by Jody Holford
“Bottom line, the kid needs help. He’s done some stupid shit just to get mommy’s attention,” Alex said, arms folded across his chest. Chuck stood beside him with the same stance.
“Kind of like taking up with the wrong crowd?” Chuck asked. Alex didn’t know his dad knew about the last few months he and his mother had spent in Chicago. He didn’t reply, just shrugged.
“He could have really hurt someone,” Alex said. “You’re right.”
When Chuck left it at that, Alex wasn’t sure what to do with it. Being right didn’t make things easier, especially with so many intersecting variables. He didn’t feel at all vindicated, like he usually did after closing a case. Where they went from here—all of them—was what mattered now.
After all of the highs and lows, the drama and the tears, Lucy found the gala to be a bit blah. In truth, she found everything to be a bit blah. She had fallen asleep and woken the next morning with a list of things that hadn’t been done. She hadn’t heard from Alex, and even though she had enough things to keep her busy, the fact that he hadn’t called weighed heavily on her.
She spent the day running errands, making herself stop to rest, to eat, to breathe. When she started thinking about Alex, she went back to being busy. As the town came together, dressed in their fanciest clothes, Lucy stayed on the edges, capturing the moments without wanting to be part of them. It was the only way she could function right now.
She would go to New York on Sunday, and when she got back, she’d put the pieces back together. The one thing about not rushing off to a new continent was that she had time to sort things through, rebuild, and heal. It didn’t have to be tonight. The music swirled around her like a warm blanket, slow and sultry. Glasses clinked and people laughed. Lucy listened to the soothing sound of her camera, blocking it all out and taking it all in at the same time. Until a hand touched her shoulder. Without moving, without looking, she knew the weight of that hand, the feel of that touch.
“You look stunning,” Alex whispered, his breath fanning her ear. She would not let herself lean back into him. Swallowing the knot in her throat, she turned to face him, lowering her camera. His eyes, even in dim, twinkling light, showed his fatigue.
“You should talk,” she replied, taking in his suit and tie. With her heels on, she was closer to his height and could meet his gaze evenly.
“We should talk,” Alex said, moving into her, reaching out his hand to touch her. He pulled it back instead. Her breathing slowed while her heartbeat sped. She closed her eyes, trying not to inhale the scent of him. Taking a small step back, she opened her eyes.
“Not now. I have to take pictures. I have to help Kate.”
She hated the sadness in his eyes almost more than she hated the emptiness in her chest. “When?”
“When I get back from New York,” she said, knowing she needed him to be sure, of both of them. Knowing that she needed the time to pull herself back together and prepare herself for whatever happened. His face fell, but he nodded.
“We’re cutting a deal with Andrew,” he said, changing the subject. They walked the side of the room, through the crowd. “Oh.”
Alex’s hand grazed hers, and she fought the ache it caused, remembering how perfectly their hands and bodies fit together. They walked to the buffet table, and Alex poured them both some punch.
“He’ll be going to counseling. He’ll also be doing community service until he’s eighteen. He’s seeking treatment for depression and anger. Dolores will also be doing family counseling with him. He’ll have an imposed curfew until he’s eighteen, and if he violates any of the conditions, he’ll have to do time at a facility for troubled youth.”
“Wow,” Lucy said, taking a sip of the sweet punch.
“Yeah. That’s the family deal,” Alex said with an unhappy smile. “I’m sorry, what?”
He told her about Dolores and his dad. She didn’t know what to say. He told her about his mom. “I’m so sorry. Will you phone her?” she asked, putting her glass down.
“In time. I don’t want to look back and realize I should have tried harder, that I should have done more,” Alex said. Lucy nodded in understanding, her throat too tight to speak. Alex reached out then, tracing his finger softly down her face.
“Alex.”
He leaned in to kiss her gently, but she turned so his lips only brushed her cheek. His face lingered near hers, his eyes closed like he needed this moment of nearness.
“I love you. I’ll see you when you get home.”
Lucy watched as he weaved his way through the crowd and more firmly inside of her heart.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Lucy didn’t see him at first. She felt like she was on a conveyer belt of people, being shuffled out of the terminal. She walked to the baggage claim, her mind cloudy and tired. She waited for her bag, irritated when it seemed to come last. Lifting it, she turned and almost ran into him.
“Let me carry that for you,” Alex said. His face was smooth, and his eyes looked her over like he was hungry just for the sight of her. Seeing him was doing strange things to her heart, her stomach, and her ability to talk. The loudspeaker crackled, telling passengers it was the last boarding call. Not for her. She was happy to stay off of planes for a while. There had been enough turbulence to unsettle even the most seasoned traveler. Alex pulled the large bag from her, leaving the camera bag on her arm.
“What are you doing here? You shouldn’t be here,” she said, her voice tired and squeaky. “Why not?”
“This isn’t… I’ve been on a plane. I’m all … plane-y. This isn’t what I planned,” she stammered. He hooked the bag on his own shoulder and took her elbow to lead her away from the baggage claim.
“What did you plan?” he asked.
“I was going to go home. Rest, clean up, and then come to you. To talk.”
“Hmm. That’s a good plan,” he conceded, looking at her with that smile that undid everything inside of her. “I had a plan, too.” She stopped and looked at him.
“What’s your plan?”
He stepped closer, stealing her space, and leaned his face close to hers.
“My plan is to always pick you up at the airport. Unless I’m already with you. Then my plan is to drive us home.”
He took her hand and continued walking through the airport. She didn’t know what to say, so she let him lead. He held her hand for the whole ride home. She watched his profile, drinking in every angle of his face. It was such a good face. When he pulled up outside of his house, he turned the truck off but gripped the steering wheel. She waited in the silence. He looked over at her. Both of them undid their seatbelts.
“I was a jerk. I jumped to conclusions, and you deserved more than that. I told you that I believed in us enough for both of us, but when the chance came to prove it—to prove I believed in you—I didn’t. I was scared. Scared that I wasn’t enough reason for you to stay.”
She squeezed his hand, trying to find the words that were swirling inside of her, free-floating like dust particles. Almost impossible to catch.
“I wasn’t sure, either. The whole time, I wondered if the feeling of needing to pick up and go would wash over me again. I didn’t know how I would do it. It’s n ever been hard for me to leave. I overreacted because I didn’t believe in myself. I expected you to believe in me enough for both of us.”
“I should have. I do,” he said, his voice quivering slightly.
He got out of the car and came around to her side. He led her across his grass, confusing her by going around the side of his house. He stopped outside of his shed and stared at it, then turned to face her, letting go of her hand. He pulled a thin, rectangular packet out of his inside pocket and a key out of his jeans pocket. He held both in his palms.
“What is this?” she asked, looking back and forth. The white packet had a travel agency logo on it. The key was just a run-of-the-mill key. “You choose. It doesn’t matter to me which life we have, but it has to be together,” he said
.
“What?”
She looked up at him and down at the items in his hands, not understanding.
“If you want to pick up and go every month, we will. If you want to stay here, live in this town, and just travel on holidays, we can do that.”
“You don’t like traveling. You love this town. Your house,” she said, baffled.
“I love you. You’re my home, Lucy.”
Her lips trembled. She still didn’t fully understand, but she liked the parts she did. “What’s the key?”
He handed it to her and gestured to the shed. Narrowing her eyes, a smile fighting its way to her lips, she unlocked the door and opened it. Inside had obviously been renovated recently. There was still traces of sawdust on the tiled floor. The walls had built-in shelving, and a long, high table stood in the center of the room. The sunlight was coming through the windows, but she could see the blackout blinds hovering above them. There was a door just to the right of the entrance.
“Alex, what is this?”
“It’s yours. You were talking about a place of your own. Sam researched photography spaces and did the best he could, but if the darkroom, through there, isn’t right or you want something different, he’ll come back and change it.”
She turned to face him. He still held the packet in his hand. She took it and opened it. It was a travel voucher. Enough for them to go anywhere they wanted. He put his hand in his coat pocket and pulled out a small, square, black box. Lucy gave a strangled gasp when he went down on one knee and looked up at her.
“Lucy, I love you. I believe in you, and I believe in us. I will spend every day, for the rest of my life, proving that to you. Loving you. I want to marry you. I want to spend my life with you. More than that, I don’t want to spend another day without you. Will you marry me?”
She bit her lip and covered her mouth with her hand. He stared up at her. “I’ll be right back,” she blurted and dashed out of the shed toward his truck.
Alex got up off of the floor, trying not to freak out. She hadn’t said no and run off. She said she would be back. And she was, moments later. She had the photo album he had given her, and she handed it to him. His heart sank to the floor as he took it. He looked at her and wondered if she could feel the pain emanating from inside of him. Her hands were shaky as she brought them to her mouth then lowered them.
“I didn’t think I had a place here—in my family, in this town. I spent all my time traveling because I thought that I would be able to find myself—figure out who I was and what I wanted. It wasn’t until I stood still that I realized what I wanted is right here. My place, the only place that truly matters, that I truly belong, is with you. So when you open up that photo album, if you still want me to marry you, if you’re sure, then my answer is yes.”
He looked at her and down at the album in his hand, wondering what the hell she was talking about. Of course he was sure. He opened the album, certain he would find the key he had given her sitting in the top pocket. But instead, he saw a small, somewhat grainy photo. He pulled it out of the pocket and brought it closer. The thin film of the ultrasound tape felt smooth in his fingers. He looked at Lucy, who was all but vibrating.
“You’re pregnant,” he said, in awe. Disbelief washed over him. He looked at the tiny outline, a speck, really. He wondered how he could love something already that was barely the size of his thumbnail. He put the photo back in the pocket, closed the book, and placed it on the table behind him. He pulled her into him, staring in awe down at her stomach and placed his hand there. When he looked up, she was crying and biting her lip. “You haven’t answered my question,” he said, his voice rough with emotion.
“Are you sure?” she whispered. He pulled the ring out of his pocket, slipped it onto her finger, and without giving her time to even look at it, yanked her close, covering her mouth with his, desperate to show her how sure he was.
“You’re everything. You. Both of you. I’m sure. Say yes,” he said between kisses, running his hands over her. Her hands moved over him, anchored themselves around his neck.
“Yes.”
She kissed him as frantically as he kissed her until she finally pulled back, breathing heavy, and looked at her ring. “We’re going to get married,” she whispered.
“And have a baby,” he replied, still awestruck. She smiled so brightly it made his pulse race. She put her arms around him, snuggling into him. He kissed her again, whispering that he loved her, elated when she whispered that she loved him, too. Leaning back slightly, she framed his face and looked at him. He rested his forehead against hers as her eyes twinkled.
“What?” he asked, grinning.
“Nothing. I’m just really glad to be home.”
Falling for Kate
Dreams can come true. They also change.
When Kate Aarons comes home to Angels Lake for Christmas, she doesn’t know how to tell her family that the dream she chased all the way to New York isn’t what she wants anymore.
Single dad, Elliot Peters is determined to give his twin daughters a stable, secure life but juggling his job as a police officer and being a full-time dad is proving tricky.
Kate loves her large family but she doesn’t want to move back into her childhood bedroom, even temporarily. When super sexy Elliot Peters offers her a job as a nanny, along with a place to stay, it seems like the perfect solution for both of them.
Living in close quarters makes it difficult to ignore the chemistry igniting between the two of them. As Kate works toward her new dream—opening a dress shop in her home town, she falls for Elliot and his precious girls, but she isn’t sure there’s a place for her in this small, ready-made family.
Chapter One
Kate Aarons wanted her mom. Or one of her sisters. Or a magic wand. The customer service agent smiled like she could solve all of Kate’s problems. “There’s a flight leaving for Deluth, Minnesota at three p.m. tomorrow,” the woman said.
Kate’s smile probably looked more like someone was poking her in the back with a sharpened stick. “Is there any flight that can get me in or around, just somewhere closer to, Angel’s Lake tonight? Please?”
“She said tomorrow, lady. Take it or leave it,” the guy behind her grumbled.
Kate whirled, gripping the strap of her Louis Vuitton carry-on like a lifeline. The imposingly tall man stood too close for Kate’s comfort—or for common courtesy—and the last of her patience vanished.
Kate pointed to the red line on the floor. “See that line? It’s where the next customer waits their turn. You should be behind it.”
She was certain the oh-no-you-didn’t smile on her face was at odds with the tone of her voice, but he stepped back, eyebrows arched, and shrugged. Living in New York for two years had taught her how to navigate more than the fashion industry.
Turning back to the attendant, Kate let out a sigh. “Okay. Thank you. I’m going to think about it.”
“Of course. Sorry it’s not sooner,” the attendant said.
Kate nodded and walked away from the counter. She was choosing to go home. It wasn’t failure if it was a choice. New York had worn her down. When people talked about the city never sleeping, they failed to mention that the people didn’t either. Not if they wanted to get ahead, or anywhere, in an industry with a revolving door and a demand for perfection. Kate wanted home. Now, preferably. And not just because it would put her a plane ride away from the biggest mistake of her almost-twenty-five years—one who had conveniently forgotten to mention he had a wife.
She was going home because Angel’s Lake was more than a place. It was the only place where she knew who she was and how she fit. Now if she could just get there.
An announcement sounded over the speakers, urging passengers to head to their departure gate. Must be nice. Her flight from New York had made an unexpected landing in Wisconsin due to engine troubles that Kate didn’t want to think too much about. Particularly since she still had to get on another plane. The airport was doing i
ts best to be accommodating, and she now had a travel voucher for anywhere her airline flew, but still, she wanted to get home. She could wait. It wasn’t a big deal. But she really didn’t want to.
Going home had been in the back of her mind for months. Once she’d gotten on the plane this morning, the need to be home had consumed her, swallowed her up in one painful gulp until she almost ached.
Kate scanned the signs, looking for a place to get coffee. Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out as she started toward a café. The sight of her sister Lucy’s name on the screen made her heart pinch. Sliding her thumb over the screen to see the full message, she smothered the worry that Lucy, who was the reason she’d been able to be a part of New York’s fashion world, would be upset. Please don’t be disappointed Luce.
Sliding her finger across the screen, she read Lucy’s text.
Lucy: Did you get a flight? I have an idea.
Oh no. Kate wasn’t sure she wanted to know Lucy’s plan. Despite having been, as their older sister Char liked to tease, domesticated after happily settling into a life with her husband and daughter in Angel’s Lake, Lucy’s spirit was still more adventurous than Kate’s. It was with some well-placed trepidation that Kate responded.
Kate: No flights until tomorrow. I hate airports. What’s your idea? I’m not hitchhiking.
The reply was nearly instantaneous, which told Kate she’d already been in the midst of texting.
Lucy: Alex told me Elliot had to get the girls in Reedsburg. That’s about an hour from Dane County Airport. That’s where you are right? He left early yesterday and stayed the night. They’re heading back and if you can get there, you can ride with him.