His Honor, Her Family

by Tara Randel

“I’m not sure. Nathan’s not answering his phone.”

  “Maybe he’s busy.”

  She let out a shaky breath. “Let me know if he contacts you.”

  His eyes went tight at the corners. “Count on it.”

  Once Deke left, she was about to call her brother again when the office phone rang. “Put Your Feet Up.”

  “Grace. It’s Colin. We have a problem.”

  Her stomach sank. “What kind of problem?”

  “Your brother got a phone call, then got in the van and took off.”

  She ran a trembling hand over her brow. “How long ago?”

  “About an hour. The zip-line tour is almost over.”

  “Any way I can borrow your van to get the clients back here to their cars?”

  “Sure.” He paused. “Everything okay?”

  She would be so glad when there was no need for anyone to ask her that question. With a firm tone, she said, “I’ll be right over.”

  But as soon as she hung up, she swallowed a hysterical sob. Where were her siblings? How had things gone from good to bad in a matter of an hour? She left the office, afraid that her life was coming unraveled.

  * * *

  DEKE KEPT AN eye out, waiting for Grace to come home. She’d been rattled when he returned from the lake, asking again if he knew where Nathan was. Beside herself, she’d paced the office, wondering out loud what had made her brother leave clients behind at Deep North Adventures. Fifteen minutes later, Nathan strolled in through the back door, humming under his breath, like he hadn’t a care in the world. After demanding an explanation, Nathan told her he’d gotten an important call he couldn’t ignore. Said he left a message with Colin asking him to return the clients to their cars.

  Grace confirmed his story with Colin, who explained that his employee at the front desk hadn’t given him the message until much later. But instead of looking relieved, Grace had let out a harsh breath and disappeared into the restroom. Deke hung around, his concern for her growing. A frazzled look he didn’t recognize, along with her shoulders slumped in what could only be defeat, told him she wasn’t holding up well. When she finally emerged, her eyes were red, her mascara streaked. She grabbed her purse, told Nathan to lock up and stomped off.

  Nathan looked at him and shrugged. “Chicks.”

  “Don’t disrespect your sister.”

  Nathan’s eyes had gone wide at his clipped tone. Deke knew something weighed heavily on Grace and he wanted to discover what it was. He was prepared for her rebuff, but he’d acquired just the thing he hoped would loosen her tongue.

  Now, the sun had nearly dipped into the horizon when he heard the crush of gravel under tires. Peering out his window, he saw Grace’s car. He swallowed his relief. His heart became a little lighter. She was home.

  Grace emerged from the car, but abruptly stopped on the path and turned toward the firepit. Good, just what he’d had in mind.

  He grabbed his bag of supplies and strode outside. The temperature had dropped, perfect for a pleasant evening. Insects buzzed around him as he crunched over the dirt path to the firepit. The shadows were long and filmy. A soft breeze darted through the pines as he drew close to find Grace seated in an Adirondack chair, head back, eyes closed, feet bare and resting on the edge of the brick wall of the firepit, shoes tossed haphazardly nearby.

  “Tough day?” he asked, sinking into the chair beside her.

  “Tough is a piece of cake compared to everything going on.” She expelled a long sigh, but her eyes remained closed.

  “Did you eat dinner?”

  She nodded. “At Mama’s.”

  The sudden whir of an engine, probably a boat on the lake, cut through the night. He could just make out the water through the trees as the sun set faster now.

  “How about I make a fire?”

  She moved her feet. “Have at it.”

  He rose to grab a few pieces of cut wood from the stack and in minutes had a small flame started. Bits of ash floated upward as the wood caught fire. Time to bring out the big guns.

  “Since you already had dinner, how about we share dessert?”

  One eye slit open. “What did you have in mind?”

  He dug into the bag to produce a box of graham crackers, chocolate and a bag of marshmallows. “S’mores.”

  She flung her arm toward him, fingers wiggling. “Skip the crackers and fluff. Hand over the chocolate and no one gets hurt.”

  He chuckled. “Now I know it was a bad day.”

  When he handed her the bar, she sat up, unwrapped the treat and took a dainty bite. She closed her eyes and chewed. They sat in silence as she devoured the chocolate. Judging by the heavenly look on her face, she savored every second.

  “This almost makes up for a truly horrible day,” she said as she licked the smeared remainders from her fingers.

  “Care to share?”

  “I knew when you offered chocolate it came with a price.”

  He frowned. “I only meant to make you happy. Take away some of the stress dogging you.”

  She gave him a thumbs-up. “So far so good.”

  “Your day?” he reminded her.

  Tucking her feet under her, she rested an elbow on the wide arm of the chair and dropped her chin in her palm. “Took Mama to the doctor, Faith ran off and, as you know, Nathan left clients stranded at the zip line.” She shrugged. “All in a day’s work.”

  “Faith did what?”

  “Took off and left her kids at Mama’s.”

  He glanced over his shoulder at the dark cabin. “Explains why it’s so quiet at your place.”

  “One minute Faith announces she thinks she should file for divorce, the next she takes off with the husband she says she isn’t happy with.”

  Deke didn’t even know how to reply to that piece of news. “And your mother?”

  “The doctor took blood for tests. Hopefully we’ll find out something soon.” She stared at the fire. As the dusk settled around them, Grace’s face became pensive. “And I’m pretty sure I’ll be moving back to my mother’s house.”

  This statement surprised Deke the most. “What? Why?”

  “Faith offered before she took off. Until we get answers from the doctor, Mama shouldn’t be alone.”

  “Who is with her now?”

  “Nathan and her friend Donna, who’s been helping her out with the grandkids Faith dropped off before hightailing it. And get this, after hearing Mama had been to the doctor, Lissy Ann and her committee stopped by with dinner.” She finally looked in his direction. “Uncle Nathan offered to play with the kids. I guess it’s his way of saying sorry.”

  “His hanging around doesn’t seem to make up for what he did today.”

  She scowled. “What is wrong with my family?”

  “I’d say normal operating procedure, but I have to admit, they do manage to surprise.”

  Tilting her head up, she stared into the night. In a quiet voice she said, “I’m never going back to Atlanta and my career, am I?”

  The way things were going, it didn’t look like that would happen anytime soon, but he said, “You can’t give up hope.”

  She turned toward him. “Hope? Really? I thought for one glorious moment that my family was finally under control, only to have them revert to form.” She ran her palms over her eyes. “I either need to give up my career at the law firm to run the family business, or talk my mother into selling. After today, I don’t know if I can trust Faith and Nathan to keep the business above water.”

  Deke leaned forward, resting his elbows on his knees, fingers spread out toward the flames. “Maybe you should walk away.”

  Her eyes went wide. “Are you crazy? Who will take care of them all?”

  “I don’t get it, Grace. You say you want your own life but you aren’t willing to leave your family to do so.
If you want your career so badly, go for it.”

  “Really? This coming from the guy who walked away from his own career? Are you going back or will you continue to hide from your emotions?”

  He blinked as the breeze blew smoke toward his face. Good question. So far everything he’d done—accepting his role to research a lead about his mother’s boyfriend, which he was doing a supremely bad job of; taking on work that was more settling to his mind and soul and less about his cover; and falling for a woman who was more determined to take care of the world than live her own life—was all a big excuse not to face the truth. He’d messed up. A friend died. He’d live with the guilt, but hoped he was finally honest enough to admit he couldn’t carry the burden alone. He wanted to share life’s ups and downs. With a partner. Grace.

  “I’m sorry, Deke.”

  “No, you’re right. I’m in no place to judge. But I also know something’s got to give.”

  “I know you think I’m wrong by not letting my siblings stand on their own feet. Reap the consequences of their actions, good or bad.”

  “Not like I’m any less wrong about trying to find out about my mother’s boyfriend behind her back.” He took the stick by his feet and poked at the smoldering logs to get the flame burning brighter. “I suppose loving our families isn’t a bad excuse for our behavior.”

  When she held out her hand again, he reached into the bag and handed her another bar of chocolate. They sat in silence, listening to the fire crackle. Another white plume wafted his way, cloaking him in smoke.

  Grace groaned. “Tomorrow morning, I’m going to be sorry for eating that second bar.”

  “I’d say you earned it.”

  Tossing the wrapper into the fire, she angled her body toward him. “So what now? What do we do?”

  “One step in front of the other has worked well for me so far.”

  She shook her head. “I’m too impatient.”

  “You can’t make things change just by sheer force of will, Grace.”

  “Okay, then I should set down ground rules. If they aren’t followed, there are consequences.”

  “Which means you have to stand by those decisions. Can you honestly do that?”

  Her face turned glum. “Probably not.”

  He held out his hand. She glanced at it, then up at him.

  “Let’s make a pact.”

  “Will it include chanting vows and a blood sacrifice?”

  He gaped at her.

  She shrugged. “Sorry. My mood is dark.”

  “You think?”

  With the barest hint of a grin, she laid her hand in his. He savored the soft touch, the connection to the woman who had grown important to him over a short period of time. “I’ll admit I can’t do this alone, if you agree, as well.”

  She pressed her lips together.

  “Asking for help doesn’t make us weak, Grace. In fact, it takes much more courage. It’s easy to be an island, much harder to open our hearts and admit we can’t control everything, no matter how much we convince ourselves otherwise. We aren’t in this life alone.”

  He lifted her hand to his lips to place a kiss. In the firelight she appeared so vulnerable, so sad and unsure of herself. If he hadn’t thought he was in love with her before, he knew for certain now.

  “I don’t know if I can,” she whispered.

  “Maybe it’s because you don’t want to.”

  “Just like you can’t let go of the guilt over your friend’s death?”

  The tension in his chest tightened. He wanted to let go. He did. Found himself failing every time he tried.

  Grace stared at him a long moment. Her voice cracked when she asked, “Do you want to?”

  He ran his palm across his chest.

  “You loved her.” A statement, not a question.

  “I thought so. Years ago.” He reached across the space between them to place his knuckle under her chin and turn her head his way. “Everything changed when I met you.”

  Their gazes caught and held. He wasn’t sure she believed him, but before he had a chance to assure her that the feelings he’d once had for Britt were eclipsed by what he felt for her, she unfolded her legs and stood. “I need to get home.”

  “Grace, I wasn’t finished.”

  She held up a hand. “I don’t want to know the rest.” She gathered her shoes and purse. He reached out to stop her, surprised by the anguish in her eyes. “Grace, what is it?”

  “I can’t compete with a ghost, Deke.”

  “Ghost? No, Grace, you’ve got it all wrong.”

  “Really? Because sometimes you get a look in your eyes, like you miss her.”

  “I do. She was my friend and I’ll always grieve the way she died. But you? I can’t imagine not talking to you every day, watching that look of happiness when you sip your first soda of the morning. The way your hair shines in the sun or how you get a determined look in your eyes when you singlehandedly take care of a problem. You dressed up like a pioneer to keep your mother’s vision for the historical tour alive, for Pete’s sake. I want us to share everything life has to offer, Grace. More than I’ve wanted anything in my life.”

  “My life is messy and uncertain right now. I want there to be an us... I do, but until I figure out how to balance every aspect of my life, I don’t think I can do this.”

  She tugged her arm free, slipped on her shoes and hurried across the drive to her cabin. A fierce longing welled up in Deke. He’d been trying to help. Make her see she didn’t have to carry her burden alone. How on earth had his gesture turned so spectacularly wrong? In trying to make her see she didn’t have to take care of everyone alone, he’d managed to raise the hurdles of a relationship between them even higher.

  He watched the last glowing embers of the fire fade and burn out, wondering if Grace would ever realize no one had complete control of their lives, no matter how much they willed it to be true.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  STILL STRUGGLING WITH the turn of events the night before, Deke rose early after barely sleeping and went for a run to clear his head. The pounding of his feet against the hard earth, the whistle of the wind as he weaved in and out of the trees, did little to alleviate his troubled thoughts. Since he couldn’t seem to get a single thing right with Grace in the romance department, he might as well do what his family asked and gain more intel on Serena. At least his brothers’ request was clear and to the point, unlike his fuzzy and confusing relationship with Grace.

  After a bracing shower, he grabbed a protein bar and locked the door to the cabin. First, a visit to Serena Stanhope. Then he’d stop by the office, hoping Grace would be alone and they could finish last night’s conversation. He’d jogged the short path to his Jeep when his cell rang. Pulling the device from his pocket, he recognized the number and accepted the call.

  “Hey, Dylan. Sorry I haven’t checked in sooner. I was going to call you later this morning.”

  “No need. I have some news.”

  “Good or bad?” Deke asked, slipping on his sunglasses.

  “Both.”

  He continued walking to the Jeep as he talked, his boots crunching over dry ground. “Okay, lay it on me.”

  “In the pictures you sent me, I recognized Tate with Serena. I had my friend Max extend the search on him.”

  “He found something?”

  “The picture opened an avenue. Turns out Tate is an alias. His real name is James Stanhope.”

  Deke swung himself up behind the wheel. “Stanhope? Like Serena?”

  “His daughter.”

  In his wildest imagination, Deke hadn’t expected this revelation. “Unbelievable.”

  “He did a good job covering his tracks, but my guy is better.”

  “Let me guess. His one weakness was being unable to cut ties with his daughter.”

&nb
sp; “Partially. There were other ways Max dug up the truth, but the bottom line is we have conformation.”

  “So what’s the deal with the guy?” Deke asked, resting his free hand on top of the steering wheel. “Why the secrecy?”

  “He’s a con man.”

  Deke leaned back in the seat. “Did you say con man?”

  “Yep, you heard me right.”

  Unsure he wanted to hear the answer, he asked anyway. “And you told Mom?”

  A pause. “Not exactly.”

  “What, then?”

  On the other end, Deke heard Dylan’s frustrated sigh. “She refuses to talk about what she may or may not know. James’s past is off-limits and she’s sticking with her position. So much so she’s refusing calls from Derrick and Dante and won’t speak to me when I stop by to visit her.”

  Deke pictured the scenario in his mind. Dylan asking questions, dogging their mother’s every step while she remained mum. Honestly, that was Jasmine Matthews to the core. Independent to a fault. She always trusted her instincts. Even if it meant keeping her sons at arm’s length. “When Mom digs her heels in she’s unshakable.”

  “Which is why we need a different tactic.”

  Mulling that over, Deke said, “My cover isn’t blown, per se, but if Serena’s father has given her a heads-up, there’s no way she’ll talk to me now.”

  “Just what I was afraid of.”

  “What about going back to my PI buddy, Logan. He’s from around here and owes me a favor. I’ll call in my marker. Maybe he can get further than I can at this point.”

  “Sounds like a plan.”

  Deke felt better knowing they could put an alternative idea in motion. “I’ll call him when we hang up.”

  “I’ll let the others know.”

  Deke’s mind then took him in a different direction. One he didn’t want to face. Their mother might be mixed up with a con man. Bad. Even worse? She might already know the truth and have decided to keep seeing him anyway. Jasmine could be stubborn, especially if she felt her sons were pressuring her. Or maybe Tate, er, Stanhope, had bamboozled her with his lies?

  It was time to head south and insert himself in the situation.