I was fine until he ran his hand up and held my face with his hand to keep me from looking away.
“I know it’s not worth anything, but I do love you, Morgan, and if I could take it all back, I would in a heartbeat.”
I stepped away from him. I had to. I was having an emotional breakdown, and nobody in their right mind would forgive this man.
“I’m going to a hotel,” I said. “I can’t stay here.”
He let me go with a nod as his hand slid back into his pockets.
***
I stayed locked in a hotel room for three days. I
didn’t shower, I barely ate, and I cried a lifetime of tears.
Finally, on the third day I called Drew.
“Morgan?” he answered on the first ring.
“I would like to fly out this afternoon,” I said.
“Okay, I will have Felix get things ready.”
I hung up. I was interested in carrying on a conversation with him.
I stopped and visited Mr. Callaway before going back to the house to pack. He looked a little better and talked more. I ate lunch with him, and for the first time in days, I felt like I was going to be okay. He hugged me and told me that I should stop by Desert Springs Hospital and say hello to my friend Derik.
I did do that. I felt the need for some reason. Call me a little malicious. I needed to rub it in.
The nurse directed me to his room. He was in a body cast, and his face was black and blue. He had a tube running down his throat and was hooked up to every machine possible. I didn’t stay but just a minute because I knew that Jena was close by getting coffee, and I didn’t want to run into her.
I bent close to his face. His eyes fluttered open with a look of pure terror.
“I told you not to fuck with me,” I whispered with a honeyed voice. “Have fun shitting in a bag for the rest of your life.”
I was sure that Derik would never touch me or anyone else for that matter again. Ever.
I didn’t see Drew while I packed a few things. I knew that he was watching me from his office, but I paid no mind. I shook my head with a snort when I realized that I didn’t need to pack anything. I was going home, home to my cozy little house in Misty Bay. I had everything there.
Thinking about my little house in Maine gave me a warm comfortable feeling.
Chapter 19
I thought about how things would be in Misty Bay as I stared out the small plane window. I knew that it wouldn’t be the same. I was a different person than when I had left. I didn’t know what was in store for Dawson and me, but I owed it to him to try.
Drew had arranged for a car to take me wherever I wanted to go once I had landed. That surprised me. I had the driver take me to my house. I needed time to myself to regroup before I let anyone know that I was home, wherever that was.
I smiled when I saw my old white Honda sitting in the drive. I hated that car so much, I loved it. It was beautiful there that time of year. I could hear the ocean screaming my name. I took a deep breath, savoring the warm summer, sea air.
I moved the flowerpot, hoping the key that I had kept hidden there was still there. It was and fell from the bottom of the pot, clinking when it hit the concrete porch. I opened the door and stepped in. I wasn’t sure how I felt. I didn’t feel how I had expected it to feel. I mean it still felt warm and inviting. It just didn’t feel like mine anymore. I looked around and noticed the thick dust around the furniture.
I looked toward the table confused. I had a whole stack of mail. Some of them were opened, and someone had been paying my bills. I was sure that it was Dawson. I would figure it up and pay him back.
“I wanted to make sure that you had electric when you got home,” I heard Dawson say from my front door.
I smiled at him. He was so handsome in his uniform, and my heart ached for him. I couldn’t imagine what he had been through for the last almost six months.
“Hey, sheriff,” I quietly spoke. I walked toward him as he smiled back.
He wrapped me in his arms, and he felt so, so, I don’t even know how to describe how he felt. I felt like I belonged there, and I missed him.
“Are you home?” he asked. I couldn’t answer that.
I didn’t know where home was at the moment.
I didn’t answer. I just looked up to him, and he kissed me, softly. “I missed you,” he whispered to my lips.
“I missed you too. How did you know that I was here?”
“I didn’t. I come by and check your mail every evening.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Does Lauren know that you are here yet?”
“No. I didn’t tell anyone. I just left.”
“Did he let you leave?”
I didn’t want to talk about Drew. I know it was stupid, and Dawson would never understand, not after what I had told him, but I didn’t wish anything bad on Drew, and I knew that Dawson did.
“Riley!” Lauren screamed from the door.
I laughed. I loved that girl.
She squeezed me so hard that I thought my eyeballs would pop out.