North Dakota Weddings (21 page)

Late that night, Vance climbed into bed, exhausted from the day’s ordeal. He’d phoned Andi to let her know he was home.
Home
. When had he started thinking of this place as his home? She’d listened as he’d droned on about feeling betrayed, at being used by Peter, someone he thought he could trust—the whole thing gut-wrenching.

He’d come here with only one decision to make—now, one decision had multiplied exponentially into many.

Peter had been trying to double his money—a 1.5 million-dollar contract with the government—but deliver a substandard product for a limited time, all funded by a counter-intelligence ring, with Vance set up to take the fall if the high-tech crime was discovered. Though Peter claimed he didn’t know the identity of the buyer, he’d accepted funds to produce software that would give false negatives—hence, slowing the entire process.

Tom, an FBI agent, had worked undercover as a security guard for the company, planting the disk with Vance, hoping to produce a series of events that would expose the crime ring. Then Vance reacted to what he saw on the disk and uploaded a counterprogram. Peter saw the program and called Vance in to fix a bogus problem, knowing full well he wasn’t in Cancun, so that Vance could be followed. The girls were in the wrong place at the wrong time—Peter used that to his advantage, calling the shots to force Vance to restore the Nitro Project, but what he didn’t know was one of the kidnappers was an undercover agent.

Vance lay in stunned silence, considering the events of the previous few weeks, disheartened that Peter was in trouble and would be for a very long time.

With Peter out of the picture, Vance considered what would happen to ANND Systems. If Vance were vice president of something—once everything was sorted out—could he run the company his own way? Not like this, not in the wake of his long-time friend’s ruin.

Vance rolled over, stuffing the pillow over his head.

“Why’d you do it, Peter?” Bad enough he’d engaged in criminal activity, but to drag Vance into it, putting him in place to take the fall if they were caught? He thought he’d known Peter much better. It hurt, but along with that came anger.

How could a person trust anyone? Vance flipped on his side. He was so tired.

Then there was the missile base. He’d never intended to stay, but he’d grown comfortable here. His apartment back in Fargo felt lonely and stale without Andi, a key ingredient to his happiness.

Andi
.

What was he going to do?

A
ndi parked her car next to Lars’s and Karl’s trucks. She grabbed the letter from the passenger seat and stared at it, wishing that she’d already told Vance everything.

After listening to him share how Peter had betrayed him, and all the anger and pain in his voice…Andi released a sob.

They’d come so far, and she believed he cared for her. It was a big risk on her part, trusting him after all she’d gone through with Jorgen. Still, she was willing to take a chance. Vance was different.

But she’d kept a big secret from him. Granted, she’d not done anything criminal like his friend and partner, but the timing couldn’t be worse for this news to come on the heels of Peter’s treachery. Holding the letter in her hand made her feel like she was about to drop a bomb. Another bomb—like the one she’d dropped on Jorgen when she explained she had to quit school and move back home. That situation was entirely different, she admitted, because she had no control over her grandmother’s death and the resulting need to care for Elisa.

But this…She’d known all along there was something hidden on the property and she’d kept it from Vance, even after they’d grown close, though that development was fairly new.

Andi leaned her forehead against the steering wheel, wishing she could put it off for another day. But that thinking was what got her into this trouble to begin with.

At least she had the Lord. He would never leave her nor forsake her. No matter Vance’s reaction. Squeezing her eyes, she sent up a silent prayer.
Lord
,
help me explain this. Help him to understand and to forgive me
.

Andi stepped from her truck and headed into the dungeon, as Vance called it. Did he still feel that way?

More importantly, would he stay or would he go? All she wanted was to see him grin, languish in his arms, and relish his kiss.
Wow, could he kiss
.

Yet, how could that happen with what she had to tell him? Gloomy thoughts encircled her. As soon as Andi stepped through the blast door, Vance stood in her path, grinning.

Why’d he have to be so cute?

His grin quickly turned to a frown as he took one step forward. “What’s wrong?”

Andi bit her lip, trudged to the sofa, and sank. “There’s something you need to see.” No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t bring herself to smile. Not even for him.

He moved to sit next to her, his brows knitted. “Hey, whatever it is, I’m sure it can’t be that bad.”

Maybe in light of what he’d just been through, no. She smiled a little, soaking in his encouragement. But he had no idea what he was saying. Taking a deep breath, she handed over the wrinkled, coffee-stained letter she’d found after her grandmother died.

He looked at the letter, then into her eyes. “What’s this?”

“Just read it. Then I’ll explain.”

Vance stared at the letter. Andi acted strangely, worrying him. Holding the letter, he read the contents.

Vance tugged off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose, thinking. What did this mean? He looked at Andi, who had her head down. “I’m guessing Lenora is your grandmother?”

She allowed her eyes to drift to his, a flicker of pain there. “Yes. Your uncle had a thing for my grandmother. I told you that already.”

Vance dropped the letter to the coffee table and stood. “You said you’d explain once I finished the letter.”

“Yeah, well.” She cleared her throat. “I found the letter in my grandmother’s things after she died. Honestly, after your uncle died, too. It says there’s something hidden here. I decided that maybe that’s the whole reason he hired me. I started a business because I was desperate, then your uncle came to the rescue.”

Vance put up his hand. “Wait a minute. You’re telling me you think he hired you to find this…whatever it is?”

Andi nodded.

Vance plodded to the kitchen and grabbed an energy drink. He was going to need some brainpower this morning—something he’d completely exhausted over the last few weeks. He rubbed the cool can against his temple.

“Vance?” Andi’s voice was soft and nervous.

“Give me a minute.” He hoped he didn’t sound harsh, he didn’t mean it that way, but he had to think. Peter had lied to him, hidden things, too. What was it with people?

He downed the drink, swishing some of it around in his mouth, and stared at his reflection in the microwave. He was a geek. Why shouldn’t Andi use him? Just like Janice.

“Vance, I should have told you sooner. I’m so sorry.”

He’d had his suspicions recently, that she was keeping something from him, though he didn’t know what. He laughed and shook his head.

At himself, at his company, at Peter, then finally at the situation. After everything he’d gone through, culminating yesterday, this was by far the hardest.

Lord, give me the faith to believe, to trust again
. Vance took a deep breath and turned to face Andi, hoping to find the answer to his prayer in her eyes, and in them he saw sorrow and regret. Raw anguish took the place of Andi’s usual superficial, impossible-to-crack veneer.

Janice had never been sorry. Nor had he seen love in her eyes like he saw in Andi’s. The kind of love every guy dreamed of seeing in a girl’s eyes. He released a breath, overpowered by the emotions streaming through him. Andi had finally let down her guard, and for that Vance was thankful.

It was all worth it. He slid around the island, enjoying the questioning look on her face, and took her hand in his. It felt good. Right.

Thank You, Lord
.

Andi stared at his hand and then up into his face, taken aback.

“I know it took a lot for you to tell me this. So, did you find it?”

Her mouth dropped open. Vance grinned, wishing she would close it so he could plant a fat kiss on her lips.

“I…uh, no. Yeah, I mean. I think I found where it might be hidden while we were hiding in the equipment building. I wanted to wait for you.”

“You
waited
for me?”

Nodding, she smiled for the first time since she’d arrived.

“Okay, before we go on this treasure hunt, there is something I want to make clear. My uncle was eccentric, yes, but he was a good businessman, and he had the money to show for it. I think he hired you because he believed in you, Andi. Believed you could create this.” Vance motioned to indicate the entire room.

Andi cracked a half-grin. “Maybe.”

It might take some time to convince her. “One more thing…Whatever we find, it’s yours. My uncle wanted your grandmother to have it. Don’t think I want it just because it’s on my property, okay?”

Her face brightened. “You’ve been good enough about this whole thing, I…I want you to keep it.”

“Nope, I insist. It’s yours.”

They laughed together and then made their way to the equipment building where they found Karl and Lars replacing the entire section of the wall.

Andi gasped. “Oh no. Guys, wait.”

They both looked up at the same time.

“Can you take a break? There’s something behind that wall I need to look at.”

Karl shrugged and Lars followed him over to their ice chest where they grabbed some water.

Andi found the place and began removing the wall.

“What do you think is hidden there?”

Without stopping her work, she replied, “For some reason, I always thought—no, hoped—that it would be something of value. Maybe even money. But now”—she looked at him—“I think I was completely wrong. What do you think?”

Vance watched her closely. She probably needed the money and wanted it to be money so badly—she put her hope in it. “I couldn’t say. After reading the letter, I didn’t picture money.”

A section of the wall removed, Vance peered into the hole with Andi.

A
ndi held her breath as they slid a small box from the space between the walls. “Definitely not money.”

Though she smiled up at Vance, she knew he could see her disappointment. She was an idiot to believe it might be something to help her and Elisa. In a moment that should have been exciting, she sagged, her spirits deflated.

Andi held the box out to Vance. “Will you do the honors?”

“I told you it was yours. You open it.”

She opened the box to see a folded missive. “It’s a letter.”

“There’s more.” Vance lifted a smaller box and handed it to Andi.

It looked an awful lot like…“A ring box,” she whispered. Andi opened the top to see a diamond ring and gasped. “It’s beautiful.”

“Are you going to read the letter?” Vance held the folded paper out to her. “Or do you want me to?”

Andi frowned. “I have a feeling I’m not going to like what it says.”

Vance chuckled. “Ah Andi, where’s your sense of adventure? All this ancient history between two lovers—your grandmother, my great-uncle. It’s fascinating.”

“Adventurous, yes, fascinating, no.” Andi slipped the ring from the box and onto the third finger on her left hand—it fit perfectly—admiring it and considering what it would feel like to be a married woman. To wear such a huge rock on her hand.

Before she realized what she’d done, she caught Vance staring at her, smiling. Her heart thudded. She quickly tugged it off and slipped it back in the box.

Vance cleared his throat as if to signal he wanted her attention off the ring and on the letter. “Looks like it’s a confession from your grandfather, Harold. He stole the ring from my uncle Vance and hid it on the missile site when he discovered Vance was about to propose to Lenora. In the meantime, he proposed to her himself, beating my uncle to the proverbial punch—your grandmother.”

Andi nearly dropped the box. “Oh Vance. I don’t know what to say, I’m so sorry!”

“Why are you apologizing? All the involved parties have now passed to the afterlife. But…your grandmother loved two people?”

Andi shook her head, confused. “I don’t know. There has to be something more, some other reason she would have married my grandfather if she loved your uncle. Unless your uncle was mistaken about her feelings.”