Silent Run - Barbara Freethy [118]
“We’ll talk when you get to San Francisco.” Jake cleared his throat. “It’s going to be all right. We’ll work it out.”
“Drive carefully,” she said.
“I will.” Jake put Caitlyn into her seat and strapped her in. When he got out of the car he gave Sarah a reassuring look. “Don’t worry, Sarah. She’ll be safe with me.”
“I know that. I trust you. I do.”
Jake started to say something and then changed his mind. He walked around the car and got in. He started the engine and pulled away quickly, giving her no chance to beg him to stay.
Catherine and Teresa came down the path. Sarah saw the questions in their eyes. They didn’t understand her actions, but they would support her anyway. “I have to give him this time. I owe him.”
“You’re so strong now,” Catherine commented. “The little girl who used to crawl into my bed at night is all grown-up and braver than I could ever be.”
“I’m not brave. I’m really not.” But Sarah waited until Jake’s car had turned the corner before she sank into Catherine’s loving arms and cried her heart out.
“It will be all right,” Catherine said soothingly.
“You’ll figure out a way to make it all work. Jake seems like a good guy,” Teresa put in. “And if he tries to take sole custody from you, we’ll kick his butt.”
“He is a good guy,” Sarah said, sniffing as she tried to pull herself together. “He’s the best. I ruined everything. I had the perfect family.”
“Oh, sweetie,” Catherine said with a sad smile. “Don’t you know yet that perfect doesn’t exist?”
“I still want it to.”
“Cinderella and the prince—your favorite fairy tale,” Teresa said. “How about we get some breakfast before I drive you to LA?”
“Are you sure you want to do that? I can rent a car.”
“Do you actually have an ID?” Teresa asked.
“Come to think of it, no, but I do have cash.” And now she remembered where she’d gotten the cash. She’d never put any of her paychecks into the bank. She’d cashed them and kept the money in the heater vent with her IDs. She wondered what it would be like to live her life above ground again, to be able to walk freely down the street, not be concerned whether anyone was following her. She couldn’t even imagine it.
“I’ll drive you,” Teresa said. “It will be fun. A road trip.”
“I’m coming, too,” Catherine said.
“I don’t know why you’re both being so nice to me.” Sarah shook her head. “I don’t deserve it.”
“Yes, you do. You’re a good person,” Catherine stated firmly. “Don’t forget that. Every decision you made, you made out of love.”
Before Sarah could reply a car came around the corner, a very familiar car. She straightened in alarm.
Jake pulled up in front of them and jumped out of the driver’s seat. He dashed across the sidewalk.
“What’s wrong?” Sarah asked as he jogged toward her. “Did you forget something?”
“Yes, dammit. You. I forgot you.” He grabbed her by the arms and kissed her long and hard on the lips. “I can’t leave you behind. I can’t do it.”
She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. “You still want me?”
“With every breath I take.” His eyes burned with desire and need. “You are connected to me, Sarah. I can’t let you go. I don’t know how I thought I could.”
“Oh, Jake,” she whispered. “How can you forgive me?”
“Because I can. Because I want to. Because you’re the woman I love.”
“Still? After everything?”
“The truth is that I never stopped loving you,” he said, gazing into her eyes. “Even when I hated you, I loved you. You got under my skin. You haunted my dreams.”
She put her hands on his face and let all of her emotions show. There was no more need to be guarded, to try to protect her heart. She’d already given it to him. “I love you, too, Jake. I always did. I never lied about that. If you’ll give me a second chance, I’ll do better.”
“So will I.” He pulled her up against his chest. “It wasn’t all you, Sarah. I have to share some of the blame for not wanting to rock the boat. But we can start over. We can get it right. We know who