Page 72 of Smoky Mountain Dreams

Because he’s a smart man. Listen to him,Christopher. Best catch you’ll ever get. Much better than a doctor.

“She sounds like a smart lady.”

I love him. You should marry him.Tomorrow. Invite Bob to the wedding. It’ll kill him quick.

“She’s unique,” Christopher agreed. “You said your mom wasthe one who got you into jewelry. Does she still support you in your career?”

“Oh, yeah. She demands custom-made pieces several times ayear. Usually to match some god-awfully expensive evening dress for some poshparty in Miami. Your family isn’t the only one with skeletons in the closet.”

“Yeah?”

“My mom…well, she’s the one who taught me that jewelry keepssecrets and will never betray them to anyone. It’s the one little mysticalthing she ever bought into and I think it was just to soothe her guilty conscience.Sometimes she’d buy a new piece, and she’d sit down with me and show me the wayit was put together. Then she’d say to me, ‘This one holds an important secretfor me, Jesse.’ I’d ask her to tell me, beg her even, and she’s laugh and sayonly the piece knew and it would never tell.”

“That’s kind of mean in a way.”

Jesse laughed. “Oh, definitely. But I’m pretty sure I knowexactly the secrets those pieces hold. She tried to offload the guilt of hertrysts and occasional affairs with one of dad’s married colleagues. Always whenthey were over, I think. Like a way to commemorate and yet define that it wasdone.”

Christopher lifted his eyebrows.

“We’d never talk about it. Not in a million years. She and Idon’t have that kind of relationship. We barely talk about anything at all. Butlooking back I remember several things that can only be explained that way.”

“Such as?”

“For example, when I was around nine, Mom, Amanda and I wenton a sailing trip in the Virgin Islands. Dad didn’t come. Work probably.Anyway, the captain of the vessel was a handsome young guy named Don. Youngerthan her by far. I woke up in the middle of the night once because I heard mymom making a noise that sounded like crying.

“I got out of my bunk and headed to the little room she wassleeping in, but she wasn’t there. I could hear her crying from the room Donwas staying in, and when I opened the door I saw her with her nightgown hikedup and her legs spread on the bed. The captain was kneeling shirtless betweenthem, his face close to her…”

Christopher whistled. “Whoa.”

“At the time, I didn’t understand it. I said, ‘Mommy, areyou okay?’ or something, and my mom jolted up, grabbed my hand, and dragged meback to my bed. Told me that she’d hurt herself in her private area and CaptainDon was trying to help her with it.”

“Wow.”

“It was only sometime in my teenage years that it allclicked and I understood what I’d actually seen. And there were other men too.A guy named Dabney that my dad worked with a lot. A distributor who would comethrough town—sometimes when dad was away—and he’d always stay at our place. Iwas fifteen when I saw them on the back porch fucking at three in the morning.I was sneaking back in after some sexual shenanigans of my own so I couldn’texactly call her on it. And I didn’t want to anyway. Dad was in love with hisbusiness. She was a society wife. They weren’t in love with each other ever.”

“Well, then. It sounds like our families are both shitshows. How…comforting.”

Jesse laughed and sat up. “Oh, speaking of family, I broughtsomething for you. I’ve had it done for a few weeks now but I wanted to save ituntil we were together doing something special. It brought us together afterall. I hope you like it.”

He lit a battery powered lantern in the twilight and dugaround in a side pocket of the picnic basket, bringing out a black jewelrycase. “I should have given this to you when it was still light.” He opened thecase, and there was the locket.

“Matt actually had deer teeth to the exact specificationsthat I needed. It was like this locket was meant to be.”

Christopher picked it up, examining the heart of deer teethon the front, the acorns, and the perfect clasp that easily opened under hisfingers, so he knew Gran would be able to open it too. The small frames forphotos were beautifully filigreed. Every last detail was perfect.

“This is probably the kitschiest thing you’ve made since youwere a teenager.”

Jesse stayed silent.

Christopher let out a soft laugh, his heart in his throat. “Andshe’ll love it. It’s perfect.”

“I’m glad.” Jesse exhaled audibly.

“I appreciate you doing this for me because I know it’s notyour style and—”

“Shh. My style is what it needs to be to make my clienthappy. And I want to make you happy, Christopher.” Jesse’s voice held so muchmore meaning.

“I’m incredibly happy—with the locket, and the picnic, andthe company.” Christopher frowned. “But, uh, do you have one of those creditcard thingies for your phone or something? I don’t have cash.”