Sweet Peas in April (3 page)

“Never say never.” Her father winked.

Sam sipped her tea. “Why not?” As her father just grinned, she tilted her head and studied him. There was a twinkle in his eye that hadn't been there in years. Not since her mother died. Something was definitely up. Sam put her cup down. “OK. What aren't you telling me, Dad?”

“What makes you think I'm hiding anything?”

“Because I know you didn't drive all the way here just to talk about Adam or discuss my eating and sleeping habits. Or lack thereof. So spill.”

Her father smiled. “I found someone. Actually, I've been courting her…”

“Courting her?” She didn't like where this was going.

“Her name is LaVera. We've been seeing each other for six months, and I'd like you to meet her.”

“It's serious?”

Her father nodded. “We're getting married.”

It was Sam's turn to stiffen, her whole body running cold. “Married—at your age?”

“And what's wrong with marriage at my age?” Hurt tinged his voice.

“Well, aren't you a bit—you know—old to…” She broke off.

Her father glowered and slammed his cup down. “If you can't grow up and be civil, Samantha, then we'll leave.”

“
We'll
leave?” Sam asked, getting to her feet. “She's here?”

“She's waiting in the car.”

Sam hurried to the window and peered out, his words ringing in her ears. “You're the second person in two days to tell me to grow up and be civil. Am I that bad?”

“You can be.” Her father stood. “The wedding is in three weeks.”

“
Three weeks?
” she spluttered, spinning around.

“As you pointed out, I'm old, so we didn't see the point of waiting.”

“And how old is LaVera? My age? Younger?”

Her father shook his head. “I thought I raised you better than this. For your information, LaVera is seventy-four. She has four children, seven grandchildren, and five great-grandchildren. And they are all happy for us. I'll send you a wedding invite. It'll be for you and a plus one. Let me know if you're going to come and who you'll be bringing with you as soon as possible, so we can put you on the table seating plan.” He strode to the door, closing it firmly behind him.

“Dad, wait, I'm…” Sam flung open the door to find the hallway empty. “Sorry,” she finished, flatly. She trudged to the window, watching as he left the building and got into his battered green sedan. The figure in the passenger seat hugged him before the car pulled away.

There was a knock on the door and she turned, realizing she'd left the door open. Adam stood there, briefcase in hand, coat over his arm.

Flustered, Sam stood there for a moment, floundering over her words. “Adam. I—is it that time already?”

He checked his watch. “Dead on one o'clock. There was no one at the desk.”

“Tessa is at lunch. Come in. Shut the door.” Sam sucked in a deep breath in a pointless attempt to calm herself as she eased back behind her desk.

Adam did as she asked before he crossed the room and set his briefcase on the floor. “Are you OK?”

“Yes.”

“You don't look it. What's up?”

“I'm fine, really.” Sam pressed her nails into her hands. He knew her too well. He always had. “It's just been rather a stressful morning. So, how do you want to do this?”

“I just need some place to work, read the files, sit…”

“I'll get them. You can use my desk.” She rose and pointed to her chair.

Adam shook his head. “That's your seat. This side of the desk is fine, or one end or the other. Either works.”

“OK.” Sam cleared off part of the desk for him. “Make yourself at home, while I go get those files.”

****

Adam watched her leave and slid his left hand into his trouser pocket. He'd passed Sam's father in the car park. Mr. Reece hadn't acknowledged him, but then why should he? No doubt he blamed Adam for what happened the same way Sam did. He took a deep breath.

His phone chimed. He pulled it from his jacket and checked the email. He frowned and sat down, replying quickly.

“Here you go.”

He glanced up at the huge pile of files Sam placed in front of him. “Thank you. Is that all of them?”

“I wish. Not even half. I figured we'd start at the beginning.”

He nodded. “Makes sense.”

“If you want, I can call Tessa and get her back from lunch to help.”

Adam shook his head. “It's fine. I can make my own notes. Besides, the fewer people that know about this, the better it is for your company, right?”

Sam raised an eyebrow.

“All it takes is one leak, and this will be plastered all over the papers and the news before we even get as far as a courtroom.”

“Oh, right.” She sat down on her side of the desk and tapped on her keyboard. “If you need anything else, just ask.”

“OK.” He sent the email and slid his phone into his pocket. Then he opened the first file. “I passed your father in the car park as I came in.”

“He dropped by for a visit,” came the short, tight response.

“How is he?”

Sam tapped quicker and harder. “He's fine. And he's getting married, apparently.”

Adam looked at her, surprise filling him. “Oh?”

“That's what I thought. Mum died five years ago. Dad's been seeing this woman six months. And they get married in three weeks.”

“Are you going?”

Sam scoffed. “I don't even know the woman. Until an hour ago, I didn't even know she existed.”

He raised an eyebrow. “Doesn't your father deserve to be happy?”

“No.”

Adam put the file down and sat upright in his chair. “That's not like you.”

“When Mum died, he said he'd mourn her forever. He hasn't.”

“What happened to you?” Adam rubbed the back of his neck. “You were young and in love once upon a time.”

“I grew up,” she snapped. “Love doesn't guarantee a happy-ever-after. You should know that better than most. You left me, remember?”

He jerked his head upright. The woman in front of him was transforming once again into the one he knew so well—the cold, hard person he'd walked out on.

“Besides,” Sam continued her voice spitting fire. “Dad's not young, and he hasn't known her anywhere near long enough to be in love.”

Adam shook his head and turned back to the file. She was working herself up into a full blown rant. He'd used the time-honored tactic of drop-and-ignore before that happened.

“What?” she demanded.

He stayed silent, drumming his fingers on the desk and pretending to read. He wasn't going to point out that they'd only known each other two months before he'd proposed and barely three months before they'd married.

But look how that had turned out. Maybe she had a point.

3

Five thirty came. Adam glanced up as Sam pushed her chair back. They'd spent the afternoon in almost complete silence, unless he'd asked something about the file he was reading. “You OK?”

Sam stretched and gazed at him. “I'm going home. You're welcome to stay if you want.”

He shook his head. “I can't. It's the church AGM tonight, and I ought to go.”

The look on her face was almost comical. “Church? You?”

A tiny part of him thrilled at the thought he still had the ability to take her by surprise. He closed the file. “Don't sound so flabbergasted. Things change. So do people.”

“I know.” She pulled her bag from the bottom drawer of her desk. “I would just never have put you and church in the same sentence. Not in a million years.”

“Yeah, well, perhaps I'm not the man you once knew.” He snapped the fastenings on his briefcase shut, wishing someone would invent a silent catch. “I will see you in the morning. G'night.” He headed out of the office, praying the rest of the time spent working this case wasn't going to be like this. He wasn't sure he could handle being that close to her.

His shoes clicked on the tiled flooring as he walked. A light shone from one of the other offices. A man sitting at a desk looked up as he passed. Adam glanced at him, taking in the dark suit, black hair and glasses. The man glowered, the look almost evil. Adam glanced at the name on the door, mentally noting to ask Sam about him in the morning.

Adam was home long enough to eat and change his shirt before heading out to church. He parked and walked around to the chapel in the fading light.

He loved April. It had to be one of his favorite months. The days were warmer, the evenings a little longer, and the world was springing to life around him. And he loved church even more. Because there he could be himself, rather than a lawyer and nothing else. He relished the prospect.

He slid into a seat halfway down the chapel next to David Painter. “Surprised to see you here,” he said. “Are you sure you should be out?”

David, a police officer and close friend, rolled his eyes. He'd been stabbed on duty a week earlier. “Not you, as well. Eden wanted me to stay in, but I can sit here just as easily as I can sit at home.” He rubbed his side. “It's getting better. Slowly.”

“Good.” Adam pulled his Bible from his pocket and put it in the pew in front of him. “You know how close a call it was.”

“I know and Eden won't let me forget it. What about you? Rumor has it you're back working already.”

Adam shrugged, making light of the injuries he'd received as he'd tried to get Eden to safety. “The hospital weren't unduly worried by the lump on my head, and it hasn't caused any problems. Aside from a headache for a couple of days, there was no reason to stop working.”

“You always did have a thick head,” David said. “I just wish it hadn't happened.”

He shook his head. “We should have known they'd be watching the back of the house as well as the front. Anyway, it all turned out OK in the end. That's what matters. Is she babysitting tonight?”

“Yeah, she is. Her parents did offer, but she won't let Marc out of her sight right now. Can't say that I blame her. I should be back at work the week after next. I can't wait.”

“I'm assuming normal police work will be a relief, won't it?”

David laughed. “Oh, yeah. I'm done with undercover for now. No more being nice to the bad guys. Just lock them up and throw away the key. According to Eden the only good thing to come out of the whole mess was the fact I finally proposed to her. She said yes, by the way. So I should probably add planning the wedding to that list.”

Adam beamed and slapped David on the back. “Congrats.”

“Thank you. I was hoping you'd be my best man.”

Adam's heart leapt a little. “I would be honored to, mate. Thank you.”

“You're welcome.” David leaned back a little. “Adam, have you met Sam? She was received into membership at the last meeting. You were away then. Actually you both have the same surname. How weird is that?”

Adam looked past David at the woman sat the other side of him. His stomach pitted and he imagined the look on his face matched the one on hers. He held out a hand. “Ms. West.”

Sam shook his hand briefly. “Mr. West.”

Adam recovered himself as best he could. He sat back in his seat, grateful for the meeting starting and cutting any further conversation dead. Was he destined to run into her everywhere now? Sure there was unfinished business between them, but that was water under the bridge. Their marriage was over. He just hadn't gotten as far as divorcing her.

Because divorce wouldn't be right—not unless she wanted it. He'd have to ask her. But not here and not yet.

He forced his mind back to the meeting as Pastor Jack led them slowly through the agenda of finance, reports from each of the different departments and mundane church business. The subject of appointing an assistant pastor was raised for the third time. Nick Slater had preached a couple of times, and it was unanimously decided to bring him back to preach once again, so he could give his testimony and answer any specific questions members had at a Thursday night prayer meeting the same week. A special church meeting would be called for three weeks afterwards for the church to vote on his appointment.

As soon as the meeting was over, David said his goodbyes and stood, holding his side. Adam looked at him, knowing his friend had overdone it. “Do you want a lift home?”

“Thanks, but I've got my car here. I'll see you Sunday.”

Adam nodded and sat for a moment longer, seeing Sam out of the corner of his eye. He glanced at her. “I never figured you for a church person.” He tossed her words back at her.

“People change, Adam,” she replied, tossing his words right back at him. She put her coat on and stood.

He looked at her. They had to work together and worship together. The least he could do was make an effort at friendship and not purely because it was the Christian thing to do. It was the
right
thing to do. “Can I walk you to your car?”

She nodded, heading to the door with him.

“David introduced you as Sam West. Do you only use your maiden name for work?”

“I wasn't going to lie to the church. I used my married name and told them I was separated. You?”

“I did the same.” He paused, the chilly night air taking him by surprise. “How long have you been a Christian?”

“Three years.” Sam did up her coat. “How about you?”

“Seven.” He looked at her. “Sam…”

People milled around them. Sam shook her head. “This isn't really the place for this discussion.”

“No. How about lunch tomorrow?”

“Won't you be in the office first thing?”

He allowed himself a small smile. “Yes, but that's work. I make a point of never mixing business and—”

“Lunch,” she interrupted quickly. “Goodnight, Pastor.”