A Secret in the Attic (Mystery/Suspense/Romance)

by Samantha Jillian Bayarr

  ****

  Amy dashed across the street to the diner to pick up lunch for her and Jake. Before the order was finished, she could see Jake pulling into the parking lot from the alley.

  Did he forget I was picking up lunch today?

  He looked handsome in a brown suit and yellow dress shirt. Amy wondered how many different color combinations of suits the man owned, but it didn’t matter; she was happy to see all of them. He entered in through the back, and spotted her sitting at the counter.

  Jake approached her and placed a quick kiss on her cheek. “I was hoping I’d catch you so we could eat in here today, if that’s okay. I wore this tweed suit because the weather man said it was going to be cooler today. Not sure I can handle sitting in the hot sun outside your store.”

  “That’s fine. I think I would rather eat here too. It is a lot hotter today than it has been all week.”

  Jake gestured to one of the waitresses and asked her to seat us at a booth. Within a minute, the waitress brought their order to their table. Amy was happy for the distraction, because Jake had been staring at her since they’d sat down.

  After popping an onion ring in his mouth, Jake raised an eyebrow at her. “Great choice on the onion rings. Normally I’m not a fan of onion rings, but these are really good.”

  Amy pointed to one of the signs in the window that boasted Best Onion Rings in Town, and Jake chuckled.

  “Their sign doesn’t lie.”

  They talked more about the festival, and he asked if she’d save him a dance. Amy agreed, but only on the condition he didn’t step on her toes. Finally, Jake admitted he wasn’t very good at carving pumpkins and practically begged her to help him on Saturday until she gave in, giggling at his whiny tone. When the meal was over, Jake offered the same peck on the cheek for the third day in a row, before exiting through the back of the diner.

  Is he taking this “friend” thing too seriously?

  ****

  Before Amy realized, it was Friday, and she was enjoying lunch with Jake on the sidewalk in front of the store. It was a pleasant seventy degrees with a slight breeze—the perfect day for a sidewalk lunch. Despite the coolness of the day, Amy felt warm just being around Jake. His woodsy smell, coupled with the crisp white dress shirt and black suit was enough to make her throw herself at him. She couldn’t figure out why he hadn’t tried to kiss her again other than the peck on the cheek. She knew it was wrong to desire him, but she was angry with Jonathon at the moment.

  Jonathon disappointed her by putting off his trip to see her all these weeks that she’d been here. And earlier he told her by text that he wouldn’t be coming until five o’clock tomorrow—just two hours before Jake’s party started—the party she accepted an invitation to. She wasn’t going to sit around and wait for Jonathon, who was becoming so unreliable and distant lately, she was beginning to rethink their relationship—especially now that she had a chance to be with Jake. Or did she?

  Amy fought the tug of war going on in her mind.

  “What time were you planning to be at the festival tonight?”

  “I’m getting out early today, but I probably won’t show up until around seven o’clock. Do you want me to pick you up or send a car for you?”

  Amy blushed. “Please don’t send a car for me. I’m a little uncomfortable with that, but I’d rather just drive my own car so you don’t have to drive me all the way back here.”

  Alone in a car with you? Bad idea. I don’t trust myself that much.

  Jake smiled like he was up to something.

  Amy fidgeted nervously in her seat. “What is going on in that head of yours?”

  He continued to smile. “Well, I was trying to figure out how I can ask for your cell phone number without sounding too forward. I only want to exchange numbers in case one of us is running late tonight or we can’t find each other.”

  I was wondering when you would get around to asking for my number.

  “It’s not a problem for you to have my number. I think it’s a great idea—for the reasons you just mentioned.”

  They exchanged numbers and Jake placed his napkin on his plate as though he was ready to go.

  “Well as much as I’d like to share a piece of apple pie with you, I’ve got to get back to my office.”

  Do friends share pie?

  Jake bent down to kiss Amy on the cheek, then, headed for the parking lot. Since Jake had already settled the bill with the waitress, Amy took one last sip of her Coke and headed back to the bookstore.

  ****

  Amy surveyed her look in the mirror. Her white dress shirt was tucked into her jeans, and she’d decided on the brown leather belt with the tassels that matched the fringe on her brown boots. Her strawberry blond waves rested on her shoulders in an unruly manner, but she didn’t want to pull her hair up in case the temperature lowered. If her hair did nothing else right, it kept her neck warm, and she noticed Jake admiring it, so she intended to leave it down. A splash of perfume on both sides of her neck completed her outfit. She chose a light, flowery scent that wouldn’t overpower Jake’s woodsy aftershave, because she was looking forward to breathing it in when they danced.

  ****

  Just as Amy parked her car, Jake sent her a text telling her to meet him at the kissing booth in the center of the midway. She texted him back asking why the kissing booth; and his answer was that it was the easiest to find because everyone is always crowded around it. It made sense, unless he had ulterior motives. She wasn’t sure she cared even if he did. This was the first night out she’d had since she moved away from home and taken over the bookstore, and she didn’t intend to waste one minute of it.

  Amy weaved in-between several people—most in costumes—before she spotted Jake leaning against the side of the kissing booth. His head was tipped downward toward the brown, felt cowboy hat he fumbled with between his hands. Right away she noticed he was wearing a white dress shirt tucked into a pair of jeans as though he’d coordinated his wardrobe with her. His long legs ended in a pair of brown cowboy boots. His chiseled face boasted a five o’clock shadow that suited his rugged look; a direct contrast from the suits he wears every day.

  That man can even make a pair of jeans and cowboy boots work for him.

  When she approached, Jake looked up at her and smiled. He leaned in and brushed her cheek with a kiss, while Amy drank in the scent of his cologne with one deep breath. Oh how she loved the smell of this ruggedly handsome man. How was she going to get through the dance she promised him without wanting to kiss him?

  Jake placed her arm in the crook of his arm and they began to walk down the midway looking at the various games going on.

  Jake pointed ahead of them. “Would you like some cotton candy or an elephant ear?”

  “Maybe later. I skipped dinner so I could have a Coney Island hotdog and a lemon ice. Cindy was telling me about it all afternoon and it was making my mouth water just thinking about it.”

  He squeezed her hand that hung from the crook of his arm. “I know just the place.”

  He led her to a tented area filled with picnic tables and urged her to find them a table among the crowd while he got the food. After they ate, Jake wanted to ride the Ferris wheel, but Amy was worried her dinner wouldn’t stay down. But after a great amount of coaxing, Jake got his way, and they were walking toward the rides before she could argue any further.

  The ride stopped with Amy and Jake stuck at the top while other passengers were loaded. Amy didn’t dare look down. But when their suspended seat began to rock, Amy buried her head in Jake’s chest.

  He placed an arm around her. “What’s wrong?”

  Amy gave a muffled answer. “I forgot to mention I’m afraid of heights.”

  Jake was enjoying having her so close to him, but he didn’t like the fact she was afraid—especially when he was the one that talked her into riding it.

  “Why didn’t you say something before we got on?”

  “I was afraid you’d think I w
as a baby.”

  Jake pulled her close. “So you thought getting on a ride you’re afraid of was better?”

  Amy sighed. “I was trying to be brave.”

  Jake put a finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. “You don’t have to be brave around me. You’re my friend and I care about you. I don’t want you to do things that scare you.”

  All she heard was that he cared about her, and that made her want to nuzzle against him even closer. She closed her eyes and breathed him in like he was pure oxygen. Within minutes, she’d forgotten all about being on the Ferris wheel. All she could think about was being in Jake’s arms, and loving every minute of it. Jake sat quietly beside her, but she could hear his heart beating even above the crowd below.

  Suddenly she felt the Ferris wheel come to a complete stop. She kept her head buried in Jake’s chest until he told her it was their turn to get off. Reluctantly, she lifted her head, relieved to see they’d come back to ground level. Jake grabbed her by the hand and guided her out of the seat, keeping hold of her hand while he led her to the haunted house.

  “Are you ready to go in?”

  Amy nodded. She wasn’t sure she was up to being scared anymore, but she had to admit that being a damsel had its appeal, and she was enjoying the attention.

  They stepped up to the line and Jake handed him two tickets from the roll he’d purchased before Amy had arrived. Before she could change her mind, they were walking into the dark, narrow halls of the haunted house. Bats swung from the ceiling and huge spiders jumped out at them. Amy clung to Jake’s side like she was glued to him, his arm pulling her in close. Strobe lights flashed and with each flash, ghouls and bloody corpses appeared all around them. Amy’s voice was getting hoarse from screaming so much, and even Jake jumped a few times. At the end, Jake navigated them through the hall of mirrors, then, out they went and back into the crowd.

  “I think I’ve had enough excitement for now. What do say we head on over to one of the dance halls. Take your pick. Line-dancing or square-dancing.”

  “How about line-dancing?”

  “Do you mind if I just watch?”

  “I suppose not.”

  ****

  They arrived at the canopied dance area just in time for Amy to step into line with a new song. At first, she could feel Jake’s eyes on her, making her feel her every move was being scrutinized, but she soon fell into perfect step with the group. Jake stood at the edge of the crowd of onlookers, admiring Amy’s smile, and the way her hair bounced against her shoulders when she danced. When the song ended, Amy stepped out of line and hooked her arm in Jake’s, pulling him toward the square-dancing canopy.

  “You looked like you were having fun out there. Don’t you want to dance anymore?”

  Amy continued to pull him. “Nope. I’m in the mood to learn how to square dance.”

  Jake smiled and the two hurried to the event he’d been waiting for. When they arrived, Amy was thankful they’d just begun a dance so she could spend a little time watching, hoping she could learn the steps a little before being thrown into the fast-paced dance.

  When the dance ended, Jake pulled her into the crowd of square-dancers on the floor, taking a spot in the circle. The music began and Jake nudged her sideways as he followed the lead of the announcer’s call. Amy was pretty confused at first, but listened and watched Jake’s feet as she rounded the circle, being pulled arm in arm with the rest of the dancers. It was fun, but she slowed them down a bit with her clumsiness. After the next dance, Amy was really beginning to get the hang of it. She was actually having fun. The next dance was a slow ballad. The violins began to play slowly, and Jake bowed before her.

  “May I have this dance?”

  Amy giggled as she curtsied. “You may.”

  Jake slipped a hand around her waist, the other melted gently with hers. The bright lights dimmed, and only the small lights twinkled above their heads. Amy leaned into Jake’s form as he leaned down and brushed his cheek against hers. They danced cheek-to-cheek for the remainder of the song. While others clapped at the end, Jake and Amy remained in each other’s arms as they waited for the next song to begin. She enjoyed the closeness of his body against hers as they danced. She wanted to kiss him again like they’d done in his garden, but she was aware of the people around her.

  Amy felt a little guilty for wanting more from Jake until she remembered that Jonathon blew her off this weekend, just as he had every weekend since she’d moved here. She wasn’t even sure if he’d show up at all, and couldn’t understand why even Emma hadn’t made an attempt at seeing her.

  She brushed the thoughts of Jonathon and Emma aside, determined to enjoy every minute that Jake held her. She wondered if his lack of affection had anything to do with the fact they hadn’t been alone since their passionate kiss in his garden almost a week ago. Or if it had to do with her reaction, and offer of friendship from him. Either way, she longed for a moment alone with him. She snuggled closer to him as he brushed light kisses on her warm cheek. She wanted to get lost in this man’s affections and allow him to unleash his passionate kisses on her lips once again.

  The announcer called last dance so they could take a break. Amy was disappointed. She wanted Jake to hold her in his arms all night. As the song ended, Jake kissed her cheek and pulled away from her. They both clapped with the appreciation of the crowd while the musicians left the make-shift stage.

  Jake slipped his hand in hers as they walked away from the canopy and the crowd. “Are you up for that cotton candy now?”

  Amy was grateful for the gentle breeze that cooled her a little. “Actually, I could use a bottled water. I’m thirsty after all that dancing.”

  Jake smiled. “Can we get both?”

  Amy smiled back as she squeezed his hand that still wrapped around hers. “You are such a child.”

  “Maybe. But I’ve had a lot of fun tonight.”

  Amy tried to suppress a yawn.

  “Are you tired?”

  “Maybe just a little. It’s been a long week.”

  They arrived at the cotton candy vendor and Jake paid for two bottled waters and two bags of cotton candy. He handed her a bottled water and a bag of pink cotton candy, keeping the blue one for himself.

  “Why don’t we call it a night? I don’t want you falling asleep while we’re carving pumpkins tomorrow.”

  Amy agreed. She was exhausted.

  Jake walked her to her car, and she hoped he would kiss her now that they were finally alone. Instead, he leaned in and brushed her cheek with his lips, lingering there for only a moment. Then, he stood back and bid her goodnight. “See you tomorrow around noon. Drive carefully.”

  She tossed the cotton candy in the passenger seat, frustrated at his lack affection, but smiled anyway to hide her disappointment.

  Either he’s taking this friend thing way too seriously, or he’s messing with me.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Amy pulled into the end of the long, brick drive at the mansion precisely at noon, but Jake was already waiting for her on the front porch. He walked to her car wearing jeans and a tight-fitting white t-shirt with long sleeves pushed up to his elbows. His wavy brown hair tossed in the breeze, and his face was lit with a smile.

  He greeted her with a kiss against her cheek.

  “You look well rested.”

  Amy surveyed the dark circles under Jake’s eyes. “I slept pretty soundly. But you look like you haven’t slept at all.”

  Jake shook his head. “I tossed and turned a lot. I kept having dreams about the party tonight, and can’t seem to shake this bad feeling.”

  “Did anything bad happen in the dream?”

  Jake walked beside her, wearing a serious look.

  “Not anything I can put my finger on. It was just a bad feeling I had about the party.”

  Amy hooked her arm in Jake’s. “It was just a dream. If you’re that worried about it, you can cancel.”

  Jake’s expression turned. “No. I can
’t do that to Natalie. She needs continuity in her life now that she doesn’t have a mother. Naomi and Esther do a good job of mothering her, but it’s not the same. I promised my mother on her death-bed that I’d carry on all the family traditions so Natalie wouldn’t have to suffer too much change in her life.”

  Amy looked into his serious eyes. “That’s a lot of responsibility. No wonder you didn’t’ sleep last night. You’re probably just worried about Natalie’s happiness.”

  “Maybe you’re right. Let’s go carve some pumpkins and have a good day. Natalie has all the pumpkins ready on the back patio.”

  They walked along the path of stones that led to the back of the house where Natalie was setting up pumpkins on a large table covered with newspaper. Her smile was contagious like Jake’s, and she wore a vintage floral apron that looked like it probably belonged to her mother. She held a sense of vulnerability in her eyes that Amy had noticed once in Jake when he hadn’t noticed her looking at him. Though she felt a sense of loss, she couldn’t really relate to their loss since she’d never met her father.

  Natalie wiped dirt from the pumpkins and set out the carving kits. “I’m so glad you agreed to help us with the pumpkins this year. It’s so much work for me and Jake. Noah is busy with putting together the crib this weekend since Cassie is about to have the baby, and Connor has to work at the factory.”

  Amy smiled at the teenager. “I’m glad I could be here to help. I used to love carving pumpkins when I was younger, but I haven’t carved one in a few years.”