Coulson's Reckoning

by McIntyre, Anna J

  “Aren’t you hungry?” Adam asked.

  “Oh… sure.” Sophie turned her attention to her meal and picked up her burger. Before taking a bite she asked, “Do you think it’s possible we could get snowed in up here?”

  “You mean at Clement Falls or the airport tomorrow in Coulson?”

  “Either.”

  “I suppose it’s possible to get snowed in at Clement Falls, but I have a four wheel drive, so unless we get massive snow, I doubt it. As for your rental car, that’s another thing. But the airport, no. We rarely, if ever, get snow in Coulson. I can’t recall bad weather ever stopping flights out of the local airport.”

  “Oh.” She took another bite of her burger.

  “Sophie, if you don’t want to leave, stay. If you don’t want to work for me, I’ll help you find something at one of the other restaurants in town. But please stay.”

  “I have to go, Adam. Time to go home,” Sophie said sadly.

  “I hope this isn’t goodbye forever.” Adam set the remainder of his burger on his plate and focused his attention on Sophie. She looked up at him.

  “I was hoping we could stay in touch. Maybe sometime you could come to Portland. I think you’d like it.” Sophie sounded hopeful.

  “I went a few years ago. Aunt Kate had an art show there. I liked it. I imagine I’d like it better now, with you there. Do you think you’ll come back here for a visit?”

  “I hope so. I wish Franklin hadn’t insisted on refunding my money.”

  “I can’t blame him,” Adam said. “Seems like he and your father really hit it off.”

  They’d left Tony back at the B and B with Franklin, Kim, and Nick while Sophie and Adam spent their last day together at Clement Falls—alone.

  “How long do you think Kim and Nick will keep up this dual residency thing? It must be hard on them when they’re separated—Nick in Clement Falls and Kim down in Coulson.”

  “Unfortunately, I don’t imagine for much longer.”

  “Why do you say that?” Sophie asked with a frown.

  “Franklin has cancer, Sophie. He’s been sick for quite a long time. When Kim first met him, back when she returned to Coulson, he was in remission. Neither Kim nor Nick has said anything to me, but I overheard my mother and Garret talk about it. Apparently, the cancer is no longer in remission. That’s why Nick still comes up here and helps his dad run the B and B.”

  “I had no idea. Why don’t they just close the business and have Franklin move to Coulson with them? They obviously have tons of room, not to mention the staff to help.”

  “I imagine they will, eventually. But Franklin loves his home and visiting with his guests. I think they’re just trying to let him do it for as long as he can. But he can’t do it without Nick’s help.”

  “What about when Nick spends the night in Coulson with Kim? Does Franklin stay alone?”

  “I think they have someone sleep over when Nick’s gone and there aren’t any guests. Just so he isn’t alone.”

  “What do you think Nick will do… after?”

  “I don’t know. I imagine they have lots of options. I don’t think Kim’s the only one with family money, which gives them more flexibility.”

  “I don’t understand?”

  “Apparently, Nick’s grandfather invested his earnings over the years, had other properties, not just the boarding house. From what I understand, he left the Clement Falls property to his daughter but everything else to Nick. When Nick’s mother died, the B and B went to Franklin, but when Franklin’s dies, it’ll go to Nick, like his grandfather’s other properties.”

  “I’m so sorry to hear he’s ill. I really like Franklin.”

  “He seems like a good guy. I have to give Nick credit; he pretty much put his life on hold when he moved back to Clement Falls, first to help out when his mother got sick, and then he stayed when his father got ill.”

  “It’s interesting what goes on in families. Trials and dramas the outside world may never see.”

  “Reminds me of the things Walker told us, about Garret’s family.”

  “Adam, I’m not pursuing the DNA testing. I don’t intend to contact the FBI. I no longer care whose blood was on my grandfather’s clothes. Some things we don’t need to know.”

  “I was wondering what you’d finally decided… I tell you what, when we finish lunch, you want to go over to Garret’s cabin? We can build a fire. Talk. Spend some time together before I take you back to the B and B and have to share you with everyone there.”

  “Sure. But can I ask you something first?”

  “What?”

  “Why do you always call it Garret’s cabin? Doesn’t it belong to your mom and Garret?”

  “I suppose it does. But it was Garret’s before he and my mother ever got together, so I tend to think of it as his.”

  “Garret and your mom aren’t coming up here this weekend?” Sophie asked as she stretched out on the rug before the fireplace in Garret’s cabin. She watched as Adam carefully stacked logs in the fireplace.

  “No. Mom said they were staying home this weekend. I think they had too much excitement this past week.”

  “No kidding. By the way, I enjoyed meeting your sister and cousin last night. Cute girls; I can’t believe how much they look alike.”

  “Double cousins,” Adam explained as he lit the fire.

  “And the energy! I wonder if I had that much energy when I was their age?”

  “Sophie, you’re sounding like a little old lady. You aren’t even thirty yet!”

  “Sometimes I just feel old.”

  Once the fire was sufficiently lit, Adam sat on the floor next to Sophie before stretching out before the fire and taking her in his arms. Nose to nose, they looked at each other.

  “What are you doing?” Sophie asked in a whisper.

  “Holding you.”

  “It feels nice.”

  Adam pressed a light kiss on Sophie’s lips. She closed her eyes and opened them again when he pulled away.

  He kissed her again; this time, their lips parted and tongues fenced. Slipping his hand under Sophie’s sweater Adam moved his palm over her bare skin, cupped her right breast and gave it a gentle squeeze. Sophie moaned, wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him closer.

  Without breaking the kiss, Adam and Sophie rolled to one side, with Adam now atop Sophie, while she arched her back and opened her denim clad thighs, allowing him to settle his legs between hers. Their kisses became more passionate, more demanding as Adam’s hand sought the softness beneath her sweater. Finally, Adam broke away and looked down at Sophie; her expression was glazed.

  “I need to ask you something,” Adam said, his voice raspy.

  “What’s that?” Sophie peppered kisses along his chin and the corner of his lips.

  “Did I understand you correctly the other day, when you told me you never… I mean that…”

  “That I’ve never had sex?”

  “I thought women prefer to think of it as making love.”

  “I suppose sometimes it’s just sex… and sometimes it’s making love. But no, I haven’t been with anyone, ever. Why are you asking?”

  Abruptly, Adam rolled off Sophie and sat on the floor. The evidence of his arousal was obvious.

  “Because I want a clear understanding of the boundaries.”

  “I don’t understand what you’re saying. Just because I’ve never been with a man doesn’t necessarily mean I don’t want to be with you.” Sophie sat up and adjusted her sweater, pulling down its hem to cover her bare skin.

  “I like you, Sophie. I like you a lot. But I don’t want to screw this up like I’ve screwed up every other relationship in my life.”

  “Adam, is this because I’m a virgin?”

  “Yes… I mean no… I mean… Why are you still a virgin by the way? I’ve never met a twenty-eight-year-old virgin before.”

  “Are you sure? Do you normally ask women to fill out a questionnaire when you meet?” Sophie chuckl
ed.

  “Obviously not.” Confused and frustrated, Adam stared into the fire.

  “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to freak you out.”

  “It’s not a matter of me freaking out. But you’ve obviously made the choice along the way not to have sex, and that’s not something I want to take lightly if you and I…”

  “Actually, I wasn’t thinking of having sex… I was hoping we could make love,” Sophie whispered. Adam groaned and pulled her into his arms.

  “If that’s true, Sophie, then I certainly don’t want to screw this up.”

  “It’s okay, Adam. If you do something wrong, I really won’t know the difference since it’ll be my first time.” Sophie grinned mischievously.

  “That’s not what I meant. I don’t want to mess us up, Sophie. I’ve hurt people in the past, and I don’t want to hurt you. If we make love, I want it to be for all the right reasons. I want no regrets. But most of all, I don’t want to hurt you.”

  “Adam, I’m not a virgin because I have some strong belief about saving myself for my husband. I simply don’t believe in casual sex. I’ve never felt strongly enough about anyone before to want to make love… until you.”

  “What are you saying?” Adam asked, looking into her eyes.

  “Don’t look at me like that.” Sophie squirmed uncomfortably under his scrutiny. “I don’t want to really freak you out by declaring my love. But honestly, I feel something toward you that I have never felt before. I’m not saying it’s love. We haven’t known each other long enough. But I thought about this a lot last night, and I know I want this. Before I go home, I want us to make love.”

  “So you came prepared? You have a condom in your purse?”

  “Umm… no but I’m on the birth control pill. Long boring medical reason—not going into it—but we don’t have to worry about me getting pregnant.”

  “What about STDs?” Adam asked, sounding more like a scolding brother than a potential lover.

  “STDs? You don’t have to worry; I’ve never been with anyone.”

  “What about me? Do you know who I’ve been with?” Adam raised a brow.

  “Oh, crap, Adam stop this silliness, make love to me. I know you want to.”

  “Sophie, you are damn right about that.” Adam’s lips touched hers again—a soft and gentle kiss. After a minute, he pulled away.

  “Sophie, I refuse to mess this up. I’m quite serious. I will kiss you, touch you, hold you—and in many ways, I’ll make love with you today. But we won’t have intercourse; we’re simply not ready.”

  “I’m ready,” Sophie insisted.

  “But I’m not. And if it kills me, I’ll do everything I can not to mess this up.”

  Adam and Sophie spent the next few hours in each other’s arms, enjoying the warmth of the fire and their shared intimacy. Kisses, hugs, and touches were exchanged—not all entirely chaste—yet no clothes were removed and certain boundaries remained uncrossed.

  Chapter 40

  “Hello, Dad,” Garret greeted as he and Russell walked into the library at Coulson House. Harrison sat in his wheelchair by the window, reading his newspaper. Through the pane glass, they could see rain coming down. Harrison looked up at his sons as they sat on the two leather chairs nearby. Folding his paper neatly, Harrison set it on his lap and then removed his glasses.

  “I thought I would get some peace and quiet today; this place has been Grand Central all week. Where are your wives and my granddaughters? Are they here?”

  “No, they all went shopping,” Russell said before asking, “Are Kim and Nick still up at Clement Falls?”

  “Yes. I don’t expect Kim back until morning. Do you know if Sophie and her father got away okay?”

  “The plane took off about an hour ago. Adam stopped by the house after he got back from the airport,” Garret said.

  “How is the boy? I got the feeling he was quite taken with Sophie. Can’t say I blame him,” Harrison remarked.

  “He wanted her to stay, but he understood why she couldn’t, especially with what happened with Garcia. She seemed to handle the event well, but I have to wonder if she’ll have a delayed reaction when she returns home and it sinks in what could have happened had she not managed to escape,” Garret said.

  “I wondered that myself,” Harrison agreed.

  “But we didn’t come here to talk about Sophie, Dad,” Garret told him.

  “Is there a problem?” Harrison noted the peculiar way in which his two sons looked at him.

  Garret and Russell silently considered how best to initiate the discussion. While considering what to say they unconsciously glanced up at the Greek classics. Each realizing what he had done, they quickly looked back to Harrison, who had already noticed where they were looking.

  Harrison closed his eyes briefly and sighed before saying, “You’ve found the diaries, haven’t you?”

  “Yes,” Russell and Garret said in unison.

  “I rather suspected that was the case after the other day.” Harrison remembered how Garret had been eying that section of the library.

  “Dad, did you read the diaries?” Russell asked.

  “Yes.” Harrison tossed his newspaper on the floor. “I assume you’ve both read them.”

  “When did you find them? How long have you known?”

  “How long have I known what? That my father was gay, that he wasn’t my father… Or maybe you are wondering about my father’s—or my—involvement in Anthony Marino’s death?”

  “Pretty much all of it,” Russell said, not knowing where to begin.

  “Get me a cigar, Garret.” Harrison nodded to the table on the other side of the room that held his box of cigars. Garret stood up and walked to the table, taking a cigar from the box and a lighter from the table. After handing them to his father, he sat back down. Harrison got his cigar lit before beginning his explanation.

  “My mother’s diary was never a secret. Randall had given it to her the Christmas after William passed away. She used to write in it the beginning of each year. She told me it was her way of keeping track of what had happened during the previous year. But, I never knew where she kept it.

  “After she passed away, I remember my father looking for it. So, I started looking, too. I don’t think he ever realized we were both searching for Mother’s diary. For me, it was a game. I wanted to find it, and then give it to him. Like the victor in some foolish race to find the hiding place.”

  “Did he ever find it?” Garret asked.

  “You mean did he ever find out he wasn’t really my father?”

  “I suppose.”

  “No. I actually found it right away. She hid it where you found it. For some reason, your grandfather didn’t think it was in the library. Hide a book among a thousand books? Never! He was convinced she kept it somewhere on the third floor, because she’d been in charge of decorating and furnishing that part of the house. He was certain there was a trap door hidden in a piece of furniture.”

  “How can you be certain he didn’t find it in that box and simply put it back like you did?” Russell asked.

  “After I read it… Needless to say, I was shocked, confused. I didn’t want him to read it. I don’t know if part of me was afraid that if he knew, I’d lose everything. But it wasn’t just about an inheritance. I wondered if he would stop loving me. He put a great store in blood.”

  “Is that why you’re convinced he never found it? Because he never changed his feelings toward you?” Russell asked.

  “No. I arranged the book in such a way that if someone moved it I would know.”

  “Why didn’t you simply destroy it?” Garret asked.

  Harrison laughed at the question. “I don’t know if you want the answer to that.”

  “What do you mean, Dad?” Garret frowned.

  “After I read it the first time, I didn’t know what I was going to do about it. But one day, when Randall was at the office and I was alone in this room, I decided the best thing was to destroy it. So,
I went up the ladder… removed the book… and then I saw her.”

  “Saw who?” Garret asked.

  “My mother, Mary Ellen. She had this pleading expression on her face, begging me not to destroy the book. So I didn’t.”

  “Are you saying Mary Ellen’s ghost stopped you from destroying the diary?” Russell asked incredulously.

  Harrison turned slightly in his seat and looked at his youngest son. “Stranger things have happened, Russell. I wasn’t the only one to see my mother’s ghost in this house.”

  “What are you talking about?” Russell frowned.

  “I saw her,” Garret said in a quiet voice. Both Russell and Harrison turned to face Garret. Harrison hadn’t expected Garret’s revelation. When he said someone else had seen Mary Ellen’s spirit, he was referring to Vera.

  “What are you talking about, Garret?” Russell snapped.

  “When I was a boy, I swear I saw her on the third floor. I never said anything to anyone about it. It scared the shit out of me. I haven’t thought about that in years.”

  “Please, you two, don’t start dragging ghost stories into all this!” Russell said impatiently.

  “You asked me why I didn’t destroy the book. I’m just being honest. I’m not saying it was my mother’s ghost; it probably wasn’t. But at the time, I thought she was here. That was enough for me not to destroy it.”

  “What about Randall’s diary? When did you find that?” Garret asked.

  “Shortly after he died. When I finished reading it, I put it with mother’s. After I had the stroke, I couldn’t use the ladder anymore. I suppose I could’ve hired someone to get them down, have them finally destroyed, but by that time I figured they were part of our family history and that maybe it would be best if the truth came out someday. There were times I came close to telling you boys about them.”

  “I’m surprised you didn’t destroy Randall’s,” Garret said.

  “Why? Because the man who I believed was my father was a homosexual?”

  “That… and the incriminating entries regarding Marino and some other dealings.”