While shed been tossing and turning in bed last night, she’d also come to a resolution.
The last time shed caught Stephen cheating, shed turned and run. She hadn't even sought an explanation from him. This time, though the evidence against him was damning, she wouldn't make the same mistake.
Now after she showered, dressed and ate a light breakfast delivered by room service, she put in a call to Tiffany.
When the babysitter picked up she announced without preamble. "You're fired."
"Megan?"
"Yes its me." she said crisply. "As of today, your services are no longer required."
"I can explain—"
‘I’m sure you can." she responded, "but I don't want to hear it."
Afterward, she checked herself out of the hotel and headed for Stephens estate.
She’d bolted, just like four years ago. But now she was turning around and fighting.
Last night had to rank as the most miserable night of his life. Stephen reflected. Megan hadn't come home, and he hadn't been able to find her.
He poured himself another morning cup of coffee and paced back and forth in his kitchen.
He'd been up since six—not that he'd gotten much sleep. Though it was only late morning, he'd showered, dressed in jeans and a casual shirt, and been prowling around restlessly for what seemed like eons.
Yesterday, when he'd arrived at the house in Coral Gables, he'd discovered Megan wasn't there. However, he'd run into a neighbor who said she'd thought she'd seen Megan's car parked in front of the house not too long before.
Cursing his bad timing, but realizing he'd run out of options, he'd returned to his estate near South Beach.
Now he looked outside at gray storm clouds and a steady rain.
Damn it. The storm was closing in. and if he didn't find Megan soon, he'd have to ride out the storm here—alone and without resolution.
The only silver lining was that Megan had asked Anna to hold on to Jade only until today. That meant—at least he hoped it did—that Megan was bound to show up sooner rather than later.
He'd already phoned Anna this morning and told her to give him a call if Megan stopped by to pick up Jade. He'd sensed that his sister-in-law had questions but was refraining from asking them.
He knew Megan couldn't just take off this time. She had a partnership in her firm and a three-year-old who couldn't be uprooted easily. There was also a storm coming ashore. And most importantly, he'd find her—no matter how long it took—and make her see the truth.
Itching to do something now, however, he dialed the sitter. Perhaps Megan had contacted Tiffany. She’d seemed angry enough last night to let loose with some choice words aimed at the both of them.
When Tiffany picked up. he said. "It's Stephen. Have you heard from Megan?"
There was a pause. "You know, for no longer being in your employ." Tiffany drawled. "I sure do get a lot of calls from Garrisons."
Suddenly alert, he asked. "What do you mean you're no longer employed?"
"By you and your wife. She fired me."
Stephen felt his spirits lift, but he nevertheless asked sarcastically. "Even after your explanation that it was supposedly mutual?"
"It didn't get that far. She didn't even give me time to explain!"
At a sound behind him he swung around and his eyes locked with Megan's.
"Talking to the other woman?" she asked, arching a brow.
"Gotta go. Tiffany." he said absently, then disconnected. He stared at Megan, willing her to be more than a figment of his imagination.
She looked like a mermaid that had been washed ashore and up to his doorstep. She was wearing a rain-splattered flower-print sundress, the shoulder straps of which cleverly continued beneath her br**sts, outlining them. Her long red hair hung down her back, drops of rain reflecting the light cast by the overhead in the kitchen.
The way she looked right now she took him back four years. Back to when she was still willing to play the seductress and he was her eager victim. Back to when things had been right between them.
He fought the urge to grab her and pull her into his arms. He settled for setting down the phone and walking toward her. "I didn't know where you were."
"Then let me put your mind at ease." she said, planting her handbag on a nearby chair. "The Tides Hotel."
Ouch. "You know how to hit a guy when he's down, don't you?"
"Funny. I thought I was the one who was down, and you—" her eyes went to his crotch "—were the one who was up."
She was taking no prisoners, he thought with an inner grimace. Still, ridiculously, he felt turned on.
"I thought you were going to bolt like before." he said.
"Can't." She shrugged and held up her hand. ‘I’m married to you this time."
He was close enough to glimpse uncertainty beneath her cool reserve, and he pressed forward. 'I’m not letting you go."
Her eyes flashed. "You strong-armed me into this marriage—"
"Damn right. I did."
"I fired Tiffany."
"But you can’t fire me."
"But I can divorce you." she said, her chin coming up.
His jaw set. Like hell.
"Were you carrying on with her?" she asked.
The question hung in the air between them. "Would you believe me if I said no?"
"Would any reasonable person?" she tossed back.
‘I’m not giving you a divorce," he said implacably, "so forget it."
Megan watched the man she loved walk toward her and held her breath.
His eyes were like hot coals, belying an expression carved in granite.
Yet beneath his hard, uncompromising attitude, she sensed a hint of vulnerability, and her heart somersaulted.
"I fired Tiffany before she gave me an explanation." she said.
He nodded. "I know. She told me. Why?"
"Maybe I learned from my mistakes." she said in a low voice. "Maybe I decided this time that if I was going to exact payment, it should fall on both guilty parties."
He nodded. "Maybe, but is that the real reason?"
He stopped in front of her and she shook her head slowly, holding his gaze.
Her lips parted. "I didn't want an explanation. I was talking to Anna recently, and she mentioned the issue of trust. It’s what was lacking the last time in our relationship. I like to think I learn from my mistakes."
"It looks bad—"
"Incriminating. So incriminating, in fact." she said, "that after the initial shock I realized no one could be that stupid."