Shine On (35 page)

“I’m only going back to Chicago when you go with me. So, keep your cash. Love, S.C.M.”

“Aww… I could die for how sweet that is.” Ava grabbed her heart and pouted her mouth. “Gabe you have to see this. Silas has written Emmie to say…” she started.

He put his hands over his ears. “I do not want to hear this. I’m going to the porch.”

“Got rid of him. Not we can talk.” Ava smiled. “Seriously sweet letter though. Didn’t I tell you he was carrying a torch for you?”

Emmie turned the note over in her hand and then laid it in the box next to the other notes. “This is actually the one I want you to see.”

Ava took her time reading the letter from the mysterious M.V.D. and Ronnie. She flipped over and read the one from her father several times. “We can figure this out. We’ve got the initials. We know it’s from Chicago. We’ll figure it out.”

“Chicago?” Emmie asked.

“Yeah, that money was wired. See that logo right there, L.C.B. It’s Lake City Bank. My dad has an account there. We’ll figure it out.” Ava smiled.

Emmie nodded. “Thanks.”

“No, I should be thanking you. Because this,” Ava got up ran to the closet and pulled out her Halloween costume, “is absolutely stunning.”

Emmie smiled at her friend’s reaction to the dress. “How did you get it? I didn’t have time to pack it last night.”

“Gabe mentioned when he got home that you would probably be staying with us for a while. So, we went over and packed up some of your things for you. I saw this laying out in your living room and I had to bring it,” she explained.

“Well, I’m glad you like it,” Emmie said.

“I love it. It fits like a glove.” Ava ran her hands along the bodice. “Yours looks nice too.”

“Thanks,” she said.

“But Emmie, it looks more like a nice black dinner dress than a Halloween costume. It isn’t as special as the pattern I picked out for you,” she said, holding up her friend’s dress.

“Ava, that was really nice fabric. I couldn’t bring myself to turn it into something I would wear once in my life,” she answered honestly. “I’m going to make a witch hat fascinator, then it will look more like a costume. I’ll carry a broom too.”

“You will not carry a broom, people will think you’re a housekeeper.” Ava laughed.

Emmie grinned and then covered her mouth and stifled a yawn.

Ava hugged Emmie and tossed her the blanket she’d been wrapped in. “You’re tired, it’s been a long day. We can talk about the party later. Take a rest until he gets back.”

Emmie tried to contest the idea but she couldn’t. Her eyes were heavy and her brain grew foggy. Ava left the room quietly. She closed her eyes and relaxed for the first time in months. When sleep found her she wasn’t sure she’d ever wake.

***********

The frogs were croaking in the trees outside. Stars and a full moon lit the sky. It was cool but she was wrapped in blankets. She was tucked in so tight she could barely move. She could hear the creak of the rocker next to her. Even before she glanced over she knew who she would find. She could barely make out Silas’s silhouette. But she could see the flame of his cigarette as he drew in a breath and the shadow of the smoke when he exhaled.

Emmie raised up slowly not wanting to inch out of the covers. “You might want to stay there, it’s cool out here.”

She took a quilt with her as she padded across the porch. He put out his cigarette as she got closer to him, spreading his arms for her. Emmie sat on his lap and pulled the quilt over both of them. They rocked and he hummed. She’d never heard him hum but it was deep and beautiful. With her head against his chest she could hear so well. She used to do that with her mama when she was a little girl. How could her mama have kept her dad from her? Her heart hurt at the thought. She felt like her world was shifting but she pushed all of that from her mind. She didn’t want to think about that tonight. Emmie would think about that tomorrow.

“I got your note. I’ve always wanted to go to Chicago. I bet they’ve got some good schools up there too.” She swallowed hard.

He smiled. “You just say when.”

She nodded. “Did you mean what you said at my house today. That part about why it was okay I was selling your ’shine back to ya?”

He looked confused for a second then said, “Oh, that… I love you?”

She nodded.

He grinned and his mouth quirked over to the side. “Yeah. I love you.”

“I love you too, Silas,” she said.

He picked her up and carried her over to the bed. Swallowing hard he unbuttoned his shirt slowly and tossed it on the ground before sliding in next to her. “Let’s pick up where we left off last night.”

Emmie giggled as he ran his hands over her stomach and up her body until he grabbed her chin. He pulled her in for a long, painfully slow kiss and brushed his knuckles on her cheek. Something rough scratched her skin. It was then in the moonlight she noticed his knuckles were split.

“Silas, you’re hurt.” She brought them up to her mouth and kissed each spot.

“Not as bad as he is,” he answered.

Emmie stilled next to him, not moving or speaking. She was still holding his hands next to her mouth. Frozen.

“He’s still breathing, if that’s what you’re wondering. He’s hurt but not beyond repair. His hands won’t ever touch you again. They probably won’t be touching a camera again either.”

Silas looked down at her eyes. She was still tired. Exhaustion was marked on her face.

“Go to sleep, Emmie girl. I’ll be here when you wake.”

He pulled her into his chest and wrapped his arms around her. He hummed until he heard her breathing slow. She looked so beautiful asleep in his arms. Her lips, plumped from his kisses. Her eyes, closed and at peace. He pushed her hair away from her face. That sweet face, so full of hope, compassion and good. Silas stared out through the screened-in window. Taking in the glow of the moon, lighting the black night. That’s what she felt like to him. A beautiful glow of light in a dark path.

“Shine on for me my sweet Emmie,” he smiled and tucked the blanket around her shoulders, “Shine on.”

Allison Jewell

Book two in the Shine On series is set to release July 2013.

Chapter One

E
mmie’s body was stiff as she stepped out of the dark car and onto the city street. It was busy and loud. Nothing like the small downtown square back home.

“This is it?” Gabe grabbed Emmie’s old brown suitcase from the back of the car that took them from the train station to the hotel.

“Yep, that’s it. Why?” Emmie asked.

“Ugh. I guess I’m just used to helping Ava with hers.” Gabe nodded to the curb where Ava was talking with a bellhop for the Tealbach Hotel. The bellhop smiled and laughed at something she said while he loaded her belongings onto a gold cart.

“Bless her heart,” Emmie laughed, taking in all six pieces of Ava’s red leather luggage. “Gabe, we are only staying the weekend right? You know, there is no telling what all she had hidden in those cases.”

He smiled and dropped her suitcase on the curb a few feet from where Ava’s were. Emmie noticed one of the other bellhops reach down to pick it up.

“Thanks but I can get it,” she said sweetly. The bellhop looked back at her confused. He still had one arm extended like he may take the suitcase right out of her hands. Pulling it closer to her body, she realized that she looked a little bit overprotective of her belongings. Really, she wouldn’t have minded letting the guy take up her belongings but it had just now occurred to her that this man wasn’t moving luggage out of the goodness of his heart. When he reached her room he was going to be expecting a tip and she refused to pay the man for something she could easily do herself.

“I don’t mind, Miss,” he said, taking a step closer to her.

“No…” she started but never got the chance to finish her sentence.

“Thank you, Sir. She’s in room 233.” Silas came up behind her, took the luggage from her hand and tossed it to the man. Then he handed the young man a crisp bill. She couldn’t see the amount but from his smile she could tell the boy thought it a fair price.

Emmie turned around, trying her best to look annoyed but had a hard time keeping up the front. “The good Lord gave me two arms and I can carry my own bags.”

He brushed a kiss on her forehead and pulled her in for a hug, resting his chin on the top of her head. She breathed in the scent. Emmie felt herself relax. All too soon he let go of her and took a step back saying hello to Gabe and Ava.

They shared pleasantries. Ava asked about his family and if they had settled in. Silas and Patrick had taken a train earlier in the week to Louisville to meet their family first. Emmie was going to be meeting them all tonight right before the Halloween party and her stomach was in knots. He’d asked her to come up early and meet his family but Emmie decided to wait until this evening. She didn’t know why she was so nervous. Other than Trick, he rarely talked about his family.

If Emmie thought her train car had been elaborately decorated, it didn’t hold a candle to the lobby of the hotel. From the outside, it looked like any other nice hotel they had driven past. But the inside was so unique; it was what set it apart. The windows were huge with pointy gothic arches. The chairs were deep hues of green, blue, and red. An elaborate staircase with a dark wooden banister cascaded down from the second floor. White marble floors echoed her footsteps. It was relatively empty and though it was elaborate, the feel was like a cavernous medieval castle.

“You like it?” Silas asked.

“It’s the most beautiful place I’ve ever seen,” she said, her voice barely above a whisper. She’d never in her life set foot in a place like this. She forgot how to walk in its beauty, so she stood and gawked at her surroundings while Ava, Gabe and Silas made plans for when to meet up that evening.

“Well, if it isn’t Miss Emmie Shimmy,” Vince’s voice boomed. She’d missed his arrival. He was just releasing his sister and coming for Emmie.

“You better not.” She laughed coming out of her stupor. There was no pool around but there was nothing Vince loved better than to find a way to razz her. She took a step backward to no avail. He was there in no time. He gripped her in a bear hug and whispered in her ear. “You’ve done good, Emmie.”

She pulled back and looked at him surprised.
I’ve done good?
She didn’t ask the question aloud but it showed in her eyes. He gave her a quirk of a smile that answered her question. She could see it in his face. Somehow, he’d been filled-in on everything that had happened in his absence and he was proud of her. That was odd. As quickly as he appeared, he slapped Silas on the shoulder and led the way to the stairs, heading off to his room.

Silas and Gabe walked the girls to their room and then headed to theirs. Emmie was meeting Silas early to get the family introductions out of the way before the party started. Although that was still hours away, her heart was already in her throat. When you live in a tiny town you rarely meet new people, much less new people who you hope will be your family someday. The thought caught in her stomach and swam around for a while making her feel more nauseous.

The hotel room was absolutely stunning. It was more of an apartment than a room and decorated in the same European-castle feel. The lush fabrics of the sitting area were so inviting. Ava squealed and clapped her hands, taking her costume from her luggage. She hung the dress in the closet and carefully smoothed out the nonexistent wrinkles.

“Can you believe it is actually here? Oh, Emmie I love my costume, thank you so much,” she cooed.

Emmie smiled. “You’ll be stunning.”

Emmie found her suitcase was already in the bedroom. She pulled out her own lovely black lace dress. Ava was right, it didn’t really look like a costume. Still though, she knew she’d made the sensible decision—black silk and lace should be worn more than one night. She smoothed out the dress mocking Ava’s motions. She headed back to the living area and the small hallway closet. She hung her dress next to Ava’s. She turned around and Ava was pouring something from a little silver flask. She poured a tiny amount in a cup and handed it to Emmie and then did the same for herself.

“What is this?” Emmie asked.

“Oh, just a special autumn drink to kick off the celebration.” She grinned and held her hand out to clink glasses.

Emmie followed her motion and the girls tipped back the cup at the same time. She smiled before she even got the drink all the way down.

“How did you get it?” she wondered aloud.

“Silas. He left it hidden in the closet for us. They told me to check the closet for surprises while you were in your daze downstairs. I still cannot believe you made this,” Ava said, touching her lips.

Emmie could still feel the warmth of the apple pie in her throat. He knew her well, she did need a shot of courage but more than that, she needed a shot of something that reminded her of home. She felt uncomfortable in her surroundings and that one sip of apple pie grounded her. How could he know that?

But, they’d come to know quite a bit about one another over the last few weeks. Just a couple of days before he left, he had taken her to the barn to search for the mysterious box of photographs that Ronnie’s note had alluded to. Silas climbed into the rafters while she watched with bated breath. He’d found it relatively quickly. But then, she already knew he was a good snooper, didn’t she?