Identity

“I don’t have—”

“You’ve got stuff at my place. You got your phone now?”

“Yes, but—”

“Enjoy the rest of your evening.”

“Oh, we will.” Audrey shot out a brilliant smile. “We’ll see you tomorrow, baby.”

She held it, held it while Miles pulled Morgan away. Then let it go.

“Oh, Mom. My girl. Our girl.”





Chapter Twenty-eight



“I didn’t clean up the bar,” Morgan complained. “I take cleanup duty.”

“So you get a night off. How big a mirror?”

He took her keys, nudged her into the car.

“What? Oh, I don’t know until I see. Jesus, we had a lot to drink.”

“I noticed. It’s the first time I’ve seen you drunk.”

“Not drunk, but definitely not fit to drive. We weren’t going anywhere.” She rested her head back. “They were having such a good time. We were. I swear, Gram could drink both of us under the table, then under the floorboards. And she was on her way to doing just that.

“She was a complete wild child,” Morgan continued. “Did you know that? I had some sense before, but holy shit, no real idea. They just seemed like, you know, grandparents. She went to Woodstock. She dragged my grandfather to Woodstock. The Woodstock. She claims she smoked pot with Janis Joplin. Maybe she’s making that up, but who knows? And now she lives in that big old beautiful house and runs two businesses and makes roast chicken and pound cake.

“You have to wonder.”

“Wonder what?”

“What twists and turns take a woman like Gram from Woodstock and Janis Joplin to this.” She gestured at the town as they drove through. “To Westridge, Vermont. To starting a business, going to yoga class and book club meetings. To being not just content but happy, satisfied.

“Anyway, we were having a really good time.”

“I noticed.” He’d give her grief about not having the phone with her later.

“You didn’t have to come with Jake, but I’m glad you did. And I hope my ladies do have an early night, and don’t worry about all this too much.”

“You saw that video. And you had it right. He’s lost his edge.”

“My mother was right, too. He’s crazy. You could see the crazy. He’d buried the crazy in Maryland, Miles. I never saw it. No one did. He played darts and trivia, and bought rounds, talked gaming with Sam. No one saw the crazy.”

“Now he can’t hide it anymore.” After he pulled into his driveway, Miles turned to her. “That’s going to make him easier to catch.”

“I hope so. I’m buzzed enough to whine I want it over. I just want it over.”

“I’m not buzzed, and I want it over. And that wasn’t whining. I’ll tell you when you’re whining.”

That made her smile. “You would.”

He got out of the car, came around as she got out her side. And from in the house, Howl howled.

Inside, he greeted Miles with a mild stare, a quick wag. Then greeted Morgan with a rush of adoration.

“Maybe it’s the way you smell,” Miles considered. “It’s pretty appealing.”

“Well, thanks. Who’s a good boy? Did you have fun today? I bet you did. Did your big brother give you some of that pulled pork?”

“I’m not his brother. I’m his landlord.”

“Don’t pay any attention to him. Let’s go up to the attic. Won’t that be fun?”

“Let’s wait on that. I want to talk to you.”

She straightened up and, he noted, made her face absolutely blank. “All right.”

“We should sit down.”

With the dog all but pasted to the side of her leg, she went with him, took a chair.

“I was going to do this a different way. I hadn’t figured out the way yet, but different than this. But I figure you being slightly impaired gives me a distinct advantage. And why are you sitting there like you’re waiting outside the principal’s office?”

“I’m not. Just say it. I’ll deal with it.”

“Fine. I’m in love with you.”

Her face stayed blank even when she blinked. “What? What?”

“You heard me, but I’ll say it again for clarity. I’m in love with you.”

“I have to sit down.”

“You are sitting down.”

“I have to stand up.” She stood, then immediately sat again. “I’m dizzy. It’s not the drinking. Miles—”

“Just be quiet.” Impatience wrapped around the words. “You talked all the way over here, so be quiet. I’m not done.”

Since she didn’t know what to say to that, she said nothing.

“I didn’t plan on it. And I didn’t see it coming. Should have, but didn’t. I can’t claim it crept up on me, not when it kept hitting me in the face over so many things. The way your hands move when you’re working. That’s ridiculous, but there it is. How your brain works, how your heart works, how your body works. All of it.”

Because he focused on her, he didn’t notice when Howl walked over to him, leaned against his knee.

“But the knockout punch wound up at the waterfall, then started coming at the lookout. And it knocked me flat at the end of Liam’s goddamn ropes course. So I’m in love with you, Morgan. It wasn’t in the plan, and it wasn’t part of the deal we made. But it wasn’t a deal so much as guidelines. I’m moving outside the lines, so now deal with that.”

“I—”

“I’m still not done.” He took out the ring in his pocket. “We’ll get married.”

He said it matter-of-factly, the way he might’ve said We’ll watch a movie.

She stared, and her mouth moved, but it took a minute for it to form actual words. “That’s—that’s your grandmother’s ring.”

“Does every woman recognize a diamond at six feet? Since I’m in love with you, and we’re already outside the lines, we’ll get married.”

She stared, then dropped her head between her knees.

“Christ, do you really have to get sick now?”

“Not sick. Need to breathe. Stay over there and let me breathe.” She waved a hand in the air as if to push him away, though he hadn’t moved.

“If you want poetry, I can probably still recite most of ‘The Raven.’ And I’ve got some Yeats in me.”

“Shut up. Did you get that ring from your grandmother because of Jake—what Jake told you before you came over?”

“I asked her for it before Jake got there. On their fiftieth wedding anniversary, she told me to ask for it when I’d found the one. When I was sure. When I was ready. You’re the one. I’m sure. I’m ready. Get on board, Morgan.”

“Before,” she murmured, and lifted her head. “Not because of.”

The fact he scowled at her leveled her heart rate.

“It’s not a force field against psychos. It’s a ring. It’s a symbol. It’s a damn question I wish you’d answer.”

She swiped at her face. “You didn’t ask a question. You made statements. Wait.” She held up a hand before he could speak. “It’s funny. Just this morning, Gram and I were working in the garden, and I ended up telling her I was in love with you. It did sneak up on me. I didn’t expect it, didn’t look for it. I’ve never felt it before, but I knew what it was. I thought you wanted to tell me you thought we should slow things down.”

“That was stupid.”