A Hero for Her Heart (Truly Yours Digital Editions Book 885) (14 page)

She opened her eyes, and the dream disappeared. Was that Paige Maynard crossing the street? Allie gritted her teeth. Just look at her! Perfectly groomed. Dressed to the nines. Were her clothes bought with Luke’s money while she and Ma had to sell off their land to pay off Luke’s company credit cards?

Allie stood and tossed her empty cup in the garbage, her throat suddenly dry. Despite a little voice in the back of her head telling her to take a deep breath and calm down, she threw open the door, charged across the street, and met a startled Paige on the sidewalk.

“Allie.” Paige took a step back. “Wh-what’s wrong?”

“We need to talk.”

“Uh, what about?” Paige glanced around, and her gaze slid back to Allie. “Is this about Danny’s adoption?”

Allie blinked. “Danny’s adoption?” Ah, the parade. Understanding dawned. “I wouldn’t use you as my attorney if I decide to adopt Danny, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Oh. . .that’s fine, of course.” Paige’s shoulders sagged. “Still, I could do the paperwork. I handled the first adoption.” She motioned toward the coffee shop. “Do you want to go inside and grab a cup of coffee with me?”

“No, I don’t want anybody to overhear.” Allie pointed to the park bench across the street. “We’re going to need privacy and time.”

Paige drew a deep breath. Did she know what was coming?

“Of course. I’ve always got time for you, Allie”

Allie stepped off the curb, and Paige followed. Something was very, very wrong here. Paige was too compliant and overfriendly. Must be the guilt.

They sat, and Allie looked her dead in the eyes. What had Luke seen in this woman? All the makeup. The opposite of Cindy with her natural beauty.

“I think you know what this is about,” Allie blurted and took pleasure in the sight of Paige’s guilty face going white.

“You look angry, and I don’t even know what I’ve done.” Paige’s voice broke off. “At least give me a hint of what we’re talking about here.”

Allie snorted a humorless laugh. “All right, if you want to play stupid I’ll spell it out for you. Hint number one: I found my brother’s check stubs. That ring a bell?”

Paige shook her head. “I don’t understand.”

“Of course you don’t.” Allie scanned the expensive designer clothes, and fury rose up in her to a level she’d never known. “I’m going to warn you that I won’t abide lying, Paige. I’ll have more respect for you if you fess up and be a woman about this.”

Nodding, Paige licked her lips. “Yes, Luke gave me money—”

“Because you and my brother were having an affair, right?”

Paige pressed two manicured fingernails to her frosted pink lips. Her gaze darted left and right before she blew out a long breath. “Can you ever forgive me, Allie?”

“No!” Allie’s nails bit into her palms. “You knew he was married with a son.” She choked up. It was true after all. The money worries slipped from her mind along with the anger, replaced by memories of Luke and overwhelming sadness. “Why you?”

Paige flinched like she’d been slapped. “It was wrong, I admit, but you don’t have to be vicious.” She shot to her feet. “We were in love. We had been for years, you know. Since high school.”

“When people are in love”—Allie stood and came within an inch of her face—“it doesn’t require an exchange of money.”

“There was the rent on my apartment.” Paige had the decency to look down at the sidewalk. “We needed a place to meet.”

“A place to meet?” Bile rose at the back of Allie’s throat. No wonder Paige had moved out of her father’s mansion. “And you’re trying to tell me
you
don’t have money of your own with that wealthy family of yours?”

Paige shrugged. “Daddy is stingy, you know. I get my paycheck from the law firm, of course, but I needed more.” She sniffled. “I loved Luke. It wasn’t easy for me, either, carrying this secret.”

“A secret?” Allie snapped. “That’s not what I’d call it. Adultery is more like it.”

“Please.” Paige reached her hands out in supplication. “What are you going to do?”

Allie ignored the gesture and backed away. “I have no idea what I’m going to do.” She whirled around and took long strides toward her truck. She looked over her shoulder and couldn’t resist one last jab. “What do you think your father would do if he found out?”

“You wouldn’t tell him, would you?” Paige’s face was ash white.

Allie took no pity on her and didn’t wait for a response. She pulled open the truck door, jumped inside, and turned the key. As she drove away, she burst into tears.

❧

Derrick forked pieces of stuffed french toast around his plate, trying to force himself to eat. Last thing he wanted was to hurt Hank’s feelings since the chef had prepared one of Derrick’s breakfast favorites, as he’d done for the rest of the family this morning. Hank had faithfully served the Owenses for nearly two decades and took part in raising him and Sandy. Cooking was Hank’s remedy for the bad things in life. When Sandy broke up with boyfriends, he cajoled smiles from her with her favorite oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Derrick’s broken arm in grade school was treated with a large dose of snickerdoodles. Hank handled pain by cooking, whether it was his own or someone else’s. And today he was trying to fix everybody’s grief with his delicious creations.

He was scrubbing the already spotless dark granite counter. Pots hung from hooks, their copper bottoms gleaming like new pennies. Hank kept a tidy kitchen, but today every inch of the room sparkled. Derrick wished he had the energy to work out his grief with something productive. Instead it was as if he were paralyzed. He could think of nothing else but Sandy lying in her bed upstairs, the hospice nurse by her side. Her lucid moments had diminished, and he understood why his parents were maintaining their vigil anywhere but in his sister’s room. No words could express the pain of watching a loved one pass away from this world.

“It’s okay. You don’t have to eat.” Hank dropped on a stool opposite him at the kitchen island.

Derrick looked up. Buried in thought, he hadn’t noticed Hank walk across the kitchen. “Sorry. Any other day I would’ve devoured—”

“I understand, believe me.” Hank blinked back tears. “Hard to let go of our little girl.”

Feeling like a kid, Derrick wiped his nose with a napkin and stood. “I need to go be with her.”

“Of course.” Hank reached across the island and rested his hand on his shoulder. “I’m here if you get hungry.”

As Derrick walked down the hall toward the main staircase, Dad popped his head out of the study. “Derrick, I’d like to speak with you, please.”

Derrick sucked in a breath. He needed to see Sandy, but his father’s tone demanded compliance.

Dad was ensconced behind his desk. Strain stretched the skin across his face, making it look almost like a mask.

“What’s going on with the land in Walla Walla?”

Derrick summoned an all-business tone. “I’ve got preliminary papers drawn up. I need to get them signed.”

“Good. Please stay at it. I may have another developer who’s interested in a large piece of property for a new housing development.” Dad grinned wolfishly. “We could begin a bidding war.”

“That would be good.” Now that Derrick had an idea of the extent of the Vahns’ debt, he wanted to do everything he could to help them. Perhaps this would bring more money.

Derrick watched his father pull something from his desk. It was the photo Derrick had given to Sandy of Danny and his grandma. A tense silence hung in the room while he heard his pulse pounding in his ears.

“Do you know anything about this?” Dad asked, tapping the photo with his forefinger.

Derrick swallowed hard. Did his father know? “Where did you get that?”

“It fell out of Sandy’s Bible.” Dad squinted at it. At least the photo wasn’t a close-up. He wouldn’t be able to see Danny’s eyes.

The less said, the better. Derrick waited, holding his breath.

Dad finally looked up. “Must be one of her friends’ kids. She was always praying for someone.” His harsh tone made it clear what he thought of prayer as a way of seeking answers.

Derrick nodded. He wouldn’t have to lie. . .again. “I’m going to sit with Sandy for a while.”

His father studied the photo again, and Derrick made a quick escape.

As he stood in the doorway to Sandy’s room, Derrick whispered, “God, help me.” A memory of Allie infused him with strength. She had lost three family members, but she kept on.

Leanne, the hospice nurse, stood and waved him in.

He tiptoed to Sandy’s bed and whispered, “I’ll sit with her for a while.”

“I’ll wait outside in the hall.”

When she was gone, Derrick sat, and Sandy opened her eyes. “D-man.”

“You’re awake?” He reached for her hand.

“I won’t be here much longer.” She spoke with effort, and tears filled her dark eyes.

“I know.” He swallowed, unable to see through the blur of his tears.

“Hey.” She squeezed his fingers. “I know for a certainty I’ll see you again. Meantime, you’re going to be happy.”

“Don’t talk to me about happiness today.” Derrick choked on a sob.

Sandy managed a weak smile. “My only regret is you and Allie.”

Derrick wiped at the tears on his cheeks with his fingers. “What?”

“I think you’re falling in love with her.”

An automatic denial came to his lips. He opened his mouth, closed it, then leaned his weary head against Sandy’s bony hand.

“It’s true, and I’m standing between you two. I made you hide your identity.”

Allie had been in his thoughts constantly, and he’d tried to push her out. He had too much grief to deal with right here in front of his eyes. Knowing he’d left behind a woman he could love with all his heart and a nephew he wanted to help raise made the pain of loss unbearable.

Derrick sat up. “Don’t fade away on me, Sandy, please.”

“Listen. I was wrong. Tell Allie the truth.”

The truth. “I don’t think she’ll listen.”

“Tell her, and send Mom and Dad in here now.”

A deep sob ripped through his chest. Derrick leaned down and kissed her cheek. “I love you. I always will.”

“I love you, too, Derrick.”

He walked out of her room, knowing in his heart he’d never hear her speak those words again, never hear the sound of her laughter.

Tears flooded his eyes as he headed toward the office, but his dad already stood in the hall. “Sandy wants you to come—”

“I’m going to her room now.” Dad swiped his hand over his face. “Your mother will join me.” He walked past quickly, but not before Derrick saw the tears, the gray pallor of his face.

Leanne put a hand to his arm. “Will you be okay?” She handed him a wad of tissues.

Derrick wiped his eyes and nodded. “I’ll be okay, but I’ll never be the same.”

“Loss does that, but God wants you to go on. Sandy’s work here is almost done, but I suspect the good Lord has plenty for you to do yet.”

A short laugh escaped his tight throat. “You’ve been talking to Sandy, haven’t you?”

Leanne wrapped her hand around his wrist. “Sandy said to tell you that you
must
invite me to the wedding.”

Sixteen

“Lord, I’d rather not have known.”

Allie headed home and caught herself going over the speed limit. She had to get there before Jake’s mom dropped Danny off.

She hated herself for grilling Paige. Instead of fond memories of Luke, she’d forever live with the ugly truth. An adulterer? How could it be so? Nearly every word Luke spoke, every romantic gesture toward Cindy, all of it a lie! Is that the reason Luke gave Paige money—to keep her quiet? “Let it be true, Lord.” At least it would mean Luke wasn’t in love with Paige. That he only paid her off to keep the truth from Cindy.

As she pulled into the driveway, Allie’s hands shook. She saw Jake’s mother, Mary, waiting in the car and drew a jagged breath. She wanted to expose Paige for who she was—even to Mary—shout it from the rooftops, but the Vahn family would fall into disgrace as well. Luke was the married man with a son.

“Hey, Allie.” Mary pointed at the tire as Allie got out of the truck. “Your tire is low on air.”

Allie sighed. One more thing to worry about. “Thanks, and thank you for bringing Danny home. We appreciate it.”

“Anytime,” Mary said. Danny exited the car and waved good-bye.

After they went inside, Danny headed straight to the fridge. “Aunt Allie, is Mr. Derrick coming over again?”

“Wash your hands before you eat.” Poor kid. “I’m really not sure, sweetheart.”
But I’d love to know
. “So tell me, how was VBS?”

“Good.” Danny shrugged, dried his hands, and returned to the refrigerator. His forlorn look made her face heat with anger all over again. Yet another man in and out of Danny’s life. She felt at a loss. Should she speak to him about Derrick? Or about missing his parents on his birthday? Or should she let it go? Maybe he needed more grief counseling. Come to think of it, maybe Allie did, too.

“What are you hunting for in the fridge?” She came up behind him and ruffled his dark hair.

“I don’t know.” He took out a carton of milk and looked up. “Can you call him? Mr. Derrick, I mean.”

“How about I make you a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?”

“Okay, but. . .” Danny wouldn’t be sidetracked. He poured himself a tall glass of milk. “Can
I
call him then?”

Now what, Lord?
Allie assembled his sandwich. “I don’t think you should be calling Mr. Derrick, hon.” She cut the crusts off the bread, quartered it, and set the snack in front of him at the table.

“But he likes me.” Danny took a hearty bite. “I could tell because—”

“You’re talking with food in your mouth again.” She grabbed a napkin and brushed at his face the way Derrick had done to her at Bright’s. How long before she’d get Derrick out of her mind? “What were you going to say about Mr. Derrick?” Pathetic! Pumping her nephew for a few crumbs of information.

“He’s fun. He calls me Spiderman, just like you and Granny.” Danny’s brows scrunched together. Yikes! Did he copy that facial expression from Derrick? She couldn’t recall if Danny had ever pulled such a face. “I think he likes you, too.” He covered his mouth and giggled. “He looks at you a lot.”