Sex and the Widow Miles (The Women of Willow Bay) (12 page)

“
Again, why do you need to know anything else?” Tipping his head to one side, he peered into my eyes. Gently, he brushed my hair back from my face. “How will it help you to know this one’s name?”

“
I don’t know.” With a shrug, I cuddled closer to him, wishing like crazy that he could simply erase all this from my mind.

“
Say you find out. Will it stop there?” The question was reasonable, and when I stared up at him, he continued. “Then will you have to go on a hunt for every floozy he ever hooked up with?”

“
I don’t know.”

“
Let it go.” Easing my now-empty wine glass from my fingers, he set both our glasses on the table before he wrapped his arms around me. “Just let it go.” His fingers sifted through my hair while his other hand smoothed the tense muscles of my back.

I relaxed against him. I realized now that, although I
’d gotten so much better since being in Chicago, I was still fragile. News of Charlie’s double life had devastated me. I hadn’t slept at all after I left Will’s place. Confused and too sick and angry to lie still, I’d paced the apartment the rest of the night, going from one room to another, staring out at the city lights, rehashing my marriage in my head. How could I have been so blind? How did I not see it? And who was she? What was her hold on my husband?

I knew there had to be a way to figure out who the woman was—maybe do a reverse search on the email address? Was that even possible? Will would help me if asked him to. If I could find this one, maybe she
’d lead me to the others—if there were others. Oh hell, there
had
to be others. A cheater never cheated just one time, did he? Maybe I didn’t want to know how many other women there’d been. Perhaps simply finding out who Charlie had been screwing around with at the end would give me some sort of peace.

Sliding my arm across his stomach, I allowed myself to settle deeper into Will
’s embrace, even though I wasn’t entirely comfortable with the new turn in our relationship. Ironic because
I
was the one who’d taken it to a higher level. When I’d left him last night, I had no idea where we were headed or if I even wanted it to go anywhere, but I’d stopped fighting the attraction.

The
moment he appeared at my door with breakfast and a concerned smile, it was obvious he was all in. He wanted me despite how I’d used him, despite the difference in our ages, and despite the fact that I was an emotional basket case. He was sticking. I had to decide if I was.

But not now. Not today.

We turned together and stretched out on the sofa. Will held me close, and his breathing grew slower and more rhythmic. I curled into his warm body and shut my eyes too.

TWELVE

Norah Jones woke me with a start. Dopey from sleep, I raised my head from Will
’s warm chest, blinking to clear my contacts.

Where the hell
’s my phone?

The ringing stopped then started up again as I pulled myself off the couch—off Will—and stumbled into the kitchen to retrieve it from the counter.

“Mom?” Urgency colored Kevin’s voice. “Hey, Mom?”

“
I’m here, honey. What’s up?” I rubbed my face, before peering at the clock on the microwave. Two-thirty in the afternoon. God, I’d really gone down for the count. We’d curled up together around noon or so.

Will wandered in from the living room, yawning and stretching like a cat. With his sweatshirt pulled up and his t-shirt hanging out of his khakis, he looked rumpled and sexy. As he raised his arms above his head, I got a peek of tanned stomach that sent a tingle right through me.

“Meg’s in labor.” Urgency shifted into excitement in Kevin’s tone. “We’re timing contractions. They’re nine minutes apart.”

“
Kevin, she’s early.” I tried to remember what they’d told me a few weeks ago about the dates being mixed up. “Isn’t it too soon? I thought she wasn’t due for three more weeks.”

“
Apparently, the baby’s decided to come now. Her water broke a couple of hours ago.”

“
Are you at the birthing center?” My heart pounded. I was about to become a
grandmother.

“
Yup. We came right after. The OB says it’ll be sometime in the next eighteen hours.” Kevin’s breathing came fast, as if he’d been running. “Mom, we’re having a baby.”

“
You sure are, honey.” I gave Will a giant smile as he pulled open the fridge and perused its contents. “Meg’s in labor,” I whispered.

His eyebrows shot up.
“Is it going to happen today?” After grabbing two bottles of water, he bumped the door shut with his elbow.

“
I think so.” With a finger in the air to hold Will’s questions, I focused on Kevin, who was also chattering to Meg in the background. “Kev, tell Meg I’m on the way, okay?”

I had to get to San Francisco. Meg
’s parents had died when she was a teenager. Her older sister, Sherry, raised her until she went to college at Michigan State, where she met my son. She had no other close family, and I’d promised to be there for the birth of the first child of this new generation. “Where’s Sherry?”

“
In Denmark at a physics conference. I left her a message and texted twice. No answer yet. She’ll be wrecked if she misses this, but I don’t know what else to do.” Kevin’s unerring sense of hyper-responsibility for everyone had already kicked in. “Mom, call the airline and talk to them in person. You’ll get a better fare. Tell them you’re coming for the birth of your first grandchild… Oh, my God! You’re going to be a grandma.” He chuckled and I heard Meg giggling, too. “Are you ready for that?”

“
More than you know.” In my mind, I was already packing and figuring out the logistics of getting from the airport in San Francisco to the kids’ apartment in the city. Which BART station was closest to their place? Was it Powell?

Taking a deep breath, I focused.
“I’m going to go now and get things together. I’ll call you back when I know what flight I’m taking.”

“
Okay, I’ll come get you at the airport.”

“
Absolutely not,” I insisted. “I’ll BART to you and call you when I get off the train.”

“
Mom… “Worry seeped into his voice.

“
Kevin… “I parroted his doubtful tone. “Stay with your wife. I’ll be there soon.”

“
I love you, Mom. Hurry.”

“
I love you, too. Give Meg a hug and tell her I’m on my way. I’ll see you soon.” I stuck the phone in my pocket and twirled around once before throwing my arms around Will’s neck.

Engulfing me in a giant hug, he kissed me soundly.
“A baby,” he said when he released the kiss and tipped his head down to stare into my eyes. “You’re gonna be the hottest grandma in the world.”

I rested my forehead against his shoulder for a moment.
“You dope. God, I can hardly believe it.” When I glanced up at him, his expression was full of wonder and so much affection I didn’t even try to resist kissing him again. I pressed my mouth to his, letting my tongue run along his lower lip, seeking entry.

I
’ll give you hot grandma, baby.

Hands sliding down my spine to my hips, he pulled me hard against him, opening the kiss even more, tangling his tongue with
mine. His arousal pressed against my belly as his tongue teased. How amazing, the effect our kisses had on him… and on me. Immediately, I wanted to ransack Carrie and Liam’s apartment for a condom and haul him back to my bed. Dear God in heaven, the man’s kisses sent me right to mindlessness. I pressed closer as his hands sought my behind.

Dammit
.

At that moment, I needed to be thinking and planning, not falling into ecstasy with Will. With great reluctance, I broke the embrace.

“I have to call the airline and book a flight,” I said, rubbing my lips as if I could keep the imprint of his mouth there. “And I have to pack and close up… oh, and call Sarah at the shop… and Carrie… and get a shower… “

“
You call Sarah. I’ll get you a flight.” He pulled out his cell phone and touched the screen. “Do you need a hotel or will you stay with the kids?”

“
A hotel, definitely. There’s a little boutique hotel just a couple of blocks from them where Char—where I’ve stayed before,” I amended quickly, and a stab of pain hit me in the gut at the very thought of my dead husband.

Not now. More important things to worry about.

With a shake of my head, I scooted toward the bedroom. “I’ll find the number and call. The kids don’t need me staying in that tiny apartment with them.”

Will stopped.
“Hey?”

When I turned, the expression on his face—like a kid who thought he might be in trouble—puzzled me.

“Do you… do you want me to come with you?” he asked.

I gazed at him for a moment, wishing like anything I could say
yes, yes, come with me
. But that would be a mistake. I had to do this on my own, plus I couldn’t face any questions from the kids about why Liam’s manager was traveling with me. Instead, I teased. “You just want to see me turn into a granny.”

With a grin, he was beside me in four long strides.
“A very sexy granny… a delectable, delicious… “The words got lost as his lips found mine.

Enticing as it was to stay in Will
’s arms, to kiss him until our lips were too swollen to speak, I had to get going. After a few seconds, I pulled away. “Will, I’ve
got
to get busy.”

“
Finding you a flight, right now.” He released me to display his phone, already on the airline’s website. “Got the number. I’m calling. Go shower.” A pat on my behind sent me down the hall.

“
Try the old
this is an emergency
tactic. Maybe they’ll find a seat for me in first class,” I called over my shoulder.

* * *
*

The queue at airport security was long, and Will insisted on staying with me while I waited and fidgeted. I
’d only packed a small bag that I was carrying on, so we’d avoided the ticket counters altogether, thank God. The line there was even longer. He’d scored with the airline. I had a first-class seat on a non-stop flight that left at five-thirty and landed at SFO at about eight in the evening. He’d hustled me into a cab and I made my hotel reservations on the ride to O’Hare.

Dropping me at the Departures door wasn
’t even an option for Will, even though I’d argued with him as he paid the driver. Secretly, I was glad. I wanted as much time with him as I could get, even if it meant we spent it standing in the airport security line.

“
No BART at night, Julie,” he said, watching me dig my driver’s license out of my overstuffed wallet. The boarding pass I had clenched between my lips kept me from arguing, so he reiterated while he had the opportunity. “I mean it. Take a cab. With your roll-on, that computer bag, and your purse, you’ll be a damn target.”

“
Ah ha.” I found the necessary ID and dropped the wallet back into my purse. “Oh, come on, I’ve ridden the BART plenty of times and besides—”

“
Come on.” Will’s expression was full of worry. “Just take a cab, okay? Do it for me… and Kevin. He doesn’t need to be worrying about you. What made you decide to bring this thing with you?” He took the computer bag from me as I tried to get organized for the TSA. “This morning, you were begging me to toss it in the dumpster.”

“
Okay, okay. I’ll get a taxi.” I bent down to untie my sneakers, steadying myself with a hand on his arm. “And I decided you were right. It
is
stupid to throw it out. It’s an expensive laptop. And I want to be able to send Ryan and Renee pictures of their new nephew.”

I hated being cagey with him, but I wasn
’t going to go into how I intended to figure out who Charlie’s paramour was. He might’ve tried to talk me out of it.

A plan was already brewing in the back of my mind. I intended to figure out who the
woman was, and I could use his laptop to do it. Now that the initial fury had settled down, I was curious—who the hell could be so enticing that he’d cheat on
me
, the woman he’d trained so well to adore and serve him?

“
You’re almost up, Jules.” Will’s voice brought me back to the airport.

I accepted the leather computer tote, tucked my shoes under my arm, and adjusted my shoulder bag, then reached one arm around his neck and gave him a hug.
“Thanks. Thanks so much. For everything.”

He pulled me close. He wasn
’t going to let me get away with a simple hug—a goodbye I’d give to one of my sons.

“
I’m here, okay? All you gotta do is call.” He gazed into my eyes, clearly trying hard to get a message across without making a declaration in front of the whole crowd.