by Amy McKinley
Rich pulled something from his pocket. “He’ll be going away for a long time.” He gave Jack a quick look then focused on me. “Jack told me about Stella trying to pay Max’s debt. We took this off of Rex. I thought you would want to give it back to her.”
I nodded, feeling grateful. The necklace had already been secured. They hadn’t known the full value at the pawnshop. We’d gotten lucky. I had a better plan for the money I would return to her. “Thanks, Rich.”
Jack drew Rich’s attention. “Sounds like our job’s finished.”
I hoped so. I needed a few days of relaxation with Red.
Rich clapped Jack and me on the shoulders. “Job well done. We don’t need anything more from your team in this case.”
We said our goodbyes, and Jack left to find Hannah and the rest of the guys. I would too, after I figured out what was going on with Red and Max.
Her brother was a big problem. While I was glad he was safe and that Red was happy, his addiction wasn’t going to disappear because he’d been rescued.
When I reached Red’s side, I wrapped my arm around her. My hand curled around her hip, anchoring her to me. Max noticed, which was what I wanted.
Max extended his hand, and I shook it. He at least had the decency to look ashamed, as he damn well should have been.
“Stel was telling me about what you did for her. For us. I wanted to thank you and the rest of your team.”
I nodded, accepting his apology.
He took a deep breath. “I won’t put my sister in harm’s way again. I promised her I’d get help. This time, I’m going to do it.” Determination shone in his eyes, even as he swayed back and forth.
The paramedic noticed and approached Max. He needed to go back to the hospital.
“I’m glad to hear it.” I had to get the last part in before Max left in the ambulance. “I’ll help her find a good place for you to get treatment. You put her in danger. That can’t happen again.”
Max hung his head, and Red squeezed his arm. The paramedics interjected before anything more could be said. They got Max settled on a stretcher and headed out. There was nothing more for us to do except spend the wad of cash burning a hole in my pocket.
We moved away from the medics and the few policemen that remained. “I meant what I said to Max. I’ll help you find the right place for him to get help.” Her eyes misted, and before she could hug me, I pulled out the cash and put it into her hand. “Rich was able to recover the money from Rex.”
“Oh my gosh! I can’t believe it.” She clutched the money tightly in her hand. “I could buy back the necklace. Will you go with me?”
“It’s not there anymore.” I couldn’t tell her I had it, not yet. There was another reason I wanted her to accept the money.
She flinched, and I could only imagine she felt as if she’d lost that piece of her history all over again.
I took her free hand and threaded my fingers through hers. “You should use the money to give your design career a shot, full time.” I wanted that for her, but that wasn’t my only motivation.
Her mouth formed a small o. “I hadn’t thought about that, but…” She paused, thinking. “That would be a good idea. I’d love to get going on designing a new line. With Max starting over, I could too.”
“Good, it’s settled, then.” I didn’t want to give her too much time to think about it. “Since you won’t be waitressing, we could take a vacation.” We both needed the break, some downtime. “Bring your supplies because you can work on your jewelry designs anywhere.”
The sweet sound of her laugh enveloped me. We could spend some time together alone, without any threat to her safety foremost in our thoughts.
“What did you have in mind?”
So very much. I grinned. I’d already promised her some time back at the cabins. Once she quit her job, I would surprise her with the necklace.
Chapter 33
Stella
One month later
The sun beat down on my skin. We had been spending some time at the cabin in Kirkwood. Hawk had said he would take me back when we’d first stayed there, and as soon as everything was squared away with my brother and my job, he’d delivered on his promise. I wanted some time off and was taking it. I’d turned in my notice.
I held the last letter from Oma in my hands. Hawk had given me some time alone to read her note, claiming he was hot and needed to get in the water for a few minutes to cool off. That man could read me better than anyone.
My Darling Stella,
The love your grandfather and I had was enough for this lifetime and every one after. The first time I saw him, there was a spark of recognition, and I knew at that moment that he was the one for me. When we’d talked about how we’d first laid eyes on one another, he’d discovered we both felt the same way.
After going through what we had before and during our defection from Germany, I hadn’t dared to hope I would experience a love like my parents or what my brother had for that brief period before his fiancée was sent to the gas chamber for being Jewish. And then my brother was gone shortly after, and it tainted my expectations for my life.
Coming to the States, we were given another chance for happiness. I’m sharing this with you so you won’t take anything for granted. The day you meet the man you’re destined to spend a lifetime with, grab hold and live. Appreciate the little things. Weather the storms together and bolster one another when needed. Do not try to change each other, but cherish one another for the individualities that are uniquely your own. Life is messy. Find the good and be happy.
All my love,
Oma
“I found him, Oma,” I whispered, and I knew she heard me. I felt her with me as I read her words.
I wiped at a few tears then tucked the last letter back into the envelope. There was no doubt she watched over me from wherever she was. There were so many times I could sense her comforting presence. The sensation faded, and I slipped the paper into my bag so nothing would happen to it.
I plopped sunglasses on my face and flipped over on the lounge chair. With one hand, I reached behind me and leaned forward to readjust the chair’s angle. It was a much better way to enjoy the view.
Hawk rose out of the water, and I sucked in my breath. I would never tire of looking at him. Sun-kissed brown skin rippled with muscle as he moved. I was glad no one else was there to share my view. My former-hot-neighbor-turned-hot-boyfriend would have drawn way too much female attention. Drops of water rolled down his chest, sparkling in the sunlight. Huh. I think I’m jealous of those beads of water.
My gut tightened at the sight of the bandage at his waist that covered the bullet wound. He’d jumped in front of me, saving me again from Rex. The transparent adhesive over the dressing was waterproof. He was healing well. Still, guilt hit me every time I looked at it.
After Max had been recovered from the apartment complex Mole had stayed in—yep, really original hiding place—we’d tied up loose ends. We got my brother settled into rehab for his gambling addiction then hightailed it back to the cabin. Hawk needed to decompress from the in-your-face encounters from his past. I didn’t blame him. I wanted a little time away, myself.
My phone chimed, and I ignored it. The view before me demanded all my attention. A knowing grin spread across Hawk’s face, and his smoky-blue eyes sparkled. Yeah, I was staring, but there was no secret there.
I was pretty sure the ringing that I’d heard was from a Skype call. I’d been talking to Liv, Mari, and Hannah more and more. I liked them a lot, and Liv was a sculptor. She was interested in the jewelry I made, saying it reminded her of David Yurman’s style but with my unique touches. Another line hinted toward Steven Lagos in the whimsical way the pieces flowed. It had meant the world to me, and she’d convinced me to start working on designing my line again. What I wanted to do was a vintage design, reflective of my family heirlooms.
I worried my lower lip with my teeth. The time alone worked wonders. Hawk was relaxed and happy,
and the darkness that shadowed his eyes eased the more we talked and the more he put those memories to bed.
Hawk needed all the love his entire family showered on him, given everything he’d endured as a child. Someday, I hoped things would be easier. For Keegan too. He was another puzzle that Liv, Mari, and I discussed.
They’d told me that Trev—he was one of the guys I hadn’t met—was heading to Maine soon. Mari had rolled her eyes when she told me that there’d been some drama about what the guys had referred to as a “babysitting mission” Trev had been on. Apparently, it had turned into something they’d never seen coming.
Hawk had dropped hints about my going to Maine to vacation. I hoped that would happen. I was curious about meeting the rest of his group. But most of all, I wanted to be with him.
The chime sounded again.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?”
“Huh?” Seriously, my brain was scrambled.
Hawk dropped onto the lounger beside me and handed me the phone. I answered it immediately, recognizing who was calling.
Liv and Hannah’s faces filled the screen when I hit Accept.
“It’s about time,” Hannah said.
“We found something. That’s why Hannah is impatient,” Liv explained.
Hawk moved behind me to see the screen. Not even a second later, he straddled the lounge chair I was sitting on and tugged me back. I rested against his chest then readjusted my hold on the phone so we were both in the frame.
“Hi, Hawk.” Liv smiled. “I’m glad you’re both here. As Hannah said, Stella, we found an inconsistency with the jewelry box you recovered from behind your grandfather’s ashes.”
My Opa and Oma had larger niches than my parents in the columbarium, including the members of their family they’d lost to the war in Germany. Even though their relatives’ ashes weren’t there, their names were. It tethered them all together.
“The mirror wasn’t an antique, which wasn’t consistent with the rest of the box.” Liv held up the box so we could see. “If you are okay with it, we’d like to remove the unoriginal glass and see if there is anything behind it.”
“Of course!” The line in one of Oma’s letters popped into my mind: Not everything is visible from the surface.
“Just let me,” Hannah mumbled as she repositioned the laptop screen to capture what they were doing with my Oma’s mother’s antique jewelry chest.
Hawk’s arms curled around my waist, and he rested his clasped hands against my stomach. Despite the excitement pinging around with the possible discovery, I didn’t want to move from that position. I felt safe and protected. He was what I wanted, and I hoped we could talk more about what the coming days would hold. We had only planned to stay at the cabin one additional day.
I want a lifetime with him.
We watched as Hannah and Liv worked the piece of glass that was fitted into the inside lid free. It took several minutes, as they were taking great pains not to damage anything.
“Got it,” Liv said as she and Hannah used tools to lift it from the antique box. “Oh…” Liv held still while Hannah flashed the camera a grin. Then Liv grabbed a Kleenex and removed something from the inside lid. “I think this is a Leon Wyczlkowski painting.” With great care, she lifted out the small painting so we could view it.
I pulled the phone closer to see better. The picture was of a beautiful woman.
“There’s another one,” Hannah said, her voice floating from behind the picture. Liv moved the one she’d held from the screen while Hannah replaced our view with a gorgeous painting of a garden. “Renoir.”
My mouth fell open. My Oma had told us they’d been an aristocratic family, but I had no idea, though I should have after looking through the jewels. My heart hurt at the thought of all they must have left behind. Those two pictures were small enough to conceal. The jewelry had been hidden within my Oma’s dolls to smuggle them out. How else would they have gotten them past the guards at the train station and then the border police? And finally, through the States?
Even with the loss of the fine art from the world, nothing compared to the tragic and heart-wrenching loss of life that had occurred.
We ended the call with Liv promising to get the paintings valued, and then we would have them insured. There had also been documents of sale tucked behind them as well. There would be no question as to who the art belonged to. In the back of my mind, an idea for designing a jewelry line reminiscent of my family heirlooms percolated.
“What do you want to do with the artwork?”
His voice pulled me from my thoughts, and a smile curved my mouth.
I knew what Hawk was asking. While my brother was in rehab and was only barely allowed contact by phone with family and no one else, he had a long way to go. If I stayed in California to live and work and he relapsed, there was every possibility that he would sell one or both of the priceless pieces of art, not to mention the jewelry. I couldn’t allow that. “I want to loan them out to museums after they’re insured. People should be able to see them rather than hiding them away wherever I end up living.”
“You’re thinking of moving?”
“Possibly. I think I need a fresh start.” What I hoped was that it would be with him, but what we’d discussed wouldn’t be a permanent move, at least I didn’t think so.
“I’d like to continue to see you, the right way this time.”
I leaned farther to the side so I could see the grin that curved his handsome face. “I’d like that, but I don’t even know where you live. Not really.”
He chuckled. “We didn’t have a lot of time to talk about those things while we were chasing down Tridel, Rex, and your brother.”
“No. But maybe we should. Rex is dead, and Tridel and all the people involved are facing trial.” Mole was already in jail for the unforeseeable future. The evidence continued to mount. The start had come from the evidence Chris had compiled and the information their connections in government had gotten from the territory heads as they sold one another out. They would be going away for a very long time. The future finally looked bright again.
Hawk had insisted on helping me find the right place for Max to get help. He and his teammates—brothers, really—Jack, Mike, and Keegan had a lot of experience with that. There was a story there about their childhood that I didn’t know the details of yet.
Hawk and I were enjoying the first few days of relaxation and peace we’d had since our initial meeting in the apartment building we shared. When he cleared his throat, I stopped thinking of all that’d happened and refocused on the present.
He bent down and retrieved something from one of the totes we’d brought out by the lake. I turned my head to see what he was doing.
“No peeking.” He grinned and waited until I shifted to look at the lake. My back rested against his chest once more.
He shifted my hair to a shoulder, and that’s when I felt it. Heaviness settled around my neck. My fingers fluttered to the jewelry he’d put on me. The touch of it was familiar. When I looked down, tears leapt to my eyes. He’d given me back my Oma’s necklace, the one I’d sold to save Max. The sun caught the green emerald and shot dazzling stars of light from it. “How?”
“I wasn’t going to let you give that up.”
“The money.” I had to give it back to him. “Wait.” I narrowed my eyes. “You’ve had this for a month?”
Hawk laughed. “I wanted to make sure you had a chance at your dream. If I gave this to you the same night you got the money back, you would have tried to force me to take the cash. Then you wouldn’t have quit waitressing. I wanted you to give your career a shot, Red. Please consider the cash an investment. A selfish one.” He winked. “Besides, you helped to put a part of my past to rest.”
I smiled. I knew what he was referencing. All the talks we’d had continued to help him realize that he wasn’t unlovable. I would continue to despise his parents, but they’d done one thing right—the only thing. They’d given me Hawk
.
“I’d like to take you out on dates, Red, so we can get to know each other more.”
My heart warmed at the thought. I would have liked nothing better. “How are we going to do that? I mean, where do you live? You mentioned the apartment in California was temporary and just for business you had.”
He nodded. “It is. I live in Maine, along with most of the guys you’ve already met. There are a few others. Since you quit working at the restaurant, would you consider staying there for a month or two, and we can see where this leads?”
“Stay with you?” Sign me up!
“Yes, On the same property, but you could stay in the house that Liv built when she and Liam were figuring things out. I was living there, but I could move into Liv and Liam’s house. They’re close.” He shifted and cupped the side of my face. “You could take the time to work on your jewelry line too.”
“You had me at dating.” I grinned. His eyes flashed with desire, and he closed the distance between us. The first brush from his lips against mine sent a spike of need through my body. He coaxed me to open for him, and I did.
Hawk broke away from delivering a toe-curling kiss to press his forehead to mine. “It’s settled then. We’ll leave tomorrow.”
“Yes.” I couldn’t wait for what the future held for us.
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Acknowledgments