by Sable Hunter
“Their love story is quite dramatic. They met years before and were separated. Dandi was in a bus accident and when she awoke, she’d lost some time. And the time she lost was when she’d known Lucas. He looked for her for a long time, but lost hope they’d find one another. One day he was at a BBQ at Beau’s house and she walked out. He instantly recognized her and wanted to sweep her off her feet, but she didn’t remember him. Lucas had to court her all over again.”
Harper smiled. “How romantic. I’m glad they got together.”
“Yea, especially since Lucy was his daughter and he didn’t even know she existed.” Revel knew how Lucas had felt, wondering if he’d ever be a part of his soul mate’s life again. “Dandi works with Savannah at the Culture Center. She’s an expert on ancient Louisiana artifacts and Native American burial mounds.”
“She must be smart.” This bit of information made Harper uneasy, she felt inadequate. Even though it was all her own fault, she couldn’t help but wish she could stand on an equal footing with Revel’s friends. “What does Lucas do for a living?”
As soon as she asked the question, Revel shifted in his seat, removing his hand from her knee and running it through his hair. This was a touchy subject, so he took the easy way out. “He’s a doctor.” A true statement, if not a complete one.
“Oh.”
“Hey, smile.” He lifted her chin. “You just became an heiress, the sun is shining and you have a man who adores you. What more could you want?”
“What more indeed.” She sincerely agreed.
The drive didn’t take much more than an hour and during that time, he shared with Harper and got her to share a little with him. “I spend a lot of time on the waterways, charting and mapping many of the smaller bayous and creeks that run into the rivers and eventually to the gulf. When I’m out there, I stay on a houseboat I bought from Beau. I’ll take you out, you’ll enjoy it. I’ve met a lot of interesting people deep in the swamp. In places, it’s like going back in time. T-Rex works with us, he also helped me with some of the renovations at Wildwood.”
“T-Rex?” She giggled. “Does he like dinosaurs?”
“Probably.” He smiled, noticing she hadn’t said she wanted to go with him on the boat. Oh well, there was time. “T-Rex’s dad is Creole and his mom is Cajun, a true Louisiana mix. Rex is named for his father and the habit of putting a T in front of a man’s name is the same as the Scottish Mac or the Israeli Ben, it means son of or little, so he’s son of Rex or little Rex—even though he’s bigger than me.”
“I like that. When I lived in Kerrville, before everything went crazy, I got fairly close to Avery Sinclair. She’s Noah’s sister-in-law now, Isaac’s wife. I admired her. She’s an author and has written a lot of stories set in this part of Louisiana. I could read them and almost feel at home. She also…” Her voice trailed off.
“She what?” Revel urged.
“Nothing.” At his encouraging glance, she went on. “She would come to the club with Isaac. He’s a Dom and she took to the lifestyle like a duck to water. They seemed to handle it so well, so much better than I did. Avery did it for Isaac, but she also enjoyed it, yet she could lay it down when she walked out the door. They had the best of both worlds.” Harper didn’t know why she was telling Revel this, it wasn’t like she wanted to pick up her habits and return to the clubs. Maybe she was just trying to make him realize she wasn’t…
“Harper, I don’t want…” He was about to say he didn’t want her to worry when a truck almost sideswiped them before cutting in front of them so close, Revel had to slam on his brakes. “What the fuck?”
When he had swerved, she had turned and the face of the man leering at her from the window of the other vehicle had been familiar. Harlow Duhon. She had gasped, her heart pounding. Was he following her?
Revel struggled to get the truck under control. “Are you all right?” he asked Harper.
“Yes.” She was still breathing hard, staring after the older make pickup that had gunned it, leaving them behind. Could she have been mistaken? Was it just her overactive imagination? “I hope he gets a ticket.”
With a low, relieved chuckle, Revel agreed. “Me too.”
Their conversation quieted down as they neared their destination. Harper couldn’t wrap her head around the fact that Harlow could be stalking her, close enough to know she was with Revel in this truck. What he had done didn’t appear to be a coincidence. Should she tell Revel? She didn’t know. The conversation would open more than one uncomfortable topic. But even this unsettling occurrence didn’t make her forget that when she’d mentioned Avery and the club, the first words out of Revel’s mouth had been, ‘Harper, I don’t want…’
When he turned off the main road and began heading down a country lane, Harper pushed her uncertainties out of her mind. She wanted to have a good time and worry about her problems another day. “How beautiful,” she exclaimed.
“Yes, Lucas lives on a horse ranch. He may be a professional, but I’d say he’s a country boy at heart. The horses he raises aren’t for the rodeo, though, he owns race horses.”
From the moment they parked, Harper was craning her neck to see the beautiful thoroughbreds that congregated at the fence to greet them. Then from some distance away, they heard the high-pitch squeal of a little girl’s voice.
“Company! I luvs company!”
Revel and Harper turned to see a small blonde tornado running full tilt toward them. “My name’s Lucy!”
Entranced, Harper went to her knees to greet the little tyke, oblivious to the possibility she could get grass stains on her dress. “Hey, I’m Harper. You look so pretty!”
Revel squatted next to Harper. “Remember me, Lucy? I’m Uncle Revel.”
“Yes, I knows you.” She picked up a lock of Harper’s hair. “You got pretty face.”
“Lucy is our welcoming committee,” a man’s voice spoke and Harper looked up to see a tall man with almost shoulder length blond hair. He was smiling, walking beside an attractive woman…who looked vaguely familiar. “Hello, Harper. I’m Lucas Wagner, this is my wife, Dandi.”
Harper rose to take the proffered handshake. “How nice of you to have us.”
Revel stood up with Lucy in his arms. “I’ve been looking forward to this crawfish boil for weeks.”
Dandi placed her hand on Harper’s shoulder. “And we’re so glad you could bring someone with you.” They began to walk toward the big spreading ranch house. “Revel has always been such a loner, we’ve been trying to fix him up with someone and he always turns us down. Are you the reason?” Everyone looked startled at Dandi’s question and their expressions made her laugh. “What? Aren’t I right?”
Revel recovered first. “Yes, you are. I’ll admit it.” He put his spare hand on Harper’s back and leaned over to kiss her. “Harper is the only one for me.”
“Here, Lucy,” Lucas took his daughter, “you go with your mama, while Revel and I tend to the big pot of boiling goodness.”
Harper started to protest. She’d thought they would stay together, but Revel kissed her on the cheek and left with Lucas discussing sports. Both mother and daughter gave her an expectant hopeful look and she had no choice but to follow them inside.
“This way.” Dandi led, setting Lucy down, who proceeded to chase a kitten across the room, telling the hapless feline it was time for her to ride in the baby carriage. “You can sit at the counter while I make a salad and tell me how you met the handsome hunky hero.”
Harper couldn’t help but smile, Dandi was as nice as she was pretty. “We met at a dance.” As she sat at the kitchen bar, Harper couldn’t help but admire the beautiful kitchen. Granite countertops matched ceramic floors and the cabinets were pickled white. She felt like she’d walked into a French country chateau.
“How romantic.” Dandi sighed. “Lucas and I met at a strip club.” At Harper’s horrified expression, Dandi laughed.
“You’re kidding,” Harper said, there was no way this gorgeou
s classy woman was a stripper.
Dandi waved her hand dismissively. “Long story, but I made some mistakes. Some men who owned the club where I was a waitress threatened me and strong-armed me until I agreed to dance there.” She smiled almost dreamily. “Lucas saved me.”
Trying not to look shocked, she couldn’t stop her observation. “I think I remember you. Was there a murder involved?”
“Yes.” Dandi nodded, handing Harper a cucumber to peel. “I was Angel-Baby, a You-Tube and brief news cycle sensation. Plus, the criminal owners of the club were convinced I witnessed a murder they committed.”
“But Lucas saved you.” That part seemed very important to Harper. “And you’re together, he was your hero.”
Sitting down beside Harper, Dandi began to tear lettuce leaves into a bowl. “It wasn’t that simple, he was on the fast track in a medical group and I was convinced I was bad for his career. I felt like my past, even though it wasn’t my fault, would taint him. In fact, I heard his boss tell him that it was either me or his job.”
The similarities in their situations hit Harper like a physical blow. “But it all worked out for you.”
“Yes, eventually, although I ran away.” Dandi stopped speaking when Lucy came running in asking for a drink of water. After seeing to her daughter’s needs and getting her settled in front of the TV in an adjoining room, she rejoined Harper. “We were apart for a long while, Lucas was shot by the crook who was after me and I lost my memory in an accident. Our reunion was a miracle, one I’m forever grateful for, but a miracle.”
“Lucas loves you.” Harper observed in an almost reverent tone. “Revel loves me too.”
“You’re right, they do. They’re the type who will shout it from the rooftops.” Dandi laughed. “Lucas told me he loved me on the front page of The Times Picayune newspaper.”
Harper tried to laugh, but she couldn’t. “Dandi, he might have met you when you were dancing, but you have no idea what I’ve done, what I am.” She didn’t know why she trusted this woman, but she did. “I’ve never told Revel all of this, but my father abused me and my mother blamed me. She couldn’t handle it, she killed my father and then she shot herself. Revel knows about the murder/suicide, but he doesn’t know it was my fault.”
Dandi went to her, putting an arm around her. “Your fault? How could that be?”
“I don’t know, my mother said I had tempted him, lured him.” Harper began to cry. “I loved my father, but when it began I was only seven, I didn’t understand.”
Growing very serious, Dandi placed her hand on Harper’s arm. “When you say abused, do you mean sexually or just physically?”
Harper blushed, the word sticking in her throat. She almost said, ‘sexually’, but she couldn’t. “Physically.” What was the difference anyway, it had been physical. She could never admit the truth—never. Harper couldn’t pretend she was a psychologist, but she was sure the end results for someone abused physically and sexually were probably about the same. And this way, keeping the information to herself—away from Dandi or Lucas…or even Revel, she could preserve some dignity.
Harper began to shake, and when she realized it, she fisted her hands, pressing her fingernails into her skin to keep from screaming. “I didn’t know how much it affected me until…” She paused, unable to go on. Glancing at Dandi’s face, she saw only compassion and understanding. If she continued, that might change. Not wanting to see disgust or confusion, she attempted to summarize. “I guess everyone’s adult life is shaped by what they went through in childhood. Revel and I were together years ago, but I had issues.” She almost laughed out loud at her vague description of something which changed everything for her. “Like you and Lucas, we may have a second chance if I can get my act together.”
“I’m so, so sorry.”
Harper sat up straighter, pushing a lock of hair from her forehead. “Oh, don’t be. We’ll work it out. Revel is being very patient.”
“Yes, I would advise you not to underestimate the man who loves you,” Dandi insisted.
Harper shook her head. “Oh, I won’t. He’s wonderful. I’m just not sure I’m the woman for him.”
Dandi sat back in the chair and took both of Harper’s hands in her own. “I may be way off base and jumping to conclusions. And if I’m reading something between the lines that isn’t there, well, forgive me. But if you ever need to talk, Lucas can help. I’m sure Revel would be open to it.”
Harper was confused. “He told me your husband was a doctor.”
Dandi held her gaze, then gave her a reassuring smile. “Oh, he is. He’s a doctor and a therapist. A sex therapist, who deals with, among other things, traumatized patients.”
Without losing her cool, Harper thanked Dandi for the suggestion to talk to Lucas, then she changed the subject, confirming nothing and making no promises. The very idea of exposing her problems to one of Revel’s friends was unthinkable. She wasn’t angry at Dandi. The woman had only the best intentions, but Harper didn’t have the strength to make herself so vulnerable. They finished preparing the salad and talked of other things.
The rest of the visit should have been enjoyable. The food was wonderful and the company was stimulating. They ate outside at a beautiful pavilion where they could watch the horses grazing in the field. As the evening wore on, Harper put on the very best front, but a fear rose in her that this visit might have been more than it seemed. Had Revel discussed her situation with Lucas? The very thought made Harper shiver. Dandi mentioned none of it again, until they started to leave when she whispered to her, “Don’t forget. We’re here for you. Don’t let your chance at happiness slip through your fingers because you’re afraid. I almost did the same thing, and I’m so glad I didn’t.”
Even though she halfway expected it, Lucas was gracious, saying nothing and Revel acted entirely normal, like nothing was up but an evening at a friend’s house. Maybe she was overreacting…
On the way home, Revel asked, “Did you have a good time? Did you and Dandi hit it off?”
“Yes, I did. Dandi is very sweet.” She stopped, cleared her throat and added, “We seemed to have a lot in common.”
“Good.” Revel raised her hand to his lips for a kiss. “I was hoping you’d like them.”
“They’re easy to like.” A feeling of guilt swamped Harper. There was so much she could say. Revel didn’t know about her father’s family or the time Harlow had threatened her at Evermore, not to mention what had just happened—if it had been her uncle. And of course, he didn’t know about the abuse. But she couldn’t tell, every time she’d opened up, bad things happened. She told her grandmother and her mother killed herself. She told the pastor and she wasn’t allowed to play with the other children at church because she ‘had knowledge of adult matters’. If she told friends, they seemed to drift away. And if she told Revel, he’d hightail it out of the swamp and be glad to go.
With a heavy heart, Harper realized she was being selfish. She needed to put the past behind her and act normal. Whatever normal was… Heck! Maybe she did need to see a therapist.
“Something strange went down at the house before the snake incident,” Revel announced out of the blue. “I hesitated to mention it since you’d had the scare with the baby crying.”
“What?” Harper wouldn’t doubt anything at this point. Too much had happened.
“All of the books in the living room, your aunt’s collection in those big bookshelves by the desk were turned upside down. Every title was flipped over.”
Harper just stared at him. “Why? How? What does this mean?”
Revel shrugged his shoulders. “I have no idea. We either have a ghost or we have a prowler.”
With a half-hearted little laugh, Harper sighed. “I’m not sure which would be worse.”
“The prowler, I’m thinking.” Revel laughed. “Ghosts don’t usually hurt you.”
“Unless they scare you to death,” Harper murmured. “But yes, I agree, people who are out to harm you
are much more dangerous. Have you ever had trouble with local kids or vagrants?”
“Not that I know of, and nothing has ever been stolen,” Revel remarked thoughtfully. “If T-Rex were around, he’d be convinced it was a rougaroux, you know the Cajun loup garou, a werewolf.”
“I’m aware of the legend,” Harper mused. “My father used to tell me about them when I was very small.” Memories of him leaning toward her as she sat in front of the fire came back to her. At the time she’d loved it, now she just wondered if he’d been trying to frighten her.
Out of nowhere tears sprang to her eyes. Why couldn’t she have even one good childhood memory? Why must everything be tarnished? Was nothing how it seemed?
“My father told me tall tales too. Not only about the rougaroux, but also about vampires. When I went to visit Nana Fontenot not long ago, I made a joke about those creatures of the night and she jokingly implied they were real. Offered to give me the lowdown one of these days.”
Harper tried to smile. “I’d like to hear her explanation on that myself.” She rubbed some condensation off the window from the air conditioner. “We need to change the subject or I won’t be able to sleep tonight.”
Chuckling, Revel reminded her, “My offer is still open, you know. I’ll be glad to come hold your hand. You don’t have to sleep alone.”
The tension of the evening became too much. All of a sudden, the words just flowed from Harper’s lips. “I loved having sex with you, Revel. It was amazing. I’ve thought about you every day. Like I told you, you were always on my mind.”
Revel almost ran off the road and into the ditch trying to comprehend what she was saying. And even though he never intended to bring it up, never intended to repeat what she’d said, he couldn’t help himself. The plan had been that he’d learn, he’d change. But before he knew it, he’d blurted out the painful truth. “No, you said I wasn’t man enough for you.”
Harper wanted to cry. “You know I didn’t mean that, you know what you did to me. I said those ugly words to hurt you enough so you’d give up on me before I could make things even worse.”