Risky Pleasures - Brenda Jackson [69]
“Dream about me tonight, sweetheart.”
She smiled. “I always do, Reese. I love you so much.”
“And I love you, too, Leah.”
And then he was pulling her into his arms, holding her close and she felt it and knew he felt it, too. The need to assure each other of their feelings, their love and the knowledge that what others didn’t understand, they did. What had happened that night five years ago was something they would deal with and work through. Together.
Moments later he took a step. “Don’t forget that tomorrow I’m leaving for Memphis to pick up supplies. I won’t be back until noon.”
She nodded. She had forgotten. “Thanks for reminding me.”
And then giving her one last caress across her lips, he turned and left. And as always, she felt an intense surge of loss with his leaving.
Leah glanced around her restaurant. It was small but just what she wanted and needed. Already, she and Reese had discussed the possibility of expanding and she was glad there would be no problem doing so.
Since opening a few months ago for breakfast and lunch, she had begun getting a steady flow of customers. Because the buildings she and Reese had purchased were right off the interstate, truckers stopped by and she had discussed with Reese the possibility of expanding her hours to include dinner.
“Leah, you have a call.”
She turned around and smiled over at Marie. A single mother who had recently moved to town, Marie had become a godsend. The hours at the restaurant afforded Marie time to get her two little boys to the bus stop in the morning and to be there to pick them up in the afternoon. “Thanks, Marie, I’ll take it in my office.”
Leah quickly walked in the back to her office, wondering if it was Jocelyn calling. Although her sister had moved to Charlotte, they made a point of talking a few times a week. She was happy for Jocelyn. Her sister had found the man of her dreams and was happily married to one of the infamous Steele brothers, Sebastian.
She smiled as she picked up the phone. “Hello.”
“Leah, this is Daniel.”
Leah raised her brow wondering why Reese’s brother would be calling her. “Yes, Daniel, what is it?”
“It’s about Reese. He asked me to call you. He was involved in an accident on his way back to town and—”
“An accident!” Panic raced through Leah’s body. “What happened? Is he okay? Where is he?”
“Yes, he’s okay, just bruised up some. We’re at the hospital. Some trucker fell asleep at the wheel and plowed into him. I understand from the state troopers that things could have been much worse, especially if Reese hadn’t been familiar with the roads and hadn’t been able to retain control of his truck. Otherwise, there’s no way he would have been able to stop the vehicle from going over a cliff.”
Leah closed her eyes, imagining such a thing happening when she remembered the mountainous roads between Newton Grove and Memphis with all those sharp curves. She began shaking. “Where is he, Daniel? I need to come to him. I need to—”
“You really don’t need to do anything. The only reason I’m calling is because he asked me to.”
She paused, hearing the cold bitterness in Reese’s brother’s voice. At that moment, anger suddenly tore into her, but she wouldn’t give in to it. There was a lot about her and Reese’s relationship that Daniel didn’t know. “And I appreciate you calling, but I really need to know what hospital he was taken to.” She needed to see Reese, talk to him and make sure he was all right.
“There’s no need for you to come here. The doctor has fixed him up and has given me the okay to take him home and that’s what I’m doing. You can call and talk to him later. ’Bye.”
Leah heard the click in her ear and for the longest time just stood there and stared at the phone. If anyone thought she wasn’t going to find Reese and see for herself that he was all right then they had another think coming.
She pulled the apron over her head as she grabbed her purse and headed for the door. It would be closing time in an hour or so and Marie could do it for her. At the moment, the one and only thing on her mind was getting to Reese.