“He killed Grandpa.”
“I’m sorry, sweetheart. So very sorry.”
“I’ll never forgive him.”
AJ pressed his chin against her temple. “I think Sully’s the real villain here.”
Despite her horror, she glanced at the still body sprawled on the concrete floor. If she hadn’t returned, hadn’t reopened old wounds, he’d still be alive with his secrets and his regrets. A pathetic old man haunted by the past.
Tilting her head, she gazed into AJ’s soft brown eyes. “He did one good thing.”
“Richard?”
She nodded.
“What did he do?”
“He brought us together.” She swiped away a fresh onslaught of tears, then lightly kissed his upper jaw. “At least I can be thankful to him for that.”
“The sheriff and an ambulance are on their way,” Jason said. “Go back to the house. I’ll stay here.”
Shelby glanced at the lifeless body, then closed her eyes. Help me to forgive him, Father. Someday, help me to forgive him.
Wrapping her arm around AJ’s waist, she hobbled in her broken shoe to the door. The rain had decreased to a light drizzle, and a shaft of sunshine pierced a cloud. Perhaps it was only a coincidence. Or perhaps it was a heavenly sign that her prayers for peace had been answered.
AJ pushed shut the barn’s sliding door. Richard’s body had finally been removed, and the deputies had taken statements from AJ, Shelby, and Jason. Rain no longer fell from the sky, but thick clouds darkened the horizon. Another storm was headed their way as AJ and Jason sauntered from the barn to the house.
“Thanks again for coming over.”
“That’s what neighbors are for,” Jason said. “If Shelby wants the barn removed, you should have her call Nate Jeffers, the contractor. He’s involved with a nonprofit architectural salvage group that might be interested in the boards.”
“I’ll talk to her about it.”
“She’s not really planning to move overseas, is she?”
“I don’t think she’s made a decision yet.”
“Think you can convince her to stay?”
“I hope so.”
“I hope so too. Though you know, I’m the nearest thing she has to a brother,” Jason said dryly. “So if you do anything to hurt her, you’ll answer to me.”
“Guess I better be real careful then.” They reached the patio, and AJ opened the screen door.
Inside the kitchen, Shelby sat at the table, nursing a cup of cocoa. She’d changed into jeans and a dark green V-neck sweater that enhanced her lovely green eyes. Her chestnut hair, still damp from her shower, hung straight down her back. At the stove, Cassie stirred the homemade cocoa.
“Want a cup?” she asked as they entered.
“Love one.” Jason stood behind his wife and kissed her neck.
“Me too, please,” AJ said as he pulled a chair close to Shelby and curled a damp strand of hair around his finger. “How’re you doing?”
“Fine,” she said with a weary smile. “Thanks for being here. All of you. I’ve never had such good friends before.” Her smile brightened. “Except for Jason, of course, when we were kids.”
Jason wagged his thumbs at his chest. “Like her brother,” he bragged in a singsong voice.
“So you say,” AJ retorted.
“Did I miss something?” Shelby asked.
Before anyone could respond, Tabby rushed in from the hall, hands behind her back, and ran to AJ’s side. “Ta-da,” she said, holding out a Tangled DVD. “You promised.”
“So I did.” He set her on his knee and grinned at Shelby.
“You did promise,” she said.
“Tell you what, Tabby. How about if I run home and change into dry clothes. I’ll be back in less than an hour, and we can watch your movie.”
“That’s a good plan,” she said, then pointed her finger at him. “But don’t dawdle.”
“I won’t.” He matched her tone and gave her a tickle. She giggled, then ran out of the kitchen.
“Cassie, you’ll all stay, won’t you?” Shelby asked. “I’d really like you to.”
Cassie and Jason exchanged looks and agreed. “I could go pick up a couple of King Karl pizzas,” Jason volunteered as he pulled out his phone. “Figure out toppings.”
“I’ll let you figure it out.” AJ dug keys from his pocket as he rose. “I guess it’s okay to leave my dog here.”
“She’s in the other room with Elizabeth,” Shelby said.
“Where else would she be? See you soon.”
“Wait a sec.” Shelby spontaneously clasped his hand. “Would you, um, come out to the front porch with me? Just for a minute.”
“Sure.” He shot Jason a puzzled look. Jason shrugged and looked at Cassie, who also shrugged.
Shelby took a deep breath. “Come on.”
He followed her to the front porch. “What’s this all about?”
“This is where we first met. Remember?”
“How could I forget?”
“I was so angry with you. For no good reason.”
“After what we heard from Richard, I think you had a very good reason.”
“To be angry with Sully. Not you.”
“Shelby—”
She placed her fingers on his lips. “Please. Just let me do this.”
“Do what?”
“Meet you again. Like that first time.”
“You want to reenact when we met?”
She nodded enthusiastically and scurried down the steps. “I was standing about here when you came out the door. You walked toward me. I held out my hand. And you said . . .”
AJ approached her and took her hand. “I’m—”
“My hero.” She beamed, waiting expectantly.
“Is this where I’m supposed to tell you I’m not your contractor?”
She stepped closer and held his gaze. “You are my hero. And my knight in shining armor and the man of my dreams.” Her eyes filled with tears, and AJ’s heart ignited a fire in his chest. “I don’t want to go anywhere without you beside me.”
He cradled her face in his palm, his pulse racing as he inhaled the floral fragrance of her shampoo, the delicate notes of her perfume.
“You mean it?” He blinked, annoyed he couldn’t think of something more profound to say in this memorable moment. His eyes flickered to her alluring lips. Maybe words weren’t necessary.
He wrapped his arm around her slim waist, drawing her close as his mouth hovered over hers. Her eyes closed as their lips touched, the pressure increasing as passion enveloped them. His hand moved down the silky dampness of her hair as she slipped her arms around his neck, her fingers burning his nape. The intensity of the kiss lingered as their mouths barely separated.
“I love you, Shelby. Since that first day, I’ve loved you.”
“I love you too. With all my heart, I love you.”
He kissed her again, enchanted by the sweet taste of her lips against his.
Pulling away, she smiled impishly and stuck her finger in his cleft. “How do you shave in there?”
After the Owens family left and the girls were tucked in bed, Shelby wandered into the kitchen with her hands behind her back. AJ turned from loading the dishwasher to greet her.
“Ta-da,” she said, holding out a handful of Cary Grant DVDs. “Unless you need to get home.”
“I don’t have a curfew.”
“Choose one.”
He tilted his head as if in deep thought. “After everything that’s happened today, definitely a comedy.”
“Agreed. We’ve got Bringing Up Baby, I Was a Male War Bride, and His Girl Friday.” She shuffled through the DVD cases. “Also My Favorite Wife and That Touch of Mink.”
“I Was a Male War Bride.”
“You were?” she teased.
“Ha-ha.”
“It’s the perfect choice.”
“Before we watch the movie, can I ask you something?”
“Sure.”
He reached for her hand. “Where’s your wedding ring?”
Warmth crept up her cheeks. “In my jewelry box. I thought it was time.”
“I agree.” He drew her close and clasped his hands behind her waist. “Does this mean you’ll stay? Let me help you fight the lawsuit?”
“I love this place.” She rested her hands on his muscular biceps. “But it’s not what I love most. Nor was it the most important legacy my grandparents left me.”
“What was?”
“How much they loved each other. And how much they trusted their lives to God’s plan for them.”
“What Sully didn’t do. Or my dad.”
“You have their name, Mr. Fourth.” Standing on tiptoe, she kissed the corner of his mouth. “But you’re not them.”
“I don’t want to lose you, Shelby. Please don’t go overseas.”
“I won’t. I can’t.” She smiled warmly. “My constant is right here.”
“Your constant?”
“You.” She stepped away and hooked her arm in his. “Let me tell you about the favor my dad did for Paul Norris.”
AJ plopped onto the blanket beside Shelby as the girls waded in the creek with Lila. “Has it been a good Fourth of July so far?”
“A picnic at one of my favorite places. The promise of fireworks this evening.” An adorable smile lit her face as she nodded slowly. “I’d say it’s perfect.”
“Great.” He tugged at a blade of grass and chewed on the end. “I need your permission to do something.”
“Name it.”
“I know your initials are already on the ’gagement tree with Jason’s. What about joining them to mine?”
Her eyes grew round. “Are you . . . ?”
He stood, then reached down and pulled her to her feet. Digging in his pocket, he pulled out a jeweler’s box, then knelt on one knee. Shelby covered her mouth as he took her hand.
“I love you, Shelby, more than I can put into words. And I love your girls as if they were my own. I promise to follow in your grandparents’ footsteps, to honor their legacy of devotion.” Swallowing the lump in his throat, he smiled. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes,” she breathed. “A million times yes.”
He slipped the diamond on her finger and stood.
“It’s beautiful,” she said, tears welling in her eyes as he kissed her. “I love you. So much I love you.”
“Two souls. One heart.”
“My hero.”
– 45 –
Shelby stood between AJ and Dr. Wayne Kessler next to the chain-link fence surrounding the excavation area. While clearing out the barn, Nate Jeffers had found an old tack room with a solid wood floor. After removing the walls, Nate pried up the floor and found another floor underneath.
One with a trap door.
“What do you think, Kess?” AJ asked.
The professor tugged at his graying moustache. “It’s an amazing find. Thank you for allowing me to be part of it.”
After investigating the secret room beneath the study and the hunting cabin by the creek, the professor had put together a special archaeological team. A couple of weeks ago, they had found a tunnel entrance beneath the cabin’s foundation.
Today, they were systematically sifting through the earth and debris beneath the barn’s trapdoor.
“Consider it payback for teaching me how much fun history can be.”
Kess chuckled. “You were a good student, AJ. And still one of my favorites.”
AJ beamed as he bumped Shelby with his elbow. “Hear that? One of his favorites.”
Shelby returned the bump. “My very favorite,” she whispered.
In the weeks since his proposal, AJ had been the constant she’d dreamed of, the shining knight she knew him to be. He’d stood beside her, a strong and comforting presence, during Uncle Richard’s funeral. On the day Nate pulled down the first wall on the barn, AJ planned a trip to the zoo to get them away from the farm.
And he let Lila spend every night with Elizabeth.
“Perhaps this is a second tunnel,” Kess mused. “Is it even possible it could connect with the cabin?”
“Grandpa said it did, but I don’t really know.”
“Given time, we should uncover the answer. Where was the next stop on the Station?”
“My family provided clean clothes. Hot food.” Shelby shrugged. “When it was safe, I think the travelers went back to the creek and headed farther north.”
“Another mystery for us to solve.” He pulled an old-fashioned silver watch from his pocket. “But for now I need to be going. You’ll let me know about the sign?”
“I still can’t believe this is happening.”
“Believe it, Shelby,” he said as she and AJ walked him to his Buick. “If all goes as planned, Misty Willow will be a premier research center and museum in another year or two.”
“You’re not worried about the lawsuit?”
“Once the property is listed on the state’s historical registry, it will be protected.” He opened his car door and gave her a reassuring smile. “Now don’t forget to let me know what you decide.”
“Later today, okay? I want to show AJ the designs.”
“Just give my office a call.” He slid into his Buick, waved, and drove down the lane.
“What designs?” AJ asked as they sauntered toward the house.
“Before you got here, Kess gave me a folder of mock-ups for a sign to put in front of the house.” She clasped his hand. “The Lassiter Family Underground Railroad and Civil War Research Center.”
He gave a low whistle. “Pretty impressive.”
“They’re on the kitchen table. You need to help me choose one.”
“Glad to help.”
“Your darling professor also told me something rather remarkable.”
“What was that?”
“An anonymous donor gave a million dollars to the project.” Shelby stopped in her tracks and tugged on AJ’s hand so he faced her. “It was you, wasn’t it?”
“A million dollars?” His teasing grin tugged at her heart. “Nope, I didn’t give a million.”
“How much did you give?”
“Five hundred thousand. In memory of Gran.”
“Who gave the other half?”
“Brett. In memory of Gran.”
“You’re kidding me.”
“He really did. His way of apologizing.”
“Neither of you should have done it.” She reached up and gave him a lingering kiss. “But I’m glad you did.”
“It’s a worthy project.” Hand in hand, they followed the loop around the oval to the patio. “Besides, my students can come here for a field trip into the past. Maybe help with the museum.”
“I’m still flabbergasted about that tunnel beneath the barn. I got a note from Dad, and he didn’t know about it either. Which makes me wonder if Grandpa even knew.”
“We’ll never know which Lassiter forgot to pass that secret along to future generations,” AJ said. “But look at the legacy you’re giving to your children. To the entire state.”
“Kess said the donation will fund a nonprofit foundation that will take over the restoration of the house. I get to be on the board. And he thinks we should make the secret room more accessible and rebuild the hunting cabin.”
“Does that we mean you and me?”
“Technically, the farm still belongs to you. Besides, even though it’s my grandparents’ name on the sign, this will be our legacy. Yours and mine. If you agree.”
“What about the ’gagement tree?”
“He wants it too, but I think we can negotiate picnic and fishing rights to Lassiters and Sullivans in perpetuity.”
AJ chuckled and drew her into a casual embrace at the top of the patio steps. “We’ll have lots more picnics there, but I doubt any will be as memorable as that first one.”
“You mean the one you crashed?”
“I mean the one where I rescued you from the storm.�
��
“Someday I’ll pay you back by rescuing you from something,” she teased.
“You already have.” He lifted her chin, his eyes dark and intense beneath the brim of his ball cap. “You rescued me from my past. And gave me a future I can’t wait to explore. With you.”
Despite the August sun beating down on them with its fiery rays, Shelby relished the warmth of AJ’s body against hers, the saltiness of his sweat-moistened lips that demanded her willing response.
The honeymoon couldn’t come too soon.
As Elizabeth and Tabby crashed through the screen door, followed closely by Jillian and Lila, Shelby broke from the embrace.
“Guess I better get used to this,” AJ whispered before grabbing Tabby and swinging her around.
“More. More,” Tabby squealed.
“Me too,” shouted Elizabeth.
Shelby and Jillian stood on the patio while AJ chased the girls into the oval and around the oak trees. Lila scampered after them, her gleeful barks echoing through the summer air.
“This has been the best summer.” A wistful expression flitted across Jillian’s face. “I’ll never forget these days.”
“We’re going to miss you.” Shelby gave her a quick sideways hug. “I wish you weren’t going so far away to college.”
“Sometimes I wish that too. But it’s too good of an opportunity to pass up.”
“At least you’ll be back for the wedding. My prettiest bridesmaid.”
“Your only bridesmaid,” Jillian said pointedly. “Cassie is matron of honor. She doesn’t count.”
Shelby chuckled then focused on her fiancé as he gently roughhoused with her daughters. Soon to be his daughters too.
Her gaze wandered to the variety of flowers waving their colorful blooms against the fence, the old flower-laden wheelbarrow, the newly formed stone circle. She had moved here searching for the place she belonged only to learn that she didn’t belong to a place at all.
She belonged to people. To her close friends, Cassie and Jason. To her near neighbors, Paul and Renee. To Jillian.
And most of all, to AJ.
The man she came here wanting to hate had reopened her heart to the most intense, head-over-heels, amazing love.
A future with AJ Sullivan wasn’t at all what Shelby had expected when she moved her girls here from Chicago. But after a few short weeks, she couldn’t envision a future without him.
Where She Belongs Page 31