Secrets

by Lynn Crandall

  “It makes sense, but it would lead to loneliness, I imagine.”

  “So lonely. That’s what I’ve been my whole life. But the walls had begun to close in around me. It was so hard to carry deep aloneness around all the time.” He continued to stare out into the night, a darkness she knew didn’t blind him as it did her. “I had relationships with people, but I saw them doing bad things, things that hurt animals. Needless destruction to the environment and a general lack of respect for animals and their habitats. I couldn’t see my way to find true engagement with such a species.”

  “That kept you pretty isolated. Your rules and your conflicted emotions.” She stared at his silhouette, loving the shape of his broad nose and cleft in his chin, the dark color of his skin. She didn’t know what this was all leading up to, but it was starting to ignite quivers of fear.

  He got out of the car and walked around to open her door. He led her to stand in the moonlit night under the stars. Gusts of chilled autumn air lifted her hair and dropped it over her eyes. Gently, Casey brushed the locks aside. He stared down at her with his golden eyes she never tired of, and touched her cheek. “I love you, Michelle. I don’t want us to move too fast. I don’t want us to miss any steps in forging our relationship. But I mean for it to last a good long lifetime. Would you go steady with me?”

  Michelle tried to suppress the laughter bubbling in her throat. She blinked once. Twice. “What does that mean, go steady with you?”

  His fingers in her hair, pulling locks of it up close to breathe it in. “I didn’t think I’d get a yes if I asked you to marry me. It’s too soon. I opted for going steady. Too silly?”

  “No. It sounds perfect. I would love to go steady with you for as long as that’s what we want.” She lifted her chin to meet his mouth. His lips came to hers soft and full of promise.

  • • •

  “Hurry up, bring in those extra chairs. The reception is starting in twenty minutes.” Sterling buzzed around the reception hall, making sure everything was in its place and perfect.

  “You’ve done a great job here,” said Michelle. “Everything looks lovely.”

  “It has to. Jackson and Lacey deserve perfect and lovely for their very late wedding reception. I wanted it to be so great it would erase any sadness or regrets that may linger after Jackson’s father’s death.”

  “I know it’s been two weeks and the reception was already in the works, but you’ve accomplished what you set out to do, Sterling.”

  “I had lots of help from these two.” Sterling draped her arms around Michelle’s parents and beamed. “Two of our favorite friends from way back to Lacey’s newspaper reporting days.”

  “We’re happy to be a part of her reception,” Norm said, his wife nodding. “She’s family.”

  “Hi, Michelle.” Booker walked up to her, hand in hand with a young woman. “I’d like to introduce you to my wife, Shaun.”

  Michelle reached out a hand and Shaun grabbed it in her own and gave a warm handshake. “It’s nice to meet you.”

  “I’m happy to meet you, too, Michelle. I’ve been nagging at Booker to introduce us since he told me about you and Casey.” The woman’s brown eyes glittered to match her pleasant smile.

  Michelle nodded. “It’s a good day. There’s been so much going on I haven’t had a chance to get to know you yet, but I look forward to it.”

  “Me, too.” Shaun bubbled with excitement and it dawned on Michelle that the woman could become a good friend.

  The couple turned and walked to a table, looking for their nametags.

  Michelle smiled to herself. The reception was certainly turning out wonderful.

  She turned her attention to her surroundings. The room twinkled with thousands of tiny white lights, draped with swags of ethereal pink fabric around the hall. Centerpieces of silver candelabras draped with pink and white rosebuds and dangling pearl beads decorated the tables. The cake, itself a dazzling centerpiece on the cake table, was six tiers of delicious-looking pink and white frosting covering chocolate and white cake, topped with a bouquet of roses and baby’s breath that matched the bouquet Lacey carried on her wedding day at the Justice of the Peace four months ago.

  As people began filtering into the hall, Sterling and Michelle directed them to their seats while the orchestra played up on a platform near the dance floor. When it came time to dance after dinner a band would replace the orchestra.

  Michelle surveyed the room and the people and took in the wonderful sense of love and celebration that floated around her.

  Some minutes later, the emcee announced the couple and toasted to their happiness, then the festivities took off.

  The meal was catered by an upscale dining restaurant and everyone seemed to enjoy the delicious flavors of stuffed baby artichokes with shrimp for appetizers, a butter lettuce salad with cranberries and Roquefort cheese, and an entrée of herb roasted organic chicken on top of a red bliss potato cake with lemon, blanched garlic, and wilted pea greens.

  After the cake was served and guests were settling in their seats to let their meal rest before dancing, Casey shot a strange look at Michelle. He marched to the emcee and took his microphone, then he talked to the band. He walked back to Michelle as the music dropped to a very quiet background sound.

  “Ladies and gentlemen, I have something special to say. Don’t worry, Jackson and Lacey know all about it and have allowed me to steal the spotlight for just a few moments. I’ve spoken to your father, too, Michelle.”

  Michelle’s heart raced. She glanced around the room and saw all eyes on her. Casey took her hand and pulled her to stand in front of him. Then he dropped to one knee and set his beautiful eyes on her.

  Trembling whispered all through her. Before Casey spoke a word, tears blurred her vision.

  “Michelle, I know I said I didn’t want to rush into anything. I said I didn’t want us to miss any steps in our relationship. But I think the last few weeks we’ve established something that is working really well. So I asked myself, why wait? I love you more than anything or anyone. I want to spend every day for the rest of our lives with you close. Will you marry me?”

  Sobs shaking her shoulders, Michelle pulled him to his feet and whispered for only him. “Why wait indeed?” He stood and looked at her in that way that made her feel as though he saw into her soul. “Yes. I’ll marry you.”

  The room erupted with cheers, but Michelle didn’t pay much attention. Casey kissed her and she kissed him back, matching fervor with fervor, and knew her heart couldn’t expand any larger than it did in this moment.

  “Good job, man.” Jackson clapped his hand on Casey’s back.

  Teary-eyed, Lacey hugged Michelle. “I’m so happy. This is what I’ve dreamed for you.”

  Michelle beamed up at Casey. “Me too.

  About the Author

  Lynn Crandall lives in a small town in the Midwest with her husband and writes romances in the company of her two cats. Learn more about her at lynncrandall.com, lynncrandallwriter.wordpress.com, and visit her blog at thewritewaycafeblogspot.com.

  More from This Author

  (From Always and Forever Love by Lynn Crandall)

  “It’s not funny, Sterling. Please lose that big smile.” Lacey Aegar shot a glare at her sister and poured herself a cup of coffee. The morning had started off badly, with a call from one of their biggest clients informing the sisters the services of their detective agency, Aegar Investigations, would no longer be needed. Yet another hole in the business’s sinking ship, compliments of Carter, Inc., the slick, new agency in town that was siphoning off much of their business. But thanks to the young boy sitting in her office, the day now was getting just silly.

  “It’s kind of funny,” Sterling said, filling her mug with the last of the coffee. “You’ve done exactly what we need to do. Gone and got a client.” Sterling barely finished her sentence before laughter took her over.

  “Not so loud.” Lacey shushed Sterling between gritted teeth. “He’
s going to hear you. Besides, I think it’s kind of sweet, even though his last name is Carter.” He couldn’t help it that the name made her see red, and not just because his uncle was the owner of her competition. With all the family notoriety splashed across local and national news media, she knew when she saw Jason that he was a member of the infamous William Carter family. It wasn’t bad enough that his uncle had done harm working as his father’s lawyer, he’d had to set up his own investigations business in her town? But it wasn’t Jason’s fault that his uncle and grandfather had hurt people she loved.

  “It is sweet. And when word gets around about our big lost dog case, I’m sure our client base will grow to more than compensate for losing our largest client, the most prestigious fine art underwriters in the country. We’ll be a howling success.” Sterling patted her sister’s shoulder and winked.

  Lacey couldn’t help it; a smile slipped from her lips, then the giggles erupted. “You never know where things could lead.”

  “Right. Always a bright side to everything.” Sterling’s eyes twinkled.

  “We better get back in there,” Lacey said, gathering up her serious face.

  “We?”

  “Sisters, partners, through thick and thin. Remember?”

  “I’m going to weasel out of this one, sister. I’ve got a cat up a tree to tend to. Besides, I think you can collar this one.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  Lacey breezed past the receptionist, Michelle, and headed through the door into the interior office she shared with Sterling. The little blond-haired boy turned around, his big, blue eyes yanking at Lacey’s heart.

  “Okay, Jason. Sorry to be so long.” Lacey eased into the chair behind her desk and took a quick sip of her coffee, all the while shifting her gaze from the small boy seated across from her to the wadded dollar bills and rolls of coins lying in front of him on the desk. “Do your parents know you’re here?”

  “I’m staying with my uncle. My parents are on vacation in Europe for two months.” From the drooping shoulders to the muttered syllables, the little boy pleaded for help.

  “How did you get here?”

  “I rode my bike. I know your son, Tyler. He told me where to find your office. He said you’re really good.” Jason sighed, clearly losing what little patience an eight-year-old boy has.

  Lacey took another swallow of coffee and surveyed him. Cute, plucky, but still just a child.

  “I can get more money.”

  Lacey’s heart squeezed. “I better take you back to your uncle’s house. Or maybe I’ll just call him first. Do you know his phone number?”

  The little boy unrolled from the chair and began stuffing the bills into his jeans pocket. “He’s at work. I can get home myself.”

  Lacey couldn’t stand to watch the despair. “Does your uncle know you’re here?”

  Jason paused, his eyes downcast. “No. But he won’t help me. He’s always working. It’s been two days and I can’t wait any longer.” A tear dropped off the tip of Jason’s chin and landed silently on the desk.

  She cocked her head, contemplating the predicament for a nanosecond. “Tell me about your dog.”

  • • •

  Lacey stowed Jason’s bike in the trunk of her car, punched the address he’d given her into the GPS, and made the short drive to the edge of the downtown. Familiar with the location, she knew to expect an upscale neighborhood with large single-family homes and luxury condominiums. Within walking distance of the edge of the downtown, the neighborhood appealed to urban professionals and retirees who appreciated close proximity to theater, dining, and entertainment. She knew this because she and Nick had considered a house there when she was pregnant with Tyler. But ultimately trees had won out over theater, and they’d happily settled on an established neighborhood farther out of the city.

  She pulled her sky-blue Honda Civic into the long driveway and chose to ignore the contrast between the wealth around her and the practical car she drove. She had a sensible bent and appreciated simplicity, especially when that was all she could afford.

  Although summer was just beginning to settle in, its late afternoon warmth heated the soft breeze that lifted the wind chimes dangling at the entry of Jason’s uncle’s condominium. Jason unlocked the front door, stopping to punch a code into the alarm system, and Lacey followed him inside, instantly embraced by a lavish sense of wealth.

  A sunken living room spread before her, with a huge stone-fireplace focal point. A wall of windows towering from the plush beige-carpeted floor to the vaulted ceiling bathed the room in sunlight and revealed a courtyard outside. An overstuffed red leather couch and coordinating chairs sitting near the fireplace looked invitingly cozy. From the high-end furniture to the fine art painting on the wall, the apartment dripped money.

  “Nice digs,” Lacey said. “Can you show me around?”

  Silently the little boy led Lacey down a hall past the living room, through a dining room sporting a modern-style table and chairs and contemporary chandelier, to a kitchen.

  Something thrumming inside her gut fueled suspicions about the uncle. It was odd that he’d left an eight-year-old alone, and she wondered about things like food and safety. A quick look inside the maple cabinets and gleaming chrome refrigerator revealed a well-stocked kitchen. Plenty of kid-friendly foods, she noted, and numbers posted beside the landline phone sitting on the counter. A short note stuck to the phone read, “Jason, I’ll see you at lunch if I can. We’ll go out for dinner. Love, Uncle Jake.”

  Running her hand over the commercial-grade stove and granite counter top, Lacey took note of the medium-size red bowl marked Snickers, half full of kibble, and the full water bowl sitting next to it. She bent down and cupped a handful of the dog food. “You put fresh food out for Snickers this morning?”

  “Yeah,” Jason muttered, shuffling his sneakered foot on the gleaming bamboo floor. “He’s got to be hungry, wherever he is.”

  Lacey wanted to give Jason a big hug and assure him his dog would be back soon, but thought better of it, not sure just how much promise to hold out. “You’re probably right. Good thing you’ve got his food ready for him. If you could answer a few more questions I could better understand the situation.”

  “Sure.” He leaned against the kitchen wall and waited.

  “What happened? I mean, was he missing when you came home two days ago or did you see him run away, maybe chasing a squirrel?”

  “Umm, I came home from school and he was just gone. I looked everywhere inside and I checked the backyard. He was just gone.” Jason swiped at a tear making its way onto his cheek.

  “Did your uncle help you look?” She asked the questions as gently as she could, just like she would if she were talking to her son.

  “Some. He didn’t have a lot of time. He checked the backyard and said he would drive around the neighborhood later, but he hasn’t. My uncle has people who work for him. They’re detectives. I asked him if one of his guys could help me, but he said no.” He pursed his lips and shoved his hands in his pockets.

  “Okay, well, let’s continue our search.” She nodded with enthusiasm, trying to assure him she’d do her best to find his dog. “Where does Snickers sleep?”

  “Upstairs in my room.”

  Hmm, he has his own room here? Following Jason up to the second floor, Lacey surveyed the open living room from the winding wooden staircase. A large glass patio door opened out to a rustic backyard deck adjacent to the courtyard. Redwood chairs with colorful, plump cushions surrounded a redwood table. With a large grill and nearby fire pit to complete the picture, the deck looked ready to host a backyard bash. Lacy could practically hear the tinkle of ice cubes as they cooled fashionably chic drinks for equally fashionable guests.

  But what really caught her attention was the red rubber ball perched in one corner of the two-story deck, peeking from behind a large planter. “Does Snickers like to play fetch?” she asked as they reached the second floor and headed down the hall.
<
br />   “Pretty much. He mostly likes to just chase the ball and carry it around. Here’s my room.” Jason plopped onto the rumpled bed and propped himself up on one elbow. “Snickers sleeps here,” he added patting the bed.

  Lacey nodded acknowledgement as she kneeled to the floor, noting the dog brush, fairly full from a recent brushing, sitting on a nightstand. “It looks like Snickers is pretty playful.” Picking up first a mangled rubber bone and then a plastic duck that squeaked, she could easily imagine the comfortable companionship between boy and dog. The sense of it felt mutually loving for both, she noted.

  “We have a lot of fun, usually.”

  The melancholy note in Jason’s voice reminded Lacey of the importance of her job. The feelings of a little boy and his love for his four-legged friend were nothing to trifle about.

  Down the hall she paused at another bedroom door. “When does the cleaning woman come?”

  “Every morning about nine-thirty. She stays for a while and she fixes me lunch, too.”

  “And how about the person who takes care of the lawn?”

  “He’s here once a week, but not at any particular time or day.” Jason slid behind Lacey to step into his uncle’s bedroom, oblivious to her assumption of hired help. “My uncle gets up early, way before me. But Snickers gets up with him. Uncle Jake feeds him for me.”

  “That’s nice.” Lacey wondered what the room would look like if “Uncle Jake” didn’t have the luxury of a maid. She just couldn’t help having bitter thoughts, all things considered. She’d worked very hard for everything she had in life, and the Carter family did not have to. She twisted her shoulders to dispel the negative vibes slipping through her. She wasn’t jealous, she knew, but it was hard to ignore the pain the Carter name evoked. She had too much history with the exploits of “Uncle Jake’s” father, and too much knowledge of his own reputation for being his father’s son. She rolled her shoulders, reminding herself it would do no good to let things of the past distract her now.

  Her attention refocused on the room, she took in a dark chocolate satin comforter spread neatly across the king-size bed that sat near the windows of the spacious, L-shaped room. A teakwood ceiling fan gently stirred the air-conditioned air and whirred quietly above the bed. Two teakwood chests of drawers sat like sentries on the long wall. A brown, soft suede love seat sat empty of books, writing pads, or anything that would convey the presence of the man who occupied this room. Nothing was out of place.