The Gardens of Delora Valley

By Carrie Baize

Delora Valley’s Rutherford Academy has always been a training ground for society’s elite, and neither Josh nor Staci were an exception to that rule. But returning home to the exclusive community and prestigious boarding school meant two hundred miles separated them from their friends back in Rio Hevrir.

The glitter and glamour of the town usually hid its darkness well, but those dark forces had grown strong over the years and staked their claim on Delora Valley’s most powerful and influential residents.

With the school year just beginning and Staci’s anxiety over the Delora Valley rumor-mill, the unexpected return of Tiffany as the dorm supervisor, and the mysterious invitation from a reclusive actress all seem like too much to bear.

But it’s just a dinner party... what could possibly go wrong...

• Language: English
• Publisher: Carrie Baize
• Release date: Apr 2, 2012
• ISBN: 9781476448343

Carrie Baize

Carrie Baize was born in Santa Rosa, and has lived most of her life in California's Central San Joaquin Valley. She graduated from C.L. McLane High School and continued her education at Fresno City College. She is an avid role player and has spent a great deal of time in a number of fantasy worlds... some well-known, and some of her own design. She credits her parents with her love of the arts and her father, particularly, for her love of role playing and fantasy world creation. Carrie is blessed with a family who, although scattered across the United States, are incredibly supportive and truly believe in her ability to make her dreams come true. She lives in the foothills above Fresno with her husband, four daughters, and a mob of fuzzy four-legged feline children.

Book preview

Chapter One

All I’m asking, Princess, is that you be careful, Mike Tran said quietly. I know you think this boy is...

Daddy, please, Staci interrupted for what felt like the hundredth time. You don’t know him.

No, I don’t, Mike agreed, reaching across the table to take his daughter’s hand. But I know his father, and I know what that man’s capable of.

"The apple doesn’t always fall right next to the tree, Daddy," Staci smirked.

That’s true, Mike nodded. Thank God, you’re nothing like your mother. I’m just worried about you. After everything that happened this summer...

Daddy, Staci interrupted again, this time much quieter than before. "Josh is the only reason I made it through the summer."

Mike looked across the table at his daughter and nodded slowly. The back-to-back tragedies of the summer months had been a living hell for her and he knew it. She seemed to be doing better now that school was getting ready to start up again, but it was hard to be sure. It wasn’t like he’d get a real idea of how she was really doing here, anyway... after all, sitting at a table at d’Ambrosia was hardly a suitable place for a Rutherford girl to lose her composure.

Your mother says you haven't come to the house at all, Mike said after a moment. He wasn’t trying to change the subject, he told himself. Just trying to dispel the uncomfortable silence that hovered over their table.

I’m surprised she's noticed, Staci replied through an entirely artificial but well-practiced smile.

Don’t be too hard on her, Mike chuckled. She’s a very busy woman, you know.

Yes, Daddy, Staci said quietly. Staci couldn’t understand why her father put up with the way her mother treated him or why he stayed with her after all the times she’d been unfaithful. She hoped it was because her father loved the woman... not that it would excuse her mother’s behavior in any way. Staci just couldn’t bear the thought of being the reason the gentleman sitting across from her endured so much abuse.

Mike watched his daughter sip her tea and sighed softly. He’d hoped many times over the last sixteen years that his wife would simply wake up and see what her lifestyle was doing to the girl, and though he’d been reminded time and time again that Cecily truly didn’t care, he’d held onto that glimmer of hope that she might discover some deeply buried maternal tendency. Now, though, Staci was old enough to see it all clearly and maybe his brilliant daughter didn’t need her mother after all. Of course, he wasn’t entirely sure that Joshua Forester’s company was any less damaging an option either.

Staci was lost in her own thoughts as she sipped her tea. Back to summer in Rio... back to the way everything dissolved into an above-ground pit of Hell... back to the last time she’d seen her cousin...

Daddy?

What is it, Princess?

I... never mind, Staci muttered. Nate’s bitter laughter echoed in her memory as he taunted her with the heartbreaking possibility that she wasn’t Mike Tran’s daughter... but she couldn’t bring herself to say anything.

Staci?

I just... it’s nothing, Daddy, she smiled. Really.

Okay, Mike nodded. Whatever was bothering her, Staci wasn’t going to talk about it. Not now, anyway. Maybe not ever. Are you alright, Princess?

Staci laughed softly and nodded and the action drove a dagger through Mike Tran’s heart. He had been reduced to the same status as one of her classmates... being offered that perfect smile and lighthearted laugh that signaled all was right with the world. A carefully crafted façade that seemed to be part of the early curriculum for all the girls that attended Rutherford Academy. As far as he could tell, he had only one chance at redemption... but it required him to put aside everything he knew about Drake Forester and simply pray that he wasn’t about to lose the only important thing in his life to the man’s son.

Okay, Princess, Mike chuckled. You win. Tell me about him.

The sparkle in Staci’s eyes when she spoke next brightened Mike’s mood and for as long as she bubbled on about how handsome and charming and attentive Joshua was, it was almost possible for Mike to forget that his precious daughter had fallen for Drake Forester’s son.

Almost.

* * *

Joshua Forester lay on his bed and stared at the ceiling. Boredom was a terrible foe to battle alone, he decided, but the only person he actually wanted to spend any time with right now was across town... having lunch with her father.

When Staci told him that her father would be in town this weekend, Josh decided to spend the weekend at home rather than in the dorm. In his childhood home, with his mother and all his memories, it should have been a simple and quiet weekend... but the longer he was away from her, the more he just wanted the weekend to be over.

Knock, knock, Cassandra Forester called softly from the doorway.

Oh, hey Mom, Josh smiled, turning and dropping his feet on the floor.

Hey, Cassandra smiled back as she walked through the door. Can we... uh... can we talk?

Well, yeah, Josh chuckled. He had a pretty good idea what his mother wanted to talk about and it wasn't a conversation he was looking forward to... but it had to be done. For now, for him, it was easier just to play dumb. What's up?

I... uh... had a call the other day from Sondra Decel, Cassandra began softly.

Oh? Busy-body bitch.

I guess Keith's kind of... concerned about you.

About me? Josh smirked. Whatever for?

He told her he doesn't see you... ever. That you haven't shown up for band practice or at the range and with the term beginning soon...

I've been busy, Josh shrugged casually.

I know, Cassandra sighed. But Sondra said some of the boys were worried that maybe you were...

The tired and disgusted look that spread across Josh's face as his head cocked slightly to the left forced Cassandra not to finish the sentence.

I told her you were smarter than that, Cassandra added quickly. "I know you're not on any sort of...pfft, she chuckled, throwing her hands up in the air. Completely stupid idea, she nodded. But something is going on with you."

I don't know what you're talking about, Josh laughed. It was foolish to believe his mother would just let it go, but that didn't keep Josh from hoping for the impossible.

Mmmhmmm, Cassandra nodded. Who is she, Joshua? Please don't say Staci Tran.

What? Josh laughed. Damn it!

The young woman that's captured your attention, son, Cassandra chuckled. Please don't say Staci Tran. Who is she?

Josh leaned back on his hands and let his shoulders scrunch up around his neck. Though he really didn't want to play it off as anything less than it was, he'd blown any chance of minimizing the impending blast when he'd laughed so quickly and loudly in response to her original inquiry. Honestly, he did want to tell his mother about Staci... he just didn't want his mother to judge the girl by her mother: which seemed completely impossible with all the rumors and Cecily Tran’s penchant for flaunting her infidelity.

Even more than that, Josh didn't want his father anywhere near his girlfriend.

She's just a girl from school, he heard himself reply. Damned fool, just tell her.

Does this mysterious girl from school have a name? Cassandra laughed. "Because it wasn't that long ago that you told me there was no one at school who met your standards."

She was right, of course. It hadn’t been that long ago... just the beginning of the summer... but a lot had happened in that short time. More than he could ever explain to anyone... even his mother. The only people that could really understand were the ones who were there... and the Staci he fell head over heels for in Rio Hevrir wasn't the girl he'd known at school. Just tell her, you idiot. Remember when I left during the summer?

Cassandra nodded slowly, wishing she had backed out of the conversation before she started it. She tried to prepare herself for the fact that her son was going to tell her he was seeing Staci Tran, but she couldn’t find the strength to even begin to accept the idea.

What’s wrong, Mom?

Staci Tran, Cassandra answered softly.

Yeah, Josh smiled. She’s amazing, Mom. Beautiful and smart and...

I’m sure she is, Cassandra replied, hoping her voice didn’t betray the bitter chill in her heart.

Mom?

I just... She sighed quietly and shook her head. She couldn’t even begin to explain her feelings, and it wasn’t fair to her son to even try. Are you staying all weekend?

That’s my plan, Josh smiled.

Good, Cassandra said brightly, walking back toward the door. I’ve gotta get some concepts over to a client. Can we talk about this, later?

Can we have her for dinner? Josh smirked.

Cassandra smiled and nodded, hoping she had managed to keep from cringing.

The only thing worse than having Staci Tran in her house, she fumed as she walked up the hall to her studio, would have been having the girl’s mother with her. Cassandra had always understood her son to be a smart young man, so how he could end up smitten with Cecily Tran’s daughter... of all the girls at Rutherford... was completely beyond her.

Chapter Two

Mike Tran parked his car in the garage and turned off the engine, but he didn’t bother getting out. There was no telling what sort of mood Cecily was in and he didn’t particularly feel like fighting with her. He'd spent a wonderful afternoon with his daughter, and he just wanted to relish those memories a little more before facing whatever his perfectly sculpted, completely artificial wife had in store for him.

He learned long ago not to expect Cecily to be in a civil mood when he came home, let alone a good one. It seemed like the only time she didn’t radiate complete and utter loathing at his presence was when she had no warning he’d be back and he discovered her in the arms of another man.

He should have left her long ago, but the importance of family was just too strong to ignore. A girl needs a mother, he’d been reminded over and over, and though his sister-in-law had been a stronger influence on Staci than Cecily had ever been, he just couldn’t bring himself to be the reason the family was split apart.

All the little things Staci hadn’t said throughout the afternoon, though, were enough to make him realize that she was just as aware of the splintered and artificial nature of their so-called family as he was. Maybe it was time to let Cecily loose: to give his wife the freedom she'd been longing for since before she even walked down the aisle. It seemed like a good idea on the surface, but it had the very real potential to backfire on him and if it was a choice between his own personal Hell or abandoning Staci to it, he’d sacrifice his happiness.

Filing for divorce meant Cecily would want the money and she’d get more money if she had custody of Staci. The girl would end up banished to Rutherford full-time, with no other options... banished from the house he’d bought and left on her own to clean up whatever messes Cecily managed to get her into.

And she’d get custody. No question. The last man he’d caught her in bed with, after all, had been a lawyer. All it would take would be the admission of the paternity test results, a test he’d regretted insisting on since the results came back, and Cecily would walk away with the only thing left in the world that mattered to him.

Suck it up, Tran, he muttered to himself, popping open the car door.

Inside, he could hear the sound of music playing softly in the drawing room and he took a deep breath and walked up the hall to the arched entry.

Cecily was sitting on one of the couches in the drawing room, flipping through a stack of magazines. You finally decided to come home, huh? she grumbled, never looking up.

I was with my daughter, Mike muttered. Didn’t think you wanted me here, anyway.

Don’t be like that, Mikey, Cecily laughed softly. I’m always a dutiful wife when you’re home.

Mike sighed and sat down on one of the other couches. At least, now, he knew what kind of mood she was in... he just needed to figure out what she wanted out of it.

"Did she come with you?" Cecily asked after a moment.

Were you expecting a quality family evening? Mike bit back sarcastically. Maybe some mother-daughter bonding over mimosas and the benefits of sleeping with a Forester?

Cecily dropped the magazine onto the floor and shook her head. "Are they still together?"

You’re unbelievable, Cec, Mike sighed, shaking his head. "Don’t you even have the decency to deny it anymore?"

Damn it, Michael, Cecily snapped. Answer me!

Mike closed his eyes and leaned back into the couch. Yes, Cecily. Staci is still seeing Joshua Forester.

Why on Earth... Cecily wondered softly, rising from her couch and walking over to the phone.

I don’t like it either, but they’re kids, Cec. Two kids in love. Do you even remember what that’s like?

I wasn’t talking to you, Cecily snapped as she dialed the phone and walked out of the drawing room.

Mike rose to his feet with a sigh and walked out of the room and up the sweeping staircase to his second-floor office. He could hear Cecily chattering anxiously with someone, but he had no desire to hear what she was saying or to whom.

She was angry. She would leave. She would come back tomorrow and bitch at him some more. That was just the way it worked.

Tonight, though, he’d have the house to himself.

He thought about calling Staci and letting her know that, if she wanted to come home, the coast would be clear... but she’d made no attempt to hide the fact that she wouldn’t even set