by Tara Randel
Another chuckle escaped him. He hadn’t laughed this much since...well, before the events that had brought him here.
“Why such a naysayer? Have a grudge against the great outdoors?”
She shrugged, but he didn’t miss that her smile slipped or the rigid tension in her shoulders. “Not many great memories.”
“Not athletic?”
“Not really, but I did enjoy sports when I was a kid.”
“Like?”
“Softball. I love to hike. I never seemed to outgrow that activity.”
“Doesn’t sound so bad.”
“It wasn’t until high school.” She averted her eyes. “I had a bit of a weight problem so it soured team sports for me.”
This piece of news surprised him as she seemed toned and in good shape.
“I get it. I had severe allergies growing up, so I was late to the game when it came to the sports my brothers easily mastered. In my case, they encouraged me, so I caught up quickly.”
“I stick with hiking. At least you can do that alone.”
Which she probably did because solitary was easy. He knew from experience, but he didn’t call her on it because that would have been hypocritical of him. “There are some beautiful trails around here.”
“Right here on the grounds, too.”
“You’ll have to show me.”
Her sunny smile returned. “I intend on keeping you too busy with tours. You won’t have any free time.” Grace glanced over her shoulder toward her uncle’s cabin, where a single light shone in the living room. “Speaking of free time, do you expect any visitors while you’re here?”
“Nope. Just me.”
“Solo, huh?”
“I like it that way.”
“Because...?” She held the word out, indicating she wanted an answer.
He shrugged. “Just do.”
He noticed the frustrated expression in her eyes and chuckled. Time to change the subject. Once the hot dogs were ready, Deke placed his in the bun and began eating. Before long, he helped himself to some beans.
“Tell me more about working for Put Your Feet Up,” Deke said between bites, licking a dab of ketchup from his finger.
“Since we put the canoes in the lake, that’s one job done. Hiking will just be a matter of you familiarizing yourself with the trails in the area. We coordinate with Deep North Adventures but they do most of the work. Adam and Colin are brothers who own the business.”
“I imagine you know most everyone in town.”
“If they run a business or if I went to school with them, then yes, I’m pretty well-informed.” She slid him a sideways glance. “Is there anyone you’re interested in knowing about?”
Yes, Serena Stanhope in particular, but he wasn’t ready to show his hand yet. “I’m a cop. It’s in my nature to want to know about everyone, including details of the town.”
“About that. Being a cop, I mean.” Grace placed her empty dish on the ground beside her feet. “You don’t owe me any details, but why the leave of absence?”
Did he dare tell her? The sun had set, the air was warm and a beautiful woman sat beside him. A perfect time to let down his defenses. Confide his darkest secrets. He gazed her way, the flames flickering over her pretty features. The night cast a spell over them and even though he never thought he’d want to talk about Britt, about that horrible night, he found the whole sordid tale on the tip of his tongue.
“The last case I worked on didn’t end well. A friend lost...” That darned lump lodged in his throat. He coughed to clear it.
“I’m sorry. Were you close?”
He hesitated. “Her name was Britt. We worked Forensics together.”
“Job related, then?”
He nodded. “I still need some time to wrap my head around the events.”
“I didn’t mean to pry. I was curious after you filled out the employment application.”
“I guess I did come across kind of vague.”
“It’s okay to—”
The screen door to Grace’s cabin slammed, the sharp rap of wood against wood jolting them from the conversation. Grace jumped and looked over her shoulder. In the last vestiges of evening light, Deke rose as Faith strode toward them, her arms crossed tightly over her stomach. Grace must have sensed trouble because she stood.
“What is it?” Grace asked.
“Sorry to bother you. Mama called. She’s all upset that you didn’t answer your phone.”
Grace patted her shorts pockets. “I must have left it in my purse and forgot about it when I took John for a walk.”
“Well, she’s called me three times. I told her you were busy, but you know Mama. You’d better call her.”
Resignation flashed in Grace’s eyes, along with a tiredness that went beyond physical. He understood the look, had seen it on his face too many times lately when he looked in the mirror.
“I’m going to have to cut our dinner short,” she said, moving to gather up the plates, utensils and the pot of beans to replace on the tray.
He joined her, intending to help. Their shoulders brushed and a quick sense of yearning swept over him before Grace moved away.
“Can you help me carry these back to the cabin, Faith?”
Shaking off the moment, Deke stepped out of the way to let the sisters work. Taking the pot, Faith headed back. Grace hesitated before leaving. “I’m sorry. I need to check on my mother.”
“You don’t have to explain.”
“I feel like I do.”
“Does this happen often?”
“More than I’d like it to.” She hefted the tray. “I’ll see you at the office tomorrow. We’ll go over the weekend schedule one last time.”
With a distracted nod, she hurried off.
Making sure she made it safely back to the cabin, Deke then set about putting out the fire before turning in for the night. A cloud of gray smoke puffed upward as he sprayed the pit down with water from a hose connected to a nearby spigot. He was headed to his cabin when he saw Grace hurry out to her car and take off.
As her taillights disappeared into the night, he scratched his head, wondering if this undercover mission to dig up information on his mother’s boyfriend might not force Deke to look deep inside to figure out the next step in his life. Because when he was with Grace, he felt more alive than he deserved.
* * *
GRACE JOGGED UP the steps to her mother’s house, knocking loudly once before pushing the door in. “Mama?”
“In the living room,” came the terse reply.
Grace hurried in to find her mother in the armchair, her face pensive, twisting her fingers in the afghan covering her lap.
“What’s wrong? Are you feeling ill? Is your injury bothering you?”
“No. I’m fine. Finally got the hang of maneuvering around on a twisted ankle.”
“So you’re doing better?”
“Seems that way.”
“And your friends brought you dinner?”
“Yes.”
“Then what’s so urgent?”
“You didn’t answer your phone.”
Grace blinked. “I just called you before I left work. I’m sorry, but I left my phone in the cabin while I was outside.”
Her mother sniffed, “You smell like smoke.”
Grace wasn’t going to explain herself. “Did you need something, Mama?”
She picked up the cordless phone on the armrest. “It’s Nathan. I’m pretty sure he’s gotten himself in trouble.”
Grace’s stomach sank. “What makes you think something’s going on?”
“I heard from him once after my fall. I told him what was going on, how we needed him to come home. He said he’d be here soon, but tonight when he called to check in, I could hear the panic in his voice. And he was kind of
whispering, like he was in a place where he couldn’t talk out loud.”
Grace ran a hand through her hair and took a seat on the couch. “Mama, that could be anywhere.”
“I’ve tried calling him back, but his phone rings and rings and goes to voice mail.”
“What did he say, exactly?”
Her mother squinted her eyes as if she were trying to remember the conversation word for word. “He said things had gone a little haywire and he wasn’t sure when he’d be able to return. I asked him what things he was talking about, but he said not to worry. He had a plan and with a little more time, we’d be in good shape.”
“What does that mean, ‘good shape’?”
“Well...the business is doing okay but money’s been a little tight on the personal side.”
Her shoulders slumped. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You’ve been after me to take responsibility for the business. I tried...but got a little behind and didn’t want to tell you.”
“Oh, Mama.”
“Nathan wanted to fix it.”
Nathan with a plan?
“You have no idea where he might have gone?”
“Gracie, you know how tight-lipped he is when he takes off.”
She did. And that’s what worried her the most.
“What should we do?” Her mother fretted.
She had to think. On the verge of a headache, Grace knew from experience this was going to be a long night. Rising, she headed for the kitchen. “How about I put on the water for tea?”
Her mother nodded, then picked up the phone and stared at it like it would ring just because she wanted it to. But this was Nathan they were talking about. Odds were he wouldn’t call back tonight.
Odds. At that thought, Grace froze. Backtracked. “Mama, what if he’s gambling again?”
The color leached from her mother’s face. “I’d hope not, but after this call...”
The tension in her body nearly paralyzed Grace, but she continued her task of filling the kettle and turning on the burner. Last time Nathan had gotten involved with some unsavory characters—Uncle Roy’s description—he’d lain low for months, on the run, until he’d managed to scrape together enough money to pay off his debt. Had he done it again? Lost big-time and would now suffer the consequences?
The tea whistle jerked her from her thoughts. Turning off the stove, she took two ceramic mugs from the cabinet and placed a tea bag in each, the comforting scent of apple spice calming her as she poured steaming water over them.
Back in the living room, she set one of the mugs on the table beside her mother. After taking a seat on the couch, she cradled the warm cup between her fingers, wishing the heat from the tea would warm her insides. She’d gone cold when they’d started discussing her brother’s habit.
She didn’t know what to do, whom to turn to. Uncle Roy was still on his long-deserved vacation. She didn’t want to disturb him with the flimsy amount of information they currently possessed. Faith didn’t need to be burdened by this. She had enough stress in her life. And Mama, as much as she’d like to help, couldn’t hide the pleading expression in her eyes. Which told Grace everything she needed to know.
“What should we do, Gracie?”
The burden on her shoulders grew heavier, the band across her chest squeezing tighter. Finally, she reached for the cordless. Hit the redial button. The call went straight to voice mail. She tried three more times before her brother finally answered.
“Mama, stop calling.”
“It’s Grace. And I’ll keep calling until you tell me what’s going on.”
A frustrated breath came through the phone. “Really? Mama called you?”
“What did you expect?”
In the background she heard voices but couldn’t get a sense of where he was. A poker game? Was he in another state or on a casino boat?
“I’m handling things, Grace.”
“What things?”
“Look, I told Mama I’d get some money to help her out. She’s gonna have medical bills.”
“Yes, and we’ll all work together to figure out the best course of action to pay them.”
“You left Golden for your law practice, Gracie. Left us behind,” her brother accused. “You shouldn’t be involved.”
“I already am. Who do you think is handling the office while you’re off heaven knows where?”
“I’ll be back soon.”
“When? I had to hire a guide. We’re booking up fast.”
“I’m on a good streak. Just give me time.”
She’d heard that refrain before. Right before a major loss. “Nathan, please. Just come home. We’ll figure the finances out. You don’t need to get yourself into a dangerous situation. We’ll make ends meet.”
“See, that’s your problem. You want to rope me in. I need freedom.”
This same old song and dance?
“Let me remind you, little brother, that you can have plenty of freedom if you do things legally.”
“I can’t do this with you right now.”
She tamped down her annoyance and tempered her voice. “Then just come home, Nathan. We love you and need you.”
She heard a noise on the other end.
“Did you just snort at me?”
“Since when have you ever needed help?”
The lone-ranger act she’d maintained for so long exhausted her and had to end. She couldn’t keep up. “Now, Nathan. I need you now.”
Silence greeted her. A shout went up and Nathan said, “Look, I gotta run. I...ah... I’ll think about what you said.” Then a click.
She lowered the phone and glanced at her mother.
“Well?”
“I don’t know, Mama.”
Her mother leaned over. Patted Grace’s hand. “You tried.”
“But was it enough to convince him?”
“Perhaps.” Her mother sent her a quizzical look. “You’ve never told him, any of us, that you needed our help before.”
Grace squirmed in her seat, still mired by the guilt she’d been carrying since her father’s arrest. She was tired of taking care of the entire family alone. Her penance had gone on long enough. “I should have. But all these years after Daddy’s arrest... I always feel like I have to make things right.”
“You did. But in the process you let us all depend on you much too much.”
She blinked at her mother.
“Yes, Gracie. I know I call upon you far too often.” Her mother looked at her wrapped ankle. “Look at me, laid up and expecting you to do all the work. I know you’d rather be in Atlanta.”
Did she? With everything going on, she hadn’t thought about going back to her job in hours.
Her mother leaned back in the chair. “Maybe it’s time the Harper family did a one-eighty.”
Grace tried not to gape. “I know I didn’t spike that tea of yours, so where is this new leaf coming from?”
“Your brother scares me, Gracie. Faith is a mess, even though she tries to cover it up. And you, atoning for what happened to your daddy? Roy was right. I shouldn’t have called you.”
Her heart twinged. “Uncle Roy said that?”
“Yes. Read me the riot act. Told me to get my head out of the sand.”
“But you were injured. Of course I’d come home.”
“And I appreciate that you were here as soon as I called. Settled me back home and took care of me.”
“Why do I hear a but coming?”
“It’s hard. Wishing I hadn’t wasted so much time pining for your daddy.” She shook her head. “Give me a chance, Gracie, and I’ll show you I can be a team player.”
Just yesterday, Mama had been lamenting the fact that she wanted her husband to come home. Now this? The round and round made Grace’s brain hurt. “Um...
okay.”
“Now head on back to the cabin and get some sleep.”
Grace smothered a yawn. “No. I’ll stay here tonight. Just in case.”
A sly smile curved her mother’s lips. “You know, I have an idea that will help you. Help all of us.”
“Tell me what you have in—”
Her mother held up a hand but kept mum.
Was this all a ploy to keep Grace in Golden or was her mother’s change of attitude a cosmic shift in the atmosphere? She found it hard to fall asleep with all the questions clamoring in her overactive mind.
CHAPTER SIX
MONDAY MORNING STARTED out relatively quiet, compared to the busy weekend Grace had endured, until the door opened and Lissy Ann traipsed into the Put Your Feet Up office.
“So we need to up our game,” Lissy Ann announced, plunking her designer bag on the counter and removing a printed paper from a leather folder to pass to Grace. Afraid of what was in store for her, Grace took hold of the paper with the tips of her fingers like she was picking up a snake, with dread and caution.
“Changes?”
“It’s an updated schedule.” Lissy Ann tapped the paper with a manicured finger.
Grace hadn’t had time to review the old schedule Lissy Ann had sent over yet. Between working on Saturday, spending some quality, if awkward, time with her sister and her children, then coming back to the office Sunday afternoon to undertake a thorough cleaning, she hadn’t given the town festivities a second thought. Her new employee, however, had gotten second, third and fourth thoughts, especially after the night by the fire. She’d run into Deke only once over the weekend, when she made sure to meet with the hiking tour before he had them pile into the van to drive to the scenic overlook.
He’d been well in command, ruggedly handsome in a T-shirt, shorts and boots, a knapsack hanging from his broad shoulders. Already tanned from spending time outdoors, probably from his days hiking the Appalachian Trail, he’d worn sunglasses and a wide-brimmed hat. She could have sworn his lips curved into an amused smile when she arrived at the parking lot behind the office to see the tour off. It was as if he thought her actions were predictable, like he knew she couldn’t stand not being in charge and had to show up to make sure Deke got it right.
