Chapter 17


Scott stared at the clock. Karen would be dropping Serena off at school right now. He’d sat up all night, just staring at Lucy’s side of the bed. He’d thought about everything she’d said. It wasn’t right, but it was the truth. She’d loved Kevin all along. And she’d told him more than once. He had always wondered what she’d do if Kevin changed his mind.

Well, now he knew.

She must have told Kevin what he’d said about Serena. The guy had nerve, had to give him that.

He still had to explain to Serena where Lucy was. As far as taking Serena away from Lucy. Well, he could do that. But he couldn’t take Lucy away from Serena. She loved Lucy, no matter who Lucy was with. Just not for a while. Scott couldn’t deal with Lucy, just yet. He needed time. And he needed to get out of that empty house.

The Recovery Room was almost empty this time of the morning. Scott sat at a table beside the wall and ordered coffee.

Eve walked in and went right to the bar. Mike poured coffee for her and handed her a danish.

"Hi."

Turning, Eve smiled. "Scott. How are you?"

"I’m going to get over it. You?"

Eve was confused, but she only had about 10 minutes before her shift started. "I’m doing fine."

Sitting on a stool, he sighed. "I’m glad. To be honest, I was afraid he’d leave you in the same shape he left her in."

"Who?"

Staring into her eyes, Scott realized she didn’t have any idea what he was talking about. "That son-of-a-bitch! He..." Standing, Scott started to walk away.

"Scott? What are you talking about?"

Undecided whether to tell her or not, he just looked at her. "I... guess... Eve, I don’t think I.."

"What?!" Eve wanted to know what he was talking about.

"Lucy left me."

"She... left?" It must have been a terrible fight. "Are you sure she’s gone? I mean, once she cools off, maybe she-"

"She left me for Kevin." Scott watched her reaction.

What he said sunk into her. "For Kevin? I don’t understand."

Scott’s anger came out again, this time, it was Kevin he was furious with. "Who’s playing who, here? Lucy’s.." He looked at her, and tried to speak quietly. "Lucy told me she’s been seeing Kevin. And she was going back to him."

"But.." Eve had no idea what to say. Lucy had called the lighthouse last night. "She’s lying, Scott. You know she lies."

He really didn’t want to be the one to tell her this. But if Kevin thought he could play them off each other again, Eve didn’t deserve it. Neither did Lucy, no matter how angry he was at her.

"Eve, I’ve known Lucy too many years. If she was going to lie, she would deny anything was going on. She would have never told me. No, I don’t think she was lying.

She really thinks she left me to go back to Kevin."

"I don’t understand." Trying to figure out what was going on, Eve sat next to Scott. "Why would she tell you that?"

"She told me that because she’s been seeing him! Now, I don’t know what he’s thinking. But Eve, Lucy won’t stand for Kevin seeing her on the side for long. I can’t believe she’d leave me for that."

"She’s not seeing him at all! I don’t know why she told you she was, but I’ve been with him every night! Kevin doesn’t want anything to do with her!" Eve was about to really start screaming at him. "I have to be on duty. I have to go."

Watching her leave, Scott really wanted to know what was going on himself.


Chapter 18


Kevin wandered the halls of the hospital, looking for Eve. She’d sounded really upset on the phone when she’d told him she needed to see him. Her break was due to start in about 5 minutes.

"Kevin."

Eve dragged him into the On Call Room. "I don’t know what to do, here. Should I demand to know what’s going on? Should I just assume she’s lying? She called the house last night! Why?"

"I’m assuming we’re talking about Lucy, she called last night. What’s wrong?"

"What’s wrong? I don’t know whether to slap you, or hunt her down and beat her! That’s what’s wrong!"

Staring at her, he was speechless.

"Well?" She stepped away from him.

"Well? What?"

"What about Lucy?!"

"I... I..don’t know..." Kevin had no idea what Eve was talking about.

"What about her? I haven’t spoken to her. Yes, she called. You were there. But she hasn’t called again, and I haven’t tried to call her again."

"Then why does she think she’s going back to you?"

"WHAT?"

The tears that Eve had been fighting finally won. "She left Scott. Apparently you asked her to come back to you. When were you going to tell me?"

"Eve, I haven’t spoken to Lucy in... I don’t even know how long. I haven’t seen her, I haven’t looked for her. I don’t want to go back to her, and I don’t know why she told Scott I did. I love you. I want to be with you."

Eve didn’t look convinced.

"I don’t understand what’s going on, here." His anger started to get the better of him.

"That makes two of us, Kevin."

"Well, I’m going to find out. I’m going to find her, and make her tell me why she said it." He started for the door. "I don’t know what she’s gotten herself into this time, but I’m telling you, I’m not getting involved in her plan. Or game, or whatever it is she’s pulling on Scott."


Chapter 19


Ryan went back to Ferncliff to see Julie. Something about that girl amused him. Kevin only went twice a week, so he shouldn’t have a problem.

When Julie came in, she looked at him, waiting for him to make the first move. He had been acting way too strangely lately. And four times in one week was a new record for him.

"How are you?" Ryan smiled at her.

"Why don’t you tell me?"

Hearing almost a challenging tone in her voice, he leaned against the wall. "Where did we leave off?"

"You wanted to know how being pregnant made me feel. I got the feeling you weren’t too happy I didn’t want to discuss it."

Ryan eyed the obvious pillow under her shirt. "When is the baby due?"

"I don’t have much longer to go. A few more months. I’m going to have a little girl."

Julie watched his reaction carefully.

There was something else going on here. Ryan stepped closer to her, and she moved away. "I guess you’re excited."

"Of course I am." What was he after? "You know, people treat pregnant women like they’re made of glass. Don’t upset them, don’t excite them, you know what I mean?" Moving closer, he stopped a few feet from her. "I bet that’s how you want people to treat you, right? Leave you alone, don’t mess with you, am I getting close? I mean, no one wants anything to happen to your baby."

Before she could move away, Ryan cornered her against the wall. Toying with her, he reached out and pushed on the pillow.

Julie jumped and tried to pull away, but it was too late. Ryan laughed, and it made chills go up her spine.

"Why are you using a pillow to fake a pregnancy that’s real, Julie?"

The question hung in the air, unanswered.

"There’s got to be a reason, what is it? Who’s really the father? Not the pillow’s father, the baby’s father." Ryan knew he had her.

Julie was close to panic. How had she let herself get into this position with him? "None of your business. What are you going to do?"

Shrugging, Ryan smiled at her. "None of your business. What are YOU going to do?"

"Kevin, please, you said you’d help me. What are you going to do?"

"I guess I’m going to have to think about that. Maybe you should think about what you’re going to do. Are you ever going to tell me the truth? I told you before, you are so far out of your league with me, you wouldn’t even start the race before I cross the finish line. You want to keep trying? Go ahead. Waste you time." He laughed again.

"But then, all you have in here is time, right? Invent games, well, you didn’t invent them, but you think you can play them, right? Tell them what they want to hear, or tell them what will confuse them. Or, better yet, don’t talk to them at all. Try to do the same with me. It’s all the same, right? Or is it?"

Turning, Ryan walked toward the door. "Think about that, little girl. And think about your little girl." Smiling, he walked out the door.

This was as close to being out of control as Julie ever wanted to be.

Alone, she sat down and put both hands over her baby. "It’s okay. Momma won’t let Kevin do anything to you."


Chapter 20


After seeing Julie, Ryan headed back to the house. He didn’t want to leave Lucy alone too long. When he opened the door, Lucy was sitting in the kitchen, drinking coffee.

Crossing the room, she wrapped her arms around him and kissed him. "I hate waking up alone. When are you going to tell her? I’m not going to wait around forever."

He put his hand on the side of her face. "Soon. I promise. Everyone will know soon."

She’d assumed he’d left her to go to the lighthouse. Good. As long as she thought he was leading a double life, he could come and go as he pleased. The fact that she hadn’t mentioned the car meant she hadn’t tried to leave.

Putting her head on his shoulder, she sighed. "I want everyone to know. You’re mine, and I’m not letting go of you again, Doc."

"I want you to know how much I want you." Kissing her, he put his hands inside her shirt.

"You wait a minute! I want to know when! Kevin, I swear if you don’t tell her, I will!"

Stepping back, she stared at him.

"Okay! Fine. If I don’t tell her soon, I’ll personally drive you over and let you tell her. Deal?" He reached for her, and was glad she let him pull her close to him.

This time she let him push his hands under her shirt and lift it off of her. As he tried to finish undressing her, she pulled him to the sofa.

While she undressed him, he watched her carefully. She was definitely the most sexually aggressive woman he’d ever known. He could get used to this kind of demanding attention. And the way she looked at him… Shaking his head, he tried to stop thinking about it. She loved Kevin. Not him. Allowing her to push him down on the couch, he smiled as she climbed on top of him.

Closing his eyes, he concentrated on what she was doing. God, she knew how to make him feel good. She knew just where to touch him, to kiss him, and when he thought he was going to lose all control, she moved up his body to kiss him.

Ryan held her hands while she made love to him, thinking of nothing but the intense pleasure he was receiving from her. It had been a long time since he’d been intimate with a woman. And no other woman had ever excited him quite the way she had.

After, she grabbed her clothes and headed upstairs. "Small bathtub, but the shower’s big enough for two, and the water’s hot. You game?"

Panic rose in his throat and he thought he would throw up. He hadn’t taken a shower or bath with a woman since…. "NO!"

Stopping halfway up the stairs, she looked at him. "What’s wrong?"

The look on his face told her.

"I’m sorry. I didn’t think." Running back down, she sat next to him.

"Kevin?"

"You’re right. You didn’t think. Leave me alone." He snapped at her, and she leaned away from him.

Forcing a smile, he took her hand. "I’m okay."

Her other hand touched his face, and she kissed him gently. "You sure?"

"You go take a shower, and I’ll get something started to eat, okay?" He had to convince her he was all right. The concern on her face was disturbing. She knew. Everything. Yet she was here.

"Okay. I’ll only be a few minutes. I love you." Kissing him once more, she went upstairs.

Ryan sat on the sofa alone for a few minutes. He could feel himself becoming confused.

It was actually nice to pretend that Lucy really loved him. If only for a short time. He had to keep his mind clear and his priorities straight.


Chapter 21


Kevin spent the day looking for Lucy, and with each place he didn’t find her, he was getting angrier with her. Would she ever quit playing games with people’s lives? Probably not. She’d stopped for a while, but apparently, it had just been that. For a while.

His life was off limits, and he intended to tell her that. If he could find her. Her cell phone still wasn’t available, she wasn’t at the Grille, the hotel, the hospital, Luke’s, or the Outback. But neither was Felicia, so he headed for her.

When Felicia opened the door, she was beyond surprised to see Kevin.

"What brings you here? And all by yourself?"

"I wish I could say I was here for your company. Actually, I’m looking for Lucy. Have you seen her?"

"I was actually surprised she wasn’t with you. She let you out of her sight?"

Stopping, Kevin stared at Felicia. "Why does everyone think I’m with Lucy?"

"You’re not? You mean to tell me that you’re not with her? Or you’re just not admitting it." Mac joined them at the door. "You still didn’t tell Eve, did you."

"Tell Eve what?" Kevin felt like he was in an episode of "The Twilight Zone".

"Look, Kevin, you probably didn’t want her to, but Lucy told us. I don’t know what you’re up to, but she’s given up a lot to be with you."

"Or is that to share you?" Felicia jumped in.

"I’m telling you, I haven’t seen Lucy other than the night she stared daggers at me at the Outback. I have no idea why she would tell you she was seeing me. That’s why I’m looking for her. You aren’t the only ones she’s told this, and I want to know why." Kevin was quickly losing what little bit of his temper he’d managed to hold on to.

Felicia stared at him. "Lucy told me that night that you’d called her.

That she’d gone to see you and you wanted her back."

Kevin didn’t answer, but he’s face showed his confusion.

"Now I’m worried. She came here last night, hysterical. She’d told Scott and they’d had this huge fight. He told her he was going to take Serena away from her again. Because of you! I swear, Kevin, that’s what she told me. That you were going to leave Eve when she proved to you that she was serious about being with you. She left a message on your machine from here." Felicia didn’t know whether to be afraid for Lucy or mad at her.

"I got the message, but I had no idea what it was about. I still don’t understand."

"I think the question is" Mac turned to Kevin. "If you’re not calling her, or seeing her, who is? Why would she pretend to everyone it was you? Or, is she seeing anyone?"

Kevin and Felicia stared at him. "I mean, we really have no idea what’s going on in Lucy’s mind. To be honest," Mac almost smiled. "I’m not completely convinced that Lucy always knows what’s going on in her mind."

"Mac, you saw her. I’m telling you, the only thing that could make her even consider leaving Scott, not to mention risk losing Serena, is him!" Felicia pointed to Kevin. "She said she was going to Jasmine Island. Try there. If you find her, let us know."

"Why Jasmine Island?" Kevin was still trying to figure out what it all meant.

"She said that’s where YOU were taking her. Until you left Eve, of course."

"Of course." Kevin shrugged. "I’m going to head up there. If you hear from her in the meantime, call me."

Driving towards the island, Kevin didn’t know whether to be worried or furious. She was messing with his life. But what if someone was messing with hers?


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