that. Headaches, like my head was being drilled open. I would have lost our baby, whether we argued or not. You cannot blame yourself. Not even a tiny bit.”

“I don’t know what to say. I was so sure it was me. All I could think of was how much you hated me.”

“I never hated you. I was too angry at my loss, and I lashed out at you. I’m sorry.”

“You don’t have to be sorry for anything. I was so sure it was my fault, I couldn’t live with myself. I fell apart. I couldn’t think of anything but you and the baby and what I’d done—what I
thought
I’d done.” He kissed me. “It wasn’t pretty. I owe Marcus and Louisa big time. They moved in with me and nagged me into some semblance of normalcy. But that’s all done now. I don’t want to think about it anymore.”

“I wish I’d known. I wish I could have talked to you. There was so much wasted time.”

“We need lots of practice, communicating. I’m starting now. I love you, my beautiful wife.”

* * * *

It was a perfect few days. Even the weather complied, and the sun shone down on us. We explored the area together, ate in local pubs, and enjoyed fish and chips straight from the paper. Making love in front of the fire was officially my new hobby.

I also took Jordan down to the beach. We walked miles, hand in hand, pausing to skim stones across the water or just to kiss. The rectory was less than a mile away from the sea, a long, curved, sandy beach I loved as a child. I’d played there under Gran’s watchful gaze, and I now showed him my favorite place—an ancient wooden bench at the base of a derelict hotel.

We sat out of the wind and talked more. Jordan wrapped an arm around my shoulders. “There are places in Houston I want to take you. Show you where I played as a kid. Where I like going now.”

“I can’t wait. I’ve never been before.”

“Cassie booked us flights from Heathrow, for Friday afternoon. Why don’t we drive down on Thursday, spend the night in my apartment, and you can meet Lou and Marcus?”

“I’d like that. I need to put Billy into the cattery while we’re away, but he should be fine for a few days.” I snuggled in Jordan’s arms. “How soon will it be before you can move up here?”

“I want to make sure Marcus is settled first. It’ll take a couple of weeks.” He pressed a series of kisses against my hair. “How about I get everything done by the twentieth? We can start our new life together here at Christmas.”

“Best Christmas present ever.”

“That reminds me.” He lifted our linked hands and laid them on my thigh. “There’s something missing.” He dug in his pocket and produced a flash of gold. My wedding ring. Tears pricked at my eyes, and I bit my lip, to hold them back. Jordan eased the ring onto my finger and kissed it. “I love you. More than I ever thought possible.”

My heart threatened to explode with happiness.

After so many long and lonely nights apart, we were in no hurry to fix everything at once. This slow, relaxed healing was what our relationship needed, to have a chance.

Marella was red-eyed and looked upset when she came back from lunch on Thursday.

I walked over and gave her a sympathetic smile. “You having a bad day? If you want to talk about it, I’ve got half an hour.”

She looked down at her desk and then picked up a pen and rolled it between her fingers. “I saw Adam today, and he was with another girl. I shouldn’t let it get to me.”

“I’m sorry. It will get easier, though.”

She wouldn’t meet my gaze. Her focus was on the pen, as it rolled back and forth. “I’m struggling to be friends with you right now, Jenny. I think you should know.”

“What? Why?”

She looked up. “I’m still your line manager, and I assure you I’ll remain professional. I can’t be friends. Not now.”

I was missing something. “What did Adam say?”

“It wasn’t Adam. It was Rob.”

A chill descended in the atmosphere with the finality of her words. I didn’t understand. “What did Rob say? And when? I’m confused.”

“Look, Jenny, you know how hard it’s been for me, knowing Adam was cheating. How painful it’s been, with the trust issues and everything. It makes me rethink people and evaluate them differently. I can’t trust you. Not on a personal basis.”

My mind spun but clung to one fact. Rob had been talking to Marella. “Please tell me what Rob said about me. I need to know.”

Marella looked left and right, and then leaned forward. “I’d suggest we take this into a meeting room, but it’ll only take a few seconds. You cheated on Rob with Cade. You pushed him into the same place I am now with Adam. And that’s why I can’t stay your friend.”

I was too horrified to hold back my words. “That’s bullshit.”

“Oh, for Christ’s sake. Come with me.” Marella shoved her chair back and strode away from her desk and into the nearest empty room. At any other time, I might have been nervous, but right now, I was angry.

As soon as the door was closed, I let loose. “What do you mean I cheated on Rob? That’s crazy. I didn’t.”

“You just moved in with Cade. You told me.”

“As house mates. We’re friends; that’s all.”

Marella’s arms were folded, her face tight with annoyance. “You must think I’m blind or stupid. I’ve seen the two of you together, travelling to work and back. Going for lunches and coffees, and whispering at your desks. I can’t tell you how to run your private life, and as long as your work is good, I can’t make a fuss, but you may as well wear a sign that announces you’re a couple. I feel like the biggest fool ever, because I believed you. I
trusted
you, Jenny, like I trusted Adam.”

I was stunned by her outburst, and then the reality sank in. I groped for a chair. “Rob said I cheated on him?”

“Well, yes.”

“When? How long ago? When did he say that?”

She hesitated. “Yesterday.”

That made no sense either. “You said you bumped into him in Sainsbury, but that was Monday. Did you bump into him again yesterday?”

“We met for lunch again.”

“Again?”

“You were quite clear about not wanting to know the details. Very specific.” Her voice was prim.

I groaned and sank my head into my hands. “I had no idea you’d see him again.”

“It’s really none of your business.”

“It is, when he’s spreading lies about me.”

“I’ve seen him. Rob is a broken man, reeling from your affair and trying to make sense of what he thought was his perfect life. While you… you’re smiling and happy, and moving in with your boyfriend.”

“He’s not my boyfriend.” I had the distinct impression she wasn’t listening.

“You’d just moved into that gorgeous house in Hale Barns. You had everything, and you threw it away. Rob adores you. He keeps asking me what he needs to do, to win you back.”

“Keeps asking you? How many times have you seen him?”

“Not your business, Jenny.”

I felt sick. He’d twisted everything to Marella. She always liked him—had told me many times how perfect a husband he was—and was envious of the attention he paid me. Why didn’t I tell her he was violent? Oh, yeah. Because I was ashamed of being seen as a victim. This had to stop.

“I left Rob because he hurt me. He shoved a broken glass in my face, and I needed three stitches to sew it back together.” I touched my scarred cheek. “He pushed me around. He shoved me into the furniture. All the bruises on my arms came from him.”

Marella shook her head and gave me a pitying smile. “He told me you’d try to twist it.”

What the fuck could I do? “Talk to Cade. He knows.”

“Ask your boyfriend to continue to lie for you? I don’t think so. I can see how close you are. When Rob asked me if you still carried on with Cade, I had to say
yes
.”

I couldn’t look at her. “My God, Marella. You have no idea.”

“Would it have hurt you to be honest? Not just about Cade, but about Adam? You knew he was unfaithful to me with Isobel, but you never said a word. He was fucking the girl who worked here, and you said nothing. How many others were there?” She clasped the door handle and cracked the door open. “So don’t talk to me about lies, okay? You had plenty of chances. As of now, this conversation is over.”

I sat there for ages after Marella left the room. My anger dissolved and gave way to a trembling fear. What if I bumped into Rob somewhere? What the hell would he do to me? Maybe I shouldn’t move in with Cade after all. Not yet. I’d stay at Mum’s. I shivered and rubbed my arms. Marella had given Rob the perfect ammunition to go after Cade. I couldn’t let that happen.

I stumbled out of the meeting room and grabbed my phone and purse, then headed down to the coffee bar, texting Cade on the way.

Need to speak to you ASAP. Meet me at the coffee shop in 5 mins? Pls
.

Not even the shitty weather could dent my mood on the drive back to London on Thursday afternoon. The clouds hung low and dumped bursts of heavy rain all the way through Wales. I was glad to reach civilization and a major motorway network again, only that was slow moving too, with a string of accidents causing delays.

Kate planned for us to drop by to see her friends in Manchester, but as the weather deteriorated further, we considered our options. Instead of staying for a couple of hours, we’d book a hotel room for the night and set off first thing in the morning.

I squeezed her hand, as we cut through the city to her old suburb. “First time I came to Manchester, I got so pissed at you, I couldn’t wait to leave.”

“I remember. That was a hell of a row in the V&A.” She smiled across at me. “Let’s stay there tonight, if they have a room.”

“Without the slapping.”

“If you behave this time.” She laughed, and I grinned at her good humor.

“Tell me again about your friends. They’re renting your house, right?”

“Jenny’s separated from her husband. He was a nasty piece of work, and I’m glad she finally left him. She’s sharing with Cade, my fake boyfriend. Remember I mentioned him?”

I nodded.

“I’d love to see Jen and Cade get together, but at the moment they’re just friends. He’s been amazing though, and makes sure Rob can’t get to her.”

“What d’you mean?”

“She’s scared he’ll find her. She keeps changing her phone number and email address, to make it harder. Moving to my place was a great idea. Rob never went there, and he doesn’t know where it is.”

“You telling me he doesn’t know how to use the internet?”

“Huh?”

“Kate, sweetheart, there are a thousand and one ways to find where somebody lives. Other than the electoral roll, if you ever voted while you lived there, you’ve got utility bills, phone records, and vehicle registrations. Your address will be on file at ComCo too, if he knows anyone who works there.”

“Shit. I never thought of that. I bet Jen hasn’t either. I doubt he knows anyone from ComCo, though.”

“Is he really that scary? Her ex?”

“He cut her face with a broken wineglass. I’d say yes, he’s freaky scary.”

Something slipped into place in my brain. He was the fuckwit who waited for Kate outside her office. I’d love to get my hands on him and tell him a thing or two.

Kate directed me the last few turns, and we parked outside her house a short time later. It was now dark, but lights glowed behind the curtains. A dazzling security lamp clicked on, as we approached the front door.

I hung back and watched Kate greet her friend, then stepped forward to be introduced. Jenny was a pretty, smiling young woman, with a livid red scar on one cheek.

She gave me an impulsive hug. “I feel I know you already. Kate’s told me so much about you. Come to the kitchen while I brew tea. Or would you prefer coffee?”

“Coffee is good. Thanks.”

“Cade’s upstairs, he’ll be down any minute. And we can relax tonight, as far as Rob goes.” She flashed a smile, but it looked forced. “It’s his father’s birthday, and he’ll be there all evening.”

“How can you be sure?” Concern lined Kate’s voice.

“Cade’s Facebook-stalking him. Long story, but the bottom line is Rob posted about going out to dinner with his parents. I love the way he always updates his Facebook account. We keep tabs on him.”

That was assuming he went where he said he did, but before I could say this, footsteps sounded on the stairs, and her maybe-one-day partner appeared in the doorway.

He hugged Kate, and then shook my hand firmly. “You must know I’m Kate’s fake boyfriend. She’s a right troublemaker, and I wish you the best of luck with her.” His eyes twinkled, a smile breaking free, and I laughed. I liked him.

“So,” said Kate, “what’s been happening? Has Rob finally gotten the message?”

“No. Anything but.” Jenny now looked close to tears.

Cade wrapped his arms around her. “It’s okay. He has to come through me first.”

“And that’s what I’m afraid of.”

I didn’t want to be there, listening to a tale of woe. I wanted to be stripping Kate slowly, in a luxurious hotel room, then kissing every inch of her body. These were her friends, though. And potentially mine. I stepped forward. “Why don’t we sit down, and you can bring us up to speed? Maybe we can help.”

Over coffee, they explained the situation and how Jenny was terrified Rob was gunning for Cade.

“Every day we’re together, I put you at risk,” she cried. “I hate living like this, afraid of when he’s going to show up. I can’t sleep. I can’t work. I’m every bit as much a prisoner as when we were together.”

There wasn’t much I could suggest, other than the basics. Taking out a restraining order. Creating a new and private email address and changing her phone numbers. Carrying a pepper spray. A self-defense class, to give her more confidence. “If we were in Texas, I’d suggest you carry a gun.”

This got me a tear-streaked smile from Jenny. “I’m sorry to be so blubbery. I was looking forward to seeing Kate and meeting you, and I’ve done nothing but whine since you arrived. Let’s call out for a takeaway and make the most of the evening.”

Half an hour later, Kate and Jenny were busy laying the table and brewing coffee, when the doorbell rang. “Cade,” called Jenny. “That’ll be dinner. Get the door, please.”

I didn’t like standing around like a spare part. “I’ll go.”

“You’re a fucking thieving bastard, Cade Brisley.” The man on the doorstep roared at me words that didn’t make sense. Everything went in slow motion. The guy swung a baseball bat at my head. I had a moment of perfect clarity, when I wondered how there could possibly be another case of mistaken identity on this very doorstep.

The bat hit the doorframe with a loud crack. It was still coming for me. I tried to duck—to move—but I was too slow.

Pain exploded in my head with a thousand bright sparks. My knees buckled.

Someone shouted behind me. A scream.

My last thought was of Kate.