by Dori Lavelle
“If you don't mind, I'd rather not talk about that. We're having a nice time. Let's not spoil it.”
“Come on, tell me. Maybe I can help in some way.”
“I appreciate that, but don't worry about it. I'll be fine. I am fine.”
“You should get someone to watch you… a bodyguard. We wouldn't want you to get hurt. I can arrange for one if you like.”
“Miles hired someone. He was supposed to show up this morning but he called in sick. So there's someone else coming tomorrow.” I was glad the bodyguard didn't come today. I wouldn't have wanted him to know I met with a private detective.
“That’s good.” Owen stood and pushed his hands into his pockets. “By the way, I needed something from Miles’s office… for the wedding. Do you know where the key is?”
“Sure, I'll go and get it for you.” Miles always kept his office locked, probably so our staff did not go in there. I knew where a key was, though I'd never felt the urge to go into his personal space.
“Thanks, Chloe.”
“I'll be right back.” I left the living room and went to the bedroom. I’d seen Miles put the key inside one of his leather watch boxes in his walk-in closet before we went to bed. I found it and took it to Owen, who was already waiting outside the office door. I waited outside for him to come out of the office, and when he did, his face was pale.
“Are you okay? You look unwell.” I touched his arm.
Owen pressed the folder he was carrying to his chest and gave me the key. “I'm fine. I've got to go.”
He left me standing there, utterly confused. What had he seen to upset him like that? I paced around in front of the office for a while and then went inside to see if I could find something. After five minutes of opening drawers and going through shelves, I found nothing out of the ordinary. I left, locking the door behind me.
Chapter Twenty-Three
Even though Dr. Monroe was often booked for months in advance, Miles had managed to get an appointment with him. He specialized in my mom’s type of brain cancer.
She flew into town yesterday evening. It had been just a few days since I'd seen her, and she looked different from the gaunt woman I had met when I got to Misty Cove. Though she was still weak, and I could see she was trying her best to hide her pain, her cheeks seemed to have filled out slightly, and there was a bit of color in them.
As we left the clinic and walked to my car, I couldn't help glancing over my shoulder. I did it often these days, even though I knew my new bodyguard was always close and watching. I was a mess inside, but I did my best to be present while spending time with my mom. I didn’t want to waste a moment we spent together. To relieve her of my worries, I told her the same lie I told Miles, that the cards had stopped coming. And I never mentioned the email I received.
I was all alone now—alone with my fears and my regrets, unable to share them with anyone but the detective.
“Thank you, sweetheart… for everything.”
“You have nothing to thank me for, Mom.”
“I do. I'm grateful that you came back home, that you found me. I never...” Her voice broke. “I would never have imagined that I’d see you again. I can’t believe you’re back in my life.”
“All water under the bridge.” I put on my sunglasses and started the car. “You're here now; we have now. Nothing else matters.”
My mom planted a kiss on my cheek. “You're right. Let's make the most of now.”
I also hadn't told her about our plans to elope. I hated to see the disappointment in her eyes when she discovered she would not be there when her only daughter exchanged vows with the man she loved. Even though there would be a celebration, the ceremony was what held the most weight, and only Miles and I would be a part of it. All she knew was that Miles and I would be flying out of town in the morning to attend a fundraising event.
I pushed my thoughts of guilt aside and drove to Noir, the restaurant where I had booked us a table for lunch. For the second time since arriving in Boca Raton, my mom was rendered speechless by luxury. It took her a while before she had the courage to touch the food on her plate. She kept repeating that it was a sin to eat something that looked like a work of art. Good thing she didn't know the cost. I wouldn’t have been surprised if she sent the food back.
But the pleasure on her face was priceless as she tasted her Creole shrimp and lobster bisque. Watching her warmed my heart and broke it all at once. Knowing I had given her even a moment of joy meant the world to me, but on the other hand, it hurt to think these little moments were all we had left together. I wouldn't be able to do this for her a few months from now.
Despite my fears of losing her so soon, I still held on to the hope that all the tests Dr. Monroe was running would reveal that something could be done. If they couldn't eliminate the cancer, maybe they would be able to add a few more months to her life. The results would be in by the time we returned from our quick wedding, so I could be by her side when she got the news. I hoped it wouldn't be just a confirmation of her death sentence.
I was making the most of our limited time. Mom planned to return to Misty Cove by the end of the day today. I had tried to convince her to spend another night and fly back in the morning, but she wouldn't have it.
“I don't want to be the kind of mom who overstays her welcome. You have a good man; I don't want to mess that up for you.”
When dessert arrived, I tried to change her mind again, but she refused to budge.
She dipped her spoon into her chocolate pudding. “We don't have to be living together to be close. Just being able to talk to you on the phone is amazing to me. You've already done enough, honey. For that I'll always be grateful.”
“Mom, you're really not intruding. I want to take care of you, and Miles is okay with it.”
“Don't you see it? You are taking care of me.”
“I wish I could do more.” My gaze drifted to a man at another table. Maybe it was just my imagination, but I thought he resembled the man I had seen at Coffee Star. My heart tumbled inside my chest, and sweat popped up on my forehead. I had to pull myself together. Mom couldn’t see the fear on my face. No way would I spoil the day for her. Luckily, she was too engrossed in her pudding to notice the panic on my face.
I tore my gaze away from the man, told myself it was nothing. He was just another guest. Just because he had the same dark hair and build didn't mean he was the same man from Coffee Star. This man was eating with his female companion and didn't even look at me as he conversed with her.
I glanced at my phone, in case I’d somehow missed a call from Lester. The wait was killing me. I constantly checked my email, but there was nothing useful from him yet. The only email I had received from him was from last night. He was flying to New Jersey to see if he could find out anything more about Stacy's death. He would get in touch as soon as he got back, but he wasn't sure when that would be.
“Guess what we’ll be doing after we leave here? I'm taking you shopping.”
“Why would you do that? I don't want you spending any more money on me. I'm sure the medical fees will be huge.”
“You don't have to worry about the money, Mom.” I leaned forward and whispered, “Miles and I have enough.”
“Keep what you have for your children or give it to charity. It will be wasted on me.”
“Just because they say you only have a couple of months doesn't mean you can’t be spoiled. I think you should live every day to the fullest. What do you have to lose? And maybe Dr. Monroe will be able to do something for you.”
“I'm afraid of getting my hopes up.”
“You know we have to buy something for the wedding. You are the mother of the bride. You can't say no to being spoiled.”
I studied my mom’s features. She had worn a bit of makeup, and she looked nice. But I wanted her to see herself the way she used to be in the past, even for a day. I would make sure she got the most beautiful dress for the after party, and my makeup artist was also on st
andby to do her makeup the day of. I hired a photographer just for her, and he would be doing a photo shoot before we left for the reception that morning. I wanted to freeze all the memories of her being happy and beautiful, before pain and death erased it all.
“Okay.” She smiled. “I guess it would be lovely to look nice for your wedding.”
“Not nice… stunning.”
After lunch we went to Caroline's Boutique, which sold designer evening gowns for women over fifty. It was fun watching my mom dress up and admire herself in the full-length mirrors. Even though she had not wanted to come shopping initially, she was glowing. I liked distracting her from her illness. She settled for a lavender chiffon evening gown that flowed to her ankles. It fit her to perfection. A bolero jacket, a matching handbag, and velvet pumps completed the look.
When we left the boutique, she kept glancing at the back seat, as though worried her dress would somehow disappear.
We arrived home just as the sun was setting, tailed by the bodyguard’s car. The shopping had taken longer than we anticipated. After the boutique, we had gone on to buy her some jewelry.
The chef and housekeeper had both left at Miles's instructions, and he was in the dining room, laying the table.
“You two had a long day. I hope you had a nice time.” He returned to the table to fold the cloth napkins.
“It was so wonderful, Miles. We also had lunch at Noir,” I told him.
Mom settled into one of the dining chairs with a sigh. She was exhausted from all the shopping. On the way home, I managed to convince her to stay the night. I’d already called Miles to tell him he didn't need to get the jet ready for her flight back to Misty Cove.
“What did Dr. Monroe say?”
“Not much. We’ll know more when the results come back.”
“Let’s hope for the best. For now, go ahead and freshen up. I've made dinner.”
“When did you get the time to cook?” Mom asked him. “Kelly... Chloe mentioned you had so many meetings today.”
“Yes,” I added. “I thought you'd have a lot to do before...” I caught myself before I gave away our secret. “Well, I mean, you've been so busy lately.”
“Work can wait. I wanted to treat you.” He turned to my mom. “Evelyn, I'm glad you’re spending the night.”
“Thank you, Miles.” Mom smiled up at him with open adoration. “My husband used to be a great cook.”
My heart clenched as her words brought to life memories of my father, the man who destroyed her, the man responsible for us losing so much time in each other's lives. He had enjoyed cooking, and he’d always helped Mom with the washing up afterward, kissing her in-between. How could a love like that just die? How could he have turned to another woman? He had given us so much and then taken it all away. I would never have imagined he was the kind of man who was capable of causing my mom, or any woman, such pain. But it seemed life was full of nasty surprises.
Dinner was pork chops, potatoes, salad, and vanilla cake. It was delicious as usual, and Mom wouldn't stop complimenting Miles on his cooking skills.
At the start of dinner, Miles kept nodding and smiling, acknowledging Mom’s compliments. And then, as I watched his face, he didn't seem to be present anymore. At first I thought maybe he was bored, but he kept glancing at his phone. Maybe he was stressed about work. After a while, in the middle of the dessert, he tossed his napkin on the table. He left the dining room without even excusing himself.
“Did I say something wrong?” Mom gave me a worried look. “Should I go and apologize?”
“You didn't say or do anything wrong, Mom. I think… it's just something to do with work. I’ll go make sure he’s okay.”
As I stood up, my mind raced. It wasn't polite of him to get up and leave the dinner he had cooked for us without saying a word.
We had to talk through whatever was bothering him. We were getting married tomorrow. I didn’t want him to be miserable on our wedding day.
I found him in our bedroom with his head in his hands. He looked up when I entered. His eyes were empty, giving nothing away.
“What happened back there? Are you okay? You left the table so suddenly. My mom thinks she said something to upset you.”
He rose from the bed and walked to the window. “I'm just stressed, that's all.”
“Stressed about work, or about us eloping?”
He turned around to face me. “It’s work. More issues with the merger.”
Despite his work problems, he had taken the time to cook dinner for us, and even pretended to be okay during the first half of it. “I'm so sorry to hear that.” I went to him and touched his shoulder, but he shrugged me off.
“Miles?” My voice trembled.
“I'm sorry.” He rolled his shoulders. “I didn't mean to do that. I have this massive headache.”
“It's okay. Take a painkiller and get some rest.” I lowered my voice. “Are you sure you still want to elope tomorrow? We can cancel, and you can take care of business.”
“No, I want to marry you. You are my priority. Everything else can wait.”
His words made me feel warm inside, but worry still clouded my mind. “Think about it tonight. If you change your mind, I’ll be okay with it.”
“That’s not going to happen.” He pulled me close. “I've been waiting a lifetime for you. I will never change my mind about marrying you. I don’t know how to postpone the happiest day of my life.”
Feeling somewhat better, I went back to finish dinner with Mom while Miles got ready for bed. I assured her he was just stressed about work and she had nothing to worry about. Afterward, we watched a movie together in the small in-house cinema Miles and I hardly used, and talked in hushed voices. We talked about the present, avoiding the past and the future. It was nice to enjoy each other's company, enjoying the moments as they came.
Chapter Twenty-Four
Miles was out of bed before me, at 5 a.m., and instructed Ed to drive Mom to the airport. When Miles returned to the bedroom, he was on the phone, and stayed on it for an hour. He wasn't the same man who had left the dining table last night. He was less stressed, and even looked excited and happy. It was infectious.
I didn’t get much sleep last night, wondering whether he would change his mind about eloping by morning. He didn't. He woke me up with a kiss and wished me a happy wedding day.
But at the back of my mind, I wondered whether his bad mood last night had something to do with Owen. They used to talk a lot on the phone, and he was constantly at our house. Miles hadn't even mentioned his name lately. And when I brought him up, Miles changed the subject.
What had Owen seen in Miles’s office that had caused him to storm out the way he had when he came over to see me?
No. All of that was forgotten for now. Today was our wedding day, and I refused to worry about anything. Please don’t let the stalker follow me to our wedding. It would terrify me to find cards at an undisclosed location. Since Miles offered to plan everything, I told him not to tell me, that I wanted to be surprised. In truth, I didn't want the stalker to catch on, in case he was listening to our conversations without our knowledge. After all, he had found out I was looking into Stacy's death and sent me that photo.
My hope was that by the time he figured out we had flown out of town, he would not be able to get hold of transportation to follow us, not fast enough. And he would not know where we were headed. It was easy for him to follow me by car, but he might not even have access to a private jet to chase us across the sky. Hopefully, for the next couple of days, I would be able to let go and enjoy myself, without the fear of being followed. Perhaps while I was away, I would hear from the detective and decide what my next course of action would be.
Before we left, I dressed in a beautiful Dolce & Gabbana black-and-white lace cocktail dress. The butterflies in my stomach, brought to life by the excitement of getting married to Miles, fluttered uncontrollably. But they fluttered around the knot in the pit of my stomach that I tried de
sperately to ignore. I knew it would not go away until I found out who was following me. I had to learn to live with it for now.
By 8a.m., Miles and I were ready to leave.
Miles called the housekeeper and chef and told them they didn't need to come to the house for the next two days, as we would be out of town. He did not specify where we were going, which was just perfect.
We took one of Miles’s less-used cars, a BMW convertible, and drove ahead with the bodyguard following us. He would accompany us until the airfield, and then he, too, would be dismissed until our return. I was so glad Miles had not mentioned the cards again since he’d hired the bodyguard, and I’d assured him I had not received any more. Not discussing it meant not lying to him yet again. But he did insist that the guard watch over me for a couple of weeks anyway. Once we got to wherever we were going, he said he would be hiring another guard on location, just to be on the safe side. I didn't object. I felt safer with the guard around, as I could not rely on myself for protection. It only got complicated when I had to do things Miles knew nothing about, like meeting Lester.
On the way to the airfield, where the jet was parked, Miles confided in me that he would be the one flying us. My eyes widened. I had no idea he even knew how to fly a plane.
“I'm full of surprises, my darling.” He wrapped an arm around my shoulders and I leaned into him, inhaling his intoxicating cologne.
“I guess you are. When did you learn to fly?”
“Soon after I left college. Owen and I took some courses together. Flying was one of them.”
“That sounds like fun.”
“It was. Flying is so liberating. I like the power it gives me.”
“I'm sure it is, though I don’t think it’s something I would want to do. I'd be too frightened.”
Ten minutes later, we arrived at the airfield, and Miles helped me into the aircraft. Although I had flown in it a couple of times, mostly on those days when he decided he wanted us to have dinner or lunch in another state, it still took my breath away. It had all the luxuries imaginable: polished wood, soft leather, glass cabinets, and a fully equipped fridge.