Heir to Scandal (Secrets of Eden 3)

Xander wanted this to work with Rose. He wanted them to move to D.C. and start a life with him there. But every bit of that fantasy was riding on her reaction to what he was about to say.

“Rose,” he said, “I hate to do this, but I have to take a rain check on tonight.”

Her dark eyes narrowed at him as she finished applying her lotion and stood up. “On tonight? I thought we decided it was The Night. That’s a pretty big event to skip out on. What’s going on that’s suddenly more important?”

“I know it’s a big deal. I’ve been looking forward to and dreading this moment since we decided to tell him. I’m so nervous that he won’t like me or that he’ll hate me for not being in his life.”

Rose moved around the bed to sit shoulder by shoulder next to him. “He’s not going to hate you. He adores you. Finding out that you’re his father will only make it that much sweeter for him. It’s like finding out Superman is your dad.”

“There’s no superpowers to be inherited,” Xander said drily. “Just my chaotic political life.”

“Are you wanting to wait because you’re nervous about it?” She patted his knee reassuringly. “It’s going to be fine, really.”

He ran his fingers though his hair. “No. I’d much rather do it and get it done so I can stop being so anxious, but I don’t want to do it and rush out. Can we postpone a day or two?”

“Why not,” she said with an undertone of sarcasm. “We’ve already waited ten years. Really, what is more important than this, Xander? Tell me.”

“Rose, please.” Xander said. “I’ve got to get back to the farm. There’s an emergency I need to take care of.”

Her irritation was quickly replaced by concern. “What happened? Are Ken and Molly okay?”

“Yes, they’re fine. There’s just something going on there that I have to be home for. It’s the reason I came to town in the first place.”

“Something going on?” she repeated. “Get a little more vague, Xander.” Rose turned away from him and looked up at the television silently playing in front of them. The local station had cut into the syndicated television show to broadcast breaking news.

Xander couldn’t hear the newscaster, but the image over the woman’s shoulder said Body Identified. As usual, Brody’s information had been correct and timely. The truth was out.

* * *

Rose picked up the remote and turned the sound of the television back on.

“...remains discovered on the former Garden of Eden property have been identified as that of seventeen-year-old Tommy Wilder. Tommy was a foster child taken in by Ken and Molly Eden, the owners of the Garden of Eden Christmas Tree Farm, several weeks before his disappearance. His sister, Deborah Wilder Curtis of Hartford, identified the body yesterday and dental records have confirmed the match.”

“Rose...” Xander said, but she ignored him and turned the sound up another notch on the television.

“Tommy Wilder was reported missing by his foster parents more than fifteen years ago. All of the boy’s belongings were missing from his room and a note was found by one of the other foster children indicating that he ran away. Police will be questioning Ken and Molly Eden to try to piece together what happened the night of Tommy’s disappearance.”

Rose swallowed hard and tried to process the information. She remembered Tommy Wilder. He was a senior when he came to live with Xander’s family. The few times Rose came to the farm while he was staying with them, she’d been thoroughly creeped out. She’d been a girl who spent most of her time being ignored, and Tommy’s heavy appraisal of her had been unnerving and unwelcome. She’d been admittedly relieved when he ran away. It had gotten to the point where she didn’t want to come to the farm or she wouldn’t let Xander out of her sight if she did.

After Tommy’s disappearance, she and Xander had hit one of the low points in their relationship. They hadn’t been dating long, but things changed quickly. He’d suddenly become distant. He had canceled a few of their dates and made excuses not to see her. For a while she’d been certain that he was going to break up with her. Even the other Eden boys had avoided talking to her or anyone else.

Then, after a few weeks, her old Xander came back to her. He had told her that they were all concerned about Tommy running away and all the police attention around the farm. As foster children, they could be placed in a new home at any time if the parents were deemed unfit. The Edens were the fittest parents in the world, but she could understand that it might look bad with Tommy running away.