Kept Secrets

by Traci Hunter Abramson

  “What do you have in mind?”

  He pushed the elevator button.

  “Devin?”

  He heard her unspoken question, but he still didn’t respond.

  “Devin, what did you want to do tonight?”

  “I left you a little present in your room.”

  She stopped. “How did you get into my room to leave me a present?”

  “The concierge delivered it for me.”

  He sensed her wariness and hoped to put her at ease despite the nerves racing through him. “Don’t worry. I promise to be a gentleman.”

  “That’s good to know, but you still haven’t answered my question.”

  “Let me ask you a question.” He mustered his courage. “What do you envision when you think of your wedding day?”

  “Not a tacky wedding chapel with an officiator dressed like Elvis.”

  “I’m serious. What is important to you?”

  The sincerity in his voice apparently surprised her enough to make her consider the question before responding. The simplicity of her answer resonated with him. “I want to stand beside a man I love, a man who loves me, and know that the rings on our fingers will stay there forever.” She gave a little shrug. “I want my wedding day to be the start of my happily ever after.”

  He thought of how many times over the past few days he had nearly expressed his feelings for her. Had it been dozens? Hundreds? He couldn’t quite manage to express the words he wanted to, but he managed to ask, “Do you love me?”

  She kept her eyes on his and gave him the truth he had hoped and prayed for. “Yes. I love you.”

  Relief and determination merged together to create a new resolve. The words came easily now. “And I love you.” He leaned down and kissed her. “So why won’t you marry me?”

  “Because the only reason you want to marry me is because your friends put the idea in your head.” She turned the question around on him. “Why else would you be so determined to get married this weekend?”

  “Because I don’t want to spend another day without you by my side.” He ran his hands down her arms. “I want to wake up every morning lying next to you. I want to start on our happily ever after.”

  She could only stare.

  “Open your door.”

  As though in a trance, she complied. He felt her surprise when she saw the bouquet of flowers on the dresser. She crossed to it and picked up the white envelope propped in front of it, The Bridal Shop scripted in gray across the front.

  “What is this?”

  “A present.” He motioned to it. “Open it.”

  Slowly she broke the seal to reveal a gift card. Instead of an amount, the words One Wedding Dress were written across the front. She turned to face him.

  Devin dropped to one knee. “I know I’ve asked you this before, but I’m asking you again.” He drew a breath and forced the words out. “Grace Harrington, will you marry me?”

  * * *

  Grace didn’t know what to think. How many times had she dreamed about a moment like this? How many nights had she wished for someone like Devin to come into her life, a man she could love with her whole heart? Now she wasn’t looking anymore. She was face to face with the man she had always loved, the man she had been afraid would never again be part of her life.

  “I . . .”

  “Please?” He pulled a ring box from his pocket and opened it.

  Her doubts about his sincerity vanished the moment she saw the ring inside, the same piece of jewelry she and Devin had seen at the mall.

  Her eyes moistened, and she found herself nodding. “Yes.”

  An instant later, he was on his feet once more, gathering her close. Fumbling, he finally pulled the ring free and slipped it on her finger. As soon as he had it in place, he added to his request.

  “Tonight. Marry me tonight.”

  “What?” She pulled back so she could see his face. “That’s insane. We’ve only been back together for a week.”

  “I’ve loved you since I was seventeen years old, and I was too stupid to recognize my feelings for what they were. As soon as I saw you again, I knew I wanted to be with you forever.”

  His words melted her heart but not her logic. “I felt the same way, but that doesn’t mean we should jump into marriage. We won’t even be in the same state for another five months.”

  “I know I’m being selfish, but I don’t want to give you the chance to change your mind.”

  “I’m not going to change my mind.”

  “Then why wait? The dress shop is open all night. We can go shopping on our way to the wedding chapel.” He leaned down and captured her mouth in a mind-numbing kiss. Rational thought ceased to exist as she leaned into him, his hands firm against her back.

  This was the man she was going to marry. The newness of that fact combined with a sense of certainty, and suddenly she could see the future she had never dared hope for.

  His lips trailed down her neck, and a shiver ran through her. She remembered they were alone in her hotel room and forced herself to pull back.

  His eyes intense, he said, “Tonight.”

  It was no longer a question but a plea.

  “This is insane,” she said as much to herself as to him.

  This time he didn’t use words to convince her. He simply watched her, giving her time to process what had already been said and to come to her own decision.

  She weighed the options. She could spend her last semester planning a wedding, wishing her mother was still alive to help her, or she could spend that same time married to the man she loved. Instead of using their free time to plan a wedding, they could find time to spend together.

  Against all logic, she slowly nodded. “Okay.”

  “Okay?” He looked at her suspiciously. “As in okay, you’ll marry me tonight?”

  “Yes. I’ll marry you tonight,” she said. “But I’m holding firm on the Elvis thing. I’m not getting married in a tacky wedding chapel.”

  “The one Molly and Devin got married in was nice.”

  “Yes, it was,” Grace agreed.

  “Then let’s go.”

  A little seed of doubt crept in. “What about your family and friends?”

  “You’re the only person I care about. Is there anyone you will regret not having there?”

  She thought of her grandfather and various aunts and uncles. As much as she loved Molly’s mother, her aunt Marie, the woman was likely to drive her insane if they planned a wedding together.

  “I’m okay with eloping if you are.”

  “In that case, let’s go.”

  Forty-five minutes later, they were in Caleb’s car heading to the wedding chapel, the garment bag holding Grace’s newly purchased wedding dress spread across the back seat.

  Chapter 7

  Devin stared at Grace when she walked into the chapel from the bride’s dressing room a vision in white. The dress fit her beautifully, and her brown hair flowed freely over her shoulders.

  Only hours before, Caleb had stood in this exact same spot, and Devin had envied his friend. Now his heart felt like it might burst as his dream walked toward him.

  The wedding bands he had purchased when he’d bought Grace’s engagement ring were tucked in his suit pocket. He knew the purchase had been reckless initially, but now he was glad he had followed the impulse.

  Grace carried the same bouquet she had held when she’d stood as Molly’s maid of honor, only now she didn’t look as confident; she was nervous.

  He prayed she wouldn’t change her mind.

  As though she felt his silent pleas, she continued toward him until she stood at his side. The ceremony itself was simple and straightforward, only a few minutes passing before the officiator posed the most important question either of them had ever had to answer. Devin felt a weight lift off of him when Grace offered a cautious “I do.” Rings were exchanged, the platinum band feeling odd on his left hand, even though he had tried it on only two days before.


  “I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

  Devin didn’t wait to be told he could kiss his bride. He pulled her to him, his lips finding hers in a kiss that was both playful and filled with joy.

  Holding her close, he hoped the joy would last a lifetime.

  * * *

  “I can’t believe we’re married.” Grace sat across the table from Devin, the breakfast they had ordered from room service laid out between them. The love she felt for him seemed to have multiplied overnight, and she found herself stunned and giddy at the prospect of being Devin’s wife.

  “That makes two of us.” He broke off a piece of a cinnamon roll. “Did you want to tell any of our friends about this before they leave, or are we going to hide out and pretend we left before they did?”

  “They’re going to think we’re crazy.”

  “You’re right. We can tell them later.”

  Her heart melted when he leaned across the table and kissed her. Never had she considered when she’d arrived in Las Vegas that she would leave here a married woman.

  At least she knew her parents would have approved of Devin. That thought brought another to the surface.

  “What are your parents going to think when you tell them?”

  “Who knows.” He shrugged. “I already told them I wasn’t coming home before they leave for Paris, so we have some time to decide how to deal with them.”

  “Shouldn’t you call them now and tell them we’re married?”

  “I don’t want to deal with my parents right now.”

  “Why not?”

  “They’re leaving for Paris this afternoon, and you’re the only person I want to think about today. Besides, we have more important things to talk about.”

  “Like?”

  “Like where we want to spend the rest of our honeymoon.” He took another bite of his pastry. “How does a few days at Lake Powell sound? My folks have a condo there that’s sitting empty.”

  “That’s practically on the way to my grandfather’s ranch.” Grace considered. “Maybe we could go to Lake Powell until Christmas Eve and then spend the holiday with him.”

  “Sounds perfect,” Devin said. “Since we have Caleb’s car and he won’t be back in Phoenix until after New Year’s, we can just drive.”

  “That would work,” Grace said. “Did you want to leave today?”

  He leaned over and gave her another kiss and then another. “We can leave tomorrow.”

  “It’s a plan.”

  * * *

  Qing strolled through the gardens behind his home and spoke in a lowered voice to the man beside him. “What’s the latest on Shanahan?”

  “The offer has been prepared, and our source assures us it will be accepted,” Fai told him.

  “Surveillance concerns?”

  “Everything is as we hoped. No girlfriend, and his closest friends seem to be those he went to high school with.”

  “Time and distance will weaken those.”

  “I agree. His best friend got married yesterday. That will change things as well.”

  “How confident are you in our source about this man?”

  “Very. Besides being paid well, we have made it clear what will happen if his loyalty comes into question,” Fai said. “What happened to Kyle Rode is quite the motivator.”

  “Maybe we should have killed someone for falling out of line sooner.” Qing considered. “Fear can be an effective tool.”

  The cold look in Qing’s eyes sent a ripple of fear through Fai, and he found himself nodding. “Yes, sir, it can, indeed.”

  * * *

  The idea that Devin probably should have asked Grace’s grandfather for her hand in marriage popped up a few miles before they reached the ranch. The land stretched out before him now, the ranch house occupying a clearing surrounded by trees.

  Devin could envision a shotgun hanging over the mantel, and he glanced at Grace. “How is your grandfather going to take the news that we’re married? He isn’t going to shoot me, is he?”

  Her lips turned upward. “I don’t think he’ll want me to be a widow at the age of twenty-three, so I think you’re safe.”

  Devin wasn’t sure he believed her when he pulled up in front of the house and the door immediately opened. He had envisioned her grandfather as old and frail. The man standing on the porch was neither.

  His hair might have been more gray than brown, but he moved with agility and probably had a full inch and thirty pounds on Devin.

  Grace climbed out of the car and hurried into his embrace. “Grandpa!”

  “There’s my girl.” He hugged her and then held her at arm’s length to study her. “How are you?”

  “Funny you should ask that.” She turned and waved at Devin. “Things were a little crazy while I was in Las Vegas.”

  “How so?” His eyes narrowed when his gaze landed on Devin. “And who’s this?”

  “This is who I was telling you about, Devin Shanahan. This is my grandfather, Quentin Harrington.” She hesitated a brief moment before adding, “Grandpa, this is my husband.”

  Quentin stopped halfway through the motion of extending his hand. The hesitation lasted only a moment before he finished reaching out to shake hands with Devin. The older man’s expression changed from welcoming to suspicious.

  “I think we should go inside out of the cold. It sounds like you two have a lot of explaining to do.”

  Devin tried to think of how he would feel if he were in Quentin’s shoes but couldn’t begin to imagine what it would be like to have a child, much less a grandchild.

  He followed the older man and Grace inside to where a fire burned in a brick fireplace, a brown leather sectional facing the warmth centered there. He looked up and swallowed hard. As he had feared, a shotgun hung above the mantel.

  Devin tried to find the words to form the apology he was sure he owed this man, but he couldn’t quite figure out how to phrase it. Instead, he remained silent, taking Grace’s hand in his as they all sat down together.

  “Devin, is it?” Quentin began.

  “Yes, sir.”

  “How long have you known my granddaughter?”

  “Grandpa, you don’t need to interrogate him.”

  “It’s okay, Grace. I think he’s entitled.” Devin squeezed her hand and shifted his attention to her grandfather. “We’ve known each other since high school. We dated back then, and it wasn’t until we saw each other again that we realized we’ve been in love this whole time.”

  “I see.” He stroked at his gray mustache. “And what are your plans now that you’re married? Are you going to live together in Arizona while Grace finishes school?”

  “Actually, I’m one semester away from finishing my MBA at Stanford,” Devin told him. He noticed that the mention of the prestigious school didn’t impress Quentin the way it did many people. “We’ll work something out to see each other as often as we can. As soon as we both graduate, we’ll figure out where we want to live.”

  “I expect you will give Grace’s opportunities equal consideration to your own.” The words weren’t phrased as a question, and Devin wisely didn’t respond. He hadn’t told Grace about his commitment to the CIA, and he certainly wasn’t going to do so now. “And have you discussed children? I assume starting a family will be in your plans at some point in the future.”

  Devin felt his hands go clammy at that assumption. He hadn’t thought that far into the future. After growing up an only child, with parents who didn’t exactly know how to parent, he wasn’t sure where he stood on having children of his own.

  Whether it was instinct or coincidence that Grace picked that exact moment to intervene, Devin was grateful for the distraction.

  “Grandpa, that’s enough.” She put her hand on Devin’s knee. “Devin and I interrupted our honeymoon to come spend Christmas with you. The only thing you need to know is that we love each other and we’re happy.”

  “You’re right,” he said grudgingly. When he turned his gaze back
to Devin, his voice was firm. “But I do expect you to keep my granddaughter happy.”

  “I will do my best.”

  “That’s all I can ask for.”

  Chapter 8

  Devin awoke Christmas morning to an empty bed. He reached out to find the sheets beside him cool, causing him to open his eyes and scan the room. Finding himself alone in Grace’s bedroom, he rolled onto his back and stared at the ceiling.

  How was it that after only a week, he already expected to have her by his side each morning? Had he really settled into married life so easily?

  He expected bumps in the road, but so far their honeymoon had been nothing short of perfect. The only exception had been the interrogation by her grandfather. He supposed it would take some time before Quentin adjusted to the new reality of his granddaughter’s marital status.

  He climbed out of bed and pulled on a pair of sweats before going in search of Grace. He assumed he would find her in the kitchen from the scent of cinnamon filling the air. To his surprise, the kitchen was empty, despite the evidence that it had been well used since they had cleaned up last night after dinner.

  Several bowls were soaking in the sink, and another occupied the counter, a cloth covering it. A pan of cinnamon rolls cooled on a rack, a small bowl of icing sitting nearby, ready to be spread.

  Finding himself alone in the house, he grabbed his coat off the rack by the front door and headed outside toward the barn. His breath caught from the cold, and he bundled his coat more tightly around him.

  He stepped inside the traditional barn structure, the smell of hay and animals mixing with the scent of snow. Horses munched in their stalls, and a black-and-white barn cat eyed him suspiciously. He was only a few steps inside the door when he heard voices.

  “I told you you didn’t have to do this,” Quentin said.

  “It’s Christmas,” Grace replied, her voice muffled by the wall separating the front section of the barn from the section where the feed was stored. “I always feed the animals for you on Christmas morning.”