Twenty minutes later Thad came through whistling with his keys jingling loosely from his fingers.
“I’m headed out. You need anything?”
“Not that I can think of.”
“I’ll be back about six. We’ll go for a drive along the coast.”
She heard the door shut as the garage door came up and pulled a breath deep into her lungs. What was wrong with her anyway? For some reason, Thad had made her heart flutter and her face warm. He was a friend. And that was all. The romance novel she read yesterday must be working on her. She wiped a damp towel along the black granite until it shone.
Kew was in her suit already. Lacy put hers on, and then checked with Ting who was writing in what looked like a journal. She tried to cover it with a pillow when Lacy came in.
“I have my cell. Call if you need me, Ting?”
Ting nodded. Lacy grabbed a fresh towel, her book, sunscreen, hat and sunglasses, went down to the walk-out level and headed for the umbrella. Kew had beaten her to the beach, already running in place.
“Getting ready for a long run’” she shouted.
Lacy waved and cautioned her, “Don’t lose sight of the umbrella. There’s plenty of beach in both directions.”
Kew started her run at a warm-up pace. She was already a strong girl. She watched her for a minute and then cracked open her book. The feel of the book in her hands, the excitement of a good read made her nerves tingle. By the time the sun moved over the house, Kew had run by at least three times.
Half an hour later, Lacy closed the book, ran her hands over it and mused. A good plot and a happy ending always made her giddy when it came to movies, books, and stories. She pulled in a deep breath and loved being alive. Kew was coming her way. It was time to go up to the house. Her stomach rumbled.
“Come on Kew. I’m hungry, are you?”
“Starving.” She walked alongside without another word.
Once she and Kew had their shower she made a late lunch of tuna sandwiches, they planned dinner. Thad bought enough food to last several days, so it was no problem for her to find something. Plan was to make salmon steaks, baked potatoes and salad as soon as Thad called or walked in the door.
With that decided it was nearing five. Perhaps Thad’s business took longer than usual. Lacy knew he was not excited to pick up his stuff from the studio. Especially the way his replacement had unceremoniously stashed his personal belongings in boxes after taking over his dressing room. Maybe he met up with the woman he was going with recently. He had been talking to several woman on the phone at her house right after his surgery and had not mentioned it to her. Private. And—she reminded herself—private means private. It was none of her business. Which also reminded her she needed to let Thad have his house back. With house guests he wasn’t free to look for a new job until he could sell his house.
Lacy heard the garage door go up and rushed to see if her hair had dried. She’d washed it, gotten interrupted and hadn’t had time to blow-dry, so took the time now. And she didn’t need to be waiting at the door for him. He was a grown man.
She busied herself and about jumped out of her skin when she heard him call her name right behind her.
“Geesh, Thad. Did you have to scare the wits out of me to get my attention?” She turned the dryer off.
“I called. You didn’t answer.”
He had that cat-ate-the-bird look standing in the doorway, his very muscular arms crossed over his wide chest.
“Everything go okay today?” She quickly combed through her hair and avoided his gaze.
“So-so. How about you?”
“Great day. Reading. Ocean breeze. Quiet. What more could a girl ask for?”
“A ride down the coast? You girls ready?”
“Now? I thought you’d want dinner first.”
“I do. I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Take too long to cook. There’s a great BBQ shack about 3 miles down the way. The best. Think the girls would like to try it?”
“Well, we could try if you want.”
“I want. Come on, Lace. I’ve got some stuff to tell you.”
The glint in his eye revealed a bit of mystery.
“Okay, let me get the girls. Do we have to change?” She asked, walking backwards.
“No. This is beach country. No one cares what you wear around here.”
“Okay. We’ll be ready in a minute then.” She shot out of there, wondering what Thad Gannon was up to.
“Ladies, we’re going for a drive.” She wasn’t about to leave the girls in the house alone. “American food tonight.”
The young women looked at each other then grabbed their backpacks and followed Lacy out to the jeep where Thad waited.
“Are we going in this?” Lacy bit her lip. “There’s no lid on it.”
Thad laughed out loud. “Yep. Get in and hold onto your hats.”
“Thad we are not getting in unless you tell me you’re not going to drive crazy.” She crossed her arms over her chest and planted her feet to the pavement.
“I don’t drive crazy.”
“Really? I remember high school. I’m sure you haven’t changed at all.” And she wanted to say, you’ve just had a crash with a motorcycle, no doubt because you were speeding and weaving in and out of traffic. But she kept her lips pressed tight together.
“Have I been driving crazy since you’ve been here?”
“Well, no.”
“Then get in. I give you my word.” He said staring straight ahead wrists hanging over the steering wheel.
“Okay.” Lacy motioned for the girls to get in.
“Miss cautious Lacy,” He whispered.
“I may be cautious but…” she pressed a finger over her lips.
“But what?”
“Nothing, Thad.”
She wondered if he knew what she was thinking.
The drive was long and beautiful. They stopped for BBQ sandwiches. Ting loved the food, Kew thought it had too much fat. When they finished he drove them on sand so close to the ocean they could almost drive into it. As the sun began to set, Thad parked the car to give them the best view.
“Mountains, ocean, sand and grasses waving in the breeze. Like it?”
“It’s beautiful.” She slipped her sunglasses down from the top of her head and watched seagulls dip in for a dive.
The girls were silent in the back. She wondered what they thought. If, in the dark world they came from, they had ever experienced such beauty and splendor. At that moment she decided that she was going to open up the world for them, if it took everything she had. As the orange sun melted down the horizon, she decided she would do things she’d never done before. For the girls.
Thad started the Jeep and he drove back slowly and silently. Everyone seemed deep in thought. Once inside the girls said good night and slipped off to bed.
“Join me on the deck? Wanted to tell you about my day.” The glint of mystery reappeared in Thad’s eyes.
“Sure…it’s hard not to be out here isn’t it? I mean you could pull a cot out here and just sleep, the ocean restless in the background.”
“Yep. I’ve done it.”
“Mmmm….” She sat down on the lounge chair and waited. Thad stood, against the glass wall facing her, his back to the sun.
“Got a call from my agent. The apartment sold just a few hours ago. I’m signing papers tomorrow.”
“What? Just like that?” She smiled. “I’m happy for you!”
“Yep. Hollywood. Are you kidding? Everybody’s trying to get a place here. Too many are hoping to get noticed.”
“That’s too bad.”
“You can say that again. That was I five years ago. I thought I knew it all.”
“Don’t we all.”
“Well, that’s the good news.” He took a lounge chair and aligned it with hers and looked out at the scene a few moments.
“Is there bad news?” She glanced at him.
“Well, you might say that. Then again…” He
stopped for a moment. “Bank called me on my mortgage for this place. Without income they can’t afford to take a loss so it’s pay up or get out.”
“Really? What’re you going to do?” She knew she sounded anxious. She always hated not knowing where money was coming from when debts were high and cash was low.
“I’ve paid a good portion of it off over the years. Gannon taught me to pay double mortgage payments each month and the place would be paid off in half the time. That was one time I listened.”
“So you might be able to keep it?” She turned her face toward him so she could read his expression.
“Well, let me finish…The good news is that the sale of my apartment today will more than pay off the mortgage.”
“Really?” She wanted to hug him. “You had me going there. You can keep this place?”
“If I want to I can.”
“Do you want to?” She was at the edge of her seat.
“I’m not sure. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.”
She waited but not patiently. “Yes? What are you thinking? If you get married, you and your wife could both work and pay the taxes, maybe rent it out sometimes if you’re back in Michigan. Since he signed the place over to you, you could always fix up your grandfather’s place and sell it for extra cash."
“Well, that’s just it. I’m not sure if she wants to live in Michigan or California.”
“Oh, that is a problem.” Lacy gazed out at the view. So he already had a woman in mind. She pushed that thought away instantly. “Can you ask her?”
“Well, I could, but I’m not sure about how our relationship is working out.”
“Oh, Thad, I hope you don’t choose someone like your other girlfriend. You don’t deserve that.”
“What do I deserve. Miss Lacy?”
She shot him a look and heard his playful attitude and saw that slight dimple in his cheek. She hardly noticed the scars. “I think that’s something you’re going to have to figure out, Thad Gannon. You’re the only one who knows that.”
“Well aren’t we spit and vinegar tonight.”
“I’m not the one to ask. Ask your girlfriend. Find out what she wants.”
“Okay I will.” He shot back.
“Good.” She crossed her arms, wondering how their conversation took such a quick turn.
Silence was good. Lacy shut her eyes and her mouth and let nature do its work.
“Lace. What is it you want to do? With your life, I mean.”
“Hmmmm….” She felt her nerves calm down listening to the rush of waves. “First, I want to fix my place up. Kew wants a horse. And I think Ting might like…well, I have to figure out what Ting wants, but I’d like us to travel more. Like this. Take the girls to the Grand Canyon, Niagara Falls, that kind of thing. Show them America. Maybe even go to Europe. Save money for college. They’re already 15 and 16, so I’ll have to think of something. Hmmm…after that it’ll be up to them what they decide to do.” She realized she’d been going on and on.
“And what would you like to do with your life? Do you have any dreams?”
“I just told you.” She gave him a look. Was he daft?
“No you didn’t. You told me how you were going to give the girls a good life.”
She thought about that for a minute. “Well, you’re right. Giving those girls a good life is my dream, Thad. I think I just realized it. Saying it out loud seems to make it real somehow.”
Staring out at the water she waited.
“I’m getting tired.” He stood and stretched. “Stay out as long as you like. Just push the button to close the glass doors when you come in.”
“Okay,”
He disappeared abruptly, leaving her to wonder if she had offended him somehow.
Chapter 43
For two days Thad had been unusually quiet. Finally she caught him as was he was leaving.
“Thad, are you upset with me?”
“No. Just busy. Lots on my mind. Hey, I’ll see you tonight. You and the girls go ahead and eat without me, okay? I’ll be late.”
He stopped to grab a bottled water from the fridge.
“What’s that on your face,?” Lacy stopped him and turned his face toward her, touching his cheek. “It looks like you cut yourself.”
“I did, shaving. No big deal.”
“It is a big deal. It’s cut open a little bit of the scar at the bottom.” She leaned closer. “It could get infected and that would be really bad.”
He took her hand and pushed it away from his face and locked eyes with her for a moment before walking out the door.
She felt the heat from his hand. He hadn’t looked mad. He looked… oh no, she was not going there.
Thad Gannon you are holding something back. Maybe he and his girlfriend were fighting. Maybe he was having issues with the lawyer. “That’s what it is.” She concluded, but her overactive imagination niggled her all afternoon.
When he came home that evening, she had her answer. The pretty girl that helped them move was with him. They came through the door laughing. Lacy had just come in for a bowl of ice cream and was headed out to the deck.
“Lacy you remember Stephanie? She helped us move.”
“Hi, Stephanie. Nice to see you again. You guys heading for the deck?” She asked.
“No. My office. You go ahead and use the deck.”
They laughed their way downstairs and Lacy stepped outside. Somehow her heart was heavy, but she wasn’t sure why. Stephanie was part of the group that came from the church he attended. Wouldn’t it be great if he married a Christian woman? Her head said yes but her heart was stubborn.
She stayed out for too long and her ice cream melted in the bowl. She washed it out and tiptoed to her room. She could hear Thad and Stephanie still laughing below.
With a quick prayer, she slipped into pajamas and turned the light off. The window was open and faced the ocean. It lulled and lulled but sleep evaded her. She heard the Jeep start up and pull out. A glance at the clock told her it was just after 2:00 am. He must have been taking Stephanie home. Maybe he wouldn’t be back tonight.
She rolled over and tears rolled down her cheek. Lacy Linden buck up and keep your nose out of Thad’s life. You aren’t his big sister and he doesn’t need you to look out for him. At least that’s what she told herself.
Mind made up, she was going to talk to Thad about heading back to Michigan. She and the girls would be fine. Los Angeles to Chicago and a bus home, where she could pick up her life. She’d been living a dream, but that’s all it was. Reality was her friend. And she knew how to live in it.
* * *
Lacy had to get the girls back home. She phoned Kippy and made arrangements for Kew and Ting to get back to their schooling when they returned. They set the date less than a week away.
Kippy let Lacy know that she had organized a system of share-teaching so that her girls could be homeschooled. Dumping them at an English school and expecting them to survive just wouldn’t suffice. The girls could catch up once they returned but Kippy felt the trip was more important than school right now.
Lacy let the girls know they would soon be leaving. Kew scowled and didn’t want to leave, and, oddly enough Ting didn’t either.
Lacy didn’t know much about booking flights. She used the computer mostly for recipes and letters. So she called Allison and woke her up, forgetting the three hour difference.
“Oh sorry, Al. I didn’t even think about the time change. You were sleeping in weren’t you?”
“Yes … it’s 6 a.m. on Saturday, Lace. But don’t worry. When are you coming back?”
Lacy heard her sister’s yawn. “I was thinking if you could get us a flight tomorrow or the next day.”
“What? Just like that? It would have been a little cheaper if you’d at least given me a week’s notice.”
“Okay, just do the best you can. The sooner the better.”
“What’s the hurry Lace? Something up out there?”
&nb
sp; Lacy paused before opening her mouth. Her sister knew too much.
“Nothing I can’t handle. Girls need to get back to school.” She said firmly.
“Okay. Let me see what I can do. I’ll give you a price to leave tomorrow, but planes are probably already full by now and the cost to leave in a few days, maybe even a week from now, will likely be less. “
“Thanks Al. It’s beautiful here, but you know I miss my bed and my garden.”
“Yeah, I know.” Allison said and was gone.
Lacy hung up and felt the urge to be busy. She entered the huge chrome kitchen and did what she did best. Cooked. She made potato salad, baked chocolate chip cookies and a batch of popcorn. Comfort food. She ate the popcorn for lunch, made sandwiches for the girls, and decided to bake a whole chicken for tomorrow. Potato salad, a can of baked beans and burgers on the grill would be supper. Everyone would be fed and it spent some of the day keeping her mind busy. But early afternoon, pleased with dinner plans, she was hunting up something to read when Kew came in and wanted to go to the beach.
“Sure, Kew. I was just looking for something to read.”
“Come. Mr. Thad has a ton of books.” She motioned her to follow.
“Is it a library?”
“Yes. A whole wall of books.”
Lacy followed her to the lower level into a room and said, “Oh, this is his bedroom. I don’t think we should be nosing around in here.” She turned to leave, running smack into Thad.
“We…uh Kew, I mean … I was looking for a book. Kew said you had a library, but I thought she meant a regular library…you know…not your…your bedroom.”
He looked awfully smug standing there, his tanned arms crossed over his chest.
“So what are you doing here now anyway? I thought you had a lot of stuff to do?” She felt her already sun burnt face heat up.
“I do. Can’t a man come home to change his clothes every now and again?”
“Of course. Come on, Kew.” Lacy motioned for her to follow.
Thad changed quickly and walked in on Lacy eating chocolate chip cookies in the kitchen.
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