by Lorena May
Grace jumps up, shaking her head. “No!” She stands, gripping the back of her chair. “No, Chloe. I’m just me, and you’re just you. I’m a whole person on my own. So are you. I won’t deny we have a connection. I care about you. I’ll come see you, support you in whatever way I can, but you are not part of me.”
Chloe smiles a sardonic smile. “You’re definitely my good part.” She props her chin on her hands, looking at her sister with amusement. “The condo is in your name, you know. It’s yours. Just save a bedroom for me.”
“Oh, no, Chloe. I can’t . . .”
“I owe you. Your life wasn’t exactly cake, and I got myself a good home. And then yesterday . . .” Her voice trails off and she looks sadly beyond her sister, at the cement wall. “Give me this one good thing. I’ve worked damn hard for my money. The restaurants wouldn’t be nearly what they are without me. Let me have this.”
Grace wilts back into her chair. “Do you think you can beat this?”
“Don’t you worry about me, little sister. I always get what I want.”
Chapter 59
~Darby
They stop by a stream for the meal Darby has prepared: egg salad sandwiches, apples and chocolate-chip cookies. “I’ll make lunch, you can do dinner,” she’d suggested the night before, winking broadly.
Laying back against a gentle rise, Darby soaks in the warmth of the late spring sun. Water gurgles nearby, and she listens to the occasional whinnying of the horses as they graze in the new, green grass. The sky holds a soft blue glow, and the ground is dotted with meadow flowers; purple crocuses, buttercups and forget-me-nots, lacy and brilliant blue.
Jim sits on the ground nearby, the breeze moving his hair a little. He looks at one with nature. A man comfortable with his place in the world. A man who is his own person; secure in his goodness, yet never judgmental or condescending toward others. He was probably one of those kids who easily and naturally experienced success; popular, athletic and bright without ever giving it a second thought. Raised in a happy family, sharing adventures with friends and admiring associates . . . a man who’s experienced few failures. She was like that once.
Darby loves being with him – spending the day like this. But a cloud overshadows the brightness. She cannot bring herself to tell him about Sam.
They watch a mother deer and her fawn drink at the stream, and they fill their water-bottles to enjoy swigs of fresh, cold water.
“These cookies are delicious,” Jim says, taking another bite. “Did you make them?”
“You’re kidding, right?” Darby laughs. They both chuckle, watching two squirrels chase round and round the trunk of a tree.
“That’s me and you,” Jim says casually.
How long have you been chasing me? Darby thinks but doesn’t say. In such a gentle way. She can’t think of a reply. The cloud deepens, and she is tongue-tied.
They ride through the meadows along the creak, past a beaver’s dam. “Aren’t they the most incredible creatures?” Jim says.
Downstream, they watch two otters nuzzling each other’s backs. They ride by forests and tall grasses, across brooks bordering the mountains and finally, as the sky darkens, they head back to the corral where they look after their horses, and stroke them. Good-bye for now.
For dinner, Jim has prepared chicken parmesan with a side of garden salad, asparagus and apple crisp for dessert. While the parmesan heats he pours wine, and they sit in his large, comfortable living room with a view of the river.
Darby feels a fluttering in her chest, but she forces the words out. “Sam is back.”
He manages to keep his face expressionless, but she sees the color drain from it, as if the blood has rushed to his feet.
“He’s staying at the Juniper. I don’t know for how long.”
His words come out slowly, reluctantly. “Are you together again?”
She shakes her head, feeling her own blood rush. “No. No, we’re not together.”
She watches a muscle in his jaw twitch. “How do you feel about him?” She can hear tears in his voice.
“I don’t know.” For the first time since Sam’s come back she lets her thoughts flow freely. “When I first saw him it brought everything back. He was my first love. We shared wonderful and terrible times in Afghanistan, and those memories are a part of me.” Her forehead puckers. “He’s broken, and now I feel mostly pity. It draws me, and almost took me in, but I realize that what I felt wasn’t the kind of love I feel for you . . .”
She slides him a guarded look, as he breathes in a big sigh of relief. His eyes light up, but he remains silent.
“I guess what I’m saying is . . . seeing him released me from the pain of his memory. I did love him that way once, but now it’s a caring kind of love. I know what he’s been through, and I hope he can find peace, but I can’t help him. And I’m not about to sacrifice my life for him.”
She looks at Jim with imploring eyes. “It’s hard to explain. Do you understand what I’m saying?”
He smiles his beautiful, deep-dimpled smile. “I think I do. I hope I do.”
She rises from the couch, and goes to him. He stands and takes the wine-glass from her hand, setting it on the coffee table. He smells of the outdoors; piney and earthy with just a hint of soap, as he pulls her into a kiss, slow and comforting. His hand rests below her ear, his thumb caressing her cheek. She tastes the wine in his mouth.
When they part their eyes lock in a shared understanding. She needs to finish what she’s started. “What I’ve realized is that all this time with you I’ve grown into a love that is more. I’m twitterpated,” she grins, “but it’s more than that.” She inclines her head, a questioning look on her face. Does that make sense? “We have so many interests in common. I love spending time with you, yet we both have our own lives. You let me grow; encourage me, in fact. I need that.” Stepping back, Darby sweeps her hand to indicate the room. “I love the feeling of home we have. Cooking together – well, watching you cook while I drink wine . . .” She laughs, a happy, hearty belly-laugh.
“Aw, come on. You do your part. It’s good together.” His voice is gruff with emotion.
Suddenly she feels foolish. A flush creeps across her cheeks, and she looks at the floor – at their feet - touching toes. “And I’ve got a big, puppy-dog crush on you.”
His eyes burn with passion, but he’s tongue-tied.
“So I’m saying . . .” She sticks her tongue out, looks at him with a delicious naughtiness in her eyes. “It’s not just your body I want.”
She wraps her arms around his neck, feeling his heart pound against hers. Their kiss is soft and gentle; tender. The stubble on his face brushes her cheek. His hand, strong and supple, presses the small of her back, pulling her close. Longing whispers through her. I’ve come alive.
He releases her lips to murmur, “Darby, I love you.”
“Me too.”
_____________
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Lorena May, a former English teacher, loves to read and write mystery/psychological suspense stories with a touch of romance. A fascination with human nature drives her stories, along with twisty plots. Lorena lives in Western Canada with her husband and two dogs, happily surrounded by grown-up kids and grand-kids.
On a rainy September morning baby Cassandra is kidnapped while her mother cowers in a closet. Shea is a victim of post-partum depression.
When Detectives Darby and Mel begin to dig the truth becomes more and more murky. Ugly secrets from the past emerge. No one is above suspicion, least of all Shea, herself. In her desperation to find her baby who can she trust? Someone is watching . . . And nothing is as it seems . . .
A gripping psychological thriller filled with mystery, suspense and intrigue, that keeps you guessing from beginning to end.
She’s Gone on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07C9X17NW
A MURDERED PLAY-GIRL. A yellow rose. A dead butterfly. And a note with the words ‘You will pay’ zig-zagging acros
s the page.
Jen Cox is a devoted wife, mother and teacher living a routine suburban life. But when an old friend is murdered Jen is plagued with conflicting loyalties; forced to relive the anguish of her past. Struggling to save her family, she must face her demons head-on. Someone out there is after her, and they’re getting closer.
Sergeant Darby Greer sets out to catch a vengeance-bound killer and finds herself in a race against time. A second murder reveals she’s losing that battle! As she delves more deeply into the lives of three young women, long-hidden secrets emerge. Can she piece together the motives, the perversity, the puzzle . . . in time?
A story that explores the dark side of relationships ~ and the wonder of redemption, courage, forgiveness and love.
SEEKING SCARLETT, BOOK 2: Where is Scarlett? And who is she, really? In what dark web has she become entangled? The truth emerges bit by chilling bit.
When Em’s older sister, Scarlett, disappears from the pub on a cool December night, the story behind a series of tragedies – past and present – unravels. Is Scarlett being silenced? Has she messed with the wrong people? Em searches for answers with the help of a dashing bar-tender. A pleasing diversion. But he withdraws. Is it her? Or him?
Through investigating Scarlett’s disappearance, Sergeant Darby Greer is forced to face her own demons. Danger lurks. Can she solve the case in time?
If you like a riveting whodunit with a dash of romance this is the book for you! “Seeking Scarlett’ is Book 2 of the Darby Greer Mystery Series, a stand-alone romantic mystery.
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07N643FMN
MURDER AT THE RITZ, Darby Greer Mystery, Book 3
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08572G1N4/
Plan A would have been a perfect solution. Plan B is kaput. Everything’s come tumbling down. So, onto Plan C . . .
There’s been a murder at the Ritz Café. A lack of physical evidence and a glut of suspects with viable motives has Sergeant Darby Greer exasperated. Was it the brazen manager? The partner who’s been double-crossed? The abused waitress? Betrayed spouse? Protective brother-in-law? The mysterious paramour? The angry waiter? . . .
When Chloe reunites with her identical twin sister, Grace, a drug-addicted prostitute, the murder at Chloe’s restaurant plummets them into a chain of events, both delightful and horrific. Their lives are forever altered.
Darby muddles through baffling theories and clues while she battles personal demons. When her long-lost love comes back into her life she must decide, finally. Will it be the man who has been gently wooing her, or the vibrant love from her past?
Mystery, suspense, danger, romance, twists and turns, compelling characters . . . will keep you glued to the page right to the surprising end.