“But I’ll stay with you if you’d like me to,” Susan offered.
Emily shook her head sadly. “I’ll be fine. I’d just like to be alone for a while.”
“What about the caterer?”
“Oh no, the reception! I completely forgot.” Visions of the beautiful cake she had picked out danced before her eyes, not to mention the lights she’d had strung at the outdoor venue, the DJ, and the champagne, and the—oh, it was all so much to think about.
Emily dabbed another tear that trickled down onto her cheek. “I’m too upset to deal with it right now.”
“I can—”
“No, no, I’ll do it. Just give me some a few minutes.”
~*~
By the time Emily had pulled herself together and ventured out into the hallway leading to the vestibule, all the guests had gone. Susan and her family were gathered there, as well as the minister, discussing what to do next.
As Emily approached, still wearing her wedding gown, a loud ruckus outside sent her racing to the window, with Susan and the rest following on her heels. A helicopter landed at the far end of the grassy area, the blades whirring, sending the cherry blossoms blowing across the lawn like a blizzard. A trim man in a black tuxedo climbed out.
“Is that Evan?” Susan asked in a breathless voice.
He was so far away they couldn’t see his face, but who else could it be?
The man sprinted across the lawn to the front of the chapel. The church door flew open, and Evan stumbled in, disheveled and out of breath.
“I made it! I promised I would,” he said, smoothing his hair with his hand and trying to button the collar of his shirt. His bowtie was undone, hanging unevenly at his neck. “Could someone help me with this bloody tie?”
At the sight of him, Emily’s heart leapt and she ran to him. He caught her with one arm as she threw her hands behind his neck. He was here. He made it. She knew he would come if he could.
From the look of him, though, something serious had delayed him.
“But, Evan,” Emily said, “it’s too late. Everyone’s gone home.”
“It may not be too late,” Susan countered. “If you give us their phone numbers, Brian can see about getting the guests back here,” she offered, happily volunteering her husband. “And I can help you fix your makeup.”
“Okay.” Emily said, taking a step back and looking at Evan. “But where have you been?”
He had offered no apology, showed up extremely late, and looked like he’d been in some type of altercation.
“I’ll explain later. Right now, we have a wedding to pull back together.”
“Oh no!” Emily’s hands flew to cover herself, as if she were standing there naked.
“What is it, love?” Evan asked.
“You’ve seen me in my wedding dress.”
He chuckled. “That’s okay. I don’t believe in superstitions.”
Emily’s expression softened and her hands relaxed. “Good thing.”
“Sorry, love, but I need to step outside and make a quick phone call.” Evan raised his phone to her and backed toward the door. “You go with your sis and get ready to be married.”
Before she could answer, he ducked out into the portico, the phone to his ear.
Emily tiptoed to the door. Susan reached out, her hand grazing Emily’s shoulder as she slipped past.
“Em, we need to go.”
Emily turned back and lifted a finger to her lips, shushing her. “I’ll only be a minute.” She pushed the door open a little and peeked out. Evan’s back was to her as he leaned a hand against one of the stone columns of the portico.
“I need to get out,” she heard him say. “I love this girl. I just can’t go through that again.”
Get out of what? Go through what again?
Emily felt the pressure of her sister’s hand on her arm and she softly let the door close.
“Em, what are you doing?” Susan whispered. “We need to get you ready for your wedding.”
Chapter 3
Susan helped Emily smooth a few stray hairs back into place and redo the makeup that she had all but cried off. “How did you know Evan would show up?”
“Because he loves me.” Emily sat at the vanity and looked up at her sister. “About that, I have no doubt.”
“I could never be with such an unpredictable man,” Susan stated matter-of-factly as she reapplied Emily’s eyeliner.
“Unpredictable or not, Evan Parker is everything I ever wanted in a man—smart, kind, strong, and sexy.”
“He seems a bit older than you, Em. Exactly how old is he?”
“Thirty-four.”
“That’s a twelve-year difference.”
“I know, Suze, but it’s not like he’s Dad’s age or anything.”
“I can’t argue with that, but still, you just graduated from college, not to mention the fact that you haven’t known him very long.”
“Long enough.”
“I hope you know what you’re doing.” Susan pursed her lips as she shook her head. “Look up.” She brushed a little more mascara on Emily’s lashes. “You never said how you two met.”
“A few months ago, he walked into the diner in the middle of the afternoon and sat in my section. I went to the table to wait on him, and I remember thinking that if I wasn’t careful I was going to melt into a puddle right there on the vinyl floor.”
“He is a pretty good-looking guy,” Susan said.
“I know he isn’t handsome in that Ralph Lauren model sort of way. He’s more the James Bond kind of handsome—rugged and powerful, you know.”
Susan nodded.
“I loved his sandy blond hair and those piercing blue eyes, but when he spoke in that sexy British accent, I was done for.”
“Then what happened?” Susan brushed a light rose blush on Emily’s cheeks.
“After that, he came to the diner for a late lunch several days in a row, and it just blossomed from there.”
Over the course of their lunch visits together, Emily had told Evan about her dream to teach high school history, and he’d said he was a consultant for a global security firm. He’d told her that he travelled a lot with his work, gone for weeks at a time to exotic faraway places, but because of the type of business he was in, he couldn’t talk about his assignments. Between that and the accent it was no wonder he reminded her of Agent 007 himself.
He’d confided that he grew up in England, in a poor blue-collar family. A tragic accident had killed his parents and his siblings. When he turned eighteen, he came to America with hopes of a new life.
“Emily?” Her sister was waving two silver tubes in front of Emily’s face. “Which lipstick do you prefer?”
“You decide, Sis. The only thing I want to think about right now is how handsome my dream man looks in that tux.” Emily tilted her face up and smiled.
~*~
Brian had successfully gathered the small group of guests back to the chapel. Standing silently in the vestibule behind Susan, Emily held her brother-in-law’s arm and her bouquet of red daisies once again, as they waited for the selected music to begin.
While Susan marched down the aisle, Emily caught sight of Evan in his black tuxedo, waiting at the front of the chapel with the minister and best man. The organist began to play the wedding march, the people rose, and Brian escorted Emily in. Her gaze locked on Evan’s as she floated toward him. He flashed her that sexy crooked smile, and it made her want to rip his clothes off. She gripped Brian’s arm tighter as she felt her knees go weak at the thought.
At that moment, she didn’t care what had happened to delay him. She was simply happy he had made it back to her.
Throughout the vows and the reception, as they exchanged knowing glances and winks at each other, she could tell that she and Evan were on the same train of thought—both impatient to get through the reception and head for the honeymoon.
~*~
After the wedding, they’d jetted off to spend two glorious w
eeks on the beaches of Hawaii. Emily had decided not to push for Evan’s explanation of why he’d almost missed their wedding. She was young and in love, and wasn’t that all that really mattered? She didn’t need to know every single detail of his life. Sometimes knowing someone in your heart was better than knowing them in your head.
During their time away, Evan had let it slip that he was considering giving up his security job. He’d admitted he hated the thought of being away from her for weeks at a time, and he was getting tired of the harsh, snowy winters on the east coast.
Emily had wondered if that was what he’d been talking about when he was on the phone in the portico, but she didn’t want him to know she had been eavesdropping.
However, once they were back in the Washington, DC area she decided, after a conversation with Susan, that it was time Evan came clean with her about where he was before the wedding and why the delay. After dinner their first night back, she pressed him to explain.
“Darling, you know I can’t give you any details about my assignments.” He rose from the sofa and rested his arm on the fireplace mantle. “I simply overslept at the hotel and missed my flight. Let’s just leave it at that.”
She stood and faced him, planting her hands on her hips. “Then why did you have that woman call me and tell me you weren’t going to make it to your own wedding? Why didn’t you call?”
“You’ve got it all wrong, love. She phoned you on her own when I was out of pocket for a few hours. I hadn’t realized my phone was dead until I was rushing to the airport. I know it was silly of me.”
“So how did you get back to DC?”
“I was able to hop on a single-engine plane that was going to another airport where I could catch a proper flight. I was lucky enough to nab a seat. When we landed in DC, I got a friend to give me a lift from the airport in his heli. It was all so ridiculous, I didn’t want to mention it.”
“You looked so messed up when you finally got there, I was afraid you’d been caught in something dangerous.”
“Nothing dangerous, love, just all the dashing about, sleeping on the plane—you know.”
She slid her arms around his waist, and he pulled her snugly against him. “The important thing is that you finally made it and we were able to get married after all.”
“And don’t forget about the spectacular honeymoon,” he said with a nod and a seductive smile.
Then he dropped a bombshell on her.
“Remember I told you I was thinking we should get away from this place?”
“Yes,” she replied cautiously, pulling back a bit.
“I’ve researched a number of small towns out west, and I think I’ve found the perfect one for us.”
“You want us to move to the west?” Emily dropped her hands and stepped back. “But Susan and her brood are my only family. I can’t move that far away from her.”
“But, love, what about our family?”
“Our family?” In her mind, she saw a few little towheads running around the yard laughing and playing with their dad. “That’s a long way off, Evan.”
“I mean you and me.”
“But I like it here in Virginia.”
“Come on. Think of it as an adventure. A new life in a quaint little town. You can teach, and I can open my own private investigation office.”
“What’s the name of this perfect place?” She eyed him suspiciously.
“Paradise Valley. Doesn’t it sound perfect?” Evan ran a finger down her arm and took her hand. “Just a leap and a jump from Seattle. You love Seattle, don’t you?”
She studied him for a few moments, mulling over the possibilities of it. She loved the thought of Seattle—she’d never actually been there.
“All right,” she finally agreed. “I’ll go, but I’m warning you, if I don’t like it we’re moving right back to Virginia.”
He swept her up in his arms and twirled her around the living room of their small apartment. Then he kissed her deeply, passionately, sending her mind and emotions into a delirious spin.
“You won’t regret it, darling.” Then he scooped her off her feet, kissed her again, and carried her into the bedroom.
Chapter 4
They drove across the country in Evan’s gun-metal-gray Dodge Avenger, surviving a tire blowout, a crazy summer storm in the Midwest, and a near-miss on the freeway a couple of hours outside of DC.
Emily had finally drifted off to sleep, only to be awakened when their vehicle swerved almost out of control. She opened her eyes abruptly, frantically asking Evan what had happened. He told her that a black Suburban clipped their bumper. Relieved to be safe, she thanked him for his expert driving skills—if not for that, they might have crashed into the ditch, or worse.
“Where did the SUV go?” she asked, glancing out the back window.
“I don’t know,” Evan replied. “He must have taken that last turn-off.”
“Shouldn’t we call the police?”
“And tell them what? I’m just glad the bugger is gone.”
She accepted the explanation and was relieved that the Suburban had disappeared, deciding it was probably just a case of road rage.
The rest of the trip went much smoother and, within a few days, they made it to Idaho, as did the moving van. The newlyweds unpacked and settled into Paradise Valley, into the well-kept, craftsman-style bungalow they’d purchased on a charming tree-lined street in the older part of town.
Not long after moving in, Emily’s sister phoned. “How was the trip?”
Emily told Susan about the freak summer storm they’d battled and the flat tire, but she thought she’d keep the near-miss on the highway to herself. Knowing what a worrywart her sister was, not to mention Susan’s misgivings about Evan, she thought it was best not to offer her any more fodder for her rants.
“I don’t understand, Em, why you had to move all the way across the country. Now we’ll never see you.”
“I hardly saw you when I was in Virginia.”
“You were welcome to come and visit any time.”
“It’s not as if Maine is just a few hours’ drive, Susan. With the Georgetown student loans and the pittance I made at the diner, you know I couldn’t afford to come very often. It wasn’t like you ever offered to fly me up there.”
“Emily, we’re not flush with cash either, what with Brian’s business not doing well and kids to raise. It cost us quite a bit to bring our whole family down to DC for your wedding, not to mention my dress and Brian’s tux.”
“I’m sorry it cost you so dearly, Susan. I didn’t mean to be such a burden.”
“Why are you being so argumentative—so defensive?”
“Defensive? I don’t think so. It’s just that…”
“What?” Susan asked.
“Well, it wasn’t as if you ever really liked Evan, or the fact that I was marrying him.” Emily remembered the remarks her sister had made right before the wedding.
“He’s okay. It’s just that he’s a man of the world and you’re a sweet young girl from the country.”
“You make it sound like he’s bedded women all around the globe and I just fell off a turnip truck. I know I’m young, but I am college educated and have been living in the city for a few years.”
“I didn’t mean to offend you, but you have to admit, you two are very different. I’m just not sure he’s the one for you. I don’t want to see him break your heart.”
“Well, I am sure.”
Emily sighed and pulled her hands through her hair. Was this how it was going to be between her sister and her husband?
“I don’t understand why it was all so sudden—the decision to move, I mean. Sounds to me like he’s running away from something.”
“No, Susan, we’re running to something—to a wonderful new life in a charming little town—a new home, new careers, new friends.”
“He’s taking you away from your family. And forgive me if I’m wrong, but he comes across like a bit of a shady characte
r, like he’s hiding something. Did you ask him about why he was late to the wedding yet?”
“I did, but it’s really none of your concern. I love him, Susan. He’s my husband, for better or for worse.” Emily bit her tongue, trying not to say something she’d regret.
“For your sake, Em, I hope it’s for better.”
~*~
Emily decided that it would be for the better. She made the commitment to follow through and get her state certification to teach in the area. While she did this, Evan found a small space to rent and set up his business. He brought her down to the office, which was a single-room commercial space about fourteen by eighteen feet, in an old historic building on Main Street. He proudly showed her the lettering on the opaque glass in the top half of the door that announced Evan Parker, Private Investigator.
Emily ran her hand over the lettering, tracing each curve of every letter. “It’s perfect, Evan. I can’t imagine any other name on this door—it’s like it belongs here.”
Emily held in a deep sigh. She was happy for him, but her teaching certification process was taking longer than expected and she’d heard that teachers in the area were being laid off due to budget cuts.
So, while looking for something else to put her time and energies into, their real estate agent suggested she try her hand at selling homes. He’d said she was smart and attractive and might do very well in their largely affluent community.
At his prompting, and with Evan’s encouragement, she went to real estate school, got her license, and jumped in with both feet.
~*~
Within a couple of weeks of hanging her license with a local brokerage, Emily offered to sit an open house for another agent, since she had no listings yet of her own. The seasoned agent gave her a few pointers on how to hold a successful open house, along with a warning to be safe.
Emily hadn’t thought of that before, that holding an open house could be dangerous. Now she was a little nervous.
Over the three-hour period that she held the house open, she only had a handful of guests and a few nosey neighbors.
As the open house was winding down, a middle-aged man in shorts and a t-shirt walked in. She greeted him and showed him around, not thinking anything of it until he asked to see the recreation room in the basement. Something in her gut warned her not to do it, but she put it off to her imagination, plus, she wanted the sale. Besides, what was she going to tell him? “No, I can’t go down there with you because you might be a pervert and try to rob me or sexually assault me.” Clearly she couldn’t say such a thing, so, she followed him down the stairs.
Debra Burroughs - Paradise Valley 02.5 - The Edge of Lies Page 2