One Millhaven Lane

This is a work of fiction. All characters and events portrayed in this book are fictional, and any resemblance to real people or incidents is purely coincidental.

All rights reserved. No part of the book may be reproduced in any form or by any means without the prior written consent of the Author, excepting brief quotes to be used in reviews.

Other Books by Bliss Addison

A Battle of Wills

With Malicious Intent

Restless Souls

Wolfe, She Cried

Murder Most Wanted

Deadly Serum

Thy Brother's Wife

One Potato Two Potato

Foxy - The Seduction

Foxy II- After the Seduction

Tomfoolery

Mourning Glory

Prophesy

A Waning Moon

Chapter One

Whoop. Whoop. Whoop
.

Asia McDevitt shifted her gaze from the road to the rear view mirror and saw the flashing lights of the police car.

"Crap," she said, rolling her eyes.

Downshifting, she pulled onto the shoulder of the road, stopped and unbuckled her seat belt. She dug the car registration and insurance card from the glove box and her driver's license from her wallet.

In the side mirror, she watched the police officer get out of the car. She recognized him immediately. Groaning, she banged her head against the head rest. It was inevitable, really, that their paths would cross despite the effort she made to avoid coming into contact with him. But now, on her last visit to the Grove? She shook her head and watched the man who'd once set her blood afire walk toward her. As though on cue, her heart perked up, beating faster and faster, harder and harder until she imagined it breaking through her rib cage.

A sweltering warmth covered her skin. No. Not after all this time. Not now. Not here. Not anywhere. After what he'd done, he shouldn't still affect her like this. She'd moved forward with her life, past him, past them. Didn't her heart realize?

 
Her reaction left her feeling flustered and for a moment, she couldn't recollect her name, where she lived or her age. Thankfully, her equilibrium returned and, by remembering his betrayal, she was able to regain her composure before he reached her car.

"Hello, Asia," Nate Healy said at her driver's door.

"Nate."

He stepped away from the car and sat on his heels. "What brings you back to town?"

"I'm packing up Mom's house." She noticed a few strands of silver hair at his temples. Asia would have been around to notice his hair graying, if Brittany Vance hadn't taken a hankering for him and gotten in their way of a happy-ever-after. But that was in the past. This was the present and she and Nate were not together, not like they'd promised.

"I was sorry to hear about Joanna. I would have said so personally, but I was out of town at the time."

She nodded.

"I wasn't aware your mom had a heart condition."

"Neither was I."

"She didn't want you to worry."

"I know." Asia had come to terms with her mother keeping that secret. For whatever reasons, she believed she was doing what was best for Asia. It took her a while to understand her mother’s motivation.

"You were with her at the end?"

She turned away and nodded, unable to trust her voice. When would the hurt stop?

"That's good."

In her peripheral vision, she watched him study her. She wouldn't venture a word. The quicker this encounter ended, the quicker she could be on her way.

He stood. "Keep your speed down, Asia. We have a new recruit on the force and he's a hot shot, hoping to score points with the chief."

"Thanks for the warning."

"Any time."

She recalled her mother mentioning he'd been promoted to Deputy Chief. Joanna had kept her informed about the goings-on in the Grove, particularly as the news related to Nate. She'd always hoped they'd get back together. There wasn't much chance of that happening; not that Asia could see.

"Congratulations on your promotion," she said before remembering she wanted nothing to do with him.

He half-smiled. "Thanks. Maybe I'll see you around."

She looked at the man who'd broken her heart, then her reputation, forcing her to run in shame from the Grove.

"Maybe." She doubted she would. She'd only be in town long enough to pack up those things of her mother's she wanted to keep and list the house with a realtor. Once that was done, she'd get back to her life in Boston.

She watched Nate walk to his cruiser before pulling onto the highway.

Several miles later, her cell rang. She flicked on the blinker light, slowed to a stop on the side of the road and checked call display before answering. "Hello, Crystal," she said.

"I know I promised not to call unless it was an emergency, but...."

"What's up?"

"Hugo is what. His wife isn't and that's the problem. I can't settle him down, no pun intended. He's complaining the solution you gave him is nothing but fruit water. He says his wife's still as dry as the Sahara. Wilted as day-old — "

"Put him on." Asia remembered the tête-à-tête she had with the old fellow about the finer points of his and hers sexual lubricants. At the time, she'd suspected her explanation had fallen on deaf ears. She'd been right.

Two heartbeats later, her disgruntled customer came on the line. "Mr. Backman, what did I tell you about that product?" A man of few words, the seventy-nine-year old wheezed a grunt, which Asia understood to mean, 'I don't know'. She repeated what she'd told him yesterday in her shop. "It's a lubricant not an elixir, Mr. Backman." Another grunt. Obviously, his mind focused on one thing — sex. She took a different tack. "What do you do when you can't loosen the lug nut on your tractor wheel?"

"I use 'Release-All'. Works every damn time."

"Do you put it in your gas tank?"

One second passed, followed by another, then she heard a thud in the background, which she determined was either Backman or the telephone receiver dropping to the floor. She hoped for the latter.

"What did you say to the old geezer?" Crystal asked coming back on the line. "He took off like a sprinter on steroids."

"Mechanics 101. Anything else?"

"Nothing. When do you think you'll be back tomorrow?"

"Around noon. I have an early meeting with Mom's lawyer, then it's back to the house, load up the car and Boston here I come."

"See you then. Take care."

"You too." Asia clicked off, dropped the cell on the seat and drove onto the highway.

***

She spent the afternoon packing her mother's fine china and crystal, most of which had been handed down to her. Now, Asia was the keeper of those precious heirlooms, only she had no one to pass them on to. At forty, there wasn't a lot of chance that would change. It wasn't that she hadn't wanted children. It never happened. Just as well, considering her failed marriage and relationships. Maybe she wasn't meant to be a wife or mother. Disheartened, she put water for tea in the kettle and looked around the cozy kitchen. Within a minute, the walls told her stories.

Remember when you were five and sick with the flu, your mother made a bed for you with two chairs because she had baking to do for the church cake fair and you didn't want to be alone?

Yes, she remembered that morning. The weather was cold and blustery, the winds creaking the floors of the old house. Asia loved those sounds, even to this day.

Remember when you and your mom talked until four in the morning after you returned home from your first date?

Asia recalled that moment clearly. Thirty minutes past her curfew, she'd snuck into the house and found her mother waiting with cookies and warm milk.

She’d thought her mother would be upset and had prepared an excuse, a perfectly good one as she recollected, but it hadn't been needed.

Remember the night your father died, you made tea for your mother and sat with her at the kitchen table, holding her hand and telling her everything would be all right.

Asia would never forget that night. It was the one time she had been an anchor for her mother.

"I miss you, Mom." Asia could never have imagined how much.

After her mother's death, Asia hadn't made any hasty decisions about anything. Instead, she'd taken time to decide what she'd do with the property. Her friend Dorothy had given her multiple reasons to keep the house. All of them sound. In the end, she'd decided she didn't want a reason to return to the Grove. There wasn't anything there for her now. Nothing at all.

The kettle whistled. She poured water over the tea bag in the cup, her thoughts turning to Nate and how little he'd changed. He was still incredibly handsome and sexy. Divorced, too; free to pursue relationships again, like her. She wondered what had gone wrong in his marriage. Someone — she couldn't recall who — had told her that Catherine had initiated the divorce, citing irreconcilable differences as the cause. Adequate grounds for divorce, Asia supposed. Steven, her ex, had often accused Nate of standing in their way of happiness and that there were three of them in their marriage. Maybe Steven was right. No man could measure up to Nate. Maybe —

There she went again. Thinking of Nate. She couldn't help herself, especially when she was there in the house where they'd shared such happiness. Memories would get her nowhere. After all, it wasn't as though she'd let Nate back in her heart, not after what he'd done. She'd never give him another opportunity to hurt her. And he would.
Mistrust once, mistrust again and again.

First thing in the morning, she'd see her mother's lawyer, then list the property for sale. Once the house was sold, the last tie to the Grove would be severed. She wouldn't need to concern herself then with ever returning.

Her stomach rumbled, reminding her she'd barely eaten since she'd gotten up that morning. It was pointless to check the cabinets or refrigerator. On her last trip, she'd cleaned out both and made them ready for the new owners.

She rinsed her cup, placed it in the sink and grabbed her handbag on the way out the door, intent upon dinner.