by Linda Style
*Women in Blue
**Cold Cases: L.A.
**Cold Cases: L.A.
**Cold Cases: L.A.
***Texas Hold’Em
“What’re you looking for?”
Cole turned his gaze to the sky. “We can’t go much farther before it gets totally dark, so I’m looking for an alternative to sleeping under the stars tonight.”
“What do you have in mind?”
After taking off his hat, he glanced at Serena, then back to the map. A lock of hair hung over his forehead, and he reminded her of the boy she used to know. Her heart warmed at the endearing image. If only…
The thought was ridiculous. He wasn’t that boy and she wasn’t the girl she’d been, either. Too much had happened to ever repair the damage.
Dear Reader,
Welcome to Spirit Creek, Arizona. I’m delighted to spend more time in the picturesque fictional town that was also the setting for my last book. When I wrote The Mistake She Made, I knew Serena Matlock would get her own story—because after all the years she’s spent watching out for her twin brother after the accident the night of their high-school graduation, she was due for a little happiness. I discovered all too quickly, however, that her happiness wouldn’t come easily.
Writing Serena’s story hasn’t been easy, either. It hasn’t been easy because Serena has such a complicated background and her relationships with the people involved in her life are extremely complex. As a writer, I hate to torture my heroines and heroes, but I soon discovered it was going to take opening some old wounds before Serena and Cole St. Germaine would be able to find happiness.
I believe in writing what I know, and if I know nothing else for sure, I know this: all worthwhile relationships require work, and in order to get on with the future, we often have to confront the demons of our past. But this book isn’t all dark. There are some new and interesting people in town, and I’m hoping to be able to write their stories, too. Spirit Creek may be a small town, but it’s definitely big on heart. The people in Spirit Creek care about each other—even when they’re fighting. I hope you enjoy spending time with them as much as I have.
And remember, I always love to hear from readers. Please visit my Web site at www.LindaStyle.com or write to me at [email protected].
May all your happily-ever-after dreams come true,
Linda Style
THE PROMISE HE MADE
Linda Style
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Linda Style grew up in Minnesota, where she spent many long, cold winters making up stories in her head. She attended the University of Minnesota, studying behavioral science, married and had four sons. But the dream of writing persisted. After moving to Arizona and earning a degree in journalism from the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism at Arizona State University, she worked in a number of jobs from social services to magazine editor. Since she made her first sale in 1999, her novels have won several contests and awards, including the prestigious Daphne du Maurier Award. When not writing, Linda indulges her passions for travel, photography, hiking in the desert near her home in Gilbert, Arizona, and doing things with her family. Visit Linda’s Web site and read an excerpt at www.LindaStyle.com.
Books by Linda Style
HARLEQUIN SUPERROMANCE
1062—SLOW DANCE WITH A COWBOY
1084—THE MAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
1155—WHAT MADELINE WANTS
1243—THE WITNESS*
1281—HIS CASE, HER CHILD**
1323—AND JUSTICE FOR ALL**
1361—HUSBAND AND WIFE REUNION**
1443—THE MAN FROM TEXAS
1458—GOING FOR BROKE***
1557—THE MISTAKE SHE MADE
To my family
Timothy and Theresa, Todd, Courtney and Connor,
Barry, Jason, Kelly, Kylie, Jack and Luke
CONTENTS
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
PROLOGUE
CHAPTER ONE
CHAPTER TWO
CHAPTER THREE
CHAPTER FOUR
CHAPTER FIVE
CHAPTER SIX
CHAPTER SEVEN
CHAPTER EIGHT
CHAPTER NINE
CHAPTER TEN
CHAPTER ELEVEN
CHAPTER TWELVE
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
CHAPTER SIXTEEN
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
CHAPTER NINETEEN
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
My deep appreciation to the Sedona, Arizona, Chamber of Commerce. Since this is a work of fiction, I’ve taken liberties where necessary. Any mistakes are mine.
PROLOGUE
May 1996
“TRUST ME. I’LL BE back in an hour. I promise.” Cole flashed Serena a 100-watt smile, jumped in his El Camino and burned rubber.
She waved and called out, “I love you,” then kept waving until the taillights faded into tiny red dots that disappeared into the darkness.
She’d been waiting forever to tell Cole, but every time she started to, she’d lost her nerve. Which was silly, because they’d already made plans to get married and have a family. The family would just happen a little sooner. That’s all.
Fingers trembling, she touched the two intertwined silver hearts on the chain Cole had given her as a graduation present. He’d said it meant they would be together forever. Two hearts beating as one. She spun in a circle. For once in her life, things might turn out as she had hoped.
As she stood at the end of the trailer-park driveway, every nerve in her body thrummed. A bright crescent moon had settled over the mountain just above the trees at Oak Creek. Listening to the cicadas in the balmy night air, Serena felt alive with possibility.
This night, their graduation night, would be etched in her heart as the most wonderful, most romantic night ever. And when Cole returned, she’d tell him about the baby.
As Serena walked back to the trailer to get things ready for the celebration she’d planned, a car screeched into the driveway, headlights reflecting off the jagged sheet-metal patches on the tumbledown trailer her parents had parked in the nearly deserted area. The bronze Mercedes pulled up next to Serena, stirring up a cloud of Oak Creek Canyon dust.
Tori. Serena’s best friend was always late.
“I’m really, really sorry,” Tori said as she got out. “My car has some stupid thing wrong with it and I had to wait until my parents came home to use theirs.”
Hugging her, Serena said, “It’s okay. You didn’t miss much.” She shrugged. “You read the draft I wrote. No biggie.”
“Stop that!” Tori frowned, then tsked. “You always act like nothing is a big deal. How many kids in your class gave a valedictorian speech?” Tori didn’t wait for an answer. “It is a biggie, and I’m bummed I missed it.”
One little speech paled in comparison to what she would tell Cole later on. She was so happy about it, she could rocket to the moon on her own power. She couldn’t stop smiling, either.
“Where’s Cole?” Tori asked.
“He went to the…a party in Sedona one of his friends was having.” As she said the words, she could see the disapproval in Tori’s eyes. “Just for a while. He promised to be back in an hour.”
“An hour.” It wasn’t a question but a statement.
“Yes. And guess what? I’m going to tell him tonight.”
“Really?” Tori shot Serena a doubtful look as she gestured to the two metal lawn chairs near the trailer door. “Really?”
“Yes, really!” Serena said, instantly defensive. “Tonight is the perfect night.”
“If he comes back.”
“He’ll be back just as he said.”
Tori s
at, then stretched out her legs. Serena knew exactly what her friend was thinking. But Serena was satisfied because he’d promised he would. He’d never made her a promise before. Everything would be fine. She felt it deep inside.
“I just don’t want you to be disappointed again,” Tori said, then looked away.
Why couldn’t Tori just be happy for her? “I won’t be.” And that was that. She calmed herself, knowing she shouldn’t be angry at Tori, because her friend was just watching out for her. As kids they’d made a pact that they’d always be honest with each other. When Tori was about to do something stupid, Serena’s job was to call her on it, and vice versa.
“We’re going to have our own graduation celebration, and I—” she took a breath “—I’ll tell him then.”
Tori reached up and smoothed back a strand of Serena’s hair. “Hmm.”
“Hmm, what?”
“Nothing. Just—” She sat back, hands on her knees. “Just…nothing.”
Her friend knew her too well. Serena always waited until she was sure of something before she forged ahead. Living with parents who’d never left the ’70s, she’d learned early on not to count on anything until it actually happened.
“Where’s your mom?” Tori asked. “And your brother?”
“My mom’s taking care of my grandma and Ryan is supposed to be at the school dance.” Serena knew Tori wouldn’t ask about her dad because he was never there. He spent more time in jail than he did at home. Serena waved a hand. “I didn’t tell Cole before because—I…just wanted…”
She really hoped the news wouldn’t keep Cole from going to college as they’d planned. Aware of how strongly Cole felt about his father having abandoned his family, she was afraid he’d think he had to get a full-time job to support them. “I just didn’t want to mess things up. College is our only way to get out of Spirit Creek and make something of our lives.”
“That’s not true,” Tori said. “You’re smart. You can do anything you want.”
“You only say that because you’ve always had everything. Your parents can send you to school and pay for you to stay in a dorm and all that stuff. It’s not like that for me or Cole. We have to work our butts off, and even then we don’t—” Seeing the hurt in Tori’s eyes stopped Serena. “I’m sorry. I only meant—”
“Nope.” Tori raised a hand. “You can’t be sorry for telling the truth. Geez.” She shook her head. “I don’t know what it’s like, so I say dumb things.”
They sat side by side in silence for a moment. Finally, Serena said, “You’re the best friend ever.”
Tori leaned over and hugged Serena again. “So, what’s the plan?”
Serena swatted a moth hovering near the string of Christmas twinkle lights still hanging on the trailer. “Same as before. Now that we’ve both been accepted to ASU, everything will be fine. I’ll just be pregnant while I’m going to college. No big deal.” With college degrees behind them, she and Cole would never have to worry about a roof over their heads or where their next meal was coming from. Their child would never go hungry or feel he or she wasn’t good enough.
She placed a hand on her stomach, just as she’d done a million times since missing her period four weeks earlier, and wondered when she’d feel the baby move.
“Is that new?” Tori asked, fingering the chain at Serena’s neck.
“Uh-huh. It’s from Cole.”
“Nice!” Tori said as she examined it. “Very nice.” Then she glanced at her watch. “You’ve got plans. I better go.”
“You’ve got to at least have some champagne. I still have that bottle you took from your parents’ party.”
“I can’t. But come over tomorrow morning and tell me what happens.” Tori launched herself to her feet, went to her parents’ car and slid into the driver’s seat.
“I’ll call you tomorrow first.” Serena stood up. As she watched Tori leave, her heart felt so full she thought it might burst. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of cedar and pine from someone’s nearby campfire. This was the most wonderful night of her life. Even the warm air felt as if it was embracing her. She eyed her watch. Only thirty minutes before Cole would return.
She touched the necklace and sank into the chair to wait.
And wait.
Two hours went by before she got up, as if in a trance, to go inside. As she did, a car turned into the trailer park’s long driveway and stopped about ten yards in front of her parents’ trailer, its bright lights shining directly into her eyes. A huge wave of relief rolled through her.
Anything could’ve happened to make Cole late. Late was better than never, she rationalized. She had to be understanding. Too much at stake not to be.
She started walking toward the car, then broke into a jog, holding one hand up against the glare of lights. As she got closer, the lights went out. A second passed before her eyes adjusted. Then she froze.
It wasn’t Cole. It was the sheriff. And someone else.
She was used to seeing the sheriff’s car—the sheriff had come often enough for her dad. But he was in jail in Phoenix. And the sheriff couldn’t be there about anyone else in her family.
Sheriff Masterson didn’t get out. He just sat there. She was about to walk over, when a deputy exited from the passenger side and strode toward her.
“Hello, Serena,” the man said.
She recognized him. Jason Ramirez had graduated three years ago. He looked serious.
“I’m afraid I have some bad news,” he said.
Serena’s heart almost stopped. She could barely get out the words. “Cole? Is it Cole?”
“No. He’s okay,” Ramirez said quickly. “Is your mom home?”
It took a moment for that to register. Cole was okay. He was okay. Tears welled and she released a long breath. Thank God, Cole was okay.
“Is your mom here?” he asked again.
“Oh. No, my mom’s…not here. She’s taking care of my grandmother.” Then it dawned on her that if he wanted to talk to her mother, her twin brother, Ryan, was probably in trouble again.
“Can you get her on the phone? There was a bad accident tonight and I need to talk to her. Your brother was involved.”
“My bro—” She shook her head. “He—he’s with Celine.”
Ramirez moved to stand next to her and placed a hand on her shoulder. “Serena, I need to talk to your mother.”
“Where is he? Where’s Ryan?” she demanded. “Is he all right?”
The deputy glanced at the sheriff, who was still in the car. Serena started to walk to him, but Ramirez stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. “Ryan is in the hospital. I guess there isn’t any way to do this gently, so I’m just going to say it. Your brother and Cole are both in the hospital and…Celine…” He looked at the squad car again. “Celine didn’t make it.”
CHAPTER ONE
I’LL BE BACK IN AN HOUR. I promise. Serena Matlock remembered Cole’s exact words as she stood at the front window of the Cosmic Bean and watched the silver BMW stop a block down.
It hadn’t been an hour. It had been thirteen years. Thirteen years, a baby, a divorce, a college degree and a new business since Cole St. Germaine had said that to her on the night of their high-school graduation. But more than the words she remembered the heartbreak.
She watched Cole get out of his vehicle and climb the steps of the Purple Jeep Touring Company, his once boyish face now that of a man—a man who still carried himself with confidence, even though in high school that confidence had stemmed from a humongous chip on his shoulder.
He’d filled out over the years, and his dusty-blond hair seemed even thicker than the last time she’d seen him—at the jail when she’d told him goodbye. Her throat closed and she swallowed. Cole St. Germaine was back.
She shut her eyes. Damn you, Cole. Why did you screw everything up? Why did you have to come back?
Serena swung around to face her friend Natalia, who sat in one of the easy chairs a few feet from the café windo
w. “Does he think everything will be fine? Does he think no one will remember?” An angry knot formed in Serena’s stomach.
Business had slowed since the breakfast group had arrived and left, so she went back to the coffee bar to clean the copper espresso machine.
“Maybe he doesn’t care what other people think.”
“Well, you’re probably right about that. He never cared before, so there’s no reason to believe he might now.”
Serena ground her teeth and polished the copper even harder. “I don’t get why my brother is so willing to bend over backward for someone who never gave a rat about him.”
“I thought they were friends.”
“We were all friends. But when a friend screws you over, he’s not a friend anymore.”
Natalia shrugged. “Apparently, you’re the only one who feels that way.”
“Well, friendship won’t fix the leg Ryan almost lost. It won’t bring his business back from bankruptcy. Some things can’t be fixed.”
Like the night Cole said he’d return…the night she was going to tell him about the baby and he’d blown her off to party with his friends…and Ginny Gentry.
Like her brother’s injuries…and…her and Cole’s baby. The baby she’d given up for adoption. Without ever telling Cole she was pregnant.
“Do you know what happened that Ryan had to file for bankruptcy?” Natalia asked.
