Identity of the Heart (A Hidden Hearts Novel Book 1) Read online

  Rogue grins at me. “You know, you’re probably right. They’d probably tell us to tone it down because nobody lives through something this totally off-the-wall and crazy.”

  “I’ve got a creative writing class this term. Should I write about our adventures just to see if anybody believes it?” I suggest with a smirk.

  “It would be fun if we went to the same school wouldn’t it?” Rogue suggests wistfully.

  “Unfortunately, I haven’t decided what I’m going to do about school yet. If I follow my heart, it means I’ll have to practically start over. Most of my coursework has been in stuff I can’t stand. I really can’t see building a career based on what I’ve been doing. So, you probably don’t want to wait around for me. I might be in school forever,” I complain, dejectedly.

  Rogue actually chokes on her pop as she laughs. “Ivy, does it look like I’m on the fast track to you? I’ve been taking a class or two a term since I was seventeen. Sometimes I get really lucky and can take three classes. But, I’ve had terms that I haven’t been able to take any because I’ve had to move or something. Life happens. We just have to do our best to figure it out. At this point, I figure I’ll be doing pretty well if I finish college before I have kids and they graduate from college.”

  “If your scores were so great, why don’t you get some financial aid?” I ask, curious as to why my very talented sister doesn’t have more support.

  “Well, after Mama got together with Clive, financial stuff got really weird. He got really stingy with money and started taking over her finances and didn’t want to let anybody know what was going on. If I had applied for financial aid, I was still considered a dependent and she would have had to ask him for information. I didn’t know until this last visit that she finally kicked him to the curb. If I had known that he didn’t have control over her life anymore, I might’ve done things differently.”

  Tristan’s drapes his arm around Rogue’s shoulders and he gently cuddles her to his side as he murmurs against her temple. “I wish I would’ve known you sooner. You didn’t deserve to be put in such a difficult spot.”

  “They should make an exception for students like you. I still think you should have declared yourself as emancipated,” Marcus argues. It’s clear that this is not the first time they have had this discussion.

  Rogue shakes her head as she explains, “I just couldn’t do that to Mama Rosa. My beef wasn’t with her. It was with Clive. Filing for emancipation would have been like disowning her. It would’ve crushed her. So, I’ll just do it my way until I turn twenty-four. Hopefully, by then I’ll be making some pretty serious money doing tattoos and it won’t make a difference anyway.”

  “Hell yeah, you’ll be making serious money doing tattoos,” Marcus declares. “I’ll be like your walking billboard. You’ll have the busiest chair in the shop. My sign will say Ink’d Deep tattoos by Rogue Betancourt (Oh yeah, a guy named Marcus Brolen works here too).”

  Rogue throws a crumpled up napkin at Marcus as she scoffs, “Yeah right! Like that would ever happen! As I recall, they made you the youngest owner of Ink’d Deep for a good reason. It’s because you’re crazy talented and super smart.”

  Marcus shrugs as he comments. “I never said I wasn’t Ro. I just think you can surpass me in no time flat.”

  I smack Marcus on the thigh as I ask, “I know I’ve asked this before, but, are you sure you’re not in love with my sister? You say the nicest things to her.”

  Marcus turns in his seat and gives me a bone melting kiss. As he pulls away, he says, “Yes, I am one hundred percent certain that I am not in love with your sister. I say really nice things to Sadie too. I’m not in love with my sister either. My relationship with Rogue is as platonic as it gets.”

  I relax a bit after his reassurance. He’s so supportive of her it’s just difficult to remember sometimes that they are simply friends.

  Manita, I promise it would be like kissing my brother. So gross I can’t even imagine. I am beyond thrilled for you guys. But there’s no chemistry between us and there really has never been.

  I blush as her reassurance pushes its way into my thoughts. I’m embarrassed that my insecurities took me to a place where she’s even had to try to make me feel better.

  “I’m sorry guys, it’s just been a really long day and sometimes I let my wild imagination get away from me,” I utter out loud.

  “Sugar, you wouldn’t be the first person to misinterpret my relationship with your sister. It’s confusing to a lot of people that we can just be friends. I guess it’s pretty unusual. I’m attracted to only one person on this plane and it’s you. In fact, you can ask Ro; I haven’t even mentioned any other women since I met you.”

  “Well… there was that one woman with the really obnoxious perfume who tried to completely disrobe so you could do a tattoo on her wrist—” Rogue teases.

  “Rogue Medea Cisneros Betancourt! You are so not helping!” protests Marcus. “You know that I didn’t have anything to do with that shop bunny. I tried to pass her off to you, but she wasn’t having anything to do with that.”

  Rogue shrugs as she replies, “Can I help it that she didn’t think I knew how to draw a smiley face with a party hat? She wouldn’t even let me show her my sketchbook.”

  “Seriously? Do women treat your place like it’s a club or something?” I ask.

  “Definitely. But, it’s not only women. We’ve got our fair share of men. I’ve got guys wanting things from Jade too. She gets so irked because she just wants to be treated like every other artist in the shop not like some dressed up Barbie doll. She’s a phenomenal artist who does amazing portrait work.”

  “Rogue, how come you’re not apprenticing with her? Wouldn’t it be helpful to learn from another woman in the business?” I ask, as the seatbelt sign flashes.

  Rogue shifts in her chair taking her legs off of Tristan’s lap. “I hope to get a rotation with her at some point, but she already has two other apprentices working with her and her time is pretty limited. But, she said she’d work with me if she got some free time.”

  “Jade is all kinds of cool. I hope that works out. You should work with as many tattoo artists as you can so that you can learn several different styles because everybody does it differently and everybody’s got tricks of the trade that they don’t always share with everyone else, but they’ll usually share them with their apprentice. It can save you a lot of time and make you more effective,” Marcus comments.

  I look out the window and realize that we’re about to approach an airport. I look up at Marcus and Tristan with total astonishment. “Oh my gosh! You guys are amazing. Somehow you managed to distract us through the whole flight. I have no idea how we got here so fast. Usually, I have to take medication to make me calm enough to fly and even then, I am usually queasy the whole time. This was no different from sitting around in our living room shooting the breeze. The only thing missing was my dad yelling vile things at the referees during the games and my mom telling him that he’s going to scar me for life.”

  Tristan grins at me as he remarks holding his hands out like an imaginary pen and paper, “Okay, I got it. Ivy’s new and improved belated Christmas wish list: One private plane for everyone. Check.”

  “Tristan Riley Macklin! Don’t even think about it,” Rogue warns.

  Tristan’s bottom lip slides out like a toddler’s. “But new planes are so much fun—”

  Rogue sighs and rolls her eyes. “I can see that it’s time once again for Real Life 101.” She points to Tristan as she says, “You are a multi-kajillion-billionaire. You need a plane.” She then points to herself and to me. “Ivy and I are college students. We need gift certificates to the bookstore, printer paper and quarters for the washer and dryer. Notice the difference?”

  “I dunno, I could use a few other things too. Like a lifetime pass to Starbucks, a professional proofreader, a masseuse on call—”

  “Ivy! We do not take advantage of our friends, even the rich ones,” R
ogue chastises.

  “Newsflash, Sis—we’re riding in a private plane on a mission to go find our dad. Besides, Tristan was asking for wish lists. I was merely complying with his request.”

  Tristan nods. "Ivy's right, you know. I have been asking you a hundred different ways since we've met how I can help you and you haven't given me an answer until this very moment."

  "That’s because it's not your responsibility to make all my wishes come true. This isn't some Disney movie. This is modern day life. I'm supposed to take care of myself. That's how the real world works. There aren't any knights in shining armor anymore," Rogue argues.

  Tristan picks up her hand and kisses the back of it in an old-fashioned move of gallantry. Rogue blushes but makes no other comment.

  "I think every guy has a bit of knight in shining armor buried somewhere inside of him. It's just that some of us wear the identity a little closer to the surface. I acted this way long before I ever had money. I remember pulling slivers out of Megan Mahoney’s finger when I was about seven and putting a Garfield Band-Aid on it. I’ll never forget how good it felt to take her tears away. I was hooked on being a good guy for life. My Band-Aids have gotten bigger since I have money now, but the concept remains—I like being a good guy. I want to be a good guy for you.”

  Rogue looks skeptical. “But still Tristan…planes?”

  “I was kidding, mostly. If it didn’t take so long to get through security, it might be worth having one at your beck and call so you can come to see me anytime you get a whim.”

  “Tristan, I have a vague idea about how much jet fuel costs. It’s very unlikely that I’d ever just come see you on a whim. That would be the definition of wasteful.”

  Tristan sighs as he says, “You know, I am not only focused on me. I work on one Habitat for Humanity project a month and I often donate the plane and pilot for their use.”

  “That’s very kind of you to donate money to them. I’m sure they can use it,” I comment.

  “I don’t think you understand. I help Habitat for Humanity on projects. I do give them money as well, but I actually enjoy building houses most of all.”

  “Why do you take the time to do that when it would be so much easier for you just to hand over a really big check and get your name in all the papers?”

  “Well, since my goal has never been to get splashy news coverage, I’m not too worried about that, I guess. I do it to honor Francine. She and Elliot were just about to move into a new Habitat House when she died. So, I figure that if volunteers were kind enough to build her a home, I ought to carry that legacy forward and help build for someone else, just like I know she would have done.”

  Rogue scrubs a tear out of her eye with her sweatshirt sleeve. “Darn it you got me. Can I help you the next time?”

  The plane touches down and hops slightly. This is the first indication I’ve had all trip that Rogue may be as nervous as me. She digs her nails into Tristan’s arm as she shrieks.

  “Rogue, Baby—”

  “What?” she snaps, still gripping his arm so hard I’m afraid that it may start to bleed.

  “We’re safe and sound now. We’re just taxiing to the gate.”

  “Why didn’t you say something?” Rogue grumbles.

  Tristan shrugs easily. “I tried, but you don’t seem to be in a listening mood.”

  It turns out that having a sister can provide hours of fascinating entertainment.

  DESPITE MY ADAMANT PROTESTS THAT I haven’t skirted any ethical lines, I know that I’m edging pretty damn close on this one. The boundaries of my job are generally pretty clear. There are usually good guys, bad guys, heroes and villains. Usually it’s relatively easy to tell who’s who in each case, but absolutely nothing has gone to script in this case. I’ve never seen anything like it and neither has anyone who’s been helping me with it. Given the personal nature of this case, I haven’t told very many people what I’m looking into, but I did bring in a former Secret Service agent and a long-retired FBI agent. Between the two of them, they had a combined 37 years on the force and they’d never seen a case as complex as this.

  I’m trying not to let my anxiety show because Rogue is already strung as tight as a violin string. Sometimes, I’m a little jealous of Marcus’s relationship with Rogue, but right now, I’m just grateful for it because he’s doing a masterful job of keeping the ladies calm.

  I’m not entirely sure where we’re going, but based on the Google map description of Piedra, Colorado, I rented a Jeep Cherokee. As we hit a particularly rough patch in the road, I’m glad I made that choice. The Weminuche Wilderness area is every bit the driving challenge that I expected it to be.

  “Sorry about that,” I say as I steer around a mud puddle.

  “Man! You were supposed to drive through that! I thought that’s what these rigs were for,” Marcus protests.

  “It’s all right, you can play in the mud after we talk to the grown-ups,” Ivy teases.

  “Can we really?” Marcus asks excitedly.

  “Be careful how much you encourage him, otherwise he’ll be bugging us to leave every twenty minutes like an impatient nine-year-old with ants in his pants,” Rogue cautions.

  “I’m aware. I had to use bribery to get him away from a vintage Pac-man machine at the grocery store the other day,” confesses Ivy.

  “Hey, in my defense, you don’t run across those things every day. It turns out, I still have my touch at Pac-Man.”

  “It’s not that I’m complaining. It just creates some scheduling challenges, that’s all,” Ivy responds.

  “See, isn’t it great? She loves me anyway!” Marcus boasts.

  “I really kinda do,” Ivy admits in a startled voice. “I can’t imagine my life without you in it. You were amazing with my dad. I can’t believe that you helped him set up a fantasy football league on Facebook. That’s just too funny to me. I had hoped that you guys might be able to find common ground, but you really went out of your way to help them feel comfortable with you. I appreciate that.”

  “Ivy, it was really no big deal. It was fun hanging out with Roger. He can be prickly at first. But, if I had a daughter as beautiful as you, I’d be a little overprotective too. I’m the living nightmare of most dads. I’m the poster child for who you don’t want your child to bring home for dinner. But, much to your parents’ credit, they got over that. So, kudos to them. I pretty much figured they’d be cool because they raised such an amazing daughter.”

  Rogue fishes an ice cube out of her drink and lobs it at Marcus’s head. “Here’s a public service announcement from your BFF. You’re a doofus.”

  “What? What did I do?” Marcus asks as he picks the ice out of his hair.

  Rogue looks at me and rolls her eyes. “Guys are so clueless!” She turns awkwardly in her seat and looks back at her best friend. “Marcus, in case you missed it my sister just told you that she loves you.”

  “Oh, yeah, I know. Isn’t it awesome? Somebody I love finally loves me back. I kind of wish I was a songwriter or poet or something like that so that I could write about it.”

  After about thirty seconds of stunned silence, both women dissolve into peels of laughter.

  I glance up in the rearview mirror and notice that Marcus is looking completely befuddled. “Now what did I do?” he asks me, meeting my gaze.

  “Did you happen to actually tell Ivy that you love her too?” I ask, hazarding a guess based on the ladies’ reaction to his odd pronouncement.

  “Well no, I guess not—not in so many words, at least. I sort of figured she knew.”

  “I think that it’s one of the major things that a woman likes to hear spelled out in a relationship. It’s rather important,” I advise.

  Marcus rakes his hand through his hair making it stick out even further as he says, “Geez Ivy, why didn’t you say something? I would’ve told you a long time ago if I had known it was that important to you.”

  “It’s all right Marcus—” Ivy starts to say.

&n
bsp; “If I haven’t made it clear how I feel, then it’s not okay. I really thought you knew that everything changed for me pretty much from the time you came into my life. I’ve always been a restless searcher, flitting from one spot to another— never able to keep my focus for long. But, you’ve captivated me mind, body and soul. It’s as if I can finally completely relax and be me—the real me. I don’t have to hide parts of myself from you because you understand that sometimes I’m just not going to be able to pull it all together, but somehow you seem like you’re okay with that.”

  Ivy gives Marcus a watery grin as she replies, “Of course I’m okay with that. If I wasn’t, I would be the world’s biggest hypocrite. How can I criticize you for not having it all together when some days, I think your love is the only glue that keeps me together?”

  Rogue is trying to wipe away tears before anyone notices. I hand her a napkin from my jacket pocket.

  “When I first met you, everything in my life was up in the air not just my relationship with Rogue. The whole reason that I went on this dating website adventure was because I was trying to find a new definition of who I was because I wasn’t happy with the person that I was projecting to the world because I knew it wasn’t who I authentically am. I was pretending to be a happy little business major when the one thing I knew for certain was that I hated nearly every single business class I took. The only time I was ever happy was when I was creating things with my hands.”

  “Your work is spectacular, I hope you know that,” Marcus murmurs.

  “You gave me the confidence to stick up for my right to be an artist. I don’t think I would’ve done that if it hadn’t been for your encouragement. You give me the courage to push my boundaries and explore new horizons. Every day with you is a new adventure. You don’t see me as a simple fragile, broken woman, you see me as your partner. I can’t express how much that means to me. I always dreamed that I would find a guy like that, I just didn’t really believe it was ever going to happen. I love you because you are willing to live life in full color with exclamation points and take me along for the ride.”