Page 1 of A Family Affair: The Cabin
1
People saidspring was a sign of rebirth and renewal. A time to clean up and clean out—rooms, closets, gutters, the past. Especially the past. But was that really true? Christine Desantro studied the sun-drenched roads as her husband navigated the SUV from one winding curve to the next. Soon, they would reach the cabin and the final reminder of her father’s secret past.
She’d believed in him, trusted in his honesty and ability to protect her from the harshness of the world. How could she have known he would be the one to deceive her, crush her heart, and leave her with a sadness she would carry deep in her soul for the rest of her life?
There would never be a good time to return to the cabin, not when memories of betrayal clung to the walls and deceit stretched over the chenille bedspread. For fourteen years, they’d all believed this was where Charles Blacksworth sought refuge each month from the demands of running a powerhouse investment firm. It had been nothing more than a grand lie, one that had threatened to destroy her, but ended in her redemption. If not for the lie, she’d never have ventured to the cabin and found her way to Magdalena and the Desantros. She would not have met Miriam, or Lily, or Nate, and she would not have opened her heart to them and found love and a sense of belonging.
The pain and anger of those days were hard to recall, as was the intense dislike for the man who would become her husband. Those emotions seemed almost implausible, as though they belonged to someone else’s life, certainly not hers. She and Nate shared a love and commitment built on a foundation of trust and respect. But there had been a time when life had been very different, and she feared visiting the cabin would dredge up the old feelings she’d had about the Desantro family, including Nate.
“Are you sure you want to do this?”
Nate’s voice broke through her thoughts, his tone soothing and serious. He’d once vowed he’d never let anyone or anything harm her, including her mother. But what about the memories living inside her head? What about the past life in Chicago he would never really understand? She’d had a mother who believed net worth had a direct correlation to self-worth, and a father who maintained a facade that bore no resemblance to what lay in his heart. How could they not have left scars?
She’d postponed this trip as long as she could, citing one excuse after another: pregnancy, a second child, the holidays, Uncle Harry’s birthday. Nate had been patient, but when the new year came, his resolution to sell the cabin came with it.
“Babe? Tell me what you’re thinking.” He reached for her hand, squeezed.
Christine wished she were back in Magdalena with the girls and the new color-coded recipe notebook Nate had given her last week. It was a compilation of Desantro recipes with easy-to-follow steps that he’d assured her couldnotbe ruined. He dubbed them “Christine-proof” and while some wives might take issue with their husband’s insinuation that they were horrible cooks, she found his attempt to rectify her lack of culinary skills endearing. And that’s why at this very moment she wished she were home, attempting the “Christine-proof” version of aglio olio with angel hair so she could surprise him with dinner. Instead, they were winding along country roads toward the place that had been yet another piece to the mystery of her father. “I don’t want to be doing this—” she turned in her seat to face Nate “—but if I have to, I’m glad you’re with me.”
“I’m always here for you, no matter what.” His expression grew fierce, the grooves around his mouth deep. “I hate that you have to go through this. I’d have come here myself, but Harry gave me a bunch of crap about seeing the place one last time so you could have closure.”
“Uncle Harry said that?” She smiled at the thought of her uncle spouting off bits and pieces about living right and finding an authentic path. Who would have thought the man who lived for trips to his favorite restaurant and the perfection of his golf swing would change so much? “He’s becoming a real philosopher, isn’t he? And a mind reader, too.” He was definitely right about the closure part.Get rid of the baggage, Chrissy girl, he’d said.If you don’t, it will turn into regret and sink you.
Nate shrugged, his lips pulling into a grudging smile. “The man has almost as many sayings as Pop. I’m beginning to wonder if he isn’t going to be the next Godfather of Magdalena.”
“Imagine that?” She laughed, but the idea wasn’t as far-fetched as it sounded. The town admired Uncle Harry, and not only that, they listened to him.
“Yeah, imagine Harry turning into Pop.” He slid her a glance, his dark eyes filled with humor. “Think we should add high-tops and jogging pants to your uncle’s wardrobe?”
“Now that would be a sight.”
They spent the next several minutes reworking Uncle Harry’s wardrobe to include T-shirts with sports team logos, baseball caps, and running jackets—using materials like cashmere, gabardine, and pinpoint cotton. Of course, he’d have to learn the art of making the perfect pizzelle, but Lily would help with that, and Pop could teach him how to read his “audience” when telling a story.
“You know what Harry’s biggest challenge would be, don’t you?”
She raised a brow. “Keeping the cuss words in his head?”
That made him laugh. “Nope. That’s second. The old boy’s biggest challenge would be swapping out those designer duds. Not sure he could do that, even if the fabric was high-end. T-shirts and sweats just aren’t his style.”
“Unless he’s exercising. Then he’s all about comfort and performance gear.” She clasped her husband’s hand, leaned back in the seat. “Thanks for trying to take my mind off of what we’re doing.”
“Who? Me?” He shrugged. “I’m just the driver.”
“You’re my center, Nathan Desantro.” She lifted his hand, kissed it. “You keep me focused and steady, and you give me strength to make the difficult choices.” Another kiss. “Thank you.”
He nodded. “We’re a good team. Some days I feel like we’ve been together forever. And then there are others, where it seems like just yesterday that you showed up at my mother’s door looking for Lily.”
“You’ve learned patience since then.”
The grin he gave her said he agreed. “Yeah, well, I was pretty rough around the edges back then. Uncivilized, I think you called me?” The grin spread. “But you didn’t seem to mind.”
“Because I saw the real man behind the gruff exterior, the gentle one who would do anything to protect his family.”
“You saw a lot more than I wanted you to see.” He sighed and shook his head. “And once you got inside my head, you camped out and wouldn’t leave.”
“I kind of like knowing what’s going on up there. Very entertaining.”
The scowl came next. “I’m sure it is.”
