Hidden Hills

by Jannette Spann

  Hidden Hills had beautifully decorated rooms throughout the old mansion when Grandpa had been alive — every piece of furniture gleamed from years of hand polishing. As much as she’d loved the antiques, she’d had to be logical. The day Mitch had passed away she’d had less than twenty dollars to her name, a funeral to pay for, and no source of income. She hadn’t held a job since the girls had been born, and Mitch had borrowed against his life insurance policy. Selling the furniture from the second floor had seemed like her only option, never dreaming she would someday be able to buy any of it back — but today was the day.

  Taking her time, she sat at the table and removed the lid from the oval hat box. It somehow seemed wrong to be probing into the Wills’ family history without Grandpa’s permission, but she knew in her heart he wouldn’t mind. She began searching the pictures for any glimpse of the pricey antiques.

  “Whatcha doing?”

  Moving the photos aside, Maggie snuggled in her lap. “I’m looking at the furniture in these old pictures.”

  “Don’t you ‘spose to look at the people?”

  “Most of the time, but I’m trying to find Grandpa’s furniture in here.”

  Maggie looked inside the hatbox. “Grandpa’s stuff won’t fit in there.”

  Charlotte glanced up when Jake came in, carrying Andy in his arms. The baby’s fingers were now wrapped in farm animal Band-Aids. “What’s going on?”

  “Mama thinks Grandpa’s in here.” Maggie pointed to the box, then jumped down to catch Andy by his good hand. “Come on, let’s draw pictures.”

  “Becky left her coat at the house,” Jake said, tossing a pink jacket on the table. “I thought she might need it in the morning.”

  “Thanks.” Charlotte replaced all but a handful of pictures she thought might be helpful when they began scrounging the antique shops.

  “Have any luck?” He followed his nose to the pot of soup simmering on her stove and removed the lid. “Mmm, this smells good.”

  “It’s just vegetable.” Charlotte closed the hatbox before following him to the soup to give it a final stir. “Have you had supper?”

  “No, but…”

  Bumping him aside with her hip, she bent to open the oven door. He sighed after inhaling the smell of fresh-baked cornbread. She enjoyed having someone appreciate her cooking.

  “Why don’t you guys eat supper with us? I’ve got plenty.”

  “Are you sure?”

  Charlotte refused to take no for an answer. After all he’d done, it was time she did something in return.

  “Would you mind getting the bowls and silverware? I’ll get the glasses, and we’ll be ready to eat.”

  Charlotte watched the smiling faces as Jake ladled soup into the bowls and passed them around the table. The difference between now and the first time they’d shared a home-cooked meal seemed like a lifetime ago. She remembered thinking Jake would someday find a mother for his boys, but it wouldn’t be her. Now she couldn’t imagine anyone ever loving them more than she did. Their lives were intertwined like a real family, but she knew they weren’t, and might never be. It didn’t stop her from dreaming though. Annabelle had asked if she loved Jake, and at the time, she wasn’t sure — now she was.

  The closeness Jake shared with his boys warmed Charlotte’s heart. She liked to think had Mitch lived, her girls would have found the same closeness in a relationship with him.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  Jake relaxed in his recliner to watch the nightly news before going to bed. There wasn’t any reason to be in a hurry — he wouldn’t sleep anyway. Charlotte was on his mind. He loved her, and it didn’t matter a hill-of-beans if they’d only known each other a few months. His proposal had popped out of his mouth before he’d known it was there, but he’d meant every word of it.

  He glanced up when his boys came down the stairs, dressed in pajamas. The clock chimed ten-thirty. “What are you guys doing up?”

  “We need to talk.” Bruce led the way to the kitchen. It was past their bed time, and they should have been asleep. The solemn expressions made him wonder what was on their minds.

  “Dad,” Jeremy said, as soon as they’d seated themselves at the table. “We’re calling a family meeting.”

  “You’re what?” Jake eased out of his recliner. He was the one in charge of family meetings, and it usually meant trouble for someone. There hadn’t been a complaint from the neighbors since Charlotte and her girls moved in.

  “Come on, Dad,” Bruce said. “This is important.”

  Jake clicked off the TV. Regardless of what they’d done, it was late, and tomorrow was a school day. The neighbors seemed happy, and he’d had no letters from school, so it could only mean one thing. They’d done something to Charlotte. It must have been bad for them to confess before he heard it from her. He took his usual seat at the end of the table. “What did you do?”

  Bruce cut his eyes toward Jeremy, as if waiting for a cue.

  “Well — spit it out.”

  “We’ve decided it’s time you married Charlotte.”

  Jake’s jaw dropped. “You’ve what?”

  The boy pulled a paper from his pocket, smoothed the wrinkles, and then slid it across the table. “I’ve listed all the women you know, and Charlotte’s the best of the bunch. We’ve talked it over, and it’s time you married her.”

  “Just like that?”

  He nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “Is this what your meeting is about?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  Jake stood. Getting married wasn’t something he’d planned to discuss with his boys anytime soon. He saw Bruce nudge Andy with his bare foot.

  “Sit down, Daddy. Me like Mama Char’it!”

  “What did you say?”

  “Please?”

  “That’s more like it.” He eased back into his chair. The whole thing was more rehearsed than their school plays.

  Jeremy took the lead. “You see, Dad, we heard Uncle Ralph tell Charlotte she’s beautiful. Now it got us to thinking, if an old geezer like him can make a pass at her — what’s to stop some young, good-looking guy?”

  Bruce reached over, patting his arm. “Do you get what we’re saying, Dad?”

  Jake bit his tongue. Unfortunately, he knew exactly what they were saying. As a kid, he could remember thinking his dad was ancient. “To clear the record, Uncle Ralph didn’t make a pass at her. He and Aunt Shelby are happy together.”

  “What about the landscaping guy? He looked like he could eat her up. Even the guys at school say she’s hot, and some of them are seniors. I’m telling you, Dad. You’d better do something.”

  “Seniors, huh? Exactly what am I supposed to do?”

  Bruce shoved back from the table, his hands flying in the air. “You tell her y’all are getting married!”

  Jake chuckled. “Son, you don’t just tell someone she’s going to marry you.”

  “You don’t?”

  He shook his head in wry amusement. “No, you don’t. First of all, we need to get to know each other.”

  “But you know Charlotte. She lives next door.”

  “That’s not…”

  “Honestly, Dad. How did you ever marry Mom without our help?”

  “I managed.”

  “Well, I don’t see how.”

  “Why don’t you let me handle this in my own way?”

  Jeremy threw up his hands in disgust. “But, Dad, somebody’s gonna grab her while you’re trying to get to first base.”

  “What do you know about first base?”

  “First, second, or third,” he replied. “It makes no difference in your case. What you need is a homerun.”

  Bruce shot out of his chair. “We’re not talking about baseball — we’re talking about making Charlotte our mama!”

  Jake folded his arms across his chest. His steady gaze was meant to remind his meddling sons of who was in charge. “Do you boys know why Charlotte and I were together the day of the fire?”

  �
��’Cause her car was tore up?”

  “Have you guys said anything about this to Charlotte?”

  “Not yet, but…”

  “Then — don’t!” Jake said. “This is between Charlotte and me. If we get to know each other and decide it’s the right thing to do, then we’ll talk about getting married. Understand?”

  “Yes, sir, but…”

  Jake stood, indicating the meeting was over. “No buts, and remember what I said. This is between her and me. Do I make myself clear?”

  “Yes, sir.”

  It was probably a good thing his boys had called the meeting; now he knew for sure how they felt about Charlotte. When reaching for the light switch, he noticed the lone piece of paper on the table. Curiosity got the best of him, and he picked up the list — Charlotte, Loretta, hooker.

  He glanced out the window toward the upstairs bedroom. Her house remained in total darkness, except for what appeared to be a bedside lamp. It was late, but he needed to hear her voice before calling it a night. Taking his cell phone out, he scrolled to her name and touched the screen.

  “Hello.”

  “Hi, Charlotte,” Jake said, relaxing at the sound of her voice. “Did I wake you?”

  “No. I was reading my Bible.”

  “I won’t keep you then. Just wondering if you’d like to finish our date?”

  She laughed. “Do you think it’s safe?”

  “I’m willing to chance it if you are.”

  “Okay. When do you have in mind?”

  “Let’s do this right,” he said, a smile finding its way into his heart. ”How about Saturday night? And I’ll find a sitter.”

  “Suits me — goodnight, Jake.”

  ****

  Everything was set. The kids would be staying with Ralph and Shelby, and since their girls were home from college for the weekend, it should be a fun night for everyone.

  He wanted their date to be special and not rushed. Hadn’t he always believed everything happened for a reason? His and Charlotte’s kids had bonded into a tighter family unit than some siblings sharing the same blood. All he had to do was convince her they belonged together.

  Saturday nights at the Silver Spur were busier than what it would have been earlier in the week. He’d talked to Bart, the owner, about arranging a quiet table. As soon as they arrived, he and Charlotte were seated in a back corner, where strategically located plants separated them from the other diners. Soft music muffled the conversations going on around them, adding to their seclusion.

  The waiter arrived to take their orders, returning a few minutes later with their iced teas and a small tray of flaky rolls. Instead of returning to the kitchen or checking on his other tables, Jake noticed the boy hovering nearby with his attention focused solely on Charlotte.

  “You don’t remember me, do you?”

  Jake watched Charlotte smile in recognition. “You’re one of my movers. How’s college?”

  The guy seemed to gloat in the attention of a beautiful woman. “I’ve changed majors since I last saw you, and I must say you’re looking awesome.”

  “Ahem!” Jake glared at the boy, pulling rank.

  “Oh, yes, sir,” the kid stammered. “I’ll check on your order.”

  It was his personal opinion their waiter could find his own woman. This one was taken.

  “Why were you so rude to the poor boy?”

  “I wasn’t rude,” he replied. “Just hungry.”

  “You aren’t that hungry.”

  Charlotte was right, but he wasn’t going to admit to his jealousy. “I can pick a fight if I want to.”

  “But you won’t,” she teased, captivating him with her smile. “Because?”

  He took her hand in his. “Because I’m having dinner with the most beautiful woman in the world, and I’ve waited for this night since the day we met.”

  “Wow. Talk about a line. Have you got any more?”

  Jake laughed, feeling as foolish as a school kid. “I didn’t know I had the one.”

  Charlotte rested her elbows on the table. “It’s been a while since I’ve heard a high-caliber come-on.”

  “I find that hard to believe.”

  “It’s true,” she said. ”And my ego thanks you.”

  “I can call our waiter back and let him drool over you.”

  “Don’t bother.” Charlotte motioned toward the other end of the room. “He’s flirting with a pretty blonde at the moment. She looks a lot like Shelby.”

  “Speaking of our mutual partner,” Jake said, glad to change the subject. “How was the shopping trip? Did you find what you were looking for?”

  A smile curved the corners of her mouth. “Not everything.”

  Just as he’d thought, the women had spent more time talking than buying furniture for Hidden Hills. At least they’d hit it off. “There’s no rush, as long as we’re ready for the first guest in the spring.”

  “Shelby is amazing.” Charlotte’s eyes glowed with admiration. “We shopped the antique store where I’d sold Grandpa’s more pricey pieces. Not only did we get most of those back, but Shelby found several other items. They could have been made for the house.”

  Jake’s gaze narrowed. “It’s too expensive to decorate the house with antiques.”

  “I agree, but Shelby explained our customers would be paying good money to experience the antebellum era, so we need as much furniture from the time period as possible.”

  “Okay, but keep her within budget.”

  Charlotte blinked. “Me?”

  “Yes — you,” he said, determined to make his point. “Shelby knows antiques, but she’s been known to get carried away with credit cards. It’s my card you’ve got, so try to steer her toward reproductions when you can.”

  “Guess I have to be the level-headed one.”

  “Exactly,” he replied, as their food arrived. “It’s one of the things I like about you.”

  “One of the things?”

  Jake chose to ignore her question. A noisy restaurant wasn’t where he intended to list her attributes. But, on the other hand, this table and the cemetery were probably the only places in town they could be alone and not be talked about.

  Ice clinked while she stirred the lemon wedge in her sweet tea. He found himself relaxing inside. A quiet meal without the kids was just what they needed.

  Charlotte sipped the drink, blotting her lips with the linen napkin after setting the glass on the matching tablecloth. “Did I remember to thank you?”

  His eyebrows winged upward. “Thank me… for what?”

  “Everything.” She leaned forward to be heard above the noise. “When we first met, I had no idea what would become of me and my girls. I guess you could say, we were as lost as the foster kids Mitch and I cared for, but now I’ve got business partners.”

  “To add to your other jobs?”

  Charlotte’s fork stopped in midair. “You’re right. I guess it’s three jobs now.”

  “Why don’t you give up one of them?”

  The silky hair danced around her shoulders. “Just because I’ve paid off the judge doesn’t mean I can give up the jobs. I’ve checked on health insurance, but it’s so expensive. And since we’re getting the house ready to open, there’s even more work to do.”

  Having finished his meal, Jake slid his plate aside and reached into his jacket. The little black box had been burning a hole in his pocket since he’d put it there shortly after lunch.

  Her eyes flew to the box. “What have you got?”

  “Well, it’s not a refrigerator.”

  She slid the glass to the side. “I believe you.”

  “I was hoping you’d consider giving up Milner’s for a package deal. It consists of some guys who love you.” Jake couldn’t remember the last time he’d been so nervous. He cleared his throat, trying to regain his confidence. “Before you say anything, I’m not much with words, but I care for you, and even if we haven’t known each other long, I know we belong together. You’re the an
swer to my prayers.”

  ****

  Charlotte’s heart soared at his soft spoken words. She knew the boys loved her. It was the fourth guy she’d never been sure of. Her gaze focused on the blue eyes in his handsome face, trying to ignore the tiny box until light reflected off the solitaire diamond resting in soft, royal blue velvet — the same royal blue as his eyes.

  Her brain froze.

  “But Jake…”

  He shook his head. “Look, I know I’ll never have the patience to care for foster kids the way Mitch did — my boys drive me up the wall sometimes, but I love your girls like they’re mine.”

  “Are you sure?” She couldn’t take her eyes off the rock, fascinated by its size and clarity. “I know we agree Jesus Christ is our Lord and Savior. We even have similar ideas on raising our kids, but… don’t you think there’s other things we need to talk about?”

  “Like what?” He replaced the ring on its velvet bed, but Charlotte grabbed his hand before he could put the box away.

  “Umm, like who wears the pants?”

  His eyebrows shot up. “It’s a no-brainer. I wear the pants. You look much better in a dress than I do. Not saying I’ve ever worn a dress but… you know — hairy legs.”

  “Idiot!” She laughed. Their fingers intertwined in the same comforting manner their lives had become. “I’m serious. You want me to give up Milner’s. What about the shop?”

  “Well, you can give it up, too. It’s not like you‘ll have to work.”

  “So I’m supposed to toss my plans of owning salons out the window? I’ve wanted to make girls feel beautiful since I was eleven years old. If they strike gas or oil on my land, I’ll be able to.”

  “It’s a mighty big if,” he said, releasing her hand.

  Charlotte swallowed tightly, feeling as if she’d been scolded. She’d bet money no one had ever told him to abandon his dreams. “I’m not giving up the shop. And I’m not about to give up my dreams.”

  “I don’t see why you have to be so pig-headed.” He crossed his arms, a righteous resolve etched in his expression. “Let’s say I understand your point, and I think you should open a business — someday. It’s just… a husband, five kids, and a new business is a lot to handle.”