Ransom (40 page)
Authors: Danielle Steel
“I'd like that. We've missed seeing you,” she said honestly. She was sorry that he had never called.
“I was afraid I'd be a bad memory for all of you, after everything that happened.”
She shook her head then. “You're not a bad memory, Ted. You were the only good part of it. That and getting Sam back.” And then she smiled at him again, touched by his thoughtfulness. He had always been so kind to her kids, and to her. “Sam loves his star.”
“I'm glad. I was going to give it to one of my sons, and then I decided Sam should have it. He earned it.”
She nodded. “Yes, he did.” And as she said it, she thought back to the year before, everything they had said to each other, the things that had gone unspoken but she knew had been felt by both of them. There had been a connection between them, and the only thing that had stopped it from going further was his loyalty to his failing marriage, and she had respected him for it. And now they seemed to be starting from the beginning. He looked at her, and suddenly they both forgot the last year. It seemed to melt away from them, and without saying a word, he leaned toward her where they sat at the dining table and kissed her.
“I missed you so much,” he whispered, and she nodded, and smiled at him.
“Me too. I was so sad you didn't call. I thought you forgot us.” They were whispering to each other, so no one would hear. The house was small, and the kids were very close.
“I didn't think I should… that was dumb of me,” he said, and kissed her again. He couldn't get enough of her now, and wished he hadn't waited so long. He had spent months not calling her, thinking he wasn't good enough, or rich enough for her. He realized now that he should have known better. She was more than that. She was real. And he had known ever since the kidnapping that he loved her. And she loved him. This was the magic she had been telling Jack about, that he had never understood. It was the right kind of compliment from God, not like the other one … the easy kind that soothed all the old wounds of loss, and terror, and tragedy. This was the happiness they had both dreamed of, and hadn't had in a long time.
They sat kissing at the dining table, and then he helped her clear the table, followed her into the kitchen, and kissed her again. He was standing with his arms around her, when they both jumped about a foot, as Sam leaped into the room and shouted at them.
“You're under arrest!” he said convincingly, pointing an imaginary gun at them.
“For what?” Ted turned with a grin. Sam had nearly given him a heart attack, and Fernanda was giggling like a kid, looking embarrassed.
“For kissing my mom!” Sam pronounced with an enormous grin and put the “gun” down, as Ted smiled at him.
“Is there a law against that?” Ted asked, as he pulled Sam toward them, and hugged him, including him in the circle with them.
“No, you can have her,” Sam said matter-of-factly, wriggling free of their embrace, which he found embarrassing. “I think she likes you. She said she missed you. I did too,” he said, and disappeared to announce to his sister that he'd seen Ted kissing Mom.
“It's official then.” Ted put an arm around her and looked pleased. “He said I can have you. Do I take you with me now, or pick you up later?”
“You could stick around,” she said cautiously. He liked that idea too.
“You may get tired of me.” Shirley had, and it had taken the edge off his confidence a bit. It was so hurtful to have someone you cared about no longer love you. But Fernanda was a totally different woman, and Rick was right, he and Fernanda were much better suited to each other than he'd ever been with Shirley.
“I'm not going to get tired of you,” she said quietly. She had never felt as comfortable with anyone as she had with him during those weeks, despite the traumatic circumstances. It was an extraordinary way to get to know someone. They just had to wait for their time to come, and it had.
He was standing in the hallway, saying good night to her, and promising to call her the next day. Things were different now. He had a normal life finally. If he wanted to, he could leave his office and go home at night, if he had reason to. No more crazy hours or swing shifts. He was just about to kiss her good night, when Ashley sauntered by, and gave them a knowing look. But she didn't seem to disapprove. She seemed entirely relaxed about seeing them with their arms around each other, and Ted was pleased. This was the woman he had been waiting for, the family he had been missing since his kids grew up, the boy he had saved and come to love, the woman he needed. And he was the magic she had dreamed of, and thought she wouldn't find again.
He kissed her one last time, and hurried down the stairs to his car with a last wave to her. She was still standing in the doorway smiling when he drove away.
He was halfway across the bridge, grinning to himself, when his cell phone rang. He hoped it was Fernanda, but it was Rick.
“So? What happened? I can't stand the suspense.”
“It's none of your business,” Ted said, still grinning. He felt like a kid, especially talking to Rick. With her, he felt like a man again.
“Yes, it is,” Rick insisted. “I want you to be happy.”
“I am.”
“For real?” Rick sounded stunned.
“Yeah. For real. You were right. About everything.”
“Holy shit! Well, I'll be damned. Good for you, my friend. It's about goddamn time,” Rick said, sounding relieved, and happy for him.
“Yes,” Ted said simply, “it is.” And with that, he disconnected his cell phone, and smiled the rest of the way across the bridge.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
D
ANIELLE
S
TEEL
has been hailed as one of the world's most popular authors, with over 530 million copies of her novels sold. Her many international bestsellers include
Echoes, Second Chance, Ransom, Safe Harbour, Johnny Angel, Dating Game, Answered Prayers, Sunset in St. Tropez,
and other highly acclaimed novels. She is also the author of
His Bright Light,
the nonfiction story of her son Nick Traina's life and death.
Visit the Danielle Steel Web Site at
www.daniellesteel.com
.
a cognizant original v5 release october 15 2010
RANSOM
A Dell Book
Published by Bantam Dell
A Division of Random House, Inc.
New York, New York
This novel is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and
incidents either are the product of the author's imagination or are
used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,
events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
All rights reserved
Copyright © 2004 by Danielle Steel
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2003053079
Dell is a registered trademark of Random House, Inc., and the
colophon is a trademark of Random House, Inc.
eISBN: 978-0-307-56675-1
v3.0
PRAISE FOR
D
ANIELLE
S
TEEL
“Steel pulls out all the emotional stops.… She delivers.”
—Publishers Weekly
“Steel is one of the best!”
—Los Angeles Times
“The world's most popular author tells a good, well-paced story and explores some important issues…. Steel affirm[s] life while admitting its turbulence, melodramas, and misfiring passions.”
—Booklist
“Danielle Steel writes boldly and with practiced vividness about tragedy—both national and personal… with insight and power.”
—Nashville Banner
“There is a smooth reading style to her writings which makes it easy to forget the time and to keep flipping the pages.”
—Pittsburgh Press
“One of the things that keeps Danielle Steel fresh is her bent for timely story lines…. The combination of Steel's comprehensive research and her skill at creating credible characters makes for a gripping read.”
—Newark Star-Ledger
“What counts for the reader is the ring of authenticity.”
—San Francisco Chronicle
“Steel knows how to wring the emotion out of the briefest scene.”
—People
“Ms. Steel excels at pacing her narrative, which races forward, mirroring the frenetic lives chronicled; men and women swept up in bewildering change, seeking solutions to problems never before faced.”
—Nashville Banner
“Danielle Steel has again uplifted her readers while skillfully communicating some of life's bittersweet verities. Who could ask for a finer gift than that?”
—Philadelphia Inquirer
PRAISE FOR THE RECENT NOVELS OF
DANIELLE STEEL
RANSOM
“This suspense novel has automatic appeal for Steel fans.”
—Booklist
“A sure-fire best seller.”
—New York Daily News
ECHOES
“Romance and risk mark the latest adventure from the prolific Steel, as a young woman must survive the Nazi regime if she is to be reunited with her family.”
—Sacramento Bee
“Get out your hankies…. Steel put her all into this one.”
—
Kirkus Reviews
SECOND CHANCE
“Vintage Steel.”
—St. Paul Pioneer Press
“Gazillions of readers around the globe worship Steel's books.”
—New York Post
SAFE HARBOUR
“Danielle Steel offers readers a poignant tale of friendship, family, and hope. The relationships are full, and the unforgettable spirit with which the characters struggle to renew their love for life makes this book a treasure.”
—Oklahoman
“Her page-turning plot and charming depiction of loving relationships will endear Ms. Steel to her fans.”
—Library Journal