The Clarke Brothers (Complete Series)

by Lilian Monroe

  “Uh–Zoe, this is my mother, Margaret.” She gestures toward the older woman and I nod.

  “Nice to meet you,” I reply mechanically.

  Margaret McCoy tilts her head to the side and stares at me through slitted eyes. An eerie smile floats over her lips and she nods. “Nice to meet you too, Zoe. How did you come to stay in our little town?”

  “I’m here for work,” I explain. I glance at Mara, trying in vain to read her expression. Surely she would be upset that the mother who abandoned her last year would suddenly reappear? Why would she welcome her into her house and let Margaret hold her newborn baby?

  I clear my throat and nod to them. “I have an early morning tomorrow,” I say by way of ending this awkward encounter. I feel oafish and out of place in the room, like I’m definitely intruding where I shouldn’t be. Mara smiles at me kindly.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow, right? I have our dinner planned out already,” she says. “I can’t wait to meet your family.”

  I relax a bit and nod to my friend. “I’ll see you tomorrow.” I glance at Margaret, who is still staring at me. “Nice to meet you, Margaret.”

  “Likewise,” she says, barely moving her lips. I duck out the door and breathe a sigh of relief. Across the lawn, the lights in Dominic’s workshop are on. I cut across the grass toward it, hoping to find Ethan to tell him I’ll walk back to the McCoy Hotel.

  When I get closer, I can almost feel the tension sizzling in the air. The brothers are speaking in low voices, and I pause when I get close.

  “When did she get here?” That’s Ethan’s voice. It sounds strained.

  “This morning,” comes a deep growl. Dominic, I think. It could be Aiden, but I’m not sure.

  “Why is she back?”

  “To cause trouble. Why else would she be back! All she ever does is look out for herself.”

  “Last time she was here, she was exposed for the cheating, manipulative woman that she is. She basically tried to sell Mara off to get married! I thought I’d never have to see her face again,” Dominic says. I can hear the pain in his voice.

  “Look,” Ethan says, “try not to freak out. I don’t want her here as much as the next person. The last year has actually been peaceful in this town. But I mean… maybe she is just here to see her granddaughter? If Dad was having an affair with her, she has to have some sort of redeeming quality, right?”

  “I’ve never seen it,” Dominic grumbles.

  “It’s trouble,” the third voice says. It must be Aiden. “What about your new girlfriend? She was looking into the fire, and now with Margaret Fucking McCoy back in town I’m sure questions will start adding up.”

  The voices get lower and I crane my neck to try to hear them. Their voices are muffled, and I take a few steps forward.

  The questions will start adding up?

  What is that supposed to mean? I still can’t make out what they’re saying. They seem to have moved further into the workshop. I take one more step and the grass ends as my feet crunch on the gravel pathway leading to the workshop. My heart skips a beat as their voices pause, and the door to the workshop flies open.

  Dominic’s lumbering body fills the entire frame and I yelp, jumping back.

  “I, uh, Dominic!” I exclaim. “I’m sorry! I was just inside, and I’m going home. Ethan… walking.” My face is flushed and I can’t meet his eye. I put a hand to my chest and finally force myself to make eye contact with him. He grunts, and steps aside as Ethan appears.

  “I’ll drive you home,” he growls. His face is dark and his eyes are troubled.

  I shake my head. “It’s okay, really. I’d rather walk. Enjoy the last of the summer, you know?”

  My heart is still thumping, and Ethan stares at me for a few moments. Not for the first time, I wonder who exactly he is, and what happened with the fire last year. Was he telling the truth when he told me he had nothing to do with it?

  He nods his head slowly and steps toward me. With a deep breath, he rakes his hand through his hair and shakes his head.

  “I’m sorry, Zoe. I shouldn’t have brought you here. I thought you’d be able to tell me what you thought of Margaret, and maybe figure out what her intentions were.”

  “It’s okay,” I say. The words hang between us, and he stares into my eyes. He takes another step forward and brushes his hand over my cheek.

  “You look beautiful in the moonlight,” he says so only I can hear it.

  My heart flutters and I smile for the first time since we left his place.

  “I’ll see you tomorrow. Can’t wait to meet Audrey,” he says, leaning down to lay a soft kiss on my lips. I nod, wrapping my arms around his waist and leaning my head against his chest. He puts his hand over my head and holds me for a few moments, and my whole body relaxes.

  I have to believe him about the fire. If I don’t, then I’ll lose him.

  We pull apart and he kisses me again, squeezing my hand. “Be careful,” he says.

  “See you tomorrow.”

  I walk away, forcing myself not to look back. My mind is troubled, and I don’t know what to think. Regret starts to seep into the edges of my heart when I think about bringing my daughter across the country to come here. Do I really know these people? Do I really know what happened last year, with the fire or with Margaret McCoy or with any of it?

  I take a deep breath and let the clean, cool mountain air fill my lungs. When I exhale, I feel more relaxed. Tomorrow, my daughter and my mom will be here. My mother will have fresh eyes on the situation and as usual, she’ll be able to counsel me. Tomorrow, things will make more sense.

  24

  Ethan

  “You’re getting too close to her,” Aiden says to my back as I watch Zoe walk away. I turn around as anger flares up inside me, but I know he’s right. “She’s here because of the fire that you and Dominic and Bill Whittaker started. Remember, you and Dominic and the Sheriff? Felony arson?”

  “I fucking remember, Aiden,” I grumble. I glance back down the road to where Zoe disappeared and shake my head. “She’s okay. She doesn’t know anything.”

  “Yet,” Dominic corrects. “She doesn’t know anything yet.”

  He glances toward the house and I know he’s thinking about the newest visitor in town: Margaret McCoy. If anyone will be able to sniff out my weakness for Zoe, it’ll be her. And if anyone will want to exploit it, it’ll be her, too.

  After a fitful sleep and a long day, I’m just about ready to head over to Dominic’s house for dinner. He and Mara have invited Zoe and her family over for dinner. When I pull on a clean t-shirt, I take a deep breath and hesitate. Will Margaret be there?

  If she is, I don’t want to go. I grab my phone off the table, wanting to call Dominic and ask. My finger hovers over the ‘call’ button and I hesitate.

  I think of Zoe yesterday, as she paced the floor of my living room. I think of the way she melted into my arms when I wrapped them around her, and how worried she’s been about this promotion. My heart ached for her. Then, she came with me to Dominic’s house without hesitation.

  And now? Now I’m ready to let her down just because that woman is in town. I click my phone screen off and slip it in my pocket. If I want to be with Zoe, and I do want to be with her, I’m going to have to suck up my discomfort and face Margaret if she’s there.

  A thousand thoughts run through my head as I drive down Main Street toward the other end of town, where Dominic and Mara live. I glance in shop windows and at everyone walking by, trying to spot Margaret McCoy. If I see her somewhere else, it means she won’t be at dinner. When I pass the last building and turn off onto the long gravel drive to Dominic’s house, I shake my head.

  Get a grip.

  If she’s there, I’ll deal with it. Plus, there are no guarantees that she’ll be at dinner at all!

  I park my truck and jump out, scanning the cars that are parked outside. So far, I only see Dominic’s pickup, Mara’s car, and Zoe’s rental. Things are looking positive
so far, at least. I grab the pack of beer I brought from the passenger seat and head toward my brother’s house.

  The front door is unlocked, as usual. They live in a small, two-room house. It’s more of a cabin, really. Dominic, Mara, Zoe, a little girl and an older woman are all crowded near the back of the room, in the kitchen. Aiden, Maddy and their two children are on the couch. Mara is pointing.

  “We’ll build the second bedroom over here, so Hailey can have her own space. We’ve got so much room to build out, it just makes sense to add on to this house.”

  “It’s gorgeous here,” the older woman says. She sees me in the doorway and smiles. Her eyes are kind, and they crinkle at the corners as she turns toward me.

  “And this must be Ethan!” She exclaims with her arms outstretched. “Zoe, you never told me he was so handsome! The camera doesn’t do you justice, Ethan.

  A blush warms my cheeks and I glance at Zoe. Zoe grins.

  Before I know what’s happening, I’m being wrapped in a big hug. Zoe is laughing. “Ethan, this is my mother, Bernadette.”

  “Call me Bernie!” She says, holding me by the shoulders and looking into my eyes. She narrows her eyes and then nods, satisfied. “You got a good one, Zoe,” she says with conviction.

  I laugh. “You can tell that by just looking at me?”

  Bernie taps the side of her nose and winks. “Mother’s intuition.”

  Mara laughs. “I’m still waiting for mine to kick in,” she says, glancing at the baby sleeping in her bassinet in the corner of the room.

  “So am I,” Zoe says, putting her arm around the little girl. She gestures toward me. “Audrey, this is Ethan.”

  Audrey stares at me for a moment. “Are you my mom’s boyfriend?” She says the last word as if it leaves a sour taste in her mouth, scrunching her face and looking at me dubiously.

  “Audrey!” Zoe says, her eyes widening. She looks at me and mouths the word ‘Sorry!’

  I take a deep breath. I can relax. Yesterday was just a hiccup, and soon life will be back to normal. Mara takes Audrey by the hand and they start chopping something in the kitchen. Bernie grabs a bottle of wine from the counter and pours a few glasses, and we all slip into an easy conversation. Even Aiden looks relaxed, as if Margaret’s arrival yesterday didn’t worry him at all.

  My chest feels warm as Zoe sits down beside me on the couch. She snuggles into my shoulder and I put my arm around her, kissing her temple and breathing in the smell of her skin. I close my eyes for a second and let the happiness of this moment sink in.

  “So, Bernie,” I say, turning to the older woman. “What do you think of our little town?”

  “I think it would be the perfect place for a retiree like me,” she says, winking at Zoe. “Zoe thinks she can just move away, but she won’t get rid of me so easily!”

  Zoe laughs, and shakes her head. “Mom, if you moved here with us, I would be over the moon. You know that.”

  “Well, that’s settled, then,” Bernie says with finality. “All three of us are moving here. You’ll have to find me one of these sexy mountain men,” she adds, waving to my brothers and me. “I like them a bit older, of course, but this general look is quite alright with me.”

  “Mom!” Zoe exclaims, laughing.

  Mara joins in the laughter from the kitchen. “They’re hard to resist,” she says. “I tried to get away but I was dragged all the way back.”

  “Dragged!” Dominic exclaims, and everyone laughs again.

  It’s an easy evening. The past two months, Zoe and I have been stealing moments together, trying to ignore her inevitable departure from Lang Creek. This is the first time that we’ve been together with our families, and instead of feeling overwhelming, it feels incredibly good. I squeeze Zoe’s shoulder and she leans into me. I glance over at Audrey, busy in the kitchen with Mara, and for the first time in a long, long time, I feel like I have a family again.

  It’s not until I’m driving home with a full belly and a full heart that I realize how lonely I’ve been. Ever since my parents died over a decade ago, my brothers and I have been floating out here, on our own. I’ve watched them find their wives and start families, and the gnawing envy inside me has grown.

  Now, happiness actually seems possible for me.

  As I pass the McCoy Hotel, I look up at the building. One of the lights in the top windows is on, and the curtain moves as I glance at it.

  Margaret McCoy appears in the window. The hairs on the back of my neck stand up, and I squint my eyes up to see her more clearly.

  I can’t make out her face, but I know she’s watching me. She stays at the window as I drive down the road until I turn my head forward and try to shake the uneasy feeling away.

  The warmth in my heart is replaced with an ominous chill, and the smile fades from my face. I tighten my hands over my steering wheel and press my foot down on the pedal, watching the road in front of me until the McCoy Hotel is out of sight.

  25

  Zoe

  “Can I get some candy, Mom?” Audrey asks, turning her head up to look at me with pleading eyes. “Please?”

  I grin. “Fine. One piece. It’ll rot your teeth.”

  Audrey smiles and disappears into the corner store. I wait outside with my mother, watching my daughter through the shop window. She walks slowly along the wall of candy, inspecting her choices. I turn to my mom and shake my head.

  “She’s got me wrapped around her little finger,” I say with a smile.

  My mother laughs. “Welcome to motherhood,” she grins. “What do you think you were like when you were little?”

  I grin and shake my head. “I wasn’t that bad,” I answer, nodding toward the shop.

  “No,” she agrees. “You were worse.”

  I laugh and nudge my mom, who puts her arm around my shoulder and kisses my cheek. “Am I still allowed to kiss you even though you’re grown up?” she teases.

  I just glance at her and grin.

  Her eyes are sparkling and her skin looks brighter. Her cheeks are rosy, and I think she’s standing up straighter. I watch her take a deep breath and exhale with her eyes closed. She groans and shakes her head.

  “The air actually tastes good here,” she says, opening her eyes and looking at me. She shakes her head again.

  “I know,” I laugh. “I didn’t know that was possible. I wonder how much smog and pollution we’ve been breathing back home.”

  “Might not be ‘back home’ for long,” she grins. “Audrey seems to like it here.”

  “You seem to like it here.”

  She laughs. “I do, I have to admit it. It’s only been a couple days, but I could see myself living here.”

  A lot of people might balk at the idea of their mother moving to a small town with them, but the thought makes me smile. Audrey loves her, and it would break my heart to leave my mother in Seattle on her own.

  “I might miss the ocean, though,” she adds, glancing at the mountains. “I’ve lived on the west coast for the past forty years.”

  “I thought I would too, but I don’t,” I tell her, following her eyes to stare at the rough peaks that surround us. “It’s comfortable being here. I can’t explain it.”

  Audrey reappears with a full bag of candy in her hand. She’s got a gummy in her mouth and she grins at me.

  “Audrey!” I exclaim. “I said one piece of candy!”

  “It was a mystery bag! I couldn’t open it before I bought it!”

  I look at my daughter and shake my head. If anyone could find a loophole in what I say, it’s her. I sigh, but I can’t keep the grin from my face. She extends the bag to me and I hesitate and then laugh and take a piece of candy from the bag. “Thanks,” I say.

  “You’re welcome,” Audrey answers, skipping down the sidewalk as my mother and I exchange a glance.

  “Well, hello there!” comes a familiar voice. “What’s your name?”

  I look up and see a woman crouching in front of Audrey. Audrey proudly tells the
woman her name and extends a sticky hand for her to shake. The woman glances up at me and I recognize her immediately. It’s Mrs. McCoy. Her eyes narrow and a strange smile appears on her lips.

  “Nice to meet you, Audrey,” she says, not looking at my daughter. “I know your mother.”

  Mrs. McCoy stands up and walks toward me. An icy chill passes down my spine, and I feel my mother stiffen beside me.

  “Welcome to Lang Creek,” Margaret McCoy says as she drags her eyes away from mine and looks at my mother. “I’m Margaret.”

  “Bernadette,” my mother answers. I notice she doesn’t tell Margaret to call her Bernie, which is unusual. I clear my throat.

  “How long are you in town?” I ask, trying to sound casual. Margaret swings those dark eyes back to me and smiles again. She takes a deep breath and shrugs before glancing back at Audrey. The look makes me want to throttle her right here, in full daylight on Main Street.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” she says with a lazy wave of her hand. “I might end up staying for good. It’s nice to be home.”

  “Well, it was nice seeing you again,” I respond, making a move to walk around her.

  “And nice to meet you,” my mother adds, doing the same.

  “Yes. Nice to meet you too. Give my regards to Ethan,” she says. When she says Ethan’s name, it sounds like she spits it out with disgust. I look up to see her eyes flashing with anger. Her lip curls into a snarl and she lifts an eyebrow. “And congratulations on the promotion.”

  “I… right. Okay, thanks,” I stutter, shuffling past her.

  “Tell that boyfriend of yours not to start any more fires.”

  I turn around and stare at the woman as my jaw drops. A smug look appears on her face and she puts her hands on her hips. My mother pauses with me, looking back at the woman. I wonder if she can hear my heartbeat. It’s drumming in my chest and filling my ears with the sound of my pulse. Margaret McCoy is looking at me triumphantly and I take a deep breath.