Guilty Like Us, page 9
Life had a way of shifting when you least expected it in ways that changed your world, surprising you with the depth and force of it. That’s what Meredith experienced the moment she realized she wanted Daniel to be more than a friend.
It happened during the drive to Reunion Gap. She’d wanted to fly but Daniel wouldn’t have that kind of money and if he did, he wouldn’t spend it on a plane ticket. And he wasn’t the sort of man to let her pay his way, so a car it was. However, which car proved to be the big debate. He didn’t own one and she’d traded in her convertible for a ten-year-old sedan with reliability issues. You’re not taking this heap anywhere until you have a tune-up and the brakes checked, Daniel had said. So, she’d done it. Actually, she’d let him make the arrangements, take the car to the shop, pick it up. She’d given him her credit card, which might have been foolish, but she trusted the man, knew in her soul he wouldn’t cheat her, wouldn’t deceive or betray her. What she hadn’t expected and didn’t appreciate was the return of her credit card without using it. It was just an oil change and a tune-up. The brakes were good, so no big deal.
Meredith didn’t know much about cars past how to start them and how to put gas in them, but an oil change and tune-up wasn’t “no big deal”. She really hadn’t wanted him to pay, but he wasn’t the type to owe anyone favors. She’d thanked him and said, The gas and food on the trip are mine. His response had been a raised brow and a grin, followed by The food is yours; you mean you won’t share?
A giggle that shifted to a laugh. You have a very crazy sense of humor. The man could make her laugh and her heart hadn’t felt this light since before her mother died. Maybe it had never been this light, not since she was a child playing with her brothers…when her father was out of the house.
They left for Reunion Gap at 6:00 a.m. the next morning, not Meredith’s idea, but Daniel said an early start would get them on the road and in well before dinnertime. Ugh, she guessed if she had to be up this early at least she had his company and a bagful of food to occupy her time. Coffee, a breakfast bagel, and half a cinnamon roll later, she dozed off. When she woke a while later, she yawned, caught him smiling.
“Enjoy your nap?”
“I did.” Another yawn, a stretch. “I’m not a morning person, no matter the occasion.” She glanced out the window, squinted. “Where are we?”
“Indiana.”
“Do you want me to drive?”
He shook his head. “I’ve got it. Right before you fell asleep you were going to tell me about the time you went skydiving.”
“And parasailing...bungee jumping, and white-water rafting.”
“Well, aren’t you just the adventuress?”
Meredith laughed. “I guess I am.” She spent the next hour relaying the nine-month stint when she and her friend decided they’d become some sort of outdoor guides and signed up for adventures ranging from white-water rafting to ziplining. “We wanted to try everything and then decide. Tate was not happy, but...”
“But you didn’t listen to big brother?”
She shook her head. “I did not, but I should have...as usual.”
“What happened?”
“The friend got a boyfriend and they moved to Alaska. Once she was gone, I realized I was doing everything more for her than because I loved it.” She sighed, rubbed her temple. “I was a lot younger and more impressionable back then.”
“You have a big heart, Meredith. You care about people.” He slid her a glance, his expression serious. “Don’t ever change that.”
Chapter 14
Daniel had never considered the effects his father’s heart attack would have on his mother, but he should have. Lorna Reese had always been a strong woman, guided by her faith and belief in the kindness of others. As a nurse, she cared for the sick, visited their homes, sat with them, took their blood pressure, and offered guidance for healthy meals and what she called ambulation. The woman even made chicken soup with greens for those who needed sustenance. People in town referred to her as a true angel, a Florence Nightingale with rosary beads and a smile. When his father suffered a heart attack, she vowed to help him through his recovery and part of that vow included a change in his habits. Gone were the cigarettes and bacon. No more cheese fries or cheesecake. More walking, less sitting. More comedies, fewer adrenaline-rush movies. More talking, less stress.
Get the man to talk and the stress just rolls off, his mother told him. How could Daniel have known the stress was buried in his father’s soul, coiled, and waiting for its next release, or that it was tied to a dark secret he shared with Harrison Alexander? Six years ago, he would not have considered it a possibility and while he didn’t make it home often, he did talk to his mother on the phone every week. After the heart attack, she enjoyed telling Daniel about his father’s latest adventures in cooking, the computer, and photography. If she thought something was bothering the man, she didn’t let on, but then wasn’t that what husbands and wives did in a family: protect their children no matter the age?
Daniel should have visited more often than once a quarter, should have taken the time to ask the questions his parents might not want to answer, questions like Is everything okay? Do you need money? Even, Would you come to me if you needed help? But he didn’t ask anything because he’d been immersed in his newfound fame that included way too many vices and the mantra that said Why look for problems? And later, there was Sara and her nonconformist lifestyle: the causes, the opinions, the judgments. When he lost her, grief and sadness drenched him, made him incapable of seeing anyone else’s pain but his own. But these were his parents and he should have opened his eyes and noticed.
Well, he wasn’t going to miss that opportunity again. No, he was going to ask the questions—all of them—and he was going to notice and then he’d find a way to shut down Harrison Alexander’s threats for good.
He and Meredith had arrived in Reunion Gap a few hours ago. She’d dropped him off at his parents’ house where he’d introduced her to them. If his mother was surprised, she didn’t comment, but he didn’t miss those dark eyes taking it all in. Of course, his father already knew about Meredith; that was the whole point of this convoluted scheme, but Oscar Reese probably didn’t expect her to drop Daniel off at the house.
Strange times but who could have seen it coming? That last was a question he’d asked himself after their first meeting when he realized Meredith was nothing like what he’d imagined or read about. And he’d been asking himself that same question every day since.
“Daniel, would you like another bowl of minestrone?”
He’d already eaten two bowls and a hunk of sourdough bread with salami and provolone. He shook his head, worked up a smile. “No thanks, Mom. Two bowls is my quota, but this is delicious.” Lorna Reese believed food fed the heart and the soul as well as the body, and comfort food could heal anything.
She reached out, patted his hand. “It is so good to see you. It’s always such a joy, isn’t it, Oscar?”
His father nodded, his voice filled with conviction and gratitude. “It is. Daniel’s a lifesaver on a gloomy day.”
That made his mother laugh. “The skies have been bright and sunny, the flowers are in bloom. Not a lot of doom and gloom around here, but our son makes everything brighter. I wish your sister were here with us.” Her voice dipped. “It would make everything perfect.” Tsk-tsk. “She promised to come home soon, but you know your sister.”
Daniel slid a look at his father, took in the tenseness of his jaw, the slight frown, the pinched brows. Was his mother taking his blood pressure? No doubt it would be pumping high. They hadn’t had a chance to talk yet, but later tonight Daniel would find out the next step to release his father from the blackmail scheme. Of course, he couldn’t divulge his own plan to go after Alexander; that would come once his father was safe. And then—
“How long will you be staying?”
His mother’s soft voice pulled him back. Now there was a question. He couldn’t reveal that truth, so he settled on “Not sure, but I plan to stay for a little while. I thought I’d venture into the woods, check out the trees, walk a few trails, maybe get some new ideas. Spring and fall are the best time to do that.”
That answer seemed to please her. “There’s nothing more beautiful than our woods. I remember your father telling me how Grandpa Frank used to do that. Said he came back refreshed and ready to chop a cord of wood.”
“I thought he was looking for inspiration for his next bowl.” His grandpa used to tell him stories about how the light would filter through the trees and create shadows on the bark that served as inspiration for his next piece.
His father shook his head, chuckled. “He was looking for inspiration, but your grandmother had another way of looking at it. She said an hour of lazing around was worth an hour of work. He knew those walks in the woods were going to cost him, but he claimed they were worth every chore she gave him.”
“You’re lucky, Daniel, no one’s waiting to hand you a to-do list when you get home.” Her voice turned sweeter than the fudge brownie she’d made for dessert. “Unless you want someone to be waiting for you...and I bet she won’t even have a to-do list.”
“Good to know.” Smooth. His mother had no idea how to make a comment that didn’t look and feel like it was loaded with suggestions on how to live his life, including find a wife and start a family. She hadn’t come straight out and asked in a few months, but the questions still thrummed beneath their conversations. Doing anything special this weekend? Are you having dinner alone or... So and so just got engaged. Remember him? Same age as you.
“Or, maybe you and Meredith Alexander could take a walk and you can show her how you select your wood for your bowls and such.” Her dark eyes lit up as though she thought this was a great idea. His father cleared his throat, stared at his bowl of minestrone.
“Yeah, about that, Mom. You see, Meredith doesn’t know what I do for a living. I mean, she knows I turn bowls and vases but she doesn’t know I make money doing it.”
“What?” Her expression shifted to a mix of confusion and disappointment. “Why wouldn’t you tell her? It’s such a huge accomplishment. Daniel, I don’t understand. She doesn’t know about the galleries or the shows? Or the awards...or the magazine articles? None of it?”
“Nothing.” He leaned toward his mother, clasped her hand, and said in a firm voice, “And for now, it has to stay that way.”
After dinner, Daniel’s father invited him to his library for a drink. There’d been a time right before the heart attack when his mother worried he spent too much time in the library and he wasn’t reading. Alcohol had a way of numbing you to the real world with all of its disappointments so you didn’t have to feel a damn thing. Daniel had spent weeks after Sara’s death, climbing from one drunk to another. It was Ethan who found him after a rough night and gave him the much-needed speech. What the hell’s wrong with you? Get it together, man. And then the gut punch. I know you’re hurting but I will not sit by and watch you kill yourself. If this is what you want, I’m out. Meaning, he’d leave the company, but worse, Daniel would lose his best friend. He couldn’t risk that, so he crawled out of bed, showered, and vowed that was the last time he’d use alcohol to smother his pain.
As for his father, after the heart attack, he only had a drink now and again, mostly wine but sometimes scotch. That was his mother’s version, but was it accurate? And what did “now and again” mean? What might happen with the stress of blackmail clinging to him? “Dad—” Daniel pointed to his father’s glass “—are you okay?”
“You mean have I taken to drinking again?” He shook his head, his eyes bright behind his glasses. “No, son. I promised your mother after the heart attack that I would never depend on the bottle again. I’ve kept my promise and I don’t intend to break it now.” He let out a ragged breath. “I wouldn’t do that to her.”
“Good, because I’m handling the situation.”
His father sank into the leather chair he’d had for more than a decade, clasped his glass between his hands. “I don’t know how I’ll ever be able to repay you for what you’re doing.”
“You’re my father. I want to help.” And he wanted to get this whole mess behind him so he could come clean with Meredith. The more time he spent around her, the more he understood what a gentle and kind person she was. She truly wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. Sure, he could say it was easy because she didn’t have to worry about money or a way to support herself, but how many people in her situation chose to help others? Not many. And what about him? He had more money than he’d ever dreamed of having, yet what did he do with it? Invest it, spend some, ignore the rest… Feel guilty because he had so much. Why wasn’t he trying to help someone, a young kid starting out or a man struggling to make it? Maybe a woman. Women were getting into woodworking, creating beautiful pieces. It didn’t even have to be woodworking. Why couldn’t he help someone achieve a dream like Meredith was trying to do?
Daniel sipped his scotch, considered the reasons. Apathy, laziness, ignorance. Did he really want to be that person? Sara had shunned wealth and the perception of it, but who other than herself and her own beliefs had she tried to help? It was always a battle, one she was proud of, even in the loss of her life. To the very last minute she refused to admit her choice had been wrong. That was selfish and ill-conceived and while the choice might have been hers, she should not have blamed others: society, the wealthy, the doctors. But she had and mixed in the blame had been judgment. Ironic that while Sara scorned those who judged, she’d been the most judgmental of all.
“Daniel? Are you all right?”
Now there was a question. Was he all right? Who knew? He’d been numb since Sara’s death and until Meredith entered his life, his world had been empty. She made it brighter, hopeful, special. Not because of her beauty or her money but because of her willingness to help others, treat them with dignity and acceptance. He didn’t want to lie to her and yet that’s all he’d done. He cleared his throat, forced out the truth. “I’m hanging on, but Meredith Alexander doesn’t deserve what I’ve done to her. The lies…the pretending. She’s a good person, better than I am… Better than most people I know.”
“You care about the girl, don’t you?”
There was no more denying it or dancing around the issue. “I do care about her and I don’t want to see her hurt, yet I’m the one who’s going to hurt her most. I have to fix this, Dad, and I can’t do it until I take care of Harrison Alexander.” He rubbed his temples, wished he’d met Meredith under different circumstances. “I’ve done what he asked. Meredith is back in Reunion Gap. Now he needs to honor his word and release you.” Then Daniel would have to find a way to tell her his true identity, admit their meeting wasn’t by chance, and hope she’d forgive him. But first, he needed Ethan to dig up some sort of dirt on Alexander so the man could be stopped.
“Oh, Daniel, I wish it were that simple.”
He didn’t miss the catch in his father’s voice or the tears behind the glasses. “What do you mean? What’s changed?”
The older man shook his head, swiped at a tear. “Harrison has new demands. It’s not enough that his daughter’s back in town. He wants you to find a way to convince her to see him.”
“You’ve got to be kidding.” No, no way was he going to do that to Meredith. She despised the man and he’d already hurt her enough.
“I’m sorry.”
“The man’s a monster who doesn’t care about her or what she wants. He’s only interested in what he wants and I won’t do that to her.” Pause. “I can’t.”
“He’s renegotiated and said that’s part of the deal.” A shake of his head, followed by a choked “I curse the day I ever agreed to his scheme. Maybe I should just tell your mother, get it all out there and be done with it.” Sweat trickled along his brow, his face turned pale, his breathing rapid. “I shouldn’t have asked more of you.”
How could he risk his father’s health? He couldn’t, so he forced out the words he did not want to say. “It’s okay, Dad. I’ll take care of it.”
In all of the ways he’d imagined there might come a time when he’d be interested in anyone after Sara, this had not been one of them. He’d fallen for a woman he’d deceived from their first meeting and now he had to convince her to see the one man she truly despised—her father. He waited until Oscar went to bed, poured another scotch, and punched out Ethan’s number. His friend answered on the second ring.
“So, how goes it in Small Town USA? Are you following my advice and keeping your distance?”
“Shut up. Did you find anything on Alexander?” There had to be something…
“Not yet. Hang in there. And Daniel?”
“What?”
“There’s a reason I avoid relationships.”
“Save it. I’m not in the mood.” Of course, Ethan ignored him.
“When a guy opens up to a woman, he loses focus and can’t see the goal. It all gets fuzzy and then he doesn’t know if the goal’s still the original one or if it’s shifted to her.” Pause, a quiet “That’s why I avoid those sorts of entanglements, but I’ve rethought my position on your situation.”
“Gee, thanks. Can’t wait to hear it.” This would be a good one, full of more BS about compartmentalizing emotions, snuffing out distractions, completing the mission. Daniel drained his scotch, set it on the table and waited. But when his friend spoke, there was no mention of any of these.
“I’m not good with this sort of thing, so I’ll just say what’s been flashing through my brain since you hopped in that car with her and headed out. It reminds me of the old movies where the couple heads into the sunset and life is grand. If you want a chance like that with her, and I’m guessing you do, then you better come clean—soon.”
Chapter 15
Tate had always looked out for her, even when their father had zeroed in on him with harsh demands and cruel words. Her brother had tried to protect all of them, including their mother, and now that he was a grown man with a wife and responsibilities to the company, he was even more protective. Meredith wished he weren’t so darned inquisitive, but Charlotte said that’s how big brothers were. And according to Aunt Camille, Rogan had certainly shared his thoughts on Charlotte and Tate’s relationship long before they knew they were meant to be together. Apparently, there’d been an “attraction” years ago, but Rogan blocked it, typical big-brother style.
