Well, this is final chapter…

I will post the epilogue on Saturday…

I hope this isn't good bye…but rather until the next story.

Which is Nate's Diary coming to you in 7 days….

And

FOR THE LOVE OF BRYNN

Book 1: Love Comes Easy

Coming soon! Available on Amazon

THE SCHEMER

SUNNY AND I DROVE BACK TO DADDY'S and spent three days with him. Sunny lived up to her name. She basked in the California sunshine by the pool. At night, she dragged me anywhere she could. We shopped with Daddy footing the bill. He was happy to accommodate us. I called Ian often and he sounded miserable. In all the times we spent apart, he never showed signs of misery like he did now. Every time I called, he asked if I was coming home and each time I told him 'not yet'; he would become very quiet. Sunny never wanted to leave. Our one week mission had stretched out to two and it would take nearly three full days to get home.

On the fourth day we left my father's house and drove back to the mountain. Sunny was a bronzed goddess and I was beginning to blossom. Little Ian was definitely a kicker. We drove nearly an hour when I realized that I have forgotten my watch.

"Sunny! Stop!"

"What? What's wrong?"

"I forgot my watch. We have to go back!"

"I'm not going back! That will put us two hours behind."

"I don't care. I'll do the driving. I have to have that watch." I started to cry.

"Okay, okay! I'll go back."

She turned around and we went back to get the watch. Three days later we arrived at the mountain. The guard shack was complete and there were two of the soldiers manning the post. We stopped and as soon as they saw us they were very polite.

"Good to see you back Mrs. O'Shea…Sunny." The soldier smiled and nodded to Sunny. "Ian is waiting for you at the house. He's got a special surprise for you."

Of course Ian and Kyle were waiting for us. As we pulled in, they were already in the driveway. The guard had obviously called ahead to announce our arrival. As soon as I stepped out of the car he scooped me off the ground and swung me around.

"I'm so glad you're home!" He put me down. "The baby is growing!" He put is hands on my belly.

"Yeah, he's quite the kicker too."

He offered me his arm. "Shall I walk you home Mrs. O'Shea?"

"What, no party?"

"I have a party of one waiting for you at the house." He grinned.

"Don't you have to work today?"

"I'm the boss. I took the day off."

We began to walk towards the cave.

"Ian?"

"What, my Love?"

"Why haven't you kissed me?"

"You want the truth?"

"I do."

"The truth is I haven't kissed you because once my lips touch yours I won't be able to stop. I've never wanted anything the way I want you right now."

"Oh, Ian. That's so sweet."

"Most people would call it horny."

I laughed. Suddenly I saw Nate coming towards us. My heart skipped a beat when I saw him because I didn't see the silver in his eyes at first. Maybe it was my imagination playing tricks on my heart. He walked right up to us and stopped a few feet away.

"I'm glad you are back. You were missed around here. You bring joy to this place." He sounded sincere.

"Thank you. Tell my Nate that I thought of him often."

"He heard you." He continued on his trek towards the house.

Ian spoke in a low tone. "My Nate, huh? You still have your watch with you?"

"Ian you know what I meant when I said 'my Nate' and yes, I still have my watch."

"I hope you would have gone back for your wedding ring."

"How did you know?"

"Sunny told me while you were taking a cat nap in the car."

"Well, to answer your question, I would never forget my ring because I don't ever take it off and if anyone tried to take it from me they would have to take my finger with it."

"Oh hell." He stopped and turned to me. "How can I not kiss you after a perfect answer like that?" He took my face in his hands which oddly enough were shaking and he kissed me with the slow burn kiss. I missed those lips.

When he pulled back he teased me. "I won't nibble…yet."

Baby Ian started thumping away at my belly. "Oooo. Feel."

I pulled Ian's hand to my thumping baby. "He wants to say 'Hi' to his Daddy."

"Wow. I can really feel him now. That's my boy!"

"Yes, he kept me company when I was missing you."

When we arrived at the house, Ian opened the door and allowed me to step inside. The living room was painted, carpeted, and completely furnished. It was beautiful.

"Ian! It's lovely!"

"Want to christen it?"

I turned to him and smiled slyly at him. "What did you have in mind?"

"Mmmm. I can think of something."

"I like the way you think, Mr. O'Shea."

He pulled my chin towards him and kissed me like he did at the front of the cave only this time he included the nibbling. It was a nice afternoon.

Now that I had a living room, I had no reason to go to the game room in the evenings. Ian tried to persuade me to go because he wanted to play poker but I was obstinate about it and he knew the reason why. Some nights I urged him to go without me and I cried after he left. I didn't cry because Ian left, I cried because I missed Nate. When I did run into Nate it was always a cordial scene but it was awkward. I always made it a point to talk to my Nate and encourage him to stay strong. The new Nate never showed any real personality. He was nothing like my Nate at least not in front of me.

About a week after Sunny and I returned to the mountain Fords Deep Water showed up at my front door.

"Fords Deep Water! So good to see you!"

"I told you I would come to check up on you."

"You said in a few weeks. It's been almost six."

"Yes, well, I'm sorry about that. I had to see a friend of mine. He's a specialist."

"Oh, is there something wrong?"

"Yes, but I'm hoping to fix that."

I let him in and we spoke for a long time about all the things that we almost discussed at out meeting in the restaurant.

"You know, when I met you that day I found you to be intoxicating. If I were a man fifteen or even ten years younger I wouldn't have allowed you to close your door when you said good night."

"That's very sweet of you."

Ian came home for dinner and nothing was prepared since I had spent my entire afternoon talking to Fords Deep Water. So, we ate at the dining hall with the others in the community. After dinner Fords Deep Water excused himself citing he was tired from the travel. Ian and I went home and spent a quiet night in front of the TV.

The following morning there was a knock at the door. Ian was in the bedroom still lying in the bed. I was puttering in the kitchen.

I opened the door. It was Nate.

"Hey Beautiful!"

I creased my eyebrows. "What is up with you?"

"It's a glorious day and you make it even better."

I backed up. Had he gone insane? Had my Nate pushed him over the edge? He stepped through the door. He was all smiles.

"Oh, hell. I've been waiting for this." He backed me into a corner and wrapped his arms around me.

"Nate, what are you doing?"

"I'm going to kiss you!"

"IAN!" I screamed.

Nate pressed his lips to mine and started to kiss me. I was so confused. It was Nate kissing me but who the hell was initiating the kiss? New Nate or old Nate?

Suddenly Ian burst into the room and ripped Nate away from me.

"Get the hell off of her, you maggot. I will kill you!"

"Wait!" Nate protested. Ian lunged at him. Burns rushed through the front door.

"Ian stop! It's not what you think!"

Ian stopped dead in his tracks.

"This parasite was about to kiss my wife."

I couldn't believe he said it but the funny thing was I was thinking the very same thing myself. All these weeks I thought of the Seeker as nothing more than a parasite trying to get information from Nate.

"Hold it! Hold it!" It was Nate. He was standing in the middle of the room with his hands out. "Look!"

Nate reached his hands up to his eye and placed his finger on his eyeball and slowly slid the contact out of his eye. He looked up at me. There was no hint of silver. It was my Nate. The Seeker was gone.

"NATE!" I sprang to him in an instant and wrapped my arms around him.

He reciprocated. "I never stopped believing. I thought about you every minute of every day."

"But how?" I asked.

"Fords Deep Water. He took the Seeker out of me and gave me the contacts. No one has to know and I can go anywhere I want!"

"Son of a Bitch!" Ian chuckled as he shook his head.

Nate put his hands on my face. "It killed me to see you and not be able to speak to you, to hold you, to touch you." He looked at Ian. "Ian, you owe me this one."

Ian nodded in defeat. "You're right. At least let me go outside." Ian walked out of the house with Burns in tow and shut the door behind him.

"Nate, I took a vow."

"I know but Ian also said he would rather I kissed you every day than to have to deal with the likes of Travels the Frozen Tundra."

"Please tell me you do not intend to kiss me every day."

"Of course I do, but I will be very respectful about it…after today. This one, I deserve."

"Oh, Nate." He set his eyes on my lips. I didn't fight him. I didn't want to. I let him kiss me full on and I enjoyed the hell out of it. My heart exploded with the love I had been shielding from the Seeker. He kissed me again and again. When he finally stopped he held my face in his hands.

"I love you so much. I'll never stop. Ian is a lucky man and I won't ever let him forget it. I hope you come to the game room tonight." He released me and stepped back. You better go get your husband. Nate went off to the bathroom to put his contact back in. I went outside and Burns was waiting. Ian was gone. I knew exactly where he went.

I found him in the dugout. He was sitting there silently weeping.

"Ian, I love you." I went to him and wrapped myself around his bowed head.

He pulled me onto his lap and sobbed. "I'm so happy that Nate is back but I don't want him making out with you every day!"

"He won't."

"I dared him. I made a promise. I have to honor that."

"Superman, he is not going to make out with me every day. I wouldn't let him."

"You let him today."

"Today was different. Today is special."

"We are talking about Nate, the Schemer. He can turn every day into a special day."

I laughed.

"Why are you laughing?"

"Because you're right. He probably could, but I promise you he won't. He respects the fact that I chose you to be my husband."

Nate walked into the dugout.

"She's right. If the shoe was on the other foot I would honor my promise as well but with a heavy heart. I don't want to destroy your relationship and I don't want to destroy our relationship. Ian, man, you are like a brother to me. 'Three Guys Construction'. Let's make it happen."

Ian got up and he hugged Nate. "I missed you, man."

"I missed you too."

"Who else knows about this?"

"So far, only you two, Burns and Ice. They are the ones who kidnapped me and knocked me out with the chloroform."

"Where is the Seeker?"

"In a cryo chamber, in the trunk of Fords Deep Water's car."

"So, that's what he meant when he told me he was late because he had to see a specialist. He had someone make you contacts. He had this planned all along. He told me back in Washington to trust him."

"Think about it. I am the only human on the planet that can go anywhere I want and no one will know."

"As far as you know," Ian commented. It made us all think. What if Fords Deep Water was a human? It would be rude to ask and I know I didn't want to stare at his eyes.

That day Fords went to town to borrow a sonogram machine from the doctor I had been visiting for my pregnancy. He came back with it and set it up in the living room of the main house. Ian was with me. He spread the cold goop on my abdomen. As soon as the wand touched my belly the heartbeat sounded off loud and clear. The baby came up on the screen as we watched.

"There she is," Fords Deep Water said.

"You mean there he is," Ian corrected him.

"No. I mean there she is. This baby is a girl."

Ian and I just looked at each other. We hadn't considered that it would be a girl.

"It's a little girl. We can't call her Ian. What should we name her?"

Ian chewed on his lower lip for a minute.

"I know. Let's call her Hope."