Page 28 of A Secret Promise

Riley's words had Vixen blinking in bewilderment, and Rule swiftly inserted himself between the two women.

A change of subject was definitely called for, and since today was the first time Vixen hadn't sat with them during service...

"I missed you."

Vixen's cheeks turned rosy while Riley started gagging.

"I missed you, too, Vix," his daughter declared, "but the way Dad says it is justgross."

"It's not gross at all," Vixen protested. "And for the record, I missed you guys, too."

"But don't take our words the wrong way, love." As one of the recipients of this year's community leadership awards, the council leaders had requested Vixen and the others to sit in front for the ceremony.

"Riley and I are extremely proud of what you've managed to achieve through your book club."

"It's all Him," Vixen said cheerfully. "Everything the book club is now, it's all Him. Isn't God amazing?"

Rule took her hand in his just as Vixen took Riley's hand in hers, and the three of them went completely still when they realized what had just happened.

A moment later, all three of them were smiling.

God was amazing, indeed.

Outside the church, Riley asked Vixen for a quick tour of the local cemetery at the back, and Rule felt as if someone had stepped over his grave at the words.

"Juno tells me it's where pirates used to hide their treasure?" he heard his daughter ask excitedly.

"Well, that depends on how you define 'treasure'."

Rule's unease grew as Vixen and Riley ended up walking ahead of him in their excitement. He had never been the type to be easily spooked, and even if he were, Lavender Cove's cemetery looked more like a somber slice of paradise with overgrown masses of wildflowers encircling most of the graves and tranquil blue waters serving as a backdrop.

"This was during the Great Depression," Rule heard Vixen share, "and smugglers had this ingenious idea of turning the cemetery into their warehouse. But instead of burying bodies, they were burying their contraband."

Riley's gaze lit up with interest. "Evidence hidden in plain sight!"

"Clever, right? But wait, there's more..."

Vixen's imitation of a salesman making his pitch had Rule smiling despite himself.

"See this one?"

Riley bent down to take a closer look at the marble headstone. "It doesn't say when this person was born."

"Because this isn't really any person's grave. Rather, the month and year you see..."

"—-is its production date," Riley exclaimed.

Vixen grinned. "Exactly."

They moved to the next marker, this one in plain old stone, and a badger intricately etched above the name of the "deceased".

Riley frowned. "I don't get it. Is that some kind of symbol?"

"I think it means this batch comes from Wisconsin," Rule guessed, "since the badger is their state animal."

"Correct!" The way Vixen looked sodelightedat his answer Rule could feel color staining his cheeks.

"Gross,Vixen. You're looking at Dad like he's just solved world hunger."

---