*****
Patrick slept for a while, but a gruff bark from Ciara made him open his eyes wide. Sliding out from under Savannah he grabbed his pants. But when he got to the kitchen, his dog was playing paws against the glass with the coon from earlier.
“Found a friend?” Feeling thirsty, he made his way to the kitchen. Home Sweet Home. Flipping on the light, he padded to the cabinet and got a glass and filled it with water. As he sipped, he looked down and saw a prescription bottle. Curiosity got the best of him and he picked it up. Prenatal vitamins prescribed to Savannah Doucet. Patrick’s heart stopped. Prenatal vitamins? Savannah was pregnant? His head swam with dismay. His guts wrenched with pain. Leaning on the cabinet, he tried to catch his breath. God! He didn’t know what to think? Turning around, a big bouquet of fading red roses caught his eye. Walking over to them, he couldn’t help but see the card lying beside them.
MARRY ME
YOU DON’T HAVE TO DO THIS ALONE.
REVEL
A pain-filled groan tore raggedly from his throat. Grief rolled off from him in waves. He couldn’t think, he could only feel. He had been dead for three years. What did he expect? The reasoning clamoring in his brain did nothing for the shaft of agony in his heart.
“Can’t sleep?”
Patrick turned and saw her standing there in a pink robe – tiny, rubbing her eyes, yawning sweetly. All he wanted to do was grab her up and hold her tight, never letting her go. But she wasn’t his. “Why didn’t you tell me?” He picked up the medicine bottle and held it out to her. “Why did you let me touch you?”
“It’s not what you think . . .” Savannah started toward him.
“No?” he motioned toward the roses. “I think I get the picture. You and my best friend have been carrying on. You and my best friend have made a baby!” He wheeled around. “Ciara! Let’s go. I’ll get my things later.”
“No, Patrick. You don’t understand. I can explain.”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
He started for the door and Savannah ran to him, catching him by the arm. “Please? Listen to me, Patrick. I love you.”
He pulled out of her grasp, walked out the door and out of her life.
Patrick didn’t stop – he didn’t slow down. No matter how hard she cried and screamed, he drove away from her. She ran down the driveway behind the car, but he kept going. Tears were blinding her, and her throat was raw from screaming. “Come back! Please. The baby is yours!” But he couldn’t hear her, he was gone.
She stood in the early morning light – alone. The mists were rising and the lonely wind whistled through the tops of the tress. What had happened? She had held him in her arms!
Turning, she stumbled back toward the house.
Surely, he would listen. When he calmed down, he’d be back; she reasoned with herself. Patrick knew how much she loved him. They were meant to be together. Fate decreed it to be so.
The walls seemed to be closing in on her. She couldn’t be still. Maybe if she took a shower, she’d feel better.
Everywhere she looked, Patrick was there. For three years she had longed for him – and he had returned. Now he was gone again. It was almost more than she could bear. Stripping off the robe, she turned on the water. The evidence of his lovemaking and her climax was still on her body.
Quickly and efficiently, Savannah showered. Picking up her hair, she let the warm water run down her back. God, she was stiff! Running a hand up her neck, she kneaded a tired muscle. Her finger encountered a rough spot. She felt again. Odd.
Crawling out of the shower, she went to the mirror and what she saw devastated her. There was a rough, raised spot – a blemish on her neck. It was about the size of a quarter and pink with paler spots in it. She touched it and the sensation was dulled. “Oh, God – no!” Savannah knew what it was – her greatest nightmare. No, please no.”
*****
Jayco was at Barksdale, just a few hours away. “Get over here, I need you to come and guard Savannah.”
Rousing himself from sleep, Jayco wiped his eyes. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“I need you to come relieve me. I can’t stay.”
“Why the hell not? You’ve been away from her for three years. Why would you want to leave her now?”
“Just get over here.”
Patrick wasn’t being polite. He was talking like a superior officer instead of a friend. But his mind was a mess. All he could see was that card Revel had signed asking Savannah to marry him. He tried to think straight. Apparently, she hadn’t said yes. She was still wearing his ring, wasn’t she? He thought it was his. Perhaps it was Revel’s. Why? Why would she hesitate to marry him if she was pregnant with his child? Damn, he didn’t know. But he was going to find out. Just as soon as Jayco got here, Patrick was going to pay his best friend a little visit.
*****
“I need to make an appointment,” Savannah’s hand shook as she held the receiver. “My
