Perfect Secret by Molly McLain
Chapter 1
ALANA
“Please tell me you’re joking.”
Old Man Morton shakes his head of thick white hair. “Sorry, Al. Wilder is having his cabins at the ranch renovated before the rodeo comes to town next month, and the kid needs a place to stay.”
“But there’s no bathroom.” And frankly the tiny room across from my apartment above the Mason Creek Market is hardly fit for a closet, let alone a place to live. It’s barely the size of a dorm room, for Pete’s sake.
“He’s not picky. Besides, he’ll be using your bathroom.”
I nearly drop the cash register drawer I just spent twenty minutes reconciling to the grocery store’s black and white tiled floor.
“You can’t be serious.” Share my bathroom with a complete stranger? A guy, no less. Who, from the sounds of it, is some random fly-by-night Wilder took pity upon.
“No offense, kiddo, but you live here almost rent-free. Have for more than four years now. Sharing your bathroom with the young man for a short while isn’t going to kill you.”
Maybe not, but this young man, whoever he is, might just kill me.
“Do you know anything about this person, Marty? Anything at all?” I lower my voice as Susie, the service desk clerk for the afternoon, returns from her break and comes around the counter. She’s as nosy as they come, and I’d kind of like to wrap my head around the bomb Marty just dropped on me before the whole town hears.
Marty lifts a shoulder covered in red and black flannel, despite it being one of the hottest days in August. “No, but if he’s a friend of Aiden and Wilder, he’s probably a decent guy.”
Probably. No doubt Jeffrey Dahmer’s neighbors thought he was a probably nice guy at one point, too.
Setting the drawer on the counter, I curl an arm around my waist as my stomach begins to twist and turn. “I wish you would have talked to me about this before you told Wilder it was okay.”
“Actually, I told Aiden it was okay. He asked for Wilder since he was too busy at the ranch to come into town himself.”
“Wait—my brother was in on this?” I think I’m going to be sick.
Marty lifts a hand. “Again, I’m real sorry for the inconvenience, but I couldn’t very well say no when Aiden asked. The kid is due to arrive in town any minute and Wilder was in a bind.”
So, putting me in a bind to make Wilder’s life easier seemed like the right decision? Wow. Clearly, my brother didn’t mention this to Emma, his lady love and one of my best friends, or she would have set him straight ASAP.
“Can you put the drawer away for me?” I ask Susie, who’s openly eavesdropping, her eyes volleying back and forth between me and Marty like a ball. I wouldn’t be surprised if she calls Hattie and Hazel Jackson to report the new development as soon as I leave. “I suddenly don’t feel so well. I think I need to lie down.”
“Sure thing, Alana. You want me to lock up tonight’s drawers too so you don’t have to come down?”
“Yes, please. Just in case.”
“It’s only for a few weeks,” Marty adds as I grab my backpack, make sure my cell phone is tucked inside, and sling it over my shoulder with a heavy sigh.
“Mmm hmm.” A few weeks too many. “What time is this kid supposed to be here exactly?”
“Not sure. I have some errands to run real quick, and then I’ll be back to move some things around in his apartment. You might want to make some space for our guest in that bathroom. Put some of your girly stuff away and whatnot.”
Yeah, I don’t think so. If I’m going to be forced to share my private space with some wandering ranch hand, he can deal with my stuff just like it is.
“See you tomorrow, Susie,” I mutter and then make a quick trek to the back of the Mason Creek Market, past the frozen foods section and into the storage area with shelves full of extra dry and canned goods, and to the staircase that leads to my apartment upstairs.
Marty’s right—I have lived here for four years and I haven’t paid actual rent or even had to contribute to the utilities, for that matter. But that’s only because it was part of the deal we struck when I took the job managing the store. I get paid for forty hours, but I put in no less than sixty on any given week. I never take days off and, besides my online college classes, I live and breathe the Mason Creek Market.
I may not financially contribute to the store, but I keep it running and have since I came back to Mason Creek. In fact, I make most of the decisions around here, so the fact that Marty didn’t think to include me on this one? It’s frustrating. And also a humbling reminder that as much work as I put in here, the market isn’t mine. And, if my savings account is any indication, it won’t ever be.
Dropping my backpack into a side chair in the living room, I stalk straight to my bedroom and face-plant on the mattress.
I need to come up with another plan to get the money to buy the store, because that ‘for sale’ sign is going to go up in the front window any day now. Marty’s been talking about it forever and, at seventy-six, he’s not messing around.
HOLDEN
“You beat me here!” Aiden Faulkner laughs from the open window in his police cruiser as he pulls into the back lot of the Mason Creek Market a couple of minutes after me.
“And to think I drove around town a couple of times, too.” Tucking my hands into my jeans, I grin. “You get tied up with your girl, or what?”
He chuckles as he hops out. “Nah, just had to stop for gas.”
“Uh huh.” Pretty sure that lipstick on his cheek wasn’t there a few minutes earlier when I’d met him at Pony Up to discuss my living accommodations, but since we don’t know each other well, I’ll pretend I don’t see it. “Nice little town you’ve got here.”
“She’s pretty sweet, isn’t she? Just wait until the leaves start changing in a few weeks.”
“Yeah, I should still be around then.” Unless something drastic changes and CJ says I can come back to the rodeo circuit sooner, but I’m not holding my breath.
“Old Man Morton said he’d be upstairs moving some stuff around, so let’s head on in and see what’s what.” Aiden tips his head toward the steel door marked ‘for business only’ beside a larger delivery door at the back of the old brick building.
“Thanks again for hooking me up with this. Wilder forgot about his cabins being renovated when he invited me up.”
“No problem at all. In fact, most people don’t know this room even exists. I only do because my sister lives in the apartment across the hall.” He presses a code into the security panel and the door clicks open. “5-7-7-2, by the way. For future reference.”
“Got it.” I smirk and follow him inside, where it takes my eyes a second to adjust to the dark space. It’s only lit by a couple emergency lights and it’s obviously a storage space, given the shelving and the relic of a forklift parked just inside the delivery door.
“There are other lights, but Marty—aka Old Man Morton— likes to keep ‘em off to save electricity. The switch is right here if you need it.” Aiden thumbs to a panel by the door and then nods to the staircase. “Your room is up this way.”
“So, you said your sister lives here, too?” I ask, following after him.
“Yep. Her name is Alana. She also manages the grocery store, so it’s convenient. And you shouldn’t have any problems with her. She’s either working or doing homework.”
“Ah, she’s in college?” Probably young. Hopefully not annoying.
“Uh huh. Almost done, too. Took her a little longer than normal because of some life shit, but she’s a good egg. Now, anyway.”
“Now?”
“Yeah, she left Mason Creek for college but ended up coming back when she got her heart broken. You might know a little something about that.” He glances over his shoulder when we hit the top of the steps and, yeah, I know all about shitty relationships. “Anyway, she went a little wild for a few months and then she did a one-eighty overnight. Now, we can’t get her to loosen up for anything.”
“Huh.” Sounds like she’ll be quiet, at least. Not that I plan to be around a lot. I hope like hell Wilder keeps me busy enough at the ranch so these few weeks of not-so-voluntary sequestration go by quickly.
“Aiden, is that you?” a raspy, somewhat breathless voice calls from down a short hall, covered in old school, faux wood paneling. “Come on back.”
“That’d be the old man,” Aiden murmurs as we head down the hall that has a total of three doors. The first one on the left ahead is open, but the two on the right are closed. One of them has a floral wreath hanging on it.
“Your sister’s place?” I jut my chin toward the flowers and tuck my hands into my pockets.
“Yeah. I’ll introduce you to her before I head out. In case you need anything.”
“Sounds good.” Again, I don’t plan on needing much, but I should probably make nice with the neighbor just in case.
“There you are.” An old man with thick white hair, a burly middle covered flannel, and sweat across his forehead glances up when Aiden and I enter the room. Aiden had warned me it was small, so I’m not surprised that it looks like a prison cell minus the toilet in the corner.
“Hey, Marty. Looks like you’ve been busy,” Aiden says, hurrying ahead to help adjust a tall dresser back against the wall.
“Oh, just rearranging some things to make it more welcoming. Haven’t had anyone stay here before, but it turns out I had almost an entire bedroom set from home up here in storage.”
The twin bed is older, for sure, but it’s well-kept and there’s a stack of clean bedding on a small table in the corner with a single chair. There’s also the dresser, a side table, and a mini-fridge with a small TV sitting on top.
“Marty, this is Holden. Holden, Marty.” Aiden waves a hand between us, and I step forward to shake the man’s hand.
“I appreciate you letting me bunk here a few weeks.” I’d much rather be at home in Colorado in my own bed, but since the media figured out where I lived, sticking around wasn’t really an option.
“No problem at all.” The old man props his hands on his hips and takes a moment to catch his breath. “Well, there might be one small problem.”
“What’s that?” I ask. I can see I’m going to need a coffee pot and more pillows, but I’d already expected I’d have to pick up a few things.
“I’m afraid there’s only one bathroom up here.”
Aiden grimaces. “Shit, I forgot about that.”
“Alana said she’d clean up her stuff, so it shouldn’t be a problem,” the old man adds.
Hold up. “I’ll be sharing a bathroom with your sister?” I glance to Aiden, mostly in surprise, but partly to make sure he’s okay with it. He’s a friend of a friend and we’ve met a few times over the years, but we’re not close. For all he knows, I’m some creepy closet asshole.
“Yeah.” His face twists almost guiltily, obviously more concerned about my comfort than his sister’s. “Sorry about that. It completely slipped my mind.”
“No worries, man.” I mean, I don’t know the girl, but I grew up sharing a bathroom with my younger brother and sister. Can’t be worse than that, right? “As long as she’s okay with it, that’s all that matters.”
Marty nods adamantly. “She will be.”
Will be? Does she not know yet? “Maybe I should meet her.”
The old man pulls in a breath and lets it out with a resigned huff. “I suppose we should do that. Let’s head over.”
Aiden waves a hand toward the hall and I lead the way to the door with the floral wreath. Marty steps in front of me, rapping his knuckles against the wood for a solid two minutes before an annoyed feminine voice calls from the other side.
“For the love of God, Marty, I’m coming!”
Yeah, this isn’t going to go well.
I brace myself for the wrath of this mystery woman as the door jerks open and the sexiest pair of hazel eyes I’ve ever seen land on mine.
She scowls—no, correct that… she physically grimaces—and promptly shifts her gaze from me to Marty. “I told you earlier that I didn’t feel well,” she says calmly, but there’s no denying the edge to her tone. “I was sleeping.”
“Sorry, kiddo, but I wanted to introduce you to your new neighbor.”
She rolls her eyes, tucks a lock of silky auburn hair behind her ear, and crosses her arms over her chest… But not before I catch a glimpse of her nipples tightening beneath her T-shirt.
Sexy eyes, a mouth full of sass, and no bra. Good Lord. I should feel bad that she already hates me, but I’m more intrigued than anything.
“I’m Holden.” I lean around Marty and offer my hand. Those coppery eyes flick down to the gesture while she sucks in her cheeks and resists.
“What the hell is your problem, Al?” Aiden snaps behind me.
Her gaze swings to him and her nostrils flare. “Would have been nice if you’d have given me a heads-up about this.”
He scoffs. “Wasn’t like I had much notice.”
“It takes two seconds to send a text.”
“You’re right. And maybe I would have if I wasn’t working. You know, keeping this town safe for pleasant citizens such as yourself.”
Those gorgeous eyes narrow before she lifts her chin and finally looks at me. She doesn’t take my hand, though, so I let it drop and offer a smile instead.
“I promise not to be a pain in your ass. In fact, I’ll probably spend most of my time out at Wilder’s. You won’t even know I’m here.”
“Too late for that.” She searches my face for a long moment before lifting her chin a little higher. “There are two doors to the bathroom. One inside my apartment and the one in the hall. I’ll lock the hall door from the inside when I’m using it. If it’s unlocked, it’s free. And don’t even think about touching the inside door. Ever.”
Wow. Am I giving off asshole vibes or is she really this uptight?
“Fair enough.” I dip my chin and leave it at that. For now. I’m typically not the kind of guy who’s bothered by other people’s opinion of me, but something about her thinking I’m a dick rubs me the wrong way. Maybe it’s the fact that the entire reason I’m even here in Mason Creek is because I’ve been accused of doing something I didn’t and her judgment is like salt in a wound.
Or maybe it’s because she’s really friggin’ pretty and something about that amber gaze of hers tells me there’s more to this girl than meets the eye.