by Tess Brennan
His face went red and his fists clenched. “Don’t come here again, Kate.”
“I won’t need to. I don’t want anything from you, now or in the future.” She nodded coolly as she walked past Martine.
There, she thought as she slid into her car and headed back to the peace of Hope Valley. She’d said her piece, and had made it clear: she wanted nothing.
She was finally finished with Dan.
It was as though a weight lifted from her shoulders.
11
Late on Saturday afternoon, Kate waved goodbye to her visitors from the front step as Sarah and Lily piled into Sarah’s SUV. Sarah tooted enthusiastically as they drove off, and Lily’s face was wreathed in smiles.
“That was such fun, Kate,” Grace said, giving her arm a squeeze. “We’ll have to do it again soon. At my place, next time.”
“I think they’ve already decided that’s where our next get-together will be,” Kate told her. “Everyone’s curious about your renovations.”
“Including me,” Grace said pointedly. “None of you will tell me half of what’s going to happen.” She batted her eyelashes. “Unless you’ve decided to take pity on me? Just a little clue?”
“Good try, but no. You just have to be patient.”
Grace sighed. “Oh well, then. I might as well go home.”
“I’ll walk with you.”
“Kate, it’s next door, not in the next town!”
“And the walk has been slippery, so don’t bother arguing.” Kate linked her arm with Grace’s and started walking. “We’re not going to risk a fall when you’ve been doing so well after surgery. How does a shopping trip next Tuesday sound? We can go into Laredo, shop, stop for morning tea, shop some more, stop for lunch, shop…”
“Heaven.” Grace beamed. “It was my lucky day when you moved in next door, Kate.”
“No, it was my lucky day when I met you and you told me about the place next door,” Kate responded, smiling at her. They turned onto the path that led to Grace’s front door.
“How are things going with your girls?” Grace’s voice was casual, but Kate knew she’d been bursting with curiosity. “Everything all right?”
“Well, actually, it is.” Kate told her about Dan’s unexpected offer, and finished with, “So it’s all over. There must have been some truth to what Amy found out, for him to be suddenly so generous. Lachlan was pushing Amy to ask for more; he says she gave in too quickly. But her sisters outvoted her.”
“What a rat,” Grace said, her brows lowering and a glint of anger turning her blue eyes stormy. “Dan, I mean, not Lachlan. But what about you? Are you still refusing to accept anything? There’s such a thing as being too stubborn, Kate. I’m sure you could do with some of the money he hid from you. It’s yours as much as his.”
“I’ll be fine. If it’s necessary, I’m sure my girls will take care of me in my old age.”
“Just as Tolly is taking care of me,” Grace said. “Anyway, I’m glad it’s all sorted before Christmas. That’s a present in itself, isn’t it?”
“It certainly is.”
The door swung open as they reached it and Tolly stood there, trying not to grin. “I heard the girls leave. I’m sure the whole neighborhood did. I gather you ladies have had a good afternoon?”
“We did indeed. And don’t ask what we talked about.” Grace winked at him. “What goes on at Kate’s, stays at Kate’s.”
“Love to have been a fly on the wall.” Tolly’s eyes were fixed on Kate. “Want to come in for a while, Kate?”
“Thanks, but I need to clean up and then work on a craft project.” Tolly would guess that she meant his mother’s quilt. “I have to put in some time on it tonight and tomorrow, since I’m working Monday – and Grace and I will be out shopping all day on Tuesday. I’m running out of time.”
“Busy busy.” Tolly gave her a thoughtful look, and Kate wondered if he had picked up on her reluctance to come in. “And you’re working Wednesday?”
“Yes.”
“Then come for dinner on Wednesday night,” he said. “Relax after being on your feet all day. Christmas shoppers can be feral.”
With Grace’s shrewd eyes on her, Kate had no choice but to give in. “Thank you. That sounds lovely.” She leaned forward and kissed Grace on the cheek. “I really enjoyed this afternoon. I’ll pick you up on Tuesday at nine, OK?”
“Perfect.”
She gave Tolly a small wave and went back to her own house, relieved that she didn’t have to face Jossy again until Wednesday.
Tolly was right: after standing behind a counter and walking around the shop advising on gifts all day, by the time Kate reached home on Wednesday afternoon, she was grateful that someone else was going to prepare dinner. If she hadn’t been going over to Grace’s, she would have settled for soup and toast.
After a long shower, she stood in front of her wardrobe, wondering what to wear. She wanted to look nice for Tolly, but on the other hand, she didn’t want Jossy to think she was trying to trap her father like some black widow spider.
Kate sighed. This was ridiculous. She was fifty, for heaven’s sake. Why was she nervous about what a girl half her age thought of her?
In the end, she settled for her most comfortable pair of denim jeans, butter-soft from years of wear. Then she dug out a teal-blue sweater with a triangular draped cowl that looked smart but casual. Her hair swung in a shimmery dark fall to her shoulders, and a swipe of subtle gray eyeshadow flattered her eyes.
That would do, she thought. Really, she shouldn’t be worrying about what she looked like at all. Once Jossy got to know her, surely she would realize that her suspicions were unfounded?
The problem was that the girl could make life very uncomfortable in the interim.
Jossy opened the door, greeting Kate with a polite smile that didn’t reach her eyes. “Hi. Come on in.” Standing back, she waved in the direction of the sitting room. “Nan’s in her usual chair. She’s still a bit tired from yesterday.”
“We did have a pretty full day,” she said, walking inside. “Grace was a dynamo. She left me for dead with the amount of shopping she did. I’m still not sure just how large your family is!”
“I do have lots of cousins,” Jossy admitted, following her. “And Nan spoils us rotten.”
Grace, in her usual position near the fire, heard her. “And why not?” she said, twinkling. “I have the most delightful grandchildren. It’s my pleasure to spoil them.” When they appeared in the doorway, she beckoned. “Come here and give me a kiss, Jossy.”
“Oh, Nan.” Jossy cast her eyes skyward, but laughed and went along with it. She kissed her grandmother on the cheek, and then impulsively gave her a hug. “Love you.”
Her last words were whispered, but Kate heard them.
“Love you too, menace.” Grace swatted her on the behind. “Go on, back to the kitchen with you. Help your Dad.”
Kate watched Jossy leave the room. When she had disappeared, she turned to Grace. “You and Jossy are very close, aren’t you?”
“Yes. She turned to me when her Mom died, and then came back here to live for a while when things got messy with her stepmother. They never got on.” Grace’s face showed her sadness. “She’s had a rough few years. They all have: Tolly, Logan, Jossy.”
“They’re lucky to have you.” Changing the subject, Kate perched on the sofa. “How is your knee today?”
“A bit sore, I have to admit. I may have been a bit premature in planning a full day’s shopping. But I’ve done nothing but rest it today, and I enjoyed every minute of yesterday.”
“So did I.”
Tolly appeared in the doorway. “Dinner won’t be long, but if you’d like to relax for a while first, I can keep it warm.”
“No, let’s eat while it’s hot.” After locking horns with Jossy the week before, Kate didn’t want to stay any longer than necessary. She smiled at Tolly. “Can’t have you slaving away and dinner getting cold. Anything I can do to
help?”
“No way. Jossy’s on the job. Just relax.” He disappeared again.
Tolly was a good cook. He served up roast dinner, with tender pork and crisp crackling, and vegetables done to perfection. They sat around the dinner table with three fat candles flickering to add atmosphere, and Jossy forgot to be cool and distant when her grandmother started teasing her about the many unsuitable boyfriends she’d brought home in her teenage years. Laughing along with her father and brother, she finally threw up her hands. “All right! I made a few…um… mistakes.” She pointed a finger at Grace. “I bet you were just as bad, Nan. I’ve heard you tell Dad some stories.”
“Oh, sure,” Grace said comfortably. “I was a hell-raiser. My poor parents. But it all turned out all right in the end. I was clever enough to marry a good man.” She swept an arm around. “I have four lovely sons and divine grandchildren. All ten of them.”
Kate caught Tolly and Jossy exchanging an eye-roll at that. So did Grace.
“Oh, come on now,” she said admonishingly. “So some of them are sowing a few wild oats. They’ll come good. It’s no more than I did.”
“You just keep thinking that, Nan.” Jossy got up. “Who’s for dessert?”
“I might skip it, with Christmas coming up and all… I won’t fit into any of my clothes.” Kate looked at her watch. “Actually, I might help clear this away and then head off home, if that’s not too rude. Early, I know, but I’m pooped. And tomorrow I’m on the roster to pack and deliver charity boxes.”
“You work too hard, Kate.” Grace pushed herself up from the table. “Give yourself time to enjoy the season.”
Kate laughed. “You forget that I’ve seen you in action, Grace. Before you had surgery there was no stopping you. Pot calling the kettle black, here!”
“Huh.” Grace waved that away. “Anyway, before you go, nip up and take a look at what Tolly’s done to the bedrooms. He’s moved Jossy back into hers, and done the walls of the third bedroom. I’m allowed to see those, at least, even though the plans for the kitchen and bathroom are off limits.” She headed back to her usual chair. “Go show her, Tolly. Jossy can clear the table.”
“Sure.” Tolly got up from his chair and gestured at the stairs. “I’ve got the vote of confidence from Mom, at least. She thinks I’m a master painter now.”
Unable to say no, Kate nodded and didn’t look at Jossy as she walked upstairs ahead of Tolly.
12
“In here, first.” Tolly opened the door of the second bedroom. “Jossy’s room. It’s a bit untidy, but you can see what it’s going to be like.”
Kate stood in the doorway and let her gaze travel around the room. The colors were exactly as she had imagined, perfectly complementing the theme established in Grace’s room. Jossy had left a few things lying around the room, but clearly she had moved on from the days of teenage messiness. The pillows were stacked artistically, and the plump cushions were exactly what Kate would have chosen herself. So were the prints on the wall, abstract but in toning colors with flowing curves, echoing the colors of dusk and dawn and Spring flowers.
“Did Jossy choose the prints?” She walked closer to examine them.
“Yes.” His voice showed his pride. “She tried really hard to get it right. I could see it on her face, when she brought them home. She wasn’t at all sure whether we’d like them.” He came up and stood beside her. “She might seem confident, Kate, but she’s still… vulnerable.”
Kate swallowed. She wished she knew whether Jossy had said anything to him yet, warning him about his neighbor. “She told me her mother died when she was still pretty young.”
“Yes. It was hard for her,” Tolly said softly. “And then I made a big mistake with my second wife. Talk about the wicked stepmother. Anyway…” He moved away. “Come and see the other room. It’s just paint and curtains, but I think you’ll like it.”
Kate followed him, with a backward glance at Jossy’s room. The girl had done well, for someone who wasn’t confident with decorating. She couldn’t help wondering, though, if Jossy was trying to show her Dad that they didn’t need Kate’s input.
Stop it, she admonished herself. What if that was the girl’s intention? She was just protective of her Dad, after going through two bad experiences, losing her Mom and then watching her stepmother marry Tolly for his money.
And she was so nice to her Nan. That counted for a lot, with Kate.
Tolly stood back and let her go in first. The room hadn’t finished airing, so the smell of fresh paint was still fairly strong. But the color of the paint… Kate nodded in pleasure. Tolly had gone with Kate’s plan to deepen the shades of dusk and go with twilight shades of deep blue and indigo, perfect for Logan when he stayed. Kate could imagine it with the suggestions she had made for quilt panels to lift the darker colors, and prints on the wall that would be startling against a midnight background.
She turned to Tolly with a smile. “What do you think, now it’s done?”
“I think,” he said, his gaze moving from the walls to her face, “that you should do this professionally. Your instincts are spot on.”
Absurdly pleased, she couldn’t prevent her smile widening. “Thank you. Grace seems happy with it, and that’s the main thing.”
“Why don’t you? Do it professionally?” His hand came up and toyed with her hair, and then he tucked it behind her ear. “Your talents are wasted in that gift store.”
Unable to move or look away, she swallowed hard. “I don’t have any qualifications.”
“Do you really need them? Start out small, start a portfolio, get recommendations. Word of mouth is powerful.” He let his hand drop to her shoulder. “I’ve been in business a long time, Kate. I have a good understanding of how it works. Formal qualifications aren’t everything.”
“I don’t know.” She was drowning in the intensity of his blue eyes. “Isn’t it a bit late to start out at my age?”
“Not if you enjoy it, and you have skills. I think both apply.” He turned to face her fully, and put both hands either side of her jaw. “We can talk about it, see what we can come up with. But not now.”
Moving slowly, giving her every opportunity to move away, he dipped his head and touched her lips with his own.
Kate closed her eyes, savoring the taste of him. His kiss was soft and warm, and when she slid her hands up to rest her palms on his chest, he angled his mouth to explore her lips.
It had been so long, since she had kissed a man. And even longer since it was a kiss that showed real affection. Kate let out a tiny sigh, and relaxed against him, sliding her hands around his waist. Hearing the small sound of contentment, he laughed softly against her lips and whispered, “I didn’t know how you’d react.”
Reluctantly, she moved back a little so she could look at him, feeling her cheeks grow hot. “Well, now you do.”
“Now I do.” He bent and kissed her again, and then moved his hands from where they cradled her face to slide down her arms and link with her hands. “This is going somewhere, isn’t it, Kate?”
She hesitated, thinking of Jossy’s angry face and bitter words just a few days before. They had to be careful. Sure, they were adults, and Jossy had to live her own life, but she was still Tolly’s daughter; Grace’s beloved granddaughter.
But she had to be honest. With herself, with Tolly.
“Yes.” She squeezed his hands. “I think it is, Tolly. But Jossy… you said it yourself, she’s vulnerable. So let’s take it slowly. You can’t blame her for being wary of women coming into your life. It’s natural for her to be suspicious, and even angry.”
Something in her voice caused a tiny groove to form between his eyebrows. “Am I missing something here? Has she said something to you?” His eyes searched hers.
Kate could have kicked herself. In her mind, she could hear Jossy saying in distress, “Don’t you dare turn it around …If you try to turn him against me…”
She would never come between Tolly and his daughter.
She smiled and freed a hand to stroke his jaw. “She doesn’t need to say anything, Tolly. Grace has told me a little about her stepmother, and you mentioned it tonight, too.” She reached up and kissed his cheek. “I can see the concern in her eyes when she looks at you. Of course she’s protective, of you and of her relationship with you. Let’s not rush into this.”
They both heard the sound of footsteps on the stairs, and their eyes met in silent understanding. Jossy, coming up to check on them.
They moved apart, and Kate moved out of the room ahead of him. Jossy was just reaching the landing. Her eyes flicked from one of them to the other, and her mouth tightened.
“Jossy, you’ve done a great job with the prints in your room. Good choice,” Kate said, with a genuine smile.
“Thanks.” Jossy’s voice sounded strained.
Could she tell that her father had just been kissing his next door neighbor? She glanced back at Tolly, and decided that given his broad smile and somewhat sheepish expression, that she probably could.
One step at a time, she thought. One step at a time.
13
Kate barely had a chance to see either Tolly or his daughter again before Brooke and Sophie arrived on Christmas Eve. She and Grace popped back and forth, as always, and once Tolly surprised her with a quick kiss under the mistletoe in the doorway of his living room, which set Grace laughing indulgently. Flushing with both embarrassment and the welcome touch of Tolly’s lips, Kate had made a hasty excuse and fled back home, but not before seeing the satisfied gleam in Grace’s eyes. Jossy, luckily, had been out shopping – which was probably why Tolly had seized the opportunity.
Brooke had picked up Sophie on the way to Kate’s house, and the remainder of the day before Christmas was filled with laughter, presents being stacked under the Christmas tree (with warnings not to peek, squeeze or shake) and plans for who was going to prepare what for Christmas dinner the next day. Sophie, bright-eyed and happy, couldn’t stop talking about her plans for veterinary science, while Nessy just lay around happily enjoying the extra attention.
