by EMILIE ROSE
“I tried. She gets too emotional, and she’s beyond listening to reason. She’s been downright rude to Madison, and we need Madison here. I can’t afford to have your mother run her off.”
A week ago Adam would have insisted they could do fine without Madison, but after seeing the way she handled his father... Maybe they did need her. “Mom’s been through a lot, and it sounds like Andrew might not have been completely honest with us.”
Danny’s eyes snapped up. He searched Adam’s face. “It’s about damned time someone got Madison’s side of the story.”
“Are you confirming Andrew lied?”
“Adam, I loved your brother, but loving him doesn’t mean I didn’t see his faults and didn’t know that he always put number one first. Madison was the best choice he ever made. She was strong where he was weak, and ambitious when he was apathetic. He was a better man when she was around. But she raised the bar around here, and he couldn’t keep being lazy and meet her standards.
“Andrew could be pretty convincing when he wanted something, and I always suspected he might’ve embellished the truth. How much remains to be seen. I never once believed Madison capable of having an affair—no matter what Andrew said. I saw the results of the extra hours she put in. But he had your mother convinced that Madison was as shallow as a petri dish.”
And him, Adam admitted. He had a lot of research ahead to filter fact from fiction. But that would have to wait until the crises at work and with his father had passed. By then what Andrew had done wouldn’t matter, because Madison would be long gone. And that moment couldn’t come too soon.
Whether Andrew had told the truth or not was irrelevant. Madison would always be his brother’s wife. He would not fill his brother’s shoes. And he definitely would not fill his brother’s bed.
* * *
RESENTMENT BURNED IN Helen’s belly. “I love you, girl,” she mimicked Danny’s words to Madison and then glanced around to make sure no one had overheard her talking to herself. But the professionally tended yards around her were empty.
She couldn’t remember the last time Danny had told her he loved her. Not in years. And she was honest enough to admit she resented Madison sweeping in like a savior, running the practice, buying groceries and entertaining Danny. By doing so Madison had managed to make Helen feel unprepared, neglectful and inadequate in her own home. The same way Madison had made Andrew feel.
Helen knew she should’ve gotten the shopping list sooner, but... She kicked a piece of gravel. It rolled and bounced along the asphalt, finally coming to rest on the edge of an emerald-green lawn.
Part of not preparing for Danny’s care after chemo had been denial, she admitted to herself reluctantly. She hadn’t wanted to believe Danny’s reaction to the medicines would be this bad. She’d hoped he’d be one of the patients who went on as usual with few to no side effects. Instead, he looked far worse than she’d ever seen him. And it terrified her. The man was rarely ever sick, and even when he had been, he’d never missed a day of work. Seeing him struggle today to lift a glass to his lips tore her apart.
She rounded the curve and spotted three of her neighbors coming her way. She’d dubbed them the supercilious trio, because the women thought themselves better than everyone else. They’d moved into houses formerly occupied by Helen’s friends.
It was too late to turn around. They’d already seen her. She didn’t need them now, not when her nerves were already frayed to the snapping point. Blanking her expression, she quickened her pace, nodding hello and hoping to pass without speaking. The women were twenty years younger than Helen and career focused like Madison. The few times she’d interacted with them at neighborhood functions they’d acted as if Helen was a housewife because she wasn’t smart enough to be anything else.
And maybe she wasn’t. She was certainly failing Danny. No. She had her priorities right. Her family had always come first. But if something happened to Danny, how would she support herself? It didn’t help that Madison had said the same thing years ago when she’d tried to coerce Helen into going back to school.
But no, she wouldn’t think that way. Danny would be fine.
Her neighbors wore perfectly coordinated exercise clothing and each looked as if she’d just stepped out of the salon. Helen hadn’t even checked herself in a mirror before racing out. She’d been up since five this morning and hadn’t checked her makeup since putting it on.
“How are the renovations coming?” one asked as they drew alongside. They all stopped, forcing her to do the same.
“The remodel’s on hold for now.” They didn’t know about Danny and she wasn’t going to tell them.
“We were wondering how long the motor home would be parked in your driveway,” the second added.
“Until we no longer need it.” She laced the phrase with a saccharine smile.
“What’s the holdup? Did you run out of money to pay the contractor?”
The insult snapped her spine as tight as a kite string. “Danny prefers to do the work himself. He’s very skilled with his power tools and loves creating things when his busy practice allows him a few moments of free time.”
Since none of these women’s husbands even owned a lawn mower, Helen doubted they could identify a power tool at the hardware store. It saddened her to see professional companies mowing their yards and trimming their shrubs. Her sons had learned responsibility by doing those chores, and Adam had made money mowing yards while neighbors were on vacation.
“Isn’t having that thing parked in the yard against neighborhood covenants or something?” the third chimed in.
“Danny and I were the first homeowners to buy and build in this development. There were no covenants then and aren’t now.”
Dear heaven, she was being a bi—witch. Her grandmother would be ashamed. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, my husband and son are waiting for their home-cooked dinner.”
She hustled back toward her house. Even listening to Danny singing Madison’s praises was better than hearing these waspy women buzz.
* * *
“THANKS FOR COMING early,” Adam said as Madison met him beside the airplane Sunday afternoon. “I hope it wasn’t an inconvenience.”
As it had every other time, seeing Adam did crazy things to Madison’s equilibrium. “Meeting at three instead of six forced me to juggle a few things, but I managed. What’s the rush?”
Adam took her cooler and bag. The accidental touch of their fingers made her heart trip. If it affected him at all he covered it well. Then she noticed the splash of red on his neck and the extra firmness of his mouth. Knowing he wasn’t unaffected was not a good thing.
“Dad wants to have a Sunday dinner like the good ol’ days. He’s afraid he won’t be fit company on Tuesday after his next infusion, and he’s determined to squeeze in two visits with you each week.”
Madison’s heart ached in sympathy, confirming she’d totally failed at keeping herself detached from the Drake family.
“How did he handle Friday’s?”
“Not great. He’ll be weaker each time he goes in. But he was well enough this morning to make demands.”
They boarded the plane and Adam fell into his usual takeoff procedures, but the atmosphere wasn’t filled with resentment this time. She preferred the tension. It kept her hormones in check.
Flying to get her was both expensive and time-consuming, but if he resented either she had yet to see him show evidence of it to his parents. Andrew never would have been so generous. He’d have made sure everyone knew how much he was putting himself out.
Determined to keep her thoughts from wandering into the danger zone of comparing brothers, she pulled out the stack of veterinary magazines Danny had loaned her and immersed herself in reading each from cover to cover. Adam didn’t interrupt and she preferred it that way. Really, she did.
/> Other than an occasional glance out the window to check the scenery and their progress, she kept her nose in the pages until they’d landed. Not that she hadn’t been distracted occasionally by the competent way Adam handled the controls or his deep voice talking to someone on the other end of the radio.
In the same situation Andrew would have demanded her attention and even done foolish things to get it. He used to swerve the car or slam on brakes when she had her face buried in a textbook just so she’d look up. One thing was for sure, she’d have never trusted Andrew at the controls of an airplane. With hindsight she realized he’d often been like a child squealing, “Look at me!” Adam didn’t need his ego stroked with attention.
When the wheels rolled to a stop, she marked her place for the transfer from the plane to the car, then read some more. Rude? Maybe. Smart? Definitely.
“Are the articles that engrossing?”
“Yes, but more important, I borrowed the magazines from Danny. I want to return them.” She didn’t lift her head again until he turned off the car engine and she discovered he’d parked by the Drakes’ motor home.
Gathering the magazines she’d finished, she pushed open her door. “Could you unlock the trunk?”
“Why?”
“I need to get some things out of the cooler.”
Adam did as she requested. Madison stacked three containers on top of the magazines. Her tower slipped precariously.
“Let me have those.” He took the resealable plastic bowls, and again their hands collided. She had the same breath-catching, heart-hiccupping reaction as before. Their gazes met and held, and the awareness of that blasted kiss arced between them. She ducked her head on the pretext of checking to see if she’d left anything behind, breaking the connection.
Four more weeks and she’d never have to see him again. Her life would return to normal.
Helen met them at the door. Everything about her, from her drawn face, flat hair and wrinkled clothing, screamed exhaustion. Madison ached to wrap her arms around her former mother-in-law and reassure her, but the gesture wouldn’t be welcome.
“Hello, Helen.”
Helen nodded. Her neutral expression brightened when she spotted the containers in Adam’s hands. “What did you bring us, dear?”
“Madison brought a surprise.”
Helen’s lips curled downward. “What kind of surprise?”
Madison climbed the stairs and entered the living area, trying not to be put off by the woman’s cool reception and suspicious tone. Danny looked worse than Helen. “Hi, Danny. I brought a few things to try to tempt your taste buds.”
He held out his hand. She set the magazines on a small table and crossed to give him the hug he demanded. He wasn’t wearing the cologne he usually doused on liberally—another sign that he wasn’t himself. Was that because chemo made his sense of smell more sensitive or was he just too sick or tired to care?
“What do you have there, Maddie?” he asked after she straightened.
“I brought batches of my grandma’s banana-pudding and chicken-salad recipes, and my tenant’s famous double-chocolate brownies.”
“You’ve learned to bake?” Helen asked and Madison grimaced.
“No. I’m afraid that’s a lost cause. June made the brownies for us.” June had made them for Madison, but she would share.
“Banana pudding is my favorite,” Danny said. “And Helen always loved your chicken salad. You’re a good girl, Maddie.”
“It’s the least I could do.”
“I’ll try some of that pudding,” Danny said.
Helen frown deepened. “You haven’t had dinner.”
“Life’s short. Dessert first,” he protested.
Helen shot Madison a now-look-what-you’ve-done look, then retrieved a stack of plates. She gave Danny small helpings of everything, including the pot roast from the cast-iron Dutch oven on the stove.
Danny went straight for the dessert. He put a forkful in his mouth and rolled it around as if testing it. “Mmm. You never gave Helen this recipe, did you?”
Helen hadn’t asked for it or the chicken-salad recipe. “No.”
“Serve yourselves.” Helen gestured to the plates on the counter.
Adam indicated Madison go first. She fixed a plate, keeping an eye on Helen’s drawn face as she did so. Danny’s treatment was hard on her. Madison carried the filled plate to her former mother-in-law. Helen looked surprised. “I can fix my own.”
“I know you can, but please, sit down. Get off your feet.”
She hesitated. “I— Thank you.”
Madison returned to the kitchen, fixed herself a plate then sat across from Helen at the table, aware of Adam’s eyes on her every step of the way.
Helen watched Danny. “Danny Drake, you’re not eating my pork roast.”
“My jaw aches too much to chew.”
“Why didn’t you say something?” Helen protested. “I could have fixed something else.”
“Because I whine enough already,” he snapped.
“It’s not whining, Dad. Your nutrition is important. If you need softer foods you need to say so. Mom can’t read your mind.”
The three seemed locked in a standoff. Madison decided to defuse the situation. “Helen, why don’t you take a few hours for yourself tomorrow evening? Adam and I will take care of dinner and stay with Danny until you get home.”
“Why would I do that?” Suspicion once again filled her tone. Dealing with Helen reminded Madison of trying to befriend a dog that had been beaten.
“Tuesday’s chemo is going to be hard on both of you. You should rest up while you have the chance. Go see a movie, grab dinner with a friend, have your hair done or get a massage. Do something for yourself.”
“I’m fine. I don’t need your food or your help.”
“Helen!” Danny protested.
Helen glared at Adam. “Did you put her up to this?”
“No, Mom, and frankly giving you some time to yourself never occurred to me, although it should have. Madison’s trying to help.”
Madison ignored her hurt feelings. “Helen, you need to take care of you so that you have the strength and endurance to take care of Danny.”
Helen’s anger faded and her eyes filled with tears. Blinking furiously, she turned away. When she faced Madison again she’d regained control. “I don’t want to put anyone out.”
“You’re not. We’ll be here anyway. Right, Adam?” Madison turned to the man seated beside her for backup and found him once again studying her as if she were a new species.
“Right. I’ll bring Dad an order of breadsticks and some minestrone soup from his favorite Italian restaurant.”
“He’d like that.” Helen hesitated. “And...so would I. Thank you for suggesting it, Madison. And thank you for the chicken salad. Danny’s right. I always loved your grandmother’s recipe and if you’ll share it I’d like to get it from you.”
“Of course.” And that, Madison decided, was a step in the right direction toward repaying the Drakes for the kindness they’d shown her before they’d turned on her. Before long she’d have a clean slate, and she’d be able to walk away without a backward glance.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
ADAM COULDN’T TAKE his eyes off the woman seated on the leather sofa. Madison’s eyes were bright, her smile wide and the tension that had emanated from her since her reentry into their lives was absent. This was the Madison he hadn’t seen in years, only she was an older version—one with more substance than the girl his brother had married. The tough times she’d been through had added character.
She’d taken control from the minute they’d entered the motor home this evening, shooing his mother out the door and insisting she take her time. When his mother had waffled, Madison had promised the
y had everything under control here, but yes, they would call if they needed her. His mother had left, her reluctance and eagerness equally apparent.
For most of the past two hours Madison had entertained his father with stories of her rural practice, often poking fun at the mistakes she’d made or lessons she’d learned the hard way, which had in turn led his father to share embarrassing tales that Adam had never heard before. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d heard his father laugh that hard or so much. For that matter, Adam couldn’t remember the last time he’d laughed as much. How had he never known his father had a sense of humor?
“And then I took a very long shower.” Madison concluded her tale of doing a face-plant in a pig sty with a comical grimace.
Holding his ribs, Adam’s father chuckled and winced. “Stop making me laugh.”
A woman who didn’t take herself too seriously was damned attractive, and the fact that she’d been good to his parents made her doubly so.
Adam rejected the idea immediately. He wouldn’t become his brother’s replacement. He wanted no part of his brother’s wife.
Repeating the mantra didn’t seem to be working, he acknowledged. He’d have to try harder.
“Good lord, son, I’m parched. Where’s that drink?”
Adam realized he’d been so caught up in listening to Madison that he’d forgotten what he’d gone to the kitchen to do. “Coming up.”
He finished refilling the glasses and carried them to the den, setting Madison’s on the table beside her rather than risking contact. She looked up at him, her face still glowing with amusement. Her beauty took his breath and he couldn’t look away.
Seconds ticked past—seconds laden with the memory of what shouldn’t have happened—then she blinked and dipped her chin. “Thank you.”
Her breathier-than-usual voice hit him low in the gut.
“You’re welcome.” But as he took his seat at the far end of the couch he had to admit once again that the idea of giving his mother a night out would never have occurred to him. Ditto preparing her favorite foods. Madison had done both. Why?