One Tiny Lie – Jennifer Youngblood Page 0,47

her insides. Talking to Ava would mean telling her sister what she’d done. Why couldn’t the wretched past stay hidden?

Luna didn’t know how long she sat there, staring into nothingness. She nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard knocking at the door. “Ava,” Hudson called, “are you in there?”

Her eyes widened as she jumped off the bed and sprang into action. Not knowing what else to do, she ran into the restroom and closed the door. Quickly, she splashed cold water over her face and fluffed her hair. She stared at her reflection. Would Hudson be able to tell she’d been crying?

A couple seconds later, Hudson knocked on the bathroom door. “Ava, are you in there?”

“Hey,” she said, trying to sound cheerful.

“Is everything okay?”

“Yeah, I’m good.” She hesitated. “Sorry, my stomach’s a little queasy. It must have been something I ate.”

“Can I come in?”

She went to the door and placed her palm against the cool wood. Everything was such a mess. She’d never meant to hurt Ruth Wellington. Sure, deep down, Luna had known it wasn’t wise to get involved with an older man, but Douglas had been so charismatic, so caring. When she realized that he’d played her, she shut off her heart. Then, when Ava came into her life and proposed a switch, it was the opportunity Luna needed to break out of her self-imposed shell. She could start a new life fresh, without any baggage. And, she had. She’d opened her heart to a wonderful man whom she adored.

But the net was closing in. It was absurd to think that Spencer Wellington actually thought she would pay him fifty-thousand dollars to keep quiet. The guy was a snake. He was so vindictive. Surely, he had to know that his mother’s death wasn’t Luna’s fault. Did Spencer work somewhere in Sonoma? Was that what had brought him here?

Hudson knocked again. “Ava?”

She sucked in a breath and rose to her full height as she stepped back and opened the door. One look at the tender concern on Hudson’s face misted her eyes.

“Hey,” he began as he held out his arms. “It’s okay.” She went to him and buried her head against his chest. An avalanche of emotion welled in her throat. It took a superhuman effort to push it back down. She couldn’t fall apart, no matter how much she wanted to. She had exactly one week before everything came crashing down around her. She needed to talk to Ava, so the two of them could work out a plan. But right now, it felt good just to be in Hudson’s comforting arms. A prayer wrenched through her mind. Dear, Lord. I’m so sorry for my deception in pretending to be Ava. I needed a new life, and a new chance to start over. One tiny lie seemed so insignificant at the time, but now I see the havoc it has wrought. Please help me work my way out of this mess. Please help me to know what to do about Spencer Wellington. And, please help me find the words to tell Hudson the truth. I love him with all my heart, and I can’t lose him … not when I’ve only just found him. Please, show me the way.

12

After a fitful night sleep where her demons rose up with a vengeance to torment her, Luna dragged herself out of bed and went to church with Beverly and Todd. She was grateful to be able to go and worship. She needed all the help she could get. When the preacher began quoting the Bible verse that Grandma Peach had been driving home now for weeks, “And they shall know the truth, and the truth shall set them free,” Luna felt like the message was hitting her square between the eyes. She felt like Dimmesdale in The Scarlet Letter. All she had to do was confess her sins to Hudson, Beverly, and Todd. Then Spencer Wellington would have no further hold on her.

The thought of telling everyone the truth pickled her insides. Yet, she knew it had to be done. She needed to talk to Ava. She’d tried calling Ava before church, but couldn’t get her. Now that church was over, she couldn’t wait to get home to try her again.

“Answer,” Luna said to the computer screen as she dialed Ava’s number. She breathed a sigh of relief when Ava’s picture came up on the screen.

“Hey,” Ava said with a large smile. “How was the harvest party last