by Grady, D. R.
“What’s his name?”
“Jonathon Ethan McCormick. We call him Jon.”
“He doesn’t look like you.”
“No, he’s an exact replica of his father.”
“Just because he looks like his father doesn’t mean his fate will be the same,” Rylan said softly.
Her eyes snapped to him. Slowly, her spine relaxed. “True.” Her eyes returned to her son, and a small frown etched the space between her eyebrows. “Ethan, his father, was totally a military man. He lived and breathed it. Thankfully Jon has indicated in the last little while he’s not interested in making the armed forces his life like Ethan did.” She chased food around her plate, but didn’t eat much.
“What branch is he in?”
“He’s a Marine. Like his father.”
Rylan nodded. “Does he see a lot of action?” He took another bite in an effort to encourage her do so.
“Oh yes. He doesn’t say much when we video conference, but I think it’s pretty bad.”
He could feel her motherly concern. “We don’t get to choose for them.”
“No, and that’s what scares me.”
Chapter 24
After a hurried breakfast the next morning, Trixi threw a few more things into her lunch bag, checked Mark’s, he had forgotten a napkin, and then raced for the door. She kissed Gran on the cheek before sailing into the garage.
Mark was already there, and he had the motor idling by the time she slid into the seat beside him. She had only just buckled her seatbelt when he backed out with smooth precision, lowered the garage door, and turned toward the hospital.
“You’re late.”
“I know.” She was breathless from her run and the busyness of the morning. “I can’t seem to get it in gear today.”
He sent her a speaking look. “What’s up?”
“I don’t know. Just an odd feeling last night, so I guess I didn’t sleep well.”
“Did this odd feeling come from stress or because of an external factor?” The intensity in his voice put her on alert.
“External factor.”
“Yeah, I got the same feeling.”
Her eyebrow rose. “And?” She waved her hand in a circle, in an attempt to encourage him to continue.
He didn’t. Confusion crossed his face. “And nothing.”
“You had this feeling and that’s it? You don’t plan to do anything about it?”
“Oh, yeah. I took care of it.” His mellow attitude set her teeth on edge.
So much so that Trixi found herself speaking through them. “What did you do?”
Again, he glanced at her as if she’d lost her mind. “Why do you need to know?”
“Because I own the house.” This she managed through a locked jaw.
“Right.” He sighed and then took the next corner. They were nearly at the hospital by now. “My cousin, the policeman?”
She nodded.
“I called him and he dropped by. We scouted out the entire area. He found a few things he intends to follow up on.”
“Did you actually encounter anyone?”
“No, but then we didn’t make our presence a secret.”
“So whoever is causing the trouble is aware a police officer was there.”
“Yes and whoever it is also knows I’m there now.”
This was the reason he had moved in. “You are a little hard to miss.”
“Correct.” He signaled to turn into the hospital.
“So is this creep leery of making more trouble?”
He shrugged. “I don’t know. I thought maybe I should concentrate on my own job today.”
“Oh right. Are you seeing patients or operating or both?”
“I operate in the morning, and see patients in the afternoon.” The light changed so he turned into the doctor lot where he parked. They exited the car and Trixi grabbed up her bags.
“Do you need help?”
“No.” She shouldered the purse and then picked up her lunch bag.
When she straightened, he took it from her. He settled his free hand in the small of her back, tucking her close to his side. They strolled across the parking lot, and no one who wasn’t aware they had come together doubted it now.
A quick glance at his face revealed nothing she didn’t already know, but she was still confused. What would people think? Would they believe she and Mark were just friends? Were they friends?
Were people even aware they knew each other?
Since she didn’t have those answers, she instead walked quietly beside him and enjoyed the moment. Some of the single females did notice. None of them sent her obvious looks of dislike though.
This surprised her.
Turning one corner, they nearly knocked over Nina. Trixi said a hasty goodbye to Mark as she retrieved her lunch bag then hauled the resigned, but smiling woman into the ladies room. A moment later, Katy joined them. They cornered Nina and folded their arms.
“We haven’t heard a peep from you or Dad,” Katy started.
“Yes, we’d like to know what’s going on.” Trixi continued, but it was hard to keep her voice and expression firm.
Especially with the laughter bubbling in Nina’s eyes. “I’m not telling you anything.” Except giggles ensued immediately and a peachy glow stained her cheeks and brightened her eyes another notch.
Trixi and Katy exchanged satisfied looks. “So things are going well?”
Nina’s smile came close to blinding them. “He’s an amazing man.” There was no denying the happiness and glee emanating from her.
“Yes, he is. Certain women haven’t appreciated him like they should.”
The other woman nodded solemnly. “I have noticed his former fiancée...” She trailed off but both Katy and Trixi nodded.
“Yeah, she wanted his money but didn’t care about him.”
Nina’s smile faded. She shuffled her feet a bit and wouldn’t meet their eyes.
“What did you two do yesterday?” Trixi’s nosy question was rewarded by a softened spine and Nina’s renewed megawatt smile. Her glow could have powered the entire pediatric wing.
“We’ve been going crazy trying to find out.” Katy’s enthusiasm furthered Nina’s flush.
In light of their eagerness and girlish interest, Nina caved. “I made supper for your father last evening.” She expounded for a moment, but it was evident she hadn’t cared what she ate as much as she cared about getting to know her dining companion.
“It sounds like it was a dreamy date.” Trixi grinned at the blushing woman.
“It was. He helped me with the dishes and then we had coffee in my family room. We talked long into the night.” Nina took a moment to cover a dainty yawn.
Katy sighed. “Sounds like it was wonderful.”
“It was.” Her smile was sweet.
“So you’re hoping to see more of each other?” Katy asked.
“For as long as he asks me out, I’ll say yes.”
“So your physician assistant is coming back?” Trixi asked Mark at supper that evening after hearing rumors at work.
“I think she said Thursday.” Mark scraped the last of the lasagna from his plate. “This is the best lasagna I’ve had in ages.”
“Thank you.” She tapped a finger on the table.
He helped himself to another slice, smaller than the first, and dug in. It didn’t take him long to finish the second helping.
“So Katy will be done with you then?”
“She should be in the emergency room by Friday or Monday.”
Katy would be pleased. Trixi rose to work on the dishes. Gran shooed her away, and she went because all that was necessary was stacking the dishes in the dishwasher.
Trixi tucked the leftovers into the fridge, about faced, and bumped into Mark. “Do you have additional living space here?” He steadied her with sure hands.
She peeped up at him, dazed by the man’s handsomeness. Maybe she should get him a cowbell to warn her when he was nearby.
With ruthless discipline, she shook off her attraction and instead nodded, still tossing around the idea of the bell.
“Yes, there’s an apartment above the carriage house where my brother lived with his wife.”
“Can I see it?”
“Sure.” Why was he interested? Was he already tired of her? She started in the direction of the mudroom where her jacket hung, stomach muscles tight.
“I didn’t even notice a carriage house.” Mark kept pace with her, but it made sense, since the man’s legs were probably twice as long as hers.
She decided not to dwell on her shortcomings.
“It’s been here since the house was originally built. That was a long time ago.”
“Like how long ago?”
“The history of the house is my ancestor had several boys and one girl. The boys were all killed in the war, most likely the Civil War but it could have been the Revolutionary. His sons’ deaths left him with only his daughter. His daughter became his sole heir.
“She had already inherited his brain and great sense of business. It soon became apparent she was worthy of his home and business. From all accounts, she took the business several levels beyond what he had. Her daughter took over, and then her daughter and the company prospered.”
He assisted her with her jacket then slung on his own.
“What happened to the business?”
“Automobiles were invented so there wasn’t much need for carriages.” She hunted down the key, hanging on the key rack behind an old family portrait.
“Ah, yes, that makes sense.”
“They still had a goodly bit of money, so they sold what was left of the business and invested the proceeds.”
“But then the stock market crashed in the nineteen thirties.”
“Yes, while they didn’t lose everything, it was a near thing.”
“So your family fortunes have declined?” He sounded amused as they stepped outside. The wind blew leaves into their faces, and she hunched her shoulders against the bluster.
“Unfortunately. But we’ve managed to hold on to the house and property.” They crossed the driveway. Trixi unlocked the door to the carriage house. It led through a generous double car garage, where the tractor and lawn mower were currently parked.
“My brother and his wife used this for their vehicles while they lived upstairs. They also completely refurbished the place.”
Mark took stock of the garage. He eyed the workbench and garage organizers with interest.
She opened the door to the stairs and climbed them. Using the same key, Trixi unlocked the door and led the way inside so he could view the place.
“This is big.”
“The open floor plan makes it seem so. It’s nearly a three car garage size. Reed and Shawna slept in one bedroom and stored their clothes in the other at first. They did eventually build closets along one wall in both rooms.”
The far corner comprised the kitchen, complete with a breakfast bar. The kitchen opened to a decent sized dining space. Both abutted the living area. As grand rooms went, it was cozy, yet spacious. The bedrooms and bath completed the apartment.
“It’s a good size for one or two people.” Mark glanced at her. “What did they do besides build closets?”
“The kitchen cabinets were already here, but they were outdated. They’re solid wood, so Reed and Shawna sanded them down and refinished them. Then put on new hardware and changed out the countertops, which were also outdated, and in bad shape. They finished by replacing the sink and appliances.”
He whistled. “Sounds like a lot of work.”
“Yes, but because they’re family, they only paid their own utilities. So, both insisted on ‘paying rent’ by redoing the entire apartment.”
“They have great taste.”
Trixi showed him the full-length closets in each room. Both rooms were small, but in the slightly larger bedroom there was room for a queen bed, chair, and chest of drawers.
Finally, she showed him the minuscule bathroom. “They made their bedroom a bit larger by stealing some space from the bathroom.”
“How?”
“They took out the tub. Neither of them used it and if they wanted a tub, they just came over to the house.”
Peeking into the tiny bathroom, there was no question it was cozy.
“Not a lot of room, but there is a decent amount of storage.”
Trixi nodded. “Shawna was adamant about that.”
“How long did they live here?”
“From the time they got married, until about a month ago, so nearly two years.”
“They accomplished a lot.”
“Yes, instead of joining a gym, they said this could be their workout.”
“Didn’t you say there’s also a guesthouse?”
“Yes. Initially they lived there, but the water heater broke and flooded the place, but no one was home. So that took some time to fix. By then they had this bathroom finished and the kitchen was moving along. So they just moved in here.”
She shrugged before continuing. “There was no point moving again, so they stayed. I think they really liked having the garage. The guesthouse doesn’t have one.”
“Makes sense.” He peeked into the second bedroom then followed her out of the apartment. She locked up and then ran down the stairs. “This used to be the garage for the house?”
“Well, it was the stable and carriage storage way back when. There was a two car garage attached to the house an ancestor built. But then my maternal grandmother, who by then lived in the guesthouse, even though she owned the house, fell three times in about ten days, so she had to go into rehab. My mother hated the two car garage. She and Dad altered some storage rooms into the current three car and converted the two car garage into a suite of rooms for my grandmother. She loved it and my mom and dad enjoyed having her in the house again.”
“Let’s see the guesthouse next.”
She gave him a quick tour, and he admired the space. It was chilly so they didn’t linger. Trixi led the way into the house.
Since they had talked about it, they peeked into Gran’s rooms. “This is where Gran lives now. It’s actually a perfect setup for her. She’s close to everything, but has her own space where she can escape if she wants to. It’s fairly quiet.”
They didn’t linger.
“So if you have the apartment and the guesthouse, why are there guest rooms?” Mark followed her into the kitchen.
“You mean your space?”
He nodded as he watched her check something in the fridge. “Your area was a big nothingness until Reed was in high school. That’s when his do-it-yourself nature surfaced.”
“It was nothing? You mean no walls, nothing?”
“There were outer walls and windows and the roof. But no ceiling. We’re still not certain what the space was originally used or intended for.”
“But your brother figured it out?”
“Yes, he decided it would make an amazing guest wing. Dad had some contractors come in and build the stories, because he didn’t want to fool with the floors and ceilings, and installing plumbing and electric. He and Reed finished up the space, and had a lot of fun.”
“I’m impressed with my wing.”
“Reed and Dad went all out.”
“Have you ever had all those rooms filled?”
She paused. “Yes, for Reed and Shawna’s wedding. And around the holidays.”
They were still standing in the kitchen, facing each other across the island. “I’m thinking about renting out the apartment and guesthouse now. Since we have a bunch of rooms free for guests.”
He nodded. “It would be an ideal situation. You could get a good bit of money for both of them. Are their utilities combined with yours?”
“No, they’re all separate. Reed and Shawna also did that while they lived here.”
“Separate utilities will help you with all your costs. We need to figure out how much I owe you for rent.”
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��We’re really happy to have you here, you know. Your presence means Gran and I sleep better at night.”
“I still need to pay rent. You helped me out when I needed something.”
“You could have stayed with Leo.”
Mark sent her an are-you-kidding look. “Leo is occupied with Katy. His house is spacious, but when they’re there, it’s painful.”
“They’re not lovey-dovey.”
“And therefore painful. They need to kiss and get it out of their systems.”
She laughed. “Kissing would probably help.” Then she wondered how long Mark planned to stay. “Do you have plans for buying another house?”
“Not at the moment. Staying here is actually perfect for me. Leo was right.” He glanced around the kitchen with a smile. “Paying you rent will help you out and I get to stay in a place as comfortable and nice as this.”
“Like I said, Gran and I are really happy you’re here.”
“I’m happy to help keep you both safe.”
“Our safety is worth your rent.”
He stubbornly shook his head. “Trixi, I’ve got an entire wing, including a great study only exceeded by the one in my parent’s house. In addition to the study, I have four bedrooms, three baths, a garage space, workbench, and access to most of the first floor of your house. This includes the nicest kitchen I’ve ever seen and a great family room. Then there are the two laundry rooms, a fully equipped workout room, and you and your Gran’s company.”
The look he sent her confused her.
“I’ve got it made.” Then he quoted a rent price that made her eyes bug.
“That’s way too much.”
“It is not.” He tugged out his phone and showed her apartment prices and they were staggering. “You’re giving me far more than any of these offer, including many of the luxury models.”
Then he scrolled through several four bedroom house listings. “This is what these houses are renting for. My space is nicer than any of these.”
“Mark, it’s way too much.”
“You tell me what’s reasonable.”
He shook his head at her price. The next number he offered wasn’t much less than his first, but it was lower and he wouldn’t budge from it. “I already love this arrangement and if I can help you out at the same time, all the better.”