Unlocking Shadows (Keys to Love, Book Four)

by Kennedy Layne

  Chad didn’t end the conversation too soon, giving his father time to walk to his work truck so there wasn’t any chance of being drawn back into a conversation about his brothers. The strain between all of them had only grown worse over the last few months. It would eventually come to a head, but it wasn’t going to be right before he started a job and was about to commence demo of the damaged materials.

  Chad would wait until he was done with Gwen’s renovations before giving his opinion on how the company and the dynamics that came with it could work going forward. If Clayton and Wes were going to rejoin the family business, Chad would need time to accept the choice that his father had made for him.

  He truly didn’t believe that his father was willing to sacrifice one son over another.

  There was a way this could benefit all of them, but only if everyone was willing to put some boundaries into place. The reckless actions of his brother had placed the family business at risk before, and Chad wouldn’t stand for his brothers putting themselves first again.

  “Hey.” Noah’s deep voice coming through the line grabbed Chad’s attention away from the front door. “I appreciate you doing this. I know there’s been quite a bit of tension between our families after what happened with Clayton and all. You could have easily pawned this off on Jake, but you’re the one I trust to oversee what Gwen needs to get started on the right foot. After all, she’s my only sister. She deserves the best.”

  If Chad hadn’t known any better, he would have sworn there was a listening device implanted in the living room. He resisted the urge to look around. The house wasn’t quite as large as Lance’s place, but the design was rather similar, considering the era in which they were built. He hadn’t seen Gwen in many, many years, but anyone who’d been blessed with such a gift would be thrilled to have such a piece of property.

  “It’s not a problem, Noah,” Chad reassured his new business partner. There was a restructuring in their near future, but it had to remain status quo for the time being. “I’ll see you and Gwen in a bit.”

  Chad disconnected the call and shoved his cell phone back into his pocket before slowly analyzing the room in front of him. The years hadn’t been kind to the façade of this place, but her bones were as solid as a rock. It was a decent-sized living room with a staircase to the left if one were entering the front door. The old wooden railings on these longstanding homes never ceased to amaze him for all their intricate detail.

  Back in the day, people took pride in their work and always provided as much workmanship as the job could afford.

  Unfortunately, all the walls had been slapped with a fresh coat of white paint. He’d have to tear up some of that work to see if he needed to strip the existing drywall to get at the wiring or the plumbing in case it needed to be brought up to code.

  That left the floors to be another major project in need of some TLC. This type of heavy oak flooring usually resurfaced just fine, but it took a mountain of work to get it to look the way it should.

  Gus had the electricity and gas hooked up to the house a few days ago, but the utility company intentionally hadn’t opened up the main gas valve to the house without an inspector giving the okay that everything was as it should be. There hadn’t been enough time to completely check everything out prior, and Gus hadn’t been given a definitive date on Gwen’s return until recently.

  From Chad’s understanding, she should have been home weeks ago.

  The property had a well that needed to be serviced. Water wasn’t an issue other than needing to have a series of prefilters installed and a premium soft water system to get rid of the unwanted minerals and that horrific sulfur smell. Most folks nowadays wanted access to a reverse osmosis water system for their cooking and drinking supplies.

  Chad would need to get two different subcontractors for the wellhead and the plumbing of the water systems. As far as he knew, he could have all that taken care of this week if the various businesses had openings in their schedules.

  Power was the first requirement, and he needed to get an electrician in here to check out the box, along with the services to the rest of the house and the outbuildings.

  Chad took a minute to himself as he surveyed the house, picking up the coffee he’d poured into a travel mug before leaving his place. The stillness of the home had a peaceful quality that was an integral part of these old properties. It was one of the reasons he’d never moved away from Blyth Lake. Nothing else had ever settled his soul like restoring these historic, beautiful homesteads that had been an important part of the region’s history for the last seven or eight generations.

  He wasn’t sure how much time he had before Noah pulled in the driveway, so Chad grabbed his tool belt and began lugging some of the heavier tools upstairs. There were three bedrooms and two baths, and all of them needed some amount of work.

  One of bedrooms faced toward the east, so the morning rays would make a warm bed even warmer once the sun got over the horizon. Much like downstairs, the one consistent item in the bedrooms that needed attention were the old oak floors.

  Gwen would most likely want some type of plush carpet in the bedrooms, while restoring the hardwood in the hallway and down the stairs. He’d prefer to refinish the hardwood floors and drop rugs beside the beds, but that was him.

  As for the bathrooms, new counters would be needed if she wanted to update the décor. The tile was a mess. She was coming in from some major city, so he guessed at what her preference was in regard to her living space.

  Chad lightly brushed his fingers over the railing as he descended the steps, noting that the wood had been painted white most likely years prior when that was a thing. It was a shame, really. Covering up something so beautiful was a crime, but it could be easily rectified with some time and patience—both of which he had plenty of and was willing to provide at a price.

  The distant sound of an engine and the popping of gravel indicated that Noah and Gwen had finally arrived. Chad hadn’t gotten to go over the kitchen or the basement, but he’d already spoken to Noah about getting the kitchen, the main bedroom, and the upstairs bathroom done first so that Gwen could move in as soon as possible. All he was waiting on was for her to pick out the carpet that she’d most likely use to cover those beautiful wood floors.

  The front door had been left open, so all Chad had to do was open the screened door that had a purpose years ago before the house had a central air conditioning unit installed. Now? It wasn’t needed this time of year, but it was nice to have the house breathe in some fresh air after being shut up and abandoned for so long.

  He stepped outside, noting that the temperature was still quite cool. The scent of fresh cut grass hung in the air, courtesy of Gus hiring one of the local teens to get the yard presentable before bringing Gwen by to see her new abode. The only eyesore was the stable, which was in desperate need of a total rebuild.

  A quick glance at his watch showed it was now going on nine o’clock in the morning. The sun wasn’t strong enough to raise the temps out of the fifties, but if they were lucky, the high of the day might hit sixty-two if the rain held off this afternoon.

  Chad raised a hand in greeting as two vehicles pulled up alongside his red Dodge Ram. Noah’s F150 pulled in behind, but it was the red Jeep Rubicon that caught his interest. The Wrangler had to belong to Gwen, and he could already tell by her color choice that they were going to be friends.

  He was younger than Gwen by a couple of years, so he never really hung out with her group of friends back in the day. He imagined that she’d most likely frequent the tavern, seeing that Brynn was the proud owner after Tiny and Rose had signed the bar over to her earlier this summer. That place had a renewed sense of energy, and Brynn had been hitting it out of the ballpark with all the updates she’d been working on lately. Not to mention the live entertainment by some of the more popular local bands on the weekends.

  One glance at the woman who’d stepped out of the Rubicon had Chad changing his perception. Friendship
might not be the only thing on the table.

  There was no way in hell this amazing woman was the Gwen Kendall he remembered from high school. That girl had been rail-thin, long black hair that hung to her waist, and overly tanned skin that had most likely been acquired by cooking herself outside with baby oil. That had been a trend back then, if he recalled correctly.

  But this woman?

  Gwen Kendall sure as hell didn’t belong in Blyth Lake.

  Shiny black hair that resembled the luminous color of a raven was flawlessly cut to frame her sculpted face. Her porcelain skin surpassed the most beautiful porcelain doll, while her full lips were smoothly covered with red lipstick that basically begged to be worn off. She also had a figure that rivaled that of any obsolete hourglass.

  Gus and Noah’s abrupt manifestation by Gwen’s side was a wakeup call, and Chad had to clear his throat so that he could call out a greeting. That last thing he needed to do was act like an imbecile in front of Gwen while Noah and their father looked on.

  He was a grown ass adult, but even he agreed the word ass should be emphasized considering his reaction.

  One would think he’d never seen a beautiful woman before.

  Chad discreetly rubbed his eyes as he leaned against the white pillar of the wraparound porch that had been painted to draw in buyers, though that time was well over a few years ago. The previous owners only had so much discretionary income to put into the house, so they had chosen mostly surface elements to polish the curb appeal, as they called it. Which was a great reminder that the external shell didn’t always represent what was on the inside. For all he knew, Gwen’s time away had stolen her shy demeanor and she was hell on heels—not that she was wearing heels out here today.

  “Chad, it’s been a long time.”

  He was so fucked.

  Gwen smiled brightly as she looked up at him from the sidewalk, her melodic voice like honey being slowly dripped down his skin. Fortunately, she waited until she’d taken the two steps to be by his side to hold out her arm in greeting. He now had a better rein on his responses and didn’t even let on that the faint scent of vanilla enveloped him as her fingers ever so slowly closed around his.

  “It’s good to see you back, Gwen.”

  Chad was grateful for an excuse to release her hand, extending his arm to Gus. The older man was friends with Miles and had been for years. It was good that there didn’t seem to be any animosity between the two regarding Clay’s recent stupidity. Their families were now too connected and entwined for there to be any residual hostility…or so Chad kept telling himself that on a daily basis.

  “Are you here by yourself?”

  Gwen’s question threw him a bit, but he caught himself before showing his surprise. He didn’t miss Noah’s wince, though. There had apparently been a conversation about Clayton’s recent lapse in judgement, and of course, Wes and Chad were guilty just by association. It didn’t matter that their older brother made his own choices.

  Gwen had clearly made up her mind about the Schaeffer men.

  If that’s how she wanted to play it, then that was fine by him.

  “Yes,” Chad replied, letting her know in no uncertain terms by his steel tone that he was capable of keeping this professional moving forward from this point. “I was going to be the one handling your project, for the most part. If you’d prefer someone else heading up the renovations, I’m sure Noah can make a good recommendation.”

  Gwen Kendall was the prime example of how one shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. He should have known better, too.

  Well, he got her message across loud and clear.

  Chad would do them both a favor and stay far away from wherever she showed her pretty face in town.

  Chapter Four

  Gwen recognized her mistake almost immediately, but it was too late to take the words back after they’d tumbled from her lips. She had no excuse other than to admit that Chad Schaeffer had taken her by complete surprise.

  He was…

  Well, he was nothing like the awkward boy she used to see in the halls of their old high school. He was all…well, he was all man.

  Gwen might even go as far to say that he was quite possibly the most attractive male specimen she’d ever set eyes on, and that was saying something, considering she’d worked closely with a huge number of servicemen in the Navy for over ten years.

  Chad would have been a sophomore when she’d been a senior, but he’d never stood out to her back then.

  Now?

  It was as if she’d overlooked a diamond amongst the coal in her own backyard.

  All he needed was a white Stetson Rancher and a pair of Tecovas work boots to be on a billboard for some upcoming rodeo event. She’d never considered a plaid cotton shirt and Levi blue jeans as being sexy, but she was quickly changing her mind.

  HIs brown hair curled in all the right places, while his deep green eyes reminded her of the beautiful, vibrant color of a rainforest she’d once visited during her time in the service.

  That wasn’t technically true.

  Right now, the rich green hue of his eyes had turned the color of a hostile sea threatening to overtake her small launch and crash it on the huge rocks of the seawall surrounding the bay. She’d obviously upset him when that hadn’t been her intention. The distressed glances she was getting from her father and brother weren’t helping any, either.

  “Chad, I didn’t mean—”

  “I know what you meant, Gwen. It’s fine.” Chad nodded toward the men before walking toward the screen door. “I’ll be inside rounding up the tools that I already brought in.”

  Chad didn’t have to add that he wouldn’t be waiting for her decision on whether or not he’d be the one to do the renovations, though none needed to be made.

  Damn it.

  She absolutely hated when things didn’t go her way. Her day had been mapped out with the exact timeframe for each stop that she had on the list she’d made last night. It was rare that she ever varied from the detailed schedules she set for herself.

  But those infrequent occurrences did happen every now and then, and she was now left behind to pick up the pieces.

  “Gwen, what the hell was that?” Noah demanded, running a hand through his hair in frustration. She commiserated with him, but he took it one step further. “Chad didn’t deserve that crap, and you’re lucky he isn’t already in his truck and out of here. I work with the Schaeffers, for Christ’s sake. They’re good people who had nothing to do with Clayton’s impulsive actions.”

  She didn’t need a lecture from her brother when she already felt like shit.

  “One, don’t speak to me like you know what I’m thinking,” Gwen warned her brother, tilting her chin to show that she had nothing to be ashamed of after that confrontation. This slight misunderstanding was easily rectified if Chad would only give her ten seconds to explain why she’d asked the question in the first place. “We’re not back in high school, and I’m not your little knock-kneed sister anymore. I’m well aware that Chad, Wes, and their father aren’t responsible for Clay’s choices. I didn’t ask if Chad was alone out here at the house because I was worried about Clayton’s whereabouts.”

  “She’s right, son.” Gus glanced worriedly toward the front door, obviously upset that Chad had taken her inquiry personally. “When we were driving up the lane, Gwen thought she saw someone near the old corral. She was a bit thrown off a bit when Chad appeared on the porch out of the blue, seeing that his truck was the only vehicle parked in the drive.”

  “I’m sure it was nothing,” Gwen brushed away her father’s concern, wishing her current problems were so easily eradicated. She sighed in resignation. Her day had not started out anywhere near as pleasant as she’d expected things to go. She never should have taken that phone call. “It was probably a shifting shadow or something in the wind.”

  Noah’s concerned gaze was drawn to the barn and corral, but he made no move to head in that direction. There was no reason to, con
sidering the serene view in any direction off the wraparound porch. She’d overreacted due to all the stories she’d heard last night about the underwater graveyard less than a mile away from where they stood.

  “I’ll go inside and—”

  “No,” Gwen said softly with a shake of her head. She didn’t need her brother to take care of her mess. “I need to explain myself to Chad, and you going in there like some high school guidance counselor will make him to think you’re covering for me.”

  This wasn’t exactly how she’d pictured her first time seeing her new home. Her parents had basically handed over her dream of her own place on a silver platter, and instead of showing her dad how appreciative she was of such a gift…she’d upset the one man who’d shown up with the right tools to polish her rough gem into a work of art.

  “Dad, it’s beautiful. Absolutely beautiful. I don’t know how to thank you, but I do know that we’ll have a rotating schedule of poker games, dinners, and celebrations at everyone’s houses so that you can see how much we appreciate all you and Mom have done for each of us.”

  Gwen meant every word, too. She’d driven slowly down the gravel lane so that she could appreciate the scenic beauty that surrounded them. The somewhat tamed wilderness reminded her so much of the driveway leading to her childhood home, which told her that was one of the very reasons her father had chosen this particular property for her.

  She was a sucker for maintaining the sights, sounds, and smells attached to memories from the past. The lane leading up to the house had all of those senses covered as if it were twenty years ago.

  Driving through the other end of the pine trees scattered in the midst of full-bodied maples and oaks had dawned her new home that she distantly recalled visiting a time or two when Pamela Graber had invited some of the girls over for a sleepover. Her father would always be out on his tractor mowing the lawn and waving as they pulled past.