At the Edge of a Dark Forest Page 13
“I came because Joe wanted to see me.”
“See you?” Mrs. Rivera smiled and held out her hands. “Or have you see this?”
Carly’s gaze followed the gesture. “What’s going on here anyway?”
Mrs. Rivera’s brown eyes glinted as she wrapped an arm around Carly and pulled her inside. “You come.”
Carly could barely hear with all the noise—circular saws, drills, hammering, and who-knows-what. A huge hole, the size of a large closet, lay open in the wall by the stairs.
“He installs an elevator.” Mrs. Rivera explained with pride in her accented voice.
“But he can use the stairs with the prosthesis. Why an elevator now?”
“This is not for him. It is for his guests.”
Carly thought of the parties that once filled these halls and imagined drunken models in sequined gowns. An emptiness burned through her. Would Cole go back to the life his parents had lived now that she’d provided him with limbs? How could Mrs. Rivera see that as a good thing? Carly wanted to shake him.
“You are not pleased?” The Mexican accent intensified with the bunching of Mrs. Rivera’s brows.
What could Carly say?
“Many vets will be healed here.”
“Vets?”
“Jes. Did Joe not tell you? Cole is turning us into a retreat center.”
Carly laughed at the way it sounded, as though Mrs. Rivera would transform with an enchantment on the manor. “A retreat center?” Too many questions running through her head to even begin to ask.
Mrs. Rivera pointed to the hole in the wall. “The elevator will take them to their suites. They will receive state-of-the-art prosthetics. From the company you work for, no doubt.” She winked. “They will receive physical therapy, psychotherapy and … what is it Sam calls his horse stuff?”
Horse stuff?
“Hippotherapy.”
“Jes, hippy-therapy.” Mrs. Rivera ignored Carly’s giggle. “Mr. Cole plans to take them on trails in the woods. He says many vets feel more comfortable in the elements. They will go camping.” She shuddered. “Eat squirrel probably.”
The back door slid open. Joe stepped inside. “Carly, you came.”
Carly swallowed the lump in her throat. She’d missed them all more than she’d known. Her eyes burned. “Where’s Cole?”
“And hello to you too.” Joe’s eyes lit with mock insult.
She hugged him. “It’s so good to see you. I’m just so amazed at what’s happening here. And …”
“You want to ask him about it.”
“Yes, of course, Joe.” She sobered thinking of the last conversation they’d had about Cole. “Is he drinking?”
Joe shook his head. “Wait till you see him.” His smile broadened.
“What do you mean?” She took in the looks Mrs. Rivera and Joe shared, but they said nothing.
Joe pushed her out the back door. “He’s at his favorite place. You know where that is. Go find him.”
WOULD SHE REMEMBER the trail Cole took her through so long ago? She’d walked it many times herself, mesmerized at how God had repurposed the marred tree from her father’s accident. New growth in broken spots and animals finding shelter in the holes. What would it look like now in all its autumn glory?
The leaves rustled at her feet as she turned right at the fork in the path. The crisp air cooled the skin on her cheeks. She spied the rooted incline ahead. Her pulse raced in her ears and made her dizzy. What would she say to this man she’d grown to love? Could she tell him how she felt? Would he laugh at her now that he no longer needed her?
The scent of fall filled her nose and lungs as she took in its sustenance and set her foot on the first divot to climb. Pulling herself up using all fours, she reached the top and startled.
A stranger sat at the edge, looking over the forest below. He turned at her gasp. “Carly?”
Could that be Cole’s voice coming from the person with thick, wavy brown hair? He turned, the scar coming into view and she almost cried at the beauty of the man. “Cole?”
He stood and strode to her, pulling her to her feet. The eyes that no longer held dark circles, took her in with consternation. “What are you doing here?”
“Joe asked me to come.” Now she felt stupid. Like an interloper. She didn’t belong here.
He stood as though a wall held him from her.
HER PRESENCE HAD shaken Cole. He’d thought he could bear Carly’s lack in his life, but looking at her now, he knew that was not true. “Why did Joe ask you here?”
Or the better question, why did he bother to orchestrate something that couldn’t be. She’d been hesitant toward his advances in the beginning and found the first opportunity to leave when she had the chance. He didn’t want her kisses, knowing she’d only given them out of pity.
Her face pinched as she shook her head, uncertainty filling her expression. “I guess he wanted to show me your retreat.” The smile that flickered on her lips gave him hope that she was pleased. Her eyes drifted to the edge of his perch. She squinted. “Is that a Bible?”
He pulled her to the spot where he now looked upon God’s glory in radiant fall colors, and gestured for her to sit with him. “It’s Beckett’s Bible.”
“Beckett’s Bible?” Her eyes searched his soul.
He smiled at the incredulity in her tone and drew in a breath. “Sent from the grave.”
Her mouth hung open.
“He’d asked his parents to send it to me if something happened to him. They only got around to it a few months ago.”
She still didn’t speak.
“Inside was a letter from Beckett. He’d had a premonition he’d die to save me and wanted to explain.”
“A premonition?” The brown in Carly’s eyes grew deeper as tears filled them. He wanted to know every level of their depth—even if he drowned there.
“I went to see his parents a while back to tell them of their son’s bravery. I expected them to hate me for my role in his death.” A lump formed in his gut. He sniffed. “His mother thanked me for sharing such good news.”
Carly tilted her head. He loved the way she didn’t speak when she knew he needed time to process his thoughts.
“Good news,” he repeated, still not believing the woman’s words. “In fact, she apologized for not getting the Bible to me sooner. She said because of her, my healing had been delayed.” He closed his eyes at the image of the woman sobbing at what she had called her own selfishness.
“What’s happening to you?” Carly’s gaze seemed to search every angle of his face.
He took her hand in his intact one. “I’m becoming whole.” His thumb traveled her palm. “I think the Bible would call it, a new creation.”
A tear rolled down her cheek. Cole wanted to stop it with his lips.
“You believe?” So much riding on her voice in that question. How much did she want that for him? Why did she want that for him?
He nodded.
Her hand encircled his. It felt so right. “Mrs. Rivera told me you were preparing for guests and I worried you were going back to a partying life.”
“I am.” His lips curled in spite of himself. “At least one more. It was Jurvis’s idea.”
She grimaced. “Why does that worry me?”
“You see, The David Project—that’s what I plan to call this retreat—”
“The David Project?”
“I wanted to call it the Beckett Forsythe Memorial Veteran’s Retreat, but Beckett’s family assured me he’d have hated that. They said he wouldn’t want attention to be drawn to him, only to his Savior.” Cole squeezed Carly’s fingers. “That sounded just like Beckett, so I decided to name it after his favorite person in the Bible—other than Jesus, of course. The one who inspired Beckett to be a warrior for God. The man who was able to put his service in perspective because he honored and trusted his Creator.”
“I like that.” She peered out over the forest of colors, her gaze seeming to rest on the tree her father had
hit. “So what about this party?”
“Well, I may be made of money, but it will take additional funds to keep a retreat like this going long term. So I asked Jurvis to help me. He drummed up some of my parent’s influential contacts and devised a fundraising gala to bring awareness to it. We’ll be hosting guests all next weekend.”
“That’s wonderful.” Carly stood, her voice flat. “It appears you have it all worked out.” Was she going to leave him there?
Cole lifted from the grass and brushed the leaves off his jeans. He couldn’t let her go. He needed to do something to keep her there.
God, you’ve been with me through all the risks I’ve taken these last few months. Be with me now.
“Since you’re here, there’s something I’d like to know.” He closed in on Carly and traced a wayward strand of blond from her eyes. The scent of her coconut lotion filled him with the confidence to ask. “Will you be my date for the gala?” There was so much more he wanted to say, but he didn’t want to scare her.
Her gaze lifted to his, wonder or amazement streaming through it. Her lips parted. What would her answer be?
He swallowed hard. “Well?”
She seemed to scan his hairline, his face, questions in her eyes. “You want me to be your date?”
“And so much more,” he said on a breath, pulling her to his chest, her heart beating in tandem with his. “Will you?”
She rested her head on his shirt. “Yes, I will.”
Cole smoothed her hair with his hand as a familiar image infiltrated his thoughts. “Just make sure you wear a yellow ball gown.” A chuckle rumbled within. “You know, the kind with puffy sleeves and a big hoop skirt.”
She pulled from him and raised a brow. “I don’t do hoops.”
“If you don’t have one, I’ll buy it for you.” He tried an innocent look.
She scowled. “And you can nix the puffy sleeves idea, too.”
He blinked. “You’d begrudge a man his fantasy.” His lips tugged up against his will.
“I’ll give you the yellow part.”
His gaze scanned her mud-smudged jeans. “Fine, wear something slinky and skin-tight if you must. Just no dirty denim at my gala.” He couldn’t resist. “And no changing tires beforehand either.”
Her hand came up to touch the scar at his lip with her thumb. Her fingers so soft. Her voice a whisper. “Now there’s the man I know and lo—”
He kissed her forehead. “Ha! I caught that. You love me.” The grin was relentless now.
She twisted her lips. “Don’t let it go to your head.”
He squeezed her tighter. She felt so good in his arms—the one arm given from God, the other from Carly. Fitting. Those he loved most. “That’s okay. The feeling is very mutual.”
THE END
Dear Reader,
If you’ve enjoyed reading At the Edge of a Dark Forest, please consider leaving a review on Amazon.com. I’d love to have you stop by my website ConnieAlmony.com and sign up for my newsletter. Newsletter recipients will receive a free copy of The Gala scene—what happens with Cole and Carly at The David Project Gala—and emails about upcoming releases.
In the next few pages you’ll find a sample chapter of the next in the Dark Forest series, Arise from Dark Places, a modern-day retelling of Sleeping Beauty. Manny’s greatest sin haunts him with more power than his father’s fists. Until he meets the woman who will change his life. The one in a coma.
And as an extra bonus, I’ve also included a sample from the first novel in The Maryland State University series—One Among Men—Though Samantha Hart’s job requires she live with 500 college guys, only one will lead her to danger.
Hope you enjoy!
Connie Almony
CONNIE ALMONY and Her Books
She’s just a suburb gal from the Baltimore-Washington megalopolis. And that’s what Connie Almony’s fiction is about, a diverse and exciting population which is truly, and beautifully, colorful.
Trained as a mental health counselor, she hopes you won’t hold that against her. Though this training helps her delve into the motivations that drive her characters, she promises not to “therapize” you. And yes, she knows therapize is not really a word.
Her favorite things to do include listening to awesome Christian Contemporary music and reading great stories with colorful characters while spending time with her family.
The bantering style of her characters is inspired by her husband’s deep love of mischief, particularly that which craves a sharp response
You can sign up for her newsletter at ConnieAlmony.com. And meet her on the following social media outlets:
Twitter
Facebook
Pinterest
Bookbub
Her published novels include:
Dark Forest Novels
At the Edge of a Dark Forest
A modern-day retelling of Beauty and the Beast about a war-vet, amputee struggling with PTSD.
Arise from Dark Places
A modern-day retelling of Sleeping Beauty.
Manny’s greatest sin haunts him with more power than his father’s fists.
Until he meets the woman who will change his life.
The one in a coma.
Maryland State University Series
One Among Men
Samantha Hart’s job requires she live with 500 hard-partying college guys. She can handle the 499, but it only takes one to lead her into danger.
An Insignificant Life
Tiffany Lundgren is drawn to those who might bring meaning to her world, only to find her past choices could have destroyed the one man who would truly love her.
Water’s Edge Series
Flee from Evil
A pastor with a past uses his underworld connections to try and save the child of the woman he wronged years ago.
Stand Alone Novella
The Long View
He’s training with terrorists. She hopes to recover souls.
Chapter One
ARISE FROM DARK PLACES
by Connie Almony
She was dead!
Or at least she soon would be, having escaped her mobile prison of the last ten years and hoofed the vacant roads to the terminal until her chest burned. Her breaths grew heavy and hard as she dropped her overlarge hiking backpack into the bus seat and slid in beside it. She couldn’t be too careful. A quick scan of the road through the rear bus window revealed no followers. No vehicles. Not even a frantic person rushing to catch her on foot. Her maternal aunt would kill her. But a metaphorical murder would be better than the one her other aunt had in store for her.
The drone of the bus engine, coupled with the spin of the wheels beneath her seat, eventually lolled her pulse into a regular rhythm as the vehicle passed blocks without any tenacious automobiles mimicking its every move. She was finally going to do what she wanted without someone lurking over her shoulder. It was her last chance. Today, she’d see the one person who’d known her best. Even though he’d never known her real name.
Ariana. That’s what he’d called her. That’s who she would be today. His Ariana.
Glancing through the back window ten minutes into the ride, she took in the near-empty highway, and her shoulders released. She gave in to the rest that had weighed on her and tilted her head to the window, eyelids dropping. She was safe.
Manny’s gray t-shirt eased into her sleepy visions as her mind brought her back to that first day. He’d sat next to her in the waiting room of the principal’s office and nodded to the closed door where the tyrant ruled the school.
“Whatcha in for?” An accent hovered around the way he formed his words, but it wasn’t thick enough to place it. However, the olive tone of his skin and the sultry depths of his brown eyes suggested he might be of Latino heritage. She’d later learned his fami
ly had come from Mexico when he was a toddler, after his mother’s death.
His eyebrow raised, reminding her he’d asked a question that begged an answer.
To this day she couldn’t fathom why the lie had made it to her lips. “Talked back to the teacher.”
He looked her up and down as though assessing the truth of her words and coming up short. “Which one?”
Her mouth opened. Then shut. She swallowed the lump in her throat. Having not met any teachers yet, there were no names to give. What was she thinking?
The principal’s door swung open, and the man himself sauntered out, followed by the woman she had called Aunt Jenny at the time. He handed Ari a slip of paper. “This is your schedule, Miss Baker. Your last school’s transcripts are quite impressive.”
Little did he know, they weren’t actually from a school she’d attended.
“Welcome to Fairwild High. We’re glad to have a role model such as yourself at our school.” His gaze turned to the boy next to her as his welcoming expression morphed into a glare.
He shook Aunt Jenny’s hand. “Nice to meet you. Give me a call if you have any further concerns.”
Aunt Jenny smiled at the man, scowled at Manny, and grabbed Ari into a suffocating hug that wreaked of her favorite blend of calming essential oils. “I’ll see you after school.” She waggled her finger. “Be careful.” As though someone lurked around every corner ready to kidnap her.
Which was close to the truth. Except a simple kidnapping would not have been her end.
The principal stared after her as Manny gave Ari a smirk. “What was that teacher’s name again?”
She maintained eye-contact with the flats Aunt Jenny had bought her for her first day at the new school.