“Get out of here.” She shooed him away and he ran backward a couple of steps before pushing the door open and leaving the house. Tiana turned back to the toaster and took out another slice of toast and smeared butter on it before sitting down at the table under the watchful eye of her mom.
“So?” Her mom’s voice was both expectant and excited. Ever since Quentin left her for Nicky, her mom had been hoping Tiana would settle down with a new man. To tell her about Mason would be cruel, especially since Tiana didn’t know how she felt about a relationship.
“Only me!” Haley opened the kitchen door and came in, her expression mirroring Philippa’s. “So, how did it go?”
Haley went to the coffee pot and poured herself a cup of coffee, while Tiana choked on her toast and her mom’s eyes widened as she sensed gossip. “How did what go?” her mom asked.
“Tiana didn’t tell you about her hot date?” Haley asked in shock as she sat down at the table and sipped her coffee.
“Don’t you have children to take to school?” Tiana asked her friend.
“They’ve gone with Shelley next door. She owed me a favor and I wanted to come around here and check on you.” She placed her mug of coffee carefully down on the table. “So?”
“I had a good time.” Tiana’s eyes flicked across to her mom. “Haley set me up on a blind date.”
It was Philippa’s turn to nearly choke on her breakfast. “You went on a blind date?” Growing up, her parents had always been super protective. Old-fashioned, they didn’t believe in blind dates.
“I did.” Tiana got up from the table and fetched the coffee, refilling everyone’s cup while her mom digested this information.
“And you let her?” Philippa turned her attention on Haley.
“Don’t worry,” Haley began, meeting Philippa’s intense gaze straight on. “Mason is one of the good guys. You know how much I love T, I would not set her up with anyone who was not five-star husband material.”
“I’m not looking for a husband,” Tiana told her mom and Haley.
“But a husband might be looking for you,” Philippa said sagely.
“And you did enjoy your date.” Haley assessed Tiana. “And you agreed to see him again.”
“Did Mason tell you that?” Tiana asked sharply. She wasn’t interested in going out with a man who talked about her behind her back.
“Don’t get defensive,” Haley told her gently. “And no, he did not tell me. I could tell from the look on your face.”
“She is mooning like a teenager.” Philippa nudged Haley and chuckled. “That’s how Rhett described her after she nearly wore a hole in a piece of toast from spreading the butter on it for too long.”
“That’s why you’re a waitress and not a kitchen hand,” Haley cackled with laughter. Tiana sipped her coffee and ignored them both. “So?”
“He’s a nice guy. I like him. But he is a little intense.” Tiana’s jaw tightened. “I just don’t want to get it so monumentally wrong again.”
Philippa reached her hand out to Tiana. “Quentin was not wrong. You have an amazing child together.”
“Then what was he?” Tiana asked.
“A phase,” Haley said helpfully. “Now it’s time for you to move on to a new phase.”
“Don’t be scared,” her mom told her.
“I’m not scared,” Tiana lied. “And what happened to your disapproval at Haley setting me up on a blind date? Without me knowing?”
Philippa looked askance at Haley. “I didn’t know you were so devious.”
“If I’d asked her, she’d have said no. And this really is the right thing for her.” Haley and Philippa murmured in agreement.
“I am sitting right here,” Tiana said bluntly. “I can hear you talking about me.”
“That’s the point, dear,” Philippa said. “Now, what are you going to do about seeing this nice man again?”
Tiana’s shoulders slumped forward. “I don’t know.” She got up and went to the sink. “When do I have time to date?” Philippa fell silent. “I didn’t mean it like that, Mom.”
“I know.” Philippa smiled sadly. Tiana left the water to run hot and went to hug her mom.
“You know I don’t mind,” Tiana said soothingly.
“That doesn’t make it any less true. Between my hospital appointments, Rhett’s exams and your visiting your father, I don’t know how you manage to find time to work, let alone date.”
“Don’t forget to add that no good ex-husband of yours into the mix,” Haley said scathingly. “Come to think of it, how is Quentin? Couldn’t he pick up some of the slack?”
“I’d rather not ask him for anything,” Tiana said. She’d depended on Quentin once and he’d let her down. She couldn’t bear the thought of asking him to help her out.
“Well, you should. It will do him good, stop him from moping around the place like a wet dishcloth.” Philippa set her face firm. “Why you ever let him back into your life, and your home, after he…”
“Let’s not go there,” Tiana told them both. “It’s a decision I made, and it’s done. Rhett likes having his dad around.”
“And what’s this new man of yours going to say about that?” Philippa asked.
Tiana went back to the sink and started washing the breakfast dishes. “He’s not my new man. In fact, I think once he knows what he’s getting himself into, he’ll run a mile.”
“And if he doesn’t?” Haley asked as she drained her coffee cup.
“We’ll see.” Tiana washed a cup and placed it on the drainer, while Haley grabbed the dish towel and began drying up.
“If he doesn’t run a mile, I’d say he was a keeper,” Haley said. “Don’t you, Phil?” Tiana winced as Haley shortened her mom’s name. However, Haley was the only one who got away with calling her mom Phil. It was testament to how much respect and love the whole family had for Tiana’s best friend.
“I’ll say. And once we have Tiana off the shelf, it’s your turn,” Philippa announced.
“Oh, not me. Once bitten, twice shy,” Haley replied firmly.
“Never say never, Haley. I might find a blind date for you.” Tiana grinned as Haley rolled her eyes. Then Tiana plunged her hands in the soapy water and washed the rest of the dishes, with her head telling her she was a fool to take a chance and her heart telling her she was a fool not to.
“He’d have to be deaf, dumb and blind to want to take me on,” Haley stated. “At least Rhett is grown up. I, on the other hand, have the unenviable task of getting two girls through puberty and beyond. I don’t envy any man who gets caught up in the middle of that.”
“They’ll be fine. They have an amazing role model,” Tiana was serious in her praise of her friend, but Haley wasn’t great at accepting it.
“You’re not the only one who got it wrong when it came to first husbands. I failed them big time.” Haley dried the rest of the cups. “Right, I should go. I have a shift at the store before I pick the girls up. Are you sure it’s okay for them to come over tonight? Rhett doesn’t mind babysitting?”
“No, bring them over. And mom’s here if Rhett’s out. That’s okay, isn’t it, Mom?” Tiana asked her mom who was wiping down the table and setting everything straight.
“Sure. I like the company.” She smiled but it didn’t reach her eyes. “I’ll go get ready.”
Tiana looked at her watch. “We have an hour to get to the hospital.”
“It’ll be okay.” Haley hugged Tiana and then stood back, assessing her friend. “You know he is just what you need. You deserve something of your own. Someone of your own.”
“I’d be happy to have everyone happy and healthy.” She looked toward the door where her mom had left the kitchen.
“How is your dad?” Haley asked. “Any improvement?”
Tiana shook her head. “They just say it’ll take time. But breaking the news to him that we have to sell their home was hard.”
Haley placed her hand on Tiana’s arm and squeezed it. “They
can’t manage there. Once it’s sold and they’re both back on their feet, they can buy one of those nice apartments near the hospital in Bear Bluff. The views are incredible.”
Tiana nodded. “Always look on the bright side.”
“It’s the only side.” Haley shrugged. “I want an update on what your plans are regarding Mason. Don’t let him slip away.”
“I won’t.” She walked Haley out. “Maybe he’ll be a keeper.”
“Yeah, I want one of those loyal types.”
“The ones with teeth and claws?” Tiana arched her eyebrow. “Don’t you ever wonder what it would be like to be with a man like that? To be the only one for them, ever.”
Haley blew the air out of her cheeks. “I still think that whole thing is made up just to make women like us want men like that.”
Tiana nodded and hugged herself as Haley walked away. “See you later.”
Going back into the house, Tiana quickly got herself ready for the day ahead. Their first stop was the hospital, where Philippa had an appointment with the nurse who needed to perform a barrage of tests to figure out why she was anemic.
Tiana and Philippa spent a couple of hours walking from one department to another until they were both sick of the hospital, even if the doctors and nurses were kind and helpful.
“That wasn’t so bad, was it?” Tiana asked as they walked back to the car.
“Not really, although if anyone else pokes, prods, or sticks another needle in me, I think I’ll scream.” She got into the passenger seat and buckled up her seatbelt.
“Let’s go and see Dad.” Tiana left the parking lot and drove toward the inpatient rehabilitation facility where her dad, Norman, was recovering from a stroke. He’d partially lost the use of his right side, but with intense physical therapy, he was slowly learning to walk and talk again.
“I thought I’d push your dad around the gardens today,” Philippa said. “He loves the flowers.” She sighed wistfully. “The roses will be in full bloom in the garden. I wish I’d picked some for him. It might be the last time we get to smell them.”
“Listen, Mom, why don’t you go in to see Dad and I’ll go up to the house and pick some for you? We can leave some here in a vase and take some home.” Tiana kissed her mom’s cheek and gave her a hug. “It’ll be nice for you two to spend some time alone without me cramping your styles anyway.”
“Would you?” Philippa looked happier already. “Maybe you could pick some raspberries, too. They’re your dad’s favorite.”
“I’ll bring the whole garden back if it helps,” Tiana said as she took a step back from her mom and looked down at her. “We will get through this.”
“I know.” Philippa didn’t sound convinced, but she put a smile on her face and watched Tiana leave before turning back toward the inpatient rehabilitation facility. As Tiana slipped into the driver’s seat, she saw her mom take a deep breath and roll her shoulders back, before she entered the building where her husband of nearly sixty years lay prisoner to his own body.
Backing the car up, Tiana turned toward the exit, glad to have some time alone to think. After the conversation this morning with her mom and Haley, she’d been trying to put her life in perspective. Only then would she see how Mason would fit into her life.
However, when she went over the list of things she had to take care of, it was impossible to see where she could squeeze out any more time. And relationships, especially new relationships, did take time. Time and patience, which she often found in short supply.
Haley idea of asking Quentin to shoulder more of the load was the most attractive idea. But it would mean letting him back into her life more than she liked. Plus, she didn’t want to put too much pressure on him, since he was a fragile soul still getting over the death of his true love.
Turning toward her parents’ house, Tiana drove up the narrow lane, not expecting anyone to be there. However, just her luck, instead of the hour or so she’d planned to spend alone, she’d managed to arrive exactly when the realtor was showing someone around.
“Great.” Tiana fixed a smile on her face, determined to hide her emotions.
But that became impossible when she saw the realtor’s client. Mason Tennant. What the hell was he doing here?
The only thing stopping her from going up to him and tearing into him for stalking her and her parents was the look on his face. He was as shocked as Tiana.
Chapter Six – Mason
“Tiana?” Mason asked as he strode toward Tiana, leaving the realtor looking flustered. “What are you doing here?”
“Mr. Tennant, this is the sellers’ daughter, Ms. Walton.” The realtor scurried forward, his confusion evident.
“This is your parents’ house?” Mason asked, pointing to the large brick house that hugged the side of the rolling hills that bordered this side of the mountain.
“It is.” She looked past him, looking at the once lovingly tended garden, which had been left to grow wild. The grass was two or three inches long but hadn’t yet breached the flower borders, which were well stocked with colorful, fragrant blooms.
“It’s a beautiful house,” Mason complimented. He’d been skimming through the local newspaper over breakfast this morning and the house had caught his attention. No matter where he traveled, he always paid attention to the property market. Only this house pulled at his heart rather than his head. Situated in a quiet, secluded spot on the lower slopes of the mountain, it had enough room to raise a family, and allow his bear easy access to the mountain.
“It is. The garden is my dad’s pride and joy, while the kitchen is my mom’s domain. They’ve been very happy here.” Her jaw tightened, and she swallowed, forcing down the tears that threatened.
“Would you show me around?” Mason asked gently. This was his chance to get to know Tiana better, to understand something about her life. He was going to grab ahold of it with both hands and hang on tight.
“Mr. Tennant, I can show you everything you need,” the realtor said. Did he think he was about to be cheated out of a sale? Mason wanted to bat him away like an irritating bug.
“Do you have a key?” Mason asked, ignoring the realtor.
“I do.” Tiana lifted the key from her keychain and held it up for Mason to see.
“Then, do you mind?” Mason smiled warmly, and she smiled and nodded. She didn’t mind at all.
After she left the hotel last night, Mason had feared he might have imagined the attraction between them. But watching her here, in the light of day, Mason sensed her feelings were real. Even if not as strong as his.
“Not at all. I’ve come to collect the mail and pick some roses and raspberries. I have time to show you around as well.” She smiled at the realtor as if to reassure him and a jolt of jealousy hit him. “I’m sure if Mr. Tennant has any further questions, he can direct them to your office.”
“Thank you, Michael.” Mason shook the realtor’s hand dismissively and then put his arm protectively around Tiana’s shoulder, and guided her toward the front door.
“Call me if you need anything else,” Michael said, looking perplexed.
Mason waved as the realtor walked to his car. “I will.”
Tiana’s hand shook as she inserted the key in the lock. One glance over her shoulder told her Michael was leaving and she was now all alone in the middle of nowhere with a man she hardly knew.
“Kitchen first? I could do with a coffee, although there’s no milk.” She bustled into the kitchen and opened cupboards, making a fresh pot of coffee while he stood looking at the kitchen with a buyer’s eye.
It needed updating if he intended to renovate the house and sell it. But if he planned to live here himself, he could appreciate the charm and warmth of the lived-in kitchen.
“How long have your parents lived here?” he asked, running his hand over the countertop.
“Over ten years, since they moved to the area to be close to me and Rhett.” Tiana offered him a cup of coffee.
“Smells
good.” He inhaled the dark bitter scent. “Rhett, that’s an interesting name. Are you a fan of Gone with the Wind?”
“No, but Quentin was. He liked the idea of our son being a young firebrand who knew what he wanted out of life.” She nursed her coffee in both hands and took a sip.
“And is he?” Mason asked. Did Tiana’s son inherit his father’s recklessness? For that’s how Mason saw a man like Quentin. Reckless with his wife’s heart and his child’s future.
She chuckled. “No, Rhett is the most laid-back kid you could ever meet. But I liked the name. It couldn’t be shortened. Even by Haley.”
Mason nodded in agreement. “She used to call me Ten at college, since she couldn’t shorten Mason in an appropriate way.”
“May or Son. Yeah, neither of those work. I’m T. Pretty obvious really. She calls my mom Phil. I don’t recommend you do the same.” Tiana’s eyes danced with merriment.
“Does that mean I get to meet your mom?” Mason asked.
Smooth, his bear commended him.
“Perhaps, if you buy their house.” Tiana sighed, all humor gone. “I wish I could see a way for them to keep it, but it’s too big. My dad needs a downstairs bedroom. So the upstairs would be completely wasted.”
“What’s wrong with your dad, if you don’t mind me asking?” Mason crossed the kitchen to lean against the counter beside her.
Tiana looked up at the ceiling, her eyes glistening with tears. Only when she was back in control of her emotions did she speak. “He had a stroke. He’s lost the use of his right side. It’s coming back, slowly, but he’ll never be the same. Which is why they made the decision to sell the house. They can get a place nearer the hospital with no stairs.”
“But they don’t want to?” Mason asked, his mind working over all the scenarios that would make the house work for Tiana’s parents.
“No. The garden is my dad’s favorite place in the whole world. He worked hard all his life to provide for his family. Dad worked an office job all his life. When they moved here, he retired. Dad finally had time to enjoy the outdoors and put to use all the knowledge he’d accumulated from gardening magazines.”
Blind Date Bear Page 4
