Ragan's Song (Fairfield Corners #2) (11 page)

Chapter 26

Ragan packed up her camera and tripod, checking the area to see if she had forgotten anything. She thought back over the last two weeks, thankful that the notes seemed to have stopped. Until the stalker situation was resolved, she wasn’t comfortable moving forward with her relationship with Mark.

The classroom door opened and Jenna entered carrying a backpack. Adam had called and asked if she would take Jenna home. He was stuck in Fort Wayne at a meeting with the music festival committee.

“Hi, Jenna. You ready to go?”

“Yeah. Can we listen to my iPod on the way home? Dad put his new music on it for me this morning and I really want to listen to it.” Jenna suspected that Ragan and her dad still had feelings for each other, so she tried to get them back together at any opportunity since Krista’s exit.

“Sure,” Ragan replied, excited to hear Adam’s new album. She plugged the iPod into her stereo as soon as they climbed inside the Jeep. As they listened to the new songs, Jenna talked about how he hadn’t released an album in three years and that he wasn’t happy with the concept art for the album cover. She looked out the window and smiled at the reflection of Ragan’s face as Ragan became lost in the music as well. Jenna loved how it sounded more acoustic than what he’d released previously.

Ragan smiled as she got an idea for the cover art, realizing she knew the perfect place to take the pictures. She started making silent plans and was pleased when she remembered seeing the weather forecast… overcast and gloomy. It would be the perfect backdrop for the photo she had in mind.

As she pulled into Adam’s driveway, she noticed him getting out of his Escalade. Jenna unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for the door. “Thanks for the ride, Ragan. Give Sky a kiss for me,” she said as she hopped out of the Jeep.

Adam approached Ragan’s side of the vehicle, smiling as his daughter ran toward the house. “Thanks for bringing her home, I really appreciate it,” he said.

“I’m glad to do it,” she tried not to stare at him. His eyes seemed to be staring deeply into her soul, and every time she saw them, it became more difficult to conceal her feelings for him. She would have given anything to be able to wrap her arms around him and kiss him with all the love in her heart. Instead, she shifted in her seat and squeezed the steering wheel again, wishing things were different. “I’ve got to get going. Mom is expecting me for dinner. Anytime Jenna needs a ride, just let me know.”

“Thanks again, Ragan,” Adam said as he stepped away so she could back out of the driveway. He watched her pull out of the entrance and turn onto the road before she slipped out of sight.

For a change, the weather forecasters were right. The next morning was perfect for the photos she had in mind. Thick and gray cloud cover hung in sky and the day was dark and gloomy. Ragan drove through the puddles on the road, hoping the rain would hold off for another hour. She wanted to surprise Adam with the perfect picture for his album cover. The location and dimmed light was the perfect backdrop, but a downpour would be too much for what she envisioned.

Ragan pulled into the overgrown parking lot of the old rock quarry, grateful there were no other cars around. She’d borrowed a guitar from Logan and reached to retrieve it from the back seat, and then stretched to grab her camera with the other hand. As she strolled towards the edge of the quarry, her eyes scanned the area for the perfect view.

When she found the right location, she propped the guitar up with a rock. No sooner had she placed it where the light and angle were perfect, then the rain began to fall in a light drizzle. It rained just enough that the water started to bead on the guitar strings. The pictures were turning out even better than she had imagined. She spent the next ten minutes snapping shots from every angle, only stopping during short bursts when the rain began to fall harder.

Her hair dripped water into her eyes as she hurried back to the Jeep. Drying off with a towel, she thought of another backdrop for the guitar that might be even better. She pulled out of the parking lot and drove around the back edge of the quarry. An overgrown dirt road and hardly more than a narrow path, she felt grateful she had four-wheel drive.

The more she thought about the new location for the photo shoot, the more excited she became. After a deep breath to calm her nerves, she called Mark. She could hear the smile in his voice when he answered, “Hey, beautiful girl. What are you up to today?”

“Hi, Babe,” she replied as his deep voice warmed her from the inside out. “I’m out doing my photography thing for a potential client. I’m out at the quarry and I’d like to use the house in my photos if that’s okay with you.”

“Sure, but I have to ask, who would want that ramshackle old house in their photos? You know I love it, but it needs a lot of TLC,” Mark’s words lilted through the device.

Feeling the need to defend her decision, she explained, “I want to try and design Adam’s new album cover.” When he didn’t answer right away, she feared he would refuse, and gushed on. “When I heard the songs, they spoke to me and I feel like I need to do this. Fairfield House may be the perfect backdrop for the pictures I’m seeing in my mind. There’s no guarantee he’ll even want to look at them, but I have to try. Please, Mark,” her voice trailed to a whisper.

“Okay,” he replied with a sigh, “though I don’t understand why.”

She smiled and admitted, “You know, it’s things like this that make me fall for you just a bit more each day,” before she hung up the phone.

The large house, some might even consider it a mansion, appeared through the trees. Fairfield House was rumored to be haunted and it looked the part. The paint was peeling, and a strong wind could likely blow the front porch away. This had been the best make-out spot back when she was in high school; guys brought girls here hoping they would get scared and jump into their arms.

Fairfield House had an interesting, if not forlorn history. Built by Mark’s great-grandfather, Joseph, it had stood nestled away in the back woods for over a hundred years. Intended for his bride and their family, its beginning seemed happy enough. However, after she had died giving birth to their first and only child, Mark’s grandfather, Joseph fired all the servants and sent his son to live with relatives, choosing to spend the rest of his life in seclusion. Shortly after his death, the reports of a ghostly presence began and remained to that very day.

The rain continued to pour out of the southwest sky as Ragan whisked the guitar from the back seat and ran for the porch, being careful to watch for rotten boards. She was concentrating on placing the guitar in the perfect spot and didn’t notice the curtains sway back into place or the eyes that followed her every move. A few minutes later, she shivered from the damp and the chill in the air, running her hands up and down her arms briskly to warm them. Stepping off and away from the porch, she clicked a series of photos from every angle, always hoping for the perfect shot.

Once she was satisfied that she’d gotten enough to choose from, she grabbed the guitar and drove back to town, calling Adam as she pulled into the driveway. “Hey, can we talk?” she asked cheerfully. “If you have a chance, would you stop by for a few minutes?” Grinning at his agreement to a meeting, she carried her camera and the instrument inside with a slight spring in her step.

She downloaded the pictures first thing when she returned to her studio, even before heading for the bedroom to change into some dry clothes. After changing, she used a towel to dry her hair as she walked back to her studio, smiling when she saw Adam’s Escalade pull into her driveway. Watching him walk up to the door like he had three years ago made her wish things could be different. She missed being more than friends, and all that went with that status.

“Hey Ragan, what’s up?” Adam asked as she opened the door. “Is everything okay with Skylar?” he asked, signs of worry spreading on his creased forehead.

“He’s fine. I have something I want to show you.” She motioned for him to follow, then took a chair and placed it next to hers at the computer. Once she was situated in front of the screen, she clicked around with the mouse until a group of the new photos appeared. “On the way home yesterday, Jenna let me listen to the songs for your new album. I hope that’s okay.” A quick glance in his direction told her it was, and that she hadn’t taken too much for granted. “She told me you weren’t happy with the proposed cover art. The songs are great, and I love how it’s more acoustic than anything else you’ve released. The music gave me some ideas. I hope you like them.” Watching in silence at the expression on Adam’s face, she started scrolling through the photos.

“These are great,” he finally exhaled. “You’ve really captured the mood of the songs. I had a couple of artists do some concept art, but they didn’t come close to these shots.” He continued scrolling through them, stopping at one of the pictures she had taken at the ancient structure. “Where is this? I don’t think I’ve ever seen this place.”

“That’s Fairfield House. I’m surprised Cassie hasn’t told you about it; it’s supposed to be haunted.”

“Fairfield House? As in Mark Fairfield?” He folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair.

She looked at him, her eyes narrowed, “What?”

“Never mind,” he refused the debate.

He’s jealous of Mark. I wish I could tell him the truth...
She continued on with her explanation, “The house is out in the woods behind the quarry. I thought it would be a good backdrop, but I like the ones at the quarry better.”

Adam continued clicking on the pictures, stopping on one from the quarry that highlighted the water droplets beading on the guitar strings. “This one’s perfect. How did you come up with this?”

Ragan smiled, glad she got to witness the look on Adam’s face. He was excited—for real—not just saying so to make her feel good about her work. “The music spoke to me, I guess.”

While he remained seated next to her at the computer, Ragan opened a different program, pulling up the picture Adam had chosen as his favorite and adding the album title. Adam reached a hand out and put it on her shoulder. Leaning closer, his breath in her ear sent shivers down her spine, making it almost impossible to concentrate.

“I think you just showed me my album cover.” Adam spun her swivel chair around so she faced him. “You’re fantastic.” Without so much as a hint, he kissed her. “God, I’ve missed you,” he whispered, giving her an affectionate nuzzle.

Ragan pulled away and blinked at him in amazement, seeing only love and no anger. The regret she had for leaving the way she did welled up, reminding her why they couldn’t be together, at least not until the stalker had been caught. Until then, Adam might still be in danger. “I can’t do this again,” she said firmly. “I’m sorry.” She pushed him away and ran to the bathroom, locking the door before allowing herself to sob in silence.

Adam stood outside the bathroom door, debating whether to knock or not. He raised his hand several times and then lowered it. His heart had been torn in two… again.

Chapter 27

Mark entered the kitchen and watched Ragan in bare feet and jeans, dancing along to a song on the radio as she stirred the pot of tomato sauce bubbling on the stove. He smiled as she swayed in time to the music, unaware of his presence, as she pulled a pot out of the cupboard and filled it with water.

Reaching down to the small boy holding onto his legs, he ruffled Skylar’s hair, amazed at the strong connection he had for someone else’s child; particularly since the someone else was Adam. Ragan hadn’t pulled any punches with Mark about her feelings for the other man, and he knew she still loved him. However, he had pledged to take things one day at a time and hoped that she would ultimately choose him over Adam.

“Hey, sweetness. What’re you cooking?”

She squealed and turned around, her hand up to her chest as if to calm her heart. “Geez, Mark. I think you scared ten years off my life,” she said with a smile as she stepped closer and hugged him, burying her face in his shirt.

Softly placing both hands on her cheeks, he tilted her head back and bent down to kiss her, frowning at her red eyes. “Why have you been crying? What did Adam do now?”

“Nothing. I guess I’m just emotional today.”

“Emotional about what?”

“Just an old letter that I should throw away.” She picked up an envelope and tossed it into the trash can, smacking the lid down quickly. “There, all taken care of.”

“You sure you’re okay, Baby?”

“Yeah.” Her phone rang and bounced across the counter. “It’s a client. Will you watch the sauce for a few minutes?”

“Sure. Go do what you need to do,” he accepted the wooden spoon.

He stirred the sauce as he tried to avoid thinking about the wadded up paper at the top of the trash can, but he wondered what was in the letter that had made her sad. Giving in to the temptation with a quick glance over his shoulder, he lifted the trash can lid and grimaced at the envelope addressed to Adam.
Figures.

The floor creaking out in the hall alerted him that she was heading his way. He snatched the envelope quickly and shoved it in his pocket, knowing it was important, but not knowing why.

As they ate, he laughed at Skylar’s antics, but he couldn’t forget the crinkle of the envelope in his pocket, reminding him that she was still attracted to someone else.

Later that night as he mindlessly flipped from channel to channel on the television, he remembered the stolen piece of mail. Holding it under the light, he squinted to read the postmark. When he snatched it from the trash, he had thought that it might be recent correspondence between them, but this letter had been mailed while she was in the Congo, not too long after she had left Fairfield Corners.

He flipped it over and the words written on the back caused him more anger than hurt. Now Mark wanted to find Adam and plow his fist into his face. “And don’t come back,” he read aloud.
How could he write that and return it to her unopened? How is it possible for her to still love him?