by Aubree Lane
“She works in the district office. She’s the secretary to the superintendent.”
He shot his sister a blank stare. “Lena, I don’t have a clue.”
Lena rolled her eyes. “For pity sakes, Terence, she helped you enroll Erika in her online courses. How can you be so lame? Anyway, she said that whenever Miss Mandy Murphy is in the office, she is constantly talking about you and has implied that the two of you are involved. I set Jenny straight, but you are going to have to talk with that girl. Who does she think she is spreading rumors like that?”
Terence brushed off her concerns. “Aren’t you overreacting? What do you care what some little girl is saying?”
Lena let him have it with both barrels. “That little girl is a full grown woman. Annie is not going to stay away forever. She’s going to come here. How do you think she’s going to feel when she walks down the street and hears crap like that? The island isn’t that big, and there are plenty of busy bodies out there who would jump at the chance to fill her in on the latest gossip. I bet your little Miss Murphy is counting on it.” She pounded Terence’s chest with her finger. “Wake up and smell the coffee. That little girl is out to get you, and she doesn’t care who she has to hurt to do it.”
He couldn’t imagine that Annie or anyone would take Miss Murphy seriously, or that he was significant enough for people to talk about. Even if Annie heard some gossip, she would take one look at Miss Murphy and dismiss it. The whole thing was ridiculous. Lena was seeing problems where they didn’t exist.
He understood where his sister was coming from, though. Her situation with her late husband, Kai, and how desperately they tried to keep his sexuality a secret, still struck a nerve.
What Lena failed to see, both then and now, was that no matter how much their friends and family talked about them behind their back, it was never malicious. Everyone understood their special relationship. Kai’s parents would be forever in Lena’s debt for protecting and caring for their fragile son, and the rest of their tight knit family felt the same.
Lena had been Kai’s companion, friend, and confidant throughout their childhood. Lena had always been the source of whatever strength Kai possessed. When they announced their pending nuptials, no one tried to dissuade the couple. Kai’s family knew how much they both cared about each other, and that there were no secrets between the two. Along with their blessing, they gave them the family home and all of their support.
Lena and Terence’s family had not understood the match, but tried not to voice their displeasure. When Kai died of AIDS only a year into their marriage, the couple’s reasons became clear. Lena had wanted and needed to care for her dear friend to the end. Kai had made sure his hefty life insurance policy was paid up and that Lena was the beneficiary. He too had needed and wanted to care for his best friend long after his death.
• • •
Terence looked at the clock on his bedside table. It was three o’clock in the morning. He’d been trying to reach Annie for most of the night without success. Annie had not mentioned any plans. Erika would be up soon, and he knew he should try to sleep, but he picked up the phone instead.
“Mele Kalikimaka,” he said softly when Annie finally picked up.
He swore he heard her smile.
• • •
“Merry Christmas to you, too,” Annie purred as she rolled back under the covers. “What time is it?”
“It’s about six o’clock your time. I wanted to be the first one to wish you a Merry Christmas.”
Her heart turned to mush. “You succeeded. Are you all right? You sound lonely.”
“I miss you. When can you come?”
Annie closed her eyes. She was bone tired. She’d spent most of the night at the airport trying to catch a flight to Hawaii, but there wasn’t a seat to be found. She would have only been able to stay a day or two at the most, but waking up in Terence’s arms Christmas morning would have made the whirlwind trip worth the effort.
“I’m working on it,” she grumbled, unable to mask the doubtfulness in her voice.
“Is Mrs. Barrington giving you a hard time? I could call her if you like.”
Annie remembered how easily he manipulated the woman the last time he was in town and smiled. She stretched her free arm up under her pillow and yawned. “You do have a way with her, but please don’t. We’re almost finished, and I want her out of my hair once and for all. I charged her almost double my normal fee just to make the situation tolerable.” Then she remembered how buddy-buddy Terence was with her difficult client and added, “You won’t tell her will you?”
His laughter rang out soft and clear, and she knew he was on her side.
“I wish we were together right now,” she cooed into the phone. “I have a Christmas present I can only give you in person, and in private.”
He caught on quick. “Great minds think alike. I believe I have the same exact gift for you. Want to try to exchange it over the phone again?”
Annie rolled onto her tummy and laughed. “That’s one experience I don’t wish to repeat. It has to be in person.” The urge to see him was overwhelming. Suddenly she threw caution to the wind and said, “Maybe we can make it a New Year’s gift instead.”
“I’ll pay for your ticket and fix up the guest room!”
Annie bolted straight up and placed a hand on her hip. “Hold on there, island boy. If it’s the guest room where I’ll be staying, I might as well stay home.”
“Not on your life,” he growled. “The guest room is on the far end of the house, where Erika won’t be able to hear us.”
Annie slid back under the covers slightly perplexed. It wasn’t like her to miss a detail as large as a guest room. Then again, they never got around to the actual tour part of their evening together.
“Maybe Erika could spend some time at Lena’s while I’m there?” Annie instantly took it back. “Forget I said that. Kicking her out is not an option. I was just being selfish. It’s just that I won’t be able to stay long, and we never seem to have much time by ourselves.”
“Hey,” his voice was warm and understanding, “I was thinking the same thing. You don’t have anything to apologize for, and I’ll take whatever time you can give me. I’d like to talk about our future while you’re here. I want to figure out a way for us to see each other more often. I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you, Annie Harper. I hate being without you, and once you’re here, I might not let you go home.”
Annie couldn’t believe he had actually said that. She knew how she felt, but she tried not to rush things. For both their sakes, she wanted to take a little time to make sure she loved him and not the dream boy she created in her mind in high school.
A strong force had drawn them together. She always believed it wasn’t just Larry’s meddling. It felt inevitable somehow, as if they were destined to meet and fall in love.
“You just gave me the best Christmas present ever. You’re just what I always wanted. Do you honestly love me?”
Terence chuckled. “I have never wanted to be with anyone so much in my life. I lay awake at night and imagine you’re here. The other morning while I was fixing breakfast, I poured three glasses of orange juice instead of two. One of them was for you. If that’s not love, I don’t know what is.”
Annie was so touched, she found it hard to speak.
“I didn’t cover very well either,” he went on, “the first thing out of Erika’s mouth was that she missed you, too. She’s too smart for my own good. I only hope I can read her as well as she does me.”
Tears streamed down Annie’s face. “Keep telling me stories like that and you might end up stuck with me for a very long time.”
“Are you crying?” Terence asked warmly.
“Just a little.”
“I got to you?”
Annie put her hand over her heart and sighed. “Oh yeah, you got to me.”
• • •
Later that morning, Annie stopped by her mother’s before heading o
ver to Larry’s for Christmas dinner. She dreaded the task. Something always happened to make her feel miserable, and she wasn’t in a miserable-feeling kind of mood. Terence loved her, and she wanted nothing more than to shout it from the rooftops.
Annie walked up to the front porch of the depressing gray house she had grown up in. Her stomach churned, and the day’s euphoric feeling began to slip away.
She turned around and headed back to her car. Annie didn’t need this. She had a man that loved her and a weird, ready-made family to step into. But before she made her escape, Annie’s fifteen-year-old half-sister opened the door and yelled, “Did you forget something? Do you need help with the presents?”
Annie couldn’t help but snicker. Other than her birthday, this was the only time of year Brittany was excited to see her. Just like a kid, she thought. Annie liked her best, though, and she couldn’t find it in her heart to disappoint her.
She turned back and saw that the red haired beauty bounding down the steps wasn’t exactly a little kid anymore. Annie had been just about Brittany’s age when things went past the point of no return between her and her mother. She wondered how much longer Britt would remain the golden child, and for a moment Annie felt sorry for her. “I was hoping you’d help,” she called back. “Come on and lend me a hand.”
Britt ran out, grabbed Annie’s hand and dragged her to the trunk of her car. Annie loaded her up with the gifts she brought, even though she knew there weren’t any under the tree for her. Annie kept telling herself that she was better off not receiving anything, but still, it hurt.
Her mother came in the living room just as she and Britt finished placing all the brightly wrapped packages under their sad looking Douglas fir. Its limbs sagged under the weight of all the homemade ornaments. Annie smiled when she saw the triangular-shaped reindeer face she made out of craft sticks back in elementary school. “I can’t believe you kept this, Mom. Thank you.”
Her mother looked to see what Annie was talking about and scowled. “That silly thing. You can have it.”
There it was. The first dig of the day. Annie couldn’t help but wonder if her mother actually meant to hurt her, or if she was actually that dense. With each passing moment, going home for the holidays felt like a warm sandy beach with Terence and Erika. Her mother was making it easy for her to leave this house and never look back.
“Guess what Mom, I have wonderful news,” Annie said, trying to lift her sinking mood. “I am in love, and I’m very happy.” She draped an arm around her mother’s slight shoulders and gave her a quick hug. Her mom seemed smaller than she had in the past and more frail. Annie wondered about her health. She searched the vacant shallows of her mother’s eyes and was certain she had been ill. “How are you feeling? You look a little tired.”
Her mother shrugged Annie’s arm off her shoulder. “I’m fine,” she said curtly. “I hope you aren’t expecting us to pay for a wedding. With your expensive tastes, I can only imagine what that would cost.”
Annie felt as if she’d been slapped in the face. Did her own mother despise her so much she couldn’t tolerate a simple act of concern? And Annie hadn’t said a word about getting married, just that she was in love and happy. Why couldn’t her mother ask a few questions? Like who’s the lucky guy? How did you meet? Well, maybe not that question, but something to show she was a little interested in her daughter’s life.
Annie turned and stared out the window. She needed a moment to take a breath and try to unclench her fists. She saw her car patiently waiting at the curb for her return and gave up. She obviously wasn’t wanted here. “You know, Mom, I’m running late. I just wanted to stop by and wish you a happy Christmas. I’ll see you later.” She made a quick, gift-less departure. That’s a new record, Annie thought. I didn’t even stick around long enough to take off my coat. She counted herself lucky that her stepfather hadn’t deemed it necessary to come downstairs to see her.
• • •
Annie was still fuming thirty minutes later when she arrived at Larry’s.
Eleanor opened the door and welcomed her in. “Mr. Wright went out for a walk. Why don’t you come in the kitchen and keep me company until he gets back? I could use a cup of tea, how about you?”
Sweet Eleanor, Annie thought. She can see I’m upset and wants to take care of me. My own mother didn’t even offer me a cup of tea.
The aroma of Eleanor’s Christmas dinner drifted through the kitchen. She knew Eleanor would never let her anywhere near the food she was preparing, but Annie had to offer. “I would love a cup of tea, but only if you let me help you with dinner. It smells fantastic.”
Eleanor graciously put her arm around Annie’s shoulder and led her to the kitchen table. “First that tea, then you can tell me what’s bothering you.”
Eleanor was a terrific listener, and for the next hour Annie talked while Eleanor puttered back and forth from the stove to the table. She didn’t offer any advice or try to solve Annie’s problems. Only words of comfort left Eleanor’s mouth, and Annie loved her more for it.
“Eleanor,” Annie inquired when the older woman finally settled down next to her. “You would have made an excellent mother. Why didn’t you have children of your own?”
Eleanor frowned and went back to the stove to give the gravy a stir.
Annie wished she’d kept her mouth shut. The last thing she wanted was to cause Eleanor distress. “I’m sorry, it’s none of my business,” she apologized. “Is that pumpkin pie I smell? Maybe you should check and make sure it’s not burning. I hate burnt pie.”
Eleanor wiped her hands on her apron and patted Annie’s shoulder as she passed by on the way to the oven. “Thank you for changing the subject.” Then Eleanor sniffed the air in mock exaggeration. “Yes, I do believe my pies are in need of a little attention.”
Relieved that Eleanor had already forgiven her indiscretion, Annie let out a giggle. “Since you don’t want to talk about yourself, would you like to hear what Terence had to say this morning?” Annie didn’t wait for an answer and gave Eleanor a word-by-word replay of how Terence proclaimed his love and about her upcoming trip to Hawaii.
A short time later, Larry returned from his walk. Shortly after that, Marissa and her family arrived.
The Christmas celebration began. Larry had somehow finally convinced Eleanor to join them for dinner. She sat beside him at the head of the table, and Annie thought the two looked quite happy together.
Annie left that evening without informing anyone other than Eleanor of her travel plans, or that after her conversation with Terence and the Christmas morning debacle with her mother, that she was tempted to make Oahu her permanent residence.
• • •
The completion date for Mrs. Barrington’s project was practically upon her, and Annie couldn’t think about anything other than her upcoming trip. The airlines were booked solid, but she was on multiple waiting lists, hoping someone would cancel.
Today, Annie was on site overseeing the final stages of the Barrington project, but she was distracted. She raced back to her laptop so many times to make sure she hadn’t missed a message from the airline, that the construction crew began to notice.
Alan, the painter whom she stood up to fly off to Hawaii in order to bugger up Marissa’s plan to kiss Terence, suggested she lay off the caffeine.
She could understand Alan’s frustration with her, he was at least a normal person, but when the aging tape and texture guy, who still looked stoned from the wild partying days of his youth, whose speech was slow and spaced out, whose eyes drifted off to places only he was aware of expressed concern, Annie knew her presence was not having a positive impact on her crew.
Eventually, Mrs. Barrington pulled her aside and asked her to join her in the living room, a room which in Annie’s estimation had turned out exceptionally well. The use of bold colors on the walls, accented with Mrs. Barrington’s collection of antiques, along with her original artwork, made for a perfect combination. Annie turned th
e cold, uninteresting room into a warm and welcoming space.
She loved every aspect of the work done at the Barrington’s, and even though Mrs. Barrington had been a royal pain, the woman had pushed Annie into not only expressing her personality and style in the design, but she had turned it into a relaxing sanctuary as well.
Making all the rooms at the Barrington mansion appear comfortable was critical, since actually being comfortable in the presence of Mrs. Barrington was not an easy thing to accomplish.
“Annie dear,” Mrs. Barrington began as she handed her a cup of tea. “I have been hearing some pretty nasty rumors concerning that lovely little girl I met awhile back.”
Annie was shocked. She thought she was going to get called out on the carpet for being such a scatterbrain, but Mrs. Barrington wanted to gossip. It was unlike her, and Annie was appalled that a woman of Mrs. Barrington’s stature could be reduced to indulging in such a tawdry human weakness.
“What have you heard?” Annie asked her employer in what could only be described as a snooty and superior tone of voice. Annie noticed that her nose had even risen slightly in the air.
Mrs. Barrington looked at Annie as if she were nothing more than a petulant child and promptly made her toe the line. “I am not here to gossip. I have some information that could help Mr. Wright, so I would appreciate it if you would either confirm or deny these horrid accusations.”
Annie lowered her nose and bit her lip, but the apology Mrs. Barrington deserved refused to come forth. Annie attempted to at least appear remorseful and gave Mrs. Barrington what she wanted. “Whatever you heard probably has some truth in it, although, I doubt you have the whole story.”
Mrs. Barrington straightened her back and squared her shoulders. “I heard that Hannah Turner seduced Lawrence Wright and that she has been passing Erika off as Mr. Javier’s daughter, is that correct?”
Annie was batting a thousand. Mrs. Barrington had been fully informed. “Well, yes,” she stammered, totally bemused.
“I have never cared for the Turner family,” Mrs. Barrington continued. “Alexander was not known to treat his family well. I never understood how his wife put up with him all those years.” She turned an accusing eye Annie’s way. “Although, no one deserves to be laughed about at their own funeral.” Ignoring Annie’s stunned expression, the older woman went on. “Hannah learned unusually young how to be manipulative, she had to in order to survive, but this is unacceptable.
