Beautifully Unfinished (19 page)

As Lucy reached the truck, she stopped before she climbed inside. She suddenly had the feeling that she was being watched. She turned around in a full circle, but there was no one to be seen.

“Are you okay?” Tucker asked, as he gave her a worried look.

“Yeah,” she said, as she still scanned the area. “I guess…I’m just being silly, that’s all.”

“Well get in the truck, Silly Girl,” Tucker said as he kissed her tenderly on the lips. “We need to get you home.”

Lucy laughed as she climbed into the truck, and Tucker slammed her door shut. She smiled to herself as she waited for him to hurry around to the driver’s side and get in.

She looked over at Tucker as he started the engine.

“I do love you, Tucker,” she said honestly.

“I know,” he replied with a smile. He put the truck into drive and pulled out of the driveway.

When Tucker and Lucy reached Tom’s house, Lucy was surprised to see Alison’s car wasn’t in the driveway. She was sure she would have still been hiding in her bed, hungover.

“I wonder where she has gone,” Lucy said as Tucker turned off the engine.

“Well, if she was on the margaritas last night, too,” Tucker said as they both climbed out of the car. “Maybe she is gone to get something for a hangover.”

“Maybe,” Lucy said, as she headed up the pathway to the front door and pulled out her keys.

The first thing Lucy noticed when she stepped through the front door was the smell. The strong odour of disinfectant hit the back of Lucy’s throat and made her already delicate stomach, heave.

She walked into the living room and was surprised to find the mess they had created the night before all gone and the room spotless. Still, something seemed different, Lucy just couldn’t seem to put her finger on what is was.

“Lucy,” Tucker said from the doorway. “I found a note.”

Lucy turned and found Tucker holding out a sheet of paper, folded in half.

She walked towards him, took it from him and began to read.

Hi Lucy,

I’m sorry for vanishing. I got a call from David. He got back from his trip early. He had some kind of accident. I have gone back to New York to check on him.

He said it’s nothing to worry about, but I want to be sure.

I cleaned up our mess from last night, but I did have an accident. I dropped a lamp and broke it. I will send money for a new one when I get back to New York. Talk soon.

Alison xx

“She went back to New York,” Lucy said, as she looked up at Tucker. “She said David had an accident, and she needed to go home.”

“Who’s David?” Tucker asked as he watched Lucy.

“He is her fiancé,” Lucy replied, as a worried expression appeared on her face.

“What’s wrong?” Tucker asked, as he immediately sensed something wasn’t right with Lucy.

“Nothing,” she frowned, then added. “It’s just, something doesn’t feel right. I hope she isn’t upset with me for not coming back last night.”

“She is your friend, Lucy,” Tucker said, as he reached up and softly touched her face. “I don’t think she would be angry; I think she would be happy that you’re happy.”

“I guess so,” Lucy shrugged. “Still, I think I will give her a ring and make sure everything is okay.”

“Okay,” Tucker said, and he kissed her on the forehead. “I am going to go grab some coffee. You go get changed, make your call, then we can go to see your dad.”

Lucy nodded, then turned and headed for the stairs. When she reached her room, she pulled out her phone and brought up Alison’s number. She let it ring until it reached her voicemail.

“Hey, Ali, it’s me,” Lucy said, unsure of what she should say next. She decided just to apologise and go from there. “I’m sorry about last night. Tucker and I have worked things out, well sort of. Anyway, I am sorry I didn’t come back. I hope you’re not mad.”

Lucy stopped, unsure of what else she should say.

“I hope David is okay,” she continued. “I will call you later, or call me back when you get this message. Okay, bye.”

She hung up the phone and sat on the bed for a few moments. Something felt off, but she wasn’t sure what.

“Penny for your thoughts,” Tucker said from the door of the room, startling Lucy. She hadn’t even heard him coming in.

“I was just thinking about, Alison,” Lucy replied.

“Is she okay?” Tucker asked, as he walked to the bed and sat down next to Lucy.

“I didn’t talk to her,” Lucy replied. “I got her voicemail, so I left a message.”

“I’m sure she will call back later,” Tucker said, and Lucy knew he was trying his hardest to reassure her.

“Yeah…” Lucy replied, but stopped and frowned.

“What is it?”  Tucker asked.

“Alison always answers her phone,” Lucy sighed. “Even when she is in the car. I’m just surprised that she didn’t answer, is all.”

“You don’t think she is ignoring you?” Tucker asked. “I know I don’t know her, but I don’t think that is her style.”

“I don’t know,” Lucy shrugged. “I guess I will know later if she returns my call.”

“I guess you will,” Tucker said, as he gave her a reassuring smile. “So stop worrying. She is your friend.”

Lucy smiled back, leaned up and kissed his cheek, then stood up and walked to her chest of drawers. She pulled out clean jeans, a blouse, and some underwear.

“I will leave you to get ready,” Tucker said, as he stood up from the bed and walked to the door. “I need to make some calls. I will be downstairs.”

“Okay,” Lucy said, as she watched him disappear out the bedroom door.

Ten minutes later, Lucy made her way down to the kitchen and out onto the back porch, where she found Tucker sipping coffee and staring into space.

“Penny for your thoughts,” she said, repeating his question to her from earlier, as she sat down next to him on the back step.

“I was just thinking,” Tucker said, as he glanced at Lucy. “You’re going to go back to New York, aren’t you?”

“I don’t know what I am going to do,” Lucy replied honestly, as her eyes fell to the flower planter in front of them. “I know my dad needs me here, and I can’t imagine spending one day without seeing you…”

“But,” Tucker added. “I sense there is a ‘but’ coming.”

“But,” Lucy said cautiously. “Staying here in River Springs also means I will always have the ghosts of the past hanging over me. I will always be afraid that I will see Trent wherever I go. I don’t think I can live like that. I don’t think I belong here.”

“Then we will go to New York,” Tucker replied like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

“We?” Lucy asked, stunned by what he said. “You would do that for me?”

“In a heartbeat,” Tucker replied with a grin.

“But…” Lucy said, still shocked by his response. “Your life is here…”

“My life is sitting in front of me,” he stopped her mid-sentence. “I told you, I am not letting you walk out of my life again. I understand why it would be hard for you to stay here. So, if being with you means I have to go to New York with you, then I will.”

Lucy just stared at him for a moment, as unshed tears prickled her eyes, until finally, they trickled down her face.

“Why are you crying?” Tucker asked, as he wiped the tears from her face.

“Because I never believed that I could be this happy,” Lucy smiled through her tears. “I never believed I would love someone, the way that I love you.”

Tucker wrapped her in his arms and held her tightly.

“Please don’t cry,” he whispered into her ear.

“These are happy tears,” she said with a giggle. “I promise.”

“Good,” Tucker replied, and kissed her forehead. “Now, let’s get you ready and get you up to see your father. I have the day off, and I plan on spending it with you, and there is so much I want to do with you.”

Lucy went and splashed her face with water, then reapplied her make-up. Before she left for the hospital, she tried to call Alison once again, but there was still no answer. She sighed as she slipped her phone into her pocket and hurried down the stairs to where Tucker was waiting for her.

“Are you ready to go,” Tucker asked when he looked up and saw her walking down the stairs.

“Sure,” she replied with a smile before she followed him out the front door.

When they reached the hospital, Lucy was surprised to find her father sitting in an armchair next to the bed, but he looked unhappy like something was bothering him.

“You’re out of bed,” Lucy beamed, as she hurried to her father and kissed his cheek. “I wasn’t expecting this.”

“I had my first Physio today,” Tom replied abruptly, without looking at his daughter or Tucker.

“How did it go?” Tucker asked, as he gave Lucy a worried look and she knew he too, saw there was something wrong.

“Not as good as I hoped,” he sighed miserably, still not making eye contact with either of them.

“You need to give it time, Dad,” Lucy said, as she crouched down in front of him. “It’s your first day.”

“It’s my last one, too,” he huffed as he finally looked up at his daughter. “I am not doing it anymore. I need to face the fact, I will be a cripple for the rest of my life. I am just an old, stupid man that is no longer any good to anyone.”

“Dad, you are far from old or stupid,” Lucy said, as she took hold of his hand. “I know today was hard, but tomorrow will be better.”

“No,” Tom replied sharply. “It won’t, because, I won’t be doing it.”

He turned and looked up at Tucker before he continued.

“I have contacted head office,” he sighed. “I have informed them that I will hand over the reins to you, Son. You are exactly what this town needs. We need some young blood in charge, and I know I can trust you, and that you won’t let me down.”

“Chief, I…” Tucker began, but Tom cut him off.

“It’s settled and done, Tucker,” Tom cut in, abruptly. “I am retiring, and I am leaving the town in good hands.”

Lucy looked at Tucker, and her heart sank. She could see the struggle in his face. He was torn between keeping his promise to her, and doing his duty for the man that saved his life. The one man that was there for him, when no one else was.

Her heart broke.

Lucy loved Tucker more than anything else in this world. She knew she couldn’t ask him to turn her father down because she knew he felt an obligation to him. It was part of what she loved about him. Tucker was a good man, a man of honour.

She just didn’t know if she had what it took to be the woman he loved and stay here with him.

Lucy let her eyes meet Tucker’s and he gave her a look that almost shattered her. She knew what she needed to do, even if it broke her heart.

“You’ve been very quiet today,” Tucker said, as they drove back from the hospital. Neither of them had mentioned her father’s request, and Lucy knew it was because they both knew what it would mean to them.

“I hadn’t realised I was,” she replied, without taking her eyes from the road ahead.

“I would love to know what you’re thinking,” Tucker said cautiously. “You have me worried.”

Lucy looked over at Tucker and smiled, but inside her heart ached. She wanted to beg him to pick her, to come to New York with her, but she couldn’t. She couldn’t ask him to make that choice, no matter how much she wanted him to.

“I’m okay,” she said, deciding to keep her thoughts to herself. “I guess I’m just tired.”

She didn’t trust herself not to cry if she said what was in her mind, so instead she decided to say nothing.

“Are you sure?” He asked, and Lucy knew he wasn’t convinced. “Because you know you can talk to me about anything.”

“I know,” she smiled, before she returned her gaze to the road ahead. “I’m okay, I promise.”

When they reached the house, Lucy excused herself and went up to her room to change. She pulled on some leggings and a baggy t-shirt, then caught her hair up in a bun on the top of her head.

Before she went back downstairs, she tried Alison’s number once again.