Breathless Secrets (Rose Garden Apartments Book 3) Read online

  She tossed her clutch purse onto the table, so furious she didn’t even notice the other people in the room.

  “Don’t you dare speak to me like that! Stop this ridiculous lawsuit!” she commanded, glaring daggers at him.

  James noticed that his mother’s normally perfectly coifed hair was coming loose. Obviously, she hadn’t checked a mirror before arriving. “Long flight from New York?”

  Eleanor glared at her son. “You’re not going to get away with this! My husband will rip you to shreds!”

  James laughed in her face. “I’ve already spoken with your current husband, Mother. In case you hadn’t already heard, he filed for divorce yesterday.”

  Eleanor’s face paled. “He didn’t!”

  James shrugged dismissively. He honestly didn’t care about his mother’s marital status. “If you say so.”

  She seemed to rally, pulling herself together. “My husband adores me. He’d never divorce me! And you,” she pointed a finger accusingly at James, “are going to stop this lawsuit! Otherwise, I will plaster the news that you are suing me all over the press!”

  James stood up, signaling to the others that they could escape from this awkward discussion. All of them were aware of the lawsuit. In fact, many of them had assisted in the investigation.

  He waited until he and Eleanor were alone before he continued. “Mother, not only is your husband divorcing you, but it is my understanding that the state district attorney for Portland, Maine, is filing blackmail charges against you today as well.”

  Her eyes widened with horror and her jaw dropped before she rallied. “Blackmail? I haven’t blackmailed anyone!”

  James tsked. “Josie?” he offered, picking up a piece of paper with the woman’s driver’s license. “You blackmailed her into opening that bank account for you.” He pulled a second piece of paper out of a file. “And this,” he handed it to her, “is from the FBI, who are now investigating you for bank fraud. Apparently, you transferred money from your husband’s account into the bank account Maria opened, then spent all of the money, sending odd ‘donations’ to Molly’s Center. Then you hired Mike Daines to take photographs of Molly and my friends with the packages.”

  He shook his head before continuing. “What you didn’t know is that Molly is an innately honest person. And the Washington Post did an article about how Lilly Gataki and her husband sponsored an auction at their house the night before that incriminating article came out. Every item you sent to the Center in order to frame Molly for embezzlement, was auctioned off. An article in the Post’s ‘Style’ section detailed the event, which was published on the same day your pathetic ‘journalists’ article hit the news. The money from the items you sent to the Center is right now in the Center’s bank, waiting to be spent on tutors for the fall after school program. Plus, I’ve paid for an accounting firm to document every financial aspect of this investigation, so that there’s no confusion as to what actually happened or claims of bias against Molly or the community center.” He pulled a third paper out of the file folder. “Here is a list of the items auctioned off. If there is anything missing, please let me know. We’d love to do another auction. Molly has several more projects she’d love to fund.”

  Eleanor skimmed over the papers, her face going dead white under her heavy makeup. “This…this isn’t…!”

  She stammered, flustered because her plan hadn’t worked. When she tossed the papers back down, Eleanor tried to brush the issue off. “I only did it to protect you, James,” she explained. “Surely you can see that.”

  James chuckled. “Mother, you’ve never done anything to protect me in my entire life. Why would you start now?’

  Eleanor stomped her foot in frustration. But because the floor was carpeted, the effort was a bit…anemic. “She isn’t right for you!” Eleanor hissed.

  “Molly?”

  “Yes!” Eleanor snapped, throwing her hands into the air with exasperation.

  “She’s perfect for me.”

  Eleanor let out an inelegant snort. “She’s not polished! She wears those hideous jeans and ridiculous raggedy tee shirts! They are worn out and sloppy! Just like her!” She took a deep breath. “Molly is an embarrassment to your campaign. If you’re going to be a senator, then you’re going to have to clean up your image. And Molly is poison for that image.”

  James chuckled mirthlessly. “You know what’s bad for my image?” he asked, and continued without waiting for an answer. “A mother who tries to frame my wife-to-be.” He stood up. “You know what isn’t bad for my image?” He leaned in close. “A mother in prison!”

  “I can’t go to prison!” she gasped. “You can’t prove anything!”

  James shrugged away her assertion. “I’ll see you in court, Eleanor.”

  Her eyes narrowed at the use of her first name. “Don’t you dare, James Morgan! Suing me and trying to bring me down will only ruin your chances of winning the election!”

  “No, Eleanor. Apparently,” he pulled yet another sheet out, “I’ve never cared about my image as much as you do. You’ve violated the law. As a lawyer and an officer of the court, I am duty bound to uphold the law. And you’ve violated many laws.” He shook his head. “I don’t care about my image, Eleanor. I care about Molly. I love her and I’m marrying her.” He walked around the conference room table. “I know you understand why you aren’t invited to the wedding.”

  Eleanor hissed, “You can’t do this!”

  “Oh, but I can, and I have,” he told her. He pressed a button on the phone. “Howard, can you call security? We have a trespasser in the main conference room.” He cocked an eyebrow at his mother. “I’d suggest you leave if you don’t want to be dragged out.”

  Eleanor grabbed her purse, stuffed it under her arm, and lifted her nose into the air. “You’ll come to your senses,” she sneered. “You’ve never been a stupid boy, just a willful one. I have faith you’ll come around.”

  The door to the conference room opened and two security guards entered.

  “Don’t you dare touch me!” she spat. She looked over her shoulder to give James one more furious look. “We’re not finished, James.” Then she walked out, jerking away when a guard reached for her arm. The man only shook his head, and followed her out.

  There was a heavy silence after she left and James stared at the door for a long moment. He remembered his initial rage when his mother had shipped him off to boarding school. After a few weeks, he’d made friends and discovered that boarding school was a whole lot better than being ignored at home.

  And now…now, he had Molly.

  Just thinking about her made his body ache. Instead of calling the meeting attendees back into the conference room, he walked out.

  “You’re leaving?” Doris, his assistant, asked as he passed by her desk.

  “Yeah. I have something I need to do.”

  Doris smiled and nodded. “I’ll collect the files from the conference room and put them in your office.” She mentioned several people had tried to reach him this morning, including his campaign manager and Deni. But he brushed everything aside. “I’ll be out for a few hours,” he declared.

  “Sure thing, boss,” she replied.

  Fifteen minutes later, he pulled into the parking lot of the center. There was a loud scream and he looked around. Sure enough, he saw Molly running around the corner. She held two round blobs and…splash!

  Molly laughed as several kids hurled water balloons at her. She was soaking wet, and laughing so hard she couldn’t defend herself. The smaller kids pounced on her, soaking her with more balloons. One of the kids snatched the water balloons she’d been trying to throw, and threw them at the closest teens.

  It was the last week of summer camp here at the center. Molly had organized a massive party for the kids of all ages, including the parents who would show up for a hot dog roast tonight.

  “James!” a little girl with pigtails raced around the corner, her personal water balloon held protectively in her ar
ms. Unfortunately, Janette was running faster than her four year old legs could manage and she tripped, hitting the ground. Thankfully, she was a tiny thing, so she didn’t have far to fall. She didn’t hurt herself, but as she got back on her feet, she looked around for her balloon. It was gone, obviously since she landed on it and the water had drenched her shirt.

  The little girl’s lip quivered dangerously. James scooped her up into his arms. “Janette, are you really trying to keep up with the big kids?” he asked, straightening her shirt, which was smeared with chocolate, most likely from a cookie, and finger paint.

  “They have more fun,” she replied, her chin still trembling.

  “Are you kidding me?” he asked, pointing at the chocolate smears on her shirt. “I can see how much fun you’ve had today!” He poked her belly gently and the little girl stared down at the stain. “Is this blue? Or purple?” he asked, and tickled her. Janette giggled happily. “And this?” he pointed to another spot. “This looks like the remains of a chocolate chip cookie.”

  At that point, Molly spotted him and their eyes locked. Damn, he loved her. Her jeans were soaked, her hair a mess, there was paint on her cheek that matched Janette’s stained shirt. But there was a sparkle in her eyes and her lips softened as she came over to him. Janette spotted one of her friends and began squirming, so James set her down.

  “James,” Molly sighed as she stepped closer, going up on her toes to give him a welcoming kiss. “I missed you today.”

  He grinned. “I missed you too. Are you ready for this weekend?”

  Molly’s grin widened. “You mean when you steal me away to a fabulous island with beautiful beaches and a minister?”

  “That would be the plan,” he kissed her softly. “And after that, you are never allowed to take that ring off your finger again, woman!”

  She laughed, wrapping her arms around his neck. “Never again,” she vowed. “I love you, James Morgan.”

  “And I love you, Ms. Molly McCabe!”

  Epilogue

  Should she step in and save him?

  Molly snuck a glance at the secret service agents. They weren’t overly concerned about the ambush. So, instead of stepping in and giving an assist, Molly sat down in one of the comfortable chairs and watched the battle unfold.

  “You can’t do it, Daddy!” six year old Melissa’s voice yelped as she jumped on her father’s shoulders.

  James laughed, pretending to collapse onto the carpet.

  “Yes, he can!” four year old Michael asserted, reaching down to pull his father’s arms away.

  James laughed, and grunted as he rolled over, allowing both Michael and Melissa to attack his vulnerable stomach, which really wasn’t all that vulnerable, since it was still packed with muscles. Even after years of marriage, two senate campaigns and the latest election, James had maintained his rigorous workout routine and was still the magnificent man that she’d met so many years ago. He still made her laugh, still tormented her with his outrageous comments, and still made her scream with passion just about every night.

  Goodness she adored him, Molly thought as her smile increased.

  Obviously, James had endured enough “torture” because he stood up with a roar, causing both children to squeal with delight. With a child under each arm, he walked over to where Molly was sitting.

  “You could have helped me,” he groused.

  Molly laughed, rubbing her full belly. “I thought you were handling it well enough on your own,” she admitted.

  James shook his head. “You’re going to pay for abandoning me to these little hellions,” he warned.

  Molly smiled. Even after all this time, that look of promise still made her heart pound with anticipation. “Promise?” she asked.

  James nodded. “Absolutely!” he told her.

  Molly laughed as Michael and Melissa looked at each other, sharing a grimace, as they always did when their parents got “mushy”.

  “Are you ready?” she asked.

  He sighed and looked down at his children. “You two ready?”

  They both grinned, nodding enthusiastically. “We’ll be very quiet!” Melissa promised.

  James laughed. “Good enough. Let’s do this!”

  James led his family to the armored limousine that took them to the steps of the US Capitol building. After a great deal of pomp, Molly held the bible for James, who laid his hand on top and took the oath of office to become President of the United States.

  A message from Elizabeth:

  Okay – what did you think? Was “Breathless Secrets” too political? Did I handle the issues well enough? I tried very hard to make the political issues non-partisan. I think politics is tearing up, not just the United States, but other countries as well. I wanted this story to be deeply romantic – and not get hung up on the political issues. Please – let me know if I hit it right, or if I failed and how I can improve. Not that I have another “political” story coming in the future. But I always want to know if you enjoyed my stories and how I can do better for each and every one of you wonderful readers.

  As usual, I’m asking for reviews on your preferred retail site. Reviews are so painfully important and I read all of them. Here’s a QUICK LINK to the review page – and I thank you – as do so many other readers who are looking for a story to escape from their problems.

  Last month, I received 108 reviews. With your help – do you think we can top that number? I’d love it if we could! (I’m such a data person! Weird, right?

  As well as a review – would you mind spreading the word? Just tell ONE PERSON about my books OR – could you post a link to this story on your social media page? If you post the link – email me a picture of the post to [email protected] and I’ll choose three submissions at random for a prize!

  (As usual, if you don’t want to leave feedback in a public forum, feel free to e-mail me directly at [email protected]. I answer all e-mails personally, although it sometimes takes me a while. Please don’t be offended if I don’t respond immediately. I tend to lose myself in writing stories and have a hard time pulling my head out of the book.)

  Thank you! Seriously – a big, huge hug for your help in making this book, and all of my stories, a success! I can’t do it without you!

  Elizabeth

  (Keep scrolling for a fun excerpt from next month’s “In Love with the Wrong Man”!)

  Excerpt from “In Love with the Wrong Man”

  Coming October 15, 2021

  Click HERE for Maya and Jalil’s story!!

  The funeral was miserable! It was hot, of course. But it wasn’t just the heat. It was…everything! Her hidden guilt was nearly overwhelming, because she knew she hadn’t loved Sandoor the way she should have. That only added to the unbearable sadness of the event, and the mourning crowds that lined the streets, grieving the loss of their happy-go-lucky prince. This was a brutally somber event and there wasn’t a dry eye to be seen.

  Except Jahlil. He walked stoically behind the carriage carrying Sandoor’s casket; his features carefully blank. Maya walked beside him, her face hidden behind dark sunglasses and shielded with a large, brimmed hat.

  Maya felt wrong about being in the family procession. She wasn’t a member of this family. She hadn’t gotten to the wedding and, worse, Maya knew, deep down, that she never would have. She should have told Sandoor she didn’t love him as a wife should. She should tell Jahlil that she hadn’t been a loving fiancée to his brother. But Jahlil had insisted. He’d explained that she was a member of the family, if only because she wore Sandoor’s engagement ring.

  Maya would have argued, but she saw the pain and determination in Jahlil’s eyes and knew that he needed her. It wasn’t because she was a member of the family. It was because…because he needed her. And that gave her the strength to continue along the street to the family crypt where Sandoor’s body would be interred.

  This procession wasn’t just for her and Jahlil. The funeral, ceremony, and procession
, were for the citizens of Celina. They needed one last goodbye for their adventurous, fun-loving prince. Sandoor might have been irresponsible regarding his responsibilities, but the citizens of Celina adored him. They admired his whole-hearted embrace of life, love, and happiness.

  What’s more, they respected Jahlil. He was their leader and they loved him even more. Every few minutes, someone standing on the streets would break the somber silence and call out to Jahlil, offering words of condolences. Sometimes, they called out to her as well. But Maya simply bowed her head, stifling the tears that kept coming at the most inopportune moments. Thankfully, for the most part, she got through the ordeal with just trembling lips and a determination to not shame Jahlil. She had to be here to support him. She might not have loved Sandoor as a wife, but she’d love him as a close, beloved friend.

  With that in mind, she lifted her head higher, determined to emulate Jahlil. She could be strong. At least, she could be outwardly strong! Jahlil had helped her through this ordeal, so she’d do whatever she had to, to help him.

  But when the time came for the casket to be interred, Maya couldn’t watch. She couldn’t stand by and see her wonderful friend be pushed into a cold, unfeeling block of marble.

  Instead, she looked around at the others standing near the crypt. It was a beautiful, sunny day. Not too hot, thankfully. That’s when her eyes landed on Mike. Sandoor’s friend looked as if he’d gone through hell. His hair was rumpled, his tie was askew, and his eyes were red from crying. The pain in his eyes was almost tangible! Once again, Maya wondered if there was more to Sandoor’s friendship with Mike.

  She turned her attention back to Jahlil. He was painfully still. The minister spoke a few words. And damn it, she hated the restrictions on public displays. Forget all of that! She reached out and took Jahlil’s hand! For a moment, he didn’t respond and she felt silly. But then his fingers squeezed hers. She tightened her grip, feeling the pain inside of him.