| Colby had barely hung up from talking with William when Brian called her. Incoherently at first, she told him about the pictures, until finally Brian got her to talk slowly. He told her he would be on a plane in a couple of hours and would be back in Lexington later that night. His management had been informed and they would be seeking a retraction from all the papers. Colby told him that William was working on this end as well. He wasn’t so sure that he wanted William helping them. Brian still had his reservations about the man, even though his reconciliation with his wife and Colby seemed sincere. Colby assured him that she trusted him and he wanted to talk with them as soon as Brian returned to Lexington. Colby couldn’t sit still waiting for Brian to arrive. She finally took her shower but she couldn’t eat and canceled her dinner date with Barbara and Jim. When they heard what happened Barbara was ready to come and stay with her. Colby dissuaded her saying they needed to go to the club and be her eyes and ears and find out if anyone had seen the papers. She couldn’t eat anyway she told Barbara, her stomach was in knots. They came by after their dinner to check on her though. Colby showed Barbara the pictures and told her what William said. If Garrett was behind this, he would pay. Colby would see to it herself, if necessary. There was a soft knock on the back door. Colby listened and heard it again. She tentatively opened the door and one look at Brian standing there and she broke down again. He dropped his bag inside the door and gathered her into his arms. She clung to him as he whispered softly to her that everything was going to be okay. “Colby, baby, calm down. I’m here and it’s going to be all right.” He tried to pull back but she wouldn’t let go of him. “Shh, stop crying. I’m not going anywhere. I’m going to be right here with you.” Slowly she pulled back and Brian wiped her cheeks. He gently kissed her lips and all the longing he felt by their separation welled to the surface. “Oh Brian, thank God you are here. I was going out of my mind waiting.” They went and sat on the sofa. Colby resting her head on his shoulder as her sobbing slowly subsided and her body ceased to shake. “William wants to talk to us. He said I should call once you got here.” “Colby are you sure about him? I know he has given the appearance of having changed and all, but I’m still not sure.” Colby could see the wariness in his face as his brow wrinkled up and his eyes took on a hooded expression. “Yes, Brian, I trust him. When we talked today he told me he thinks Garrett is behind this whole mess. I think we need to hear him out. He said something about a plan.” She reached for the phone, but Brian stopped her. “Before you call him I want you to know that I love you. No matter what happens with all of this, I love you. I won’t let anything come between us, not Garrett, not anyone.” She could tell that there was something else bothering him. “Brian, what is it?” She touched his cheek and his eyes were sad. “I lost it today, Colby, when I saw those pictures. I grabbed a reporter by the collar and threatened him. Kevin had to pull me back. It’s not my temperament to go off like that, but when I saw you, I…” He ran his hands through his hair. “I wanted to get back at them and I didn’t think about who I was hurting.” He let out a sigh. “You mean everything to me. I love you so much.” “I love you too.” His eyes told her everything that words could not. He cupped her face and his lips pressed to hers. It had only been five days, but it seemed like an eternity since she kissed him. His mouth played across hers and Colby moaned against him. She wanted more, but they needed to call William. She slowly pulled away. They would have to sate those desires later. She picked up the phone and dialed. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ William arrived 20 minutes later as Colby and Brian were about to eat a simple salad Colby had prepared with some leftover chicken and a bag of prepared salad mix. Brian poured them each some wine and they sat down on the sofas in the back room. The tension between William and Brian was evident and Colby knew that before anything could be discussed they both needed to trust the other. She looked from one to the other. They were like a cat and mouse, each waiting for the other to move first. Well she would settle this. “All right, before anything is said I think we need to clear the air,” she looked at both men who acted surprised by her comment. William settled back against the sofa and Brian just ate his salad quietly. “I know the two of you have your reservations about each other, and it has to stop.” She looked at her father-in-law and continued. “William, our lives since Christmas have taken a decided turn, for the better but I still sense your disapproval of my seeing Brian.” He went to protest but she put up her hand. “No listen to me. I didn’t go looking for this to happen. I loved Rob so much and thought I had my only love but then Brian came alone and well, I can’t explain it. I fell in love with him and yes I struggled with those feeling, denying them, but in reality it was because Rob loved me so well that I was able to love again. And Brian,” she looked over at him and smiled as he smiled back, “well, he loves me like Rob did. A day doesn’t go by that I don’t feel that love, even when he is miles away. So you have nothing to worry about. I’m in good hands, but also Rob will always be a part of my life and Brian knows that and he understands.” No one said a word. William studied the bottom of his wineglass but as Colby watched him he glanced towards Brian. The girl was right. He resented the fact that Colby could find love again so soon after his son’s death. But he knew that their marriage had been a good one. As much as he didn’t want to admit it, what Rob and Colby had was rare and she had found it again with Brian. It was the same thing he and Catherine had all those years ago and what he was trying every day to regain with her. So how could he begrudge her happiness? In the end it was the only thing that really mattered, the rest of life didn’t mean a thing unless you loved and were loved. All the money in the world could never fulfill a person the way love could. He watched them as they tentatively looked at each other. They wanted time alone he could see it. They needed to show each other how much they loved each other and here he was intruding on their time. “Brian, I apologize for my deplorable behavior towards you. Colby was right in that in the beginning I resented you and hated you and wanted you out of her life, but not any more. God gave me a miracle at Christmas and he gave me back my life. Colby deserves another love and if you are the one she wants, I will support you both. I promise to stand by you both, not only with this dilemma we are faced with but in the future.” He held out his hand to Brian. “Before you shake on anything, Brian,” Colby interrupted, "you need to hear something too. I, of all people, mistrusted William. For years I bared the brunt of his intolerance towards me. I stood by while Garrett belittled me behind my husband’s back knowing that William had full knowledge of his actions. And if not for Rob, I would have left. I didn’t deserve it and they knew I didn’t, but I didn’t fit the mold. I was my own person and Rob encouraged me to find my own path in life. So I endured knowing I had a haven in this house with the man I loved. They were Rob’s family, and as much as their comments hurt me, they couldn’t really destroy me either. But in the last eight months I’ve seen a man, who I never thought could show a softer side emerge. A man, who his wife said, was there all along. I’ve seen him become a devoted husband and caregiver, a shrewd but honest businessman and yes, even a friend to me. So I ask you, Brian, please give William a chance to show you that people can change.” Colby sat quietly on the floor next to Brian. She didn’t look at him but slowly began to eat her salad. A breath escaped Brian’s lips and he reached out and put his hand on Colby’s. She looked up and his look told her everything was going to be okay. “I blamed you William for the death of Colby’s child. I swore to myself that I would never forgive you for that, for the pain she suffered at your hands. But I, like Colby, have seen you become a man that I didn’t think was possible. I only want what is best for Colby. I love her with every breath of my being and I will protect her from anyone who tries to harm her. So if Colby can trust you I will do the same. I may still hold some reservations, but for her sake I will support her in this.” He stretched his hand towards William and the two men shook hands. Colby breathed a sigh of relief. She lifted her wineglass and made a toast. “To a new beginning, one of trust and honesty.” They clinked their glasses and then sipped. “Now William, what is your plan?” ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ William stayed about an hour. He had spent most of the day since he spoke with Colby on the phone with key people who could help them. He found out that the papers were due to be released to all the outlets in the morning. So as the people of Lexington shopped for their groceries in the morning they would be greeted at the checkout with these tampered pictures of Colby and Brian. He had made arrangements for them to leave town in the morning also. The media would swarm like vultures, so it was imperative to get them both to an undisclosed location. He had also assigned a couple of top executives to watch Garrett. They had already denied him access via computer to all business and bank accounts. His hands were virtually tied. He told Colby and Brian he had been watching him for months now and he knew he was trying to gain control of the company. William may have taken a less active role in the running of the company, but he was still very much aware of the business transpiring on a day to day basis. Garrett would never take it over, not now, not ever. Brian sat and listened intently as William systematically went through all the details. He was thorough. Brian had to given him credit for that. He just hoped they could really trust him. It was nearly midnight when William stood to leave. They walked him to the door thanking him for everything he had done. Colby said she would see them in the morning. William warned against it, but Colby was adamant about seeing Catherine before she left. Brian shook his hand and thanked him. There was still a hesitancy between them, but tonight a major breakthrough had occurred. Colby had barely closed the door when Brian pulled her into his arms and his mouth sought hers. The fires of desire that had been quelled earlier resurfaced. He gathered her in his arms and took her upstairs. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Garrett typed in the password again, ACCESS DENIED. He cursed under his breath and tried again. This time he cursed aloud as he pounded the keyboard. He tried another account, only to get the same results. Damn him, he muttered. How did he do it? He thought for sure that this little plan would keep his father spinning for a few days. All this planning was for naught. He had managed to siphon a small amount of money and transfer it to a numbered account in the Bahamas, but it wasn’t much. His tastes were expensive and it wouldn’t last that long. He’d been found out and Garrett knew that whatever freedom he had would now be revoked. He would be given some dead-end job with a modest salary. He was done in this town, his father would see to it. Well just knowing that Colby and that singer boyfriend of hers would suffer public humiliation was almost worth it. He had connections and he would not go quietly into the night. So he would play his father’s game, take his money and live the life he had grown accustomed to. It would afford him more time to play. A grin curled at his lips. He picked up his jacket and left the office. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ “He did,” William nodded as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone. “Just like we thought, then. Good work.” He checked his watch it was nearly one. “No let him keep the money. Besides it’s not that much and it won’t last that long with the way he likes to spend it.” He stifled a yawn. “You’ve done more than enough. Get some sleep and I’ll be in the office in the morning. Thank you, Paul.” William hung up and went up stairs. As quietly as possible he changed for bed trying not to wake Catherine. But as soon as he got into the bed she spoke. “Did you take care of everything, William?” she whispered as she reached for his hand. “Yes, my sweet. It’s all done. Colby will be by to see you in the morning before they leave. I couldn’t stop the distribution of the papers though but I’m working on getting to the source and justice will be done. I promise. Within a week, if not less, it will be over.” He kissed her forehead. “Over? Colby and Brian will have to live with this for the rest of their lives, William.” “I know, but it’s really not them. It was all computer generated. I have confirmation on that.” “Even so, the embarrassment of people thinking otherwise will be hard to forget.” “We will get a retraction I promise. Now you need your rest.” He pulled her to him. “No more talking.” He kissed her forehead. All the tension and anxiety seemed to slip from his body as he held her close. ~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Colby woke with a start, breathing sporadically. She sat up in bed, shaking her head to get the images of her dream out of her mind. She went to get up when a hand reached out and held her at bay. “Colby?” Brian said sleepily as she turned to look at him. The moonlight cast a swath of light across the room and Colby could see his face. “I had a bad dream.” She turned back towards him as Brian sat up and put his arms around her. “I’m scared Brian. What is going to happen? Tomorrow those papers will be in newsstands and racks all over the country. How are we going to deal with it?” Colby could feel the tears begin to form in her eyes and she willed them back. “I’ll be honest with you Colby, I’ve never had to deal with anything like this before. None of us have. This was a blatant attack against us and if William is right, Garrett did it just to spite us all. So I think we need to just let our management and William handle this. They know who to contact.” Colby nodded her head at his words. It had to be Garrett. Who else was there? Colby yawned and leaned a bit heavier against Brian’s shoulder. “Come on, let’s go back to sleep.” Brian helped Colby settle herself against him. “Brian, I love you.” Colby murmured as she worked her way into the crook of his shoulder. “I love you too,” he replied and kissed her forehead. Would there ever come a time in their life when they could just be? It seemed like they had been putting out fires from the very beginning. This time away would be good. They could just concentrate on each other and maybe Brian could pursue a more permanent relationship between them. |