Hidden Secrets

by Jannine Gallant

  He finally emptied the bag of cranberries, tied the thread in a knot, and cut it. Rising to his feet, he stepped over the sleeping dog and handed her one end as she descended the ladder. “Want me to walk the strand around the tree?”

  “That would be great.” She laid a hand on his arm as he squeezed past her. “You’re being a really good sport this evening. I get the feeling you’d rather be stretched out on the couch watching TV than stringing berries and hanging stained glass ornaments I made when I was in high school art class.”

  “Nope. There’s nothing worth watching on tonight.” He cupped her chin with the hand that wasn’t stained red and bent to kiss her. “Anyway, this was my idea.” He couldn’t stop the teasing smile that stretched his lips. “I should have known you’d want to decorate like it’s the turn of the century . . . and not this one.”

  She smiled back. “True. You really should have.”

  He kissed her one more time, happy to have lifted her mood, then wrapped the cranberry string around the tree. Once they’d finished, he moved the ladder out of the way while Paige plugged in the lights. For several long minutes, he stood beside her with his arm looped around her waist, simply enjoying the beauty they’d created and having Paige by his side.

  “You’re right. This is a lot better than store bought decorations. Our tree has character.”

  She nodded and leaned her head against his shoulder. “Thanks for convincing me to do this. I guess I’ve made excuses not to decorate my apartment the last few years, simply because it’s not much fun being festive by yourself. I’m glad you’re here, Quentin.”

  “Me, too.” Turning her to face him, he unfastened the clip holding her hair up on top of her head. Silky waves slid down over her back, and he buried his fingers in the soft mass. “Are you going home tonight?”

  “I could be persuaded to stay.”

  He pulled her tight against him. “Yeah? What do I have to do to convince you?”

  “Just kiss me.”

  “With pleasure.” Moving his hand to tilt her chin, he kissed her, tasting every corner of her mouth. When Leo rolled over and kicked out with his hind leg, catching him in the back of the knee, he staggered against her and broke contact. “Damn dog.”

  Paige laughed softly. “He was your idea.”

  “Not one of my brighter moments.” Quentin rubbed the pad of his thumb across her cheek. “Wanna go to bed?”

  “We need to put away the ladder. Also, the dinner dishes are still in the sink.”

  He kissed her again. “They aren’t going anywhere.”

  “True.”

  Releasing her only long enough to unplug the Christmas tree lights, he backed her toward the stairs. After turning off the lamp near the couch, plunging the room into darkness, he felt for her hand. “Right now, the only thing that matters is you.”

  With Leo clumping up the stairs behind them, Quentin led the way to his bedroom and turned on the bedside lamp. The soft light cast shadows across her face as she twined her arms around his neck.

  “You’re using a sleeping bag for a comforter?”

  “Hey, at least I bought sheets. Anyway, the bag is down-filled and plenty warm, and I don’t want a bunch of stuff to deal with when I move out. Thank God Nina left me her pots and pans to use along with her furniture, so I have something to cook with.”

  Paige backed up a step. “You don’t have any intention of putting down a few roots while you’re here?”

  “I never have in the past when I’ve opened a new restaurant. Living in Nina’s house, I have all the comforts of home without any of the hassle.”

  “And you don’t feel this time is any different?”

  He frowned at the edge in her tone. “You knew I wasn’t moving here permanently.”

  She stared straight into his eyes, searching for . . . something. The light in them dimmed a little. “You’re right, I knew that.”

  He stroked the hair off her cheek. “I’ll still spend plenty of time with you. I’m not planning to walk away after the restaurant opens.” He didn’t want to think about not seeing Paige on a daily basis. Right now, he just wanted to live in the moment. “We’ll work it out.”

  “I guess we’ll have to, one way or the other.”

  “So, are we okay, despite the sleeping bag?” he asked, hoping to inject a note of levity into a conversation that had somehow gotten far too serious.

  She took another step back. “Sure. I need to go brush my teeth.”

  “Your spare toothbrush is still in the bathroom.”

  “Great.” Turning, she strode away, her back stiff. Quentin clenched his fists at his sides and stared down at the dog stretched out on the rug. He knew what Paige wanted him to say. But as much as he loved her—and he was under no illusions about how he felt—he wasn’t ready to commit to a major upheaval in his life. He was pretty happy with the way things were right now.

  So why did his chest ache? He pulled off his shirt and tossed it on top of the dresser, then pressed a hand to the skin over his heart, wondering if he had what it took to make her happy. Fearing he didn’t, that he’d disappoint her in the long run, only sharpened the pain.

  When she returned from the bathroom, he forced his concerns into a corner of his mind, determined to enjoy every moment with Paige. With her hair down, she looked sweet and vulnerable. And incredibly sexy.

  He gave her a quick smile. “I’ll be right back.”

  With a nod, she dropped to the edge of the bed and pulled off one boot. Quentin hurried into the bathroom and brushed his teeth in record time. The confusion reflected in his eyes made him wince. Apparently having a cavalier attitude about the future wasn’t working so well for him, after all. When he returned to the bedroom, Paige was under the spread-out sleeping bag with the nylon material drawn up to her chin.

  He unzipped his jeans and dropped them to the floor. “Cold?”

  “I’m feeling a little chilly.”

  He yanked off his boxers before lifting the cover to slide in beside her. Reaching over, he snapped off the light, then drew her against his chest to run his hands up and down her bare back. “I’ll warm you up.”

  “I’m sure you will.” She burrowed even closer. “Whatever happens, this is worth it.”

  The catch in her voice ate at him. “You know I love you, right?”

  She splayed her fingers against his heated skin. “I know you love me, but I’m not sure if you’re in love with me. I guess we’ll find out together.”

  “I don’t see the difference.”

  “Not a surprise.” She kissed the side of his neck.

  He felt the contact all the way to the tips of his toes. Focusing on what she’d said required effort as her breasts rubbed against his chest. “What does that mean?”

  She pulled back a few inches. “Honestly, I’m not certain you’ve ever been in love. So, when and if you do fall, who’s to say you’d even recognize the symptoms?”

  “What are you talking about?” He lined up all the body parts that counted, then held perfectly still to enjoy the connection. His mind fogged. He’d been about to make a point. Something about love . . .

  “Quentin, stop. We need protection.”

  That brought him back down to earth. While he fumbled in the nightstand drawer, his brain cleared. “I’ve been involved with . . . well, let’s not get into numbers. I’ve loved women in the past. Maybe not the way I care about you, but—”

  She pressed her finger to his lips. “I know that. I don’t think we need to talk anymore right now.”

  “Oh, thank God.” He fumbled between them to put on the condom, then just held her. In that moment, it was enough.

  Paige slid her hand into his hair and kissed him. “Is something wrong?” Her voice was a whisper, caressing his cheek.

  “No, everything is right. Being with you is what I want. Don’t doubt that. Ever.”

  “I don’t.”

  When she wiggled against him, he gave up the fight to hold stil
l and pushed inside her. Home. The word echoed through his head as he loved her. Making love with Paige was like coming home, and maybe that was what he needed to tell her. Except forming words was beyond his ability as he slid against her, building the tempo while perspiration dampened their passion-slicked skin. He flung off the cover and clung to her as he stretched the moment to the breaking point.

  When she cried out, Quentin let himself go, holding tight to Paige as they both gasped and shuddered. As the minutes ticked by, he lay sprawled across the bed with her leg draped across his thigh until his damp skin chilled. She finally reached for the sleeping bag to draw over them, and it was all he could do to clean up before collapsing back against the sheets.

  Paige cuddled close. “Quentin?”

  “Hmm . . .” His voice slurred with sleep.

  “Never mind.”

  * * *

  Paige stepped out of the police cruiser onto the dirt road and shivered. Wind blew through the trees with a hint of rain as Leo landed on the ground beside her with a thump. She grimaced. “I have a feeling we’re going to get wet.”

  “Sorry to drag you out here.” Chris held back a tree branch as she headed into the woods behind the dog. “I appreciate your help.”

  “Not a problem.” She pushed through waist-high ferns. “Quentin planned to come, but he got a phone call this morning from one of his restaurant managers. Some issue with a distributor he needed to straighten out immediately.”

  “Is the Poseidon Grill his second restaurant?”

  “Actually, it’s number six, with all of them scattered across Oregon and Washington. The logistics can be a juggling act at times. If he hadn’t committed to the bachelor auction tomorrow night, he probably would have driven up to Portland to handle the problem in person instead of dealing with it over the phone.”

  The heavy cloud cover mirrored her gloomy mood. This morning’s phone call had been, literally, a wakeup call. Quentin’s time was in high demand, and he carried a heavy load of responsibility. As much as she wanted to think she was a top priority in his life, she had a sinking suspicion she was just one of the many balls he was keeping in the air. Maybe his commitment-phobia in the past was simply his way of balancing an overburdened schedule.

  “The guy always seems so lighthearted.”

  “Huh?” She jerked her attention back to Chris.

  “Quentin strikes me as not having a care in the world. I didn’t know he was running a conglomerate. The man has skills.”

  Paige couldn’t argue that inescapable fact. Her internal temperature warmed as she thought about the skills he’d used the previous night. She was determined to focus on what they had together—not what they didn’t have. At least for now.

  “I volunteered for the bachelor auction, too.” Chris broke into her thoughts. “I just hope someone bids on me, or I’m going to feel like a total fool.”

  “Are you kidding?” She turned around and grinned at his sheepish expression. “You’ll bring in a pile of cash for the charity.”

  “I’ll settle for not embarrassing myself.” He broke off when she reached the creek bank. “Is this where you found the necklace?”

  “Yeah, hooked on the log down there that Leo’s sniffing. I wasn’t sure if I’d be able to find the exact spot since there isn’t a trail, but I figured he would.”

  “Great. You can go sit in the car if you’d like. I’ll walk you back and unlock it.”

  “I’m fine here. It isn’t raining yet.”

  “I don’t think it’ll hold off much longer. I need to take a look around, but I’ll try to make it quick.”

  Paige dropped onto a large stone as he skidded down the bank to the water. She didn’t want to ask exactly what he was looking for. She was pretty sure the answer would freak her out and only add to her current depression. Not that she had any reason to be depressed. It was her own damn fault for expecting to immediately turn her friends-to-lovers’ relationship with Quentin into something a whole lot more. But it wasn’t like she and Quentin had to start at the beginning and build slowly, the way she did in most relationships. She knew him better than anyone on the planet. Which was why she had no excuse for believing this time would be any different for him.

  Below her, Chris walked slowly up the creek, along the water’s edge. Leo deserted the log he was pawing and followed him. When her cell rang, she pulled it from her pocket, glanced at the display, and smiled.

  “Hi, Mom. Are you home?”

  “We rolled in around midnight. Leaving our car at your aunt’s house in Portland was a smart move since our plane was late.”

  “How was your trip?”

  “We enjoyed every minute of it. Having a long visit with your brother and his family was wonderful, but it’s good to be home.”

  “I bet. Will I see you at the Winter Ball tomorrow?”

  “Your dad and I wouldn’t miss it.” She hesitated for a moment. “Are you going with Quentin?”

  “Yeah, we’ve been hanging out together quite a bit since he started renovations on the Poseidon Grill.”

  “I figured as much.”

  Something in her mother’s tone made Paige sit up a little straighter. “What? You’ve always loved Quentin. I told him he could join us for Christmas dinner.”

  Her mom let out a sigh. “Of course we love him, and he’s always welcome in our home, but . . .”

  “Spit it out, Mom.”

  “When he’s around, you blow off other men who are interested in you. The Winter Ball is a great place to start a new romance.”

  Paige rolled her eyes. “A few weeks spent with my niece and nephew, and you’re back on the marry-off-Paige train?”

  “I just want you to find someone who makes you happy. You deserve that, and I honestly don’t know what you’re waiting for. You’ve dated some really terrific men, but you always found a reason why they weren’t the one.”

  Because none of them were Quentin. Still, she had no intention of getting her mother’s hopes up. Not yet.

  “Maybe you could let me worry about my love life.”

  “Fine. I have plenty to keep me busy. A pile of laundry is waiting, and I have all the Christmas baking to do. Your dad is picking out a tree today. Boy, am I behind on holiday preparation.”

  Paige opened her mouth to mention she was currently out in the same area before deciding to keep quiet. She wasn’t in the mood to explain about the necklace. “You work best under pressure. You’ll get it all done.”

  “Not if I don’t get started. I’ll see you tomorrow, sweetie.”

  “Okay. Bye, Mom.” She pushed her phone back into her pocket and rose to her feet when a voice shouted farther upstream.

  “Dammit, Leo. Get away from there!”

  Paige slid down the slope to the creek and scrambled across the rocks toward Chris and her dog. “Leo, come here,” she yelled.

  “It’s okay,” Chris called. “He stopped.”

  “Stopped what?” Paige was breathless when she reached Leo and laid her hand on the dog’s rough fur. He whined a little as he stared upstream.

  Chris turned slowly, scanning the trees closing in on the creek bank as the sky started spitting rain. “Damaging a potential crime scene. Can you take your dog back to the car, please? I’ll be with you shortly.”

  “Of course, but . . .” Her voice stalled in her throat as she noticed the rounded shape embedded in the side of the creek bank. Dirt streaked the whitish-gray surface. It looked like—

  Chris reached out and grabbed her arm when she swayed. “Are you okay?”

  She couldn’t stop staring. “Is that a skull?”

  “Yeah, I’m afraid it is.”

  Paige shuddered. “Do you think it’s Lucinda Elizabeth?”

  Gently, he took her by the shoulders and turned her away. His voice was grim when he answered. “I don’t know, but we’ll definitely find out.”

  * * *

  They’d found her remains. The news was spreading through town like wil
dfire. He’d heard it from a friend, who’d heard it from another friend, who’d heard it from a cousin who worked on the force. Despite the convoluted chain of gossip, he had no doubt the information was accurate. At the time, burying the body quickly, far from the scene of the incident, had been paramount. Somewhere no one would find her. And the dirt near the creek had been soft, easy to dig. Apparently storms and rushing water had eroded the bank over time, exposing what was left of her.

  Damn bad luck is what he called it.

  The wind blew off the ocean, chilling him to the bone. He could only hope any physical evidence had long since been destroyed in the years since he’d buried her.

  After that first time, he’d learned not to panic, to dispose of everything incriminating, including the body, far more carefully. He always hoped there wouldn’t be a next time, that he’d get over the deadly urge, but so far that hadn’t happened. The best he could do was prolong the inevitable as best he could and clean up the mess afterward.

  Because he couldn’t live with the only alternative.

  The timing for the discovery of those old bones couldn’t suck more. He had a bad feeling another episode was nearing. The authorities would be asking questions and hunting for answers, digging up the past. Keeping old secrets hidden wouldn’t be easy, and covering up new ones, well, he didn’t even want to think about that.

  Turning his back to the rolling waves as evening fell, he stared up at the row of lighted shops and singled out the building that housed Old Things. Damn Paige Shephard for dragging everything out into the open! Now, rumor had it she was somehow involved in the discovery of the body. He clenched his fists at his sides. If anyone deserved to come to a bad end, it was that meddling bitch.

  Taking a deep breath, he let it out slowly. Right now, he couldn’t think about anything but damage control. Yanking his keys from his pocket, he gave them a toss as he headed up the path toward his vehicle. He had a long night ahead of him.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Quentin straightened his tie before trying the shop door. Locked. After everything that had happened recently, he was glad Paige hadn’t left it open for him. Glancing up at the light shining from her front room window, he pulled out his cell and called her. She answered on the second ring.