by Kathi Daley
I thanked Bella, then headed back to town to finish my route. I wanted to fill both Tony and Jordan in on what I’d learned, so I texted them to say I had news, and invited them both to meet me in town at the local pizza place when I’d finished my route. I let out a breath of relief. It seemed we really had been able to wrap up this crazy mystery after all.
Chapter 11
Friday, October 26
The rain had passed, the snow had fallen, and the harvest festival was in full swing despite the weather. Tony and I had arranged to meet Bree and Mike at the haunted house, where we planned to scare ourselves silly before going out to dinner. After that, I planned to go with Tony to his house for the weekend. He’d already stopped by the cabin and picked up my animals and my overnight bag. By some unspoken agreement, we hadn’t discussed the kiss we’d shared in the rain since, but I had the feeling putting that particular subject on the back burner had been a temporary action that would be brought to the forefront at some point over the weekend. I found I was both nervous and excited to see what came next.
“Wow, look at the line,” Bree, who was dressed in new jeans, a leather jacket, and knee-high boots with a heel much too high for snowy sidewalks, said as we circled around toward the back of the line.
“I guess everyone in town decided to come out on opening night,” I agreed. The festival ran the entire weekend and the haunted house would be open through Halloween, but apparently, everyone else in town was as excited to try it out as we were.
“I think there’s been a lot of additional hoopla this year because of the change in vendor,” Mike offered, mimicking my sentiments exactly.
“The line seems to be going pretty quickly, and we have over an hour until our dinner reservation, so I think we’ll be fine,” Tony added. “I don’t think the walk-through takes all that long once you’re inside.”
“At least the snow has stopped and the temperature has risen a few degrees,” Bree said as she blew into her hands. “Still, I wish I’d brought mittens.”
“Here.” Mike turned Bree so she was facing him, took her hands in his, and tucked them into the pocket of his jacket, where he warmed them with his own. “Better?”
“Much,” Bree answered before leaning forward and kissing Mike on the lips.
I couldn’t help but glance at Tony. He winked at me. I knew he was thinking the same thing I was, about our own kiss, but going public with whatever was going on between us wasn’t something I was even close to being ready for. He took my hand in his and gave it a squeeze. I returned his offer of affection with a soft smile that felt stiff on my frozen lips.
“I heard Jordan Westlake hired a private investigator to try to find out what happened to Hillary Harrington,” Bree said after leaning in close and lowering her voice.
“That sort of surprises me,” I said. “It’s likely she’s dead by now, so I’m not sure what there is to gain by looking for her at this point.”
Bree snuggled in closer to Mike. “Jordan has a lot of money, so I don’t think the expense is an issue. And I’m sure he’s curious. After all, they’re family of a sorts.”
“I guess that’s true. And I do understand the curiosity factor. I was happy to hear she left the area voluntarily, but I have to wonder what sort of person bails on her siblings like that.”
“Maybe she was more like her father than the others,” Tony suggested.
I guess he had a point. Hartford Harrington seemed to have been a self-centered man who was only concerned about how things affected him. Maybe Hillary was more like her father than the others.
“I wonder if Hillary would even want to meet Jordan if he found her and she’s still alive,” Bree added. “The whole thing might be really weird for her. Jordan is basically the child of the child Hartford adopted to replace his real children when he threw them away. I’m not sure how I would feel about that.”
“It’s not Jordan’s fault,” Mike countered.
“Of course not,” Bree agreed. “But how would you feel if you found out your dad abandoned you—left you to die, really—then went out and got himself another kid to replace you?”
Sometimes I found myself wondering if that wasn’t exactly what happened. Not the leaving-Mike-and-me-to-die part, but after our dad left, had he gone on to have another family? Or had he had one all along, which was what prompted him to fake his death in the first place?
“They’re having a cheesy horror movie marathon on television on Halloween night,” Tony said, changing the subject. “Do you guys want to come over to my place to watch it? I’ll even cook.”
“I’m game,” Bree said. “I love cheesy movies.”
“Me too,” I seconded.
“I’d love to come if I don’t have to work,” Mike answered.
“Can’t Frank be on call that night?” Bree asked.
“Sure, if I don’t fire him first.”
I frowned. “You’re thinking of firing Frank?”
Mike sighed. “Probably not, but I’m not happy about the fact that he knew since Jordan arrived in town that Toby was camped out in the woods behind the Harrington place spying on him. What could have been going through his mind to ignore that?”
“I told him that he should tell you,” I said without thinking.
Mike raised a brow. I saw his face go slightly red as well. “You knew? Why didn’t you tell me?”
Good question. “I’m sorry. I should have. I told Frank to talk to you about it, and he said he would. I figured it would be better if it came from him. I guess I should have followed up, but I got busy and forgot about it.”
“Luckily for all of us, Jordan wasn’t upset about the fact that he had a stalker one of the two law enforcement officials in town knew about and ignored. It was irresponsible of Frank not to run Toby off and misguided of you not to mention it to me.”
I looked at Bree with a face I hoped said help me.
“Last year they showed The Blob,” Bree said. I shot her a look of gratitude for diffusing the situation. I knew she hated it when Mike and I argued now that they were an item, so she may have come up with a way to smooth things over even without my silent plea. Mike and I were prone to arguing from time to time, but I could see how it would be awkward for her to be in the middle of it now that we were both so important to her. “The original, not the remake,” she continued. “I love those old horror flicks. They’re nostalgic, and, being cheesy, not actually too scary.”
“My favorite is The Fog,” Tony said in the spirit of support.
“Remake or original?” Bree asked, seemingly happy to have an ally in her effort to get the conversation back on an even keel.
“Both,” Tony answered. “The films are different enough that you can watch both in a single season and not feel like you’re watching a rerun. I suppose my favorites are the vampire flicks, though. The really corny ones, like Count Yorga Vampire.”
“Oh, or The Creature from the Black Lagoon,” I said, jumping onto the bandwagon.
Thankfully, Mike joined in on the conversation and the tension was forgotten. I hadn’t remembered how many awesome classic horror films there were until we started discussing them. I hoped we could find them to stream this weekend as Tony suggested after I expressed an interest in seeing several of my favorites.
“It looks like we’re almost to the front of the line,” I said as we moved forward. “Are we still good on time?”
Tony looked at his watch. “We should be fine.”
“I hope this place lives up to the hype,” I said as we inched closer. “After spending time in a real house of horrors this week, I’m afraid it’s going to take a lot to scare me.”
“Jordan’s house is creepy, but things don’t jump out at you,” Bree said.
“According to Toby, they do,” Mike countered with a genuine grin on his face. Leave it to him to find the humor in the situation after all.
******
By the time we’d experienced the scariest haunted house I’d ever vi
sited, then shared a delicious dinner, I was a bundle of nerves. I’d been coaching myself all week and figured I’d be prepared for whatever might happen when Tony and I were alone. Still, now that the time had come, I found myself wanting to flee. This was crazy, I decided. I cared about Tony. I might possibly even love him. He was my best friend first and foremost, and I knew he cared about me. He’d never push for anything I wasn’t ready for. I just needed to take a deep breath and remember that.
“Shaggy came by with Buddy today,” Tony said, breaking the tension somewhat as we made the drive up the mountain.
“And how are things going?” I asked, happy to have doggy tales to focus on.
“The two seem to be very happy together. Like peas in a pod. Buddy appears to have relaxed, and based on the way he follows Shaggy around, never taking his eyes off him, I’d say a little bit in love. Shaggy is equally happy and dropped off the paperwork for the permanent adoption. He asked me to give it to you.”
It was very rewarding to find the perfect placement for a hard-to-place dog.
“I think it’s really special the way you care so much about the animals who come through the shelter,” Tony said. “I love how you work so hard to place each one in just the right situation. It shows what a huge heart you have. You’re a very special woman.”
I shrugged. “It’s really Brady who makes sure everyone finds the perfect home. I just help out where I can.”
“Okay, you’re both very special.” Tony chuckled.
I smiled but didn’t respond. At times like this, when things worked out even better than planned, I did feel special. “The house looks pretty,” I said as we pulled onto Tony’s private road. “Did you add more lights?”
“A few.”
“It looks like more than a few. I bet the astronauts can see your house from space, if there are any up there right now,” I added.
“I’m not certain, but I think there are some at the Space Station.” Tony pulled up and parked.
I opened my door to slide out onto the snowy drive, hoping my legs weren’t shaking so hard as to be obvious. I seriously needed to chill. Deciding to ignore whatever spasms my body chose to have, I focused on the walk ahead of me. As soon as Tony opened the front door, Tilly and Titan came running out to meet us. I bent down to greet them, while Tony grabbed an armload of firewood from the pile stacked near the front door and carried it inside. The dogs would need a bathroom break, so I left the door open a crack so they could get back in rather than calling them inside with us now. Tang and Tinder were both curled up on Tony’s sofa. They looked up when we entered the room but didn’t bother to get up.
“There’s a bottle of wine on the counter if you want to pour us glasses while I start the fire,” Tony informed me.
Wine sounded good. Something to calm my nerves was exactly what I needed. I called out my assent, then headed to the kitchen while Tony began balling up newspaper and stacking logs. I turned on the light and looked around the room. It appeared as if Tony had finished hanging his wall art since I’d been here last. The dark tones and natural materials provided for a sharp contrast that was really magnificent. There were soft touches as well, such as the window seat, to bring everything together. It really was the most awesome kitchen I’d ever seen.
After pouring two large glasses of wine, I headed back into the living room. Tilly and Titan had come back in and were sitting next to Tony as he worked on the fire. When he saw me enter the room, he stood up and turned to me. My heart started to beat erratically as I took in the thick brown hair that brushed his collar, his expressive brown eyes that seemed to shine with affection, and the curve of his generous lips, which I’d been fantasizing about all week. I handed him a glass and took a sip of my own.
“I see you finished the kitchen,” I said conversationally.
“I did. Initially, I couldn’t decide whether to rehang the old art or buy something new. I liked the art I had, so I just rearranged it a bit.”
“I like it. It looks nice.”
Tony must have noticed my hand was trembling because he set down his glass, then took mine and set it next to his. He put his hands on my waist and pulled me close. I thought he was going to kiss me, but he hesitated, then ran a finger down the side of my cheek and looked deep into my eyes. “Don’t be nervous, Tess. It’s just me. It’s just us. Nothing is going to happen you don’t want to happen.”
I gulped a huge breath of air. “I know. I don’t know why I’m nervous. It’s silly.”
“It’s not silly.” Tony leaned forward just a bit and kissed me very lightly on the lips. He pulled back just a bit. “Okay?”
I nodded.
He kissed me again. This time, slightly harder and slightly longer. If my legs weren’t shaking before, they certainly were now. I wound my arms around Tony’s neck, partly to pull him closer and partly to have something to hang on to.
“Do you want me to stop?” Tony whispered against my neck.
“No.”
Tony tightened his arms and deepened the kiss once again. I felt my body lean into his as he accepted my weight. His lips were hard and soft at the same time. I could feel his heart beating under my hands, which I’d rested on his chest. The room began to fade away as I gave in to the sensations I was feeling, and I actually let out a little cry of protest as he leaned back just a bit.
I looked into his eyes. He looked back into mine. I wanted to demand that he not stop, but something told me to wait.
After taking a few breaths, he spoke. Softly. Meaningfully. Honestly. “I love you, Tess. I think I’ve loved you since the first moment I met you in middle school. I’ve been waiting a long time for this, but I can wait longer. If you aren’t ready to go where this seems to be taking us, I can wait.”
I put my hands on Tony’s face and pulled it toward mine. “I’m ready,” I whispered against his lips in the instant before they devoured me.
Chapter 12
Saturday, October 27
I struggled to find my way out of the deep sleep I’d fallen into. I’d been so content, and it had been so peaceful, but something was beeping, pulling me toward wakefulness. I opened my eyes slowly and glanced at the clock on the bedside table. It was seven minutes after three o’clock in the morning. I glanced at the window, which overlooked the lake, to see that the snow had started up again. It took me a minute to remember why I was in Tony’s bed; then I felt the weight of his arm lying across my waist and the warmth of his large, fit body behind me.
“Tony,” I said as I struggled to get my bearings. I turned slightly and brushed his lips with mine. “Wake up. There’s a noise coming from your phone. A god-awful noise for this time of the morning.”
Tony stirred just a bit but didn’t wake up. I nudged him one more time, a bit more forcefully. The guy was certainly a sound sleeper.
“Tess?” he asked when I shoved his arm away from my body.
“Your phone. There’s an alarm or something.”
Tony swore, then rolled over. He picked up the phone and silenced the obnoxious noise. I let out a sigh of gratitude that silence had returned to the room.
“Did you set your alarm?” I asked as I rubbed the sleep from my eyes. “Do you have something to do or somewhere to be?”
The dogs were awake now and thumping their tails on the floor while resting their faces on the mattress. I leaned over to pet Tilly.
“It’s not that kind of an alarm,” Tony said as he groaned and sat up. “It’s synched with one of the computer programs I’m running. It alerts me when it gets a hit.”
I sat up as well, pulling the sheet across my breasts. “A program? Which one?”
“My facial recognition program.”
“My dad,” I said, knowing it was true. “You have a hit on my dad.”
Tony nodded. “It can wait.”
I stood up and began pulling on my clothes. “No,” I said with a lot more conviction than I felt, given the fact that I’d woken in Tony’s arms for the very fir
st time and was now walking around the room looking for my underwear. “It can’t wait.”
Tony stood up, crossed the room, and pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt. He padded across the floor in bare feet and let the dogs out through the bedroom slider. I pulled on a heavy sweatshirt and a pair of socks, then headed to the kitchen to make coffee. Tony went downstairs while I waited for the coffee to perk and the dogs to return.
“Dang it, Dad,” I said into the empty room. “Your timing could have been better.” I realized as I poured the coffee into mugs that I would never again have the opportunity to wake slowly in Tony’s arms after making love with him for the very first time. The knowledge made me feel sad, but I didn’t suppose that first didn’t hold all that much importance as long as there were seconds, thirds, and fourths. Once I’d decided to relax, the evening had been magical. I don’t know why I’d been so scared when what we’d had together had felt so perfect I knew it had to be right.
The dogs were back by the time I’d poured the coffee, so I crossed the room to let them in. It was snowing fairly hard and their coats were covered with the white stuff. I found a towel and dried them off, then fed all the animals and went downstairs.
“So, what do we have?” I asked as I handed Tony his coffee.
He set it down, then pulled me into his lap. He drew me in for a deep kiss before answering.
I couldn’t help but smile. “That was nice.” I rested my hand on Tony’s face. “But it could have waited until after you filled me in.”