Authors: Brenda Novak
Cold feet (8 page)
"Excuse me," she said, and picked up the handset.
"Good news," Annette announced from the other end of the line, her voice cheerful.
"What's that?" Madison glanced down the hall toward Brianna's room, feeling as though she could use some good news at the moment.
"I've decided to sell the house."
"What?"
"I'm ready to move. I know it's taken me a while to come to this, but it's time."
A vision of her mother stumbling upon the shoes and underwear--and that locket and rope--flashed through Madison's mind. "There's no hurry, Mom," she said, turning away from Caleb. "Why don't you wait until spring?"
"Because I don't want to spend another Christmas here without Ellis. Do you think you can sell this house inside a couple of months?"
"I--I'm not sure."
"If not, maybe I'll rent it out. Now that I've made my decision, the memories are crowding so close."
"I understand. But..."
"But what?"
Madison looked at Caleb, wishing for the second time that she hadn't shared so many personal details with him. There was still a great deal to protect. She had to be more careful. "Don't start packing yet," she said.
"Why not?"
She groped for something that would sound logical. "Wait until I can help you."
"You're so busy. You just worry about getting this place sold. I'll have Toby next door help me."
"When?" Madison asked, her panic rising.
"He said he could do it the weekend following next."
The weekend following next...
She needed to move that box. And she needed to do it sometime in the next two weeks.
C
ALEB CURSED
the untimely interruption of the telephone. He'd just had Madison talking to him about her father. She'd been open and warm, completely the opposite of what he'd expected her to be.
And then her mother had called.
He helped himself to another pancake and took his time eating, hoping they could return to their conversation as soon as Madison hung up. But when she got off the phone, she looked upset.
"How's your mother?" he asked, setting his napkin next to his plate as he finished.
"Fine."
"Does she live close?"
She gathered up the dishes. "Just beyond the university, for the time being."
"For the time being?"
She ran hot water in the sink. "She's talking about moving."
"Does that upset you?"
Madison glanced over at him and, if he wasn't mistaken, a wariness entered her eyes that hadn't been nearly as pronounced when they were talking earlier. "No, why?"
"You seem a little tense, that's all."
"I'm the one who's been telling her to move," she said. "It's tough to stay in the same house where everything went so wrong." Suddenly, she turned off the water. "Will you excuse me, please?"
"Of course."
She disappeared down the hall and, after a moment, he could hear her talking in a soft voice to her daughter. "Do you understand why I wasn't happy with what you said at the table, Bri?...Do you think you could try a little harder to remember your manners?...Okay, come give Mommy a hug.... I know things haven't been easy lately, princess, but they'll get better.... Are you ready to eat?"
Caleb felt he should probably leave. There were several people he still needed to interview. And he wanted to talk to Jennifer Allred, the woman Holly had met last night, just to see if he could jog her memory for details. But the odd change that had come over Madison made him believe there was more to that phone call with her mother than she was saying, and he hoped to figure it out before he left.
"Breakfast was great," he said when she came back into the kitchen holding Brianna's hand.
"Thanks," she responded. "Have you always had someone cook and clean for you?"
He almost admitted that he hadn't, but he wanted to make it sound as though this type of arrangement wasn't anything new, so she'd relax around him even more. "Occasionally."
"Must be nice."
Brianna glowered at him, still sulky, as he carried the cream and sugar to the counter, searching for an excuse to linger. It was the weekend. He could probably spend more time with Madison if only he could think of something menial to do for her. He could fix something, wash her car, mow the grass--
The overgrown grass. Perfect.
"Any chance you'd like to work in the yard this afternoon?" he asked. "I've got a few hours. I thought I could mow the lawn and maybe trim some of the bushes while you and Brianna handled the weeds."
Madison set the frying pan in the soapy water and let her hands dangle in the sink. "Really?"
When he heard the gratitude in her voice, he felt less than an inch tall. But he had to stay focused, had to make this work. "If you don't mind my help."
She shook her head. "I don't mind at all. I'll even take some money off your rent, or trade you a couple of meals. I'm falling behind out there. My business takes every extra minute. I just lost my top agent and I've been trying to find someone to replace her. And my office manager doubles as typist for the agents, but she's a much better typist than she is a manager."
"We can do the grass ourselves," Brianna said, out of nowhere.
"Brianna..." Madison used her tone as another warning.
"Or you could help us," she added grudgingly.
Caleb grinned. "There's no need to compensate me." He knew it would only make him feel worse. "I think it'll be good to get out. I cut my folks' grass for years."
"Where do your folks live?"
"On Fidalgo Island."
"Really?" Madison's eyebrows rose. "That's not far."
"Farther than I'd want to drive to reach downtown," he said, so she wouldn't wonder why he'd rented her cottage, instead of staying with family.
"Do you often work downtown?"
"Not often. Once in a while."
"I see." Madison glanced at the clock over the table. "I'm afraid I have to run a few errands this morning. What time do you want to do the yard?"
"One o'clock okay?"
"Perfect."
He smiled. "See you then."
CHAPTER SEVEN
M
ADISON WAS NEARLY
thirty minutes late returning from her errands. She'd had to deliver some tax returns to a loan agent for a buyer who was trying to purchase a vacation home outside Langley, and had gotten caught up talking to him about another deal they'd been working on, which had fallen apart. She'd also drawn up a purchase offer for one of her own listings, a small two-bedroom, two-bath located just down the street, even though she knew the buyer was coming in so low the seller would probably be offended and not even bother to counter. She was so busy managing the other agents and running the office that she didn't have the chance to get out and sell much, but she was doing everything she could to turn her business around, which meant she sometimes had to act as a regular agent, too.
Fortunately, once she and Brianna left the house, Brianna's mood had dramatically improved. Madison talked to her about being polite to guests and how important it was that Brianna, Madison and Danny treat each other with fairness and respect even though they were no longer living as a family. But it was difficult to tell whether Brianna actually grasped these concepts. It was the sort of stuff older children had problems sorting out. How could Madison expect a six-year-old to understand?
Pushing back the sleeve of her gray suit, she glanced nervously at her watch as she pulled into the drive. She hoped Caleb hadn't given up on her.
As soon as she cut the engine, she could hear the steady roar of the lawnmower coming from the backyard, and felt a measure of relief. She loved where she lived and was anxious to get the grounds cleaned up. Because the previous owner had taken such meticulous care of the place, with Caleb's help it would soon look as good as it used to.
"You ready to do some weeding?" she asked Brianna as she got out.
Her daughter didn't move.
"You like working in the yard," Madison said, leaning back inside the car. "Come on. It'll be fun. We'll probably find some snails."
Reluctantly, Brianna climbed out.
The lawnmower fell silent and Caleb came around the house, carrying the grass bin. At her first sight of him, Brianna's expression darkened, but Madison had trouble fighting an appreciative smile. He'd obviously been working for some time--long enough to get too heated for his T-shirt, which he'd taken off and stuffed in his back pocket. Sweat gleamed on his golden torso, making the contours of his muscular chest and arms seem that much more defined.
Madison had seen a lot of sweaty, muscle-bound men at the gym when she was married to Danny. But from a sketch artist's standpoint, there was something truly beautiful about the way Caleb Trovato was put together. He looked far more natural than any of those men at the gym. When he moved, she could tell his tan ended at the waist, as though he'd gotten it from working or playing outdoors instead of baking naked in a tanning salon. And he seemed unconcerned with impressing others. He put down the bin and shrugged into his T-shirt the moment he saw them.
"There you are," he said.
"Sorry I'm late." Madison tried to hold the mental picture of his bare torso in her mind so she'd be able to recall it later. After being relatively uninspired over the past few weeks, she suddenly felt a jolt of creative energy. "I had to do a few things that just couldn't wait."
"No problem. I'm nearly finished in the back."
"I really appreciate your help," she said, and meant it. Having Caleb around, pitching in, made her life suddenly seem fuller, almost...normal.
He picked up the grass bin and emptied it in the green refuse container. "I found something I think you and your bunny might like," he said to Brianna.
Brianna had already dropped to her knees and situated Elizabeth beside her. She was digging in the dirt with a stick and pretending to ignore Caleb, but Madison could see her peeking at him, trying to figure out what he was talking about.
"Do you want to see what it is?" he asked when she didn't answer.
"No." She continued to dig.
Madison opened her mouth to remind her daughter of the talk they'd just had in the car. But Caleb gave her a quick shake of his head, indicating that he didn't need her to get involved.
"I'll bet Elizabeth would like to know," he said.
Brianna pretended to converse with Elizabeth, but ultimately shook her head.
"Okay." He started toward the mower with the empty bin.
Brianna rocked back on her haunches. "It's probably nothing we'd like, anyway," she called after him.
He didn't bother turning. "Whatever you say."
She frowned at his retreating form. "So, what is it?"
"Never mind."
"You're not going to tell?"
"You're not interested, remember? Even Elizabeth doesn't want to know."
Grabbing her stuffed animal, she stood up and ran after him. "What if Elizabeth's changed her mind?"
Madison retrieved her briefcase from the car, smiling at how easily Caleb had engaged Brianna's curiosity. Then she headed to the backyard to find them both kneeling over a shoebox covered with a piece of plastic Caleb had slit in several places.
"What is it?" she asked, unable to see because their heads blocked her view.
"It's a praying mantis," Brianna breathed, as though she'd never seen anything quite so wonderful. "See, Mom? It looks just like a green leaf."
"That's how it camouflages itself," Caleb explained. "Most of the time it blends in with the trees."
"Will it bite me?" Brianna asked.
"No."
"What does it eat?"
"Other insects."
"Yuck!"
"That's a good thing," Caleb said. "It helps keep the bad bugs in the garden from eating all the vegetables."
Brianna's nose was still wrinkled in distaste. "Ooo."
"Don't you find gnats and mosquitoes particularly appetizing?" he teased.
"What's
appetizing
mean?"
He chuckled. "Never mind. Do you want to hold it?"
Brianna shrank away from him. "I don't think so."
"Come on." He pulled back the plastic and gently withdrew the mantis. "It won't hurt you. It has spiny legs that feel a little funny, but it's harmless."
Brianna remained skeptical at first, but the longer Caleb let the praying mantis perch on his hand, the more confident she became. "Okay."
He carefully transferred the insect to her just as Madison's cell phone rang. The LED readout identified the caller as Danny.
Taking a deep breath, she stepped away from Brianna and Caleb. "Hello?"
"You left a message on my voice mail this morning that you want to talk about Brianna," Danny said without the courtesy of a greeting. "What's going on?"
"I do want to talk, but I'm afraid now isn't a good time."
"What could possibly be wrong? God, she's six," he said.
Madison lowered her voice. "I have some very legitimate concerns, Danny. Our daughter is going through a difficult time, and I'm hoping you'll cooperate with me for her benefit."
"She'd be fine if only you'd let her come and live with us. She's perfectly happy when she's here. Ask Leslie."
"I don't need to ask Leslie anything," Madison said, irritated by the way he constantly discounted her feelings. "I know my own daughter. And I'm not going to give up my rights to her."
"Well, I don't want to conference with you about every little thing."
"Every
little
thing?" she replied. "Our
daughter
isn't a little thing."
"I think you just like to bother me, although I can't imagine why. When we were married you certainly didn't give a damn about anything other than protecting your beloved father."
Madison glanced up to see Caleb watching her. She didn't like him witnessing the discord between her and Danny, but she wasn't willing to end the conversation just yet. She was tired of Danny's unrelenting bitterness. He thought she'd ruined
his
life, but dealing with him wasn't easy.