“She did.” Nadine’s jaw snapped shut, and fury rose over her face. “That witch.”
Connor blew her a kiss. “Thanks. The ‘b’ word is too good for her. Don’t worry. We’ll get you out of here. I’m calling the police chief and if he’s sending a squad car, it’ll be for your sister for filing a false police report.”
“One last thing. Did you guys find Greyheart yet?” Nadine’s lower lip wobbled.
“Brian and Cait are out looking for him.” Connor wished so much he could reach across the plastic divider and hug his beautiful bride. “When I get back, I’ll look for him, and I won’t quit until he’s found. I promise.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
“We have to find him. We have to keep looking for him,” Nadine moaned, kicking the covers.
She sat up, blinking, for a moment wondering where she was. Beside her, Connor groaned, stretching over the sagging motel bed.
Right, she was at the Wildwood Flower Lodge, after being sprung from jail. The tracker on her phone, which Elaine had installed, showed she’d never been to Elaine’s apartment and that she drove straight from Elaine’s office to her apartment and from there to the cabin. Meanwhile, her mother had kept the two thousand dollars in her purse and returned it to Elaine in front the police. Fortunately, there was a note in the envelope signed by Elaine which marked it as an advance for services to be rendered.
“We’ll keep looking in the morning,” Connor mumbled groggily.
“I can’t sleep. My throat’s sore and my head hurts.” Nadine put her hand over her forehead. “I think I’m coming down with something.”
“Come here.” He tugged her into his arms. “You do feel warm.”
“I’m sorry. I wish things had turned out better,” Nadine apologized.
“Through good times and bad, remember?” Connor kissed her cheek. “Try and get some rest. You don’t owe me any apologies. This day and night was perfect, except for losing Greyheart. I’m sure he’s out there somewhere.”
“In the thunderstorm and cold,” Nadine cried.
“He’s a tough cookie. I bet he’s found a safe, warm place already,” Connor said, rocking her in his arms.
This was their wedding night, and they hadn’t done anything newlyweds usually do. Instead, they had trampled through the forest and meadows looking for Greyheart.
Connor’s family had rented the rest of the rooms in the motel, and Cait and Brian took Cinder to let them have some privacy. But after searching until the wee hours of the morning, neither Nadine nor Connor had been in the mood to do anything but drop dead asleep.
“I bet this isn’t the wedding night you expected.”
“It’s better than I thought it would be, because you’re my wife. I’m counting my blessings.”
“Thanks, Connor. I need to learn to count my blessings more. It’s perfect because we’re together.” She closed her eyes and tried not to think of the kitten. He was a smart little scrapper. She’d found him in the alleyway behind her apartment, hiding under the Dumpster. “Let’s pray we find him tomorrow.”
“Yes, let’s pray.” Connor soothed her, gently rubbing her back until she fell asleep.
Two weeks later, Greyheart was still missing. Nadine sipped a cup of instant coffee and sat on the motel bed all alone. Connor had had to go back to work, but he promised to come back to the Wildwood Flower Lodge every time he was off to help her search for their cat. Since he had three twenty-four hour shifts on and four twenty-four hour shifts off, he would spend half his week with her before he had to return to San Francisco.
Nadine’s father was recovering from his heart attack, having had a stent put in, and taking time off from his busy practice. Last she heard, Elaine had to pay a fine for filing a false police report. Her insurance also paid for the damages to both her car and Connor’s truck.
Michael said she was furious. Funny, how he seemed amused at the entire situation. Even stranger was that he’d lied and backed up Elaine at the wedding grove, but whenever Nadine asked him, he only said, “You do what you have to do when you’re a Woo.”
During the day, Nadine taught an oil painting class at the community center and was given a small bit of studio space there. She enjoyed the entire art scene and was itching to get some of her canvases moved from her apartment so she could finish them.
Unfortunately, her mother was still determined to move back East. She’d already packed her things and put them in storage while she stayed in Reno to be near Nadine. There was no word about Emmeline’s mother moving into their apartment, and Nadine supposed that with her father’s heart attack, he wasn’t too eager to make more changes in his life.
There was a knock at her door, and Nadine opened the door to her mother.
“I’m concerned about you.” Her mother stepped in carrying her own cup of nasty coffee. “You’ve been holed up in this fleabag for two weeks.”
“With you next door to me,” Nadine said. “Mom, you know I can’t give up on Greyheart.”
“But what about your husband?” Mother made herself comfortable on the rickety chair in front of the card table. “Aren’t you at all worried that he’s missing you? You know it’s not wise to be apart from your husband.”
Her mother gave her a knowing look. Having been a mistress all her life, she was well aware of the opportunities for a married man to stray.
“Mom, we’ve been through this already. If a man wants to play around, he will, even if you have him locked down twenty-four-seven and have all male maids. There could still be the cable TV girl or the UPS delivery woman, or even a neighbor stepping in for a quickie.” Nadine hated to be so crude, but seriously, she’d seen her father sneaking into the apartment during lunch time for a “nap.”
“I’m worried is all. I still talk to your father and apparently, Connor feels sorry for Elaine. He thinks he’s partially responsible for her breakdown.”
“Breakdown? Is that her excuse now?” Nadine slapped the card table, causing their coffee to splatter. “Look, Connor hasn’t said anything to me about Elaine, so whatever Dad says is straight from Elaine’s mouth. I don’t believe a word of it.”
“I’d be careful if I were you.” Her mother bobbed her head annoyingly. “Elaine and Connor go back a long way. You have to remember there are a lot of complicated emotions tying them together. He seriously wanted to marry her not once, but twice.”
“Well, he married me.” Nadine pouted, crossing her arms. “Mom, I love you and I’m glad you’re staying next door, but if all you want to do is criticize Connor …”
“I’m not criticizing him. I’m asking you to consider his feelings. How do you know he’s okay with commuting?”
“Even if I stayed in San Francisco, I wouldn’t see him for his seventy-two-hour shift anyway.”
“You could pop by the fire station and give him a kiss,” her mother said.
“True, you have a point. I’ll ask him next time if he’s happy.” Nadine glanced at her watch. “Want to come to the studio with me?”
“Might as well,” her mother said. “I’ll treat you to breakfast.”
“You should join my class.” Nadine finished her cool coffee. “Let me leave a bowl out for Greyheart in case he comes by.”
“You’re attracting all the neighborhood strays,” her mother said. “I’ll keep praying he’ll return.”
She texted Connor as she and her mother walked along the garden pathway to the cafeteria.
I’m thinking of you. Miss you. I had a dream Greyheart came back. It means I’ll find him soon, or that he’ll find me again. Love you, Nadine.
Minutes later, he texted back. I love and miss you, too. By the way, your father called and asked me to move your things out of his apartment.
Why didn’t he call me? Nadine texted. Where will you move them?
To my parents’ house. You know the upstairs is being rebuilt, so we’ll have to stick your canvases in the garage.
Can you bring a few over? I have stud
io space here. I’d like the Eye in the Oak one, the Blue Cat over the Moonlit Lake, and the Cut Field of Fire.
He texted back, It might be better if you came with me to show me which ones you want in Reno and which ones we can leave in the garage. I can move the rest of your stuff before you arrive, though, so all you have to supervise are the art supplies.
She sighed and glanced at her mother, who quirked her eyebrow in an I-told-you-so gesture.
Okay, well, my mother’s here in case Greyheart returns. But that means making two trips for you.
Not if you fly to SFO and I pick you up from the airport.
Sure, you’re right, of course.
Gotta go, sweetheart. Training session starting. We had a three alarm last night and I hardly got any sleep.
Okay, take care. Love you much.
“What was that about?” her mother asked as soon as she looked up from her phone.
“Dad wants me to move things out. I guess he’s still insisting we be gone. Connor wants me to fly home and help him decide what goes where.”
“Sounds like you have to accept it then. Your dad and I are through. Even though I was at his bedside when he had the heart attack, as soon as he was strong enough, he called for Emmeline, except she’d already gone back to work. His loss.”
“I know, Mom. He’s been so unfair to you.” Nadine wrapped her arms around her mother. “I will always love you. Always. You have a home with me. You know that.”
“And you have one with me.” Her mother swept her hair from her face. “My sweet little love child. Having you was worth every bitter pill I’ve ever swallowed. But let me give you advice. Watch your back, especially around other women, and don’t underestimate anyone.”
Nadine blinked and hugged her mother tightly. She should take heed of her mother’s warnings. Deep inside, she knew Connor would never cheat. Sure, he’d once been taken in by Elaine. But he was smarter now, and he’d experienced true love. She’d make sure to ask him his feelings next time they were together. If he wanted her to give up waiting for Greyheart, as hard as it was, she’d have to let the little guy go.
Who knew? Maybe Greyheart had already found a new home.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Elaine sat in her car across the street from the Hart family’s fanciful pink fairytale home. The upstairs was gutted from a recent fire and construction plastic covered part of it, but the turret where Connor stayed was still intact.
She’d heard from her father that Connor was planning on moving Nadine’s canvases and art supplies to their garage. Nadine’s mother was gone for good, holed up in Reno waiting for Nadine’s stupid cat. Good riddance.
Emmeline had proven to be a horrible girlfriend by not staying at her father’s bedside, and now, Elaine got the feeling she was interested in Michael, although why she would be barking up a gay man’s tree was anyone’s guess.
As for Michael, what a two-faced brother. He had the gall to buddy up to Connor and offer to help move Nadine’s things, earning him major brownie points with their father.
Unfortunately for them, they’d all underestimated Elaine. She rubbed her hands together. All she needed were a few incriminating pictures of Michael and Emmeline, even if they were only friends. Once her father found out about them, Elaine would have her father to herself, and her mother could come back from China with her head held high.
But first, she had to deal with Nadine. She’d never expected her mousy half-sister to steal her man. What a smear of egg on her face. Connor, the guy she had under foot, had turned out to be a cheater and a betrayer. Now, everyone in her extended family felt sorry for her for having been dumped. At her age, she’d never find another man who’d want to have a family with her, especially since everyone was gossiping about her needing a surrogate mother due to her premature menopause.
She shook her fist at the Hart’s pink monstrosity complete with Romeo and Juliet balconies and faux stone inlays, making it look like a demented Disney princess castle. “You’re not going to win, Nadine Hartless. Neither are you, Connor Idiot.”
Besides, she had her secret weapon, and she wouldn’t hesitate to use it.
“Wow, I never thought you had so much stuff,” Connor said to Nadine after they had hauled her art supplies to the garage. “You sure you only want to take three canvases to Reno?”
“I’ll finish the rest after we find Greyheart,” Nadine said. “I started a new one for your wedding present. It’s a song without words, or a painting without images.”
“Don’t tell me, it’s a mess of brush strokes.”
“It is abstract, but not a mess of brush strokes. Every speck of paint and texture is placed to inspire thought, emotions, feelings, life. If you asked ‘what is it?’ I’d tell you to empty your mind and let sensations overcome you. That would be your meaning.”
“I can’t wait to feel your art.” He swept her hair from her face and caressed her cheek, then lowered his lips over hers.
They kissed, passionately anticipating the evening. His parents were out of town, and they had the house to themselves.
“I can’t wait to feel your love,” Nadine said, when she broke the kiss to take a heated breath.
“Great. Let’s clean up here. Make sure all your solvents are closed tightly and put in the metal bins.”
“Yes, sir, Mr. Fire Chief.” Nadine mock saluted him.
They cleaned up and arranged her canvases, covering them with drop clothes to keep the dust off them, then tidied up her supplies.
“While you put your paints away, let me get your suitcases from the truck. Is there anything else you need here?” Connor asked, opening the the garage door.
“Nope, I’m good. I just want to sort through my paints and put my brushes back in their proper places.” Nadine didn’t want to let Connor know he’d jumbled up her brushes and mixed up her paints.
“Don’t take too long.” His eyes sparkled. “I’m getting hungry.”
Some time later, Nadine finished up. She made sure to put her oil soaked rags in the airtight galvanized steel containers. It was a new habit, since in the past, she laid them out flat to dry, but Connor assured her it was safer to deny them any oxygen at all. Unlike paint which dried through evaporation of the solvent or water, these oils dried through the same process that generated fire … oxidation.
She closed the garage door and went into the house. “Connor, I’m done.”
“And now, Mrs. Hart, welcome to my castle.” Connor pulled Nadine upstairs to one of the turrets. It was small, and his mother had used it as a sewing room, but after he was married, his parents decided he and Nadine couldn’t camp out in his father’s office, so they moved a futon into the turret for them.
Nadine gasped at the candles lighting the small table. Two glasses of wine sat beside two steak dinners.
“That was the smoke I smelled,” Nadine said, eyeing the thick steaks.
“None other than firehouse steaks, over mesquite.” Connor pulled a chair for her. “You marry a fireman, and you get firehouse food.”
“The best, both the man and the food.” Nadine tipped up her head to kiss him. She couldn’t get over how her lucky stars had lined up, and many times she felt like she was living in the middle of a fairytale—hopefully not to be rudely awakened, ever.
She let her hands wander over Connor’s exquisitely sculpted body. Now that she knew what it was like to make love, her body practically smoldered from his touch.
“Hey, steak’s getting cold,” Connor whispered into her lips. “If we finish up fast, we can have dessert in bed.”
“I like the sound of that, but not the fast part.” Nadine drew out her words, her fingers lingering over Connor’s abs.
Dinner was magical, and Nadine loved everything about Connor’s home—her new home. She was glad she’d followed her mother’s advice and had come back to San Francisco, although she couldn’t forget her little cat so easily.
“Connor, could I ask you something?” she said
as the last of the luscious steak slipped down her throat. “Do you want me to give up on Greyheart? To come back and live with you here?”
“Honey, you have to do what you have to do.” Connor took her hand from across the table. “I know how much he means to you. It’s like if I lost Cinder.”
Cinder was currently safe at the firehouse, and no doubt watched over by the entire brotherhood, but still there could be a chance she’d get hurt by a fire or hit by a car if she got loose.
Meanwhile Greyheart was a little too independent minded.
“We might never find him,” she admitted. “You think he’s gone on to someone else’s home?”
“Maybe he’s a traveling little matchmaker,” Connor said, his eyes sad. “He brought us together. I hope he’s safe.”
“Me, too.” Nadine choked back a sob. “It’s the not knowing that kills me.”
“Someone else lost him when you found him, isn’t that true? I’m sure they worried about him. Agonized over him.”
“Like I am now.” Nadine felt her heart clench. “I guess I need to let it go, because you’re more important. I need to be with you, and my mother’s in limbo. She’s hanging out there in Reno, hoping the cat will come back. I also think it’s because she doesn’t want to leave me.”
“She can live with us when I find a place,” Connor said. “There are some rent controlled units and landlords friendly to firefighters. We saved their buildings and they give us lower rent. Maybe I can swing a place for your mother, too. Pull some strings.”
“Oh, Connor, you’re already pulling too many strings for me. Jenna called and asked if I wanted to model, but I told her I’m not sure. I really want to do the art colony near Golden Gate Park, but I don’t know. I’m enjoying teaching art classes at Wildwood Flower and it’s easier to find studio space in Reno.”
“I can pull some warehouse strings, too.” He wiggled his eyebrows. “Anything that makes you happy.”
“I want you to be happy, too.” Nadine caressed his strong knuckles. “I need to be with you. I want us to be happily married and not miss any time together.”
Spring Fling Kitty: The Hart Family (Have A Hart Book 3) Page 19
