Page 32 of Megan's Mate
“Not to Coco.” He steered easily around a curve. “Of course, she doesn’t know that I know she’s already got me scheduled to go down on one knee.”
“It’s fortunate, isn’t it, that you’re forewarned?”
Her indignant tone had a smile twitching at his lips. “Sure is. She’s been singing your praises for months. And you almost live up to the advance publicity.”
She hissed like a snake and turned to him. His grin, and the absurdity of the situation, changed indignation to amusement. “Thank you.” She stretched out her legs, leaned back and decided to enjoy the ride. “I’d hate to have disappointed you.”
“Oh, you didn’t, sugar.”
“I’ve been told you’re mysterious, romantic and charming.”
“And?”
“You almost live up to the advance publicity.”
“Sugar”—he took her hand and kissed it lavishly—“I can be a lot better.”
“I’m sure you can.” She drew her hand away, refusing to acknowledge the rippling thrill up her arm. “If I wasn’t so fond of her, I’d be annoyed. But she’s so kind.”
“She has the truest heart of anyone I’ve ever met. I used to wish she was my mother.”
“I’m sorry.” Before she could resist the urge, Megan laid a hand on his. “It must have been so hard, losing your mother when you were only a child.”
“It’s all right. It was a long time ago.” Much too long for him to grieve. “I still remember seeing Coco in the village, or when I’d tag along with Holt to take fish up to The Towers. There she’d be, this gorgeous woman—looked like a queen. Never knew what color her hair would be from one week to the next.”
“She’s a brunette today,” Megan said, and made him laugh.
“First woman I ever fell for. She came to the house a couple times, read my old man the riot act about his drinking. Guess she thought if he was sober, he wouldn’t knock me around so much.” He took his eyes off the road again, met hers. “I imagine she mentioned that, too?”
“Yes.” Uncomfortable, Megan looked away. “I’m sorry, Nathaniel. I hate when people discuss me, no matter how good their intentions. It’s so intrusive.”
“I’m not that sensitive, Meg. Everybody knew what my old man was like.” He could remember, too well, the pitying looks, the glances that slid uneasily away. “It bothered me back then, but not anymore.”
She struggled to find the right words. “Did Coco—did it do any good?”
He was silent a moment, staring out at the lowering sun and the bloodred light it poured into the water. “He was afraid of her, so he beat the hell out of me when she left.”
“Oh, God.”
“I’d just as soon she didn’t know that.”
“No.” Megan had to swallow the hot tears lodged in her throat. “I won’t tell her. That’s why you ran away to sea, isn’t it? To get away from him.”
“That’s one of the reasons.” He reached over, ran a fingertip down her cheek. “You know, if I’d figured out the way to get to you was to tell you I’d taken a strap a few times, I’d have brought it up sooner.”
“It’s nothing to joke about.” Megan’s voice was low and furious. “There’s no excuse for treating a child that way.”
“Hey, I lived through it.”
“Did you?” She shifted back to him, eyes steady. “Did you ever stop hating him?”
“No.” He said it quietly. “No, I didn’t. But I stopped letting it be important, and maybe that’s healthier.” He stopped the car in front of The Towers, turned to her. “Someone hurts you, in a permanent way, you don’t forget it. But the best revenge is seeing that it doesn’t matter.”
“You’re talking about Kevin’s father, and it’s not at all the same. I wasn’t a helpless child.”
“Depends on where you draw the line between helpless and innocent.” Nathaniel opened the car door. “I’ll carry Kevin in for you.”
“You don’t have to.” She hurried out herself, but Nathaniel already had the boy in his arms.
