Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fourteen
GENEVIEVE’S IMAGINATION WAS CAUGHT. Trapped. Snagged like a fishhook in a tree. She could see the home that Gage had just described.
They stood atop a hill above an alpine valley on a section of the Triple T Ranch that was a good distance from the ranch house. Currently, this parcel of land was inaccessible by road. But building a road was no step for a stepper, as the saying goes. Not when the stepper was a rancher who owned half of Colorado.
Okay, that was an exaggeration, but the man owned a lot of property.
And he was thinking about building a new house.
For her.
“You are relentless, Gage Throckmorton,” Genevieve told him. She could see the house he described in the spot he’d indicated. She’d change the roofline, she thought. And she wasn’t sure about the logs. She’d come to appreciate modern architecture in recent years. But Gage was definitely a log house kind of guy.
Well, maybe it was time for a change.
For both of them.
That’s what he was proposing, after all. Well, not that he’d proposed yet. A hunter from way back, he was still laying his traps.
“Relentless has served me well throughout my life.” He turned to look at her, his light blue eyes keen. “You like the idea, don’t you?”
“I do.” In truth, Genevieve loved the idea. No matter the decorative changes he made at his house, it was still another woman’s home. Genevieve would never feel truly comfortable there. If, that is, she allowed his relentlessness to win.
Gage wore a satisfied smile as he shoved his hands in his pockets and rolled back on his heels. “I got the idea from Noah, you know. The best thing I ever did was to hire your son-in-law as my mini-me.”
Genevieve laughed. “You do know how much he hates it when you call him that.”
“Of course. That’s why I do it. Anyway, it never would have occurred to me to build a new home for a new start if he and Willow hadn’t decided to build a new place despite having a perfectly good one in the Hideaway. I saw firsthand how excited they were while planning the place. Then when we helped them move in after their wedding when they were beginning their new life together as a family, well, it made an impression. The Hideaway was Noah’s house. The new place is theirs.”
Genevieve nodded. “I’ll admit I thought they were crazy when they decided to build. But the Hideaway is a great vacation property, and they’re doing well with the rental business.” She gave the rancher a sidelong look. “So, if you build a new home, what will you do with the one you’re in now? Tell me you’re not going to turn the Triple T into a dude ranch.”
He snorted a laugh and casually draped an arm around Genevieve’s shoulders. She leaned into him as he replied, “Not hardly. I’ll keep it as a true headquarters for all my enterprises. We will do a little remodeling. Noah will be able to expand his office. My ranch foreman can move his office into the main house and give his assistants more room in the outbuilding.”
“I’m surprised. I thought you might offer it to Lindsay and Frank. Isn’t she looking for a place in town?”
“She is, but how can I offer her the house and not Zach or his brother? If you do for one, you have to do for them all. Emily hammered that lesson into my head from the day our number two was born. I have enough trouble with my kids as it is.” He gave a rueful smile, then added, “I’ve had my lawyers divvy up my estate as even-Steven as possible. I’m not messing with that now by giving one of them the ranch house.”
“Thoughtful and fair estate planning is one of the best gifts you can give your children,” Genevieve said. “My family still has PTSD from my former father-in-law’s attempt to control his family from the grave.”
“Yeah, I have no interest in that. So, Genevieve, what do you think?”
“It’s a beautiful spot for a home.”
“Want to meet me for lunch to look at house plans?”
“You’re pushing, Gage.”
“I know. I’m pretty good at it, don’t you think?”
“This is a masterful effort, I’ll give you that.”
He took both of her hands in his and stared down at her. “I’m giving you the time you asked for, but I’ll remind you that we’re not getting any younger.”
“I know.” Genevieve went up on her tiptoes and kissed his cheek. “This is a wonderful idea, Gage. I think you’ve stumbled on a way to remove a roadblock I didn’t realize existed. That said, I’ll remind you that I’m still shaky from the bomb that went off in my family in the past couple of days. We have a month until Zoey’s wedding. What if I ask for these next four weeks, and we revisit this idea after that?”
Always one to negotiate, Gage studied her with a narrow-eyed gaze. “What if I give you these next four weeks, but in the meantime—just for fun—we start looking at house plans?”
“Just for fun? No commitments?”
“No commitments.”
“All right, then,” Genevieve said, her heart taking flight. “You do know that HGTV is my favorite television network. I have some definite ideas. If you think you’re going to get your way on everything, you’ve got another think coming.”
He tipped his hat. “I look forward to the battle, ma’am.”
“Now, you’d better take me back to my car. I have to be at our Christmas market booth when it opens at ten, and I need to be ready. We’re expecting a big crowd today.”
“Do you need an extra pair of hands? My afternoon is fairly free.”
“Thank you, but we’re good. We’ve actually figured out that with this size booth, we only have room for one of us there at a time. Otherwise, customers don’t have room to shop. One person can handle transactions quickly enough because technology makes checking a customer out easy. So, I’m taking the first shift and Helen the second. This evening, Nicole is going to cover for us so we can all get together for a family dinner. Noah is cooking steaks. Would you like to join us?”
“At a family dinner?” His eyes gleamed. “Damn right I would.”
Half an hour later, Genevieve parked in the lot reserved for market vendors three blocks off the square. She climbed out of her car in the parking lot, grabbed her purse and the tote bag containing their cash box and the tablet they used to process credit cards, and headed for the square. “Oh, what a beautiful morning,” she sang as she smiled up at the sun. Today was shaping up to be an extra special day.
A house. He wanted to build her a house.
She would have skipped all the way to the Bennett sisters’ booth if she weren’t worried that her knees might give out if she tried.
Their predictions of a brisk business held true. Genevieve barely had time to put her purse away before making the first sale of the day. The first hour was constant, the second busy. Only in the third hour was she able to slow down and visit with her customers.
She was glad of that when Zach Throckmorton and his nephew, nicknamed Scamp, stepped into the booth to browse. “Hello, you two. I’m happy to see you. Are you enjoying your visit to our Christmas in July market?”
The boy nodded. “It’s great. We came for the food and to buy presents for my family because giving surprise presents is a lot of fun. Have you tried the fried rattlesnake, Mrs. Prentice?”
“I have not.”
“It’s really good. You should get some. And slather it with the venom sauce. It’s spi-i-i-cy.”
“Well, I do like spicy food, but I draw the line when it comes to eating reptiles.”
“How come?”
“They give me the creeps.”
“Huh,” the boy said, obviously thinking about it. “Just snakes or all reptiles? Do you not eat alligators, either? There’s another booth selling fried alligator. I haven’t tried it yet, but Uncle Zach said I can have some if I’m still hungry after we shop a bit.”
“I am anti-reptile all the way. Now, I have tried the fresh corn on the cob they sell at the alligator booth. It’s delicious.”
“Good to know,” Zach said, a grin playing on his face.
He pointed toward a plaque hanging on a display. “Look at this, Scamp. I think we should get it for your dad, don’t you? His birthday is coming up.”
The plaque read: “Remember. What Dad really wants is a nap.”
The boy laughed. “Perfect. That’s totally my dad! Let’s get it.” His interest engaged, he soon picked out a paperweight for his grandfather and a sign for his aunt’s bookstore. Reading the sign, Zach frowned. “I dunno, Scamp. This might not be Aunt Lindsay’s type of thing.”
The sign read: “You can pick your nose, but you can’t pick your family!”
Scamp protested. “It’s perfect for her. Every time I see her, she tells me not to pick my nose.”
“Maybe you ought to stop picking your nose,” Zach pointed out.
Scamp waved away the suggestion. “I do it just to bug her. It’s our thing, Uncle Zach.”
“Okay, then. Wrap it up, please, Genevieve.”
“Now we gotta get something for you, too, Uncle Zach. I still have money left over from what Dad gave me, don’t I?”
“Well, that depends. What’s our total so far, Genevieve?”
She told him, and Zach winced. “You have three dollars left in your gift budget, big guy.”
When the boy’s face fell, Genevieve jumped in to save the day. “We have the perfect thing, and it’s part of our buy-two-get-one-free special.” She handed him a photo frame tree ornament that read, “World’s Craziest Uncle.”
Scamp’s eyes went wide, and he lit up like a string of Christmas lights. “It is perfect. I know just the picture to put in it, too. So this ornament is free?” When Genevieve nodded, he said, “Awesome! I’ll take it.”
He met his uncle’s gaze. “I’ll put the picture in and then give it to you. That’ll be the surprise. Okay?”
“Works for me.”
The boy cupped his hands around his mouth and whispered loudly. “In the picture, he’s got his fingers in his ears, and he’s sticking out his tongue.”
Genevieve winked at him. “I love it.”
She put the three different items in three different gift bags, accepted the cash the boy handed over, and gave him his change.
Traffic picked up again after the Throckmorton guys moved on, and Genevieve finally had a chance to restock her shelves about twenty minutes later. She had her back to the booth’s entrance when a familiar voice scraped along her nerves. “Excuse me? Genevieve?”
Lindsay. Pasting a smile on her face, she turned around. “Yes. Hello, Lindsay. How are you?”
“Well, I’m a little upset. I’ve come to return this.” She plopped the gift bag on an empty spot on a shelf.
“Um…”
“You sold something vulgar to a child. Totally inappropriate.”
Vulgar? Because it refers to boogers without using the b-word? “I’m sorry, is that the gift Scamp bought for you?”
“Nicholas. His name is Nicholas.”
“Yes. Okay. Nicholas.”
“I know that all the profits from the Christmas market go to support our local women’s shelter, so I’m not going to ask for a refund. I just think you need to understand that the Throckmorton family doesn’t do crude.”
Lindsay whirled around and marched away before Genevieve could even get out a “Bless your heart.”
Genevieve had almost an hour before Helen showed up for her shift. She fumed. She brooded. She stewed.
She loaded for bear.
When Helen arrived happy and bubbling about the morning she’d spent showing Adam around town, Genevieve barely listened. “I have an errand I must do now. I’ll see you tonight at dinner.”
Then, carrying a tote bag filled with her purse, the plaque Scamp had bought for his aunt, and a little something she’d chosen to gift, she marched across the town square toward the bookstore.
She blew in like a Cat 5 hurricane. Standing at the cash wrap in the process of checking out a young mother buying books for her preschooler, Lindsay turned toward the door as the bell jangled. The smile on her face died in an instant. Genevieve ignored her, flipped the Open sign in the window to Closed, and then breezed through the store in search of other customers. She spied only one more, an older man she recognized as a neighbor of Helen’s, and told him the store was closed for the next twenty minutes and to please return later.
Genevieve escorted him to the front of the store, where a red-faced Lindsay slipped a copy of Chicka Chicka Boom Boom into a bag. Lindsay thanked the customer and wished her a good day. Once the mother exited the store, Genevieve twisted the door’s lock hard and turned around.
“How dare you!” Gage’s daughter exclaimed.
“Oh, honey, you might as well save all that offense. I’m just getting started.”
Lindsay was smart enough to keep the counter between them. Genevieve advanced toward her, set down her tote bag, and folded her arms. “I have been patient. I have been kind. But it appears that I’m going to have to talk to you like I do my own children. I have a few things to say, young lady, and you are going to listen to me. When I’m done talking, you can have your say. I’ll stand here and take it. However, I get to go first.”
“But—”
Genevieve cut her off with the index-finger-up, circle-in-the-air flourish that ended by pointing at Lindsay and snapping, “No. Hush.”
“You can’t tell me what to do!”
“Oh, but I can. You don’t want to make me stop this car, Little Miss Sunshine.”
“What? Stop the car? You’re crazy!”
“I’m a mother of four, so I have lots of experience dealing with brats. Now, shut your mouth and listen. The sooner I have my say, the sooner I will leave this store.”
Lindsay snapped her mouth shut, folded her arms, and lifted her chin pugnaciously.
Genevieve lobbed her first grenade. “I am not a threat to you. Period. Full stop. I am not after your father’s money. I’m blessed to have plenty of my own. If —note the word there— if your father and I decide to marry, we will absolutely sign a prenup.”
“Dad won’t do that,” Lindsay scoffed.
“Then we won’t be getting married. I’m not going to marry him without one. My sister wouldn’t allow it. She practiced as an attorney for thirty years, and the things she witnessed will curl your hair. Now, if neither your father nor I had any assets, that might be different. But it’s not the case, and a prenup protects us both, so you can drag that particular bee out of your bonnet.”
Lindsay’s lips pursed like she’d sucked on a lemon.
“Next, I am not trying to take your mother’s place in your father’s life and heart. I would never do that. I’m a widow myself, and my David will always own a piece of my heart. But that’s the thing about hearts. There’s always room for more love.”
Lindsay began, “You’re not—”
“Still my turn,” Genevieve interrupted. “Here’s the thing, Lindsay. You don’t have to like me. What you do have to do is respect your father and the choices he makes. If he chooses to marry me, then you have to figure out a way to make peace with it. Or, at the very least, figure out a way to hide the fact you’re still feeling pissy about it. Because you will treat me with respect. I deserve that. Your father deserves it. And from everything Gage has told me about your mother, I suspect that she would expect it.”
“You don’t know anything about my relationship with my mother!” Lindsay snapped.
“No, I don’t. Why don’t you tell me?”
“She was there for me when I needed her. Always!” Tears suddenly flooded Lindsay’s eyes and overflowed. “I could tell her anything. I told her everything. She listened to me and let me cry on her shoulder, and she always made things better. I could tell her things I couldn’t tell Dad. She understood. If Mom were here today, she would understand what we are going through. I could tell her about it. How hard it is. How scared I am.”
Scared about what? Genevieve’s anger evaporated in an instant. Gentling her voice and her manner, she took a step forward. “What’s happening, Lindsay?”
“We can’t get pregnant,” she said with a sob. “At first, I thought it was the stress from dealing with Mom, but finally we saw a fertility specialist. It hasn’t worked.”
Now in mother mode, Genevieve stepped around the counter and lifted her arms, offering a hug. After only a moment’s hesitation, the young woman melted into her arms.
“We’ve tried three times. It’s just crushing. Now we’re stepping up to IVF, but… what if… I don’t know if I can keep doing this.”
“Oh, sweetheart. I’m so sorry. I know it must be so hard.”
“I’m just a mess. The hormones!”
Genevieve clucked her tongue. “Yes, they’re a killer.”
“They make me want to kill someone.”
“You poor thing.”
“I just… I need my mom!”
“Oh, Lindsay, I know you do. At times like this, a woman needs her mother so badly. I’m so, so sorry that Emily isn’t here to help you navigate these stormy waters. Sometimes, life just sucks.”
“It does.” Lindsay buried her head against Genevieve’s shoulder and wept.
Genevieve held Gage’s daughter, patted her back, and murmured soothingly. Eventually, Lindsay’s tears eased, and Genevieve could feel her slowly stiffening. Genevieve released her and took a step back. She spied a tissue box on the counter, grabbed one, and handed it to the distraught young woman.
Then she retreated back around the counter. Calmly, she picked up her tote bag and decided to wait for Gage’s daughter to break the silence. Eventually, Lindsay said, “I owe you an apology about this morning. I was totally out of line about Nicholas’s gift. I talked to Dad this morning, and he told me he’s thinking about building a new house, and it set me off. I was looking for a reason to go off on you, and I used the plaque as an excuse.”
Genevieve debated how best to respond to that. If Lindsay had stopped after saying she was out of line, Genevieve would have replied with a gracious thank you. Bringing up the house shifted them back into uncomfortable territory.
She reached into the tote bag and pulled out the bag containing Scamp’s gift. “I thought you should know why your nephew chose this particular gift for you. He—”
Lindsay interrupted. “I know. He teases me. It’s actually a sweet gift. Please don’t tell him I was witchy about it. Like I said, it was just an excuse.”
The young woman closed her eyes, drew in a deep breath, then exhaled sharply. “I apologize for how I’ve acted toward you. You’re right. My mother would not be happy with me. As much as I’d like to blame it all on hormones, the truth is I don’t understand how Dad has been able to move on romantically so fast.”
“Fair enough.” Genevieve acknowledged the point with a nod. “After my husband died, it took me a long time to be ready to date again. However, in the grief counseling groups I attended, I saw firsthand how people grieve differently and on different schedules. It’s natural that you and your dad and your brothers will be on different schedules.” She hesitated a moment before asking, “Have you tried discussing your concerns with Gage, Lindsay?”
“Oh yes. He shuts me down. He won’t listen to anything I have to say about…”
“Me?”
Lindsay winced. “He gives me that dark scowl of his and tells me to grow up. I had some legitimate worries.” She glanced at Genevieve and added, “Like a prenup.”
Genevieve nodded. “Perfectly fine question. He shouldn’t shut you down. But men can be hardheaded.”
“Tell me about it.” Lindsay’s expression turned glum.
“I will. Come to me with your questions, dear, and I’ll listen and answer if I can. We will all be happier if we have openness and honesty between us. Lindsay, your father hasn’t mentioned your fertility struggles to me. Does he know you’re going through treatment?”
She shook her head. “No. He’d worry about me. He wants more grandchildren, and it’s been a dream of mine to surprise him with baby news.”
“In that case, I won’t spoil the surprise. As I said, I’m here if you need a friendly ear or a shoulder to cry on. And if not me, have you considered counseling, Lindsay?”
A smile flickered on her lips. “Our fertility clinic recommended it. I’ve been waiting to get in to see someone who has been recommended to me by a friend. My first appointment is next week.”
“That’s good. Counseling has helped me tremendously at various times in my life.” Her lips twisted in a smile as she added, “Now that the subject’s come up, it occurs to me that a visit with my therapist wouldn’t be a bad idea for me now. I don’t know if you’ve heard, but a volcano exploded in my family this week.”
Lindsay’s brows arched. “No, I hadn’t heard that.” A gleam entered her eyes that suddenly reminded Genevieve of Gage. “Maybe you should check out our self-help section before you go.”
“Nah, but I’ll take a gander at your murder mystery section.”
“Your volcano was that explosive?”
Genevieve’s mouth twisted. “Well, the person I’d like to kill is already dead, so maybe what I need is something from the fantasy section.”
Lindsay actually laughed. “Well, my fantasy section is extensive.”
Genevieve decided that she’d made significant forward progress today. It was probably time for a strategic retreat. “I’ll stop in again when I have some time to browse. Right now, I’d better get moving. I have a whole list of errands to run before a family event tonight.”
She reached into her tote bag and withdrew the four-by-six-inch framed print she’d brought from the booth. “I’m glad we talked, Lindsay. I will keep you and Frank in my thoughts and prayers in the coming weeks. Now, I brought a little gift.”
Genevieve handed the print to Lindsay with a smile. “I thought of you and Emily when I saw this.”
Lindsay read it and said, “Oh, Genevieve. I’m going to start crying again.”
“Happy tears, though, right? You’ll feel it whenever you see the sign.”
“I will. Thank you so much. I’m glad we talked, too.”
Genevieve flipped the Closed sign back to Open, unlocked the door, and turned to wave as she left.
Lindsay had placed her gift in a position of honor on a shelf behind the sales counter.
The sign read: “A mom’s hug lasts long after she lets go.”
Helen floated through her afternoon shift at the Christmas market on a cloud of happiness. She’d spent the morning with her son, and life simply couldn’t be better. She was enjoying the Christmas market, too. Genevieve had been right. As much fun as the sisters had together during the planning, the actual operation of the vendor booth lacked something important. Space. They simply didn’t have enough space once the shoppers arrived. Next year they’d need to get a bigger booth.
If I’m here next year.
A little wave of apprehension rolled over Helen at the thought. She was going to have to have a talk with Genevieve about the future, and she wasn’t looking forward to it.
Well, she didn’t have time to worry about it today. She was in charge of dinner for ten tonight. She was hosting her first family dinner where she had skin in the game— ha ha! —and she couldn’t wait.
They’d decided to use the Hideaway since it had a fully equipped kitchen, dishes for everyone, and room for everyone to spread out. Helen’s condo simply wouldn’t do. It had been the perfect home for her when she moved to Lake in the Clouds. Two bedrooms and little upkeep. She’d been alone.
She wasn’t alone anymore. She’d need to get a bigger place. Wherever she ended up.
After stopping at the grocery store, she headed up to the Hideaway. Zoey and Cooper weren’t there. They’d gone over to Reflections to take a look at the Glass Chapel and discuss their wedding with Willow once her afternoon event ended. Adam had some work to do on his computer this afternoon, so he was holed up in the guest apartment. Helen figured that folks would start showing up between five and six. She planned to serve dinner at seven.
Not a culinary queen like her sister, Helen chose to keep the menu simple. Steaks, salad, baked potatoes. Also, she planned to prepare a cheese board. Helen was a master at building a charcuterie board.
At the Hideaway, she released Freeway from his crate and let him outside to take care of business. He puppy-dog-eyed her into throwing a tennis ball for ten minutes or so, then they retired indoors, and Helen got to work. By the time she heard the first car arrive, she had everything ready. Adam sauntered in and, to her delight, greeted her with a casual kiss on the cheek. “Hi, Mum.”
He’d decided to call her “Mum.” He’d explained that the mother who raised him had a generous heart, and she would never begrudge his calling Helen “Mom,” but Adam believed that two unique women deserved unique names. Mum was a perfect solution, to Helen’s way of thinking. Her heart still skipped with joy each time she heard the word coming from Adam.
“Did you get the work done that needed doing?” she asked.
“I did. I had a bit of a breakthrough, in fact. That patio is an excellent place to think. Now I’m looking forward to having a relaxing evening.”
At Helen’s invitation, Adam chose a beer from the fridge and filled a small plate with cheese, meat, and olives. Following a brief debate, they decided to enjoy their snack on the porch and wait for the others to join them.
Zoey and Cooper were the first to arrive. Helen studied them closely as they approached. “They look happy.”
“Yes,” Adam agreed. “I’m glad to see it. I’ll admit I was getting a little worried about them. Although…”
Helen looked at him sharply. “What?”
“Something’s on her mind.”
“Hmm.” Helen invited Zoey and Cooper to grab a drink and a plate and join them. “I made a pitcher of vodka martinis if you’d like a cocktail. Glasses are chilling in the fridge.”
Cooper said, “Helen, you are my hero.”
The couple rejoined them a few minutes later. Cooper shifted a second pair of porch rockers closer to Adam and Helen so they could easily converse. Helen asked, “So, what did you think of the Glass Chapel?”
“It’s glorious,” Zoey said. “Willow did an awesome job bringing her vision to life.”
“Will you use it for your ceremony?”
Zoey and Cooper shared a look, then Cooper said, “No, I think we’re going to stay with the rose-covered arbor.”
“I’ve been dreaming about Dad walking me down the aisle toward it ever since Willow painted the picture for us in January.”
Helen accepted the verdict with a nod. “I think you’ll be happier with the lakeside ceremony at a summer wedding. The chapel will be wonderful for rainy days and winter, but nothing beats a summer ceremony beside Mirror Lake.”
“I’m really excited about it,” Zoey said. “I’m also glad that I waited until today to go out to Reflections with Cooper.”
Adam said, “Your wedding day will be here before we know it. I’m glad to have the lay of the land myself. It’ll be a big day for all of us.”
“Have you thought about your dress, Nana?” Zoey asked.
Helen’s eyes went wide, and she lifted a hand to cover her mouth. She’d be escorted down the aisle in a position of honor! It would be a first for her. This was a moment! “I haven’t thought about it.”
“Well, you’d better think about it,” Cooper said with a laugh. “My mother has been shopping for months and months. Dad said she’s ordered and returned a dozen different dresses.”
“The bridesmaids are wearing dusty rose, and the men will be in gray suits. Cooper’s mom is wearing navy. If you can find a dress you like that is navy, that would be great, but honestly, wear whatever makes you feel good. I’m not going to fret over color-coordinated photographs. What matters is the people who are in the pictures, not what they’re wearing.”
“Well, I guess a shopping excursion is now on my calendar. I’ll get with Genevieve tonight and decide where we want to go.”
Helen launched into a story about shopping with Genevieve for her mother-of-the-groom dress when her son Jake got married. All the while, Adam didn’t take his gaze off his daughter. When Helen finally finished her tale, he sipped his beer, then asked, “You’re chewing on something, little girl. What is it?”
Zoey and Cooper shared a telling look, then Zoey nodded. “This is why you’re such a great researcher, Dad. You notice every little thing.”
“No. Not always. But ever since I failed and forgot your school program, I try not to miss things with you. What do have to tell me, sweetheart?”
“I know who Mom really was. I know why she hid her identity.”
Adam sucked in an audible breath. “Well, hell.”
“Do you want me to share?” Zoey offered him an apologetic smile as she continued. “I know it’s something you put behind you, but I never did. I’m sorry if it causes you pain. We considered keeping you out of the loop on this now, but that’s a huge secret that I don’t want standing between us.”
“No, I don’t want that, either, but I don’t know…” He set down his drink and stood. “Give me a few minutes.”
He walked off the porch, and when Freeway rose from his spot in the sunshine and followed him, Adam reached down and scratched his ruff. Helen suggested, “Maybe I should give y’all some privacy.”
“No,” Zoey said, her gaze on her father. Recognizing an easy mark, Freeway had gone for one of the tennis balls. “He won’t mind you hearing the story.”
“You think he’ll want to know?”
“Oh yes,” Zoey said. “I do. He just needs a little time to prepare.”
Adam threw the tennis ball for the dog to retrieve ten times before he turned around and walked back toward the house, his manner resolute. Helen’s breath caught. “He looks so much like his father.”
Adam climbed the steps, smiled at Zoey, and said, “Let’s hear it.”
“Okay.” She moved over to a glider and patted the seat beside her. “Come sit with me, Dad.”
Once Adam was seated, she took his hand in hers. “Cooper hired an investigator who collected Jennifer’s fingerprints from her apartment, and he traced her from those.”
So, she was in a system somewhere, Helen realized.
“Her name was Anne-Marie Olsen. There’s a warrant for her arrest in New York for the murder of a forty-five-year-old man named Misha Vasilyeva. He was her stepfather.”
Adam closed his eyes. The veins in his arms bulged as he gripped Zoey’s hand more tightly.
Zoey continued, “She had a mother and a younger sister.”
“The Becca she told you about?”
“Yes, Rebecca Olsen. She was four years younger than Mom. The investigator found her. She lives in Kentucky now, and she’s married and has two children. She told the investigator what happened.”
“The stepfather assaulted Jennifer,” Adam said, his tone flat. “I always suspected that.”
“Yes, he had. For years.”
“Oh, that poor girl,” Helen murmured.
“Becca said she’d had no idea until the night he came to Becca’s room and attempted to rape her. Jennifer—Anne-Marie—stabbed the bastard with a kitchen knife. Repeatedly. Becca was twelve at the time.”
Adam muttered an expletive. Helen closed her eyes and shook her head. She said, “I hope there’s a special place in hell for men like that.”
“Becca said the aftermath was a nightmare. Their mother acted like she didn’t believe Anne-Marie, and then she blamed her and said she’d asked for it, that Anne-Marie was a ‘husband-stealing slut.’ She went into hysterics and said that Vasilyeva’s family would kill them all. She gave Anne-Marie what cash she had in the house and told her to get out and never come back. Jennifer ran. She never came back.”
“His family?” Helen asked. “Were they in the mafia or something?”
“Becca believes they were connected to that world, yes. She said they were scary men, and they did look for Anne-Marie. For years afterward. Her mother remarried someone else who was ‘friends’ with her late husband. He wasn’t a pedophile, however.”
Adam cleared his throat and asked, “Becca never heard anything from her sister?”
“One time. She received an envelope postmarked from New York City with a typewritten address. There was no note. Just a photograph inside. Becca kept it. Took a photo of the photo and gave it to the investigator.”
Zoey looked at Cooper. He slipped his wallet from his pocket and removed a photograph, which he handed to Adam. “It’s you. Your hospital picture.” He glanced up at Zoey. “When did she send this?”
“Spring of 1999. I recognized the photo, but the year throws me off.”
“I went to New York for an interview. I took you girls with me.” Adam brushed his thumb over the photo. “She didn’t want to go, but there was an event for spouses. Not long after that, she took off for the first time.”
“Maybe they found her,” Zoey said. “Do you think someone found her? Maybe that’s why she ran?”
“I don’t know.” Adam’s lips twisted in a wistful smile. “I guess we’ll never know.” He paused a moment before adding, “I wish she’d told me.”
Helen said, “Well, it sounds like you know one thing for sure. She was protective of those she loved.”
Adam lifted Zoey’s hands to his lips and gave her knuckles a kiss. “That’s nice to know. I’m glad to know this truth, honey. Thank you for your effort.”
“It wasn’t me. It was Cooper.” She beamed love toward her fiancé and added, “He’s protective of whom he loves, too.”
Helen observed, “I guess it runs in the family.”
They all shared a smile, and the sound of an approaching vehicle signaled the arrival of more of tonight’s guests. Adam glanced around the small circle of people—his mother, his daughter, his soon-to-be son-in-law. “Before I go get another beer and snacks, is there any other big family secret y’all have to reveal to me? If there is, I think I’ll switch to martinis.”
“No more secrets I know about,” Zoey said. “How about you, Nana?”
Helen sipped her martini, and her eyes glittered with amusement. “Oh, I might have a secret or two tucked away, but nothing so exciting as secret babies or newly discovered aunts. Speaking of your aunt Becca, Zoey, shall we invite her to the wedding? You’ll want to give her plenty of time to find a dress.”