The Deadbeat Next Door

by Katharine Sadler

  “Your father’s life insurance was for you kids,” she said. “So that you wouldn’t be stuck cleaning up any messes in his businesses, so you’d be able to walk away from the family business if you wanted. I’ve already given your brothers and sisters their shares. There’d be plenty of money there for you to get this winery up and running.”

  “I told you before, Mom. I don’t want his money. I know he wouldn’t want me to have that money for a winery he never believed in.”

  She placed a hand over mine. “You’re trying to live to your father’s standard, Cody, when maybe that’s not who you are.”

  “You’re saying I don’t have what it takes to make this business work?” It hurt to hear, but I wasn’t surprised. I knew what my family thought of me, even my mother.

  “Not at all,” she said. “I’m saying you have an enormous heart. Noah and Jill were grown when our circumstances changed, and Jared and May were just kids. I’ve always felt the change hurt you and Jenna the most.”

  “Why would you say that?”

  “Because you knew your father before, when you kids were his whole world and he made time for you every single day. And you knew him after when the drive for success and more money became his central focus and he spent less and less time with you kids. I felt you were always trying to prove something to him, to make him proud, to make him see you again the way he once had. We had some knock-down drag out fights about the way he stopped making time for you kids, but your father was a determined man. You have to know, Cody, you must know that he was proud of the man you are. He’d be proud of the choice you’re making today. He’d want you to have that money.”

  I wasn’t going to listen to her lie to try to make me feel better. “Mom, he died because of me. He died because I screwed up and ruined his chance at peace, at retirement.”

  Mom paled and her gentle smile vanished. “Is that what you’ve believed all this time?”

  “How could I not? He was furious at me. I ruined everything.”

  She sighed. “I wish you’d have talked to me, Cody. Your father didn’t really want that property, I was the one pushing for us to buy it, for him to retire.”

  “Why?”

  “Because his doctor told him he needed to slow down, Cody. The stress of his lifestyle and his poor eating habits were taking a toll on his health. I begged him to listen to the doctor, but to him a life of rest was no life at all.”

  “And then I threw even more stress on the pyre for him,” I said. “I pushed him over the edge.”

  My mother groaned, a smile tickling her lips. “You are so hardheaded. Why are all my children so hardheaded?”

  I just gave her a look, eyebrows high. My mother was the most stubborn person I knew. She was a sort of inversion of my father. When he wanted something, he went after it with everything he had and didn’t stop until he got it. My mother loved fiercely and, when she got what she wanted, she never, ever let go.

  “I have no idea what you are trying to say with your eyebrows,” she said with a sniff. “What I’m saying is that your father was only angry at you for about twenty-four hours and then he was relieved. He had an excuse not to slow down, not to take it easy, to keep running at full steam. It was his own pig-headedness that caused his death.” She pursed her lips. “I think he was probably past the point of no return long before I started wearing him down. I don’t blame anyone for his death, not even him.”

  “I’m sorry,” I said. “I’m sorry you lost your husband and I’m sorry you didn’t get to have your retirement and your horse farm.”

  She smiled. “I’m hoping you can help me with that, actually.”

  “Of course. Whatever you need.” I wasn’t sure what I had to offer, but I was willing to do everything I could to try.

  “I was so sure you’d say that that I’ve put my house on the market. I want to move in here. I’ve been setting aside money of my own to start a horse farm.” She looked around at the room we were in. “But I think renovating and running a bed and breakfast for a while might be a fun project for me.”

  I was speechless for several long moments as my mother just smiled. “What about Atlanta? What about Jonas?”

  She shrugged. “I’ve never loved living in the city as much as I loved that little house in the woods you grew up in, Cody. As for Jonas…I put my dreams second to help your father build his business and I won’t do that again. Not for anyone. If Jonas is serious about a relationship with me, he’ll make the effort.”

  “But a bed and breakfast isn’t your dream. You’d be putting your dream second to mine.”

  Her smile widened. “I don’t see why we can’t have a few horses here. All I’ve wanted was a few horses I could ride and the opportunity to give lessons, to have kids around me. I miss having a house full of kids. I could do that here.”

  “At a winery?” I asked. “Not exactly a family oriented destination.”

  She shrugged. “I’ll give lessons to local kids and take winery guests on trail rides. The important thing is I get to be here with you and still get my dream. It might not look exactly the way I’d always imagined, it might be even better.”

  I didn’t have to think long and hard about my mother’s offer. Though I wanted to make my winery a destination to increase overall revenue, my real passion was making wine. Having someone as capable and hard-working as my mother to take over the bed and breakfast portion of my business was more than I could have ever hoped for. I hesitated for only a moment, wishing I had the money to offer so she wouldn’t have to use hers to make the business work, but I pushed that worry aside. What mattered was Carrie and the kids. I could accept help for them. “I couldn’t dream of anyone else I’d rather have run this bed and breakfast.”

  She grinned. “Thank you, Cody. Of course, I do expect to be given full reign over all design and remodeling decisions.”

  “I am planning to live in this house,” I said. “I think I should have some say.”

  “Every room in this house will be a guest room. You’ll have to deal with decor you don’t love for at least a little while.”

  A shriek outside distracted her attention outside, where May was welcoming Jared and Jenna to our house of crazy. When she turned back to me, tears glistened in her eyes. “I loved your father, but I think the biggest mistake he ever made was throwing himself into building his business. He believed he was gaining wealth to give you kids better lives, that he was making the family name mean something, but I never stopped missing the man he’d been when we’d had so little. The business became his new wife, his new family, and I don’t think he ever for one moment regretted that. He never looked back. Making money and garnering praise for his business acumen made him…I don’t think happy is the right word, but it made him feel like the person he’d always wanted to be. It made him feel powerful and strong. I don’t think he ever understood that the best thing he could do for you kids was give you his time and attention.”

  “He was a good father,” I said. But I knew what she meant. I remembered my bewilderment as a kid when my father stopped being around, stopped showing up for my basketball games and school award ceremonies. I’d felt like I was no longer anything special to him, and I guess I had thought I could earn his respect and attention by succeeding in his industry or exceeding him in another industry. Except now he was gone.

  “He honestly wanted the best for you kids,” she said. “And he’d want you to have the money he worked so hard for. Please take it. I’m so very, very proud of you and I want you to have every happiness.”

  What was it about being around my mother that always made me feel like a kid again? Twenty-eight years old and her being proud of me meant more than all the money in the world. “How about you invest the money in my business. I can’t promise a good return, but I’d feel better about that than just taking the money.”

  “Done. Now, why don’t you show me around this place?”

  The house was enormous and it was a mess. I showed he
r the downstairs, the outdated kitchen, the library full of old musty books, the den with a collection of animal heads nailed to the walls. Upstairs, there were seven bedrooms, including the master, all in varying states of disrepair. As far as I could tell, Bart had been sleeping in the den with the animal heads. The third floor had a large bonus room and three other rooms that were currently being used for storage.

  “Hey, man,” Winston said, giving my mother a once-over that made me want to punch him. “That your sister?”

  “Winston. This is my mother. Please keep your eyes and your hands to yourself.”

  Winston glared at me like I’d criticized his rather corpulent figure and turned back to what he was doing. Jersey walked over and offered Mom his hand. “Hi, Mrs. Reynolds. I’m Jersey.”

  “Very nice to meet you,” Mom said, not at all put out by the strange look of the guys. “Where’s the rest of your crew?”

  “This is it,” Jersey said. “I should get back to work, quitting time is in an hour.

  My mother gave me a wide-eyed look and hurried back down to the first floor. I followed with a growing sense of doom. “Cody, this is outrageous. How could you possibly…?” She shook her head. “I need to make some phone calls.”

  “Mom, don’t you want to do a bit more research, spend some time in the town, make sure this is what you want?”

  She glared at me, all fierceness. “Do not take that tone with me, young man. I am not going to allow…Just no. I am a grown woman and I’ve made my decision. You can do whatever you want to the land and the winery, but this house is mine.”

  She stormed into the kitchen, phone tight in her grip, and I smiled. It was good to have her there.

  ***

  Noah handed me a beer and I took a seat next to him on the bench under the giant Oak tree in the backyard. “Do you know what you’re doing, man?” he asked.

  “I’m going after the woman of my dreams. It might seem crazy to you, but it feels right to me.”

  Noah nodded. He looked tired and worn out. He was the strong one of the family, the kid who’d never complained, just did what was asked of him and came back for more. I couldn’t remember seeing him look so defeated and morose before. “How about you? Still got that stalker?”

  “Probably,” he said with a shrug. “Aubrey’s leaving me.”

  “I’m sorry, man. I didn’t realize you two were together.”

  He turned to me, a bewildered look on his face. “No. She’s leaving as my assistant. She’s found another job. A better job, she says.”

  I felt sorry for my brother. I also understood what my mother had been trying to tell me inside. Becoming too focused on any one goal made you miss out on some great stuff. “Noah,” I said. “You’re a fucking idiot.”

  His bewildered look got a little hard-edged, like he was pissed. “Everyone keeps saying that, but they won’t tell me what the hell they mean.”

  He was my brother and, though I was loyal to Aubrey, he was my fucking brother. “She’s a gorgeous woman, Noah, and she’s always there when you need her. She’s stood by you through some pretty heinous shit. She moved in with you when you had a crazy stalker. Some men would kill for a woman like that and you, man, you don’t even fucking see her.”

  His eyebrows went high and his lips curled like he wanted to laugh at me, like he thought I was joking. I shook my head in disgust and he must have realized I was serious, because his smile dropped. “I see her,” he said. “She’s my best friend.”

  “And that, brother, is why everyone keeps telling you you’re a fucking idiot.”

  He still looked confused. He just didn’t get it. He rubbed a hand down his face and shook his head. “Shit. This isn’t good.”

  I slapped his shoulder. “Most guys, the non-idiot kinds would say this is very good.”

  Noah shook his head. “I’m going to lose an amazing assistant. How is that good in your world?”

  I leaned in close, wondering how he could be so dense. “Because you don’t have to lose her. She could become more to you than just a friend.”

  Noah frowned. “No. She’s my best friend. We can’t…“ He looked at me, his expression lost and a bit desperate. “When we were at Mom’s—”

  “Hey, guys,” May said, walking over to join us. “What’s the serious discussion about?”

  “Aubrey’s found a new job,” I said. “She’s leaving Noah.”

  “Ah. And poor little Noah doesn’t have a clue why, does he?”

  “Not a clue,” I said. I wasn’t worried. Noah was my big brother, the rock that never crumbled or swayed even under the beating of hurricane-force winds. He’d figure this out and he’d be fine. Everyone except him could see how great he and Aubrey would be together, maybe her leaving was just the push he needed to see it, too.

  “Should I enlighten him?” May asked, her voice going giddy. She loved drama like a hog loved slop. “Explain to dear Noah what he’s been missing?”

  “Noah is sitting right here,” he said, teeth gritted. “I’m glad you two find my life so amusing, but it is my life and none of your fucking business.”

  He got up and stalked off. May sat down in his seat, unflustered by his angry tone. “He’s a little testy. Did he miss his nap today?”

  I smiled at my little sister. When she wasn’t complaining about being in the middle of nowhere, she’d been a huge help and a cheerful one. She’d been just the cheerleader I needed and she’d had some great ideas about how I could win Carrie back. I owed her a lot.

  “I don’t think he’s had a nap in decades.”

  She smirked. “Or relaxed. Or had any fun. That’s why you’re my favorite brother.”

  I rolled my eyes. “I just heard you tell Jared on the phone yesterday that he’s your favorite brother.”

  Her smile widened. “Well, today you’re my favorite. Because you’re putting yourself out there, being brave and vulnerable and willing to change your whole life.”

  “I’m not changing my whole life. Maybe just slowing it down a bit.”

  “Exactly. I’m going to check in with Mary Ellen and see if she needs help with anything.”

  I watched her go and kicked up my feet, certain that everything was about to come together exactly as it should.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  Carrie

  I rolled up the drive to Bart’s house and tried to calm my frayed nerves. Why had Cody invited us to dinner? And what was he doing here at Bart’s if Bart hadn’t sold him the property? A quiet hope flared inside me, but I tamped it down and reminded myself that it wouldn’t do any good to get my hopes up.

  There were cars parked all along the driveway and any hope I’d had that Cody had changed his mind, that he might want to date me for real this time with no ulterior motive, fizzled and died. I got out of the car, wrapping my sweater tight around myself. It was a chilly April evening and I couldn’t help wishing I was home, tucked on the couch with the kids, watching a movie. Kayla wrapped an arm around my waist. “It’ll be great,” she whispered. “Just wait.”

  “What? Do you know what’s going on?”

  “Carrie!” May burst out of the house and raced across the lawn to me. “You’re finally here.” She threw her arms around me in an enthusiastic hug.

  She released me only to grab my hand. “Come on,” she said. “We don’t have much time, let’s get you inside.”

  “Wait. What about my parents and the kids?”

  “I’ll visit with them,” Cody’s mother said, stepping up next to me and laying a hand on my arm. “You just go on with May.”

  May dragged me into the house and up the stairs to a small room with water stains on the walls. Dilly stood in the center of the room, a frown on her perfectly made-up face and a dress bag in her right hand. “May,” I said. “What is going on?”

  “It’s just a party,” May said. “And we’ve gotten you the best party dress.”

  I pulled my hand free from hers and stared at her in silence. She was up to someth
ing and I had a bad, bad feeling I wasn’t going to like it.

  “It’s not a party,” Dilly said. “It’s your wedding.”

  “Dilly!” May said on a gasp. “You weren’t supposed to tell her.”

  I spun to face Dilly. “It’s my what?” This couldn’t be real, it had to be some sort of nightmare where my most cherished wish and dream was twisted to a horrible mockery of what it should have been. Just like my fake engagement.

  Dilly’s frown deepened. “He really does care for you, Carrie. As ridiculous as this is, and believe me I’ve told him it’s ridiculous many times, he thought this would prove to you that he’s serious, that he’s fully committed.”

  “Right.” I spun back to May. “Or he’s run out of ideas for getting the property from Bart and this is his last-ditch effort. Nice of him to invite all of you to gang up on me.”

  “Carrie, wait,” May said. But I was already past her and running as fast as I could. It had been a tough week and now Cody, who clearly didn’t think he’d hurt me enough, was going to make sure my heart was well and truly shattered. I raced back out to the front of the house, but the kids and my parents were already gone. Since I hadn’t seen or heard them in the house, I figured they must be out back. I raced around the house and was greeted with the most beautiful scene I’d ever beheld.

  Fairy lights were strung on and between the numerous trees in the backyard and a white gazebo sat in the center covered in flowers. There were small white tables, also adorned with flowers, and Cody’s family, my parents, Harrison and Frankie were seated at the tables. Norma Jane and Betty even sat together at one table, though they were glaring at each other.

  Cody, in a suit and tie that fitted him like it had been made for him, stood in the center of the gazebo with a woman in priest’s robes. Cody turned his head and looked at me as though he’d sensed my presence, and his smile took my breath away. This was perfect. It was better than anything I’d ever imagined. He was better than anyone I’d ever imagined. And it was all a sham. None of it was real. He’d never been mine and he never would be, not really. The realization cut through me like I’d been hit with an atomic bomb and I couldn’t stop the sob that escaped me. Cody’s smile fell and then he was out of the gazebo and running toward me. I wanted to run from him, but I couldn’t. I couldn’t leave my parents and the kids.