Garden of Secrets (7 page)

The street was crowded, so she parked a few
houses away. She had just gotten out of her car when she heard someone call her name. Turning her head, she smiled as Jason Marlow jogged across the street.

Jason, with his light brown hair and brown eyes, had been best friends with Colin and Kara since they’d all met in kindergarten. Charlotte suspected he’d had a big crush on Kara for most of that time, but Kara had only had eyes for her blue-eyed, smiling Irishman.

Fortunately, Jason had found his own love a few months ago when he’d fallen for Brianna Kane. She was a widow and a mother, so Jason was stepping into not just a relationship but a family. He’d never looked happier, and his career was blossoming as well since he’d become a detective.

“I’m glad I caught you before you went inside,” Jason said.

“You look like you’re in work mode,” she commented, his slacks and sports coat a far cry from the usual faded jeans and a T-shirt with a surfboard on it. “Brianna and Lucas aren’t coming?”

“No, they’re at the Kanes’ house. I’m just stopping by for a few minutes. After last night, today is going to be all work.”

“I saw Joe at the hospital. He said there hasn’t been much progress.”

“Unfortunately, no. Which means I’m going to need to interview you again, more formally this time.”

“I told you everything I know, Jason. I didn’t have anything to do with what happened to Theresa.”

“Believe me, Charlotte, you’re the last person I want to interrogate, but I have to run this investigation by the book. I hope you can understand that.”

She sighed. “We don’t have to talk now, do we?”

“Tomorrow will be fine. Can you come in on your lunch break?”

“I suppose so.”

“Thanks. Can I carry that inside for you?”

She handed over the heavy tray of sandwiches. “It’s the least you can do before you arrest me.”

“Well, you wouldn’t be a suspect if you hadn’t been trying to run away from a kiss.”

“Kara has a big mouth,” she grumbled. “I can’t believe she told you that. You’d better not put it in your report.”

He grinned. “It would explain why you went upstairs just before midnight. Who didn’t you want to kiss?”

“You’re a detective. You figure it out,” she said with a smile, then marched up the steps to Kara’s house and opened the front door.

Inside, a half-dozen men were gathered around the big-screen television, watching a college bowl game. A few looked up to say hello, then a touchdown drew their attention back to the screen, and a series of high fives broke out.

Charlotte took the sandwich tray from Jason, who’d paused to watch the game. “I’m going to find the women.”

In the kitchen, Kara was at the stove, stirring something in a large pot. Her red hair was pulled
back in a clip, and she had on a bright red apron over her jeans and T-shirt. Isabella Silveira, Joe’s sister, was sitting on a stool by the center island, sipping a glass of wine. She wore jeans and boots with a pink sweater. Her long, curly dark brown hair fell past her shoulders, and her beautiful, unusual blue eyes were bright and happy. She looked like a woman in love, which wasn’t surprising, since she’d recently hooked up with local architect Nick Hartley.

Lauren Jamison was another beautiful blue-eyed brunette with the glow of love about her. Lauren was about to be married. She held a box from her bakery and was placing delicious-smelling tarts on a silver tray.

“You’re here—finally,” Kara said.

“Yeah, finally,” Lauren grumbled.

“Am I late?” Charlotte asked in surprise as she set down the sandwiches. “I thought I was early.”

“You are, but I’m dying to try on my wedding dress, and I didn’t want to do it without you,” Lauren answered, her eyes sparkling with excitement. “Isabella brought it here, along with your bridesmaids’ dresses.”

“I can’t wait to see it. I’m betting you outdid yourself, Isabella.”

“We’ll see,” Isabella said. “The only wedding dress I made before this was for an actress in a soap opera, and she wasn’t really getting married.”

“Did you make these sandwiches?” Kara interrupted with a wary expression as she glanced at the tray on the counter.

“I can make sandwiches,” Charlotte retorted. “I tried one, and I’m still alive.”

Kara grinned. “Just checking.” She unwrapped the tray and tossed the plastic wrap into the garbage. “We have some time before everyone else gets here, so why don’t we go upstairs and try on our dresses? Faith is asleep, and the guys won’t notice we’re gone until halftime or the chips run out.”

“Sounds good to me.” Charlotte followed the others upstairs to Kara’s bedroom, then sat on the bed with Kara while Isabella grabbed a garment bag from the closet.

“I hope it’s everything you imagined, Lauren,” Isabella said, “but there’s still time for changes. I want you to be totally satisfied. Whatever you don’t like, I’ll fix.”

“I’ll take it into the bathroom and change there,” Lauren said. “That way, you’ll get the full effect when I come out.”

“I’ll help you,” Isabella told her. “There are a lot of little buttons.”

As the other two left, Charlotte scooted back on the bed, making herself more comfortable. “You talk too much,” she told Kara.

Kara raised an eyebrow. “Are you referring to something in particular?”

“You told Jason I ran upstairs last night so I wouldn’t have to kiss someone. Now he wants to know who.”

“Oh.” An apologetic gleam filled her warm brown eyes. “I’m sorry about that. Colin was talking
to Jason about why you were up there, and it came out. I didn’t think it was a big deal. It was just Jason and Colin.”

“They’re both cops, and I’m the prime suspect.”

“No one would ever believe you’re a thief,” Kara said with a dismissive wave of her hand. “And you barely wear jewelry. You wouldn’t know a real diamond from a piece of glass.”

“Yes, but the mayor thinks I hate his wife. Theresa or Pamela must have been talking about me at some point, and I can’t figure out why. I haven’t had more than a brief conversation with Theresa since I came back to town last year. And before a couple of hours ago, I hadn’t talked to Pamela since high school.”

Kara raised an eyebrow. “A couple of hours ago?”

“She’s back in town. I saw her at the hospital. Robert called her, and she came rushing to Theresa’s bedside.”

“How did she look? Was she fat?” Kara asked hopefully.

“No, she was the same. Skinny, huge breasts, evil smile . . .” She shook her head, bewildered by her strong reaction. “I don’t know why she bothers me so much. It’s been more than ten years since I really thought about her at all. But when she stepped off that elevator and looked at me, I felt all my teenage insecurity again.”

“Everyone has someone like that in their past.”

“Do you?”

“Becky Saunders,” Kara said instantly. “She beat
me every damn time, no matter what it was—a math contest, soccer tryouts, cheerleading. And besides that, she had the most gorgeous tan, and all I could do was freckle.”

“What happened to Becky?”

“Her family moved away after high school. Her father lost all their money.”

“That’s sad.”

“I know. I tried to feel bad for her.”

Charlotte grinned at Kara’s unrepentant expression. “Well, at least Becky is out of your life. Pamela is right back in the middle of mine, and now I’m a suspect in her sister’s attack. If I was going to give anyone a hefty shove, it would be Pamela.”

Kara held up a hand. “Don’t say anything more. I don’t want to be called to testify.”

“This isn’t a joke.”

“It feels like one. We all know you, Charlotte. We all love you. Jason won’t go after you. And Joe has the hots for you, so I don’t see him tossing you in jail.” She tilted her head. “Speaking of which, who
did
you run away from last night? I thought it was Andrew, but now I’m wondering.”

“It was both of them. They arrived within minutes of each other. I couldn’t figure out how to handle the stroke of midnight, so I bolted. It seemed like a good idea at the time,” she added dryly.

“Really? Because kissing two hot guys doesn’t seem so horrible to me.”

“They don’t like each other, and it’s always awkward when the three of us are together.” She
took a breath. “Frankly, I don’t know what I want to do about either one of them. Joe is gorgeous and sexy and a little mysterious, but I’m not sure I want to get involved with someone who’s just out of a marriage. He needs a rebound girl, and I’m not cut out for that. Even if I wasn’t just a rebound, how do you compete with a first wife?”

Kara’s eyes filled with sympathy. “I understand. You don’t want to be second. And with Andrew, it’s the opposite. He was your first love, but you don’t know if you want to go down that road again.”

“Exactly.”

“They’re both good men, and they are both very interested in you. Sounds like you may have a decision to make.”

“One of many.” Charlotte let out a sigh. “Sometimes I wonder why I’m still in Angel’s Bay. I never intended it to be permanent.”

“It has to be. I don’t want you to leave.”

“I can’t live with my mother forever.”

“So get your own place. You could even get a town house big enough for you, Annie, and the baby if you don’t want to leave them with your mother. You have lots of options. I can help you find a place to live. As for the men in your life—just remember you’re not getting any younger.”

“Now you sound like my mother.”

“You don’t want to end up alone and single like Mathilda Robertson and her fourteen cats, three birds, and a pond full of fish,” Kara said pragmatically. “It’s not pretty.”

“Would you still visit me if I did?”

“Not a chance. I’m allergic to cats.”

Charlotte picked up the pillow and tossed it at Kara’s smiling face. “Some friend you are.”

Kara caught the pillow and threw it back at her. “Just being honest.”

“Are you ready to see the bride?” Isabella interrupted, peeking out the bathroom door. “Here she is!”

Lauren stepped into the room in a swirl of white satin and lace. The neckline was off the shoulder, and the dress tapered in at her waist, then fell in a cascade to the ground. Her dark hair and blue eyes were a perfect foil for the beautiful gown.

“You look amazing,” Charlotte said, feeling her heart catch.

She’d met Lauren in kindergarten. They’d spent the first few days walking around the playground holding hands. They’d been best friends until high school, when boys and other things had derailed them for a while. But she’d been there when Lauren had suffered the tragic loss of her sister, Abby, when her family had broken up, and when Lauren’s relationship with Shane had ended the first time around. Her friend had been in pieces, her life completely destroyed.

But that was all in the past now. Abby’s murderer had finally been caught, Lauren and Shane had reunited and were getting married, and her friendship with Lauren was stronger than ever. They’d all come back to Angel’s Bay at exactly the right time.

“I can hardly believe it’s me,” Lauren whispered, meeting her gaze. “Or that this is really happening.”

“It’s really happening,” Kara cut in. “And you are gorgeous. My big brother’s heart is going to stop when he sees you. We might have to revive him.”

Lauren tried to laugh, but her eyes blurred with tears.

“Hey, now, no crying,” Charlotte said, getting up to put an arm around Lauren’s shoulders. “Or we’re all going to start, and I am a really ugly crier.”

Lauren sniffed back a tear. “I’m just so happy. All those years that Shane and I were apart; I never imagined we’d find our way back to each other.”

“You two were meant to be,” she said. “A love story for all time.”

Lauren smiled. “Thank you, Charlotte.”

“You’re welcome.” Charlotte turned toward Isabella. “You did a fantastic job. It’s a beautiful dress.”

“Okay, our turn,” Kara said. “I want to see the bridesmaids’ dresses.”

Charlotte was just as curious to see what she would be wearing. Her last three bridesmaids’ dresses had been appallingly awful, one a hideous orange that had made her look like a pumpkin, another that was more mother-of-the-bride than bridesmaid, and the third a frilly mess of ribbons and gathered pleating guaranteed to add twenty pounds to even the skinniest bridesmaid.

Isabella opened the second garment bag and pulled out two slinky, strapless, floor-length dresses
in a gorgeous dark blue. She held them up with an expectant smile. “Well?”

“Oh, my,” Kara breathed, her voice almost reverent. “Really? We get to wear these?”

“I’m stunned,” Charlotte said. “You must really love us, Lauren.”

Lauren laughed. “Well, I didn’t want you to look better than me, but I was afraid you’d both bail if I put you in pink taffeta. Try them on. I want to see how we look together.”

They stripped off their clothes and put on their gowns, then the three of them lined up in front of the full-length mirror.

“We look good,” Kara said. “One blonde, one brunette, and what group would be complete without a hot redhead?”

“We’re grown up,” Lauren said, a note of amazement in her voice.

Charlotte smiled, seeing not their adult selves but the little girls they’d once been, playing hide-and-seek in the neighborhood, making up imaginary games in Kara’s family tree house, and giggling the night away playing Truth or Dare at a slumber party.

“What do you think, Charlotte?” Kara asked, meeting her gaze in the mirror.

“I’m happy that we all found our way back to Angel’s Bay.”

Lauren squeezed her hand. “It was the best decision I ever made.”

“Well, I was wise enough to not ever leave,” Kara
said. “But you two had to see the world first. Thank goodness you finally came to your senses and returned home.”

“You all look wonderful,” Isabella said. “It’s great that you’ve been friends for so long. I hope you know how lucky you are. I don’t have friends who go back twenty years.”

“Well, you’re one of us now,” Charlotte said.

Isabella smiled. “That’s generous of you. When I came here a few months ago, I wondered what was so fascinating about this town that my brother couldn’t pull himself away. Now I know. It’s the community. The people.”