A Man for All Seasons (13 page)

“I didn't wait up,” he insisted. “I couldn't sleep.”

Marlie swept the crumbs off the table into her cupped hand and carried them into the kitchen. “You'll be able to get plenty of sleep Friday night. I won't be here. I'm going birding with Jeff Vernon at his family's place near Groveton.” She brushed her hands over the sink.

“Where is that?”

“Northeast of Huntsville. I don't know if we'll see any colly birds, but there's a good chance we'll come across a bald eagle.”

“You're spending the night?”

Marlie rolled her eyes at the suspicion in his voice. “Yes, Ty. We're going camping. We'll drive up Friday and be back Saturday evening. Now, go to your room. You're in my bed.”

“Marlie…”

“I'll leave you all the information.” She pointed to the stairs.

Ty stood. “You don't even know this guy.”

She smiled. “I will by Saturday.”

 

M
R
. F
OUR
C
OLLY
B
IRDS
, Jeff Vernon, was a good-ole-boy native Texan who worked as a petroleum engineer and loved the outdoors.

Tyler hated him on sight. Or rather he hated him as soon as
Marlie opened the door and the guy gave a low whistle then said, “Why, ain't you the purtiest li'l thang.”

Who talked like that?

Then he tilted his cowboy hat and grinned at her as he propped one arm against the door jamb.

Marlie grinned back. Of course she did. Why did women always go for that that “aw shucks, ma'am” stuff?

She stepped aside and he swept off his hat, then wiped his boots on the mat before stepping over the threshold.

“Is this all your gear?” He nodded toward the pile in the entryway.

She'd left a mess of opened boxes and camping equipment beneath the attic access in the upstairs hallway. Ty was going to have to maneuver around it all weekend.

“Yes.” Marlie turned and bent to pick up her backpack and sleeping bag.

Jeff angled himself to get a better view and then noticed Ty watching from the top of the stairs. Silently, he pursed his mouth and fanned his hand in a classic, “She's hot” gesture.

Ty now not only hated him, he didn't trust him.

When Marlie straightened, she saw Jeff looking upward and followed his gaze. “That's Ty. He bought the dating package for me.”

“Much obliged,” Jeff said.

Seriously.

Marlie slung her backpack over her shoulder and Jeff took her sleeping bag. “Thanks for taking off early, Ty.”

“No problem.”

“My new bed's being delivered this afternoon,” she explained to Jeff. “And Ty offered to be here so I wouldn't have to reschedule.”

Did she have to say bed? Couldn't she have just said she was waiting for a delivery?

“That's mighty kind of you,” Jeff said, and Ty wondered if
the guy had memorized a cowboy phrase book, or if he really talked that way.

“We're fixin' to take off now.” Jeff opened the door and ushered Marlie through. “I promise to take real good care of her.”

“Did you charge your cell phone, Marlie?” Ty asked pointedly.

“Yes, Ty,” she called back in a sing song voice.

“Don't be countin' on that too much,” Jeff said. “We've got spotty reception out there. Lots of land and not many people.” Jeff met Ty's gaze with a half-smile, winked, and closed the door.

Winked.
Ty's blood ran cold.

 

“T
ELL ME AGAIN WHY WE ARE
here in the woods and not at the symphony?” Axelle shivered and hugged her arms to her body.

Ty struggled to assemble a two-man pup tent—by himself—by lantern light. Maybe if she helped instead of just stood there, she'd generate some body heat. “My family used to go camping all the time,” he said. “I thought it would be romantic for us to spend the night under the stars.” Within shouting distance of Marlie and Jeff, although if all went well, Axelle would never have to know.

“You can just as easily see the stars from the penthouse of a hotel in Houston,” she said. “And there's room service.”

“No, you can't.” He pounded an orange plastic tent stake into the soft ground. “The city lights make it impossible. Out here, you can see millions of stars.”

Axelle looked up. “I see trees.” She stamped her feet and rubbed her arms. “I'm so cold! Why is it so much colder out here?” It wasn't
that
cold, but Ty reminded himself that Axelle
spent her nights around crowds and a steamy kitchen. “We're farther away from the coast. Less humidity, colder nights.”

Axelle wasn't dressed for camping. But that was his fault for not giving her any notice before he'd decided that a crisp, clear December night in the woods near Groveton, Texas, was a perfect way to spend time alone with her. She'd done her best with jeans, running shoes and a sweater, but the leather jacket wasn't warm enough for outdoors and Axelle couldn't button it over the bulky sweater.

“Open a sleeping bag and wrap it around yourself,” he suggested.

Axelle worked at the knots on one of the bags while he tried to get the tent stakes to hold in the moist ground. Neither succeeded.

“My nails are too long.” She dropped the sleeping bag in front of him.

Ty undid the knots in the cord wrapped around the bag.

Axelle unrolled it and made a face. “It stinks!”

“Let it air out,” Ty told her. The bags and other equipment dated back to his camping days with Marlie's family. There was a lot to air out. “Hey, give me a hand with this.”

Axelle abandoned the sleeping bag in a heap.

“Hold this stake and keep the rope tight,” he told her.

She gingerly knelt, grimacing as her knees touched the damp ground. “But why camp now, this very night, instead of when the weather is warmer?”

Ty had a good story prepared. “Men always take you to the symphony, or a play or a lecture or a fabulous restaurant. I wanted to be different. I want our first night together to be memorable.”

“And you have succeeded,” she said as Ty moved to the opposite corner. “But Tyler, do I appear to be someone who would enjoy sleeping in a tent?”

“You never know until you try.” Ty drove in a stake and
looked at her. “It's quiet and peaceful. Nobody to disturb you.” He walked back to her, positioned the stake she'd held, and pounded it into the ground. “There. Now hold this.”

Axelle gripped a tent pole and Ty fit it to the front of the tent and did the same for the back. A few more stakes and the little orange tent was up.

“How very cozy.” Axelle stood and brushed at her knees. “Where are the restrooms?”

“You're kidding.”

“No,” she said dangerously. “I assume there are public toilets somewhere in the park.”

This is where things got tricky. Ty handed her a flashlight. “We're not in a park.”

She stared from the flashlight to him. “Where are we?”

“Private property. A guy I know owns the land.”

“Would he perhaps live in the house we passed when we turned off the road?”

“Maybe.” Ty was surprised she'd noticed, since she'd been complaining about the bumpy ride at the time. “But don't worry. He's probably not home. Nobody will see you.”

Her eyes were as wide as any human being's could get.

Ty felt guilty. He did. But not as guilty as he'd feel if Marlie got hurt because some guy decided to take advantage of the fact that they were all alone and no one could hear her call for help.

And, to be honest, he'd hoped Axelle would surprise him and love camping. Until last year, he'd spent a lot of time roughing it outdoors for his job as he walked plots of land and evaluated them for drilling potential.

He missed the outdoors. He wondered if Marlie did.

“You just expect me to…to…” Axelle gestured to the darkness beyond the circle of light cast by the lantern.

“You don't have to go far. I'll stay right by the tent.”

Axelle glared at him, muttered something in French, possibly several somethings, and then took off into the dark ness.

She was too uptight. A day without modern conveniences would do her good. Ty crawled into the tent and spread out the sleeping bag. Axelle was right. It did stink. So did the tent. He heard her footsteps crunching through the leaves farther and farther away. Keeping his back turned, he unrolled the second sleeping bag and was hit with the aroma of a long-ago campfire. Axelle had mentioned lighting a fire, but Ty didn't want to chance Marlie and Jeff seeing it.

Axelle's annoyance would be nothing like Marlie's fury if she discovered he was spying on her. He wasn't sure where she and Jeff had pitched their tent, but the truck Jeff had been driving when he'd picked up Marlie had been parked by the house, so they had to be within walking distance. Once Axelle went to sleep, Ty would sneak away to see if he could find them.

He stared at the sleeping bags and considered zipping them together. Maybe… He heard Axelle picking her way deeper into the woods and a quick glance over his shoulder showed her light bobbing and getting smaller. No. There would be no reason to zip the bags together.

He exhaled. This would probably be the end of them and, Ty had to admit, he wasn't all that torn up about it. They'd never really seemed to catch fire, not like he and Marlie and that one incredible, unforgettable, sizzler of a kiss which had branded itself in his memory for all time.

For a few moments, he was back in the kitchen, his lips fused with Marlie's, their breaths mingling, their
souls
mingl—

Enough of that. No more mingling.

Ty backed out of the tent and hung his backpack in a tree out of the way of any animals wandering by. He glanced toward the direction Axelle had gone, but couldn't see her flashlight beam. He couldn't hear her, either.

Great. He should have given her the flashlight with the fresh batteries. Grabbing it now, he took off after her. Seconds later, he saw her light, still bobbing as she walked.

“Axelle!”

No response.

Ty jogged after her. “Axelle!” She had to have heard him crashing through the woods, but she didn't stop until he tagged her arm.

She whipped around and snarled at him. “What?”

“Where are you going?”

“To the house.” She pointed through the trees. “I can see light from the windows, so I am going to knock on the door and ask to use the toilet.”

Ty gripped her arm. “That's not a good idea.”

“Why not? Why can I not go to the house? Surely your ‘friend' is aware that we are camping on his property?”

Ty thought fast. “Just because someone is at the house doesn't mean
he's
there. It could be anyone, maybe even somebody who's not supposed to be there.”

“Speakin' of which,” drawled a deep voice as an intense beam of light suddenly blinded him. “You're trespassing.”

Axelle screamed in Ty's ear, making it ring. “He's got a gun!”

“T
Y
?” M
ARLIE STARED AT
the two people squinting against Jeff's spotlight. Unbelievable. Ty and Axelle.
Axelle.
Bizarre enough for Ty to be there, but with Axelle?

“Hi, Marlie.” He held up a hand to shade his eyes.

Jeff moved the beam out of his face. “Axelle, hon, is that you?”

“Jeffrey?” She exhaled and pressed her palm to her chest.

“The one and only.” He lowered the gun. “What're y'all doin' here?”

Oh, good question.
Excellent
question. Marlie would like to hear the answer to that question.

“Trying to find a toilet,” Axelle said with dignity.

“Well, come on to the house and we'll get you fixed up.” Jeff glanced at Marlie.

“Go on ahead,” she told him. “Ty and I will catch up.”

Jeff nodded, and then he and Axelle moved off, Axelle talking rapidly, and not always in English.

Marlie stared at Ty. “I don't believe this. I do
not
believe you followed us.”

“At least I waited until your bed was delivered.” He flashed one of his charming Ty smiles at her. “Looks good.”

She was not charmed. She couldn't believe he was trying to be funny about the situation, either. “I don't know which is more incredible—that you actually drove all the way here, or that you brought Axelle with you.”

“It wasn't that far—just a couple of hours, and I thought she might enjoy herself” he had the nerve to say.

“Enjoy what? Camping? Or spying on me and Jeff? Are you guys into voyeurism?”

“Come on, Marlie.” He took a step toward her, looking irritated when she backed away. “I had a bad feeling about this whole set-up.”

“Why?”

“You didn't see the way he looked at you.” Ty's jaw tightened. “He winked at me, Marlie.”

She was flabbergasted. “Winked?”

“Yeah.” Ty nodded and shifted his weight. “Guys don't wink at other guys.”

“And Axelle agreed that winking indicates Jeff is seriously deranged?” She saw Ty's face. “You didn't
tell
her we were here?”

“I'd hoped it wouldn't be necessary.”

“I'll bet you did. You've got a fun conversation ahead of you.”

“I know,” he muttered.

“What were you planning to do, anyway, Ty? Hide in the bushes and jump out if Jeff tried to kiss me?”

“If I had to!” He swung his hand, his flashlight beam arcing across the trees. “'Cause I sure don't see anybody else out here to rescue you if you get into trouble.”

“And by trouble, you mean sex. Because I'm so obviously distraught over not having sex with you, that I'll just run out and have sex with anybody!” Marlie had a sudden urge to either strangle him or tear her hair out. She crossed her arms over her chest just in case.

He looked off to the side, jaw working, then back at her. “What was I to think? The very next day after we…” He gestured, which made her even angrier.

“Had our moment?” She bit off the “
t.
”

“Yes. Just hours after that, you were kissing Bob—”

“Ben.”

“—on TV!”

“Your point?”

“That
was
my point!”

“It's a stupid point! You said forget it. I forgot it.” Marlie turned and headed back to the house. She heard Ty crunching through the leaves and pine needles behind her. If he were anybody but Ty, she'd say he was jealous.

“Marlie.” He touched her arm.

“Leave me alone!”

“No. I'm concerned about you.”

She whirled around. “Why?”

He stopped short. “Because…”

And for a moment, Marlie thought—
hoped
—Ty would say it was because he couldn't stop thinking about her and the thought of her with another man was killing him since he'd realized he was madly in love with her.

They stood close enough for Marlie to see the starlight reflected in his eyes. Close enough to fall into each other's arms. She wished they would because she was just so tired of trying not to be in love with him. “Because?” she prompted, softly.

“Because you're all alone out here with that guy. No cell reception, Marlie.”

So much for a declaration of everlasting love. “Oooo. We're
aaaallll aloooone,
” she said, wiggling her hands. “That is, if you don't count Jeff's parents, his sister and brother-in-law, and five Cub Scouts.”

Ty blinked. “What are you talking about?”

“Listen.” In the distance, high-pitched, childish voices shrieked and laughed. “Jeff's sister is a Cub Scout leader and this is their first campout,” she told him. “She needed more adults to spend the night, so Jeff asked if I minded coming up a day early and filling in for one of the parents who couldn't be here. I said sure.”

Ty drew a breath. “I didn't know.”

“You didn't ask.”

“Why would I think to ask if there'd be Cub Scouts on your date?” he snapped.

“Why do you care?”

“Because I bought these dates, so I feel responsible for your safety.”

Responsibility is all he'll ever feel for you.
“We're not kids anymore. I'm responsible for my own safety. Anyway, as you saw, Jeff's got it covered.”

Ty made a noise. “And
that's
supposed to make me feel better about him?”

“It doesn't?”

“He had a gun, Marlie,” Ty said in a low voice. “Around kids.”

“It was locked in his truck until you and Axelle scared us.”

“And then he takes
you
to check us out instead of another man? We could have been anybody.”

Was Ty aware of how irrational he sounded? She spoke slowly and very deliberately. “The other man was helping his wife herd Cub Scouts into the house where Jeff's dad was getting a shotgun out of the
locked gun cabinet
so he could come help.”

Ty's response to that was to stare at her while breathing deeply. The crisp, cool air carried the sound of the boys' excited chatter laced with adult murmurings. Marlie could
smell the smoke from the campfire inside the ring of rocks the boys had collected and arranged.

She and Ty used to have that job when they'd camped, so, of course, that had made her think of him when she didn't want to think of him. And now, here he was, intruding on her thoughts in person.

Ironically, he was wrecking her love life after all those years of complaining that she was ruining his. If he didn't want a future with her, then he needed to go away. Completely. None of this concerned, platonic caring, emphasis on the platonic. No more.

“So have I explained everything?” she asked. “Allayed all your fears? Before you answer, consider that mothers have trusted their seven-year-olds to this family.”

“I get it.” He nodded tightly. “I misjudged the situation.” His flashlight dimmed and he struck it against his thigh making it bright again. “But I meant well, and you're not even the slightest bit grateful. I could have been at the symphony right now—and those tickets weren't cheap—instead of standing in the woods getting yelled at.”

How was that her fault? “And I could be getting to know a man who seems to be a really great guy. Right now, he and his family are probably wondering what's wrong with me, since my stalker friend doesn't trust my judgment.”

Just then, there was a sudden, loud monster voice from the direction of the campfire, followed by screams that dissolved into laughter and hooting. “I should get back,” she said.

“I'm sorry I ruined your date.” Ty sounded a lot like a kid being forced to say he was sorry, something Marlie had heard a couple of times just this evening.

“Are you kidding? The night's just getting started. We're cooking s'mores and telling ghost stories around the fire.
However you—” she poked him in the chest “—are not invited. Go home, Ty. Get your stuff and I'll tell Axelle you'll pick her up at the house.”

 

I
T WAS AFTER MIDNIGHT WHEN
Ty pulled in front of the loft Axelle shared with Paul. It had been an ominously quiet two hours. Although Axelle had kept her eyes closed the entire time, as the car slowed she sat up and Ty guessed she hadn't been asleep. Just avoiding talking with him.

Could he blame her? “I'm sorry for dragging you out there with me,” he began. “I was concerned—”

She cut him off. “I accept your apology. We do not need to discuss this further.” She reached for the door handle.

There was no way she was going to just drop the subject. “I'll call you.”

“Please don't.” She sat motionless, her hand on the door handle before releasing it and easing back in the seat. Then she turned to look straight at him. “You're in love with Marlie.”

“What? No,” he denied automatically. “She's a friend. I care what happens to her, that's all. It's habit.”

“That is not all.” She gave him a disgusted look and said something in French. “I thought it would be amusing to watch you come to realize you loved her. Maybe even nudge you here and there. And Paul!” She rolled her eyes. “I told him he was being too heavy-handed in trying to make you jealous, and now I must apologize to him because, clearly, he was not heavy-handed enough!”

“Paul was trying to make me jealous?” Ty replayed a few memorable moments from that night. He'd been concerned that Marlie wouldn't recognize Paul's insincerity. Even now, the thought of her in Paul's insincere French arms made Ty's stomach knot, made his blood heat, made him want to punch the guy—

Made him jealous. Teeth-grittingly jealous. Made him want
Marlie in
his
arms and nobody else's. The shock of it made Ty's heart pound. This was bad. He was way too involved. He needed to back off and fast. How could Marlie move on if Ty stood in her way? “But…I was with you. You're his sister. Why would Paul want me to be jealous?”

Axelle flung up her hands. “This is why you are not fun for me anymore. You refuse to see what is in front of you.” She eyed him. “Leave her alone. She does not need you or your ‘concern'.”

“Oh, I got the memo. You bet I'm going to leave Marlie alone.” He'd find one of those hotels that rented furnished studio apartments by the week and stay far, far away from Marlie. Let her find someone who wanted to carpool kids and mow lawns and…and lead Cub Scouts. Ty wanted to travel and eat in expensive restaurants and not worry about sticky fingerprints on white sofas. He and Marlie'd go back to hearing about each other during phone calls with their moms. They'd never have to see each other again.

His life would be perfect—except that Marlie wouldn't be in it.

At the thought of a life without Marlie, a sense of profound desolation washed through him, scrubbing away all the lies he'd told himself to cover up the truth.

And, undeniably, the truth was that he
was
in love with her.

He was in love with Marlie. Love
love. With
Marlie
.

No. Not Marlie.

Yes, Marlie.

As soon as he quit fighting the idea, a tension he'd been living with for as long as he could remember eased, to be replaced by yearning. He yearned for
her. Yearned
. For the first time, deep emotions fueled his physical desire. His entire adult life he'd had it backward. He'd used sex to try to find an emotional connection. With Marlie, he had the emotional
connection and his body wanted to celebrate physically. And celebrate often.

He gripped the steering wheel to calm the trembling in his hands as waves of intense feeling crashed through him. All his ideas about the kind of life he wanted collapsed and disappeared like the scenery between acts of a play. The curtain was ready to go up on the next act and there was Marlie, not on the empty stage, not waiting in the wings for her cue, but out in the audience, watching him.

Probably sitting next to Axelle and the other women he'd auditioned and rejected. Only Marlie had got the part and didn't know it. Ty hadn't even known it until just now.

But maybe she was no longer interested. He glanced at Axelle, who'd gone quiet. “Does… Do you think Marlie loves me?”

Axelle gave him a pity-filled look and shrugged. “It does not matter whether or not Marlie loves you if you don't
want
her love. You are too tame for her, anyway.”

“Tame?”

“You think too much,” Axelle said. “Marlie is passionate like me.”

“Marlie? Passionate?” And then he remembered how she'd come alive in his arms, which sent another wave of heat through him.

“Yes!” Axelle leaned forward, getting right in his face. “She loves with her whole heart!” She punctuated the words with a fist to her chest. “I understood this about her the night you told me the way her fiancé left her. He stomped her heart into little bitty pieces and then threw them back at her! It takes a woman a
very
long time to put her heart back together after such as that.” Axelle straightened, her disappointed eyes gazing into his. “Marlie is wise to guard her heart. Why should she give it to someone who doesn't want it?”

“What if I do want it?” he retorted.

“What if?” Axelle erupted.
“What if?”

Ty leaned away from her outrage.

“How will you decide? Borrow her heart and try it out like a car? Sign a lease in case you change your mind? Use it and give it back a little worse for the wear?”

“No!” Ty looked into Axelle's angry face and realized that while he'd been having life-changing epiphanies, the last thing he'd said to Marlie had been that he was going to leave her alone. “I—”

“Why do you think it is all your decision, anyway? Maybe Marlie doesn't want
your
heart.”