If You Cherish Me Read online

  Stella and the other girls hovered nearby, watching the filming, him, and the driveway. They were in on it. Felicia wouldn’t have it any other way. The Fabulous Five were here and, from what he understood, a power like no other in town.

  “Action.” The word echoed from the front field where they’d managed to save the plants during the storm. Most of them anyway.

  Felicia spoke in a fast clip with a high pitch to her voice for several sentences, but Knox directed her attention to a flower and she lit up, settling into her normal, enigmatic personality that Declan knew everyone would love. This nursery would be bursting with customers soon. The land behind them would have to be purchased to allow for more growth. They could sell fruits, vegetables, and herbs seasonally, along with an online floral club. Fresh-cut flowers delivered to your door monthly. The possibilities were popping up like weeds in his brain—damaging, distracting, and dangerous to life around them.

  This wasn’t his land or his business. He needed to find his own way, not live off her. Felicia deserved far better than him. And despite that knowledge, he couldn’t let her go. He’d have to make this work, or he’d go to jail trying.

  A rusted, olive green beater he knew to be Jason’s car pulled into the driveway and maneuvered around the production vehicles to park at the hog wire fence at the front of the property near the sheriff’s car. His pulse quickened, and his gaze darted to the four women huddled around Drew Lancaster, Mayor Horton, and her fiancé, Mr. Strickland. He swallowed the hewn pole–sized lump in his throat and forced his attention to the filming.

  The film crew broke down the set in the front field and moved to the orchard to set up for the next shot. A streak of black across the side yard drew his attention. Someone ran between the vehicles but disappeared beyond the other side of the house.

  “Enjoying the show?” Lacey’s voice came with venom and hate. How did one young woman have so much pain inside her? He wasn’t sure if he wanted to yell at her or pull her into his arms and promise to run Jason out of her life.

  He cleared his throat. “What are you doing here?” Of course, he knew she was here to witness his demise and arrest, but he couldn’t slip or he’d give her an opportunity to come up with some other devious plan.

  “I was invited. You know, I’m a member of this town,” she said with an I’m-here-to-put-you-in-your-place tone.

  The sheriff strutted across the field toward the vehicles, telling Declan he’d seen the figure that had moved in the distance also. Good. He was on it, letting Declan relax a little.

  He forced the words he wanted to say into submission and lifted his chin. “Excuse me. I need to get back to work.” In an attempt to look busy, he went to the front field, where they’d finished filming, and fixed some of the damaged damp earth near the roots of several flowers, picked up a few pieces of trash, and then threw them away at the garbage can under the main tent.

  Stella sidled up next to him. “It’s going to be fine. We’ve got Felicia’s back.”

  “Thank you for that. I’m glad she has such amazing friends in her life.”

  “That means we have your back.” Stella put a hand on her hip and did her hip out, ponytail flip thing, yet her face was soft. “Gotta make Lacey believe I’m not, though. I never liked that girl. Told Felicia to get rid of her, but she can never turn away a stray.”

  “Ouch.” He looked over Stella’s head and noticed Lacey slip away to the side of the house.

  Mary-Beth slid her hand into the crook of Stella’s arm, which made the girl flinch. “Don’t listen to her. Some strays are better than purebreds. They’re loving and loyal instead of snotty and self-serving.”

  Stella stiffened and snarled down at Mary-Beth’s touch before she regained her composure. “I was just initiating the new guy, since it appears he’ll be staying around our sweet girl.” She marched off to the orchard with a half-smile at Knox Brevard who was waving her over.

  With everyone’s attention on the filming, and the sheriff off looking for the person Declan believed to be Jason stalking around the property, Declan decided to check and see what Lacey was up to. No way he’d let her do any more damage. Why the sheriff hadn’t just come and arrested her when she arrived, he wasn’t sure, but Sugar Maple had a plan, and who was he to question it. Felicia had told him not to worry, that they only wanted to get through the filming before the drama happened, but he didn’t like it. Not one bit.

  At the edge of the house, he noticed the office door cracked, and he knew Lacey was inside, probably making sure to seal his fate. Without another thought, he barged into the office and discovered her prying open the filing cabinet. “You won’t find anything in there.”

  She grasped the cutting shears in her hand and held them up to him.

  “You can try, but I assure you, you better make it a good stab because you’ll only get one shot at it.”

  She looked down at her hand, and her mouth fell open. That’s when he saw them, the rings around her blood shot eyes. How had he missed them? “You poor thing. That man has you strung out.”

  “You don’t know what you’re talking about.” She tossed the sharp shears onto the desk and made for the door but stopped short.

  “What’s he doing in here?” Jason’s voice echoed into the small office from behind Declan. “Go get the sheriff. It’s time we end this.”

  Lacey didn’t move.

  “Did you hear me? Are you that stupid? Move it.”

  “Don’t call her stupid, you worthless excuse for a man.” Declan’s hackles rose, his anger bubbling to the surface.

  Jason stumbled back a step. “You better not touch me. I’ll get you for assault, too.” He lifted his boney chin high. “Better yet, go ahead. More jail time for you.” He glowered at Lacey. “Did you get it done?”

  She shook her head vigorously with wide eyes.

  “You’re so incompetent. I can’t trust you to do anything. I told you there would be hard copies, but you were too stupid to get them.”

  “Don’t talk to her that way.” Declan shot forward, but Lacey jumped between them.

  “Don’t hurt him,” Lacey screeched.

  “Are you still protecting him?” Declan softened his expression and muscles in hopes of calming Lacey enough to listen. “You’re a beautiful, competent young woman with people who care about you. Don’t you see that you deserve better? Do you want to fall into a pit of drugs and unhappiness?”

  “Unhappiness?” Tears filled her eyes, and he knew he’d hit a nerve.

  “Yes. Think back. When were you last truly happy?” Declan willed her to listen but wasn’t hopeful that she’d hear his words.

  “I…I don’t know.” Lacey studied the floor.

  “Happiness is a myth. It doesn’t exist. Parents leave. Employers can you. Women are all drama.” Jason backed to the threshold. “Let’s go. I take care of you. No one else will. Your mother and Felicia turned their backs on you.”

  “No, they didn’t. Even now, Felicia would welcome you back.”

  Her gaze shot to him. “She would?”

  The weeks of abuse, exhaustion, and hitting life’s bottom showed like a flashing billboard on her face. At that moment, he didn’t hate Lacey or wish to punish her. He only wanted her to be okay. “Absolutely. And your job is available again, too. I’m leaving for a job in Creekside.”

  “You are?”

  “Don’t listen to him. He’ll say anything to keep himself out of jail,” Jason shouted.

  Her gaze snapped to him, and Declan worried he’d lost her.

  “Who would hire an ex-con? Jason says there’re no other jobs for people like you.”

  Declan wanted to shake her until she saw the truth, but that tactic was more Jason’s style. “A man who works at a VA center in Creekside believes in second chances. That’s his job, getting veterans back on their feet. It isn’t a job like I had before. I’ll be doing transportation, paperwork, intake stuff, and some book work. I’m supposed to start next week.” He
dared to step closer, brushing her arm up and down as if soothing a wild animal, and kept his gaze trained on her, ignoring the other man even as he sensed Jason moving away. “I’ll even be moving my camper close to Creekside.”

  Voices sounded in the distance but drew closer.

  “Let’s go. Now,” Jason ordered.

  “Wait,” Lacey said in a little-girl-in-trouble tone.

  “No more waiting,” Jason ordered.

  A flash of light drew Declan’s attention, and he saw Jason outside holding a bottle with an inflamed rag hanging from it. “Good-bye.”

  Declan shot forward. The bottle flew past his shoulder too fast to grab it. It smashed to the floor, erupting in smoke-inducing orange and yellow light.

  Jason shot back. “Get me or save Lacey.”

  He took off, and Declan didn’t have time to chase him, not when the ravenous fire gobbled up the wood walls and desk.

  He grabbed Lacey. “Come on. We need to get out of here.” Smoke filled the room, so he felt for her hand until he had hold of her and then dragged her from the burning room. The flames licked at the outside and climbed the walls to the roof. “Help! Fire!”

  People rushed over, cell phones in hand, reporting to emergency services.

  He ushered Lacey away from the fire to the safety of the front yard. Felicia raced to their side, her four friends and the town behind her. Declan eyed the flames stretching toward the sky and catching the shingles on the roof of the house.

  “Nana,” he breathed.

  His feet moved before his brain could even process the danger. He shot across the front yard and into the house, which was already filling with smoke. “Nana!”

  Twenty-Nine

  Fire engine sirens blared in the distance. Felicia shoved and pushed, but Knox wouldn’t release her.

  “Stop. There’s nothing you can do,” he said with a soft but firm voice.

  Drew Lancaster tried to get close, but the flames enveloped the front of the house quicker than anyone could have imagined. Her home and her family were being destroyed in front of her eyes.

  Stella moved, blocking Felicia’s view of the inferno. “Listen, the fire department’s almost here.”

  Sirens were barely audible through the pounding in Felicia’s ears. “Dear Lord in heaven, please help,” she begged aloud. She struggled again, but there was no getting away from Knox. Even if she did, her friends formed a human shield between her and danger.

  “Declan!” she screamed, tears streaming down her face.

  The fire engine pulled onto the gravel road but couldn’t get through.

  Stella rushed into action. “Move your cars!”

  Everyone darted to their vehicles, but they only caused a traffic jam, bottlenecking cars trying to escape through the gate. Stella hopped in her Chevy and rammed the fence Declan had spent weeks repairing, giving more space for the cars to move.

  A firefighter with an axe mowed through the crowd. “Move away from the house.”

  Knox dragged Felicia back, leaving two lines from her boots in the mud. Drew shouted something from the side of the house, and the firefighter followed him to the back, beyond their field of vision.

  Breath caught in her lungs and couldn’t escape. There was a burning, itching pressure in her chest, as if she were the one trapped inside her burning home.

  “Someone move the camper away from the house,” another firefighter ordered.

  Mary-Beth looked to Felicia.

  She shook her head, dislodging the haze. “Keys are inside the camper.”

  Mary-Beth took off with the firefighter at her side.

  The peaceful world of her once beautiful home and nursery erupted in a fury of people trudging through flowers, busting windows, and the odor of burning wood. At the sight of the flames engulfing the front of the home, her body went numb and she collapsed. Knox lowered her to the ground, and Carissa held tight to her. At that moment, Felicia realized not only were her grandmother and the man she loved inside, but Carissa waited to discover Drew’s fate, too.

  Lacey hovered nearby, rocking, biting her nails. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know.”

  Felicia shot her a narrow-eyed look that told Lacey she’d never be welcome in her life again.

  A crash, the breaking of glass, sounded again, and there were shouts coming from the other side of the blaze.

  “We got her!” The words were like a day lily opening to the morning sun for the first time. But as a labored breath entered, so did the realization they said her. Not them.

  Carissa squeezed her tight into her side, pleading almost under her breath, “Drew. Come on. You can’t leave me now!”

  A figure broke through the smoke. The helmet said firefighter, and he carried Nana in his arms. Felicia was elated and devastated all at the same time. “Where are the men? Where are Declan and Drew?”

  She shot from Carissa to the gurney, where the fireman set her grandmother. “Where are the others?”

  “I don’t know, ma’am. I was passed this woman and brought her for treatment.”

  Nana coughed and gasped, fighting the mask being shoved onto her face.

  “Ma’am, we need you to relax,” the paramedic told her, but she wouldn’t, so Felicia took her hand.

  “It’s okay. Let them do their job. I’m here.”

  “Inside the window. He passed me out. Declan’s just inside the window,” Nana rasped.

  Felicia took off, but someone grabbed hold, wrapping their strong arms around her waist. “Help him! He’s just inside the window where he passed my grandmother out. Someone do something!”

  The water from the fire hose beating against the roof caused more smoke to plume, but another male figure exited the smoke. Her heart raced. She blinked through the stinging in her eyes, but when Carissa rushed past and launched into his arms, she knew it was Drew.

  “Where is he? Where’s Declan?” Felicia cried out, begging for information.

  Drew coughed and clung to Carissa, plastering her face with sweet kisses. “He went inside, but he didn’t come out yet.” Carissa held him up the best she could, but one of the firemen took him and helped him to the ambulance.

  Felicia felt the life drain from inside her. The world was as dark as the black smoke rising before her. She heaved in a stuttered breath, but she wouldn’t give up, not yet. She would never give up on Declan Mills. “Please, someone help him.”

  “It’s okay. We’re here.” Jackie took her hand, Stella at her side. The strong arms from around her middle released, and both girls held her tight.

  Ms. Horton took her hands. “I’m here, dear girl. We’re all here.”

  “All clear,” someone yelled.

  “No. Declan’s still inside.” Felicia tried to move, but the women all held tight. “He’s not out! Someone help him!”

  Three men rounded the corner and removed their helmets. The front man took in a deep breath and faced her. “We’re doing all we can, ma’am, but the house is going to suffer extensive damage. Do you have somewhere to stay?”

  “Yes, she always has a place to stay,” Ms. Horton announced. “She can always stay with me.”

  “Or in my camper,” a raspy voice managed to say between coughs.

  It wasn’t just any voice. It was Declan’s that broke through the barrier of pain and anguish and the two men between them. His face was covered in gray, the edges of his shirt singed, his hair disheveled, but it was him.

  She lunged into his arms and held tight, tighter than she’d ever held to anyone or anything in her life. “Don’t ever leave me like that again,” she sobbed. Tears flowed, her body shook, but her heart warmed at the feel of him against her.

  Thirty

  Declan and Felicia stood side-by-side watching the burning embers being doused. The ambulance transporting Nana and Ms. Horton, who’d offered to accompany Felicia’s grandmother to the hospital, rolled off the driveway and onto the main road. He knew Felicia wanted to go, but Nana was only getting checked out as a p
recaution, and the sheriff had asked Felicia to stay.

  Now that the flames were under control, the sheriff approached with a determined expression. “Felicia, I received information that this fire was started by someone and that it was intentional.”

  Declan nodded. “Your information is correct, Sheriff.”

  The man pressed his lips together and removed his cuffs. “I’m sorry to hear that. Please turn around for me.”

  “Wait, what?” Felicia shot in front of him as if a protective shield.

  “No. I didn’t do this. I’d never harm Felicia or her grandmother,” Declan protested. “Jason did.”

  “According to Jason, he witnessed you start the fire to cover evidence of stealing money from Ms. Hughes.”

  “It wasn’t him. It was Jason and Lacey. Arrest her.” Felicia pointed to the young woman, her cousin and once dear friend.

  “No. Don’t.” Declan sighed. “She didn’t start the fire, either. It was Jason alone. He’s been influencing Lacey with mental games, drugs, and lies. She’s confused and disoriented, and she needs help, not jail.”

  Lacey stood with a blank stare, as if unable to process anything.

  Felicia rounded on her. “Tell the truth. For once, stop being selfish, stop being manipulated, and stop lying. You’re about to send an innocent man to jail.”

  “Jason said Declan was harming you. That he needs to be taken away if I wanted to help you,” Lacey mumbled as if in a trance.

  Declan took Felicia’s hand and kissed her knuckles. “Don’t be mad at her. She needs your love now more than anything. The woman I know would never hate someone. She would only offer help. I learned that from you, that not everyone is going to condemn me, and everyone needs a helping hand at times.”