Chapter 17 Annie
Months ago, on a cloudless Thursday morning, Annie dropped her wedding ring into a street drain without a single ounce of regret.
She’d listened to it ping against the grate on its way down before she continued on her way, vowing off men with a vehemence that felt permanent.
The sewer could have it, for all she believed in love at that moment, but now, here she was—impossibly—on a first date once again.
The warm glow of sunset was eating steadily away at the late afternoon light as she angled the Jeep down the Proudys’ driveway and turned left toward Lake Lumin, nervously assessing her appearance in the rearview mirror.
The mascara was all right, darkening her eyes ever so slightly, but the lipstick was too much, and she quickly swiped the back of her hand across her mouth.
Better.
In the master bathroom Laura had made a fuss over Annie’s appearance, fluttering around the vanity like a mother hen.
She’d sorted through hand creams, sleeping pills, and a bottle of milk of magnesia in the mirrored cabinet in search of an ancient tube of rose-colored lipstick, which she dabbed on Annie’s lips before applying two quick swipes of mascara.
As a finishing touch, she’d fixed a pair of small opal studs into her ears.
Annie hadn’t been entirely honest with Jake’s mother, saying that she was meeting a friend for dinner and wanted to look nice, but to her credit, Laura hadn’t pressed Annie to find out whom she was meeting, or why.
Before she left, passing through the garage on her way to her room, Walt had glanced up from his table saw and chuckled.
“All right, Miss Annie,” he said, eyes twinkling, “who’s the lucky fella?”
Halfway up the stairs, Annie sighed and turned back. “How’d you know it was a date?”
“Those are Laura’s date-night earrings.”
Annie’s face flushed and Walt shook his head.
“I won’t ask who you’re seeing, but… well, I’m happy for you, Annie. It’s not easy to put yourself out there again after a broken relationship. Believe it or not, I have a little bit of experience with that myself.”
Annie came down the stairs. “Honestly, Walt, it feels like a mistake. Like I’m just asking to get hurt again. It’s probably way too soon.”
Walt tilted his head, eyes full of the warmth she’d seen in her own father’s gaze so many times.
“You mind if I give you a little advice?”
Annie nodded.
“Relationships are a bit like the briars, Annie. You know, those sharp little brambles that this neck of the woods is known for. They’ll cut you up good before they give up their sweetest berries, but once you’ve got a pot of jam simmering on the stove and see those jars on your pantry shelves, you don’t think much about the pain, do you?
There’s sweetness in life to be had, but sometimes you gotta get through the briars first.”
Annie’s eyes filled with tears as he spoke. “I’m glad you found some of that sweetness, at least.”
“That I have,” he said softly. “And you will, too.”
One of the tears spilled over, racing in a quick path to her jaw.
“Oh, now, I’m sorry.” He came around the table with another shake of his head. “I didn’t mean to upset you.”
“No.” Annie swiped at the tear that had fallen. “You didn’t upset me, it’s just… I have a feeling that’s exactly what my dad would have said if he was here.”
Walt smiled and, impulsively, Annie gave him a hug and a kiss on the cheek. He batted her away with a wave, but looked pleased.
“Go on up now and finish getting ready before you ruin your makeup.”
Annie nodded and raced halfway up the stairs before pausing to look back, her hand on the wall.
“You won’t say anything to anyone? I just don’t want to make something out of this when it might end up being nothing.”
“Don’t you worry,” he said with a solemn nod. “I do most of my talking on the inside. But be brave, Annie. The sweetest berries are worth the briars.”
“Thank you.”
Walt nodded again, then went back to his work without another word.
At the top of Lake Lumin Road, Annie pulled the Jeep through the open gate.
The sunset was on full display over the western woods, the undersides of the low clouds blushing pink, silhouetting Daniel where he stood beside the painted lake, stoking the fire with a log in each hand.
Annie took a deep breath and stepped out of the car.
“Hey,” Daniel called, watching her over the fire with a half smile on his lips.
“Hey.”
As she neared the blaze, Annie caught the scent of roasting fish. A trout was suspended on a grill over the flames, sizzling in the heat, and the aroma made her mouth water.
“Wow,” she breathed. “Smells good.”
Daniel lifted half a lemon from a plate beside the fire and squeezed it over the fish, sending up a cloud of citrus steam.
“I grow parsley and dill in a little bed on the far side of the boathouse.” He adjusted the fish on the grill with a metal spatula.
“And there’re wild onions in the woods. My favorite way to grill fish from the lake is brushing it with butter and fresh herbs, then dousing it with lemon when it’s almost done.
This place will feed you if you let it. You want a drink? ”
“Sure.” Annie dropped into one of the two Adirondack chairs that sat facing each other across the fire.
A spouted jar half full of amber liquid stood at his feet, and Daniel filled a glass and handed it to her.
“Homemade whiskey?” Annie joked, twisting the glass in her fingers with an eyebrow raised.
Daniel laughed. “Raspberry sun tea. My mom used to make it when I was a kid. You brew it outside all day in the warmth of the sun.”
Annie took a sip. It was sweet and complex, tangy with the lemon slices floating in the jar and fragrant with the scent of fresh raspberries.
Lifting the glass for a second drink, she watched Daniel take a knee beside the fire.
He looked different. He wore the same torn jeans and fraying shirt, but there was an openness that had never been there before.
He was smiling freely as he prodded the fish, eyes glowing with the embers.
Their kiss yesterday had pulled back the curtain that he’d kept closed between them, and Annie had a feeling that this might be her first chance to get to know the real Daniel.
She nodded toward the fish that he was lifting onto a platter with two knives. “So, you can cook, too. I’ll just add that to the long list of surprising things about you.”
Daniel said nothing, still smiling as he topped her plate with a fresh slice of lemon.
“Snares still empty?”
“Yeah. Checked this morning.”
“Thanks.” Annie took another sip from her glass.
Daniel took his seat across the fire. “How’s the case coming?”
Annie set her plate on the arm of the chair to cool. How strange it was to be up here alone with him, testing the waters with small talk about cooking, and the cougar traps, and work, when she was sure his mind was replaying the exact same moment hers was, their incredible kiss of the night before.
“Lake Lumin gossip reaches you way up here?” she asked with a laugh.
Daniel blew at the steam and took a bite. “It’s all they’re talking about down in town. Have they arrested anyone yet?”
“I don’t think so. It’s out of our hands for the time being, but I’m sure the sheriff up in Landers will let us know if they do.” Annie took her first bite and closed her eyes, savoring the taste of fresh fish laced with bright herbs and warm butter.
Daniel cleared his throat. “Is anyone… has anyone said anything about me?”
Annie opened her eyes again. “What do you mean?”
His answering shrug was a bit too nonchalant. “I mean, this is the closest property to Lewis Ridge. I was just hoping no one had jumped to any conclusions or anything.”
His face was still casual, but his body was tense as he waited for her reply.
Annie shook her head quickly. “Of course not. At least, not that I’ve heard.
The sheriff up there thinks the boyfriend is hiding out somewhere, which all but spells out his guilt.
My guess is everything’ll be wrapped up in a bow by the end of the week, and the town gossips will move on to the next thing. ”
Across the fire, Daniel’s chest sagged in relief, and he took another bite.
They ate the rest of their meal in companionable silence and set their empty plates on the ground when they were finished. Daniel topped off their glasses with more tea, then sat back in his chair, gazing intently at Annie across the fire.
Annie met his eyes as the logs crackled between them. “Tell me something about you. Anything.”
Daniel’s chest rose and fell. “You first.”
Annie leaned back in her chair and thought for a minute.
“I’m afraid of horses. I got thrown when I was seven and broke my collarbone.
I haven’t been on one since.” She paused.
“More?” Daniel nodded. “My favorite color is green, and when I was in fifth grade, I shoplifted a pair of earrings and felt so guilty about it that I went down to the police station and turned myself in.”
Daniel’s mouth quirked upward. “Six to eight months?”
Annie retruned his smile. “A pat on the back and a Tootsie Roll from the sheriff.”
Between them, a log snapped and sent up a fountain of sparks.
When they settled, Daniel said quietly, “Okay, now tell me something about you that nobody knows.”
Annie opened her mouth, then closed it again as she stared into the flames.
“I hate my freckles.”
Daniel’s brows drew together. “Why?”
Annie waved a hand at her face. “You don’t see women with freckles like these on the covers of magazines. They’re from my mom’s side of the family, and when I was little, I used to wish Dad had married some other lady with better skin.”
The words tasted sour, spoken out loud, selfish and ungrateful, considering the age at which she’d lost her mom. Guiltily, Annie brought her gaze back to Daniel. He was smiling softly at her.