Chapter One
The old Saab 9000 limped into the gravel driveway and stalled.
“Damn, I knew this was going to happen.” Seth shook his head. “This trip was cursed from the moment we left the city.”
Annabelle relaxed her grip on the door handle as he turned off the engine. “Well, if you’d gone through the center of town like I told you, we never would have passed that house getting a new roof.”
“Did you see all of the signs? They’re running some sort of festival there. It’s probably wall-to-wall people. We’d be stuck there for hours.” He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “This never would have happened in the city.”
Anna rolled her eyes. “Okay, so we got a flat tire. No biggie. You’ve changed tires before.”
Changing the tire wasn’t the issue. Ruining his favorite car and being stuck in this backward town was the issue.
“At least we made it to my grandmother’s house,” Annabelle said. “It could be a lot worse.”
Seth flashed her an irritated look. “Worse?”
“We could be stuck on the highway.”
“They don’t throw nails on the highway,” Seth muttered. The Saab was his baby, an old car he had saved up for and fixed up himself. The fact that he just busted a tire he couldn’t afford to replace was the icing on top of a cake full of frustrating things he had no control over.
“We have no money, Anna.”
“I know, but we have a spare.”
He wasn’t talking about the damn tire. “We were about to be kicked out of our apartment.”
She looked down at her hands in her lap. He knew he needed to stop talking. This argument didn’t go well before they left Chicago and it sure as hell wasn’t going to go his way now. Despite this, he couldn’t seem to stop himself. There was too much anger. It needed to get out.
“I have no job, and your vet practice has been running in the red for eighteen months.” He let go of the steering wheel and rested his head on the back of his seat. “Yet you insist on dropping everything to make a seven-hour drive to see a grandmother you never mentioned in the two years we have been dating.”
It was true, all of it. Yet, as soon as the words left his mouth, he felt like an ass. This wasn’t Anna’s fault. It was his. It seemed as if things had been spiraling downhill ever since he left his job at the spa. He felt so helpless, so out of control. Every day that passed he could feel Anna slipping further and further away from him. It hurt like hell, but he didn’t know how to fix it.
“She’s sick,” Anna whispered. “My grandmother needs me, Seth. I’m the only living family she has.”
“I know.” Seth ran his hand over his face. “I know.” The lie fell easily from his lips. Growing up in the foster system, Seth had been passed around like an offering plate at a Christmas Eve service. He didn’t understand the bond between family members, and couldn’t grasp the sense of community Anna talked about when she mentioned her home town of Sapphire Falls. All his life, he had been alone. Anna was the only person who’d ever given a damn about him. It was one of the reasons why he loved her so much.
But, as he was learning, sometimes love wasn’t enough to make a relationship last.
He sighed and turned to face the woman who once looked at him with such hope and admiration. Now he saw only resignation and sadness. He had disappointed her, just like he had disappointed everyone else in his life.
“I think I’m going to take a look at the tire.” He got out of the car before she could speak, and glanced at the driver’s side wheel. Sure enough, it was busted. For the last few blocks, they had been driving on rims.
That wasn’t the only thing he noticed. “Aw, shit.” He moved to the rear of the car.
“What? What is it?” Anna got out and joined him at the back driver’s side tire.
“Two tires.” Seth stood and kicked the hub. It rattled off the rim and clanged onto the driveway. “Two tires gone!” He crouched low and put his head in his hands.
“I don’t suppose you have two spares in the trunk, do you?” Anna asked.
He pushed his hair back from his face and flashed her an irritated look. “No.”
She took in a deep breath then let it out. “Well, I guess we’ll buy one, then.”
“You can’t just buy one,” he said. “This is a Saab 9000.”
“So?”
He straightened and waved his hand at the car he had just finished detailing last week. “It’s a Saab 9000. They don’t make them anymore.”
“They don’t?”
“They stopped making them in the nineties.”
“But they’re still on the road, right? That means the auto shop in town should have parts.”
He placed his fingers on his temples and then waved in her general direction. “Are you even listening to me? This is vintage, Anna. Some grease monkey in the middle of Nebraska won’t have the special tires this car needs. He probably only has parts for Chevy pickups and tractors.”
“You never know unless you try.”
He let out a long breath and leaned his hip against the car. “Suppose you’re right. Let’s say this small-town hick has the tires we need and can replace them in a couple of hours. How are we going to pay him? Did you think about that?”
He needed to stop. Annabelle didn’t deserve to be treated like this. It’s just that this car was his baby, the one thing that was his. Now it was as good as a pile of scrap metal.
He was just so damn frustrated. God, he had to get his emotions under control before he drove an even bigger wedge between them.
Anna looked away, but not before he could see the tears in her eyes. “I think we should go inside. My grandmother is probably waiting.”
Seth sighed and ran his hand over his face. “You go on ahead. I want to see if there is something I can do to patch up one of these tires good enough to get by. I’ll be inside in a few minutes.”
She flashed him a look, one that said she knew as well as he did that he was using the car as an excuse not to meet her family, but she didn’t press. Instead, she nodded and turned toward the house.
Seth ground his teeth as he watched her walk up the porch steps to the front door. There was so much distance between them, so many issues. Being in a relationship was hard. The small romantic gestures he made in their relationship, like making her morning coffee and surprising her with her favorite dessert, no longer seemed to impress. The sex had gotten stale, and his intimate massages were starting to feel forced. He felt as if she needed something more from him, and he wasn’t living up to her expectations.
As he examined the back tire, he watched Anna ring the doorbell out of the corner of his eye. She was greeted by a short, gray-haired woman Seth could only assume was her grandmother. The woman seemed to be a little hunched over, but her animated smile and strong bear hug made him think things weren’t quite as dire as she had made them out on the phone.
An uneasy feeling crept over him as he watched the two women embrace. After a few quick words, Anna motioned to the truck. The old woman glanced over at him, and he did his best to smile.
“Good evening, Ms. Richards,” he said. “I just need to check out something with these tires. I’ll be inside in a minute.”
The old woman flashed him a puzzled look, but before she could say anything, Anna led her into the house.
With the women finally gone, Seth returned his attention to the tire. As he started tinkering around, a familiar peace came over him. He liked working with his hands, always did. There was something about it that centered and calmed him. He just wished that Anna understood that. He wasn’t happy being her lackey at the vet clinic or at some stupid desk job. He needed to do his own thing. He needed to fix things and create.
He had done his own thing at the spa, but giving sensual massages to other women seemed wrong when he had such strong feelings for Anna. He had tried to find a more mundane job as a masseur, but there were no openings that paid a decent salary to someone without a formal high school education.
With jobs so scarce, he turned to the one thing that had always brought him peace — fixing cars. Thankfully, he had his old Saab, a sedan he had bought when he made good money as a masseur. The vehicle was gorgeous, but it needed a lot of repairs. The more time he spent with the hunk of metal, the more distant Anna became, until one day the rent came due and they didn’t have the money to cover it. During the argument, she admitted her business was failing because she had taken on too many clients who couldn’t afford her fees. He loved that she was so giving, but that generosity wasn’t paying the bills. They needed money, and with him not able to find work, he didn’t know how much longer they’d be able to afford living in the big city.
Their money worries bled into other problems, both in the bedroom and outside it. Anna accused him of being lazy and having no ambition. He accused her of being overbearing and controlling. Many nights they’d go to bed without speaking to each other. Seth didn’t know how to stop the downward spiral they seemed to be experiencing. He only knew that he had to do something, or he risked losing Anna forever.
Anna hugged Kendra Bennett and inhaled her fresh, clean scent. “I’ve missed you, Ms. Bennett.”
“I’ve missed you, too, sweetheart.” She eased back and smiled. “You’ve changed.” She waved her hand up and down in the air between them. “Look at you. You’re all grown up.”
Anna snorted. “In good ways, I hope.” She glanced around the small living room. “Where’s Grandma?”
Instead of answering, Kendra motioned to the kitchen. “Coffee?”
“Um, sure.” Anna followed her into the kitchen, passing by rows of princess figurines as she went. “I see Grandma still collects her princesses.”
“Yeah. Every year at Christmas she picks out two from the shops.” She turned her back to Anna and began fixing the coffee.
“The shops?”
“The Sapphire Hills Shops down on Teal Street. They’re new since you were last here. Your grandmother likes to window shop there.”
“How is she?” Anna asked as she slid onto a stool at the kitchen island.
“Who?”
“You know who.” Anna frowned and leaned her elbows on the island. “Grandma.”
“She’s fine.” Kendra nodded to the back porch. “She’s napping in one of the porch chairs out back.”
“She’s out of bed?”
“Of course.” Kendra handed her a steaming mug of coffee. “Why wouldn’t she be?”
“On the phone she said she was sick.”
Kendra hesitated then took a sip from her mug. “I’m not allowed to talk about that.”
“Is it bad?”
Kendra blew the steam away from the top of her cup. “Now, don’t go asking me any more questions, because I won’t answer them. The story is for Lucie to tell, not me.”
“Will she be okay? She didn’t sound okay on the phone. She sounded . . . lost, like a little girl.” Frowning, Anna took a sip from her mug and struggled not to make a disgusted face. The coffee was far too bitter, not at all the way Seth made it in the mornings. He seemed to know the perfect blend of sugar and cream that made her insides all warm and tingly.
She didn’t want to be impolite, but she couldn’t drink this evil brew. Anna gently pushed away her cup and turned her focus on Kendra.
“I’m her granddaughter. I have a right to know what’s going on.”
Kendra frowned and put down her mug. “You could visit more.”
Oh no. Anna was hoping to avoid this conversation, at least until she and Seth got settled. “I know. I was working.”
“For eight years?”
Anna shrugged. “We called. She seemed fine. She told me she understood.”
Kendra made a low noise and took a sip from her mug. “I thank the heavens above every day that my boys live close to me. I don’t know what I’d do if one of them ran off like you did.”
“I didn’t run. I went to college.” When Kendra flashed her a knowing look, Anna averted her gaze. They both knew the real reason why she left Sapphire Falls, and why she hadn’t been back to visit.
“At least you called her when you were an undergrad. When you went to veterinary school . . .”
“I know, I know. I’ll try to be better. I promise.” Anna leaned back in her seat and hugged her middle. “I meant to visit sooner. Really. I’m just very busy with my practice.”
Kendra smirked. “Sure. And your hectic schedule has nothing to do with that handsome guy out by the car.”
Anna laughed. “I’m surprised it took you this long to mention him.”
Kendra winked. “I figured you’d tell me about him when you’re ready.” She tilted her head to the side and studied Anna for a moment before continuing. “How did you two meet?”
Anna nibbled her lower lip and toyed with her cup to stall for time. She and Seth had met by rather unconventional means, and she wasn’t sure Kendra or her grandmother would understand.
“Through a mutual friend.” It wasn’t a lie. Her best friend Sienna had given her a VIP gift card to an elite spa that specialized in sexual fantasies. Seth was the most popular masseur they had, and after one afternoon together, Anna had fallen head over heels for him. It turned out her affection was returned, and it wasn’t long after that Seth had quit his job to be with her.
At first it was like a fairy tale. He had been so attentive and thoughtful. He also. . . knew things in the bedroom. Things that made her blush just thinking about them. They spent as much time together as possible and it wasn’t long before he moved in with her.
That was when the problems began. Seth looked for work, but jobs for a professional masseur with no formal education were scarce. Anna had tried to convince him to go back for his high school diploma, but it seemed as if he had no ambition. Even giving him a job at her veterinary practice didn’t help. It seemed as if all he wanted to do was stay home and work on their car, a lemon that seemed to always be breaking down.
She supposed it was inevitable that his lack of ambition would end up coming between them. She just didn’t understand why he didn’t even want to try to help out. The more she attempted to help him, the more reclusive he became. Sometimes she wasn’t even sure if she knew who he was anymore.
None of this she could tell Kendra or her grandmother, however. They were old school and believed that it was a woman’s job to support her man. They wouldn’t understand that Anna was a strong woman and needed to have a strong man beside her in order to feel whole.
“What does he do?” Kendra asked.
“Oh, this and that.” Anna swallowed and tried to look cheerful. “He’s really great at fixing things.”
Kendra raised her brow. “Fixing things? Like what?”
Suddenly, the back porch door opened. Anna let out a sigh of relief at the distraction.
“What is all the ruckus about?” Lucie Richards asked as she hobbled into the kitchen. She stopped and stared at Anna.
“Oh my God. Anna, baby. Come here and give your grandmother a hug.” Lucie held her arms wide and waved her cane in the air. Anna smiled and got out of her stool.
“You don’t look sick,” Anna said as she stooped to embrace her.
“What? Oh. I’m all better now.”
“Lucie. . .” Kendra’s voice was full of warning.
“I am.” Lucie shot Kendra a pointed look.
“You told me that you were dying,” Anna said as she eased away.
“Dying to see my granddaughter.” Lucie waved her hand in the air between them. “But that’s over now that you’re here.”
Anna crossed her arms. “Grandma—”
“I told you she’d come.” Lucie winked at Kendra.
Kendra huffed and picked up her purse from a nearby stool. “Same time tomorrow, Lucie?”
“Yes, yes.” Lucie never took her eyes off Anna as she spoke.
Kendra shook her head and started out the front door. She stopped at the screen and winked at Anna. “Boy has a nice backside, if I do say so myself.” She grinned. “You did well, kid.”
Anna felt her cheeks heat in response. Thankfully, Kendra left the house before she felt the need to respond.
“Boyfriend?” Lucie asked as she sat down. “When did you get a boyfriend?”
The screen door opened and Seth stepped inside. Lucie studied him with a curious expression, one which made Anna feel a little uncomfortable.
“Grandma,” Anna said. “This is my boyfriend, Seth.”
“Well, hello there, young man.” Lucie reached out to shake his hand, but he held up his palms in front of him and stepped back.
“Sorry, I’ve got grease all over myself.”
“How’s the car?” Anna asked. “Were you able to fix it?”
“No, both the front and back tires are on the rims. We’ll need two new ones if we ever hope to drive back to Chicago.”
“Dylan Maxwell owns a place in town,” Lucie said. “I could give him a call.”
“I could fix it,” Seth said. “I just need the tires.”
“Nonsense,” Lucie said. “Dylan knows what he’s doing.”
“Seth is good with cars, too, Grandma,” Anna said.
“I don’t doubt it, child.” She lifted her chin and looked down her nose at him. “But I suspect there are other things you’d rather do than change tires.” She winked at Seth and looked suggestively at Anna.
“Grandma!” Anna stared horrified at her grandmother.
“What? Babies don’t make themselves, you know. And I’m getting to be an old woman.”
“About that . . .” Anna cleared her throat, unsure about how to proceed. “On the phone you said that you were very ill—”
“Not now, dear. You’ve had a long trip and I’ve had a long day. There will be plenty of time to talk about that tomorrow.” She patted Anna’s hand. “Why don’t you two go and enjoy the festival while I make up your room?”
Seth frowned. “There’s no need to make up a room for us.”
“You’re sick, Grandma,” Anna added. “We can’t go enjoy a festival when you’re ill.”
“Pishposh.” Lucie waved her hand in the air. “Do I look sick now?”
Anna blinked and glanced at Seth. “Well, no.”
“So there is still plenty of time. I insist that you two go to the festival and enjoy yourselves.”
Anna looked out the front window. “But it’s late. It’s almost time for dinner.”
“All the more reason to go. I hear that they have a Texas barbecue truck this year.” Lucie winked. “Supposed to be very authentic.”
“Grandma, I don’t want to go. I want to know what’s going on.”
“The festival will only be here a week, and as far as I know I have several years left to go.” She smiled at Anna. “You remember the festivals when you were a kid, don’t you?”
Anna couldn’t help but smile. “Yes, I do.”
“Those were quite the thing. Your father loved them.”
“Is your father here now?” Seth asked.
Anna rushed to answer before her grandmother could speak. “Perhaps you’re right. We should go.” She grabbed a kitchen towel and tossed it to Seth.
“Thanks.” He wiped his hands, leaving black marks on the fabric.
Anna grabbed his arm and directed him toward the door. “Come on.” She knew that she’d eventually have to tell Seth about her past, but not here, not now, when there were so many unresolved issues between them.
“But your grandmother—”
Lucie waved her hands in their direction. “Go on, have some fun. I’ll give Dylan a call. With a little luck, the truck will be fixed by the time you come back.”
“I don’t need it fixed,” Seth said as Anna pushed him toward the door. “I just two tires.”
Lucie followed them out onto the front stoop. “It’s just a short walk. That way.” She pointed toward the highway, away from the center of town.
Anna frowned. “Don’t you mean this way?” She pointed in the opposite direction.
“What? Oh yes, yes. That way.” Lucie leaned against one of the porch posts and waved. “No need to hurry back. I’ll leave the lights on and the front door open for you.”
“Isn’t leaving your door unlocked dangerous?” Seth asked.
“Not here,” Anna whispered. Then she raised her voice. “Thanks, Grandma!”
“I think we’re being manipulated,” Seth said when they got out of earshot.
Anna made a low noise of agreement, but said nothing. She was too busy thinking about her father and the other ghosts she had run from since high school. This was going to be a tough week. Everyone in Sapphire Falls knew her and knew what had happened to her family. Before the week was out, she was going to have to relive every painful detail of her childhood. More than anything she wanted to run back to Chicago, where it was safe. She had to stay here, though. Something was going on with Grandma, and she wasn’t going to leave until she figured out what the old woman was hiding.
“Don’t do this, Anna,” Seth said.
“Do what?”
“Pull away from me like that. You do it all the time.”
“Sorry.” She forced herself to smile as she looped her arm in his. “I just have a lot on my mind.”
They walked several steps before Seth spoke again. “Why do you think your grandmother really asked us to Sapphire Falls?”
“Dunno.” She tightened her grip on his arm. “But I suggest we try to enjoy our time here. Perhaps we should look at this as a vacation.”
“Maybe.”
As they approached the festival, Anna tried to push away the uneasy feeling that rippled over her skin. While she couldn’t be sure, she had a good idea why her grandmother had asked her back to Sapphire Falls, and if Seth found out the truth, it would probably end their relationship for good.