Gentle Like the Rain: A Heart's Design Novel

by JoAnn Durgin

  By comparison, Sidney’s penthouse was sadly impersonal and blasé. It wasn’t a showplace, by any means, and he’d bought it for its prime location downtown within walking distance of the law office. Perhaps he wasn’t invested because he didn’t spend much time at his place, and he didn’t entertain anyone. He’d hired a decorator to work her magic with lots of high-end pieces made from metal and astoundingly horrid colors. Served him right for giving her free rein. His home had been featured in some high society magazine—probably Ugly Penthouse Today. He hadn’t bothered to pick up a copy.

  If he had to describe it in a word, his home was functional. Served its purpose. Maybe he should add more…paperweights or something…to give it more character. Or take the time to explore a gallery and pick out a painting that expressed his individuality. One with vivid colors.

  Isabella glanced up at the high-beamed ceilings, tucked her hands in the pockets of her jeans, and rocked back and forth in her tennis shoes. “Isn’t this house beautiful, Sid? It’s like the perfect combination of rustic and casual elegance, wouldn’t you say?”

  He sucked in his cheeks. “Sure is, Izzy.” That earned him a quick frown. He turned to Caroline. “You have your own mountain retreat here. Great place. Remote and cozy.”

  “Thanks. I’m happy you like it.” Caroline stood beside an antique desk in one corner of the room and held the paperweight on her palm. “This is beautiful, Sid! I’ll find a place of honor for it.” She turned it over. “Ah, the heart.”

  “Seems you know about that tradition, too.” He’d been too busy watching Isabella and hadn’t noticed when Caroline opened the gift.

  “We have a lot of traditions in Evergreen.” Caroline placed the paperweight on the desk. “Another reason to love living here.”

  “Amen to that!” Isabella shot him a grin.

  A low-burning fire crackled in the fireplace even in the early summer. With the massive evergreen trees surrounding the home, it was secluded and naturally cool.

  Inching closer, Isabella prodded his right side with one finger.

  What are you doing? he mouthed.

  “Tell her,” she said under her breath, “or I will.”

  “Give a girl a ride and she gets bossy. I’m getting around to it.” Sidney cleared his throat. “The rock doctor around today?”

  Caroline had been tossing throw pillows to one side of the sofa but paused at his question. “Seth should be home in about an hour. Is everything okay?”

  “Everything’s fine, but I’ve, um… Well, you see…” When Isabella shot him a look, he sucked up his pride. More than anything, Sidney despised being inarticulate. “I’ve taken a leave of absence from the law firm.” He figured stating it as such would be more palatable to his sister than blurting out that he’d run away from home. After all, he was supposedly a grown man, not a kid.

  Caroline visibly tightened her grip on a throw pillow but continued her work. “My first response would be to ask if Dad knows, but I guess that’s more or less a moot point now, isn’t it?” She glanced up at him, her eyes bright. “I know not to expect a change in his condition, but it’s hard so soon after Mom’s death.”

  “I know,” he said quietly. “Bryce will call if there’s any change.”

  With a nod, she motioned to the sofa. “Come and sit down. Let’s talk.”

  Sidney waited for Isabella to be seated first and stifled his amusement when she curled into the far corner. He purposely sat in the middle of the sofa. Retrieving a throw pillow, he offered it to her. “Pillow?” Something about Isabella clearly brought out his latent flirting gene.

  “I’m fine, thanks ever so much.” She clasped her hands together in her lap. He’d noticed those hands at Mahoney’s—slender fingers with short, unpainted nails. With her silky, long dark hair and soft brown eyes, Isabella was undeniably pretty, especially when she allowed glimpses of her genuine smile. She was the spunky, girl-next-door type. Although she’d mentioned school, living in Hartford, and working in the corporate world before deciding her soul was more important, she didn’t strike him as the dressed-to-kill career woman. This woman had layers, and that fascinated him.

  Most of the women he’d dated, always on a casual basis, tended to be aloof and distanced. Privileged. The female counterpart of himself, as weird as that sounded. No wonder he didn’t pursue anything further. But Isabella? She was the kind of woman—the kind of person—he’d like as his friend if he had female friends. Most women didn’t challenge or tease him the way she’d done almost from the start. Isabella No Last Name spoke her mind, like a gust of fresh air clearing out the musty cobwebs.

  Perhaps he should focus on building relationships and developing friendships when he returned home. Did he have anyone he could really call on in a time of need? No. He didn’t even have a friend he could call up and say, “Hey, wanna catch a movie or go grab a meal?”

  You are pitiful, Prescott. No kidding. No wonder he’d run away from home.

  Caroline took the seat opposite them in a cozy armchair. “So, how long is this temporary leave of absence?”

  “Two weeks, three tops. I’m not exactly sure.”

  His sister’s brows arched. “Forgive me, Sid, but are you going through some kind of premature midlife crisis? I mean, you rarely take a vacation day, much less a week off. And then there’s that red sports car parked outside—”

  “The car’s a loaner,” Isabella piped in. Nice of her to speak up on his behalf, such as it was.

  “Thanks.” He mumbled it under his breath, hoping she didn’t say anything about a dealer.

  “Welcome,” she whispered.

  Sidney blew out a sigh and sat back on the sofa. He’d ask Caroline not to call him Sid another time. How to answer her questions? “I needed a break, Caroline. I’ve been going at a breakneck pace since I joined the firm.”

  “No one would ever question your work ethic or dedication to Prescott Tate Burnesse.”

  “Thank you.” A small lump lodged in his throat. God help him if he shed a tear in front of Caroline much less Isabella. He’d barely hit town and he was already getting soft? Perhaps he could stand to be more sentimental, but soft was totally off-limits. He had a reputation to uphold.

  “Are you planning on staying here in Evergreen the entire time?” Caroline’s green eyes widened. “I mean, it’s fine if you do, but I’ll need to wash the guest bedroom sheets and do some dusting.”

  Caroline did household chores instead of hiring others to do them?

  “I might show up on your doorstep unannounced, but I wouldn’t impose myself on you that long,” he said. “I’d like to stay here a few days or at least until early next week if you don’t mind. If I end up staying longer, I can always book a room at a local hotel provided there is one. I’m winging it at this point.”

  “You’re welcome to stay as long as you need.”

  “You should probably check with Seth before you make promises.”

  That statement elicited a frown from his sister. “Seth will be the first to agree with me. Did something major happen to precipitate your trip north?”

  “Not one specific thing, no. It’s more a culmination of things over the last year.” He figured Caroline could surmise his break from the law firm had as much to do with Mom’s death and Dad’s regression as anything else. He hadn’t stopped long enough to adequately grieve. Who could say how long that would take? The way Sidney understood it, coping with grief was personal and different for everyone. Hopefully, he could do it in two weeks, three tops.

  “Do you have any luggage?” Caroline said. “You did take time to pack, right?”

  Her inadvertent pun amused him. “Yes, I definitely have some baggage. Sorry. Don’t mind me.” He settled back on the plush cushions of the comfortable sofa. “I have one suitcase and an overnight bag. I’ll grab them from the car later. I didn’t want to scare you right off the bat.”

  “Maybe some more of that fresh mountain air is what you need to clear your head
and put things in perspective,” Isabella suggested.

  Sidney grinned. “Patience. In good time.”

  Caroline glanced between them the same as she’d done on the front doorstep. “You two only met today, right?”

  “That’s correct. I saw the billboard for Mahoney’s General Store on the outskirts of town and stopped in to get directions. Isabella wouldn’t give them up until I promised to give her a ride in the car.” Sidney felt Isabella’s glare from her corner of the ring—the sofa—but she remained silent, surprisingly enough.

  His sister smiled. “Well, I’m glad you found your way here.”

  “You look better than ever, Caroline.”

  She gave him a look of surprise, a reminder that he should pay attention and compliment her more often. He could probably learn a thing or two from Seth in that regard.

  “Thank you, Sidney. I appreciate that.”

  To his regret, he hadn’t given Caroline much encouragement in years past. Sure, he’d given her gifts of remembrance for her birthday or for achieving significant milestones—graduation from her private girls’ academy, then Wellesley, followed by her acceptance into Harvard Law. Based on Caroline’s expression at the moment, his expensive gifts meant diddly-squat compared to a simple but sincere compliment. Why hadn’t that concept seeped into his mind before? No wonder she was wide-eyed with disbelief.

  “How about something to drink?” Planting her hands on her knees, Caroline pushed to her feet. “Would you two like some huckleberry lemonade or iced tea? An Arnold Palmer?” She hesitated and gave him a pointed look. “We don’t have any alcohol here, and I’ll ask you not to bring liquor into the house.”

  Why did Caroline have to say that? Sidney tried to mask his frown. He crossed his arms over his chest while Isabella’s gaze bored into him. Great. Now she probably thought he was a closet drinker if not a raging alcoholic.

  “Not a problem. Huckleberry lemonade sounds great.”

  Isabella scooted closer on the sofa. “We have an excellent treatment center nearby.”

  “I don’t have a problem managing alcohol,” he seethed. An irrational urge to laugh seized him, and at the same time, Sidney swallowed the curse word rolling around on his tongue. He’d never been a big drinker and rarely drank hard liquor. Anymore. Sure, he enjoyed an occasional glass of wine with dinner to help him relax after a grueling day, especially when he’d been in front of a jury. Surely holy rollers didn’t have a problem with wine? And he never got drunk. He’d done enough drinking in his undergrad days to last a lifetime.

  Next subject.

  “Does Seth golf? I’m thinking there has to be a decent course nearby.”

  “I’m sure you could convince him to swing a club with you,” Caroline said. “The Evergreen Inn has a nine-hole executive course. That’s the closest one. I’ll have Seth call and get you a tee time for one morning early next week if the weather cooperates.”

  “A little rain never hurt. Just let me know.” Sidney hadn’t been on a course in a few years, but hopefully, he could still play a decent game.

  “Make yourself at home while I get our lemonade.” Caroline nodded to the coffee table. “There’s an album of Ellie’s baby photos or feel free to check out the books if you’d like to do some reading while you’re here.”

  Caroline had always shared his love of reading the classics. Sidney glanced at one wall with built-in shelves and smiled to see it was packed full of books. The library in the Beacon Hill house had always been his favorite room, and he knew Caroline felt the same way.

  “How about The Maltese Falcon? I’d like to revisit that Dashiell Hammett book. It’s been a while.” The classic Sam Spade detective novel had been a mutual favorite with Caroline, but Bryce and Dad had preferred The Thin Man. They’d had a few mock “trials” where each side argued the benefits and drawbacks of each novel. Yeah, he probably shouldn’t admit that to anyone outside of the family. A family of lawyers could be nerdy geeks of the highest order, but those times were among his favorite memories.

  “I’ve got the book, but I’m not ridiculous enough to shelve them all in alphabetical order like someone else I know,” Caroline said with a small smile. “Happy hunting.” She’d never let him live that down. So what if he liked books in order by an author’s last name? CDs filed by the artist’s name? From his perspective, it made good sense and saved time in the long run.

  “Care to join me in the kitchen, Isabella?”

  “Love to.” At Caroline’s invitation, without a backward glance, Isabella jumped up from the sofa and headed out of the room.

  Sidney had no doubt the conversation in the kitchen would be lively, but he’d never been one to stoop to eavesdropping. Rising from the sofa, he walked across the room to the bookshelves. Time to go on the hunt for The Maltese Falcon.

  ~~♥~~

  “Your brother seems nice.” Nice seemed inadequate to describe Sidney, but Isabella was at a loss for a better word as they entered the large kitchen. Built to resemble an old barn, the room featured high-beamed ceilings and the latest in modern conveniences. Even a double oven that Isabella secretly coveted.

  She glimpsed her friend’s befuddled expression. “You okay, Caroline?”

  “I think so. Just wondering if that’s my oldest brother sitting in the family room or an imposter. I mean, he looks like Sidney. Sounds like him, too. But he doesn’t act like him.”

  “How does Sidney normally act?”

  “Classic Type A. Workaholic. In control. Strong. Capable. Focused.” Caroline retrieved the pitcher of lemonade from the refrigerator. “Now he’s talking about golfing and reading. What’s next? Fishing?”

  “That’s not such a bad thing, is it?”

  “No, not really.” After opening an overhead cabinet, Caroline pulled down two glasses. “It’s unexpected and surprising, that’s all. Sid’s not an alcoholic, Isabella. He doesn’t drink much at all compared to the past. I’m not sure why I even said that except it’s best to set the ground rules from the start.”

  “Understandable.” In truth, she was relieved, although Sidney hadn’t exhibited the telltale signs of being a closet drinker she’d noticed in others—ruddy cheeks, nervous mannerisms, defensive or exaggerated behavior. Then again, she’d known him all of an hour.

  “I imagine Sidney’s an excellent lawyer.”

  Caroline retrieved a third glass. “I don’t brag on him much, but Sidney’s one of the best attorneys in Boston. In the entire Commonwealth of Massachusetts, actually. Next to Dad, he has one of the sharpest legal minds I’ve ever known. He has amazing recall of case law, and his summations are becoming the thing of legend.”

  “Impressive.” Isabella began to fill the glasses with ice.

  “I hope he didn’t say anything to offend you on the way to the house,” Caroline said.

  “Honestly, Caroline? I had fun and enjoyed your brother’s sense of humor. I’m sure even brilliant minds need a rest and a change of pace every now and then.”

  “Agreed, but taking a leave of absence even for three days is completely out of character for him and doesn’t make sense. I can’t imagine what prompted him to do it. I’ll call Bryce tonight and see what he knows.”

  “Sidney told me he made sure his cases were covered before driving up here. He also told me he’d run away from home. Exact words.” Why did she feel as though she’d violated Sidney’s confidence? She’d been friends with Caroline since her first week in Evergreen. Given that relationship, Isabella’s sense of loyalty almost demanded she tell her friend what she knew. Right?

  Caroline poured the lemonade into the first glass. “Running away from home? That’s an interesting choice of words. Do you think he was joking?”

  “How do I know? I barely know the man. When you have some time to yourselves, I’m sure he’ll explain.” Isabella glanced at her watch. “Speaking of which, I can’t stay long. Sidney promised to drive me back into town. I need to close the store on time since I’m going to Manelli
’s Grill tonight.”

  “That sounds like fun.” Caroline lowered the pitcher to the counter after filling the last glass. “Wait. Are you going with Sidney?” A frown flittered over her pretty face. “Sidney didn’t already ask you out, did he?”

  Already? “Of course not. I’m meeting Joel for dinner.” Sidney had grabbed her hand for some unknown reason at the front door, but that didn’t qualify as asking for a date. Or anything else, for that matter, unless it was some kind of weird mating ritual. Maybe things were different in his fast-paced world in Boston. She’d heard from friends in D.C. that a handshake was as good as an offer for sexcapades, and similar things from friends in New York. She didn’t doubt that Sidney was a mover and shaker professionally, but that didn’t mean he was a player. However, Caroline’s question made her wonder.

  Okay, then. She needed to curb the mental meandering, drink her huckleberry lemonade, and wax poetic to Sidney about the joys of Evergreen. Then return to the store and hope Tommy had things under control. Pulling out her phone, Isabella glanced at the screen. No messages.

  Caroline grabbed a small stack of cocktail napkins. “A word of advice, Isabella? Be careful with Sidney. He can turn on the charm, but unless he undergoes a personality transplant, he’s not the kind of man to settle down with one woman. I can admit my big brother attracts women without trying, and—let’s face it—he already roped you into bringing him out here.”

  “No roping involved. Really.”

  “As much as I love my brother, I wouldn’t want you to get involved with him.”

  “Trust me, I learned my lesson with Tristan. He and Sidney share similar qualities. You don’t need to tell me to stay away from him as anything other than a friend.”

  Caroline’s expression relaxed. “Good. I’d hate to see you get hurt again, and I wouldn’t want anything to stand in the way of our friendship.”