Spring House

by Taylor, Mary Ellen

  She shook her head. “You see Scott. You see duty. Honor.”

  He took her hand in his and carefully rubbed his thumb over her palm. “No, Megan, I see you.”

  A tinge of warmth rolled through her. “Hard to miss this bloated belly and round face.”

  He shook his head as his gaze centered on her. “I see a beautiful woman.”

  “You’re being nice.”

  He held her gaze and began to lean toward her. She realized he was going to kiss her, and her body hummed with an excitement she hadn’t felt in a long time. But before he could close the distance between them, his radio squawked. As Rick shoved out a sigh, a muscle in the side of his jaw pulsed as he responded and promised to be en route immediately.

  “I’ve got to go.”

  “Saved by the bell,” she quipped.

  He shook his head. “This discussion isn’t over, lady.” And with that declaration, he was gone.

  CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

  Megan

  Saturday, March 10, 2018

  Cape Hudson, Virginia

  10:00 a.m.

  It was raining when Megan awoke. She spent most of the early-morning hours reading Diane’s letters, but when she offered to help Lucy and Natasha decorate, they told her to put her feet up and rest.

  Restless, Megan searched her closet for something to wear to the party but couldn’t find anything that did not make her look huge. She considered a drive into Norfolk for a shopping trip to one of the maternity shops, but in the end decided she was not interested in battling the rain on the bridge.

  Instead, she grabbed a raincoat, dashed into Cape Hudson, and stopped at a local tourism shop, where she found a large black T-shirt sporting a blue star, which fit the fortune-telling theme.

  As the rain let up temporarily, she moved along the sidewalk toward the center of town. The lull in the weather was short-lived as fat raindrops soon found her cheek. Another and another fell, and she realized she was about to be caught in a downpour. She quickly dashed into Arlene’s diner.

  Bells jingled overhead as she stepped inside and wiped the rain from her face. The diner was empty, as it often was in the early afternoon. Her stomach grumbled, and though she had eaten breakfast a couple of hours ago, her appetite was again ravenous.

  “Hello?” she said.

  Arlene appeared at the double saloon doors, smiling as she pushed through. Her red hair was twisted into a knot, and a diner T-shirt hugged her ample breasts. “Megan. It’s been a few weeks. Where have you been, girl?”

  Megan sauntered up to one of the stools at the bar, remembering all the summers she and her family had eaten burgers and ice cream here. “Been working. Life is crazy.”

  “I can’t wait to hold that little gal in my arms. Been a long time since I held a baby.”

  “Don’t rush it.” Megan plucked a sugar packet from the white holder and began to fiddle with it. “She’ll be here soon enough.”

  Arlene poured her a glass of lemonade. “You sure about that? You’re carrying that baby mighty low.”

  She drank. “Please, don’t rush me into motherhood.”

  “You want the usual? Grilled chicken sandwich with fries on the side?”

  Megan twirled the packet. “You know me all too well.”

  “You always loved those fries, even when you were a kid.”

  “Those vacations seem like a lifetime ago.”

  “Your mom and dad should be back soon, right?” Arlene asked.

  “A couple of weeks.”

  “And Deacon, what’s that scoundrel up to?”

  “Making billions of dollars as a corporate attorney. A very big shot.”

  Arlene moved toward the grill top and dropped a piece of lean chicken on it. As it sizzled, she placed a handful of fresh-cut potato strips in the fryer. “Does that bother you?”

  “No. Of course not.”

  “You sound like it does.”

  Megan drank more lemonade. “I love what I do. I can’t imagine not doing it. But he is the favored son. Deacon took the conventional path, and my parents adore him for it.”

  “I bet they’re proud of you.”

  Megan smoothed her hand over her belly. “Not so much these days.”

  Arlene flipped the piece of chicken, opened a bun, and set it on the griddle. “I hear Helen has bought a house in town.”

  Megan swallowed wrong and coughed for several seconds before she wheezed out, “Did she?”

  “She didn’t tell you?”

  “Does it look like it?”

  Arlene shrugged. “You know Helen. Heart of gold, but she can be more demanding than a general.”

  Megan dressed in her best black stretch pants and the new shirt she had purchased. Neither did anything to make her look the least bit attractive, so she shifted her focus to her hair, which she hoped would somehow make her look, well, less pregnant. She brushed her micro bangs back and pulled her hair into a high ponytail, but she still had a face that looked like a chubby full moon.

  “Why do you care?” she muttered. “You’re really being goofy.” Turning from the mirror, she made her way into the hallway, where Lucy was waiting with glitter that she sprinkled on Megan’s hair.

  “You look beautiful.”

  “Do you really think so?”

  “I do. A very beautiful fortune-teller,” Lucy said. “And I’m the chief manager of the party, clothing consultant for Natasha, and wrangler of six tween girls.”

  “Luceee,” Natasha yelled, “I think I ripped my dress.”

  Lucy looked at Megan. “I’d trade jobs with you, but I like you too much.”

  “I’m here to serve. You may now call me Madame LeBlanc.”

  “From the letters?”

  “Why not? She sounds mysterious and dangerous.”

  “Of course, a historical reference.”

  Smiling, Megan made her way down the center staircase past the white and black floating balloons tied to the banister.

  The center hallway of Winter Cottage was filled with more balloons that led partygoers to what had originally been a parlor. This was the room where her great-grandfather and his wife would have retired after dinner for drinks with friends and to enjoy cards, music, and lively discussions. She could only imagine their reaction to a half dozen girls giggling and running about.

  Attached to the parlor was a large storage closet, which they’d also decorated with a table, chairs, and more balloons. That would be Madame LeBlanc’s domain.

  Megan opened the front door to Rick and Hank. Both men were dressed in khakis, button-downs, and loafers. Both carried coolers.

  “You two are quite the pair,” Megan said, stepping aside.

  “How goes it with the party girl?” Hank asked.

  “Lucy is currently dealing with a broken-zipper emergency. No tears or yelling yet.”

  Hank shook his head. “Lucy is a saint.”

  “Agreed. Is that the ice?”

  “Yes,” Hank said.

  “I’m cake and ice cream,” Rick said.

  “Wonderful. Gentlemen, go into the kitchen.” She followed behind to a table set up with sodas and punch. “Leave the ice there, and let’s get that cake set up on the table.”

  “Yes, ma’am.” Rick handed her the ice cream, which she put in the freezer. When she turned, he had set the cake in the center of the table. It had candles circling the word GOTCHA and a picture of Natasha, Lucy, and Dolly.

  “How was she able to keep it a secret?” Megan asked.

  “She was at my place most of the night working on it,” Hank said. “She got only a few hours of sleep.”

  “Tell me it’s her chocolate cake?” Megan asked.

  “You’re in luck. It’s also Natasha’s favorite,” Hank said. “I have a present for Natasha in the car. I’ll be right back.”

  “I like the glitter,” Rick said.

  “Tonight I’m going to be Madame Megan LeBlanc, the world-famous fortune-teller.”

  “Sounds fancy
. What kind of fortunes are you going to read?”

  “I have the planchette that we found at Samuel’s house. And there’s an old party trick I used to do when I was in high school. Give me something of yours, and I can hold it while telling you secrets about yourself.”

  “That sounds interesting.” He fished his keys out of his pocket and pulled one off. “Show me your stuff, Madame LeBlanc. Tell me what this tells you about me.”

  She laughed, taking the key and curling her fingers around it into a tight fist. She shrugged, smiling and feeling very comfortable around Rick. She ran her hand over the smooth metal of the key’s flat edge and then along the ridges of the side. “You’re a man who is very nostalgic,” she said. “This key holds sentimental value.”

  He arched a brow. “That the best you got, Madame LeBlanc? You’ll have to be more clever if you’re going to fool a bunch of tween girls.”

  She tightened her hold on the key and drew in a breath. She thought back to the night that she had met Rick and Scott. The men had just come from a poker game, and she had overheard Rick say he had won a house. Like any good card reader, she watched his body language closely, ready to take her cues from him. “You won this key.”

  His gaze sharpened. “Keep going.”

  She realized her educated guess was correct. “You won this key in a poker game. Atlantic City. No. Norfolk. It fits the lock of a cabin, which you won.” She thought back to all the things he’d said about luck and winning. “The key is a reminder to you that you make your own luck.”

  He stared, accepting the key back from her. “You got all that from holding it?”

  “Of course. I am Madame LeBlanc. All things are possible in my world.”

  “It’s pretty damn close to the truth,” he said quietly.

  She laughed. “I have a great memory for details. I’m sure Scott told me something about the key or the cabin at one point. Just good detective work and memory.”

  He turned the key over in his fingers. “That would be one hell of a memory.”

  “Steel trap.” She tapped her finger against her temple.

  He put the key back on his ring. “Only I never told Scott the story.”

  “You must have forgotten. It’s understandable.” She knew she had heard him speak about the cabin and had assumed he’d told Scott.

  He shook his head. “Nope. I’m damn sure of that. I’d planned to invite you to that cabin.”

  “When?”

  “Right after you laid me out on your worldview of politics. I’d just won the cabin for a weekend getaway. When I saw you, I imagined you there wearing only my shirt.”

  Heat rose in her cheeks. “The wrong kind of sparks flew that day. You walked away.”

  “You challenged me. And after I thought about what you said and remembered how I like a challenge, I wanted to see you again. But then I found out Scott had asked you out, and that was that. I never used the cabin.”

  Her stomach did a few somersaults. “Oh.” She cleared her throat. “Why did you keep the key?”

  “As a reminder to strike while the iron is hot.”

  He faced her and was only a few inches away. The baby rolled over her bladder, reminding her that she was not exactly the woman he had met before. When the doorbell rang, she pulled her gaze from his and moved to answer the front door. “I better get that.”

  Her cheeks felt flushed as she walked down the hallway to the door, and when she opened it, she found Helen on the front porch holding a bright package tied up in a pink bow.

  “Helen, welcome.” Megan hoped her flushed face had cooled. “This is the calm before the storm.”

  “You look lovely.”

  “Thank you.”

  “Did you get a chance to put your feet up today?”

  “Spent the better part of the afternoon sitting on the couch, blowing up balloons.”

  “I can see that.”

  Hank climbed the front steps as Rick came around the corner, crossed to Helen, and kissed her on the cheek. “You look terrific.”

  “Thank you, dear.”

  Hank also kissed her on the cheek. “I’m glad you could make it.”

  “It was sweet of you all to include me.” She held up her present. “I’ve never bought for a young girl before. I hope I got it right.”

  Megan took the gift and set it on a long table with the others. “I know she’ll love it.”

  Lucy and Natasha came down the stairs. Lucy was wearing a long, slim-fitting black dress that accentuated a thin waist that Megan had never known on her best day. Her hair hung loose around her shoulders, and she wore dangling silver earrings. Natasha also wore a black dress, but hers skimmed her legs just below the knees. It came with cap sleeves and a sweetheart neckline. Her hair was pinned back in a sophisticated twist, revealing a pair of pearl earrings Megan had lent to her for the evening.

  Hank whistled. “My goodness, you ladies look fine.”

  Lucy smiled and kissed him quickly on the lips, lingering for only a split second but long enough to transmit love and the promise of later.

  Natasha looked at the gift Helen had wrapped and the smaller one from Megan. “Are these for me?”

  “They are,” Megan said.

  “Can I open them now?”

  “Nope,” Hank said. “I’ve got burgers to cook on the grill, and you’re helping me.”

  Natasha rolled her eyes but did not look as put out as she pretended. “Fine. I’ll be the perfect hostess.”

  While she helped him start the gas grill, Lucy dashed into the kitchen and quickly reappeared with a plate of neatly made patties. Rick, Megan, and Helen followed her outside to the lawn overlooking the bay.

  The sun dipped low in the horizon, ready to skim the water. The grass was still wet from the afternoon shower and served as a reminder that this time of year could be so unpredictable. However, this evening the weather was perfect.

  Megan lowered into an Adirondack chair and stretched out her legs. More and more she was sitting. She wondered why pregnancy was not as effortless as she had expected. One friend had run a half marathon in her third trimester, while another had worked as a floor nurse right up until she delivered.

  “So, if you need a babysitter, I can help,” Natasha said. She handed Megan a glass of lemonade. “The fire department is offering a CPR class, and I’m going to take it. You can never be too prepared.”

  At this point, Megan had bought the basic supplies. She figured she’d get the rest once birthing classes started the next week. “That’s very responsible of you. Maybe I should take it too.”

  “Probably not a bad idea. Babies are tricky little things,” Natasha said.

  “You think so?”

  “I do.” Natasha spoke with the seriousness of an old sage as she sat in the chair beside her. “Did you ever take those delivery classes?”

  “They don’t start until next month.” She seemed to be dropping the ball at every turn. “I still have time.”

  “Lucy and I will help you. You’re not in this alone.”

  “Thank you.”

  Hank looked up from the grill as he flipped the burgers and he and Rick shared a laugh. Rick said something she could not hear and took a long pull on his beer. She thought about that cabin in the woods and what it would have been like to spend the weekend there with him.

  “So Helen says the baby’s name is Scottie,” Natasha said, bringing Megan back to the present.

  “That has not been decided.” Megan’s tone sounded harsher than she had intended, so she managed a smile. “I’m partial to Duchess Agatha Fairy Princess.”

  Lucy laughed. “Duchess Fair Weather is nice.”

  Natasha’s tone turned serious. “What about Diane?”

  “Funny you should say that,” Megan said. “I was thinking the same just the other day.”

  Natasha grinned, then shrugged. “It’s a good idea, right?”

  “Yeah.” The name felt more and more right. “I like it.”

&n
bsp; “Did you ever figure out what happened to Diane?”

  “No.”

  “It doesn’t seem like she’d just stop writing.”

  “My guess is there are more letters, but we’ve just not found them yet.”

  “I wonder why they weren’t all together,” Natasha said.

  “Maybe someone had a secret.”

  “Burgers are ready,” Hank said.

  She tried to rise out of the chair but found her equilibrium had subtly shifted since just a few days ago. As Natasha rushed off, Megan pushed forward a couple more times, not much different from one of those beached turtles whose legs flapped as it tried to right itself.

  A firm hand took hold of her arm and with steady pressure lifted her out of the chair. She looked up to see Rick smiling.

  “I know,” she said. “Not a pretty sight. Just another indignity on the road to motherhood.”

  “It’s cute,” he said.

  “Said the man with the trim waist and the ankles that aren’t swollen.”

  He didn’t release her hand immediately but held it, and she let him as if they were both pretending that she needed the support.

  She finally pulled her hand away. “Thanks.”

  “Sure. You doing all right?”

  “Other than balancing the biggest job of my life and pregnancy? Doing great.”

  “You’re overdoing it.”

  “Probably. But I want this job to work out. It’s going to lead to other opportunities, and if baby wants to eat, Mama’s got to work.”

  “By the way, I found nothing on Elise Mandel. I even checked with buddies in Virginia and Maryland State Police Departments. There is no record of the woman ever living here.”

  “Really?”

  “Vanished into thin air.”

  They walked over to the table now filled with a collection of salads and freshly grilled burgers and hot dogs.

  She made a plate and sat at the table. Rick sat beside her. They all chatted and listened to Natasha’s stories about school and her take on each of the girls who were coming.

  Lucy checked her watch. “We still have a half hour before everyone arrives, so if you all will be so kind as to retire to the dining room, I have a surprise planned.”

  Natasha’s eyes brightened even as she tried to play it cool and look as if this were no big deal. Everyone gathered around the long dining table that was as old as the house while Lucy vanished into the kitchen. When she returned, she was carrying a cake now lit with dozens of candles.