Secrets Gone South (Crimson Romance) (7 page)

Luke cocked his head to the side and narrowed his eyes. “I don’t believe you.”

“Believe what you like. It’s the truth.”

“Why has it been such a big damned secret then? Even over Christmas, you never said a word. Even if you weren’t going to let him have any ham and sing around the tree, it looks like you would have had him over for a cookie and some eggnog.”

She’d been expecting that. She looked at her hands for effect. “Things weren’t so good between us then. After Sheridan died and I got Avery, Will asked me to marry him and move here. I couldn’t handle it. It was too much at once. I broke it off but it didn’t take me long to discover I had made a mistake. But Will is a proud man. I wanted to demonstrate to him that I was willing to move here for him—well, partially. I wanted Avery to be near his cousins. And you.”

“And you never said a word.”

“Luke, you know I’m a private person.”

His eyes went sad. “You didn’t used to be.”

He might as well have said it—before Carrie, before Jake, before Sheridan.

“Things change.”

“Yeah.” He undid his tie completely.

He was feeling sorry for her now, feeling his own grief. She felt bad about that but not bad enough not to use it. These were desperate times.

“Look, Luke, right after the holidays, we got back together. We were going to take it slow, but why? We’re adults. We’ve been exploring this for a quite a while. We’re sure. Why wait?”

Luke lined up his letter opener, stapler, and tape dispenser. Then he rearranged them twice. “Arabelle, nobody knows better than I do how hard it is to be a single parent, especially to such a young child. But you don’t have to do this. You can move back to the farmhouse with Lanie and me. It’s your home too and we’ll help you.”

She held up her hand. “It’s not that, Luke. I swear it.” Luke shook his head in disbelief. “At least, it’s not all about that. Will and I want to be together. We would, no matter what. So why not go ahead? Will wants to be a father to Avery and he wants it now.” At least that last part was true; in fact it was the understatement of the millennium.

“I don’t like this, Arabelle. You have had so many changes. This is major. You should wait at least a year. Come home to the farm. Set a date with Will for next year if you want. I know about these things.”

“No, you don’t. You have always done just exactly what you wanted to at whatever speed you pleased.”

“That’s not fair. I was alone for a long time. I didn’t marry the first person who came along because I needed help with Emma. I waited for Lanie.”

“Will is not the first person who has come along.” In fact, he hadn’t come along for
her
at all. “And you aren’t alone anymore.”

“You don’t have to be either. You can be with Lanie, the kids, and me. And you can cultivate some friendships.”

Oh, damn, that friendship thing again.

“I am going to marry Will at the end of the week. I would like to do it at the farm on Saturday morning and I would like for you to perform the ceremony. If you won’t, Will and I will go to the courthouse in Jefferson County on Friday.”

“Arabelle! Stop it. It’s not about whether I will do it. This is not what you want. Mother is going to have a fit. She’s been planning your wedding all your life.”

“Then she ought to be ready.”

“You can’t even get married at Christ Episcopal that soon. At least wait the three weeks it would take to have the banns read. Mother and Lanie could make something nice in that amount of time.”

At least now Luke was talking like he believed it would happen. He had gone from next year to three weeks in a matter of two minutes.

Though Luke had a point. Things would go easier with the family if they got married in the chapel with Father Gregory officiating. She might even be able to talk Will into it, especially if she made the case that this kind of wedding fit in more with this fantasy backdrop he had invented for Avery’s life. But there was no way she could stand up in a church without Carrie and Sheridan by her side. That’s how it was supposed to have been.

Besides, now that she had accepted that this was going to happen, she wanted it done.

“No,” she said. “This Saturday. Or Friday if we have to go to Jefferson County.”

Luke sighed. “The parents are going to have a come apart.”

Suddenly, she was a little mad. “And why is that, Luke? Are you going to have a come apart, too? Did Will not grow up in the right part of town, with the right people?” Why did she feel so protective, so defensive? This was a man who was basically blackmailing her.

A frown washed over Luke’s face. “You should be ashamed. You know I’m not like that. And neither are they. Will is a good man. He’s made a great career. This is not about Will. It’s about rushing.”

Oh, she had him there! “No more than six months passed between the time you met Lanie and you married her.”

“Seven.”

“Oh, seven, was it? And how long did you actually date? Two months? Three?”

“That’s different.”

“Damn straight it’s different. I’ve known Will for years.”

Luke’s face did not soften. She had to change her tact.

“Luke, look. We’ve had a hard few years. I just want to be happy, like you are. I want it now. Is that so wrong?”

He sighed. “No,” he said softly. “I know this has been rough for you. I know I got all the sympathy when Carrie and Jake died but it was hard on you too. And then, on top of that, Sheridan. I want you to be happy. I do. I’m just afraid for you.”

“Could I have talked you out of marrying Lanie?”

“I’m not trying to talk you out of marrying Will. I’m trying to convince you to wait a bit.”

“Like you did?”

“Do you love him?” Luke asked and she was taken aback. She had never discussed love with Luke. Regardless of the truth, there was just one answer she could give.

“I do. I really do.”

That sounded sincere, even to her own lying self.

“All right. Okay. At the farm Saturday morning. I’ll tell Lanie. When are you going to call the parents?”

“Tonight. I would appreciate your support.”

Luke just nodded. It was easy to see that he didn’t feel good about it but she didn’t have time to coddle him.

“I’ve got to go. Will will be over soon?”

“Give me a second to get my coat,” Luke said. “I’ll walk with you. I’m picking up the kids. Lanie’s staying in town until after book club.”

Will didn’t do nervous, hadn’t done nervous in years. But as he rang the bell at the back door of Heavenly Confections, his heart pounded. He mentally prepared himself for Arabelle to let him in, but when the door opened, he found himself face to face with Luke Avery. And he did not look happy.

“So,” Luke said grimly, “I understand congratulations are in order. Or welcome to the family. Or both.”

“Thank you,” Will said. He had no interest in responding to Luke’s mood. It was easier to just take his words at face value.

Luke moved aside and allowed him to step into the stairwell that led to the upstairs apartments.

“I am not going to pretend to be thrilled about this,” Luke said.

“Maybe you’ll get happier as time goes on,” Will said cheerfully. He liked Luke, had no wish to tangle with him.

Luke looked a little chagrined. “Look, Will, it’s not personal. It’s just fast.”

Will had not talked to Arabelle since this morning when she had called to tell him—quite tersely—the story she had concocted. He sure hoped she had stuck to it.

“It hasn’t been fast,” Will said. “It’s been a long time coming. It’s only new to you.” He hated lying, hated it. He wanted to say,
Out of my way, Luke. My boy is at the top of those stairs. I’ve lost time that I can never get back and you’re costing me more.

“Arabelle has been through a lot,” Luke said.

“All due respect, Luke. I know what Arabelle’s been through. I don’t intend to put her through anything else. I intend to make things better for her—and Avery.”

Luke looked at him for a long minute. “I guess that’s what I wanted to hear.” And he extended his hand.

Will shook.

“Come on,” Luke said. “Everybody’s in the daycare apartment.”

Will had no idea what that meant, had no idea who watched Avery while Arabelle worked. There was too much he didn’t know. So he nodded like he understood and followed Luke up the stairs.

They entered an apartment that did, indeed, look like a daycare. What should have been the living room had shelves of toys and books. There was a child-size table and chairs and large pillows on the floor. Lanie Avery sat in a rocking chair reading to five-year-old Emma and Arabelle sat on the floor stacking blocks with Avery and John Luke.

Will’s eyes went immediately to Avery. This was not how he had envisioned seeing his son—among all these people. He wanted to pick the boy up and go somewhere private.

But that couldn’t happen.

Lanie Avery smiled at him. She wore pants and an apron printed with candy hearts. “Hello, Will. It’s good to see you.” She looked a little puzzled. Unless he missed his guess, no one had told her yet about the impending nuptials.

“You’ve got quite the little setup here,” Will said, looking around the room.

“Luke and Emma lived here before we got married,” Lanie said. “Judith Garth watches the children during the day while we work. It works out well for everyone.”

Will had to admit that was a satisfactory situation. Judith Garth had taught third grade for years so there was no question she was capable. “Read, Mommy!” Emma Avery said.

“Sorry,” Lanie said to Will. “She will be asleep when I get home from book club tonight so we’re having our story before they go home.”

Will didn’t remember Arabelle at all until she spoke.

“We should go,” she said rising from the floor. “Lanie and Luke need to get things sorted out here.”

Some response was called for. He placed a hand on Arabelle’s shoulder. “Did you have a good day?”

“Yes,” she said as she bent to pick up Avery.

“I thought we’d get some dinner,” he said. “Or if you don’t want to take Avery out, I can go out and get something to cook.”

“We’ll see,” she said vaguely and kissed her niece and nephew goodbye. “Avery, give Uncle Luke and Aunt Lanie love.” Luke and Lanie kissed and cooed over Avery, who hugged them back.

Cozy. Just what he wanted for his son. And he would be part of it.

As they headed toward the door, Will said, “Did you get Jiffy?”

That got a smile of approval from Luke and Lanie. In the end, they would probably be easier to please than Arabelle.

• • •

Arabelle opened the door of her apartment and set Avery on his feet. She wondered what would happen if she tried to close the door in Will’s face. She took Jiffy out of Avery’s bag, placed her phone on the side table, and turned to Will, searching for something to say to break the silence.

But there was no need. He stood still and silent watching Avery, who was toddling over to the basket where his trucks were.

Avery was oblivious but Will’s expression was nothing short of euphoric. Sadness and joy washed over her. Sadness because that big dimpled smile would probably never be directed at her again; joy because it was directed at her child and that was good, no matter what.

She dropped onto the floor where Avery was lining his trucks up and set Jiffy to the side. “Play trucks, Mama!” he said.

“Come here,” she said, pulling him into her lap. “I want to tell you something.” She was going to do right, do what she promised. “There’s somebody here who is good at playing trucks.”

Will knelt down beside them. “Hey, pal,” Will said. “I’d love to play trucks.”

Avery buried his face in her shoulder and then peeped around at Will, intrigued by someone willing to play trucks.

“Avery,” Arabelle said. “Do you remember this man? When we had chicken and dumplings? This is your daddy.”

She watched them look at each other. It was as if the DNA they shared surfaced and bonded, chasing away any shyness that Avery might have ordinarily felt.

Arabelle wondered if Will would make a heartfelt speech about how he would love and care for Avery forever or try to pick him up—something Avery would not tolerate from a stranger. But no. Will just wiggled out of his coat, turned over on his stomach, and reached for a big red dump truck.

“This one will go really fast!” Will said and rolled it across the floor making what passed for truck noises.

Avery squealed with delight and scampered away from Arabelle toward the man that she would forever have to share him with. Not even a backward glance from either of them.

That was that. She might as well go back to Atlanta right now, or Africa for real. Clearly, she would never have Will’s talent for playing trucks. She didn’t even know what to do with herself. Usually, this was a busy time.

She wasn’t much of a cook but maybe she would see about some dinner.

“I’m a road!” Will laughed like he’d told the funniest joke in Joke City. Avery was running a truck up and down his back and babbling. Will flipped over on his back and lifted Avery over his head. “I’ve got you!”

Arabelle waited for Avery to scream and reach for her. Playing trucks was one thing, but this was another.

When he didn’t react, she said, “Avery, are you hungry? Do you need some milk?”

No response. Yep. Might as well go to Africa.

Avery waved a truck in the air and giggled. Maybe he’d drop the truck on Will’s head.

“Jiffy go for a ride?” Avery said.

Will put him down and pulled the rest of the trucks out of the basket. “Hmm. You don’t have a truck big enough for Jiffy to ride in. Well, we’ll fix that. Tomorrow, I’ll buy you a big truck—big enough for Jiffy.”

“Big truck!” Avery spread his arms wide.

Clearly, she wasn’t even proficient at buying the right trucks. Oh, well.

She turned to go into the kitchen—and there was a knock at the door.

What now? Did Will have distant relatives that he’d invited over to also deprive her of her child?

When she opened the door, there stood Lanie, bright eyed and smiling. “Luke just told me!” She didn’t wait for an invitation. She walked right in and threw herself on the sofa and patted the place beside her. Will waved at Lanie but did not quit his game of
Use Trucks to Make Avery Forget His Mother.