Always in Her Heart (12 page)

Annie nodded. “We were going to go, but Link got stuck at the project. And Marcy didn't take a very good nap. She was so tired I was afraid she'd have a meltdown if I took her out.”

“Believe me, I know how that can be.” Jenna rolled her eyes. “Anyone who's ever had kids would understand.”

Link's hand tightened on her shoulder. “But somebody didn't understand, I take it.”

“I don't want to feel like I'm telling tales, but anyone could have heard them. Julia and Frank, I mean.”

Something cold seized Annie's heart. “What did they say?”

“That you weren't even trying to be part of the community.” Jenna's cheeks flushed. “I know that's not true, but I'm afraid maybe some other people don't. Then Frank said you planned to run back to Boston as soon as the hearing is over, so you don't even want to make friends here.”

Annie felt as if she'd taken a blow. “Jenna, I—”

Jenna reached across to hug her. “You don't need to explain anything to me. We're friends, whatever the Lesters say.” She clasped Link's hand. “Both of you.”

It was a good thing Jenna didn't expect her to explain, because she couldn't. She could just hug her back and try not to cry.

Jenna released her at last. “Look at us, being silly.” She got up quickly. “Listen, I have to get home to my family, but I wanted you to know. Remember, I'm on your side.”

Link followed her to the door and held it for her. “Thanks, Jenna. You're a good friend.”

She patted his cheek and then hurried out the door, obviously relieved that this was over.

Annie got to her feet as Link closed the door. “I'm sorry. This is my fault.” She shook her head. “I
should have gone, even if you couldn't. If I'd been there—”

“If you'd been there, Frank and Julia would have found another way to spread a little poison about us.” Link's matter-of-fact tone didn't leave any room to argue. “That's how they are. We can't stop them from talking.”

She rubbed her forehead. “It's not just the Lesters. What about people like Jenna? She's standing up for us, when we're really planning to do just what the Lesters are accusing us of. I feel like such a fraud.”

Link caught her hands, pulling her to face him. “Would you rather lose Marcy?” he said bluntly. “Because that's what we're talking about here.”

“No, of course not.” She yanked her hands free. “Marcy is worth anything. But that doesn't keep me from feeling like a rat for lying to Jenna.”

“You didn't lie to her. You just didn't tell her everything.”

“Isn't that the same thing?”

Link drove his hand through his hair. “Annie, listen, I can't say this is all okay. Lord knows, I struggle with it, too. But we knew that going in. We decided this was what we had to do. That hasn't changed.”

Remorse still pricked her, but Link was right. They couldn't confide in anyone, not even Jenna. They could only keep going and hope the hearing went their way.

A chill touched her. Time was ticking away.

“It's only a little over a week until the hearing.
What if Mrs. Bradshaw hears what the Lesters are saying?”

He shrugged. “They've probably already said it to her. We just have to hope she's wise enough to take whatever they say with a grain of salt.”

Hope. Lord, I've been hoping, but I'm afraid.

“We have to do something,” she said. “We have to. But what can we do to counteract rumors?”

Link gave her a grim smile. “We're going to do something. We're going to beat the Lesters at their own game.”

She didn't think she liked the sound of that. “How? What are you thinking?”

“Saturday night is the Downtown Business Association's annual dinner dance. Frank and Julia are the co-chairs, as a matter of fact.”

“What does that have to do with us?”

“We're going to it, that's all.”

“But how can we? Isn't that just for members?”

He gave her a look of exaggerated patience. “The office of Conrad and Morgan is downtown, remember? Davis and I took out a membership, even though we've never been very involved. I'll stop by tomorrow and get our tickets.”

“I still don't see what that will prove.”

“It will show people we're members of the business community. It will show that we're a couple.”

Marcy flung herself at Link's legs just then, as if giving her approval of his plan. He swung her into the air.

“Link and Nan are going to a party, sweet girl. Nan's going to get dressed up and be the prettiest woman there.”

It was a sign of how far he'd come into her heart that his words made her glow with pleasure in spite of her reservations about this scheme.

“I'm not so sure about that.” She fell back on the oldest excuse in the world. “Besides, I didn't bring anything with me suitable to wear.”

“Then, you and Marcy better take a walk downtown tomorrow and pick out something pretty.”

His smile was confident, as if he knew she'd do what he wanted her to.

“Relax, Annie. It may not be the high school prom, but it will be fun. And our presence will tell anyone who's interested that Mr. and Mrs. Link Morgan are for real.”

Unfortunately, they weren't. But she knew she'd go along with Link's idea anyway, because there didn't seem to be any other way.

T
he ringing of the doorbell on Saturday evening made Annie's stomach turn over, and she stopped at the top of the stairs, gripping the banister. She could see the lights from the family room below, hear the sound of Link's footsteps as he went to the door.

The doorbell's ring meant that Nora was here to baby-sit with Marcy. In a few minutes she and Link would be on their way to the dinner dance he'd talked her into attending.

She pressed her hand against her stomach, hoping to calm herself. The soft coral silk of the new dress she'd bought felt smooth and comforting against her palm. Jenna had gone shopping with her, helping her to choose a dress that was perfectly suited to the occasion. Now if only she could live up to the dress.

Who was she trying to fool? This wasn't just a
question of attending a social event. This evening was far more important than that.

The custody hearing raced toward them like a tornado set on obliterating everything in its path. In less than a week, for good or ill, this would be over.

Would it be better or worse to have an idea where they stood with the social worker? She wasn't sure—didn't know if she wanted to find out, even if she could.

She seemed to be groping through a fog, trying to find the landmarks that would tell her she was on the right path. But she couldn't. She didn't even know, at this point, what was important.

This dinner dance? Link seemed to think so. She took a deep breath, trying to calm her skittish nerves.

Lord, I'm scared again. You must be tired of hearing me say that. I wish I felt that perfect confidence other Christians seem to have, but I don't.

Maybe that wasn't entirely true. She did feel confident that fighting for Marcy was the thing God wanted her to be doing.

It's not the cause that's troubling me, Father. Please, show me how to fight this battle in the way that You intend me to.

She took a deep breath and started down the stairs.

Nora was handing her jacket to Link. “My goodness, but it's crisp outside.” She swung toward Annie, her blue eyes sparkling. “Annie, you look a picture. Doesn't she, Link?”

Annie felt her cheeks heat as he obediently looked, smiling a little.

“A very pretty picture,” he said. He shoved the sleeve of his dark suit jacket back to check his watch. “And it's time we were on our way.”

Marcy, already in her pajamas, trotted to Nora. “Car,” she announced, holding up her toy car.

Nora sat down on the rug beside her. “Aren't you just the smartest girl in the whole wide world.” She hugged her. “Well, get along with you. Marcy and I will be fine.”

Now that the moment had come, Annie was even more reluctant to leave. She knelt next to the baby. “Give Nan a hug, sweetheart.”

The feel of the baby's soft arms around her neck nearly threw her off balance. She didn't want to leave her. She had to.

Link held out her coat. She stood, slipping her arms into the sleeves. He settled the coat around her and gave her shoulders a little squeeze, as if he sensed her nerves and wanted to reassure her.

“Nora knows everything there is to know about taking care of Marcy, and I've written the phone numbers down for her.” His grip tightened for an instant. “Everything will be fine.”

“I know.” She managed to produce a smile. “Thank you again, Nora.”

Nora waved off her thanks. “You two just go and have a good time.”

Right, a good time. She let Link take her arm and
pilot her out the door and to the car. It wasn't so easy to have a good time when she felt as if people would be watching their every move.

Link settled behind the wheel. “You didn't want to leave her.” He sounded sure.

“No.”

They both knew why she didn't want to leave Marcy. They both knew that if the hearing went against them, she'd be leaving Marcy for good.

Link let the silence stretch for a few moments as he drove down Main Street and turned onto Lakeside Drive. He gave her a fleeting look, as if measuring her mood.

“Have you been out to the Lakeside Inn before?”

He was making conversation, she supposed, in an effort to distract her.

“I've seen it from the outside when Becca showed me around the area.” She had a vague image of a sprawling old-fashioned lodge hovering on the shore of the lake.

“It's the only place around that's big enough for an affair like this.” He leaned forward, pointing through the windshield. “There, you can see it now.”

The road curved along the lake, and just ahead of them a small headland thrust out into the water. The Lakeside Inn sat at the very end, every window sparkling with white lights.

“It looks like a fairy-tale castle.”

Link turned into the lane, and the trees momentarily obscured the inn from view. “Then, you must be
Cinderella,” he said, and pulled to a stop in the parking lot.

The walkway to the inn's entrance led through a band of trees sparkling with small white lights, and the building itself was even bigger than she'd thought from a distance. Wooden additions flanked a center section of stone, capped by red chimneys and turrets.

She'd been right. It did look like a castle. And judging by the state of her nerves, she must be facing a dragon.

Link put his arm around her as they mounted the stone steps. He pulled the massive door open. “You'll be fine,” he murmured. “Stop worrying.”

“If I could stop worrying on command, I'd have done it already.”

He flashed her a grin. “Okay, that was dumb, I admit it. I just want you to relax.”

She surrendered her coat to Link, and then waited while he took it to the cloakroom. An enormous fire roaring in one of the biggest fireplaces she'd ever seen warmed the lobby in spite of high ceilings and a soaring staircase.

She heard the murmur of voices and the strains of music in the distance, coming from what must be the dinner dance. Her nerves tightened.

Link walked toward her across the lobby. He spent so much time in work clothes that his dark suit should have sat uncomfortably on him, but it didn't. He looked elegant and accomplished, like any successful
businessman walking into an event where he knew he'd be welcomed and admired.

He took her arm. “The Adirondack Room is around the corner. Sounds as if most people are here already.”

“Does that mean we're making an entrance?” Her steps slowed involuntarily as they rounded the corner. For a moment they were alone—the lobby out of sight behind them, the ballroom hidden around another corner.

Link stopped, looking down at her. “Still nervous?”

“A little,” she admitted. “Everyone's going to be looking at us. Wondering.”

His mouth curved in an easy grin, and she realized he was enjoying this. To Link, this night was a challenge, and Link loved challenges.

“They're going to be wondering how I managed to snag the prettiest woman in town.”

She looked up at him, startled, a protest on her lips. She didn't have a chance to utter it.

Almost before she realized his intent, he touched her cheek, tilted her face up and kissed her.

The stone floor was suddenly unsteady, and she put her hands on his arms for balance. He seemed to take that as an invitation, his palms moving on the soft silk as he drew her even closer. His mouth was firm, seeking, and she could no more pull away than she could fly.

His lips moved to her cheek, and his breath was as
ragged as her own. “Maybe we'd better go in before I get carried away,” he murmured.

She drew back as far as his arms would let her, knowing her cheeks must be fiery. “Maybe so.”

Maybe we've already been carried away.

He straightened his tie and touched a handkerchief to his lips. Then he held his arm out to her with a brilliant smile. “Ready, Cinderella?”

Ready or not.
She took his arm and let a wave of emotion carry her into the room.

 

Link realized he felt unaccountably buoyed by that kiss, as they swept through the doors to the Adirondack Room. Felt, in fact, as if he could lick all comers.

That certainly hadn't been in his mind at the moment he'd known he was going to kiss Annie. As they'd approached the room he'd felt the tiniest of movements that would have resulted in her putting her hands behind her back, like that little girl in the photo.

The impact of her unconscious movement had been powerful. He'd been overwhelmed by the conviction that he couldn't let her draw back. He couldn't let her give in to that fear of rejection.

Did she even realize she did that? He didn't know, and he was certainly the last person who ought to be taking responsibility for her happiness.

“Link, it's beautiful.”

He looked at her, enjoying her reaction to the room.
He'd forgotten how impressed people were the first time they came in, overwhelmed by the wall of glass looking out over the lake, the timbered walls, the immense fireplace. Annie's eyes were as bright as the candle flames that sparkled on each round, white-linen-covered table.

He covered her hand with his. “This isn't going to be hard,” he said softly. “Just enjoy yourself.”

It wasn't going to be hard for him, anyway, to show everyone they were a couple—not with the taste of her lips still on his.

“Is there likely to be a soul here that I know besides you?”

“Jenna and Pete ought to be around somewhere. They're saving us seats at their table.” He turned to search the room for them. Instead, he found himself face-to-face with Frank and Julia.

“Link.” Frank didn't offer to shake hands with him. “Annie.” He gave her a stiff nod. “I didn't expect to see the two of you here.”

“We wouldn't dream of missing the dinner,” he said smoothly. He slid his arm around Annie's waist. “After all, this is the first chance I've had to introduce my bride to the rest of the business community.”

“Of course.” Frank smiled, recovering his balance. “You spend so much time out at the project that I don't think of you as part of the Downtown Business Association.”

“You don't build houses by sitting in an office.”
Or at least, I don't.
What Frank would do, if he took
over Conrad and Morgan, was anyone's guess. But that wasn't going to happen. He wouldn't let it.

Frank's smile didn't falter. “I don't think a CEO has to get his hands dirty in order to run a company.”

He resisted the urge to retort that Frank had never done enough work to know what it meant to get his hands dirty. But their cause wouldn't be served by getting into an argument with Frank in a public place.

He felt Annie's tension through the hand he'd rested on her waist. She was probably holding her breath, worrying about what he'd say next.

“Not everyone would agree with that,” he said easily. “But you're entitled to your opinion.”

“You might be surprised at the number of people who agree with me.” Frank slid the dart in with a smile.

He felt Annie tremble, and anger surged through him. “If you think—”

Annie grabbed his hand. “Maybe we'd better find our seats, Link.”

“Yes, of course.” He tamped down his anger with an effort. He wasn't going to let Frank goad him, remember? He nodded to the two of them. “We'll see you later, I'm sure.”

Julia, her mannequin's smile perfectly in place, turned away as if she hadn't heard. Frank gave him a look that set alarm bells ringing—the kind of look the cat might give the canary just before he pounced. Frank was just a little too pleased with himself, and that couldn't be good.

He steered Annie across the room. He must be catching some of her jitters. He and Annie were going to go into that custody suit and win. He wouldn't even imagine any other outcome.

Annie looked up at him, her brown eyes dark with worry. “What's wrong?”

“Nothing.” He drew her a little closer. “Nothing at all is wrong.” He hoped.

She studied his face for a moment. It must have been convincing, because she nodded.

“All right.”

“There's Jenna and Pete.” He gestured toward a table near the fireplace and held her hand firmly in his as they moved toward it.

They wanted everyone to see them as happily married. And he wanted her to feel secure.

But he knew he was kidding himself if he tried to believe that was the only reason he wanted Annie near him.

 

By the time dinner was over and the dancing had started, Annie was beginning to relax. This evening was going better than she'd have thought possible a few hours earlier.

Jenna and her husband, Pete, had been welcoming, introducing them to several other couples. No one had betrayed, by word or glance, that they thought there was anything odd about her and Link's sudden marriage. If anything, she'd had a sense of support, even belonging, that had made her glad she'd come.

How much of that sense of belonging had come from Link's solid presence next to her—from his easy smiles and light touches? He'd made her feel as if this were real.

Now, dancing close in his arms, she could almost believe it. The music and the soft murmur of voices formed the background. In the foreground was the strength of Link's arm around her, the warmth of his hand against her back, the touch of his breath across her cheek.

Did she dare let herself believe that a real relationship was possible between them? She squeezed his shoulder.

He tilted his head back, looking at her with a lazy smile that was only a few inches from her lips. “What was that for? Did you think I was falling asleep?”

“Just making sure this is real.” She felt herself flush. She was probably giving herself away again, but if Link didn't know by now that she had feelings for him, he must be blind and deaf.

“It's real,” he said softly against her ear. “I hope you're enjoying it, because I am.”