He crossed his arms, and pointedly looked away. He found her nearness disturbing and exciting. The more time he spent with her, the more it made him wish he hadn’t given up on life. Maybe this little glimmer of hope was what he needed. Besides, it would be foolish to turn down her offer, if for no other reason than for his sister. Lizzy knew the area, and he did not. She would be able to make sure they visited everywhere they needed. Without giving it any more thought, he said, “Thank you. I appreciate that.”
The little frown line between her brows disappeared when she smiled. “I’ll pick you up at nine. Wear your walking shoes. We have a lot of ground to cover.”
Right after she left, his phone rang. It was Scarlett. No surprise that she’d be checking in. His first reaction was not to answer, but then she’d only continue to call.
He hated keeping things from her. However, he hated upsetting her even more, and why do that if they wound up finding the cat tomorrow? So Maxi assumed Lizzy’s positive attitude and tried to sound upbeat when he said hello.
“How did things go at Happily Ever After?” Scarlett asked. “No problems, I hope.”
“Not one.” At least he didn’t have to lie about that. “Everything is on schedule, just like I thought it would be, so there was no reason, other than your paranoia, for me to come.”
He heard her sharp intake of breath before her curt response. “Better to be safe than sorry. So what did you think of Lizzy?”
“What was I supposed to think? She’s nice. Knows her stuff.”
“She’s very pretty, don’t you think?”
“I hadn’t noticed.”
Scarlett laughed. “I don’t believe that for a second. You might have made that silly pledge to yourself to stay away from women, but you aren’t blind.”
He knew better than to argue with her. “All right. I give up. You win. She’s lovely.”
“Thank you. Now that wasn’t so hard to admit, was it?” When he didn’t respond, she went on to ask, “Did you get to see Rosemont Castle? The pictures I showed you didn’t do it justice.”
“Lizzy took me there this afternoon, and you’re right about the pictures. I felt like I was back in Britain. The place is magnificent and is perfect for your wedding.”
“So, you’re not still angry that I wouldn’t have it at Harte Manor?”
“I was never angry, Scarlett. I’m sorry if you thought that. I would describe my feelings more as doleful. I wanted to see the place alive again, if only for a few days, and give you something you’d treasure forever, but I understand why you chose not to. I see now that you made the right decision.”
Her tone softened. “You don’t need a wedding, Maxi, to make the manor home. You can do that anytime you want. You just have to come back to the living…back to me and to those who love you.”
He clenched his mouth tight. Those who loved him? He couldn’t think of anyone other than his sister, and it didn’t matter anyway. His life was over. It had ended that horrible night, and there was no turning back time. His fate had been decided. Scarlett needed to come to terms with it. He had. “Thanks for calling. I’m sure I’ll hear from you again tomorrow.” His sharp tone was his indication that the conversation was over.
“Yes, you will, but be sure to call me if anything urgent comes up.”
She would have to say that and make him feel guiltier than he already did for not telling her about Tiffany. “You can count on it.”
“Good night, Maxi. Oh, and thank you for staying longer than I thought you would. I had a strong feeling that you’d meet with Lizzy and then turn around and come home. Glad I was wrong. I should’ve known I could count on you to make sure my wedding would be perfect. Do me one more favor, though. Try to enjoy yourself. You never know what might happen if you do.”
“Good night, Scarlett.” He didn’t know how to tell her he already had.
A little while later, as Maxi lay in bed, he wondered how different his life might’ve been if he’d taken his sister’s advice a long time ago, instead of shutting himself off from everything and everyone. But he’d been so worn down, that no other action could’ve been possible.
Why not leave the past behind and start over now, or at least give it a shot? He folded his hands behind his head and stared up at the ceiling, wondering how those thoughts could’ve entered his mind. When Lizzy’s beautiful face appeared, he had his answer.
7
Lizzy’s thoughts were a jumbled mess, making it nearly impossible to fall asleep. Part of the problem was Scarlett and Tiffany. She always got upset whenever she heard that an animal was missing, and it was even more upsetting now because it was her client’s cat that was gone. Part of her was confident that the cat would be found, but the other part not so much. It would be awful if Dale had to call Scarlett with bad news. It was quite apparent how worried and upset he was, so she’d put on a good front, hoping to ease his mind some, and it seemed to have worked, at least for now.
He was the other reason why she couldn’t fall asleep. It figured she’d have to meet someone like Dale after she’d sworn off men. Not that it would’ve mattered even if she hadn’t. Lizzy had had her suspicions that he wasn’t looking to date, and tonight had only confirmed them. Dale might not still wear his wedding band, but he kept it on the nightstand next to the bed, a definite indication that he was still heavily mourning the loss of his wife. She couldn’t even begin to imagine what that must be like, and her heart went out to him.
Newt snuggled up next to her, and at some point, she drifted off to sleep. Usually she never remembered her dreams. However, the one where she’d been wrapped in Dale’s strong muscular arms had seemed so real that in the morning when she was in the kitchen having a cup of coffee, she was still thinking about it. Maybe it hadn’t been such a good idea to offer to spend the day with him. If her feelings were headed down a dangerous path, better to nip them in the bud now, than wait until there was no going back.
However, a lot more was at stake than her feelings. Tiffany had to be found, and there was much more of a chance of that happening if Lizzy helped Dale find the cat.
“Have any luck last night?” Emilia asked as she strolled into the kitchen.
“Nope. We looked everywhere and checked with the neighbors, but no one had seen a fluffy white cat. It’s like it just disappeared into thin air.”
Emilia poured some coffee, carefully stepped over Newt, who was sprawled out on the floor, and then sat down at the table beside Lizzy. “I thought for sure you’d find the cat.”
“I did too. I was hoping it was somewhere in the house, and when that proved not to be the case, it seemed likely that one of the neighbors might have seen it.”
“I’m sorry. Has Dale told Scarlett yet?”
Lizzy frowned. “We’re going to check all the shelters first.”
Emilia’s brows shot up. “We’re?”
“I told him I would help. He has no idea where to go.”
“We have the Tish wedding today, remember?”
“I know, but it’s a small wedding, and I have faith that you can handle it yourself. This isn’t the first time one of us has had to do one alone. It’s more important that I help Dale. If that cat isn’t found, Scarlett’s wedding could be ruined. You know what she’s like. Imagine how she’ll be if she’s lost her cat.”
“Guess this means he’s sticking around longer than you’d thought,” Emilia remarked.
“Well, yeah. He can’t just leave without doing everything in his power to find Tiffany.”
“And your power too. Are you sure you’re only doing this to find the cat?”
Lizzy scowled. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
“It means maybe you’re not so opposed to spending more time with him.”
“Why does everything have to be about me finding a man?”
“Funny how the tables have turned. I remember the days when you were hounding me to find a man, and now that I have Chase, I realize how right you were.”
>
“That was then, and this is now, and I have no desire to get involved with anyone.”
Her sister’s brows shot up. “Not even a handsome Brit?”
“Especially not a handsome Brit. That would mean heartbreak for sure. Remember when I was seeing Eddie? I considered that a long-distance relationship, and he lived in Jersey. I couldn’t even imagine one over three thousand miles away. That’s just nuts.”
“You’re right, but I was hoping that if you opened your heart a little, it would show you that your soul mate is out there somewhere if you’re willing to find him.”
Lizzy bit down on her bottom lip. “Well, I’m not. I spent years believing all that true love stuff. I know it works for some people. It did for you, but it’s not in my cards. I’m much happier now that I’ve accepted that.”
“Are you?”
“Nice chatting, sis, but I’ve gotta run. Have a fabulous wedding, and I’ll see you later tonight.” She kissed Emilia’s cheek before bolting from the room. There was a lot of truth in what her sister said. Notably, the part about opening her heart a little to Dale. Now she just had to figure out how to close it.
On the drive over to the Upper East Side, she contemplated that and decided the best thing to do was to be friendly but not too friendly. Treat it like any other business relationship and try to forget how good looking he was. Easier said than done, she thought as she knocked on his door, and when he opened it, looking more handsome than ever, she knew she was in trouble.
“Ready to go find the cat?” she asked, trying to calm her rapidly beating heart.
He flashed her a wide smile. “Absolutely.”
The first shelter they went to took in only cats, so she was very hopeful that Tiffany would be there, but not one occupant was a ragdoll. They found that to be the case at all the places they went to. Dale’s earlier smile had turned into a frown as they realized the chances of finding the cat were rapidly diminishing.
“I’m sorry we didn’t have better luck,” she said sadly.
“Me too. It looks like I’m not going to be able to put off calling Scarlett much longer. As it is, she’ll probably hate me for not telling her right away.”
“I doubt that. You were only trying to spare her unnecessary pain if we’d wound up finding Tiffany today. Surely, she’ll understand that.”
Dale shot her a look of disbelief. “Are you serious? You know Scarlett. You’ve dealt with her when she’s been upset. Acting rationally isn’t in her DNA.”
“You know what I like to do before I have to do something unpleasant?”
“What?” He looked at her skeptically.
“Eat a bag of chips along with a candy bar or two. All that junk food winds up making me feel so awful that nothing can make me feel worse.”
He gave a choked, desperate laugh. “I supposed it’s worth a try. Care to join me in my misery?”
“I never say no to candy and chips. There’s a convenience store at the end of the block.”
“Let’s do it,” he said as she parked the car across from Scarlett’s brownstone.
While they walked, Dale confessed something to her. “I’m afraid Tiffany may have been hit by a car, and I’ll bet Scarlett will think the same thing.”
“Please don’t say that,” she said softly as she looped her arm through his.
His expression relaxed a little, making her glad that she was able to do something to help. When they reached the store, he held the door for her, and as she stepped inside, she nearly ran into a little boy carrying a mountain of cat food boxes.
“Do you know what kind of food cats like best?” he asked the clerk.
The child’s question caught her attention immediately, and when she glanced over at Dale, she knew it had gotten his too. Maybe all hope of finding Tiffany wasn’t lost after all.
8
Excitement bubbled up inside Maxi. He recognized the little red-headed boy as the son of one of the neighbors he and Lizzy had spoken to yesterday. The child had been listening quietly when Maxi asked if they’d found a white long-haired cat. The woman had said no quite emphatically and mentioned they didn’t have pets because she couldn’t stand the hair. Yet, the little boy was looking to buy cat food. Something didn’t add up.
“We met you yesterday, remember? I’m Dale, and this is Lizzy,” he said. “We were looking for my friend’s cat, Tiffany.”
The boy’s eyes grew wide, and his face paled. “I remember.”
“Well, her cat likes this box right here,” Maxi remarked, slipping it out of the boy’s arms. “What do you say I buy it for you?” Before the boy could answer, he set it on the counter. “We’re here buying chips and candy, hoping it’ll make us feel better because we never did find my friend’s cat. Want to help us pick out some?” Maxi winked at the clerk as he led the boy over to a display full of chocolate bars. “Which one’s your favorite?” While the child looked over the candy, Lizzy grabbed a bag of chips and set it on the counter next to the cat food.
“I like the one with the caramel inside,” the little boy remarked.
“Ah, I do, too, so we’ll get some of these.” Maxi took three of the bars the child was pointing to, as well as three plain bars. “That should do it.” As they headed back to the counter, Maxi asked, “What’s your cat’s name, by the way?”
The little boy’s cheeks reddened. “I, um, the cat’s not mine,” he blurted. “I found her on our patio. She was crying and looked scared, so I took her to my room and put her on my bed. That made her happy.”
Maxi smiled. “I’ll bet it did.”
“I think the cat must be your friend’s cat.” The boy’s eyes filled with tears.
Maxi put his arm around the child. “I think you’re right. Why don’t we go to your house and take a look?”
“O-okay” The boy’s voice broke a little.
Maxi’s heart went out to him. He knew what it was like to be a kid and want a pet, yet not be able to have one. “Have you wished for a cat for a long time?”
The child’s bottom lip quivered, and then tears flowed. “A very long time, but you heard my mom. She thinks it’ll make a mess.”
“You’ve had Tiffany in your room. Has she made a mess?” he asked the boy before looking over at Lizzy, who was smiling warmly at him.
“No. After my mom went to bed, I went out back and got some dirt and put it in a shoebox so that Tiffany could go to the bathroom. I even put an old blanket on my bed for her to sleep on so she wouldn’t get it hairy. She’s a good cat.” He sniffled. Lizzy took a tissue out of her purse, handed it to him, and he quickly wiped his eyes.
“Yes, she is. Maybe if your mom knew how well you took care of her, she’d change her mind about letting you have a cat,” Maxi replied.
“I don’t know about that. She doesn’t change her mind very often,” he said sadly.
“Well, why don’t we go find out?” Maxi added the candy to the items on the counter and then paid cash for them. He’d almost instinctively taken out his credit card but quickly remembered not to do that. If Lizzy saw the name on it, his charade as Dale would be over.
As they walked back to the boy’s townhouse, the child’s mood seemed to have brightened, but when they reached the front door, and it swung open before he’d even turned the knob, his face went white.
“There you are! Jimmy, I’ve been looking all over for you,” his mom said sternly. Her gaze then shifted to Maxi and Lizzy. “I found your missing cat. I’m so sorry my son didn’t speak up yesterday when you were here. I guess you discovered he’s been keeping her in his room, unbeknownst to me until a little while ago when I discovered he wasn’t in the house.” She glared at her son with hands planted firmly on her hips. “I think you owe them both a huge apology.”
The little boy stared down at his feet and mumbled, “Sorry.”
“Why don’t you tell your mom what you told us about how you’ve been taking care of Tiffany?” Maxi urged.
“I found his makeshift lit
ter box if that’s what you mean,” the woman said, her face softening a bit as she glanced at her son.
“Did you see the blanket I put on my bed so Tiffany wouldn’t get it messy?” he asked. “It was an old one. I haven’t used it since I was a baby.”
The corners of her mouth turned up ever so slightly, and Maxi could tell she was trying hard not to smile. “No, I didn’t notice that. I was too worried about where you might’ve gone. Jimmy, you need to promise me you won’t leave the house again without my permission.”
The boy shoved his hands in his pants pockets with a dejected look on his face. “Sorry, Mom. I promise.”
“Please go get Tiffany so you can give her back,” she instructed.
After Jimmy left the room, his mother apologized again. “No harm was done,” Maxi replied. “I might’ve done the same thing as a kid if I’d found a cat in my backyard. My parents wouldn’t let me have a pet. I’m just happy to learn he took such good care of her.”
She sighed. “He’s been bugging for a long time, and I kept saying no thinking he wasn’t old enough for a pet, but maybe eight years old is old enough. He certainly took good care of Tiffany.”
“He did indeed. This might be the time for him to take on the responsibility. It seems to me he’s proven he wants to do it.”
“There’s a wonderful rescue that’s strictly for cats. It’s not too far from here,” Lizzy added.
“I know which one you mean. A friend of mine got her cat from there,” the woman responded.
A few seconds later, Jimmy returned with the cat and gently placed her in Maxi’s arms.
“My friend, Scarlett Harte, is Tiffany’s owner. She’s away right now, but when she gets home, I’ll bet she’ll let you come over to visit,” Maxi said, feeling sorry for the little boy.
“Better yet,” his mom piped in, “how about we go to the shelter where you can pick out your own cat?”
Intense astonishment touched the boy’s small face. “You mean it?”
His mom smiled. “Of course, I do. We can even go today.”
No Time for Intrigue (The No Brides Club Book 13) Page 4
