Midnight Secrets (23 page)

Zach surprised her by reading her thoughts. “We’re not dating.”

She believed him. With the exception of that one significant time, Zach had never given her any cause to doubt his honor. However, she wanted to be clear on what she expected.

“I have questions I want answered.”

“I’ll give them to you. I promise.”

He shouldn’t have used those words. The last time he’d made a promise, her life had fallen apart.

And again, Zach read her perfectly. “Okay, bad choice of words. Give me a chance to explain, Savannah. Please.”

“I thought you had to work.”

“I do, but I take my dinner break at six.”

“I’ll see you then.” Turning away, she grabbed a sweet tea from the table and strode rapidly to Gibby. Thinking that her aunt would complain about it taking so long, Savannah was relieved when she took the plate and said, “Thank you, sweetie, that looks wonderful. Now, you go off and get yours before it’s all gone.”

Though nerves were jumping in her stomach like manic crickets, she did as she was told. Again, she stopped on the way to visit with those she hadn’t seen since her grandfather’s funeral. Answering questions about herself and her sisters took considerable time, so by the time she returned with her own plate, Gibby was holding court with several women surrounding her. Savannah didn’t know all of them and felt comfortable sitting a little away from the group and halfway listening as she picked at her meal.

The talk she and Zach had put off for almost ten years would happen tonight. Would she be able to talk about everything? Was she ready? For self-protection, she hadn’t allowed herself to think about that time in her life in years. Dwelling on what might have been, the grief, the pain … accomplished nothing.

“Savannah Rose, I do believe I’m ready to go home and take a nap.”

Savannah stood and gathered up Gibby’s belongings, along with the lawn chairs they’d brought with them. As she expected, Gibby didn’t leave without visiting a half dozen people on the way to the car. Standing by her side, waiting, Savannah took in the scene. Men and women of all ages were sitting or standing in small groups, laughing, talking, and eating. Teenagers played softball in the small ball park, and yards away, older men threw horseshoes and played croquet. Young children played hide-and-seek, staying close by, where mothers and fathers could keep an eye on them.

It was a picturesque and almost poetic-looking scene. How many towns had Sunday socials anymore? Growing up in this kind of environment had made her take it for granted. Now, with new eyes, she could appreciate the sheer simplicity of small-town closeness. Yes, they gossiped and complained about each other, but they had something most big cities had lost. They had community.

Brown eyes twinkling, Aunt Gibby gave her a knowing smile. “Now, admit it. You had a good time today.”

Savannah laughed. “It may not have been as agonizing as I thought it would be.”

“Midnight isn’t perfect but we have our good points.”

Leaning over, she kissed Gibby’s soft, wrinkled cheek. “And you’re one of the best.”

A blush colored the elderly woman’s face to a rosy glow. “I miss having you girls close by.”

A wave of guilt hit Savannah. After she left for college, her visits had been rare and short. Her sisters had visited much more often than she had. Returning to all the old memories and pain had been too difficult. Suddenly she wished she had been braver, less self-absorbed. Gibby had been a huge part of her life when she was growing up, and Savannah felt as though she had abandoned her.

“I’m sorry, Aunt Gibby. I’ll try to come back more often. I promise.”

She patted Savannah’s hand. “Thank you, child. That would be wonderful. Now take me home so I can take my nap.”

As they drove away, Savannah glanced up in the rearview mirror and swallowed a gasp. Kyle Ingram stood only a few feet away from the rear of her car. The look of longing in his eyes was a startling and uneasy reminder. Midnight might be much more pleasant than what she remembered, but the town had its share of oddities. Kyle was most likely just reminiscing about her mother, but the gleam of adoration she’d glimpsed in his eyes sent chills up her spine. She had seen too many unbalanced people in her career not to recognize the symptoms. There was something not quite right with Kyle Ingram.

Chapter

Seventeen

At six o’clock exactly, Zach was at Savannah’s door. He’d thought about nothing all day but their upcoming discussion. Opening up the gnawing chasm of darkness after all these years of suppressing was going to be bloody hard. Only for Savannah. How many times had Josh asked him what happened? Not even for his brother could he reveal what occurred that night. But for Savannah, he would. Not only because he owed her an explanation and apology but because … hell, because despite everything within him telling him he was a fool, he was still crazy about her.

Her smile of uncertainty when she opened the door was a reflection of his own doubts. Would this change everything between them? Or nothing at all? Would it put the past to rights or destroy this new and fragile beginning? How could he make her understand, when he sometimes had trouble justifying his actions even to himself?

“Hope you’re hungry.”

“I didn’t expect to eat. You didn’t have to go to the trouble of making a meal.”

She shrugged and led him into the kitchen. “I know it’s your dinner break, and I had to eat, too.”

The nonchalant comment made it appear the meal would be something simple and quick. Nothing could have been further from the truth. The table held a delicious-looking meal of roast beef, mashed potatoes and gravy, green beans, fried okra, sliced tomatoes, and rolls. And on the counter, he spotted a pecan pie. Despite his nervousness, his stomach made an approving leap.

Unable to hide his surprise, he said, “You went to a lot of trouble.”

She blushed and waved away his compliment. “I didn’t feel like packing this afternoon, so I decided to play in the kitchen.”

Never had he wanted to kiss her more. The shy smile and blush reminded him of when they’d first started dating. She’d been so sweet, so insecure, and so very unaware of her effect on him. Since she had returned, her mask of sophisticated coolness had covered the innocent beauty he’d fallen in love with. Just one glimpse of the girl he’d loved made his heart ache. She had been so sweet and pure, and he’d screwed up massively.

Pushing aside the regret, he asked, “Anything I can do to help?”

“No, we’re set. Have a seat and I’ll pour the tea.”

She placed the iced tea before him and then sat down across the table from him. “Hope you don’t mind eating at the kitchen table. The dining room is too formal and the morning room is still too hot this time of day.”

“I always enjoyed eating in this kitchen. Brings back lots of good memories.”

It was an opening he expected her to take. Her smile was wistful. “We did have a lot of good times in here.” The smile disappeared and, as expected, she went straight for the heart. “Why, Zach?”

The roast tasteless in his mouth, Zach swallowed and put his fork down. “When I left here that night, I had every intention of coming back the next day to say goodbye before I left.”

She blew out a shaky breath, her relief apparent. It hurt that she had believed he had led her on. Had she thought that once they’d had sex, he’d gotten what he wanted and it was over? Had his promises not meant anything? Zach jerked himself out of his unwarranted hurt. He was the one who’d left without a word, the one who hadn’t contacted her for months. He had no right to be hurt.

“When I left here, I remembered I’d promised to cook breakfast for my mom the next day. I knew she wouldn’t have gone to the store. I could’ve gone across town to the mini-mart, but Henson had just started experimenting with staying open twenty-four hours. Most times I tried to stay away from that store because of our history. But I was cocky … told myself I was leaving town the next day and the bastard had no control over where I went and what I did.”

He shook his head as the memories washed over him. “Not a day goes by that I don’t wish I’d made a different decision.”

TEN YEARS AGO

Zach parked in the almost empty parking lot and got out of the car. With any luck, he could avoid old man Henson, get the few things he needed, and be in bed by one. Tomorrow was going to be a busy and emotional day. If he’d been stronger, he would have said his final goodbye to Savannah a few minutes ago and not have to go through the gut-wrenching agony again. But tonight she had given him her body and her heart, and saying goodbye after something so phenomenal had been impossible. Unwise or not, seeing her one more time before he left wasn’t something he could resist.

His mind on Savannah, Zach was in the store and gathering things before he realized it. Other than the checkout clerk up front, no one was around. He made his selections quickly. Arms loaded with breakfast items, he was halfway to the checkout when his perfect night went to shit.

“What are you doing here, boy? I told you never to come back to my store.”

Sighing, Zach turned and faced the man. Might as well get it over with. “I’m just here for a few things. I’m not stealing. Just buying. Okay?” He turned back around and started toward the checkout.

Henson grabbed his shoulder and tried to pull him around. The old man was a big guy but no match for his youth and strength. Zach didn’t budge and Henson had no choice but to let him go. Hoping he’d be able to get away without another confrontation, Zach just kept on going. No way in hell was he going to get into trouble his last night in town.

The kid at the checkout had obviously heard the altercation. His Adam’s apple wobbled spasmodically as he nervously swallowed. Zach patiently waited as the kid carefully scanned each item. Old man Henson would be a bear to work for; the poor kid had probably been chewed out more than once. Finally, he told Zach the amount he owed. Zach handed him the money, grabbed the bag, and walked out the door.

He was in the parking lot, counting himself lucky that nothing else had happened, when Henson growled from behind him, “I warned you not to come back.”

Zach threw his groceries in the passenger’s side and closed the door. “I’m gone after tomorrow. You don’t ever have to see me again. That should make you happy.”

Henson sneered. “Boy, the only thing that would make me happy would be if you’d never been born.”

He’d always known Henson had it in for him, but Zach was stunned at the sheer loathing in the old man eyes. “Why the hell do you hate me so much?”

“You ruined my life.”

“And just how the hell did I do that?”

“I gave your mama money to get rid of your carcass. Instead of using it like she should have, she stayed in town and flaunted her pregnant belly all over Midnight.”

Revulsion liked he’d never known filled Zach. No. No way in hell was this self-righteous son of a bitch his father. “You’re full of shit, old man. My father was killed in the service.”

“You’re ‘bout as dumb as you look,” Henson sneered. “That’s what she told everybody. Ask your mama how she got knocked up when James Tanner was halfway round the world. Your mama was like a bitch in heat when she didn’t have a man around to satisfy her itch. She caught me in her trap.”

Zach took a step forward until he was inches from Henson’s face. His jaw clenched with fury, he bit out, “You’re not my father. You got that, asshole?”

“Shit, boy, you think I’d come out say something so disgusting? Your mama and me screwed around. She said she couldn’t get pregnant. Was using protection. She lied … like all bitches do.”

Zach had no words. The thought of this man’s blood running in his veins was too vile to even contemplate. He stared hard at the man. Were there similarities? Henson’s eyes were brown, not gray like Zach’s. That meant nothing. He’d seen pictures of James Tanner, who’d had blue eyes. Zach knew he’d gotten his eye color from Francine.

Narrowing his gaze, he peered closer. Were their cheekbones similar? Or the shape of their noses? Maybe, but there was nothing that stood out and said absolutely that Ralph Henson was his father, except for one thing—Henson’s expression said he believed he was speaking the truth.

“How do you know Francine didn’t get pregnant by someone else?”

A glint of arrogant pride entered Henson’s eyes. “‘Cause I was on her day and night for a whole month. She didn’t have the energy to spread her legs for anybody else.”

Zach had no choice; he had to hit him. Slamming his fist into Ralph Henson’s face was one of the most satisfying moments of his life. Standing over the bastard lying on the ground, Zach snarled, “You spew lies like that again and I’ll make sure you live to regret it.”

As a threat, it had been weak at best. But after what he had just learned, he was surprised he was able to form any kind of coherent words at all.

Zach turned away from the piece of crap on the pavement. He had to see Francine immediately; he had to know the truth. The little voice inside him—the one that he hated because it never lied to him—said that he’d already heard the truth. Ralph Henson was his father.

His mind reeling, Zach never heard the noise behind him. Pain sliced into his head; he pitched forward and darkness followed.

He woke to pain. Harsh whispers and laughter echoed around him. The unmistakable smell of blood and the stench of something vile filled his nostrils. Every part of his body felt wrenched, bruised, battered, or broken. He tried to raise his head … knew he needed to get up. What the hell had happened? Agony split his side. He’d been around long enough to recognize a booted foot had just slammed into his kidney. He breathed through the pain and struggled to his knees. The headlights from several cars shone brightly in his eyes. He blinked, tried to get a clear picture of where he was. His vision was impaired … something warm and wet was running down his face, into his eyes. He saw three blurred figures; couldn’t make out any faces. Henson and his friends? Fury trumped pain. Damned if they’d get away with this.