Halfway to You(68)

Una reengaged. “That was where you asked Hugh for permission to marry Natalie.”

Jackson nodded slowly, remembering. “It was way too early for marriage, but I was having a beer with Mr. Whitaker, overlooking the waves, and I figured I’d just go for it. Take the first step, at least.”

“I didn’t know that,” Keith said, patting Jackson on the back. “Well done.”

Natalie was beaming. “See? Happy memories.”

But everyone was edgy after that, strange and pensive and distracted. We exchanged shallow pleasantries for another ten minutes, and then Natalie swiveled toward me. “Ann, you must be exhausted! Don’t let us keep you.”

“I would like to settle a bit,” I admitted.

“I agree, I’m beat,” Todd said, standing.

I rose from the couch. “So nice to meet you all, thanks again for having us,” I said politely.

The family nodded, waved, or uttered quiet you toos.

When Todd and I were finally in the elevator, I collapsed against him, snuggling into his chest.

“Tired?” he asked, wrapping his arms around my waist to hold me up.

“Exhausted,” I said. “I hope I made a good impression.”

“Keith’s family is easygoing. They don’t have any expectations.”

“Of course they do,” I said. “I’m the ‘famous author,’ remember?”

He squeezed me closer, crushing my ribs against his in the most delicious way. “They loved you.”

“Natalie loved me. The rest I’m not sure. Is Tracey always so quiet?”

“She can be,” Todd said, but I sensed that there was more to her story than Todd was willing to divulge.

And speaking of stories: “Who’s Penny?” I asked, pulling back to see Todd’s face.

He blanched, letting go of me completely. The elevator doors slid open. Stepping into the hallway, Todd fished our room key out of his pocket.

We walked in silence, my question hovering in the air between us like a wasp. It dipped and darted, but Todd evaded. He located our room and opened the door. Our luggage had been placed just inside the door on racks, and I set my purse on top of my suitcase.

“Todd,” I said gently. “Who is Penny?”

He walked farther into the room, pausing by a pair of chairs posed next to a large window that overlooked the lake. “Keith’s youngest sister. She died.”

I brought my palm to my chest. “He never mentioned her.”

“Yeah, well . . .” The usually strong, straight lines of his shoulders had rolled forward. “It’s a sad memory for everyone.”

I had thought Keith, Todd, and I were close, but now I felt like a stranger invited to someone else’s dinner table. I wanted to ask more but thought better of it.

“I’m going to unwind with a shower,” I said instead. “Care to join me?”

Todd turned, but his eyes remained distant, as if he were still staring out the window. “Nah, you go ahead. I’m going to unpack a little.”

I walked over and kissed his cheek. His hand didn’t come to my waist, nor did he bend down to receive my kiss. The result was me on my tiptoes, kissing a wall—wondering if he’d ever let me all the way in.





ANN


Mohonk Mountain House, New Paltz, New York, USA

December 1993

I awoke to early-morning sunlight illuminating our window. Todd’s arm was draped over my waist, still heavy with sleep. I slid out from under his hold and used the bathroom, then located my cigarettes and shrugged into a complimentary robe. I shuffled past the NO SMOKING sign on the wall and opened the door to our private balcony.

The cold hit me like an Amtrak, pressing a gasp out of my lungs. The temperature must’ve been in the teens. I pulled the robe tighter around my body, then lit my cigarette and puffed through it as quickly as I could before stubbing it out in the crust of ice on the railing. When I returned inside, Todd was stirring. The warmth of the room flushed my skin; I abandoned the robe on a chair and slid under the warm duvet. Todd pulled me to him, spooning me close.

“That’s a bad habit,” he mumbled into my hair.

“Smoking?”

“No, standing outside in the cold.”

I sighed. “You’re probably right.”

“Of course I am.”

“I’ve been living in Europe too long.”

“I agree,” he said with emphasis. I waited for him to push that topic further, but he only nuzzled closer. “You’re an ice cube.”

“You’re a furnace.”

He put a single finger on my bare hip. “Tssss.”

I giggled, and he pressed his body flush to mine, sliding his hand under my sleep shirt.

“I missed you,” he said.

“I missed you too.”

The hand on my breast squeezed.

“Todd?”

He was already undressing himself, me. The room was silent save for the soft kisses he planted on my neck. His breath warmed my hair. One of his arms wrapped around my chest while the other traveled down my body to spin magic between my legs.

“I didn’t think this trip through, Copper,” he mumbled, but I was only half listening. My mind was floating out in space, tethered only to his movements. “I realized this morning that I won’t have you to myself hardly at all.”