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She slowly nodded again.
“Considering I feel the same about you, I think we owe it to ourselves to give our relationship a shot. I want you in my life. I want you in Chicago. You can stay in my guest house for as long as you want. We can find you a teaching position. Or open a gun range.” They both laughed. “You can teach people how to shoot.” Another eye roll. “No matter what happens in the long term, Morgan, I will always want you to be a part of my life. But I’m betting on the long term.”
“Don’t make me smile. It hurts.”
“Sorry, baby. I’ll try to be grumpy,” he said, kissing her hands. “It’s settled. We’ll leave for Georgia tomorrow. Get your apartment and job squared away. Pack your stuff. Then we’re off to Chicago.”
“Sounds good,” she said weakly.
“It’s not going to be as easy as it sounds. I’m aware. A lot of stuff has happened to both of us, and I’m not trying to make light of any of it. But Morgan, I’ve got to tell you … I can’t imagine getting through it without you. You made it all worth it.”
“You did, too,” she said through watery eyes.
Chapter Forty-Nine
While Max settled into the backseat, he sighed at the sound of the cabby tossing his luggage unceremoniously in the trunk. The flight from New York to Chicago had been smooth. It gave him time to reflect on the whirlwind of the past two months when everything imploded in Maine. His anticipation built the closer he got to Sebastian’s home on Lake Michigan just north of Chicago. They had spoken by phone or texted almost every day. Due to the legal turmoil in his company, they had not been able to get together during the Christmas holidays.
A lot had changed in a relatively short period of time. His family company sustained major financial hits from the embezzlement scandal. The FBI had no trouble following the withdrawals back to a hacker employed by Enzo. Leone had been a willing but hands-off partner. Due to his cooperation, he was granted one-million-dollar bail and a lighter sentence to be served in a minimum-security federal prison. Enzo was charged with a multitude of offenses ranging from extortion to murder for hire. No bail was granted, and he was facing a long prison term.
Max felt no joy from the justice Enzo would receive, only relief. He had never wanted any part of the company and had no qualms about letting it go. The only obligation he felt was to the thousands of hard-working employees who deserved to keep their livelihood with a better leadership team. Max was pleased when the Board of Directors found a reputable company to buy his controlling interest in Fontana Properties & Development.
Fatima had forged Max’s name on numerous incriminating documents. Wanting his wife out of his life as expeditiously as possible, Max had Stephen Gallagher negotiate a deal for her with the FBI. She would cooperate fully in exchange for two years of probation. Max’s part of the arrangement guaranteed a speedy, uncontested divorce to be finalized within the next six months.
Sebastian and Morgan had flown to Atlanta after she was released from the hospital. After packing up her apartment, she met with her school principal and resigned from her position. With the inheritance from her grandfather, she had time to decide the next steps in her career.
To maintain her independence, Morgan had moved into Sebastian’s guest house. From what Max had gathered from their conversations, things were going better than either of them had anticipated. The prior week, Morgan had moved into Sebastian’s room. She had also taken a teaching position with the local school district to cover for a teacher on a four-month medical leave. Their love story was an unlikely one, but Max had a gut feeling it would be their forever.
This visit had a dual purpose. Most importantly to spend time with Sebastian and Morgan, but also to look for a home close to his son. Stephen Gallagher, who wanted to move his family out of New York, agreed to partner with Max on a property development business in Chicago. Max could be as involved or as hands-off as he wanted to be. At this point in his life, family was everything.
As soon as the taxi stopped in front of the beautiful, ultra-modern home of tinted glass, dark wood, and steel, Max jumped out of the car to retrieve his luggage. Sebastian and Morgan were at a book signing and wouldn’t be home for another hour. Sebastian had given him the code to the front door, insisting he make himself at home. They were bringing home take-out for dinner. Since Max was staying at the guest house, he decided he had time to get settled and unpacked. He figured the codes were the same to both houses.
The guest house was supposed to be behind and to the left of the main house. The sun was setting, so Max followed the solar lighting along the stone path leading around the house. Weaving through a mostly dormant garden with hedges and flowerless rosebushes, Max came to a lovely, white Cape Cod bungalow. It was a sharp contrast to the ultra-modern main house.
The porch light was burning, and a few lights were on inside the house. The code didn’t work, but when he turned the handle, the door opened. Sebastian must have anticipated he might go there first. Pulling his luggage through the doorway, he took in the interior. The spacious room was decorated in white. White leather sofa, white chairs, white walls, white blinds, blond wood. Ensile Adams prints lined the walls. He noticed a portrait over the white stone fireplace that literally took his breath away. It was her. The woman his heart had never let go. His Izzy.
Tears sprung to his eyes. He had been so busy the past couple of months he hadn’t had time to grieve her death. Hadn’t even asked Sebastian for details. It had all been too much. Focusing on Sebastian had kept him sane. Kept the regrets at bay. Now, they washed over him like a tsunami, squeezing the oxygen from his lungs. It suddenly felt unbearable.
“Maxie,” whispered a soft feminine voice. It was familiar… but it couldn’t be. It was wishful thinking, he knew. He was remembering her voice as if he had heard it yesterday. If he could turn back the clock, she wouldn’t have been afraid. Didn’t run. Trusted him.
“Oh, Izzy,” he breathed in a strangled breath. Felt the tears threatening. “I’m so damn sorry.”
“It wasn’t your fault, Maxie,” came a faint reply.
Max froze. Held his breath. It sounded real, but also like he was in a dream. He couldn’t move. Terrified that if he did, her voice would disappear.
“I’m the one who should apologize. I should never have given in to my fear. I should have trusted you to protect us. I should have fought t…,” her voice broke into a sob.
The voice came from behind him. He spun around and clutched his chest. Izzy stood before him, leaning against a door frame. She wore a soft, dove gray over-the-shoulder sweater and a muted pale gray and pink floral long skirt. Her honey-blond hair, lightly streaked with white strands, fell a couple of inches above her shoulders. Her hazel eyes were filled with tears. Her fair skin was as smooth and flawless as he remembered. She appeared ethereal. The years had not damped her radiance. He could barely force words from his mouth.
“Izzy? How can this be?” he asked shakily. Am I hallucinating?
Chapter Fifty
A loud bang drew their attention to the front door slamming against the doorstop. Sebastian stood in the doorway with panic on his face.
“Oh, God, Dad. I was going to explain this before you saw her. I swear…” he stopped and peered back and forth between his mom and dad. His face strained with guilt. “Christ. I screwed up, Mom. I never meant for this to happen like this.”
Max instantly knew. Sebastian had lied. He wasn’t hallucinating. Izzy wasn’t dead. The realization tore him apart from the inside out. The pain of betrayal was a reminder of what he had experienced 35 years ago. He couldn’t get his head around it. He thought they were in a good place. “Why Sebastian? Why would you lie to me?” Max asked, unable to mask the pain in his voice.
