Total pages in book: 123
Estimated words: 115468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 115468 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 577(@200wpm)___ 462(@250wpm)___ 385(@300wpm)
Not a Buchanan.
Rory’s eyes widened as if she’d heard my heart singing its secret. But then she turned her head, moving her eyes to the side as she listened. “She’s going down the main staircase,” she said.
I felt shaken and off-balance as I turned my ear toward the slats and listened as well, confirming what Rory said. I could hear the soft clunks of the housekeeper descending the stairs at the front of the house. The vision faded, and I tucked it away, back in the place reserved for pipe dreams that had no place in the real world.
Rory stepped to the side and I turned, slowly pushing the door open so that we could tiptoe out. When I reached the door to the hall, I peeked my head around the casing. “All clear,” I said, reaching for her hand. “We’ve been gone so long, they probably think we left,” I said. “Maybe it’s in our best interest to sneak out.”
We turned toward the back stairs, when there was the distinct sound of two pair of footsteps climbing them, and male voices conversing. Shit! We pivoted, hurrying in the other direction as the voices became clearer, talking about some character in a play. We weren’t going to make it to the front stairway without being seen. I yanked Rory’s hand, pulling her into a dark room as the footsteps became louder, moving directly toward us.
There was no time to hide and closing the door would only alert whoever it was to our presence.
I grabbed Rory and began kissing her. At first she froze, obviously shocked by suddenly having my mouth pressed against hers. But then I felt her soften in my arms and if I’d hoped the men talking and laughing and coming toward us would move past us unaware before, I wished for it twice as much now. Go. Keep walking. Allow me to keep kissing her. Allow me to keep pretending this is a charade.
“Oh!” a man said from our left, obviously having stopped in the doorway as the lights blared on. I broke from Rory’s mouth, giving the man named Timothy what I hoped was a contrite smile as I let go of Rory. She stepped back, seeming to lose her balance slightly before catching herself.
Maynard Siggins who had been slightly behind the man, let go of his hand and moved around him.
“Gage? I thought you’d left,” he said. “What are you doing in…our bedroom?”
“Sorry,” Rory said. “That poem…it got me. Again.”
I looked at Mr. Siggins and then back to the other man. “I guess we got a little carried away. Wait…I’m sorry. Your bedroom?” I moved my finger between both men.
Mr. Siggins stood taller, straightening his dinner jacket. “Yes. This is my longtime partner, Timothy Irwin.”
Longtime partner. Damn. So Maynard Siggins was most likely not Rory’s father. All this sneaking around and hiding in closets had been for nothing. I let out a long sigh. “That’s unfortunate.”
Mr. Siggins’s face flushed, and he looked offended. Oh, shit. I felt my own face flush as I realized how he’d interpreted my comment. I raised my hand. “That didn’t come out like I meant it. I mean, it’s unfortunate for Rory. Not for you. Obviously.”
Timothy narrowed his eyes slightly. “Not that it’s any of your business,” he said. “And this is highly improper, finding you here like—”
Rory threw herself forward, wrapping her arms around Mr. Siggins and then letting go so she could kiss the other man on the cheek. “What Gage means is, that’s wonderful,” she said. “For you. We’re happy for you.”
Both men appeared completely flummoxed, but a smile tugged at Mr. Siggins’s mouth. He cleared his throat as he again adjusted his jacket. “Well, I…yes. It is wonderful. Thank you, Ms. Castle.”
“It is,” I agreed. “It’s great.” It was good that this man couldn’t be Rory’s father. We didn’t need hidden artwork to prove that. Unless…“When you say longtime partner—”
“How long exactly?” Rory finished, leaning in, obviously having had the same doubt as me.
“Er, Timothy? How many years now?”
Timothy rolled his eyes. “You’re lucky I love you, you old fuddy duddy, even when you forget our anniversary. It’s been thirty-three years.” Both men smiled lovingly at each other.
Rory sighed, drawing her shoulders up and lowering them as she exhaled. “Wonderful,” she said again. “Well, we should go. Thank you for a great evening.”
We turned to bolt out of there when Rory came up short, sucking in a surprised breath. “Oh my God,” she said, turning toward the walk-in closet on the far wall.
“What is it, Ms. Castle?” Maynard asked.
“That painting,” she said as I stepped next to her to see what she’d spotted. “Is it yours?”
I saw what she was looking at now and inhaled my own breath of surprise. It was one of his. I turned around to see Maynard and Timothy shoot each other a look of confusion. “Well, we own it,” Maynard Siggins said.