by Natalie Ann
Nick wasn’t sure he could keep any secret like that from Mallory if he was married to her.
“I didn’t think I had much of a choice. Then so much time had passed and it was easier to keep quiet. To forget it ever happened, until Mindy died. That was hard. More time passed and life went on, but when Paul got sick it all came to a head again. I just felt enough time had passed and hoped that maybe now Mallory could come forward.”
“I don’t know if she would have if I didn’t find her.”
And he hated to even think that if he hadn’t called off his wedding and gone to stay with his grandmother, that he’d be married to someone else right now. Married and miserable.
Then what would have happened if Mallory showed up? He didn’t even want to imagine it. It didn’t happen; it didn’t play out that way, so he couldn’t or wouldn’t belabor it.
“Things happen for a reason. I’ve always believed that. We may never know and won’t have to know at this point. She’s home now and that’s all that matters.”
He went to open his mouth when he heard Rene yell from the front door. “Nick! Are you home?”
“In the kitchen!” he yelled back, not wanting her to get a surprise in the family room without a heads-up. He felt he at least owed it to his sister to avoid what he and his father experienced.
He heard her come running, until she skidded to a halt in the doorway, then had to push her glasses back up on her nose. “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?”
She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him tight. The same welcome she always gave him, whether he was gone one week or one month.
He was blessed; he knew that. He’d always had a loving family, one that supported him and was there for him. He wondered now how hard it had to have been on Mallory, to never have what he did.
“It was a last minute decision.”
Rene leaned back and punched his arm slightly. “You could have at least sent me a text or something. I would have ditched class tonight to be here when you got home.”
“We just got here about fifteen minutes ago. No reason for you to be cutting class.”
“We?” She turned her head, looked around and said, “Who’s with you? Did Grandma come?”
She ran out of the room before Nick could stop her, so he followed fast, but not fast enough before Rene stood in place, her mouth open, her eyes wide, staring at Mallory. He wasn’t sure who was more surprised right then.
Mallory had stood up herself, almost mimicking Rene’s stance, the two of them eying each other, until Mallory spoke first. “Hi, Rene.”
“Mallory?” Rene asked, not that Rene needed it confirmed.
“Yes. It’s me.”
“I’d ask how you’ve been, but I’m afraid you’ll disappear before I get a full answer.”
It wasn’t hard to miss the sarcasm or the hurt in Rene’s voice. In all actuality, Nick was shocked. Rene was the last person he expected anger from. Rene had not only been softer and more tender than anyone else in the family, she was also the most forgiving.
“Rene,” Nick started to say.
“No,” Mallory said, interrupting him. “Let her say her piece. She’s entitled to it.”
“I don’t have anything to say to you,” Rene said. “Why bother? You’ll be gone in the morning. Probably without telling anyone.”
“Rene Michele,” his grandmother said sharply. “That’s uncalled for.”
“No, Trixie, it’s not. I expected someone to have this reaction.” Mallory stopped and turned to look around the room. “I expected anger from everyone that didn’t know where I was. I understand why you aren’t angry Susan, not that I was aware you knew. Nick, don’t forget how mad you were when you found me. John, thank you for at least hiding any anger.”
“You knew,” Rene said turning to Nick. “How long have you known?”
“Rene,” Nick said, moving toward her.
“No. No more lies! I’m sick of everyone lying. This whole room is full of liars. I can see it all over your faces,” Rene said, turning and running out of the room.
“I’ll go talk to her,” Nick said, seeing the distress on Mallory’s face.
“It’s better coming from me,” his grandmother said.
“No. Let me,” Mallory said. “She might not want to talk to me, but I’m not going to give her a choice. I’ve prepared myself for this reaction and I can handle it.”
Nick wanted to follow Mallory up the stairs to Rene’s room but knew better than to interfere right now.
Mallory was right—she needed to handle this.
Get to Know You
“I don’t want to talk to anyone,” Mallory heard through Rene’s closed door after she knocked.
Turning the handle, Mallory found it unlocked and pushed it open. “Then you can listen.”
Rene sat up on her bed where she’d been lying on her back staring at the ceiling. The tears in her eyes weren’t hard to miss. “Grow a spine after all this time?”
“That, among other things.”
Rene was entitled to be angry, to be upset, and to even be mean. Not that Rene had ever been mean to Mallory a day in her life. If Mallory was honest with herself, Rene’s response so far had hurt the most.
“Then talk and leave. You will anyway.”
Mallory ignored that comment and walked forward into the room. It had changed in decor like the rest of the house had in all the time she’d been gone.
“I’m sorry I hurt you.”
“Who says I’m hurt?” Rene said, her chin angling upward.
Rene had always been a little naive and a horrible actress. She led with her heart when her nose wasn’t in a book, and her life had been full of fairytales. “Angry then.”
Walking forward, Mallory sat on the edge of the bed and was encouraged when Rene moved her feet to make room.
“Why did you leave?” Rene asked, cutting right to the chase, sniffling and pushing her glasses back up on her face. They were still too big for her, and it almost made Mallory giggle.
“I didn’t have a choice.”
“We all have choices,” Rene said back stubbornly. Just like Nick, crossing her arms in front of her chest.
“We do. My choice was to leave then. Just like it was to come back now.”
“But you aren’t going to tell me why?”
“I can’t. Not right now. I haven’t even told Nick yet.”
“Why does that matter? I don’t understand why he has to know first. I’m assuming Grandma knew and now Mom, based on everything that I heard downstairs.”
“Trixie helped me leave. I just found out tonight that your mother knew all along. Nick found me when he showed up in Lake Placid unannounced.”
“And my father?”
“Clueless.”
“He isn’t going to appreciate that. Then again, everyone always said I was clueless too. So maybe we both were too stupid to see what was under our noses.”
“Neither one of you is stupid. There was nothing for you to see, trust me. We covered my tracks well.”
“You’ve been with Grandma all this time, haven’t you?”
Mallory wasn’t sure why Rene would ask that or could have figured it out. “I have.”
“I was so scared when you disappeared. I thought you were kidnapped.”
“I’m sorry you thought that.”
“Then when the police said it looked like you ran away, I was pissed off.”
“Somehow I can’t picture that,” Mallory said, her lips twitching.
“I want to be mad at you still.”
“I understand.”
“But I can’t. You were like a sister to me. It hurt more than I can explain when you left. I want to be happy you’re back, but I’m afraid to open myself up and have you leave on me again.”
“I won’t, I promise.”
Nick appeared in the doorway. He walked forward and sat next to Mallory on the bed. “How are you holding up, Rene?”
“Not bad.”
> “You’ll get used to it. I remember the anger and frustration I felt in the beginning.”
“And now?” Rene asked.
“I’m happy now. Happier than I’d thought I’d be.”
Mallory’s heart raced hearing those words come out of Nick’s mouth, causing her to turn her head and place it on his shoulder.
Rene looked at the two of them knowingly. “Don’t mess it up, Nick. I don’t want her to disappear again.”
He reached down and pinched her leg. “What makes you think I’ll be the one to mess up? Maybe Mallory will.”
“She won’t. She’s loved you since she was sixteen,” Rene announced.
“You knew?” Mallory said, surprised that Rene had figured it out. “How could you have known? We never talked about Nick.”
“Of course I knew. You looked for him whenever you came over to visit, even though you tried to pretend you weren’t. I used to think you were only friends with me to get to him, but then I realized you were my friend before you even started to like boys, so I let it go.”
“Am I forgiven now?” Mallory asked, hoping she didn’t sound too anxious.
“I don’t know that I would use the word forgiven right now. Too much has happened and too much time has passed. But I’d like to try to start over. I’d like to get to know you as an adult.”
Mallory went with her gut and reached forward to hug Rene. “I’d like to get to know you more too. If we are all good here, how about we go downstairs with everyone and I’ll fill you in on what I’ve done with my life and what I do for a living.”
“You’re going to tell them?” Nick asked, looking slightly shocked.
“Yeah. There’s no reason to hide it now, is there?”
“No. No reason at all.”
Understand
Nick wrapped his arm around Mallory’s shoulder and pulled her closer to him in bed now that they were back at his own house. After their talk with Rene, the three of them had gone downstairs where Mallory talked more than he’d ever seen her talk before.
“You’re really M.A. Cannon?” Rene had asked.
“Yeah. Surprise.”
“I don’t know what to say,” Susan said. “I never imagined you would thrive the way you have. I’m thrilled and so proud of you. But on top of that, I’m glad to know you were able to make something of your life and move past what happened here.”
“Me too. I’m getting there, slowly. But”—Mallory had stopped and looked at everyone—“I really don’t want anyone to know I’m M.A. Cannon. I would like to keep that private. Not that I’m hiding. I’m not anymore. But I still want that information kept private.”
His family seemed to understand and didn’t argue. And his mother had readily agreed to work up a statement should there be any media attention with Mallory’s appearance, though he was starting to think that might not happen.
Yes, people who knew her from before would be surprised if they saw her, but it wasn’t as if she broke the law.
“Are you glad it’s over?” he asked Mallory just now, as he ran his hand over her hair next to him in bed. “It wasn’t as bad as you thought, was it?”
“It could have been worse. I know that. And I know I’ve got a long way to go to earn Rene’s trust again, let alone her friendship.”
“She’ll come around.” He knew his sister well and Rene never held a grudge for long.
“I hope so.”
“Now my father…well, he might take longer to come around with my mother.”
“I still can’t believe Susan never told him.”
“Me neither. I’m not happy she knew all along. I’m not happy that she kept it from not only me, but also from my father, and they have to work that out. They’ve got a strong marriage, so they’ll get through. I’m sure she has her reasons; I just don’t know what they are.”
“Will you forgive your mother?”
“I will eventually. Maybe if I knew everything that went on back then it would be easier.”
There had to be more than he was being told, and he wondered if his mother would tell his father. If his father would find out before he even did. That thought didn’t sit well with him at the moment.
“Can’t we leave it in the past, Nick? It doesn’t need to be hashed over again, does it?”
“I just want to understand. If I don’t understand, how will I know you won’t do it again?”
He hated voicing that fear, but he knew if he didn’t, it would eat him alive.
“I know we’re learning to trust each other again. All I can do is tell you I won’t disappear on you again. I won’t ever leave you. You’ll always know where I am.”
“A part of me believes that one hundred percent.”
“But the other part still has doubts. I know, actions speak louder than words. I’m going to show you. I’m going to prove it to you and to your family.”
“You don’t have to prove anything to anyone other than yourself. If you believe in yourself, Mallory, then others will too.”
“I don’t know what I did to deserve you.”
“You waited for me,” he said, leaning down and kissing her lightly on the lips.
She half huffed out a laugh. “I didn’t know I was.”
“Neither did I.” He snuggled in closer to her and decided today had just been too long of a day, mentally and physically. Yawning, he said, “I know we haven’t had a chance to talk about how long we’re staying in town, or what your next step is, but I need to go into the office tomorrow and try to get things done while I’m here.”
“That’s fine. Can we just take it one day at a time?”
“Yeah, it’s probably best that way.”
“I already made plans to be with your mother and Trixie tomorrow. I had assumed you’d go into work with your father.”
“You’re not going to see Paul, are you? I want you to wait so I can be there with you.”
He felt her shiver next to him and wished he hadn’t brought up Paul’s name. But the truth of the matter was, that was why they came to town to begin with, so it had to be addressed.
“No. I’m not sure I’m going to see him. I came to let your family know about me. About us. I could care less about Paul. But your mother and I are going to talk about the future. She said she has some things she needs to discuss with me.”
“Do you know what?” he asked. “What it’s about?” He seriously hoped his mother didn’t have even more secrets.
“No clue, but she said it wasn’t anything major or serious. My guess is it has to do with my mother and the house. She did mention that Paul had turned everything over to her a few weeks ago. I’m not sure why, as I know your mother doesn’t seem to care for Paul.”
“Don’t know.” His eyes were starting to droop, and he was losing focus, the day catching up with him. “You’ll call me if you need me tomorrow, right?”
“Of course.” She lay her head on his chest, ran her fingers around his heart, and said, “I don’t think I like your house very much.”
That opened his eyes wide, bringing him alert. “What? Where did that come from?”
“Sorry. I shouldn’t have said it.”
She tried to pull back, but he held her close. “No, I don’t care. It just seemed so far out in left field. What don’t you like about it?”
He looked around his room; it was pretty bare actually. Neutral was more like it. It was a place he slept each night, nothing more.
“It’s kind of dry. Stale, maybe. It has no character. I don’t know. Ignore me. It’s a bachelor’s house.”
“Since I was a bachelor, then it makes sense, don’t you think?”
“But you had a woman in your life. I thought some of her would be represented here,” she said, laughing softly, but he knew it was forced.
For a moment he actually did forget that. Crazy how the mind can shut down on unpleasant memories or bad times when other things in your life were looking up.
“I’ve already told you Kendra
and I had a strange relationship.”
“I guess I just expected there would have been some trace of her in this house, but it seems like there aren’t any feminine touches at all.”
“We didn’t spend a lot of time here. She never moved in and never even asked to decorate or change anything.”
Maybe Kendra was waiting until after they were married…though now that he thought of it, it was never even a conversation they’d had.
“Were you planning on living here?”
“Yeah.”
He’d thought so. Again, it never came up and it was just a natural assumption. Kendra lived in a smaller townhouse and he’d had no intention of moving in there.
“Maybe she would have suggested you get a new place together.”
“It doesn’t matter now. I’ve long since given up trying to figure out what was in Kendra’s mind. She’s out of my life. You’re the only woman on my mind right now. The only one in my life whose opinion I care about.”
When he felt her snuggle back in, he relaxed some more. “That’s nice. But I still don’t care for your house.”
He didn’t know what this was about. “Where do you want to live?”
“What?”
“I asked where you want to live. It seems to me there is something on your mind, so tell me.”
“It’s early yet in our relationship to be talking about living situations. You work here, I live there.”
“You can work anywhere,” he reminded her.
“I can…”
“But?”
“But I like where I am. This city doesn’t hold a lot of good memories for me. I feel like I’m suffocating already and it’s only been a few hours.” She leaned up and gave him a quick kiss on the lips, then moved away and onto her own pillow. “Let’s get some sleep. We’ve got plenty of time to figure things out.”
They did, he knew that, but part of him didn’t like not knowing what was going on in her mind right now. He also knew she’d only tell him when she was ready.
But for once, he wasn’t having anxiety over it. He really wasn’t worried at all.
Rebound