Shine On

by Jewell, Allison J.

  She slid off the lid. Her mouth fell open in shock. Inside was the largest roll of cash she had ever seen in her life.

  Chapter Forty-four

  Seven hundred twenty-seven dollars. She counted the cash three times and had gotten the same number each time. Why did she have seven hundred twenty-seven dollars in a box in her house? She looked down at the box again and noticed a small envelope with her name on it. She tore it open.

  Emma Rose,

  Since your mother passed your stepfather has returned your envelopes unopened, so I didn’t get to help out much these last few years. He said he’d give you this one when you were ready for it though. I’ve heard through the grapevine that you want to go to college to be a teacher. I hope this money helps with that dream. I hear you are a lot like your ma, so if that’s true, I know you can do it. I know $1000 doesn’t make up for the fact that I missed your childhood but I hope it helps you better your life. I know that’s what she wanted for you.

  Love,

  M.V.D.

  Emmie was surprised to find another letter scrawled on the back.

  Emmie,

  If you’re reading this letter, things are probably not going good. I’m sorry I had to use some of your cash from your father. I wasn’t always able to make ends meet, so I just borrow a little from time to time. I do try and replace it though. I know I ain’t been the best stepfather but I did more than that guy who sent ya the money. I hope you’ll think a little of me that at least I’m not using your money to pay off my debts. They’re getting a little hefty right now and folks might come around looking for some cash. So I wanted to hide this for ya in case that happened. So… hope you never find this letter, but if ya do… Use the money good.

  Ronnie

  P.S. I know your Mama really never talked to ya about your real dad. There’s some pictures of them in a box in the barn, near the rafters. Your mama thought I didn’t know she kept them but I did. Thought you may be curious someday.

  Emmie’s mouth fell open as she read the letters once, twice, one thousand times. Her father’s letter was dated three years ago, on her eighteenth birthday, but Ronnie’s wasn’t dated. She laughed when she reread his. It sounded just like his voice. Tears sprang to her eyes. She could hear him saying those words in her mind. He could have used that money to pay off his debts or a big portion of it anyway but he didn’t want to steal from her. Her heart swelled that her last memory of him was not of him shouting at her about making coffee… it was this. He cared for her as best as he knew how. That’s all she could ask of him. It may sound weird but a part of her felt more at peace with Ronnie’s death seeing this letter.

  Her real father’s letter is what bothered her most. She knew nothing about her dad. She had assumed he’d died some horrible death and that’s why her mom had never discussed it with her. She felt so conflicted. How could her mama take a secret like this to her grave? She was going to have to spend a lot more time stewing over that one. A lot more time when her eyes weren’t quite so heavy. She carefully folded the letters and placed them in the box.

  Then she sorted the bills and rolled the cash up neatly and put it back in the box on top of the letters. She lay down and pulled the covers up around her neck, closed her eyes, and waited for sleep to claim her.

  But it didn’t. Her brain kept running through everything that had happened. The box. Her mama. Her two dads. The money. $727. Her eyes popped back open. Emmie threw back the covers, reached down, grabbed the cash, and ran to Silas’s bedroom. She threw open the door and he jerked straight up out of bed.

  “Shit, Emmie, you scared me,” he said, putting down the book he was reading.

  She frowned. “I didn’t take you for a reader.”

  “Thanks,” he said, laughing.

  “No, I didn’t mean… never mind,” she said.

  She walked over to his bed trying hard to keep her eyes focused on his face. She pulled the afghan closer around her shoulders and laid the cash on the bed.

  “Emmie, what’s this?” he asked confused.

  “You’re still lying to me,” she said, looking at him at eye level.

  “What do you mean, lying to you?”

  “You found that box,” she said.

  “Yeah.” He tried to follow.

  “And you didn’t take the my money.” She smiled.

  “Of course I didn’t take your money. It had your name on it,” he said sheepishly.

  “Oh, come on, Silas. If you were as bad as you acted like at my house you would have taken that money and headed back to Chicago.” She hoped she was right.

  He shook his head trying to decide what to say. “I did have it in my pocket you know. I made it all the way to the door. Then I turned around and put it back.” He shrugged his shoulders and shook his head.

  “See, you didn’t take it,” she repeated pointedly.

  “Emmie, I know what you’re doing. You can not talk me into a good guy,” he said.

  “I’m not trying to talk you into a good guy. I just,” she tipped her head and thought before she spoke, “I don’t think you were just using me as a means to an end to all this. Tell me honestly, was I your pawn in this game?”

  “No.” He shook his head. “I guess not.”

  “So, you admit it then. You did have some feelings for me?” she asked.

  He shook his head and opened his mouth to speak, “I don’t know Emmie. Just give it a rest for tonight, okay?”

  She nodded. Picked up the money and turned back to him. “Are you really so eager to go home to Chicago?”

  He closed his eyes and laughed without humor, “More than you know.”

  “Then you can take it. I’ll pay off whatever Ronnie’s debt was to you and you can head home in good graces. It’s nothing to me anyway. It came from a man I don’t even know.” She left the money on his bed, turned, and walked out the door.

  Emmie had no more than pulled the quilts around her when she heard bare feet padding out onto the wooden floor of the screened in porch.

  “Why are you sleeping out here?” he asked, turning the corner.

  “All the rooms are full but Vince’s. I’d rather be out here anyway. I like listening to the rain.” She propped herself up in the bed and got her first good look at him.

  He’d put his brown pants back on but his feet were bare. There was something oddly intimate about that. She gazed up his body to his chest. The only man she had ever seen without a shirt was Ronnie. Silas’s body was totally different. Firm. Tight. Gorgeous. She quickly looked down at the quilt and started pulling at a loose thread.

  She felt the bed sink as he sat down. She scooted her legs over to give him some space. He put his hands on hers to still her fidgeting. Her gaze went up his arms. It was like this man was cut from stone. He was like the marble statues she’d seen in art history books.

  She felt her face flush.

  “Emmie, look at me.” She pulled her eyes up to his.

  His blue gaze was piercing. He swallowed. She saw all of the muscles in his neck flex and relax, “You asked ‘did I care’ about you. It’s not that I did care about you… it’s that I still do.”

  Her heart leapt. He’d admitted it. He wasn’t only using her, she knew it.

  “But I am who I am. I’m not sure it’s right to drag you into my world. Maybe in another world if I wasn’t me and you weren’t you,” he started.

  “Silas, what are you saying. We’ve both made mistakes. But we’ve got no secrets left to keep. Don’t you see that? It’s all out, we’re free.” She smiled honestly.

  “You’re still keeping one secret,” he reminded her, “the identity of the mysterious he.”

  “Can you promise me you won’t hurt him? If I let you meet him with me tomorrow?”

  “I don’t like making promises,” Silas said, looking down at her.

  “If you want to meet him, you will,” she said.

  “I promise you I will keep an open mind,” he said in compromise. The truth is h
e was already going to be able to figure out who she was working with tomorrow when he talked to the guy who ran the pig. James had met the guy to get the ’shine. He would have no problem telling Silas who it was. But, if he had a choice, he would rather hear the truth from Emmie’s mouth.

  “Okay, you can come with me tomorrow,” she said. “I’m showing you that I trust you. So don’t ruin it.” She punched his arm playfully.

  “Ouch.” He rubbed. For the first time all night he was himself. “Violence is never the answer.”

  She arched her brow at him thinking back to the events of the last week but was too tired to rehash any more of the details. Emmie shivered.

  “Emmie, it’s really cold. I think it’s a bad idea to sleep out here,” he said, rubbing his arms.

  She lay down and pulled the covers up closer to her ears. “It really is toasty under here,” she teased.

  He looked annoyed for a second, then devilish. “Well, if you say so.”

  He jerked back her covers and slid in next to her. “Silas McDowell!” she screamed and rolled backward in the tiny bed. He snaked an arm out and wrapped it around her waist to keep her from falling. Once she was safe on the bed she expected him to move it but he didn’t. His touch was so easy, so familiar. She kept trying to relax her body.

  Silas propped up on one elbow and looked down at her. “You were wrong you know.” He shrugged, “You’re the smart and beautiful one. I shouldn’t have had a chance with you. That’s what I kept telling myself, ‘She is too good for this, Silas.’ But I couldn’t ever seem to stay away.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “I’m sorry I hurt you. Please forgive me. I promise from here on out, I’ll tell you as much as I can. And no more lies. If we are going to work at this that’s what I promise.”

  “I thought you didn’t like promises?” she asked.

  “Emmie girl, I plan to make lots of promises to you.” He smiled.

  Silas wrapped his leg around hers bringing her closer. He ran his hands up the length of her body, taking in every curve, dip, and patch of soft skin. She pushed forward onto her elbows and brought her mouth to his. He kissed her until her lips were swollen and plumped. Then he moved to her ears and neck brushing his lips over every inch of skin. Her hands moved further down his chest and she pulled him in for another long slow kiss. He pulled away from her before things got too far gone.

  “I’m going to sleep out here with you, if that’s okay?” he asked.

  She nodded biting her lower lip. Her brain was reeling and exhausted. She rolled over onto her side to give him more room. Then she felt his legs press into the back of hers. She felt her body tense.

  “Relax. We’re just sleeping. No fast moves, trust me,” he said, wrapping his arm around her stomach.

  She grabbed his arm and held it tightly. “I trust you.”

  Chapter Forty-five

  The birds sang early the next morning. It sure had been a long night. Her leg was asleep, she jerked trying to kick it awake, and someone cursed.

  “Damn Emmie, it’s me.” His voice was groggy and grouchy. “I thought I was the fighting Irish in this bed. But you, you’re giving me a run for my money.”

  “Oh, Silas. I’m sorry… you okay?” She turned around and faced him. He was beautifully disheveled. She reached up and toyed with his hair and then ran her fingers the length of his jaw.

  “I’m fine.” His face spread in a wide grin staring up at her.

  “Why are you smiling like that?” she asked.

  “I just remembered last night when you let me kiss…” he started.

  “Silas,” she looked around laughing, “don’t talk about it. It’s too embarrassing.” She pulled the covers up around her face.

  He dug her out of them laughing. “You asked why I was smiling? And we promised honesty from here on out.”

  He leaned up and kissed her forehead. “Good morning sweetheart.”

  She smiled. She was so beautiful. Her ebony hair covered every inch of the pillow and when she leaned forward to kiss him it hung several inches past her shoulders.

  “I like this long. Why do you keep it all pinned up?” he asked, running his fingers through her hair.

  She shrugged, “It’s what’s in style I guess.”

  “I like it like this,” he said, giving her a mysterious grin.

  Silas sat up and pulled her into his lap facing him. He leaned back on his arms, drinking in the sight of her against the rising sunlight.

  “It’s a new day,” he said.

  “Yes,” she agreed.

  “Sometimes I wish we could just meet all over again. Start fresh you know? So we didn’t have the complications of the past couple of months in between us,” he said, looking right up at her. “We could do that you know. Pretend like we’re meeting for the first time right now.”

  “No.” She shook her head.

  “No?” he questioned.

  “I like the Silas I know. Besides, I’m pretty sure if I met you in my nightgown like this,” she pointed at their close position, “I wouldn’t have been the kind of good girl you liked.” She crinkled her nose and shook her head.

  “Oh, well that’s true.” He nodded in thoughtful consideration. “I like it best when I meet my girls at the pool… in their underwear… wet see-through underwear.” His eyes were wide with humor.

  Her mouth fell open and she dove for him. He lifted his arms, prepared for her attack, and caught her before bringing her back down to the bed.

  “What the hell is going on out here?” Gabe said from the hall. “Oh, shit Silas, shit. Sorry Emmie.” He grabbed a quilt off a nearby chair and threw it over them.

  “Get out,” Silas shouted.

  “It’s just… Emmie’s had a call. The housekeeper just came to Ava’s room. He’s called twice. Some man and he’s upset.”

  “Oh no.” Emmie’s heart sank. How could she be so thoughtless? “He’s probably worried sick. I was supposed to meet him first thing this morning.” Emmie threw back the covers forgetting all modesty and started to get out of bed, heading into the hall.

  Silas visibly tensed. He stood and pulled his shirt on all in one motion. He grabbed the quilt and pulled it tight against her shoulders before she reached the hall.

  “I’ll meet you downstairs in ten minutes,” he said.

  “Make it five,” she called, closing the door to Vince’s bedroom to change clothes.

  When she came downstairs Gabe and Silas were waiting for her by the door.

  “No,” she shook her head. “This wasn’t the deal.”

  “We made no deal,” Silas barked.

  “You promised,” she said.

  “I promised to keep an open mind. And I will. Gabe is not going to close my mind. I don’t know this man. Gabe is coming,” he said.

  Emmie walked up to Silas and ran her hands along his chest then threw open the sides of his coat. She pointed right at the guns. “No, I don’t want you to wear those.”

  “Okay, we will compromise.” He reached in and pulled one of the guns out and laid it on the table. “I’ll only wear one. Let’s go.” And with that he turned and walked out the door.

  “Fine but I promise you that if either one of you pull a gun on him, I will jump in front of it. So keep that in mind, Tough Guys.” She gave them each a pointed look before flying down the stairs and to the car.

  They drove in silence. Emmie wasn’t surprised to find Walt’s truck already at her house. She was surprised to see the lock had been shot off her front door. He was watching from the doorway as they pulled closer to the house. His thumbs were hooked in the straps of his overalls and his pipe was dangling out of his mouth.

  Silas couldn’t have looked more shocked if she had slapped him in the face. “Is that Walter? Is that the man you have been protecting?”

  Emmie glared over at him unsure how to judge his reaction, so she went with defensive. “Yes, that is Walter. Why are you so shocked?”

  “But… why didn’t you tell me
he was an old man?” he asked.

  “You never asked the right question.” She threw his words back at him with a smile. “Why would it matter if he was old?”

  Silas didn’t answer but Gabe chuckled in the back seat.

  “Never mind. Let’s just get this over with,” Silas said as he turned off the car.

  Emmie tore out of the door without waiting for Silas or Gabe to open it for her. When Walt saw her coming she took a step in her direction. “Ya alright, girl?” he asked, never taking his eyes from Silas or Gabe.

  “Yes,” she nodded her head. “What happened to my door?”

  “Sorry. When you didn’t answer, I panicked and got my shotgun. I thought maybe you were hurt in there.” He looked sheepish.

  She smiled. “It’s fine. It’s just a lock. No big deal. We need your help though.”

  “We?” he questioned.

  “Walt, this is Silas and Gabe. Silas and Gabe, this is Walter. Let’s go in and sit down,” she said, making quick introductions.

  “We’ve met.” Silas smiled as they sat at the kitchen table. Emmie put on a pot of coffee and joined them.

  “You have?” She looked from Walt to Silas confused.

  He may have been a fool to be jealous of this old man but he still didn’t trust his character. What kind of man would let Emmie get so mixed up in this business? Besides, he had told Sheriff Drake it wasn’t right that the old man had come out of those woods that night. He’d gotten the feeling he was involved. Now he knew he was. And Emmie thought this guy was so trustworthy.

  “Your kind, trustworthy bootlegging friend not tell you, eh?” Silas asked, staring pointedly at Walt.

  “Silas, watch the way you talk to him,” Emmie snapped.