The Price of Trust (13 page)

"Sure, but I think that's him right there," he said, nodding toward the door his brother had just walked through.

Kelly sighed in relief. "Todd! Are you feeling better?"

Todd hugged her to him. "Sure! I feel great! I don't know what it was, but it's gone now. Where to next?"

"Let's just show Carly around," Joe said quickly, leading the way.

Walking through the expansive hallways and going into various stores, they were rounding the last bend when Todd pulled Kelly ahead, excitement written on his handsome face.

"The Apple Barn! They've got some of the best caramel apples. Do you want one, Kell?" he asked, already pulling his wallet out.

"I thought you weren't feeling well," Kelly asked with a doubtful look.

Panicked, he decided to beg. "But I feel better. Nothing a caramel apple couldn't cure. Joe, help me out here. Tell her I'm feeling better."

Kelly laughed, giving in easily. "Okay. If you say you're feeling better, then go ahead."

"You want one?" Joe asked Carly, already taking some off the shelf.

Carly giggled. "Do I have a choice?"

"You always have a choice. You can say yes or yes!"

They paid for their apples and sat down. Todd had already started eating his before Joe and Carly had even sat down.

"Well, I guess he is feeling better," Carly said.

"I guess so," Kelly said, eating hers more daintily.

"Which one do you want? Nuts, or no nuts," Joe asked, giving her the choice.

"With nuts, definitely," she answered immediately. Joe took the wrapper off and held it out to her. She reached for it, but he pulled it back before she could get it.

"Hey!" She laughed, reaching for it again.

He grinned as he held it further out of her reach. "Apple for a kiss!"

She shook her head. "I don't know if they're that good."

Stubbornly, Joe repeated his plea as she reached for it again.

"Apple for a kiss."

"I think you better give him that kiss, Carly," Todd said, pointing toward a little girl about five, staring fixedly at the apple. She laughed then gave him a quick kiss on the cheek.

Smiling indulgently, he handed her the apple. "There. Was that so hard?"

"Yeah," Carly said, taking a bite from her apple. "It about killed me!"

Kelly and Todd laughed hysterically, while Joe tapped her head into her apple as she took another bite out of it, causing the caramel and nuts to smear all over her face.

"Oh, I'm so sorry," Joe said with an unapologetic chuckle. "I really didn't mean for that to happen."

"Yeah right. Sure you didn't." Carly laughed, wiping her face with a napkin. "Now I'm all sticky. I better go wash off." She stood up to go to the ladies room.

"I'll walk with you if you want, Carly," Kelly offered, coming with her.

"Thanks. We'll be back," she called over her shoulder.

Kelly showed her to the restroom, and she washed her face the best she could.

"Here," Kelly said, pulling a nut out of her hair.

Carly laughed genially. "That was funny."

"You know, it was rather funny." Kelly giggled. "But I don't think you should let him get away with it."

"I have no intention of letting him get away with that." She winked.

As they walked out of the restroom, a strange man stepped away from the wall he had been leaning against and stopped in front of them, blocking their exit.

Surprised, Carly stepped to the side. "Oh excuse me." He stepped back in front of her, not letting her pass. She stepped the other way, and he blocked her path again.

"Can I help you?" Carly asked, wondering what he was doing.

"Well, now that you ask, yes. You can help me." The man leered at her, looking at her from head to toe approvingly, puffing on a cigarette and dropping ashes onto the ground. "I was just wondering why a Houston woman was so far away from home."

She turned pale. "Do I know you?" Kelly grabbed her arm, scared.

"You
are
from Houston, right?" Carly didn't answer. "I'd know another Texan anywhere. You can't fool me. I was just wondering what you found so interesting way up here." He continued to stand in their way, not allowing them to pass.

"None of your business," Carly said haughtily, hoping to discourage him from any further conversation.

He laughed, blowing smoke into her face, making her cough. "Well now, there's no reason to be rude. I was just wondering when you're going back home." He reached into his pocket. They were both frightened now, but he only pulled out a cell phone and laughed at their terrified faces.

"I don't know what you want, but we've got someone waiting for us, so you'll have to excuse us," Carly said, trying to step around him, but he moved expertly back in the way.

"Hold on, ain't no rush. We're just having ourselves a friendly little chat. Your name wouldn't happen to be Carly Richards, would it?" Carly was silent. "I'll take that to mean yes. I've got a message for you. Ian wants you to come on home now." He leaned forward, smoke hanging heavily in the air. "And leave that pretty boy here. Ian gets a little touchy when his fiancée starts hanging around other men, kissing them and all." He held out his cell phone for them to see a picture of Carly kissing Joe on the cheek. He shut the phone and turned to walk away, throwing his cigarette onto the floor, squashing it.

"I'm not his fiancée!"

He turned around, surprised. "What's that?"

"I said I'm not his fiancée. And you know what? I've got a message for him. I'm not going back to him; I'm staying right here." Carly continued to talk loudly, her face red with anger and fear. "In fact, why don't you just go ahead and send him that picture? Maybe he'll get the idea that I'm not his anymore, I'll never be his, and maybe he'll leave me alone!" she said through gritted teeth, her hands clenched at her sides.

"I'll do that," he said placidly. "But for some reason, I don't think things are going to turn out the way you have planned. He's pretty determined when he wants something." He grinned as he walked away.

"Tell him to find another secretary!" she cried angrily after him. He continued walking away, his laughter at her bounced off the polished walls.

"Carly, did you know him?" Kelly asked, frightened by the whole ordeal.

She crossed her arms and rubbed them as if she were cold, her voice shaking. "No. I haven't seen him before."

"He had a picture of you kissing Joe," Kelly said pensively. "He called you Carly Richards, though. Is that your real name?"

She shuddered. "Yes. Adams was my mother's maiden name. I had to use a fake name because Ian would find me if I used my real one." They were silent.

"Hey! What are you two doing in here?" Todd said as he and Joe walked down to meet them a few seconds later. They didn't reply.

"What's wrong?" Joe asked, alarmed by their expressions. "Carly?" He hugged her to him, upset. "What happened?"

"He found me, Joe," Carly said tonelessly. "I knew he would. But I told him off, didn't I, Kelly?" She broke down and cried. Joe rubbed her back soothingly.

"What happened, Kelly?" Todd asked helplessly, holding her close to his side.

She looked at Joe, shaking. "This guy wouldn't let us pass by him and started talking to Carly. He called her by her real name, Carly Richards."

"Her real name is Richards?" Joe gave her a blank look.

"Yes. And he had a picture on his cell phone of her kissing you. He said he was going to send it to Ian," Kelly said, her voice trembling.

"Is he still here?" Todd looked around, ready to fight in case he was still watching them.

"No, he left just before you came."

"I think it's time to leave," Joe said compassionately. "Are you ready?"

Carly wiped her eyes and looked at him with a sigh. "I'm ready."

"Well, here. Put your new coat on. It's cold out, and that jacket isn't going to keep you warm," he said, handing her the bag.

"Joe!" she said, taking the coat out. "This isn't the one I picked."

"Yes, it is. That was one of the three that you hung out for me to look at. Remember?" He gave her an affectionate smile.

"This was the most expensive one I picked out, wasn't it?" She smiled wanly. "Thank you," she whispered, tears welling up again.

"Don't cry. I can't stand to see you cry," he said hoarsely, a lump in his throat. He helped her on with her coat.

They drove home in silence.

Carly woke up the next morning and looked out her window. It had snowed during the night, blanketing the town and making it look clean and pure. No worries or crime or hate. Only beauty as far as the eye could see. She opened her window just a crack, took a deep breath of the wintry air, and let it out slowly, watching the steam rise toward the sky.

How beautiful
, she thought. There was just something special about the first snowfall of the year, stimulating, refreshing. Perfect.

"Thank you, Lord, for letting me live another day," she said out loud, thinking of Joe and smiling to herself. Wonderful Joe. "Thank you for Joe, Lord. Thank you for letting me stay. Please protect him, and give me the strength I need about Ian. Could you make him just leave me alone? "

She remembered the man from the mall the previous afternoon and shivered. Had she been too hasty with what she’d said? Another shiver raced down her spine as she thought of the last time she’d dared challenge Ian. His fury at her had been terrifying and she didn’t want to repeat the ordeal. With an enormous amount of effort, she put Ian out of her mind and decided to take one day at a time, and got ready for work.

She sauntered down the stairs, whistling. Sam was already there.

"Good morning," Sam said jovially. "Come into the office with Sue and me and have some doughnuts."

"Good morning," she said cheerily, hugging Sue and helping herself to a doughnut.

"Well, you're awfully chipper this morning." Sue smiled, peering at Sam with an ‘I told you so’ look. "What's got you in such a happy mood?"

"God is just so good to me. The snow, my job…"

"Joe," Sam said, chuckling.

"And especially Joe." She beamed at them merrily.

"It's about time you admitted you like him you know," Sue said kindly. "Everyone knows you're crazy about each other."

"Everyone except Angie," Sam said. "We heard what she said to you yesterday morning, and we were plum ashamed of her, weren't we, Sue?"

"Yes, we were. I thought she was a nice girl, but the way she treated you was appalling." She poured a cup of coffee for Carly and handed it to her. "She's just jealous. Don't let her upset you. She's liked Joe ever since that good-for-nothing Amy left him, poor boy. But I'm sure glad that you two are working out pretty well. How was your day yesterday?"

Carly told them a little about their excursion to the mall, omitting the episode with the strange man.

"I'm mighty glad to hear it," Sam said warmly. "That Joe is one nice kid, and I wish you both lots of happiness."

"Thank you." Carly blushed. "Well, I better go unlock the store. People are going to be barging in here any moment." She winked.

"Wait a minute on the store, Red. Sue and I have something we need to talk to you about. Pull up a chair."

"Uh oh, this sounds serious. Am I in trouble?" she asked light-heartedly, sitting down.

"No, what could you do to be in trouble?" Sue asked affectionately.

"I might surprise you." Carly laughed, pointing to her red hair.

"Red, Thanksgiving is coming this Thursday, and with it comes the holiday season. It's not much of a time for hardware selling, and most people around here go over to Billings to buy their presents." Sam cleared his throat. "Sue and I were considering taking a vacation to go visit our family."

"I think that'd be wonderful," Carly said, sincerely happy for them.

Sue smiled kindly as she stared at her young friend. "Well, that's a matter of opinion. We're concerned about you."

"Me? Why are you concerned about me?" Carly asked awkwardly.

"We just hate to put you out in the cold with nothing to do. We'd have to close up the store for as long as we're gone, and we didn't want you to be hurting financially, or to be alone over the holidays," Sam said quickly. "You'd still have your apartment though. We wouldn't expect you to move out or anything while we were gone."

"You worry too much. I'll be fine. I think it's great that you want to go visit your family and I wouldn't want to stop you. Don't worry about me. I'll stay here and watch over the store and make sure no one bothers it," Carly said, reassuring them.

"Are you sure, honey? We wouldn't want to inconvenience you or anything," Sue asked compassionately.

"You two? Inconvenience me? Where have you been? It's me that's the inconvenience. You two have been terrific since the minute I stepped foot in this door, and I appreciate every kindness that you've shown me. Take your vacation and enjoy your family. Don't give me a second thought."

"One other thing. We're stopping by Sue's sister's house in Billings for Thanksgiving dinner. If you don't have anything else to do, we'd be glad to have you come with us," Sam said.

"Thank you, that's very nice. But Penny's already asked me over to their house, and I told her I'd be there. How long are you going to be gone for anyway?"

"We've been saving for a vacation like this for about three years, and we're going to make the best of it. We're leaving out Thursday morning, and we don't plan on being back until after the New Year. Will you be able to manage that long?" Sue asked, worried.

"Absolutely!" Carly said brightly. "I've been saving for a while myself. You never know when a rainy day might come." She knew it would be tough financially, but she felt it was her duty to put their fears to rest.

"Oh good! I'm so excited, I think I'll go home and start packing! See you tonight, dear," Sue said, giving Sam a hug and a kiss. She hugged Carly excitedly and went home to commence packing.

"Well, I better open the store now," Carly said, standing up and stretching. "I hope you two have a great time, Sam."

"We will. It’s been hard for Sue with the store and all. I can't just up and leave whenever I want to, and she won't go visit the boys without me, so it’s been a while since we've seen them. They come up whenever they can, but it's just not the same. Thanks for being so nice about it all, we appreciate it," Sam said, his eyes twinkling.

"You don't have to thank me. I need to thank you for taking me in like you both did. I really don't know where I'd be if you hadn't," Carly said, a lump forming in her throat. "I'm going to open up if that's all you need." Sam nodded, and she went to unlock the door.

It was a slow morning, as not too many people seemed to want to be outside with the snow. The phone rang about ten thirty. Reluctantly, Carly picked it up, Sam not being available.

"S&S Hardware, may I help you?" she asked quickly, not daring to breathe.

"Yes. I was wondering if you have any beautiful, good-natured, wonderful, happy young ladies in stock?"

It was Joe. Carly smiled, happy to hear his voice.

"No, I'm sorry sir. We sold out of those Saturday. We do have the cantankerous, annoying, cry baby, whiny know-it-alls left if you're interested."

Joe laughed. "Good morning. I just wanted to call you and make sure you didn't pack up and leave in the middle of the night," he said half-seriously.

She paused for a slight moment, wanting to give him a hard time.

"Of course I didn't pack up and leave last night."

"I'm glad to hear it." She thought she could hear relief in his voice.

"I was going to wait until this afternoon when it warms up a little."

"You cat." He laughed. "I wanted to come into town to see you, but I've got a lot of work to do over this way, so I probably won't make it."

"Really?" Carly said, her voice thick with disappointment. "That's too bad. I was hoping to get to see you today, but I understand. It's okay."

"You really did want to see me? Or are you being sarcastic?" Joe asked, his voice hopeful.

"Of course I want to see you. I've missed you," she said warmly. "But you stay and do what you've got to do, and maybe you could call me again around closing time?" she said, playing with the phone cord distractedly.

"I never thought I'd hear you say that you missed me."

"Why wouldn't I? You're the best you know."

"Maybe I should come into town this afternoon, to make sure that this is really Carly speaking," he said in mock astonishment.

"That's it. I'm hanging up. Try to let a guy know that you really care for him and he treats you like this. Good-bye," she said teasing as she hit a button on the handset.

"Don't you hang up on me!" Joe said gruffly. "I've finally got you to talk to me like this and now you threaten to hang up? I don't think so!" Carly laughed, enjoying their playful banter.

"Listen. I've got to go, and I just wanted to make sure you were still here. I'll try to call you back around five." Joe hesitated then said quietly, "I love you, Carly."

Her heart flip-flopped, and she blushed even though no one was around. "I love you too. Have a good day, okay?" she whispered happily, her face hot.

"Without seeing you? Impossible, but I'll try. Bye!" And he hung up. She smiled faintly to herself and hung up the phone. She blushed when she saw Sam standing behind her grinning.

"I just wanted to let you know that while we're gone, you can call us if you need anything, I'll post the numbers up in the office." Sam turned to go. "But for some reason, I think you'll be taken care of pretty good."

She smiled. "Thanks, Sam. I'll call if I need anything."

Carly had trouble finding things to do to keep busy the rest of the day. She swept the floor, mopped, straightened shelves, dusted, everything she could think of, and still the day seemed to drag slowly by. Afternoon came and went with unhurried nonchalance, and Carly was bored almost out of her mind.

"Sam, is there anything I can do to help you back here?" she asked, finding him in the stock room, taking inventory. She glanced at her watch. Two more hours before closing, and consequently, Joe's phone call.

"Sorry, Red, but you've just about done everything there is to do already." Sam grinned. "It’s been pretty slow today, hasn't it? Is Joe going to come by later tonight?"

She sighed. "No, he's not going to be able to make it, and that makes it worse."

The bell above the door tinkled and her heart leapt with joy.

Joe!

She dashed out of the room, leaving a laughing Sam behind her, and stopped short when she found the ugly man searching for something behind the counter.

"May I help you?" she asked stonily, crossing her arms.

He jumped, nervously stuffing his hands in his pocket as he slunk away from the counter. "I was just looking for a tissue."

It's a good thing that cash register stays locked!
she thought angrily to herself, tapping her foot unconsciously.

"Uh huh," she said, unconvinced. She stared at him for a moment, when she was suddenly struck with an unappealing thought.

"Do you know a man named Ian?" she asked impulsively, watching for some sort of reaction.

He stared at her for a moment, his face expressionless but for a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth. "I know lots of people. One of them may be named Ian. Why do you ask?" he said evenly, the nervous twitch worse.

"How about an Ian Lane?" she asked, her eyes narrowing suspiciously.

"Ian Lane. Hmm." He pretended to think, his face contorted. "Maybe I do, and maybe I don't."

"I was just wondering," she said sweetly. "I've got a message for him, and I was hoping you could give it to him." She walked behind the counter indifferently. "But I guess you can't help me if you don't know him." She started cleaning off the spotless counter, waiting for his reaction. He hesitated, considering his options.

"Well, maybe I could look him up for you," he said, leaning on the counter toward her.

"That's okay. If you don't know him, it's not going to help me any." She turned away and started sweeping.

"Suit yourself," he said gruffly, shrugging his shoulders. He left the store, slamming the door behind him.

Carly leaned the broom up behind the counter and went to find Sam. She needed some company to calm her shaking nerves. She found him emptying some boxes in the storeroom.

"Well, who was our first customer of the day?" he asked as Carly leaned against the wall next to him.

"Just the 'nail' man," she said. Sam chuckled. It was a joke they had shared for a couple of weeks.

"Well, what nails did he buy today?"

"Actually, none."

Sam raised his eyebrows in surprise. "None?"

She picked at her fingernails distractedly, keeping her eyes averted from his gaze. "Nope. I think I scared him."

"Scared him?" Sam looked at her in surprise. "How'd you do that?"

She was cornered. She hadn't meant to tell him what was said, but it was too late to worry about it now.

"Yeah, I caught him behind the counter. He said he needed a tissue, and I asked him if he knew a guy named Ian Lane," she said as nonchalantly as she could manage.

"Ian Lane? Who's that?"

"My ex-fiancé."

He stopped and peered at her over his bifocals, quiet for a moment.