Restoring Romance

by Tamie Dearen

  Granted, his grandmother had the right to leave her money and possessions to whomever she pleased, and she’d left a generous portion to his parents and brothers in addition to the charitable foundation. But Adam had spent so many hours at her feet, listening to stories of the past, learning about the house’s history, he thought she knew how much he loved that home.

  He missed Grammy so much. It seemed so wrong for a stranger to buy the house and change it to her liking, with no regard for Grammy’s history and legacy.

  He couldn’t understand why his grandmother would’ve put the house in the foundation without stipulations to keep it in the family. Then, a dark thought made his throat tighten. Maybe Grammy didn’t consider him true family. No, that couldn’t be it. She’d even hinted she might give the house to him and Darla as a wedding present when that event had seemed imminent.

  He knocked again, frustrated with his task and irritated that Ash wasn’t answering. Maybe I’ll leave and tell Erin she wasn’t home. It’s not my fault that little usurper didn’t come to the door.

  He turned to leave, tugging on Kujo’s leash, but the gargantuan dog’s ears perked, eyes fixed on the door and head cocked to the side. Adam twisted back as the lock clicked and the door cracked open, a set of bright blue eyes peering through the slit and widening in surprise. The door slammed shut.

  Adam’s blood boiled in his veins. He stomped forward and banged until his knuckles throbbed. A brief pause followed, during which he stared daggers through the white painted wooden door and practiced a few scathing remarks in his head. Did you slam the door in my face because you can’t spare the time of day for a small town guy like me? Or are New Yorkers simply rude to all visitors?

  A handle rattled and the door swung slowly on its creaking hinges, he took a breath, ready to blast her with his wrath. But the air flew out of his lungs like a burst balloon when he saw her... eyes downcast, damp hair across her scrunched shoulders, biting her plump lower lip.

  “I’m sorry.” Her startling blue eyes lifted to peer through thick blond lashes, and the hastily constructed shield with which he’d covered his heart clattered to the floor. Her trembling fingers tucked a stray strand of damp blond hair behind an ear. “I didn’t mean to shut the door in your face, but I wasn’t expecting visitors. I was unpacking and... well... to be honest, I haven’t put on my makeup or dried my hair. I didn’t want anyone to see me like that—especially you.”

  Her eyes rounded as her hand flew up and clamped over her mouth, her cheeks turning pink. Adam bit back a smile. Her little slip made him want to dance a jig, even though only moments before he’d been convinced she was evil incarnate, come to steal and destroy his family’s heritage. Perhaps she was innocent—simply ignorant of all the history bound up in the beautiful old house. He might be able to convince her of the importance of his grandmother’s home and talk her into preserving its authenticity. Sure, he’d once dreamed of living in it, but that was before he purchased his little ranch in the country.

  “I think you look great without makeup,” he responded honestly.

  “Oh.”

  Her flush spread up to her temples and down her neck, and he wondered if he’d said something wrong. “Not that you didn’t look good with makeup.” He pushed his fingers through his hair, struggling for words. “What I meant to say is you’re beautiful either way.”

  A tinny voice yelled from the phone in her hand, and she startled, lifting it to her now-crimson face. “I’m sorry, Maggie. I’ll call you later, okay?”

  “Who’s Maggie?” he asked, happy to change the subject.

  “Maggie’s my roommate.” She stepped back, gesturing for him to enter. “Better keep a tight hold on that leash.”

  “You have a roommate?” He stepped inside, her fresh clean scent wafting his way as he passed by. He felt a pang as he spied his grandmother’s antique furniture in the living area along with a stack of neatly-folded dust covers in the corner of the room. He hadn’t seen these pieces since he’d helped move Grammy into her assisted living apartment over a year ago, when she’d been forced to pare down her furnishings. On her orders, he and his three brothers carefully covered the heirloom furniture and removed all the family pictures from the walls, packing away any photos Grammy didn’t hang up in her new place.

  “Had a roommate.” Ash wriggled her toes as she shifted from one small bare foot to the other, drawing his eyes to her bright pink toenails. Even her feet were cute. “Maggie still lives in New York, although I’d love for her to come live with me here. I hate living alone. Besides, she’d be a lot of help redecorating—Maggie has great taste.”

  “Why redecorate? Didn’t you buy the house already furnished?”

  “The furniture came with the house, but... just look at it!”

  “I see it.” He bristled, suddenly remembering all he had against her. “What’s wrong with it?”

  “It’s just so... old. Too ornate. Too many flowers and patterns.” Her mouth twisted to the side.

  “But they’re valuable antiques.”

  “Ughh! I say antiques are highly overrated! I could use the money to get something more modern and comfortable.”

  “I believe comfort is highly overrated.” Though he seethed at her flippant attitude, he spoke with cool reserve. “I’ll gladly take this furniture off your hands. I have a furniture restoration and antique shop. How about ten thousand dollars for everything in the house?” He didn’t feel the least bit guilty for making a lowball offer.

  “That sounds great to me.”

  She stuck out her hand. But before he could clasp it to close the deal, a huge ball of motley fur dashed into the room and leapt onto the back of the small couch. Kujo released a bark that shook the windows, and Adam strained to hold back the gargantuan dog. Kujo’s toenails scratched against the wood floors as he struggled against the leash.

  “Can’t you control that grizzly bear?” Ash scooped the screeching feline into her arms, backing away.

  “Kujo! Sit!”

  To his great surprise, Kujo sat.

  Adam forced his slack jaw closed and pasted a smug smile on his face. “As you can see, my dog is very well behaved, unlike that mongrel you call a cat. Kujo probably wanted to chase your mangy animal off that valuable antique settee. I hope you don’t usually allow him on the furniture.”

  Ash’s eyes narrowed. “Lucky is a she, and where she goes in my house is none of your business. Why did you come here, anyway, since you hate cats and you know I have one?”

  Adam sneezed into the crook of his arm. “I came because my sister-in-law Erin needs to talk to you and forgot to get your phone number.”

  He retrieved a piece of paper from his shirt pocket and slapped it down on a small mahogany end table before turning on his heel and tromping out the door, dragging Kujo along.

  “Wait!” Soft footsteps padded behind him.

  Against his better judgment, he froze with his hand on the door handle.

  “I’m sorry, Adam. That was sweet of you to come in person to bring Erin’s phone number.”

  She sounded so contrite and timid a little bit of ice melted around his heart.

  “It was no trouble. I was already in town.”

  He was about to turn back around when she spoke again.

  “Do you still want the furniture?”

  Of course! She only cared about getting money and getting rid of Grammy’s antiques. She despises everything I love. How could I forget that? He would have to be careful around Ash, or perhaps avoid her altogether. She seemed to cast some sort of spell on him, making him lose his ability to think clearly.

  Well, never again.

  “I’ll have a check for you on Tuesday.” He walked away without looking back. And he tried to convince himself he didn’t care if she noticed him limping.

  ASH DIDN’T MEAN TO upset Adam again, but she saw his shoulders stiffen when she mentioned the furniture. By then it was too late to take back the words, and his taut response confirme
d he was offended. Perhaps owning an antique and restoration shop made him very sensitive about antiques, but maybe it was more than that. She needed to keep a reign on her mouth.

  As she watched him stalk away with his hulking dog at his side, she tried to tell herself it was for the best. He might be good looking—an understatement if there ever was such a thing—but they couldn’t be more opposite from one another. Yet she’d seen something in his eyes that drew her to him, something that made her feel a kind of kinship. Hidden behind his stubborn pride lurked a vulnerable soul. She suspected he’d endured some painful experiences, one of which might have resulted in his slightly uneven gait. It seemed she couldn’t be around him without saying something hurtful. Though the idea saddened her, she knew, for his own good, she should avoid Adam Walker.

  And since he seems to have a bit of a temper, it will be for my good as well.

  She set Lucky down on the couch and moved to pick up the paper with Erin’s phone number.

  “She gave me her cell number—maybe I have a friend.” Gaining one friend in twenty-four hours was lightning speed for Ash. Erin, on the other hand, exuded outgoing confidence, and probably had tons of friends.

  Erin answered on the first ring.

  “Is this Ash?”

  “It’s me.”

  “Yay, I’m glad you called me!”

  Erin certainly sounded enthusiastic, although Ash couldn’t imagine why. Oh... she’s probably worried about Lucky.

  “I’m happy to hear from you. Lucky’s doing fine.” Ash plopped onto the couch and Lucky, jumped into her lap, purring even before she settled in.

  “That’s great to hear. I hoped you wouldn’t be mad at me for talking you into the adoption.”

  “No, she’s great.” Ash stroked the fur and Lucky arched her back into her palm.

  “But that’s not why I wanted to talk to you. I’m supposed to invite you to the Walkers’ house for dinner tonight.”

  “The Walkers? As in Adam Walker?”

  “Well yes, it’s my in-laws’ house—Donna and Mark Walker. They have four sons. Adam and my husband Daniel are the oldest. They’re twins, but Adam has always acted like he’s the father of the other three.”

  “Bossy, huh?” Ash could picture him as a little kid, ordering his brothers around.

  “To be fair, Adam was the serious, responsible brother, and that let Daniel be the fun, carefree brother. The younger ones, Tristan and Elias were constantly getting into mischief, which made Adam crazy.”

  “I bet your mother-in-law had her hands full.” As usual, hearing about a normal healthy family stirred up a swirl of jealousy along with bad memories.

  “Donna can tell you stories that will have you busting a gut laughing. The whole family eats dinner together once a week, usually on Sunday nights.”

  Ash felt sweat beading on her forehead, knowing how awkward she would be at a family dinner. “I wouldn’t want to intrude.”

  “Oh, you wouldn’t be intruding at all. The Walkers always have one or two guests at dinner. I went tons of times, long before I was dating Daniel. They have a nice place in the country. I know you’ll love it, and Donna insisted you come.”

  “Me? Why?”

  “I saw her at church this morning and mentioned meeting you. I think she’s excited about your restaurant idea because she loves to cook. I promised to invite you and then realized I didn’t have your number. Since Adam was going to his shop, I talked him into dropping by your house.”

  “Yeah, about Adam.” Her chest constricted. “Will he be at the dinner?”

  “Sure. The boys always come.”

  “Then I probably shouldn’t go. I don’t think Adam likes me very much.”

  “Why? Was he scowling at you?”

  “As a matter of fact, yes.”

  Erin chuckled. “Don’t worry about Adam—he scowls at everyone. He’s got that brooding look all the girls love.”

  “Oh, so he has a lot of girlfriends?” For some reason, that idea irritated Ash like a piece of popcorn shell stuck under her gum.

  “Every single girl in Romance would love to date Adam... or any of the Walker boys, for that matter. They’re all tall, dark and handsome—though I married the hottest one.” Erin let out a contagious laugh, and Ash joined in, trying to picture a guy who was better looking than Adam.

  “I see.”

  “But I don’t think Adam’s dated anyone since he and Darla broke off their engagement a few years ago.”

  “Well, I’m pretty sure he won’t want me to come to dinner. I don’t think he was just brooding—I think he pointed that scowl right at me. Partly because he doesn’t like Lucky and partly because I don’t like antiques.”

  “Ha! Makes sense, because he’s allergic to cats and restores antiques for a living. But even though he looks stern and grumpy, Adam is a real softy inside. And you know what? He could have been a little sad seeing someone else living in his grandmother’s house. He spent more time with her than any of his brothers. But he would never hold that against you—he’s not like that.”

  “His grandmother’s house?”

  “Yeah. Donna’s mother was Caroline Scott, the lady I told you about, who owned the house before you bought it.”

  Every drop of saliva disappeared from Ash’s mouth.

  I have a family.

  Then her stomach turned sour.

  Adam Walker is my cousin.

  Chapter Four

  AWKWARD.

  Ash couldn’t think of any other word to describe sitting at the dinner table with a group of people who had no idea she was related to them. Mostly, she enjoyed listening to the conversation, and no one pressured her to say much—thank goodness.

  On one hand, watching the loving family interact with casual joking and friendly chatter, she longed to confess the truth, hoping to be accepted into the fold. What would it feel like to be part of a real loving family?

  On the other hand, she knew her mother had never even acknowledged her family’s existence. Certainly, Ash’s relatives hadn’t shown up when her mother overdosed, sending her into the Texas foster system. Had she been rejected because of her mother’s actions? What would they say if they knew the truth about who she was?

  The long benches on either side of the rustic wood table would easily seat four people each—five if folks got cozy. Tonight, however, there were three people to a side, with Donna and Mark in chairs at opposite ends. Ash sat on the corner of the bench near Aunt Donna, with Erin beside her. Ash recognized her aunt’s blue eyes from the picture she’d found in her grandmother’s basement, though Donna’s dark blond hair now had sprinkles of grey. Next to Erin was her husband Daniel, Adam’s twin brother. But it was clear the two were fraternal twins, not identical. Daniel’s hair was lighter brown and board straight, compared to Adam’s wavy dark brown. And where Adam had eyes so dark you couldn’t see the pupils, Daniel’s were hazel.

  True to her word, Erin orchestrated the seating, sending Adam to the opposite bench corner between his dad and his two younger brothers. Unfortunately, this seating arrangement made it all too easy for Ash to sneak glances at her handsome cousin, especially since he avoided eye contact as if she were a deadly cobra. She ought to consider this fortunate, since she could never date him, anyway.

  Just her luck—the hottest guy she’d ever met turned out to be her first cousin. She’d always longed for a family, and look what happened when she finally got one. Someone up in heaven must be having a great laugh about now.

  Nonetheless, she enjoyed the delicious home-cooked meal, and made a mental note to ask Donna for her Derby Pie recipe. She took another healthy-sized bite, savoring the scrumptious dessert. Nuts and chocolate—how could you go wrong?

  “Ash...” Donna’s voice broke into Ash’s reverie. “I don’t think I’ve ever heard anyone with that name before. Is it your real name or a nickname?”

  All eyes turned her way, even Adam’s, and heat crept from Ash’s neck up to her cheeks. “My ini
tials are A.S.H., so I go by Ash instead of my first name.”

  “I like it,” Erin declared. “It sounds kind of hip because it’s unusual.”

  “What’s your real name?” Adam’s tone held a harsh edge.

  “Uhmm...” Ash was so surprised to find him speaking to her that she almost forgot to answer. Refusing to be cowed, she lifted her chin. “It’s Annalee.”

  “That’s a beautiful name, too.” Donna’s genuine smile warmed her heart.

  “I’ve always thought it was too old fashioned. I use Ash because it sounds more trendy.” The fact was, when Ash moved to New York City, she’d wanted a clean break from her old life and all the bad memories it entailed. But she was desperate to please her new aunt. “But you can call me Annalee if you want to.”

  “Oh no—I’m happy to call you Ash, dear.”

  “I say trendiness is highly overrated.” Adam threw the phrase at her, his eyes flashing. “I prefer Annalee.”

  Though Ash knew he was attempting to get a rise out of her, referring to her earlier assessment of antiques, she couldn’t keep her mouth shut.

  “Perhaps your preference is highly overrated.”

  “At least my preference isn’t an uninformed opinion.”

  “Adam.” Donna’s single word incited a hush in the room.

  A cold chill settled in Ash’s chest as the tension rose until she felt it pressing in on all sides.

  “What? You’ve always allowed us to express our opinions, Mom... at least until tonight.”

  “Son, that’s enough,” said Mark in a warning growl. Though Adam was taller and significantly more muscled, Mark foolishly challenged his son.

  Ash’s throat convulsed and her heart raced. Adam would pommel his father to a pulp if she didn’t do something. “Really, I don’t care what he calls me. It’s okay.”

  Mark replied through clenched teeth. “It’s never okay to be rude to a guest. You know better, Adam.”