Chapter Twelve – Liam #2
I didn’t wait for Declan; I rushed into my bedroom and pulled open the side drawer and stared down at the journal Hope had given me when we got married.
“What is that?” Declan asked, walking up behind me.
Picking up the journal, I turned and faced Declan. I held it up. “This is my journal. I haven’t written in it since maybe May? I always put it in a certain way; don’t ask me, maybe OCD. But it was facing down in the drawer. I know I would never put it in there that way. Kim found it and read it.”
“Did you write about what Hope said?”
I shook my head. “No, I wrote about that day. The day I told Aurora that Hope had been right, that she was trying to replace her, but I only said it because I felt so fucking guilty for wanting to be with Aurora, and it was the only thing I knew to say to push her away. This is where Kim got it.”
Holding up his hands, Declan said, “Wait. Did you just say you want to be with Aurora? Liam, how long have you felt that way about her?”
I sighed. “For a while. Since before Hope found out about the cancer.”
His mouth fell open, then shut.
“I know. It’s a long story and one I don’t really want to get into right now. I need to let Aurora know about all of this.”
Declan hit the side of my arm. “At least we know she didn’t drug you.”
I shot him a dirty look. “That is a relief! Declan, the woman has lied, stolen things, and read from my personal journal, all in an attempt to do one thing.”
“Get into your pants,” Declan stated.
I rolled my eyes. “Yes, probably, but to push Aurora away.” I closed my eyes and cursed. “Shit, I should have listened to Harper.”
“I’ve uttered those words a time or two myself in just the last few days. My wife is brilliant.”
“This isn’t funny, Declan.”
He walked up to me. “It isn’t, but listen, you found out before this psychopath could do anything else to you or Winnie. Fire her ass and we’ll all help you out with Winnie until you find someone else to watch her.”
My phone vibrated in my pocket, and I pulled it out. It was a text from Hope’s sister, Mary.
Mary: How would you feel if I were to move to Moose Village permanently and watch Winnie for you? I can’t stay in New York City any longer. I’ll find my own place to live, but in the meantime, I can help with Winnie. Opal and Dad said they don’t like the new nanny.
Looking up, I smiled. “That problem just took care of itself.”
“How?” Declan asked.
“Mary is moving to Moose Village and is offering to watch Winnie.”
He smiled.
“Now, I just need to figure out how to make things right with Aurora.”
Declan made a face. “Yeah, you might need help from Harper and the other girls with that one.”
I sighed. “Yeah, I think you’re right.”
I sat in my car, parked on Main Street, just down from The Book Nook.
So much had happened yesterday, I was surprised my head wasn’t going to explode.
Earlier I called the company I used to hire Kim, and they told me the reason her name wasn’t listed is because they had never scheduled her in for the interview.
Kim must have somehow gotten in the system and added the interview and left her name off.
I was so angry I nearly threw my cell phone against the wall.
I told them what happened with Kim and sent them the video of her taking Perry and putting Hope’s picture in the drawer.
I also alerted them that Kim had told someone we were sleeping together, which wasn’t the truth.
They informed me they would be letting her go today, and I asked if they could wait until afternoon to give me a chance to fire her ass first. They had graciously agreed.
I also filed a police report with Moose Village and submitted the video before Kim could say it had all been a lie.
I exhaled and picked up my phone, pulled up Kim’s name, and hit her number. It only rang twice before Kim answered.
“Hey there! Missed me?”
“Kim, I hate to do this to you over the phone, but the sooner I do it, the better.”
“Do what? What’s wrong? Is Winnie okay?”
“Winnie is fine. I know what you did, Kim. I know you read my journal, and that’s how you found out about that day with Aurora. I know you took the stuffed moose, which, by the way, I want back. I also know you put Hope’s picture in the drawer while Winnie was asleep.”
She was silent for a moment, then let out a nervous chuckle. “What do you mean? I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“I have a nanny camera in Winnie’s room.
Truthfully, it’s been there since before you were hired, and I had honestly forgotten about it.
It’s a toy that Hope had bought and sits on the upper shelf in Winnie’s room.
I never thought in a million years I would have to go back and look through videos, but that was what I did with a Moose Village police officer watching it with me. ”
“Police officer?” she asked in a stunned voice.
“Yes, I wasn’t sure what I would see on the video, and I wanted a witness. I’ve already filed a police report.”
“What?” she shrieked. “I never laid a hand on her. Never in a million years would I hurt a child.”
“Maybe not intentionally, but you’re a cruel woman and have no business watching kids.
The way you spoke to my daughter makes me feel sick to my stomach.
And stealing her favorite stuffed animal?
Hiding her mother’s picture? I can’t have them charge you with stealing a fucking stuffed animal, but I want it back.
Today. You can drop it off at the Moose Village police department.
Ask for Declan Gallagher and he’ll make sure I get it. ”
When she didn’t say anything, I closed my eyes. “Tell me you still have the moose, Kim.”
“I do! It’s there at the house. It’s in the hall closet at the very top behind the winter blankets stored up there.”
I let out a relieved breath. “Good. I’ll check to make sure it’s there when I get home.”
“Liam, please give me a second chance. I’ll be completely honest with you, I was never scheduled to interview with you, but when I saw your name, I thought this was a second chance between us. I knew your wife had passed away and you were available and I…I just didn’t think.”
“You’re right, you didn’t think. And it was my fault for hiring you when I knew deep in my gut it was a mistake. But I’m going to fix that now. You’re fired, Kim. I’ll pay you for the rest of August and September since this is out of the blue.”
“You’re firing me?” she asked with an evil-sounding laugh.
“Did that little trollop talk you into firing me? It’s plain as day that she likes you as more than a friend, Liam.
You’re just too stuck in your grief for Hope to notice it.
She has bad intentions toward you, Liam, and I fear she is using Winnie to get to you. ”
“No I think that was you, Kim. I have nothing else to say to you, so I’m ending the call now. Don’t ever try and get in touch with me, and if I ever see you anywhere near Winnie…let’s just say don’t ever bother coming to Moose Village again.”
I pulled the phone away and ended the call. I dropped my head against the headrest and closed my eyes.
“Fuck. Why did I hire her? What in the hell was I thinking?”
I knew what I had been thinking. It was an easy fix to a problem Hope had brought on with her demand that no one other than family watch Winnie. When would I be able to push away the guilt I felt? Nathan was right, I needed to talk to someone.
The phone rang, and it was Kim. I declined it, then promptly blocked her number.
After calming my emotions, I got out and made my way to the bookstore. I had no idea what I was going to say to Aurora, or if she would even speak to me, but I needed to try.
The sound of a doorbell chimed as I walked into The Book Nook.
The old-fashioned bell above the door was gone, replaced with something more modern-sounding, just like the storefront.
I walked farther into the store and took a look around.
Lou was helping a customer and looked up to see it was me.
She smiled, but I could tell it was a forced smile.
“Is Aurora here?” I asked her.
With a shake of her head, she replied, “Aurora is off today.”
I nodded, and when I turned to leave, Minnie stood between me and the door. “That woman you hired to watch Winnie is not a nice woman.”
“I know she isn’t, Granny…I mean…Minnie. And she’s no longer Winnie’s nanny. I fired her.”
Her eyes widened, and she looked past me to Lou. “He fired the Wicked Witch of Moose Village.”
A choked laugh slipped free. “I’m sorry, what did you call her?”
Minnie turned her attention back on me. “Oh, that’s what Aurora called her when she came in here acting like her shi—”
“Ooookay, Granny. I’ve got it from here,” Lou said while ushering her great-aunt away.
“Follow me,” Lou said as she made her way past the counter and to the back. Once we were inside Aurora’s office, she shut the door.
“Liam, I’ve got to be honest with you, Aurora was knocked down when Kim said you talked about her that way.”
“I didn’t, Lou. Kim found a journal of mine that I had written in. That’s how she found out, and I didn’t sleep with her, by the way. She was a very convincing liar.”
“Not to Aurora.”
I sighed and closed my eyes. “I know. I know.”
“Did you know she knew about your conversation with Aurora over the whole Hope thing?”
I swallowed the sudden lump in my throat. “Yes.”
Her eyes went wide. “For how long?”
“Not long, she slipped up, and when I asked how she knew that, she told me I had gotten drunk and told her. I knew I hadn’t told her; I just couldn’t figure out how she knew.”
Her arms folded over her chest. “What is wrong with men? You’re all stupid as hell but try to make it seem like you’re the better sex.”
“I don’t!” I stated.
She huffed. “You should have told Aurora that Kim knew. She was completely blindsided when Kim accused her of trying to use Winnie to get to you. You should have seen her face, Liam. She was devastated.”
I slowly shook my head. “I thought I could handle it with her before she got a chance to even see Aurora. I was going to fire her. I did fire her.”
Her brow rose and she gave me a look that said she wasn’t buying my bullshit.
“I figured Aurora would never find out, but I now realize that was a mistake on my part.”
“Well, she did, and it was. And if you think you broke her heart the first time you accused her of that, you can’t even imagine what it did to her the second time around.”
“Shit,” I said on an exhale.
“Liam, I’m going to tell you this because I love my sister more than life itself. I only want to see her happy, and I don’t think she meant to do it, and I’m not even sure if she knows it’s happened, but she’s fallen for you.”
I stared at Lou while my heart picked up in rhythm.
“I’m not saying she is in love with you or wants a life with you, but I see how she looks at you.
And I know my sister, even if she did realize it, she would deny it because she has this fairy-tale dream of a man who will fall to his knees and declare his undying love for her.
And she knows that your heart will always belong with Hope. ”
It suddenly felt hot in the room. “She thinks that?”
Surprised by my question, she replied, “Of course she does. Why wouldn’t she?”
I ignored her question.
When I didn’t speak, she sighed. “I don’t want you to say anything, Liam.
I’m just telling you what I see from my sister, who I know better than she knows herself.
I want you to understand that she cares for you and Winnie deeply.
I want you to know with no uncertainty that she isn’t trying to replace Hope, and I really just want you to stop hurting her. ”
“I’m not doing it on purpose.”
The corners of her mouth slightly rose. “I know that. But maybe what Aurora needs right now is to get her emotions, for lack of a better word, under control.”
“Do you know where she is?”
She nodded.
“You do, but you won’t tell me?”
“I won’t tell you.”
I exhaled and pushed my hand through my hair.
“Will you at least tell her this? I fired Kim; I didn’t tell her about that day, and that I want to tell her myself how Kim found out.
Please tell her that for me. And Lou, I have feelings for your sister that I have been trying to deny for a very long time.
That is part of the reason I pushed her away with the words I did not mean.
I can’t explain it to you here, but I would really love a chance to explain to Aurora. ”
Her brows rose as her eyes went wide. “Wait, you mean you have feelings other than friendship?”
I nodded.
“Well, I’ll be damned. Granny said you did.”
“It would break Winnie’s heart—and mine—if we were to lose Aurora. If you tell her anything, please tell her that.”
I turned and reached for the doorknob when Lou stopped me by calling my name.
“Liam?”
Glancing back at her, I asked, “Yeah?”
“May I offer you a piece of advice?”
I smiled. “Please.”
“Just because I won’t tell you where she is doesn’t mean you should stop looking for her. I mean, if you found her, I think it would mean something to her.”
She used air quotes around the word found.
She suddenly smiled, and it was more of a sinister smile than a friendly one. “I wasn’t sure if you needed to stop by my parents’ house and say hi. It’s been a long time since you said hi to them, after all.”
Frowning, I said, “I don’t know your parents on that level of simply stopping by to say hi, Lou.”
Her smile faded, and a look of utter disappointment crossed her face. “Jesus, do you need written instructions on making up with my sister, or should I just take your hand and walk you there?”
It dawned on me what she was saying. “No.” I smirked. “I think I got it now.”
She threw her hands up. “Finally! Praise be.”
“Praise be! Amen!” Granny called out from the other side of the door.
When I opened the door, the woman nearly fell into my arms. I steadied her, and she squeezed my upper arms.
“Oh. Dear. My goodness, you are built. That shirt is deceiving. I was just…well, never mind. Lou, someone up front needs your expertise on finding a particular BDSM book.”
“Right, I’m on it.”
Lou quickly rounded the desk and headed out the door.
Looking down at Granny…er…Minnie, I asked, “She’s not really going to help someone find a book on BDSM, is she?”
Granny huffed. “She’s the house expert. You can show yourself out. I need to put my dogs up; it’s been a busy day.”
I watched as Granny moved into the office, turned, gave me a slight push out the door, and then slammed it.