Chapter 15
Stepping into the offices of Stuber and Schmit was like stepping back in time for Celine.
Kevin’s career had taken center stage in not only his life, but hers as well.
She’d played the supportive wife for years, wearing all the right clothes and carrying herself in a way that would always shine the brightest light on him.
Little did she know that behind closed doors he’d been playing a role of his own.
Or hell, maybe the person he presented to the world was only the person he wanted to be and not the man he truly was.
Now it was time to force his mask all the way off, his reputation be damned.
When Lane first suggested speaking to Kevin’s boss, unease knitted her stomach.
But screw that. Her life—and possibly Parker’s—was at risk.
She’d smear the mud on Kevin’s good name herself if it meant ending the attacks on her.
Becky Savage sat at the tidy reception desk.
Her brown hair was pulled into a low bun, and she wore just enough makeup to highlight her youthful beauty.
She cast a quick and appreciative glance Lane’s way before aiming a smile at her.
“Hi, Celine. Haven’t seen you around here in a while. How are you?”
A wave of jealousy washed over Celine. She wasn’t stupid.
Lane was a handsome man who’d attract the attention of a dead woman.
She’d grown used to the way the opposite sex fawned over him when they were younger, but that was different.
She’d been secure in their relationship, knowing he’d never stray because of a pretty face or batted lashes.
Now he didn’t belong to her. He could flirt with whoever he wanted—welcome advances from anyone. And it was no skin off her back.
Right?
Not wanting to examine that question any further, she focused on the young woman in front of her. “I’m fine, thanks. You?”
“Pretty good. Who’s your friend?” Becky widened her smile for Lane.
Lane extended a hand. “I’m Lane. Nice to meet you.”
Becky slid her palm into his. “Likewise.”
He gave a little nod then pulled back his hand before placing it at the small of Celine’s back.
The tingles shooting up her spine should have been a warning to step away from his touch. Instead, she melted against him, erasing the distance between them as well as the look of appreciation shining from Becky’s blue eyes.
“I spoke with Bobbi on our way over,” Celine said. “She’s expecting us.”
“I’ll let her know you’re here.” Becky lifted the phone and pressed a few buttons before lifting the receiver to her ear. “Hi Bobbi. Celine and her friend are here to see you. Okay.” She hung up and flicked her wrist behind her. “Go on back.”
Stepping away from Lane’s gentle touch on her spine was harder than she’d expected, but she tore herself away and walked down the familiar hall. She kept her gaze fixed straight ahead, not sparing a single glance at the brass plate boasting Kevin’s name by the door across from his boss.
Before she could knock at Bobbi’s office, the door swung open and the older woman with kind eyes and long gray hair stood in the doorway. “Hi, Celine. Please come inside.”
Celine took the seat across desk and waited for Lane to take the chair beside her and for Bobbi to settle in her behind her desk before speaking. “Thank you for seeing us on such notice.”
“Of course. You said it was important, and when you mentioned you had concerns about Kevin, I wanted to do whatever I could to help. So what’s going on?”
“I’m not quite sure how to ask this delicately, so I’m just going to come right out with it.
Have there been any discrepancies with the financials coming from Kevin’s clients recently?
” She held her breath, hating the way her heart pounded against her breast plate.
She didn’t know if it would be better if the answer was yes or no, but either way what Bobbi said next could change everything.
Bobbi’s well-sculpted eyebrows shot up to her hairline. “I’m not sure what I was expecting, but that wasn’t it. As you know, that information is confidential. Even if you and Kevin were still married, I couldn’t divulge that type of knowledge.”
“I don’t need details. I guess…” She tossed her hands in the air before letting them fall back to her lap, at a loss as to what to say.
Lane leaned forward, resting his forearms on the tops of his thighs.
“Listen, we’re not asking for private information about your clients.
We’re only interested in Kevin, and if there’s been anything off as far as he’s concerned.
Missing money, upset clients. Anything to indicate he’s misusing resources. ”
“This is an accounting firm,” Bobbi said, a patient smile on her face. “We keep a pretty tight tab on those kinds of things, and as much as I like Kevin and respect him as a co-worker, if I sniffed even a hint of mismanagement the police would be notified immediately.”
Celine slumped against the seatback.
“You seem disappointed that I don’t think your ex-husband is a criminal,” Bobbi said.
“Maybe I am.” Celine huffed out a humorless laugh.
“Things aren’t adding up and I’m caught in the crosshairs of some dangerous game he might be playing.
Or who knows, maybe he’s not and I’m just spinning in circles, trying to catch a tail that isn’t there.
” Hysteria tightened her throat and pinched off her words.
Tears clung to her lashes. She tried to even out her breathing but failed miserably.
Lane collected her hands in his and squeezed. “Whether Kevin’s involved or not, we’ll figure this out. I promise. I’ve got you.”
She stared into his eyes, believing him. She nodded. “I know.”
The side of his mouth slid up into a half-smile.
“I really am sorry about your troubles,” Bobbi said. “And I wish there was something I could say to help. But the truth is, Kevin has always had a stellar record. I will dig around a bit and see if there’s something I’ve missed. If there is, I’ll make sure to let the police know.”
Lane stood and tugged Celine up along with him. “Thank you. We appreciate your time.”
Celine managed a small wave before following Lane out to the empty hallway. “That was a bust.”
“You can’t look at it that way.”
“What other way is there to look at it?”
He shrugged. “We might have shone a light on an unknown problem.”
“When did you become a glass half full kind of guy?” Lane had a lot of great qualities but seeing the positive in the world around him had never been one of them.
His expression turned somber. “I don’t know. Maybe when I came home expecting to find the worst and stumbled into the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”
Her stomach muscles quivered. He meant Parker, not her. She had to remember that. Because if she didn’t, she was in for a world of pain.
Not wanting to keep Celine out in the public eye for longer than necessary, Lane picked up a quick lunch before returning to the house.
He’d send Duke out for groceries after they ate.
With the takeout in hand, he quickened his steps to the front door, throwing it wide and allowing Celine to enter before stepping inside.
His heart rate accelerated at the thought of spending time with Parker.
How was it possible that his entire perspective of life had changed so drastically in such a short time?
Fear still lingered about becoming his father, but that’d be a fight he’d meet head on every day.
Suzy’s laugh trilled from the living room, and he followed the sound with Celine right behind him.
Parker laid on a blanket on the floor. He kicked his legs and pumped his fists as if he was in the middle of a rave.
Duke and Suzy sat cross legged with their gazes and matching grins locked on the baby.
A certain energy crackled in the air, making Lane uneasy.
Something was brewing between his sister and Duke, and it didn’t sit well with him.
Especially with the mystery of what had brought Duke to Hillmore still unsolved.
“Hey little man,” Celine cooed and rushed to the center of the room and dropped to her knees by the blanket. She leaned forward pressed kisses to his cheeks.
Suzy beamed up at him. “Welcome home, Dad.”
The name continued to melt his heart into a giant puddle of mush. “I brought food. You guys hungry?”
Standing, Duke held out a hand for Suzy then pulled her to her feet. “Starving.”
“Is that pizza?” Suzy asked.
“Yep, plus a salad and cheesy bread. I hoped after we ate one of you two would run to the store and pick up some staples,” Lane said. “I didn’t want to keep Celine out longer than necessary.”
Suzy furrowed her brow. “It’s none of my business, but you guys are starting to scare me. First with Celine staying here and now you don’t want her to go to the store? I don’t want to be nosy, but is something happening I should know about?”
Celine glanced over her shoulder. “I’m going to feed Parker before I grab a slice of pizza. You can fill her in.”
He waited for Celine and Parker to leave the room before addressing his sister.
“Let’s take this into the kitchen,” Lane said.
“I’ll tell you everything while we set out lunch.
” He didn’t wait for a response but headed for the other room.
Th scent of pepperoni and garlic made his stomach growl despite the turmoil stirring in his system.
Suzy gathered plates while Duke opened the cartons of food and popped the top of the pizza box.
“Learn anything?” Duke asked as he slid a slice onto his plate.
“Nothing concrete, but Kevin Koffman’s looking more and more suspicious.”
“Celine’s ex-husband?” Suzy’s mouth dropped. “Seriously, what the hell is going on?”
A dull pain pulsed at Lane’s temples. He pressed the tips of his fingers to the tender spots and rubbed. “You better sit for this.”
He filled Suzy in on everything that had transpired from the time he saw Celine and Parker at the restaurant until the talk with Kevin’s boss.
He ignored his sister’s sharp intakes of breath and widened eyes as he glossed over the details Celine might want kept under wraps.
By the time he was done, he’d eaten two slices of pizza and the throbbing in his head had quieted.
Suzy sat back in her chair at the kitchen table and shook her head. “I can’t believe this. I mean, finding out you’re a dad is big enough deal. Add in all of Celine’s troubles and my head’s spinning.”
“Tell me about it,” he said.
“I hate what Celine’s going through, but the rest of its pretty good news.
” A slow smile spread on Suzy’s mouth, her blue eyes glancing quickly over at Duke who leaned against the counter with his own lunch before focusing back on Lane.
“I’ve always wanted you to move home to Hillmore.
I’m glad you’ll be back, and ecstatic about that little baby. You’ll be the best dad.”
Her confidence brought tears to his eyes. He blinked them back before they could fall. “I hope so. We didn’t have the best role model in that department.”
She shrugged. “Instead of looking at it like you didn’t have anyone to show you what to do, you were given an instruction manual about what not to do.”
“I like that.”
“Besides, we had Grandpa. He taught us as much as he could while he was here. You’ve always tried to live your life like him.
Heck, that’s one of the reasons you wanted to ride those darn bulls.
But rodeo hopping aside, if you give Parker the love and support Gramps gave us, he’ll be the luckiest little boy alive. ”
He coughed to clear the emotion out of his throat.
He spent so much time thinking about the bad parts of his childhood, he sometimes forgot about the good parts.
And the time he’d spent with his grandpa was like a shining beam of hope.
Memories flooded him, and he rubbed the tip of his thumb and forefinger against the pendant handing from his neck.
Celine padded in the kitchen with Parker cooing in her arms. “What’s going on in here? It’s awfully quiet for a pizza party.”
“These two are having some kind of moment.” Duke pointed the end of his pizza crust toward Suzy and Lane. “Little guy good to go?”
“Sure is. Now it’s time for Mom to eat.”
Lane hurried to her side and held out his arms. “I can take him. I already ate.”
She plopped Parker into Lane’s arm then slid a couple slices of pizza on a plate before sitting across from Suzy. “Eating with two hands is a real treat. I could get used to it.”
Her words tightened his chest. There was a whole hell of a lot about Celine and Parker being in his home that he could get used to, but he kept that sentiment to himself. He had plenty of time to make things right with Celine.
He’d keep his focus on Parker for now—proving he was serious about being a good dad. Then, if he tried really hard and had a little bit of luck, maybe he could find a way to win back Celine.
Create the family he’d always dreamed of and never thought possible.
Celine glanced at him from over her pizza. “What’s that look about?”
He shrugged and bounced Parker up and down. “Nothing. Just thinking it’d be nice to head outside and enjoy the weather for a bit when you’re finished. Maybe show Paker around the property. I think he’d like it.”
Celine chuckled. “Oh you do, huh?”
“Sure do.”
He hoped he was right. Because getting Parker on his side was step one in getting everything he’d ever wanted.