Just Deserts - Brenda Jackson [14]
“What about the fourth room? The one belonging to the other woman?” she heard herself asking.
“It wasn’t complete. There were several things missing in hers that we had in ours,” Renée said. “That’s why Chris thinks he hadn’t married her yet. Your room, Danielle, according to Chris, was more furnished than mine, and mine had more stuff in it than Alex’s. It seemed he was still collecting items for the fourth woman. No items of clothing, no personal effects. He had collected a few menus from restaurants the two of them must have gone to together, but Chris won’t tell me what those places are or where they are.”
Danielle heard what Renée was saying. And she knew that now, more so than ever, she needed to find the woman to make sure she wasn’t wondering why Marc hadn’t yet come back to her.
Danielle inhaled deeply. “Okay. I hope Chris shares more with me and Tristan when we meet with him in a few days.”
“We’re looking forward to your visit,” Renée said in an excited voice. “And no matter what we’ve shared with you, Danielle, you have to get beyond it like we’ve gotten beyond it. You have to believe there is life beyond Marc.”
“I do.” She felt the need to say it, although she knew that she hadn’t made an effort to pursue that life.
“Then act like it. We can understand you wanting to bring closure to everything, but we don’t want you to get so obsessed that you forget something important.”
“What?”
“Marc is dead. He can’t hurt us anymore. But you, Alex and I, as well as Mystery Woman Number Four, are alive. And it’s time for you, Danielle, to start living.”
It’s time for you to start living….
With a deep inhalation of breath she forced down the anxiety she felt. Alex and Renée were right. She needed to start living, but knew she wouldn’t be able to until she brought closure to her life with Marc. She wished there was another way, but she knew there wasn’t.
She moved away from the window where she’d been standing since ending her phone call with Alex and Renée ten minutes ago. A part of her wanted to lie down and rest, but she couldn’t do that, either.
She wanted to talk to Tristan.
But how could she when she couldn’t let him know she had spoken with Alex and Renée? He would see that as letting this thing with Marc intrude on time when she should be relaxing. He would be upset.
Still, she wanted to see him. He was her best friend and even if she couldn’t let him know that something was bothering her, just being around him would calm her troubled mind.
Leaving her bedroom, she crossed the sitting room and saw his bedroom door was slightly ajar. She was about to knock when she noticed him stretched across the bed, asleep. That was when she remembered they had both left the pool area with the intention of returning to their rooms for a nap.
She started to turn around and then decided that since she felt the need to be close to him, she would lie down beside him. If he were to wake up and find her there, he would know something was bothering her but wouldn’t ask any questions. He would wait for her to tell him.
The same thing had happened one night after Paul had died. She had spent the night at Tristan’s place and had had a bad dream about Paul’s death. In her nightmare she’d seen the helicopter crash that had taken him from her.
She had awakened in tears and had somehow made it to Tristan’s room. He had been sound asleep and she had eased into bed beside him. He had eventually awakened and found her there. Instead of asking why she’d gotten into his bed, he had held her for the rest of the night.
The next morning she’d told him what had sent her scurrying to his room, and he’d told her then that he would always be there if she needed him. Well, she needed him now.
Slipping off her sandals, she slid into bed next to Tristan and suddenly felt a moment of peace and calm. Satisfied that he was near, she closed her eyes, and moments later she felt herself drifting off to sleep.
Something woke Tristan and he immediately knew what it was. Danielle’s scent. She had been using