In Search of the Past (Stacey and Shane Mcleod, #2) (8 page)

He was always the one in charge, but Stacey made him feel things no other woman had ever made him feel.  He thought it must be her youth and innocence’s.  It’s like I can’t get enough of her.  His head told him to put a stop to this while he still could. After they made love the third time, Shane told her, “Don’t let me hurt you.”

Those trusting eyes, when she looked up at him and said, “I won’t, that’s not in my plans,” and kissed him until both their lips were swollen from kissing and still they wanted more.  Shane told himself again he should get up and go to his own room.

Shane woke with Stacey still in his arms.  He could see the dawn was breaking. He woke Stacey, kissed her and said, “I should go to my room before the house wakes.” 

Still heavy with sleep, Stacey said, “Okay.” Turned on her tummy and went back to sleep.

Shane grabbed his shoes and clothes and went to his room.  He tried to get another nap but all he could do was think about Stacey. Shane knew he should put a stop to this relationship right now. Going to Scotland with her was ludicrous.  He hoped when he told her he wasn’t going, she wouldn’t be too disappointed.  She’s a sweet kid and I do like being with her.  She makes me feel things I’ve never before felt.  Better to stop it now before we’re in too deep. With that decided, he said, “Bloody hell.” Then got up and took a shower.

The Morning After

W
hen Stacey woke, she laid there for a while thinking about last night. She knew as much as she liked him she had to let him go.  There was no way it would ever work between them.  He’d made no commitment and neither had she.  When she changed the sheets she found Shane’s shirt he’d put between her legs.  She didn’t know what to do with it, so she put it in a zip lock bag and stuck it in her valise.  Stacey left a note for Mrs. Nickels.
(Sorry about the blood on the sheets.  You know how it is with us girls.) 
She then showered, packed her bag, got dressed and took her bag downstairs.

Later that morning, as Mrs. Nickels cleaned the room she found the note.  She smiled as she read the note.  She shook her head and said to herself; yes pet, I know how it is with us girls and the boys too, as she wadded the soiled sheets to go to the laundry and picked up the discarded cufflinks and hairpins from the floor.

Stacey was dressed in jeans and a white summer top with white loop earrings. Her hair was down and her sun glasses on top of her head.  She was ready to ride. The sensible part of her thought, alone would be best. She was a little anxious about seeing Shane again after last night, however it couldn’t be avoided.  Stacey walked into the dining room with a smile on her face.  Everyone was there and greeted her, “Good morning.”

Shane was standing by the buffet pouring a cup of coffee. “Do you fancy a cup of coffee, Stacey?” he asked.

Stacey thought, to herself, for sure he’s no novice at this, cool as a cucumber, he is. Maybe he needs a nudge. “Yes, please,” she said. As she walked around him to get the cup, she lightly touched his side, just above his belt. His hand shook and the coffee spilled into the saucer. He could hear bells in his head.

“Stacey the phone is for you,” Andrea said.

Surprised, Stacey said, “Who knows I’m here?” And went to answer the phone, she once again lightly touched his side and let her hand trail around his back as she walked to the phone.

Shane could feel his body reacting to her touch, therefore he took is coffee and went to the far side of the table and sat down.  Stacey was just across the room from him talking on the phone. He heard her say, “Let me speak to the owner then. Well, what does he speak?  Then put him on,” Stacey said firmly.

“Uh, oh, I’ve seen that stubborn stance before, someone’s about to get an ear full,” Shane said to Andrea who was sitting beside him. Stacey was standing with her thumb hooked in the hip-pocket of her jeans. When her voice changed, he said, “What did I tell you, somebody is about to receive some hot choice words.”

“How do you know?” Andrea asked.

“Because I received those choice words once,” he told her with a roguish grin. 

“Oh too sweet, tell me what happened.” 

“Ask Phillip later, he’ll tell you,” Shane assured her.

When the non-English speaking owner came to the phone, Stacey said, “Hola senor...No senor...Usted le cobra a la compania rentadora, ellos pagan...Yo, no pago nada...Mire el

Pa’rrafo cuatro...El contrato esta’ en el compartimento de los guantes.... Mire senor, yo soy Americana...Yo se lo que usted esta’ tratando de hacer... Usted est’a siendo deshonesto...

Quiza’ yo deberia de llamo a la compania rentedora...Si, Peens que usted lo versa a mi Mantra...audio’s.”

When Stacey got off the phone, she went to the buffet. “Losing my temper makes me hungry.” She buttered a scone and put blackberry jam on it.  Aunt Letty poured her a cup of coffee and set it on the table across from Shane.

“What were you speaking, Spanish or Italian?” Phillip asked.

“Spanish,” Stacey said. “that jerk is trying to double bill. He wants me to pay the towing bill, then he’ll bill the rental company too.”

Stacey was sitting across the table from Andrea and Shane. “Did you have a good time last night?” Andrea asked.

Stacey quickly glanced at Shane, then smiled at Andrea. “Yes, it was wonderful,” Stacey said as she took a bite of her scone. “This is delicious, I love blackberry jam.”

“Elizabeth put that batch up last summer,” Aunt Letty said. “We have wild blackberry vines that grow like weeds.”

“It’s really good, Mrs. McLeod,” Stacey said. “I think it may even be a little bit better than Mr. Chen’s.”

Shane grinned at her and asked, “Who’s Mr. Chen?  I haven’t heard that name.” 

Before Stacey answered, she asked Shane, “Do you want half of this, I can’t eat it all?” 

“Sure,” he said.

Stacey took half and put it on his saucer. Neither Stacey or Shane realized this jester was like they had been friends always.  Stacey continued her story, “How do I tell you about Mr. Chen?  His name is Chen Le. In China, the last name is first. He has always been Mr. Chen to me, he’s like a third parent.  He came to live with us two years before I was born. My mom and dad took their honeymoon in Hong Kong.  They were granted a visa to go to Beijing. My mom wanted to speak with a professor there about ancient remedies. While they were at the university, there was a student revolt.  The army came and shot some students. Their driver tried to get them away safely, however, Dad saw one of the students close to the car so he told Mom to keep the driver busy talking with his back to the car.

Dad hid the student in the back floor board.  Mom sat back there with him and laid her coat over him.  At the hotel they pulled the same scam again.  My dad thought, it worked once

why not twice. At the hotel, Mom and Mr. Chen went inside and she treated him like a porter. 

He spoke a little English, enough so he made them understand where to go to get a fake

passport, but my mom was smarter yet.  She went out and bought a red wig and glasses, then went to the address Mr. Chen had given her.

She had her picture taken in the wig with glasses on and had our Aunt Lora’s name put on the passport with her own finger prints.  Two hours later, she was back at the hotel with the wig, a pair of women’s shoes, glasses and the passport.  Mom fixed him up with the wig, make up, a dress, shoes and an American passport. They flew to Hong Kong, my mom went to school

with someone who now worked at the embassy. That person fixed a passport and everything he needed and they flew to LAX, then on home.  In seven years he became a citizen.”

“Is he now a servant?” Mrs. McLeod asked.

“No ma’am,” Stacey said with a slight frown, “he’s part of the family and he helped raise me. When I was born my mom took two years off from nursing, but a year later she had to go back to work.  The ranch wasn’t paying much then, so we needed her income. Dad had just opened his own practice and Mr. Chen took over care of me, plus he was the chuck wagon cook at spring and fall round up. Where he went, I went. We were a sight at the supermarket with me in the grocery cart jabbering Chinese. Mr. Chen said, “The hardest part was trying to keep me out of ear shot of cussing cowhands.”

“Why do I have a feeling it didn’t work,” Shane remarked.

“Because it didn’t,” Stacey said with a laugh. “and I play a mean game of poker too.” Everyone laughed:

“Do you speak Chinese?” Phillip asked.

“Yes, I do,” Stacey said. “Plus, I was kicked out of pre-school twice, for cussing and fighting. I was a little hellion back then.  The summer I turned five, my gramps heard me cussing.  He told Mr. Chen, he thought, it was about time I started helping him with his rounds. I’m sure Mr. Chen appreciate it. That fall I started kindergarten and my wild days came to an  end.”

“Right! I’m going to believe that,”  Shane said. He had been listening to Stacey story in rapture.

“Well, now I understand where you inherited your moxie. I would love to meet your parents and Mr. Chen. Your entire family sounds interesting,” Andrew said.

Stacey looked at her watch and said as she stood up to go, “I hate to leave good company, but it’s that time and I need to get rolling.”  She turned to Shane and asked, “Have you decided if you’re going or staying?  You know you don’t have to come along. I’m a big girl now, I really can take care of myself.”

Before Stacey came downstairs, she had peeked in Shane’s room. His suitcase was open with clothes on the bed and the floor.  She had a feeling he’d changed his mind about accompanying her to Scotland.  Stacey thought, that was probably for the best. Last night was wonderful and exciting, but she felt sure it was just another one night stand for him. To part here and go their separate ways was probably best for both of them.  That way there would be no embarrassing explanations and goodbyes.

Shane had come downstairs early and joined his dad having coffee.  Shane told him about the conversation with Lord Wakefield and his offer to go to Scotland with Stacey. Though now he was having second thoughts. Shane didn’t want to tell his dad that he had just left Stacey’s bed and that was why he was having second thoughts.

“Do what you think is best son,” his dad said, “you know two heads are always better than one.” Andrew had noticed the body language between his son and Stacey at the table this morning. He was almost certain something had gone on between them. He hoped so anyway, he really did like and admire this young woman. Shane stood up and said, “I’m going. I’ll go get my case.”

“I can never repay ya’ll for the wonderful hospitality you’ve shown me,” Stacey said. “If you ever come to Texas you’ll be treated like royalty, that I can promise you. My great Aunt Lora Flemming would love to tell her neighbors, “I have the English visiting.” 

My whole tribe is a mixed breed.  You might say, ‘we’re leather and feather people,’ but Aunt Lora thinks she’s all English, we just let her think it, even though she was born in Texas.”

Stacey gave hugs to everyone.  Shane’s mother gave her a jar of blackberry jam. “This is for Mr. Chen,” she said. 

Stacey thanked her and headed for the door. Uncle John and Andrew were putting the cases in the car. “You have the keys, so you can drive,” Stacey said.

As Andrew closed Stacey’s car door, he told her, “I think you’re an extraordinary young woman.  It has been a pleasure to meet you.”

“Thank you sir, that means a lot to me,”  Stacey said.

He came around to Shane’s side and said, “Drive carefully son.  If you happen to see your grandmother, tell her we’ll be home next weekend.”

Windingham

A
s they left the driveway and turned right on Maxwell road, Shane asked. “What’s in your lap?” He saw his mother give her something but didn’t know what is was. He was surprised at the charming impression she made on everyone.

“Your mother gave me a jar of blackberry jam, for Mr. Chen,” she said. “Wasn’t that nice of her?”  Stacey could tell by the sound of his voice he wasn’t pleased by his families reaction to her. For the life of her she didn’t understand why he objected.

“Jolly good,” he said. “it seems you have the lot eating from the palm of your hand.”

Shane knew his attitude was wrong and with soul searching he still couldn’t figure out why he resented his family liking Stacey. She was a beautiful, likeable, young woman and he should be pleased that they all liked her. The sharp edge, Stacey heard in Shane’s voice put her on guard. She narrowed her eyes as she looked at him and said, “All but you, huh?”

“I think you know where you have me,” Shane replied. The words were no sooner out of his mouth that he regretted saying them. He was having mixed feelings about the whole situation.

“No I don’t,” Stacey said, “but I have other things on my mind right now, so that can wait.” 

Stacey unbuckled her seatbelt, turned around and put the jar of jam in a shopping bag of things she’d picked up yesterday. “Where do you want to go first?” Shane asked.

“To the library in Chatington; I wanna’ print out maps of medieval England, Scotland and one each of modern times.”

“We could’ve done that on Uncle John’s computer,” Shane said, rather gruffly.

“Yes, I suppose I could’ve, but I had other things on my mind.”

Shane make no reply, but Stacey didn’t like his surly attitude and said, “Shane, I realize we don’t know each other very well, however, if you have a problem with me tell me now; so we can put a stop to this before we’re too far down the road.”

Shane felt as though he had been punched in the gut and said, “Forgive me, Stacey,” he was surprised by the finality in her attitude. “I have no problem with you. Believe me when I say, I’m right where I want to be.” 

She wasn’t anywhere near convinced and asked, “Are you sure about that?”

This kind of attitude was exactly what she had wanted to avoid. It was his idea to come along to Scotland with her, of course, that was before they arrived home and things kind of got out of control.

“Yes, I’m sure, very much so,” he said with a smile and reached over and took her hand. Shane realized all of a sudden that Stacey was an independent young woman, and not one that would tolerate regrets.