The Truth About Secrets

by L. P. Dover

  Brows furrowed, I let her go and wiped her tears away. “Tell me.”

  Her lips trembled. “One of my dad’s wishes is to walk me down the aisle before he dies. With the cancer, I don’t know how long he has.”

  I cupped her cheeks. “Name the date, Clara. We’ll make your dad’s wish come true.”

  She squealed and tackled me on the couch. “Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I’ll figure out a date today.” The doorbell rang, and we both peered over at the door. “Expecting someone?” she asked.

  “Not that I know of.” I got up and went to the door. When I opened it, there was someone there I least expected to see. Clara and her mother looked so similar in the face with their green eyes, but Diane had whitish-blonde hair, whereas, Clara had dark hair like her father. Diane, however, looked as if she hadn’t slept or ate in weeks.

  “Diane.” I glanced back at Clara, who shot up off the couch and stormed toward me. They hadn’t spoken to each other in three weeks.

  Clara crossed her arms over her chest, but I could see the shock on her face the second she got a good look at her mother. “What are you doing here?”

  Diane’s eyes glistened and she sighed. “It’s good to see you, Clara. I’ve missed you.” Clara scoffed and rolled her eyes, but then Diane focused on me. “I’m actually here to see you, Zac. Do you mind if we talk?”

  I opened the door wider. “Sure. We can go to my office.”

  Clara’s mouth gaped, and I kissed her cheek. “Someone has to make the first move,” I whispered. Turning on her heel, she disappeared into the kitchen. I knew she didn’t want anything to do with her mother, but in the end, she’d regret it. I was angry at Diane for what she did, and now that I had Clara, nothing was going to keep from her. Diane’s plan had failed and she had to live with the regret and consequences of her actions.

  Diane stepped in, and I shut the door. “My office is down the hall.” She followed me to it, and I closed the door behind us. There were two seats in front of my desk, and I pointed at them. “You can have a seat if you want.” I walked over behind my desk and sat down.

  She set her purse down in one of the seats and sat down in the other. “Thank you for letting me come in. I’ve tried several times over the past couple of weeks to come over, but was always afraid you’d turn me away.”

  I shook my head. “I’m not like that, Mrs. Berkeley. You’re Clara’s mother. I’d never do that to you.”

  She stared at me, and I could see the raw emotion on her face. Diane was a proud woman, but that shattered right in front of me. “I’m so sorry, Zac,” she cried. “I regret everything I did. I was just afraid you two were too young to be moving off together. Nothing good would’ve come of that. You both needed time to grow and experience life without the other.”

  I shrugged. “We’ll never know, will we?” Did she have a point? Yes. It wouldn’t have been easy living on our own at such a young age, and maybe the stress would’ve driven us apart, but I had faith in our relationship. We could’ve made it work.

  Diane wiped away her tears. “No, we’ll never know, and I have to live with that guilt for the rest of my life.” Taking a deep breath, she glanced around at my office. “You’ve come a long way, Zac.” Her gaze met mine. “You may not believe me, but I’m proud of you. I’m just glad you and my daughter were able to find the happiness you deserve. And I’m hoping one day you both can forgive me. I know that Clara won’t until you do.” She reached for her purse and stood on shaky legs. It was obvious she was weak from the stress. “I really am sorry, Zac. My heart hurts without my daughter, but I know it’s my fault. Please tell her I love her more than anything.”

  She turned for the door. “Wait,” I called out. I got up and stepped in her way. “When I found out what you did, I couldn’t believe you’d do that to your daughter. To me, yes. You never really liked me and I knew that.” She started to speak, but I held up a hand. “You don’t have to explain. I get it. I didn’t grow up with money like your family, and I’m sure you thought I wouldn’t be able to give Clara the life she deserved. I can only imagine what it’s going to be like when I have kids of my own, and I’m sure I’ll be overly protective just as you have.” More tears fell down her cheeks. “With that being said, I forgive you.”

  Her eyes widened. “You do?”

  I nodded. “The last thing I want is Clara to be estranged from her family when I know she needs you. I’ll do anything to fix this for her.”

  Diane grabbed her chest and sucked in a breath. “Thank you, Zac. I know it’s going to take time for Clara to forgive me, but this is a good start.”

  I opened the door. “I’ll talk to her, but we both know how stubborn Clara is. It might take some time.”

  Diane nodded. “She takes after me in that sense.” We both walked down the hall toward the front door. Clara was on the couch, watching TV, and when she saw us, she stood and went straight to the patio door. Diane waved at her and tried her best to smile. “Bye, Clara.”

  The pain on Clara’s face was evident, but she opened the door and turned her back. “Good-bye, Mother.”

  Once she was outside, Diane’s face fell. “She hates me.”

  “She doesn’t hate you,” I said, “she feels betrayed by her mother and her best friend. It takes a long time to heal after that.”

  She watched Clara out the window until she disappeared from view. “I know.”

  I opened the front door. “Take care, Mrs. Berkeley.”

  “Please,” she murmured, patting my arm, “call me Diane.” She slowly walked down the steps to her car and drove away. I was a little worried about her.

  Once she was out of sight, I shut the door and joined Clara who was sitting by the pool with her feet in the water. “Is she gone?” she asked.

  After kicking off my shoes, I sat down beside her and stuck my feet in the water, too. “Yes.”

  Clara stared off at the mountains. “She looks horrible.”

  I draped my arm around her shoulders. “She’s worried sick over you. But at least, you should know she apologized for what she did. I can tell she meant it.”

  “Did you forgive her?” When I didn’t answer, she peered over at me.

  “Yes,” I answered. “And one of these days, you need to as well. Things might never be the same between you two, but you have to work it out. She’s your mother.”

  Hanging her head, Clara cried. “I know. I’ll forgive her one day, but it’s not going to be today.”

  I held her close and listened to her cry, wishing like hell I could help her. “It’ll get better, Clara. I promise.”

  She nodded. “At least, I have you.”

  I kissed the top of her head. “Always.”

  25

  Clara

  All night, I thought about my mother. Every single Hallmark movie I watched on TV made me cry. It made me realize that not only did I want my father to walk me down the aisle, but that I also needed my mother.

  While Zac was working in his office, I took a quick shower and got dressed. Before I could put on my sandals, my phone rang. It was as if my dad could read my mind. I was about to call him myself.

  “Dad, perfect timing. I was just about call you.”

  “Oh yeah?”

  I slipped on my sandals and hurried out of the bedroom. “Yep. Is Mom there? I think it’s time I talked to her.”

  “Thank God,” he said, breathing a sigh of relief. “That’s why I called. She’s actually at the club right now. She’s not eating much and she looks like a zombie. I don’t know what to do. She looks worse than me, and I have cancer.”

  “I know. I saw her yesterday,” I confessed sadly.

  “Please work things out with her, Clara. You may have lost trust in her, and frankly, I wasn’t happy with her either, so she’s had to deal with my wrath as well. But all in all, she’s your mother and she’s my wife. She loves us and there’s no doubt about that.”

  My eyes burned. “I know. That’s why I’m going t
o see her. Besides,” I said, hoping to lighten the mood, “I have to have you both there when I get married. Speaking of which, is the club free October third?” It was only two and a half months away, which meant I had a lot of planning to do.

  He gasped. “You’re getting married?”

  I laughed. “Yep. I set the date for October. I’ve always wanted a fall wedding.”

  My father chuckled. “Oh, honey, I’m so happy for you. The club is yours.”

  “Thanks, Dad. I’m going to visit Mom now and tell her.”

  “Good,” he replied, sounding relieved. “I’m ready to have my family back.”

  “I know. You’re going to get it. I promise.” We hung up, and I quietly walked down to Zac’s office. I could hear him on the phone, so I waited by the door until he was done. “Knock, knock,” I called out, gently rapping on the door.

  “Hey, baby. Come in.” I opened the door, and he smiled. His hair was all over the place, and I loved it. I got a little carried away during our morning tryst. “Going somewhere?” he asked.

  I blew out a sigh. “To see my mother.”

  He got up and walked over to me. “Glad to hear it. I was hoping you wouldn’t wait long to make amends.”

  I kissed him. “It’s time. I can’t plan my wedding without her. She’s at the club, so I’ll be there for a while.”

  He nodded. “Go. But before you leave, I wanted to tell you that I have to fly out to Charlotte on Saturday morning for a meeting with my boss. I thought maybe you’d like to come with me? We can stay at my lake house and make a night out of it.”

  The thought excited me. “Sounds sensational. I’d love to go.”

  “Good. I was also thinking that tomorrow we could visit my parents and tell them the news. I can get my mom to make her chicken and dumplings. You used to love them.”

  My stomach growled. “I am totally down for that.” I kissed him quickly and ruffled his already tousled hair. “See you later.”

  On the way to the club, my nerves were all over the place. As much as I wanted my mom to feel the pain she caused me, it hurt my heart to see her the way she was. In order for me to move on, I needed to forgive her.

  It was a late Thursday morning, and with the weather being fantastic, the parking lot was packed. My mother’s car was parked right out front of the entrance, so I pulled in behind her in Zac’s sports car.

  Taking a deep breath, I walked inside and went straight to my dad’s office, figuring that was where my mother would be. The door was shut, so I stood there and stared at it. Palms sweaty, I lifted my hand and was just about to knock when my mom’s voice called out behind me.

  “Clara?”

  Gasping, I jerked around and there she was. Her face was still pale and there were dark circles under her eyes. Even her makeup couldn’t cover it up.

  “Mom.”

  She held her notebook to her chest, looking as if she was about to cry. “What are you doing here?”

  I swallowed hard. “I came to see you. I figured it was time we talked.”

  Tears welled up in her eyes. “Okay. Let’s go in the office.”

  She opened the door, and I followed her inside. My dad’s office was similar to Zac’s, only there were no bookshelves. However, there was a large window that had the best view of the golf course. My mother sat down at the window seat and I did the same. Her lips trembled the second I looked in her eyes.

  “I’m so sorry, Clara. If I could take it all back, I would in a heartbeat.”

  The truth was in her eyes, and I could see it. “I know,” I said. “I just wish you understood how bad you hurt me. Both you and Trina.”

  She hung her head. “I’m ashamed of it, especially how I conned Trina into helping. I regret it more than anything.” Her shoulders shook with her sobs, and I couldn’t take anymore. I hugged her, and she cried even harder.

  “I forgive you, Mom. I don’t know if things will ever be the same between us, but I’m willing to try.”

  She hugged me so hard I could barely breathe. “Just saying you forgive me is good enough. I love you so much.”

  Tears filled my eyes and I cried along with her. “I need you to make sure the club doesn’t get rented out on October third.”

  She sniffled and let me go. Her makeup was a mess, and I had no doubt mine was as well. “Why?”

  I held up my hand so she could see my ring. “Zac and I are getting married. One of Dad’s wishes is to walk me down the aisle, so I’m going to make sure it comes true.”

  “Oh my God,” she cried, grabbing my hand. She looked at the ring and slapped a hand over her chest. “It’s beautiful.”

  “Will you help me with the wedding?”

  Her eyes shot to mine and she started crying again. “I’d be honored to. It’ll be the most gorgeous wedding this club has ever seen.”

  “I have no doubt.”

  She hugged me again. “Oh, sweetheart, this means so much to me. I won’t let you down.”

  I smiled. “Better not.”

  We let each other go, and she brushed a hand down my cheek. “I thought I lost you for good.”

  I shook my head. “I love you too much.”

  “What about Trina? She’s been so depressed the past few weeks. I’ve been calling to check up on her.”

  Even though I was still mad at Trina, my heart ached for her. She’d been my best friend since kindergarten. I didn’t want to lose that history. “I’ll call her when I leave,” I promised.

  I stood, and my mother hugged me again. “Why don’t you and Zac come over for dinner one night next week? I’ll make all your favorites.”

  That made me smile. “We’ll be there.”

  We said our good-byes, and it felt like a huge load had been lifted off my shoulders. I could finally breathe again. When I got into Zac’s car, I pulled out my phone and clicked on Trina’s number. It only rang once, and then her frantic voice came over the line.

  “Clara, oh my God, it’s you.”

  “It’s me,” I said. “Got time to talk?”

  “Yes,” she gasped. “I’ve been dying to talk to you for weeks. I’m so so sorry for my part in everything. I’ll do anything you ask if you just forgive me. I’ll dye my hair orange if you want me to.”

  “Actually, that won’t be necessary,” I said, laughing. “Can’t have you looking like that for the pictures.”

  “What pictures?”

  “The wedding pictures. You’re going to be my maid of honor. Zac and I are getting married in October. I expect a huge bridal shower, too.”

  Trina squealed. “Hell, yes. Does this mean we’re friends again?”

  “Yes,” I answered sternly, “don’t make me regret it.”

  She breathed a sigh of relief. “I promise I won’t let you down.”

  “Better not,” I replied, “I’m trusting you.”

  26

  Clara

  The weather in North Carolina was much hotter than in Wyoming, but it didn’t stop me from laying out in the sun on Zac’s dock. I had a cooler full of bottles of water and a mountain of ice to help me deal with the heat. Tons of people rode by on their boats and jet skis, waving at me as they passed. If only Zac had a jet ski. I’d be out in the lake in a heartbeat.

  “There you are,” Zac called out.

  I sat up and glanced over my shoulder. Zac made his way down through the backyard, still dressed in his suit. As soon as he got on the dock, he took off all his clothes, except for his boxers, and laid down beside me on my towel.

  “What are you doing?” Laughing, I shook my head. “You know you have neighbors, right?”

  He smirked. “Don’t care. They don’t have to look.” He grabbed me around the waist and pulled me on top of him. “Just like they don’t have to watch this.” Holding me in place, he kissed me hard.

  A couple of whistles echoed in the distance, and I giggled. “Okay, enough of that. Nobody wants to see my ass sticking up in the air.”

  Zac chuckled and smacke
d it. “It’s kind of a nice ass, sweet cheeks.”

  Rolling my eyes, I slid off of him. “How did the meeting go?”

  His eyes twinkled. “Great. It was just with Galen and his West Coast partner, Brett Walker. There was some paperwork I needed to sign to officially make me a partner of M&M Architectural Design.”

  “I have to say,” I began, nodding at his clothes on the ground, “you really do look sexy in a suit. It’s not you though.” I loved him in his cowboy hat and boots.

  He smiled. “No, it’s not. Oh, and before I forget, my mom called this morning. She wanted me to tell you she found her great-grandmother’s antique bracelet. Apparently, you have to wear something old on our wedding day.”

  I nodded. “And something new, blue, and something borrowed.”

  Zac shook his head. “It’s silliness if you ask me. But, if it’s supposed to give us good luck, then do it.”

  His parents were ecstatic when we gave them the news. We even made a stop over at Drew and Lena’s to tell them. Zac wanted Drew to be his best man, and I asked Lena to be a bridesmaid. The wedding was coming together perfectly.

  More boats passed by, and it made me think of San Francisco. “I should probably head to California soon to pack up some of my things.” I looked over at Zac and he nodded.

  “I’d like that. I’ve never been to San Francisco,” he said.

  I gasped. “You will love it. I’ll take you to all my favorite spots. And,” I added, “when my clients have big events coming up, you’ll get the red-carpet treatment. I’m talking early access to movie premiers and private parties.”

  “And the chance to meet my favorite actors?” he asked, grinning mischievously.

  I winked. “Of course. You get an all access backstage pass. Just think of all the potential clients you could get. I’m sure some of them want a dream home in the mid-west.”

  Zac got to his feet and helped me up, wrapping his arms around my waist. “Are you trying to one up me right now?” he asked teasingly.