Page 4 of Forbidden Secrets
The kid ran out, her mom following her.The flash of a smile lit up Melanie’s face.It packed a punch but was too far away to confirm dimples.
He turned over the thought that had occurred to him after meeting her the day before.After being rescued from the cartel, Gage had arrived in Sisters following a weeks-long hospital stay.He’d been in bad shape, lost too much blood.But he’d been alive.At the time, he’d wanted nothing more than to find somewhere dark to lick his wounds.
When he’d healed enough, at least physically, to be discharged, Shane had stepped in.His best friend from college, a brother in every way that mattered (hence the mug), Shane Keller had shown up at the hospital and informed Gage he was coming home with him to recover.
He’d loaded Gage in his pickup and taken him to Lone Pine Ranch near Sisters.Gage had been too beat down to put up much resistance.His mother had wanted him home, but she’d recently gotten married and didn’t need to be worrying about him.Beyond that, he’d needed space, and the ranch had a helluva lot of space.
Gage’s natural inclination was to keep people at a distance.Superficial relationships kept his life simple, and he liked simple.But staying at the ranch had meant Shane’s friends showing up to hang out or help with a project.Somehow, he still wasn’t sure how it’d happened, they’d made him part of what was essentially a family.And they hadn’t let go.
The core of that group were the women, the three half-sisters, Delaney, Emery, and Cam.Over the past couple years they’d paired off.Emery and Shane had gotten hitched, while the other two had married the McGrath brothers, Delaney with Walker and Cam with Sawyer.The most recent wedding meant two others in their group, Owen and Keeley, had tied the knot.And now they were all having babies.
It was like none of them realized how precarious life could be.Anyone could be living in a normal family, safe and secure one moment, and the next the rug was pulled right out from under them, leaving them scrambling to survive.
He shook his head to clear it and focus on the thought that’d occurred to him.A few weeks before, Gage had been at the McGrath clan’s Cider Mill Farm and Delaney’d mentioned a friend from high school was moving back to Sisters and had bought a house.The friend’s name?Melanie Brennan.He hadn’t gotten his neighbor’s last name, and the name Melanie wasn’t uncommon.But add in that she was about the right age and Delaney’d said she had a daughter, and Gage had a feeling he knew more about his neighbor than she might be comfortable with.
Over a decade ago, Delaney’s Melanie had been at the heart of an atrocity that had rocked the community and sent Walker to prison, framed for a crime he hadn’t committed.The crime?Sexual assault against Melanie.
Gage took a deep pull of his coffee, feeling the warmth spread through his chest.Because he had a background with federal law enforcement, he’d gone over the details of the case with Walker and his cop brother, Sawyer.Walker’s conviction had eventually been overturned, but the perpetrator had never been caught.The injustice against Walker was bad enough, but that Gage’s neighbor might’ve been the victim?Fucking infuriating.
Movement at her house snagged his attention.“Shit.”
There were two doors that opened to his neighbor’s patio, a French door at the far end and a slider that led to the kitchen at the other.His dog had planted her butt outside the kitchen, tail swishing, peering through the glass like a nosy neighbor.The door slid open and Addy kneeled on the threshold to embrace Pancake in what looked like a lovefest.When the mutual adoration was over, Addy rose and Pancake bounded inside like she’d been invited for a sleepover.
“Dammit.”Pancake didn’t only like pancakes.She would consume the entire contents of that bakery bag if given a chance.
He pulled on his running shoes and grabbed a leash.With a last hit of coffee, he left the house and followed the trail that wound through the trees and over the footbridge spanning the creek.He approached the back patio and the slider opened again.
Melanie stood, arm pointing.“Out, Pancake.”
Addy’s voice carried from inside.“But Mom, she can’t help it if she’s hungry.”
“Adelyn, she just ate a whole croissant.”
“Maybe she didn’t have breakfast.Hey, she has my stuffie.”
Pancake bolted through the door with a brightly colored toy in her mouth.He couldn’t really blame the dog since the kid toy looked like a dog toy.Addy raced after her, which meant a fun game of chase to Pancake.
Before she could take off, Gage gave a sharp command.“Pancake, sit.”Pancake skidded to a stop, and to her credit, sat with what looked to be a stuffed penguin clamped in her jaws.“Drop it.”
Pancake shook her head.
Addy’s peal of laughter rang through the morning air.“She understood you, Mister Gage.But she’s still not a good listener.”
Melanie had gone back in the house and returned with a pink coat.Addy pulled it on, her attention on Gage.She scrunched her nose.“Is your wife Mrs.Gage?”
“Addy, don’t be rude.”
“But I want to know.”
“She’s fine,” Gage said, then addressed Addy.“Just Gage, no ‘mister,’ and there’s no Mrs.Gage.Sorry about Pancake.She has a hard time overcoming her baser instincts.”He motioned to the dog.“Drop it, Pancake.”
“What are baser instincts?”
“Pancake’s baser instinct is her desire for mayhem.”
“Oh.”
“And mayhem is a good word for what Pancake stirs up.”
