Underestimated Part 67

I stood and walked toward the front door. I'd had enough for one night. I wanted Dawson to leave. "You can come and get your stuff whenever you want," I said, placing my hand on the door k.n.o.b.

Dawson removed my hand and pulled me toward him. He held me tight, and I was trying with all of my might not to cry. It didn't work, and I let go. I cried in Dawson's s.h.i.+rt for the last time.

He pulled away after a bit and held my face with his hands. He bent a little so that we were at level eye contact. "I love you, Riley, and don't you ever think that I didn't."

"I love you too, Dawson. I swear I do."

I closed the door behind him, feeling like I was closing the door on that fragment of my life. I knew it was over for good this time, and I was hurt. I wasn't surprised, but I was definitely hurting. I wanted Drew. I didn't call him though. I needed time first. I instead called my mom and cried to her for over an hour.

She didn't speak and only listened until I was done sobbing and had cried out the last of my tears.

"Now that you are done, I think I should tell you something," she finally spoke.

"No, Mom. I can't deal with anymore tonight. I'm coming out there tomorrow. I can't stay here. Save it for another day, please," I begged. She didn't.

"I understand, Morgan," she began, ignoring my request. "Drew flew here when they picked up your car to bring it to you. I know everything, Morgan. I know how you spent your first six years. I know that you ran from him and acquired a new ident.i.ty. I know that he took you from the hospital with the same intentions as the day he picked you up when you were eighteen."

I was speechless. Drew told her everything. I couldn't believe it. Why would he do that?

"I know that he hit you and G.o.d knows what else happened. I know what his a.s.sistant did to you, and I know it was all for money. He was angry that he had worked so hard on making sure that he was on that will, and you just happen to pop up out of the blue as the only living heir.

But, you know what else, Morgan?"

I still couldn't speak. I shook my head, like she could see.

"I know that man loves you more than his own life.

I have never seen a grown man cry as much as he did when he confessed all of his sins to me. I can't even judge him for putting a dollar before the happiness of another human being. I did the same thing. Maybe with different intentions, but none the less, I did the same thing."

Drew cried? Drew didn't cry. Drew wasn't capable of crying.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"He made me promise not to. He said that he was going to step aside and let you decide on your own."

I snickered. "He never stepped aside. The longest he ever made it was almost three weeks. He couldn't stand not emailing or calling or even a text."

"That's because he loves you, baby."

"What if our past always haunts us?"

"Are you afraid of him?"

"No. Not at all."

"Then don't let the past haunt you. Leave it in the past and move forward."

"If this baby turns out to be Dawson's it will undoubtedly complicate things."

"I don't think so. We talked about that too. He actually told me that he was glad that Dawson was there for you and that if it is his baby, he couldn't have handpicked a better father figure."

I couldn't believe that it was almost midnight.

"I will let you go, mom. I'm sorry. I didn't realize it was this late."

"I've got all night, sweetie."

"Thanks for listening, Mom."

"You're welcome, honey. I am always here for you, and I am so glad that you are back in my life, even if you are making me a grandma," she teased. "I love you, Morgan."

"I love you too." I hadn't said that to my mother in years. It felt good, and it felt good to talk to her. I was so thankful that she was there.

"Can I tell Caroline that you will be here tomorrow?"

I smiled. "Yes. I can't wait to see her."

"Goodnight, Morgan."

"Goodnight, Mom."

I lay awake for hours, thinking about my life. I was leaving Misty Bay. I couldn't stay there. It would be too awkward, and not fair to Dawson and Lauren. Wow.

Dawson and Lauren. I still couldn't believe it. I had to talk to Lauren. I had to let her know that I wasn't mad. I was happy that Dawson would have her, and I hoped that they lived happily ever after. I needed to get a hold of a realtor.

No. I should wait. If this was Dawson's son, I would want to be close by when he was visiting there. I might need to keep my house.

I'm not sure what time the exhaustion finally took over, and I slept, but I didn't wake until almost nine. I got up and started packing right away. I had wanted to be on the road by seven. I was brus.h.i.+ng my teeth when I heard my cellphone and ran to the kitchen to grab it.

"s.h.i.+t!" I yelled when my pinky toe came in full contact with the wooden barstool leg.

"h.e.l.lo," I danced around answering Drew's call.

"What's wrong? Are you in labor?"

"No, you moron. I stubbed my toe trying to get to the phone, but it feels like labor."

"I'm afraid you're in for a rude awakening my love."

I chuckled and sat on the stool, ma.s.saging my aching toe. "Are you home?"

"Not yet, getting ready to fly out. What are you doing? How's my boy?"

"Your boy is fine, and I am packing to go to my mom's."

That was the first time that I ever said your boy. I had always rotated it back to my son and not either one of the two possible dads.

"I thought we were waiting a couple of weeks.

You can't have the plane until tomorrow."

"I don't want the plane. I have a very expensive BMW, sitting in my driveway."

"Oh no, Morgan. Don't you even think about it.

You are not driving all the way to your mothers in your condition."

"Drew, I'm pregnant, not crippled."

"You're not driving, Morgan."

"Yeah, okay."

"I mean it d.a.m.nit. Listen to me for once in your life."

I had to bite my tongue on that one.

"Did you call me to tell me what I can and can't do?"

"Yes. Now listen to me, would you?"

"Yes." I replied. I would just wait until we were off the phone and leave.

"I don't think your sheriff is as smart as you think he is. I can't believe he is going to let you get in your car and drive to North Carolina."

"Dawson doesn't tell me what to do. Only you do that."

"If you take off in that car, I am going to beat your pregnant a.s.s, and that's a promise."

"Hmm, I'm positively doing it now," I teased.

"You're a sick individual, Morgan Kelley."

"You made me that way. Drew can I call you back in a little bit? Lauren is at my door."

"Doesn't Lauren just use her key and walk in?

"We kind of had a fight."

"About what?"

"I will call you when she leaves."

"Okay, but don't you dare take off in that car."

"I'll call you back," I replied, opening the door to Lauren's weak smile.

I would call him back, just not until I was on the road.

"You're not at work," I stated the obvious.

"Nah, I'm sick," Lauren smiled. I moved so that she could come in.

"You look sick," I teased. "Do you want coffee?"

"You know I do."

We were silent for a few minutes. Neither of us knew quite what to say.

I sat across from her, and it felt the exact same way it had the night before, when Dawson was sitting in her chair. I guess I wasn't as mad, but I could sense the conversation we were about to have.

"Dawson told me that he told you everything last night."

"Actually he didn't. I figured it out on my own. I saw the two of you going into Millie's yesterday. I knew right away. I have never seen you two like that together."

"Riley, I'm so sorry. I never meant to fall in love with Dawson. You were gone. I didn't think you would ever be back after all of those months. I thought you ran away again."

I could see how she would think that. I had done it before, and she didn't know the details behind it. For all she knew I was running from Dawson, after all we were about to be married.

"I'm not mad anymore, Lauren. I'm still shocked, I never saw this coming."

"I almost left Misty Bay when you came back. I couldn't stand seeing him with you anymore."

"But you had Joel," I said trying to understand.

"I did, but I never loved Joel. Joel was just a distraction."

"You love Dawson?"

She nodded, spinning her cup in circles. "He had a really hard time when you disappeared, Ry. We spent hours looking for you. By the fifth month, we had gotten pretty close. We had gotten pizza and beer one night, and I guess we were both a little tipsy. Dawson kissed me and..."

"I don't want to hear the details, Lauren," I said cutting her off. I didn't.

She nodded. "I was with him the night that he sat straight up in bed, remembering you telling him about Drew donating money to your school. I'm a horrible friend, Ry. I didn't want him to find you by then."

I smiled. "You're not a horrible friend. You fell in love. And to a good man. I fell in love too, but it wasn't with Dawson. I mean I loved Dawson. I still love Dawson, but it's not the same kind of love that I feel for Drew. I was actually going to break his heart last night.

I'm glad that he has you, Lauren, and if this baby turns out to be his, I'm glad that you will be the other female in his life."

"You're going back to Drew?"

"Eventually, I'm going to my mom's for a while. I think I might have the baby there. She's been out of my life for a good many years. I want to make up for that."

"I'm going to miss you like crazy."

I smiled. "I would say that you and Dawson can come and visit, but that might be a little too awkward."

"Yeah, no doubt," she agreed.