Wishing Lake (23 page)

Peyton tracked Darius with her gaze. He was agitated, but she didn’t know what to say to appease him. “I knew I wasn’t going to marry Bruce. That’s why I didn’t wear his ring when I moved here.”

“That doesn’t make sense.” Darius rubbed his eyes with his thumb and two fingers. “If you knew you weren’t going to marry him, why did you accept his ring?”

Peyton wrapped her arms around her waist. She was more chilled now than when she’d stood before the open front door. “Because I wanted to please my parents.”

Darius spun to face her. “You’re kidding.” He looked at her as though he didn’t know her.

Peyton blushed, realizing just how foolish she sounded. She was a university professor. She’d earned a doctorate degree. She was a thirty-year-old professional. But she’d gotten engaged to a man she couldn’t trust just to please her parents.

She wandered farther into the living room and sank onto Darius’s armchair. “My father wanted me to marry Bruce because he doesn’t think I’m capable of taking care of myself. My mother wanted my father to arrange the relationship because she doesn’t think I can attract a man like Bruce on my own.”

“What do you mean by ‘a man like Bruce’?”

Peyton’s shrug was restless and impatient. “Handsome and successful.”

“What does Bruce do for a living?”

“He’s a financial analyst with my father’s brokerage firm. He’s on the partnership track.”

“Your father’s a financial analyst?”

“Yes.”

“What does your mother do?”

“She volunteers on boards and committees. She’s planned a lot of very successful fund-raisers for museums, hospitals, and libraries.”

“That’s how you learned to organize fund-raisers.”

“Yes.”

Darius dropped his arms. “So your parents are rich and well connected. They probably wouldn’t approve of you having a relationship with a small-town newspaper reporter.”

“No, they probably wouldn’t.”

“Do they know about me?”

“No, they don’t.”

“Why not?” His question was cold, robotic.

Peyton hesitated. “I just haven’t told them yet.”

“Because you’re ashamed of me?”

“No, that’s not why.” She was appalled at the suggestion.

“Then what are we doing here?”

“What?” Peyton stood to face him.

“You didn’t tell me about your engagement. You didn’t tell your parents about me.” Darius paced the living room, stopping when he reached the entrance to his kitchen. “How many other secrets are you keeping?”

Peyton reared back as though he’d struck her. “I’m not keeping secrets.”

“Oh, that’s right. You’re just not telling me anything.” Darius crossed back to his front window.

Peyton’s temper sparked. “I’m not a liar. I’m not marrying Bruce and I’m not returning to New York.”

“And our relationship is
not
going anywhere, is it? Because you’re also
not
telling your parents about me.”

“I don’t have to explain our relationship to my parents. It’s
our
relationship.”

Darius dragged a hand over his close-cut hair. “You’re not the woman I thought you were.”

Those words cut the deepest. “What do you mean?”

Darius faced her. “You ran to Trinity Falls to get away from your parents because you were too afraid to tell them to stop meddling in your life. What will you do if they disapprove of our relationship, move to Kalamazoo?”

Why was he saying these things? “You’re not being fair.”

“You’re not the only one with parent issues, Peyton.” He repeated her words. “I can’t be in a relationship with someone who lies, including lying by omission. I can’t live with someone who keeps secrets.”

“Darius, our relationship isn’t any of their business. I make my own decisions now.”

“You ran away from your parents and your fiancé rather than standing up to them.” Darius crossed to his coat closet. “What if we had a disagreement? Would you discuss the problem with me or run away?”

“I would discuss it with you.” Her voice shook with outrage.

“I wish I could be sure of that.” Darius pulled open his closet and yanked out his coat.

“Where are you going?” Peyton’s panic spiked.

“I can’t be in a relationship where there’s no trust.”

Peyton was desperate. “Darius, I broke up with Bruce before you and I became serious. My engagement didn’t have anything to do with you.”

He stared at her for several silent moments. “That’s where we disagree.” Darius crossed to his front door. “When I return, I want you out of my apartment.”

He left without looking back, closing the door softly behind him.

Peyton stared at the door in shock and dismay. What had just happened? Tears started slowly, then flooded down her cheeks. How had she made such a mess of this? And how could she possibly fix it?

“This will be a New Year’s Day you’ll always remember.” Alonzo locked his front door and escorted Doreen into his family room after midnight.

Doreen was wound up. She wasn’t the least bit tired, even though she hadn’t slept much on New Year’s Eve and had gotten up at the butt crack of dawn New Year’s Day. Her day officially had started at nine o’clock in the morning with her inauguration, the culmination of a goal she hadn’t known she’d had. Then there was the meeting with her new staff and luncheon with the town council members.

New Year’s Day had ended with the mayor’s inaugural ball. She and Alonzo had stayed until after 11:00 p.m., dancing and mingling with their guests, including Ean, Megan, Jackson, Audra, Darius, Ms. Helen, Peyton, and Vaughn. Members of the Trinity Falls Town Center Business Owners Association and the town council also were there.

“It’s been a memorable day.” Doreen tracked Alonzo’s movements as he settled beside her on his sofa. He was so handsome in his black suit and silver tie.

“Was it what you’d hoped for?”

“It was better because you were there, sharing it with me.” Doreen lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulder. She snuggled against his side, breathing in his scent, soap and shaving cream.

Alonzo’s chuckle sounded in Doreen’s ear. “I enjoyed your company, too. But it’s nearly midnight. You should get to bed. You have another long day ahead of you.”

“In a minute.” Doreen sat up. She took Alonzo’s left hand in both of hers. “There’s something I want to ask you first.”

His coffee-colored eyes searched hers. “What is it?”

“Alonzo.” She cleared her throat. “Alonzo, you proposed to me more than a month ago—”

Alonzo interrupted her with a self-deprecating smile. “Thirty-five days ago, but who’s counting?”

Doreen’s chuckle wobbled with nerves. “Yes, well, I wasn’t ready then. But I’m ready now.” She found and held his gaze. “I’m in love with you, Alonzo Lopez. Paul will always be the love of my past. But you’re my present and my future. Will you marry me?”

Alonzo was silent for so long. Should she repeat her question?

“Your hands are shaking.” His statement wasn’t either of the responses she’d anticipated.

Doreen looked down at her hands wrapped around his. The trembling was spreading up her arms. “I’m nervous.”

Alonzo tightened his hold on her hand. “Could you excuse me?”

Doreen blinked. “What?”

“I’ll be right back. Don’t go anywhere.” He released her hand and rose from the sofa.

“But—”

“I won’t be long.” He walked away.

“Where are you going?” She followed him with her gaze.

“Just upstairs. I’ll be right back. Wait for me.” His voice trailed behind him as he left the living room and hurried up the steps.

Was he kidding?
Doreen watched him disappear upstairs. She was no longer shaking with nerves. She was numb with shock and outrage. At least when he’d proposed to her—
thirty-five days ago
—she’d acknowledged his request. She’d responded to it. It wasn’t the reply he’d hoped for, but at least she’d answered him. On the other hand, when she’d proposed, he’d walked out.

She stood from the sofa and paced the living room. Dozens of questions raced across her mind. Where was he? What was he doing? When was he coming back? Why was it taking so long? Why did he have to do . . . whatever he was doing . . .
now
?

Doreen peeked toward the staircase again. She could hear him moving around up there. She went back to pacing.

Maybe she shouldn’t have blurted out her proposal. Maybe this wasn’t the right time for it. After all, today had already been a very busy day for both of them. Alonzo had accompanied her to the inauguration and the luncheon as well as the inaugural ball. He was probably tired. That’s what it was. She’d chosen the wrong day to spring her proposal on him. She should have waited for the weekend.

Doreen turned toward the staircase. She stilled when she found Alonzo walking toward her. “You’re probably tired. We can talk about this in the morning or over the weekend.”

“No.” He took her hand and led her back to the sofa. “I’d rather talk about it now.” He gestured for her to sit.

Doreen studied him as she lowered herself onto the brown cushions. She took in his neatly combed hair and his recently smoothed jaw. “Did you go upstairs to freshen up?”

Alonzo blushed. “Don’t worry about that.” He tugged on his right pant leg before going down on one knee.

Doreen’s jaw dropped. “What are you doing?”

“Doreen, I understand that you’re a modern woman.” His voice was unsteady. “That’s one of the many things I love about you. And your proposal was beautiful. I’ll treasure it always.”

“I know it’s the wrong time. I should have waited.”

“No, this is the right time.” Alonzo took her hand. “It’s just that I’ve always dreamed of this moment happening in a different way.”

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring box. He opened the box, displaying the two-carat Monarch diamond ring inside.

Doreen covered her mouth with her hand. “Oh my word, Alonzo.”

He held her teary gaze. “Doreen, I’ve loved you forever. Will you do me the honor of being my wife?”

Tears trailed down her cheeks. “Yes, yes, Alonzo. I’ll marry you.”

Alonzo blinked rapidly as he took the ring from the box and slipped it onto the third finger of her left hand. He helped her to her feet.

“You’ve made me the happiest man on the planet.” Alonzo wiped the tears from her face.

“And I’m the happiest woman.” Doreen rose on her toes and pressed her lips to his.

“How much longer will I have to wait for you to tell me what’s on your mind?” Ms. Helen set down her teacup and pinned Darius with her sharp, dark eyes Friday evening. They were sitting at the older woman’s kitchen table.

“I’m fine, Ms. Helen.” Darius made the effort to sound normal.

“Now that’s a lie.” The elderly lady narrowed her eyes. “You’ve been here ten minutes and haven’t made one smart-aleck remark.”

“I’m kind of tired after Doreen’s inauguration yesterday.”

“And the big news she and Alonzo shared with us this afternoon.”

Darius found a smile. “Yes.”

Doreen and Alonzo had glowed. He couldn’t be happier for them. Alonzo had privately thanked him for his advice. If only Darius could get his own love life in order.

“You’re also drinking my tea.” She nodded toward his half-empty cup.

“You offered it to me.”

“Since when do you drink Earl Grey?”

“I thought it tasted funny.” Darius frowned at the beverage.

Ms. Helen snorted. “It tastes the way it always does. You’re the one acting funny. Have you and Peyton argued?”

“What makes you think that?”

“The fact that the two of you stayed on different ends of the room during Doreen’s inaugural ball.” Ms. Helen’s tone was dry.

Well, dammit, had he become his parents? He didn’t want to air his private life in public, even in subtle ways like avoiding each other.

“We’ve broken up.” His fist clenched around the teacup.

Ms. Helen’s eyes widened in dismay. “Why?”

“She has a fiancé.”

“No, she doesn’t. I asked her about that right after she moved to town.”

Darius gave a wry smile. “She doesn’t have one now, but she was with him until Thanksgiving. I’ve met him.”

“He’s in Trinity Falls?”

“He was almost a week ago, on December twenty-seventh. He flew in from New York to convince her to go back with him.”

“Since she was at Doreen’s ball yesterday, I take it the reconciliation wasn’t successful.” Ms. Helen seemed confused. “So if they’re not together anymore, what’s the problem?”

“The problem is she lied to me. She never mentioned she’d been engaged.”

“Maybe she didn’t think it was important.”

Darius stared, wide-eyed, at his lifelong friend. “How could the fact that she’d agreed to spend the rest of her life with someone not be important?”

“She must have been intending to break their engagement for a while,” Ms. Helen said pensively.

“Then why hadn’t she ended it before she left New York?”

Ms. Helen shrugged. “That’s something you’ll have to ask Peyton.”

Darius nudged aside his half-empty cup of tea. “And why didn’t she tell me her parents were wealthy?”

“Why would that make a difference to you?”

Darius gave Ms. Helen a dry look. “Her ex-fiancé works for her father’s financial investment company. I somehow don’t think her parents would be thrilled for her to marry a small-town newspaper reporter.”

Ms. Helen’s eyes widened with pleased surprise. “Marry?”

Darius rubbed his eyes. “She makes me feel things I didn’t think I could feel. With her, I thought I could have a normal life.”

“And you’re going to let a little thing like a broken engagement come between you?” Ms. Helen tsked her disappointment.

“Dishonesty isn’t a little thing.”

“No, it isn’t.” Ms. Helen sipped more of her tea as she eyed Darius. “Lies, mistrust, and suspicion are what destroyed your parents’ marriage and you had to pay for it.”

Darius tensed. Walking away from Peyton was the single hardest thing he’d ever had to do, but he’d learned from his parents’ mistake. “You can’t have a relationship without trust.”

“Well said.” Ms. Helen rested her skinny forearms on the table and leaned forward. “But why would Peyton lie about her engagement?”

Darius’ shrug was restless. “To her, it didn’t exist.”

Peyton’s words played like a loop in his mind.
I knew I wasn’t going to marry him. That’s why I didn’t wear his ring when I moved here.

“She came to Trinity Falls because she was looking for a place where she could fit in.” Ms. Helen took another sip of her tea. “And that’s what she found here. She attended town council meetings, a high school football game. She even cochaired the fund-raising committee with you.”

An image of Peyton as Catwoman lingered in Darius’s memory. “She went to Books and Bakery’s Halloween and Christmas celebrations.”

“Those aren’t the actions of a person intent on misleading others.” Ms. Helen sat back on her chair. “She told you what she was doing. She was looking for a community. She wanted to start over.”

“But you can’t start over by running away from the past. You have to face it.”

“And she did.” Ms. Helen spread her arms. “She ended her engagement and told her parents she had a new address. It’s up to you whether you believe her. She wasn’t trying to mislead you when she came to Trinity Falls.”

Darius was silent as he considered Ms. Helen’s words. “You have a point.” Or was he just looking for a reason to give his relationship with Peyton another chance? Was he falling into the same trap his parents had ended up in?

“From the minute I met her, I knew she was the one for you. That’s why I asked for everyone’s help getting the two of you together.”

Darius stared at her. “You were the mastermind behind the matchmaking?”

“Of course.” His mentor continued. “I think Peyton deserves another chance.”

“It could be another chance to lie to me.”

Ms. Helen shook her head. “I don’t understand you, Darius. You were afraid you couldn’t fall in love. Now you’re afraid to be in love. Which do you fear less?”

Peyton pulled into the Trinity Falls University’s faculty lot Saturday afternoon. The past three hours at the Guiding Light Community Center had been unspeakably difficult. She and the other seven members of the fund-raising committee—Simon, Ethel, CeCe, Stan, Vaughn, Olivia, and Darius—as well as several center volunteers had spent the morning decorating the center’s community room for tonight’s fund-raiser.

It had been hard enough being near Darius after not seeing or hearing from him the past two weeks. The curious looks from the other committee members had made it worse.

Peyton climbed out of her car and started across campus toward her office building. She needed additional textbooks to complete her spring semester course assignments. In the distance, she noticed the sunshine dancing across Wishing Lake. The magical image seemed to call to her. Peyton made a detour for the water. The campus was almost eerily empty and quiet during these final days of Christmas break. Classes didn’t officially resume until Monday, although some students had already returned to their dorms.

Peyton paused beside the lake. The trees that surrounded it were naked and cold. Even they appeared anxious for the warmth of spring. She stared into the water. A faint smile curved her lips. Wishing Lake. She’d seen students tossing coins into the water, especially during finals week. Desperate times indeed called for desperate measures. Peyton rummaged in her coat pocket for loose change. What would she wish for?

Her smile faded. If she believed in such things, she wouldn’t wish for Bruce to change or for Darius to trust her. Those would be wasted wishes. Instead, she’d ask for whatever it took to heal her broken heart. Peyton pulled the change from her pocket. She held a nickel and three pennies . . . eight cents for a wish. Why not? She tossed the coins into the lake, watching them break the surface. What would it take to heal her broken heart?

An hour later, Peyton fumbled her way out of her Volkswagen GTI at her apartment complex, then activated the car’s alarm. She slid her purse onto her shoulder and gathered her textbooks before turning toward her building. Peyton spotted Virginia Carp waiting for her beside the nearby lamppost.

“I told you he’d break your heart.” Ginny offered the greeting as soon as Peyton was within earshot.

“Everything was going well until you decided to meddle.” Peyton had the strongest urge to smack Ginny, but violence wasn’t the answer. She tightened her grip on her books as she walked past her annoying neighbor instead.