Hearts Awakened (24 page)

Finally, she settled down with her research materials and her laptop, but her mind refused to concentrate. She picked up her cell phone four times to check the battery, the signal, the ringtone volume, and even lifted her landline to listen for a dial tone. Why didn’t he call?

Somehow the time stretching between his departure and now seemed ominous. If he’d arrived in Chattahoochee and Jane Doe wasn’t Jenny Cook, he’d have called immediately. Wouldn’t he? The building hours and his lack of contact could only mean one thing—Jenny really was alive. Oh, Lord. Closing her eyes, she hated herself for wishing Chris had never turned up this lead. What kind of person was she? Of course she wanted him to have the key to his past.

It was just that she wanted to be the key to his future.

“Stop it, Victoria.” She pushed to her feet. “Stop being a selfish brat and think about Mark. Think about what he needs.”

If Jenny was alive, he’d need support. He’d mentioned Florida State Hospital. If Jenny were there, it meant long-term psychiatric care and of course Jenny would need him. He’d need a friend, a sounding board. Could she settle for that? Could she handle it now?

She would. She’d deal, just as she had in the past, and she’d find a way to bury her feelings and be his friend. She’d find a way to watch him be another woman’s husband. Her stomach clenched, and a sob clawed at her throat.

Dry it up, Tori.
Tick’s favorite expression when she was a little girl and had a splinter or a scraped knee, or her brothers had teased her to tears. She wrapped her arms around her waist and hugged tight, blinking hard. She’d dry it up because Mark would need
her
.

A familiar engine rumbled outside and her every nerve tautened. Oh Lord, he was here. He hadn’t called, but had driven back to tell her. That had to mean one thing—Jane Doe was Jenny.

Footsteps rang on the concrete and metal stairs outside, and a firm rap echoed in her entryway. She didn’t want to move, didn’t want to open that door, didn’t want to hear him say it. With a deep breath, she crept to the door and peeked through the peephole. He stood outside, his back to the door.

Closing her eyes on a swift prayer for strength, she threw the lock and opened the door. Mark spun to face her and her heart stuttered at the clear gray of his eyes. The awful tension that had gripped him earlier was gone. It was true.

“Hey.” She clutched the doorknob, her knees trembling. “You said you’d call.”

He jerked a hand over his hair. “Yeah, I know. I’m sorry. I just…I thought I should say this in person.” Her chest tightened further with his words and he gestured toward her living room. “Can I come in?”

His friend. She’d do this if it killed her and it surely felt like it would. She stepped back. “Of course.”

Once inside, he shoved the door closed behind him and reached for her, holding her in a tight embrace. Her hands fluttered before settling on his back. She could feel the fine tremors running through him and her heart ached.

He turned his face into her neck and exhaled. “I’m so glad to see you. It’s been a hell of a day.”

She tightened her hold on him. Another woman’s husband. She had to remember that. But friends offered hugs and comfort, didn’t they? “Wh-what happened?”

Still holding her, he backed her toward the living room. He lifted his head and slid his hands to her cheeks, brushing her hair away from her face. “It wasn’t her.”

Tori’s breath whooshed out in a soft “oh”.

A crooked smile lifted the corners of his mouth. “The docs are going to run a DNA test once we get a sample from her mom—mitochondrial DNA and all that—but I knew as soon as I saw her eyes. It’s not Jenny.”

She nodded, holding on to him now because her knees felt like water. “I’m sorry,” she murmured before the tears spilled over.

His thumbs brushed the tears away. “Oh, honey, don’t do that. I’m sorry I didn’t call, sorry I let you worry, but I needed to tell you…” His voice trailed away and he lowered his head, mouth taking hers in a warm kiss. Pulling away, he held her face and the emotion surging in the storm-gray of his eyes made her heart stutter for a different reason. “Tor, I love you.”

Crying harder now, she shook her head and drew his mouth back to hers, kissing him with a desperate need that made her clumsy.

“I love you too,” she whispered against his lips, and his shaky sigh rumbled through her body. “I wanted to tell you, last night, this morning, but I just couldn’t—”

He kissed her again, crushing her body against his. After a long time, he levered away, gasping. His gentle hands roved her face, hair, throat, as though he couldn’t touch her enough. He laughed, a sound so full of wonder it sent tears rushing to her eyes again. “I stood on that highway down there and all I could think about was you, that even as much as I needed to know what happened to Jenny, I needed you more.”

She stroked his jaw, caressed his temple, reveling in the pure, sweet emotion unfolding between them. “I could kill you for not calling me. I’ve spent the last hour telling myself you were someone else’s husband, that I had to find a way to just be your friend—”

“I’m not,” he whispered, catching her hand and kissing the palm. “I haven’t been for a long time.” He pressed her hand over his heart, the spot she knew was marked with the symbol of forever. “Not legally. Not where it counts, either. I just didn’t see it. Not until you.”

“Oh, Mark.” She leaned up to kiss him again, loving the taste and feel of his mouth, loving him. He hooked a hand behind her head and angled his, deepening the kiss. Drowsing desire jumped to life in her, and she pressed closer.

When he pulled away, they were both breathing hard. His eyes serious, he gazed down at her, running his hands up and down her arms. “Tori…I have to keep looking. I have to know, as much as I can anyway.”

She curled her hands around his biceps. “I know. I understand, Mark, I really do.”

“It doesn’t matter what I find, honey, though. You’ll always be the woman in my future.”

He lowered his head again and Tori sighed into his mouth.

And he would always be the man in hers.

She had the kitchen to herself, the semiquiet a blessing after the chaos in the living room, with three of her four siblings, their spouses and children surrounding her mother there. With the level of chatter and the kids’ excitement running high, she was surprised Lee, with his touchy temperament, hadn’t woken before now.

Depositing the last cookie on the foil, she glanced out the window. Where was Mark? He’d promised to be on time, between kisses at her door, as he complained she was making him late for his split shift. As if in answer, tires crunched on pea gravel and excitement leapt in her stomach.

Grinning, she laid the spatula aside and slipped out the back door. Still wearing his department polo and khakis, Mark slid from his unmarked unit. The giddiness he always inspired bubbled in her chest and she ran down the back steps from the patio with a light stride. He smiled and held out his arms, and face tilted for his kiss, she went into his embrace.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” he murmured into her hair after finally breaking the kiss. “Had to back up Troy Lee on a traffic stop. Man, you smell sweet.”

“Sugar cookies.” She sighed against his shoulder, loving the solid feel of him against her. Her stomach lifted and fluttered. “Mmm, I missed you.”

“I’ve only been gone five hours or so.” With his thumbs, he rubbed the small of her back. “But I missed you too.”

“So kiss me and make it count.”

He did, very thoroughly and to her great satisfaction. Taking his hands, she backed them toward the house. Once they’d passed the corner, she spun, pushing him against the brick wall, the one spot on the whole house not visible from a window.

Arms around his waist, she pressed into him and he grinned down at her. “Did you have fun with shopping with Falconetti this morning?”

“I did.” She walked her finger up his chest and cast a look at him beneath her lashes. “I bought a new bed. Well, an old bed, but new.”

He quirked one eyebrow. “Really?”

“Really. Big iron headboard with lots of scrollwork. Very romantic, especially if I add a gauzy canopy.” She smiled, hooking her fingers into the vee of his collar. “I could just imagine lying in it on a Saturday morning, watching the sun come up over the lake…”

His arms tightened. “You’re serious about that house, aren’t you?”

“I need more room for my stuff.”

“Maybe you just need less stuff.”

She leaned up to kiss him, tongue darting between his lips, making him groan. “Think about it. Three bedrooms. The smaller one would make a great study.”

He brought her mouth back to his. “And the other one?”

“Well, I have to admit after spending the last few days with Lee since he came home… I want a baby, Mark.”

His quiet laugh vibrated under her hand. “Sorry, honey, but that one’s taken and I don’t think Falconetti’s going to give him up, even for you.”

She swatted his arm. “I’m serious. I want a baby.
Your
baby.”

His eyes gleamed like newly polished gunmetal. “You need a wedding ring first, or Tick’ll be after me with a shotgun.”

Nestling closer, she kissed his throat. “So marry me and make it forever.”

He nuzzled her ear. “Victoria Jean Calvert, is that a proposal?”

She sobered, shivering under his caress. Her head fell back, giving him greater access to her neck. “Yes. I want to marry you, buy that house on the lake, have a baby with you.” She dug her fingers into his short hair. “I love you, Mark.”

The sound he made against her collarbone was half sigh, half laugh. “Oh, all right.” He straightened, a wide grin lighting his face. “Man, you’re spoiled. You weren’t supposed to get this until Christmas morning.”

The breath stilled in her throat as he reached in his pocket and came up with a small gray jeweler’s box. Shocked, she glanced from the box to his gleeful expression. “Mark…”

He turned the box in his hand. “I should point out that not only am I way too old for you, but my job drives you crazy, we’ve only been dating two months and your brother is still giving me dirty looks.”

She couldn’t pull her gaze from the box. Hodges Jewelers. And she’d tried so hard not to be obvious about looking at solitaires when they’d gone to get his watch battery replaced. “That’s your fault for leaving the hickey on my neck where he could see it. You knew it would make him crazy.”

“Why do you think I put it there?” He tossed the box in the air and caught it one-handed, his expression smug. “But your mama likes me.”

“My mama loves you.” And her mama’s open approval of the relationship drove Tick crazy too. He was learning to give in and accept the inevitable gracefully, though. “So do I get to see what’s in the box or not?”

“Maybe I should make you wait. I mean, you’ve been a really naughty girl lately and—”

“Just give me the box, Mark.” She gave him a mischievous look. “And you like me naughty. Besides, if I am, it’s all your fault.”

“Honey, I love you naughty.” He feathered his mouth over hers. “I love you, Tor. Marry me?”

She traced a finger over his jaw. “Of course I will.”

Smiling, he flipped the lid on the box. She gasped, fingers pressed to her mouth. He pulled the square-cut solitaire on a platinum band from the box. “Like it?”

She laughed, a little shakily. “It’s gorgeous.”

With a suddenly reverent expression, he slid the ring onto her finger. “Then it really does fit you.”

She threw her arms around his neck. “Oh, Mark, I love you. Thank you.”

“I’m glad you—”

The shrill ring of his cell phone cut him off, the rectangle buzzing against Tori’s stomach. She stepped back to let him pull the phone free. “If that’s dispatch, tell them to call Chris. It’s his rotation—”

“It’s not dispatch.” He stared at the display, an odd expression on his face. Unease shivered over Tori.

“Who is it?”

“Glenn.” Her breath stopped and she stepped closer, sheltered by his arm as he answered the call. “Hello?” He rubbed a hand down her back, and as she looked up at him, his lashes dipped, a tired expression settling over his face. A shudder worked its way through him. “Where?”

His hold tightened and Tori wrapped her arms around his waist, trying to absorb his pain. She had no doubt why Glenn was calling—the look on Mark’s face told her everything. Someone had found Jenny and she wasn’t coming home alive.

Mark cleared his throat. “Yeah. I understand. I appreciate it, Glenn. I can be there by six or so.”

Aching for him, Tori rested her forehead against his shoulder. He pressed his cheek to her head. “Yeah, sure. Thanks, Glenn. I’ll see you there.”

Ending the call, he wrapped his arms around her, rocking in a slow side-to-side motion. Tori held him, her eyes stinging. “Jenny?” she whispered.

“Yes,” he murmured against her hair. “Jenny.”