House of miracles lipsti.., p.1
House of Miracles (Lipstick & Danger Book 1), page 1
HOUSE OF MIRACLES – LIPSTICK & DANGER BOOK 1
Copyright © 2023 - Tierney James
Cover Design by Sweet ’N Spicy Designs
All cover art copyright © 2023 – Tierney James
All Rights Reserved
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, characters and incidents are either the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously, and any resemblance to any actual persons, living or dead, businesses, organizations, events or locales is entirely coincidental. All trademarks, service marks, registered trademarks, and registered service marks are the property of their respective owners and are used herein for identification purposes only. The publisher does not have any control over or assume any responsibility for author or third-party websites or their contents.
No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the author.
The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement, including infringement without monetary gain, is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000. Anyone pirating our eBooks will be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law and may be liable for each individual download resulting therefrom.
Cover Design – Jaycee DeLorenzo
Publishing Coordinator – Sharon Kizziah-Holmes
Paperback-Press
an imprint of
Paperback Press, LLC
Dedication
This book is dedicated to all those who serve children that have nothing. They are the true angels that walk among us as they spread hope and goodwill.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Dedication
Chapter 1
Three weeks earlier
Chapter 2
Chapter 3
Chapter 4
Chapter 5
Chapter 6
Chapter 7
Chapter 8
Chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
Chapter 19
Chapter 20
Chapter 21
Chapter 22
Chapter 23
Chapter 24
Chapter 25
Chapter 26
Chapter 27
Chapter 28
Chapter 29
Chapter 30
Chapter 31
Chapter 32
Six months later
About Tierney James
Other Publications by Tierney James
Chapter 1
Don’t look down,” he yelled. “Grab my hand. I’ll pull you up!”
Meredith sobbed as she disobeyed and stole a glance down the face of the cliff to the waves crashing against the rocks below. “I can’t.” She clung to the two protruding rocks the size of a softball, a foot apart. They were sharp and wet. Clinging to them, her body smashed against the rugged face of the cliff. The rain and wind intensified just as a crash of lightning forced a scream to escape from deep inside her.
“Meredith, it’s now or never. Trust me.”
He reached down farther than he should have, his body extended over the edge. If she reached up, she would have to release her grip on the protruding rock. This would unsteady her body.
“Meredith!”
As she opened her mouth, a blast of rain slammed into her face like tiny razor blades. All she could do was nod and wiggle her fingers in hopes of tightening her grip. In slow motion, she eased one hand free, only to slip and grab her safety rock once more. With her head resting against the rocky surface, she could hear his encouragement, edged with desperation.
“Remember. Take a deep breath. Visualize rocking those babies at the orphanage. They need you, Meredith. I need you. Together we can make this a better world. Trust me. Just this once.”
This time she lunged for his hand and felt it close around her wrist. With the sudden movement, her feet slipped off the ledge and her body dangled in the wind with nothing but his grip keeping her from a painful death on the jagged rocks below. She glanced up at his face, barely visible through the pounding rain, and thought she saw him smile.
In that moment, Meredith realized this wasn’t what she’d planned in the way of adventure or an escape to a new life. With the newfound determination, she used her free hand to catch hold of his arm.
What was she thinking coming here? In that perilous moment, she remembered.
~ ~ ~ ~
Three weeks earlier
Meredith gripped the armrests of the small engine plane carrying ten passengers. It bounced again, causing her to gasp.
“Almost out of the turbulence, folks. Nothing to worry about. We’re beginning our descent. Be sure you’re buckled,” came the voice over the intercom.
She fussed with her already fastened seat belt. She tried to tighten it farther, without success. A nun sitting next to her had been praying and saying her rosary for a half hour. The last turbulence bump caused the nun to yelp then slam her hand down onto Meredith’s leg with the grip of a champion wrestler. The name of Jesus slipped out several times, but she was pretty sure it was a plea to be saved from a watery death over the Caribbean Sea. Meredith patted the woman’s hand, more to calm herself down than the good sister.
The plane landed outside the small mountain community of Turtle Bay, that edged the sea, without incident after leaving Phillip Goldson International Airport. Six others disembarked, looking as if they’d been working on a tan rather than going to work every day like herself. The honeymooners pawed at each other at every opportunity and carried Gucci bags. She was maybe twenty years younger than the guy whose taut skin around his mouth and eyes announced he’d had work done on his face. His hands and arms hinted at his true age in spite of the firmness.
“Hope he has a prenup,” the sister said softly, elbowing Meredith.
“That’s not all he better have,” she added, making the sister laugh out loud. “That was inappropriate, Sister Elena. I’m sorry.”
“No matter.” She waved her off as she struggled to rise from her seat and wiggle out into the aisle. By the time she’d accomplished the act, she laid her hand on her heart and took deep breaths.
“Are you okay, Sister?” Meredith retrieved her backpack from the overhead bin and slung it onto her shoulders. “Let me get your things.” She pulled down a small canvas bag, hearing it squeak when she lowered it to the seat.
The sister smiled. “It’s toys for the children. My orphanage needs so many things.” She tried to take it from Meredith who pulled it back in refusal. “Thank you, dear. This flight was exhausting.”
Meredith secured a wheelchair for Sister Elena and rolled her through the small airport to find their luggage. Since the facility boasted only one luggage carousel, it wasn’t difficult to locate. She heard an uproar of squeals and laughter, along with calls of Sister Elena’s name. Then, like a swarm of grasshoppers, children were hugging and kissing the sister, talking ninety miles an hour until she held up her hand for silence. Some squatted next to her, and a few others patted her arm. The rest stood back and waited.
“My goodness. I have missed you little rascals. Now, where is your escort?”
“Here I am,” called a deep voice. A man strolled up next to her and picked up a little boy no more than three years old. “The bus is waiting. They insisted on coming, Sister Elena. I made them promise not to tire you out.”
Meredith gazed at the man before her, dressed in ripped jeans and a faded green T-shirt most likely rescued from a thrift store, given how faded and worn it appeared. It hugged his chest, exposing a muscular frame. The sleeves of the outer shirt were frayed and rolled up high enough, tattoos were visible.
“Thank you again for all your help today and for making me laugh.” The sister grinned up at her and reached for her hands, which Meredith gladly gave the sweet old lady. The sister turned to the children then to the man holding the little boy. “Meredith Marshall meet Axel Cahill. She is a nurse practitioner from Missouri. Axel is also from Missouri.”
“Really?” she said, feeling a wave of awkwardness as if he had just noticed her, although with his dark sunglasses, she couldn’t be sure. From what she could determine by the straight line of his full lips, and the chin-up motion of greeting, he wasn’t a big talker.
The children became impatient as Sister Elena pointed to her one piece of luggage with several pieces of duct tape used as patches. Meredith rushed to grab it at the same time Axel put his hand over hers and pulled the suitcase free. In spite of having a three-year-old clinging to his back, he managed to lift the heavy suitcase before making eye contact with her.
“I got it. Thanks.”
Meredith couldn’t decide if his tone was condescending, impatient, or bored. Either way, he turned away from her as she scrambled to pull her luggage off the carousel. She dropped one piece, and it popped open, spilling underwear, bras, cosmetics, and a couple of bikinis onto the circling carousel, headed to return inside the secret place of all lost luggage.
“No. No. No,” she cried as she tried to gather up a few pieces. At one point , she reached too far over and fell face-first into her open suitcase. Her legs were kicking up in the air as she tried to right herself, only to catch the front of her shirt on something sharp that ripped a hole over one breast. Since her bra now was visible to God and everyone else in Belize, she placed her hand over the front as she shoved with the other hand to return to the floor.
Hearing the children cheer, she watched Axel step onto the carousel, taking long strides until he jammed Sister Elena’s cane into the mechanical works. It vibrated then groaned to a stop. Unconcerned, he proceeded to bend down and gather up the remaining pieces of clothing. He lifted her black lacy bra with one finger then turned to eye her head to toe.
Maintaining his solemn expression, he tossed it to her, and it landed on her head. “Nice,” was all he said then shoved the rest of what was now vacation debris into her suitcase and hopped to the floor. He carried it to a nearby table where a bucket of what appeared to be school supplies was stored. With the speed of Wile E. Coyote, he duct taped the suitcase shut then placed it on the floor.
She stood there with her mouth open, the heat of embarrassment painted on her face, holding the lacy bra across the front of her ripped blouse. Realizing the children were giggling at her and the other tourists were smirking, Meredith shoved the bra into her backpack.
“Thank you,” she managed to tell him.
He nodded, picked up Sister Elena’s suitcase, and made a path through the excited children. One of the older children positioned himself to push the wheelchair as they headed for the exit when she heard Sister Elena call to her.
“Come with us.” She motioned. “We’ll drop you off at your hotel. It isn’t far. There are only three in town. The others are big resorts down the beach.” She looked at Axel. “We have room for one more?”
“Anything you want, Sister.” For Sister Elena, he offered a warm smile. He bent down, and she put both her tiny hands on his cheeks, causing him to chuckle. He kissed her forehead then turned to Meredith, the gruffness back in his voice. Before she could resist, he snatched her suitcase from her hand. Like a choregraphed dance, everyone moved to the outside, where a small yellow school bus with St. Francis Children’s Home scribbled in black letters waited for them. It resembled something a small child could have written. There were abstract flowers painted on the side, and each wheel was a different color.
Watching Axel help Sister Elena into the bus impressed her that maybe he wasn’t the creepy homeless guy he appeared to imitate. Once she was settled, the children rushed on, some sitting three in a seat. A little black-haired girl who held hands with the little boy Axel held earlier came to sit by her. It was clear they were twins. Since it was a tight squeeze, she held her arms out for the little girl, who quickly climbed into her lap. The boy smiled up at her and talked so fast, Meredith could only chuckle.
The motion of the bus, stopping and jerking as if it were about to quit, caused her to feel a wave of motion sickness. Combined with the heat and lack of air-conditioning, she hoped throwing up wouldn’t add to her already compromised appearance. She managed to pull out a tank top from her backpack to pull over her ripped blouse. When the brakes squeaked to a halt and black exhaust belched like a shotgun blast, Axel opened the door and nodded for her to follow.
Sitting the little one down in the seat, she tousled her hair and added a light pinch to their cheeks, causing them to smother their giggles with a hand across their mouths. The children sang as Sister Elena waved her finger in the air, like a baton at a choral concert. Meredith backed down the aisle, listening and dragging her suitcase with a missing wheel. The music sounded heavenly, until she bumped against a hard body behind her.
With a quick pivot, she caught her toe on the seat leg and fell into the chest of Axel, who stood like a statue glaring down at her with a frown and raised eyebrows. She became aware that her arm had gone around his waist. “Oh. Sorry.”
“Were you drinking on the plane?” he asked offhandedly.
“Most certainly not,” she snapped, trying to withdraw her arm, only to realize her watch had snagged his T-shirt underneath his open shirt. “Oh no,” she said once more and dropped her hold on the suitcase, hoping to free herself of his shirt. He allowed her to try patiently, only to make a bigger mess by tugging a thread loose that unraveled to about two feet as she tried to shake it free.
Finally, he lifted her hand to his mouth and bit off the thread then dropped her hand. He reached for her suitcase and nodded toward the stepdown on the bus. “I’ve got this. Go before you hurt yourself.”
Mortified, Meredith could only nod and start down the two steps, but Sister Elena reached out from the front seat and took her arm. “Axel will return for you tonight. Dinner is at six.” She opened her mouth to protest, but the sister’s face lit up with such hope as the children cheered her on.
“Thank you. I look forward to it.”
The hotel was far from glamorous or modern in appearance. However, it had all the old-world charm of the once British colony she imagined. Large pots with palms, furniture made of rattan with brightly colored cushions, shuttered windows that managed to let tons of light in to cast shadows across the mosaic floor. It was clean, which was her top priority right now. The reviews had been five stars, for the most part. There was even a small swimming pool and office services. She had noticed on the brochure she’d secured, internet was available for an additional fee added to your bill. That was the last thing she wanted here. The whole idea was to escape.
Axel set her suitcase down and motioned for a young bellhop, and gave him some bills from his pocket before he spoke. “Take this lady’s luggage to her room while she checks in.”
“Thanks, Axel. Business has been slow today.”
Both men nodded then fist-bumped. She doubted after the first impression she’d displayed for him, there would be a fist bump for her. He removed his sunglasses, revealing blue eyes and a few crow’s feet beginning to form. The blond stubble along his jawline gave him a rugged vibe, one Meredith found startling. His tanned skin on his face and muscled arms gave her a sense of regret she hadn’t given a better impression.
What was she thinking? The whole reason she came to this out-of-the-way part of the world was to leave the familiar and a man who made her swear “never again.” Maybe she should become a nun. Yet, looking at Axel’s blond hair that fell to his shoulders, twisted and tangled from the tropical breezes, she couldn’t help but wonder if he had been some kind of Special Forces guy or a cover model for a romance novel. The handmade cord bracelets on both wrists were various colors and gave her the impression that perhaps the children had made them for him. She figured he could wear a dirty sock around his neck and make it stylish.
“Check-in is over there. Everyone is very helpful. If you need anything, just ask,” he said, turning to leave then seeming to think better of it and faced her again. “Thanks for helping Sister Elena.”
“She is a jewel. And thank you for helping me.” Seriously, she thought, I’m trying desperately to be pleasant and not a total clumsy clown, even if you are a bit rude.
Axel lifted his chin in acceptance of her thank-you then replaced the sunglasses on his nose, waved at a couple of hotel employees, and disappeared through the open front doors.
Chapter 2
Axel navigated his motorcycle down the narrow streets of what the locals called Turtle Bay. He loved it here, away from the bright lights of Los Angeles or wherever his contract forced him to go. The air was clean, the water clear, and the people genuine. They didn’t have much, but what they had was everything for a good life. It remained his refuge away from the world where he didn’t belong.
Few tourists came here. No resorts or high-dollar things to do like parasailing, or snorkeling over the second largest reef in the world. People who came here wanted the tropical rainforest experience, breezes that chased away whatever burdens they carried, and warm sand pushing between their toes as they watched the next generation of baby sea turtles escape to the clear blue waters of the Caribbean Sea.
So, why then did Meredith Marshall come here? She had the appearance of someone who had money: pretty skin, silky auburn hair with a few blonde highlights, and the body of a runway model. The helpless expression in her dark-brown eyes at the airport confused him as to if he should laugh at her predicament or reassure her no one noticed. This woman was definitely out of her element. Even though the luggage appeared old, the designer label spoke loud and clear. The only thing that impressed him was her kindness to Sister Elena and the children. Now he had to fetch her, so he opted not to take the Jeep he left parked at the orphanage in case of emergencies. Instead, he chose to take the motorcycle, confident she’d be uncomfortable and irritated by the time they arrived back there.
