Untamed (26 page)

“I don’t know. I just have to go.”

“And what are we supposed to do here without you? You’re the Magic Eye, Mem. Without you we’re just—”

“The Studio,” she interjected. “The finest group of photographers in the country, with more commercial accounts than anyone in the business. You’ll be fine, Rom. You already run the place anyway.”

“Memory, please.” His voice broke. “Don’t go.”

“I have to, Rom.” She fought back tears.

“For how long?”

“I don’t know.”

He hugged her tight for a long time. “I’ll let you go if you promise to call me every single day and always answer your phone when I call.”

“I promise,” she murmured against his shoulder, holding on to him tightly.

After a minute, he released her. “Just remember, I have your phone and computer lo-jacked.”

She smiled and brushed away the tears on her face, then reached up to cup the side of his face. “I know. I love you, Rom.”

“I love you too, honey.”

“I’ll talk to you soon,” she said and turned away.

“Tonight!”

“Tonight,” she agreed with a wave over her shoulder and kept walking. If she didn’t keep going she might chicken out, and now that she’d made the decision she knew it was right. The only question was, where was she headed?

Chapter Two

Colton tossed his cards down on the table.

“Fold.”

The man across the table from him, his oldest friend, Anthony Tosta, snickered around the stub of cigar in his mouth. “Who’s ya daddy?” He racked in the loose dollar bills and quarters from the center of the table.

All of the men laughed. Normally the cards favored Colton and turned a cold shoulder on Anthony. Tonight the roles were reversed. Colton wasn’t upset that he’d lost a few bucks. He was just in a foul mood.

“Think I’ll call it a night,” he announced and pushed back from the table.

“Me too,” Anthony said and stood. “Gretchen gets testy when I stay out too late.”

The other two men at the table mumbled their agreement and within minutes the weekly poker game was concluded. Colton and Anthony walked outside together.

“Something gnawing at you?” Anthony asked.

“Nope.”

“Yeah, now I know something’s eating at you. What’s up?”

Colton stopped at the curb and leaned up against the 1966 Ford pickup he’d worked so hard to restore. “Just a shitty mood.”

“Any particular reason?”

Colton blew out his breath and shook his head. “Nothing I can really put my finger on. Just general…dissatisfaction.”

Anthony’s dark features arranged into a thoughtful frown. He leaned up against the truck beside Colton. “Everything okay at the ranch? I know things are tough with you being short-handed. If you need some help I might be able to—”

“It’s okay,” Colton cut him off. “I’m making out okay.”

“If it’s not business then… You got woman problems brother?”

“Nope. No woman to have problems with. Maybe that’s the problem. Damn, Anthony, I’m running out of time if I ever want to have a family.”

“Hey, now. We’re not that old!”

“Easy for you to say. You and Gretchen have had five good years so far, and a baby on the way. The way my life is going, all I’m ever gonna be is old Uncle Colton, the bachelor.”

Anthony chuckled. “Not like you haven’t had your share of chances, my man. Like that hottie last month. Gretchen and I were both a little blown away by the way she was all over you at the softball cookout.”

“Yeah, well, she changed her tune real fast when she found out what I did for a living.” It still stung a little. The woman had treated him like sub-human when she found out his business was running a ranch and restoring classic cars, or as she called it, “junk cars.”

“Look man, we all know there’s a lot of women out there who are more interested in money than anything else, but there’s still good women out there too. Your problem is your looks.”

“Well thanks, Anthony.”

“Man, you know what I mean. You’re one of those guys who have it going on in the looks department. You got what it takes to attract the ladies and maybe you just choose to act on the wrong attractions and end up with the Barbie dolls instead of the gals that might have something real to offer.”

“Bullshit. When have I ever judged a person on their looks?”

Anthony pushed away from the car. “Colton, we’ve been best friends since we were five and you stopped those rednecks from beating up on the new black kid. I know your heart’s in the right place, but women are a whole other breed than us. Maybe you’re just using the wrong criteria for selecting women.”

“So what? I should start asking out every ugly woman I meet?”

“Uh, no. Just don’t look past someone who might be worth taking another look at as you make your way to another Barbie.”

Colton regarded his friend for a few moments. He knew Anthony meant well, and he’d be the first to admit that anyone who took a look at his life would assume that he was only interested in what Anthony called Barbie dolls. He’d dated more than his fair share of them. But Anthony knew that what Colton wanted was someone to love and build a life with.

“Sometimes I think maybe it’s just not in the cards for me.”

“Not according to Mama,” Anthony argued.

Colton cut him a hard look. “Just because she believes it doesn’t mean it’s true.”

“But you wear the crystal,” Anthony pointed out. “And who knows, maybe it will end up leading you to the woman meant for you. Stranger shit’s happened, bro. Remember when Mama told me to pack a picnic and take Congo out to Reedy Creek Park on a cold February day? I thought she was nuts. But if I hadn’t been out there tossing that disc to Congo, I’d never have met Gretchen.”

Colton shrugged. No point in arguing that point. It was a fact. “You better hit it,” he said instead. “Or Gretchen’ll have your skinny ass.”

Anthony chuckled. “I wish. Right now she’s swearing she’s carrying around a baby Beluga and in no mood at all to have anything to do with my skinny ass.”

Colton laughed. “See you later, man. Hey to Gretchen for me.”

“Later,” Anthony replied and headed to his car, a nice sensible Subaru parked in front of Colton’s truck.

Colton walked around the truck and got in behind the wheel. Maybe Anthony was right. Maybe he just wasn’t looking in the right direction when it came to love. He just wished he knew which direction was the right one.

* * * * *

Memory had been on the road for two weeks. She’d left San Francisco, found I-40 and hit the road, driving until she was tired or saw something of interest. Then she’d stop, check into a hotel and wander around with her camera, keeping no timetable or schedule. It’d been relaxing and she loved some of the shots she’d taken. Ordinary people in ordinary situations—an old couple sitting on a bench outside an ice-cream shop sharing a cone, children playing in the water of a oscillating sprinkler in their yard—simple life that somehow seemed far more beautiful to her than any of the photography she’d done the last few years.

But now she was getting tired of the road and wanted to find a place she could stay while she decided what she wanted to do with her life. She followed the signs to the city of Charlotte, North Carolina.

The first thing she noticed about the city was how green it was. There were so many trees. It wasn’t a large city, but was an interesting blend of old and new. With no idea where she was headed, Memory just drove around.

Spotting a bookstore, she stopped and went inside. An hour later, armed with a bag of books ranging from city guides to the history of the area, along with a couple of maps and an oversized container of coffee, she wandered outside and made herself comfortable on a bench outside the bookstore.

She put the bag on the sidewalk between her feet and dug out one of the maps and a city guide. According to the information she read, there was a historic home in an old section of the city that had been converted into a bed and breakfast. The Duke Mansion. The photos she saw of the place had her itching to take some of her own. On an impulse she hurried to her car and drove over to see if there was room at the inn.

Her first glance at the place had her falling in love. Located in an old but upscale area just outside the city, the house spoke of times gone-by, of warm southern nights and nightingales singing at dusk.

It was enormous. Built in the architectural style of the Colonial Revival, the mansion was surrounded by lush grounds. Towering oaks, magnificent magnolia and dogwood trees provided ample shade, while flowers and shrubbery tastefully landscaped a sweeping lawn that housed several impressive fountains.

Memory was enchanted. And lucky. There was one room available. The Nesbit Room. She eagerly followed the bellman to her room. And fell in love. A huge room furnished tastefully and expensively, with a large porch, or what the people at the Mansion called a sleeping porch, furnished in white wicker furniture with deep cushions. It overlooked a wide sweep of lawn, and a beautiful fountain and gazing pool.

It took Memory all of five minutes to shove her luggage into the closet, grab her favorite Nikon and head out to explore the mansion and its grounds. She was as excited as a child who has found a new playground.

Nightfall came entirely too soon, but satisfied and a little tired, she showered and leafed through the available delivery menus from nearby restaurants. After calling in an order, she went to the sleeping porch, sat down in one of the deeply padded wicker chairs and called Romeo.

“Mem!” he answered excitedly. “Where are you now?”

“Charlotte, North Carolina. Romeo, you should see this place!”

“The city?”

“Oh, well yeah, it’s great but I mean this place where I’m staying. It’s an old mansion that’s been restored and turned into a bed and breakfast. It’s fantastic. I’m sitting on what they call a sleeping porch just off my room, looking out over the greenest lawn I’ve ever seen. I swear I expect to see Rhett and Scarlet stroll across the grass at any moment.”

Romeo laughed. “Honey, it’s so good to hear you sounding so excited.”

“I am, Rom, I really am. The past couple of weeks have been good. It’s like with every mile I dumped a little more of what had been weighing me down, and when I got here, I felt…clean again. Does that make sense?”

“Perfect,” he replied. “So how long are you going to stay?”

“I don’t know.” She voiced something that had been niggling at her all afternoon. “Rom, I know this sounds crazy, but I think I’m supposed to be here. It’s like there’s something calling to me. Something I can’t quite hear but I know it’s there.” She laughed. “Listen to me. Half a day in the South and already I’m waxing romantic.”

Romeo chuckled. “I love it. I haven’t heard you sound like this in ages, sweetie. So, go find whatever it is that’s calling you. Just don’t forget about us guys back home who love you.”

“Oh, Rom.” She felt a stab of guilt. “I’m sorry. I just dumped it all on you. Are things okay?”

“Fine,” he assured her. “Don’t worry. I’ve told everyone you’re off on a photographic walk-about.”

She laughed. “I love you, Rom. You’re always there to save my butt and pick up my slack. I owe you big.”

“Honey, you don’t owe me anything. Well, except for that fabulous raise I gave myself the morning after you left.”

She howled with delighted laughter. “Well, however much it was it isn’t enough. Oh, there’s my dinner. Gotta scoot. Talk to you tomorrow.”

“Okay, have fun. I love you.”

“I love you. Hugs to Jay for me.”

“Will do. Smooches!”

She severed the connection and opened the door to accept her food. Taking it to the porch, she set it up on a table along with her laptop. While she ate, she downloaded the memory cards from her camera and viewed the photos she’d taken.

* * * * *

Colton was in the middle of changing gears when an electric shock ripped through his body. His hand slipped on the gear shift and a horrible grinding protest came from the gears that made him swear out loud.

Hurrying to shift into third gear, he then reached up to grab the small crystal that was suspended around his neck with his dogtags.

“Shit!” He cursed at the rippling shock that raced from his hand all the way up to his shoulder and quickly released the crystal.

Another charge of energy came from the crystal as it touched his chest. It was like a miniature explosion, originating directly beneath the crystal then radiating out, working its way throughout his body.

Colton wasn’t a man who was frightened easily, but this had him a little unnerved. Maybe he was having a stroke. That thought shook him enough that he pulled over and parked at the curb of the road leading to the Duke Mansion, put the car in neutral and set the brake.

His hand was still tingling. Was that the sign of a stroke? He didn’t feel disoriented or short of breath or mentally impaired. So what the hell had happened?

The crystal seemed to vibrate against his skin. He tensed at first and then realized the sensation was not painful, just very intense. The sensation spread out from its point of origin and swam through his veins until his entire body hummed. With the hum came sensuous warmth that had him becoming erect.

That was another surprise. Colton was astonished. He’d had erections since he was a boy, but never one that came on spontaneously and without provocation. A split second before the thought entered his mind that perhaps something was physically wrong with him, it was over.

Tentatively, he touched the crystal with the tip of his index finger. Nothing. He waited a minute and tried again. No reaction at all.

There was only one thing to do. As much as he disliked the idea, he was going to have to ask Anthony’s mother about the crystal.