Chapter 10 #3
“I’ll be honest. I looked you up on social media after I figured out who you were.
I just wanted to see if you’d posted any Heaven pics—I wasn’t stalking you.
We’re heavily into figuring out how to best use social media for advertising right now—you know, pulling Heaven into this decade.
But, as you know, you weren’t posting anything…
at all. I’m sure you’re trying to make sure you have privacy.
” Her brow furrows. “It looks like you’re in California. With Trey Bishop, where he’s on set.”
I nod, looking away, wishing I had skirted around Danni in the first place.
More lies I’ll have to tell. “I’m keeping my real location hidden.
” I force my voice to sound casual. “For privacy. I need some time away from everyone.” I meet her eyes and hold her gaze.
“And I’m not using my real name here. Ever. ”
She nods. “Of course. Mum’s the word.” She bites her lip.
“Although… Emma”—she winces— “my editor and good friend… she was standing next to me at Book Bliss, and I kind of just blurted it all out to her.” She covers her face with her hands and groans, then looks at me sheepishly.
“But I swear, no one else heard me, and Emma can keep a secret to her grave. I will tell her that you are Wren and Wren only.”
It's just three people. Ned knows, Danni knows, Emma knows. No big deal. I shove away the sick feeling churning up in my stomach. No big deal.
“Oh, hey,” she says, loping toward her golf cart and calling out behind her. “I remember Cain mentioning in one of his emails that he had a bunch of old cameras.”
“Some. Yeah, Cain fiddled around in photography. We had a darkroom and Cain collected way too many vintage cameras. I swear, whenever we traveled, he’d find one and become completely obsessed with learning all about it.”
I follow her to the golf cart, and she points out a camera. I gasp. “That’s a Calypso. Can I see that?”
She gingerly hands it to me, and I study it.
“I was going to stash it away in Cottage 13,” she says. “Cottage 13 is our great big junk drawer.”
“Cain had one. This one’s in great shape. It’s an underwater camera. Cain never had the chance to use it underwater.”
“They probably used it for some of the shoots they did in Heaven’s Spring.”
“It’s beautiful.” I hand it back to her. “But does it work?”
“That’s a good question. You want to play around with it? I mean, not necessarily underwater.” She laughs. “That’s up to you. There are unused film cartridges, some lenses, and a really old manual in here.” She pokes around in the box.
“I’d love to.”
“Instead of you lugging this whole box of stuff back to your cottage, how about I bring all this to you after they chop the tree down and I can get the golf cart through? And I’ll bring the screen room furniture.”
I finger the camera then nod. “Too bad the cottage doesn’t have a darkroom.”
She waves her hand. “You tell Ned that and he’ll have that small, second bedroom converted into one in a heartbeat.
” Her phone jingles in her pocket. “That’s probably GrandNed with more orders.
” She glances down at her phone then frowns.
“Shoot. Lacy’s truck is stuck, and the guys are out on one of the back pastures.
“I gotta’ run. I’ll stop by later today or tomorrow morning.
” She tucks her phone back into her pocket.
“Honey, you can walk or even bike to May Ranch anytime.” She rolls her eyes.
“Oops. I won’t say Honey ever again. Wren, we’d love to have you.
We just put in a gate by the double oak.
It takes you from Heaven into May Ranch.
Walk through the wildflower field, past the pavilion, and just keep going until you hit the dirt road to the main house.
Bear will be completely oblivious as to who you really are.
Lacy, my husband’s sister, lives with us, but you can trust her if she did somehow put two and two together.
” She takes my hand and holds it gently in hers.
“If you need anything. Anything, please tell Ned or me. You’re not alone here.
” She cocks her head. “You still have such gorgeous posture. Do you still dance?”
“Not formally. I miss it, though—just dancing for fun.”
“I’d tell you to pop into Nell’s dance studio downtown because Nell is super sweet and she’d let you use one of her rooms. She’d probably enlist you to help with one of her classes.
But I guess you shouldn’t because she’s nosy and will talk your ear off.
I mean, even more than me. I love her, but she can’t keep a secret. ”
As she drives away in her golf cart, my heart feels a little lighter because of our talk. And even lighter when Monster and I return to the cottage and there’s a bouquet of wildflowers on the porch steps and a scribbled note.
Dinner tonight? I’ll be back after I chop some more wood. I’ll be the guy with the ax.
“Cute,” I tell Monster. “Or menacing? Because of the ax part.” I lead Monster over to the side of the house where there’s a water spigot and a bucket. “We’d better get cleaned up. Looks like we’re having company, and you’re a real mess.”