Promise Me Forever (3 page)

“I’ll take a Gentleman Jack.” Josh sat down on the barstool beside him.

Jon opened his eyes, embarrassed. He groaned. “What am I doing?”

“Thinking about Abby, I’m sure. Been there, done that.” He swirled the liquid in his glass and took a long gulp. “At least you better be.”

Jon stared at the bottles of liquor on the shelf behind the bar. “How did you find me?”

Josh snorted. “Must you ask? I’ve got connections,” he joked.

Jon nodded. “Yeah, forgot you’re the ultimate secret spy.”

“I traced your text message. It’s simple to do.”

“For a spy maybe.”

Jon sipped on his drink. “Where’s Sara?” He looked around but didn’t see her in the bar.

“I took her home to rest. We were at the sunset on Mallory. She loves to go there almost every night. Loves the action and the crowds. It’s where we got married, remember?”

“I do. I remember how she thought you would propose, and you planned the wedding instead. Nice touch.”

“I hear you and Abby are engaged.”

“Nothing as exciting as the life of a spy I’m afraid. I asked her in a mall with a cheap seventy-nine dollar ring because an old lady and an Elvis impersonator stole our credit cards.”

Josh chuckled. “I know, that wound up to be tricky hunting them down.”

He grinned. “I should know spies all work together. Thank you for bringing them to justice.”

“Justice? Hm, that’s interesting.”

Jon cocked his head. “What? You didn’t have them arrested?”

“In a way. It’s good to have eyes in all places. It’s easy to plant little old ladies and Elvis impersonators in places no one suspects.”

Jon shook his head. “You converted them? Incredible! Who’s to say they won’t scam your agency?”

“Believe me, we have our ways.” Josh drained his glass. “Let’s get you back to the house. I’m sure Sara ordered some food for us. I doubt she cooked, she doesn’t like to do that much these days. Wait, she never has.”

Jon stood up and left his money on the counter. “Have a good night,” the bartender called out. He turned and waved, glad Josh showed up when he did. He had no intention of sleeping with Becki but when she touched his cheek all he felt was the power of Abby all around him. So strong he almost let himself go. Yeah, Josh appeared out of nowhere at the right moment.

<><>

Jon found himself in an upstairs bedroom, a soft white sheet wrapped around his tall frame. His shirt off, he rubbed his stomach as it churned over and over. He was starving. All he remembered about last night was the walk back to Josh’s place and then he passed out at the kitchen table as Abby placed some food in front of him. Josh got him up the stairs, he wasn’t sure how.

He stumbled out of bed to take a hot shower, then went downstairs when he smelled the joyous, sweet aroma of morning coffee. The trail led him to an empty kitchen. He poured a cup with shaky hands and took a sip.

Sara turned the corner as he went through the French doors to the outside patio. Her belly almost hit Jon in the side and he held out his hand to stop her from connecting with his coffee cup. “Sara. I didn’t see you.”

She hugged him and took his hand as she guided him to the outside table. “We don’t think we will find out if it’s a boy or girl,” she said out of the blue. “I’d rather it be a surprise.”

He listened as she went on and on but all he could do was hold his head in his hands and sip on the warm liquid. Josh plopped a glass of water on the table and handed him a few aspirins. “Thanks,” he muttered between Sara’s words.

Josh sat down beside him. When Sara got quiet for a second he spoke up. “She’s excited because the baby is due in a few weeks.”

Sara smiled. “I am and so are you Josh.” She turned to Jon. “Don’t let him fool you. He acts as if it’s no big deal but I saw him in the nursery standing there as if the baby had already arrived.” She turned back to Josh. “So don’t tell me you are tired of my raving about the baby.”

She stood up and held her hands under her belly as if she had to help hold the baby in the air. Jon watched the two exchange banter and wondered if it would be that way with Abby. He missed her.

He had something to do before he went back to Big Pine. Something that was so important to him he hoped it would clear his head enough so he could move on with his life.

Sara picked up the morning dishes and went back through the doors. Josh turned to him. “Okay son, spill it. What’s going on?”

Jon took another sip. He shrugged. “Not sure man. I guess I’m here to clear my head a bit. Taking a vacation.”

Josh grunted. “For a busy doctor you sure take a lot of time off.”

Jon stared at this man who didn’t pull no punches. “I’m in love with Abby, that’s what’s wrong.”

“How can that be wrong? She’s a beautiful person, inside and out.”

“Because I, hell, I don’t know. All I know is what happens if she gets pregnant, you know.” He raked his hand through his hair in frustration.

“You’ll have a beautiful baby, like its mother.”

“What if something happens to her? What if-”

“Jon.”

Sara padded back out through the doors as if she waited for the opportunity to talk to him. She rested one hand on his shoulder. “Go to her grave. You need to do this so you can move on.”

Jon swung his head to look at her. “How did you know I planned to go?”

“Maggie told me what happened to your mother, Jon. No one can help you with this. Not even Abby. You have to deal with this and let it go.”

“Is that what Jake did?”

“No. He hasn’t gone yet, but he should go too.” Sara looked sad. She cared about all of them. They may not be blood but it didn’t matter. This group of misfits were one big family and everyone knew the others would be there for them any time they needed each other. They proved it so many times, but not more than when all of them put together the video for Kevin.

Jon needed to tell them how much it meant to both him and Abby for what they did. “Thank you for the video. I know you made it Josh. You’re good at that kind of stuff.”

“My pleasure. Now listen to Sara and take care of your past.”

Jon nodded and sent a text to Jake to see if he wanted to go with him. “He can’t get away until Thursday. Mind if I stay until then?” he asked.

“We would love to have you stay with us.”

For two days Jon went on a bender. Before noon he hit every bar from Mallory square and worked his way up the street. The problem with getting drunk so early is he passed out on the big porch by five in the afternoon. He knew he had to stop because he had to get on the bike in the morning.

He sat up on the wicker furniture on the porch and stared out in to the street. Motorists honked horns when a hot chick walked down the street. Bicycles, motorcycles and scooters roared by, along with every kind of car and truck known to man. He heard the front door close as Josh and Sara came out the house. “We’re headed out, want to join us?”

“I’m good. Need to get it together tonight,” Jon told them.

“I agree. Try out the hot tub in the garden. It will bring you back to life in no time, sweat some of that alcohol out.”

Jon watched as Josh helped Sara down the steps as if she were a fragile porcelain doll. He tilted his head and leaned forward as Josh put his arm over her shoulder and guided her down the street. He closed his eyes, replacing the two with Abby and him. Could he get over his anger and fear to make Abby happy like Sara seemed to be?

Jon stood up to find the hot tub. He had to escape. Watching the couple made him miss Abby more and more. He wanted to go home and beg her to forgive him for being such an ass and taking off like he did?

He grabbed a pair of shorts from his backpack and a towel and sank deep in the tub in the middle of the garden. His aching bones and muscles drank up the steam and heat as Jon closed his eyes against the daylight peeking through the trees.

He heard the subtle sound of his cell phone buzz. Jon opened his eyes against the light and squinted to see a text from Abby.

I need to know you are okay? P.S. I’m still sad about our situation.

Jon smiled. He was sure Sara told her where he was at. He shook the water from his hand and hit the buttons.
Know I love you with my heart and soul. I have something I need to do tomorrow then I plan to come home. I doubt I will need a week.

Do you see my smile? It’s huge! So huge I can’t contain it. I miss you so but I understand.

Jon laughed out loud.
His fingers hit more buttons.
I need to hear your voice. I have to call you right now.

Chapter 3

“I’m glad you’re with Josh and Sara instead of in some strange place. I am worried about you love.”

“No need to be. I realize I need to go to my Mother’s grave because I’ve never been back after her funeral years ago. Kevin and her keep getting mixed up in my head and the pain is intolerable. Maybe it’s what I need to do to move on.”

“Please don’t go alone.”

He exhaled, the sound so soft in her ear. “I won’t. Jake said he’d go too. He needs to do this as much as I do.”

“I’m sorry I became so angry. I didn’t mean to.” She over reacted and wasn’t afraid to admit it. She treated him bad and wanted him to know.

“We’re both on edge baby. A lot of stuff has happened in the last few months. But we’re still together and we need to put this behind us. I didn’t mean to run away. I feel like crap for doing that to you.”

“You should. We’re either in this together for the long haul or not, Jon. It’s how I believe a relationship should be. You tell me if I’m wrong.”

She heard his deep breaths through the phone. Abby thought maybe she said too much, went too far.

“You’re not wrong, baby.”

“Thank you. I can’t bear it if you stop loving me because of a stupid fight.”

Jon laughed. “I could never stop loving you. I regret taking off like I did but at least Josh and Sara talked me in to going to see my mother’s grave. Baby, I’ve been down here for three days trying to muster up the courage.”

Abby smiled. “We have great friends Jon. You listen to them and go see your mother’s grave. I’ll be here and if you need me by your side, I’ll be there too.”

“Thank you baby. You do not understand what it means to have your support.”

“Jon?”

“Hmm?”

“Where are you?”

“In Josh and Sara’s hot tub.”

“I hear the soothing, running water in the background. I’m having a mental breakdown as I picture those muscles rippling through the water as it bubbles all around. I will buy one.”

Jon chuckled. “It is relaxing. Before you called, I had my eyes closed, dreaming of you here next to me.”

“Oh, now I’m getting one and having it set up by the time you get home tomorrow.”

“It doesn’t happen that fast, baby.”

“You should know me by now love. You wait and see.” Abby hung up and went on-line, determined to find someone to deliver and set up a hot tub today. Money always talked. It was one good thing about having so much of it. She looked up in the sky and smiled to the blue and white clouds.
Thank you Grandpa! You’ve changed my world.

After spending over twenty minutes on the phone with a local distributor, he offered to set up her tub today for an outrageous fee, but she didn’t care. She smiled when she realized Jon would come home to a working hot tub on their stone veranda. No matter what happened at his mother’s grave, she would be there for him. What decisions he made, she would honor them.

Abby bit her lip. What if he didn’t want to ever have children? What if after all this, he changed his mind? She closed her eyes and pushed those bad thoughts away. She couldn’t face reality right now. “Come on, Penny. Let’s go see what Mom and Dad are doing on their sail boat.”

“Hey kiddo,” Danny said and waved. He lounged on a seat on the boat, his shoes off and his feet propped up. A thick Cuban cigar hung between his teeth. He pulled it out to give her a big hug.

“Hi Dad. You look relaxed. Do you guys need to stay out here tied to the dock instead of inside? It’s your home too.”

He shook his head. “No, it isn’t dear. Your Grandfather gave it to you. Beside, we have several other houses.”

“You do?” This was a surprise. They never spoke about these things before. “What else aren’t you telling me?”

“Abigail. We live the life of spies. We get a paycheck like everyone else and what better place to put it in than real estate. The agency pays for everything else.”

“Dad? How many houses do you have?”

“Several. Here and there. One of these days, I’ll show you. Today, I’m concerned about you and Jon. I haven’t seen him in a few days.”

Abby grinned. For wanting to stay on the boat so they could have their own privacy, they sure nosed in to her business. Did all parents act like this? Except she was an adult. Perhaps they were making up for lost time. “I’m not even offended by your words, Dad. Jon and I are okay. He took some time off to get his head straight. After losing Kevin, it tore him up.”