Covered in Coal (Buried Secrets 1)

It’s been two weeks since Drew Varney walked into my office unannounced. Two weeks since finally seeing with my own eyes the breathing evil that is my illegitimate brother. Drew seems to be laying below the radar. I was dead serious about buying his partnership with Dalton Trucking, just to rid Bill of that pain in the ass.

When I told Colton what I had offered Drew, he wasn’t sure how to respond. I explained to him that I didn’t want the partnership myself. I had planned to sign my portion of the company over to him, so he could keep the business in his family where it belonged, safe from the talons of venomous vultures, like Drew Varney.

I see Bill almost daily, and he hasn’t mentioned anything else about the contracts, or my offering to buy out Drew’s partnership for Dalton Trucking. In fact, Bill has been utterly silent, and it has Colton really worried. Bill is a grouchy ass bastard, there is no denying that. But there is something that lies beneath the surface, something that is gnawing at him about this entire situation. Colton has tried to talk to him, but he just pushes him away and tells him to leave the business to him, and keep mining his coal.

Colton and I are moving forward, trying to rebuild our relationship into what it once was. When we come home from work each day, we spend our evenings with Heidi Jo, then we fall into each other’s arms once we have her tucked away in bed. Heidi Jo is beyond ecstatic that I’m around more often, and she really brings happiness into my life.

Colton is working night shift tonight, and has been in the bed most of the evening, so I surprised Heidi Jo with a girl’s night out. I picked her up from school early, and started the evening off with Mani/Pedi’s at my favorite salon. Next, we hit the mall, and do some Christmas shopping for her and Colton. This kid can shop! Every store she walks in she finds a new dress or shoes that she just can’t live without. Probably doesn’t help that I enjoy shopping just as much, and have a sweet spot for her chunky little face. We finish the evening off at her favorite ice cream shop, sharing a bowl full of rocky road ice cream.

“Oh, I’m sure glad you brought me for ice cream, Carly Jo. Daddy won’t let me eat it when it snows, he says it’s too cold and that I need hot chocolate, not ice cream.”

“Your daddy is silly, Heidi Jo. He just don’t understand that no matter how cold it is outside, a girl always needs her ice cream.”

She laughs, cramming a spoon full of the chocolaty goodness into her mouth.

“Ya know, my daddy thinks you’re more than just pretty Carly Jo, he loves ya.” She says, licking the spoon.

“He does? Just what makes ya think that, sweets?” I kid with her, amused by her excitement that she thinks she is sharing secrets.

“Because he always brushes his teeth, and sprays on that boy perfume when he’s comin’ to see you. He bakes peanut butter kiss cookies for you, and he named me after you. Daddy loves me to the moon and back, so he has to love you a whole awful lot to name me after you.” Her wide eyes, glistening brightly as she whispers this secret across the table.

I think about what she says for just a minute, and then it hits me. He gave Heidi Jo my middle name. Colton is the only person who always calls me Carly Jo. Everyone else refers to me as Carly. Or when I was little and in trouble, Daddy called me Carolina Jo Simon, which translated to oh shit, what’d I do now? I giggle along with her, and commit the comment to memory.

Heidi Jo finishes her ice cream, licking the bowl clean, but missing her sticky hands and cheeks. I wipe her face and tell her to go to the bathroom to wash her hands before we leave. She bounces from the bathroom a few minutes later and we leave the ice cream shop to head home. I fasten her seat belt and climb in the driver seat. I start the engine, then thumb through the playlist on my iPod searching for a song to jam to.

“What song do you want to hear?” I ask Heidi Jo over my shoulder.

“Eh, nothin’ right now.”

“Nothing? What’s wrong, did you eat so much ice cream that you’re worried you might shake your belly too much, dancing in your seat?”

“Nah, I just wanna talk right now is all.” She states, very matter-of-factly.

“Okay, talk sweets.”

“Well, I don’t wanna hurt your feelings.” I turn in my seat, and look at her chubby little face. She is looking down at her skirt, fidgeting with the hot pink sequin.

“Heidi Jo, whatever it is, you can say it sweets. I’m a big girl, you won’t hurt my feelings, promise.”

“Cross your heart?”

“Cross my heart.” I tell her, making imaginary x’s with my finger over my heart, just as I did when I was a kid.

“Why don’t I have a mommy?”

I freeze. I can feel the pressure behind my eyes as they threaten to jump right out of my head. I reach back, unbuckling her seatbelt and help her climb over to the front seat.

“Heidi Jo, have you talked to your daddy about your mommy?” I ask her, so scared to even touch the subject due to the sensitivity of it. She nods her head up and down, and continues to play with her dress.

“And what did Daddy tell you, baby girl?”

“Daddy told me that my mommy is an angel up in heaven.”

“That’s what your daddy told me too. But sometimes, Mommy’s are so special, that God needs them to help Him in heaven. He knew that your daddy was big and strong and could take good care of you.” I don’t know how else to answer.

“Well, why did he have to take my little baby too?”

“You’re little baby?” I ask, confused by what she is referring too.