Page 17 of Dirty Secrets

Her bottom lip wobbles.

“Or anywhere around here,” I add hastily. “Anywhere within an hour drive of the shop. If you’d like a house higher up the mountain, or lower in the valley, or bigger…” I squeeze her knee gently. “With more windows, or a greenhouse. Maybe a goat pen for Gertie and her friends?” She smirks. “Seriously. If it would make you happy, I would paint the house orange and purple plaid.”

Finally, she laughs. “No, it’s just…” There’s a slow, sad sigh. “A man like you shouldn’t saddle himself with a girl who’s not merely broke, but in the hole because of a ton of student loan debt.” Her chin lifts bravely. “I’m a hard worker, though. I’ve always juggled several jobs at once and lived really simply. Why don’t we talk about this in a few weeks? Maybe someday when the loans are paid off and I am not in financial ruins, we could plan a future…if you haven’t found a better woman by then, of course.”

Oh my God. My poor sweet angel actually thinks that her worth has anything to do with her bank balance?

This needs to be a much bigger discussion. This early on, though, I don’t think she’s going to believe me when I tell her that I’ve never given a damn about money, other than needing to have my basics covered.

“It’s okay, sweetheart.” Tucking her against my shoulder, I rock her gently for a moment. “I didn’t mean to upset you. How about we go to Grandpa’s just for giggles, and I’ll tell him that you’re a friend. He has some of the oldest maps of the town that you might find interesting.”

“Okay. Thank you.”

“Plus…” My lips brush her cheek. “He really is…and I say this with love…a bit of a whack job.”

11

JOCELYN

It feels like my heart is ping-ponging back and forth. Walker and I make cinnamon rolls to take to his grandpa, since they’re apparently his favorite. Yet I still don’t quite know how I feel about being introduced to him. It feels very…relationshippy.

Nobody brings a partner over to a senior family member’s house unless things are serious, right? And I can’t allow myself to give into these extremely large feelings that are spiraling around my heart until my head catches up.

As we drive up the mountain through a breathtaking patch of forest, I honestly cannot believe that I confessed my fears to Walker. And admitted my pathetic financial situation.

I expected him to roll his eyes and pull away from me. Instead, it feels like he wants to ignore the whole issue. Which is irresponsible on his part, to be honest. Doesn’t he care about his own finances? His reputation? His future?

He deserves better than some girl who overspent on her education and will be catching up for years.

A slight shiver runs over me as he squeezes my knee, and I think about how he had held me so closely, comforting me whenI told him about my debt. He really does care for me. He shows it every time he touches me, and the way he looks so deeply into my eyes.

Plus, he asked me to be his girlfriend. This amazing man is smashing through all of my carefully constructed mental walls and making me want to believe that this could be real.

I desperately want that, but I’m also a realist. Which means… I just don’t know. My heart and my head are having some kind of fight, and I keep shoving them aside so that I can focus on what’s in front of me.

We drive up yet another long, sloped hill, then I gasp as a house comes into view. “No way!” I shriek. “It’s an honest-to-fricklog cabin!”

Walker reaches over to squeeze my hand. “That was my great-grandfather’s house. Now it’s kind of a guest cottage. The main place is just this way.”

He drives past the cottage and turns slightly to the left, and I gasp. The house is right on the edge of a cliff, giving it a breathtaking view of the valley. It’s all wood beams and plaster, with enormous windows. There’s a massive garage to the side, and a covered walkway joining the two buildings.

We’ve barely gotten out of the car when a sturdy old man comes bursting out. “There they are!”

He gives Walker a warm hug, slapping his back. He’s not much shorter than his grandson. Then he turns to me, his dark eyes twinkling in his rough, tanned face. His salt and pepper hair is short and thick, with sideburns that are a bit too long to be fashionable, giving him a quirky look.

“Look out girl, I’m a hugger.” He opens his arms, so I dive in, laughing as he swings me around twice. Then he holds up a hand to his mouth, as if that prevents me from hearing him. “Walker, she’s gorgeous. Look at thoseeyes.”

“Easy, Grandpa.”

The older man grins. “I’m Shane. Lovely to meet you, Jocelyn. Let’s go inside.”

They give me a quick tour of the main floor of the stunning house, then we settle in front of the fire with coffee and our homemade cinnamon buns. “Your grandma is off at her knitting group,” Shane says to Walker. Then he turns to me. “I don’t know if they actually do any knitting. I’ll bet you a nickel they’re really just drinking wine and gossiping about those TV shows with the women with perfect hair. What do you think?”

He pops a last piece of bun into his mouth, then rolls his eyes in ecstasy. “Nice work, kids. Those were delicious.”

“Grandpa, Jocelyn is doing a bit of research on Old Hemlock Valley?—”

He chuckles. “Yeah, I’ve been hearing all about the student girls prying into people’s business.” He leans forward to tap my arm. “Just kidding, Jocelyn. I know it’s a town history kind of deal.”

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