Page 14 of Winter's Kiss

“He told you about her, did he?” I nodded at his question. “Hm. He’s never done that before.” I stood in shock. This was typical? Rowland did this often? How could his parents allow such behavior? I had lived a sheltered life, but I would be damned if I could ever just sit back and watch such a vile act against the family.

“Rowland said the storm should be over today. That my car should be dug out today or tomorrow.” I quickly added. “So, I just think the rest of my stay should be in town. Being a mistress is not something I’m interested in.” Theo nodded as he took a drink from his mug.

“If that’s what you want to be done.”

That was easy, I thought.

“It’s what’s best. Don’t need to be any more damaging to the family than I already have been.” Theo chuckled at my words, an act I found confusing. There was nothing funny about this. Had he and his son thought this was a joke?

“Before you go, I ask you to give me a moment. You need to know a few things. Shall we say clear things up?” What needed to be cleared up?

“I’m not sure there is anything that needs…”

“Give me ten minutes, hear me out. If you wish to travel to town and stay, I will take you myself and make all the arrangements.” He paused. “Ten minutes.” Reluctantly, I agreed with a nod. I had messed around with his son and caused harm to his family unit after he and his wife opened their home to me. It was the least I could give.

We made our way into the large sitting room, Theo with a smooth stride to a floral-patterned couch that sat in the center of the room. A fire warmed the room, a coffee table was placed just in front of the couch with several photo albums stretched out. While I slowly sat, Theo with a grunt while he lowered with a pop of his knees.

“The fun of growing older.” Theo was such a kind man, even when poking fun of himself. Not that I didn’t love my father. I couldn’t help but wonder where I would be if I had someone like Theo in my life. He cared. You could see it in his eyes and hear it in his voice. How could Rowland so easy to jeopardize his kindness?

“Can I ask you a question?” I sat the mug on the coffee table and turned toward him. “Where is she? Rowland’s wife.” Theo finished his drink and lowered it to the table beside him with a reach for one of the albums.

“She’s in Frostford, next town over.” I nodded, a scoff as it hit me.

“That’s where he was coming back from when he spotted me on the side of the road.” I felt sick to my stomach. He had just left his wife and picked me up and, just like that, I found myself in his bed. Theo flipped open the book, and my heart sunk at the first picture. A younger Rowland and her.

“Her name is Paige.” Theo started to talk, a slow flip of the pages. “She was born and raised in Frostford, which, funny enough, had always been our rival town. So, you can imagine the scandal when their golden daughter met and began seeing our residential ladies’ man.”

I scanned each photo, Rowland in his football uniform, her in her Frostford cheerleading outfit. Moments of them at bonfires, parties, and even two prom photos with different themes. He looked different and yet the same. Rowland had a smile stretched across his lips in nearly every picture. She always stood close to him, his arm around her as though she would somehow be torn from him.

They had friends, lots of friends. Pictures of them dancing in the distance. Moments they shared on what I could only assume was the farm on warmer days. Rowland with an older man and woman, I presumed, were her parents.

Then was graduation, Rowland in a cap and gown with her at his side, followed by one of her with him next to her. Their lives were filled with nothing but one another. How could he do this to her?

“Their relationship wasn’t an easy one, at first. I honestly thought I would go to my grave seeing the town's rivalry moving in full steam ahead.” Theo continued. “However, when Rowland asked Paige to marry him, it changed.” He sat down the album with a lift of the next.

“I’m sorry, Theo, but I don’t understand.” He opened the book, and the first picture was one of Rowland and Paige on their wedding day. “If he loves her so much, if their marriage healed this feud, then why would he disrespect her the way he does?” Theo’s brows furrowed, as though confused.

“Disrespect?” Theo asked. “How has he done that, dear?” Did he want me to go into detail? Had he not heard us after all? I cleared my throat with a nervous laugh, my eyes lowered to the new page of the album.

“She’s just so beautiful.” I would be a liar if I said otherwise. The woman, with long golden blonde hair. The most welcoming and sweet smile always stretched across her face. Her figure looked flawless, her skin perfect without a filter.

“She was,” Theo said softly, with a slow flip of the pages.

“Was?” I asked, looking at him.

“Paige died, sweetheart.” He flipped the page with my shocked attention shifted toward the article.

“Resident Paige Quinn, formally Rusk, lost her life Wednesday after a run-in with an ex-boyfriend.” Wait for what? I paused and glanced at Theo while he sat in silence, an expression of devastation plastered across his face. “Witness, report Mrs. Quinn had been spending the day with girlfriends when a man identified as Edward Morrison confronted the group. Mr. Morrison seemed agitated, aggressive, with a refusal of leaving without a moment alone with Paige.” I paused and cleared my throat before I continued to read aloud.

“Paige had recently gotten married to a long-time boyfriend and Muddy Waters, local Rowland Quinn. Reports say, Mr. Morrison, former Frostford High School quarterback and now local farmer, had never accepted the end of his relationship with Paige and had made threats toward her new marriage. Hours before she was scheduled to leave on her honeymoon, Paige found herself in a fight for her life instead. Oh my God.” I stopped reading; tears formed in my eyes.

“He killed her?” I asked Theo with a shaky voice.

“He did,” Theo replied before he flipped the page. I looked at the album, unable to stop my tears as I saw a news clipping of Rowland leaning down and kissing a coffin. “They called it a crime of passion when it was anything but,” Theo added.

“Rowland has never forgiven himself for not being there.” Anna’s voice brought our attention toward the archway. “Not protecting her.” She started into the room, a slow descent onto the couch next to me.

“But it wasn’t his fault,” I added, with a slow flip of the album page. He changed, the look in his eyes, the smile that had been plastered across his face now gone. As though he wasn’t there. I knew those looks, those stances. I understood being someone for everyone else.

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