Saturday, January 18, 2014

My 2nd Novel: Hidden Secrets; Chapter 24

Hidden Secrets
Chapter 24


As you can tell, I love this peaceful little dove

Hidden Secrets
Leona Palmer Haag
 
Chapter 24



The face turned and spotted Jenn.
"Kevin, honey!" Jenn squealed as she threw her arms around Kevin Curtis' broad shoulders and gave him a tight hug. A moment later she planted a kiss on his lips that would convince any single man she was his wife. When Jenn broke away she said, "Kevin this is Davis Turpin from way back in high school. Dave, this is my husband, Kevin."
Kevin wrapped one arm around Jenn's waist and extended his free hand to Dave. "High school? You're from Houston, Dave?"
"Yeah, yeah," Dave said, as he glanced from Jenn, then to Kevin, and back to Jenn.
"Glad to meet you, Dave," Kevin said. "I'm not sure Jenn has mentioned your name to me. I think I've heard of all her other boyfriends."
Dave laughed. "I'm not sure she even remembers me. We were in choir together. She was popular and I was kind of a nerd, so we didn't have the same circle of friends."
"I wasn't popular. I was…" Jenn began to protest, but was cut off when Kevin held up his hand as his phone began ringing. "Hey, Dad, how are you?" he said, then added after a brief pause, "Yeah, I'm at the airport now with Jenn. We'll be there as soon as we can. Go ahead and start dinner without us. Traffic is horrendous tonight. Tell mom happy birthday and we’re sorry we’re running late."
Kevin hung up and turned to Dave. "You live in Dallas now?"
Dave grinned. "Near Waco. My wife and I have a little bit of land. Lots of dogs—one for each of us, and she thinks goats are nice. Why, I have no clue."
Kevin laughed. "Wives do the funniest things sometimes." He nudged Jenn and looked down at her and laughed.
"Baby, I'm ready to go home. My flight was too long," Jenn said in reply.
"Dave, it was a pleasure," Kevin said, extending his hand again.
"The honor was mine," Dave said as he grasped it. In the process, Kevin's cell phone was knocked to the ground and a passerby accidentally kicked it aside. Dave and Kevin instinctively both dove for it. Kevin rose first and pulled Jenn to his side.
"There you go," Dave said, extending the phone to Kevin.
"Thanks. Do you need a ride anywhere?"
Jenn's grasp on Kevin tightened. The last thing she wanted was to get in a car with Kevin and some stranger.
"No, my wife was coming for me, but she's been delayed, so I rented a car. It was nice seeing you again, Jenn. Nice meeting you Kevin." Dave turned and walked out the terminal door.
"Where is Nick?" Jenn asked two seconds later.
"Who is Dave?"
"You answer me first," Jenn snapped.
Kevin shrugged as he grabbed Jenn's carry on bag and slung it over his shoulder. He pulled out the handle for her suitcase and nodded toward the door. "Let's go."
Jenn grabbed his arm. "Who is Dave—really," she demanded.
"An old high school beau of yours that you wanted discouraged, right?"
Jenn stopped and jerked Kevin to a stop beside her. "Wrong. Did you, Mitchell, Nick, or Matt sic him on me? I don't appreciate being accosted the moment I get home! I could have survived nicely without some stupid set-up! Do you have a clue how badly I hate spooky spy stuff? That encounter didn't help."
Kevin glanced past Jenn and then around them. He leaned forward and pulled her into his arms and kissed her passionately. For at least a minute. When he pulled back he looked intently into her eyes and whispered, "Mrs. Washington, Dave's fingerprints are on my cell phone. I took his picture as well. I'll find out who he is for you later. In the meantime, remember you're the one who set me up today, so for the next few minutes I'm either Mr. Washington or you're Mrs. Curtis. You never really told me what my last name was during that introduction, so I'm not sure. So, are we still married of can I drop the alias?"
Deep icy fear raced through Jenn's veins. She slowly said, "We're married until I say we're not."
"Okay, then assume we're being watched."
Jenn indicated she agreed by standing on tippy-toes and kissing Kevin Curtis. It was the last thing in the world she wanted to do, but after the serious look he'd given her, it was the only thing she could think of to keep the cover she'd fabricated intact.

End Chapter 24

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