If they stayed here, this conversation would make the rounds. He pulled his wallet out and slapped a bill on the table. “We can’t talk here. Do you want to take this somewhere else, or are we done?”
That put the whole shitty mess in her lap, and he was good with it. She needed to decide.
“Wasilla Lake Park, is that okay? I know it's out of your way, but...”
“It’ll do. I’ll follow you there.”
There were three other cars in the parking lot at the edge of the lake in downtown Wasilla. To the south, the mountains stood tall in the twilight. Lazy Mountain and Pioneer Peak gleamed where the last of the sun touched the snow on their sharp peaks.
Adele got out of the car and waited for him to walk toward her. Jamming both hands in the pocket of his jacket he nodded toward a picnic table close to a spruce tree. Without a word, she walked beside him.
“I cared. That was the problem. I knew if I said anything, you’d convince me to stay.”
Her words caused him to clench his hands into fists in the pockets. “So that makes it my fault because you didn’t want to marry me, and be stuck here?”
“No. It makes me a young girl, swimming in a sea of hormones. I got scared of everything I was feeling. None of that was your fault. It was all me.”
They weren’t going to make it as far as the table. Ace turned on his heel and walked down to the edge of the man-made beach. Stooping, he snatched up two pebbles and skipped them on top of the pearl gray water.
When the last rock settled into the lake, Adele tugged on his sleeve. “I know there’s no way I can make it up to you. And as for trusting me, I don’t know how you can. But, can we give this a try?”
A raven flew overhead. At the far end of the lake, several ducks lifted from the water.
“What happens to me, if you can’t hack it again?” Ace pulled away from her. “It’s not just me anymore. You can’t dive in here, and then cut me loose when you get tired, or bored.”
With his back to Adele, he watched the traffic light change. The cars on the Parks Highway could move forward again. Those sitting on the side street had to wait. If he let her go, this time, it was on him.
Life didn’t wait. The green light was on all the time.
“I’m not the same dumb girl. I have a child I need to raise. Just like you, I have responsibilities. But I did think about returning once I had Les. I felt so guilty; I couldn’t bring myself to come home.”
“What made you decide it was time?” The light changed again, and the cars on the side street got a chance to move.
“I needed to come home because it’s my place. And I needed to tell you how sorry I was for being a dumb kid.”
Her arms went around his waist. Adele laid her head against his back. The light changed to green again. A sigh left him. “Okay. But, this time, you talk about it. I don’t know how far this will go, or what will happen.”
She tugged on his jacket and turned him around. “Agreed. You can take this to the bank; I’m not leaving Alaska again. You can’t pry me out of here with a crowbar.”
Chapter 6
Adele had hurt him more than she realized. But, there wasn’t any way to prove to him it wouldn’t happen again. Only time would heal the wound. When she tugged the man around, and his arms came around her, Adele was where she had wanted to be for years.
His mom wouldn’t be pleased to see her. That was part of the price she would need to pay for stupidity. Ace’s love felt like a chain holding her down when she left. Now all she wanted was to be with him.
Her ex taught her about freedom. Adele often asked herself if it was karma. The very thing she had done to Ace came back full circle to her. Adele wondered how his kids would react to her, not that it mattered. She intended to put up with whatever came her way.
Neither of them could play the victim here. That would destroy any chance they might have. Ace’s arms around her told Adele the chemistry still worked. It would be great if they were naked somewhere.
That action would need to wait awhile. They still had a lot to discuss, and new memories to make. Falling into bed right off the bat might make matters worse.
“Are you going to go to dinner with me?” her voice was muffled against his denim jacket.
“Okay. But it will need to wait until next Monday night. The kids and I planned to take Grandma out to a movie on Saturday evening. Sunday is family time. Next weekend, the soccer league starts.”
Adele chuckled as she listened to his plans for the next few days. “I have a son who wants me to take him over to the skateboard park on Saturday. We planned to pick up starts for the garden on Sunday and get everything put in. It sounds like Monday is a good bet.”
“Having kids keeps you active, that’s for sure.” There was a different tone to his voice.
Adele took a glance at his face, and couldn’t resist. His hands went to her shoulders when Adele pulled his head down for a kiss. Warm lips covered hers, and it was as if they had never parted.
Then both of their cell phones went off. A smile lifted the corners of his mouth when he looked at the screen. She was a second slower.
Both their families wanted to know where they were, and when they were coming home. After short conversations, they put the phones back into their pockets.
Ace reached out to take her arm. “Duty calls.”
She leaned against him for a moment. “Yep. Life goes on. When we get back to the car, let’s exchange cell numbers. Call me whenever you feel like it. I’m flagging three days on and four off.”
“Sure. And I’ll wave at you when I go by. I do a lot of running between jobs and the office.”
In the parking lot, they took each other’s phones and entered the information. Back out on the side street, both of them were in the right lane. As soon as the light turned green, they took off. Adele watched the red truck in front of her when they came to the stop light at Main Street.
Things would be a lot more involved between them now. The children, his mother, her job, and his business were factors they would need to juggle. But, at least, he was willing to give it a try.
This time, Adele was determined not to screw things up. Both of them had suffered because of her insecurities. Older and wiser, Adele knew what she wanted from life. Ace was at the top of the list. She was in control and intended to make sure they got the best possible chance.
1Thank you for taking the time to read Traffic Control. If you enjoyed it, please consider telling your friends or posting a short review. Word of mouth is an author’s best friend and much appreciated.
Other books by Cherime MacFarlane:
"Highland Light" Is the first of the MacGrough Clan series.
Gideon is a ward of the Master of the Croatia Temple belonging to the Knights Templar. The Knights escape execution and flee to Scotland. The master of the Temple strikes a bargain with Robert The Bruce. In exchange for safety, the eighteen men will marry into various clans in the Bruce faction. Ailene saw him entering the Abby and will have him and no other. Gideon has honored the Templar vows of chastity. With no knowledge of women, he and Ailene must learn together.
But Gideon owes his new King service. No matter how much he wishes to stay with his wife, he has a duty. Scotland is fighting for its life against England. At the same time, Gideon's new home is locked in a vicious internal struggle for power. Enemies are everywhere. The clan is in danger from all sides. The small bedroom they share is the only place where the young couple can find peace.
"Bare Wires"
The prequel to Wired For Sound follows Lori and Hamish as their lives slowly come together. Lori gets the break she needs when she comes to the attention of a gallery owner in Brighton, England. The small celebration she treats herself to turns into a disaster when she discovers a horrible truth about her lover.
Hamish and the band are finally poised to break into the entertainment industry. But two big problems stand in Bushmaster’s way; the bass player
’s growing addiction and Vincent’s inflated view of his worth. Hamish must learn to manage his problems with insomnia while trying to keep Bushmaster together.
Two young people's lives will intersect one night in an art gallery in the resort town of Brighton.
"Wired For Sound"
Gideon and Ailene's descendant, Hamish MacGrough's story continues. It is 1988. The band Hamish co-founded, Bushmaster, is on its 4th album and 2nd US tour. Vince, the front man, and Hamish started the band as young college students. Now, Vince's nastiness has caused someone to exact the ultimate revenge, death.
After coercing Lori into marrying him, Hamish isn't sure how long she will stick around. His focus has been on keeping his wife happy and getting out of the band. With a recording date in Glasgow, a deadline and backers waiting, he needs to be back in Scotland. But in Los Angeles, everyone in the band is a suspect, as far as the police are concerned. Hamish's artist wife, Lori, may have been involved with Vincent before she met Hamish. Fearing she could be the murderer, Hamish must find the killer. But when he finds the murderer will he be forced to protect that person?
In a race to find the answer before the police, MacGrough has to use every resource he can, including the wife he fears may have had a hand in the murder.
Already burned by one man, can Lori trust her Scottish keyboard playing husband? Will their marriage survive this last gig?
"North by Northeast"
Hamish has what is called the sight in Scotland. With his wife, Lori, attending a gallery show, he suddenly finds the lament swirling about in his head. Half a world away, Hamish is terrified. Lori is gone, and there is no ransom note. The remnant of his old band, Bushmaster, comes together to help Hamish as he searches for Lori. The pursuit takes them from Seattle to Canada and into a ghost town North by Northeast of Seattle.
Lori has no idea why she is being held. Hamish is the musician, the famous one of the family and a partner in WarLoch Productions. What is the reasoning behind this? Will she live to find out?
"Rhythm and Blues"
Lurch Walker is the bad boy of the band Bushmaster. A rock solid, rhythm guitar player, he finally finds a woman he is ready to settle marry. Hamish's au pair and mutually adopted sister stakes a claim to Lurch’s heart. But Lurch Walker's past is about to put an end to his dreams of home and family. Lurch and Hamish must make a stand as those threatening Lurch have now threatened Hamish's family and his adopted sister.
"Family Knots"
Lori is recuperating from the birth of their third child. But things in the Glen are starting to take a decided otherworldly turn. Hamish suspects his oldest son, just a young boy, has a great deal more of the sight than he has.
Lori has a touch of post-partum depression and is not able to paint. Hamish's father's relatives have finally found him. Even worse; his cousin wants something from Hamish, which will require his leaving Lori and the Glen when he most needs to be there. It is a family knot of significant proportions.
"The Templar's Treasure"
As the MacGrough clan prepares to celebrate a milestone, chaos ensues. A 26-year-old secret is revealed; the father of a child exposed, a woman rescued and another stands up for the love she and her soul mate have shared for years. Lori and Hamish's 28th-year-anniversary celebration goes off the charts.
The MacGrough Glen is turning up the heat. One antique anniversary gift holds the key to the last of the Templar’s Treasure. And the supernatural talents of one of the clan lead to a discovery of another sort. More history of the Glen is about to reveal itself to the MacGrough's of the twenty-first century.
"The Twisted Laird"
Edan MacGrough is the last of the male line of the MacGrough's. Culloden has claimed the rest. His older half-brother, The MacGrough, has given him a duty, he is to take care of the women and children who are left. In particular, Edan is to watch over Rhona, the widow of his brother, who is pregnant. The children are all the clan has left, and MacGrough’s survival depends on keeping them alive.
Rhona hates Edan and always has. She will not make the commission given to Edan by his brother easy to accomplish.
Edan does not feel up to the task, as he has a lame leg, twisted due to an accident shortly after birth. The MacGrough, warned by the sight, of hardships to come, has trained his successor well. But nothing can prepare the young Laird for the grief and pain he must deal with. Not only is his leg twisted, but his heart and soul are, as well.
"Snagged" is the first of the Copper River Romances.
In some places in Alaska, there are only two places to socialize, the bar and the church. Dorcas' family chose the church. Trying to find her path, she is spending the winter in a remote cabin. The pilot of a small plane crashes on the river. Dorcas pulls James out of the freezing water, saving his life.
James has been working alongside his father building the business for years. His trip to Fairbanks to scout out a second location angers his father. James leaves a day early, and his plane develops engine trouble over the Copper River, far off course. Being thrown from the aircraft into the icy water, the young man thinks his life is over until the girl pulls him from the river.
There is a family connection that goes back over twenty-five years, something neither of the young people discovers until her family comes to spend Christmas with her at the remote cabin. Will an old lie tear the young couple apart? Will James' father finally listen to the truth?
"Stalking Red"
The second of the Copper River Romances finds a hunter in a tight spot. P.R. Jones wants to get close to the new tenant, Brenda. But she is living with a summer intern from her office. P.R. must bide his time and remain a friend to Brenda, Red if he wants to end this hunt successfully. He doesn't care what his parents think; Red is the one he will have. But P.R. wants marriage.
Brenda is not sure she wants to lose her only real friend, P.R. Jones. On the other hand, a friend with benefits would be nice. Will P.R. go for that kind of relationship? Red isn’t sure she’s ready for anything else. She’s also not sure what to do if her part Athabaskan, and part white friend needs to move back to the Copper River Basin to deal with family issues.
P.R.’s connection to his family is strong, but Brenda worked hard to become a paralegal. Giving that up is not something she wants to consider. Is the relationship doomed before it even starts?
"Heart of the Hunter"
The third of the Copper River Romances, finds a young man, Jay Leighton, back from Afghanistan and happy to bury himself in the solitude of the Copper Basin. He is a hunter and a loner trying to heal scars, emotional wounds brought back with him. The last thing he needs is to be brought face to face with the loveliest woman to move to the Basin in the last year. His head is not ready, but his heart is saying something else.
Leda is a teacher just out of school, who has not had time for love; Jay takes her by surprise. A soft-spoken, slightly broken man, who lives in a small cabin with his dog, Licker, for companionship, Leda sees something in Jay she needs to pursue. But Leda is worried about her reputation in the tiny community of Kenny Lake. She should stay away from Jay. But can she? Just who is the hunter and who is the hunted?
"Cougar Hunt"
She is very aware of the danger in the game she is playing. Meeting friends with benefits on the internet is not safe. The only constant in her life is the kid she keeps rejecting. But Joey keeps coming back until the night they share a sleeping bag during a snowstorm. Finally willing to admit she may need professional help, Linda finds she may have waited too long. Joey withdraws from college and leaves town without warning. Her world is suddenly in splinters around her. What has she done?
The fourth of the Copper River Romances, strips away the masks Joe Friday Jones, the youngest Jones boy, and Linda Rae Ed have been hiding behind. Linda is not the positive individual she appears to be. The only one who knows her secret is J.F. Jones. In love with Linda for years, he is finally forced to face the truth one cold night. Keeping Linda
alive during a snow storm on the bluffs, J.F. gives her his heart. Linda pushes him away once again. She feels the four years between them would label her a "cougar." J.F. is afraid if she doesn’t reach out for help, she will die, but he can’t take any more rejection from Linda.
"Baubles and Beads"
Della Street Jones is everyone’s ‘good little girl’ and is tired of the label. Munk Riley is the skinny little thief she shared her lunch with until the family left the Copper Basin. Riley, caught by the Jones family, is given a chance to redeem himself and earns a diesel mechanic certification. Munk wants to marry Della. He craves all the things denied him growing up the only child of an alcoholic mother.
Taking a job without telling her, causes a blow out between them. Embarrassed, Della takes a live-in position at a remote lodge. She finds something that causes her to send an SOS to her family to get her out. Munk will do anything to get Della back where she belongs. But does Della belong where everyone else thinks she does? Can they get out without waking the man who controls the underbelly of Alaska?
"Grass and Blue Skies"
On crutches and no longer able to fly jets, Brett is grateful to have come home alive instead of in a box. Though he’s still got his leg, there’s a lot of pain too. A relative sends him to see the pretty herbalist who helps people with pain and nerve problems. One look at her and Brett wants more than pain relief.
Nikee has a secret room beneath her greenhouse full of pot plants. The woman began growing medical marijuana several years ago to help her father after an unfortunate accident, and she has no plans to quit. Hopefully telling Brett about the grow operation won’t cost her a relationship with the man.
If the delicate balance of her relationship with Brett isn’t enough, someone else has discovered her secret. He wants her crop and will do anything to cash in on her work, but Nikee can't go to the Troopers for help.
Can a woman, an old man, and an ex-jet jock keep the nefarious character out of her medicinal pot?