Ironically, Matt’s phone call didn’t help. It came at two in the morning, shortly after Lauren had fallen into a restless sleep. The phone was on the table by her head. She nearly jumped out of her skin when it rang.
“Hello?”
“Lauren! I’ve been worried sick! When there was no answer at the farmhouse, I started calling hotels. You said youweren’tgoing to Beth’s!” He sounded angry. That was all Lauren needed.
“Why, Matt, how good of you to call in the middle of the night. I’m fine, thank you. How are you?”
“Lauren, you said you weren’t going anywhere!”
“I changed my mind.”
“Damn it, you could have let me know. I was sure something had happened!”
“How could I have let you know? I don’t know where you are, much less at what phone number.”
“I’m at home, and I’m the only Matthew Kruger in the San Francisco book!”
“How did I know you’d be trying me? You didn’t say anything about calling.”
She heard a deep sigh at the other end of the line. “Right. I’m sorry. It was my fault. Are you okay?”
“I’m tired, Matt.”And confused. Very confused.The sound of Matt’s voice, imperious, then gentle, only added to her confusion.
“I’m sorry to be calling so late. I started trying the house an hour and a half ago. When there was no answer, I figured maybe you’d gone to another movie or something, but when you didn’t return, I started imagining things and it all began to spiral. You are okay?”
“Yes, I’m okay.”
“Nothing happened today?”
“No, nothing happened.”
“Thank goodness.”
His voice clearly held relief. For that matter, Lauren mused, everything about his voice was clear. He could just as well be calling her from around the corner….
“Well,” he went on, less sure of himself now, “I just wanted to hear your voice. And to tell you that I’m going to try to catch an afternoon flight out of here tomorrow. By the time I get into Logan and on the road, it’s apt to be pretty late. It may be easier if I go to a hotel—”
“No!” she interrupted. She could hear the fatigue in his voice, and it pulled a string somewhere deep inside her. This was Matt, the man she missed, the man she wanted to see, to be with. “No. Meet me in Lincoln. I’ll be there.”
“But you may be sleeping. I’ll frighten you.”
“Just give a honk like you did the other night and I’ll know it’s you.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m sure.”
“Okay, sweetheart.” His voice lowered. “I miss you.”
“Me, too, Matt.”
“See you tomorrow night, then?”
“Uh-huh.”
“Take care, sweetheart.”
“You, too. Bye-bye, Matt.”
