Lakeshore Secrets: The McAdams Sisters - Kate McAdams (By The Lake Series Book 1) (20 page)

Marc met his mother for lunch the next day in the back corner booth of one of the on-site restaurants. She was waiting for him with a pleasant smile. He kissed her cheek before sliding across from her.

“This was a nice surprise.” She said. “Encouraged by Kate I suspect.”

He grinned. “It might have come up.” He teased.

“I don’t care how I got you for a whole lunch by myself...I’m just grateful. You’ve been so busy this week and I wanted to talk to you before the Snowflake Ball.”

“I think I’m caught up.” He assured her knowing he was going to have to start attending breakfast and suppers again...per Kate’s instructions.
Kate.
The woman was as sensitive as explosive wiring which the previous night’s outbursts had confirmed.

“Carl says you both have been adjusting well.” Marc nodded. He told her the same thing he’d told Carl which made a sincere smile of relief across her face. “Isabelle hasn’t talked to him yet. She’s dropped the uncle.” So had he. “So, I guess that’s a start, but she’s all over...I can’t sit her down,” she glanced up. “Like you,” she winked.

“Mother, that’s Isabelle and she will come around.”

Their lunch was served and they chit chatted until the plates were removed and he thought that was their cue to leave.

“There are three of Robert’s files.” She lifted a stack of manila files from the seat beside her and set them in front of her. As she opened the first one, she said, “These are locals that needed help.” She turned it sliding it across the table in front of him. There was a picture of an older man taken from a distance. “That’s Donald Cooper. He lived on a farm outside of town. His farm got into some trouble years back and he borrowed money from Robert and of course when he’s involved there’s always a catch. When the banks wouldn’t help, Robert would step in. He helped him pay the debts owing on the farm so his children...” She flipped the page to another family photo with Donald and four young boys and a girl. “These are his children grown and he wanted them to carry on the family business. However interest was never interest with Robert. He always wanted to keep you in his back pocket.”

“I don’t understand.”

“He never named his price right away instead that person went on file in the, ‘they owe me in the future.’ Donald Cooper, I don’t know if you remember, but he died in a barn fire a few years back.” Marc stilled, not sure he wanted to know the rest. “When Donald refused to do what your father wanted years after the farm was paid off, then Robert had someone else who owed him burn the barn down and unfortunately he was in the barn when it went up in flames.”

Marc had to ask. “Was that his intention?”

She shook her head. “I don’t believe so Marcus. The insurance on the barn had been discontinued, that was Robert’s doing and the kids lost their dad and the business in that fire.”

That was terrible.

She slid the next file over to him. “This is the man who did it.” She flipped it open and tapped on a picture of another older man he didn’t recognize. She flipped another page to a picture of a family. “And this is why he did it. This is his family, the family Robert threatened if he didn’t do what Robert asked.”

“What are you going to do with this?”

Her shoulders dropped. “Right now, nothing. I want to set it all right but more importantly I want you to understand why this man...” she reached over tapping the fire setter’s face. “Did what he did and unfortunately resulted in a death no doubt he can’t handle the regret of.”

“I don’t think there’s any understanding this,” Marc said sadly. “He shouldn’t have done it.”

“I agree with you, he shouldn’t have. But, let’s take a walk in his shoes. He didn’t feel he had alternative. He was in Robert’s books and after you’re in those books you have no choice. I can’t say for sure but I will bet his threat was if he didn’t set the fire, someone would set it to his house.”

“Mother, that’s terrible.”

“What would you do in that man’s shoes? If you owed a man who threatened your family? What would you do Marcus? Would you let the man hurt us or start a barn fire?”

Marcus understood. “I would never let anything happen to any of you.” She smiled relieved. “So what are your plans?”

“To sit down with all of my children after I figure out a plan. I want to talk to you about Katherine. Before the Snowflake Ball, I want you to understand.”

Marc already knew and, now more than ever, he understood what Robert was capable of and what Kate had been forced into. No doubt that third file belonged to his fiancée.

Days later, after Marc had time to comprehend all that his mother had opened his eyes to, he walked into the ballroom where the Snowflake Ball staff party would take place in only two days. And when they would announce their engagement to the staff...and whoever else Eliza invited.

The main lights were off, but the twinkle lights illuminated the room. He spotted a ladder in the middle of the dance floor and he made his way over to talk to his future father-in-law to be. Kent’s daughter had been playing hide and seek with Marc and he had taken the days to think over the file his mother had shown him. Kate’s file.

He found Kate straddling the top of a 7’ ladder, her hands working away. Now he understood and he felt the burden and sadness of the secret she held.

“Dad honestly, you need better strength glasses, you didn’t even cut this one before you put it up!” She yelled in the direction of the stage. “We will have to take it down.”

Kate was shaking her head and he could see a smile on her face until she looked down and spotted him. She drew her lips in and gave him a wave. Helping her dad, some things never change. At least this was under better circumstances. Well, kind of. “Hey,” she said flipping a leg over the ladder and making her way down the silver stairs with grace. She wasn’t afraid of a towering ladder but there was no way she would sit on a horse. She skipped the last three steps and hopped off landing in front of him. “How was brunch with your mom?”

“Good.”

“Did she get everything off her chest?”

He nodded. She had no idea.

She smiled. “Good. She’s been taking me aside all week with questions and I thought it best she hear from you.”

A slow song flowed from the speakers on low.

Kate chuckled. “That’s my dad.” She said stating the obvious. That was who he was originally looking for.

Knowing Kent was standing somewhere in the shadows watching them, he put him hands out and without asking she knew and stepped into his arms.

“I don’t know when he became such a romantic,” she whispered in his ear.

They barely moved, his arm was wrapped around her waist and her arm rested against his with her hand clutching his shoulder. Their free hands held each other bent, close to their side. An intimate holding.

“In two days we will be standing in this exact room announcing our engagement.” he said.

“Thanks to Peyton,” she grumbled.

“Kate, I don’t want to do this under false pretenses.”

She tilted her head to look at him with a quirky grin. “I didn’t concoct this plan. You did,” she reminded him with a little tease in her eyes.

“I don’t want it to be a concocted plan. I want it to be true.”

She stopped moving and took a step back. “I don’t understand.”

He pulled her close. He liked how her body fit snuggly against his, but he was more afraid she would run. “I have been really angry about your deal with my dad.” She said nothing. “But you weren’t totally honest with me either.” She stiffened like a board on the ladder. He continued to move them slowly, their hips swaying together, their chests rubbing against each other until she was moving in rhythm with him again. “He threatened you.” He didn’t ask her because he already knew. “He threatened your family. He didn’t just offer you money like you claimed, did he Kate?” He needed to hear it from her.

The closest answer he received was a shake of her head against him.

“Even when I was furious with you for taking money from my dad, I didn’t want you to go. And before any of that, I accepted Peyton’s crazy proposal because you weren’t answering my calls.” He paused taking a deep breath. “I thought when you discovered our plan, you would object.” He stopped moving and ran his fingers down her arms to grasp her hands in his. She was trembling and slowly her eyes traveled the length of his body and landed on his. “I love you Katherine McAdams.”

She swallowed hard.

“I want to walk into that room with you with intentions to marry you.”

The silence escaladed when the song ended, leaving them standing to listen to their breathing.

“I would bend down right now on one knee and properly propose to you but your father is watching.”

A small sound escaped her lips like a struggling chuckle and her eyes fell to the floor. He lifted her chin with his hand. “I don’t need an answer now. I want you to know, although I don’t feel it’s my place to say if you need to hear it from me...I forgive you.” He cupped her face. “When you are ready to tell me what happened I want you to know I will never blame you with a threat like that hanging over your head. Ever. For anything.” Tears were forming in her eyes but he could see she wasn’t ready to tell him the story. He leaned down and kissed her softly, lovingly. He knew once she worked up the courage to talk to him about Robert they would be able to move past this together. “I will forgive you,” he said against her lips and walked away.

Marc texted Kate that night to meet him in the study. He feared she might sneak away in the night feeling unable to be honest with him. He planned a distraction to ease her mind and what better way to get a smile on her face than to make an ass of himself.

He left the study door open and she walked in hesitantly. She was already dressed in her night attire, black yoga pants and an undershirt in which she threw over a hot pink, thin loose long sleeved shirt that hung low down one shoulder.

“Sit,” he said pointing at the couch.

She did as he instructed. “You’re not going to propose to me again?” Her tone was repulsive.

He shook his head. “No. Can you stop trying to marry me for my money for one second?” A smile almost touched the corner of her lips. “It’s impossible to stay a bachelor in this place. First Melissa all over me every down moment I have and now you.” He winked at her but she crossed her arms defensively. “A little much?”

“A little.”

“Alright, so close your eyes.” She arched an eyebrow at him. “Come on.”

Reluctantly her eyelashes swept down against her porcelain skin. He grabbed the plaid shirt he’d found in his closet slipping into it. It was a lot snugger than he when he was sixteen and the edge of the sleeves lifted above his wrist. He shrugged into the orange vest that left a little more room. Then he ran his hands through his hair, messing it up. He added his old round glasses as the finishing touch.

On the coffee table in front of her was his laptop with all the “Back to the Future” movie series ready to watch.

“Alright, open them.”

Her eyes blinked open and ran up and down his outfit then to his hair and glasses. She smiled rising to her feet. “Where did you get that?” She touched his glasses. “Are these your old glasses?”

He nodded and grabbed the bottom edge of his vest giving it a tug. “In the back of my closet.”

Her eyes widened. “You kept it?”

He nodded.

“You know Caliendo, that’s a little bit strange.”

“You think?” he asked innocently.

She nodded. “I do.”

“Tonight I’m just that awkward nerdy boy in love and you’re just that confident...” He ran his hands through her hair and tousled it.

She caught his hands, “Hey.”

He cupped her face. “Wild haired girl not realizing tonight’s the night I plan on kissing you.”

“I knew you planned it.”

“For weeks.”

She smiled and reached up and kissed him.

“Had to change the story, didn’t you?”

“I’m just more spontaneous than you.”

“Come on.” They settled together on the couch with popcorn and soda.

“I thought maybe we were breaking into a kitchen.”

“I own all the keys so it’s kinda lost its appeal.” Although he was sure she could make it appealing.

***

Mark awoke stretched out on the sofa with Kate curled up beside him, her back pressed against his front. Her head was resting on his arm, her hair spilling every direction and her arms entwined around his.

The blank screen on the laptop was glowing. He reached across and shut it, then wrapped his arm back around Kate and closed his eyes. Then he opened them again.

Across the room edging the bottom of the wall was light glowing through a crack. What was that? He didn’t want to move away from the warmth of Kate. But he needed to know what was in there.

Slowly, trying not to wake Kate, he knelt up and climbed over her, sliding off the couch.

He bent down on the floor and examined the thin line of light about four feet wide underneath an ordinary plain paneled wall. He stood, stepped back and stared. A thought crossed his mind, but there was no way. They weren’t living in a castle with secret passages. However his dad had designed this living area. Feeling silly and still having to know, he walked over to the wall and started pushing. He had no idea what he was looking for and nothing moved. He stepped back. This was ridiculous. He glanced at Kate. What would she say if she saw him? She would likely push him away and dive into figure it out.

He walked over to the edge of the light, settled his hand on the wall and pulled to see if it would slide open. It didn’t. He went to the other side and repeated the action and this time the wall wiggled beneath his hands, but still wouldn’t open. He ran his finger up the panelling to a picture. He pulled it down and found a latch behind it. That was it. This was where Robert’s life was, he knew it even before the door opened. A large wooden desk sat in the middle of a room lined with floor to ceiling cabinets full of files.
He found it.

He walked inside the room cautiously as though he was afraid of being caught. He ran his hand along the desk and touched the desk lamp.

He remembered back to the day he’d found the study door locked and Carl had exited claiming a nap had overtaken him inside the room. Marc almost grinned. His parents already knew, and this was where those three files had departed for the brunch with his mother.

He’d barely had time to relish in what felt like a conquest he had been working on for months. “Marc?”

He turned to Kate. “I found it. This is everything my father was hiding.” He was happy and overwhelmed at the same time, even if his parents already knew about it. He wasn’t concerned about the work it was going to be to ready all these files, but he was nervous about what he would find written inside. The three files so far caused sadness deep within knowing Robert was responsible for all that heartache.

Kate stepped into the room looking around. Exhaustion, surprise and confusion claimed her body all at the same time. That was exactly how he felt.

“It’s probably generations of files.” Marc explained. His father’s and grandfather’s and if those files today were any indication, there were a lot of ruined lives in these walls.

“Wouldn’t your uncle know about this?” Her words cut into his thoughts.

He was ready to dive in but he looked over at Kate and saw how exhausted she was and how adorably sexy. He would enjoy taking her back to the couch and making love to her. He grabbed her hand shedding the thought. She wasn’t ready. “Come on, let’s go back to sleep.” Back on the couch he pulled a blanket over them. She lay against him, this time her body facing his chest and their feet entwined. Just as he was beginning to drift off he heard her whisper. “I love you too Marc.”