“I have no reason to speak to the bed,” she began, only to realize he’d distracted her again. An excellent ploy, she thought with some respect. So this was what it meant to deal with a teenager. Carter had been so easygoing and polite that she’d assumed he wasn’t going to ever be difficult. A mistake on her part. Perhaps he’d just been settling in. Now he was more comfortable and could act like a regular thirteen-year-old.
“Please put down the controller and face me.”
There was another very heavy sigh, but he did as she requested. He raised both eyebrows. “What?”
“You left a mess in the kitchen.”
“Didn’t we already have this conversation?”
“We didn’t finish it. You need to go clean up everything.”
“Sure.” He turned back to the game.
“Now. You need to do it now.”
He spun back to her so quickly, she half expected to see him go flying off the chair.
“You don’t tell me what to do,” he yelled. “You’re not my mother.”
He stood and moved toward her. Nothing about the move was threatening, yet she sensed he meant it to be.
“I don’t have to do what you say,” he said, his voice still loud, his posture aggressive. “You’re not my mother!”
Felicia took a step back. Not because she was afraid, but because she felt as if he’d slapped her. She and Carter had gotten along from the first day. They hugged before he went to bed. They hung out together. She cared about him.
Had it all been an act? A way to gain her trust? If so, what was there to achieve from a pretense of affection?
“Repeating a fact we both already know won’t increase its significance,” she said quietly. “Our relationship has little bearing on how you conduct yourself in this house. We are a family unit, however loosely formed. Each of us has responsibilities for the greater good. There are rules and considerations. One of them is that you don’t leave a mess in the kitchen. You will clean it up now.”
He glared at her, his dark eyes bright with emotion. She wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but after a few seconds, he stalked past her. She heard his heavy footsteps in the kitchen, then the slam of cupboards and the refrigerator door.
She had no explanation for his harsh words, his attitude. Her chest was tight, and she suddenly knew she was only a few seconds from crying. Something she instinctively guessed she couldn’t let him see or know about.
She hurried down the hall. The master was on the other side of the house. She sank onto the bed and tried to steady her breathing. But it was too late to stop the tears. They filled her eyes and spilled down her cheeks. The pain in her heart overwhelmed her. She felt betrayed and hurt and so very small. As if she could no longer protect herself.
Even though she couldn’t say from what, she knew that Carter was somehow at the root of it all.
* * *
GIDEON KNEW SOMETHING was wrong the second he stepped into the house. There was a change in the energy. If he were on the other side of the world, he would be pulling his gun and bracing for an ambush. As it was, he could only move quietly and be prepared for whatever happened next.
He walked through the kitchen, but all seemed well there. A few crumbs on the counters, but nothing out of place. He paused, not sure which way to go next. He started toward Carter’s room, then changed his mind and went into the master.
Felicia sat on the bed. At first he didn’t understand her posture. The slumped shoulders were at odds with her usual upright, take-charge self. Then she looked up, and he saw tears in her eyes.
He found himself pulling her to her feet and holding her tight. She clung to him, her pain as raw and open as a wound.
He stroked her hair and her back. “What happened?” he asked. “Are you hurt?”
“No,” she managed, her voice a choked sob. “I’m fine. Or I should be.” She sniffed and stepped back. “It’s Carter. We had a fight.”
She moved away. “That’s what it was. A fight. I’ve never had a fight with anyone before. It’s awful. How do people do it all the time? Why aren’t they crushed? He made a snack and left everything out. The bread, the peanut butter. He doesn’t do that, so I was confused. I went to see him to ask him to clean up what he’d done and he—”
She paused, her mouth trembling.
So far he didn’t see the issue, but she was upset and that made this his problem. “And?”
“He yelled at me. He said I wasn’t his mother and I couldn’t tell him what to do. The way he looked at me...” More tears fell. “I thought we were getting close. I thought he liked me.”
Gideon pulled her close again. “He does like you.”
“You didn’t see him. I’m trying to tell myself that he’s thirteen and there are hormones, or maybe he’s testing me to see if I’ll stand by him, no matter what. I hope it’s one of those, but I never thought it would hurt so much.”
He held her, knowing there was nothing he could say to make the situation easier. But he could try to understand it better.
“I’m going to talk to him.”
Felicia nodded. “I guess one of us should, and I don’t think I can right now.”
He was halfway down the hall when he saw the front door just out of the corner of his eye. It would be so easy to head out. Take off. Run up the mountain or get in his car and disappear. Leave all this emotional crap behind. Simple solution that wouldn’t solve the real problem. Because the letter he’d gotten two days ago said no matter how long he was gone or how much he avoided his responsibility, Carter was still his son.
He walked into his office and pulled the envelope out of his desk, then went down the hall. When he reached Carter’s room, he found the teen lying on his bed, staring at the ceiling.
“Go away,” he said as Gideon entered.
“No such luck, kid.”
Gideon pulled the desk chair next to the bed and sat down.
He’d been a teenager once, although trying to summon the memories was useless. During his captivity, he’d done his best to forget everyone and everything he’d ever known.
But now, as he stared at the boy who was his son, he had no way to connect. No funny stories about his past to share. He’d done a good job of forgetting, never thinking that if he survived, there might be a price to pay.
“You gonna be a shit much longer, or is this about over?” he asked, his voice conversational.
Carter sat up and stared at him. “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t pretend you don’t know. Felicia’s the smartest one in the house, but neither of us is stupid. What’s your endgame? Does hurting someone who cares about you make you feel like a man?”
Carter flinched. “She’s upset?”
“She’s crying.”
The last vestige of defiance faded, leaving behind a frightened and ashamed boy. “I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize to me.”
Carter hung his head. “I was mean to her.” He cleared his throat. “I don’t know why I did it. I really like Felicia. She’s cool, you know? Always nice and interesting.”
Gideon searched for the right words, for some parable to explain what was going on. The problem was, he didn’t understand Carter any more than he understood the two old ladies who had invaded his space a few days ago. The only thing he knew for sure was Felicia was hurting, and he wanted her to feel better. And his son was confused, and he needed to help him.
Carter nodded. “I get it. I’m testing her, right? To make sure she’s going to be there. She’s so patient and understanding. I want this to work. I want the two of you to get married and stuff, but what if you don’t? What if she leaves?”
Gideon was on his feet and nearly out the door before he caught himself and turned around. Fortunately, Carter was busy trying not to cry and hadn’t noticed.
“Married?” The sound was more croak than word.
He couldn’t get married. He couldn’t. That part of him had been beaten, ele
ctrocuted or just plain starved out of him. No way.
Carter looked up at him. “Sure. You like her, and she gets this funny look when you’re around. It makes a stable home for me. But if you don’t, she’ll leave eventually. I mean come on, she’s hot. Some other guy is going to snatch her up if you don’t make your play.”
“You fought with Felicia because you think she’s going to start dating another guy?”
Carter gave him a half smile. “No. I don’t want her to leave.”
“I don’t want her to leave, either.”
The smile broadened. “Cool.”
“No, not cool. Not anything. What happens or doesn’t happen with Felicia doesn’t change what you did to her. And it doesn’t change this.”
He pulled the envelope out of his back pocket and dropped it on the bed. “The DNA results are back. You’re stuck with me, kid.”
Carter stared at the paper but didn’t touch it. “You’re my dad?”
“Uh-huh. Not a surprise for either of us. I’ll talk to a lawyer and find out what the next step is to make it official. There will be a few legal things. You can keep your last name. It’s what you know and a connection with your mom.”
Carter drew his knee to his chest and poked at the envelope. “Felicia told you that last part, didn’t she?”
“Yes. She said it was important for you to maintain your identity. Or at the very least, that it should be your decision.”
He had more to say, but Carter was already running down the hall.
Gideon followed more slowly. He found them in the center of the master, Carter nearly wringing his hands as he apologized.
Felicia let him finish, then shrugged. “We need to establish some rules and consequences.”
“I can help with that,” he told her earnestly. “I’m sorry I hurt you.” He brushed away tears. “I mean it.”
“I know.”
Carter sniffed. “He’s my dad.”
“Are you surprised?” she asked.
“No, but it’s nice to know for sure.”
“Confirmation can be soothing.”
Carter started to laugh. Gideon expected him to hug her now, but the kid turned and reached for him. The teen pulled her along and it was the three of them, holding on for a very long time.
Gideon suddenly understood what Dickens had meant. The best of times and the worst of times. Unexpectedly, he started to laugh.
“What’s so funny?” Carter asked.
“Felicia.” He looked at the woman in question. “You’re a dangerous influence.”
She smiled. “I try to only use my powers for good.”
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
“YOU’RE NOT GOING to believe it,” Isabel said, reaching for a chip.
Felicia dipped into the guacamole and waited for the news.
Lunch with her friends was always fun and interesting, she thought. There were plenty of jokes and a real sense of caring and connection. Just a few months ago she’d been a stranger in a new town, but now she belonged. She had a job she loved, girlfriends to hang out with, a gorgeous man in her bed and a growing bond with a teenager. The best part was she honestly couldn’t say which element was the most surprising. She never would have expected to be so happy, but here she was.
Patience smiled at Isabel. “We’re not, so tell us.”
Isabel waved her chip. “I got an email from my parents, who are very close to Hong Kong, by the way, and they’ve rented out the apartment over the garage. Just like that. A note telling me the tenant will be moving in at the end of the week, and could I please get the cleaning service in and air out the place.”
“Who’s the tenant?” Noelle asked.
“I have no idea.”
“Could be a serial killer,” Charlie said cheerfully. She was looking tanned and relaxed after her exotic honeymoon.
“Thanks for that,” Isabel said with a grimace. “I can’t believe they didn’t ask me to interview whoever it is. Or at least meet them.”
“If he kills you in your sleep, they’ll feel guilty,” Noelle said. “I mean that in a helpful way and it didn’t come out exactly as I planned.”
“Oddly, I know what you mean,” Isabel said and bit down on her chip.
“I understand your point,” Patience told her. “The apartment is close enough that you’ll be seeing a lot of your new tenant.”
“Not if he only goes out at night,” Charlie pointed out.
“Somebody kick her,” Isabel said.
“While I’m closest and capable,” Felicia said with a smile. “I don’t want to take Charlie on.”
“Thanks.” Charlie grinned. “Because, of everyone here, I think you’re the only one who could take me.” She looked at Consuelo. “Okay, you, too. Even though you’re small.”
Consuelo winked. “People underestimate me all the time. It takes away the challenge, but I always enjoy having the advantage.”
Jo appeared with a big tray. “It’s food time, people. Move your stuff.”
Salads, burgers and tacos were passed out. Felicia accepted her BBQ chicken salad and wondered what Carter would make of the place. While he was too young to come into the bar at night, during the day, children were welcome. There was even a play area in the corner for the toddler set.
She thought he might get the joke of reality TV playing and the female-skin-tone-flattering paint colors. He’d been home the past couple of days with a cold. She’d stayed with him, and they’d enjoyed hanging out together.
Since the big fight a few days before, life had been a lot calmer. She and Carter had written up house rules and consequences. He’d been extremely fair when suggesting punishments, offering up items he valued most. He’d admitted to testing boundaries and apologized for hurting her.
For reasons she couldn’t explain, the incident had brought them closer. Logically she should have been worried he would hurt her again, but she wasn’t. Gideon, on the other hand, seemed to be more wary around them. She suspected having the DNA test confirm his relationship with Carter was something he had to deal with. Connections were difficult for him, and there was no way to un-make Carter his son.
“If you’re really worried about your new tenant,” Charlie said, picking up her burger, “ask the police to run a check on the guy. Assuming it’s a guy.”
“Women can be killers,” Consuelo pointed out.
Noelle smiled at her. “You say that so cheerfully.”
“I don’t like discrimination.” She grabbed a French fry and turned to Felicia. “Carter’s doing really well in class. He’s got some talent.”
“He probably gets that from his dad. He’s loving the class. And he has a big crush on you.”
“He’ll get over it.”
“Are you going to offer self-defense classes?” Patience asked. “I’d love to take one.”
“I could,” Consuelo said. “If you think people would be interested.”
“It’s Fool’s Gold.” Isabel rolled her eyes. “Nothing scary ever happens here.”
“That’s not true.” Patience waved her fork. “Lillie was kidnapped.”
They all nodded. “That was awful,” Charlie said.
“And remember after Brew-haha opened and there was that guy?” Patience asked.
Consuelo looked confused. “What guy?”
“It was great,” Patience told her. “This guy came in with his wife. He was awful. Abusive and mean. Felicia walked over to him and took him down.”
Felicia shook her head. “I immobilized him until the police could come. Nothing more.”
“Impressive,” Isabel said. She turned to Consuelo. “If you’re teaching that, sign me up.”
“I can show you how to kick a little butt.”
Felicia felt both pleased and uncomfortable with the praise.
“I remember her,” Charlie said. “Helen. She left him. Relocated and is starting over. Good for her.”
Maybe it was the town, Felicia thought, glancing out the window. It empow
ered people to change. There were—
Her brain came to a complete stop. There was a woman outside walking her dog. Not an unusual occurrence. People walked dogs all the time. Except... Except...
She pushed back her chair and sprang to her feet. “I forgot!”
Everyone stared at her.
“What’s wrong?” Consuelo asked. “Are you okay?”
“No. I can’t believe it. I forgot. It’s Tuesday.”
“Did she hit her head?” Isabel asked.
Horror had a metallic taste, Felicia thought, barely breathing as the truth rushed into her brain like the tide. How could she have forgotten?
“I was working on it all last week. I knew. And then I had the fight with Carter and I just forgot.” She stared at them. “It’s the Dog Days of Summer festival on Friday.”
“Oh, that,” Charlie said and picked up her burger. “Sure. Same weekend every year.”
“But I’m not ready,” Felicia shrieked. “Do you see any decorations? Signs for parking? Have there been any announcements on the radio? I forgot. It’s my job and I forgot.”
She reached into her pocket and pulled out a twenty, then ran out of the bar. Once on the sidewalk, she came to a stop, not sure what to do next.
There should be decorations, she thought frantically. Due to a scheduling mix-up, the city crew wasn’t available to put up the signs, but she’d been given a budget to hire high school and college kids to hook the banners to the light poles. She had a three-page, single-spaced list of all she was supposed to accomplish. Instead of checking that in her office, she’d been home with Carter. She’d been so focused on him, she’d forgotten about the festival.
Indecision clutched her like big hairy monster hands. She couldn’t move, couldn’t think. Help. She needed help.
She pulled her phone out of her purse and pushed in Gideon’s number.
“Hey,” he said when he answered.
“I forgot the festival,” she said, her voice breathless. “I forgot. I don’t know how it happened. I’ve never forgotten anything. It’s in three days and I’m not ready.”
“Festival?”
“The Dog Days of Summer. There are no decorations, no pooper-scooper stations. I stayed home with Carter instead of going to work. I was out to lunch with my friends. I forgot! I never forget. I have a perfect memory.”
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