Cross My Heart (25 page)

Time to heal and put her mother in her past. She absolutely had to learn to stand on her own two feet without old hopes and expectations weighing her down.

He stepped closer. She inhaled and smelled his sexy cologne. Wherever she ended up, she'd miss his wit and his persistence. But until she could look in the mirror and like who she saw, Molly had no choice but to leave.

“I have no ties here, nothing to keep me from leaving. Let me go with you and we can start over someplace new.”

It was so tempting.
He
was so tempting.

She clasped her hands around his face. “You're such a good man and I wish I could say yes. But finding myself has to be my priority.”

A muscle ticked in his jaw. “Everyone has baggage,” he told her.

“Mine's just heavier than most. Or at least too heavy for me at the moment.”

“And there's nothing I can do to stop you?”

She shook her head. “Just don't think this is easy for me.” Her voice caught in her throat.

And her lips, mere inches from his, were so close to kissing him and letting him change her mind. Which was why she leaned forward and brushed her mouth over his quickly. Then she stepped back before he could react.

He ran a thumb over his bottom lip. “Good luck, Molly. I hope you find whatever it is you're looking for.”

So did she, because she couldn't feel any worse than she did right now.

 

L
ACEY LEFT
Ty visiting with his mother who was due to be released in another day or so. Because Lacey had a guard following her, Ty hadn't questioned her when she'd gone for a walk. She just hadn't mentioned that her goal was a heart-to-heart with her uncle Marc.

Lacey found him sitting in a wheelchair in the solarium, an all-glass room donated to the hospital by a wealthy patron.

“Are you feeling up to a talk?” she asked, waiting in the doorway. Although she knew he wasn't the one who'd tried to kill her, she still wasn't comfortable being alone with him.

He glanced up, obviously surprised to see her. “I'm fine and until the nurses decide to take me back to my room, I'm enjoying the view. Please come join me.”

She stepped inside, careful to sit in a chair by the door. Silly, since she was in an open room with a view. He couldn't hurt her, not that he'd want to. She just had a difficult time believing it.

“What did you want to talk about?” he asked.

She shook her head. “I'm not really sure. I guess I needed to say thank you for trying to warn me about Paul Dunne.”

Uncle Marc shook his head. “If it weren't for me, none of this would have been set in motion in the first place. Paul has a gambling problem. I have a drinking problem.” Uncle Marc adjusted the blanket on his lap as he spoke. “I did things that if not illegal, were unethical and immoral to say the least. He'd rather I inherit than you because he thought he could blackmail me and keep me from informing the police about the embezzlement. You, on the other hand, would have turned him in. He wanted you dead and he wanted me to kill you.”

He repeated the same things he'd said to the police, but Lilly had been so overwhelmed at the time, she hadn't processed it all. She appreciated hearing it again.

“So he shot you because you refused to kill me.” She nearly choked over the word.

“And because he believed I was about to warn you. He was right.”

She glanced down at her trembling hands. “When will they let you go home?”

“Possibly tomorrow but don't worry. Once I have the strength to pack, I'll move out of your house. I called my brother and asked if I could move in with him for a while.”

Lacey opened her mouth, then closed it again. Somewhere in the back of her mind, she knew she'd be inheriting not just the money but her childhood home. Paul Dunne had told her as much during their meeting. She'd just never let herself think about the fact.

Now that she was forced to face the truth, she realized something important. “I don't want the house,” she said, the words coming out before she could stop them.

“Your parents would want you to have it.”

“I want you to stay there. It's your home, not mine.”

He wheeled his chair closer to her. “That's awfully generous.”

Lacey wasn't sure she'd call it an act of generosity. It was more like one of necessity. When she'd attended his engagement party, she'd shut the door on that part of her life.

“It's not part of who I am anymore and you've lived there for so long, I can't see any reason for you to move.”

“Well, I have one. I can't afford the house anymore.”

“Uncle Marc…”

“Please. I'm not trying to make you feel bad. It's just a fact. And you know for the first time I do believe I'll survive.” He shook his head and laughed, then winced in pain.

“This isn't a pity party, you know. It's called moving on in life.”

Lacey rose from her seat. “I don't know what's left of the trust fund but doesn't it cover the house?”

“If you're living in it, then yes. It's your money, Lacey. Starting soon.”

She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. She didn't know what the future held, but she did know she had very little left in the way of family beyond Uncle Marc. Although the man had been the cause of her childhood trauma, he may well have just saved her life. She didn't know if they could ever have a relationship, but as gestures went, he'd made a start.

She raised her gaze to meet his. “You can stay in the house,” she said. “As I said, it's your home, not mine. Whatever basics the trust has always covered, well that can continue as far as I'm concerned. I'm sure my parents would want it that way.”

“I doubt it after all I've done to you.” His gaze shifted out the window, his embarrassment and humiliation clear.

“Actually I think my father would be grateful you saved my life, so let's just start from here, okay? From where I stand, you don't have any more family than I do.”

He blinked. “Your parents would be proud of the woman you've become,” he said. “Through none of my actions, that much is for sure.”

She thought his eyes were moist but she couldn't be sure. Before she could reply, a knock at the door startled her. She turned to see Ty and the chief of police standing in the entry to the solarium.

“We didn't want to interrupt, but I'm glad you're both here,” the chief said.

Beside him, Ty scowled but said nothing.

Lacey felt sure he'd overheard at least part of her conversation with her uncle and didn't approve, but the money was hers to spend as she wanted. Or it would be soon.

“What's going on?” Marc asked.

“Paul Dunne was arrested at the airport before he could board a flight to South America.” Don's grin told a story of his own. The man was obviously pleased they had caught their suspect. “You're now both safe. You can relax and things can go back to normal,” he said.

“Whatever that is,” Ty said as he shook the man's hand and thanked him for his hard work.

Lacey studied the man she knew she loved. However would she handle what had to come next? She could no longer avoid returning home to New York, but was that what she really wanted?

They walked out of the hospital and headed for Ty's car. A cool breeze blew around them and the sun shone bright in the sky.

Avoidance and procrastination. Two things Lacey had never considered herself an expert in before now. She had a business waiting for her in New York but she couldn't bring herself to bring up the subject and tell Ty she had to leave.

He knew, of course. Her leaving was like the pink elephant trailing behind them. The more they avoided talking about it, the larger it loomed. But now that the reasons for her return had been resolved, she couldn't avoid her responsibilities back home any longer.

He paused by the car, leaning against the passenger side door. He studied her with those intense eyes and she couldn't tell what he was really thinking.

“My apartment's been cleaned. I can move back in anytime,” he said, obviously choosing a safe topic of conversation.

“Why do I hear a ‘but' there?” she asked.

He laughed. “You know me so well.
But
I thought I'd stay at Mom's for a while at least until she's back on her feet.”

“I think that's a really good idea.” Not only for his mother, Lacey thought. Now that she had her opening, she drew a deep breath and dove right in. “It'll be easier for you when I—”

“Leave?” he asked.

She exhaled hard. “Yes. With things here resolved…” she trailed off, knowing she and Ty were anything but
resolved.
“What I meant was with my uncle no longer an issue, I can return to New York.”

“I notice you didn't say return
home.
” He folded his arms across his chest, looking smug even for Ty.

She stepped closer. “It's where I live. It's where my business is.” The problem for Lacey remained though. Ty was where her heart was.

“Okay then.” He nodded, his easy agreement taking her off guard.

She blinked. “Just like that? You're going to wave goodbye and say have a nice life?”

“It sounded to me like that's what you wanted.” Already, he'd erected an invisible wall of self-protection.

“I don't know what I want,” she said, not bothering to disguise her frustration. “Maybe you could split me in two. That would be a nice easy resolution.” She could run her business and live life in New York while a part of her remained here with Ty. Upset and confused, she ran a hand through her hair, tugging at the windblown strands.

Ty grabbed her hand and lowered it to her side, never letting go. “You need to go back to New York. You need to live your life and with distance, maybe then you can decide what you want. I can't do that for you,” he said in a gruff voice.

He was right, something she'd sensed deep down in her heart. She forced a smile and squeezed his hand tighter. “I lived for ten years on my own. I defined myself by my business. After a short time back here, I barely gave my old life a thought. I don't understand how that could have happened.”

And it scared her, especially since most of what remained in Hawken's Cove was a host of bad memories. Not that she could discount the good ones, but the past still held on tight, choking her.

“Which is exactly why you should go back. It's what you planned to do. It's what you need to do.”

Lacey swallowed hard. “You're right. I do need to go home.”

Everything that had happened since Ty had shown up on her doorstep had occurred too fast for her to process. She needed time away from here so she could think clearly. She just wished she didn't have to leave Ty to do it.

“I can drive you back after my mother is released from the hospital,” he offered.

She shook her head. “Thanks, but I can rent a car and drive home myself.”

“You've obviously thought this through,” he said, his words sounding like an accusation.

“Not really. I just don't want to be a burden and driving three hours back and forth to Manhattan is a hassle you don't need right now.” She turned away so he wouldn't see the tears forming in her eyes.

She might have to leave, she might understand her reasons for doing so, but that didn't make it any easier to do. “It's still early in the day. I can take care of the car and still spend some time with your mother before I leave. I want to see Hunter and Molly, too.”

“Actually Molly's gone.”

His words took her by surprise.

“Hunter called earlier to tell me she packed up and left.” Ty unlocked the car doors and held hers open for her.

“Just like that?” Lilly asked. Stunned, she turned back around. “Didn't Molly have her law practice here? Her mother? Her life?”

Ty shrugged. “It seems her mother took off, as well. There's a lot of leaving going on,” he said, wryly.

Lacey knew he wasn't as cavalier about the subject as he sounded. “Poor Hunter,” she murmured and climbed into the car.

Ty shut her door without responding. He'd had to bite his tongue not to remind Lilly that Hunter would have Ty to keep him company soon. He didn't want to come off sounding pathetic in any way.

He'd held on to his sanity by a thread as he and Lilly walked out of the solarium, her words to her uncle ringing in his ear. Giving her parents' home to her only relative didn't bode well for Ty's hopes that she'd developed ties to her hometown. Ties to him.

Although he'd only heard part of the conversation and he knew nothing she'd said to Dumont took her feelings for Ty into account, his gut had been churning ever since. He'd promised himself he wouldn't push her for answers until the threat to her life was over.