“He told me his father was terribly domineering and Rafael doesn’t order us around as long as we’re producing and some of it meets his high standards and becomes part of his permanent collection.”
Jade felt a chill go down her back. “I wouldn’t like that pressure coming from someone I lived with. Does it ever bother you?”
“At first I believed that he brought out the best in me and I think he did. Lately, I want to go in a new direction and I feel inhibited. I’m afraid to try something he might not like.”
“That wouldn’t suit me. I wonder how Matt’s going to feel about it.”
“I don’t think it’s going to be a problem. I don’t think he’s tempted to join us. Before I left, Rafael asked me to do what I could to influence the two of you to join the group. I told him I would talk to you but I wouldn’t be sneaky about it. That’s not my style, especially with a friend.”
“Thank you.”
The women called Henry and convinced him to join them for dinner. Jade couldn’t help but notice how much more comfortable Henry was with Delta beside him. She wondered if she made men nervous. She knew her uncle did and wondered if she had become as aggressive in conversation as he was. Fortunately, Matt didn’t seem bothered by any of them.
The next day Jade met her father at Oregon Electric Station. She gave him a perfunctory hug and braced herself for his usual criticism of the restaurant.
“This is cute but we’re a little old to be dining in an old train car.”
“Speak for yourself, Dad. I’m in no hurry to get old. They have your favorite prime rib here and you can get a martini. Plus, it’s close to your conference. We could have gone to the Moroccan restaurant and they might even let us sit on the floor and eat with our fingers.”
“Jade, living in this backwoods area has not improved your sense of humor one bit.”
“Give it up, Dad. I like being a hick. You have enough sophistication for both of us and you can always tell people I’m only a cousin, if it bothers you so much.”
Her father sighed. “I didn’t come here to quarrel. Are you seeing anyone these days? A young man, I mean. I’m not referring to your efforts to sell your little products.”
“My products sell themselves. As a matter of fact, I’m rather serious about a man named Matt Dixon. He’s an engineer who designs safety equipment for glass blowers and he has produced some fine glass pieces himself. How’s Daphne? Or is she history already.” Jade regretted the remark as soon as she saw how depressed her father looked. He had put on about twenty pounds where his belt had been, and he was pale, tired looking. He had aged a lot since she had last seen him.
“Daphne is fine. I’ve had a few problems and she’s been nagging a bit too much.”
“Dad, if it’s about your health, she’s just concerned about you. Are you still walking every day and replacing some of the martinis with water?”
“Don’t you start. I’ve been too busy to go wandering about on my lunch hours and my knees don’t take it so well any more.”
Jade asked him about what he liked at the conference and kept the conversation light after that. When he said he had to get back to the conference for an afternoon meeting they said their good-byes.
She watched him walk over to his limo and climb in. He didn’t look well at all but there was nothing she could do about it. She was afraid if she tried to get him to eat less meat and stop drinking alcohol he would do more of it just to spite her. It made her sad to think that he had always criticized her for her middle class habits but could not see that his own jet setter habits were killing him.
On Tuesday, Jade realized that the next weekend was the last one in October and Matt had promised to try to visit her then. She spent Wednesday and Thursday night making sure the guest room was ready and hoped she could get him to move in as soon as possible. The weeks were too long and lonely without him and he had only managed to call her three times a week. “I can’t believe how demanding I’ve become. Easy does it, girl. It’s just, well, I miss him so much.” At least she was able to catch him on his cell phone when she called.
She was in her office having her usual Friday meeting with Velma, Jack, and Wolf when Matt called. “Hey, love. Let me give my people a couple things and then I’ll call you right back. Yes.”
“Well, I guess that’s our cue to boogie.” Jack grinned at Jade and stood up.
“Thanks for understanding, everybody. Here’s the latest list of shipments I’m expecting. Wolf, and, Velma, call these two suppliers. Tell them I want updates on their shipments by Monday. You need anything, Jack?”
“Nope. I’ll be fixing the stuff in the ladies’ bathroom. I thought I’d leave it until the shipping crew broke up. It’ll be done when I leave today.”
Jade put her feet up and punched in Matt’s number. “I’m back. Were you able to get hold of that rat, Benton?”
“Oh, he’s not a rat. He’s just up against it right now. I got most the payment out of him and I’m taking the rest out in the used kiln I told you about. Homer said he’ll be glad to get the ceramic mixes and the paints out of Benton. His supplier let him down. So everybody’s happy now.”
“I’m so proud of you. You got value out of the guy by working a deal with a third person. You’re going to fix your money problems the way you’re going. You’ll see.”
“Thanks. From a business genius like you that’s high praise. By the way, should we have an early dinner at The Egg?”
“Are you that close by?” Jade felt her heart give a leap. “You wonderful man, I miss you so much.”
“Glad to hear it. I can’t sleep any more without you. I’m pulling into Mishap as we speak. See you in a few minutes.”
When Matt pulled into the Specialties parking lot Jade was sitting in her car waiting for him. She bolted for his pickup door and climbed in to find herself totally wrapped in his arms. No place had ever felt better.
After several desperate kisses, Matt pulled back and they grinned at each other. “I’m tempted to do more but we could use a little privacy and I’m starved. Are you ready for dinner?”
“Yes! All of a sudden I’m starved, too.”
After they settled in at the restaurant and ordered, Matt headed for the restroom. Juani motioned Jade to move over and sat down beside her. “If I can’t get you to come over and visit me I’ll have to get the lowdown right here. Is this as serious as it looks?”
Jade laughed and couldn’t stop grinning. “At least. Juani, I’ve never been so happy before. He’s so considerate and exciting and romantic and, I don’t know, everything I ever wanted in a man.”
“Well, it’s about time. So, have you two made any plans?”
“We haven’t had time. We’ve had to grab what time we could between his business trips and moving his mother and, well, all kinds of stuff.”
“Oh, honey. Tell me he isn’t a traveling salesman. They’re terrible heartbreakers. I know. My first husband was one of those and we’d been married three years when I ran into wife number two when I surprised him at one of his business stops because it was his birthday.”
“Whoa, hold on. He’s a glass blowing artist and an engineer and he does some importing for sculptors but he’s going to rent my guest room for a couple of months and then we’ll see.”
Matt slid back into his booth seat and grinned at the two women. “Am I interrupting what you ladies call girl talk?”
“All done and it was all about you. I’m tickled pink but you be nice to my friend here. She’s the best. Your orders will be right out.”
“I have the feeling that the town of Mishap and your crew at the company would lynch me if I dared to break your heart.” He looked serious.
Jade felt a sudden chill. “Don’t worry. They won’t do anything because they know I’d never speak to them again if they tried to interfere in my private affairs. They’re really good hearted people. Honest.”
Matt’s sudden smile made her relax. “I’m not scared. I love you a
nd I understand completely. If someone hurt you I’d line up with them and shoot him. That includes that Winks guy that scared you. By the way, has he bothered you lately.”
“No, he won’t be back until next April or May, thank goodness. Once he knows I’m serious about you I think he’ll leave me alone. If he tries anything this time I’ll get a restraining order against him. I’ve already filed a complaint against him. Let’s forget him.”
“Okay. By the way, how did your lunch with your dad go? I know it’s been a while since you’ve seen him.”
Jade felt her mood sag. “He looks terrible, Matt. He’s only sixty-nine and he just won’t take care of himself. He works with groups of doctors all the time, building their fancy hospitals. You’d think they’d talk some sense into him. His girlfriend and I can’t get anywhere with him.”
“I couldn’t get my dad to slow down or protect himself either. Even my mother’s cooking couldn’t protect him. Whenever she was working or he was away from home he ate junk food and drank too much beer. He only lived to sixty-six. The doctor said he couldn’t believe he lasted past fifty.” Matt glanced down and picked at his fish. “Sari says people have the right to mistreat themselves and there’s nothing the rest of us can do about it.”
Jade suddenly realized that Matt was still carrying the burden of his father’s death around. “You and your mother have helped me see that I’m trying to take my dad over and I don’t have that right. I’m going to write my dad a letter and tell him I grant him the right to do as he pleases to himself and promise I won’t nag him anymore. Will you let your dad have that right, too? She’s right, you know.”
“Well, it really doesn’t matter any more, does it?”
“It matters a great deal. For those of us who love you, your guilt over your father’s death is a terrible burden. You don’t deserve it. And we don’t enjoy seeing you torture yourself this way.”
He looked more guilty than ever. “I never meant to burden you with any of my problems. Like I told my mother, I’ll work this out when I get around to it.”
“Of course you will. Just let me know when you have accepted the fact your father did as he pleased and you had no say in how long he lived. When you accept that, then I’ll quit nagging my father and let him live as he pleases. I’ll even make myself happy with you in spite of him.” Jade gave him her most solemn look.
Matt chuckled softly but it sounded a little bitter. “Okay. I’m ready to rent that room and while I fix up that shed of yours I’ll take the time to think about what you and Sari have been saying. I promise.”
Jade felt her smile spread from one end of her face to the other. “My father will be so relieved to get my letter, I’m sure.” She thought about what he had said and felt a thrill in the middle of her chest. “I just realized what this means. You’re ready to move in today. You can’t imagine how wonderful that sounds. I’ve been driving myself crazy the nights we aren’t on the phone. Are you still offering to work for me until New Year’s?”
Matt pointed at the dessert menu and watched Jade shake her head before he waved at the waitress for the check. “Ready, willing, and able. I’ll work on the shop on my own time.”
“Good. I could use somebody with some diplomacy to help Betty with the shipping crew. The Christmas extras are good workers but some of the teenagers could use a little reining in. You up to that?”
He shrugged. “I have no trouble dealing with teenaged boys but I’ve never tried to manage girls before.”
“There are only a couple so Betty will handle them. By the way, Uncle and Tilly are out to dinner and a show in Eugene so we have the place to ourselves.”
“You read my mind.” His smile made hot and cold ripples run up Jade’s back but she loved it.
The next morning Cedric yawned repeatedly at breakfast.
“Stop that yawning or we’ll all feel you’re bored with our company.” Tilly gave Cedric a slight frown before she poured more coffee for everyone.”
“Can’t help it. Last night was too late for me. I guess my feet aren’t used to dancing anymore. We should’ve spent the night in Eugene.”
“Oh, piffle. Next time I’ll drive us home.”
“I thought you guys were going to a show.”
“We did but the orchestra stayed around to play an extra hour after the concert so we could dance on the stage. I thought it was real nice.” Tilly’s eyes sparkled and her cheeks were pink.
“You two are really something. I don’t think I would know how to dance to the new stuff myself. I haven’t been dancing for years.” Matt sampled his stack of pancakes with an egg on top and gestured to Tilly that they were perfect.
“You aint getting me out on the floor to no rock and roll. It was one of them old bands that still tours the country once in a while and plays the old tunes, the good stuff like Stardust and Chances are. They even had a couple singers who weren’t too bad. ”
“Hey, even I might be able to dance to the old slow tunes.” Matt gave Jade a knowing grin and received a sexy smile in return.
“I don’t mind dancing in the living room. I even have a couple of romantic albums I picked up at the Bay last time. Of course, the songs are a little newer, like stuff by Kenny G and Harry Connick, Jr.”
After breakfast, Matt brought his two suitcases and several boxes into the guest room and followed Cedric out to the workshop for some tools to begin the work on the old shed in the back. Jade finished some paperwork in her office and made a few phone calls before she walked out to see how things were going. Cedric helped Matt drag out some heavy rusty pieces of metal roofing and cast iron garden tools. She went back to the house to get some cider and returned to the activity a few minutes later.
“You’re a life saver, girl. I’d like to die of thirst. Mmm. Tilly got a right good dew on this batch.”
Matt smiled and nodded his agreement. “I don’t suppose you have a steel yard in these parts. Maybe I’ll rent a trailer so I can take this stuff to some place in Eugene in one trip.”
“Oh, that’ll cost too much.” Cedric waved the notion away. “Fella along the Suislaw is putting a load together to haul up north for a better price. I’ll give him a call and tell him we want to throw in with him. We probably won’t get much out of the deal but it won’t cost us anything.” He headed for the house.
“What do you think? Will this shed work out for you?” Jade sighed when she looked in the door. The place looked smaller with all the main junk pulled out into the yard.
“It’s great. You’d be surprised what that place will hold once I clean it up and move the table over to one corner. There’s even enough room for the kiln but I think I’ll install it on the outside, near that chunk of cement. That way it can’t set the place on fire if something goes wrong. We found a second hose bib so that place out back will be perfect.”
Jade followed him out the back door and looked at the cracked slab of concrete. “I wonder what that was for? It seems a little weird to have a slab of concrete off by itself like this.”
“It’s not modern concrete. It’s more like plaster laid down over a flat slab of rock. Your uncle says it used to be a little smoke house for hanging sausages. That black hole next to it was where they kept the fire going and they had a pipe that carried the smoke into the little shed. We threw that away.”
“And you’re going to sit the kiln on it? That’s going to be a back breaker to reach into.”
“I’m thinking of making a base out of concrete blocks to set the kiln on and the slab on the ground will be where I’ll set the pots while they’re hot. I’m going to make a table out of block, too, which will lead up to the door of the kiln.”
“That sounds like a lot of work and expense for you.”
“It’s a lot cheaper than it would be if I bought this stuff new and it’s a great location. I’m away from your trees back here. All I have to do is keep the weeds mowed and a hose handy.”
Jade joined the effort after breakfast on Sunday
. When they stopped for a drink of cider in the afternoon they looked at each other and laughed out loud. “We look like chimney sweeps.” She glanced at her watch. “By the time I grab a shower it’ll be time to help Tilly put the dinner on the table. I’ll see you then.” She kissed him and hurried to the house.
Matt joined them just as Jade was about to call him. He looked terribly sexy to her with his wet curly hair slicked behind his ears and wearing a deep blue sweatshirt that sported a frosty peak behind a pine forest.
“That’s Mount Hood, isn’t it?” Tilly looked impressed. “My, but that’s a pretty shirt.”
“Thanks. A present from Sari last Christmas.”
“Oh, that reminds me, there’s a letter here from her. I guess you told her you’d be moving in this weekend.” Jade handed him a white envelope.
“Thanks. I’ll read it later.” Matt slipped it into his back pocket and tasted his spaghetti. “This is as good as anything at Kuleto’s, Tilly.” He glanced at Jade. “I forgot to tell you that Sari sends you her best. I called her Thursday night and gave her your address.”
“How is she doing in Woodland? Is she as happy as you hoped?” Jade said.
Matt looked pleased and nodded. “She sounded like her old self, like she did before my dad died. I guess the old guy she looks after is cheerful and really likes her company. He’s also crazy about her cooking. He said the last cook made everything too greasy and heavy. That’s the opposite of Sari’s cooking.”
“I know this is none of my business but I’m curious. Why don’t you ever call her mother?” Cedric peered at him.
“I got started calling my folks by their first names when they adopted me and they never corrected me. I do call Sari Mom sometimes. I think they weren’t sure they were going to get to keep me for a while. I was sort of like a lost puppy. Sari found me wandering around a church one morning, hungry and cold, and the social service people helped her adopt me. I had turned four according to the papers they found on the altar in the church. She said they expected to see a woman on their doorstep some morning, claiming to be my mother, but it never happened.”
Jade Page 11
