The Better Man (4 page)

She never
wanted to leave. Even though the foliage that glowed so vibrant and alive would
soon fade to a dull, brownish-gray before leaving skeletal branches against a
winter sky, she was still madly in love with the New Hampshire landscape. She
could’ve stayed in the White Mountains forever, but she was eager to head to
the southwestern part of the state where she and Brian had booked four nights
at the Five Oaks Inn.

With each night
that passed, dealing with her single status and the front desk clerks became
easier. Generally, they didn’t ask, and if they gave her one of those
one-eyebrow-raised stares, she just smiled it away, maybe shrugged, but didn’t
have to say anything more.

Fighting off
the loneliness was more difficult. She didn’t miss Brian as much as she
should’ve. In fact, when she did think about him she was left with an
emptiness, a lack of any hurt or sense of loss. Where did their relationship go
wrong? Apparently, he’d gotten bored. Bored enough to go out looking for
someone new. Was this latest “love” the first, or was she one in a long line of
other women? How long had he been feeling this way? And why in the world did he
not say anything? Leading her on was inexcusable.

The questions
pushed at her mind. Why didn’t she hurt more? Where in the world was the broken
heart she was supposed to have? Why was she filled with relief? Maybe whatever
lack of emotion Brian had experienced hit her deep down as well.

And how come
she felt sadder about Will? Every night, while stretched out in a bed made for
two, an empty pillow next to her, she remembered their night together. Those
memories brought her more pain than thinking about her aborted wedding. Was
Will really in love with her? She usually considered herself a pretty good
judge of character, and she’d recognized the longing in his eyes when she left
him in that parking lot. No, maybe it wasn’t what she’d thought at all. Maybe
it was just the overcharged passion between them. She was determined not to
read more into that hunger than need be. She’d had enough heartache for one
month.

She drove the
narrow, winding road slowly, the window open to let the cool autumn air inside.
The crisp smell was a refreshing change from the warm city air she’d left at
home.

The inn came up
on her left, a sprawling country resort carved out of the woods. She slowed the
car down and soaked it in, realizing Brian would’ve hated it. Nothing about
this place would’ve appealed to him. But Brian would’ve hated most of the
places she’d stayed. He was about flash and excitement she’d tried so hard to
avoid on this “honeymoon.” She sought relaxation and hominess, which this place
offered in abundance.

The old white
building was everything she thought a country inn should be, complete with a
wide wrap-around porch furnished with wicker chairs and tables. A dozen pots of
bright, yellow, rust, and orange chrysanthemums lined the wide stairway that
led up to the front door. The well-landscaped front lawn, she imagined bloomed
with bright flowers in the spring, swept down to the road. The inn didn’t have
any of the trappings of a more modern hotel, no high tech conveniences, but
that was just what she wanted. She parked in the front and went inside. The
lobby was decorated with antiques and quaint New England country furnishings. The
place was perfect.

At once, the
troubles that had been riding along with her melted away.

A young woman
stood behind the front desk, glaring at her computer and mumbling under her
breath. Lori hated to interrupt her, and when she did, she was greeted with
wide-eyed desperation.

“I have a
reservation. Lorelei Petrin.”

The young woman
continued to stare, then bit her lip. “Um. Petrin. Okay, let me um, pull it up
here on the…”

She turned back
to the computer and hit the enter button on the keyboard, once, twice, a third
time hard enough to break the thing. Then she let out a frustrated groan.
“It’ll just be a…um, a moment. Slow system, you know.”

The pain on the
woman’s face was plain and actually hard to watch. Lori was sure the clerk
would start sweating any moment.

“Petrin, P-E-T-R-I-N?
It’ll just be a—damn. Oh God, I’m sorry.”

Lori stared at
her with a mixture of fascination and pity. The poor woman was obviously out of
her element. Second by second, a blush crawled up the woman’s face and Lori
could’ve sworn tears began to swim in her eyes.

“I’m, uh, not
used to this system. I’m usually the hostess in the restaurant. Never touch
computers, and you can see why. The woman who usually handles it—well, she fell
two days ago and broke her hip, and the other one, her backup, just had a baby
so that leaves me. And this stupid manual makes no sense. I’m so sorry, Mrs. Petrin.
Really, if you’ll just be patient.”

Her words came
out in a tangled rush, and Lori’s heart went out to her. She’d spent enough
time in the hotel industry to know many customers were too impatient to deal
with someone who didn’t know their way around the front desk. Not really a
woman, this front desk clerk wasn’t much more than a girl, and one out of her
element, which was surprising. Lori thought all young people were whizzes with
computers. Apparently, she’d found one who wasn’t.

“Can I help?”
She knew It wasn’t her place, but Lori glanced down at the manual next to the
keyboard. It was a system she was actually very familiar with.

The clerk shot
her a startled glance of relief and horror. “I don’t know. My boss would kill
me if he knew I let…I mean, it’s against company policy.”

Lori smiled
reassuringly. “What’s your name?”

“Tina, ma’am.”
Her voice was suddenly tiny, her eyes wide.

Lori leaned
over the desk and dropped the volume of her voice. “Tina, I promise I won’t say
anything. And I can show you how it’s done. Really, I’ve worked on this system
before.” Back before she’d given it all up for Brian.

Tina glanced
around. “Well, he’s not here right now. Maybe it would be okay.”

Lori slipped
behind the desk and Tina moved aside. “This is a complicated and old system.
Don’t feel bad you haven’t got it down pat.

“There are so
many new and simple programs out there these days, I’m surprised he doesn’t
upgrade. My God, this computer has to be at least ten years old. No wonder you
were having difficulties.”

“Plus, I just
look at a computer and it seems to break.” Tina hovered closely as Lori quickly
went to the first screen and typed in her name. The reservation came up after a
long wait. Lori scowled at the words “Mr. and Mrs. Brian Petrin” next to “Honeymoon
Suite”.

“Oh,
congratulations. Your husband waiting for you in the car? Please apologize to
him for my keeping him waiting.”

“No, actually
he’s down in Florida. We didn’t get married after all, but I didn’t want this
vacation to go to waste.”

“Oh-h-h,” Tina
replied. Next, the girl would be patting her on the head. “That really sucks.”

So much for
polite discretion. Lori grinned. Apparently, no one had taught the girl proper
front desk etiquette anymore than they had taught her to use this dinosaur of a
system. But Lori appreciated her candid, honest reaction.

“Would’ve
sucked more had we actually made it to the altar. Together. Okay. You need to
go through these three screens, verify the information here and here. I don’t
understand this screen, but just enter right through it. Okay, now here is
where you ask for my credit card.” Lori pulled it out of her purse and handed
the card to the girl. In less than five minutes, she was checked in and had
printed out her copy of the receipt, explaining another one would be printed
out at the end of her stay with any additional charges.

“I’d tell you
it’s easy, but it really isn’t. The owner should upgrade.”

“I appreciate
you showing me. Not all of our guests are so patient.”

Horror crept
back into Tina’s eyes at some memory, probably of someone who’d given her a
hard time.

“Just a matter
of getting used to it. It’ll come in time.”

Lori still stood
behind the desk when a couple came through the door. Their laughter filled the
foyer and, for a moment, Lori envied them. Arms around each other, practically
attached at the hip and totally loving it. So young, so in love. Was there ever
a time when she and Brian were like that? Maybe in the beginning, but their
enthusiasm had quickly faded.

“Help me,” Tina
whispered from behind her.

“I will.” But Lori
stepped back and let Tina greet the couple.

“Hi,” the man
greeted, keeping his arm around the glowing woman next to him. “Mr. and Mrs.
Rapetti.”

Lori guided
Tina through each step, casting a smile at the couple.

“Here you are.”
Tina’s voice brightened. “Austin and Lori. Hey, another Lori. All right. Oh,
wait a minute. I have you down for next weekend.”

The smile died
from the couple’s face. “No, that’s not right. October seventh through the
ninth. Two nights. Honeymoon suite,” the man said.

“But I have you
booked for the fourteenth.”

His lips
twisted into a sneer, and he pounded both fists hard onto the counter. “And I
called for the seventh. You screwed up. Now what are you going to do for us?”

“We only have
one honeymoon suite and it’s booked for four nights,” Tina explained, her voice
small and timid.

The guy’s face
turned beet red and let out a stream of expletives. Even his wife’s cheeks
blushed,  maybe with embarrassed but didn’t say anything to calm him down.

Lori’s eyes
narrowed in irritation, and she frowned in disapproval. Normally, she would
want a guy like this to pound sand, but that would only cause more problems for
Tina. The smile the guy came in with had disappeared and was replaced with icy
outrage. Not that she really blamed him, but there were better ways to handle
the situation. And she didn’t want to see Tina flounder again.

Gently she
moved the girl aside and smiled sympathetically. This was like riding a bike.
“I’m sure we can take care of this. Just need to shuffle some things around.”
She glanced at Tina. She didn’t have any right to do this and prayed Tina
wouldn’t get into any trouble with her meddling.

She found a vacant
room for two nights and moved herself into that room, and then into a different
room for another two nights, freeing up the honeymoon suite for the angry guy.
She smiled at him brightly.

“There we go
Mr. Rapetti. You’re all set for the honeymoon suite. And we’d like to offer you
a complimentary dinner for this evening for the inconvenience.” She held out
his room key.

The color in
the man’s face slowly returned to normal. He straightened and nodded. “Thank
you. That’s fine.”

When the couple
left, she turned to Tina. “I hope that won’t cause problems for you.” Tina’s
boss might not like the way she just handled things. But it was too late.

“No, I’m sure
he’ll be fine with it. Just, wow, thank you. But you gave up your room.”

Lori snorted.
“I don’t need it. Really. Staying in these suites is getting old and a little
bit like a kick in the pants. I’d rather have someone enjoy it.”

“You’re a life
saver, really. I think I may be able to muddle my way through this. Hate it,
but I can’t really quit.”

Tina handed Lori
the proper room key and she headed back out to take care of her car.

* * *

He was going to
call her. He had to. Not knowing how she was doing was driving Will plain nuts.
He managed to get the name of the hotel and room number for Lori’s current
location from Connie. Even though she would be home in five days, he couldn’t wait
that long to make sure she was okay.

As soon as he
was fairly sure she’d be in her room he dialed the number, anxious to hear her
voice.

Cold shock
rushed through him when a man answered instead, his words bothered and rushed.
For a moment Will couldn’t speak, could barely breath. What the hell?

“I’d like to
talk to Lori.”

“Talk to Lori?
Who the hell is this?”

No, who the
hell are you?
“Will. Who are you?”

“I’m her
husband. And we’re a little busy.”

The man on the
other end slammed the phone down, breaking the connection and leaving Will
thoroughly confused.
Husband?

Brian’s face
flashed into his brain. Had Lori and Brian made up and gotten married anyway?
It was far-fetched and the guy on the other end of the line didn’t sound like
Brian. Not to mention, the last time Will had seen Lori’s ex, he was still “in
love” with his dancer.

No, there had
to be something else going on.

It sickened him
to think Lori would do something rash like marry some guy she’d met along the
way. No, she wasn’t like that at all. She had some sense. Maybe the guy had
been lying. But still, what in the hell was Lori doing up there?

She wasn’t the
kind of woman who’d just pick up some stranger. He didn’t want to believe it.
And until he saw it with his own eyes… There was no way he’d wait for her to
get home to find out. He stalked to the computer, powered it up to booked a flight
to Manchester, New Hampshire.

“I can’t
believe it.” Tina put her head down on the desk and moaned.

“She’s not
coming back.”

Lori was returning
from the dining room when she found Tina wallowing in the depths of despair.
“You okay?”

Tina looked up.
“No, not okay at all. Mr. Goss told me that Rochelle isn’t coming back. She’s
the one who just had the baby. She’s the assistant front desk manager. Mrs.
Goss won’t be able to come back to work for
weeks
. I’m it. I don’t think
I can do it.”

Anguish was
written all over Tina’s face, from her unnaturally pale complexion to her
red-rimmed eyes. No, this kind of work was not Tina’s forte.

The girl had struggled
for the past two days and when she could, Lori gave her a hand. Some people
weren’t cut out for it. “He’s going to interview for the position, right?”

“I guess. He
didn’t say. Oh my God, what if he doesn’t? What if he decides to keep me here?”

Lori smiled
gently, covered the girl’s hand with her own and squeezed. “Stop. I’m sure he’s
going to replace Rochelle.”

She
hoped
he
was going to replace the former assistant front desk manager, even though she
couldn’t believe she was ready to do what just popped into her mind. Why
shouldn’t she interview for the job? What waited for her down in Florida? An
apartment? She had no idea. Maybe Brian was already living there with the
bimbo. She could easily picture all her things in boxes out in the hallway and
that homewrecker sleeping in
her
bed. Ugh. Lori shuddered at the
thought. No, even if they weren’t living there, even if Brian had moved out the
day of the wedding, she still didn’t want to live in the home they’d made
together. The very idea repulsed her.

What else was
there? A job she hated? All the places that would remind her of her life with
Brian?

Will?

Thinking of him
gave her pause. Could she leave him so far behind? Yet, how could she face him
again? He hadn’t been far from her mind since she’d left him that morning. Not
having him in her life was a bleak thought, but what could she do? She needed a
fresh start. She’d absolutely loved her time in New England. So, why not move
here? If she could get a job at the inn, why not?

“Do me a favor.
Ask him. I know this sounds crazy, but what the heck, my life has been filled
with craziness over the past few weeks. I’ll interview for the job. I love this
place and I love this kind of work.”

Tina sucked in
her breath, her eyes growing as big as saucers. “Really? That would be so
awesome. I’ll ask. Oh my God, I’ll ask as soon as I see him.”

Lori grinned. “You
do that. Okay, I’m off for a drive. Going to check out Cathedral of the Pines.
I hear that’s a must-see.”

She didn’t
think Tina heard her. The girl looked happier than she’d seen since she
arrived. Lori continued to smile. She’d done a good deed and in return had set
herself on a path to a new life.

* * *

Will could very
well see why Lori wanted to come up to New England on her honeymoon. She’d
never been a woman who wanted flash and fancy nightclubs and nonstop action. In
a matter of minutes, he was out of the Manchester traffic and on a two-lane
highway heading west toward the town where Lori was staying. The tension
immediately eased from his body. The window was open and crisp fall air
streamed into the car.

Used to the
open, more populated landscape of central Florida, the thick forests should’ve
been claustrophobic. Instead, the trees appeared to be on fire, a bloom of
reds, yellows, oranges, and golds. The brilliant foliage glowed in the sun. On
the smaller country roads, wide, rock-strewn pastures and old farmhouses broke
up the thick forest. Though he passed the occasional strip mall, there were
more antique shops in the quaint little towns he drove through. If it weren’t
for the upcoming confrontation, he could’ve easily let the tension in his muscles
drain completely, but he had no idea what awaited him at the end of this
journey.

The farther he
went, the more he could picture Lori in New England rather than in Florida. It
was a chilling notion. Would she leave everything behind and start fresh? He
really had no basis for those thoughts. Just a gut reaction.

Of course, he’d
never imagined she’d find a man in a few days and again agonized over the idea
of her with someone else. It was so out of character for her. If they hadn’t
been such good friends, he didn’t think she would’ve slept with him that night.
No, he
knew
she wouldn’t have slept with him.

So why in the
world would she hook up with some stranger? It wasn’t Lori’s style.

He arrived at
the inn just over an hour after leaving Manchester. The place was right from a
postcard, settled in the forest, glowing with October foliage. When he climbed
out of the car, tranquility from his surroundings, the rustling of breeze
through the branches overhead, the distant call of a flock of geese, seeped into
his body. It only dispersed when he remembered what brought him there. For a
moment, he hesitated and almost got back in the car.

What business
was it of his if she’d met another man? None. She didn’t owe him anything. He
could be walking into an embarrassing situation for which she would never
forgive him.

And yet he
couldn’t just walk away. For years, he’d sat back and watched the woman he
loved with another man and done nothing, because her happiness was his priority
and she had been in love with Brian. All that had changed the night of her
almost-wedding. All bets were off. And if she was with someone she’d met while
on this “honeymoon,” the guy had better be prepared to step into the ring,
because there was no way Will intended to let Lori go without a fight.

Will strode
into the inn. A girl sat behind the front desk, glaring at the computer monitor
with unbridled hatred. She didn’t even glance up until he cleared his throat.

She looked at
him and smiled almost guiltily. “Hi. Welcome to Five Oaks, sir. How can I help
you?”

“I was hoping
you’d have a room available.” An opening was a long shot. In the middle of the
fall foliage season, most inns like this would be booked solid. Roads filled
with busloads of leaf peepers had confirmed this on the drive from Manchester.
Besides, better to book a room, if one was available, rather than ask right out
to see Lori.

“I’m sorry,
sir, but we have no openings. This is our busiest time of the year. I believe
if you drive to Keene, about half an hour from here, you may find something.
I’m afraid most of the inns are going to be full.”

“Thought so.
Okay. I’ll do that. But you have a guest staying here, perhaps she’s in.
Lorelei Petrin, though it could be booked under her maiden name, Lorelei Warren.”

“Oh, gosh, yes.
Lori.” Her face brightened and then almost immediately her eyes narrowed.
“You’re not her—the guy she was going to marry, are you?”

Will chuckled.
So, Lori had made a friend and ally. Just like her to find a buddy so quickly.
“No, I’m not her ex-fiancé. I’m a friend. I hadn’t heard from her since she
left and I was concerned. She doesn’t know I’m here. She’s still a guest, isn’t
she?”

“Yes, until
tomorrow night, anyway. She’s not in right now. She’s gone to the Cathedral of
the Pines. She shouldn’t be too long, though. She’s been gone a few hours
already. If you want, you can go into the parlor until she gets back. There’s
coffee and a television.”

“Thank you, I
will.”

So he waited.
Drank coffee, watched the news, although he spent more time looking out the window,
waiting for her to return and wracking his brain to figure out what he was
going to say to her. He wanted to kidnap her and take her back down to Florida,
lock her in his house until she understood how perfect they could be together
and make love to her every night. Hell, make love to her all day long, too.

After a half an
hour, his restless thoughts got the better of him. He couldn’t stand being
cooped up in the room, so he went onto the verandah at the back of the inn and
sat in one of the wooden rockers. Even the large pond beyond a slope of
well-maintained lawn didn’t hold off the edginess that kept his muscles tight
and his nerves jumping. Besides, if he was out back he might miss her coming
in, so he went back inside and got another cup of coffee.

Where was she?
Probably out having lunch. With each moment that passed, the anxiety grew until
he had to push it aside. This was crazy! He felt like a damned stalker, sitting
here. It was no good. She had to live her life and he couldn’t interfere. She’d
hate him for butting in

He’d leave,
drive back to Manchester and hop a return flight to Orlando. No harm, no foul.
When Lori came home, they’d work it out. And this time, he was
not
going
to let her walk away without a fight.

“I’m going to
head out and find a hotel,” he told the girl at the front desk. “Please, don’t
mention to Lori that I was here. I’d rather let it be a surprise.”

“Okay, sir.”

“Thanks.” He
smiled and headed for the front door.

As he reached
for the handle, the door opened and Lori strode in, nearly colliding with him.
She stopped quickly, an embarrassed grin on her beautiful face as she stepped
back.

“Oh, I’m sorry,
I really need to slow down— Oh, my God.”

Lori slapped
her hand over her gaping mouth and stared, blood draining from her cheeks.  Damn.
So much for quick exits and pretending he’d never made this foolish trip. He
waited for the man to come in behind her, but no one did. She was apparently
alone.

“What are you
doing here?” The smile left her face and her eyes clouded with suspicion. “Is
everything all right at home? I get lousy cell reception up here, but I haven’t
been totally unreachable.”

“I…no, it
wasn’t that.” Will glanced back. The girl at the front desk stared at them with
unabashed curiosity. “Can we go talk somewhere? Your room, maybe?”

“Of course.
Come on.” She moved past him toward the wide staircase. They went up two floors
before she stopped outside a door and unlocked it.

The room wasn’t
exactly spacious. Though tidy and quaint, the furnishings were sparse. “This is
the honeymoon suite?”

Lori laughed.
“No, this isn’t the honeymoon suite. Another couple checked in right after me.
They were booked for the wrong weekend, and since I had no need for the
honeymoon suite, I gave it to— Will, what’s wrong?”

Will sat on the
double bed, and put his face in his hands. “Shit,” he muttered.

“Will?”

He lifted his
face and shook his head, unable to meet her eyes. “Do you remember the couple’s
names?”

“Um, Austin and
Lori. Why?” Then she grew silent. The mattress dipped when she sat next to him.
“Oh, Will.”

“I’m an idiot.
I’m sorry, Lori.”

“You thought
that I’d…and so you came all this way up here…”

“I’m an idiot.”
He was mortified. Every doubt he’d had about making this trip smacked him right
upside the head and settled on his brain like a ton of lead. She wasn’t going
to forgive him for this, and she shouldn’t.

For a long
moment, his admission was greeted by thick silence. In a minute, she’d tell him
to get out. He waited on edge for those words and was completely taken unaware
when she started to giggle. The giggling turned into a full laugh that shook
the bed. “Oh, Will, you thought that I…this is funny, really. If you’d seen the
guy—” She fell back on the bed next to him. Her laughter died down slowly.
“What in the world, Will? If you were worried, why didn’t you just call again?
During the day?”

“Because I
didn’t want to sound like a jealous fool,” he muttered.

She chuckled
again. “So you thought flying here and showing up unannounced would make you
not
look like a jealous fool?”

He sighed and
closed his eyes. “Guess I didn’t think it through.”

“No, you
didn’t. And what were you going to do with my alleged lover? Knock him out and
drag me back to Florida?”

“The thought
crossed my mind.”

She didn’t
respond for a long moment, not moving from where she lay on the bed. Her thigh
lightly touched his. It would’ve been so easy to reach out and stroke it, to
turn to her and—

He stopped that
train of thought. Notions like that would only get him into trouble, and he was
waist deep in it already.

“It’s a sweet
gesture.” Her voice was soft. “A little misguided, and I ought to be angry you
jumped to the conclusion that I’d pick up some guy and sleep with him.”

“You should be.
I can’t tell you how sorry I am, Lori. I’ve been worried about you, though. You
haven’t been off my mind since…”

His body
stiffened when she reached out and rubbed the palm of her hand up his back and
down again. God, no, she couldn’t touch him. If he let her, he wouldn’t be able
to walk out of this room like he knew he should. Yet he didn’t move. Any touch
from Lori was a godsend. How could he turn it down? What a damned mess.

“Same here,”
she whispered quiet and unsteady.

“Where are we
going with this?”

“I honestly
don’t know, Will. I’ve been trying like hell not to think beyond the moment.
Please, let’s not think beyond
right now.
”

Her touch
became bolder, and it didn’t take much to release his pent-up desire. He turned
and stared at her face. She still lay on the bed, her hand circling over his
back, down and around until her fingers caught the hem of his shirt. He sucked
in a breath as she caressed his skin under the shirt, leaving a trail of fire
as she went.