Poison Me

by Checketts, Cami

  Jake’s eyes darkened. “That’s such a lame excuse. My parents are selfish for their own reasons. My dad can’t place the blame of neglecting his own children on you or Grandpa Don. He should be able to take responsibility for his own actions.”

  “There’s a balance, Jake.” Ruby reached out and took his hand again. He clung to her fingers. “You and I take too much responsibility. Look how you take care of me and Brinley. You need to give yourself a break, learn to forgive yourself, and then maybe you can forgive your mom and dad.”

  Jake didn’t say anything, but his cheeks sucked in like he’d just eaten a lemon.

  Ruby sighed. “Look at me giving advice I can’t take. I can’t forgive Don.”

  “It’s still hard for me to believe things were that bad between the two of you. That was ugly in there.” He pointed toward the towering pink-brick building, barely visible above the treetops. “Why did he call you a whore?”

  Ruby shook her head. “Just an insult.”

  “Is he jealous of Michael?”

  She shrugged. “Maybe.”

  “But you married Grandpa right out of high school. You chose him. Weren’t you pregnant with his baby?”

  Ruby’s face went so hot she thought it must be purple. She released his hand and pressed her palms together, praying for guidance. Should she lie to her grandson again? Was it time to face the truth that she’d been blackmailed with by her husband?

  Jake stood. “You ran to Grandpa, but loved someone else.” His eyes widened. “Ellie just told you to tell me who my grandfather really is.” He pressed his knuckles against his mouth, taking slow breaths. “Grandpa Don wasn’t the father of your baby. He’s not really my grandfather, is he?”

  Ruby closed her eyes. Would this revelation drive a wedge between them that would never heal?

  “Who was the father of your baby? My dad’s father. Who’s my real grandfather?” Jake demanded.

  She lumbered to her feet and touched his arm. “Jake, I wish I hadn’t made the mistakes I did.”

  He didn’t yield. “Who’s my grandpa?”

  “I am.” Michael appeared by her side.

  Ruby’s face turned pale and she started to collapse, but Michael caught her. Pulling her close, he gave her one of his irresistible grins looking at Jake again. “I’ve loved your Grandma my whole life, son.”

  Jake studied Michael with his arm around Ruby and shook his head. “It’s all making sense now.”

  Ruby grabbed his hand, searching his eyes. “Are you upset, sweetheart?”

  Jake didn’t answer for several agonizing seconds. Ruby’s stomach churned, and Michael’s grip on her shoulder tightened. She prayed for strength and for Jake.

  “No.” He tossed his head. “I’m not mad, it’s just a lot to take in.” He stared at Michael. “You’re my grandfather.”

  “Yes.”

  Jake’s jaw tightened. “You deserted her?”

  “No. I never would’ve willingly let her go.” Michael swallowed. “I made her angry, and it’s taken fifty years for her to forgive me.”

  Ruby snuggled into Michael. If only she could redo those fifty years.

  Jake smiled. “I’ve made her mad a lot, but never that mad.”

  “It was all my fault, Jake. Don’t think less of your grandma. She’s an amazing woman.”

  Grateful for Michael’s words and praying for Jake’s heart to soften, Ruby waited in anguish.

  Finally, he nodded. “I know. She is amazing.”

  Ruby let herself breathe again. “Jake, I’m sorry for all the secrets.”

  He focused on her face. “I have so many questions, but…”

  She studied him. “You need some time.”

  Jake pushed out a laugh. “You could say that.” He kicked a clod on the dirt path, sending it skittering into the undergrowth. “I’ll come see you tomorrow.”

  Ruby broke away from Michael and hugged Jake. “I’ll be praying for you,” she whispered.

  “You always are.” He returned the embrace, clinging to her for a few seconds. Then he took the hand Michael offered. No words were exchanged, but the men must’ve reached some kind of understanding. Jake retrieved his hand with a nod and strode away.

  Ruby turned to Michael, and he took her in his arms. She leaned into him, exhausted and exhilarated. “Michael, I’m sorry,” she mumbled against his chest.

  He drew back enough to tilt her chin up and gaze into her eyes. “Don’t be. You never lied to me about anything. In fact, until last week you hadn’t spoken civilly to me in fifty years.”

  She smiled. “But I disappointed so many people.”

  “The only ones I’m worried about are Jake and Brinley. But you did make Ellie angry. She told me to say that if you can’t trust your best friend with a ripe whopper like that you should be bush-whipped.”

  Ruby sighed. “I’ll have to talk to her.”

  Michael tilted her chin up again and brushed his lips across hers. “In a minute.”

  She stared into his eyes, the anguish of moments before seeming very far away. “Oh, Michael, thank you for being here. For saying what you did to Jake.” Her face flushed. “We have so much we need to talk about.”

  “Yeah, like how we’re going to get your divorce papers filed and have Don arrested.”

  Shivering, Ruby leaned into Michael’s warmth. “What will they do to him?”

  “I don’t care as long as he’s locked up and you don’t have to see him again.” Michael kissed her. “Can you tell me one thing?” He gritted his teeth and asked, “Why did you ever marry Don? How could you do that to us?”

  She sighed. “I was an idiot.”

  “No.”

  “Yes, I was.” She nodded and closed her eyes for a second. “I was mad at you and wanted to do something to hurt you. I saw Don at Polar Bear a few nights after you said you didn’t want our baby.”

  Michael winced but didn’t relinquish his grip on her. “I was young and dumb, Ruby. What I wouldn’t do to erase those words. All I ever wanted was you.”

  She smiled. “I wish I would’ve known. I wouldn’t have acted so immature.”

  “Please don’t blame yourself.” He waited before softly asking, “So what happened at Polar Bear?”

  “Don bought me a shake and took me on a drive,” Ruby said. “The story spilled. He promised to take care of me and the baby. He promised I’d learn to love him.” She paused and studied Michael. “I never did. You were all I ever wanted.”

  “But why didn’t you leave him?”

  “He threatened to tell David and the whole town that I was a whore. I was so stupid and immature. I should’ve told him to do it. But you never came after me…”

  Michael swallowed. “You were married. I thought you didn’t love me.”

  She fought back the tears. “I wasted our lives over a misunderstanding.” She sighed. “When David turned four, he already looked so much like you.” She smiled. “Even his expressions reminded me of you. Don must’ve noticed because he started being snippety with David. One day, I decided I’d had enough and that I would just deal with the gossip and the fear of you rejecting me.” She sucked in her breath. “It was the day your wedding announcement appeared in the paper. You and Jezebel grinning and in love. You looked so happy.” Ruby hung her head. “I decided I had no right to ruin your life and David’s.”

  “Oh, Ruby. If only you could’ve known how I yearned for you. I only married Jezebel…”

  “Why? Why did you marry her? Not that I expected you to sit around waiting for me.”

  Michael took Ruby’s face in his hands. “I would’ve waited for you. I just got so lonely.” His shoulders bowed. He released her and glanced at the maple tree overshadowing them. “I was so bitter after you married Don. I was a jerk to everybody. Jezebel liked me being a jerk. I’d been married for five years and had three kids before I realized I didn’t enjoy being a jerk and I didn’t want to be married to an ornery witch.” He shrugged. “But I had to raise my
kids. Then, when she got Alzheimers…” Michael stared at Ruby. “I had to stay with her, but I always thought about you. I dreamed about you. I never stopped being in love with you.”

  She brushed away her tears and smiled at him. “I tried to convince myself that I hated you, but you were the only man I ever wanted.”

  Michael caressed her cheek. “Beautiful Ruby. Can you forgive me? Can we start over like we’re eighteen again?”

  “We don’t need to start over—let’s just pick up where we left off.”

  “Before or after we created David?”

  “Very funny.” She let him kiss her, enjoying each touch. “Let’s not pretend we’re eighteen again. I’ve aged a bit.”

  Michael held her away from him, his eyes sweeping over her frame. “You still look like you’re eighteen.”

  She lowered her head and glanced at him from beneath her lashes. “No, I don’t.”

  He moved closer, tilting her chin up. “Yes, you do. Your skin is still firm and tan.”

  She looked into his eyes. Her breath came in short puffs. “Good dermatologist, fake tanning lotion.”

  His mouth twitched. He ran his finger along her lower lip. “Your teeth are still straight and white.”

  Ruby’s lip tingled where his finger had touched. “Good dentist, fake teeth whitener.”

  Michael brushed his lips across hers. She caught her breath. He traced a hand down her arm, then dropped his fingers to her waist and let them linger there.

  “Your body is still as firm as it was in high school.”

  Ruby bit her lip, knowing she shouldn’t say it. “Good plastic surgeon, fake…”

  Michael jerked backward. “No.”

  She grinned. “You’ll never know.”

  He grabbed her and kissed her hard. “Oh, yes, I will.”

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  Toni removed the foils from Chanel’s hair. “I think you’re going to love the red I added to your gold.”

  Chanel forced a smile, not really caring. Nothing she did to her hair would fuse the canyon between her and Jake.

  Voices drifted from the booth around the corner. Chanel couldn’t see the women, but it was impossible not to hear them.

  “Just your usual?”

  “Blonde, blonde, and more blonde.”

  A pause. “So, are you dating anyone new?”

  “No one in Preston worthy of me.”

  “What about Jake Merrill?”

  Chanel really listened now. She knew the list of women interested in Jake was long, but hearing these ladies talk sent shivers of jealousy through her.

  “Ah, Jake. He acts interested, and he’d definitely be worth sticking around for.”

  “You go for it, girl. Pretty as you are, I can’t imagine any man turning you down.”

  “Chanel?” Her own hairdresser’s voice yanked Chanel from eavesdropping. “Are you okay? You look really pale.”

  Chanel glanced at her reflection in the mirror. “I’m sure it’s just my hair being wet. I can’t wait to see how it turns out.”

  Toni babbled on about hair-care products as Chanel listened to the women in the booth again. They discussed Jake’s face, his body, and his personality, making her ache that much more for what she’d lost.

  ***

  Jake’s shoes tapped an uneven staccato down the hallway of the Preston hospital for the second time that day. He shouldn’t bother Brinley again. When he stopped by this morning to visit her and do a check-up on baby Michael, she’d been awash with the glow of new motherhood. Now he was going to ruin her happiness with this crazy news, but who else would understand what he was going through?

  The door was closed. He knocked and waited.

  “Who is it?” Brinley called out.

  “Your brother.”

  “Give me a second—I’m trying to get the little bug-a-boo to latch on,” she yelled through the door. “He won’t open his mouth wide enough to fit over the—oh, never mind.”

  Jake smiled. “Thanks for the visual, Brinley. You could’ve just told me to wait.”

  She laughed. “Okay, come on in.”

  “Are you sure it’s safe?”

  “I won’t give you a peep show.”

  He swung the door open. The baby’s upper body was covered by blankets, but Jake could hear a soft slurping. Michael’s bird legs and tiny feet poked out from the blanket. Brinley gently massaged his legs. She looked up, smiling like a kid showing off her stash of Halloween candy.

  “Aren’t those the prettiest toes you’ve ever seen?” she asked.

  “In my short time as a pediatrician I’ve only seen one set better.”

  Brinley gasped.

  “Trevor’s,” Jake said with a grin.

  “And that’s why you’re uncle of the year.”

  “Easy contest when you run unopposed.” He sank into the chair next to her bed. “How’s he nursing?”

  “Pretty good, except he keeps falling asleep.”

  “That’s the way it goes when they’re new.”

  “It takes me half an hour to feed him,” Brinley said, “but I don’t care.” She stroked one of the baby’s tiny legs. “So, you missed us so bad you had to come back?”

  “That’s right.”

  She smiled but looked unconvinced. “You okay?”

  Jake cleared his throat, looking away from her dark gaze. Here was his opening. “Um, Brinley, I just went to see Grandma Ruby at the Palace, and something crazy happened.”

  “She and Michael Trapper are getting married?”

  Jake stared at his sister. “Um, they haven’t announced that yet, but I’m sure it’s coming.”

  She smiled. “I like him. It’s great to see her happy.”

  “Grandma isn’t doing so great right now.”

  Brinley sat up straighter, the smile gone. “Why? What happened?”

  Jake had wanted to start slow, but the horrible truth just spilled out. “Grandpa Don showed up and called Grandma a whore, and then Michael grabbed him—”

  “Whoa, Jake, stop.” She shook her head. “You aren’t making sense. Grandpa Don died in the fire two years ago.”

  “We thought he died two years ago,” Jake said. “But it was all a lie. He’s alive. I saw him. I hugged him!”

  Brinley’s eyes were wide, her mouth open.

  “It’s true,” Jake insisted. “Grandpa Don is alive. He and Grandma hate each other. They faked his death and torched the house to cover the evidence. They probably knew the Preston police wouldn’t search too hard.”

  Jake searched his sister’s gaze. “Grandma’s been in love with Michael since high school. And get this one…” Jake paused.

  “It gets worse?” Brinley squeaked.

  “Oh, yeah.” He bobbed his head. “Worse, or maybe better depending on how you feel about Michael. Dad is really Michael’s son. Michael’s our grandfather.”

  Suddenly, Jake realized that Brinley hadn’t moved during his monologue. The baby cried out. Brinley just sat there holding onto the infant’s feet and gaping at her brother.

  The baby squawked louder. “Um, Brinley. I think the little guy needs you.”

  She still didn’t move. Jake stood and carefully took the baby. He turned his back, wrapped little Michael in a blanket, and lifted the baby onto his shoulder. Rocking back and forth, Jake gently patted the newborn’s back. “Could you cover up so I can face you?” he said.

  The sheets rustled. “You can look now,” Brinley said in a barely audible voice.

  He turned around. Her face had relaxed, but not by much.

  “What are you thinking?” Jake asked.

  She swallowed. “Grandma lied to us?”

  The baby burped, then started rooting on Jake’s shoulder. “Do you want to nurse him again?”

  Brinley waved. “You told me to supplement him after I nursed to push the jaundice through.”

  “Oh, sure. I can feed him a bottle.” Jake moved to the counter, grabbed a readymade bottle of formula, and
screwed on a nipple. He sank into the chair, shook the bottle, and offered it to the infant. Smiling into his nephew’s wide-eyed gaze, he wondered how to answer his sister’s question.

  Brinley shook her head, gripping the stiff blankets piled on her midsection. “You’re serious. Grandma started her house on fire—on purpose?”

  Jake nodded. “She told me it was the only way she could get rid of Grandpa. He took the insurance money and ran to Vegas.”

  Her eyebrows shot up. “Then he gambled away all that money?”

  Jake nodded.

  “Grandma let us believe she lost it in some real-estate scam.” Brinley exhaled. “Dad’s gonna crap. He’ll be so mad at Grandpa.”

  “Yeah. Their relationship can’t get much worse.”

  Brinley waved a hand. “We’ve known about their problems for years. Who cares if it gets worse?” Her brow wrinkled. “So, wait a minute. Michael Trapper is really our grandpa?”

  “Yes.”

  “And I just named my baby…”

  Jake gazed at the tiny bundle in his arms. “After his great-grandpa?” He nodded. “Yes.”

  Brinley put a hand to her mouth and laughed out loud. “Oh, I’ll bet Grandma and Michael were dying yesterday. That is hilarious. No wonder Ellie looked so smug.”

  Jake could only stare at his sister. “Aren’t you mad?”

  “At who?”

  “Grandma.”

  “I don’t know. I almost feel more disappointed than mad. Grandma’s never done anything wrong, you know?” Brinley picked at the edge of the blanket with her fingernails. “But I also feel sorry for her. Can you imagine living in misery with a guy you couldn’t stand? And the man you really loved, the father of your son, lived in the same town, married to someone else?” Brinley released the blanket and waved her hands with the gusto of a choir director.

  “But you couldn’t get away from the man you hated, who was blackmailing you,” she continued, “and the only way you ever escaped from him was to blow up your beautiful home and pretend your husband was dead? Can you imagine going through the funeral and faking the mourning?” Brinley arched an eyebrow, still gesturing with her hands. “And if that isn’t enough, your son had an awful childhood because your husband isn’t really his father and the jerk holds it against an innocent child, who did nothing wrong?” She shook her head, pursing her lips. “What a sad thing that our dad and our wonderful grandma went through all of that.”