Page 43 of Craig

Refusing to give into the tug of guilt and shame that warred inside him, Cecil got to his feet slowly and tried to stare him down. “It’s not my fault she had a lousy childhood,” he said gruffly.

Craig’s eyes iced over and for a minute, he had to breathe in and out to dispel the rage.

“No, it’s not. It’s the fault of the man who walked out on her. What I won’t allow you to ever do again is to hurt her more than she’s already hurting. You can bitch at me, throw your darts-” he thumped his chest.

“But you’re going to bloody well leave her be. She likes you, God only knows why, but you’re so good at driving people away, that it comes naturally. I did as you asked. I’m married and living here. Now I want you to stay the hell out of our lives. Is that clear?”

Cecil stiffened and felt the guilt spreading.

“I did you a bloody favor! Think I don’t see the way you look at her? You’re in love with her and I made that happen. I did!”

Craig simply stared him down and felt the weariness coming through his pores. He also wondered if Regina had figured out he wanted the real thing.

“We’re leaving now and I hope I don’t have to get the call while I’m away that you kicked the bucket. That will only piss me off even more.”

The hurt came quickly, only to be masked. “I’ll do my best not to spoil things for you, even if I have to will myself to stay alive.”

With that, he made his way slowly from the room. Stopping at the door, he turned to look at Craig.

“One day I hope you’ll appreciate the fact that I want what’s best for you.”

Craig did not answer but lowered himself onto the side of the bed and closed his eyes. He wondered how pissed off and hurt Regina was and realized that he could not get the haunted look on her face out of his head.

*****

She didn’t ask him where they were headed. When he went downstairs with their bags, Millicent told him that his grandfather had retired to his room.

He found Regina chatting with Leesa and Kelly.

She said her goodbyes quickly and got into the car. And immediately put her seat back and closed her eyes.

He did not mention what happened upstairs, because he had no idea what to say or how to broach the topic. And he did not want to scrape at the bruises.

Besides, he did not have the right to ask her anything. He wasn’t really her husband and that was killing him.

He wanted her to talk to him, to vent, so that he could offer some comfort. But his hands were bloody tied.

Flexing those hands on the wheel, he glanced over at her and wondered if she was really asleep or pretending.

But he was determined to change her mind. He admitted to himself that this trip, the isolated cabin he had worked so hard to fix up, was his chance to get through to her.

Relaxing his hands on the steering wheel, he took the left turn that would take them into the rural area and prayed fervently that she would not have a meltdown when she discovered that they were in the country.

*****

She had actually fallen asleep, Regina thought to her surprise as she stirred and stretched her legs out. And he had thrown a blanket over her.

The sweetness of the gesture had something curling inside her and melting her even more.

“I was starting to wonder if I would have to carry you in.” His deep voice had an amused note to it that made her smile before she fully opened her eyes.

“Where are we?” Before he could respond, she popped up from her seat and looked out the window, her eyes going wide.

“This is- where on earth is this?”

“A cabin in the woods,” he told her cheerfully as he reached over to unhook her belt. “You’re going to love it.”

“No, I’m not.” She peered cautiously around, barely touching the button to roll down her window.