No One to Trust - Iris Johansen [87]
Epilogue
Nassau, Bahamas
Two months later
The sun was hot on her back, and Elena turned over and drew farther beneath the huge beach umbrella.
“You’re going to burn.” Galen dropped down on the blanket beside her. He threw a towel over her legs. “You shouldn’t go out at this time of day.”
“I like the heat and I hardly ever burn. It’s one advantage of having olive skin.” She turned on her side to look at him. “Where’s Barry? The last time I saw him, the two of you were riding that poor mule down the beach.”
“Nothing poor about the blasted animal. He stopped walking and made me pull him back to the hotel.” He nodded at a group of children several yards away. “Barry’s over there with the children’s director.”
“Barry’s seen more of you than I have during the last two months. Where have you been?”
“Here and there. I thought you needed to just lie in the sun and be alone with the kid. You were pretty stressed when we left Georgia.”
That was an understatement. She had been coiled tight as a wire and was filled with sorrow, regret, and a weariness that was bone deep. She had been almost numb for the first week and then, gradually, she had begun to heal. “Stressed isn’t the word.”
“You look better now.” He stared out at the ocean. “I called Logan today, and he said we’re clear to go back to the U.S. The DEA isn’t going out of its way to investigate the killing of Chavez or his men. They’re just glad to be rid of them. Manero says there’s no word of any push against us from the drug community. They’re too busy dividing up Chavez’s territory.”
“So it’s over?”
“Looks like it. We’ll go back to the States and get you settled with proper papers. That’s what you want, right?”
“That’s what I want.”
“Good.” He got to his feet. “Then I’ll set it up. We can probably leave in a few days.”
She watched him walk back to the hotel. The sun was shining on his close-cut dark hair, and he was moving with his usual restless energy. He was clearly on a mission.
Out to tie up loose ends and place a big satin bow on a job well done.
Not bloody likely, Galen.
She drew a deep breath as she paused before the door of Galen’s room.
Just do it.
She opened the door. The room was in darkness. “Galen.”
“Out here on the balcony. Problems?”
“Oh, yes.” She crossed the room and went out to join him. “Big time.”
“Barry?”
“No. Everything doesn’t have to concern Barry.”
“Could have fooled me.”
“Because you’re blind. I love my son, but that doesn’t mean he has to be the only one in my life. If you hadn’t been so damn considerate, you could have taken me back into your bed at least a month ago. Instead, you made me wait.” She took a step closer. “You made me feel uncertain, and I don’t like that.”
He smiled faintly. “And what are you going to do?”
“I’m going to tell you I love you and I think you love me. I’ll give you some time to think about it, but it’s only fair to let you know that I believe in marriage.”
“And when did you decide you had all this boundless affection for me?”
“I think it was right before I threw out my weapons when I was about to fight Chavez.”
He blinked. “What?”
“I knew there might be a sniper in the trees, but I threw them out anyway because I trusted that you’d be there for me.”
He threw back his head and laughed. “My God, that’s got to be the most original declaration I’ve ever heard.”
“Stop laughing.” She tried to steady her voice. “It meant something to me. It’s not easy for me to lean on someone else, to trust. You told me I wasn’t alone, that I didn’t have to be alone. Well, I’m going to take you up on it.” She paused. “So make up your mind about it.”
“And if I don’t?”
“Then I’ll make it up for you.” She stepped closer and laid her head on his chest. She could hear the sound of his heartbeat beneath her ear. “I’ll follow you all around the world until you get tired of seeing me and Barry behind you. You won’t be able to look at another woman because I’ll scare her off.”
“You’ll clear the way to me?”
“Anywhere. Anytime.”