Deadly Storm (11 page)

“Your clothes are drenched.”

“I still have my boxer shorts.”

“Ann is going to try and jump you when she sees you without your shirt on.”

“I guess it’s good I have you to protect me then,” James said.

Mandy lifted her chin. “Thank you for coming for me.”

James kissed her softly, teasing her with his tongue so she knew their emotional storm had passed. “Nothing in this world will ever keep me from getting to you when I need to get to you. Nothing.”

“Not even a tornado can stop you,” Mandy mused.

“I love you that much,” James agreed.

“I love you that much, too.”

“I know,” James said. “I’m still the hero tonight. You need to treat me accordingly.”

Mandy grinned, the first real smile she’d been able to muster since his arrival. “Do you want me to throw rose petals or bow?”

“Right now I just want you to stick close to me,” James said. “I need you near me.”

“You don’t even have to ask me to do that,” Mandy said. “There’s nothing in this world that could drag me away from you right now.”

“I know,” James said. “Your heart is joined to mine forever. I feel the same way, baby.”

“I stole this blanket from the display case in the hallway, so remind me to pay someone for it,” Mandy said, handing the fluffy blanket – the college’s logo proudly displayed on it – to James.

He was sitting on one of the couches, still clad in only his boxer shorts, and he was creating quite a stir with the female population in the lobby. The two girls who had been infatuated with their phones only moments before were now sitting in chairs so they could talk to him, and Marian was hovering like he was about to bestow golden tiaras on everyone.

Mandy was trying to keep her temper in check. She knew how nice he was to look at, and she didn’t blame the women, but she was starting to feel territorial.

James, as if reading her mind, snagged her around the waist and pulled her down on his lap. He situated her so she was sideways, her back resting against the arm of the couch and her legs hefted on top of his lap. Then he pulled the blanket over both of them and snuggled her close.

“Are you cold,” Mandy asked, running her hand over his forehead. “I’m worried you’re going to get sick because you were out in the storm.”

“I’m fine, baby,” James said, moving his lips to kiss the palm of her hand.

“Oh, you’re so sweet,” Marian said, pressing her hand to her heart and settling in one of the open chairs. “It’s like you’re the perfect man.”

Mandy made a face that James found quite comical. “Did you hear that, wife? I’m the perfect man. I should be revered as such for the rest of our lives.”

“I think you revere yourself enough for both of us,” Mandy teased, but she cuddled in closer to him to bask in their shared warmth.

“I want to know everything,” Marian said, leaning forward. “I asked Mandy if it was love at first sight when you two got together, but she played coy. She said it was lust at first sight.”

“See, she’s lying,” James said, tickling Mandy’s ribs. “The second she saw me she was head-over-heels in love. There were little hearts dancing around her head. It was like magic.”

“Is that true?”

“Of course it’s true,” Ann said, dramatically throwing herself in one of the chairs a few feet away. “She used to follow him around like a little puppy dog when we were in high school. That’s when James and I were together, by the way. He didn’t even know she was alive.”

James scowled. He hated having his past mistakes thrown in his face almost as much as he loathed the way Ann looked at Mandy. James knew Ann well enough to know that the woman wouldn’t stop until she hurt his wife, and he had no intention of standing by and watching it happen.

“I knew she was alive,” James said.

“Did you like her even back then?” One of the younger women, a brunette with green eyes, was just as engaged in the conversation as Marian.

“I liked to talk to her,” James said. “She was always over at my house screwing around with my sister. I did not have romantic feelings for her then, though. I will say she was kind of cute. She wore these hoodies that were way too big for her, and she was always in Converse and had her nose buried in a book. She stared at me adoringly with those big, blue eyes and I couldn’t help but melt. I still didn’t have romantic or sexual feelings for her. I hate to ruin the fantasy.”

“That would make the story better,” Marian said.

“Not from where I’m standing,” James said. “It makes me feel a little dirty. She was way too young for me then. The difference between thirty and twenty-six is nothing. The difference between eighteen and fourteen is a big deal.”

“I guess,” Marian said, although she didn’t look convinced.

“It was ridiculous,” Ann said. “Mandy had a little notebook and she doodled James’ name all over it.”

“Did you really do that?”

“I did,” Mandy conceded, her cheeks flushing with color. “I still have it somewhere.”

James stilled. “You do?”

“It’s in a box,” Mandy said. “Ally found it when she was unpacking some of my stuff while we were on our honeymoon. She kept it out for me. It’s in my office closet.”

James traced idle circles on Mandy’s hip under the blanket. “I want it.”

“You want it?” Mandy arched an eyebrow. “What for?”

“I just do,” James said. “I want it. It should be mine.”

“That seems a little weird.”

“You have a whole box of things I’ve given you that other people would consider junk,” James countered.

“You know about that box?” Mandy was surprised. She’d gone out of her way to hide the cadre of schmaltzy items from her husband because she knew he would tease her mercilessly if he saw them.

“Of course I do. I’m an investigator. The second I saw you hide it when you thought I wasn’t looking I knew I had to look inside.”

Mandy groaned. “I’m so embarrassed.”

“What’s in the box?” Marian asked, her eyes sparkling.

“Nothing,” Mandy said hurriedly.

Marian looked to James for answers.

“The first card I ever bought her is in there, as well as one of the first roses I bought for her,” he said. “She’s got a bunch of mementos from our honeymoon, napkins from the wedding, and a matchbook from the first bed and breakfast we stayed at. She’s even got some stuff from our trip to New Orleans in there.”

“You’re such a busybody,” Mandy grumbled.

James kissed her chin. “I find it adorable.”

“How long did it take you to fall in love with her?” Marian asked. She was clearly enraptured with the story.

“I don’t know,” James admitted. “I don’t know if there was an exact moment when it happened. I do know when I realized I loved her.”

“When?”

“When I thought there was a chance I was going to lose her,” James said, pulling Mandy a little closer. “I knew in that moment that I couldn’t live my life without her. I still don’t know how it happened. I think she might be magic.”

“Aww.” Every woman within hearing distance – except for Ann – sighed.

“You’re unbelievable,” Mandy muttered. “You’re just playing to your audience now.”

“What’s your favorite memory of your time together?” Marian asked.

James considered the question. “I don’t know that I have one favorite memory,” he said. “I know that the day she agreed to marry me was the happiest day of my life … until the day we got married. I know that our honeymoon was the best two weeks of my life, and I know that every night I get to climb into bed and fall asleep next to her that I’m the luckiest man in the world.”

“I think I might cry,” one of the girls said, wiping a tear. “I want someone to love me that much.”

James winked at Mandy, who wanted to roll her eyes, but her heart was so full of love she couldn’t muster the energy.

“What is your favorite memory?” Marian asked, turning to Mandy expectantly.

“He took me on a shark tour on our honeymoon,” Mandy said, not missing a beat.

“That’s your favorite memory?” Marian wrinkled her nose while Ann snorted derisively.

“It wasn’t about the tour,” Mandy said. “It was just the moment I realized he was always going to go out of his way to make me happy. I don’t think it’s possible to explain how it feels to know that someone gets you – and he doesn’t care if you have weird ideas, or if you’re a geek, or even if you love shark movies. There’s nothing better than someone loving you for who you are.”

Now James was getting choked up. “If I could buy you a shark for the pool I would,” he said.

“You really like sharks?” Marian asked. “I see you’re always wearing that silver necklace with the shark charm.”

“James got me this as a wedding gift,” Mandy said, fingering the charm.

“Oh, well, that’s romantic,” Ann scoffed.

“It is,” Mandy replied, nonplussed. “He had it engraved for me and everything.”

“What does it say?” Marian asked.

“It’s just a promise of our life together,” Mandy said.

“Forever,” James said, kissing Mandy’s cheek.

“I seriously need to get a boyfriend,” one of the girls said. “This is just proof that true love really does exist.”

“True love?” Ann was beside herself. “True love? There is no such thing as true love for these … jerks. You two aren’t in love. James just decided he was ready to settle down, and Mandy happened to be the first person he saw once he made the decision. That could’ve just as easily been me. I was like … what … two days late?”

“Oh, get over yourself, Ann,” James said, rolling his eyes. “I wouldn’t marry you if you were the last woman on Earth and we were the only hope for keeping the human race alive.”

Marian snickered.

“You’re only saying that because you don’t want to upset your precious wife,” Ann shot back. “You and I were in love in high school. We were torn apart by circumstances beyond our control. We were destined to find our way back to each other. Everyone knows it. She ruined it for us.”

“Get off the soap opera train,” James said. “I hate to burst your really delusional bubble, but I never loved you. I dated you in high school because … well … it was a really small school and word on the street was that you put out.”

Mandy stiffened on his lap, and James shifted so he could snuggle her in tighter against his chest. He was in protective mode, and there was no way he was going to let Ann make his wife feel insecure.

“That’s a horrible thing to say,” Ann said. “I don’t care how much you want to protect your wife’s feelings, lying to her isn’t going to do you any good over the long haul.”

“I’m not lying,” James said, refusing to back down. He figured Ann needed a hard dose of truth. “I wanted to break up with you long before I left for basic training. I didn’t because I thought it was mean to ruin your prom, and it just seemed easier to leave things as they were. I knew I was enlisting six months before I left. There’s a reason I didn’t tell you.”

Ann’s lower lip quivered. “Take that back.”

“No,” James said. “You were horrible back then. I knew it. You went after Mandy when she was fourteen years old. You tortured her. I know very well you tortured her after I left, too. Why? It was just so you could build yourself up. It’s disgusting.”

“James,” Mandy warned, her voice low.

“No, baby, I’m sorry,” James said. “I’m not going to sit here and listen to her attack what we’ve built. I’m happy. I’m not apologizing for it. You’re all I’ve ever wanted. Period.

“I’m sorry if I hurt your feelings, Ann,” he continued. “Well, actually I’m not. You go out of your way to hurt people every chance you get. You feed off the misery of others. I think it makes you feel better.

“I know your life didn’t turn out like you thought it would,” he said. “You married a guy who had money and you thought he was going to give you everything you ever wanted. You popped out a couple of kids because you thought that was what you were supposed to do and then he took off and left you with the kids and took the money.

“That’s rough,” James said. “It is. No one deserves that. You might ask yourself how you got in that situation, though. I can answer that question for you: You married for money and it backfired.”

“I only married him because I couldn’t have you,” Ann said. “You broke my heart when you left me. You didn’t even have the courage to break up with me in person. You sent me a letter. You were gone for two days before I even knew we weren’t a couple any longer. Two days!” She glanced at the assembled women. “Can you believe that?”

Marian shrugged. “He was eighteen. It’s not like you were soul mates.”

“We are soul mates!”

“Um, no offense, but I think that he’s snuggling on the couch with his soul mate,” one of the girls said. “Duh.”

Ann jumped to her feet. “You tell all of these … idiots … that you’re just saying that because Mandy is insecure and you don’t want to hurt her feelings.”

“No.”

“I hate you,” Ann hissed, turning on her heel and stalking away.

James rolled his eyes until they landed on Mandy. He was expecting accolades for defending their love, but her face was murderous. “What?”

“You embarrassed her.”

“So?”

“James, you just did to her what she did to me when I was younger,” Mandy pointed out.

“She’s a horrible person.”

“I know,” Mandy said, moving to climb off of his lap. “That doesn’t mean she deserves to be cut down in front of other people.”

“Where are you going?”

“To talk to her,” Mandy said.

“Are you messing with me?”

“No. I’ll be back in a few minutes. Just … try not to flex. I’m afraid you’ll be jumped while I’m gone.” Mandy flashed James a weak smile. “I’ll be right back.”

“You have got to be kidding me,” James grumbled. He lifted his eyes to find the two girls staring at him like he was a piece of meat and the grill was about to be turned on. He clutched the blanket closer to his chest. “I knew this cooking class was an absolutely terrible idea the second she suggested it. This is just … crap.”