Second Nature (5 page)

“Okay,” she said. “But, Nick, it’s just to talk.” Apparently her heart had more pull than her brain at that moment. She wondered what she had just agreed to.

Chapter Seven

Dana stared out the window in her room where she had been hiding all morning. Nick was picking her up sometime after eleven this morning, but doubts crept into her thoughts and her stomach did enormous flip-flops. She smiled, watching the kids playing in the park across the street until a hand touch her shoulder.

“Holy crap, Amy. I didn’t hear you come in. You scared the daylights out of me.” Her heart pounded rapidly.

“I’m sorry. I was worried about you. You’ve been hiding in here all morning.”

Dana turned to her friend and then paced the room.

“I’m getting more nervous by the minute.”

“I wish you’d quit worrying. It’s going to work out.”

“If only I had your confidence.”

The doorbell rang. “No more time to worry. Let’s go.” Amy turned and hurried out of the room before Dana could stop her.

Oh my God, he’s here already? He’s early!
Dana’s hands shook.

As she walked down the hallway, she could hear Dave talking to Nick. Her hands still trembled. She needed to calm her nerves. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the living room. Nick’s gaze fell on her, traveling from her face, down her legs, and up again.

Amy tugged Dana’s hand and pushed her toward Nick before quickly closing the door behind them.

“I thought we could take the ferry to Vashon Island. I packed a picnic lunch, if that’s okay with you?” he asked as they walked to his car.

Dana was extremely nervous. She wasn’t sure why, especially after what she and Nick had shared only a few days before, but she couldn’t help it. Butterflies twisted in her stomach like a giddy schoolgirl on her first date.

“Sounds good to me,” she said. “I’ve never been to Washington before, so I’m ready to see the sights.” No matter what had happened five years before, while Dana was nervous, she was also extremely excited to spend the day with Nick.

They boarded the ferry to Vashon Island, located in the southern half of the Puget Sound, and docked twenty minutes later. She’d never been on a ferry before and really enjoyed it. Amy had told Dana about it, but being on the ferry was better than hearing about it.

Nick pointed out different spots of interest along the way, so the trip flew by, feeling more like five minutes instead of twenty. How cool to drive a car right onto and off a ferry.

He drove down the eastern shoreline of the island to a park at the point. The view of the Puget Sound was breathtaking with a lighthouse situated toward the edge of the water. Nick settled a blanket on a grassy spot close to the shore, and unpacked the basket of food.

“Nicholas, you brought enough food to feed the whole Navy. Good thing I didn’t eat breakfast.” Not that she could have kept anything down had she tried.

He leaned his head back and laughed. It was a wonderful sound, deep and raspy. “It’s all for you,” he said as his stomach emitted a low growl. “Okay, well, not all for you, but I wanted to make sure we were well fed.”

She handed Nick a thick, paper-wrapped turkey, cheese, and tomato sandwich and then took one for herself. Her favorite sandwich, he remembered. Her reserved heart melted a little bit more. Next came a chilled bowl of Italian pasta salad, another favorite, followed by a bag of tortilla chips with salsa, a raspberry cheesecake, and a bottle of wine. Quite extravagant for a picnic. He pulled out all the stops. All the food she loved and each one a weakness for her.

****

Nick studied Dana’s face as she pulled each item out of the basket, noticing the delighted surprise and then recognition that he remembered what she liked. Didn’t she understand she was all he wanted?

His heart had stopped when she walked down the hallway this morning. The other night, she had been simply beautiful in that black dress, but today in a pair of short shorts—wow. She had the sexiest legs on this planet.

“Oh, Nicholas, you shouldn’t have done all this. I can’t believe you remembered.”

“Honey, I’m completely serious about wanting to make up for the hurt I caused. The last five years were pure hell for me, and I can’t imagine what you went through not knowing why I left.”

“I told myself for a long time that I didn’t want to know, and I condemned you for it, but after some serious soul-searching, I feel differently now. I need to know the truth, if for no other reason than my own peace of mind. To help me move on with my life.”

Nick put his food back in the basket, scooted closer to Dana, and took her hands in his. Her fingers were warm and soft, just like he remembered. She possessed the gentlest touch he’d ever known. He didn’t want her to move on, not without him. He didn’t even want her thinking it.

“Do you remember my dad?” he asked.

“I do. I remembered he didn’t like me. I heard about his passing. I’m so sorry. Losing him must have been hard for you.”

“Dad’s death was difficult for the whole family, but I can’t say I feel the same way they do.”

A look of confusion shadowed her features.

“You thought we were close, and we used to be. I had a great childhood growing up. About the time I graduated high school and set my sights on going to college, he couldn’t have been more thrilled, just not with the school choice I had made. I’d been accepted to a different university and was on cloud nine, but it wasn’t his Alma Mater. We fought a lot. I worked my way into that university with grants and loans, and he threatened the whole time that he would make trouble for me if I didn’t switch.”

Nick paused for a moment to gather his thoughts, never letting go of Dana’s hands. “Dad knew people in the right places. My mom held him at bay the best she could. I’ll forever be indebted to her. Then I met you and fell in love.”

She listened quietly as he drew patterns on her palm with his fingertips. “You were right when you said he didn’t like you. I never did quite understand what his issues were with you. My mother loved you. Unfortunately, in my father’s world, you weren’t in my future. The closer you and I became, physically and emotionally, the more vindictive he became.”

“You should have told me.”

“No, I couldn’t do that to you. You meant everything to me, Dana, and he knew it. I couldn’t let him hurt you or let you see what he was doing to me. Whenever you came to dinner at our house, my mother did everything she could to keep him under control. His only weakness was her. I guess, in that one way, he and I were alike. We both treasured the woman in our life.”

She let go of his hands and cupped his stubbled cheeks. “I loved you, too, Nicholas, so much.” She tenderly kissed his lips and then looked away. Dana unwrapped her sandwich and took a bite. “I don’t understand something though.” She paused to swallow the mouthful of food. “So your father wanted to hurt me to get to you, but he knew nothing about me.”

“He had something against your father. I didn’t even know they knew each other. My mom and I had discussed it once, but she wouldn’t tell me anything. I assumed his issue with your father is why my father disliked you so much. Well, that, and me being in love with you.” He smiled.

“Do you remember the night we had that fight?”

“How could I forget?” He turned to the picnic basket.

“I don’t even really know why we were fighting now. It seems like ages ago. But…”

Her pause caught his attention. “But what?”

“I need to know. Why did you leave? Because of our fight?”

Oh, God, he hated remembering that night. Hated leaving the woman he loved. Dana had been and still was, the love of his life. “We were fighting about my father. You were so sweet wanting me to forgive his actions toward you, even after he’d been so despicable to you, but I didn’t leave because of our fight.”

“Then why?”

“When I left your place that night, I remember being so mad. I slammed the front door at my parent’s house. My mom and dad were sitting in the living room. I cursed under my breath, but Dad heard and he snapped. He’d been so high-strung those days, and we were both on edge with each other. He yelled that I was disrespecting my mother by using that language.”

Nick shook his head. “I’d come home late, and he got in my face, demanding to know where I’d been all night, if I’d been with you. I told him it wasn’t any of his business. My mom tried to hold Dad back, but he smacked me right across the face.” Nick’s hand rubbed his left cheek, sensing the impact all over again.

“Oh, Nicholas.” Tears filled the corners of Dana’s eyes.

“He said I was young and stupid, and didn’t know what love was, and that…” He shook his head, not sure if he could tell her more.

“What?”

“Damn, Dana, I don’t want to hurt you.”

She tried to reassure him. “It’s okay. I’m a big girl now, and your father can’t hurt me. What he said were just words.” She bent forward and kissed him so gently he could have cried. He grabbed her shoulders before she could retreat and kissed her back, making sure she knew, through his kiss, what she meant to him.

He moved slightly away and took a minute to gather his thoughts. “My father said you were trash, and so was your family. He said your dad was involved in some illegal drug dealings. He demanded if I didn’t stop seeing you immediately, he would make your family’s life a living hell. He said that he would personally see to it that your father’s secrets came out, ruining your family and your future. Dad knew people, important people, and would have had you kicked out of the university if I didn’t agree to never see you again.”

Dana frowned, her features twisted with shock.

“Sweetheart, please know I would have done anything in this world to keep you safe. I didn’t want to believe my father, but he was so vindictive, and I was afraid for you. He also wanted me to switch universities, which I refused to do. I chose my own path and was willing to undergo his wrath. But I couldn’t let him hurt you or your family. You were everything to me. So I did the only thing I could think of that he wouldn’t benefit from.”

“You joined the Navy.” Dana finished for him.

“Yes, I joined the Navy. He didn’t know what I was doing. My mom knew how much I loved you and promised not to tell him. I told her it was the only way to protect you. I told my father the following afternoon. I’d already been to the recruiter in the next town, and there was a bus leaving for the academy the next day. I signed the papers, went home to pack, and I found him waiting for me.”

“You left without saying anything to me…not even goodbye. I would have understood.” Dana linked her fingers together in her lap, closing her eyes as tears dropped over her cheeks.

Nick couldn’t take seeing her hurting. He pulled her into his embrace, hugging her tight. Her arms went around his neck.

“You left me, Nicholas.”

“Oh, honey.” He leaned back to gaze into her eyes. “You’ll never know how sorry I was for making that choice. It was the only way I could protect you. You have to know, it killed me to leave. If I saw you face to face, I would never have been able to say goodbye to you. I took the cowardly way out. I wanted to be with you forever and have a life together.” He sighed. “Once I made it through boot camp, I was stationed on a base in another state and shortly after, shipped overseas for eighteen months. I tried to keep in touch with my mother, but it was hard. I had schooling and I really started to enjoy what I was doing. I missed you more every day. It was the thought of seeing you again that got me through some of the worst nights of my life. I wrote so many letters to you, and never mailed them. I knew you’d hate hearing my apology through a letter.”

“I heard through gossip on campus where you were,” Dana said. “I never understood. I couldn’t make myself believe that you had loved me, even after all the times you told me you did.”

“When my dad died, I had two day’s leave, and they flew me home for the funeral. I tried to see you, but couldn’t find you. That’s when I found out your father had passed also.”

“My mother remarried. I went out of town for their wedding. I had heard about your father’s funeral when I returned.”

“My mother took my dad’s passing hard. I think mostly because she was alone.” Nick shook his head. “I felt awful not being able to stay with her. She had told me she tried to keep tabs on you, and that you had done well for yourself. She also gave me some information about our dads. Apparently, our fathers were buddies a long time ago and were involved in some sort of drug possession before we were born. I guess your dad turned state’s evidence and accepted a lesser sentence. My dad served seven years in prison. Needless to say, he was a little pissed at your father.”

Dana’s mouth fell open. She obviously didn’t know about her father’s past.

“It surprised me too. My father never spoke about it until he found out I was dating you.”

She shook her head. “Wow, I’m not even sure what to say. My mom never mentioned a word, and your mother must hate my family.”

“Actually, quite the opposite. She and your mom became friends after both our dads were gone. They’ve kept in touch.”

“What? My mother never told me that either. She knew I’d been dating you, but only said you were a good guy, and I shouldn’t have let you go. I thought she was trying to make me feel better.”

“Dana, can you ever forgive me? I’ll understand if you can’t—” She stopped him mid-sentence with a finger over his lips to silence him.

“Nicholas, I…there’s nothing to forgive. When you left, it broke my heart, and I’m not sure how I ever managed to move on. I thought you didn’t love me. I now realize how untrue that was. You did what you thought was right to protect me, because you did love me. Both our fathers are gone and so is the threat, so maybe it’s best to put the past behind us.”

“I can, if you can. I want you to be my future…my forever future.” Nick kissed her passionately and then released her. “You run your business from your house, right?”

“Yes. Why?”

“So you could run it from anywhere?”

“Yes, but…”

“Do you like Seattle?”

“I suppose. Why?”

“I love you and want you to stay here in Washington with me. I know this seems fast, but we’re back together and ready to begin a new relationship. I want to marry you someday soon.” Upon seeing her eyebrows rise, he added. “We’ll take it slow. Maybe we could move in together first? You can even have your own bedroom.”