by Annie Rains
Jake gave her a strange look. “I don’t read Reva’s blog on a daily basis. Or even a weekly basis. Why?”
Trisha inhaled. “Who did you tell about my ex-husband?”
Jake shook his head. “No one. I told you I wouldn’t tell, and I didn’t.”
“You must have,” Trisha said, “because Reva knew. She put it in her blog, and now everyone knows the truth about who I was married to and who Petey’s father is.” Trisha’s eyes filled with tears.
Jake stood and went to her, putting his hands on the sides of her shoulders. “Hey, I didn’t tell anyone. I promise. It wasn’t me.”
Trisha looked skeptical. “The blog mentioned something about Vi and a financial planner who stole from her?”
Jake hesitated as every muscle in his body tensed. “That’s true,” he finally said.
“The ladies at the book club didn’t know his name,” Trisha continued. “But I’m sure you do. I told you my ex’s name and his story. So if it was the same person, you would have told me right away.”
It wasn’t a question, but it may as well have been.
She stared at him, her eyes narrowed, her expression pinched with worry. “Jake? Are you going to say anything?”
He’d intended to tell her the truth this week. He was just waiting for the right time and for his uncle Tim to leave.
Uncle Tim. He knew about Trisha’s ex. His uncle pretty much threatened to expose Trisha, and it looked like he’d made good on those threats by going to the town’s gossip blogger. “Trisha…” Jake said.
She sucked in an audible breath. “So it’s true? Peter was the one who took Vi’s money? He’s the reason these cottages have been deteriorating since the storm? He’s the reason Vi was so stressed before her stroke?”
Jake shook his head. “Slow down, okay? You are not responsible for what your ex-husband did. None of it.”
Trisha’s lips parted. “How could you know about all of this and hide it from me?” She pulled away from his arms and took a step backward.
“I didn’t hide it necessarily.”
“Well, you didn’t tell me. That’s hiding it,” she countered, her voice climbing an octave.
“Only because I didn’t want you to blame yourself. And I didn’t want you to leave. Not until I had a chance to convince you that you belong here. With me.” Jake’s heart was pounding against his ribs. This conversation had taken a turn down a path that led nowhere good.
“This is your home, Trisha. When you told me your story, I understood that you were just as much a victim as Vi was. And the last thing I wanted to do was inflict more pain on you and Petey.” Jake reached out to comfort her, but she stiffened under his touch. “I was planning to tell you.”
Trisha walked to the deck railing, looking out on the lake, her body shaking as she took audible breaths.
Jake walked over to stand beside her. “I’m sorry. Maybe I should have told you sooner. But if I had, would you have stayed?”
She looked at him, her expression full of pain. “That’s not the point, Jake. I shared something with you because I felt like I could trust you.”
“You can,” Jake said. “I would never tell anyone.”
“Not even me,” she said softly.
Jake reached out for her, relieved when she didn’t pull away immediately. “Trisha, I know you’re upset. And I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. But I’m not your ex. I’m not your parents. I’m never going to do anything that I know will hurt you. I’m not going anywhere. I’m here to stay.”
She blinked back tears. One slipped past her control and slid down her cheek. “Yeah, well, maybe I’m not,” she said quietly.
The words kicked Jake in the center of his chest. “What?”
“I don’t know.” She stepped back. “I need to be alone. I need to think.”
Jake was at a loss for words for a moment. He wanted to argue. He wanted to plead. “Okay,” he finally said, unable to do either. Sometimes time and space was enough to allow someone a different perspective. He knew that firsthand. “Let’s have breakfast in the morning.”
She hesitated for just a moment. “All right. I’ll wake Mr. S and come over here.”
“I told you I’d take care of Mr. S.”
Trisha shook her head and took another small step away, creating more distance between them. “It’s my job. At least for the moment.”
* * *
Trisha woke with a splitting headache. The tension that she’d hoped would ease while she slept hadn’t gone anywhere. It was resting right at the center of her forehead. She squinted and lifted her hand to shield her eyes from the small splice of light coming through her blinds.
Time to get up and face the day. To face all the problems she’d briefly left behind in the hours before.
She sat up in her bed and turned her body to drape her legs off the side. She suddenly felt twenty years older. Worry and fear would do that to a person. On a yawn, she stood and shuffled down the hall to use the bathroom. She quickly dressed and slipped out the back door, across the deck, down the steps, and along the beach to wake Mr. S.
Because Jake had failed to do that last week. Because this wasn’t his job. It was hers. Because Jake had kept something so important from her that her chest ached right along with her head this morning.
Tears burned her eyes. Was she overreacting? She wasn’t sure, but this felt like a huge betrayal. It hurt because of the way she felt about Jake. Every bone, every breath, everything hurt.
Mr. S was lying on the shore about ten feet away. Trisha clutched her towel and walked faster, noticing that something was different about him this morning. It took a second for her mind to register what it was.
She reached him and looked down. No need to shield her eyes this morning because for the first time since she’d started working for Vi, he was wearing clothes. Just a pair of long shorts, but still. Clothes!
He cracked an eye and looked up at her. “Don’t ask me to leave this morning, T. I’m dressed so I can stay as long as I want to.”
Trisha smiled, which felt odd considering she was currently nursing a small heartache that felt like a crater in her chest. “You are free to stay as long as you want today, Mr. S.”
“Good. I’ll be in this spot every morning wearing these shorts. So if you don’t mind, stop waking me up and sending me home to my cottage.”
A laugh bubbled up, passing over Trisha’s lips. “You got it. Have a great morning.” She turned and headed back to her cottage. She felt like laughing and crying at the same time. It was going to be a long day with her emotions giving her whiplash.
When she reached Juniper Cottage, she kept walking until she was standing in front of Vi’s steps. One thing Trisha had decided before going to bed last night was that she needed to talk to Vi as soon as possible. She couldn’t keep her past a secret any longer, especially now that she knew the truth about Peter’s connection to the Fletcher family. If Trisha had known that Vi was one of Peter’s clients, she never would have applied for the job. And now that she did know, she wasn’t sure she could stay.
Vi was an early riser so she’d be awake right now. And since Petey was at Della Rose’s house, this was the perfect time to have a heart-to-heart with Vi.
Trisha climbed the steps, taking them slowly as her thoughts and emotions warred internally. The main thing she wanted to tell Vi was that she was sorry for what Peter did to her. Because there was still some part of Trisha that felt responsible for not realizing what her ex-husband was doing. She’d just turned a blind eye to everything that was going on right in front of her.
Trisha reached the deck’s landing and walked to Vi’s lakeside door. There was a light on inside. Vi usually enjoyed her coffee out on the deck, but maybe she’d decided to have it at her kitchen table instead. Trisha knocked and waited. She knocked again, louder this time. Something tightened inside her chest.
Why isn’t Vi answering the door? Is she still asleep? Is something wrong?
Trisha tried the door’s handle, and it opened easily. Vi only locked it at night. That meant she’d already come out this morning or that she hadn’t gotten a chance to lock the door before bed.
“Vi?” Trisha’s breaths felt shallow as she stepped inside and walked through the living area to the kitchen. “Vi?” The coffee maker wasn’t on. That was the first thing Vi did when she woke up. Trisha’s steps quickened as she walked through the house, calling her boss’s name. Her friend’s name. Then she paused and cried out as she found Vi lying on the floor beside her bed. She rushed to Vi’s side. “Vi!”
The older woman didn’t stir or respond to Trisha’s voice or touch. Trisha shook Vi’s shoulders. There was no sign of blood or injury. It just looked like Vi had fallen asleep on the floor next to her bed.
Trisha lifted Vi’s wrist and checked her pulse, holding her own breath as she waited to feel a small thump under her fingertips.
She’s alive!
But something was definitely wrong.
Trisha pulled her cell phone out of her pocket. Her first instinct was to call 911, but Jake had told her that paramedics were slow getting to this stretch of the lake. Vi would get to the hospital faster if Jake drove.
Trisha pulled up Jake’s contact with shaking hands and connected the call. He answered after two rings.
“I was hoping you’d call—” he began.
She cut him off. “Something’s wrong with Vi! She needs to go to the hospital, now!”
* * *
Jake shot out of bed. He hadn’t been sleeping, but he didn’t want to crawl out from under the covers just yet either. Now he was moving as fast as he could, yanking on his jeans and a T-shirt from the dresser.
He shoved his wallet and his cell phone into his pockets and grabbed his keys as he hurried out the door. Bailey followed him onto the deck. “Sorry, girl. You can’t come. You’re free to run the lake today,” he called behind him as he nearly stumbled down the steps.
Once his feet hit the ground, he ran as fast as he could to Vi’s house and took the steps two at a time. The door was already open. He barged in and looked around. “Trisha!”
“Back here!” she called from the far end of the house.
Jake raced in that direction. When he entered Vi’s bedroom, he stopped for a moment to assess the scene. “What happened?”
“I don’t know,” Trisha said, tears shimmering along her cheeks. “She was just lying like this when I got here. Her eyes have fluttered a few times, and she’s moaned but she’s not waking up, Jake. She needs to go to the hospital, and we need to hurry.”
Jake crouched down beside Vi and slid his arms underneath her body. Then he gently lifted her and headed out of the room, carrying his grandmother as fast as he could.
Trisha followed behind him. As much as he wanted to resolve things between them, Vi’s life was hanging in the balance. Trisha hurried ahead of him and opened his passenger truck door. He loaded Vi in the seat, her body slumping. He secured her with a seat belt and shut the door.
Trisha wasn’t standing there anymore. She was halfway back to her cottage with Bailey at her side.
“I’ll put Bailey in my place!” she called to him. “I’ll meet you there. Just hurry!”
Jake didn’t waste a second. He dipped into the driver’s side of his truck, slammed the door, and cranked the engine. Then he drove, faster than ever, down the private gravel path, his tires spitting rocks as they spun out.
He looked over at Vi. “Hang in there, Grandma. I can’t lose you too.” His words reminded him that there was always someone for him to lose in Somerset Lake. First Rachel, then his grandfather. Please not Vi.
Vi groaned weakly. Her eyes fluttered to meet his as he glanced over. “I’m not…going anywhere,” she slurred.
Was she having another stroke? He knew there was a higher risk now that she’d had the first.
Jake couldn’t bear the thought. He pressed the gas pedal harder. There was an urgent care in Somerset Lake, but the closest hospital was in Magnolia Falls. That was one of the problems living in a small town. Emergency crews had a longer trip getting to you.
“I’m sorry,” Vi said.
“What? There’s no reason to apologize.”
“I wanted to keep…the cottages…for you.” Her words stopped and started.
Jake reached over and grabbed her hand. “Just worry about yourself right now, Grandma. That’s all I’m concerned about.”
He understood what she was saying though. She wanted to stay in Somerset Lake and keep the cottages. But another stroke meant that probably wouldn’t happen now. She was going to lose more of her independence. The next generation of Fletchers was going to take over. And they were going to do what they’d been pressing for all along—sell out.
Chapter Twenty-One
Jake was drinking his fourth cup of stale coffee in the hospital’s waiting room. The doctors were running tests on Vi so here he was worrying and waiting for the rest of his family to arrive.
Waiting for Trisha to arrive too.
She was supposed to be following behind him, but she’d never shown up.
He pulled out his cell phone and tapped out another text to her.
You okay? Where are you?
He didn’t want to be here alone. He didn’t want to be here at all.
His phone lit up with an incoming text.
I turned around and went home. Family should be with Vi right now. How is she?
Jake blew out a breath and texted back. Vi would want you here. He added, I’m not sure how she is. They’re running tests. I’m in the waiting room. Just me.
Was Trisha still upset with him? Is that why she wasn’t here? Did she blame herself for what was happening? He couldn’t begin to guess at what was going on in her mind. He texted a message.
You should come to the hospital.
Jake stared at his screen, willing a speedy response. Instead, his phone remained inactive for a long moment.
Petey will be home from Della Rose’s place soon. Please keep me updated on Vi’s condition, she finally texted back. Which was basically a no. She wasn’t coming. She didn’t feel like she belonged here. And maybe she was second-guessing whether she belonged in Somerset Lake altogether.
Jake threaded his fingers through his hair. He felt like he was suddenly on the verge of losing everything that mattered right now.
“Jake?” A woman’s voice filled the waiting room.
Jake looked up and stood to greet his mom. “Mom. How’d you know to come?”
“We got your message. We were already en route to Somerset Lake so we didn’t have far to travel.”
“I didn’t know you were coming.”
“Didn’t Vi tell you?” his mom asked.
Jake shook his head. “No.”
“Well, she probably wanted to surprise you. You know how your grandmother is.”
His dad stepped up behind his mom. Jake headed over and hugged him too.
“How is Vi?” his mom asked once they’d pulled away from each other.
“They’re running tests. It looks like she may have suffered another stroke, but there’s no definitive answers,” Jake told his parents. “They want us to wait here for the doctor to come out.”
Jake gestured at the seats. He moved back to the one he’d been seated in, his parents following and sitting on his left side. “You haven’t been returning my calls.”
His dad crossed one leg over his knee. “Well, we figured we’d talk to you when we got here. It’s not really a conversation to have over the phone. Or in a hospital waiting room.”
Jake looked between his parents. “Vi doesn’t want to sell. She doesn’t want to move.”
His mom offered a small grimace. “We know. And we had decided to be supportive of that. But now…” She trailed off. “Well, I guess we’ll need to wait and see what the doctor says. Her health is what’s important.”
Jake agreed. He just wished it didn’t mean that Vi’s wishes and
Trisha’s plans had to fall apart.
“Have you called Tim?” his dad asked. “He’s still in the area, right?”
Jake nodded. “I left a voice mail for him right after I called you. I haven’t heard from him though.” Jake guessed that maybe Tim was avoiding his calls, expecting that Jake would be angry with him about leaking Trisha’s story to Reva. “I’m happy that you guys are here,” Jake told his parents.
His mom reached for his hand. “Of course, dear. I’m glad you’re not here waiting for news by yourself.” She gave him a pointed look.
The night of Rachel’s accident, Jake had been here, waiting alone. Rachel’s family was out of town that weekend. Jake’s parents had been asleep in their bed. That night had been long, and Jake had been the only one waiting when the doctor came out, looking for next of kin.
Jake wasn’t family though. He was just the boyfriend who’d planned to marry Rachel one day. Jake’s eyes had connected with the doctor’s as he stood before him. In that moment, he didn’t need to be told. He could see the news that the doctor was waiting to tell Rachel’s parents. It was written in the unmistakable sympathy carved into the doctor’s eyes.
“Can I see her?” Jake had asked anyway, ignoring his gut. Rachel was young. Young people didn’t die. They lived.
The doctor shook his head. “I’m afraid not, son. I’ll come back to talk to the family when they arrive.” Then the doctor turned and walked away, leaving Jake to wait and hope the doctor’s grim look was just in his imagination.
A doctor walked into the waiting room now and looked at Jake and his parents. Jake swallowed thickly, wondering if this doctor held the same bad news.
* * *
There were a million things on Trisha’s to-do list today, but all she could manage right now was sitting in the Adirondack chair on her deck and watching the water. Petey had returned from his sleepover an hour ago, and he was inside reading Jake’s camping guide. Jake had finished it and passed it on to him the other day.