Secret Wife

by Mia Carson

  He blew out a heavy breath. “What did you get yourself into, woman? Do you even understand how wrong this could go? Do you really think he’s going to give up this rich life of his to marry you?”

  “Not at first, no.”

  “Not at first?” he repeated confused. “Jaylyn—”

  “He has to marry one of the women his dad approves of first, get the restaurant under his control, and then he can divorce her and we can be together,” she rambled. The second she said it, she realized how bad it sounded and why Frankie stared at her like she’d lost her mind. “I’ll admit it sounds worse than it is.”

  “You’ve landed in a goddamn soap opera!” he yelled and she hurried to shush him when a few of the people in the kitchen turned to look at them. “I have to tell Hannah. We’re having an intervention or something. This is insane. I can’t let you be with a guy who’s clearly using you!”

  “He’s not sleeping with anyone else.”

  “And that’s supposed to make me feel better? None of this makes sense, you see that, right? To a normal person, none of this makes sense!”

  “I never was much for sanity,” she muttered and stalked towards the door. He blocked her path, but she glowered at him and he stepped aside.

  “I’m trying to look out for you.”

  “Well, you’re doing a shitty ass job,” she snarled and whipped around on him. “I’ve put up with some shit before, but with Walker, the world does make sense. I’m happy with him, happier than I’ve ever been, and he’s willing to put himself in a horrible situation so I can have my dream and we can run it together.” She sucked in a deep breath and yanked her bandanna from her hair, her heart pounding. “I’m sorry if you don’t approve, but things aren’t always easy. I’m not walking away from him and I’m not leaving my dad’s restaurant behind either. If you’ll excuse me, I need to get some air.”

  She stormed out of the mudroom as the words she nearly let slip rattled around in her mind. Love. She’d almost admitted she loved Walker. She cut through the hall that led from the kitchen, around the house, and towards the foyer and ducked her head low as she marched upstairs to wash her face and cool off before she accidentally set something on fire, like Frankie’s hair.

  She tried to tell herself countless times falling for Walker was a bad idea and the chances of them actually winding up together happily ever after were slim. But no matter how hard she attempted to stay away from him, she always wound up back in his arms. Jaylyn couldn’t walk away now. She would have to see this through to whatever end.

  Brittany’s laughter cut short when she caught the woman darting upstairs. No one ever went upstairs in Walker’s house, but that woman had. Excusing herself from the gaggle of women she gossiped with, she walked to the stairs and glanced up in time to see the woman disappear down the hall.

  After all the times she’d come here, Walker never once gave her a tour of the upstairs, and Brittany swore she saw a chef’s jacket. She hurried quietly up the stairs and peeked down the hall. The woman disappeared into a room and Brittany bristled. Was that her bedroom? Or Walker’s room? He was outside with his father and a few other business men, discussing how well the lodge was doing. So why was she up there?

  Brittany hustled down the hall, struggling not to fall in her four-inch heels and tugging her short dress down when it rode up her ass. The door was open, and when she peered inside, she had to swallow a gasp of shock. The room appeared well lived in, as if this woman lived in the house with Walker. Her Walker. She glared around the room and her gaze landed on the messed-up bed as her thoughts darkened. Was he sleeping with the help, or was she sleeping with him thinking she’d be able to weasel her way into his life? She crept further into the room when she heard water running and assumed the woman was in the bathroom. There was a photo on the dresser of a woman with two older people Brittany assumed were her parents. A quick glance in the closet showed nothing of taste and there was no jewelry in sight. Nothing that told her who this woman really was. She should have left, but her jealousy rose like a violent beast, and she parked her ass on the foot of the bed to wait.

  The door opened a few moments later and a woman Brittany had to grudgingly admit was pretty jumped when she saw Brittany.

  “Damn it, what are you doing up here?” she asked, confused.

  “I could ask you the same thing. You are the cook, are you not?’ she snapped, though a smile remained on her face.

  “Yes, I am.”

  “Then why are you up here? Do you live here?”

  The woman glanced around the room with an arched brow. “Clearly, so if you would be so kind to get out of my room, that would be great. I have to get back to the kitchen.”

  “Yes, the kitchen.” She sighed as she stood and sauntered towards the woman. “I want to remind you that the kitchen is your place and your only place in this household.”

  “Is that right?”

  “Quite. Walker Allard is not for you, or any other woman of your…stature. He belongs with a woman like me.”

  The woman stared at her blankly and burst out laughing. “I’m sorry, it’s amusing is all. You think you’re his favorite, don’t you?”

  Brittany huffed. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “No reason, except I know for a fact you’re not,” she whispered as she passed her on her way out the door. “You know what? I don’t care. Stay up here, snoop around. You won’t find anything, but whatever makes you feel better.”

  “Are you fucking him?” Brittany yelled, hoping to shock the woman, but she kept on grinning. “Are you?”

  “Why don’t you ask him yourself if you’re so insecure?” She winked and waltzed out of the bedroom, leaving Brittany to fume alone. She went through the woman’s things, but aside from a poor taste in clothes, she found nothing to give evidence she was sleeping with Walker or they had any relationship at all.

  But she was living in his house, and when Brittany finally exited the bedroom, she spotted another open door at the end of the hall and cursed. The woman slept in the room right beside Walker’s. No one’s help slept that close to them unless it was for a reason. As she rejoined the party, she sought out Helena and Georgette and pulled them away from their conversations.

  “What do you want?” Georgette drank her martini and appeared bored as she always did.

  “Do you know who the cook is?”

  “Which cook? The one Walker hired who makes incredible food?” Georgette asked. “Why do you care so much?’

  “Did you know she fucking lives here?”

  Helena’s eyes widened in shock as she choked on her drink, but Georgette merely blinked.

  “I’m not sure why that’s surprising. She does work here all day long. He probably wanted to save her the trouble of commuting.”

  “Or he’s doing something else with her,” Brittany seethed. “She’s digging her claws into him, manipulating him. She’ll turn him against us.”

  “Now you’re being paranoid,” Georgette argued.

  “Or I’m onto something. Has he ever made a move on any of you?”

  Helena and Georgette shook their heads. “You think he’s having sex with her?” the first asked, horrified. “Why would he do that to us?”

  “We’re not married to him yet,” Georgette reminded them, “and we all know he’s dating all three of us. He’s not exclusive. He can do what he wants for now, as far as I’m concerned.”

  “Seriously? You really want this tramp with him? Why doesn’t this piss you off more?”

  Georgette finished her drink and offered a polite smile, but Brittany saw the gears turning in that woman’s eyes. She knew something the others didn’t, but whatever it was, she kept it to herself. “Good afternoon, ladies. I’m heading back to the party.”

  Brittany fumed as she walked away, her hips swaying as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I hate her.”

  “Ditto. What are we going to do about this cook?”

  “I already warned her to st
ay away, but if that doesn’t work, I’ll come up with something to get rid of her. Walker needs the three of us. He can always hire another cook.”

  Brittany shot back the rest of her whiskey and pop, and went to grab a second one. She glared at Walker from across the room. All this time, she knew that man hid something from them. No man turned down a night with her, but he flat-out refused to give in to her flirting. Soon enough, she would change the game, and Walker would be eating out of the palm of her hand and the rest of the women could watch from a distance, envious of all she had gained.

  15

  The party went off as well as could be expected, but Walker forgot about his stuffy ‘friends’ and what they had to say about his lodge and the restaurant. He’d seen Jaylyn several times throughout the day, and her mood shifted from happy to downright pissed off. He asked her about it once everyone had gone home, but she shrugged it off and put on a fake smile.

  That was over a week ago and she’d barely been alone with him since.

  The notion that one of his ladies had figured out that Jaylyn lived there and might have said something to her about it crossed his mind, but he didn’t feel the urge to call and ask each one if they’d harassed his staff. None of them could know what really went on between him and Jaylyn. If word reached his father, their quickly budding relationship would fall apart in a shot and he would lose everything, along with the restaurant.

  Evening had settled in, and he walked inside after spending all afternoon playing with the dogs and trying to clear his head. His hope was to coax Jaylyn outside, too, but she remained tucked away in the kitchen. He’d just opened the door when he heard a gasp and glass shattering.

  “Jaylyn?” He raced through the mudroom and saw her clutching her cell in one hand, standing barefoot amidst a pile of broken glass from whatever she dropped.

  She didn’t say a word, but he heard someone talking on the other end of the line. Tears streamed down her face and she looked ready to collapse. Walker lifted her quickly out of the glass and sank with her to the floor as she buried her face in his shirt, mumbling, “No,” over and over again.

  Walker’s heart sank as he understood what the phone call must be and placed it to his ear. “This is Walker Allard. Jaylyn’s not in a state to speak. Who is this?”

  “Gertie,” the woman said through her own tears. “I’m the nurse taking care of…or was taking care of her father. He passed away this morning, about twenty minutes ago.”

  “What?” he asked, shocked.

  “I know, we were all surprised. It was so sudden.”

  “I thought he was doing better?”

  “He was, but he didn’t make it. Mariah Wilson is here. Can you bring her daughter and get them both safely home?”

  “Yes…yes, I’ll be there as soon as I can.” He hung up in a state of numb shock. “Jaylyn?”

  “He can’t be dead,” she rasped, shaking her head violently. “He can’t be dead! I can’t… I don’t want to say goodbye to him!” She sobbed and he pulled her into his lap, rocking her gently as he soothed her the best he could, whispering in her ear that everything would be fine.

  The day his mother died, he had been a wreck. He understood the heart-wrenching pain of losing a parent unexpectedly and far too soon. They sat on that floor as she cried and sputtered words he couldn’t really hear but didn’t need to. He knew what she meant. Her pain washed over him, and all he could do was hold her tight and wait for her to be able to stand again.

  “We need to get to the hospital,” he whispered.

  “No—no, I don’t want to see him like that,” she muttered. “I can’t.”

  “Your mother is there, and she’s hurting like you. She needs you now.” He held her shoulders and stared firmly at her. “You both lost someone today. You won’t get through this unless you support each other.”

  “How?” She wiped angrily at her face. “How can I be strong for her? I can’t even stand.”

  He hoisted her to her feet and held both her hands in his. “I’m going to be right beside you. Whatever you need, you let me know.” He waited for her to nod that she understood and then he looked around. “Where’s your purse? We’re going to head to the hospital now.”

  She mumbled something about it being upstairs and glanced down at her feet. “I need shoes.”

  He told her to stay where she was and he would find her sneakers and her purse. Once he had them, he helped her slip into the sneakers, and carrying her purse, he guided her out of the house to his truck. He made sure she was belted in and drove as quickly as he could to the hospital. He wasn’t sure where Mariah would be, but as soon as they stepped through the doors, she was there to grab her daughter, and they hugged, sobbing together. A nurse stood by—the one Walker assumed had called him—and she squeezed his arm.

  “Thank you for being here for them.”

  “Anything they need,” he promised. “I can’t believe he’s gone.”

  “No one can, but it was peaceful, while he slept.” Gertie smiled sadly as she added, “He even had a smile on his face as if he was ready to go and just…drifted away.”

  With one arm around each other, Mariah and Jaylyn stepped towards Walker. “You are truly a blessing to this family,” she whispered. “I hope you know that.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Wilson. Jaylyn means a lot to me and so does her family. I don’t want either of you to worry about anything while you grieve, so please, whatever you need. If you need me to call people, make arrangements, I can help.”

  Mariah squinted at him. “You’ve lost someone before, haven’t you?”

  “My mother, many years ago.”

  She patted his cheek softly. “You must take after her.”

  “That I do.” He held her hand to his face and smiled. “Are you ready to go home, or did you need to finish up here?”

  “No, I think we’re ready. The next few days won’t be easy, and there’s no point in putting everything off. We have to deal with it sometime, and it might as well be now,” she said strongly and pulled herself upright. “Lyn? You know your dad was so proud of you. Still is. He said it a few times yesterday and told me to remind you to be happy.”

  Jaylyn’s eyes shimmered with more tears, but she wiped them away on her sleeve. “And I will be, somehow. Let’s get you home, Mom.”

  Walker followed them out of the hospital, his chest tight and heart heavy. If he could take away Jaylyn’s pain, her sadness, he would in a heartbeat. But she had to face this head on and move through the grief. All he could do was be a good shoulder to lean on.

  As the next few days dragged by and the funeral for Darien Wilson finally arrived, Jaylyn wondered how she would ever have made it through without Walker’s help. She panicked when she realized the apartment her mom lived in was far too small to host anyone after the funeral took place. Walker told her the night before he was shutting down Jaybird’s Roost so they could hold the gathering there. She tried to argue, saying his father would be pissed, but Walker had very sternly told her to shut up and let him worry about Leo.

  “That place is your dad’s legacy,” he’d told her. “It’s only right that you should get the chance to say goodbye to him there.”

  The sun shone as they went from the funeral home to the cemetery and laid Darien to rest in the ground. Jaylyn and Mariah held hands during the entire ceremony, tears falling silently down their faces, but they didn’t last long. Jaylyn had cried so much since she’d heard the news, she wondered how she had anything left to pour out. Her dad was gone. The idea was strange, thinking she wouldn’t see him at the apartment or at the restaurant, or hear his voice in her ear when she called. He was gone.

  A cool breeze blew across her face as the last of the people tossed roses on the coffin lowered into the ground.

  “Now, let’s go say goodbye to your father the only way he would’ve wanted.”

  Jaylyn smirked as they walked away from the gravesite towards the car waiting to take them to the restaurant. S
he saw Walker leaning by his truck, talking to Hannah and Frankie. He waved when he caught her eye, and she smiled, unable to think of how to repay him for all the kindness he’d shown her. Frankie wasn’t smiling, but he hadn’t decked the guy yet so she assumed they were getting along. She’d spoken to Frankie a couple of times, and they’d apologized to each other for their spat. He and Hannah had been over the night before, toasting Darien with shots of whiskey until Jaylyn fell asleep on the couch.

  “That Walker man, I think he likes you,” Mariah said once they were in the back seat of the car.

  “We’re good friends,” Jaylyn said, but her mom grinned. “What?”

  “You’re sleeping with him, and don’t bother asking me how I know. I just do.” She patted her hand and sighed. “I’m happy you listened to your dad, about worrying about being happy rather than getting the restaurant back.”

  Jaylyn leaned on her mom’s shoulder. “We both tried, I think, to fight it, but it’s like we were pulled to each other no matter what we did.”

  “I know the feeling.”

  “I’m worried it won’t end the way we want.”

  “It’s better to go after the things you want in case they do work out,” she said. “I wanted you to know that I like him, too. And so did your dad. He swore up and down Walker had to be adopted.”

  “He said his dad changed after his mom died,” she explained. “But I’m glad he didn’t turn out like Leo. I think I would’ve given him food poisoning by now.”

  They arrived at the restaurant and everyone waited respectfully for them outside. Mariah greeted them all with Jaylyn by her side. “I want to thank you all, friends and family, for being here today,” she said, her voice shaking. “I…uh, I asked Darien a while back what type of sendoff he would want, and all he did was grin. Let’s put the somberness of the day behind us and celebrate the life of Darien Wilson in true Wilson family, mid-west tradition!”

  Those who knew the family or were family hooted and hollered as Mariah and Jaylyn led the way inside. When Walker asked how the gathering would go, she’d almost told him about the kegger but decided the look on his face would be worth the wait.