Last Call (A Place to Call Home Book 3)
Page 16
The meeting with the bride and her mom went well. Leah had gone out on a limb, making her designs less fussy and more artistic. She'd thought it blended well with the simple lines of the bride's gown and was relieved when her customers agreed.
Mack was all praise for her work as the week wore on. Leah only gave him half an ear, her mind still on her falling out with Caleb and the situation with Noah. At last, Mack's last remark she was too talented to be working for him penetrated her distraction. Leah gave him her full attention.
"Where else would I work, Mack?"
"For yourself." He leaned against the table where she did most of her prep work looking as if he had never seen the array of tools she used in making floral arrangements.
"Like compete with you? First, I don't think Mountain Meadow is big enough, and second, I don't have the money to go into business for myself.
"But you've thought about it."
She shrugged noncommittally. After all, this was her boss making conversation. "I don't spend a lot of time thinking about the impossible. I have enough complications as it is."
Mack leaned forward a little more, looking hard at her. "I have other interests I'm starting to pursue, Leah. Maybe you need to start thinking about it."
"Are you getting rid of me?" Her heart pounded. What would she do if Caleb decided he wasn't going to let her stay in the house? Plus, she still didn't have her own car, and—
"Hell, no," Mack blurted as though he was shocked she would even think such a thing. "This business would have shut its doors a long time ago without you. I meant you should think about buying it."
Leah blinked and refocused on him. His eyes had widened a bit from the perpetually sleepy look he usually wore. "I don't have that kind of money."
He laughed. "You don't know what price I'm asking."
Leah shook her head. "Don't tease, Mack."
"Don't be so negative, Leah," he said with a laugh. "Look, I want out, but I need the business to stay open. That was the promise I made my dad. The business stays open. Name stays the same. He didn't say I had to be the one owning it or running it."
"Well, unless you're going to sell it to me for," she paused as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a small roll of bills to count, "thirty-five dollars and sixty-three cents, I'm afraid I don't have the cash."
"Well, if it makes you feel better, you can hand it over, but if you want it, I'd as soon transfer it into your name and be done with it."
Leah was positive she hadn't heard him correctly and as positive she was staring at him as if he had lost his mind.
"Let me make sure I understand this right. If I want it, you're going to give me Mountain Meadow Plants. All I have to do is keep the same name on it and keep it open. Is that correct?"
"You got it." Mack grinned at her.
"You're either crazy, or you've won the lottery and haven't told anyone."
Mack straightened, his grin widening. "The second one."
"You won the lottery?"
"That's right. And as soon as I get the paperwork done, you have yourself a business."
The last was said over his shoulder as he headed out the front door. The bells tinkled as it shut, but Leah continued to stare at it without moving. Mack had just given her his business. Holy cow.
The thought flitted through her brain that she still wasn't going to be standing on her own two feet because she hadn't paid him for the business. She shook her head. Even she wasn't foolish enough to be that bull-headed about her independence. As the seconds ticked by, it sank in.
She owned a business.
She owned her own business.
She owned the business she had always longed to have.
Who could she tell?
So another fact about her life hit her as well. She had spent years isolating herself. She didn't have any best girlfriend she could call to tell them the good news. Sure, she could cast all the blame on her parents, but the truth was, Leah had done a good job of adding to her own disconnect from other people.
The only person she could really think of she would want to talk to right away was Caleb, and she had driven him away as well.
For good reason.
It still left her with a heart bursting with joy and no one to share it with, which was sad.
The bells over the door tinkled again.
"Mama!"
Maybe there was someone to share her overflowing feelings. Leah hurried around the counter and swept Jonah up in her arms. She hugged him to her and laughed as she spun in a circle.
"You're in a good mood."
She stopped. Her gaze met Caleb's. She wanted to tell him too, but the way they had left things was so awkward. So far they hadn’t made any progress or talked other than handing Jonah back and forth, so she couldn't get the words out of her mouth.
"It's been a good day," she finally replied. "Are you on your way to Last Call?"
"Yeah."
"How's Noah?"
"Sober, without a driver's license, and now staying inside my parents' house where the liquor is under lock and key."
"I'm sorry," she began, but Caleb held up his hand.
"You don't apologize. Noah brought this on himself and will have to deal with the fallout. If anyone looks cross-eyed at you about this, you tell me. What Noah did was wrong. I just need you to remember I am not my brother."
She nodded. "I'm working on it, Caleb."
He dug his hands in his pockets. "When you think you're ready to talk, let me know. I'm staying over the barn at my folks' place." Caleb looked like he wanted to say more, but pressed his lips together. "I'll be by again in the morning."
"If you need to do stuff—"
He leveled a hard stare on her. "I'm going to spend time with my son, Leah. Nothing else matters."
He left, the door shutting quietly behind him.
"Damn," Leah said.
"Damn," Jonah echoed.
"Don't say that. Mommy shouldn't have either. Come outside with me while I move some of the plants before I close. Did you have a nice day with Daddy?"
Jonah had become quite a chatterbox since getting away from her parents. While part of it was feeling secure, the other part was squarely due to interacting with Caleb. When he asked Jonah a question, he always gave the boy a chance to find the words he wanted to finish his sentences. Leah had been guilty in the past of anticipating too many of his needs in order to keep the peace around her parents' home.
As she listened to him and continued on about her work, one phrase repeated over and over in her head. This was all going to be hers. She had never known Mack to joke about anything. He had never made a secret of the fact his heart wasn't in running the business his father had started. However, Leah wasn't sure whether she believed the story he had won the lottery. If he hadn't, she couldn't imagine he could really afford to give her the business.
Amanda Brown would probably know. Leah decided to call her. The phone at the Castle County Messenger got picked up on the second ring.
"Hey, Leah, I was just heading home. What's up?"
"I know this is a bizarre request, but do you happen to know if Mack won one of the big lottery prizes?"
There was a pause on the other end. "Well, yeah, he did. We don't publish names of lottery winners. After the whole fiasco years ago with Holly Allred and her baby getting kidnapped, we've been a lot stricter with what information we put in the paper on any story. Why do you ask?"
Leah leaned back against one of the support poles for the arbor where they kept the fall annuals so they were partly shaded.
"Mack told me this afternoon he's going to give me the business."
"What? Leah! Fantastic! I told you, you should try to buy it. That was part of the reason I mentioned it. I was pretty sure Mack would be moving in a different direction, but this is even better. Is it official?"
Leah scraped a hand over her short hair. "He just mentioned it today, so no. Don't say anything yet."
"No worries. I
'll wait until Mack tells me it's a done deal. Hey, while I have you on the phone, what's up with Noah Allred? I saw an arrest report when I was doing beat checks this morning."
"Are you asking as s reporter or as a friend?"
Again, a pause. "As a friend. It's personal."
"I noticed some tension between you two."
"You could say so. We've had some run-ins. I'm worried about him."
"He drove Jonah and me home yesterday after he'd been drinking."
"I was afraid that was coming."
"I'm not comfortable saying a lot about it, even if we are talking as friends."
"I get that. I'm not going to press for information. Besides, I want to hear more about your news. Have you told Caleb?"
It was Leah's turn to pause.
"Uh oh. What's wrong, Leah?"
"I kind of freaked out after the whole thing with Noah. I'm still in Caleb's house, but he's staying at his folks' place. We just have to work some things out."
"He's a great guy."
"I know. But I need to be sure the two of us together is about more than providing a home and a father for Jonah."
"You want romance."
"Yeah."
"It can be overrated."
There was more to that, but Leah didn't want to explore it. Selfish as it might be, she had too much on her plate to take on anyone else's problems right now.
"I don't need him bringing flowers and candy, but I do need to know he wants me. I see his other brothers and his sister, and the relationships they have. That's what I want."
"Commitment and a new business. You've got goals, girl."
After they hung up, Leah continued to think about their conversation. When it came right down to it, Amanda was the closest thing she had to a friend. It had felt good to talk to somebody else and get another perspective.
Chapter 25
Caleb jingled the change in his pocket as he stood outside Noah's attorney's office off the square in Mountain Meadow. Jonah was with his mom and dad. It gave his parents some time with their grandson and relieved them of the chore of chauffeuring Noah. They wouldn't have minded, but Noah was still not in a good frame of mind, especially with Caleb. He was hoping more time together might help them mend some fences.
As he waited, he leaned against Noah's SUV and saw Mack Landrum leave the courthouse headed for a low slung sports car parked nearby Caleb had been eyeballing. The fancy vehicle stuck out like a polar bear in a sauna around good old Mountain Meadow.
"Nice car, Mack. Shouldn't you be at the nursery helping Leah run your business?"
Okay, so that was a bit snarky, but waiting outside while your brother worked to defend himself against the DUI arrest you had initiated tended to make a body just a bit irritable.
Mack stopped and his mouth gaped like a trout that had just been caught. It would have been funny if Caleb hadn't been puzzled by it.
"Didn't Leah tell you?"
"Tell me what?" No way was he going to admit he and Leah were barely on speaking terms.
"I'm giving her the business. In fact," Mack glanced over his shoulder, "I was just in with Earlene taking care of all the paperwork. Got it right here." He patted a sheaf of papers tucked in the front pocket of his shirt.
Caleb was still back at "I'm giving her the business." From the corner of his eye, he spotted Betty Gatewood and the rest of her contingent of church ladies bearing down on them. No way did he want to be discussing anything remotely personal with her in hearing distance. She had the stink eye in for him because of Last Call.
No doubt, Leah was on her heavenly hit list too.
"We should have everything signed and done by the end of the day."
Caleb refocused. "So Leah will be sole owner? She didn't mention it."
"Yeah. I have some other things I'd like to pursue. I trust Leah to keep it going under the current name and organization, which is all my dad really wanted."
"That's a pretty generous gift, Mack." As in how the hell could the guy afford to give away his business? Sometimes, though, it was better not to know all the details. For example, the things Mack said he'd like to pursue. Legality could be an issue with Mack. You never knew. So Caleb wasn't going to ask, but that was okay because it sure didn't seem like Mack was going to volunteer the information either.
In fact, Mack shifted a little uncomfortably. "Leah's worked hard. She deserves it. I can't believe she didn't tell you. She seemed awfully excited about it."
God was probably going to get him for this, but Caleb glanced over his shoulder at the attorney's office. "We've been a little busy. Noah's got some things going."
"Oh, yeah. Heard about that. Sorry."
"Thanks. I'm sure Leah will fill me in on everything once it's finalized."
Or maybe the very next time he saw her...like later today. They were going to have a tough time building any kind of relationship if she wouldn't communicate. Hell, he wasn't sure there was any relationship to be built. He wanted one. She didn't. Not much to build on there.
The thought depressed him. It must have shown up as a scowl or something because Mack was suddenly backing toward his car. "Yeah. I'll see you maybe later."
Just like that, he'd ducked behind the wheel of his fancy sports car. The engine purred to life, and Mack eased into traffic, or what would have been traffic if Mountain Meadow had much, leaving Caleb with the church ladies lingering nearby. And Betty Gatewood was anything but shy.
"Good morning, Caleb."
"Good morning, Mrs. Gatewood. Ladies." He nodded toward them.
"How is Noah?" she asked. "I guess he must be in with Mr. Mathis."
Caleb arched a brow. "If you don't mind my asking, how is it everyone seems to know about Noah?"
"There was a picture on Facebook of him getting out of the back of Gabe Hunt's cruiser."
This place was too damn much sometimes. The lack of privacy was something Caleb had forgotten. "He's fine Mrs. Gatewood. I appreciate y'all asking after him."
"It must be tough on him, battling an alcohol problem, what with you running a bar."
Caleb wasn't going to wade into that pond of what she perceived of as his eternal damnation. When he didn't comment, she came toward him, lowering her voice as she said, "I think you should know I saw Leah Scott's parents going into the Social Services office this morning."
He wanted to know this why?
Mrs. Gatewood came closer. "I overheard they're filing a petition to get her little boy back, claiming she's unfit for allowing him in the car with a drunk."
"What?" Caleb had to clamp his jaw to keep from swearing. "That's absurd."
"I thought you should know," Mrs. Gatewood said, nodding her head righteously. Her friends mimicked the action.
This whole situation was absurd.
"If you ladies will excuse me, I need to step inside Mr. Mathis's office to see if Noah is ready to leave. Have a wonderful day."
He escaped as quickly as he could, taking refuge inside the small law office. As he shut the door behind him, the attorney's receptionist watched him with curiosity.
"I was wondering if you knew how much longer my brother and Mr. Mathis might be?"
"They should be about done. You're welcome to wait in one of the chairs over there if you'd like."
Caleb pulled his phone from his pocket and sat down. He didn't want to make a call in front of the receptionist, but Leah needed to know what was going on. He texted her to let her know Jonah was fine but he needed to speak with her in person ASAP. No way was he relaying this information by phone or text. They needed some conversation face to face.
About the time he thought he would grind his molars into dust, Noah came out from the short hallway leading to the back of the building. As soon as he saw Caleb his scowl deepened, and he asked, "What's wrong?"
Caleb bounced to his feet. "Leah's parents are up to something."
George Mathis looked over the tops of his reading glasses. "Anything I can help with?"
Mathis's bushy brows drew together. "About your boy?"
Caleb slid a glance at Noah, whose expression was like stone. "Yes. Apparently over her allowing him in the car with Noah."
Noah swore, then clamped his jaw down tight. This was another burden on top of what his twin was suffering, but damn it, Noah had brought some of this down on himself. He needed to understand his actions were affecting a lot more people than him. Maybe it would shake some damn sense into him.
Caleb looked back at Mathis. "So what happens?"
"They'll likely send out a caseworker to speak to you and Leah. You're not required to allow them in. I would tell most folks they should have an attorney present. I would certainly make sure both of you are there and have discussed your stories ahead of time."
"You realize it's a complaint without merit?"
"I understand," Mathis said, "and if they've filed it knowingly, they will face legal consequences. However, until social services makes that determination, you may have some hoops to jump through."
Caleb stuck his hand out. "Thanks, George. Come on, Noah. I need to stop by Mountain Meadow Plants to let Leah know what's going on."
Noah was silent as they settled into the SUV, and Caleb set it in motion. As soon as they were out of the town square, Noah finally spoke.
"I am so fucking sorry, Caleb."
"Me too. This whole situation has turned into one gigantic mess. I'm sorry you're going through this. I'm worried about Jonah and Leah."
Noah kept his gaze straight ahead. "I thought I was wallowing in a mess that was all mine to get out of, but not true. I screwed things up between the two of you too, didn't I?"
Caleb glanced at him before returning his gaze to the road. "Yeah, bro, you did. She's furious with all of us, not just you. I'm guessing there's some anger at herself too. What I don't get is why her parents would go after her and the kid. They've never shown any indication they even want Jonah around."
"Money," Noah murmured. "Scott is a miserly, greedy son of a bitch. I'm sure it's motivated by money. Remember all the snide remarks he made while we helped him roof that summer? About how surprised he was a couple of rich kids would be getting their hands dirty?"