Secrets in the Sand by Carolyn Brown

            “Because I wanted two places. Sometimes I didn’t feel like driving to the farm when we got home from a gig. Sometimes one of the girls needed a place to sleep if they didn’t want to go home. So, I bought this apartment for those times.”

            “It’s a lovely place, Angel.” He scanned the apartment. “But I’m surprised you don’t have a porch swing here.”

            “I’ve got one ordered. I had to have it custom made to fit on the balcony,” she admitted.

            “Angel, what are we going to do about us?” Clancy asked as he heated the soup.

            “What about us?” she asked. “We’ll both work. We’ll come home either here or the farm. Red’s office staff will take you under their wings and smother you half to death. Those women have been with him since I’ve known him. Some of them are probably the same people you used to visit when you and your daddy came down here on Saturdays. The geologist and the lawyer are pretty new, but they’re friendly. You’ll like them. In a couple of weeks, you’ll fit right in. Don’t worry. You’re smart, and you’ll learn fast.” She finished making two sandwiches and carried them to the kitchen table.

            “We need to talk about us,” he said.

            “I’m in love with you, Clancy Morgan. I loved you from the first day of kindergarten.” She stopped to kiss him on the cheek as she passed by the stove.

            “I wanted to court you like a lady. I wanted to take you everywhere I didn’t take you all those years ago, and then when you had fallen in love with me, I wanted to ask you to marry me.” Clancy turned to face her. “You deserve all that and more.”

            “But what I want is just you,” she told him. “I want to feel you near me, even when we’re too tired for sex. I want to fall asleep in your arms and wake up to find you beside me, but before I do it, I want to hear you say—”

            “I love you, Angel. I’ve loved you for ten years.” Clancy’s next kisses were long, lingering, and steamy hot.

            “We might fight,” she purred.

            “We’ll make up,” he said.

            “We might disagree. I’m obnoxious when I argue,” Angel said.

            “So am I, but we’ll work that out when the day comes.” Clancy smiled.

            “I like the way you think.” She pulled his lips down to hers for another long kiss.





Chapter 16


            “Mornin’, Angel,” Patty greeted her with a big, innocent smile.

            “Call them all in,” Angel said. “Just us girls, in the conference room in three minutes, pronto.”

            The grin faded from Patty’s face in an instant. She pushed the red button on the intercom sitting on her desk and said, “Angel’s home, ladies. She says meet in three minutes in the conference room, and I think we’re in trouble.”

            Angel walked over to the window and looked down at the main street while she waited for her friends to assemble behind her. She wanted them to think she was so angry she didn’t want to face them, but it was hard to keep a smile off her face. Especially when she thought about Red in his hospital bed trying to act sicker than he really was, and when she thought about waking up beside Clancy that morning.

            Patty cleared her throat, and Angel turned around to find all five sitting in their places around the conference table. “I ought to shoot every one of you for the stunt you pulled, but your intuition was better than mine. I have to thank you.”

            Patty wiped her brow with the back of her hand in a dramatic gesture.

            Mindy sighed.

            Allie rolled her eyes to the ceiling, and Susan giggled.

            “Want to tell us about it?” Bonnie asked.

            “Nope.” Angel shook her head. “After what you did, not one of you deserves to hear the details. But Clancy and I intend to put the past behind us and get on with the future. I finally have closure,” she managed to say and hoped her expression didn’t give anything away. “Susan, bring me up to date on what’s going on in the front office. The rest of you can meet with me at thirty-minute intervals—”