His Honor, Her Family

by Tara Randel

  “Nice save,” he said as the boat leveled out. He positioned his paddle to guide them to the ramp. Looking ahead to check the distance, he slowed. But Grace had risen again.

  “Not yet. We aren’t—”

  Too late, she tumbled over the side and into the water. Seconds later she surfaced, sputtering and holding the paddle over her head, just as Deke was ready to jump in after her.

  “Wh-what happened?”

  “You stood up.”

  “I was trying to get the paddle loose.”

  “Next time try to free it without standing up.”

  “Next time? Oh, no, there will be no next time.” She fluttered about in the water as the canoe drifted and finally banked on shallow ground.

  “Ew. Gross.” She shivered, making her way to shore. “It feels like my feet are wrapped up in old clothes.”

  “It’s only leaves,” he said as he stepped from the canoe, pulling it on shore and then wading into the water. Grace stumbled toward him. Meeting where the water was waist high, he held out his hand, ready to assist her to dry land. When her hand was secure in his, she yanked back with all her strength, pulled his PFD with her other hand and dragged him into the water with her.

  “What the—”

  Hilarious laughter greeted him as he lost his footing and ended up floundering beside her. Righting himself, he wrapped an arm around her and they floated deeper into the cool, inviting waters.

  “What was that for?” he asked.

  “For convincing me to get into the canoe in the first place. I told you. I’m not outdoorsy.”

  He tugged her closer. “Really? I think you protest too much.”

  As they treaded water, their legs tangled, but Deke made no move to back away. Their body heat mingled and before he realized what had happened, she’d slipped her arms around his neck and brought her face close to his.

  “My hero,” she whispered against his lips.

  “I don’t think it constitutes being a hero when you were wily enough to drag me into the water.”

  Her eyes grew serious. “Not this. Your job. What you do in order to protect others. That makes you a hero.”

  “I don’t—”

  She placed a finger over his lips to silence him, then leaned in and replaced it with her soft lips. His hands circled her waist, drawing her against his chest. She nearly took his breath away, not only with her words but how she kissed him as if he were the most important thing in her world. Because, if he were honest, he was beginning to feel like that about her.

  Grace broke away, her eyes shining as she smiled at him.

  “What do you say we change into some dry clothes,” he suggested, voice raspy with emotion.

  “I say lead the way.”

  Taking her hand, they trudged out of the water. After placing the canoe back in the enclosure, he said, “We still on for dinner?”

  “I’m not sure. Not after you dumped me in the water.”

  “You stood up.”

  Her eyes sparkled with amusement. “You should have warned me again.”

  “I tried but you were already pitching over the side. It was too late.”

  “And that’s supposed to make me feel better?”

  He chuckled as they began walking back to the cabins, water squishing in their shoes, clothes dripping lake water. “You promised dinner and there’s no getting out of it.”

  “You’re right. I offered.” She squeezed the moisture from her T-shirt. “Seven. I’ll meet you at the firepit.”

  At the cabins, they parted ways. He watched Grace, a smile hovering over his lips. His chest went tight, not from the usual pain he’d been living with, but something else entirely. Taking a moment to decipher the strange feeling overwhelming him, he realized he felt lighthearted. In his confiding in Grace, in her not judging him, instead speaking positive words, Grace had given him an unexpected gift. Hope. With a joyful hop in his step, he jogged to the cabin, fervently clutching this optimism close while at the same time choosing to ignore the inner voice taunting, How long can this last?

  CHAPTER TEN

  STEAMING COFFEE CUP in hand, Deke stood in front of Blue Ridge Cottage the next morning, mentally reviewing his strategy to fish information out of Serena Stanhope. He’d texted Dylan beforehand, mostly to let his brother know he hadn’t fallen down on the job. He’d been busy. First, with work, then, figuring out his mixed emotions about letting Grace deeper into his life. Their professional goals did not intersect, except maybe in the courtroom, which Deke didn’t want to consider.

  He still couldn’t believe he’d mentioned his last case to Grace. Yes, she’d gently pushed, but he didn’t have to respond. He’d grown adept at deflecting his feelings, but there was something about her that had grabbed hold of his heart and he didn’t want to walk away until he saw how this played out. Risky? Maybe. He’d never opened up to Britt as quickly when they’d first become friends, but for once in his life he was willing to put his emotions out there and see what happened. He might admit to being solitary, but he wanted Grace and all it entailed. And if the spark in their kisses was any indication, this attraction wasn’t totally one-sided.

  Back to the plan at hand. He took a sip, savored the dark blend, getting his game face in place. The day had dawned cool, great for running through the dense woods surrounding the cabin. He’d found a well-worn path that led to the lake the second day he’d arrived. His runs had become a daily ritual he enjoyed, especially in the quiet dawn when he shoved all of life’s concerns away. This morning, he’d watched the water lighten from a dark blue as sunlight painted the sky. After a childhood spent cooped up inside with allergies, being able to enjoy nature still filled him with gratitude and appreciation.

  Of course, the outdoors was the place where he’d kissed Grace, twice, so there was that.

  His phone rang, dragging him from his ruminations, and he checked the caller ID. Groaned when he saw it was Derrick. Taking a bracing breath—because this was Derrick—he answered the phone with trepidation.

  “What’s going on, bro?” How like his older brother to bypass the pleasantries and get right to the crux of the conversation.

  “Not much. Working.”

  “Good. Good.”

  Silence. His brother had a way of dragging things out of his siblings that was as impressive as it was annoying.

  “Any news on the investigation?”

  “As usual, your timing is perfect. I’m standing in front of the shop now.”

  Serena appeared inside to unlock the front door. She looked up, noticed Deke and waved.

  “With a plan?”

  “A loose one. I’ll steer the conversation and see what happens.”

  “Is she pretty?”

  Deke’s radar went up at Derrick’s deceptively casual tone. “The suspect?”

  “Your boss.”

  How? How did his brother pick up on these things? “Why would you ask me that question?”

  “Because instead of telling me about your investigation, the first thing you mentioned was the guide job.”

  “Hey, I needed a cover.”

  “Sure. And you also need a life. I get the feeling you’re finding one in Golden.”

  Deke ground his back teeth at Derrick’s smug analysis.

  “So...tell me about your boss.”

  Taking a sip to stall, he decided there was no point trying to run his brother off track. He’d just snoop on his own. This way Deke could control the narrative.

  “Her name is Grace and she’s an attorney.”

  “Interesting. Go on.”

  “She’s pretty. A go-getter. And a nurturer, even though she’d never admit it.”

  “Hmm. Quite a detailed description.”

  “You asked.”

  Deke heard the humor in his brother’s voice. �
��Indeed I did.”

  “Why do you do this?”

  “Because it’s fun.”

  Deke shook his head, fighting the smile hovering over his lips. “You’re the one who needs a life.”

  “I have one. A very good one, in fact.”

  Deke went in for the kill. “Except for the fact that you’ve never found Hannah.”

  Silence. Senior year, Derrick’s high school sweetheart had left town in the dead of the night with her family. Derrick had searched, but never found her. He acted like her sudden disappearance didn’t still bother him to this day, but Deke sensed otherwise.

  This time Derrick sounded annoyed. “Low.”

  “Turnabout.” Guilt swirled in Deke’s stomach. “Yeah. I’m sorry. I hate when anyone noses in my business.”

  “I realize that, but I also know this solitary thing isn’t good for you. Go out and enjoy your life.”

  “You know that’s not my thing.”

  “More like you’re afraid to try.”

  The deep nagging sense that his brother was right unnerved Deke. Grace had already managed to nudge him from his comfort zone.

  When he didn’t answer, Derrick piped up. “Keep us in the loop after you speak to Serena Stanhope today.”

  “You know I will.”

  “Look, I get that you’re happy alone, you don’t want to put yourself out there, blah, blah, blah. But Grace would be lucky to have you. That’s all I’m gonna say.”

  Deke chuckled. “That’s all? Why am I sure you’re lying?”

  “Later, bro.”

  Shaking his head, Deke returned his phone to his back pocket, took a bracing sip of the phenomenally good coffee that Myrna at Sit a Spell had whipped up for him—this alone could keep him in Golden forever—then squared his shoulders and went into cop mode.

  A bell tinkled overhead as he moved into the retail space. The soothing scent of lavender greeted him and once again he was impressed with the elegant yet inviting interior.

  “Be right with you,” came Serena’s voice from the back.

  Since most businesses along Main Street had just opened, tourists weren’t out and about yet, giving Deke the perfect chance to speak to Serena without interruption. As she walked from the back room, she slowed her pace upon seeing him, her blue eyes wide, her long, straight black hair swirling around her shoulders, but she quickly regrouped and pasted a wide smile on her face.

  “Deke. Nice to see you again.”

  He strolled toward her, pasting an equally pleasant smile on his face. “Same here. I have some free time this morning so I came here to ask for your help.”

  Her brow wrinkled. “Me?”

  “Yes. My mother’s birthday is coming up and I’d like to get her a present. She loves writing her friends, so I thought your shop was a perfect place to start.”

  What he imagined to be relief eased the tension from her face.

  “What did you have in mind?”

  Glancing around the store brimming with inventory, he said, “I’m not really sure.”

  She stepped from behind the counter and headed to a rustic hutch filled with colorful boxes and doodads. “I keep all the notepads, stationery and similar items on this side of the store.” She pointed at the far wall. “You can find a card over there.”

  “Okay. So what do you recommend?”

  “You said she likes to write to friends, so I would go with a nice stationery set.” She took a few packaged boxes from the hutch. “They’re all custom-made and have a special pen included. Here are just a few.”

  “Is it okay if I set my coffee cup here?” he asked, indicating an empty table nearby.

  “Sure. We use this area for specialty classes so it’ll be fine.”

  “What kind of classes?” he asked, as he accepted the boxes from her.

  “Calligraphy. Penmanship. Creating your own card designs, that sort of thing.”

  “Nice.”

  “I think so. Everyone is always so busy sending messages on their phones, it’s like we’ve lost the art of personalizing our correspondence.” She sighed. “Guess it’s my way of going back to a less hectic way of life.”

  “Looks like it’s worked.” He studied the boxes, one with a bird theme, the next, flowers and the third, an outline of the mountain landscape. “These are great. Where do you get your inspiration?”

  “Locally. I love it here in the mountains.”

  “It’s growing on me, too.”

  In the short time he’d been here, Golden had somehow gotten under his skin. Or was it the inhabitants of the town? Mainly, one Grace Harper.

  He spent the next ten minutes looking around before settling on a stationery set and card, the flower theme evoking images of the floral shop where his mother lived and breathed. He placed the items on the counter.

  “All set?” Serena asked as she looked up from a spreadsheet.

  “I am. Thanks for the suggestions.”

  “All part of the service.” She carefully wrapped the box in sparkly tissue and placed it in a navy blue bag with the store logo printed on an oval white sticker—the outline of the mountains around the sketch of a small cottage and the store name.

  Time to move ahead with the plan.

  Two women had just come in, chatting about a special order. Moving around the store as Serena finished bagging up his purchases, he made the motion of tripping, then tilted his coffee cup just enough that the liquid dribbled on his hand.

  “Great,” he uttered, making a big production of shaking his hand. Serena hurried over.

  “Are you okay?”

  “I spilled my coffee with my clumsy move. Do you have a restroom where I can clean up?”

  “Sure. In the back to the right.”

  “Thanks.” He glanced over to the women watching them. “Why don’t you help these ladies. We can finish my transaction when I come back.”

  “Of course.”

  While Serena went off to help her customers, Deke disappeared into the back room. He scanned the area, discovering a storeroom, small office and bathroom. He hurried to rinse off his hands and threw the cup away, quietly returning to the office.

  Small workspace, but neat. He quickly looked for any clue that would tie Serena to James Tate. Nothing obvious, not that he suspected this to be easy. He flipped through some papers, all store related. Time was running out as he heard the women finish up their order. His glance caught on a scattering of pictures pinned to a corkboard on the wall. On closer inspection, he found several of Serena with a group of people. A cottage nestled in the pines. A photo of her with an older man’s arm wrapped around her shoulders. Pulling his phone from his pocket, he snapped them all. He’d just reentered the main part of the store as Serena turned in his direction.

  “I was just coming back to check on you.”

  He held up his hands. “Nothing a little soap and water couldn’t fix.”

  “Let me finish your order.”

  While Serena added up the prices, Deke said, “I think my mother would love this place.” He handed Serena two twenties when she announced the final total.

  “Tell her to stop by.”

  “She lives in Florida, so unless she comes to visit, I’ll have to describe your shop to her.”

  He noticed her hands tremble just the slightest bit as she returned his change.

  “Florida. How nice.”

  “I was hoping to get her up here, but she just started dating a man, so the chances are probably slim. At least for a while. Maybe they’ll come for a visit together.”

  She tucked a strand of her dark, poker-straight hair behind an ear. “That would be nice for you.”

  “Do you have family around here?”

  Her eyes narrowed. “That’s rather personal.”

  “Just being friendly.” He tilted
his head and pulled up a concerned expression. “Sorry if I overstepped.”

  “No. I...ah.” She waved a hand in front of her. “Don’t mind me. And for the record, no family around here.”

  He pointed to the bag. “I thought maybe the sketch was a family home.”

  “More of a legacy.”

  He waited for an explanation but she didn’t elaborate. Figuring he’d gotten as much as he could for one day, he said, “I’ll be sure to bring both my mom and her friend here if they get up this way.”

  The chimes tingled as the door opened. A woman Serena’s age hurried inside. “Sorry I’m late.”

  Serena nodded to the woman and handed Deke the bag with his purchases. “Thanks for stopping in.”

  He took the bag and held it up. “I can guarantee I’ll be back.”

  With a smile, he turned to leave the store, hearing Serena say, “Heidi, good. I have some calls I need to make. Can you take over?”

  “Sure, boss.”

  Calls? To contact James Tate, maybe? If only he had a way of eavesdropping.

  Serena stepped out of view, and unless he wanted to appear suspicious, he had to be on his way. Out on the sidewalk, he took one last look into the store. The new arrival was busy behind the counter. So, no way to find out what Serena was up to.

  Taking a moment to send the pictures to Dylan, he left a text message. Check these out. Not much to go on, but a start. Plus, he’d planted some seeds of discomfort. Job done for today, he strode a few steps before glancing across the street. Stopped short when he noticed Grace standing in the window of Put Your Feet Up. When he met her gaze, she lifted her hand and pointed to her wrist as if to say, Look at the time. You need to be somewhere.

  The corners of his lips tipped up. Bossy. Nodding, he strode to the crosswalk and joined her in the office moments later.

  “I was just about to call you,” she said in greeting, standing by the desk. “The guests for the zip-line adventure are due here in fifteen minutes.”

  “I thought I was free until this afternoon.”

  “Faith didn’t send you the updated schedule?”