Sweet Little Lies ~ Abbi Glines Page 4

  Heidi didn’t walk until she was five. We were in the kitchen coloring at the table when she took her first steps. I’d had to keep reminding her not to eat her crayons while Momma made biscuits for dinner. She made biscuits whenever money was tight.

  I had dropped a green crayon and I had stood to pick it up when Heidi tottered to her feet and took her first steps toward the fallen crayon. She’d said proudly, “I get it.”

  Mom had made cupcakes to celebrate after we ate the biscuits with sausage gravy. The image of her hugging Heidi tightly and telling her how proud she was still stuck in my head. But now . . . Now that I knew Heidi wasn’t her daughter, it made my mother even more special. And I hadn’t thought that was possible.

  I remembered when Mom would kiss my head at bedtime—she’d tell me to get in bed and that she’d be in shortly. I’d fall asleep before she could get there because Heidi wouldn’t rest until Mom had rocked her. It took hours some nights. Otherwise, Heidi would cry. The dark scared her, even with me in the same room. Mom would bend down and whisper in my ear, “I couldn’t live this life without you my Beulah beauty. You’re my source of strength. Heidi is my joy, but you sweet girl, are my heart. Never forget how dearly I love you. Even when I can’t always hold you as long as you want or tuck you in at night.”

  Those words made more sense now. I understood what she never told me. It was something I didn’t need to know. I missed Mom every day. She always told me I was her strength, but she was mine. I didn’t know how I could be hers.

  My attention snapped back to the road when Stone switched on his blinker and turned into a driveway in front of me. There was a massive stone wall with a wrought iron gate with the letter M in the center of it. Stone leaned out his window and said something to a small black box and the gate opened slowly. I followed him inside the fortress, or whatever this was. Magnolia trees lined the driveway until it opened up and a small castle appeared. My jaw dropped at the sight of all the grandeur. I’d never seen a house like this one. It looked like a bonafide castle.

  Stone pulled around to park right in front of the steps leading up to the impressive doors. There were even stone lions at the bottom of the stairs. I parked behind him and sat there taking it in. Did someone actually build this to look like a castle? And why?

  Stone was standing in front of me blocking my view and I shifted my eyes to meet his. He shrugged as if this was to be expected. After turning my car off, I grabbed my keys and got out of the car.

  “What in the world?” I asked. My words were laden with awe.

  “She’s a bit eccentric. Her husband indulged her whimsies when he was alive. This house was one of them.”

  “Uh, this is more than whimsy,” I said walking to meet him on the stairs.

  “Not to Victor Mayweather.”

  I started to ask more when one of the doors opened and a tiny lady with snow-white hair pulled up in piggy tails appeared. “Stone! I thought the milkman was here. He’s late,” she said throwing her hands up in the air.

  “The milkman won’t be coming today Gerry love. He retired about sixty-five years ago.”

  She frowned and placed a finger on her puckered lips. “That’s right. I’d forgotten about that. Bill was a fine man. Always brought the best milk. It was cold too.”

  Stone bent down to press a kiss to her cheek. “Good morning.”

  She patted his cheek. “Good morning to you too, dear. Did you decide to get married after all? She’s lovely. I can see why you changed your mind,” Geraldine said as she smiled at me.

  “I didn’t change my mind. I’m still not getting married. This is Beulah, the girl I told you about. The one that I think you would like having here to help you with things during the day. Like your hairstyle choices.” He added the last bit with a small smile. He had never smiled at me that way.

  He was making a joke that only I would get. His eyes sparkled with his smile and made me a little breathless.

  “Oh yes, yes! I remember. I was just thinking I’d like to color my hair red. Can she do hair color?”

  He chuckled then. A real laugh. It was . . . amazing.

  “I like your hair the beautiful shade of platinum it is. Let’s not change that.”

  She sighed. “Very well. I’ll leave it like this just for you.”

  “Thank you,” he replied with complete sincerity.

  “Do you think you could find where my chickens went? I was going to make some eggs for breakfast,” she asked me.

  “I—”

  “There are no chickens here. That was at your cottage in Bath. You no longer live in England,” Stone said to her, stopping me before I agreed to find the chickens.

  She waved her hand and laughed. “That’s right. Moved last week,” she replied. “Come on inside. We’ll all catch a cold out here.”

  She hurried back inside and I noticed one of her shoes was a red house slipper and the other was a white tennis shoe.

  Working here would never get boring, I knew that was for sure.

  GERALDINE LED US INTO A sitting room with two sofa’s that looked like expensive antiques no one should be sitting on and two high back chairs. There was a fireplace made entirely of marble, over it hung a painting of a tall, handsome man with black hair and a square jaw. Although it appeared to be a portrait, it was too perfect to be an actual man.

  “There are five guest bedrooms each with an en suite. I have them named and you’ll need to memorize them. We will cover that today. The master suite has two en suite’s and two sitting rooms. The kitchen is down the hall to the left. The dining room I use daily is across from it. The formal dining room for entertaining or parties is in the right wing further down. It’s not proper to have it too close to the kitchen. There is a library, office, bathroom, powder room, sunroom, and this room that need daily dusting, sweeping and the like. I can’t keep up with it all anymore. I let the help go after Victor passed because they got in my way.” She paused and smiled. “I didn’t even offer you tea before I started the job description. I’m terribly sorry. I promise I’m not normally so rude.”

  “We’d love a cup,” Stone replied.

  She beamed at us both. “I’ll be right back.”

  I watched as she walked gracefully from the room, baffled by her complete change in character.

  “She has her moments. We arrived during one. For the most part, she pretty with it. But the spells as she calls them, come along and she gets lost, confused, forgets, and often thinks it’s the 1950’s and she’s living in England. You’ll learn to spot the switch.”

  “Oh dear heavens! What is on my feet?” we heard her horrified voice from the kitchen. Stone chuckled.

  “She’ll have to fix that before she comes back.”

  I laughed. “This is going to be the most interesting job I’ve ever had.”

  “Yes, it probably will be.”

  “How do you know her?” I asked.

  He sighed and glanced up at the photo over her mantle. “Gerry’s husband Victor was a business associate of my fathers. My mother used to drop me off at my dad’s office because I was teething and my crying was too much for her. Granted she had nannies, but they always quit because my mother drove them crazy. Gerry was there one day with Victor when my mother brought me to drop me off. Dad was upset because he had work and she’d run off another nanny. Gerry took me with her that day. Throughout the years they left me with her often. She was the only constant woman in my life from the time I was a baby. The memories I have of my mother are sparse. She came and went, as did my dad’s many wives. But Gerry baked cookies with me, took me to the zoo, read to me, taught me how to ride a bike, and stayed by my side at the hospital after my appendix ruptured when I was ten years old. My mother was in Italy with a friend.” He stopped speaking as Gerry’s footsteps neared.

  She was carrying a silver tray with a pretty tea set. “Now, let’s drink a spot of tea and discuss your pay.”

  I watched as Stone smiled at her. There was love in hi
s eyes. This woman was very special to him, and he was trusting me to take care of her. His trust honored me. This wasn’t a position he chose just anyone to fill. I understood, and I’d make sure I never let him or Geraldine down.

  “There will be times I’m a case I tell you. Be prepared for that,” she said as she sat up straight with her legs crossed. I noticed she now had matching black flats on her feet.

  “I think she witnessed that already, Gerry,” Stone said in an amused drawl.

  Geraldine frowned. Then her eyes went wide, and she looked down at her shoes. “Yes, my shoes were a disaster, weren’t they?”

  “I have meetings today, Gerry. Why don’t you and Beulah work things out? You can show her around. Let her get the feel of how you like your day to go. I’m a phone call away if either of you need me,” he glanced at me then.

  “We will be just fine. Don’t you worry about her. I won’t scare her away,” Geraldine said then winked at me. I liked this woman. My mother would have liked her too.

  Stone stood up and sat his cup on the tray then kissed her on the cheek again. “I’ll leave her in your care then.” His tone was gentle and caring. Who was this man?

  “What meetings do you have? Still handling all Jasper’s affairs for the boy? It’s time you make him figure it out. You’ve got your empire to run. And Victor’s.”

  Stone gave a hard shake of his head as if to stop her from saying any more. “Everything’s under control, Gerry,” he said and gave me a tight smile before quickly making his exit.

  Handling Jasper’s affairs?

  “That boy works too much,” she said with a sigh. “Do you like to garden? I have a vegetable garden out back. It gives me something to do instead of sitting in this big house all alone every day.” The switch in topics was swift, and then she was up out of her chair walking over to the window. “He’s a good kid. I often wonder how that’s possible with parents like his. He made it out okay though.” She glanced back at me. “Can’t say the same for Jasper though. That one was stuck with Portia. It ruined him.”

  Stone wouldn’t want her saying any of this to me, but I was clinging to every word. I was finding out more truths every day. My time with Jasper had been brief, and I didn’t know as much as I thought I did. I had assumed and judged things that were incorrect. Jasper relied on Stone, not the other way around. Yet Jasper had let me think otherwise. It felt like everything I knew had been centered on lies.

  “Now, tell me about yourself Beulah. Beginning with where you got that name. It’s Hebrew you know. It means married.”

  I was impressed that she knew the meaning and origin of my name without looking it up. She was a well-educated woman who had lived what appeared to be an elaborate life. And she was kind. She had been a mother to a little boy whose mother neglected him. That alone made me respect her.

  “My mother heard the name on a television show when she was pregnant with me. She was young, and she thought the name was unique and special. She wanted me to be those things, so she said she named me accordingly.”

  Geraldine smiled. “Well, that sounds nice. She was a good mother then? Even though she was young?”

  “The very best in the whole world,” I replied without pause. No matter how many lies revolved in and out of my life, my mother’s love would always remain the truth.

  I understood that she hadn’t lied to me about Heidi to hurt me. She’d lied to protect Heidi.

  CARS WERE EVERYWHERE AS I slowly pulled into the small parking lot outside Stone’s apartment. There was a single parking spot beside Stone’s Rover. That was odd since cars were parked on both sides of the brick-paved road that led to the front of the building. Several were blocking the other cars that parked here regularly.

  I pulled into the spot and turned off the car, then heard the sound. It was music and people. Obviously, that’s why all the cars came were here. I reached over to grab my purse from the seat beside me and then climbed out of the car. Walking toward the door, I heard more noise and realized it was coming from the roof. Someone was yelling down at me. I heard, “Did we order him some entertainment?” and glanced up to see a guy smiling down at me with a beer bottle in his hand.

  The front door was unlocked. I walked inside the building and peeked inside the open door of the first-floor apartment. The people inside were laughing, and there were voices coming from further inside the apartment.

  This was very different from the quiet building I’d left earlier today. I had wondered if any of the other people that lived in the building were ever home. I didn’t wonder anymore.

  A guy with black hair that brushed his shoulders and dark brown eyes walked out the door. His hair was tucked behind his ears and curled slightly near the end. His gaze locked on me and I paused. I wasn’t sure if I should introduce myself or just keep walking.

  “You must be Beulah,” he said as a slow easy grin spread across his angular face.

  “Yes,” I replied unsure of how he knew that and felt slightly awkward that I had no idea who he was.

  “I’m Mack. This is my place. I heard all about you earlier.”

  “Oh, yes. Stone told me you and Marty live here. It’s nice to meet you.”

  A deep and low laugh was his response, and I wondered if I’d said something funny. I didn’t know what that could be. I was trying to be polite.

  “When things get too hectic with the crazy bitch upstairs, you’re welcome to come hide out here. She hates you. She doesn’t have a real reason to, but after seeing you, I think I have that figured out.” His tone was friendly.

  “Thanks . . . I think,” I said not sure if I should agree that Presley was a bit off her mental rocker or not. I decided on going with the truth. “She’s got the wrong idea about Stone and me.”

  That response seemed to please him. “That’s good to know. You take care now and don’t be a stranger.”

  I started to say thanks, then thought better of it because it seemed redundant. Instead, I gave him a little wave. Small talk was not my thing.

  I continued up the stairs only to find the second-floor door open and more voices and a party inside there as well. Was the entire building having a party? Did these people not have jobs to worry about tomorrow?

  I walked up to the third floor quickly before anyone came out of that door to greet me. When I reached the top floor, that door was also open, although the voices weren’t as loud and there was no music coming from inside. I didn’t know what I was going to face since Presley had already begun sharing her dislike for me with the others in the building. Mack didn’t seem to care about her opinion. I hoped the others felt the same.

  Stepping inside I saw silver balloons and a Happy Birthday banner across the entrance. Was the entire building celebrating one birthday? I could hear laughter coming from the great room and kitchen, but I didn’t feel comfortable asking whose birthday it was. I hadn’t been told there would be a party, so I assumed I wasn’t invited.

  I paused to decide if I should head straight to my temporary room or make an appearance when I saw movement out of the corner of my eye. Looking down the hallway, I found Stone there. He was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed over his chest and his eyes locked on me.

  I made my way down the hallway to thank him for my job once again and then maybe he’d tell me what I should do. I was secretly hoping he’d suggest I relax in my room. All these people made me nervous.

  “It’s someone’s birthday I see,” I said as I approached him.

  He scowled and glanced at the decorations at the entrance of his apartment. “Unfortunately.”

  That response didn’t surprise me. Stone didn’t appear to be the kind of guy to enjoy a birthday party in his space. “I guess you didn’t plan this.”

  He sighed and shifted his eyes back to mine. “Most years I leave the country. Alone. I do something I want to do. Check something off my bucket list. But this year . . . this year I stayed. And Presley did this.”

  “It’s your bi
rthday?” I asked feeling terrible for not knowing. No one had said anything. Not even Geraldine.

  “No. My birthday is in two weeks. However, Presley was afraid I would disappear, so she did this early.”

  I had two weeks to find a gift to thank him for all he had done for me and to wish him happy birthday. I would ask Geraldine for help. She’d know what he liked. I felt bad for him because it appeared Presley didn’t care if he’d enjoy a party or not.

  “I’m sure she means well,” I said trying to remain positive about her.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Is that what you really think, Beulah? Or are you just being nice because that’s what you do? I’d like to know what you really think. Not what you think you should think.”

  He was asking for my thoughts. I wasn’t sure anyone had ever asked me that. Who would? It wasn’t polite to corner someone like that. But it was honest and real, and those were two things I missed lately.

  I opened my mouth and readied myself to say what I thought. It wasn’t nice but it was correct. Zero sugar coating just as he’d requested. “Presley is selfish and spoiled. She may have some childhood issues I don’t know about, but that doesn’t excuse her behavior. She had a party because she likes the attention. She isn’t worried about anyone but herself.” My mouth snapped shut, and I had to fight the urge to cover said mouth in horror. Had I ever said something so incredibly blunt? Without thought to another person’s feelings?

  Stone grinned. It was that grin that sent my heart rate into a frenzy. “That’s better. Sounded real and not rehearsed. I prefer honesty. Brutal, harsh but fucking real. There’s enough bullshit in my life.”

  He pushed off from the wall and came to stand in front of me. His body towered over mine and his scent was a dark and tempting fragrance that made me inhale deeply.

  “I trust you. You’ve got a kind soul. Even when you’re honest, it’s not cruel. That’s rare in my world. You have to know that I won’t ever get close to you. I won’t ever open up to you. Understand?”