Reclaimed Hearts: A second chance, forced proximity romance

Secrets Unveiled

The next few days were rather boring compared to the rest of the summer so far. I spent a lot of time in my newly updated room, laying in my bed with my feet propped up on the wall, staring at the beach painting.

Usually while talking to Reid on the phone or over FaceTime. Once, he even sat with me, and we both stared at the painting, contemplating life and its meaning.

It felt weird not being able to pop down the hall and find Reid sitting in the library reading a book. Or seeing the coffee pot already on with a mug waiting for me.

He always thought of the little things, the tiny details no one else would see.

During the day, we tried to hang out, but between my work schedule and Reid’s parents wanting him to do things with them, it became more difficult.

Even though nothing was really all that out of the ordinary, except our locations, something still felt… not the same. Different. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but there was a slight change in how we were together.

It had been almost a week since I got the clue from Reid at his house. Well, more like five days, but it felt like an entire year. I still hadn’t come up with an answer as to what all the clues had in common, and I was getting worried there was something I was missing by not doing it quickly.

So, this morning, while eating a boring breakfast of oatmeal and blueberries because we ran out of avocados and bread, I made a decision.

I was going to go to the mansion and try to figure it out there. Maybe being around the space Eleanor occupied for close to a century would help me solve whatever it was she wanted me to think of.

Quite possibly, I would come up with nothing. But it was the only thought I had, so I needed to follow it.

I asked Reid to join me, as he had been such a help in all the other clues. Eleanor said I could tell someone I trusted implicitly. I learned my lesson the hard way with Declan, but Reid proved himself time and time again.

Right after I finished my breakfast, which was more like a brunch considering the time, Reid pulled into the driveway. Grandmum was out at her book club, so I didn’t need to explain where we were going or why.

Not that I thought she would mind. Grandmum loved and respected Eleanor just as much as I did. They had some sort of odd connection that was based on a mutual respect for each other that I never really understood.

Neither of us talked on the way to the mansion. The air in the car was thick, the anticipation killer. We both knew what could possibly be on the other side of today—a prize. It didn’t matter what it was; knowing that it came from Eleanor specifically made me already love it.

We parked in visitor parking so we could go in through the front door. I didn’t have any excuses today. I just wanted to wander the mansion and hoped they were going to allow that.

The same girl as last time manned the hostess desk when we walked in.

“Caterina,” I said as we made our way over to sign in. “How are you?”

She looked up at us with a bored expression. “Thanks for visiting the Covington Mansion. Tours are at—”

Her eyes widened as she took in Reid and I. She hopped to her feet, dusting off invisible lint from her uniform jacket. “Marlowe Mitchell,” she said in awe.

I glanced over at Reid. “Um, yes? That’s me.”

She nodded curtly and straightened her sleeves. “Please, come with me.”

She took off across the foyer, expecting us to follow. So we did.

“What’s going on?” I whispered to Reid out of the side of my mouth. Caterina didn’t look back, just kept breezing through doors and hallways. We came to the entrance of a wing I had never actually been in before.

Eleanor’s private residence wing.

As we passed through, two older women turned a corner. I recognized them immediately—Rebecca and Pearl Covington. They walked by and gave us small, polite smiles.

I waved, not knowing if they also knew who I was. They didn’t appear around town as frequently as Eleanor had, especially with Pearl needing a cane to walk now.

We turned down one more hall until Caterina came to a stop in front of a rather unremarkable wooden door. Everything else in the mansion was ornate, but this was a door like I had at home. Just plain, stained a light oak color to match, but that was it. She took a key out of her pocket and unlocked it, opening it just enough for Reid and I to slip through.

“Enjoy,” she said, closing the door after us.

Soft sconces lined the walls, illuminating a few staggered rows of plush, reclining armchairs, and a large, floor to ceiling, wall to wall screen.

“A movie room?” Reid questioned, walking forward through the chairs. There were five in each row, three rows in total. We sat in the middle of the middle row, dead center.

As soon as we did, the lights dimmed, and the projector behind us came to life.

With Eleanor’s face filling the screen.

I gasped, one hand flying to my face. Reid grabbed my other hand and slipped an arm around my shoulder, pulling me in close. The arm rests were up, so we could snuggle in tight together.

“Marlowe. My sweet, sunshiney Marlowe. You’ve finished the hunt I left for you. I’m so proud of you for figuring everything out. I knew you could do it. I hope this time has brought you more smiles than frustrations, even though I know the clues had to be hard. But with your tenacity, your determination, I expected nothing but the best from you, sweet girl.”

“See? I remember saying the same thing,” Reid whispered into my ear. I shushed him, wanting to hear every word Eleanor said.

“There’s one last thing before you can claim your prize,” she said, her eyes soft, as if she were looking directly at me instead of a video camera. “Every clue was put in a specific place for a specific reason. Your last task was to figure out the connection between all the places. Have you done that?”

I shook my head. Never in a million years did I think having to tell Eleanor the connection literally meant tell Eleanor. Directly to her face. On a floor to ceiling screen. “I didn’t. Not yet. I was hoping for some inspiration from being here.”

“I hope you thought long and hard about the connection. There’s a special reason I chose each of them.”

The video paused. I whirled around toward the projector, but found no one. But someone had to be watching, hearing what I said in order to pause the video. Was it Caterina? Someone else? Was it whoever had been in charge of putting the clues in their locations?

Sitting back in the chair, I exhaled a deep breath and closed my eyes.

I thought about Eleanor. The mansion. The connection between her and the playroom. The lifeguard chair. The candy store. Reid.

Eleanor. Reid. Lifeguards—Livvy. Candy store—talking to Mrs. Ruth.

Eleanor. Reid. Livvy. Mrs. Ruth.

My mind flashed to the picture frames Grandmum put in my room.

Grandmum. Eleanor. Reid. Livvy. Mrs. Ruth.

The pictures were all of people who loved me. My friends. Mrs. Ruth. Grandmum. Reid.

I had spent so much of my life convinced that I was unlovable. Knowing that when people said they loved me, they ended up leaving. All my life, I thought I wasn’t good enough to be loved because of what my parents did when I was little. Because of Grace ditching me for Sean. Because of Reid breaking my heart, even though he had told me he loved me.

Time and time again, life showed me that as much as people liked me, I was unable to be loved. I kept that close to heart, latching on to anyone who showed me the slightest bit of attention, hoping it would lead to a different outcome. It rarely did.

Except for recently. For Grace. For Reid. They came back. They still loved me.

Grace. Eleanor. Reid. Mrs. Ruth. Grandmum. Livvy and my friends.

There was a connection between all of those, but there was a bigger connection between all of Eleanor’s clues.

The clues led to people who loved me regardless of anything else.

Mrs. Ruth, who always looked forward to our chats, who kept me in line, reminding me to bring her food. Who always left a key outside so I could let myself into her house, to vent, to whine, to cry, to get advice. She was like a second grandmother and she treated me like I was family to her, too.

Eleanor… of course there was Eleanor. The playroom that she only let me use. The special bond we shared within the walls of this mansion. They way she felt like a grandmother of sorts to me as well, having known me since I was a baby.

Livvy. Emma. Norah. Liam. Caleb. All of them always being there for me, having my back when things went wrong. Lifting me up when I needed it. Staying by my side when Reid left last summer. Even Caleb saying he would punch Reid in the face for me if he broke my heart again, in a show of love for me.

And Reid. The boy who said he loved me and never stopped, even after he got scared. Who went to bat for me when I needed him to, but supported me when he knew I could do it. There was a difference between Reid saying he loved me, then leaving, and my parents doing the same.

They cut me out of their lives like I didn’t matter.

Reid had never stopped thinking about me. Never stopped loving me, just like I had never stopped loving him. Even when he didn’t have to, he still stood up for me, protected me, stayed with me.

And even though Grandmum hadn’t been a clue, I knew she had to be a part of this. Her standoffish nature wasn’t a direct hit against me; it was her personality trait, not a measure of love. She wouldn’t have taken me in and raised me after my parents left if she didn’t love me. She wouldn’t have decorated my room if she didn’t love and miss me.

Plus, there had to be a way she got that Rebecca Covington painting.

“It’s people who love me,” I whispered, my voice hoarse with emotion. I cleared my throat, trying again. I had no idea who I was speaking to, so I looked directly at Eleanor’s smiling face and said, “It’s people who love me. That’s the connection.”

Reid squeezed my shoulders and placed a kiss on my temple, but stayed silent.

The video started.

“You are loved, Marlowe Mitchell. You’ve been dealt some harsh cards in your short life, but the best advice I can give is to leave those behind. Deal a new deck. Focus on what cards are still in your hands versus those you put down. Find the ones that love you and hold on to them tightly.”

I gripped Reid’s hand tightly, just like Eleanor said, with tears in my eyes threatening to spill over any second. It was like when I watched her original video—I couldn’t get through without crying. Except this time, it wasn’t only because I loved and missed her.

It was because she reminded me of all the good in my life. I spent too long focusing on those that left and not the ones who were still here, giving me their unconditional love.

“That is your prize, Marlowe,” Eleanor continued. “Knowing you are loved and having those that love you surround you every single day. I have loved you since the moment you were born. You always brought sunshine into my life, every time we crossed paths. My life was better for having you in it, and I thank you for that. Goodbye my sweet sunshine Marlowe.”

The screen went dark, Eleanor’s face disappearing.

“No,” I cried. I wanted her to come back. I wanted to watch it again. To replay it over and over, searing it into my soul.

We sat in silence for a few more minutes as I digested everything Eleanor had said. Then Reid stood, extending his hand down to help me up. We headed to the door.

“You figured it out, my love. Everything Eleanor wanted you to learn with this scavenger hunt. And what a prize to receive.”

I looked over my shoulder and smiled at him, warmth spreading through my body.

As we got to the door, I went to reach for the handle, but Reid stopped me.

“Marlowe,” he said in a hushed tone. He pointed to a table a few feet away, one I hadn’t noticed when we came in.

On the table was another envelope with my name on it. It was bigger and wider than the ones that held clues, but it definitely said Marlowe Mitchell on the front.

I opened it and took out the contents. A second later, my head became woozy, and I felt like I was going to faint.

Reid wrapped an arm around my waist, supporting me. “What’s wrong? Are you okay? Do you need to sit?”

I nodded, but didn’t make any motion to move. I just showed him what was in the envelope.

A check.

Made out to me.

For ten thousand dollars.

In the notes section, it said, “The prize isn’t always the prize.”

“That’s what the original text to me said. The prize isn’t always the prize.”

“But this is a dang good prize,” Reid added.

I nodded. “It is. But opening my eyes to know those who love me are all around is one heck of a good prize, too.”