Into the Storm (20 page)

Then I quietly explained what I had found, or not found really. As I spoke, her trembling calmed and I got her to look up as I showed her some of the results I had located. I even clicked on the article about the kidnapped wife but she had no reaction other than a murmured ‘I hope he finds her.’ When I was done, I sat back still holding her.

She raised her head. “Nobody is looking for me?”

“
Not that I can find. I’m sorry, Rabbit.”

She shook her head. “I’m not.”

I was surprised at her reaction. “Why?”

She regarded me steadily. “This is where I want to be.”

I smiled at her declaration. “We have to try to find out your identity, Rabbit. Surely, you want to know who you are and what happened to you that night.”

She shrugged. “I’m not sure I want to remember that night. And … I know who I am.”

I looked at her in confusion.

“
I’m your Rabbit. That’s all I need to know,” she whispered softly. Her incredibly lovely eyes stared up at me, filled with tenderness and adoration.

“
You are,” I agreed, relief and lust abruptly coursing through me. I kissed her deeply and stood up, taking her with me.

“
What are you doing?”

“
Taking you to bed,” I growled, walking downstairs quickly. “I’m going to show you just how much you’re mine.”

She hummed happily. “Good. It’s something I need to be reminded of … often.”

“
Not a problem, Rabbit.” I smirked at her as I laid her on the bed.

Almost giddy with relief, however temporary, I playfully arched my eyebrow at her.

“
Now, give me back my sweater.”

Chapter Twenty

Joshua

I leaned over, laying my hand on top of Rabbit’s. She had been nervously fidgeting and playing with her napkin for the last five minutes. “Relax, Rabbit.”

Her tired eyes flew to mine. I could see the tension she was holding in, and I could tell from her body language another headache was coming. Her expressive eyes were shadowed with the start of the pain.

“
It’s just Cecilia, Rabbit. She’s one of the people I trust the most. You have nothing to be afraid of.”

“
What if … what if she doesn’t like me?” she whispered.

I smiled at her. “Not possible, Rabbit. She’s gonna love you.”

“
What if she …” her voice trailed off.

“
What? Recognizes you when she sees you in person?” I asked softly.

She nodded.

“
Then we deal with it,” I stated firmly. I sat back and looked at her.

I spoke gently. “There is a very good chance it’s going to happen, Rabbit. You’ll remember your past or one day you’ll run into someone who knew you. We can’t live in fear of it. I don’t want us to live like that.”

“
Maybe I won’t leave the property either,” she huffed. “Then I won’t run into anyone.”

I stood up, annoyed. “Don’t even say that. Do you fucking think I chose this? Do you think I want that for you? Never leaving here because you fear what’s out there?”

She stood up and came over, wrapping her arms around my tense form. “I’m sorry, Joshua. I shouldn’t have said that. I’m just nervous.”

I sighed and pulled her closer. “You would start to resent me, Rabbit. Not right away, but eventually. Never leaving gets old really quickly.”

“
I’m sorry,” she repeated gently. “I didn’t mean it. I’m just nervous.”

I kissed the top of her head. “I know.”

We stood together, the closeness comforting. The intercom buzzed.

I looked down into Rabbit’s worried gaze.

I grinned encouragingly, wanting her to relax.

“
Brace yourself for the whirlwind that is Cecilia.”

Rabbit didn’t stand a chance.

Cecilia blew in, arms full of bags, issuing orders to help her with the rest. She directed where things went, roughhoused with Bear, pulled Rabbit in for a hug, confiscated my cup of coffee and, after taking a sip, refused to give it back, then informed me I looked great but I needed a haircut; all in the first ten minutes.

Then she pulled Rabbit into the bedroom, showing her the items she had picked up for her, even though Rabbit had insisted she didn’t need anything. Luckily, Cecilia was far more practical and had picked Rabbit up other items aside from the shoes and boots I had requested. Things like some socks of her own and some shirts that would actually fit her. I stood rubbing the back of my head, watching them empty the bags. I was glad to see the conditioner I had requested, but I really didn’t know shampoo made a difference as well. Or that women liked different lotion for their body as opposed to their face. Good thing Cecilia knew. There were other bottles, jars, and boxes, and I was completely lost. It all seemed so … complicated. I could see Rabbit blushing when Cecilia pulled out some pretty lingerie and I had to leave the room. Seeing Rabbit’s pink cheeks and thinking about Rabbit wearing the item she was holding up made me twitch and wish Cecilia was already gone; and I knew that wasn’t happening any time soon.

The delivery service I always used arrived, bringing a familiar face as well as the items I had ordered. Jim Unger had been helping me since my first winter here and was well used to the many tasks I needed done. For a while I was busy with restocking the kitchen and bathrooms while Jim drove the truck back into town to fill the tank with gasoline and refill all the empty gas containers so they would be ready for the next emergency. Once everything was complete and he had departed, I trudged back to the house to see how Rabbit was making out with Cecilia.

I was surprised to find Cecilia alone at the table, drinking what was probably her sixth or seventh cup of coffee. “Where’s Rabbit?” I asked while helping myself to a cup.

“
Lying down. She had a headache.”

I sat down, nodding. “She’s been getting them a lot.”

Cecilia looked at me. “She told me you think she is trying too hard to remember things.”

“
I think she is pushing herself too hard. I don’t think her mind is ready yet,” I explained. “I think that’s what is causing the headaches, but I want to be sure. I want her to see a doctor. I’m going to contact Daniel and see if he can help. Would you be able to come back and take her? I don’t want her to go alone … and I can’t take her.”

Cecilia nodded. “Of course, Joshua.”

She sat back. “Tell me everything.”

I started with hearing the car and kept talking until I had brought her up to date with everything, including the online searching I had done. I left out the intimate details, but was honest about the events that led up to Rabbit trying to leave and my theories on what had happened to her before she got here. She winced when I spoke of the harsh words I had said to Rabbit, but other than a few questions for clarification, let me talk uninterrupted.

Finally, I sat back and looked at her.

“
Wow.”

I nodded. “I know. Wow is right.”

“
Sounds like the premise for one of your books.”

I chuckled. “Life does tend to imitate art, Cecilia.”

Her voice was soft. “You love her, Joshua?”

I sighed. “I do. I have no idea how it happened but I do, Cecilia. Very much so.”

Cecilia smiled at me. “She is very endearing, Joshua. There’s something about her. I feel like I’ve known her forever.” She looked at me quietly, her eyebrow furrowed in thought. Her voice was quiet when she spoke. “Have you both thought of the implications here, Joshua? Really thought about them?”

“
We didn’t plan this, Cecilia. We have talked a great deal about it. But right now, she is here, she is safe and this is where she wants to be. As long as she wants that, this is where she is staying.”

She regarded me quietly. “You know you could be proactive, Joshua. I could take her back to Toronto with me and put the press on it. You could find out who she is pretty quickly.”

I stared at her in horror. I hadn’t even thought about that. Before I could speak up, Rabbit’s voice came from behind me.

“
This is where I want to stay, Cecilia. I don’t want Joshua to be ‘proactive.’ If no one is looking for me then I’m not sure I want to go looking for them.”

Rabbit’s arms came around my shoulders and I leaned back into her soft warmth. “As long as Joshua wants me here, this is where I want to be.”

I lifted her hand and kissed it tenderly. “Always,” I murmured.

I looked over at Cecilia. “She’s staying.”

Cecilia shrugged. “Okay. Just making sure you guys had thought of all the options.”

I pulled Rabbit’s arms tightly around me.

“
Subject closed, Cecilia.”

“
Did you drive here, Cecilia?” Rabbit asked over lunch. She was still pale-looking from her headache and I knew it was still lingering.

Cecilia shook her head. “I don’t usually. The traffic is rather unpredictable on the 400 and sometimes it can take hours and hours. Joshua and my husband, Trevor, co-own a helicopter. I get flown to Gravenhurst from Toronto. I have a car I keep in town and drive out here usually.”

Rabbit looked at me. “You own a helicopter?”

I grinned at her. “Co-own. Trevor does a lot of business out of town and it made sense. He can make it home most nights to his wife. I can get Cecilia here fairly quickly and Trevor can use it to come and go when he needs to. Neither of us wants Cecilia driving that distance all the time. It was a sound investment.”

Cecilia spoke up. “Sometimes I drive, especially if I am helping Joshua with edits or doing a bunch of things for him and plan on spending longer than a day here. But usually, it’s the chopper.”

Rabbit wrinkled her nose. “I don’t think I’ve ever been in a helicopter, but of course I can’t be sure. It must be an amazing view.”