The Woman I Love: Book One (The Woman I Love Series 1) Read online

  Even with the success of three murder/mystery books to her credit, Gage longed to write and produce screenplays. So she jumped at the chance into the symbolic arms of her knight in shining armor. Not unlike what the little boy had done earlier in the day with her.

  Mark and Gage quickly became friends after discovering both had experienced difficult times during their lives. Each had suffered great losses, Mark lost his wife and parents in an airplane accident and Gage never even got to know that kind of family relationship in her life.

  These thoughts led to another family across the way. I bet they’re all sleeping right now. The love mother had for son and vice versa permeated the air when Lacy encased her little daredevil in her arms. Gage smiled in contemplation briefly only to find her thoughts going along another path in wonder about the young girl who exhibited a distinct reservation toward her. I’ve got to do something about that.

  She didn’t know why it was so important to her that this family like her, but Gage determined to do just that. The niggling feeling that pestered her thoughts demanded it, and it declared loudly with a thundering roar that her life would never reach true happiness if she failed.

  Chapter Five

  Gage Ballant paced outside Cabin C wondering if she should knock. She’d been up at the crack of dawn, editing her screenplay, straightening up the cabin, just in case, and fixing several sandwiches. Basically, just killing time until she thought it appropriate to see if Lacy and her kids were ready for their planned excursion.

  Now after twenty minutes waiting in the cool morning air and not seeing a light come on in the cabin, Gage swung around back toward her cabin when she heard. “Jage.”

  Happily, Derek sprang across the porch to the steps. Lacy from behind and Gage out in front rushed in tandem toward him. “Oh, no. Not again, young man.” Gage halted his progress, but had no affect on the beaming smile that welcomed her. Leaping up the stairs, Gage gave the little boy a big hug; which seemed to be returned tenfold.

  “He’s usually hard to get up in the mornings.” Lacy offered.

  Gage rubbed the sleep out of his eyes. “Me, too.”

  Lacy continued. “Not today though. He was tugging at my covers bright and early insisting I get out of bed.”

  The writer sent the actress a questioning look. “I tried to persuade him to sleep in a little longer which turned into an all out tickle war when Dani joined in after jumping in my bed.”

  Gage pondered a delicious idea. “So you’re ticklish?” Realization dawned on her. God, did I just say that out loud?

  “Only a lucky few get to know that.” Lacy bantered back. Suddenly turning around and entering the cabin, her skin flushed at her own unexpected boldness.

  Swallowing hard, Gage whispered. “Lucky? I am lucky.” She confirmed. “Though I’m not sure I could get that lucky.” Doubt filled her thoughts. Shifting her eyes to Derek, she asked her potential ally. “You’re on my side, right?” His only response, a neutral giggle.

  Within ten minutes, Gage was leading Lacy and her kids to the boathouse in front of her cabin. “I thought we could take a trip around the lake first. Just to get a general idea of the layout. Then…”

  Remembering to be polite, Dani interjected. “Our mother was practically raised here. Her brothers and sister came up here to visit my great-grandparents every summer. So, I’m sure she doesn’t need to get the… general layout.” Although, her voice was velvety sweet, it left the bitter taste she intended.

  Gage stopped Lacy before she could chastise her daughter. “You’re right. I shouldn’t have assumed. And the assumption I made about you….” A pause created the affect she desired, getting Dani’s full attention. “….is probably wrong, too.”

  Dani cast Gage a looming look, careful not to go too far and push her mother’s mood over the edge.

  Gage opened the wide boathouse door allowing everyone to peer inside. “I assumed you’d be a natural at navigating…..” Gage pointed through the front door of the boathouse.

  Excited blue eyes practically popped out of her head at the sight of the fire red ski boat. She rushed in ready to fulfill one of her lifelong dreams. Dani loved water. Any kind. Whether walking in the rain, swimming in it, drinking it or washing in it, but especially being the captain of her own boat sailing the seven seas. “No, you got that one right.” Dani offered Gage her most sincere smile to date.

  “Dani, you’ve never navigated a boat.” Lacy supplied.

  “Yes, but I am a natural. Just like Gage said.” Dani took her place along side her new best friend, willing her mother to defy her. Taking hold of Gage’s hand, Dani then looked purposely at her mother. “You’re not saying she’s wrong, are you?”

  “No, no.” She admitted. “I’m not going to win this one, am I?” Lacy threw up her hands in surrender.

  Smiling up at Gage who was holding her brother, Dani asked politely through strained excitement. “Can we get in now, please?”

  Surveying their clothes, Gage questioned. “Did you bring your swimsuits?”

  Lacy raised the bag she was carrying.

  “It’s bound to warm up today. Why don’t you put them on under your clothes before we get out on the water? That way we’ll be ready for anything.” Gage suggested.

  “I guess we should have done that back at the cabin.” Lacy’s words created a dejected look to spill across Dani’s face. She was becoming impatient in her desire to get behind the helm of her very first boat.

  Gage took a couple steps to a door inside the large boathouse and pushed it open. “You can change in here.”

  Lacy scanned the small, but spacious room. “It has a bed in there?”

  “Yeah, well, this place belongs to a good friend of mine. He has a chauffer, sort of a personal assistant that goes with him just about everywhere. And…, well, Chance prefers to sleep in the boathouse even though there’s two bedrooms in the cabin.” Gage shrugged her shoulders, preferring not to divulge anymore.

  Dani, unconcerned with why there was literally a bedroom in the boathouse, pulled her mother inside and closed the door. “Let’s get changed.”

  With a speed that matched the roadrunner, Dani changed then stepped back outside offering a brief glimpse of a semi-naked Lacy as she changed into her swimsuit. Startled, Lacy commanded. “Dani, close the door.”

  Gage averted her eyes, but couldn’t keep the satisfied grin that saturated her face at bay. Quickly, pretending to adjust Derek’s shirt, she let the sexy vision she’d just witnessed flood her mind over and over again.

  “Jeez. Hurry up, will ya?” Dani re-buttoned her top as she moved closer to the boat.

  When the inside door finally opened again, Dani met the disapproving eyes of her mother. “Sorry, mom.”

  Hoping to help the young girl escape retribution, Gage said. “Let’s get going already. We’re burning daylight.”

  Surprised, but delighted that Gage was trying to divert her mother’s warning eyes off of her, Dani’s mouthed a silent ‘thank you’. It did the trick as Lacy took possession of her son to get him changed into his swimsuit.

  Gage shrugged her shoulders at Dani and gave a quick wink, creating the first bond between them. Well, I couldn’t let her get in trouble. After all, she did inadvertently do me a huge favor. As hard as she tried, Gage could not wipe that happy smile off her face much to Lacy’s dismay.

  After jumping in the boat, Gage meticulously went over some general safety instructions showing everyone the location of the boat’s kill switch, fire extinguisher and the extra life jackets. Placing her cellular phone on the boat’s console, she said. “And this, I usually carry it with me wherever I go, just in case.”

  Unusually patient, Dani astutely paid attention and held very still as Gage strapped her life jacket on. Lacy, in turn, did the same for her son.

  With one quick check to see if everyone was ready, Gage fired up the engine and the crew was off for their great day of adventure. Dani slipped easily in front of Gage taking her
captain’s role very seriously while Lacy lounged on the back seat of the boat with Derek.

  Within an hour they had reached the other side of the lake, having followed the shoreline cruising at a low speed under the watchful eye of the young captain. “When are we going to get to the cave you talked about Gage?” Dani carefully guided the boat past a small marina.

  “It’s a little ways further. Just keep heading East.” Gage answered.

  Dani eyed the compass on the dash in front of her. Remembering how Gage showed her how to read it, she turned the wheel to the right slightly. A tap on her shoulder drew her attention. “What?”

  Gage pointed to the sandy beach just East of the marina. “Just beyond that beach, that’s where the county fair is going to be.”

  Fondly remembering the fun she had at the fair, Lacy asked. “Do you know when it is this summer?”

  Over her shoulder, Gage said. “The weekend after this coming one.” A hesitant pause filled the air. “Do you plan on being here that long?”

  “Yes. Yes, we do.” Thinking it would be a great idea to take her kids, Lacy asked Gage. “You?”

  Even if Gage had planned to leave earlier than that, she would have immediately changed her plans if it meant spending more time with them. But, the thrill of that prospect deflated at Dani’s next words.

  “Great. Dad will be up here by then.” Dani bounced a couple of times on Gage’s lap at the impending arrival of her father. “Then we can all go, right mom?”

  “Sure. All of us.” Lacy’s voice lacked the thrill of excitement at the mention of her husband. She realized she hadn’t given David a thought since she arrived at the cabin. Directing her attention on Gage. “You’ll still be here?” She asked, with a weak but hopeful tone.

  Suddenly sullen, Gage smiled bleakly at Lacy. “Yeah.” Great, she’s married. Don’t know how I overlooked that rock on her ring finger? Her beautiful eyes, her smile, her sexy body. Yeah, I can understand why I overlooked it.

  Thinking ahead, Dani came up with another reason to be captain of the fine vessel she was guiding effortlessly through the water. “Good because we’ll need the boat to get there.”

  “Dani, we can’t just expect Gage to chauffer us around. We can drive the long way around the lake.” Lacy offered feebly, although it was the last thing she wanted.

  Dani swiveled around to her mother. “But she’s coming with us.” Then looked at Gage. “Right, Gage?” The young captain thought quickly. She wanted another reason to climb behind the wheel. “Please.”

  “Well, ahhh….either way, though, I’m sure Mark….my friend, wouldn’t mind you using it even if I didn’t tag along.” Gage felt awkward about the prospect of being a third wheel when the husband showed up.

  “No, we’re not going to use the boat if you’re not with us, Gage.” Lacy said flatly, finding it unacceptable to go without her new friend. “And we wouldn’t have as much fun without you there.”

  With a reluctant nod, Gage proffered a vague agreement. “Yeah.”

  Quickly, Dani closed the discussion. “It’s settled then.”

  After a quiet ten minutes of cruising, they finally reached the water entrance of the cave. Gage helped Dani guide the boat to a small cove to the left of the cavern. “We can’t get to the cave from here, but I thought we’d anchor here awhile. Maybe do some swimming, it’s pretty shallow.”

  Gage flipped the ignition key, killing the engine. She gently lifted Dani from her lap and reached for a basket under the console. “And have some lunch, what’d ya say?”

  “That would be great.” Lacy said, then Derek hopped off her now that Gage’s lap was vacant. “Thanks for bringing the food.” Sighing, “Some mother I am. It didn’t even occur to me.”

  Patting her mother’s knee, Dani consoled her. “We still love you, mom.” Having done her daughterly duty, Dani rolled her eyes. Who cares about food? “Can we explore the cave now?” Her excitement spilled out.

  “Honey, as I recall, we can’t get to the cave from this side.”

  “Your mother’s right. We’d either have to climb up over it or head back to the cabin and take the trail from the other side to get there.” Seeing the dejected expression Dani displayed, Gage offered. “Before we take off, we’ll get a closer look from the water. Okay?”

  It wasn’t the answer Dani wanted, but she considered herself a reasonable kid and offered a compromise. “Tomorrow then?”

  “We’ll see. Maybe later in the week.” Temporarily defeated, Dani figured she’d have to settle with her mother’s uncertain promise. She rebounded quickly, stripping out of her clothes down to her swimsuit. She was determined to salvage the rest of the day, filling it with fun. Dani stepped up on the side of the boat, jumping in the water. A splash rained on Gage and her new lap partner who just giggled at his sister’s antic.

  During the next few hours, they ate, swam and Gage showed Dani how to tie a few sailor’s knots. Having explained it was a mandatory skill expected of all good Captains, so Dani gave it her full attention. She expertly learned several knots and was eagerly ready to add more to her arsenal before her mother stopped the lessons when Gage started to show her how to tie a hangman’s knot. Before they headed back home, Gage helped Dani guide the boat for a closer inspection of the cave’s entryway with a promise to explore it in a few days, causing a concerned look from Lacy.

  The clouds turned dark overhead matching Lacy’s gloomy mood and the threat of rain beckoned from the sky. The gushing wind picked up giving them a choppy water ride back to the boathouse.

  Chapter Six

  A few sprinkles fell from the sky just as they left the boathouse en route back to their cabins. Gage insisted on escorting them along the path as the sky cracked with thunder. With the wind whipping around them, Derek clung to her as each bolt of lighting flashed across the sky.

  Carrying Dani up the steps onto the porch, Lacy stopped short upon noticing the sliding door ajar. Swirling around, she caught Gage’s eyes, as the blonde joined her on the porch with Derek in her arms. The frightened mother let Dani slide down as Gage stepped in front of her, handing Lacy her son. The young mother pushed Dani back away from the door, shielding her.

  “Momma.” Derek whimpered, hanging tightly to his mother. Even as the storm raged, an eerie silence surrounded them. Scared, Dani wrapped her arms around her mother, anchoring herself against the unknown danger that swept chills though her body, raising the bumps on her skin.

  “Stay here.” Gage entered the cabin. The dark sky’s ambient light from the lingering lightning provided just enough illumination to scan the living room and adjourning kitchen. Gage immediately noticed the broken glass from the three paned front door. A loose shutter whacked the side of the house spurring Gage to practically jump out of her skin. But it was the bedroom door creaking open that persuaded her to take immediate action.

  “Come on.” Her tone brooked no argument. Grabbing Lacy’s hand, Gage led her and the kids down the steps along the path to her own cabin. Pushing the back door open, the four piled in just before the heavens opened up with an onslaught of water, light and thunder.

  With the rain beating down hard on the rooftop as the furious storm raged outside, Gage called the sheriff’s department reporting the break-in. Lacy settled the kids on the couch then went in search for a couple of towels.

  Lacy reentered the living room to find Derek clinging to Gage on the couch with Dani snuggling close by. A bolt of lightning cast a streak across the room followed by a clap of thunder, jolting Lacy. Calming herself, she asked. “Are they coming?”

  “Yeah. We’ll wait here while they check your place.” Gage shifted, making room for Lacy to join them. “Sit down.”

  Handing Gage a towel to dry Derek, Lacy wrapped the other towel around her chilled daughter, rubbing a bit of moisture from her hair and face dry. Dani climbed on her mother’s lap leaving a spot between the two adults open, which the actress unconsciously closed. Their arms brushed together sparking wel
comed warmth between them, carrying a familiar comfort felt by the touch.

  Lacy gaped into green eyes and the soothing feeling she found there converged upon her entire being, seducing her into a sense of complete and utter trust for the woman who had become a necessary ingredient in her family’s life. Somehow even in the midst of lurking danger, Lacy felt safe. Comforted by this feeling, the dark haired woman leaned her head on Gage’s shoulder as the blonde held the star’s son tightly. With Dani in her arms, they waited.

  ***********************

  An hour later, a loud knock jolted the cabin’s occupants. “I’ll get it.” Gage said, handing Derek to his mother. The writer opened the door after the sheriff identified himself.

  Stepping inside with his deputy, Sheriff Baylor, removed his wet hat. “Ms. Ballant?”

  “Please call me Gage.” She released his hand then turned to the much younger deputy.

  The tall, light haired deputy claimed her hand, flashing a magnetic smile. “Deputy Simmons. But you can call me Ted.” He noticed the sheriff’s slight disapproving glance.

  The sixty-year-old sheriff grunted. “You’re the one that called about the break-in?”

  “Yes. This is my cabin.” Pointing to Lacy seated on the couch, she continued. “Mrs. Levine… she’s the one that is staying over there.”

  Nodding, he directed his attention to Lacy who gave Derek to his sister then stood up. Coming up to stand next to Gage, Lacy welcomed the two officers.

  “Ma’am, we have a few questions and we’ll need you to go with us to see if anything is missing.” The sheriff informed her.

  Glimpsing the uneasy look forming on Lacy’s face, Gage offered an alternative. “Sheriff, we’d be glad to answer any of your questions, but would it be possible for Mrs. Levine to go in the morning. With the weather and…. well…..” Gage directed his attention to the two scared children on the couch.