Ransom (14 page)

Maybe the only way, the sane way, to get her out of his head and keep her out was to do as Sami suggested and go to the airport to say goodbye.

“You'll stay here?” he asked the couple.

“Yes,” Drew answered. “If anything noteworthy happens we'll contact you.”

Sami's smile smacked of triumph and sadness. “You'll be glad in the long run that you stepped up and said farewell, Blake.” She leaned against her husband. “It's the only way either one of you will be able to move forward.”

Move forward. He used to know what that looked like. But now... He could only hope Sami was right.

And that he wasn't making a big mistake.

* * *

Liz sat on the uncomfortable plastic chair in the Buffalo Niagara International Airport. She should be relieved that the horrible nightmare she and her sister had found themselves in was over. Her sister was safe. Her kidnapper was behind bars. Even the man who'd threatened to kill Liz was in police custody. As was Travis, the man who'd started it all with his thievery.

Yesterday, after Nathanial had taken Liz and Jillian back to the hotel where Jillian's belongings were, Liz had hoped Blake would show up. He hadn't. She'd thought maybe he'd be the one to bring her clothes and suitcase from the condo, but it had been the Kellys instead.

Though she was glad to see Drew and Sami and to thank them for all they had done, Liz had been crushed that Blake hadn't come to see her. She held out hope he'd be the one to take them to the airport the next morning, but it had been the Kellys again.

When Liz had asked about Blake, Sami had seemed surprised Blake hadn't already been to the hotel. Sami had tried to assure her Blake was busy processing Santini and the others. It seemed plausible. Probable. But it still hurt that Blake had stayed away.

The Kellys had made sure Liz and Jillian had a police escort across the border to the airport. And now here she sat, waiting to go home. Yet Liz wasn't happy. Not even close.

Sure, she and her sister were now free to return home. Granted, Jillian was returning brokenhearted. She'd been on her honeymoon, but her new husband was now sitting in jail. Jillian faced the decision whether to remain married to him or not. They'd been raised to believe marriage was forever.

How did Jillian stay true to her beliefs when the person she'd promised herself to turned out not to be the person she'd thought she'd married? Whatever her decision, Liz would support her sister. They'd been through too much together for her not to stand by her.

They'd left Canada behind and with it the memories of the past week.

Only the thought of not seeing Blake again ate away at Liz. She kept telling herself it was for the best. She told herself she'd get over him. But the truth was she loved Blake. She just didn't know what to do about it.

Beside her Jillian napped, leaning forward with her arms crossed over her luggage and her tearstained cheek resting on her forearms. She looked so young and vulnerable. Protectiveness rose in Liz as it always did when it came to her little sister. Though three years separated them, at times it felt more like twenty.

Who watches out for you and your needs?

Blake's words spoken on the first night echoed through her head, stirring up confusing thoughts and emotions.

She told herself she didn't need anyone taking care of her. She was doing just fine on her own. And once she returned home, life would go back to normal. She wanted normal. Quiet. Uneventful.

But the thudding in her heart claimed she was fooling herself. She loved Blake. But surely time and distance would diminish the pain of not having that love returned?

“Liz.”

As if her thoughts had conjured him up, she jerked her attention to the man towering over her. Blake. Her heart stalled, then thumped an erratic beat within her chest, and her insides went gooey. She was in trouble. So much trouble.

And she had no idea what to do about it.

TWELVE

B
lake had come to the airport to tell Liz goodbye. Sami had said it was the fair thing to do. For some reason that had sounded like a good idea then, but now the words were lodged in his chest, held captive by his heart. Her sister rested beside her, but his focus was solely on Liz. He stood there mute, drinking her in as if he was in the desert and she was the only source of sustenance he needed or craved.

She looked so weary yet so heartbreakingly pretty. Her honey-blond hair was pulled to one side, spilling over her shoulder in a low ponytail. The emerald-colored sweater and black jeans accentuated her curves. She had no makeup on. She didn't need any. She had a natural beauty that didn't require any enhancing.

Her sea-colored eyes were wide and held a mix of surprise, wariness and yearning, which stirred answering emotions within him. He took in a stuttering breath and tried to find his voice.

She rose and spoke before he could utter a word. “I didn't think you'd come.”

The softly spoken statement held no accusation or blame, just a wistfulness that pierced him, reminding him of the reasons he was there. To bring closure to their...the word
relationship
rang through his head.

He forced the words out before he lost his nerve and gave in to the thrumming attraction and affection—love—expanding within his heart. “I came to say goodbye.”

A flash of disappointment in her lovely eyes had him regretting the words. He never was so wishy-washy. He always knew his own mind. His own heart. He was doing the right thing by severing whatever it was that had started between them.

She glanced away for a moment. When she returned her attention to him, the disappointment was nowhere to be found in her eyes. Now she wore a polite mask that didn't settle well with him.

“I appreciate that,” she said. “Goodbye, Blake. I will always be grateful to you for saving my sister.” She smiled. “And me.”

He didn't like that she always put her sister before herself. Over the past week he had seen her put others before herself and her own safety time and time again. He wished he could make her see how special and wonderful she was, how much she had to offer the world.

However, it wasn't his place to do that, not if he wanted to end things between them now.

But he didn't want to walk away. Not yet. He reached for her hand, half-afraid she'd refuse to let him touch her. She willingly slipped her small, delicate hand into his. It wasn't enough. He pulled her to him so that he could encircle her with his arms. She leaned back to stare up at him with a question in her eyes. He didn't have an answer as to why he was doing this. He just knew if he didn't kiss her, he'd never be able to get her out of his mind, out of his heart.

He dipped his head, hovering over her lush mouth, waiting for her permission. He held his breath, hoping she wanted this as much as he did. She made a soft little sound in her throat and rose on her toes to close the gap between them and fitted her mouth to his.

Sensation exploded through his system. He embraced her tighter, drawing her into him as if he could absorb her.

The world around them faded to white noise. It didn't matter that they were surrounded by people or that any second her plane would board and he'd have to face the reality of his life without her.

For this moment, this time in space, they were two halves of a whole. He deepened the kiss, taking all she offered and giving all he had, knowing it would never be enough. He'd made a tactical error. Kissing her had been the biggest blunder ever because he never wanted to let her go.

“Lizzie,” Jillian's voice intruded. “Lizzie, they called for our plane to board.”

Liz eased back, breaking the contact. She placed a hand over his heart. Tears glistened in her eyes. “Goodbye, Blake.”

She disengaged from him, grabbed her suitcase and walked away.

He stared after her, unable to move, to think. Suddenly his life seemed so empty. He felt so alone.

Before she headed down the Jetway, she paused and turned to wave.

He couldn't bring himself to wave back, to finalize this moment. His heart felt as frozen as the water of Niagara Falls.

Her hand dropped slowly to her side, an expression of gut-wrenching agony stole over her lovely face.

Then she disappeared out of view. The world around him rushed in, the chaos and noise making his head pound and his heart ache.

This was his choice. The only choice he could make. It was time to put the memory of Liz in a box in his heart. He had work to do. More smugglers, murderers and thieves to bring to justice.

His job was his life.

But the thought didn't hold the same amount of conviction that it had before he'd met Liz.

* * *

Liz sat in the aisle seat on the plane bound for South Carolina, her fingers digging into the armrests and her heart thudding wildly in her chest. Jillian sat next to her, calmly flipping through a magazine. Liz was glad Jillian wasn't in a chatty mood for once.

Liz needed some time to come to grips with what had just happened before she'd boarded the plane. Blake had shown up out of the blue. She'd had no indication he would see them off so she hadn't been prepared to find him standing there looking so handsome and uncertain.

She wasn't sure why he'd arrived but was glad he had. And even more glad that he'd initiated a kiss. She'd wanted to kiss him for the longest time. That the kiss was a goodbye kiss didn't diminish its power or lingering affect.

Wow. That's the only word she could think of to describe how it had felt to be within Blake's embrace. Sure, he'd put his arm around her before, but she'd not been able to really relish the other times because of the underscoring danger chasing after her.

Suddenly she missed Blake so much. Would she ever see him again?

Doubtful.

A tear slipped unbidden down her cheek. She wiped it away, hoping no one noticed.

“Lizzie, what's wrong?”

Jillian's softly asked question made the tears fall faster. Pressing the heels of her hands to her eyes, Liz fought to stop the flow of unhappiness leaking down her face. “I'm fine.”

Jillian harrumphed. “Right. Like you'd ever let me get away with a nonanswer like that. What gives?”

Dropping her hands from her face and smoothing her palms over her thighs, Liz tried to hedge. “It's all catching up to me. Everything we've been through this past week.” She lowered her voice. “You were the one who was kidnapped for days. How are you doing?”

Huffing out a little sigh, Jillian said, “Okay. I miss Travis.”

Liz covered Jillian's hand with her own. “I'm so sorry things turned out badly.” It wasn't in Liz's nature to gloat that she'd been right about Travis, so she kept the thought to herself.

“I should have listened to you,” Jillian admitted. “Maybe if Travis and I had slowed our relationship down none of this would have happened.”

She clamped her teeth together to keep from pointing out that nothing would have changed the fact that Travis was a criminal. Pure and simple.

“I know what you're thinking,” Jillian's voice took on a peevish tone that grated on Liz. “You think Travis is a bad man because of what he did.”

“And you don't?”

Jillian shook her head. “No. He's made some really bad choices, but he's not a bad person.”

Remembering the way Travis had shielded her from Ken, Liz had to concede that point. “No, he's not a totally bad person.”

“He loves me,” Jillian stated. “And I love him.”

“But he's in jail. And will be for a long time.”

“And I'll be there when he gets out.”

Liz stared at Jillian, noting the determination in her clear blue eyes. But also seeing the black and blue skin over her cheek where Santini had hit her. Liz's fingers curled with suppressed anger. “That will be a hard path to take.”

“I know.” Jillian lifted her chin. “But it will be worth it. Our love is worth fighting for.”

Liz's heart spasmed in her chest. Her sister was so brave and yet so reckless. How could she stay true to a man who'd put her life in jeopardy? Would her and Travis's love withstand the pressure of a jail sentence and then the life that would come after he was out? He'd always have a criminal record.

Was Jillian's love enough to change Travis's ways?

Liz prayed it would be enough for Jillian's sake. Even as longing hit her hard.

She wanted to have a love like that, a love worth fighting for. She wanted that with Blake. Fresh tears pricked her eyes. But there was too much separating them. His job. Her life on Hilton Head Island. His need to be free from entanglements. Her fear of losing herself.

Jillian squeezed her hand. “Hey, Lizzie. Please tell me what has you so upset.”

“I don't want to burden you with my troubles,” Liz said.

“Oh, please,” Jillian huffed. “I burden you all the time. You're due. For once let me be the strong one.”

Needing to talk about it, Liz gave in. “I—” Saying the words out loud was harder than she'd imagined. “I love Blake.”

A wide grin spread over her sister's face. “I knew it.”

“Did not.”

“Oh, yeah.” Jillian wagged her eyebrows. “You don't kiss someone like you did back at the airport if you aren't in love with them.”

“I wouldn't know,” Liz said. “It's been a long time since anyone has wanted to kiss me.”

Jillian made a raspberry sound. “That's because you don't let anyone get close enough for you to find out if they want to kiss you.”

“That's not true.” Though Liz knew what her sister said was exactly true. “Mostly, not true.”

“Name the last time you went on a date,” Jillian challenged.

Liz frowned and stared at the back of the tray table. She didn't want to admit it had been years since she'd gone on a bonafide date. “It doesn't matter. He said goodbye. There was no ‘I'll see you soon' or anything like that.”

“Well, did you ask if you could see him again?”

“No.” And she never would. It was better to keep the break clean. Better to do it before her heart was any more involved than it already was.

“You should tell him how you feel,” Jillian advised.

The very idea made her heart pound. “It wouldn't work out.”

“Why not?”

“He has a risky job that keeps him moving from place to place. My life is on the island. Someone has to manage the shop.” She didn't understand the resentment bubbling up inside. She liked managing the shop; she enjoyed her quiet, uneventful life on Hilton Head Island. Only the thought of never seeing Blake again made the future appear dull and lifeless.

“I could manage the shop.”

Liz hid a smile as love for her sister filled her to the brim. “The point is Blake's life and mine wouldn't mesh.” How could they?

“They would if you let them.” Jillian snapped open her magazine. “You're making up excuses.”

Stung by that pronouncement, Liz couldn't keep the defensiveness from her voice. “I'm not like you, Jillian. I can't just go with every whim I feel.”

Jillian arched an eyebrow. “Oh, well if what you feel for Blake is just a whim...”

Liz frowned; that wasn't at all what she'd meant. “It's not a whim. It's just...”

“You're making a mistake.” Jillian closed the magazine and took Liz's hand. Suddenly Jillian seemed older and wiser than she'd ever had. “Sometimes in life you have to take a leap of faith. It would be good for you to step out of the bubble you've insulated yourself in and live a little.”

More defensiveness rose along with some indignation. “Hey, I did step way out of my comfort zone to help you.”

Tenderness softened Jillian's gaze. “To which I'm eternally grateful.” She released Liz's hand. “It's time I start taking more responsibility for my life.”

Surprised but glad to hear it, Liz said, “I'm proud of you Jillian.”

“Thanks. I want to enroll in some business classes so I can help run the store. Or maybe start my own business with my art.”

Either were steps in the right direction. Her baby sister was growing up. “I think that's a fabulous idea.”

“I just hope you'll stop hiding in the shop,” Jillian said. “It's time for you to have a life of your own, Lizzie.”

Unnerved to realize her baby sister had grown up and didn't need her the way she had before, Liz mulled over her sister's surprisingly sound words.

But deep in her heart she knew it was too late for her and Blake.

And the knowledge left her miserable.

* * *

Two weeks later, Liz stepped into the dining room of the apartment she and Jillian shared over the family antique store to find Jillian had her craft box out and the dining table covered in glitter and glue and scraps of paper.

Jillian had tamed her hair back with a red ribbon. Her peaches-and-cream skin was scrubbed clean. No traces of the bruises she'd suffered at the hands of Santini remained. She looked young and fresh.

She'd surprised Liz by actually doing as she'd said she would on the plane. Jillian had enrolled in some online business classes and Liz was teaching her the ins and outs of the antique shop.

They would head to the early service at the community church. Liz had thrown herself into volunteering more at church as a way to keep her time occupied. Because any time she found herself idle, thoughts of Blake would drift through her mind. The kiss they shared had left a tiny piece of hope in her heart that maybe he felt something more for her than just friendship or obligation. And that hope continually sent her spiraling into a depression that she feared she'd never shake.

Liz grabbed a cup for coffee. “What are you doing?”

Jillian held up the card she was making. “It's for Travis. You know Valentine's Day is coming up.”