Chapter Ten #2
her purse from the bottom desk drawer. “Besides, this constant attention is embarrassing me.”
“Meggie, I love you,” he said in a lowered voice as if that would appease her.
She flashed him a silencing look. “Quinn Donnelley, that simply isn’t going to work.”
“Maybe this will.” He pulled out an oblong envelope from the inside pocket of his suit coat and handed it to her.
Meggie sat back down as she accepted the piece of paper. “What’s this?” Her voice was quiet, questioning.
“Open and see.”
Confusion clouded the clarity of her dark eyes as she tore open the envelope. She glanced up hesitantly. “It’s an airplane
ticket. Where? Why?”
His hand at her elbow lifted her gently from the chair. “Come on, we’ll talk about it on our way to the car.”
Obediently, Meggie followed, too stunned to question him. She’d been so surprised she hadn’t noticed the ticket’s destination.
The hand at her elbow was gripping her tightly.
Urgency filled his steps as he escorted her from the building. Instead of heading for the employee parking lot in the back
of the building, Quinn brought her around to the customer parking lot, where his Jeep was waiting.
“What about my car?” she asked, pointing lamely in the other direction.
“George has promised to keep his eye on it until you return. If it’s more than a few days, I’ll have it brought to the apartment,
so don’t worry about it.”
“A few days?” Meggie pulled her arm free. “Just what’s going on here?”
Quinn paused, thrusting long, tapered fingers through his hair. For the first time that day Meggie noticed the small lines
of doubt and worry that were tightly etched about his eyes and mouth as if something monumentally heavy was weighing on him.
A prickling of fear raced over her skin, raising tiny goose bumps on her forearms. “Quinn, what is it? What did he say last
night?” She didn’t need to qualify whom she meant by “he.” Quinn knew.
“You don’t need to worry about it, Meggie; the whole thing’s been arranged. But I’ll feel a lot better if I know you’re safe.
Your father and I had a long talk this afternoon and he agreed the best place for you right now is home.”
“Home,” she repeated stiffly, “is right here in Portland with you and Jill.”
His soft chuckle caught her unaware. “That’s exactly what your father said you’d say.” He hesitated. “Meggie, I want you to
do this for me.”
Stubbornly she shifted her weight from one foot to the other and crossed her arms in front of her. Ignoring the questioning,
vaguely pleading look in his eye she asked, “How did you know dad’s phone number?”
He shrugged. “From the phone bill on your bedroom dresser.”
“And just when were you in my bedroom?” she demanded.
Quinn opened the door of the Jeep and Meggie saw one of her suitcases sitting in the back. “When I packed your bags,” he responded,
as if it were the most normal thing in the world for him to go into her apartment and sort through her things. The sudden
thought of him searching through her drawers brought a flood of color to her face.
“Did you get everything?” she asked, her voice slightly flustered. The way some women collect hats or shoes, Meggie collected
lacy underthings. “Don’t you need a warrant or something?”
“I’m looking forward to seeing you in some of that fancy gear,” he whispered just loud enough for her to hear, causing her
to blush all the more.
“Quinn Donnelley, you are no gentleman,” she replied stiffly, knocking the hand he offered her aside. He was still chuckling
to himself as he walked around the other side of the car. The fiery glance she threw him as she sat erect quickly quelled
his amusement.
Inserting the car key into the ignition, Quinn cleared his throat. Silently, they rode together to the airport. When he stopped
for a red light several miles from Hadley Insurance, his hand left the steering wheel. Without a word he placed it on top
of hers, which lay on the seat. The action dissolved Meggie’s indignation. It wasn’t that he had gone into her apartment and
packed her things. But he was forcing her to do something she’d never wanted to do again: run from a problem. In her own mind
she realized she wasn’t. It was Quinn who needed the assurance that she was safe while he dealt with whoever was making the
calls. He hadn’t told her what he was going to do, what action he had planned. She wasn’t sure she wanted to know.
“I won’t stay any longer than the weekend,” she informed him in a proper voice that she hoped conveyed the strength of her
will.
His returning smile related his own determination. “We’ll see,” he said.
“Yes, we will,” she said forcefully.
Quinn’s hand returned and tightened around the steering wheel. For a moment Meggie thought he was angry until she realized
that he was having difficulty restraining his laughter. “I didn’t realize you were one of those women who had to have the
last word.”
“I’m not,” she defended herself with a righteous glare.
“I’m glad to hear it.”
“Good.” She remained stiff and erect, her gaze focused directly ahead of her. She chose to ignore his soft chuckle. Turning
her head she studied the shops and businesses along the route, her mouth pressed tightly shut. If he’d said one more thing
she would have disgraced herself by bursting into tears. Visiting her dad wasn’t the way to solve the problem. She didn’t
want to fly home. Her life was here in Portland and she was proud of all that she had accomplished in these short months.
When she’d first arrived she didn’t know a soul. Now she had a home, a man she loved with her heart and soul, good friends . . .
and one sickie. Of its own volition her bottom lip began to quiver as the first tears filled her eyes. Why would anyone want
to do this to her? It was beginning to turn her whole life upside down. Again she’d miss seeing Jill over the weekend. The
need to talk to the girl forced an involuntary sob deep from within Meggie’s throat. She bit into her trembling lip, praying
Quinn hadn’t noticed.
“Meggie?” A questioning note filled his voice.
Hurriedly she wiped the tears from her face before turning to look at him and smiling brightly. “Yes?” she replied with feigned
cheerfulness.
His eyes studied her, narrowing as he noted the damp eyelashes and the proud tilt of her chin. “You’re not fooling me,” he
said, momentarily returning his attention to the street.
Meggie gave him a brave smile. He was using the same words she’d spoken the other day when she had informed him she knew exactly
what he was doing by taking her to lunch. “I know,” she whispered softly, lowering her gaze to the neatly folded hands that
rested in her lap.
After parking the Jeep and checking in her suitcase, Quinn said, “Your father will pick you up at the airport.”
Meggie answered with an abrupt nod.
His hand gripped hers as they walked silently down the concourse. They sat next to one another until her flight was called
for boarding. Somehow, deep inside, Meggie had the inescapable sensation this was all some horrible nightmare and that she’d
wake in an hour or two and find the whole thing had been a bad dream. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply, praying the dream
would end.
“Meggie,” Quinn said softly, his hand linked to hers pulling her upright. “I don’t want you to go. But I’m asking you to trust
me in this.” With infinite care his hand cupped her face as he gently laid his mouth over hers for the sweetest, most beautiful
kiss Meggie had ever received.
Drowning in the depth of her love, Meggie slumped against him, tears filling her eyes. It was impossible to speak; the knot
in her throat had grown so large it was difficult to breathe. It was as if someone had cut off her oxygen supply.
Halfway into the Jetway, Meggie turned around to look back. People boarding the plane stepped around her. “Did you forget
something, miss?” a stewardess asked.
Meggie shook her head, weaving her way between the others. As soon as she was out of the Jetway she saw Quinn. He was standing
at the window looking at her plane, his gaze following the progress of the boarding passengers as the window seats were taken.
He seemed to be waiting for her to look out from the plane window and wave. He stood with his back twisted away from her until
she softly called his name.
For an instant he looked shocked to see her. Their eyes locked in a duel of wills. With a delicate movement of her lips she
smiled, conceding. She raised her hand to her mouth, kissed her fingers and with the same hand waved good-bye. Without another
word, she turned and boarded the aircraft.
“Meggie.” Roy O’Halloran stepped away from the crowd of people, his hand raised as he signaled to gain her attention.
“Dad.” As much as she hadn’t wanted to leave Portland and Quinn, Meggie couldn’t prevent the flood of pleasure she felt at
seeing her father again. She returned his wave eagerly and hurried through the throng of passengers that were impeding her
progress.
They hugged one another as if it’d been years instead of a few months since they’d bidden their farewells.
“Meggie, let me look at you.” Her father broke the contact and gleamed a golden smile at her. “Love seems to agree with you.”
Involuntarily, Meggie blushed as she tucked a strand of hair around her ear.
“Quinn sounds like the kind of son-in-law I’d hoped you’d pick. You’ve chosen well.”
Meggie couldn’t restrain the smile that curved up the corners of her soft mouth. For so long her father had only seen Sam
as a suitable husband, and to have him say otherwise amazed her.
“And just who said anything about Quinn and me getting married?” she questioned indignantly. Although Meggie mentioned Quinn
and Jill in nearly every telephone conversation with her father, she had never said anything about their decision to marry.
“Oh dear,” Roy groaned, “I didn’t let the cat out of the bag, did I? Quinn asked me if I had any objections to the two of