Around the World in 80 Men Series: Boxed Set 21-30 (53 page)

“Where
to?” Luis asked again, once they were seated in the back.

“I...don't....know.”
She looked left and right, then let out a long sigh as all of the
places she'd grown up with passed by the windows.
Why did I want
to come
here? This is the place I wanted to escape, to never
see again!

Luis
nodded and leaned forward, between the two front seats. “Senor,
we'll go to...” he sat back in his seat and looked to Morgan,
“where are we again?”

Morgan
felt the twitch of a smile, “Canton.” He nodded once
again and told the man in the front to take them to the best hotel
Canton
had to offer.

Akron
to Canton was only a fifteen minute drive, and they reached the
northern part of the small city before Morgan had even relaxed enough
to lean back in the seat. The driver had pulled in front of a high
rise, at least high for Canton, and was pulling their luggage from
the trunk when Morgan finally let out a long sigh of relief. If
anything, seeing the hotel was enough to tell her mind that she would
be in her own room very soon, and could finally take the time
necessary to sort her feelings.

Luis
paid the driver, even though Morgan tried to slip the man the money
first, and he once again carried the lion's share of their luggage
into the lobby. “You're a true gentleman, Luis.” She
smiled at the handsome man as they followed the bellhop to their
room, and he wrapped his arm around her middle and pulled her closer.

“Well,
a true gentleman would tell you the truth.” She looked up at
his smiling face in question. “I like to travel, and I've
never been to...,”

“Canton,”
she gave him the name of the city again. He nodded in appreciation,
and continued.

“Canton.
So, I should thank you for allowing me to accompany you.” She
leaned her head against the side of his chest as they stopped in
front of their door, and silently thanked him for the sweet lie, and
for just being there with her. “After you.” Morgan
pulled herself away and stepped into the room, where she also managed
to pull a few bills from her bag and pay the bellhop before Luis
could stop her. “I saw that.”

He
forced another twitch of a smile from her, and then lined their
luggage against a wall before falling hard in small swivel chair
close to the bed.

Morgan
watched him, seeing the exhaustion that he was trying to hide, and
the guilt she felt for having him in the dead center of her
breakdown. It was all it took for the tears of pain and anger to
surface once again. “I'm.. I need a bath.” Her voice
cracked as she turned away from him, and he closed his eyes and
nodded silently. Luis knew that she needed some time alone, and he
wouldn't deny her a long soak in the tub. He waited for her to close
the bathroom door, then he stood and looked over their luggage. He
knew that her floral bag held all of her bathroom necessities, so he
carried it to the door and told her that he would leave it there for
her.

“I'll
go down and see about dinner. Take your time.” He could hear
her sniffing, and closed his eyes as he waited for her to get herself
under control enough to answer him. Through the door, he could
barely hear her voice, but it was enough to send him on his way.

“Thank
you. For everything.” Morgan spoke through her tears, but
tried to sound much better than what she felt.

She
stepped into the tub, and felt no sense of relief as she normally did
when she dropped her body below the hot bubbly surface. Abby was all
that she could see in her mind's eye, and there was no way for Morgan
to shake the image of the beautiful dog.

“I'm
so... sorry.” She sobbed for her friend, the girl that had
risked her life to save Morgan, then had fought so hard to survive
being shot by the same man that had nearly attacked them both. “You
were... strong. You were getting... better.” Morgan shut her
eyes and leaned back against the tub, her body shook with the pain of
losing her friend, and the tears flowed freely into the hot water
around her neck. She saw Abby, in the darkness behind her clenched
eyes, wagging her tiny tail and looking up at Morgan as she held her
in the clinic. Then the image of Clay appeared, and she shook her
head trying to block the thought of what he must be going through.
She had to call him, to tell him how very sorry she was, but she
didn't have the strength to confront him right then.

Then
her mind flashed to Finlay, and that was one thought that she was
able to push away. He didn't deserve her tears, and she wouldn't
shed one more for the man that had toyed with her since they met.
“Never again!” She wiped her face with wet hands, and
sat up to actually take the bath that she so desperately needed.

Twenty
minutes from when she went into the bathroom, she walked out, and
Luis was just coming through the door when she sat on the side of the
bed. “Perfect timing.” He smiled at seeing her bright
pink cheeks, and was happy to know that she had most likely enjoyed a
very hot and relaxing bath. “I have wine, pasta, and a few
pieces of pie that I thought you'd enjoy.” He carried
everything to the bed, and started to pull the food from the white
bags. Morgan put her hand on his wrist and stopped him.

“Luis..
thank you. I.. never wanted to drag you or anyone else through my
mess of a life. But... I'm so glad you're here.” Luis watched
her eyes fill with tears again, and he reached up to her soft cheek
and ran his finger across her skin.

“I've
gone through things alone, and I've also had friends that have been
there when I needed them. Having friends is a much better way to get
through life, don't you think?” Morgan smiled and leaned
against his hand, then nodded as she won the battle with her own pain
once again. “Now, no more thanking me. Let's eat.” He
loudly dug through the bags and pulled their meals out, placing them
on the bed between them. It wasn't five star dining, but neither one
of them were up for going out that night.

Morgan
held her tongue when she started to thank him again, because the food
actually looked amazing and she hadn't realized how hungry she'd
been. She settled for leaning forward and kissing him quickly, then
eagerly dug into her meal of angel hair and meat sauce. She was also
grateful for the wine, as it was a perfect compliment to her much
appreciated meal.

*****

“
That's
it, wee one. Sleep.” Finlay sat back against his headboard,
and watched Cameron's blue eyes appear behind sleepy lids. He had
buried the baby's mother that day, and had just returned home to
relieve Burke of his new nanny duties.

Finlay
had thought about hiring a real nanny, but Cameron wouldn't be in his
care much longer, so he and Burke had done the best that they could
with the few baby skills between them. He also knew that the less
people involved, the better.

The
large man held Cameron gently, watching tiny fingers grasp his thumb
in a sleepy need of comfort. Baby Cameron would meet his new mother
soon, and Finlay silently prayed that he was doing the right thing
for the helpless boy. “I promise ye this,” he leaned
down and whispered into Cameron's tiny fuzzy head, “I'll watch
over ye and make sure that yer always safe.” He could never
promise happiness, and he wished that he could, but safety was
something that he could absolutely ensure.

Burke
watched the scene from the hall, through the small crack of Finlay's
bedroom door. He'd never known the Campbell to even speak of wanting
a babe of his own, but seeing him with Cameron brought a smile to the
old man's weathered face. Finlay had made a promise to a dying
woman, and Burke knew that he would keep that promise to his own
dying day, but the old man also saw that his boss would someday make
a wonderful father to his own children. He pulled the door shut
slowly when he saw Finlay lean his head back against the wall, and
close his eyes. “Sleep well,” he whispered, then left
the two for the night.

*****

“
Alright,
I've had enough wine to finally ask what's going on, and I hope
you've had enough to finally tell me.” Luis pulled Morgan to
the head of the bed and wrapped his arm around her shoulder. She had
to laugh, because he was right. She had actually reached a mental
place where she could talk about everything and not get too emotional
in the process.

“For
the record, I planned on telling you everything. You've come all
this way with me, so you deserve to know why.” He smiled, and
gave her arm a gentle squeeze, then relaxed against her as he
prepared to hear the whole story.

Morgan
took a deep breath, and began with the night that she and Abby had
taken a walk together. Luis' heart nearly broke at hearing what
happened to the brave dog, and all that she'd gone through with her
injury. He never spoke as Morgan gave every detail of Abby's near
recovery, and took notice of the fact that Morgan had spent every
moment that she could with the the dog.

The
conversation also moved to Clay, where she told him about Angel and
his never ending need to take matters into his own hands. “Oh,
I guess that's not fair, really. He just... loves in a different way
than most people do. He's like a best friend, a brother, and the
class snitch.. all in one.” Luis laughed at hearing more Angel
stories, and he knew quickly that he'd probably like Morgan's best
friend very much.

“Seems
like he's always there for you, even if he's a troublemaker, as you
say.” She nodded, and pointed out again that he never means
harm with anything that he does. It was important to mention that
before moving to the part about Finlay, and Angel's unexpected news
about the man that she thought she loved.

Morgan
told him everything, from meeting Finlay, to the many visits since
then, to her feelings that she'd grown for the man since that first
day together. She left nothing out, including the ring fiasco, the
new ring from Fin, and the long talk about honesty when he surprised
her in Las Vegas. “Now, I find out that he has a child... and
he never said one word about it. A child.” She shook her head
at the enormity of his deception, and tried once again to rid her
mind of all things, Finlay Campbell.

Chapter
Two

There
were no pillow chocolates at the hotel Luis had taken her to, but
there was an elaborate selection of coffee flavors and that made up
for it.
No,
she shook her head as she carried her full cup
across the room, over to the small night stand that held her phone.
Even chocolates wouldn't help me now.

Her
heart ached as she walked across the room, back over to the dresser
that held her phone. The wound wasn't as fresh as it had been prior
to talking with Luis the night before, but she was still frustrated
and angry with Finlay. More than that though, she hadn't managed to
talk herself into calling Clay yet. Each time her mind took her to
the beautiful red dog, her eyes welled with tears that could not be
stopped. She'd have to call her friend in Las Vegas and offer her
sympathy at some point, but right then, there was something else she
needed to do.

“I
have to call Julianne.” Morgan nodded to herself, as if she
were only confirming her own words. At that movement, a stream of
warm tears fell down her pale pink cheek and onto the black screen of
her phone. Julianne always knew what to say and Morgan knew her boss
was the one person, even above Angel, that she'd listen to. Angel.
He was another person who'd have to wait.

She
wiped off the screen of her phone with her sleeve and quickly glanced
around the room before pushing the call button. Luis was off, trying
to find them a proper breakfast, so she only had a few minutes to
make the call she needed. Even if Luis heard, it wouldn't have made a
difference, but it was a bit more comforting knowing she could talk
to Julianne without an audience. “And he doesn't need to see if
I start the water works ag.....”

“Hello?
Something the matter, child?” Morgan grimaced slightly at
Julianne's words. Another person who assumed she only called when
something was wrong.
It's true though.
But really, should
anyone be calling their boss to shoot the shit? No, that's what
bosses are for, fixing things.
Okay, that's a lie. Julianne is
like the second mom I never had.

“Uhm...yes.
I'm in Canton...” Morgan didn't have to explain anything else.
Julianne immediately invited,
ordered,
Morgan to her hotel so
they could speak in person. Five minutes later, Morgan was asking
Luis to accompany her across town.