Past Promises

Chapter Eight

Linda was ecstatic as the clock ticked toward half past four. Her sales today had been incredible. Mrs. Perry had not only purchased the table, but two matching Waterford Crystal vases and a Spode tea set. And hers hadn’t been the only good sale of the day.

A couple from out of state had purchased a complete table setting for eight of Johnson Brothers china, after the woman realized it was the same pattern her grandmother had owned. The original dishes had been lost in a fire twenty years ago and the woman was thrilled to find a complete set.

A businessman passing through had been pleased to discover an antique game table for his study. She’d also sold several board games and trinkets to locals. All in all, it had been her best day yet. And it wasn’t over.

She wished Levi were here so she could share it with him. Later, she promised herself. They’d celebrate later. She owed Levi for this morning and was looking forward to paying up. Her nipples tightened and she tried to ignore the hungry feeling pulsing between her thighs. No doubt about it, she was horny.

There was no other word for it.

She almost laughed aloud. For the first time in years, she felt good. She felt free of her family, free from her past. This was the life she had made for herself and she loved every aspect of it.

Amanda had shown up with lunch today. She’d left the part-timer she’d hired in charge of her antiquarian bookstore, By the Book, and had brought thick turkey sandwiches topped with lettuce, tomato and mustard on twelve-grain bread. Milk and a double chocolate chocolate chip cookie from Jamesville’s amazing bakery, Delicious Delights, had rounded out the meal.

For Linda, it had been nice to sit at the counter and chat with her friend. Shopping traffic had been slow during lunch and she’d only had to deal with one customer while they’d been eating. It was hard to believe Amanda was happily married. Not too long ago, they’d both been single.

Linda was happy for her friend, but she felt a twinge of jealousy deep in her soul. Amanda had Jonah. Cyndi had Shamus. She had Levi. For now.

She shoved that thought away, determined not to destroy the happiness Levi gave her by wallowing in self-pity. Every day with him was an unexpected gift. She’d never thought to find a man she could trust and love. Until Levi.

The move to Jamesville had been one of the best decisions she’d ever made. She had a home, a business, friends, a life, and for now, a lover. And she’d just had her best day of sales.

Grinning, she carried a box out of the stockroom. It was filled with Royal Albert china, a place setting for eight that would look perfect on the dining table to replace the set she’d sold earlier today. She also needed to redo the “gaming” area as she’d sold the table and several of the games today. She was glad she was heading out to two estate sales this weekend. She needed some new merchandise, especially with the summer season fast approaching.

Humming to herself, she unpacked the box and set the china on the table. Tiny flowers rimmed the edges of the white plates and decorated the teacups and saucers. When she was done, she stood back and surveyed the arrangement. Whirling around, she went to a shelf and plucked a vintage hand-crocheted doily and a Victorian silver tea service and carried them back, setting them up in the center of the table. Much better.

Business was slower this time of day, but Linda didn’t mind. It gave her time to work on displays or catch up with paperwork. She wondered if she had anything in her refrigerator she could cook for dinner tonight. In spite of her substantial lunch, she was starving. There was a package of chicken breasts in her freezer that she could thaw in the microwave. They wouldn’t take long to bake. She could make some rice and open a bag of frozen carrots and peas to go with it.

Dinner decided on, she headed toward the next display. She didn’t have another games table, but she did have a small drop-leaf table in the storage room that would work.

The phone rang and she hurried across the room, picking it up on the second ring. “Past Promises.”

“May I speak with Linda Fletcher?”

“This is Linda Fletcher.”

“Ms. Fletcher, this is Harvey Spokes.”

“Yes, Mr. Spokes.” It was her grandmother’s lawyer, now her lawyer. This had to be about the disbursement of her grandmother’s estate. Finally, the waiting was over.

“We need to talk.”

Her stomach clenched. That didn’t sound good. “What’s wrong?”

He hesitated and she could almost see him rubbing the bridge of his nose as he always did when he was troubled. She’d met him many times during her visits to her grandmother’s home and had come to know him fairly well.

“I’d rather do it in person.”

She shook her head, and then realized he couldn’t see her. “Whatever it is, I need to know now.”

He sighed. “Your father is making a simple situation complicated. He’s claiming your grandmother’s will is invalid, that she was mentally incompetent at the time she wrote it.”

Linda swayed, catching herself against the counter. Once again, her family was doing their best to hurt her. Even though she’d half expected something like this, it still hurt.

Black spots appeared before her eyes. She took a deep breath, clutching the receiver tight in her hand. “You can’t be serious.” But she knew he was. Simon, the bastard, had known all about this when he’d arrived this morning. His veiled threats and his parting quip about seeing him again made so much more sense now.

“Linda?” She could hear Mr. Spokes’s voice as if from a distance. “Are you all right?”

“Yes,” she managed to gasp. But she wasn’t okay. Not in the least. Her family was trying to destroy her. And over what? Money. How did one deal with that?

“Everything will be fine, Linda,” he assured her. “Antoinette Lafayette was nobody’s fool. She never trusted your father. Her will is airtight. This is just a minor glitch, but it will take some time to sort out. It’s a delaying tactic, that’s all.”

Linda clung to the edge of her desk as she eased herself down onto her chair. “You’re certain?”

“Absolutely.”

Relief hit her. Her skin went hot and then cold. Sweat made her blouse cling to her torso. “Okay.” Her heart was racing, but she was growing calmer by the second. “I can deal with that.”

He cleared his throat. “Financially, will you be okay? I know you got a loan based on your inheritance.”

“Yeah, Past Promises is doing well, and I still have some savings.” Not much. But she could tighten her belt. She’d better enjoy that chicken tonight for supper, because she foresaw a lot of macaroni and soup in her future. She’d poured all her savings into buying stock and getting her business launched.

“Good. I’ll call you as soon as I get this mess straightened out.”

“Thank you, Mr. Spokes.” The line went dead and she slowly lowered the phone. Almost as soon as it disconnected, it rang again. “Past Promises.”

“Ms. Fletcher, this is Albert Kramer at the bank. We have a problem.”

Levi glanced at his watch as he headed toward the inside entrance of the store. It was only ten minutes past closing but his gut was telling him there was something wrong. He never ignored those feelings. Linda was probably just busy with a late customer or with paperwork. But he’d rather feel like an idiot than stay in his apartment worrying about her.

He opened the door and glanced around. The lights were still on, but there didn’t seem to be anyone here. The hair on the back of his neck stirred. He sensed there was someone here even though he couldn’t see them. Levi reached for his weapon, cursing when he realized he didn’t have it. His sniper rifle was in a locked box beneath his bed and his 9 mm was in the bedside table. Not much help to him at the moment.

He did have a knife in his boot and he wasn’t without skills. He could take on an intruder with his bare hands if he had to. He took a deep breath and released it slowly.

This was Jamesville, not some hellhole in a war-torn part of the world. The chances of there being an intruder were slim. There was little to no cash on the premises and a thief wouldn’t find the stuff she carried easy to hock. Linda was probably fine. She was more than likely in the storage room.

“Linda?” He listened intently as he prowled into the room.

A soft sound caught his attention and he moved swiftly to her desk area behind the counter. Linda was sitting in her chair, doubled over, her head buried in her lap.

His heart skipped a beat as he hurried to her side. Dropping to his knees beside her, he touched her shoulder. “Linda.” She seemed oblivious to everything around her. “Darlin’, look at me. Are you hurt? Is it your stomach?” When she still didn’t answer, he stood and started to lift her into his arms. “I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“No!” She shook her head, her entire body trembling. She jerked back in her chair and stared up at him. Her eyes were red, her face blotchy. Makeup streaked down her cheeks.

“What happened?” Every instinct Levi had went on full alert. Something or someone had hurt his woman. He needed to fix this. “What’s wrong?” He kept his voice gentle as he cupped her face in his hands. “Talk to me, sweetheart.”

“Oh, Levi.” She started to cry again, tears trickling down her cheeks. “They’re trying to take it from me.”

He tapped down his growing fury and caught her tears with his thumbs, rubbing softly. “I’m going to lock up the store, then we’re going to go upstairs and talk.”

“The store doesn’t matter,” she replied despondently. “Not anymore.”

Truly concerned now, he hurried to the door. He didn’t want to leave her for a second, but this was no place to have this conversation. Anyone walking down the street could look in the big glass display windows and see them there.

He flicked the locks and went back to Linda. He scooped her into his arms and headed to the other door. “I haven’t finished my paperwork.” Her voice hitched and he tightened his hold on her. He felt helpless in the face of her distress and he didn’t like it. Not one bit.

“You can do it in the morning.”

“I have to go to the bank in the morning.” Her voice was toneless as she made that proclamation.

Levi turned off the lights and carried her out of the shop, closing the door behind him. He quickly took her upstairs to his apartment. She might feel more secure in her own place, but he didn’t have a key. Not that such a minor detail would stop him. But he didn’t want her to realize how easy it was for him to break into her home, nor did he want her to have to worry about digging out her keys.

He didn’t stop, carrying her straight into the bedroom and settling on the bed with her in his lap. He leaned against the battered headboard and nudged her chin up with his thumb so he could see her face. “Tell me what happened.”

She sniffed and blinked back tears. “My family is trying to destroy Past Promises.”

Levi forced himself to appear calm and relaxed as she related the call from the lawyer and then the loan officer from the bank. He hadn’t liked her family before this, but now he felt nothing but fury toward them. How could they try and destroy her like this? Her own father.

“Because of the hard economic times, the bank has sold some of their mortgages and high-risk loans. My promissory note was bought up by a bank in Vermont that just happens to be run by a good friend and client of my father. I recognized it immediately. They’re calling for immediate repayment. I have sixty days to pay, but it doesn’t matter. With the inheritance tied up, I just don’t have the money.”

“Can they do that?”

Linda sighed and nodded. “Unfortunately, yes. There’s a clause in the agreement that allows for it, but I was assured it was standard procedure and they’d never use it.” She gave a bitter laugh. “More fool me.”

Levi’s mind was working to process all the information and come up with possible solutions. “But you will have the money?”

“Eventually. Mr. Spokes guaranteed it. But when you’re dealing with that much money, it takes time.”

“How much we talking about, darlin’?”

Her eyes were large and luminous as she stared up at him. “Millions.”

Levi nodded. “That’s what you meant earlier when you mentioned Dyson’s political aspirations.”

She nodded. “They all decided it would be the perfect joining of families if I just married Simon and gave him access to my grandmother’s money.” Fire burned in her dark-blue eyes, momentarily driving out the despair. “They thought wrong if they thought this would make me go home.” She snorted. “No, not home. That place was never home.”

Levi’s chest tightened. He hadn’t had much of a childhood to talk about. In fact, he really never remembered being a child. Younger, yes. But not a child. A child had some sense of innocence. Levi had never had that luxury. Linda might have had financial security growing up, but she’d never had any illusions of being anything other than a pawn to be used by her parents.

“I’m sorry, darlin’.” The words were totally inadequate, but he didn’t know what else to say.

“Me too.” She sighed and some of the fire died from her eyes. “I’d rather live on the street than go back to my family. I’ll have to start making plans in the next few days.” She chewed on her bottom lip as she thought. “I’ll keep the store open as long as I can to make some money. I’ll box up everything that’s left and see about putting it in storage.”

Pride welled up in Levi. His woman was a fighter. “You’re going to reopen.”

She yawned, covering her mouth with the back of her hand as she nodded. “At some point down the road, I’ll have to rent a space. Maybe Cyndi can help me find something suitable. I know she owns property around town. It’s not ideal, but at least it will keep the store open.”

“We can talk more about it tomorrow,” he promised.

Her eyes drifted closed and she snuggled closer to Levi. “I’m sorry I fell apart like that. I’m usually much stronger.”

His arms tightened around her, as if he could protect her from all harm even though he knew that was impossible. There was no physical threat, but this emotional attack had been worse, striking at the very core of who she was and where she came from. Her own family had turned on her. It didn’t get any worse.

“I’ll talk to Cyndi tomorrow,” she mumbled. “If anyone will understand about dysfunctional families, she will.”

Levi knew that Cyndi O’Rourke had been through her own troubles with regards to family. He didn’t know the entire story, but enough to know that Linda was right. She would understand. From what he’d seen, she was also the type of woman to stand beside her friends in a time of crisis. She’d been there for Amanda when she’d had trouble.

The light in the room faded and the streetlights winked on. Levi held Linda until the muscles in his arms began to fall asleep. He didn’t want to move for fear of waking her, but he had things to do.

Shifting as slowly as possible, he laid Linda on the bed beside him. Staring down at her tear-stained face, he made a promise to himself. She would not lose her building, no matter what he had to do in order for her to keep it. Dyson and her family had underestimated the number of friends that Linda had in this town.

He stood and pulled the comforter over her. She murmured in her sleep and snuggled deeper into her pillow. Releasing a soft sigh, she fell back into a deep sleep, exhausted from the stress and from crying.

Tomorrow, she’d be back to her feisty self. But that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to do what he could to help in the meantime. It took a lot of willpower for him to leave her. He wanted to do nothing more than stretch out beside her and gather her into his arms.

Turning, he left the room, carefully closing the door behind him so he wouldn’t wake her. Levi strode to the kitchen table and checked on his laptop. He had initiated several searches this morning and was waiting on information from several sources. There was nothing yet. But there would be by the time he was done. Everyone had secrets, especially the rich and powerful. They were also the folks who would do anything to keep them.

Walking to the window, Levi stared out at the quiet street. The building was on Main Street, but it was a far cry from the city. Several cars passed by, probably folks on their way home. A police cruiser headed toward the center of town, most likely back to the station. It was a quiet place, a place to put down roots.

Levi had never had anywhere that felt like home. Growing up as he had, in a roach-infested apartment with a mother who didn’t even know he was there most of the time, hadn’t left him with any sense of place. His stint in the Army hadn’t helped. He’d gone wherever they’d sent him, living in barracks or tents or sometimes sleeping on the ground for weeks on end when he was on a mission.

Nowhere had ever felt like home until he’d arrived in Jamesville. He was glad he’d come to help Jonah when he’d called. Not that there had ever been any doubt. Jonah was his one good friend. No matter what, he would have come to his buddy’s aid.

But he’d found so much more here. He’d found friends. And he’d found Linda. Being around her gave him a sense of peace. She helped to silence the ghosts that often haunted his sleep, driving him from bed many nights. Working out helped some too. And since he’d been in Jamesville, he’d been pumping iron and jogging until he fell into bed exhausted.

Since he and Linda had gotten together, he’d been jogging in the mornings after she went to work. The change was nice. Instead of running in the dark, he ran when the rest of the world was up and around. Folks were starting to recognize him and wave as he passed by. It was…nice.

He glanced at his watch. It was just after eight. Pulling his cell phone out of his pocket, he dialed.

“Yeah.” The male voice on the other end was brisk.

Levi smiled. “I see your wife hasn’t domesticated you yet.”

Jonah Sutter snorted. “What do you want?”

“I need help.”

There was no hesitation. All traces of humor disappeared from Jonah’s voice. “What do you need?”

Levi’s reply was quick. “I need you to make some calls.”