“Trust me, I am just as surprised as you are. “He glanced around the room. “Where is she anyway?”
“Lacey needs some time Rafe, time to figure out who she is, what she wants or something like that.”
“What do you mean she needs some time, where is she? I have been trying to get her to talk to me for a week and nothing.” He ran a hand through his hair in frustration.
“Rafe, I know Lacey more than anyone. She has feelings for you, that much is obvious, but she needs to figure out what she wants and take a break from it. Give her some time.”
He leaned back in his chair in frustration.
As the weekend went on he knew he would have to go home, and start his new contract. It wasn’t far, only a 4-hour drive, but it was far enough to make it hard to leave. Alice walked him out the morning he was leaving and he hugged her tightly, once more thankful that she had been a part of his life.
The days flew by and week after week he couldn’t seem to think about anything else but Lacey. He called Alice who reassured him that Lacey was fine, but it did nothing to comfort him… or to make him feel better about his situation. He wanted her… even now he thought about how beautiful she had been that day.
He glanced down at the work on his table and swore, knowing he was getting nowhere. He had to see her… to find her and set the record straight about so many things. He crumbled the forms in front of him, throwing them into the basket at the end of his desk. Tomorrow was Friday, he would just drive to wherever she was… if Alice would tell him. At least he would know where he stood once and for all.
Lacey
The tears were rolling freely as she sat up thinking about what she would do. There was no secret that she was scared about what life had in store for her, in fact she had spent the last few days doing her best to formulate a plan.
She hated herself for missing him, but she knew she would have to see him sooner or later, and they would talk. She closed her eyes, thinking once more about how he had touched her and loved her. He made her feel special in so many ways that she was missing him more and more each day…. Especially now.
She looked out the long window of the cabin she had been in for three weeks now. Her “couple of days” had quickly become something bigger, and though she could work from home, she knew she would have to go back eventually. She heard the phone vibrating, though she knew it was him again. She would give him credit for being persistent.
Nothing would go the way she wanted to, no matter how many different ways she tried to piece it out, she was always left alone in the end. He was married, and Rachel had been more than passingly pretty. She could have stepped out on a runaway wearing rags. That was who Rafe was married too…that’s who Rafe loved.
Part of her didn’t even want to talk to him, to tell him everything. Instead, she wanted to hide away in this cabin where no one could find her… or hurt her. She moved down the long hall to shower, something that always made her feel better. At least then she could relax a little. She let the heat wash over her and soon wrapped herself in a fluffy white towel which helped drastically.
She walked out of the shower and back down the long hall where she found him.
He was waiting for her, pensive and on edge. She could see it in the way he sat on the edge of the couch, his fingertips tapping the leather of the couch. He glanced up then, seeing her and he stood, shoving his hands in his pockets.
“What are you doing here, Rafe, you scared me to death.” She stood there, folding her arms across her chest.
“I wasn’t trying to scare you Lacey, I could have called you… but you would have to respond to me in order for that to happen.” He watched her, his eyes scanning the length of her.
She felt the heat of a blush rush through her at his words, true as they were. “What do you want Rafe?”
He sighed. “I want to talk to you Lacey, I want to have a conversation that is real and honest. I want to talk to you and not have to worry about you running from me again.”
She moved over to the couch across from him, settling in. Finally, she looked up at him. “Ok Rafe, talk to me then.”
He frowned for a moment, then sat back down into the couch. He let his eyes look her over again. “First of all, are you ok? I mean I can see your alive and well, but it’s been weeks.”
No, I’m not ok. “I’m fine Rafe. I just needed some time away things have been stressful lately at work and stuff.”
“I want to talk to you about Rachel. “He held up a hand as she tried to speak. “For me Lacey, please let me talk.”
She swallowed hard, bracing herself for what was to come. He would tell her everything she didn’t want to hear, and her heart would break even more. She felt her body tense up, and she hung on every word.