Everybody Knows (Sunnyside #1)

by Jacie Floyd

  “When we went back inside. Marley had to broadcast to all ten of her best friends that we were leaving and she had to talk to each and every one of them before we left. While I waited for her, I noticed that my best friend, Tyler Monroe, was totally hammered. And that wasn’t like him.

  “Everybody was saying that his girlfriend, Natalie Zimmer, had dumped him earlier, and Ty hadn’t taken the news well. But to prove to her that he couldn’t care less, he enjoyed more than his share of the weed and beer being passed around until he pretty much couldn’t stand up, let alone drive.

  By this time, Harper had her arms wrapped around Zach, holding on tight. At this part of the story, she stirred and lifted her head. “Tyler Monroe. Kate’s brother?”

  “Yeah. I looked for Liam to see if he’d make sure Ty got home okay, but Liam had taken his girlfriend down to her dad’s boat for some alone time. No way could I interrupt that, but I couldn’t leave Ty there to drive himself home either. Over Marley’s protests, I hauled Ty out to my mom’s Dodge Caravan and dumped him into the backseat. Where he promptly passed out. Now thoroughly pissed with me, Marley gazed out the passenger window and gave me her version of the silent treatment, which included a lot of sniffing and sighing and flipping her hair.

  “Which is the last thing I remembered before I dosed off. Right before I reached Slaughter’s Bend. When the road curved, I didn’t. We plowed straight into a tree, killing my best friend and injuring Marley for life.” A derisive snort escaped him. “I was the only one wearing a seatbelt. Walked away with a gash on my arm and a broken toe.”

  He still had nightmares about it.

  Shaking her head, Harper wiped tears from her eyes. “That’s a lot of guilt for a teenager to have to live with.”

  “Tell me about it. Especially when everyone in town kept saying what a good kid I was. Not drinking and driving, they said, like I deserved a medal for that alone. Trying to take care of my friend by driving him home. Tired because I’d been up so many nights taking care of my sick mom, keeping my grades up, and excelling on the football field. They made me feel like I needed to try harder to earn their respect, to make them forget, when all I wanted to do was beat myself up and hurt the next person who praised me for ‘having a good head on my shoulders’.” Which Zach knew to be a giant load of manure.

  “What happened to Marley? Where is she now?”

  He’d ruined Marley’s life due to the injuries he’d caused, but he didn’t want to tell Harper that. Everyone else said he’d saved it. All because he’d taken a few lifesaving classes at the Y and had been able to administer first aid before the Life Squad team got there. He barely remembered that part.

  But he clearly remembered the way she yelled at him when he went to see her at the hospital. The way her parents had shaken their heads at him, refused to accept his apology, and left for St. Louis where she could get better care than she could get at County General. The last time he’d seen them had been at the courthouse after her parents had sued his dad for the damage to their daughter.

  “She always planned to be a professional dancer. She’d been taking lessons since she was six and was really good. But she’s still paralyzed. Still in a wheelchair. Lives in St. Louis. Works for NPR. Has a radio program about people with disabilities.” It was a pretty good show actually. He tortured himself by listening to it occasionally. Or every chance he got. He’d checked out her website and followed up on her case a few times. More than a few.

  “At least she’s found a way to put the negative experience to good use.”

  Was that true? His throat closed up as he thought of all she’d been through. Leave it to Harper to look for a positive spin. “She’s had to settle for a lot less than she originally wanted. And there’s no bright side for Ty. It always feels like I don’t deserve my own success.”

  “Maybe it depends on the religion you subscribe to, but I never believe there’s a big balance book someplace where God, Mohammed, Karma or whatever is doling out special destinies based on what people deserve.”

  “I hope you’re right.” That last year of school was miserable, made worse—much worse— by the acceleration of his mother’s illness. Every night he sat by her side, he knew he was watching her die. By the time she succumbed to her illness in the spring, right before his high-school graduation, he couldn’t wait to bust loose. If he didn’t get out of town soon, he’d explode. If he stayed in Sunnyside, he’d always be that kid who’d killed his best friend.

  “I felt guilty about leaving Dad, but I’d already committed to going to Northwestern, and he encouraged me to follow my dreams. To do what Mom would have wanted me to do. We turned over most of Mom’s life insurance to Marley’s family, so I busted my butt working a variety of part-time jobs, and squeezing every dollar I could get my hands on. With all that and my scholarship money, I managed to stay out of debt in my undergraduate years. But worrying about how much money I’d owe by the time I finished medical school, I made a deal with the devil. You know what happened next.”

  “The town offered to pay for you to go to medical school if you’d come home and practice here for seven years afterward.”

  “There were other provisions and legalities to it, but becoming their indentured servant was the gist of the offer. Most days I wake up feeling like they own me, body and soul. That’s the straightjacket I live in.”

  She shook her head and held on tight. “It was their way of helping you.”

  “Or of blackmailing me into coming back here. Keeping me here.” Thinking of their expectations, he shuddered. “Every time they look at me, they remember. They remind me of what I did. They’ll never forget.”

  Scooting down in the bed, she snuggled close and ran a soothing hand over his chest. She kissed his shoulder. “Maybe so.”

  “How can you think otherwise? After what I did?”

  “Honestly? The way I see it… A long time ago, when you were half the age you are now, you had an accident that resulted in a terrible, unthinkable outcome. Sadly, that happens to teenaged boys. Look at the statistics. There’s a reason that demographic carries the highest insurance rate. Were you reckless? Were you drinking or speeding? Did you tell your passengers not to wear their seatbelts? Did you intentionally harm someone or did you try to help them? You want to leave this town because they are a constant reminder of that horrible time. They support you and love you. If you tell them you want to leave for a while, maybe they’ll understand, but you won’t feel any better about yourself.”

  Was she right? What did she know? Had he always resented the town because they didn’t blame him the way he blamed himself? Would they understand when he told them he was leaving? He’d find out soon enough.

  The light was shining brightly at the end of the tunnel. If he could hang on a little longer, he’d be home free. Or away-from-home free, to be more exact. He couldn’t wait. The excitement kept building. Except for the dread of telling the everyone his plans. And leaving Harper. Those two aspects had him breaking out in a cold sweat.

  The sad story about Zach’s past just about broke Harper’s heart and went a long way to explaining the man he’d become. A caring doctor, everyone’s guardian, moral compass, upstanding, reliable. A loving man who chose to keep his distance. One who chose to leave the people who loved him the most, including Harper. Before they left him.

  She tried to understand, even if she did disagree.

  But what did she know about love? Maybe she was just kidding herself. Her father had never loved her. Like Zach, he acknowledged the relationship between them in private, but never publicly. Very few people knew the esteemed doctor was her father.

  Her fiancé hadn’t loved her. He didn’t get her all hot and bothered or enjoy the physical part of their relationship like Zach did. He didn’t tell her she was beautiful. He didn’t make her smile. On the other hand, like Zach, he didn’t love her. Neither one of them wanted her love.

  Looking at it in that light, she was really just a commodity
to all three men.

  Chapter Twenty-one

  Zach tapped on the Mayor’s door. Mick’s plate was already pretty full. Zach hated to add to the burden, but the time had come. “You got a minute?”

  “For you? Always.” Mick turned away from his computer and moved some papers to the corner of his desk. “Just going over the figures for the library project. Harper is doing a fantastic job.”

  “She really is.” Zach’s spirits lifted, taking pride in his secret girlfriend’s abilities. Maybe she would be all right here after he left. Having the mayor on her side would go a long way in gaining acceptance. “Without having much knowledge of the town, she figured out who was behind the destruction of the building, found a way to deal with Bennie, and recovered a bundle of money from Whitherford and McMahon. She’s selected a fabulous staff. People I might not even have thought of or considered.”

  He scratched his head, amazed at her insight. “And the programs? Not just beneficial to the students, but something for everyone. Did you know she’s thinking of having a yoga class in the reading room before the library opens and starting a book exchange out at the retirement home? Myrna says she doesn’t know why she didn’t think of that years ago.”

  “You don’t have to sell me.” The Mayor leaned back and crossed his arms. “But I didn’t realize you were such a big fan.”

  “Well, sure.” Maybe he’d been a little too enthusiastic. “I kind of took her under my wing when she arrived. We both lived in Chicago, we’re about the same age, and I introduced her around. She’s smart, nice, and funny.” Damn, he couldn’t seem to stop. “If people give her a chance, they’ll really like her. They let her uptown appearance fool them into thinking she’s something she’s not.”

  “No one can deny she’s a looker, but Claire agrees with your assessment. She and Cassie are very fond of Harper, and I value their opinions.” The Mayor cleared his throat. “That isn’t going to become a problem, is it? You and her? If someone overstepped, she could make a case against us.”

  Zach had revealed more than he intended. “When have you ever had to worry about me overstepping?”

  “Never.” Mick admitted. “But I’ve never seen you so taken with anyone before. And now that I think about it, you’d be a good fit. But you’ve been with Kate for a while now, and there could be other issues. I don’t want anyone hurt. You or her.”

  “When you hear my reason for coming in to see you today, you’ll see you don’t have anything to worry about.”

  Leaning forward, Mick reached for a legal pad and pen, ready to make notes if he needed to. “What is it? Now you’ve got me curious.”

  No way to sugarcoat it. He got right to the big announcement. Dragging it out wouldn’t make it any easier, but it kind of felt like that moment right before he had to give a patient bad news about their health. “My contract was up with the town in September, and I don’t intend to continue as the town doctor.”

  The mayor expelled a weary sigh. “Since you weren’t in a big hurry to renegotiate the contract, I was afraid that might happen. I don’t blame you for wanting to see what else is out there, but if it’s about money…”

  Zach held up his hand to forestall an offer. “It’s not. You and the town have already been too good to me. I wouldn’t hold you up for more money than you can afford. It’s just that I’ve been isolated here my whole life. I’d like the opportunity to broaden my horizons as a doctor and a human being. I want to see how I handle myself out in the real world where I’m an unknown. Do you understand what I’m saying?”

  Nodding, Mick reached for a water bottle. “No one admires you more than I do, but I’ve always known you cast too big of a shadow for this little town. I hoped you’d be content to stay, but I suspected you’d feel the need to leave. I’ll miss you as a friend, a doctor, and a town leader. I hope you’ll give us enough time to replace you. What are you going to do next? A big practice in Chicago or St. Louis?”

  “Maybe down the line, but for now, I want to give Doctors Without Borders a try. I don’t have an assignment yet, but the paperwork’s all done, and they’ll call me with a date and destination in the next few weeks.”

  “They’ll be lucky to have you, but that’s not permanent, is it?”

  “Not yet, but my life has been planned out for me for so long, I don’t want to commit to anything right away.”

  “Our loss is their gain. I don’t know how we’ll replace you.” He jotted a note on his yellow pad.

  Finally, he’d be able to give the man something to smile about. “You don’t have to look too far. Josh’s residency is over in a few months, and he’s interested in taking over for me, if you’re interested in having him on-board.”

  “Josh, huh? Terrific idea. We’ll have to do a formal interview, but ask him to come see me as soon as he can. I was hoping we could have you and him both for a while, but life moves on. Things change, whether we want them to or not.”

  “That they do.” Both men stood, and Mick grabbed Zach’s shoulders for a hug. And just like that, the burdens of a lifetime slid off his shoulders. “Thanks for not giving me a hard time. Your generosity is more than I deserve.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’ll do what I can to smooth your way out of town. Other people might not be as lenient.”

  Sunnyside buzzed with the news of Zach’s departure before the day was over. Probably before he even crossed the street after leaving Mick’s office.

  Harper was relieved that at least one of his secrets was out in the open. But now, his time and movements were even more restricted than before. Everyone wanted to see him, spend time with him, harangue, reminisce, encourage, or otherwise command his attention one last time. Despite his objections, about four different factions banded together to plan a huge farewell party. The first disagreement broke out over where it should be held.

  They couldn’t have it at the high school, the library, or the town hall because they were town property and alcohol beverages weren’t allowed. Few other places were big enough for the blowout they had planned.

  Finally, Bert Marshall came up with the idea to have it at the barn Liam had renovated into a fitness facility. Nearly complete, the workout equipment hadn’t been installed, and it wasn’t open to the public yet. The ladies could bring all the dishes they thought were Zach’s favorites and decorate the place to their heart’s content. As the town’s most affluent citizen, Bert offered to foot the bill for everything else. A date was decided upon and preparations commenced.

  A week before the big event, Harper retreated to her office and closed the door, hoping to escape the barrage of sly comments and questioning glances. In no time, her cell phone rang. She didn’t want to talk to anyone about what she planned to bring, wear, or contribute to the party, so she checked the caller ID. Her sister. Good. That should be safe.

  “Harper.” Fee’s voice over the phone sounded tense. Harper braced herself for whatever bad news her sister intended to share. “That asshole Blaine called me today.”

  “Blaine? What did he want?” She wouldn’t put anything past her stupid ex-fiancé.

  “He has some pictures, and he’s trying to blackmail me. You. Us.”

  “What kind of pictures?” It wouldn’t be good if he had naked nudes of either one of them, but Fiona was a model and not shy about having her body on display. And Harper had been engaged to the scumbucket. No one would be surprised to learn she’d been naked in his presence.

  “Pictures of us doing drugs.”

  The idea was so outrageous, she almost laughed. “That can’t be true. I don’t do drugs. Do you? Tell me the truth.”

  “God, no. I’ve seen drugs ruin too many musicians and a lot of models over the years. I played around with them when I was teenager, but when Dad found out, he set me straight real fast.”

  “How?”

  “Don’t you remember? He explained the dangers, and then he bribed me with a Lamborghini to stay away from the stuff. He said he’d buy anything
I wanted rather than have to pay for rehab.”

  “That sounds like him.” Harper chuckled over Wexley’s parenting style. It might not be advocated in any child development books, but he had a way of getting even the strong-willed Fiona to stay in line. “So, if it’s not me and it’s not you, what does Blaine have he can use against us?”

  “It’s us all right.”

  Harper’s head buzzed, creating a white noise that distracted her from thinking clearly. “Explain.”

  “Remember that party you went to with me in Cannes last year when Marcus was getting wasted after he’d been dropped from the Maxim photo-shoot?”

  “Vaguely.”

  “We were trying to talk him out of there, and he passed you that bong?”

  “Oh, Lord, yes.” She clapped her hand to her forehead. “Blaine was there, wasn’t he? With his ever-present camera. Taking photos that make it look like the bong was mine, I guess.”

  “That’s when he was still trying to hang on to you. So, he didn’t do anything with the pictures at the time. But now, you won’t see him, won’t marry him, and won’t help him with his career. And he’s pretty deeply in debt.”

  “What’s he done to get in debt? He was making damned good money all last year.”

  “He’s no stranger to some pretty expensive habits, but I also heard he made some bad investments after you left him. Somehow, in his mind, that means you’re responsible for his poor judgment.”

  “Well, that’s his problem. I hope you told him to get lost.”

  “I did, and he knows those pictures won’t hurt me that much, but it’s you he’s targeting.”

  Harper’s stomach started to churn. “I can cause him more trouble than he can cause me.”

  “Can you? ‘Cause I’m thinking your Sunnyside friends won’t take too kindly to pictures of you on the Internet getting high and wild. Which I think is the caption he plans to use. High and Wilde.”

  “Well, isn’t he clever? The bastard.”