Somewhere I'll Find You (20 page)

He had stayed because of the loss that they had shared.  He had wanted to see her through all the physical and emotional pain, and in some way, he had hoped to heal himself by healing her.

Inevitably, she became pregnant again, and when David was born almost three years after the miscarriage, he had fallen headlong in love with his son.  He had stayed in a bad marriage because of his child, while Lily had emotionally moved on, even if she remained physically at home with him and their son.

While David was still a toddler, Lily’s infidelities kept piling up.  She made her decision to leave just after their son’s third birthday.  He had never tried to stop her, never wanted to.

One afternoon after a particularly long sh
o
ot that had proceeded yet another bitter quarrel; he wondered suddenly what would happen to David if his parents were to divorce.  Would the child become a victim of some horrible tug-of-war between them?  The very notion was unthinkable, and Erik had simply closed the idea from his mind.  He would never put his son through such an ordeal.

You’ll wait it out, he told himself.  He knew that Lily wanted out, possibly as badly as he did, so if he waited long enough, she would be forced to ask for a divorce.  After all, he knew as well as anyone did how intimately involved she was with that widowe
d, socially correct senator whom
she was seeing.  If she wanted anything more from that relationship, she w
ould have to end the marriage that
she currently endured.

He could wait.  At least that way he could dictate some of the terms.  He had no intention of taking David from her – that would be unthinkable.  Ready access to him and joint custody – that was what he wanted, and what he aimed to get.

Then Jenny came into his life.  And for the first time, Erik knew exactly what he wanted.
  He wanted the traditional married life – the white picket fence and everything that went with it.  And that Jenny was the person he wanted to share in that life.

The gossip columns were filled with stories of the new romance.  Hedda Hopper
,
as well as Louella Parsons
,
seemed
to be divided in their opinions even as they
both angl
ed
for the latest gossip.  Not that Erik cared, and Jenny seemed to find it all amusing.  Erik was in love – so much so that he took Jenny everywhere with him, even going so far as to introduce her to his friend, Alistar Carver.

The latter and he
had met at the Brown Derby, where the smattering of celebrities that dined there had always impressed the visiting Englishman.  It had amused Erik that someone so cultured could be so star struck.

An orchestra played the latest Glenn Miller tune
on the night in question
, while Flanagan waved at the couple from his place on the dance floor where he gamboled
about
with Olivia Fontaine.  “A man who gives woman pearls of great val
ue is heavily involved with her,”
Daniel murmured, the mist of Ireland echoing in his voice as he gave Olivia a pointed look.

“Well, you would know, darling.”  Olivia laughed even as she cast a look over his shoulder.  “You practically shoved them into each other’s . . . umm
,
arms?”

His barking laugh shot across the room even as he dropped Olivia into a low dip.  “Of course I did.   How else ca
n I ensure she’ll be in his
next
film?”

Shaking her head, she rewarded Daniel with a teasing tap on his cheek.  “You’re incorrigible.”

“Of course.”

As the tune ended and the couple returned to their own table, Olivia gave Jenny yet another look.  The young woman was incredibly lovely with her hair swept up into a cascade of waves held in place with a white burst of gardenias.  An elegant
gown of
white chiffon gathered about her, while an expensive pearl choker graced her th
roat
.

Turning her attention
back to Daniel, Olivia shook her head.  “It’s going to end badly, you know.  He’s still married.  What about Lily?”

“
And what
about
Lily
?”  Daniel asked swiftly, a shaggy brow arching expressively.  “You know as well as I that a wedding ring and love are not always on the same page.  I always thought that Lily was a bit odd, so I can’t say that I blame him
for trying to get away
.  She’s brittle, neurotic, high-strung, and not very intelligent.”  Shaking his head, he paused to light Olivia’s cigarette.  “There is nothing feminine or remotely sexual about her in my opinion.  She runs around with her pack of women friends in trousers and believes that she’s being chic.  All she does is make people speculate and give Erik sympathy he doesn’t want – or need.”  Lighting his own cigarette, Daniel shook his head and spied Alistar Carver at the same moment.  “Say,
who’s
that fellow sitting with them?” he asked, pointing unobtrusively to Carver and leaning a little closer to Olivia as he did.

Olivia’s pretty face creased slightly in puzzlement.  “I can’t say.  Handsome devil though, isn’t he?”  She passed an arch glance over to Daniel, before grinning impishly.  “I wonder if he’ll give Erik a run for his money.”

From his vantage point, Alistar Carver ogled the glamorous crowd the way that o
thers looked on the Royal families of England and Europe
.  But more importantly
to Erik, he seemed simply taken with Jenny.  He regaled her with stories of
the
mutual past
he’d shared
with Erik, his stories light and amusing.  The man was so attentive that
,
for a moment, Erik wondered briefly if his friend was making a play for her.  When she finally left for the powder room, Alistar didn’t hesitate to take his friend aside. “She’s charming, simply charming.  You’ve certainly won the prize this time.  Does she know about what you’re involved in?”

Erik’s dark eyes flashed a warning.  “No, of course not.  I wouldn’t put her at such risk.  Are you mad?”

A cool, frosted look settled over Alistar’s eyes.  “Of course, I do understand.  You might consider it, though.  The days ahead are going to be filled with danger.  Do you think that it is wise to leave her in the dark?  It’s a dangerous undertaking that you’ve chosen, my boy.  Someone might just assume she’s a player.  Especially with the two of you going on this publicity campaign to England
– the one that
your studio has arranged
in the light of its newest ..
.
addition,” he murmured as they both caught sight of a waiter’s approach.
“
Igno
rance is deadly in this business,” he continued lowly.
 
“
I suggest that you tell her as much as allowed or call it off.”  Pausing as fresh drinks were served, Alistar lifted his
glass.  “Excellent service here,” he commented, waiting for the server to move
away from the table.  When they were alone again, Alistar locked eyes with his old friend.
 
“
But the fact remains, we need you.  Your service could make a difference.”

Listening to Alistar’s words, Erik’s heart sank in his chest as Jenny returned.  She had a radiant smile and such a lovely grace about her, that the idea of her being mired in his activities was unthinkable.  But dear God, asking him to give her up would be like asking him not to breathe.

But how could he stay involved with Jenny and keep her safe as well.

* * * *

Thunder boomed overhead, angry against the roar of the wind.  It pulled Michael from the restless sleep that had been haunted with dreams he couldn’t understand.  Staring about in confusion, he tried to reconcile his part in the present with the shuddering reality that existed in his dreams.  Light from the stone fireplace cast shadows, flickering over brightly colored rugs.
  Rain hammered at the windows pelting loudly at the glass. When he sat up, the pain in his head cracked as loudly as the thunder outside.  Grimacing, he focused on the woman bent over the fire, prodding it back to life.

“Paige?” he croaked.  “What day is it?”

She whirled around, an uncertain smile on her lips.  “Welcome back.  It’s either late Friday or early Saturday morning.  The clocks stopped with the storm – even my cell is still out.  But I’m glad to see that you’ve decided to rejoin the land of the living.”

“I’m not so sure that I have.”  Michael scowled at the pain that continued hammering in his head.  “What lorry – truck hit me?”

“No
truck, but I think you struck the mile marker out there
.  We must have had a minor earthquake – enough to knock you off your feet.  You must have stumbled and hit your head on the mile marker.  When you didn’t come back, I went out looking for you.”

“You did what?” 
He
was dismayed to find that she had taken her life into her hands by leaving the safety of the house. 
Especially when I bloody well told her to
stay
put
! 
Shoving
back one of the throws that covered him, he groaned when the blood rushed to his already aching head.  “You went out alone?”

“Yes,” she snapped.  “Something that I’ve been doing for quite some time.  Right along with brushing my teeth, paying bills and even going to work like a big girl.  Now lay back down before you start bleeding again.”  She moved to his side, fussing at the throw.

“I’ll be fine, jus
t let me get my bloody bearings!
” he barked, pushing at her hands.

It was only when he noticed her blushing that he realized the state of his disarray.  She was studiously trying to avoid looking at him, he noticed, although it was probably her fault that he was in the state
in which
he
now
found himself.  Grinding his teeth against the pain, he pulled himself forward to the edge of the s
ofa, wincing at the warm ooze of blood coursing
down his forehead. 

Where in the hell did she put my damned clothes?

“You’re bleeding on my sofa,” she muttered.

A little blood is nothing compared to this infernal headache,
he thought.  But even that was preferable then dwelling on the dream that kept lurking in the back of his mind.  “Where
are
my clothes?” he demanded irritably, trying to push aside the looming questions that had no answers.