“What? Me?” She pressed both hands to her chest. “What a question. Why would you ask? What do I have to be upset about?”
“Helen, please tell me what’s going on.”
“No,” she said forcefully. “You tell me. You’ve disappeared. I haven’t heard from you in days. You’ve been coming in here for breakfast every morning. Every. Morning. For years! You’ve shown up with the flu and I had to send you home. But since your ex-wife returned, I haven’t seen you. You sent your daughter to tell me the news and came by once and that’s it. If we were just friends, I’d still be annoyed, but hey, more understanding. But we’re not just friends, are we? There’s a little bit more going on. At least in my mind. I sort of assumed I was the only one you’re sleeping with. Maybe there are so many of us, I have to wait my turn on the information rotation.”
She knew she had to stop talking, that not only did she need to breathe, there was the tiniest chance she was being unreasonable. Or overreacting. Not that she was going to give him a break. Maybe she should invite her ex-husband to move in for a few days and they could all see how Jeff liked it. Although the thought of having to see Troy again was horrifying, so she pushed that away and glared at the man in front of her.
“You haven’t said anything. You haven’t told me what’s going on, so I’m left to wonder and figure it all out for myself. Are you getting back together? Are you tempted? And why on earth is she in your house? There are hotels in town. My God, Jeff, we slept together. I thought we were starting something, but apparently you only wanted to get laid.”
His gaze was steady. She had no idea what he was thinking, which was probably for the best. She doubted it was overly flattering.
“Helen,” he began. “I’m sorry you’re upset.”
“Don’t,” she snapped. “Do not start with that line. You don’t get to be—” she made air quotes “—‘sorry’ I’m upset. That takes no responsibility. It’s not an apology. It’s a weasel thing to say and I expect better of you.”
“All right.” His tone was cautious. “I’m sorry you’ve been worried about Marilee and I apologize for not coming by sooner. I should have talked to you. There’s been a lot going on and to be honest, I never thought you were upset about Marilee being back.”
“She’s not back. Back is seeing someone over coffee. She’s living with you. Just down the hall. Not long ago you and I were just friends. We had one great night, I thought everything was different, then your ex-wife blew into town and you disappeared. What was I supposed to think?”
“You were supposed to trust me.”
“Why?”
“You know me.” He rose and glared at her. “Dammit, Helen, you’ve known me for years. We’re friends. I’m a good guy. I do the right thing. Do you actually believe I would sleep with you, then sleep with my ex-wife?”
Yes. Yes! But she couldn’t say that. She wanted to but understood there would be consequences.
“I’m scared,” she admitted instead. “Marilee is so beautiful and you loved her once and we’re so new and I’m just some girl in town and I don’t understand anything that’s happening.”
He walked around the counter, stopped in front of her, pulled her close and held her. His strong arms felt good, as did the warmth of him. She liked the steady beat of his heart and how he didn’t let go.
“You make me crazy,” he murmured.
“That’s nice.”
He chuckled. “Maybe for you.” He kissed her. “I’m sorry I didn’t come see you or text or call. I should have. I wasn’t thinking. Having Marilee back is a nightmare. I don’t want her here, but I’m not going to tell her to leave.”
“Why not? You should tell her. I can help.”
He smiled. “Thank you, but this is bigger than us. I want Kelly to have time with her mother. Olivia, too, although she and Marilee are closer than I’d realized.”
Helen wanted to point out that Kelly had no interest in spending time with Marilee but sensed that wasn’t a good idea, so kept quiet. Jeff continued to hold her.
“Both girls were devastated when she left,” he continued. “I was relieved for myself, but worried about my daughters. They missed out on a lot. I tried, but we both know I couldn’t fill in for her, then I sent Olivia away.”
Helen drew back. “You did the right thing.”
“If I did, that was just dumb luck. I made the easy decision. I hurt Olivia. I don’t want to make that mistake again. Marilee is nothing to me, but I love my girls and I want them to have time with their mother.”
Which they could from a hotel, only saying that would make her seem petty and small. Thinking it made her that, too, but she was probably more forgiving of her flaws than Jeff would be.
“I know this happened at a bad time,” he said, looking into her eyes. “We’re at that scary new stage. I don’t want to lose you. Please trust me, Helen. We’ve been friends a long time. You know me.”
Something he’d said before, but it resonated with her now. She drew in a breath and knew she had to take a step of faith.
“I do trust you.”
“Thank you.”
He kissed her again, his mouth lingering this time. When he straightened, she was more than a little breathless.
“I’ll be better about staying in touch,” he promised. “I’ll start coming in for breakfast again. I’ve been staying home to act as a buffer for the girls, but they can take care of themselves.”
“Thank you. In return, I won’t slash your tires.”
He grinned. “That’s my girl. Ready to go help a band find their sound?”
She nodded. She would rather stay here with him. Sex in the storeroom would be very healing. But a band waited and she didn’t want to seem too needy. Something she would guess Marilee never had to worry about.
Life and ex-wives could be a real bitch.
23
Kelly slathered almond butter on her whole-grain waffle, then picked up a banana and carried it all to the table. Her dad was back to having breakfast at the café—at least she assumed he was. His truck had been gone when she’d gotten up. If she pretended Marilee wasn’t in the guest room, Kelly could tell herself everything was back the way it had been.
She opened the fashion magazine her sister had given her, prepared to educate herself over breakfast. She’d barely gotten through several pages of ads when she heard her dad’s truck in the driveway.
“Morning, Kitten,” Jeff said as he came into the kitchen and poured himself a cup of coffee. “How’s it going?”
“Good. Are you happy to be back in your routine?”
He grinned. “Yup. Nobody makes eggs like Delja.” He picked up his mug and carried it to the table. “They up yet?”
“Olivia is. She’s gone for a run. I don’t know about the other one.”
“You can call her your mother.”
“I can call her a lot of things.”
“Kelly.” His tone was warning.
“What? Are you going to say I have to be nice to her? How long is she staying anyway?”
“I have no idea.”
“You should ask. Better yet, you should ask her to move to a hotel.”
Her dad’s gaze sharpened. “Why would I do that?”
“To get her out of here.”
“She’s your mother. I’m not going to turn her away.”
“Don’t keep her on my account. I think this whole thing is ridiculous. You’re never mad at her.”
“How would that help?”
Most of the time Kelly was grateful her father was a calm, sensible kind of guy but every now and then she found him difficult.
“Dad, helping isn’t the point. You’re too nice when it comes to her.” She held up her hand. “Please don’t say it’s because she’s my mother. I
’m incredibly aware of that fact.”
His dark gaze settled on her face. “I worry about you.”
“What? I’m fine.”
“Are you? It’s been thirteen years and you’re still furious with her.”
Apparently it was that obvious, Kelly thought, not totally surprised.
“I have reason to be. What kind of mother walks out on her two children? Did you notice that Olivia is the one who found Mom, not the other way around? Marilee doesn’t care about anyone but herself. She never has. She’s going to do whatever she wants and the consequences be damned. She doesn’t care about who she hurts, but you won’t say any of that, will you? You don’t want to speak ill of her in front of me. Well, here’s my news flash, Dad. I’m all grown up. I can take it.”
“Old habits die hard.”
“Just once I’d like you to admit she’s a horrible person.”
“That’s not going to happen, but while we’re on the subject of things we want in life...”
She waited, fairly confident she wasn’t going to like whatever he was going to say. “Yes?”
“I’d like you to think about why you’re so angry with her. It’s been a long time. You should have moved on.” He lifted his mug. “I’m not saying you’re wrong, Kelly, just that you should know why. Do you need closure? If you’re waiting for an apology, it’s not going to happen. She is who she is.”
Good advice she didn’t want to take. “I don’t hate her.”
“That’s something.” He sipped his coffee. “You’re the one I worry about. She messed up your childhood. Don’t let her mess up any more than that. I want you to be happy.”
“I am.”
He didn’t say anything, but then he didn’t have to. They knew each other well enough for her to figure out he didn’t believe that. Not when it came to Marilee.
“I’ll think about it,” she grumbled.
“Thank you.”
Before she could respond, she heard footsteps in the hall. As she hadn’t heard the front door open, she had to brace herself for an early-morning appearance from their houseguest.
“Morning,” Marilee said breezily as she walked into the kitchen. “Mmm, coffee. How wonderful.”
Kelly stared at her mother. Marilee had obviously done her hair and put on makeup before emerging from her bedroom. But what got Kelly’s attention the most was what she was wearing. A man’s pajama top. Just the top.
The pale blue fabric covered in small tractors fell to mid-thigh. The shoulder seams were halfway down her upper arm. She looked adorable. Sexy, even.
Kelly’s stomach sank. She looked at her father, who didn’t seem the least bit shocked by his ex-wife’s appearance. This despite the fact that Marilee was wearing his pajama top. Kelly knew that for sure because she’d bought the tractor-print pj’s as a joke at Christmas.
What was her mother doing wearing them? Were they sleeping together?
The possibility of her parents having sex was bad enough but that it might lead to them getting back together made her feel sick. Breakfast sat very heavily and for a second she didn’t know if she was going to throw up or cry.
She loved her dad and knew he’d been alone for a long time. He deserved someone special—someone who would care about him and be good to him. Someone normal and honest and faithful. Someone who wasn’t Marilee.
“I need to get to work,” Kelly said, coming to her feet.
“Oh, no,” Marilee chirped. “Can you stay so we can talk?”
“Um, no. I’m late for a meeting.”
“With whom? Your tulips?”
Her mother laughed at her own joke. Kelly dumped her coffee in the sink and bolted. She was halfway to the farm before her stomach calmed down, which left only tears, and those she would fight until the need passed.
* * *
Luck was on Kelly’s side. When she arrived at the farm, she found that one of the greenhouse irrigation systems had clogged. Finding the problem and cleaning out the hosing had taken the better part of two hours. By then she was more herself and able to ignore whatever was happening between her parents. She had work, she reminded herself. The rest of it would take care of itself.
She went back to her office and cleared her email, then went into her private greenhouse to check on the progress of her test bulbs.
Two buds had appeared in the night. She took the small pots over to the desk by the door and booted the laptop there. She pulled a camera out of a desk drawer and took several pictures, then emailed them to herself to be included in her report.
The tight bud was brownish pink on the bottom, fading to pinkish mud-taupe on the top. She could see the individual petals were going to be very slim and pointed in an almost star pattern, but they looked to be different lengths, which could be a deliberate part of the design or an area of yet more concern.
After measuring the plant, she double-checked how long it had been in the greenhouse, then sat down to write her report.
The door opened and Griffith walked in. That was nearly as much of a surprise as the huge vase of flowers he was carrying. No, not flowers. Red roses.
She rose. “Hi. What are you doing here?”
“Bringing you these.” He held out the roses. “It occurred to me that guys probably don’t bring you flowers. What with you growing tulips and all.”
He looked both proud and slightly apprehensive, as if he weren’t sure of her reaction.
She smiled, then started to laugh. Big, beautiful red roses. It was crazy and yet really, really nice.
“You’re right. No one’s ever brought me flowers before,” she admitted. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” He set them on the desk, then frowned at the tulip. “What is that? It’s really ugly.”
“You can’t know that. It’s barely a bud.”
“The colors. What is that called? Muddy pink?”
She looked at the flower and sighed. “Sometimes the experiments don’t work out. I’m not sure what the gradation was supposed to be but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t this.”
She touched one of the rose petals. They were perfectly shaped and deep red. The scent drifted to her. She turned to Griffith and put her hands on his shoulders.
“You’re the sweetest man.”
“I’m pretty great, huh? You’re lucky to have me.”
She laughed and pressed her mouth to his. His arms came around her. Just as she was settling in to the thrill of being held, she felt a strange burning in her eyes. In the second it took the feeling to register, her brain to process and the rest of her to say “This is so not happening,” it was too late. Tears fell and at the same time an ugly, primal sob worked its way out of her chest.
“Kelly?”
She turned away and struggled to get control of herself. The tears continued, along with the cries, until she couldn’t catch her breath. She had no idea where all the emotion had been stored, but once released, it wasn’t stopping for anyone.
Griffith pulled her close. She started to jerk away, then collapsed as his concern made itself felt in the way he stroked her back and murmured her name.
She had no idea if it had been seconds or minutes before she was finally able to breathe again. She drew back and wiped her face. He shocked her by holding out a snowy-white handkerchief.
“S-seriously?” she asked, her voice still broken.
He grinned. “My dad makes me. It’s a thing for him. I never saw the point, until now. I’m going to have to call and tell him he was right. That will make him happy.”
She took the handkerchief and wiped her face, then tucked it in her pocket. “I’ll wash this before I return it.”
“That’s kind of the least of my worries. What’s going on?”
His look of concern, his quiet voice, n
early had her sobbing again. She took a deep breath and told herself she was fine. Or she would be.
“I don’t know,” she admitted. “I’m not usually a crier.”
“No surprise. You’re tough. So whatever it is has you in knots. Let’s talk about it.”
He led her to the desk chair, then settled in the extra seat before leaning forward and taking her hand in his. She touched one of the roses again and marveled at their perfection.
“I don’t want my parents to get back together.” Not what she’d been thinking, at least not on the surface, she thought in some surprise. “I hate that she’s here, that she’s disrupted our lives. I want her to go away.”
Griffith didn’t speak.
She sniffed. “My dad wants me to have a relationship with her. He wants me to get to know her. As if.”
One corner of his mouth turned up. “As if?”
She smiled. “You know what I mean. It’s not going to happen. I hate her.”
“No, you don’t.”
“I really do.”
“Kelly, she’s your mom. You may be angry at her and resent her actions. You may be frightened of being like her and worry that she’s going to destroy the family you’ve made, but you don’t hate her. You’re not the kind of person who hates anyone, let alone your mother.”
“I’m not excited about you being insightful.”
His steady gaze never wavered. “You’re going to have to deal with it.”
“Fine. I want her to leave and I don’t want her sleeping with my dad.”
“Fair enough, but if it’s going to happen, you can’t stop it.”
“Gross. I don’t want to think about it.” About them. She told him about the pj top. “She’s just everywhere. I wasn’t excited when Olivia came back, but that’s different. Now I like having her around. We’re sisters and we’re finding our way back to that.” She held up her hand. “By contrast, Mom hasn’t said a word about what happened before or after she left. Until my mother is willing to admit what she did and ask for forgiveness, she doesn’t get a second chance. I’ll never trust her.”
She half expected him to say she didn’t have a choice. Instead he linked his fingers with hers and told her, “What’s that old saying? Fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me? It’s not bad advice.”
Secrets of the Tulip Sisters Page 26
