Hidden Secrets

by Jannine Gallant

  “Just give me that glass of wine you promised and let me chill in peace.”

  “I can do that.” He opened the car door and stepped out.

  Paige did the same. “You’re the best. You know that, right?”

  “I have my moments.” He walked beside her up the brick path, unlocked the door, and punched in the code to turn off the alarm. “Nina has excellent security.”

  “Only because she thought she had a pervert stalking her last summer. The truth was even worse, but she didn’t let it break her.”

  “You’re easily as tough as Nina, so dealing with a wimpy burglar should be a piece of cake.”

  Paige flexed her arm. “Good point. I’ll make that creep wish he’d never been born if he comes back.”

  “That’s the right attitude. Come keep me company while I cook, and I’ll pour you that glass of wine.”

  It didn’t take him long to start some rice pilaf to go with the prawns and clean an assortment of veggies for a stir-fry. Paige was halfway through her Pinot Grigio and seemed to have shed her tension when a sharp rap sounded at the door.

  He turned away from the prawns simmering in garlic wine sauce and frowned. “That’s strange. I’m not expecting anyone.”

  “Maybe it’s Nina. Could be she forgot something in her rush to clear out her art studio today.” Paige hopped down from the bar stool. “I’ll go see.”

  A few moments later the door opened, and a female voice said something he couldn’t quite make out. It wasn’t Nina’s voice, but it was extremely familiar. He closed his eyes and swore.

  “Look who’s here.” Paige swept into the kitchen, followed by a tall redhead wearing a determined expression.

  “Surprise!” Blaze hurried to his side and planted a kiss on his lips before he could fend her off.

  “What are you doing here?” He scowled. “How did you even find me?”

  Her trilling laughter filled the room. “Some clever detective work on my part. I could have called, but I wanted to see the amazement on your face when you opened the door. Of course I wasn’t expecting Paige to answer my knock. It kind of ruined the drama of the moment.”

  “Oh, believe me, there’ll be plenty of drama.”

  She ignored the irony in his tone and gave him a sexy look from beneath her long lashes. “I sure hope so.”

  A month earlier, everything south of the border would have leaped to attention at the promise in her deep chocolate-brown eyes. Thankfully, now he didn’t experience so much as a twinge.

  “I can see I wasn’t meant to have prawns tonight.” Paige turned her back and headed toward the door. “Blaze can eat my share.”

  “Hey, where do you think you’re going?”

  “Home.”

  “I drove you here,” he protested.

  Paige glanced over her shoulder. “I’ll get a ride from Nina. I can always count on her.” Her tone dripped sarcasm as she continued, “Enjoy your surprise.”

  “You don’t need to leave. This won’t take long.”

  Her gaze dropped to his waist. “I’m not sure you want to advertise that fact. Nevertheless, I’m out of here.”

  “Very funny. Paige—”

  The door slammed behind her.

  “Your little friend didn’t seem very happy to see me.” Smug satisfaction glimmered in Blaze’s eyes.

  He didn’t answer as he took a moment to cool off. Finally, he pointed at the stool Paige had vacated. “Sit. We need to clear up a few things, once and for all.”

  * * *

  He sat on a rock and stared at the waves rolling onto the beach. Out of habit, he reached toward his shirt pocket before remembering he’d stopped smoking one hundred and sixty-eight days before. Not the first time he’d quit, but certainly the longest. The current situation was testing his resolve.

  Instead, he pulled out a piece of gum, unwrapped it, and shoved it in his mouth. The burst of spearmint flavor did little to calm his jittery nerves. Hours before, he’d stood hidden in the darkness below the cliff face while a couple of cops walked the beach in search of the intruder who’d broken into the antique store. The official police presence was long gone now, but he was in no hurry to go anywhere. Instead, he contemplated his next move.

  He’d pushed his luck, staying in the store as long as he had. To no avail. He’d searched through the whole damn shop then started on the back room, thinking maybe the little blonde hadn’t displayed her new purchases yet. A work bench had been covered with various pieces that needed cleaning, but not what he was after. It got him to thinking, however. If luck was with him, the shop owner would clean all the fingerprints off the surface and any traces of blood still in existence from the crevices. Still, he’d rather be one hundred percent certain, and recovering the evidence was his primary goal.

  Except the miserable thing was nowhere to be found. Maybe Paige had taken it up to her apartment. Which could either mean she intended to keep it for herself—though he couldn’t imagine why—or she’d noticed bloodstains.

  A chill slid through him. He wouldn’t risk going back tonight, but he had to return soon. Before she realized what she had, or worse, turned it over to the police. He preferred to go when the woman wasn’t home, but he’d do whatever it took to retrieve the last piece of evidence tying him to the night his life had changed forever.

  Once he destroyed every trace of the crime, he could rest easy. At least for now. Until he saw the bloodlust burning in his eyes and knew he couldn’t stop it. All he could hope to do was contain the damage afterward. As he had so many times before.

  Chapter Seven

  “Quentin is an idiot.”

  Paige smiled. “Not that I disagree with you, but why, exactly, does he get your idiot vote?”

  Illuminated only by the dim glow of streetlights as they cruised into town, Nina’s husband’s good looks were plainly evident. With chiseled features and silvery eyes that saw far more than he let on, her friend had hit the jackpot when Teague moved to town. Besides being hot, the man was also nice. It was too bad he didn’t have a twin brother.

  “Quentin has the perfect woman for him directly under his nose, and he’s too stupid to realize it. Not very astute, in my opinion.”

  “Blaze? That’s right, you met her at Leah and Ryan’s wedding. I don’t know if I’d call her perfect. She’s certainly beautiful, but she’s a little too clingy for Quentin. He needs someone who can match his independence, a partner, not a doormat.”

  “I’m not talking about Blaze.” Teague pulled up to the curb in front of Old Things and turned off the engine. “I’m talking about you. From the minute I met the two of you, I thought you were a couple. It seemed so obvious.”

  Paige frowned. “Did Nina say something to you? Because—”

  “No, she told me you’re best friends, always have been. Nothing wrong with that . . . except it’s a total lie.”

  “Just because I’m annoyed with him doesn’t mean our friendship will be affected. I wouldn’t let Blaze come between us, even if I do think Quentin’s a fool not to make his feelings for her clear.”

  Teague leaned an elbow on the steering wheel and faced her. “Why don’t you spell out your own feelings, then?”

  “I have. I told Quentin that Blaze won’t make him happy. He knows it, but—”

  “Why haven’t you confessed you’re in love with him?”

  Words died in Paige’s throat as she stared back at him. “I’m not.”

  “Somehow you’ve persuaded my wife and Leah that’s true. Hell, maybe you’ve convinced yourself.” He shrugged. “I obviously don’t know you as well as they do, being relatively new to the group, but I’ve seen how you act when Quentin’s around. There’s a lightness of spirit, I guess you’d call it, that I don’t notice any other time. I suppose I could be wrong, but you glow like a woman in love. While you seemed to have a good time with Tom while you two were dating, he never made your eyes shine the way Quentin does.”

  “I do love him. I have as long
as I can remember. But I’m not in love with him.”

  “Why not?”

  “Because I don’t want to be. Quentin sucks at cultivating lasting relationships, and most of the women he dates wind up getting hurt.” She tapped her chest. “I’m too smart to do that to myself.”

  “You can’t always pick who you fall for.”

  “True.”

  “Maybe he’s only bad at commitment because those other women haven’t been you.”

  Her smile was edged with irony. “I think you’re giving him way too much credit.”

  He grinned in response. “You could be right. I like the guy. He’s entertaining and sharp. Plus, he makes Keely laugh.”

  “Yes, he’s amusing and good with kids, and I love him dearly. But in the interest of my mental health, I’ll keep looking for a nice guy who has great abs and is almost as smart as me. Preferably one who likes romantic comedies, or at least pretends to.”

  “Paige?”

  “What?”

  “Good luck with that. You have high expectations.” When he opened his door, the interior light flashed on. “I’ll walk you up to your apartment to make sure all is clear.”

  “No need. If my burglar had returned, we would have seen some sign of movement inside by now. Anyway, I have to lock up.”

  “Then I’ll wait here until your light comes on upstairs.”

  “That, you can do. Thanks for the ride home. I appreciate it.”

  “You’re welcome. Nina is far better than I am at helping Keely with her costume for the Christmas play. Honestly, I was happy to escape.”

  “Your daughter will make an adorable tiger in Christmas at the Zoo.” After opening the door, Paige slid to the sidewalk and gave him a final wave. Minutes later, she locked the front door behind her and made her way upstairs in the dark, familiar with each inch of her store. After entering her apartment, she flipped on a light and went to the front window to wave. With a tap of the horn, Teague drove away.

  Strolling into the kitchen, she dropped her purse on the counter, opened the refrigerator, and stared at the contents. After a minute, she shut it. She wasn’t hungry. She just felt numb. The life she’d built for herself had been invaded, and even though she’d been in no physical danger, the knowledge that she could have been shook her. Not to mention her parents would freak out when she told them about the intruder. Since they were currently on the other side of the country visiting her brother in Boston, she decided she could safely leave that phone conversation until morning without risk of them hearing about it through the local gossip grapevine.

  After choosing an apple from the fruit bowl to serve as her dinner, she headed into the office-cum-spare bedroom Quentin had so recently occupied and sat down at her desk. After turning on the computer, she pulled up her inventory files and printed them out. The task of checking for missing items would be tedious. As a dozen pages landed in the tray, she took a bite of her apple and chewed furiously.

  No time like the present. It wasn’t as if she had anything better to do tonight. Nina was home with Teague and Keely, involved with family stuff, and Leah and Ryan were probably cuddling on the couch. God only knew what Quentin and Blaze were up to. Shouting wasn’t his style. Maybe if he yelled at her, she’d actually believe he meant what he said about their breakup. On the other hand, if they had a civilized discussion over a glass of wine, and he was feeling lonely . . .

  She shut down that train of thought as she snatched up the stack of papers and headed toward the door. She hadn’t lied to Teague, not exactly. She didn’t want to screw up her friendship with Quentin or get her heart ripped out of her chest. But knowing he was involved with another woman was always easier when he was over three hundred miles away in Seattle, and she was also dating someone. The current situation was just . . . awkward. Weird. Thinking about him and Blaze together stole the last of her appetite. She tossed the apple core in the trash on her way downstairs.

  Since she wasn’t a masochist, she simply wouldn’t think about it. Because as much as she wasn’t in love with Quentin, the idea of him being in love with someone else hurt. Even though it shouldn’t.

  She’d made serious progress and was on the fifth page of the inventory with nothing missing when a sharp knock interrupted her concentration. The paper she was holding slipped from her hand, and she was thankful it hadn’t been the Fabergé egg she’d just checked off the list.

  “What the heck?” She cautiously approached the front door and frowned.

  Quentin stood outside with his face practically pressed against the window. Relief filled his eyes as she approached. He stepped back while she unlocked the door and opened it.

  “What are you doing here? Did you bring me those prawns?”

  “Why the hell didn’t you answer your phone? You scared the crap out of me.”

  “You called?”

  “About ten times, but you didn’t answer.” He brushed past her as he entered the shop. “I was worried the guy who broke in earlier came back.”

  Her heart melted a little at the hint of fear that made his voice gruffer than usual. “I guess I left it upstairs. I’ve been checking my inventory.”

  “Jesus, Paige, I probably have a few gray hairs now from picturing you chopped up in little pieces and tossed in the damn dumpster that maimed me earlier.”

  “Do you always suspect murder and mayhem when someone doesn’t answer their phone?” She turned to head back the way she’d come and bent to pick up the paper she’d dropped.

  He followed her, stopping to lean against a roll-top desk. “No, but it’s been a shitty day. I’m glad you’re in one piece. I guess I’ll go home now.”

  “Where’s Blaze?”

  “I don’t know. I assume she’s at the Oceanside Inn. After we had a long discussion, I told her that was the best place to stay.”

  Paige turned to study him. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. Not one minute of that conversation was pleasant, but I think I finally made my position clear. We aren’t getting back together.”

  “And she accepted that?”

  “Not at first, but I told her I was involved with someone else. For unknown reasons, Blaze can accept being dumped for another woman more easily than hearing our personalities don’t mesh well, and we want different things out of a relationship.”

  “If that’s the case, she needs to see a therapist.”

  “She wasn’t buying it until I kind of hinted our friendship had turned into something more. Apparently, she had no problem believing that. She told me I was a bastard because I’d always loved you and not her, and then she left.”

  “Interesting.”

  “More like ugly. I didn’t want to involve you, but I couldn’t think of anything else to say. Then I called to apologize to you for the whole dinner fiasco, and you didn’t answer.”

  “I’m sorry to have added to your angst. Maybe you should go home to bed. Tomorrow has to be an improvement over today.”

  “God, I hope so. It’s late. You should get some rest, too.”

  “I will after I finish a couple more pages. I was on a roll before you showed up.”

  “Can I help?”

  She stood on her toes to kiss his cheek. “Thanks for offering, but since you wouldn’t know Chippendale from Hepplewhite, you wouldn’t be much use. Go. Maybe I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  He nodded. “Whatever. Good night, Paige. Make sure you lock up after me.”

  “I will. Good night, Quentin.”

  After the bells clanged, she strolled toward the front of the shop to lock the door. She probably shouldn’t care so much that Quentin wasn’t getting back together with his ex-girlfriend. When the perfect woman for him came along, she’d show him nothing but support. But she couldn’t help hoping the right one would take her sweet time showing up.

  Returning to her task, Paige picked up a statuette of an Egyptian Goddess and checked it off her list. Preferably, Quentin would discover true love after she finally found a
man who could fill the emptiness in her heart. Because if the only man who could do that was Quentin, she was in serious trouble.

  * * *

  Quentin walked slowly down the row of cages, looking at one hopeful dog after the next. He suspected they all knew the drill and were putting their best paw forward in hopes of being chosen. He was tempted to take them all home.

  Hardening his heart against excited barks and pleading eyes, he focused on his mission. Protection for Paige. He couldn’t save every stray in the Siren Cove shelter. And the basset hound puppy Paige would find adorable wasn’t going to bite a thief, although it might lick him to death. Neither would the lab with the goofy, doggy smile.

  His steps slowed as he approached the cage at the end of the row. No furry face pressed against the bars. Instead, something that resembled a giant black mop lay on the cement slab near the back wall. When the beast shook its head, brown eyes that looked like they’d experienced a world of hurt gazed steadily at him from between straggling dreadlocks.

  Quentin lifted the info card tied to the cage bars and scanned the contents. Mixed breed Puli and Giant Schnauzer. Male, approximately three years old. Intelligent, loyal, can be aggressive. Minimal shedding. Leo is wary of men but friendly around women. He requires a fair amount of exercise. His incarceration date was the previous August. After four months living in a cage, no wonder the poor guy looked like he’d lost all hope.

  “Are you interested in Leo?” The shelter worker, who’d stopped to answer the phone after letting Quentin into the back area where the dogs were kept, hurried toward him. The other occupants all barked a greeting. “He’s not great with men, I’m afraid. I have a feeling he was abused by one before he came to us.”

  Quentin studied the big black dog as he rose to his feet and shook. Dreadlocks swung around his head and shoulders, but his back end had shorter, curly fur. His odd appearance might have something to do with why no one had wanted him.

  “Actually, I’m looking for a pet for a woman friend. She owns a store in town and recently had a break-in. I want to get her a dog that won’t be afraid to growl and bark if confronted by an intruder but isn’t going to scare away her customers. Unfortunately, she doesn’t have a huge apartment, and that guy is pretty big.”