Love and war, p.1
Love and War, page 1
Copyright © 2022 by Ashley Farley
All rights reserved.
Cover design: damonza.com
Editor: Patricia Peters at A Word Affair LLC
Leisure Time Books, a division of AHF Publishing
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced in any manner without written permission from the author.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, establishments, organizations, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously to give a sense of authenticity. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
CONTENTS
1. Hazel
2. Casey
3. Sheldon
4. Hazel
5. Casey
6. Ruthie
7. Hazel
8. Sheldon
9. Casey
10. Sheldon
11. Casey
12. Hazel
13. Ruthie
14. Sheldon
15. Hazel
16. Ruthie
17. Hazel
18. Casey
19. Sheldon
20. Hazel
21. Ruthie
22. Casey
23. Hazel
24. Casey
25. Sheldon
26. Hazel
27. Ruthie
28. Casey
29. Hazel
30. Ruthie
31. Casey
32. Ruthie
33. Sheldon
34. Casey
35. Sheldon
36. Hazel
37. Fourth of July
Also by Ashley Farley
Acknowledgments
About the Author
CHAPTER 1
HAZEL
Hazel is on her way home from work at the flower shop when she passes her husband zipping down the road in the opposite direction. She glances at her dashboard clock. Where could he possibly be going at almost six thirty? They rarely spend time together anymore, and he promised to be home for dinner tonight at seven.
On a whim, she hangs a U-turn on the country highway and follows his Land Rover at a safe distance back through town on Magnolia Avenue. When traffic thins, she slows her speed to put distance between them.
They’ve traveled about five miles when Charles makes a sudden right-hand turn. Hazel is grateful for her Tesla’s quiet engine as she follows him a hundred yards up a bumpy dirt road. When Charles parks in front of a tiny log cabin, Hazel pulls in alongside a stand of pine trees for cover. Heart throbbing in throat, Hazel grabs her cell phone and gets out of the car, crouching down as she moves closer to the cabin for a better view.
As Charles approaches the cabin, the front door swings open and his lifelong friend, Stuart Malone, steps onto the porch. Hazel watches in horror as Charles walks into Stuart’s arms, not in the familiar bro hug she’s seen them exchange many times but in a passionate embrace with mouths pressed together and hands on asses.
Swallowing back a wave of nausea, Hazel accesses her new phone’s fancy camera and snaps a dozen images of the lovers before retreating to her car. With head pressed against steering wheel, she contemplates her choices. She can back out of the driveway, hoping to escape undetected, or she can make a dramatic exit, letting her presence be known. Starting the engine, she slams her foot on the gas pedal, and the car hurtles forward toward the cabin. She spins the steering wheel, doing several donuts in the dirt yard before zooming back toward the highway.
Hazel pounds the steering wheel and screams at the empty car. How dare Charles do this to her? Another woman is one thing, but another man is a hard pill to swallow.
She cruises through town, barely slowing at stop signs, and when she reaches the stretch of highway heading home, she increases her speed to nearly ninety miles an hour.
When they purchased Clover Hill Farm ten years ago, Hazel had imagined raising their brood of children in the rambling old farmhouse, watching them play chase through the small apple orchard and swing on a tire from a branch of the meandering oak tree in the sprawling front yard. But now, the empty rooms serve as a constant reminder of her inability to bear children.
She flies up the stairs to the master bedroom, where she stuffs random articles of clothing into a duffel bag before going to the adjoining bath for her toiletries. The sight of Charles’s toothbrush in the stand next to hers makes her stomach heave. He’s brushed his teeth with that toothbrush after having sex with another man.
Hazel drops to her knees and vomits into the toilet. She’s been so desperate for a family, so desperate to save her marriage, that she failed to notice the signs in front of her—Charles’s frequent absences, sullen moods, and diminished interest in her sexually. Will she ever be able to rid her memory of the image of Charles and Stuart in a lover’s embrace?
Rinsing her mouth out, she zips her cosmetics bag into her duffel and hurries down to the kitchen. She’s filling a large tote with food when a breathless Charles explodes through the back door.
“Hazel! It’s not what you think,” he says, gulping in air.
Dropping several cartons of yogurt in her bag, she slams the refrigerator door shut and faces him. “Be real, Charles. I saw you kissing Stuart with my own eyes. How long has this been going on?”
Charles’s shoulders slump as his eyes fall to the floor. “On and off since we were kids.”
Fury overcomes Hazel as the puzzle pieces fit into place. “You used me as your cover.”
His head jerks up. “That’s not entirely true. I desperately wanted to have a normal life with a wife and children. I tried, Hazel. I really and truly tried.”
“Not hard enough.” Hazel palms her forehead. “Everything suddenly makes so much sense. I should have realized something was wrong when you refused to see a fertility specialist. Why did you give up on having children, Charles? Was it because of me? Or because of him?”
Charles answers by staring at the floor.
Hazel rakes her hands through her hair as she paces in circles around the kitchen. “You blamed your impotency on work-related stress. But it was me. I turned you off. You ruined my life, you selfish bastard.” She pounds his chest with her fists. “You should’ve told me the truth. I could’ve found a husband who desires me. Someone who wanted children. Instead, you held me hostage in this house. And now my childbearing years are over.”
His grip on her arms is strong. “I didn’t hold you hostage, Hazel. I would’ve given you a divorce. But you never asked.”
Hazel wrenches free of his grasp. “And I’m not asking now. I’m telling you. I’m filing for divorce. Fair warning, it’s gonna cost you.” She flashes her phone at him. “I have evidence of your infidelity, and I will use it to suck every red cent I can from you.”
Charles freezes, his hand gripping the counter. “What evidence?”
“Pictures of you and Stuart kissing,” she says, swiping through the photos she took. “I dare say, this was not your best moment.”
Charles grabs at her phone. “Please! Hazel! You can’t show them to anyone. Stuart is happy in his marriage. Don’t ruin that for him,” he begs, his tone desperate.
Hazel backs away, her phone hidden behind her back. “He can’t be but so happy if he’s sleeping with you, can he?” She gathers her bags and flees the kitchen.
Charles chases her out into the driveway. “Wait! Don’t leave like this. Let’s talk this through. You’re still my best friend. I don’t want to lose you.”
“You should’ve thought about that before you betrayed me.” Hazel tosses her bags into the back, slides into the driver’s seat, and takes off.
When she calls Laney on the way back to town, Hazel hears music and laughter in the background. “I’m sorry to bother you. I didn’t realize you were having a party tonight.”
“I’m not. The girls have some friends over,” Laney says about her teenage daughters. “Hang on a second. Let me step outside.” The laughter and music fade. “There. That’s better. I can hear myself think. What’s up?”
Hazel inhales an unsteady breath. “You once offered the apartment if I should ever need it. That time has come. I caught Charles having an affair.”
“Oh, honey. I’m so sorry. The apartment is all yours. You know where the key is. Stay as long as you like. I can be there in fifteen minutes if you need to talk.”
“Thanks, Laney. But I need time alone tonight to think.”
“I understand. I’m only a phone call away if you change your mind.”
Hazel drives down the alley and parks behind the flower shop. She retrieves the apartment key from under the planter of pink geraniums and carries her bags up to the second floor, throwing open the floor-to-ceiling windows to let fresh air into the stuffy living room. She kicks off her shoes and leans against the frame of the open window. Dusk has fallen over the town, and the lights twinkle from the stores and restaurants on Magnolia Avenue below.
Reality settles on her like the weight of the earth. Her husband is gay. For ten years, he’s used her as a shield to prevent his friends and family from discovering the truth. Pain grips her chest and she struggles to breathe. While she’s not vindictive, Hazel desperately wants Charles to know how this hurt feels. She can hit him the hardest by going public with his dirty little secret. And the best way to reach the most people is through social media.
Laney recently appointed Hazel in charge of their meager marketing efforts. Hence the reason she purchased a new phone with enhanced camera features. T
Retrieving her phone from her purse, Hazel studies the images of Stuart and Charles on the cabin’s front porch. She picks the one that best shows their faces and posts it on Instagram with the message: Imagine finding out your husband isn’t who you thought he was.
Hazel powers off the phone before the urge to delete the photo gets the best of her. Charles deserves to suffer for what he’s done to her. And Stuart’s wife, Bonnie, has a right to know the truth.
Dropping to the floor, Hazel crosses her legs and stretches her spine. Meditation and yoga have gotten her through the lonely years at the farm. But tonight, her thoughts are too intrusive, and she soon gives up on clearing her mind.
As she unpacks her groceries, Hazel familiarizes herself with the location of items in the small but updated kitchen. Brewing a cup of lavender tea, she takes her duffel bag to the two bedrooms on the third floor. Choosing the bedroom on the front of the building, she places her tea on the nightstand and stretches out on the queen-sized bed. From the darkened room, she can see the lights of the neighborhood streets leading away from Magnolia Avenue. Once she sorts out her life, maybe she’ll buy a small house on one of those charming streets.
If Laney approves, she’ll stay here until she gets her feet back on the ground. The starkness of the apartment, with its all-white furnishings and wooden floors, feels like the right place for a fresh start. And the sounds from below, horns blowing and trucks backfiring, offer comfort after the eerily quiet nights in the farmhouse with only her troubled thoughts to keep her company.
Her thoughts turn to Laney—her boss, best friend, and sister-in-law—recently separated from Charles’s older brother Hugh. If Laney can escape an abusive marriage, Hazel can survive the public humiliation of her husband choosing his gay lover over her. Somehow, she’ll forge ahead, one day at a time, with the freedom to do as she pleases. Hazel drifts off to sleep wondering how a single woman goes about adopting a child.
CHAPTER 2
CASEY
Casey falls back against the pillows and lets out a satisfied purr. “That was amazing. Thanks to you, I’ll be worthless for the rest of the day.” She cuddles close to Luke’s long frame. “Too bad we have to go to work.”
He wraps his legs around her body. “It’s Friday. Why don’t we call in sick? I’ll serve you banana pancakes in bed.”
Casey lets out a soft moan at the thought of his banana pancakes. “I wish I could. But I can’t.” She wiggles free of his legs. “Dad’s treating me to breakfast at the diner. I’m meeting him in forty-five minutes.”
Luke lets out a disgruntled humph. “Breakfast with Daniel usually comes with strings attached. He’s up to something. Any clue what he wants?”
Her skin prickles. Luke often complains about her father taking up too much of her time, about being too involved in her life. But Daniel has been a part of her life for less than a year, and Casey wouldn’t have it any other way.
“He didn’t say.” Casey throws her legs over the side of the bed and walks naked to his closet, thumbing through the meager wardrobe she keeps at his house. “I’m tired of these clothes. I’ve worn everything in here at least twice. I need to switch out some of my outfits from my condo this weekend. Living like a vagabond is getting old.”
He rolls onto his side, propping himself on one elbow while watching her hold dresses up in front of the full-length mirror. “Marrying me will solve that problem, you know?”
Casey doesn’t flinch. He’s asked her nearly every single day for the past four months but she’s yet to see a ring. “I’ll consider it when you make a legitimate proposal.”
“A legitimate proposal sounds like a business deal.”
Casey returns the gray dress to the closet and tosses the pale blue one on the bed. “This conversation is old, Luke. Let’s shelve it until you’re serious,” she says and disappears into the adjoining bathroom.
Casey emerges twenty minutes later with makeup on and wavy golden hair dancing around her shoulders. Luke is lying back against the pillows, staring up at the ceiling with a faraway expression on his face. “What’s on your mind, babe? Big day at work?”
“I’m waiting on some big news. If I hear today, I’ll share it with you tonight.”
“I’m intrigued. Tell me more. Is this about a potential new case?” Dropping her towel, she puts on her bra and panties and slips the dress over her head.
He shakes his head. “I’m not telling you. I want it to be a surprise.”
“That’s not fair.” She moves around to his side of the bed, placing her back to him while he zips her zipper. “How about a hint?”
“No way! You’ll have to wait. I’ll make you dinner as a reward for your patience.”
She looks over her shoulder at him. “Why are you torturing me? This will be the longest day ever.”
“You’ll survive.” He smacks her bottom. “Now get going or you’ll be late. And give your father my regards.”
Luke is being sarcastic. He, along with the rest of the local community, lost respect for her father when he faked terminal cancer last fall. Daniel’s massive stroke not long afterward did little to elicit sympathy.
She bends over and kisses Luke’s lips, lingering until he pulls her on top of him. She lets out a squeal and jumps to her feet. “If we start up again, I’ll never leave,” she says and hurries out of the room.
On the short drive to the diner, Casey wonders about Luke’s big surprise. Is it life altering? Does it have something to do with her? Is it the reason he hasn’t formally proposed? They have both expressed their readiness to get married. Since last fall, Casey has been living with him in the Spanish-style hacienda at the boutique vineyard he inherited from his parents. She can hardly wait to dispose of their worn-out furnishings and make the house their own.
When she arrives at the crowded diner, Daniel is already seated at a booth, perusing the menu even though he always orders the same thing—two eggs sunny-side-up with hash browns, sausage, and the muffin flavor of the day.
Casey slides onto the bench seat opposite him. “Morning.”
“Good morning to you, sunshine,” Daniel says with a lopsided smile. While he’s made dramatic improvements over the past few months, the telltale signs of his stroke persist. Along with the crooked grin, he has a slight limp in his right leg and moments of confusion.
Ruthie, the diner’s owner, appears with a pot of coffee. “This is a pleasant surprise. What brings the two of you in this morning?” she asks as she fills their mugs with steaming coffee.
“Do I need a reason to have breakfast with my beautiful daughter?” Daniel asks.
“Nope. I just thought maybe you were celebrating a birthday. Or perhaps an engagement to a certain sexy saxophone player,” Ruthie says, her pale blue eyes twinkling with mischief.
Casey blushes. “My birthday is in March, and Luke is taking his sweet time in proposing.”
Ruthie winks at her. “I have a hunch you won’t have to wait much longer.”
Daniel places a possessive hand on Ruthie’s hip. “I’m looking forward to tomorrow night. Shall I pick you up around seven?”
She brushes his hand away. “I’ll meet you there. We have our first annual Spring Fling from three until six. I won’t be able to get away until six thirty at the earliest.”
Daniel furrows his brow. “What is Spring Fling?”
“The merchants of Magnolia Avenue are hosting a street festival. We’re blocking off the road and we’ve invited the whole town. Restaurant owners are offering samples of their food. Ada and Enzo will offer tastings at the wine shop. And the boutiques will display their goods. It should be a lot of fun. You should stop by if you get a chance.”
