by Deanna Chase
Noel pressed her lips together and gave Abby a sympathetic smile. “Maybe it’s time to listen?”
Abby shrugged. “What do I have to lose?”
“That fifty-pound bag of guilt you carry with you?” Noel said, her eyes gleaming as she teased her. “Your jeans would probably fit better if you unloaded some of it.”
“Hey, now! My jeans fit just fine, thank you very much.”
“If you say so.” Noel grinned, eyeing Abby’s waistline.
Abby rolled her eyes and moved to the door. “Stop. And let’s go in so I can find some breakfast before I bare my soul to some stranger.”
“And coffee. Lots and lots of coffee. It only eight, and it’s already been a day.”
“You can say that again.” Abby held the door open for her sister, and as Noel moved past her, Abby said, “Thanks for what you did here.”
Noel cast her a sideways glance. “You mean letting you blubber all over my sweater?”
“No, for cleaning the place up and making sure it was ready for me.”
The amused expression on Noel’s face vanished and was replaced with sincerity when she said, “I’ve always believed in you, Abby. And I do now. You loved this place from the day Dad built it for you. And even if you never make another potion in here ever again, that’s okay, but you deserve to have your space back. I just wanted it to be here for you when you were ready.”
Abby tilted her head to the side as she studied her sister. “Did you just say something nice to me?”
“No. Maybe you need to get your ears cleaned.” Then she winked and tugged Abby out of her work shed and into the house.
Chapter 20
Clay stood in front of the mirror in his bedroom, attempting to manipulate the blue silk tie he’d decided he needed to wear. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen fit to dress up in a suit. It had probably been in L.A. for some event Val had coerced him into attending. He wasn’t exactly the tie type of guy, and after the third attempt to get the knot straight, he tugged the thing off and threw it into the chair in the corner of his room.
“You look better without it anyway,” his mother said from his doorway.
He glanced over at her and smiled his appreciation. She’d offered to watch Olive while he took Abby out. “Hey. When did you get here?”
“Just a few minutes ago. Olive is packing a bag.”
Clay frowned. “She doesn’t need to stay over. I can pick her up after Abby and I have dinner.”
His mother waved an impatient hand. “Forget it. Go out. Have fun. Olive and I are having a sleepover.”
Clay nodded, distracted as he glanced at the clock. He was picking Abby up in thirty minutes, and time seemed to be alternating between standing still and going warp speed. Right then, it was standing still.
“That way you can have a sleepover of your own if you like,” his mother said with a laugh.
“What?” Clay jerked his head in his mother’s direction. “That’s not…” He shook his head. “Abby and I are just getting to know each other again. Sleepovers aren’t in the cards.”
“Sure, Clay,” she said with a chuckle as she floated down the hall toward Olive’s room.
Clay grumbled, grabbed his phone and wallet off his dresser, and shoved them into his pockets. Was she trying to ruin his night? The last thing he wanted to be doing was talking about his love life, or lack of one, with his mother.
Abby’s beautiful face filled Clay’s mind, and all thoughts of his mother vanished. That kiss they’d shared the day before was burned in his brain, and he hadn’t been able to stop thinking about her. There was nothing he wanted more than to spend a little alone time with her and see where things headed.
But then as always, the nagging doubts plagued his mind. Would she stay in Keating Hollow this time? Could he afford to let her back into his heart and, more importantly, Olive’s? He couldn’t let this thing go too far until he knew for sure what her plans were for his and Olive’s sake. It was something they’d need to talk about sooner rather than later. He knew that. But he couldn’t stop himself from spending time with her. He didn’t even want to. There was some sort of magnetic pull between them that wouldn’t let him keep his distance—at least for tonight.
Clay walked down the hall to his daughter’s bedroom and stood in the open door, leaning against the frame. “Are you packing your entire bedroom?” he asked with a chuckle.
Olive finished packing what looked to be her entire stuffed animal collection into a duffle bag. She glanced up and grinned at her father. “No. But I can’t leave my stuffed animals here. They’ve already spent too many nights alone while I was with Mom.”
He pursed his lips and took on a wounded expression. “What? I don’t count? I was here with them.”
She eyed him suspiciously. “Did you let them sleep in the bed with you?”
“Well, no.”
“Did you come in here and tuck them in?”
“Um, no, but they were already in your bed. I figured—”
“Then, no.” Olive shook her head definitively. “You being here doesn’t count. They’re lonely.”
Clay stifled a chuckle and nodded solemnly. “I can see that. You’re a good stuffed-animal mama.”
She grabbed her favorite stuffed dog off her bed and clutched it with both arms as she snuggled her cheek against its sweet face. “Thanks, Daddy.”
He moved into the room and crouched in front of her. “You be good for Grandma tonight, okay? I’ll see you first thing in the morning for chocolate chip pancakes.”
Olive let out a squeal of delight as his mother snorted her bemusement behind him. So what if he was feeling a tiny bit guilty about shipping his daughter off for the night so that he could go out on a date? It wasn’t like he dated all the time… or ever since the divorce.
Olive wrapped her arms around Clay’s neck, giving him a hug. Then she kissed him on the cheek. “I love you, Daddy.”
Clay’s heart melted, and he held tighter to his little girl. “I love you, too, little bug.”
Just as he let her go, the doorbell buzzed.
“Expecting someone?” his mother asked hopefully.
“Nope. Only you. I’m picking Abby up at her house.”
“Oh.” She didn’t even try to hide her disappointment.
Clay rolled his eyes and strode through his one-story craftsman to open the wide, wooden front door.
“Hello, Clay.” Val stood on his porch, holding an envelope.
He stepped outside and closed the door behind him, trying to protect Olive from whatever she was trying to pull this time. “What are you doing here, Val?”
She handed him the envelope. “I’m here for my daughter.”
“The hell you are.” His fist closed and the paper crumpled in his hand. “Olive isn’t going anywhere. She’s just getting resettled and has school.”
Val glanced down at the envelope. “The judge thinks differently.”
White-hot anger coiled in Clay’s chest as he glared at her. “What are you talking about?”
“I got a temporary injunction. Olive is coming to live with me until the custody hearing.”
She was bluffing. She had to be. He narrowed his eyes at her then ripped the envelope open. Inside, there was a court order stating that Valerie Garrison had temporary sole custody of Olive Garrison. Clay stared at the paper, disbelief rendering him frozen. Then he lifted his gaze and scowled at her smug expression.
“Olive is coming with me.” She reached for the door knob, but Clay moved, blocking her.
“How did this happen?” He waved the paper at her. “I wasn’t notified of any emergency hearing.”
“My lawyer suggested it since you won’t let me see my daughter when I want to. He thought you might be a flight risk since I’m taking you to court. The judge agreed since you moved her here without my consent when we split. This way, we can make sure you don’t disappear with Olive again.” Her cat-that-ate-the-canary grin made Clay want t
o throttle her.
“You left us,” Clay said through clenched teeth.
She waved an unconcerned hand. “I was out of the country for a job, Clay. I didn’t snatch Olive and move away without telling you.”
“You were gone for six months, and you never called us after the first week.” Clay’s face was so hot he was certain his head was going to explode.
“You knew where I was.” She shrugged. “I had to hire a private detective to find you once I got back to L.A.”
He stared at her like she’d grown three heads. What in the world was she talking about? Was she so deluded that she’d convinced herself of this insane narrative? “Valerie,” he said, striving for patience he didn’t possess, “I called and left a message on your phone. You never called us back. My cell number didn’t even change. You could’ve found us at any time with minimal effort.”
“It doesn’t change the fact that you moved my daughter without my consent, Clay. Now she’s coming to live with me for the time being.”
“No!” Olive screamed from inside the house. “No! I won’t go. You can’t make me.”
Clay turned and spotted her standing at the open front window. How long had she been standing there? And how much had she heard?
“Olive, sweetheart,” Val said, pushing past Clay and opening the door.
Clay had to force himself not to physically remove Val from his property. Any altercation between them would only make matters worse. Instead, he pulled out his phone and called Lorna.
“Clay?” she answered on the second ring. “What’s wrong?”
He wasn’t surprised she was alarmed by his call. He wouldn’t be calling after hours if there wasn’t a problem. “Val just showed up with a temporary custody order. She somehow convinced a judge I might take off with Olive.”
She sucked in a sharp breath. “You’re sure it’s a real order?”
Clay’s entire body tensed. He hadn’t even considered she might’ve lied. “It looks like it to me, but I’m not a lawyer.”
“I’m on my way. Do not let her take Olive until I get there.”
“I don’t want to let her take her at all,” Clay said.
“I know. But don’t do anything right this minute. I’m already out the door.”
“Okay. Thanks.” Clay ended the call and strode back into his house.
Olive was clutching his mother’s waist, shaking her head no while Val towered over her, ordering her to grab her suitcase.
“Val, can’t you give her a minute?” his mother said. “You just sprung this on her. She needs some time to adjust.”
“She doesn’t need to adjust to anything. I’m her mother. Now go on, Olive. We have a plane to catch. Either get your stuff or we’re going without it, and you’ll have to wear the same clothes all week.”
“Valerie!” Clay stalked over to her. “Do not threaten my daughter.”
She rolled her eyes. “I’m not threatening her. There are consequences to actions, Clay.”
Clay couldn’t recall a time when he’d ever hated anyone before. But right then, he felt the hatred for his ex-wife burn through him. “So you’re going to punish an eight-year-old by making her wear dirty clothes? What’s wrong with you?”
“She has clothes at my house, Clay! I was just trying to make a point.” Valerie turned around and held her hand out to Olive. “Come on, sweet girl. Let’s go have some mother-daughter time. Just you and me. What do you say?”
Olive lifted her gaze from the floor and regarded her mother with interest that wasn’t there before. “Just us?” she asked tentatively, as if the offer was too good to be true. Sadly, Clay feared his daughter was correct in her assumption.
“Sure, baby. We’ll go get our hair and nails done, then when we’re all dolled-up, we’ll be the two prettiest ladies at the auditions I have lined up for us.”
The hope in Olive’s gaze vanished, and she buried her head back in Marina’s stomach. “I’d rather stay here,” she mumbled.
“Well, you can’t, Olive. It’s time to grow up. You’re not a baby anymore, so grab your bag and let’s go.”
“Not yet,” Clay said, stepping between them. “My lawyer is on her way. You’re not taking Olive anywhere until she inspects the order.”
“I have the right to do whatever I want, Clay,” she said.
“You can wait fifteen minutes.” He crossed his arms over his chest and glowered at her.
“Fine.” She stomped over to his overstuffed arm chair and perched on the edge of the seat as she glanced over at him. “Make your daughter go get her suitcase.”
“I’m not making her do anything.” Clay felt Olive’s gaze on him, but he didn’t glance at her. If he did, he thought he just might break. The thought of Valerie taking her back to L.A. made his stomach turn. He knew she hated it there, and he hated it when she was away. His only hope was if the court order was a fake. Too bad he didn’t believe for a second Valerie would show up with forged documents. She was sneaky, not stupid.
“I’m not going,” Olive said, her voice strong and sure as she clutched her grandmother. “I’m going to Grandma’s tonight.”
Valerie raised one eyebrow and scanned Clay from head to toe, apparently taking in his appearance for the first time since she’d arrived on his doorstep that evening. “And where were you going looking so handsome? Hot date?”
Cringing, he glanced at the clock. He was due to pick Abby up in less than ten minutes. There was no way he was going to make it that evening, but he’d be damned if he’d let Valerie have the satisfaction of knowing anything about his personal life. He’d have to wait until this was settled to call and cancel the date.
Clay moved to stand next to Val. He placed a hand on the arm of the chair and in a low tone asked, “Why are you doing this?”
“She’s my daughter, too, Clay. Did you ever stop to think I just want to spend time with her?”
A snarky reply was on the tip of his tongue, but he held it back. Fighting with her in front of Olive wasn’t something he wanted to do. Olive was already resistant enough. She didn’t need to see them at each other’s throats, too. “We’ll just see what Lorna says.”
“Who’s Lorna?” She dragged out Lorna’s name, turning it into some strange innuendo. Hadn’t she listened to him at all? He supposed not. She never had before, so why would she start now.
Clay gave her a flat stare. “My lawyer.” Then he walked over to Olive and held an arm out. “Come here, bug.”
Olive released his mother and buried her face into his stomach as she held on with everything she had. His heart shattered right there in his living room. And he knew there was no way he was letting her walk out of his house that night without him.
Chapter 21
Abby glanced at the clock and then her phone for what had to be the tenth time. No messages. Clay was over an hour late. As the minutes ticked by, she alternated between being annoyed at being stood up and worrying about what might have happened. There couldn’t have been an emergency at the brewery. Someone would’ve called the house. That meant either Clay was blowing her off or something had happened to keep him from calling her.
He wasn’t the type to blow her off. She was certain he’d at least call. The worry she’d been holding at bay got the best of her, and she grabbed her phone and sent him a test.
Hey. Just checking to see if everything’s okay.
No response.
Abby put her phone down and went out into the living room to check on her dad.
“Look at you,” he said, smiling. “Clay isn’t gonna know what hit him.” Lin Townsend was sitting in a recliner, his feet up, holding a steaming mug of what she guessed was hot cocoa, judging by the large dollop of whipped cream floating on top. Good, she thought. He could use the calories after the last few days.
Abby shrugged. “If he shows up. He was supposed to be here an hour ago.”
Her father frowned. “It’s not like Clay to be late. Has he called?”
A
bby shook her head and flopped down onto the couch. “Looks like you’ll have to be his stand-in.”
Lin raised his mug. “A night of John Wayne and hot cocoa never hurt anyone.”
Despite her growing disappointment, Abby couldn’t help but laugh. She’d been spot-on when she’d said her evening would be spent watching another John Wayne movie. “Sounds good to me.”
Her dad reached over and squeezed her hand. “I’m sure he has a good reason.”
Abby nodded, trying to stifle the worry coiling in her gut. She didn’t know what was going on, but she knew it couldn’t be good if Clay hadn’t even called.
Her phone buzzed, and Abby jumped up to grab it.
Wanda’s name flashed on the screen. Disappointment slammed into her, but she forced herself to sound cheerful as she answered the phone. “What’s up?”
“Abby, are you okay?” The concern in Wanda’s voice was palpable.
“Sure. Why wouldn’t I be?”
“Oh, because um… Didn’t Clay call to cancel?”
“No. As a matter of fact he didn’t.” Abby tapped her fingernails on the counter, suddenly angry that Wanda had details she didn’t. “Spit it out, Wanda. What do you know?”
“Crap. I thought he must’ve called you. Dang it, Clay,” she muttered.
“Wanda,” Abby said with a sigh.
“Sorry, Abs. I was just headed home when I passed Clay’s house and saw him and Olive hauling out luggage to a rental car Val was standing next to. Then all three of them got in and drove away.”
Abby felt like she’d just been sucker-punched in the gut. “They left together? In the same car?”
“Yeah. I’m so sorry, babe. I um… well, I couldn’t resist so I followed them down Main Street, and they were definitely leaving town together.”
“You’re kidding me?” Abby blurted. “But why?”
“That’s a good question. And to be honest, I figured you’d be the one to have the answer. Are you okay?”
“No,” she said automatically. Why in the world would Clay be going anywhere with Val? He’d made it sound like there was no love lost between them, hadn’t he? “I don’t know. I guess I’m fine. It was just a date.”
