Rose knew he still had a hard time with the fact that he’d been the one to kill Kelsey, even if it had meant saving Rose’s life.
“Kelsey was even sicker than Bill,” she said, taking her turn to rub his back soothingly. “She’d been drugging Bill heavily, ever since Sage died and she figured out what he did. She was determined to keep him out of prison, even if that meant killing me.”
“It was like she went completely crazy after I got out of prison. I think she realized that I’d keep digging until I found the truth. She couldn’t let that happen.”
According to what Bill said during the trial, Kelsey’s first idea had been to keep Max away from Rose with the dead rat threat, hoping the whole town would stay united against Max. When that didn’t work, she had to come up with another plan. Bill claimed that her first idea was to send Max back to prison by killing Jimmy.
The only problem was, she had kept Bill informed of all the gossip, and he knew Julie was working with Max to catch the killer. The night he killed Julie, he didn’t swallow the tranquilizer pill Kelsey gave him, but she hadn’t realize it. After she went to sleep, he headed to Julie’s. While he was having his way with her, Kelsey barged in, but after a bit of encouragement from him, she decided to help him kill Julie and then they destroyed her computer after finding the hidden camera.
Nausea turned in Rose’s stomach just thinking about it. Over the years, she’d taken care of Kelsey’s kids, shared secrets and worries with her. She was her best friend—almost a sister. It was still unimaginable to Rose, even after Kelsey beat her face in and tried to kill her, that the caring woman who had once been her friend could have done that.
Bill also admitted that the night he killed Julie wasn’t the only time he skipped out on taking his pill. He told the courtroom how one night he broke into Rose’s house, intending to kill her, but Kelsey showed up with her shotgun and threatened him into leaving.
It had been hard for Rose to hear that. She heard Bill in her house that night, the night Kelsey pretended she had a bad dream. Kelsey must have known all along that Bill was in her house, intending to kill her. And eventually, Kelsey decided that was the best plan.
A few of her tears leaked onto Max’s shirt, and Rose wiped her face. “I can’t keep thinking about this. It’s too sad. I don’t think I want to go to the group sessions anymore.”
“You don’t have to if they’re not helping.” Max kissed her forehead. “You seemed so happy when you first walked in. I’m sorry I asked about it.”
“It’s okay.” She laughed. “I probably would have been upset if you didn’t ask.”
“Well, that’s true.” Max released her and turned back to the stove, turning the hamburgers again. He glanced over at her, his blue eyes searching her face intently. “Are you going to be okay?”
She nodded. “It’s a relief to know Sage’s end wasn’t quite as horrible as I imagined it, but it was still awful and I don’t like thinking about it.”
“I know, but Bill is finally paying for his crimes.”
“There is that,” she agreed. “It’s something, at least.”
“Is there anything good going on in Clarkston?” he asked.
“Actually, there is. Kelsey’s mom agreed to keep the twins full time,” she said, drumming up a smile. “I’ve been worried what would happen there. It would have been a tragedy if the boys had to enter the system and were separated.”
“That’s true. A silver lining of sorts.” He turned the stove off and moved the pan from the hot unit. “I’m glad you told me about the session, but what do you say we change the subject?”
Rose nodded, knowing the grateful smile she flashed him probably looked pathetically desperate. “Please. I had a great afternoon after stopping to visit Mom. I’d like to keep that going. Between your job and my schooling, we never have enough time together, so let’s not waste our evening with this sadness.”
“I agree completely,” he said. “And on that note, I have something to talk to you about. It might not be considered exactly happy news as far as you’re concerned, but I’m happy about it.”
He flashed a grin that put Rose on guard. Max looked like he was up to something. “What?”
“My mom called today. Would you be up for company this weekend? She’s finally ready to visit.”
Rose automatically forced a smile, just like she always did when they discussed Sally. Max was right, not exactly happy news, though she was happy for him. Sally was old fashioned about some things, and had treated Rose badly any time they had contact. Sally said they were “living in sin,” and she couldn’t condone their behavior. It irritated Rose for Sally to be so judgmental. After all, she’d gotten knocked up as a teenager and then was an unwed mother, but it seemed she held her son to a higher standard of virtue than she had for herself.
“Is she willing to accept that we’re together, and you aren’t leaving me?” Rose asked, carefully keeping her voice neutral. “Even if we’re not doing things the traditional way.”
Max shook his head, seeming rueful. “She’s coming around slowly. I think this is her way of waving the white flag. I’d really like to get close with her again.”
Rose could understand that, since she was hoping for the same thing with her own mother. “A visit sounds great. I’m sure we’ll get along fine.”
Max stared at her for several seconds without saying anything, and Rose got the feeling he wasn’t sure she meant it. Even though having Sally around could be uncomfortable, she really did want to mend their differences. She’d do anything to make Max happy, and she hoped Sally felt the same way.
Max finally shrugged. “Okay. I’ll tell her to come.”
It seemed the Sally conversation was over. Rose was glad. She’d get along with Max’s mom no matter what. Everything would work out.
He squeezed her hand briefly. “Was there a reason you seemed so happy when you first got home? Obviously it wasn’t group that made you feel that way. What happened today?”
Although discussing group had dampened her happiness somewhat, her news was still great. “Something really good, actually. I know money has been tight, what with my college fees and Mom’s housing costs.”
“Don’t worry about any of that,” Max said, like he always did when she expressed her fears about their money situation. “I’ve got it under control. I’m working Saturday this week to get overtime.”
“But that’s just it,” Rose said, gearing up the arguments she’d prepared in the car on her drive home. “You’re always working overtime, including weekends, and now with your mom coming up... What if I found a way that we could both take our weekends off, to spend together, but we’d have more money than we do now?”
Max turned back to the stove, pulling the burgers from the pan and setting them on a clean plate.
Rose got the feeling he just did that to buy time. She knew he wanted to be the provider and help her reach her education goals, but she missed spending more time with him.
“How is that possible?” he asked once he could no longer pretend to be busy with dinner. “We need the money I get from working overtime.”
“Not anymore.” More of her happiness crept back in. “I got a job!”
“No, honey. We talked about that. You have to concentrate on your studies, not work.”
She nodded. “And that’s why this is perfect. The human resource lady at Trinity stopped me when I was leaving today. She said they need someone to man the front desk weekday afternoons from four until nine. When no one needs my help, which they said is most of the time after dinner is over, I can work on my school studies. Plus, I’ll get to see Mom every day! I can have a relationship with her again maybe.”
That was the best part. Ginger finally snapping out of her funk was like a dream come true. All Rose had ever wanted was a happy, close family. Bill destroyed the chance for that for so long, but now it could happen again. Even better, she had Max by her side as a big part of her family.
Max took her hand, threading his fingers between hers. “I can see you really want this.”
“I do. I really do. I miss you when you work so much. We need more time together.”
“Okay, but your education comes first. I’ll work as much overtime as I have to if it means you get your dream and become a teacher, but we can give this a try.”
Standing on her tiptoes, she kissed the end of his nose. “I have every dream I’ve ever wanted, waiting for me right here at home.”
“Does that mean you’ll marry me?” he asked.
She sputtered incoherently, and then closed her mouth. That was not what she’d expected his response to be. She’d waited for him to ask for months, hoping he felt as strongly about being with her as he did before they started living together. She worried about it from time to time, since he never asked, and finally decided she was content just to be with him.
It seemed he did want to be with her forever, though, and her shock transformed into happiness. “Where’s my ring?” she teased, winking.
“Well, with all the extra money we’ll have, we can go pick one out together.”
Rose framed his face in her hands and pulled him close, kissing him with all the passion she had in her. “Yes. With all my heart, yes. I’d love to be your wife.”
While they stood kissing, Gizmo walked into the kitchen, twining between their legs and meowing for attention.
Max bent and picked him up, hugging him to his chest while Rose pet Gizmo’s chin.
“I think our baby is saying marriage is a good idea,” she said.
“Oh, great.” Max’s mouth turned down in a pout, though his eyes sparkled with happiness. “Guess that means I’m a cat dad for life.”
“Or you could put the fur ball down.” Rose ran her hand down Max’s chest, tugging at his belt buckle. “And celebrate our engagement.”
“My future wife is a very smart lady.”
Gizmo dropped to the ground.
Max swept Rose off her feet, marching down the hallway.
Life was a series of struggles and heartache, but it seemed eventually the good won out. Rose had kept plugging along over the years, hoping some day she’d find her happiness. And here it was, finally. It didn’t diminish the past heartache or take it away, but at least she and Max could find a way to move on with life. Move forward. Be together and truly, truly happy.
“What about dinner?” she asked, laughing out her joy at having him for keeps and their love being back on track.
After throwing her on the bed, Max jumped on top of her, attacking her neck with kisses. “You heated up something else, love. Dinner will wait. Right now, I have to attend to my beautiful fiancée.”
Author’s Note
This book started as a dream. I was Rose, looking at Max walking back into my life. I hated myself for still having feelings for him, and I hated him for destroying everything I loved.
I tried to push Rose and Max away, but I couldn’t stop thinking about them. I have plenty of projects to work on...I didn’t need a new one demanding attention, but I couldn’t stop it, so gave in and wrote the first chapter. Once started, I couldn’t stop.
For the longest time, I was never really sure who the killer was. I had an idea of who it might be, but in the end, I was completely wrong. Those are actually my favorite kinds of books to write, and I hope you enjoyed reading it as well.
In some ways, this book ended up being darker in tone than a lot of my past work, because in the end, everything wasn’t tied up in quite a nice little package. However, that’s not real life. We have to move on, have to endure, and just keep going along, creating our own happiness. I like to think that Rose and Max might still have a few issues to work out, but they will get through them, because they are determined to do so.
Gizmo, Rose’s beloved kitty, is actually my furry little writing buddy. He has kidney trouble and has been failing the last few months. We’re trying to boost him back up with IV fluids and special food, but it is a worry. He’s always by my side as I write, and I decided he deserved a place in one of my books, so now he gets to live happily forever in fiction. But I sure hope he stays around a long time to help me with all my projects—help equals sleeping on my arm and hand as I type on the laptop, but he purrs so nice and keeps me warm during the winter. I can’t imagine it without him.
Speaking of my previous projects, I have to get a move on. In two weeks, I’m starting a class on writing a romance in a month, in which I will be working on the first contemporary romance I’ve ever written that will not include a suspense plot line. I’m actually really looking forward to it. Larissa and Quinn will have plenty to deal with, even if there isn’t a psycho killer loose in the paradise they will be living in during this book. It’s planned as a series, so there will be more fun to be had on McCallister’s Paradise after I finish this first book.
Also, I’m working still on Jenessa Jones’ story as she meets up with Kole Sharp and tries to track down a murderer in Washington, D.C., in the third book of my Agents in Love series, Love & Compromise, which will be out in October 2014.
I wish you all happiness and joy, dear readers. Chase your dreams and make your own happiness! Thank you for taking time from your busy life and escaping into my world for a while.
~ Chantel
May 3, 2014
Website: http://www.chantelrhondeau.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/ChantelRhondeau
~
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About the Author
Chantel once thought a great mystery or fantasy book with strong romantic themes was the highest level of reading bliss. After reading her first romantic suspense novel, she never looked back. Before long, the need to create her own stories took over. She spends her daytime in the clinical profession of medical transcriptionist, but her passion is in the blissful hours she spends with her characters in the evenings.
Chantel lives in the western United States. When she isn’t writing, she loves playing cards with her family and snuggling with her lazy kitties.
Read more at Chantel Rhondeau’s site.
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