Facial Recognition

by Jennifer Peel

  “What!”

  “Don’t get in a tizzy, honey. I’m riled up enough about it for the two of us. Unfortunately, I have an order that has to go out tomorrow and I’m behind. Is there any way you could come over and sit with Tom? I need to pick up some supplies at the grocery store.”

  “Of course. I’m in Fort Worth now, but I’ll head straight there.”

  “I don’t want to interrupt any of your plans. I can try your daddy.”

  “Don’t worry about it. I’m on my way.” I was so fired up about Brooks’s failure to appear that I needed to leave. I knew I wouldn’t be the best company after that news. What was wrong with him?

  I tried to calm my agitation, and as soon as Julian returned from cleaning our paintbrushes, I said, “I’m so sorry, but I need to cut the evening short.”

  “Is everything all right?”

  I debated about what to say. Dating Julian was tricky since our lives were tangled up in odd ways. Such as the fact that I hated his sister and I was beginning to despise the man she was dating. He better have a dang good excuse for not showing up. My anger over the situation won out.

  “That was Miss June calling. This was supposed to be Brooks’s night to help with Tom, and he was a no-show.”

  Julian rubbed the back of his neck. “He must have forgotten. I believe he’s with Morgan at a charity event for a dog shelter.”

  Brooks was definitely in the doghouse with me. I ripped off my smock. “Well, his momma needed him tonight,” I fumed.

  Julian cleared his throat. “I could call him or Morgan,” he offered.

  “Don’t bother. I’m going to head over there as soon as you drop me off at the spa.” I carefully took my painting off the easel.

  “Gracie,” Julian’s tender tone had me stopping in my tracks.

  I gave Julian my attention.

  “Is there something going on between you and Brooks?”

  I swallowed my heart down. “No,” I stammered. “Why would you ask that?”

  “Darlin’, you’re way too emotional for there not to be some feelings toward him.”

  I didn’t have time to debate with Julian, nor did I want to on this subject. “The only feelings I have for him right now are disappointment. He’s better than his actions.” Though I was beginning to wonder if he was.

  Julian shifted his feet. “Aren’t we all.”

  I tilted my head. “I suppose so, at times.”

  Julian gave me a strained smile. “Gracie, don’t be too hard on him. My sister can be quite persuasive.”

  “Believe me, I know,” I scoffed. Boy, did I know.

  Chapter Nineteen

  I walked up the Hamiltons’ porch steps as I called Brooks. He was getting a piece of my mind. All the way home I had mulled over calling him, and I’d finally decided that if I didn’t, I would stew about it all night.

  After the third ring, he answered. “I know what you’re going to say,” he said with no other greeting.

  “I don’t think you do,” I snapped. “Do you know how lucky you are that your daddy survived? Do you know what I would have given to have my momma live another day, to get her miracle?”

  “Your relationship with your mother was much different than mine and my father’s,” he defended himself.

  “That’s been your choice.” I was getting angrier at him by the second.

  “Grace,” he sighed. “It’s complicated. I’m sorry if I let you down in some way, but I had told Morgan a while back I would go to this charity event with her—”

  “Let me stop you there.” I leaned against the porch rail and gripped my phone like a vise. “I really don’t care what you promised Morgan. Any girlfriend worth having would have understood you not attending her precious event so you could help take care of your daddy. You do realize your daddy’s chances of surviving this next year aren’t good, right? You heard the doctor,” I cried.

  He let out a heavy breath. “I made a commitment to Morgan. I’ll make it up to my mother.” He sounded a bit remorseful.

  “You just don’t get it, do you? You may never get the chance to. Why in the world are you letting Morgan run your life?” I’d had it with that woman, and I wasn’t keeping my mouth shut any longer.

  “She doesn’t,” he growled.

  “Are you blind? She tells you what to eat, which car you should drive, how to spend your time. I mean, you can’t even enjoy your favorite candy because she told you not to. And if you think you love going to TED Talks, charity events, and seeing dead people all the time, you’re lying to yourself. You’d rather be watching baseball and eating a steak. And you know it.”

  He paused for a moment. “She has my best interests at heart.” Not even he sounded like he quite believed it.

  “I don’t think so. She has her own agenda, just like she always has. She’s selfish and so are you. All your momma needed was a few hours of your time. And all your daddy wants is a chance to make it right with you. But you’re so busy pretending to be something you’re not that you’ve forgotten who you are. I just hope you figure it out before it’s too late. Goodbye.” I didn’t give him the chance to say anything before I hung up. Before he could hear the tears in my voice and the longing for the boy who’d brought me cookies and sneaked into my room.

  I took several deep breaths of the warm night air, trying to get my emotions under control before I headed into the house. On one hand, I felt better for getting those things off my chest. On the other hand, I felt awful because my old best friend was a jerk. And to top it off, I was upset because I had missed out on what was likely going to be a serious make-out session, judging by the goodbye kiss Julian had given me when he’d dropped me off at my car. Holy crow. He had used his lean, muscular body to push me up against my car while he trailed kisses up my neck before capturing my lips like he would his last breath. I’ll admit to gasping when he parted my lips, and his tongue gently swept the inside of my mouth. I knew he would be able to kiss well, and he didn’t disappoint. Except for how short it was.

  I needed to quit thinking about men. They were ridiculously confusing. Even Julian was acting mysteriously with all his strange comments about how different I was from what he’d expected. He was different too. In a good way. In ways that had me thinking perhaps I would ask him to come to the reunion with me. First though, Tom. One of my favorite men ever.

  I turned and knocked on the door. Miss June opened it in no time, inviting me in. She greeted me with a hug. “Oh, darlin’, you are a lifesaver. I would have pushed off the order, but it’s from my largest account. Besides, I think Tom needs you after my worthless son didn’t show his face. That boy and I will be having some words.”

  “I just had some with him.”

  She leaned away from me with a satisfied smile. “That’s my girl. You have a better chance than anyone to get through his thick head.”

  “I doubt it. But I said my piece.”

  She tapped my nose. “You’re disappointed.”

  I nodded. “That’s life.”

  “It can be, darlin’, but don’t give up hope yet. How was your date?”

  “Good.”

  She gave me a sad smile. “You make sure that Julian Bronson treats you well, or he’ll have to come talk to me.”

  “We’re not serious about each other.”

  She seemed relieved.

  “I better head to Tom’s room.”

  She lifted my chin with her finger. “Chin up, honey. You’ll figure it all out.”

  I hoped so.

  “I’m going to run to the store. Thanks a million.”

  “See you later.” I shuffled off to the den, where Tom was staying since his bedroom was on the second floor and he couldn’t go up the stairs without major assistance. The stubborn fool had fallen twice trying to walk without help from either his walker or one of us.

  I knocked on the french doors before walking in to find Tom propped up in the full-size bed we had moved in, watching The Nanny. “Good episode,”
I commented.

  Tom flashed me a disgruntled look. “I don’t need you to b . . . babysit me.”

  “Darn it. And here Miss June promised me five dollars an hour. Now I won’t have enough money to buy that new CD I’ve been saving up for.”

  Tom chuckled. “It’s good to . . . see . . . you, Gracie girl.” He stumbled on some of his words.

  I walked over and kissed his head. “It’s good to see you. It looks like you got a haircut today and shaved.” He smelled good, too, like Old Spice. It mixed nicely with the smell of all the old books that filled the built-in shelves lining two of the walls.

  His ears pinked. “June c . . . cut my hair and . . . she helped . . . me shave.”

  “Ooh. That sounds romantic. Spill the beans.” I sat in the chair next to the bed and took his hand, which was still riddled with colorful bruises from all the IV lines.

  Tom squeezed my hand the best he could. He didn’t have a lot of strength yet. “I’m w . . . working on her,” he stuttered.

  “Oh really. What’s your master plan?”

  He thought carefully. I wasn’t sure if it was because he couldn’t think of the words or if he wasn’t sure what his plan was. “I’m g . . . going to marry her,” he finally got out with some force.

  “Wow. That’s quite the plan. Are we thinking summer or fall wedding? I look really good in peach and coral, so summertime would work well for me. Though I can rock some gold and even some warmer reds, so fall could work too,” I teased him.

  He patted my hand. “G . . . Gracie girl, you m . . . make this old man smile.”

  “I’m glad. But you didn’t answer my question. I need to start shopping.”

  “We’re t . . . taking it slow,” he admitted.

  “So she’s on board with your plan?”

  He gave me an impish grin. “She let me k . . . k . . . kiss her last night.”

  “That’s a start.”

  “She told me, though, that I need to get my fat b . . . butt in shape.”

  I laughed. “That sounds like Miss June. I guess you better work extra hard during physical therapy so we can start doing Zumba together.”

  “I’m not g . . . going to shake my b . . . butt like you girls do.”

  “That’s probably a good call. How about we’ll start with walking around the neighborhood?”

  He nodded, but tears pooled in his eyes.

  “What’s wrong?”

  With some effort, he pulled my hand up and kissed it. “You’ve been like a d . . . daughter to me,” he stammered. “You never g . . . gave up on me.”

  “Of course not.” He had me choking up. “I love you.”

  “I l . . . l . . . love you,” his voice cracked. Once he’d composed himself, he asked, “D . . . do you think Br . . . Brooks will ever forgive me?”

  I tossed my head from side to side. “Honestly, Tom, I don’t know. I think Brooks lives in his own world right now.”

  “I just want my family b . . . back,” he cried.

  “I know. I want that for you too.”

  “What d . . . do I do?”

  I thought for a moment. “You know, Miss June gave me some good advice about men. She said I needed to let them come to me. I think that’s what you have to let Brooks do. You’ve done all you could over the years to keep the door open and beg him to walk through it. Now it’s his turn to knock and turn the knob.”

  Tears trickled down Tom’s clean-shaven, weathered face. “I miss him, G . . . Gracie girl.”

  “I miss him too.” Now more than ever, since I wasn’t sure the real Brooks would ever come back again.

  Chapter Twenty

  I carefully walked down the stairs in my sparkly, strappy heels that went perfectly with my halter-neckline dress. The knee-length dress had a tight sheath underlayer with a translucent teal overlay that subtly glittered in the light. Julian was taking me to Manresa’s, an overpriced fancy restaurant outside of Dallas. I’d told him that wasn’t really my style, but he’d insisted I would love the food and atmosphere.

  Daddy stopped in his tracks as he came out of the living room and grabbed his heart. “Wow. Honey.”

  I met him at the bottom of the stairs. “Do I look okay?”

  “You, my love, are the spitting image of your mother. She always took my breath away.”

  My eyes got misty. I missed Momma so much. “Thanks, Daddy.”

  “Are you sure you want to go out looking so beautiful?” Daddy teased.

  “Don’t worry, I think I’m destined to be a spinster and live in this house forever. But just so you know, as soon as you kick the bucket, I’m repainting the robin’s-egg–blue kitchen and your pink room.” I winked.

  Daddy chuckled. “The house is and will be yours to do with as you please. Though I have a feeling you won’t be living here forever,” he sighed.

  I wrapped my arms around him. “If I ever do leave, I won’t go far.”

  He gave me a good squeeze. “Don’t let me hold you back.”

  “You’ve only ever lifted me up. I blame you for my high expectations.”

  He kissed my head. “You’re a good girl. Make sure you choose someone who deserves you.”

  I nodded, hoping I would have some choices someday. Then the doorbell rang. “I guess that’s my cue. Good night, Daddy.”

  “I’ll wait up.”

  He had no idea how much that always meant. “Love you,” I called before I opened the door to find Julian rocking a black suit and tie. Holy crow was he dashing. My jaw literally dropped. Move over, Dr. Noah Drake, there was a new doctor in town. Ye-ow. Now, if he could sing “Jessie’s Girl,” I would elope with him tomorrow.

  Julian seemed just as stunned with me as his eyes roved over and over me. “Gracie,” he said breathlessly. “You are a vision.”

  “I was thinking the same thing about you.”

  Julian pulled me to him and held me tight.

  I snuggled against him. He smelled amazing, like a spice cabinet.

  He took in several deep breaths and let them out slowly, clinging to me.

  “Are you okay?”

  “It’s been a rough day, but you’re making it better already.”

  I leaned away just enough to look into his beautiful eyes. “What happened?”

  He closed his eyes. “I had to deliver a stillborn baby today. It’s not the first time, but it never gets easier.”

  I rested my hand on his warm cheek. “I’m so sorry. Do you want to come in and talk? We can go out another night.”

  He leaned into my hand and opened his eyes. “A night out with you is just what the doctor ordered.”

  “Are you sure? I feel awful.”

  He pressed a gentle kiss to my lips. “Don’t. I’m sure.”

  “Let me grab my purse and we can go.” I fluttered back into the house, grabbed the silver purse that went well with my ensemble, and headed out the door with Julian.

  The car ride was a pretty silent affair. I could tell Julian was lost in his thoughts as he held my hand and deftly weaved in and out of the ridiculous Monday night traffic. I couldn’t imagine having a job that dealt with life and death. The most joyous occasions and probably some of the most heart wrenching. I wished I knew what to say or do to make it better.

  When we arrived at the restaurant and before the valet was to us, Julian turned to me. “Would you mind driving home tonight?”

  “Um . . . no.”

  “Great. I have a feeling it will be at least a two-glasses-of-wine night.”

  Before I could respond, the valet was to us. I wasn’t sure how to feel about this turn of events. I wasn’t against people drinking—occasionally I partook—but I wondered if he regularly used alcohol to cope. I, at least, appreciated him not wanting to drive intoxicated, and maybe he would only drink a couple of glasses, which was no big deal.

  Julian held me close as we walked into the opulent restaurant that dripped extravagance. The ceiling was covered in live flowering vines, and the chairs were made
of a deep burgundy velvet. Each table was lit by candlelight, and even though it was summertime, a large fireplace lowly burned in the center of the restaurant. I was completely blown away. Never had I been in a more romantic setting.

  “Right this way, Dr. Bronson and Ms. Cartwright.” The maître d’, dressed to the nines in a tux, led us to our table. I felt out of place, like Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman. You know, except I wasn’t a paid escort. The place screamed top one percenters. I felt like I had a big sticker on my head that advertised I didn’t have a college degree and I drove a domestic car.

  We were barely seated before Julian ordered a bottle of wine. I was still trying to give him the benefit of the doubt. He smiled at me so sweetly from across the table, and it reminded me of how wonderful he had always treated me each time we had gone out. I had no reason to suspect tonight would be any different.

  “This place is gorgeous.”

  “It pales in comparison to you.”

  “Have I mentioned how much I like you?”

  “Please don’t forget that.”

  He made the oddest comments sometimes. “What do you—”

  “Julian,” the most grating voice in Texas interrupted me. “What a coincidence. I didn’t know you would be here.” The wicked witch landed at our table with her flying monkey, a.k.a. Brooks.

  Holy crow, I’d thought Julian rocked a suit and tie, but he had nothing on the broody Brooks, dressed to kill in his charcoal tailored suit. I wanted to kick myself for being so drawn to him. It was the tousled hair, I kept telling myself. I had a thing for it. And him, let’s be honest. Unfortunately, I couldn’t forget the boy who lived inside the man. Too bad Morgan looked like a goddess in her red evening gown that showed off all her curves and highlighted that voluptuous chest of hers.

  I looked at Julian to gauge his reaction, and while his pinched features said he was miffed, he didn’t look all that surprised.

  “How are you, Grace?” Brooks grabbed my attention.

  My name on his tongue warmed me in ways it shouldn’t. Especially since I didn’t particularly like him. Plus, I was on a date and so was he. How awkward was that? I turned to find his soulful brown eyes zeroed in on me. “I’m well.” My tone was cool and steady.