Diamond Lake Series: Complete Series (Bks 1-7) Boxset

by T. K. Chapin

  At the inn later that evening, I recalled Emma’s comment about the moon. Taking my camera, I went out onto the balcony. I wanted to capture at least a few shots before retiring for the evening. My hope for a phone call back from Jax was dwindling quickly, but I knew he was a night owl even with his silly nine o’clock cutoff. At the railing, I snapped a few shots of the majestic shining beacon of the night. Even though I’d captured the moon on camera more than a hundred times, a full moon never ceased to amaze me. God put that moon in orbit around the earth, the earth around the sun, and even all the planets too. All orchestrated, all His divine design. After getting a few shots, I was about to turn and go back inside when I spotted Emma down by the shoreline. Stopping, I watched as she slipped out of a pair of sandals and walked along the sandy beach. Seeing her step into the water, about ankle deep, my curiosity was piqued. What’s she doing out here so late? The evening air was still warm, but it still seemed unusual. Setting my camera down on the table on the balcony, I headed down to the shore.

  As I came down into the grass, she turned and looked. Emma raised a hand and waved. The moon was so bright that it illuminated the shoreline and everything outside in a translucent glow. As I crossed the grass, I kicked off my flats. As my feet hit the sand, I was instantly taken back to the days of my youth. The bottoms of my feet hadn’t felt sand but maybe once when I visited a friend in California a few years back. The chilliness of the water was stimulating and shook the tiredness out of me as I went in to my knees to where Emma was now standing. “What are you doing out here? It’s late.”

  Emma smiled and nodded slowly. “I’m trying to figure out what the right thing to do is.”

  Taken aback, I flashed an inquisitive expression. “I know I don’t exactly know anything about you, but you don’t come across as someone who has to think about things. I don’t mean that in a bad way. I mean you just seem wise. Like someone who always knows the right thing to do.”

  She let out a soft chuckle from her lips. “I’m afraid it’s quite the opposite. I don’t ever know what I’m doing. In a way, that’s good for me though, because it has forced me to a lifetime of always seeking the Lord for direction.” Emma’s eyes turned to the moon. “Some of the greatest difficulties aren’t the decisions we make, but the results of them.”

  My mind yearned to know what was plaguing her. A comfortable hush fell between us in the following moment. I joined her gaze at the moon and thought of Joe. It felt like we were getting close again, just like we used to be a long time ago. But I wasn’t thinking clearly. He had hurt me once before. Had he really changed his ways? Taking a risk on pursuing a relationship with Joe struck fear within me. My instinct said not to trust him, but my heart desired to give him a second chance. Breaking the silence, I asked, “Why are some things so hard to figure out?”

  “The right thing to do and the difficult thing to do are usually the same. We have to act fearlessly if we are to attain anything of value in this life.” Emma brought her finger up to her lip and turned to me. A look of worry seemed to have escaped from behind her eyes and revealed itself. Her eyes moistened, though she didn’t cry. After a moment, she spoke again, changing the course of conversation entirely. “You have a big day of work ahead of you tomorrow. You ready?”

  Emma’s inquiry made me think of Jax again. He still hadn’t returned my call. I was short a photographer. “Ugh. Yes! And my photographer assistant never phoned me back. Sorry. I have to go call him.”

  “Have a good night,” Emma said as I hurried to the shore. Why wouldn’t he call back? My mind questioned. He always calls back. Worry and anxiety began to soar as the wedding day was tomorrow and I was still short a photographer.

  Getting back up to my room, I grabbed my cellphone from my purse and called him. It went straight to voicemail. “Um . . . you never called back and now you’re not picking up.” Pulling the phone from my ear, I glanced at the time. Returning the phone to the side of my face, I said, “It’s quarter to midnight, and I know you don’t go to bed before one. Call me, Jax. Don’t dog out on me.”

  Hanging up, I sat on the edge of the bed. My knee automatically began to bob up and down as I bit a nail waiting for his call back. Five minutes passed. Then ten, twenty, and finally an hour. Getting up, I went into the bathroom and brushed my teeth to get ready for bed. Without an assistant and the wedding day in hours, I was going to have to call him.

  Chapter 6

  The day of the wedding was upon the Inn at the Lake, and the house that morning was bursting at the seams with workers preparing for the wedding ceremony and the reception to follow. Awakening at what I thought was an early enough time to beat the rush—seven o’clock—there was already a half-dozen florists filing in and out through the front door, bringing in flower arrangements. Pausing at the top of the stairs to let a few of them pass, I saw Serenah enter the living room from the balcony. Gliding across the stone foyer floor at the top of the stairs, I slipped into the kitchen, grabbed a bagel from the island, and went into the dining area. Calling out to her, I sat down at a table. “Serenah.”

  She crossed the living room after finishing her conversation with one of the florist workers and came into the room. “Yes?”

  “Is there something I could be doing?” Shrugging a shoulder, I said, “I’d love to help.”

  She smiled and shook her head. “Not until later. Just do your pictures well. That’s all you need to worry about.” A florist tapped her on the shoulder just then, and she turned away from me and began talking to her.

  Taking my bagel, I cut back through the kitchen and through to the foyer, out the front door. It was far too busy at the inn to hang out. I desperately needed coffee and a moment to think. Making the phone call to Connor to help me with the wedding wasn’t something I wanted to do, but there wasn’t another solution. I knew without his help, I wouldn’t be able to get all the shots I was charging Serenah for, and I wanted to do a good job. The thing was, he could screw up the entire wedding, but I had exhausted all my other options.

  After a coffee and a long walk in town, I made the dreaded call to Connor.

  “Sister!” he shouted when he answered.

  My initial reaction was to immediately hang up. Just the screech of my brother’s voice was enough to make me cringe as it brought back the cluster of experiences with him from the past. Pushing aside my repulsive sibling instinct, I cleared my throat and got straight to the matter which I was calling about. “Connor, I need a favor.”

  “Done. Whatever it is, you’ve got it.”

  “Really? Are you that bored in life? I didn’t tell you any details.” Taking a seat on the bench in town I had sat on the previous day, I crossed my leg and leaned forward.

  “You’re my sister. Might I add we haven’t seen each other in what? Six months? I’d love to see you. Did you know Anna won’t even reply to my texts anymore? What’s become of our family, Sis?”

  “It has been a while. As for Anna . . . yeah, I don’t know what’s going on with her. Mom and Dad are good though. C’mon.” Connor was a smart man. Let me rephrase that. Connor was a smart boy. He had invented some sort of Velcro material that made him a billionaire by the time he turned twenty. That was two years ago. Now, he deals in small plastic wares. He sells them all over the world. His good looks, large fortune and easy street mentality make it hard for me to be around him. I felt like I was in a never-ending struggle to make a buck while he sat back and had it all easy, but the thing about Connor was he was a master at photography. I needed him, and I knew he’d help me if I only asked. “I’m shooting a wedding today, and all my options have run out here. I need an assistant to help me shoot it.”

  He laughed. “You have such a way of making a person feel appreciated. That’s okay though. You know I love you, Skate. I’ll do it.” The nickname was one he knew I loathed. It was not only stupid, but it came about when we were in our teenage years down at the skate park. Well, not exactly a skate park. It was really just an abando
ned swimming pool at a shutdown hotel on the west side of Newport.

  “One condition. Don’t call me Skate. Can you be here by three? I’m out at Diamond Lake.”

  “What? Diamond Lake? Why didn’t you call sooner? I didn’t know you were accepting business in our old stomping grounds. I’ll be there early!” His tone was electric and I could sense his excitement to come out here.

  “Please don’t. Don’t screw this up for me. Three o’clock is fine.” My tone was firm.

  “Okay, okay. Have you seen Dad lately?” His question drew me into a different time. Our father had suffered from a stroke four years ago, and it took months for him to recover. While the doctors said it was a fast recovery for a stroke victim, it didn’t stop the whole family from holding our breath. Never did our family see a loved one that close to death.

  “No. Why? Is he okay?” Worry began seeping into my mind.

  “He’s fine. I’m talking about the hair. He dyed it black!” Relief washed over my anxious mind. Hearing footsteps across what sounded to be the cement floor of Connor’s garage through the phone, I became worried he might not wait until three.

  “Really? Black? I need to go see him and Mom. It’s been a month since I’ve been out there. You know how life gets though. Oh, wait. You don’t.”

  “Hey. Don’t be jelly over my circumstances. That’s not very Godly of you.” The sound of his car door shutting confirmed he was going somewhere. Panic began to set in.

  “You don’t need to come out here yet,” I reminded him. “It’s only eight thirty in the morning, Connor.”

  “Sis. Chill. I’m going to do some adulting today. Errands and such. Don’t worry. I won’t interrupt your precious little . . . I don’t even know what it’d be called.” He laughed and turned the key over. Hearing the sound of his ‘67 Mustang fire up drove another touch of jealousy coursing through my veins. That was probably the worst part about my brother—the fact that he had what I couldn’t have. I knew it was a sin to covet. Immediately feeling guilty, I prayed silently for forgiveness.

  “I’ve gotta go. I’ll text you the address later.”

  Hanging up, I focused on the fact I now had a photographer. It’s a good thing. It’ll be okay, I told myself. Maybe he won’t be the same as he was last time he ‘helped’ and punched out a guy for spilling champagne on his snakeskin boots. Spotting Dixie’s diner across the street from me, my stomach growled with hunger not fully satisfied with just the bagel. Getting up from the bench, I crossed the street and went in.

  Seeing Joe sitting at a table with Dylan as I walked in, I turned to leave so I didn’t come across like I was stalking him.

  “Katie, you came!” Turning, I saw Miley frantically wave as she came over to me. As she arrived to the door, my eyes drifted over to Joe. His eyes bored into me now, obviously having heard her. He smiled and shot a wave. I quickly turned my attention back to Miley.

  “Yep, I made it.”

  She grabbed my arm and led me over to a booth. “You like breakfast burritos? Diego makes one that’s mouthwatering.”

  “Not really. I’m more of a waffle gal,” I replied as I slid into a booth.

  “Okay. We have great waffles. I’ll get you a plate. Coffee?”

  “Yes, please.” Feeling Joe’s eyes still on me, I tried to make it appear I was here for food, not because I was stalking him. Making eye contact with Miley, I said, “Can I get them to go?” My voice and actions must have given me away. Miley surveyed the room for a moment and then sat down in the booth and looked at me.

  She glanced over at the table where Joe was sitting. “What’s going on with you and Joe?”

  Shrugging, I said, “It’s nothing. Just to go on the waffles and coffee. Please?”

  Miley’s eyes floated over to their table again. “They’re leaving. You can stay.” She smiled as she looked me in the eyes. She seemed so different from last night. Not an ounce of sadness weighed in her expression. Either she’s a brilliant actress, or she’s so focused on the day’s events that she had let the idea of her father’s passing slip from her consciousness. Either way, I wasn’t about to ask. Miley stood up. “It’ll be ten or so minutes on the waffles, and I’ll get you a cup of coffee in just a second.”

  “Thank you.”

  As she walked away, Joe came over to the table.

  “You’re not stalking me, are you?” he asked playfully as he slid into the booth on the opposite side of me.

  Blushing, I shook my head. “I swear I wasn’t. Just hungry and had to get out of that inn.”

  He nodded. “I’m sure it’s busy. I’ll be over there a while later to start building the stage.”

  “Stage?” I asked with a raised brow. “For what?”

  “You know that front area of the inn with all the pine trees kind of spread out?” I nodded as he continued. “I’m building a stage there. It’ll be a dance floor for the reception after dinner. Me and Charlie are going to hang up some lights and whatnot from the trees around it. It’s going to be pretty cool.”

  “Sounds like it.” I beamed with a smile.

  Miley returned with a pot of coffee in hand and flipped my cup. Joe smiled at her and then tapped the table before slipping out from the booth. “I’ve gotta run, but I’ll see you later?”

  Smiling, I nodded. “Yes.”

  As he walked away, Miley’s eyes followed him out the door and then turned to me. “You’re crushing Joe hardcore. Serenah said you two used to date?”

  “We did.” My eyes stayed on him as he passed by the bay window next to the booth. Smiling at me, he waved.

  “That’s awesome. I thought he was still dating that Melissa gal.” She poured coffee into my cup.

  “Who?” I asked, leaning forward as I looked at her for answers.

  “Melissa. She’s a surgeon at Deaconess. They’ve dated for a while.” Miley’s eyes gravitated to another table. “I’ll be back in a few with your waffles.”

  As she tended to others in the diner, I wondered who Melissa was and if she was still in the picture. I prayed not.

  Texting my brother the address to the inn, I headed back there after breakfast. I needed to prepare myself and all the equipment for the big day of photography ahead.

  Back in my room, I gathered everything I needed to make sure everything went smoothly. Memory cards, batteries, flashes, diffusers, and most importantly, the cameras. I’d be handling my new-to-me Canon EOS 5D while Connor would be using my older Nikon. Each camera was good enough to capture amazing pictures, but my Canon was my baby—only two months old.

  After changing into my black slacks and a black button down shirt, I put my flats on and put my hair up in a ponytail before I headed outside to take some practice shots with my Canon. Wearing all black helped me blend into the shadows and keep a more professional appearance.

  As I walked out onto the balcony upstairs, Serenah was coming up the stairs that led down to the grass. Turning to her, I smiled.

  “Can you take a picture of Charlie?” she asked, arriving over to me as she laid a hand on the railing.

  “Sure.” I peeked over the railing to see if he was down below.

  “No. He’s out front. With his little nephew, Lucas.” She glanced toward the open doorway. “I’m going to get into my dress pretty soon, but he’s been out there for an hour or two keeping him preoccupied and helping Joe. I think a picture of Lucas and Charlie would be adorable.”

  A smile crept in from the corner of my lip. It wasn’t very often a bride, especially on her wedding day, was able to notice anything precious going on outside of getting ready herself. I was impressed she noticed the moment. “Sure. I’ll go see if I can get a good one.”

  “Thank you,” Serenah replied with a warm smile. She seemed calm. A lot calmer than she did yesterday, or even a month ago when I had first met with her. As I walked inside in pursuit of the front, I thought about how gorgeous she looked. It wasn’t just about the makeup or even the special little number she had done on h
er hair. Serenah had a glow about her that came from within. It was the same glow I saw in my Aunt Julie when she married my uncle Todd. The expression also rested on my Grandma Ila’s face the day before she passed. There was just something warm that rested in the expressions of a woman of God before a big life event.

  Finding my way out the front door, I was quiet enough not to startle the interaction between Charlie and the little boy out in the front yard. Joe was not far from them on a ladder positioned on the platform he had built. He was stringing up round paper lanterns to the pine trees.

  I carefully approached Charlie and Lucas with camera in hand. Watching as Charlie held the football as he ran by Lucas, I smiled when I saw he was gently holding it enough to let the child steal it from him. Grinning, I captured the moment.

  “Dang. You’re too good, Luke!” Charlie laughed as he playfully sighed, letting his arms drop to his sides.

  Lucas stopped and turned around, the ball still in hand. He let out a laugh and grabbed his stomach in a dramatic fashion. “Uncle Charlie, you’re so old and slow!”

  Click.

  The laughter on Lucas’s face was one of those priceless shots you couldn’t try to plan if you wanted to. The pearly white teeth and one of the front teeth missing made the shot worthy to be in the Best of the Best portfolio I kept on my desktop at home. Charlie detected my presence and looked over. In a wary tone of voice, Charlie leaned over and spoke toward Lucas. “We have a spy, Luke . . .”