An Allegheny Homecoming Read online

  “Of course. But they’re filling the position after the first of the year.”

  “Déjà vu.” Almost a year ago Wendy had been preparing to leave for Atlanta. What a mess that had turned into.

  “Exactly, well, get back to me as soon as you can. Y’all have a nice day, honey.”

  She decided to call her mother, who didn’t answer, but then, she didn’t believe in carrying a phone everyplace she went. Neither did her father. Maybe it was a generational thing.

  “What have you done with our parents?” Wendy finally called and asked her sister, surprised that she actually answered.

  “Dad wanted to go to a cigar bar.” Katie Valentine yawned. “Thank goodness, because that lets me out and I’m exhausted. They have much more energy since they’ve retired.”

  “And Mom went along? Where’s Oliver?” Wendy knew her sister had a busy work schedule. She could only imagine the extra demands her parents had placed on her sister’s time.

  “Dad went to the botanical gardens with her, so I’m guessing it was part of a negotiated deal.” Her velvet-toned voice dripped with irony. “And I’m the designated dog sitter.”

  Wendy laughed. They shared only one parent, but Katie had been thirteen when the two married. Despite the age difference, the two sisters often had a real fondness for each other, usually at their parents’ expense. “Am I interrupting your work?”

  “It’s Thanksgiving, little sister.”

  “That never stopped you before.”

  “I’m in between jobs right now. I’m watching a rerun of the parade and having a glass of wine.”

  “Me, too.” Wendy glanced over at the television where horses with their riders pranced down the street. She was about to ask how her sister managed to be in between jobs when her sister continued.

  “I wish you were here. Why didn’t you come along?”

  “Work. Why else?” The dog chose that moment to look over his shoulder as if to say, and you had to take care of me.

  “You don’t have to tell me. Although you could’ve come up for the day. What have you been up to?”

  “I went out.”

  “Good. I imagine the local restaurants had the traditional meal.”

  “Hmm, I was invited to the home of a friend.”

  “Really. A girlfriend?”

  “No.”

  “A boyfriend? I can’t believe my ears. I thought you had sworn off men.”

  “He kind of rescued me during the blizzard, so I felt, um, obligated. But he’s not a boyfriend, just a friend.”

  “Sounds like he has potential to me.” Her voice was teasing.

  Wendy didn’t remember her famous sister ever teasing about relationships. Up until the last year, every conversation had centered on her job or her next assignment. “Listen, I need some advice.”

  “On men? I’m the last one to give advice. I haven’t had a date in years.” A sigh sounded over the phone.

  “No. On work. The station manager suggested I interview the owner of a tea shop that opened in town. Just a regular boring old interview. And then in walks this woman and she proceeds to tell the owner’s uncle, who is in his seventies, former military and kind of mysterious, that he has a daughter and twin grandchildren out in California. I mean, he’s just found this out.”

  “Wow. Interesting story.” Katie sounded intrigued.

  “That’s what I thought. But Walt said no.” Wendy drummed her fingers on the arm of the chair.

  “He had to. They’re private citizens, Wendy. They’re entitled to their privacy.” Her voice was matter-of-fact.

  “But my story, as it stands, is boring.”

  “Does your tea shop owner have a criminal record?” Katie’s voice sharpened.

  Wendy thought of the wrinkled newspaper Josh’s father had given her. “Maybe.”

  Katie didn’t respond at first, as if thinking through the possibilities. “There you go. Hey, Mom and Dad just came back. Do you want to talk to them?”

  She was about to say yes when the dog’s ears pricked just before the doorbell sounded. “Someone’s here. Give them my love.” She didn’t have a chance to mention the Miami offer, but then, Katie probably wouldn’t have been impressed.

  Her sister laughed. “Go for the jugular. Find his vulnerable spot. Then you’ve got yourself an interview. Good luck, honey.”

  The dog was already looking up at the knob of the kitchen door when she arrived. “I don’t trust you, fella. You’d let in a burglar if he scratched your belly.” Although the sun had set, there was enough light that she could peek out the window to see who stood on the back porch.

  She opened the door, unable to contain her smile.

  Josh held up a golden crust pie in the palms of both hands like an offering. “You missed dessert.”

  * * *

  WENDY MADE COFFEE, and they each ate two slices of apple pie in the kitchen, the second accompanied with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. “I’m surprised your dad allowed you out of the house with this.”

  “He doesn’t know.” Josh grinned. He had been prepared to tell his father the whole story, when the man had suddenly shut down, convinced he was the reason Josh was leaving Bear Meadows. But the fact was, after his father’s comment, Josh saw the pie on the counter, and the only thing he could think about was Wendy and so he had driven here, as if on autopilot. “Don’t feel too badly. He ate half of the pumpkin.”

  Josh felt a nudge at his knee. Reaching down, he ran a hand over the top of the dog’s smooth dome. “Did you name this guy yet?”

  “Rover seems appropriate. At least for now.” She carried their plates over to the sink. “I just got a call from my headhunter. A station in Miami is looking for a morning anchor. It’s an affiliate, small, but I would get some news experience.”

  Josh’s heart flipped in his chest. He drummed his fingers on the table, taking a moment to remind himself this was as it was meant to be. He had to admit though, he was becoming attached to the young woman with the dark eyes. “No risk of being caught in a blizzard.”

  She slammed shut the door of the dishwasher. “Just hurricanes. Hey, want to come into the den? It’s more comfortable.” She held out a hand.

  Josh looked at the slim unadorned hand, then took it in his and followed her down the hallway. He stopped at a photograph with a familiar face. “Who’s this?” He recognized Wendy in the picture, but next to her was someone else he thought he knew. The two women looked similar except for the hair. Wendy’s was a dark brown shade, the other woman’s hair was honey blond.

  “You don’t know?”

  Josh peered at Wendy, who had a funny look on her face. “She looks familiar.”

  “She should. She interviews the rich and famous, world leaders, covers everything from foreign affairs to awards ceremonies. She’s—”

  “Katie Valentine is your sister?” Josh turned back to the photo, recognition suddenly dawning. Of course, this woman had been on national news for years. He suddenly felt queasy at the thought he was becoming friends with her sister. He also understood Wendy’s need to move up in her professional world. She was probably being constantly compared to her successful, older sister.

  “Yep.” Wendy pulled him into the den, where a fire burned in the fireplace and a book lay facedown in the chair next to it. The parade still played on the television.

  “You built a fire?”

  “It’s gas. I flip a switch. My parents are all about convenience.” She grabbed a throw and two pillows off the couch and tossed them on the floor in front of the fire. “Have a seat and I’ll get some wine.” She turned off the television.

  Josh settled himself on the floor and leaned back against the couch. Now that he was closer he could see that the fireplace was gas. The dog curled up on the hearth. Josh lea
ned over and whispered into his ear. “I wouldn’t get too comfortable, Rover. It’s only a matter of time before she moves on.”

  The dog propped his head on his paws and stared at Josh, his brows wrinkled as if he, too, were concerned.

  Wendy returned with a glass in each hand. “I’m glad you came by. I felt kind of bad leaving so quickly.”

  “My parents are known for throwing ice water on a party.” Josh accepted his glass and tried not to react as Wendy settled next to him and drew the throw over their legs. It was too cozy for comfort. “Did you talk to yours today?”

  “I called, but they were out doing their own thing.” Her words had a melancholy sound. She sipped her wine. “I talked to my sister.”

  “You did? The famous Katie? She wasn’t flying somewhere to interview an important person?”

  “I did. And I had assumed the same. She might be reevaluating things. She sounded a bit weird.”

  He put his arm around her shoulders and tugged on a strand of hair. “So you want to follow in your sister’s footsteps. You want to be famous.”

  “I just want—” she ran a finger over the rim of the glass “—I don’t know. A big story, I guess. Something that matters, that interests people.”

  She was quiet a minute, her gaze on the flames. “Do you think that’s wrong?”

  “Only you have the answer to that.” Josh ran a strand of her dark hair through his fingers, savoring the soft silkiness.

  “And what about you?”

  “What about me?” Josh’s gut clenched.

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were in the army?”

  “Because I’m out. It’s in the past.”

  “Your mom said you were planning on being a physical therapist.”

  He shrugged, wishing his mother hadn’t said as much.

  “She said you worked for Dr. Reed.”

  “Dr. Reed was a client of my dad’s.”

  “She said you were close, that you would talk medicine.”

  “Yep. He was a cool guy, a good man.” He thought of the tall, white-haired gentleman with the steady hands and long tapered fingers. Capable of delivering a baby or loosening the nut under an oil pan.

  “You could go back to school.”

  He leaned his head on the couch cushion and shut his eyes. He was tired of thinking about the future, and he was tired of thinking about the past. “I’m too old.”

  Wendy laughed. “You’re not old.” She slipped her hand into his. “You know, we just missed each other at Penn State.”

  He kept his eyes closed and focused on the feel of her soft hand as her fingers tightened. “Hmm?”

  “You were on campus summer semester and I was there fall. We just missed each other.”

  Josh opened his eyes and found her studying his face. He lifted a hand and ran a finger over her cheek. “Honey, you wouldn’t have liked me back then.”

  “That’s the third time today I’ve been called honey.” She smiled. “So you partied a lot. Did you have a beard?”

  “No.” So much else was different then, too. The summer after the incident his head hadn’t been his own. At one point, he thought he might lose his mind and had made an appointment with a school counselor, only to cancel at the last minute. When Wendy pressed against his chest, he rested his chin on top of her head. He was staring into the fire as she asked her next question.

  She twisted in his arms and gave him a curious look. “Do you know Deb Gold?”

  He took a deep breath before he answered. “Deb was a real estate agent when I was in school. She was a widow, but she didn’t live at the mansion.”

  “Did you know she’s selling her father’s classic car?”

  He didn’t move, but his body tensed at the mention of the car. “No.”

  “Did you ever drive it?”

  Josh felt a strange sensation of something crawling on his skin. Wendy was smart. It was only a matter of time before she was at a major station. She had that ability to work at a knot until she unraveled it.

  “She’s thinking of selling the mansion, too. I’d love to see the inside.” She smiled. “You must have been inside.”

  Josh nodded.

  “Hey, your glass is empty.” She jumped up and retrieved the bottle from a side table that looked like an antique. She was about to refill his glass, but Josh put his palm on the rim. “No, thanks.”

  She leaned back on her heels and fixed him with a pensive stare. “Just one glass, huh?”

  Josh nodded and looked away. “Just one.”

  She returned the bottle to the table and sat down again.

  “Why are you so anxious to leave home? You’ve traveled. I haven’t. I can’t go until I land that job. But what are you looking for?”

  Josh looked at the flames. What, indeed?

  Josh made himself a highball and settled into Dr. Reed’s chair. Maybe someday he would have a house like this, a successful physical therapy practice, and would sit, at the end of the day, and have a highball. He coughed at the first swallow, but by the time the glass was empty, he felt a warm glow. His father treated him like a child. Dr. Reed spoke to him as an equal. In fact, they had taken the car out for a drive one sunny Saturday afternoon, and Dr. Reed had allowed Josh to drive it back home. If Dr. Reed were his father, he would have allowed Josh to take the car for the evening. He poured another drink.

  “Or are you running away?”

  The words came as if from a distance. Josh tore his gaze from the blue flames and stared into beautiful brown eyes he could get lost in. “Excuse me?”

  She propped herself on her hip so she could look directly into his face. “You can’t bear to see your parents fighting, so you’re running away.”

  He placed his palm on her cheek and ran his thumb along her chin. “Always thinking. I don’t want to talk about the past, and I don’t want to talk about the future. Why don’t we just stay in the moment, Miss Valentine?” And with that he pulled her into his arms and kissed her.

  Thanksgiving night, a fire in the fireplace, alone in the big house. This was all he wanted for now. Because once Miss Wendy Valentine found out the truth about him, there would be no more kisses. Once Miss Wendy Valentine found out he had run away after almost killing a man, she would have her big story and she would be on her way.

  CHAPTER TEN

  MARK HAD TAKEN another long weekend to ski in Vermont, so Wendy was prepared to stay late on Friday as she drove to the station in Shadow Falls. After a series of forty-degree days, the snow from the blizzard was almost gone and the highway was dry. Thankfully. The first person she saw was Casey. He crooked a finger when he saw her come into the studio.

  “What’s up?” Grabbing a coffee from the beverage station, she sat on the adjacent stool and waved to a cameraman. Josh had stayed late the night before. He had stopped at one glass of wine, but she didn’t, and her head felt as if a fog had moved in for the duration. She took a long swallow of black coffee. She needed all the caffeine she could get.

  “I wanted to ask you something.” He winked.

  She groaned. Maybe he was going to ask her out. “I’ve got to go to my office.”

  “Wait. I need your opinion. I met someone.” He reached in his pocket and then placed a small black velvet box in Wendy’s palm. “Take a look and tell me what you think.”

  Wendy almost choked on her coffee. “You met someone? I didn’t even know you were dating.” Setting down her cup, she flipped open the lid of the box. Nestled inside was a princess cut diamond ring. She brought it close to better inspect the jewelry. “Oh my goodness, Casey. This is gorgeous.” She glanced up at her coworker. He hadn’t been flirting with her at all.

  Casey winked, a satisfied smile on his face. “Uh-huh. She’s an optometrist. I saw her for my first appo
intment.”

  “How romantic.” Wendy closed the lid and handed the box back to Casey. “I have to ask you something.”

  “Two minutes.” The voice of the intern came over the loudspeaker. Wendy noted idly that her squeaky voice had disappeared.

  “Make it quick.” Casey stuck the box in his pocket and turned to gather his notes from the anchor desk.

  “If you’re asking this woman to marry you, how did you know she was the one?”

  Casey looked up in shock. “What do you mean how? You just know. There’s an awareness. A spark. And then everything flows easily from there. Becky’s my soul mate.”

  “Soul mate? That sounds so...final.”

  Casey’s face flushed. “Excuse me?”

  Wendy hid her cup under the counter and walked over to the weather board. Casey was a few years older than she, and Wendy had assumed he was looking for greener professional pastures, as well. But maybe he had already found them. Miami was looking better and better.

  At the completion of the broadcast, she stopped at Walt’s office. Still surprised at Casey’s announcement, she didn’t tell Walt about the Miami job. Nor did she mention the information from Brad Hunter. She hadn’t figured out quite yet what to do about it.

  Walt lounged in his desk chair and waited for Wendy to take a seat, which she couldn’t do until she removed the stack of newspapers from the only chair. She noticed the box of photographs in the same spot as before. “Still mad at me?”

  Wendy jerked out of her reverie. “Huh? Oh, you mean about not broadcasting the story about Hawkeye? No, I’m fine.” She sat straighter, determined to remain professional. “Do you want another remote weather report or should I stay here at the station all day?”

  Walt drummed his fingers on the surface of the desk before running a hand through his thick hair, mussing it worse than usual. “Stay for the noon report, do the six o’clock in front of that tea shop and I’ll have the intern fill in at eleven.”

  “Tea for You? Again?” Wendy wondered why Walt thought people were so interested in the opening of a little spot like that in Bear Meadows.