by Lois Richer
“I’m very sure they are,” he murmured, kissing her cheek. But they didn’t compare to holding your child in your arms. “Did you get all your toys put away?”
“Uh-huh. Can we go to the Dairy Shack now?”
“We can.” He swirled her around until the giggles he loved to hear burst out of her, then he set her down. “How about getting your jacket?”
“Daddy.” Her eyes brimmed with scorn. “It’s boiling outside.”
“It is now,” he agreed, brushing her nose with his fingertip. “But it might not be so warm on the water later.”
Tati squealed with delight. “We’re going on a boat?”
He nodded. “The houseboat. Like we had for Granny’s birthday, remember? We’ve been invited to go for a ride with Piper and Jason.”
Her face glowed with excitement, but she said nothing more, simply headed for her room and her sweater. Moments later they were on the road and Michael was fielding her incessant questions, punctuated by expressions of delight. Tati would finally have something interesting to talk about at show and tell.
“Can I catch a fish?”
“I don’t know, honey. We’ll have to see.”
“I hope it’s a giant fish. A whale.”
“We don’t have whales in Serenity Bay, honey.”
“It could happen,” she insisted stubbornly then turned to stare out the window. “Wanda says lots of strange things happen.”
Wanda would know. Michael drove through the shedding trees, crunching over dry red and gold leaves toward the ice cream shop. His mind grappled with the same old problem. Assuming he could get some pieces finished by next summer, how and where could he arrange a showing? And was that God’s will or his own?
“Look, Daddy. Aren’t the flowers pretty?”
“Where?” He followed her pointing finger to a shiny convertible sitting next to a gigantic plastic cone advertising fifty-one flavors. Something about that car seemed familiar.
“In the window of that car. The nice lady’s there.”
Michael pulled into a parking spot, turned his head and saw Ashley Adams seated behind the wheel of her black sports car, facing straight ahead. A transparency of Van Gogh’s big yellow sunflowers had been stuck on the back side window.
“Let’s go say hello.” Michael released Tati from her car seat, took her hand as they walked toward Ashley. Though the roof was down, all her windows were rolled up. He tapped on one.
Ashley jerked, slowly turned her head to face him. Her face was a pasty white, her eyes stretched wide with fear.
“Are you all right?” He waited, and when she didn’t respond, reached over the window to unlock the door. He opened it, touched her shoulder. “Ashley?”
Her whole body jerked at the contact.
“Yes?” Her voice emerged a thread of sound.
“Is something the matter?”
“Is she sick, Daddy?”
Tati’s squeak of inquiry seemed to break the bubble Ashley had been trapped in. She drew in a deep breath and released her fingers from their death grip on the wheel.
“I’m fine. Thank you for asking.”
“You don’t look fine,” he told her bluntly. She cast furtive glances to the left, then right, as if searching for someone. Or something.
“What’s wrong?”
“Wrong?” She blinked, swung her legs from the car. “Nothing’s wrong. I came to get a carton of ice cream. I’m going for a boat ride with Piper and Jason.”
“So are we!” Tati squealed in delight. “What kind of ice cream are you going to get?”
“What kind would you like?”
Her recovery happened faster than he expected, but it wasn’t complete. Michael knew from the way she closed the car door then checked the street that she was looking for something. Or someone.
“I like chocolate chip cookie dough. And tiger-tiger. And strawberry cheesecake and pistachio and—”
Ashley laughed. “Maybe I should have asked what kind you don’t like.”
“Oh.” Tati frowned, grasped Michael’s hand. “What kind of ice cream don’t I like, Daddy?”
“I don’t think there is one.” He motioned to the store. “Shall we go inside and look?”
“Sure.” Ashley walked along beside him. She wasn’t wearing her usual high heels but the cream linen pants and matching silk sweater still screamed money. Even her toes, poking out of woven rope sandals, were perfectly manicured and polished a soft blush pink.
Michael held the door, waited for her to pass in front of him.
“Your hand is shaking,” he said, softly enough that Tati couldn’t hear. “I wish you’d tell me what’s wrong.”
“It’s nothing.” She tipped her head back to stare into his eyes. “Just some bad memories that won’t go away.”
Her hair was bundled onto the top of her head and held there by a silver comb, though wispy ringlets broke free and framed her face. A few longer tendrils caressed the long smooth line of her neck like an expensive pewter frame. She was gorgeous.
“I didn’t realize you’d be going on the houseboat today.”
“Or you would have begged off?” He smiled at her faint blush. “I can cancel if it will bring back that killer smile of yours.”
“Don’t be silly. Tati would be devastated.” She inclined her head toward the little girl peeking over the ice-cream freezer trying to choose her favorite. “You have a beautiful daughter.”
“Yes, I know. I thank God for her every day.” Since they were early Michael insisted on buying them each a cone, then suggested they wander across the street to the park to eat them.
“Color coordination down to a T,” he murmured, watching as she nipped at the top of her ice cream.
“What do you mean?” Ashley blinked, stared at him.
“Just thinking aloud.”
“Oh, no, you don’t,” she said. “Tell me the truth. What did you mean by that?”
“Okay, but just remember, you asked me.” He wrinkled his nose, glared at her ice cream. “Vanilla? Of all the flavors you could have picked you chose boring old vanilla? I assumed you chose it so that it would blend in with your clothing.”
“You think my clothes are boring?” She lifted one eyebrow like an imperial queen questioning a servant.
“No.” Michael shook his head. “See, I knew I’d blow this. Your clothes are perfect. You’re perfect. But vanilla ice cream is boring. Not like you at all. I would have thought you’d choose something subtle but definitely flavored, like butter pecan.”
She glanced over at Tati who seemed happy to sit on the bottom of the slide and lick her double chocolate chip ice cream.
“I’m not big on pecans. See. You don’t know me that well.”
“Sure I do. You’re the girl who used to hide behind my mom’s plant.”
“You didn’t remember that.” Ashley shook her head, her smile faint. “I told you.”
He tried again, scouring his brain for some other memory. “You never used to say much. The silent type.”
“I told you that, too.” She looked him straight in the eye. “You don’t remember me at all, do you, Michael? Not that you should. I don’t think I ever said more than fifteen words to you. We never had anything in common.”
“Of course I remember. You came here to spend summer with your father after your parents split. You and Piper and another girl used to hang around together a lot.” He struggled to recall some detail his mother had let slip. “Anyway, you had the best house in the neighborhood.”
“You said that before.” She glanced down at her cone, dabbed at the white glob that dripped on her wrist. “It really doesn’t matter. Just accept that I chose vanilla ice cream because I like it.”
“Why?”
Ashley gave him a testy look, shrugged her shoulders.
“I don’t know. It’s simple, uncomplicated. The way I want my life to be.”
He almost laughed—until he saw how serious she was.
“
Ashley, unless you’re a monk in a monastery, I don’t think that’s going to happen.”
“Why not?”
“Because life isn’t like that. It’s messy and challenging and full of surprises. And that’s good.”
“Why? I don’t like surprises.”
From the dark clouds scudding across her face, Michael got the distinct impression she’d just made the understatement of the year. He waited, hoping she’d expound further.
“I like my life organized, not chaotic. I like to wake up knowing what I’ve planned for the day and then do it. I don’t like wondering what tomorrow will bring.”
“It scares you,” he guessed quietly. “I suppose an accident, losing your job and breaking an engagement can do that to a person. But you’ll get past it. You’ll want challenges in your life again.”
She tilted her head to one side.
“Are you analyzing me?”
“Hardly.” Like he was qualified to help anyone when his own life was such a shambles. “I’m just saying, why not cut yourself some slack? You’ve obviously gone through a lot. You need some time to just let the wind blow the cobwebs away.”
“Is that what you do?”
He glanced around, found Tati kicking sand in the sandbox. “Not lately,” he admitted.
“But you’d like to spend more time with your daughter?” Now she was analyzing him.
“I spend as much as I can with her, but sometimes the mornings are so rushed.” He shrugged. “As the days get shorter, daylight comes later and it feels more and more like I’m dragging her out of bed at the crack of dawn to ship her off to day care.”
“Doesn’t she enjoy it there?”
“Oh, yeah.” Michael smiled. “Tati’s always been around a lot of people. Keeping her at home alone wouldn’t be an option.”
“So why the guilt?”
He studied her wide gray eyes, found only empathy. That was probably why he let the words pour out.
“I want to give her everything,” he explained softly. “I don’t ever want her to think back and feel like she missed out on something because of me or remember that I wasn’t there when she wanted me. I don’t want to be too busy for her, but—”
“But you have a lot of things to do and it’s not easy to divide your time between them. I understand. And I really wasn’t going to press you about the set building again.” Ashley tossed the rest of her cone into the trash can, dabbed her fingers against a napkin and tossed it in, too. “Piper’s very good at recruiting people. She’ll find someone else. I hope.”
He laughed at her last remark.
“Hint taken. I’ll think about it, okay? Now no more guilt,” he decreed. “Let’s go for that boat ride and enjoy the afternoon. It’ll be something to look back on in January when it’s twenty below and the snow’s up to our ears. Come on, Tati.”
She came trundling across the leaf-covered grass, legs churning as fast as they could carry her, chocolate smears covering her face, her T-shirt and her jeans.
“You need a bath,” he told her, grimacing at her grungy fingers. He glanced at Ashley. “Could you watch her while I run across to ask for some damp napkins?”
“No need.” Ashley reached inside her cream purse and lifted out a small zippered bag. She removed two small packets, handed them to him. “Wet wipes. They should do the trick.”
“Thank you.” Michael sighed. She’s a lot better prepared than you. One step at a time.
Once Tati was as clean as they could manage, they trooped back to the cars. Michael couldn’t miss Ashley’s surreptitious scan of the area.
“I wish you’d tell me what’s wrong,” he murmured quietly as Tati climbed inside her car seat and buckled herself in.
“Why do you keep saying that? I’m fine.”
“Is that why you keep checking over your shoulder?”
She stared at him for a moment, bit her lip. “I thought I saw someone,” she finally admitted.
“Someone you don’t want to see, I assume.”
Ashley’s spun-silver hair jerked as she nodded. “Someone I never want to see again.”
The vehemence in her voice stunned him. Who did she mean?
“Your former fiancé?”
“Kent?” Surprise filled her eyes. She shook her head, her smile lopsided. “No worries there. He’s off looking for other fish to fry.”
“You don’t sound upset by that.” He studied her face, searching for the remnants of pain. He found none.
“I’m not.” Her eyes hardened for a moment, then she shrugged. “I made a mistake. A marriage between us never would have lasted.”
Since she didn’t seem averse to sharing, Michael dug a little deeper. “Why not? Didn’t you love him?”
“I thought I did. Turns out he loved something more than me.”
“You mean someone, don’t you?”
She chuckled. “Actually I don’t, Michael. I mean something—as in money. My fiancé wanted to be kept in the style to which he’d become accustomed. When I objected to being his meal ticket, he decided it was time to cut all ties.” Ashley’s indifference to that decision was visible. She pulled her sunglasses off the dash of her car and twiddled them in one hand. “He’s probably found someone else by now.”
“And you don’t care?”
A tiny flush of color tinted her pale cheeks. “It’s a little embarrassing, but once I get past that, no, I really don’t care. Actually I think I’m glad I found out when I did. I can’t imagine living the way he wanted. I like to work, to be busy. I’m not good at lounging.”
“I wouldn’t mind trying it for a while,” he admitted.
“Are we going now, Daddy?”
Michael raised his eyebrows, inclined his head. “See what I mean?”
“Yes,” Ashley laughed, her gray eyes agleam with fun. “And I think it’s wonderful. She’s a great little girl. You’re very lucky.”
“Then maybe you’d like to share my good fortune and ride with us to Jason’s marina? I could bring you back afterward.”
He thought she’d refuse but after a moment she nodded.
“Sure. Just let me put up the top and lock my car.”
Michael stood back and watched, envying her the luxury of such a beautiful car. That meant she had money, right? Must have, to afford something like this.
“She’s a beaut,” he told her, sliding one hand over the fender, unable to decide if it was last year’s model or not. “You have good taste in cars.”
“Oh, I didn’t choose this,” she told him, her eyes wide with surprise. “I don’t know anything about cars. My grandfather bought it just before he died. He left it to me.”
“Nice grandpa.” By comparison his old wagon was an oxcart, but Michael held the door for her, waited while she stepped inside, her long legs swinging in with a grace he admired.
“Are you a car afficionado?” she asked once he’d started the engine.
“Mostly I admire them from a distance.” He caught her stare and grinned. “I like nice cars but I also like having a roof over my head and three square meals. In the scheme of things I guess a new car isn’t all that important to me.”
“Daddy had a nice red car but it got made into lemonade.” Tati’s chirping voice carried clearly.
“Lemonade?” Ashley twisted to study him. “Did you crash?”
He burst out laughing. “No, nothing like that. I had a sports car, but I sold it, bought this one and pocketed the extra cash. It wasn’t roomy enough for Tati and her friends and this one will be more practical when the snowdrifts come. Besides, it gave me a bigger deposit on the house so my payments aren’t as high.”
“But how—”
“Lemons make lemonade,” Tati explained, reaching forward to pat her shoulder. “Daddy says that’s just how life is.”
“Okay.” Ashley smiled at the little girl but it took her a few minutes to make the connection. “When life hands you lemons,” she said eventually. “I get it.”
�
��Exactly.” He grinned as if they’d just shared the formula for world peace. They arrived at the marina to find Piper waiting for them.
“I’m so glad you could come but there’s been a hitch,” she explained. “Jason had one of his rentals break down and he’s had to go after it. Since there’s nobody to stay at the shop in case they come back, I have to wait here. But you three can go on your own. You’ve handled the Zephyr before, haven’t you, Michael?”
“Yes, I rented it when we took Mom out for her birthday in July. But are you sure we shouldn’t wait for Jason? He won’t be that long.”
“Oh, yes, he will. He said at least three hours and by then the sun will be cooling. You go ahead. Take Ash with you. She hasn’t done anything but hang around the house and show her slides at school.” She wrapped her arm around Ashley’s waist, hugged her. “You can trust Michael. He’s good at everything he does but maybe you can help with Tati.”
“I don’t need help.” Tati planted her hands on her hips. “I’m a big girl.”
“I know it. I think you’ve grown two whole inches this summer.” Piper swooped Tati up into her arms and hugged her. “You’ve got spots,” she said, wrinkling her nose.
“Choc’late chips from the ice cream. Daddy thinks I’m a mess.”
“A very pretty mess.”
Tati wiggled free, moved beside Ashley, her fingers grasping the long slender ones. “Can you help me with my life jacket?”
“Um, sure. I guess.”
Michael watched a silent message flutter from Ashley to Piper and wondered if she’d back out. Not if he could help it.
“Is everything ready to go, Piper?”
“Jason said to tell you the tank is full and everything’s operating perfectly. I tucked a picnic in the galley for later and there are some CDs next to the stereo. Just get back before eight. It gets dark fast lately.”
“Wait!” Tati tugged her arm. Ashley leaned down so his daughter could whisper something in her ear. Ashley listened, smiled, nodded then straightened.
“Ready now?” Piper asked with a grin.
“Ready.” Tati wore the happiest grin he’d seen in hours, which made Michael just the tiniest bit nervous.
What was she up to?
“Well, ladies, shall we?” He waved a hand toward the vessel hopefully. He’d spent months trying to figure out God’s plan for his future and since wisdom hadn’t yet arrived, he’d no doubt spend plenty more. But surely God wouldn’t begrudge him an afternoon with a beautiful woman on this glassy lake.