“That’s fair,” Linda said. “We do understand. Nicole has to take responsibility for her crimes.”
Bailey looked over at Ryan. He’d been so quiet beside her, quietly offering her all the support she needed. She was a lucky woman to have him. Without a doubt, he would always be here for her—a fact she never doubted. She smiled at him, hoping he could see the love in her eyes. He gave her a sad smile and muttered, “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking that with all the bad luck I’ve had, I’m an awfully lucky person. I have you, I have great friends, and now I have a family.” She sat, thoughtful for a moment, then turned back toward Alex and Linda and said, “I take that back. I do know.” She closed her eyes and sighed. Then she slowly lifted her lids and met Alex’s eyes. “I won’t stand in your way.” When they didn’t respond, she waved a hand. “What I mean is, hire your lawyer, do what you can for Nicole. I won’t stand in the way of a plea deal. I’ll do what I can to advocate for Nicole if it comes down to that.”
Linda’s shoulders dropped, and Bailey felt some of the tension leave the room. “You’re such a generous person,” she said. “We don’t deserve you, sweetheart.”
“I’m not sure I can ever have a relationship with Nicole. I don’t see my feelings about her changing. I know that’s going to be hard on this family, and for that, I’m sorry, but I meant it when I said I wanted to move forward,” she said, trying for a smile.
Alex smiled, too, and stood to approach her. “You’re being more than generous, Bailey.”
Linda, with tears in her eyes, said, “I think moving forward is the best thing for all of us.”
CHAPTER FORTY
“I know your family is in town, but I wanted you to myself this evening,” Ryan said as he slowed the boat.
“They said we can meet for breakfast.” Bailey smiled into the darkness, not able to see him.
He’d helped her onto the boat, sat her down, covered her with a blanket, then blindfolded her. To her surprise, she only felt the need to panic for a few seconds. When those few seconds were over, she realized she was completely safe, and that slight reminder of being tied up, helpless on a boat, had reassured her she was slowly regaining her life. She’d recovered with no lasting side effects from what Dex had done to her.
She felt the sway from the lake waves and wanted to scream and shout about how happy she was. She had everything she wanted and more. Of course, she still couldn’t see her everything because he’d covered her eyes. She didn’t really understand the need for a blindfold anyway. The lake was the lake. There were very few surprises for people who’d grown up on Lake Tahoe like she had.
“Okay, babe, give me a few more minutes.”
“For what? What are you doing?”
Ryan didn’t answer, but she heard him rustling around, the snap of what must have been a blanket, then the sound of Styrofoam. She chuckled, thinking she’d eaten out of too many Styrofoam containers if she so easily recognized the sound.
“Okay,” Ryan muttered. “I think that’s— Shit, hold on.”
Bailey laughed, listening to him talk to himself was entertainment all on its own.
“Got it. Perfect. Cool.” A moment later, his hands cupped her face, and he kissed her deeply. “You ready for your surprise?”
She licked her lips and tasted enchilada sauce. “El Lago for dinner?”
He chuckled. “Of course. What else would we eat?” His hands fiddled with the back of the blindfold, and suddenly, his face came into view. She looked around. The sky had grown dark, but the boat was lit with candles, making her gasp. It was so pretty out on the lake. No other boats were around them. It was mid-spring, but the last dregs of winter still lingered. The time between winter and summer was a quieter time on the lake. The tourist population was dwindling, and it would be quieter until the weather grew warm again. When Bailey turned, she saw the picnic laid out on the stern deck. A grouping of candles lit the area, and sure enough, El Lago enchiladas were on the menu.
“It’s beautiful. What’s the occasion?”
“Oh, uh…well, I wanted you all to myself. I told you that.” He stood and took her hand, leading her to the picnic. “What other occasion do I need?”
“We live together. You have me to yourself every night.”
“Yeah, that’s true, but I wanted to do something special for you. And why all the questions? Can’t you enjoy the evening without an explanation?”
“Of course.” She smiled wide as she knelt on the deck. She lay back and tucked her coat across her chest as she gazed up at the star-laden sky. The memory of their first time together was at the forefront of her mind. That evening had come more into focus over the last several months. Or maybe her imagination had filled in the blanks for her. She wasn’t sure, but she did know she and Ryan’s lives had changed dramatically on that day. She wouldn’t change a thing about it. She loved him, and her only regret was that it had taken her so long to realize it.
She clearly remembered what the stars had represented to her on that day: disappointment, sadness, loneliness, loss. Until she and Ryan had made love that night, she’d lain there on his boat, on a perfect evening, feeling sorry for herself. She was
