Planning Forever After (Book 3, Lonstino & Greenwood Series)

Chapter 31 - Secret

"Hey, Carter! I didn't know you were coming. Did you place an order for your office?" She clicks around on her monitor. A little boy comes out of the back but doesn't even acknowledge my presence, since his eyes are glued to a tablet.

"Not this time. I was wondering if you still have the strawberries covered in chocolate."

"I have them in my fridge. You caught me on time. I was about to bring this one to his grandparents. Free babysitting!" she says in sing song.

"Big plans tonight?"

"Not big, but my hubby promised me a night of dancing at Moonlight House. And cocktails! I need Rory's cocktails!" She laughs.

"Isn't your husband one of the owners?"

"He is, but at this point, I'm willing to spend the night in his club kitchen. With three boys, I need a night where I'm not Mama. Let me get those packed for you."

After paying, I head to my car and walk by a café where I see Dennis sitting inside. A guy joins him, but he looks too old to be one of his students. Besides that, he said he would be at the mall, not downtown. Suddenly, I remember all the odd things he's done in the last month, including emailing me from an account I didn't know he had. I asked him about it and he mumbled that it's something he uses for wedding stuff. Is he cheating on me?

When I get home, I don't know what to do. The front door opens, and he walks in with a shopping bag and grins.

"Hey, you are home early!" He gives me a kiss on my cheek. "I got your food, so you can eat straight away while it's warm."

"I'm not hungry yet. How was your shopping?"

"Uneventful. Got me some underwear and a shirt to replace the one I burned with the iron while I spaced out."

"Uneventful? You didn't come across anybody you know?"

There is a flash of something in his eyes, and small creases form in his forehead.

"Were you downtown?" He asks.

"Yes, I went by Marisol to get you something," I can't hide the anger brewing in my voice.

"What did you see?" He demands.

"I saw you with a guy, while you said you would be at the mall."

He laughs and shakes his head. "Carter, it's not what it seems."

"Well, get me in the joke, because all this secrecy isn't the best way to start a marriage."

"You are wound up, and the explanation is simple-"

"Wound up? You lie and then I see you with another man. Too old to be a student and definitely no one from the school faculty. Do we need to call Thomas and call the wedding off?"

Dennis looks hurt and I'm so irritated by now that I just take my keys and get in my car.

My nasty feelings only subside when I find myself in Lonstino on the route to my parents. Instead, I drive towards the fairgrounds, the place where we are supposed to have our wedding. Tears fall from my cheeks and onto my lap while I'm parked. My phone rings and I want to ignore it. The automatic caller ID identifies it as the Greenwood General Hospital. The person on the line identifies herself as London Brooks, a nurse from the emergency room. Dennis has been involved in a car accident, but she reassures me he's okay.

I believe I break several traffic laws as I make my way back. The nurse I had on the phone, brings me to Dennis, who has a bruise on his forehead and cheek. His left arm is immobilized.

"He's under pain killers for the pain in his dislocated shoulder. He'll be fine. I feared for the other driver, because he came in cursing him," she smiles and leave us alone.

"Dennis?"

He opens his eyes and looks around with drowsy eyes. "My car is fucked up. A fucking kid with a learner's permit went through a red. And I held too hard on the fucking steering wheel and fucked up my shoulder."

Now I realize what the nurse meant and even though I'm worried and have not shaken the scare, it makes me smile.

"I'm really sorry," I kiss his hand. "For everything."

He takes a moment to realize what I mean. "I know it looked dodgy as fuck, but I'm not cheating on you. The guy you saw me with is my half-brother."

"Half-brother? How did you find him?"

"We've spoken before about me trying to find my biological mother without success. I used some money from the settlement to hire a proper private investigator. She found out that my mother passed away two years ago from breast cancer, but Shawn, that's his name, knew everything about me."

"Why did you keep it a secret from me?"

"I know I should have told you, but I didn't want to feel disappointed if the investigator came to a dead end and therefore bumming you with me."

"What else did you find out?"

"She never forgot me and remembered my birthday each year by lighting a candle on a cupcake. Her own little ritual. He showed me photos of her and we both look like her. She was barely 19 years old when she had me. Shawn was born five years later out of her marriage to his dad."

"This is wonderful news. I'm sorry I didn't give you a chance to bring this up."

"It's all too new and I just couldn't believe it. Last Wednesday, we talked on the phone. I went to the mall, but got a call from him asking if we could meet downtown during this break. He works as a bartender in Moonlight House. Today, we saw each other for the first time. I was so excited that I invited him to our wedding. I hope you don't mind."

"Not at all. I'm glad you did."

I hold Dennis in a careful hug and kiss him. Now, more than ever, I'm sure that I want to spend the rest of my life with him.