I don't know if I should continue with this story. No one seems to like it. I only got one review or the first chapter.

Chapter 2

Harmony, Maine

Crane Mansion

Fox stared at the worn photograph in his hand as his memories of Teresa consumed him. He'd known from the first moment he'd laid eyes on her that Teresa was the one woman in the world he wouldn't be able to walk away from. Her exotic beauty and carefree innocence had captivated him from the first. And the fact that she had believed herself in love with his good for nothing half-brother had not stopped him from attempting to make her his. It was only after they'd announced their engagement that he'd accepted defeat and turned his roving eye on her best friend. Whitney was lovely in her own way but she couldn't be compared to Teresa. Because she also had a boyfriend he'd dubbed her his mystery woman and half-heartedly pursued her.

But his heart hadn't been in it because it was Teresa he'd really wanted. When Ethan had broken his engagement to Teresa and declared that he was going to marry his pregnant ex-girlfriend he'd been delirious with joy. Teresa of course had been devastated but gradually had come to realize that Ethan hadn't deserved her love and devotion and she'd slowly gotten over him. And Fox had been there every step of the way. When he'd declared his feeling for her she'd responded in kind and they'd shocked the whole town by declaring their own engagement. They'd both been so damn happy, had made so many plans and it'd all been for naught.

Everything had been going so smoothly and he'd been so happy that he hadn't seen anything wrong with telling Whitney that she was his mystery woman after he and Teresa had gotten back together but that had turned out to be the biggest mistake of his life. If he'd known the real Whitney he wouldn't have looked at her twice. But she'd been Teresa's best friend and his Resa had spoken so lovingly of Whitney that he'd been blinded to her true nature. Closing his eyes he recalled the argument he'd had with Whitney shortly after realizing she had set him up and that she'd known Teresa was watching them when she'd begun coming on to him. Teresa had run out without letting him explain and he'd been so furious he had wanted to throttle Whitney with his bare hands.

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"Get out," he told her icily, his eyes cold and his mouth set in grim lines.

"Awww, come on Foxy, we could have so much fun together. What does Teresita have that I don't?" she murmured seductively.

"Don't compare yourself to Teresa, you bitch because you will come out losing," Fox shot back, his gaze raking over her too thin body derisively.

"You know you want me, Foxy. I can see it in your eyes," Whitney whispered pressing her body against him and trying to bring his mouth to hers.

"I don't want you. Why should I settle for hamburger meat when I've already had filet mignon?" Fox replied cruelly.

"Bastard," Whitney screamed furiously, attempting to slap him but Fox grabbed her forcibly by one arm and dragged her out of the room.

"You're damn lucky I'm a gentleman you stupid bitch or I swear you'd be leaving in a stretcher. Get out of my sight Whitney and don't come back. You are persona non grata in this house and if I catch you anywhere near the estate ever again I will have you arrested," Fox warned her with a hard smile.

"I hate you, I hate you. Damn Cranes think you own the world don't you? Well you've lost this round because Teresa will never forgive you for cheating on her with her best friend, especially not after what happened with Ethan. God, I never laughed so hard in my life as I did the day she came to me and told me Ethan was marrying Gwen because he had gotten her pregnant. Too bad she never realized that I helped Gwen trick Ethan into sleeping with her and that it was I who let Gwen know that Teresa had copied Ivy's letter into her computer. Ethan never trusted her after that and when I swore to him that Teresa was cheating on him he believed me. It's why he turned to Gwen," she cried with a smug smile.

"You vindictive, hypocritical bitch, Teresa thought you were her best friend but you hated her didn't you? God, why didn't I see it before?" Fox replied, running a hand through his blond hair.

"Because I'm good that's why. And yes I have always hated her. Everyone always compared us and told me I should try to emulate her. Teresa was the bright one, the sweet one, the prettiest, and the most sought after girl in Harmony. Did you know that every boy I had a crush on in grade school invariably fell in love with her instead? I always felt so dowdy, so invincible whenever she was around. And if all that wasn't bad enough she also had the perfect family, an older brother who doted on her, two younger siblings who worshipped her, and parents who spoiled her rotten. While I got stuck with a mother who spreads her legs for anyone who asks and a father who abandoned us to our fate because he couldn't take Mother's whorish ways. Teresa had everything and I had nothing. Why shouldn't I have evened the score a bit?" Whitney asked with a toss of her head.

Fox sent her a faintly pitying look but was still too angry to excuse her actions when she might have cost him the love of his life.

"Get out," he repeated softly and with a final smug smile Whitney picked up her clothes and walked to the door.

"See you around lover. Call me if you ever have an itch you can't scratch," she added before disappearing.

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And the worst thing was that Teresa had disappeared before he had a chance to patch things up. He'd gone crazy with anger and grief when Pilar and Martin had given him the news and he'd spent the first six months after her disappearance drunk out of his mind. Surprisingly enough it had been Julian who had forced him to see that feeling sorry for himself wasn't going to bring Teresa back.

"Sober up Fox. You're a Crane dammit so please start acting like one. If you want Teresa so much then quit trying to drown your sorrows and go after the girl," Julian screamed at his son.

"I can't Pops. Don't know where she's at," Fox replied with a slur.

Julian stared at Fox and thought back to the happy, satisfied man he'd been just a few months before. Teresa had changed his son for the better, he had stopped drinking and chasing whatever skirt caught his eye and had begun to settle down. Even Alistair had been forced to admit that Teresa was a good influence on his grandson and had stopped trying to tear the two apart. And now Teresa's disappearance was slowly destroying his boy.

"I can't let it happen; I won't let history repeat itself. I couldn't be happy with Eve but I'm going to make sure that Fox is happy with Teresa," he swore to himself.

"And since when do Cranes let anyone get the best of them, son? Teresa didn't have a penny to her name when she left town. She shouldn't be that hard to find. Hire a private detective to find her and then drag her back to Harmony," Julian ordered Fox coldly.

Fox had been dumbstruck by his father's instructions but the first glimmer of hope had stirred inside him. Taking Julian's words to heart he had gone to his room to shower and change and then he had called Max, one of the Crane lawyers and ordered him to find the best private detective in the state and send him over to the mansion. But despite the money he'd spent searching for her; Teresa remained out of his reach.

A lone tear trickled down his cheek as he remembered his proposal to Teresa.

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"Fox, where are you taking me?" a giggling Teresa asked her boyfriend.

"Someplace special Resa," Fox replied, his gaze tender and loving as he glanced at her profile.

"Can't you give me a hint?" she cajoled sweetly.

"And ruin the surprise, never. Besides we're here," he replied.

Teresa let out a gasp of surprise as she gazed around her in wonder. They were at the beach and Fox had littered the smooth white sand with rose petals. A bottle of champagne and two tall flutes lay on the surface of a small round table nestled in one corner. A discreet waiter dressed in black and white held a large wicker basket in one hand and beside him stood two musicians, one holding a flute and the other holding a small violin. Teresa's eyes watered and she turned to give Fox a weepy smile.

"Fox, it's beautiful," she murmured, hardly able to believe that he had gone to so much trouble for her.

"Not half as beautiful as you," he replied and held out his hand in an invitation to dance.

When they had finished dancing, Fox led her over to the table and they sat to enjoy the exquisite meal Fox had ordered especially for her.

"Fox, this night has been magical," Teresa whispered to her lover a while later. They were sprawled on a blanket Fox had brought watching the sunset.

"It's not over yet, babe," Fox replied. Teresa turned in his arms and stared at him with a question in her eyes.

Why don't we go digging for seashells?" Fox asked knowing the romantic in Teresa wouldn't be able to resist.

Teresa nodded happily and they began to walk along the water's edge. When they had walked about half a mile, Fox stopped and pointed at a beautiful soft pink shell. Teresa picked it up and pressed it to her ear.

"Why don't you open it and see if there's anything inside?" he asked with a secret smile.

Teresa looked at him wonderingly but then did as he asked. A gasp of surprise escaped her lips when she saw the diamond and emerald ring nestled inside.

"Fox," she murmured wide eyed.

"Teresa, I never thought I could love anyone the way I love you. Will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?" Fox asked her.

"Yes, Fox, yes. Of course I will marry you," Teresa replied, throwing herself in his arms and tumbling them both to the sand.

Teresa's laughter changed to a husky moan when Fox's mouth descended on hers and his teasing fingers began to explore her secret places. The sound of their murmured sighs mingled in the night air.

"But I'm not giving up. I'm going to find you. I have too because my life is nothing without you," he told the woman in the picture.