Southern Secrets

by Madison, Natasha

  "Dad, do not come here," my uncle Casey says, and I can hear sirens coming from his phone along with the sound of him running.

  "I’m with Amelia," he tells him, and my uncle groans.

  "We’re closed off," he tells him. "They aren’t letting anyone in." My heart sinks.

  "What’s happening?" I ask, and he stops running.

  "Someone said they heard a gunshot." The minute he says the word, my eyes close. "I can’t confirm it yet, but we have the EMTs coming."

  "She isn’t going to sit at home," my grandfather says, and we pull up as close as we can. I open the door before he even has a chance to say goodbye. The sheriff's truck is stopping anyone from getting any closer to the barn. My eyes go to the barn as I spot Asher’s truck parked there with four other trucks surrounding him. Men are running in and out of the barn. People are everywhere. An EMT truck is there with the lights on as they run into the barn.

  "I need to get there," I say to the man who I’ve met a couple of times when I went to visit my father at his office.

  "I’m sorry. I’ve been told to block everyone from getting closer," he says, and I look behind me as the EMT truck comes straight toward us. I move to the side of the deputy’s truck while the EMT drives around him. He is going too fast for it to be nothing. I put my hand over my eyes to look without the sun blinding me.

  My breaths come in pants as my mouth waters, and I think I’m going to be sick on the side of the road. "Oh my God," I say, putting my hand on my forehead. My feet move as I pace in front of him. "Oh my God.” I stop moving and put my hands on my knees as I start to panic. He walked away from me thinking I didn’t love him goes through my head. The last thing I said to him was it was a lie. "Oh my God," I say, trying to catch my breath. My grandfather rubs my back.

  "Breathe in and out," he says. "Focus and breathe." I listen to him and then turn to the deputy, shaking my head.

  "I have to get in there." He looks at me and then looks back at the barn. "My father is in there," I say, pushing past him, and he knows better than to follow me. I hear my grandfather issuing an apology and saying that it’s going to be okay. I run to the entrance of the barn.

  Another deputy is there, stopping me from going closer as he talks on his radio. "You need to stay out here."

  "What’s going on?" I ask, hoping he tells me that this is just a precaution. Hoping he tells me it’s nothing. Hoping like hell the beating of my heart echoing in my ears will let me listen to what he has to say. My mouth goes dry and my hands start to shake as I look at the second ambulance take their stretcher out.

  "One person shot," he says, and my hand goes to my mouth. "Not sure he’s going to make it."

  "Oh my God." I push past him as I’m walking toward the barn. The tears run down my face, and I see the ambulance come out with a man on it, his black hair stopping me from moving.

  My legs give out on me, and I hit the grass with his name on my lips. The sob rips through me, and all I can do is put my hands on my chest. "Asher," I say softly. People walk in and out of the barn, and it’s almost like a dream when I see him walking out.

  He’s looking down, and his white shirt has blood on it. I get up. "Asher." I call out his name, and he looks up. His eyes find mine, and he runs over to me. I meet him halfway. He wraps his arms around me, and I smell him while I sob. I wrap my arms around his neck, and he picks me up around my waist. "I’m sorry," I whisper in his ear. "I’m so, so sorry." I let go of him and kiss his lips. "I don’t care what your name is," I say between wiping my face with the back of my hand. He leans in and kisses me softly. "I know in my heart who you are," I say. "You’re okay." My hands go to his face to touch him. To make sure this isn’t a dream. "Are you hurt?"

  "No." He places me down on my feet and looks down at me. He reaches his hand up to cup my face. I turn my face and kiss his palm.

  "I thought you were shot," I say softly, and I see my father coming to us followed by Ethan, Casey, Quinn, and Beau. "How did they get here so fast?" I ask.

  "You were supposed to make sure she stayed away from here," my father says, looking over my head to my grandfather, standing with his hands on his hips.

  "You had one job," my uncle Casey says, shaking his head.

  "Nice, Grandpa," Quinn says, smirking at him.

  "You guys think you can stop her?" my grandfather says. "You also said everything would be okay." He puts out his hands.

  "It was," Beau says, shaking his head.

  "Does this look like everything is okay?" My grandfather takes off his cowboy hat and holds it in one hand as he holds both hands out at his sides. "Two ambulances. Five police cars."

  "It was a precaution," Ethan says. "We had it under control."

  "Wait, what?" I say, stepping away from Asher but not far enough that I can’t feel him next to me. "What am I missing?" I look around at all the men, none of them looking directly at me. "What is going on?"

  "I’m out," Quinn says. "My phone is blowing up."

  "Before we tell you." My father looks at me. "We did it to protect you."

  Ethan laughs at him and puts his hand on his shoulder. "Dad, you’ve been using that line forever." He shakes his head. "Also, it never works."

  "If you guys don’t mind," Asher says, "I’d like to tell her myself. Plus, you have some paperwork to do." He points at the ambulance. "Are you going to make sure he’s okay?" He turns to Beau.

  "Nope." He shakes his head. "He made his bed, so let him lie in it."

  He grabs my hand and walks over to his truck. "Asher." My father calls his name, and he turns around. "Told you that you had it in you." He smiles and turns to walk to the ambulance.

  He puts me in the truck and leans in to kiss me. My hand comes up to touch his cheek. "We really have to talk."

  I nod my head, not saying anything as the tears come. "Let’s go home," I say, and he closes the door. We don’t say anything on the drive to my house, but I don’t let his hand leave my lap the whole time.

  When we finally walk into the house, he closes the door behind him. "Do you want some water?" I ask, nervous and scared that he’s going to decide that maybe I’m not the person for him. Maybe me giving him up so easily shows him I won’t stand by his side. I look at him, wiping the tears rolling out of my eyes. "I know that what I did was wrong," I say. "And I know that I should have given you a chance to talk but …"

  "It hurt you," he says for me. "I hurt you, and you have to know I never, ever wanted to not tell you. I just." He takes a deep breath. "I just didn’t know how. Look, I was never going to stay." He swallows. "I wanted to come and meet Ethan. I just wondered how he grew up. I wondered if he grew up like me, but when I saw it was night and day, I was glad." I take a step forward, and he shakes his head. "If you come any closer, I’ll forget everything I have to tell you. There were things I found out a couple of days ago I didn’t even know."

  "Whatever it is," I say. "It doesn’t matter."

  "No," he says. "I’m not keeping anything from you. The day after I told Jacob and Ethan about it, we rode to the bank, and I showed them the papers and letters I got. I didn’t even read it all, but Beau did, and everything clicked into place. Liam was living on an allowance, which was going to end once I turn thirty. It took Casey a couple of hours to find out he was in debt up to his ass. He owed everyone money, and soon, it was running out unless he got rid of me." I gasp out. "We knew he was getting desperate, so it was a matter of time before he did something stupid. We’ve been following him for the past couple days. We knew today would be the day. He was staying at the motel in town. Ethan had followed him to the barn. Jacob was on standby. The minute he cut the alarm wires, we knew."

  "You came here this morning," I say. "To say goodbye to me."

  His eyes stare into mine. "Anything could have happened. I wanted you to know that I loved you." I try to block the sob that comes out with my hand. He comes over to me, holding my face in his hand. "I wanted you to know that I love you with everything th
at I have." My hands go to his chest as I feel his heart beating underneath. "Six months ago, I had forty-seven cents to my name. Next month, I’ll have five point seven million dollars."

  My mouth opens in shock and then closes. "You could have nothing, and I would still love you," I say. "The thought of losing you." I swallow the huge lump, I close my eyes and the tears run over. "I don’t ever want to feel that again. I won’t survive," I say the truth. "Losing you would be like losing me."

  "You won’t lose me," he says. "Unless Liam put a bullet in me, I was coming back to fight for you." He wipes a tear away. "I was going to fight for us, and I wasn’t taking no for an answer." His hand goes around my waist, and he picks me up. "Now, let’s go take a shower. I haven’t touched you in over four days, so I have a lot of catching up to do." I don’t say anything to him. I let him carry me to the bathroom, and I savor every single second of it.

  Epilogue One

  Asher

  Six months later

  "Mr. Asher Normand." The man on stage calls me, and I walk up the four stairs toward him. He holds out his hand for me to shake and holds what I’ve been working toward. I smile at the guy and then look out into the crowd.

  The cheers are so loud it’s making me blush. "You’re a popular guy, Mr. Normand," he says.

  "My family takes it a bit overboard," I say, shaking my head as I walk down off the stage and toward my seat. My foot moves up and down as I wait until the end of the ceremony before I can get up.

  Amelia is the first one I see as she gets on her tippy-toes and kisses me. "Congratulations, officer.”

  “Stop hoggin’ him," Ethan says, pushing her aside. "There he is, my big brother." I laugh at him as he hugs me. "I’ve never had a big brother. It’s also gross you’re dating my sister." He fake vomits, and I push his shoulder. Since we found out that we have the same father and are half brothers, he’s become my best friend. I have to wonder if we would be best friends regardless.

  "We are so proud of you," Kallie says with tears in her eyes. She has stepped up and welcomes me with open arm. She treats me exactly as a son. I turn and see Jacob with his own tears in his eyes.

  "I knew you could do it," he says to me when I walk to him, and he hugs me. "Proud of you, son." I hug him, my own tears coming to my eyes. He has taken me under his wing and has been the father I’ve never had. Beau has been the shining light and has been there for me every time I’ve needed him. And with my father in jail and fighting everything, I’ve needed him. He got life in jail for all of his crimes, and little did we know we were just scratching the surface. They also found out that he burned two of his houses down, committing insurance fraud.

  "Can I have my guy back, please?” Amelia says, and I shake my head. "Besides, we have to get home and celebrate," she says. "Everyone is waiting at the bar."

  "Okay, I have to stop at home and get Emily and the kids," Ethan says, walking out. "They made Uncle Asher a card."

  "Don’t forget my girl," I say, and he groans out.

  "Stay away from my daughter." He points at me. “Last time, she didn’t even want to let you go."

  "She’s got great taste." Amelia wraps her arms around my waist. "But she better keep her mitts off my man."

  "She’s three," Ethan says, laughing as he gets into his truck.

  We get into the truck with Jacob and Kallie and make our way over to the bar. The parking lot is already full.

  "This better not be for me." I glare over at Amelia, who just shakes her head.

  "It’s a going-away party for Reed, too," she says. "I can’t believe he’s leaving tomorrow."

  "Another family member joining the military," Jacob says. "Casey is going to go nuts."

  "Olivia might enlist with him," Kallie says of Reed’s mother.

  We get out and walk into the bar, and everyone cheers. I raise my hand and walk in, shaking people’s hands until I get to Billy, who just shakes his head with his hands on his hips. "Well, I guess you quit." His eyes glisten with tears as he hugs me.

  "Nah," I say. "I’ll work there on my days off." I put my hand on his shoulder.

  "I want grandbabies," he says, looking at me.

  "Hey, he can’t have the cow for free," Charlotte says. "He’s got to put a ring on that finger."

  I don’t say anything as I look over at Amelia, who is on the side talking to one of our newer waitresses, Hazel.

  The crowd cheers again, and I look over to see Reed entering, followed by Christopher and his parents. "Thank you," he says. "Drinks are on me."

  "Idiot." I hear Amelia from the side. "Like he has any money to pay for drinks."

  "I got it covered, baby," I say, and she smiles up at me and kisses me.

  The night flies by with both of us busy behind the bar. The only difference is I can kiss her when I want. "Okay, big boy, time for you to go,” Amelia says to Reed, who is sitting on a stool at the bar. Everyone else has left.

  "Where the hell is Hazel?” Reed says, and you can tell he’s had a couple of whiskeys. The two of them have been getting closer since she started even though they’ve known each other their whole lives.

  "She took the night off," Amelia says, and I look over at her, knowing full well Hazel was here. "Besides, it was just family and friends tonight, so I didn’t think we needed her."

  I look over at him and can see he’s a little bit disappointed by this news. He taps his finger on the bar. "Okay, I’m out. See you all tomorrow." He turns and walks out of the bar.

  "Who are you all?" Amelia says, shaking her head.

  "Is it just us?" I look at her, and she smiles at me. I walk around the bar and lock the front door.

  "Closed," I say and walk toward her. I hold out my hand. "Dance with me." I pull her to the dance floor, going onto the stage and plugging my phone in, the song playing right away.

  She waits for me in the middle of the dance floor. Her smile is still the best thing I’ve ever seen. "Our song," she says, putting her arms around my shoulders. "I love you," she says, and I look down at her, and I kiss her lips.

  "I love you," I say, my heart starting to beat uncontrollably, and my palms get suddenly sweaty. "You know that, right?”

  She laughs. "I figured it out."

  "Loving you," I say, "was the easiest thing I’ve ever done. It just came so naturally to me." I move away from her and reach into my pocket to pull out the diamond ring I’ve been carrying around all day. I get down on one knee. "I was going to do this six months ago," I say. “The minute I walked out of that barn and saw you on your knees, I knew I wanted to spend the rest of my life with you." I smirk. "I mean, I knew way before then, but seeing you there just cemented it." She puts her hands to her mouth. "I also knew before then that I couldn’t do it without being someone," I say as the tear comes to my eye.

  She grabs my face. "You are someone," she says, kissing my lips. "You are everything."

  "I wanted you to be proud to have my last name. I wanted to be sure I had something to give you," I say honestly. "I want to hold your hand and kiss you good night. I want to dry your tears when you get sad. I want to watch you carry our babies and be the best mother in the world. Every single memory that I have, I want it to be with you by my side." I look into her gorgeous blue eyes. "So, Amelia McIntyre …" She sobs out. "Will you be my wife?" She nods her head and holds out her hand for me to slip the ring on.

  She gasps when she sees it. "Is this …?"

  "Billy gave it to me tonight," I say. "Said he’s been waiting for me to say something." She looks at the ring. "I asked him for your hand." Her mouth opens. "I mean, after your father and your mother. And your brother."

  "You, Asher Normand, are my everything." I bend and finally kiss my future wife.

  Epilogue Two

  Amelia

  Six years later

  "Sit right here,” I tell our two-year-old son as I sit beside him on the stoop of the porch.

  “I sit right here, Mommy," he says, looking up at me with his fa
ther’s face but my eyes. I push the black hair away from his forehead and smile at him. “Right here, Mommy.” He swings his little legs. I put my arm around him and bring him to me, kissing his head and smelling the lavender shampoo I used. “Look.” He points his finger. “Bird.” I look over and then see the white truck coming down the driveway. My son gasps out and looks at me. “Daddy.” He claps his hands. He loves me something fierce, but his father … well, he hangs the moon and all the stars.

  Asher stops the truck and looks over at us, and just like it did all those years ago, my heart skips a beat. My husband, yeah, being engaged for a week was too much for him and well, he dared my grandfather and father that they couldn’t pull off a wedding in a week. News flash: they were done in three, so instead of a barbecue on a Sunday afternoon, we got married. I wore my grandmother’s wedding dress and my mother’s veil. I slid a gold band on his finger and officially made him mine. He opens the truck door and steps out, wearing his black work boots, cargo pants, and a black deputy’s polo. He spent the last six years working his ass off to earn his place in the department.

  His aviators hide his brown eyes, but I know they are a light amber when he looks at us. “There they are,” he says, putting his glasses on the top of his head and smiling.

  "There’s my boy," he says, walking to the steps. Our son, JB, gets up, clapping his hands together with glee. The minute he gets to the bottom step, he holds out his hands, and JB jumps into them. Asher’s arms catch him, and he buries his face in our son's neck. Our son came screaming into the world at a whopping ten pounds. He was fit to be tied until I fed him, and then he was fine. Asher was adamant about naming our son Jacob Billy, which was a mouthful. And to be honest, I only call him that when I’m really, really mad at him. Otherwise, he is JB to all of us. It wasn’t all flowers and roses. Asher doubted he could do it even though I knew he could. He was just unsure of everything until I left him alone with JB for a couple of hours. "You smell nice," he says, looking over at me. "It’s a little early for a bath."