Page 9 of Dangerous Secrets
But this Sunday had a surreal qualityto it.James had been dead less than twenty-four hours and Delaneyfelt like a part of her had been ripped away, leaving her hollowedout and weepy.
Adding Walker to the mix made her evenmore unsettled.His elbow rubbed against hers at the small table.He grabbed a muffin from a basket, taking a healthy bite withgleaming white teeth, the strong column of his throat working as heswallowed.Clara gave a quiet ahem and Delaney silently cursed whenshe realized Walker had sucked up all her attention.
Clara spoke in her quiet voice,addressing Walker.“I’ll think about your proposal because youasked me to, but like I already said, I’m agreeable and certainlywon’t stand in your way.You need to talk with Delaney, she’s theone who has final say.”
“Talk to me aboutwhat?”
“I want you to think aboutit, Clara.Look over what I emailed you and send me any questions.Then if it’s still a go with you, I’ll talk with Laney.”
“Hey,” she pointed a thumbat her chest, “Delaney’s sitting right here.”
Walker swallowed the last of hismuffin and rose to his feet.“Later.”He bent low to give Clara akiss on the cheek, gave Delaney’s ponytail a tug, then sauntereddown the walkway and around the corner of the house.
“That man irritates mejust by breathing,” she muttered.
“I wonder why that is,”Clara said wryly.Face composed and hand steady, she set a plate infront of Delaney and nudged the basket of muffins and bowl of freshberries closer.
Whyisn’tClara a wreck?
“How can you and Walker beso calm when James died last night?”
“You can’t let yourfeelings overwhelm you, Delaney.It’s possible to grieve withoutlosing control.”
It took her a minute to block thesorrow and the temper.Showing either wasn’t permissible.Numberone family rule?Bryants didn’t show messy emotion.God knew theyfelt messy emotions, and strongly, but wearing them for everyone tosee was simply not allowed: an expectation Delaney had struggledwith her entire life.She’d often thought if Clara hadn’t been socareful about expressing her emotions, she and James wouldn’t havewasted so much time ignoring their attraction and would’ve had moretime together.
Delaney swiped at her cheeks.“It’shonest emotion, Gran.Grieving for him is normal.”
“I loved himtoo.”
The waver in her voice had Delaneystudying her grandmother more carefully.“I know youdid.”
Clara always looked effortlesslybeautiful, fine-boned and refined, but now Delaney detected thetightness of the skin around her mouth and eyes.Maybe grief wouldinvariably make its presence known.
Age may have turned her hair purewhite, but neither it nor grief dimmed the striking blue of hereyes or affected her regal posture.Clara Bryant was on the shortside of medium height with a slight frame, but only as an adult hadDelaney come to realize her grandmother’s strength was more aprojection of an iron will than an actual physicalmanifestation.
She returned her granddaughter’s studywith a shrewd assessment of her own.“You’ll hold yourself togetherat the funeral.”It was stated in a way that didn’t leave room foranything but acquiescence.“Funerals are for the living, and wedon’t want to start a tidal wave of sobbing.Those closest to thedeceased set the tone for the service.”She gave a narrow-eyedstare.“I need to be able to rely on you for this.”
Delaney nodded numbly.She shouldn’tfeel surprised by the edict, but as she had no desire to expose hergrief in public, she let her grandmother’s insensitivitypass.
Clara gave a quick nod as if she’dticked off an item from her to-do list and was ready to move on tothe next thing.
“What was Walker talkingabout?”Delaney interjected quickly.
“That’s not for me toshare with you.He’ll tell you himself.”
Since there was no budging hergrandmother once her mind was made up, Delaney was forced to dowhat she hated more than anything—wait.
“I’ve located one of yoursisters.”
Delaney jolted in her seat and jerkedher attention back to Clara, who raised a cool brow.“I told you Iwas looking for them.”
She hadn’t completely forgottenClara’s pronouncement several months ago that she was looking forwhat she termed her “lost granddaughters.”Delaney was stillsurprised at the rather sentimental term given there was a lot ofspace between her grandmother and sentimentality.
But the last few months had beenexhausting, mentally and physically, and she’d pushed all thoughtof her unknown sisters aside as she’d been absorbed in caring forJames while still running the farm.She’d thought Clara had donethe same.
“You did.”Delaney brokeapart her muffin before taking a bite.She had the fleeting worrythat frown lines were becoming permanently etched on her forehead.“Was this sister happy to learn her grandmother owns a good stretchof land in California where property values are going crazy high?Is she ready to come on over and cement her place in your heart,and make sure she’s included in your will?”
“I know you’re concernedyour sisters might take advantage of me.But I’m not.You also knowmy will states each of my granddaughters will inherit a third ofthe farm.”
