Page 7 of Forbidden Secrets
“TBD.I only just met him, and interactions have been centered around Pancake.That’s the dog.”
“He named his dog Pancake?I like him already.”
“He doesn’t really seem like a golden retriever kind of guy who’d name his dog Pancake.I’d peg him more of a German shepherd named Brutus type.”
“Maybe he’s alpha with a good heart under a rough exterior.Tell me what this neighbor looks like and then I’ll need updates on his personality so I can decide if he’s a good match for you.”
“Esmeralda Alondra Padilla, I am not looking for a boyfriend.”
“The best time to find one is when you’re not looking.Is he hot?”
“Way hot.”
“Details, please.”
Melanie briefly debated sharing her original impression of Gage.It somehow made her feel vulnerable, but Esme was her bestie.“Okay, this will sound crazy, but he’s Alaric.”
“What do you mean, he’s Alaric?How can he be Alaric?”
“I swear it’s true.Gage is exactly how I imagined my main character.Same tall, rangy build.Same cheekbones.Even his hair is the same.Not long down his back like Alaric, but with a wave and combed back from a high forehead.The cover model on my books is good, but my neighbor beats him, hands down.”
“Are you freaking kidding me?That cover model is all green-eyed and smoldery.I want a magic wand to turn him into a real dude.And you’re telling me your neighbor is hotter?”
“Oh yeah.I didn’t see what color his eyes are, though.But he has this look that says ‘fuck around and find out’ that makes me want to do exactly that.”
“Ooh, that gave me a shiver.”Esme’s voice dropped.“I can’t believe you’ve moved next door to your hero.”
“Iknow.I’m playing it cool around him because I don’t want to start babbling and make a fool of myself.Plus, he seems to like Addy, but he barely speaks to me.”
Melanie arrived at the first stoplight on Main Street.The old buildings from the town’s gold rush past gave her a pang.She’d missed her hometown.
“Now I’m even more excited we’re coming for Halloween and I can meet Alaric in person.”
“Ha.You have no subtlety, Esme, but we’re looking forward to your visit.Addy will be thrilled having Isla for an entire weekend.”
“Isla and I are looking forward to it, too.But now for the serious stuff.Have you contacted Delaney?”
Mel’s emotions concerning Delaney and Walker were a jumbled mess.
As kids, she and Delaney Bryant had been friends, and Melanie had sometimes hung out with Delaney and her bestie Keeley while they explored the creek and orchards at Cider Mill Farm.
For one birthday party they’d camped overnight in a big tent in the grassy meadow.The farm belonged to Delaney’s family and Melanie’d heard that her grandmother Clara, the matriarch, had passed ownership to Delaney and her two sisters.
Melanie was curious to hear the story of the sisters because when they’d been kids, Delaney’d lived at the farm with her grandmother and there hadn’t been any sisters.
“I haven’t yet, but I will.I need to apologize to Walker.”
“You have nothing to apologize for, Mel.”
“I feel like I do.He lost two years of his life behind bars.I should have been able to convince the jury it wasn’t him.”
With evidence from a DNA match, Walker McGrath was put on trial and convicted.
Nobody would listen when she’d insisted Walker wasn’t her attacker.She hadn’t had solid evidence to support his innocence, only the knowledge he was a decent man and a firm conviction the man who’d assaulted her lacked Walker’s height and muscled frame.Melanie’d returned to Sisters for the trial and even though she’d defended Walker, he’d been convicted and sentenced to prison.
With no alibi, the DNA match had been all the jury had needed to decide Walker’s guilt.
“Walker being sent to prison wasn’t your fault, and if he’s as upright as you claim, he’ll say the same.It’s the other thing I’m more worried about.”
