For The Love Of Nick

“No. No cops. Promise you won’t tell her.”

“Danielle-”

“Promise, Nick.”

“Fine. I won’t tell her until I have to.”

“You won’t have to.”

A muscle in his jaw ticked. He’d never had such an obviously stress-related problem before.

Soon he’d be back to the job. Traveling. Hard news.

And no facial tics.

So why wasn’t he happy?

12

COOPER’S CORNER WAS nestled in the heart of the rolling hills of the North Berkshires. Just as Nick promised, it was a picturesque rural village, classic New England in character. One main street, lined with tiny, historic shops, mom-and-pop stores and an ice-cream parlor on the corner.

“Mayberry, USA,” Danielle said with a smile as they drove through.

“Just don’t let the locals hear you say that,” Nick warned, giving her a return smile that made her insides turn to mush. “They think they’re originals.”

Character and charm abounded in the town. The shady old streets were lined with wide, heavy trees that looked as though they’d been there for generations. The sidewalks were rough and bumpy from the gnarled roots of the trees and the antique store-fronts were all painted with once bright colors long since faded from exposure. The sun gave everything a glow, and for a moment, Danielle’s breath caught as she felt that glow reach all the way to the depths of her soul.

She felt peaceful here. Safe.

But that was silly, she knew nothing about this town, nothing about the people, nothing at all except she wasn’t nearly far enough away from her humble beginnings to suit her.

They drove through Cooper’s Corner and up a hill, turning into a long, curved driveway where a hanging wood sign beckoned them to Twin Oaks Bed-and-Breakfast.

“This is it,” Nick said, taking the last corner.

Ahead lay the inn; a renovated farmhouse, huge and sprawling, surrounded by a magnificent green, hilly setting overlooking the sleepy village below. Danielle just looked at it, her heart in her throat. This was a place to get connected, get grounded. Recharge her batteries. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, feeling silly for being so moved.

“My great-uncle, Warren Cooper, built it in 1875. Quite a legacy, these 160 acres.”

They’d decided to leave Sadie in the truck until the introductions were over. Getting out, Nick shook his head in wonder, staring up at the house. “I can’t believe all they’ve done to it since I last saw it. It’s amazing. You should have seen how rundown the property was just six months ago.”

“It’s…” Comfy, was all she could think.

“Yeah.” He slipped his hand in hers, just as the front door opened. A woman came out, shading her eyes with her hand to see them better.

Danielle’s heart pounded, her pulse raced. This was it. The beginning of the end. From here she’d go see Laura Lyn, Sadie’s breeder, and then it would be over.

Nick would leave.

She’d told herself she’d wanted him to, but she’d lied. Watching him walk away was going to be the most difficult thing she’d ever done.

“Nick!” The woman cried, and, laughing aloud, she ran down the steps and threw herself at him. She was in her early thirties, wearing jeans and a T-shirt, and covered in dried paint of various colors. “Tell me you brought news of civilization, real civilization.”

“I told you after a week in the boondocks you’d go crazy,” Nick said, hugging her. “But admit it, you love it here.”

She pulled back and grinned. “I love it here.”

“So you’re good?”

“I’m better than good.” She nodded politely at Danielle. “Hello.”

“Maureen,” Nick said, reaching to pull Danielle closer. “This is Danielle. My…”

When he didn’t finish, Danielle looked at him.

He was looking at her with an unreadable expression that suddenly scared her. Was he going to tell Maureen the truth after he’d promised he wouldn’t? No, she didn’t really believe that, not for a second, but she did believe there was something wrong because he was looking at her as if he was really, really sorry, and she didn’t understand.

“She’s my fiancee,” Nick said, and Danielle gasped.

He simply grinned as if her reaction was perfectly normal. “She’s still not used to hearing it, though. We’re here in the Berkshires to surprise her relatives.”

With a squeal, Maureen hugged him tight again. Over his cousin’s head, Nick looked right at Danielle, who was so shocked a light breeze could have knocked her on her butt.

“Fiancee?” she mouthed.

“I know I didn’t call ahead,” Nick said to Maureen, eyes locked on Danielle. “We know you’re not really quite ready for guests and we’ve got a big dog, but we were hoping-”

“Of course you can stay here.” She pulled back to kiss him full on the mouth. “I’ll just go get a room ready! It’s still a bit of a mess inside, painting and such, and there are no services yet-”

“No problem,” Nick assured her. “We don’t need much.”

“Oh, Nick! This is so exciting! I can’t wait to tell everyone-”

“About that,” Nick said quickly, grabbing her before she could run off. “We’re sort of hoping to keep it a secret, just for a little bit longer.”

Her smile fell. “A secret?”

“Please?”

“Really?”

“Really.”

She let out a long sigh and gave in. “For you, okay. Just don’t make me keep it for long because this is just too good. Engaged! Imagine that.” Without warning, she turned and hugged Danielle. “I don’t know how you caught him, honey, but I’m so glad.”

Well. Danielle stood there, feeling stupid, her arms fluttering uselessly behind Maureen for a moment before she awkwardly hugged her back.

“Welcome to the family!” Maureen said with such warmth Danielle was overcome with regret and guilt, which only multiplied when Maureen went inside.

“Fiancee?” she said to Nick in disbelief as they went to get Sadie out of the truck.

“I couldn’t figure out how to tell her the truth and keep her out of it. She’d want to help.”

“Oh.”

“And you don’t want help.”

“Right.” She needed to remember that.

“It won’t be for long.”

She needed to remember that, too. Promising herself that she would, she locked her weak knees together, wrapped Sadie’s leash around her wrist and started forward.

DANIELLE MOVED to the window of the room she and Nick had been given and stared down at the steep, green rolling hills beyond, trying not to think.

One room, one bed.