Where the Heart May Lead: A Clean Romance (Harlequin LP Heartwarming)

by Elizabeth Mowers

  Mara stared at the hot tea before shifting her gaze to Paige.

  “Somehow I think you do. The way you told the story of escaping with Lucy—”

  “I was scared out of mind the entire time.”

  “But you kept going,” Mara whispered. “You’re brave, kid.”

  “Right now, all I see is the mess I created. If I had never come to Roseley, Thorne might never have found Lucy.”

  “He would have found her eventually. If you hadn’t come, he might have just taken her. At least now we can see the devil we need to fight.”

  “She can’t go back to Thorne, Mara. I’d take her again to keep that from happening.”

  “No one will let that happen,” Charlie said from behind her. Paige turned at the sound of his voice, growing hoarse as the evening had passed.

  “Will you stay, Paige?” Mara asked.

  Paige’s mouth fell agape. “I wouldn’t think you’d want me to.”

  “Of course we do. Stay here tonight. Stay until this gets fixed.”

  Paige’s heart leaped, but then she saw Charlie’s face fall cold. She couldn’t spend any more time in Roseley after seeing the hurt he harbored because of her.

  Then there was Aunt Joan and Uncle Craig. Paige’s intentions when she’d first arrived in Roseley was to check on Lucy and return home to her family. Things hadn’t panned out as she had hoped, but now the right people were aware of Thorne and could step in to protect Lucy. Just one look at Charlie reminded her that there wasn’t anything holding her to Roseley anymore. And just one thought of Uncle Craig made her certain of her answer.

  “Thank you, Mara, but my uncle needs me.”

  Mara plucked a wisp of hair back off Paige’s face as Charlie returned to the kitchen. She bit back another apology, knowing Charlie would never trust her again. He’d never love her again like he once had and she knew that loss would haunt her. Paige took a deep breath and let it out slowly. Mara tipped Paige’s face up, her dark eyes falling sad.

  “You and Lucy really do share an uncanny resemblance. It’s in those eyes of yours, windows into an old soul. It’s funny I never noticed it before.”

  Paige dropped her head to Mara’s lap and Mara stroked her hair for a long, long time.

  * * *

  PAIGE WOKE THE NEXT morning to Joan packing her bag. They had stayed at Mara and Peter’s house until late into the night before making their way to the motel for a few hours of sleep. Something about huddling around the kitchen table with a group of people who loved Lucy as much as she did seemed to help soften the fears for the future. Only a few days earlier, she had imagined being welcomed into that family as a cherished auntie, a person they embraced wholeheartedly as family. And now, all she wanted was for them to not resent her forever.

  Paige rolled out of bed and noticed the light on the motel phone blinking. As she hadn’t remembered it blinking when they’d arrived that night and couldn’t recall it ringing, it confused her. When she retrieved the message, she gasped at Thorne’s controlled voice on the other end of the line.

  “Good morning, Willow,” he said. Instantly, she remembered the first time he’d ever spoken her name. She and Trudy had been sitting outside the stolen car they’d parked and slept in at the edge of a grocery store parking lot. From a distance, she’d watched Thorne walk toward them with an eerie calm and confidence that had made her want to run. When he’d approached, she had been frightened by his black eyes, irises so dark there was no distinguishing them from the pupil. When she learned he believed he was something special, something not of this world, his unnatural eyes conveyed he might not be wrong.

  Paige had slunk away, retreating to the back seat of the car as her mother happily chatted. Trudy had invited and teased Paige to come meet her new friend, but Paige refused. Finally, after he had watched her through the back seat window, listening to Trudy continually call for her to join them, Thorne had seemed to lose his patience. With a forced smile pinning back his lips, he had tapped on the glass and whispered, “Good morning, Willow.”

  Paige shuddered at the memory as she waited for more of Thorne’s message. But when the line cut off, signaling he had spoken no more, she replaced the receiver and sat back on the bed.

  “What’s wrong?” Joan said. “Who was it?”

  “Those eyes. Those black eyes.” Paige remembered how he thought he was special and how he thought he was going to live forever. He was so different from the other men her mother had been romantically involved with and yet something else about him made him stand out from the pack.

  Then, the realization hit her so hard and so fast she sucked in an audible breath. Her arms flailed for Joan before finally clasping Joan’s shoulders and shaking her.

  “I have to get to Charlie. I have to tell him Lucy can’t be Thorne’s daughter and we can prove it.”

  * * *

  PAIGE PACED THE HALLWAY of Mara and Peter’s house later that morning, waiting for Tully to turn up. As Charlie sat on the bottom stairs watching, he yearned to calm her. He considered how good it would feel to squeeze her to him, but then where would that leave them?

  When the front door opened, it was Lucy who came galloping into the room ahead of Tully.

  “Paige!” she said, hugging her. “I didn’t know you were going to be here.”

  Paige dropped to her knees to better hold the little girl. “I have to go home to Ohio today, but I wanted to come say goodbye.”

  “Why are you leaving?”

  “My uncle is really sick, and I want to take care of him. I am so glad I got to meet you, though. You’re my favorite little girl.”

  “That’s what Uncle Charlie always tells me.”

  “Be good and listen to your parents and Uncle Charlie, okay?” Paige fumbled behind her back before holding out the dress. “What do you think?”

  “I love it!” Lucy squealed, clasping the dress in her hands. “The shade of purple is perfect.”

  “Well,” Paige said, holding it up, “I wanted something nearly as beautiful as you.” Lucy giggled and showed it off to Charlie.

  “It looks great, kid.”

  “I have to show Mom.”

  “She’s on the deck.” What he didn’t say was that she was talking to their defense team.

  “This is goodbye,” Paige called, making Lucy turn. She embraced Lucy one last time before the little girl skipped away. “And that’s it,” she whispered, standing. Charlie moved near. He wanted to offer comfort but instead motioned toward Tully.

  “Tell Tully what you told us,” Charlie said, shoving his roaming hands into the front pockets of his jeans.

  “My mother dated a lot before she met Thorne. She attracted the wrong kind of guy every time. Anyway, I pieced together the timeline from when we arrived to Thorne’s homestead to when she announced her pregnancy. It’s possible Lucy is Thorne’s child, but I have good reason to think she’s not.”

  Tully settled back on his feet, resting a hand at his belt loop. “Which is?”

  “Her eyes. Green eyes, especially eyes as green as mine and Lucy’s, are a recessive trait. They’re the rarest eye color there is. My mother said my father had blue eyes, allowing me to inherit hers. But Thorne’s eyes are so dark and certainly a dominant trait, I think it would be incredibly rare for Lucy to have green eyes if he’s her father—”

  “Improbable, Paige, but certainly not impossible.”

  “It’s enough to go on, though, isn’t it?” Charlie said. “A DNA test could settle this before it goes much further?”

  Tully agreed. “A DNA test is necessary regardless of your observation, Paige, but knowing this might help conclude things more quickly.”

  Paige nodded. “Before Lucy hears about it and worry disrupts her life.” That was what she was most concerned with.

  Tully said, “Have you told Mara and Peter?”

/>   “We just did, Charlie and I together.”

  Charlie inwardly sighed at her words. It would be the last thing they would do together. Next week he’d start in the police academy and pursue new beginnings for himself. He’d have to work hard, but he’d eventually put memories of Paige behind him.

  Tully touched Paige on the shoulder. “I think Lucy is going to be okay.”

  “Will you let me know, Tully?” she said. Charlie knew she didn’t dare ask him. She knew, as well as he did, that things between them were over as soon as she walked out that door.

  “I’d be glad to.”

  Charlie held open the front door. “I’ll walk you out,” he said after Paige hugged Tully. Alone with her on the front stoop, he said, “Did your aunt fly home?”

  “Early this morning. She’s already with Craig by now. Thank heavens for direct flights, huh?”

  “How’s he doing?”

  “Fine for now. I should make it home by tonight.”

  “They’re lucky to have you.”

  “Lucy is lucky to have you.”

  He shuffled his feet along the concrete walk, glancing back at Tully, who moved away from the front window, where he’d been watching.

  “I guess this is it,” he said with a weak smile. “Drive safely, Freckles. Wear your helmet, huh?”

  “Charlie...” Her voice quavered, making him shake his head.

  “You have a life in Ohio, and I have a life here in Roseley. Whatever we had the past few days...” He trailed off, not sure how to define it. “I’m grateful for the time we shared together.”

  “I’ll never look at the sun setting over the water without thinking of you, Charlie.” He hoped this wouldn’t be the case for him. The next fifty or so years of sunset flights would be torturous otherwise.

  “I hope your uncle...” He didn’t know what to say. He wouldn’t be there to hold her when Craig died, and it seemed inevitable he would soon. “I’m sorry about your uncle,” he finally managed.

  “Thank you.”

  “You should go before the traffic picks up.”

  Paige hesitated. “After the pain Crystal caused you, I didn’t want you to get hurt again, Charlie.”

  “I know.” And he did, but it didn’t soothe the heartache any better.

  “Goodbye, Charlie.” He watched her drive away, following her until she turned and disappeared into the morning sunshine.

  “Well, Freckles,” he sighed. “I won’t be able to look at another sunrise now without thinking about you.”

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  CHARLIE FOLLOWED HIS field training officer, his friend, Officer Stephen Kirk, into The Sandwich Board. Field training was turning out to be a breeze compared to the police academy, and learning under Stephen was a best-case scenario. Stephen had asked for Charlie to be assigned to him, and he’d greatly appreciated it. It helped having someone he trusted level with him about the job.

  “Good afternoon, Officers,” Angelo called, making his way to the end of the counter. “Coffee?”

  “Decaf, if you would, Angelo,” Charlie said. “And a pastrami on rye.”

  Stephen grabbed a water bottle out of the refrigerator as CeCe hurried at the sound of their voices.

  “Charlie—” She stopped short and fanned herself with her hand. “Excuse me. I mean, Officer Stillwater.”

  Stephen smirked. “He hasn’t done much yet to earn that title.”

  “Well, you’re still a police officer,” CeCe said with a proud grin. The past year had seen many changes for him, most of them positive. Most of them. “Are you seeing anyone, Officer Stillwater? My niece is moving to town, and she’s quite the looker.”

  “We talked about this, CeCe,” Angelo said, handing over the sandwich. “You’re supposed to be discreet.”

  “I am being discreet. I’m discreetly letting him know that a beautiful single woman who is searching for a good man will be arriving to town shortly, and he should be on the lookout. Neither of them is getting any younger.”

  “Casual, honey,” Angelo said with an eye roll. “What can I get you, Officer Kirk?”

  “Nothing for me, thanks. Just waiting for the greenhorn.”

  “Have you caught any villains recently?” CeCe asked.

  “I’m going to take off, Charlie. I’ll see you tomorrow.” Stephen pushed out into the sunshine as Charlie took a sip of his coffee. His field training officer was a serious man, short on words and patience.

  Angelo kissed CeCe’s cheek. “I love her, Charlie, but my wife isn’t really one for discretion or decorum.”

  “What was that?” CeCe said, taking a playful swat at Angelo. “You’re making fun of me in front of Charlie.”

  “He should be so lucky to have a woman like you.” He planted another smack on her cheek.

  “All I’m saying,” CeCe said in a hushed voice, “is that you and my niece would make a fine couple. She’s very sporty. She takes good care of herself, if you know what I mean. I wouldn’t set you up with anyone else, Charlie.”

  Charlie hadn’t dated since Paige had left, almost a year ago. Completing the police academy and starting a new career had helped take his mind off of her, for the most part, but on lonely nights when he took his plane out for an evening flight, he couldn’t keep from helplessly drifting to thoughts of her. Sometimes it was all he could do to keep from wishing she was sitting beside him when he looked at his passenger seat. It was hard to understand how something that felt so right one day was lost to him the next. Perhaps all he needed to snap out of his funk was someone new.

  “When does your niece arrive?”

  CeCe’s face brightened. “I’ll give you a call when she gets here.”

  Charlie shuffled back toward the door with CeCe smiling after him. He hadn’t committed to a date, but maybe it was a step in the right direction.

  * * *

  CHARLIE ARRIVED AT Mara’s house at the same time Tully did. Even though he had moved into a house of his own, he appreciated Mara’s frequent invitations to come for dinner. He knew Tully appreciated them even more.

  “Tough day?” he asked, cutting a line across the yard toward Mara’s front stoop.

  Tully nodded. “I’ve been looking forward to Mara’s cooking all day.”

  “You should take some cooking lessons. Might make you even more appealing to the fairer sex.”

  “Nah. I’ll never settle down. I’m not the marrying kind.” It was Tully’s standard tagline and one Charlie had heard him utter since the time they were kids, building tree forts and jumping off the docks to get Tully’s mind off his family.

  “Never say never, man,” Charlie said. “The right woman will take you off the market in a heartbeat.”

  Tully huffed as they made their way to the back deck. “Don’t put your money on it.”

  “I’d take that wager,” Peter said, overhearing them approach. He smiled and led them inside. “What’s the bet?”

  “Good! You’re here!” Mara called.

  “She’s been up to her shenanigans again, be forewarned,” Peter said.

  “What great idea has she come up with this time?” Charlie asked, but Peter shushed him as Lucy raced over and crashed into Tully’s arms.

  “Mom said I can have a birthday party this weekend. Wanna come?”

  “It’s her first boy-girl party,” Peter groaned.

  “Are you old enough for that?” Tully raised an eyebrow.

  Lucy giggled. “Tu-lly.”

  “I’ll come by and keep them all in line for you.”

  “I only invited one boy—Axel.”

  “Axel?” Charlie said with a discerning eye. “I’m wearing my uniform.”

  “Uncle Charlie,” Lucy said giggling. “He’s really nice.”

  “No one named Axel is really nice.”

  “He is!
” Lucy howled, as Charlie tickled her. “Mom said we can get a splash pad and a Slip ’N Slide.”

  “I said I’d think about it,” Mara said as her cell phone chimed with a message. “Paige was supposed to text tonight about—” Mara stopped short as Charlie’s eyes narrowed. He shifted on his feet.

  “Do you stay in contact with Paige?” he asked as Tully motioned for Lucy to follow him into the kitchen. “I know you sent flowers from all of us for the funeral...” He recalled learning that Paige’s uncle had passed only two weeks after she’d returned home. He had just started at the police academy and wasn’t able to make it to the funeral. It was probably just as well he hadn’t gone, he repeatedly told himself.

  Still, Paige would have had to mourn her uncle, and the thought he hadn’t been there nagged at him. He’d even called Aunt Joan’s house to offer his condolences. Twice, in fact. But he’d only ever left voice mails, and Paige had never returned his calls.

  “After I contacted her about the DNA test results—”

  “We dodged a bullet on that one.” Peter sighed. “If Thorne had been her father... I don’t know what we would have done.” It had been a relief to them all. Without knowing Lucy’s birth father and Paige being next of kin, she and Joan had been within their right to give Lucy up for adoption.

  “We continued to stay in touch,” Mara said.

  “I offered my condolences. Did she tell you?”

  “We only talk about Lucy.”

  Charlie didn’t know what angered him exactly. Mara had been of good heart to contact Paige about Thorne not having any relation to Lucy. And there was nothing wrong with keeping her updated about Lucy, as she was her half sister. Perhaps, he thought, he was just angry at himself for not being there for Paige when the time came to let her uncle go.

  “Are you all right?” Tully said quietly as Mara sorted the food on the counter.

  Charlie clenched his jaw. “Fine.”

  “Help yourself,” Mara called, handing out plates. “Buffet style tonight with paper plates for the win.”