Devious

by Suzannah Daniels

  A few days ago, I didn’t think I’d ever see my mother again. With Granny gone, I thought that I was truly all alone. Now, my mother wanted to be in my life and I had a sister?

  My mother held the baby towards me, waiting for me to take her.

  She was so tiny, and I reached out and took her in my arms. I rubbed her tiny fist, and her fingers opened and flexed over the tip of my index finger. Her mouth started making sucking motions, but she never opened her eyes.

  “She’s beautiful,” I whispered, amazed that this tiny being was my sister.

  “She is, isn’t she?” My mother folded down the edge of her blanket. “She looks just like you did when you were a baby.”

  “She does?” I asked, glancing at my mother’s face.

  She nodded. “I’m so lucky to have two beautiful girls. I’m sorry that I didn’t tell you, Dara.”

  “It’s okay, Mom.” I was amazed how it didn’t seem to matter now. To know that I had a sister was an amazing feeling. My mother and I both sat back down in the rockers, and I gently swayed with my baby sister, unable to take my eyes from her face.

  “Where’s her father?” I asked. “Why didn’t he come with you?” I hoped that Emma’s father would be a better father than mine had been.

  My mother pressed her lips together before answering. “He left me when he found out I was pregnant, and I haven’t heard from him since. Of course, he doesn’t even know how to reach me now. I didn’t even have a phone until Stone bought one for me.”

  “Stone?”

  “Yeah. He tracked me down at the hospital. When I explained everything to him, he bought me a phone, so that I could call you. On top of that, he let me borrow some money because I was tight on funds.” She paused. “He was determined to get me to your graduation.” Her voice softened. “He even promised to keep my secret safe until I could tell you myself. And don’t worry, Dara. I’m not gonna take advantage of him. I’m gonna pay him back for everything.”

  My heart sank. He continued searching for my mother even after I’d broken up with him. He had given me the greatest graduation gift of all, my mother and my sister, and how had I repaid him?

  My mother laid her hand on my arm. “If I could find a guy that loved me so much that he would do anything for me, then I wouldn’t let him slip away. You can borrow my car.”

  My eyes flew to my mother’s face. She was right.

  “Will you and Emma be okay here for a little while?”

  “We’ll be fine.” She held her arms out to take Emma. “Go after him.”

  I handed Emma over, and I bent down and kissed my mom’s cheek, realizing that this was the first time that she had offered me advice. “Thanks, Mom.”

  Everything just became a lot clearer, and I had to find Stone.

  Chapter 14

  Stone

  Damn it! I raced back home, eager to drop off my mother’s car and get my motorcycle. It didn’t matter what I did, the good was never going to outweigh the bad. If anybody could’ve seen a change in me, it should’ve been Dara. That freaking kiss with Tiffany had cost me everything. Now the one person who mattered to me didn’t even know whether she could trust me or whether she wanted me in her life.

  I strapped on my helmet, knowing that a ride up the mountain would help me release some of my anger.

  In stark contrast with my mood, the weather was nice today, and I slid my sunglasses on and left the shield of the helmet open. Twisting the throttle, I pulled the bike into a wheelie and raced down the driveway. I pulled onto the main road and flew up the mountain, eager to force Dara out of mind by concentrating on the ride.

  After intentionally choosing the most challenging roads to help dissipate my anger, I finally calmed down almost an hour later. I had another stop that I wanted to make, and a few minutes later, I geared down as I pulled into the cemetery and drifted to a stop a short distance away from Luke’s grave.

  I hung my helmet on the mirror and strolled to his gravesite. I sat down at the foot of it, my elbows resting on top of my bended knees, and stared at his name on the headstone.

  “What should I do, Luke? This girl’s driving me crazy, and I don’t know how much more I can take.”

  Taking a deep breath, I watched as a billowy, white cloud sailed across the brilliant blue sky like a ship on the open sea. “Maybe you could talk to Dara’s granny, and the two of you could help me out here.”

  A slight breeze picked up, rustling the leaves of the few trees that dotted the cemetery.

  Dara

  I saw his motorcycle parked along the roadway, and I pulled up a short distance away and parked my car on the opposite side of the street.

  I gently closed my door and searched for him among the gravestones. When I finally saw him, my heart ached. His back was to me, and his head was tilted toward the sky. I approached him quietly, not wanting to disturb the serenity of the moment.

  When I realized he was speaking, I listened intently, trying to pick his words up as they skittered across the wind. I couldn’t make out everything he said, but once I was a few feet away, I could hear him clearly, his low, deep voice a drastic contrast to the high-pitched chirping of birds and the soft rustling of the wind.

  “It’s just that I love Dara, you know? But things have gotten complicated, and I have no idea where we stand.”

  His words melted my heart.

  “Shit,” he mumbled. He rubbed his hands across his face and groaned. Then, he leaned back, supported by his outstretched arms. “I’ve screwed everything up, Luke. I know you’re surprised, right?”

  I continued to watch silently, his pain twisting my insides.

  “How do I make her understand that she means everything to me?” he asked, his voice brimming with emotion.

  I wanted to speak to him, but I couldn’t. My throat was thick with the strain of unshed tears. I swallowed hard and took a deep breath. “You just did,” I said, unable to hide the quake in my voice.

  His torso turned, and his head snapped in my direction. “Dara?”

  In one fluid motion, he was on his feet, facing me, and I could no longer keep my distance from him. I ran to him, and he wrapped his arms around my waist, squeezing me as if he would never let me go.

  “I’m so sorry, Stone,” I whispered. “I had no idea that Emma was my sister.”

  “I know.” He took a step back, his hands grabbing mine. “So what did you think about her?”

  Thinking about my sweet, baby sister, I smiled. “I’m already completely in love with her.”

  “I know how you feel,” he whispered, rubbing his thumb across my cheek, his eyes holding mine.

  His meaning wasn’t lost on me. “My mom told me everything you did to help bring her to me. Thank you.”

  He held my chin in his fingers, forcing me to look in his eyes. “How many times have I told you that I would do anything for you? You know that, right?”

  The warmth from his fingers seeped into my skin, and the heat of his gaze filled me with passion. I nodded, and his confession made my heart hammer mercilessly. Stone Hamilton possessed a kind of power over me that rocked me to my core. It was that power that drew me to him, and it was the fear of that power that made me want to push away.

  I didn’t have the strength to fight the magnetism. Not today. And I succumbed to him with a burning need to touch my lips to his.

  His fingers splayed at the small of my back, pressing my body against his hard-muscled chest. His tongue teased my bottom lip until I opened to him, and he kissed me until we were both breathless.

  Finally, he pulled back and rested his forehead against mine.

  He exhaled heavily, his breath warm against my skin. “It’s official.”

  “What is?” I whispered.

  “We’re back together again.”

  I pulled back to look at him, and he shot me a lopsided grin.

  “Don’t you think you should ask first?” I asked.

  “Like you could seriously turn me down after
a kiss like that?”

  I shrugged. “There wasn’t anything special about it.”

  “Oh. I see how it is,” he whispered.

  “How is it?”

  “You need another one.”

  I opened my mouth to protest, but my objections were silenced by his lips. His tongue explored my mouth while his hands pulled my body up off the ground and crushed it against his. Slowly, he lowered me back to the ground.

  “So, is it official?” he whispered against my temple.

  Desire blossomed in my chest, and I whispered breathlessly, “Yes, it’s official.”

  His power over me had won out today, and as he leaned down to kiss me again, I wasn’t complaining.

  ***

  Three hours later, Stone took my mother, Emma, and me to eat at Awesome Sauce. Patrons packed the building, and many of my friends from school came over to our booth to meet my mother and Emma and to offer their condolences on Granny’s passing. It was a bittersweet moment as I toggled between being excited to introduce my mother and my sister and being saddened that Granny was gone.

  I knew that Granny would be happy that my mother was here with me now, and I desperately hoped that I would see Mom and Emma often and that we could continue to build our relationship. For the first time since I met her, I felt like we were beginning to form a real mother-daughter bond.

  “So what are you two going to do now that you’ve graduated?” my mother asked with Emma asleep in the baby carrier next to her on the booth seat.

  “We’re both set to start college in the fall,” I replied.

  “You’re still going to the local college?” my mother asked.

  I nodded. “So is Stone.”

  My mother smiled. “Good. I’m glad y’all have each other.”

  I felt a pang of sympathy when I realized that my mother didn’t have anyone to help her. “What are you gonna do, Mom?”

  She took a sip of tea, slowly, as if she were contemplating her answer. “I’m not sure yet. Clara’s son has closed down the bed and breakfast. I still have a few things stored there that I need to get, but as far as my job goes, it’s gone.”

  “Where will you stay?” I asked.

  “Oh, don’t worry about me,” she said. “I’ll find somewhere to stay until I can get a job. If nothing else, I can stay at the shelter until I can get on my feet.”

  “You’re going to keep Emma at a shelter?” Stone asked, concern evident in his voice.

  “It’ll only be temporary,” she assured him.

  “Why do you want to go back to Oakley?” I asked. “Because of Emma’s father?”

  My mother smiled sadly. “Not hardly. I’m sure I’ll never see him again. Oakley’s just the closest thing to home that I’ve got.”

  “I’m moving into Granny’s house. Why don’t you stay with me?” I asked, truly hoping that she would. “Just until you get on your feet. I could even help with Emma.”

  “That’s sweet of you to offer, Dara, but I don’t want to burden you.”

  “I want you to,” I said, and I meant it. I wanted to spend time with her and Emma.

  “I need someone to work full-time at the bookstore,” Stone said. “The pay’s not great, but if you want it, the job’s yours until you can find something better.”

  My mother’s gaze toggled between Stone and me, and then she finally locked eyes with me, a look of astonishment on her face.

  “You would want me to stay here?” she asked, splaying her hand across her chest as she asked the question.

  “Yes,” I whispered, nodding my head.

  She smiled, her chin quivering as tears sprang in her eyes. “I would love that,” she said.

  “It’s settled then,” I announced with finality. “You can go back to Oakley and get your things, and you and Emma can stay with me.”

  “In a few weeks, when you’re ready to go to work, you can come to the bookstore,” Stone added.

  “If you could give me about a week to get settled in and to spend some time with my daughters, then I’d be happy to start working.”

  “You got it,” Stone agreed.

  After we finished eating, we went back to Granny’s house…my house. I supposed that it would always be Granny’s house to me. I went outside with Stone while Mom fed Emma.

  “Thanks for giving Mom a job at the bookstore,” I said as we sat on the porch steps.

  He wrapped his arm around my shoulder and gave me a quick squeeze, the scent of his cologne wafting through the air at the subtle movement. “Anything for my girl.”

  His long legs stretched out in front of him, and I rested my palm on his thigh. He covered it with his free hand, his thumb rubbing rhythmically across my knuckles. “Besides,” he said, “I think she’s really trying. If everything works out, it’ll be really good for you to have her in the Quail Mountain area.”

  I smiled, hoping that things did go well. “Yes…and Emma.”

  “And Emma,” he agreed.

  “Listen, Dara. I know things have been a little rough lately between us, and our senior prom wasn’t as spectacular as we had hoped it would be. So, I was wondering if I could pick you up for a special date next Saturday?”

  “A special date, huh?” I asked, grinning at him like an idiot.

  “Well, every date with me is special, but if you agree to go out with me next Saturday, it will be extra special.”

  “Be careful,” I warned, jokingly. “Your conceitedness is showing.”

  “Hey, babe, can I help it if I’m the total package?”

  “What did you say?” I asked him, cupping my hand around my ear as if I were having a hard time hearing him. “Did you say you’re a total asshat?”

  His laughter was rich and mellow, and it felt good to hear him laugh. “Well, I guess it will do me no good to deny that I can be. So let me make it up to you with an extra special date next Saturday night. Okay?”

  His fingertips continued to rub my hand, tracing along my fingers and over my knuckles, and I found the simple movement comforting.

  “Okay,” I agreed.

  “Good.” He kissed my temple. “Wear your prom dress.”

  “My prom dress?” I asked, baffled.

  “Yeah. You look too damn sexy in that dress to let it hang in the back of your closet, and I owe you a memorable senior prom.”

  “Well, the last one was pretty memorable,” I quipped.

  “The last one doesn’t count. By the time we finish with our date Saturday night, you won’t even remember the last senior prom.”

  “I’m gonna hold you to that,” I warned.

  “And I’m up for the challenge.” He grinned mischievously and leaned in for a kiss.

  Out of all the guys that I had ever dated, which wasn’t many, Stone was by far the best kisser. And while I refused to feed his ego by telling him that, I had no problem reaping the rewards. I was both excited and nervous to find out what he had planned for our next prom night, but one thing was certain. Just being with Stone would make it extra special.

  Chapter 15

  Dara

  On Sunday, I awoke early, excited that things with both my mother and Stone seemed to be improving. I lay in bed, scrolling through my emails. With everything that had been happening, I hadn’t been checking them lately, and when one particular email caught my eye, I immediately stopped scrolling. The subject line indicated that it was the newsletter from Quail Mountain Books. When I opened it, I saw the article that I had written about Luke’s Book Club, but it was the article directly below it that captured my full attention.

  Frankenstein by Mary W. Shelley

  Review by Stone Hamilton

  I must confess that I’m not much of a reader, but it was one of my late brother’s favorite pastimes. In fact, it is in his memory that this new book club is named. Luke was more than my twin brother. He was my best friend. Frankenstein was chosen from his personal book collection, and having read it, I’d like to offer my thoughts on it as a tribute to Luke. />
  Since I have no experience writing book reviews and I don’t want to give away the plot, let me just say that Victor Frankenstein was a scientist with an insatiable desire to create life from death, and his drive and determination ensured his success, resulting in his creation that is often referred to as a monster. I was surprised to find that in today’s world, most of us refer to the monster as Frankenstein; although, in the novel, Frankenstein is the name of the scientist, as noted above, and the monster actually remains nameless.

  But rather than focus on the story itself, I’m going to focus on the feelings that it evoked. The novel explores emotions, such as loneliness and bitterness. Both are feelings that I’ve experienced myself since the death of my brother, and I was surprised by how well I could relate to Frankenstein’s creation. We all just want to experience love and companionship in some capacity. Let me just say that reading this novel will make you stop and think about how important your relationships with the ones that you love really are. It will make you think about how devastating loneliness and unhappiness can be.

  If you’ve ever experienced loneliness, then you know that sometimes, we are fortunate enough to find someone who can save us from it. When that person comes along, perhaps we should hold on and never let go because without happiness, we have nothing.

  He had actually read the book. I thought that he would’ve gotten Tom or Brandy to do the review, but he hadn’t. He had read it himself.

  The review wasn’t what I expected, but I found it quite beautiful. In fact, it had worked out well that it was Stone who had written it. Who better to talk about Luke? And by focusing on the emotions, he had made most everyone able to relate to his review.

  I reread the last paragraph, and I couldn’t prevent the tears that filled my eyes. Was he referring to me? I read it again, and I realized that Stone was that person for me. He was the one who was saving me from loneliness, especially now that I no longer had Granny.

  The muffled sound of Emma’s high-pitched cry drifted through my closed bedroom door, and an amazing feeling blossomed in my chest. Not only did I have Stone, but I also had my mother and my little sister. I smiled to myself, realizing that it was going to be a good day.