Grave Seasons (A Maddie Graves Mystery Book 8)

by Lily Harper Hart

  “That’s not true,” Maddie protested, although her voice lacked conviction.

  Nick softened his expression when he shifted back to Maddie. “Is that true? Are you trying to make me fat and happy?”

  Maddie didn’t like his tone. It was almost as if he was condescending to her … which he never did. “I’m trying to cook dinner,” she said. “I just want it to be a good meal. Is that too much to ask?”

  Nick held up his hands in mock surrender. “No, Mad. It’s not too much to ask. I love turkey. I love you. All is right with the world.”

  “Great.” Maddie’s tone was clipped, which make Nick uneasy. “Can you three get the rest of the groceries out of the car?”

  “Sure.” Nick answered automatically while Maude looked less than pleased with the suggestion.

  “I’m old and tired so I’m going to rest instead,” Maude said. “Make sure all that liquor is delivered to my digs when he’s done, though, Maddie. Your meltdowns are going to cause everyone who ventures close to this house to need a drink.”

  Maddie’s gaze was murderous when it landed on her grandmother. “How far do you want to push me, Granny?”

  Instead of being abashed, Maude was amused. “I haven’t decided yet. I’ll let you know when I get there.”

  “Don’t worry about her, Mad,” Nick said. “I’ll get the groceries.”

  “I’ll help,” Christy said, eagerly following Nick toward the door as Maddie focused on putting away her haul. She waited until they were outside to unload. “Holy crapoli! Can you believe her?”

  Nick felt dishonest giving into to tedious girlfriend complaints, but he needed to take the weight off of his shoulders, too. “What is her deal?”

  “She’s manic.”

  “I noticed that,” Nick said. “I don’t understand why.”

  “That’s because you’re a man,” Christy said, patting Nick’s arm as they trudged toward Maddie’s car. “Men and women both get territorial and worked up about things. You get worked up about Maddie’s safety all of the time.”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s different.”

  “To you,” Christy said. “To Maddie it’s not. This is her version of keeping you safe and happy. This is the cooking Olympics for women who like that type of stuff – which I don’t, for the record.”

  Nick smirked. “I guess that means John is going to starve if you two stay together, huh?”

  Christy shrugged. “I’m excellent with a phone and a takeout menu,” she said. “Plus, Maddie is crazy about cooking so I can always rely on her to feed us.”

  “Yeah, I’m starting to worry that Maddie is just plain crazy,” Nick said. “She worked on her shopping list for more than an hour last night. I … she’s different.” He looked so troubled Christy’s heart went out to him.

  “She’s not different, Nick,” Christy said. “She’s … overwhelmed.”

  “Then why did she take on this stupid cooking thing?” Nick challenged. “If she’s overwhelmed we can just give the task back to my mother. She hasn’t said anything, but I think her nose is out of joint because Maddie stole it.”

  “Yeah, well Maddie didn’t realize she stole it until we were in the store today and she didn’t take it well when she found out,” Christy said. “She’s worried your mother hates her.”

  Nick rolled his eyes so hard Christy worried he would fall over. “My mother will never hate Maddie. I think she loves her more than me. That’s ridiculous.”

  “You know how Maddie gets,” Christy said. “She’s so much more sure of herself now than she was even a few months ago. This is a big test for her.”

  “Because she wants me to be happy with turkey?” Nick was confused. “I don’t understand women.”

  “She wants you to see her as being a good provider,” Christy clarified. “She wants you to look at her and see everything you’ve ever wanted.”

  “I looked at her that way long before this.”

  “I know that and you know that. Maddie can’t always see it, though.”

  “I don’t know what to do,” Nick admitted. “I want to support her but … she’s acting a little nuts.”

  “That’s why Maude bought out the liquor section,” Christy said, pointing toward the trunk of Maddie’s car. “Drink away your sorrows.”

  Nick didn’t want to smile, but he couldn’t help himself. “I’m not ruling anything out.”

  “DO YOU think I should add cranberries to the stuffing or not?”

  Maddie sat in the window seat next to Nick an hour later, a food magazine open on her lap as Nick read a book. Nick slid his eyes in her direction as he considered how best to handle this situation.

  He loved her. He’d always loved her. Even when he thought she didn’t return his feelings and moved down state to get away from him he still loved her. They’d traversed a rocky road for almost a decade. Since getting together, though, it had been mostly smooth sailing. Sure, they’d had a few ups and downs – all couples do – but they’d been practically blissful since declaring their love for one another.

  Cooking Thanksgiving dinner wasn’t enough to derail the relationship. Maddie’s fixation on making it the perfect meal was enough to cause them to fight at some point, though. Nick thought it would almost be a relief when it finally happened. He wouldn’t allow it to happen today, though. He had other plans for today.

  “I’m not really a big fan of cranberries.” In truth, Nick didn’t care either way about cranberries. He sensed it would cause Maddie more work if he declared he liked them, though, so he decided to head the problem off before it got ahead of him.

  “You don’t?” Maddie racked her brain for a memory of Nick eating cranberries and came up empty. “I didn’t know that. What other foods don’t you like?”

  Nick shrugged. “I like most everything,” he replied. “It’s not that I hate cranberries. I just don’t like them.”

  “Well, that makes things easier,” Maddie said, pressing her tongue to the back of her teeth as she returned her attention to the magazine. “What about mushrooms? I was going to make stuffed mushrooms as an appetizer.”

  “I love mushrooms,” Nick said, refusing to lie. “I really wish you wouldn’t go overboard with this, though. Can’t we just have turkey, potatoes, corn, and stuffing? That’s plenty.”

  “No.”

  Her answer was so succinct Nick didn’t think he heard it correctly. “No?”

  “I want to do this right, Nicky,” Maddie said. “I know you don’t understand it – and that’s okay. That doesn’t change the fact that I have specific plans for this meal.”

  “To fatten me up?” Nick’s eyes twinkled and Maddie playfully smacked his arm.

  “I happen to love your body the way it is,” Maddie said. “I still want this to be a great meal. This is our first Thanksgiving together. It’s important.”

  “Mad, this isn’t our first Thanksgiving together,” Nick corrected. “This is our … like fifteenth, I think … Thanksgiving together.”

  “This is the first one where we’re a couple.” Maddie was stubborn. Nick had to give her that.

  “And no matter what we’re going to have another fifty after this,” Nick said, capturing Maddie’s hand and bringing it to his chest as he shifted on the window seat. He tugged her to him, slipping his arm around her back as they got comfortable. Olivia built the window seat specifically for them years before. They spent years in it, reading and playing for hours on end. Nick had every intention of spending the rest of his life in it – exactly as they were now. “This is not a make-or-break holiday, Maddie. This is the first of many Thanksgivings, just like last month we had the first of many Halloweens.

  “We’re a couple now, and I couldn’t be happier about that,” he continued. “That doesn’t mean that everything is different or that you have to conform to some image in your head of the perfect woman. You’re already the perfect woman for me.”

  Maddie blew out a sigh as she nestled her head on his shoulder
, the soothing beat of his heart lulling her. “I just want you to be happy.”

  “Oh, Mad, all you have to do to ensure that is be in my life,” Nick said, petting the back of her head. “I know you want this to be the perfect holiday, and I’m not going to get in your way because I value my life, but it doesn’t matter how dinner goes. I’m still going to love you just as much as I do now even if the turkey burns and the stuffing has cranberries in it.”

  Maddie giggled and he pulled her as close as possible. “I know you think I’m being silly, but it’s not just for you. This is my first Thanksgiving meal to cook on my own. My mother always cooked before and … .”

  Realization dawned on Nick. “You want to make her proud.” Since Olivia Graves’ spirit still popped in from time to time, Nick finally understood Maddie’s mania. “She’s going to be proud of you no matter what, love. It’s okay, though. I’ll do whatever you want to help.”

  “I don’t need help. Just don’t get in my way and pick a fight when it’s completely unnecessary.”

  Nick snorted as he tickled her, grabbing the cooking magazine and throwing it on the floor as he pressed his lips to hers. “I would never get in your way. I’m offended.”

  “I wasn’t done reading that,” Maddie protested.

  “Oh, you’re done,” Nick said, rolling so they were both on their sides facing each other. “I’m off work for the rest of the week, Mad. Do you know what that means?”

  “That you have a dirty mind and want to go upstairs?”

  “Later,” Nick said. “That means I get to take a nap every day in my favorite spot. I need my favorite girl to do that.”

  “I still have planning to do.”

  “The planning will be there when you wake up, Mad,” Nick said. “I think you might even enjoy it more if you take a nap and unwind.”

  “You just want me to shut my mouth.”

  Nick kissed her again, not removing his lips until she was breathless and gasping. “If I want you to shut your mouth, I’ll do that,” he whispered, his voice low and seductive. “Right now all I want to do is hold you and rest.”

  “Okay.” Maddie was resigned. “You have to answer cooking questions for an hour when we wake up, though.”

  “Done.”

  “You also have to kiss me again.”

  “Double done.” This time Nick’s smooch was soft, the couple already giving in to relaxation. “I love you, Mad. Now rest that busy brain of yours for one hour and I’ll help you all that I can.”

  He expected Maddie to put up one more token argument, but her eyes were already closed as she drifted off. Her lips moved, and Nick was positive she mouthed “I love you” back to him. It didn’t matter, though. They had forever to say the words – and feel the emotions associated with them. They were already living their happily ever after … even if she didn’t realize it yet.

  3

  Three

  Nick woke with a start, something drawing him out of a pleasant dream. He’d been wading in the lake behind the house with Maddie, looking for a turtle to catch as she searched for Petoskey stones. He preferred seasons where he could get outside in nature and Michigan winters could be brutal. The end of November temperatures – which hovered in the high thirties – would be considered downright balmy by the time February hit. Spring seemed a long way off when you were looking down the barrel of the snow belt.

  Nick cradled Maddie close, enjoying the soft sighs she made as he pressed a kiss to her forehead and tried to decide what woke him. The house was silent, whatever Maude was doing to fill her hours being of the quiet nature for a change. Nick let his eyes drift to the front of the house, taking a moment to study the street before moving closer. It was only then he noticed the man standing about ten feet away from the window staring inside.

  Nick was so surprised he almost called out, but the idea of frightening Maddie held zero appeal so he held his surprise in check. The man met his gaze, his expression unreadable. Finally he lifted his hand and waved.

  Nick had no idea what to do. There was a stranger standing on the front walk staring into the house and Maddie was sound asleep. The stranger – who looked to be in his fifties and relatively congenial – didn’t look thrilled with the scenario from his end. It took Nick a moment to realize his heart was pounding, and that was what ultimately woke Maddie.

  “What’s going on?” She was instantly alert.

  “There’s someone outside.” Nick adopted a pleasant and calm tone even though he worried Maddie might freak out. “He was watching us sleep.”

  Maddie rolled to her other side, letting her gaze fall on the man. She made a sound Nick couldn’t identify – it almost sounded as if she was crying – and then she pushed him so he had no choice but to climb off of the window seat and give her room to maneuver.

  “What are doing, Mad?”

  “We have to let him inside.” Maddie didn’t appear happy or sad. She seemed resigned. “It’s cold out.”

  “Who is that, Mad?”

  Maddie didn’t answer, instead smoothing down her hair as she tugged on her shirt to straighten it. She headed for the door – Nick close on her heels – and the man was already on the front porch when she reached for the handle.

  “Love, who is that?” Nick grabbed Maddie’s wrist to still her. He had a feeling something terrible was about to happen, but he had no idea why he felt that way.

  “It’s Dwight Kincaid,” Maddie replied, plastering a bright smile on her face that made it nowhere near close to her eyes. “I’m guessing he needs help.”

  It took Nick a moment to realize who she was referring to and when he did he briefly pressed his eyes shut. He released her hand and took a step back, wanting to be there for her should she need him but not smother her with good intentions when she was trying so hard to grow. This was her thing, not his. He had a tendency to swoop in and protect her, whether she wanted that protection or not. He refused to do that this time.

  Maddie’s smile was tight when she opened the door and the man who greeted her matched the expression as they locked gazes. “Detective Kincaid.”

  “Ms. Graves.”

  The stilted greeting surprised Nick. He was given to believe that Maddie looked at Kincaid as something of a father figure more than anything else. These two appeared to be strangers – or even enemies. To his utter surprise, Maddie’s grim smile slipped and was replaced with a real one as she burst into tears and embraced the man. Dwight tried to remain strong given the onslaught of emotion but failed and returned the hug.

  Nick rubbed his forehead as he watched their greeting, feeling as if he was invading their privacy even though this was his home, too. Maddie finally broke the hug and wiped the tears from her cheeks.

  “I can’t believe you actually came up here.”

  Dwight patted the top of her head, naked emotion flitting across his face. He was happy to see her, but there was something else hiding beneath the surface. “I wish it was under different circumstances.”

  Maddie sighed. “You need me to find someone, don’t you?”

  Dwight nodded.

  Nick finally spoke. “Wait a second … .”

  Maddie held up her hand to silence him. “Come inside and I’ll make some tea. We’ll talk in the kitchen.”

  “Thank you.” Maddie moved to turn, but Dwight snagged her hand to still her. “You have no idea how happy I am to see you.”

  “HERE. I have the lemon zinger tea you like and here is the sugar.” Maddie pushed a mug in front of Kincaid before settling between him and Nick at the kitchen table. “You can turn your tea into flavored sugar water like you prefer.”

  Dwight offered Maddie a wan smile, his eyes busy as they watched Nick’s arm move protectively around her back. “Thank you. This is quite the place you have here. You described it to me down in the city, but … I had no idea it was this cool.”

  “We’ve done a little bit of work, although very little on the first floor,” Maddie said. “My grandmother
lives here and she was having trouble getting up the stairs so we turned the garage into an apartment for her.”

  “Yes, and now she parties every weekend while we’re in bed by ten,” Nick supplied. “It’s a little embarrassing.”

  Dwight managed a half-hearted smile and cleared his throat. “You must be Detective Winters. I believe we’ve talked on the phone.”

  “Omigod!” Maddie’s hand flew to her mouth. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t introduce you. I have no idea where my manners are.”

  “It’s okay, Mad,” Nick said, chuckling as he rubbed her back. “Detective Kincaid and I have talked a few times on the phone. We’re grown men. We don’t need you to introduce us.”

  “Still, it was unbelievably rude,” Maddie said, shaking her head. “Dwight, this is Nick. Nicky, this is Dwight.”

  Nick used his free hand to exchange pleasantries with Dwight before turning his attention to his tea. He knew things were about to get serious, but he wanted to let Maddie guide the conversation at her own pace.

  “What have you been doing with yourself?” Dwight asked. “Whatever it is, it looks good on you. I haven’t seen you this shiny in … well … forever.”

  Maddie’s cheeks flushed with color as she darted a look at Nick. “Oh, um, I run my mother’s old shop and Nick is a detective here in town. We don’t do a lot other than hang out together, try to keep my grandmother out of trouble, and solve the occasional case.”

  “Right,” Dwight intoned. “Case. Have you been using your special … intuition?” Nick knew Dwight was aware of Maddie’s special abilities, but he didn’t appear comfortable talking about it. Nick couldn’t decide if that was because Dwight was genuinely upset or he was worried Maddie would be.

  “I have,” Maddie confirmed, nodding. “Nick doesn’t like it when I get in over my head, but that’s only happened a few times.”

  “Yes, just a few,” Nick muttered. “Try seven in five months.”

  “Did you say something?” Maddie asked primly.