by Starla Kaye
“Do you know a Donald Caruthers? Or maybe a Harold Caruthers?” He tensed; almost certain he wasn’t going to like the other man’s answer.
“Caruthers?” Carter took a second. “There’s a distant cousin by that name. Actually twins. But we haven’t….” He grumbled under his breath. “What have they done this time?”
Chad groaned. Clearly this was yet another complicated situation that he would have to deal with. It had taken him several hours to sort through her paperwork and theirs. And then he’d tried to get in contact with both men by the phone numbers he’d found. Donald Caruthers’ phone went straight to voicemail, which claimed the box was full. Harold Caruthers’ phone was disconnected. It had taken a good hour of investigation and calling around to find the number for William Carter, the family’s representative.
“Apparently they’ve gotten mixed up in some kind of real estate fraud concerning the property in Petersville.” He felt stupid. Why hadn’t either he or his father taken a much more in-depth look into what was happening with the sale? They’d both been busy with other things. And because this was a small town it just didn’t seem likely that something like this would happen here.
“Fraud? Seriously? Over that wreck of a house?” Carter muttered again before saying, “This is going to be a long conversation, isn’t it? I don’t really have time for that right now. Can I call you back later today, maybe tomorrow?”
Chad didn’t want to put this off longer than necessary, but he understood having other issues to take care of. His list of such matters was endlessly long. Besides, he needed to talk to his father. He would wait to talk to Toni until he knew the full situation.
“I’m scrambling right at the moment, too. And I need to discuss the problem with someone else involved on this end. How about we talk tomorrow, say late afternoon?”
They settled on a time and both disconnected. He scrubbed a hand through his hair. He really needed a haircut, but he didn’t have any time for that luxury.
He glanced at the clock across the office. His stomach had been upset ever since talking to Toni, worried about her. He should have insisted on going with her, for his own sanity’s sake. But his father was right in that she needed to handle the problem herself. It was important to be there for support when she needed it, not to smother her with his tendency to be over-protective at times.
***
After the eye-opening meeting with the Deacons, Toni went back to her parents’ house at her father’s request. As they drove separate cars into the driveway, her mother stepped out onto the front porch. The immediate smile warmed her and she was pretty sure that her father had called his wife on the way home. What exactly had he told her? She didn’t appear to be frantic with concern, so Toni didn’t think he’d told her about what he’d learned of her marital problems; of the abuse. She would have to tell her mother because she deserved to know. But she didn’t particularly want to get into the miserable subject today. The chicken way out would be to let her father start the explanation with what little he knew. Yes, that wasn’t the mature way to handle things. Still, in truth, maybe it would be for the best.
She was mulling that over as she climbed out of the Mustang. Her father met her and slung his arm around her shoulders in a supportive embrace; one that seemed to make the world all right. She’d felt ashamed by both what had happened to her and about not talking to them before. Now she knew they would get through this together. It was okay to lean on those who loved you and to listen to their caring support. If only she’d done that years ago.
“Thank you for coming to defend me,” he said, giving her a light squeeze. He looked down at her. “Although I didn’t need it. I can only imagine how hard that was for you to tell them your personal business.”
He turned her gently to face him and his eyes glistened, while they shone with pride as well. “I wish we had known…what you were going through…what that monster did.”
She swallowed against her own ragged emotions. It had been so long since things had been right between her and her parents; Ted, too. As awkward as everything was when she’d first arrived, she knew their relationship was on the mend. She’d been such a fool for allowing Stanley to keep them apart. No. He might have finagled the situation, but she’d been too weak willed to go against him. Pathetic. Never again would she let someone else manipulate her.
“I’m okay now, Dad. Really.” She drew in a shaky breath and slid her arms around him for a real hug, which felt so good. After a second, she turned toward the house she’d grown up in and had fond memories of. Her mother watched them patiently, giving them whatever time they needed. Yet she knew her mother wanted a hug of her own.
She stepped away from her father and headed across the brown lawn showing early signs of green grass. Spring was on its way, even though today was rather cool. You could almost smell it in the air. Nature’s world was coming back to life for another season. That’s how she felt. Her new life was about to begin and she was more than ready for it. Physically she was fine. Emotionally she was doing better. There were still many issues to deal with: whatever was going on with the house purchase, finishing her community service, finding a focus for her life as her therapist had advised, and, hopefully, finding a job.
Then there was Chad. What was she going to do about him? She couldn’t deny that their attraction to one another was a powerful force. And a complication for them both, too. They each had a whole lot of emotional baggage and were wary of another relationship. But being with him had been so good.
“What’s on your mind?” her mother asked, meeting her at the top of the steps. She looked disappointed, as if she sensed that Toni was thinking about not going inside with her after all.
Her father moved behind her. “You’re not staying, are you?”
She was torn between needing to sit down and have a long, difficult conversation with her parents, and her duties. Although she’d told Chad that she was taking the day off and he hadn’t tried to stop her, she was letting him down. He’d gone to a lot of trouble on her behalf to arrange this community service. He’d been the injured party, but he’d ended up having her back. While it had bothered her to begin with, she actually liked working at his office. More so now that the clients didn’t act as hostile toward her.
“As much as I’d like to stay, I can’t. I need to get back to work.” She glanced between her parents, hoping they understood.
“I’m sure Ethan and Chad won’t mind if you take this one day off,” her father said, but acceptance was in his gaze. He was still such a handsome man and the gray threading through his dark hair only added to that.
“You’re right. They wouldn’t have a problem with it, but I do. I owe them.” She inched backward. “We can talk another time, all right?”
Her mother’s smile warmed her. “We’re proud of you, sweetheart. For taking responsibility. For…for just coming home to us.”
“Go on, honey.” Her father stepped beside her mother and put his arm around her shoulders, just as he’d done with her only minutes ago. He was a good man, the best. Like she’d told the Deacons.
As she settled into her car once more, she felt lighter; as if a weight had been lifted from her. It had. The dread of figuring out how to make peace with her family and share her horrible past had faded. They would listen, share her grief over the failed marriage to absolutely the wrong man, and they wouldn’t judge her.
She was almost eager to get back to the office; even more excited to talk to Chad. He’d wanted to go with her, but she’d needed to go alone. She’d had to stand up for her father and for herself. She had. She couldn’t wait to tell him what she’d done.
With a wave to her parents, who were still on the porch watching her, she started the engine. Take one step at a time, her therapist had instructed. Today she felt like she’d taken much more than that. She had her life under control again. Well, sort of. She had to finish her community service, which was down to another fifteen workdays. But she no l
onger felt like she was floundering, uncertain what to do next. After the service, she would move on to her next step. It was good to be looking forward to something again.
Her thoughts were filled with possibilities during the short drive to the office. She should send for the few pieces of furniture that she’d kept in storage in Denver. They would be good in the apartment for now. She could start making some inquiries around town about a possible job; maybe as a waitress at the diner until she could figure out whether to work on a degree online, or what else she could do. The money didn’t matter. What she needed was to keep busy and to ease her way back into the community. Maybe she would look up some old girlfriends here, if any of them would talk to her. She’d had to cut them off, too, when she’d cut off her family. More regrets.
Chad. She really wanted to run all of this by him. He was a patient listener. Maybe she could ask him to her apartment after work. She could fix dinner…maybe they could…. Best not to go there, she reminded herself. But, oh, it was so tempting.
She turned into the Victorian’s driveway and drove around back to her usual spot. It was a relief to find Chad’s car still here, having been afraid he might have gone off somewhere to a meeting or something else. When she glanced toward the big house, she spotted him at the open back door and looking in her direction. Had he been waiting for her? Had her father called him to let him know she was coming?
Anticipation spread through her.
Just as she pushed the driver’s door open, her cell phone rang inside her purse on the passenger seat. She frowned in annoyance, reluctant to reach for it. As crazy as it was, she had a feeling that her good day was about to take a bad turn. She let the phone continue ringing. The caller could leave a message.
Chad walked toward her, warmth in his gaze, although she noted tension in his expression. Had something happened to Mrs. Harper? Or to Ellen or to her new baby?
The stupid phone stopped ringing and started up again as Chad stood beside the car.
“Aren’t you going to answer it?” he asked, looking as frustrated as she was by the interruption. Looking like he wanted to kiss her, which she wouldn’t have minded.
“I don’t want to.” But she pulled the phone from her purse anyway. “Hello.”
The last person in the world she ever wanted to talk to again snarled, “We need to talk.”
Chapter Nine
“No!” Toni snapped and ended the call abruptly.
Chad watched as her beautiful eyes narrowed in anger, as her face reddened in fury. Almost as quickly the color drained away and she swayed on her feet. Good Lord, she’s going to faint!
He pulled her into his arms, ignoring the annoying problem of his still tender arm wrapped in an elastic bandage. “Don’t pass out on me, Antoinette. Who was it?”
She pressed against him and drew in several breaths, her heart racing next to him. The knowledge that she felt safe with him was humbling. It took her a bit to calm down, but he would have held her as long as she needed him to. When she eased back, he experienced a sense of regret.
“Stanley,” she said, looking panicked in spite of her sharp response to her ex-husband.
Rage seared through him. She’d been doing so well, putting the disastrous marriage behind her, and trying to settle into life here. How dare the bastard call her? Hadn’t he hurt her enough? Chad tried to control his reaction for her sake. She was upset enough without him losing it.
Before either of them could say more, her phone began ringing again. He didn’t take the chance of her answering once more, of it being that SOB calling back. He took the phone from her trembling hand and managed to thumb it off, then put it in his pants pocket.
“How about we go to your apartment? You need to sit down.” He put his arm around her, closed her car door with his hip, and guided her to the carriage house.
She didn’t resist his touching her, for which he was grateful. She’d come a long way since that day when she’d reached her breaking point in front of the office. Without speaking, she climbed the flight of outside steps with him. Her purse was still in the car so she didn’t have her key, but he had one. He dug out his set of keys, glancing at her uncertainly. When she gave a weak smile, he opened the apartment door.
“I feel like such a wimp, letting him get to me again.” She moved away and walked over to slump down on the sofa. “All it took was hearing his voice.”
Chad closed the door and took a calming second before he faced her. “You’re not a wimp. That scumbag should be locked up for what he did to you.”
The color had returned to her face once more and she gave him a fragile smile. “I’ve come to realize that everything that happened wasn’t all his fault.”
He blinked at her. “What?”
She shrugged out of her coat and let it fall behind her. “I allowed it to happen, and not just because of the whole love, honor, and obey stuff. I was blinded by his charm, and his ease at throwing me apologies is not an excuse. I saw through them. But I wanted to believe in the magic of love too much. I wanted him to be the Prince Charming of my dreams. He wasn’t. He’d never been that, not even when we started dating. I was just too determined to make him into it.”
“You always were a romantic.” He remembered how much she’d liked the Disney movies, especially the ones with happy endings for one couple or another. Ted had done his best to avoid them. Beauty and the Beast had been her favorite; The Little Mermaid was another one Chad knew she’d watched over and over. To his friend’s disbelief, he had sat with her in the Thornton family room and watched both of them one day when she’d been miserable with the chicken pox. She’d been ten, he fifteen. He’d taken a lot of ribbing from Ted for doing it, but he’d done it anyway. Did she even remember that time?
She gave him an amused smile. “I don’t watch Disney movies anymore. Well, not like I used to do.”
He glanced at the coffee table and the thick paperback lying on top, a romance novel. After what she’d been through, it surprised him. “I would have expected you’d be reading a murder mystery or something dark.”
She shrugged. “I still enjoy a good happy ending, particularly a story that pulls my heart strings. Just because there isn’t such a thing in my life, doesn’t mean I don’t want it for others.”
He understood why she felt that way, but it bothered him. “You shouldn’t give up, Antoinette. Give yourself some time. Don’t rule out having something special because of one jerk.”
“Antoinette again?”
The name always slipped out when he felt emotional about her. It was special to him, but he didn’t say anything.
She let it go and studied him. “What about you? I heard you tell Ted years ago that you wanted kids. You’d be a great father.”
Standing behind one of the chairs opposite the sofa, he gripped the back with his good hand, tension spiraling through him. “I’m not sure about that. According to my ex, I’m too focused on my work.” Just thinking about the cruel words Sandy had spoken that day ate at him. He still had trouble believing that she’d made the rash decision to have an abortion without even consulting him. He would never have allowed it, which was no doubt why she hadn’t mentioned the pregnancy.
Toni’s gaze met and held his, her expression gentle. “Like you advised me, don’t give up. Maybe you’re focused on your work a lot right now, but someday…”
“No,” he cut her off, unwilling to even think about having a wife or children. “My life has gone another way and, for the most part, I’m happy.”
“For the most part?” she questioned, refusing to let the subject go, reminding him of their disagreements in the past. She could be real stubborn. But so was he.
“I’m not good at relationships.” He shook his head when she looked ready to protest. “I’m not. But I’m good at what I do. People need me, more and more all the time. There’s Alberta and a dozen other elderly clients that I’m trying to help right now. You’ve seen my client list, my insane schedule.”
He hesitated, wanting to talk about the Topeka matter with her, yet uncertain. They’d become friends. More than friends, but not really lovers, in spite of how they’d come together so explosively two weeks ago. He’d thought about that so many times. It had surprised him because of all she’d gone through. At the same time, he wanted to make love to her again. Desperately.
Doing his best to ignore the way his body had already started reacting to his desire, he decided talking was best. “The board of elder abuse attorneys I work with in Topeka have asked me to make my office in Topeka my main location.”
Her eyes widened before what looked like disappointment slipped over her expression. She remained silent. That bothered him. “I’m only considering it at the moment. I haven’t even discussed it with Dad yet.”
“I’m sure he would hate to see you go.” A forced smile slid into place. “If that’s what would be best for your work, he would understand.” She smoothed the sofa cushion beside her, avoiding meeting his gaze. “Would you move there? It would make sense, of course.”
He hadn’t thought that far ahead, but, yes, he would probably move there. The idea didn’t excite him. He liked the small house he’d bought outside of town a few years back. Except that he’d begun to feel lonely there. Because he enjoyed being around Toni?
“Like I said, I’m still thinking about everything.”
“I’d miss you,” she said so quietly that he almost didn’t hear her. She sounded as if his leaving was a done deal.
The admission surprised him, warmed him, too. More than his house, more than working with his father, he would miss her. She’d been back in town such a short time. He’d been upset with her leaving all those years ago, but now…. He looked forward to seeing her at the office, but that would only last a few more weeks.
“I haven’t committed to that plan.” He decided to change the subject. “How did it go at the church? Did you talk to the Deacons?”