Nora's Guy Next Door

by Jo McNally

  She’d love to think it couldn’t possibly be true, but Daphne was tall, elegant and blonde, just as Becky had described the mystery woman. Why would Daphne contact Becky? Wasn’t it enough she’d chased Nora out of Atlanta? And what the hell was Daphne doing in Gallant Lake?

  She didn’t realize she’d spoken the last question out loud until Michael answered.

  “Your brother-in-law’s primary race is pretty tight, and Daphne is the new campaign manager for some guy named...”

  “Tom Wilson,” Nora said, finishing the sentence, her voice dull. So Daphne had moved from working on some obscure website to running Wilson’s campaign. Nora had worked on enough of Paul’s to know how ruthless things could get in a close race.

  “Yeah. She said she flew here to speak with Becky and she wasn’t going to give up until she did just that. So I told her I’d meet her this morning, figuring I’d get rid of her somehow.” He looked up at Nora. “She had quite a story to tell about Becky’s father.”

  Nora didn’t answer.

  “Nothing this woman told me matches what Becky says about her dad. Becky told me he was a great guy and a wonderful father. She makes it sound like you guys lived some perfect life when he was alive. She talks about what a great governor he would have been, and how hard he would have worked for the environment, just like I want to do. The guy sounded like a saint.”

  He looked hard at Nora, and when she didn’t answer, he shook his head. “This Tomlin woman was telling the truth, wasn’t she? Becky doesn’t know anything about what her father was really like.”

  Nora walked around the counter and sat next to Michael. “Daphne was telling a version of the truth. But so was Becky. Paul was a loving father and Becky was his princess. Her memories aren’t wrong. They’re just incomplete.”

  “Why?”

  Nora shrugged. “There was no need to tell a young girl that her late father had a gambling problem. Or that he’d slept around. Why tarnish her memories?”

  “So, he really gambled away her college fund?”

  “And then some. When he died, he left me with massive debts. I scrimped and saved to replenish some of her college money, and I made sure she never knew the truth about what happened.”

  “She told me once she hated being forced to leave her childhood home.”

  Nora gave a mirthless laugh. “She told me that more than once, believe me. But telling her the truth wouldn’t have made it any better.”

  They sat in silence, the only sound the muffled hum of cars going up and down Main Street below. Michael reached out and took her hands in his.

  “You need to tell her, Nora. She deserves to hear it from you rather than some stranger. I’ll tell her if you won’t.”

  Nora had spent too much time and energy creating the Paul Bradford myth to walk away from it just yet.

  “What did Daphne want, exactly?”

  “She wants a big sensational story to derail Geoff Bradford’s campaign. They’ve been spreading rumors about him and your husband, but rumors weren’t enough. People lost interest. She wants confirmation from you or Becky that Paul and Geoff gambled everything away. Daphne said the story would kill Geoff’s family values platform.”

  All those years of protecting her daughter were wasted if the story came out now. “What did you tell Daphne?”

  “Well...I kind of fibbed, at Becky’s expense. I told her Becky was sick, and if Daphne tried to reach her, it would look really bad.” She could see the regret in his eyes. “I didn’t mean to make it sound serious, but Daphne took it that way, and she was consoling me when she touched me this morning. It would have looked suspicious if I pushed her away, so I stood there and let her think I was grieving or whatever. Then she gave me her card. Said she’d give me money if I gave her a quote myself confirming the story. I didn’t want her hanging around, so I acted like I wanted to do it, but said I needed a few days. She bought it and said she’d be in Georgia, waiting for my call.”

  When Michael didn’t call her, Daphne would be back.

  Nora had planned this all so carefully, but she’d never anticipated another Bradford family campaign. Geoff had to drop out of this race before Daphne took the story public. And Nora still had one way to compel him to do that, but if he called her bluff, she’d be forced to disclose the truth. And Becky would know everything about her father.

  It was a chance Nora would have to take.

  * * *

  ASHER WAS IRRITATED when Michael called to say he couldn’t meet him at the mountain house as they’d agreed just ten freaking minutes earlier. Something had come up that Michael had to take care of first. He tried to change Michael’s mind, but no luck. His son sounded upset but wouldn’t say anything more than he had to do this mysterious “something” right away. So Asher had turned his truck around and headed back to the shop.

  He’d still be able to make things right. Michael promised to stop by later, and Asher would tell him to dump the blonde, stay with Becky and raise their child together. The offer to send Michael to California was off the table. The blonde would go away, Michael and Becky would be together, and Asher would finally be able to tell Nora he loved her. He started putting the hardware on the dresser drawer fronts, blowing out a long, calming breath. Yeah, this was all going to work out just fine.

  Suddenly the door of his shop swung open with so much force the bell barely had a chance to ring. It just clicked. Nora stood in the doorway, dressed in black jeans and a gray sweater. Her hair was pulled back under a black headband. It all made her look serious.

  No. It was the angry glint in her eye that made her look that way. Asher gave her a playful wink.

  “Bad day?”

  She didn’t answer, and he set down the screwdriver. “Nora? Is everything okay?”

  She shook her head slowly, and he was horrified when she spoke in a voice thick with tears.

  “No, everything is definitely not okay.”

  He moved toward her, but she quickly held up both hands to warn him off. What the ever living hell?

  “Is it Becky?” His heart thumped. “The baby?”

  Her answering laugh was strangled and...furious.

  “As if you give a damn about that baby.”

  “Come on, Nora, tell me what’s got you so upset.” A light sweat broke out on the back of his neck. He had a feeling he knew.

  Another harsh laugh, and she turned to look out the window. Her body language screamed “stay away,” so he did. He waited, afraid to do or say the wrong thing. Her voice dropped to a near whisper.

  “I wanted to come in here and just tear you apart, Ash. I planned what I was going to say, and I was going to scream and yell and call you names and tell you how much I hate what you did...how much I hate you...but I can’t do it.” She turned to him, her face soaked with tears and her fists tightly clenched.

  She knew. Somehow, she knew what he’d done. He closed his eyes to block her pain from his sight, but they snapped open again in surprise when she started to swear.

  “Today has been such a shitty day, and you are such a stupid bastard, and I want so badly to tell you to go to hell. But...I also really need my friend right now, damn it. I don’t know if I want to kiss you or kick you right in the ass.”

  He would have laughed except for the genuine hurt in her eyes.

  “Nora, I can explain...”

  But she didn’t let him finish. She just flung herself at him and wrapped her arms tightly around his waist. He didn’t hesitate to pull her in even closer, dropping his head to hers and not saying a word as she soaked his shirt with her tears. Every sob was like an ice pick stabbing his heart over and over. He’d done this. He’d hurt her. They stood there, right in his shop window, clinging to each other in a silence that was only interrupted by hiccups as she tried to control her crying.


  Finally she lifted her head and looked up at him, as if trying to see who he really was. He wished he could tell her.

  “I know what you did and I might even know why. But I need to know how. How could you?”

  As much as he wanted to rush to defend himself, to blurt out that it was just a misunderstanding and he was going to fix everything, she deserved more than that. She deserved to be able to grill him about every step of every mistake he’d made. And he could give that control to her. Because he loved her. Which was something else he managed not to blurt out. Instead, he told her what she most needed to hear.

  “I’m sorry.” The tension lines eased around her eyes at those two words, so he said them again. “I screwed up and I’m sorry. Come upstairs and I’ll answer every question. Twice if I have to. Three times, even.”

  She didn’t quite smile, but almost. And that was good enough to settle his heart rate. She nodded, heading to the back of the shop, while Asher hit the light switch and went to lock the front door. Before he could get there, it swung open, and Dan Adams walked in.

  He was in full sheriff mode. Not just because he was in uniform, but because of his purposeful stride and grim expression. Apparently everyone was having a bad day today. As much as Asher wanted to help his friend, his priority was Nora.

  “Not a good time, Dan. Nora and I were just...” He stopped when Dan looked across the room at Nora, and instead of smiling, his frown deepened.

  “You are here, Nora. Good.” There was nothing in Dan’s tone that suggested he had anything approaching good news to deliver. In fact, those few words sent a chill down Asher’s spine, and he didn’t even know why. Nora must have felt the same shiver of dread, because her hand rose to her throat and she let out a soft sound of distress. Dan’s face softened as he took a step toward her.

  “There’s no easy way to say this, Nora. There’s been an accident. Becky’s being airlifted to the hospital.”

  CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE

  THE WAITING ROOM was cold. Nora couldn’t understand why someone didn’t turn up the heat. Why wasn’t anyone else bundled up against the cold that had her shivering so hard she could barely think?

  Asher and Michael stood by the doorway, silently staring off into space in their own private worlds—they didn’t even have jackets on. Cathy was sitting in the corner, flipping through a magazine, her sweater folded over the chair. Her hands weren’t shaking the way Nora’s were. How could she not be shivering from the cold? Why wasn’t she wearing her sweater?

  Amanda came through the door with a cardboard tray of coffee for everyone. She was in short sleeves and seemed unconcerned, until she looked at Nora.

  “Oh, honey, you’re shaking like a leaf...” Her cousin handed the coffees to Cathy and hurried to Nora’s side.

  “Of course I’m shaking! It’s colder than the ninth circle of Hell in here.”

  “No, sweetie, it’s really not. You’re just scared.” Amanda grabbed Cathy’s sweater and draped it over Nora’s shoulders. “Everything’s going to be fine.”

  Nora stared at her in horror, feeling hysteria bubbling up inside of her. “Don’t say that! You don’t know that! She’s in surgery and she’s pregnant...”

  Cathy sat on Nora’s other side. “Take a deep breath, Nora. And another one. You’re having a panic attack. Breathe your way through it.”

  Nora closed her eyes and tried to do as she was told. But she felt so alone. She needed strong arms around her. She needed Asher’s comfort, but he wasn’t offering any. She looked up, and he quickly looked away from her. He had been almost totally silent since they got the news, tense and agitated.

  She pulled away from Cathy’s attempted embrace, channeling her fear into anger. Asher had never wanted the pregnancy to begin with. He’d tried to bribe Michael into leaving. That was why she’d been in his shop when Dan found them. He’d said he was going to explain, but how could he, really? And did it matter anymore, now that Becky was hurt and the doctors were trying to keep the baby safe and fix her badly broken arm at the same time?

  Nora jumped to her feet and started pacing. This anger felt stronger and more controllable than the shivering panic. And she was so angry. With God for allowing this to happen. With the texting teen who ran a stop sign and broadsided her daughter’s car, then walked away without a scratch. With Michael for meeting with Daphne instead of driving Becky to the doctor. With Daphne for interrupting their lives. With her late husband for being such a flawed human being. With Asher for being such an idiot. With Cathy and Amanda for...well...she didn’t have a reason to be mad at them, yet, but she’d think of something.

  Amanda watched her, worry clouding her eyes. She started to recite the facts of the situation one more time, as if Nora cared. “The doctors said the surgery is safe. They’re just setting her arm and putting a couple screws in her wrist, and then she’ll be out. The broken ribs will heal on their own. She’ll be okay. They’re only keeping her overnight as a precaution.”

  Nora turned and glared at her cousin. “They’re keeping her overnight because she had contractions. What if...?” She couldn’t finish the sentence. Couldn’t finish the thought. She felt completely isolated in her fear. Her daughter and grandson were in danger, and these people were just standing here, doing nothing.

  No, that wasn’t fair. She drew in a deep, shuddering breath, willing her tears back into their ducts, because she couldn’t afford to cry. Michael stood against the wall, pale and grim, hands deep in his pockets, reminding her that she wasn’t the only one with something to lose here. Amanda and Cathy loved her, and they loved Becky, too. And then there was Asher.

  She stopped pacing, halting right in front of him and standing there until he couldn’t ignore her any longer. He looked down, and the raw pain in his eyes almost made her stagger back. Then the dreaded shutters came down again, detaching him from the situation.

  Her hand reached for his arm, and he flinched. Why hadn’t she noticed before that he was like this? So brittle and ready to shatter?

  “Asher.” She whispered his name, and a flicker of emotion crossed his face before the mask fell again. She really needed him to be present right now. She squeezed his arm, but he stared out over her head. She didn’t have the strength to delve into his emotions when her own were so overwhelming.

  Amanda handed her a coffee and nudged her back to the sofa.

  “I called Bree and Melanie. They’re both ready to hop on a plane, but I told them to hold off until we know more.” Nora nodded absently. “Blake’s home with the kids, so I’ll be here as long as you need me. He’s been texting like crazy, worried about everyone and making calls to be sure all the best doctors are on the case. You know how he is—master of the universe.”

  Nora gave Amanda a thin smile, earning a wide one in return. “Blake does like to be the man in charge, doesn’t he?” She glanced at Asher, still staring off into space. It stung that he wasn’t stepping up and doing more than just standing there when she really needed him. When Michael needed his father.

  The doctor appeared in the doorway, and the women jumped up and rushed at her. Michael was there, too, but Asher stepped back, sliding into the corner. Nora bit back her annoyance. She needed to hear about Becky and the baby before she dealt with him.

  The doctor pulled off her flowered cloth cap and dark hair tumbled down her back. Her smile alone was enough for Nora to start breathing easier. Surely that smile meant something good. The doctor nodded to Nora.

  “You’re the mom, right? I’m Dr. Benson.”

  “Yes, Doctor. I’m Nora Bradford. How is...?”

  “She’s fine. She’ll be in a cast for a while, but with any luck it’ll come off before the baby arrives.”

  “And the baby?” Michael blurted out the question before Nora could.

  “Her OB is with her now, but the contractions h
ave stopped and the minor bleeding seems to have stopped, as well. We were worried about a placental abruption, where the placenta separates from the uterus. We’ll monitor her closely, but right now things look okay. Are you Michael?”

  He nodded, relief bringing some color back to his face.

  “She’s been asking for you. But be prepared, all of you. The airbags saved her, but they also left her with some facial abrasions. She looks worse than she is.”

  “How long will she be here?” Nora asked.

  The doctor shrugged. “At least overnight. Possibly a few days if she develops any more symptoms of an abruption. That’ll be up to Dr. Novak, her obstetrician.” She smiled again. “I can only let one person at a time in Recovery. Do you want to see her?”

  Nora nodded quickly, then turned to Michael. “I promise I just want to look at her and see for myself she’s in one piece. Then you can go sit with her, okay?”

  He dipped his head in quiet agreement, and she frowned. He was relieved, but he didn’t exactly seem happy. She, on the other hand, was ready to dance across the ceiling in joy. Behind Michael, Asher leaned against the wall in stoic silence, with no apparent reaction at all to the news. She wasn’t going to let the Peyton men bring her down. Her daughter and grandson were going to be okay.

  The guys would catch up with the good news eventually and all would be well.

  * * *

  ASHER WAS RELIEVED when the waiting room finally emptied. Nora and Michael followed the doctor to Recovery. Cathy headed home after promising Nora she’d open the coffee shop in the morning. Amanda stepped out to call their cousins and grab a sandwich. And finally, finally, he was alone and able to breathe.

  The past few hours had been surreal. Dan’s arrival at the shop. The mad dash to the hospital. Nora’s utter devastation. His son’s frayed nerves. The tears, the prayers, the gathering of family and friends.