He glanced down to find Gizmo had wandered off, leaving Jackson alone with his thoughts. The cabin was quiet. As he stared out the window, he was pleased to find the sun was out. Today would be the day when he was able to get on with his life. He knew the thought of leaving here should bring him a sense of relief but it didn’t.
The truth was, he’d really enjoyed the time he’d spent with Mae. She had a way about her that put him at ease. Maybe it was because they’d each shared a recent loss or the fact that neither had a loving, devoted mother. Whatever you wanted to say, they shared a special connection. One he wouldn’t soon forget.
But Christmas was only a week away and if he didn’t get this last segment shot, it’d be too late to air. The slot would get filled and everyone would move on.
If only he could put a special spin on this segment, something more than Christmas in a quaint village in Austria. He knew what they’d already planned would pull on the viewers’ nostalgic heartstrings, but his thoughts needed to be on the head honchos in the front office. He only had until the first of the year to prove that he was the man for the evening news slot.
Jackson heard the kitchen door creak open. He turned expecting to find Mae, but instead it was once again Gizmo. He strolled back into the kitchen with something in his mouth. Jackson smiled and shook his head. That dog was forever stealing things. He wondered if Mae would find everything the dog had stolen before she left here. Well, he could help her out this time.
He got up and approached Gizmo. “Hey, boy, what do you have there?”
The dog tried to get around him, but Jackson blocked him. That definitely wasn’t a dog toy in his mouth, and this time it wasn’t a pink lacy bra, either. The memory of that piece of lingerie combined with the kiss last night heated his veins—
No. Don’t go there. It was a onetime thing. Let it go.
He knelt down to pet the dog. Luckily his ankle was starting to feel a bit better with the aid of over-the-counter painkillers. Still, he kept his weight on his good leg.
His fingers wrapped around what appeared to be Mae’s wallet. “Give it to me.”
Gizmo clenched tighter and started to pull back. He gave a little growl, all the while wagging his tail. Gizmo’s head shook back and forth as he tried to work the wallet away from Jackson.
“You’re a strong little guy, aren’t you?”
Gizmo let out another little growl as his tail continued to swish back and forth.
Well, this was one game of tug-of-war Jackson didn’t want to lose.
“Let go.” No such luck. “Gizmo! Stop.”
Suddenly, Gizmo let go.
Not prepared for the dog’s sudden release, Jackson fell backward. He lost his grip on the wallet
as he tried to catch himself. He landed squarely on his backside.
Gizmo didn’t tarry. He turned to make his escape. Jackson sat on the floor and watched as the dog pushed the swinging door open with his nose.
Jackson couldn’t help but smile and shake his head. He wondered if this was what it was like having small children. He would never know since he and June were never blessed with any. It was yet another thing that they’d put off too long—another dream that would never be fulfilled.
He went to pick up Mae’s wallet when he realized that it had come open and some of the cards had scattered across the tile floor. He picked them up and started putting them in the wallet when he noticed the name on them: Serena Winston.
He immediately recognized the name. How could he not? Serena Winston came from a legendary family. He’d tried repeatedly to interview her, but for one reason or another, it had never worked out.
This had to be some sort of mix-up. The Serena Winston on these cards couldn’t be the famous actress. But if that was the case, why did Mae have them? He held the California driver’s license closer. He studied the similarities. If Mae were to be a blonde and add makeup—
His mouth gaped.
It was her. The driver’s license read: Serena M. Winston.
Serena Mae Winston?
Jackson sat there stunned. He’d thought that they’d formed a friendship. He’d trusted her with intimate details of his life, but she hadn’t even been honest about her name—at least not her whole name.
Everything started to fall in place, such as her ability to lease this luxury cabin for herself and her dog. She’d been hiding in plain sight with her strawberry blonde hair and lack of makeup. He’d never seen any photos of Serena Winston with reddish hair. She was known far and wide for her honey-blond strands. And it explained what had happened to her—how she was able to drop off the radar.
His thoughts circled back to how he’d believed that they were beginning to trust each other. Then there was that kiss—the kiss he hadn’t been able to forget no matter how hard he tried. Well, he no longer had to worry about it. Obviously, it had been all one-sided. All the time, she’d been playing him for a fool.
Anger warmed his veins. He didn’t like to be lied to. His gut knotted at the thought of her laughing behind his back. He wished this was some sort of dream because he’d liked Mae—a woman who didn’t even exist. Why couldn’t just one thing in his life go his way?