Table of Contents
Synopsis
By the Author
Acknowledgments
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-one
Chapter Twenty-two
Chapter Twenty-three
Chapter Twenty-four
Chapter Twenty-five
Chapter Twenty-six
Chapter Twenty-seven
Chapter Twenty-eight
Chapter Twenty-nine
Chapter Thirty
Chapter Thirty-one
About the Author
Books Available from Bold Strokes Books
Synopsis
Debra Johnson learned a valuable lesson when her pregnant lover left her for a man: Protect yourself at all costs. She made a list of requirements in a lover and uses it as a shield to protect her heart. At the top of her list is openness and honesty.
Alex Reed has to keep the secret of her federal witness protection program or risk her and her sister’s lives. She longs for a meaningful loving relationship but fears exposing a lover to danger.
Alex and Debra meet at a lesbian meet up group with intentions of only finding an event companion. Their undeniable attraction keeps getting in the way of that intention as Debra struggles to protect her heart and Alex her life.
Imperfect Truth
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Imperfect Truth
© 2016 By C.A. Popovich. All Rights Reserved.
ISBN 13: 978-1-62639-788-0
This Electronic Book is published by
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P.O. Box 249
Valley Falls, New York 12185
First Edition: October 2016
This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, business establishments, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
This book, or parts thereof, may not be reproduced in any form without permission.
Credits
Editors: Victoria Villasenor and Cindy Cresap
Production Design: Susan Ramundo
Cover Design By Sheri ([email protected])
By the Author
Edge of Awareness
The Courage to Try
Imperfect Truth
Acknowledgments
Thank you Len Barot, Sandy Lowe, and all the other hardworking folks at Bold Strokes Books for all you do to help me fulfill my dream of writing. I also want to thank Victoria Villasenor and Cindy Cresap, editors extraordinaire, for helping me make this work so much better.
To Sandi, who answers my equine questions and offers her support and research help, I’m grateful for all the ways you’re in my life.
And thank you, Lois, for your expertise and suggestions regarding the world of social work.
Finally, thank you to all the readers of lesbian romance. Your support means everything.
Dedication
To Abby and MacIntosh
Chapter One
Alex Reed closed her laptop and sighed. She knew she’d be taking a chance by going to the lesbian Meetup, but her trips to work and home hadn’t drawn the attention of any suspicious characters, so maybe she’d be all right. She couldn’t drop her guard, but would attending one social event be so dangerous? She was supposed to begin a new life, after all, and sitting alone in an empty apartment wasn’t a life.
Two years ago, her life had been turned upside down when her father’s court testimony had led to the incarceration of a drug dealing gang leader, and he’d made a number of other drug dealers decidedly uncomfortable, but failed to put them away. The credible threats to his life and his family had sent them into the federal witness protection program, or WITSEC. She knew she couldn’t ignore their instructions, or she would be on her own. Which meant she’d probably be dead. She wondered when the paranoia would end.
She finally felt safe enough in this “neutral site,” after a year and a half, to sleep through the night without a baseball bat under the covers. Now it leaned within reach against her nightstand. If she’d been given a choice as to where she and her sister would have been relocated, she wouldn’t have chosen a state where the average yearly temperature was lower than the coldest day in winter in her home state of Florida. They’d spent six months in a safe house getting used to and writing their new names before being permanently located in the northern state of Michigan.
She allowed herself a brief, prohibited thought of her previous life, where she would be floating in her backyard pool enjoying the humidity of July in Naples, Florida. She was supposed to purge all those memories and make this her new existence. The staff psychologists had told her she’d settle in eventually. Her shorter, highlighted, spiky haircut and new name, Alexandra E. Reed, were becoming more comfortable, but lately she had been having a hard time suppressing the futile dream of finding someone special with whom to share this new life. Maybe she could find a friend to relax with and practice her fabricated identity, before she tried for something more intimate.
Alex picked up her phone, scrolled to her contact labeled Uncle Joe, and exhaled in relief when she received clearance to attend the Meetup hiking event. She could have waited until the weekly check-in with her WITSEC inspector, but she didn’t want to wait three days for permission to begin meeting new lesbians and potential friends.
She grabbed her dog’s leash. “Come on, Abby. I’ve got to get to work. We’ve got just enough time for a walk around the park.” She smiled at her black Lab mix bouncing in anticipation. She and Abby followed their favorite path as the warm July sun started to chase away the morning chill. As much as she hated the winter snow, she loved the greenery of the state in the summer. Alex breathed deeply. It wasn’t the familiar, humid heavy air of before, but she would get used to it. She had no choice.
A few joggers passed, and Alex wondered if any of them had aliases. She knew full well she and her sister weren’t the only ones living in the world as imposters. Can you really ever know anyone is who they say they are? She shoved away the pointless pondering and mentally reviewed the coaching she’d received from WITSEC on how to deflect questions and change the topic when people asked about her past. “At least I don’t have to change your name, Abby.” She chuckled as Abby tilted her head and wagged her tail.
Alex organized the contents of her backpack when she returned home, tossed in a bag of Fig Newtons, and made herself a sandwich for lunch before heading out into a world that still felt slightly alien.
*
“Good morning, Betty.” Alex greeted the hotel manager as she stowed her backpack in her locker and changed into her work uniform. A blue blazer with the hotel logo on the lapel, a white blouse, blue slacks, and a perpetual smile was now her daily work attire. She had been strongly advised not to make use o
f her master’s degree in social work in her new life, so at forty-two, she’d tossed away six years of college and found the job of desk clerk at a local hotel convention center. It paid enough to end the government stipend, and she got to meet some interesting people, but she struggled to let go of the concern for her former clients.
Alex would never know what the woman she had dated for three months thought when she hadn’t showed up for a date and never called. Never would call. She had a new life and new memories to make now, no matter how hard it was or how much she hated that it had to be that way.
Her father had chosen to stay alone in the small house in Plymouth, Michigan, where they’d originally been relocated. She worried that her father would fall back in with the drug group he had helped to break up, but she had to trust the marshals to keep him safe.
She and her sister had said good-bye to their dad, and their inspector had moved them into a safe house for a month before settling them into an apartment building a few miles away from their dad’s place, even though they weren’t supposed to see him all that often. Now, they each had their own place, where they had quietly begun to heal from having their lives ripped apart.
Alex’s paranoia still ran deep, so she would follow the rules. If not for herself, for her baby sister. She pushed away all thoughts of the past and concentrated on greeting a group of visitors from Canada.
*
Alex knocked three rapid thumps on her sister’s apartment door, counted five seconds, and knocked twice. She counted out another thirty seconds before pulling out her cell phone. The door opened before she had to call.
“Hey, sis. Come on in.”
“Good morning, Jen. Ready for the farmer’s market?” Alex set her purse on a table by the door next to Jen’s ever-present overnight bag. When will the fear diminish? She had decided months ago to ignore Jen’s mistrust. If being ready to move again at a moment’s notice helped her transition, so be it. At least she seemed comfortable with her new name, Jennifer B. Reed. Alex still had trouble thinking of her that way, but she’d get used to it. One day.
“Sounds good. All I’ve been doing lately is working, so I’m ready for our weekly outing. I took on a couple of extra clients at Dr. Parker’s. Her dental practice is growing, and I’m getting better at my job,” Jen said.
Alex drew her into a hug and kissed her cheek. “I’m proud of you.” She stepped back but kept her hands on her upper arms, grounding herself in familiarity. The touch cracked her defenses and flooded her with banned memories. She’d spent hours helping Jen, five years her junior, with her homework, and encouraging her to consider more schooling until she’d finally agreed to take a couple of classes at the community college. She’d never finished, but enrolled in the dental hygienist program, locally, a year ago.
“Thanks. I can’t believe it took what happened to me…to us, to finally find a job I love. Did I tell you I got a raise? Ruth, Dr. Parker, can’t hire me full time yet, but she told me she’d like to as soon as I finish my degree. For now, I get first choice of how many patients I want to see. The other hygienist, Sue, is super nice, and I don’t mind sharing the work. I think we could be friends.” Jen turned tear-filled eyes to Alex. “That would be okay, wouldn’t it?”
“Of course, honey. You’ll settle down and make lots of friends.” Alex brushed the backs of her fingers lightly down Jen’s cheek and smiled. “We’re starting a new life with new friends. It’ll take time, but I think we should try to look forward to it. I’m going to a Meetup at the state park next week.”
“Yeah? Cool. We’ll be okay.”
Jen’s response, a statement rather than a question, encouraged Alex. She needed to remain positive for Jen’s sake as well as her own. She didn’t disclose to Jen her own deep loneliness and longing for someone special in her life. She knew she would never be able to disclose her true past, but changing her name didn’t change who she was inside, the person she hoped to someday share with someone.
Alex watched Jen go through her ritual of checking the locks on the two windows and reviewing the room before they left. She’d told her she liked to memorize where everything was so she’d know right away if someone broke in and disturbed anything. She locked the deadbolt on the way out and double-checked it before they began the two-block walk to the outdoor market.
“Let’s get some zucchini, and I’ll make us some zucchini bread,” Alex said. She grabbed Jen’s hand as they crossed the street like she’d done so often when they were growing up.
“Yum. I’ll chop the walnuts.”
Alex smiled at the sparkle in her eyes. She vowed to do whatever it took to make sure it stayed there.
Chapter Two
“But I just met these women, Kristen. I’d feel like I’d be crashing their wedding.” Debra Johnson stood in the shade of a huge oak tree sipping an iced tea. She scanned the expanse of land surrounding the throngs of people gathered for the Independence Day celebration. The property bordered the Saint Clair River, and she caught glimpses of sunshine sparkling off the water through the evergreens lining its banks. The turn of the century, well-maintained farmhouse sat atop a rise on the property, and she could see part of a newer outbuilding located behind it at the end of a gravel driveway. She’d been told the building was a kennel for the owner’s Irish wolfhounds, and she planned to check it out before leaving.
“Dana and Maria invited you. Same-sex weddings will be taking place all over Michigan now, after the Supreme Court’s decision. They want to share their day with as many lesbians as they can. You’re my friend and they want you there,” Kristen said.
“I get it, I do, but I won’t know anyone there except you guys, and I’ll have to find a date.” Debby pushed her hair over her left ear and shook her head.
“Maybe it’s time, my friend.” Kristen squeezed Debby’s shoulder before continuing. “Not everyone is like your ex. There’re many trustworthy lesbians out there, and a lesbian wedding will be fun. It’s an historic time in our country, and our state.”
“That’s true, and I’m happy for them, but I don’t know. I’ll think about it.” Debby took a sip of tea and stared out over the crowd.
“Bring Kelly if you want. She likes to dance.”
“Maybe I will, or I’ll see if Mary from the club wants to go. She likes all kinds of dancing. They do that stupid chicken dance at weddings, you know.” Debby grinned and poked Kristen in the shoulder.
“Lesbian wedding. No chicken dancing.” Kristen clucked and did a little chicken dance step. “I’m going to get another hot dog. Can I bring you one?”
“No, thanks. I’ll get something in a minute. You know how bad those are for you, don’t you?”
“Yeah, yeah. I saw some boring veggies on one of the grills. You should be safe with them. Come sit with us later. We’ll be at the picnic table down by the water.” Kristen walked toward the smoking grills next to the house.
Debby took a deep breath and slowly expelled it before sitting on the grass to lean against the giant tree. She’d been friends with Kristen Eckert since high school and appreciated her attempt to include her in the events of her life. Since Kristen had met her partner and local veterinarian, Dr. Jaylin Meyers, she hadn’t seen much of her except at the local barrel racing events. Now she wanted to drag her to a wedding where she wouldn’t know anyone. It’s probably no different than going to the club alone. She stood, intending to follow Kristen to the food, when someone gripped her forearm.
“Sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you. Debby, right?”
Debby recognized Dana Langdon, one of the soon-to-be newlyweds. “Yeah. Good to meet you in person.” She shook Dana’s hand as she spoke.
“I’m glad you made it today. Kristen’s told us so much about you that I feel like I know you. I wanted to extend an official invitation to our wedding. I hope you’re available.”
“Thanks, Dana. I’m excited for you and Maria. September fifth, right?”
“Yep. It’s the anniversary of our �
��sort of’ first date. We went to a wiener dog race.” Dana grinned, and her eyes sparkled. “Bring a date if you’d like. We’re hoping to have a huge turnout. Pastor Wright has agreed to marry us in his little church, and Maria would be ecstatic to have standing room only. We’ll be mailing out invitations next week.”
Debby’s stab of envy surprised her, and she hesitated. Going to the dance club and hooking up with a woman for the night was very different from extending an invitation for a date to a wedding. She clung to the security of her list tucked safely away in her desk drawer. “I’ll plan on it.”
“Good. I’m going to go find my honey and get some food. Enjoy the party.”
Debby watched Dana stop to say hello to a few people on her way toward the house. She could do this. If she had to, she’d invite Kelly. She was a good friend and safe. Content with her decision, she went to fill a plate and find her friends.
“Over here.” Kristen waved as she called to Debby. “We saved you a seat.”
“Thanks.” Debby settled on the end of the bench at the picnic table with her plate of grilled zucchini, corn, and a burger.
Kristen swallowed her bite of hot dog before speaking. “I missed you last weekend at the stump race.”
“I’ve been covering for the vacationing pharmacist at the store in Waterford for two weeks, so I haven’t had time for much of anything except getting home, feeding Shadow, and crashing. I hate working in retail pharmacy more and more every day.” Debby stabbed a chunk of zucchini and popped it into her mouth.
“Have you talked to the nursing home yet?” Kristen asked.
“Yeah. I’ve got an interview in two weeks. I can’t wait.”
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