Maybe she was being overly fanciful. Yet she sensed that whatever had happened here ten years ago, Ethan had lived to regret it. He hadn’t considered coming back here because he hadn’t felt that he could. So he’d sent her in his place.
Again, Madelyn wondered why. Certainly not to make amends. Not when he had left her half of a valuable property that should—by all rights—have gone to Gabriel.
“A long time?” Brian prodded, reminding her that she had yet to answer him.
“Yes,” she agreed. “I’m planning on staying a long time. In fact, as I was about to tell your father just before you got home, I think I’d like to live in Santa Fe permanently.”
“Oh, wow, that’s great.” Brian whooped. “Then you’ll have way enough time to tell me what it was like to work with my uncle Ethan. And maybe you could teach me some of the things he taught you about taking pictures, too. Where are ya gonna live?”
“I’m not sure yet, but as soon as I know—”
“What about Uncle Ethan’s cottage, Dad?” Brian whirled around excitedly and eyed his father with unabashed eagerness. “She could live there, couldn’t she?”
Madelyn gaped at the boy, then shot an embarrassed glance Gabriel’s way.
“Brian, I don’t think—” Gabriel began, his displeasure at his son’s suggestion more than evident.
“But why not?” Brian demanded. “She was Uncle Ethan’s friend and she needs a place to live and you always said the cottage was his special place. So it would be perfect.”
Having had a few moments to consider Brian’s idea, Madelyn had to admit it wasn’t all that outrageous, after all. What the boy had said was true. She had been Ethan’s friend, she did need a place to live and the cottage would be perfect, at least temporarily.
Considering half the property was rightfully hers, she could demand a lot more than use of the cottage. Especially since she’d already indicated she was willing to give Gabriel all the time he needed to arrange to buy her out.
“You know, that sounds like a good idea to me, Brian,” she ventured, ignoring the glaring look Gabriel gave her.
“But it’s been vacant for years. It’s musty and dusty—” Gabriel growled.
“I wouldn’t mind cleaning the place, and I wouldn’t stay long. Once I’ve finished my business with Mr. Birney, I’ll be able to buy a little house of my own.” Meaningfully, she met Gabriel’s gaze.
He seemed to understand what she was saying. However, he was anything but pleased. She would have preferred to have his cheerful cooperation. Lacking that, she was almost tempted to back down. Almost...
She had agreed to go along with what he wanted as far as settling Ethan’s estate was concerned, and he owed her something in return. All things considered, allowing her to live in the cottage was little enough to ask of him.
“You know, Gabe, that sounds like a fair deal to me,” Cullen said.
Looking as if he were caught between a rock and a hard place, Gabriel shoved his hands in his pockets. He glared at Cullen, then at Madelyn. But when his gaze rested on Brian, his anger seemed to dissipate.
“All right,” he agreed. “Ms. St. James can use the cottage.”
“Yippee,” Brian shouted, dancing around exuberantly.
“When would you like to move in?” Gabriel asked, his tone icy.
“Saturday,” Madelyn replied after only a moment’s hesitation.
That would give her tomorrow—Friday—to get some of the cleaning done.
“Fine.” He eyed her grimly, then added, “I’ll get the key...and your coat.” Turning on his heel, he headed back to the kitchen.
Obviously pleased to have gotten his way, Brian followed after him. Madelyn heard him ask what they were having for dinner. Gabriel muttered something about leftovers, something more about homework, then the two of them vanished down the hallway.
Left alone with Cullen, she stared into the fire, now burning in a desultory fashion. She wanted to believe she’d been right to insist on staying in the cottage. Still, she had her doubts.
She had never been one to go where she wasn’t wanted, but she couldn’t afford to be too proud. She had a lot of thinking to do in the days ahead. And considering the direction her thoughts had already begun to take, she was going to need what was left of her savings to see her through a much longer period of time than she had originally planned.
Suspecting what she did about Ethan’s relationship to Brian, Madelyn felt more and more uncomfortable about claiming her inheritance. Yet she wasn’t quite ready to walk away. She had no idea why, but she wasn’t.
“Don’t mind Gabe,” Cullen advised, interrupting her reverie. “He’s fairly laid-back most of the time. Hearing that Ethan left you half the house came as quite a shock to him, but given a few days, I’m sure he’ll get over it.”
“I don’t blame him for being upset. In his place, I would be, too,” Madelyn said as she turned to face him. “I don’t mean him any harm, though. And I won’t make a pest of myself. In fact, I’m quite good at minding my own business.”
“I had a feeling you were,” Cullen replied.
“Were what?” Gabriel asked as, sans Brian, he joined them again.
“Good at minding my own business,” Madelyn answered unabashedly, taking her coat from him.
“Oh.” Looking somewhat disconcerted, Gabriel tossed Cullen his jacket. Then he dangled a set of keys in front of Madelyn. “One of these fits the front door of the cottage and the other fits the garage door. You can park your car in the space on the right if you want”
Madelyn took the keys from him with a murmured, “thank you.”
“There’s a telephone on the kitchen counter. It’s connected to the same line as the house. I don’t mind your using it as long as you pay for any long-distance calls you make.”
“Of course I will,” she assured him.
“There are dishes, pots and pans, and silverware in the kitchen. Also sheets and towels in one of the bathroom cabinets. I imagine they’re going to have to be laundered, but you’re welcome to use my washer and dryer tomorrow morning. My housekeeper, Millie Richards, will be here then. If you’d like, I’ll tell her to expect you.”
“Yes, please,” Madelyn responded.
He wasn’t any happier about the situation than he had been ten minutes ago. Yet he seemed to be going out of his way to make her move into the cottage as easy as possible. She realized he had his own best interests at heart. More than likely, he figured that if he kept her happy, she would go along with anything. But she was grateful all the same.
“And please don’t use the fireplace until I have the chimney cleaned.”
“I won’t.”
“I can’t think of anything else at the moment, but if something comes to mind later, I’ll leave a note with Millie. She’ll be here about eight o’clock.”
“Fine.”
Madelyn slipped into her coat, then retrieved her purse from the chair by the fireplace.
“If you need anything once you’re settled, just let me know,” Gabriel advised as he started toward the front entryway.
“I will.”
“I’ll be in touch,” Cullen said.
“Thanks.” Gabriel shook the lawyer’s hand, then opened the front door. Turning to Madelyn, he added, “Have a good evening, Ms. St. James.”
“You, too, Mr. Serrano.”
She met his gaze for a moment longer, wishing they could be friends. He was the kind of man she would have liked to have on her side. But there wasn’t the slightest hint of affability in his expression.
Sadly, she looked away as Cullen Birney took her arm and led her out into the cold, clear night.
Clutching the keys Gabriel had given her in one hand, Madelyn sat beside the lawyer, saying nothing as he backed the Wagoneer out of the driveway and headed toward her hotel. She had at least half a dozen questions she wanted to ask, but she had meant what she’d said about minding her own business.
Still, there was on
e answer she felt she had a right to have. One answer that would help determine her future course of action.
“Tell me something, Mr. Birney,” she began.
“If I can,” he hedged, much as she’d had a feeling he would.
“Am I correct in assuming Ethan was Brian’s biological father?”
The lawyer drove on in silence so long, Madelyn wondered if he’d heard her. Finally, in a soft voice, he answered her quite simply.
“Yes, you are.”
Without commenting further, Cullen pulled up in front of her hotel. Immediately, the doorman moved forward to open the car door for her.
“Well, here you are, Ms. St. James,” the lawyer said, not quite meeting her gaze.
He seemed so relieved to be done with her before she had a chance to give him the third degree that Madelyn couldn’t help but smile.
“Thank you, Mr. Birney. I appreciate all you’ve done for me.”
“You’re welcome, Ms. St. James.” He hesitated a moment, then finally looked her in the eye as he added, “Why don’t we plan to talk again next week after Gabe’s had a chance to meet with his banker?”
“Sounds good to me,” she agreed as she stepped out of the Wagoneer.
Inside the hotel, Madelyn started toward the bank of elevators. Halfway there, however, her attention was caught by the quiet ambience of the little restaurant off the main corridor. She realized she was hungry. She also realized she had no real desire to order room service again tonight.
She would be spending more than enough time alone in her room, as it was, mulling over the events of the day. Now, however, she wanted company, even if only that of strangers sitting at other tables.
Pausing in the arched doorway of the restaurant, she smiled at the maître d’.
“Table for one, miss?” he asked without the slightest hint of disparagement.
Madelyn nodded agreeably, then followed him across the elegantly appointed dining room. To her surprise, he seated her at a lovely little table near the fireplace. The kind of table meant to be shared with someone special.
For just an instant, she thought of Gabriel Serrano and how enjoyable it could have been to have dinner with him there by the fire. He was an attractive man in more ways than the most obvious. He seemed so solid, so...trustworthy. And she’d seen for herself the kindness and consideration he was capable of showing those he loved.
With a rueful shake of her head, Madelyn accepted the menu the maître d’ offered her. Talk about fanciful.
Gabriel had made it plain he didn’t even like her, and with good reason. Not only had she dropped down out of the blue to screw up what he had probably considered a very nice life. She had also had a close, personal relationship with the half brother who had somehow done him a great wrong.
Imagining that he would ever think of joining her for a romantic tete-a-tete was downright silly. He was far more likely to give her the widest berth possible until he could be rid of her once and for all.
Which was just as well, she told herself. Then, and again much later, as she lay alone in bed, just as she’d done every single night of her life.
Chapter 3
“Looks like Ms. St. James is all moved in,” Brian said, halting just outside the garage.
“Yes, it certainly does,” Gabriel agreed.
As he paused beside his son, he eyed the cottage with a strange sense of déjà vu. On an early-summer evening ten years ago, he had stood in almost exactly the same place. Then, he had been drawn by the warm glow of lamplight slanting through the wide wooden blinds—only half-closed—on the windows. Now, in the chill of a winter night, with painful memories he thought he’d put to rest suddenly all too fresh in his mind, he found the cozy little scene unbearably heartrending.
“Maybe we should go and say hello,” Brian suggested hopefully.
“No.”
Obviously surprised by his father’s harsher-than-usual tone of voice, the boy gazed up at him, wide-eyed.
“But we’ve been gone all weekend,” he protested. “Shouldn’t we let her know we’re home again?”
“Our whereabouts aren’t really any of Ms. St. James’s business,” Gabriel stated succinctly.
“But Dad—”
“No more buts, young man. It’s getting late. We haven’t had dinner yet. And unless I’m mistaken, you still have homework to do, don’t you?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, then...”
Placing a hand on Brian’s shoulder, Gabriel urged his son toward the house.
Had almost anyone else been staying in the cottage, more than likely he would have advised that person of their return. But Gabriel had spent the past forty-eight hours putting as much distance as he could between himself and his son and Madelyn St. James. He saw no readson to ruin all that hard work by going to see her now.
She hadn’t been at the cottage when he and Brian had finally gotten home from school Friday night. Of course, they had been much later than usual, thanks to a stop at the boy’s favorite pizza parlor. And then, very early Saturday morning, the two of them had set off on an impromptu trip to Taos for a little father-son bonding on the ski slopes.
Granted, Gabriel had known better than to think he could avoid Madelyn indefinitely. And he certainly had no intention of trying to keep Brian away from her in the days ahead. But he would just as soon not see her again yet. She stirred up too many conflicting emotions in him. Emotions that could get him into trouble of one kind or another if he wasn’t careful.
He hadn’t liked the idea of Madelyn living in the cottage even for a short time. Yet he had seen the wisdom of allowing her to do so. As Cullen had reminded him over and over, having her cooperation was of the utmost importance. And while she hadn’t seemed like the type to cause trouble, you never knew what someone would do when a large sum of money was at stake until the situation actually arose.
However, making Madelyn happy, or as happy as possible under the circumstances, hadn’t been Gabriel’s only reason for acquiescing to her wishes. Despite the grace period he had insisted upon for all of them that weekend, he wanted Brian to be able to spend some time with her.
Gabriel believed he could trust Madelyn not to say anything untoward. And, in the long run, he thought it would do Brian good to learn as much as he could about his “uncle” while he had the chance. Especially from someone who held Ethan in higher regard than Gabriel ever had.
Somewhere in the back of his mind, he had to admit he’d also had a more personal motive for agreeing to let Madelyn use the cottage. Put simply, he had been... intrigued by her. Whether because she had been involved with Ethan, or in spite of it, he wasn’t quite sure. But he intended to find out.
Otherwise, he would have no peace.
He had gone years without being the slightest bit interested in a woman. With a young son to raise, as well as a demanding job, he hadn’t had the time or the energy necessary to maintain a sexual relationship.
Of course, now that Brian was older, and he had a few years of administrative experience under his belt, it was understandable that he’d begin to seek female companionship. And he had, on rare occasions, dated several very nice women. But none of them had sparked any desire within him for...intimacy.
Not that he was lusting after Madelyn St. James. But he was interested—
“Can we have macaroni and cheese for dinner?” Brian asked as Gabriel unlocked the French doors.
“Sure thing,” he agreed, dropping their overnight bags on the laundry room floor, then leading the way into the kitchen.
“Guess I’ll get started on my homework.”
“Good idea.” Noting the dejected slump to the boy’s shoulders as he headed toward the hallway, Gabriel hesitated, then added, “You can visit with Ms. St. James tomorrow after school.”
“I can?” Brightening considerably, Brain glanced at Gabriel for confirmation.
“As long as she doesn’t mind having company,” he temporized.
“Sh
e won’t,” Brian stated with complete confidence.
“Pretty sure of yourself, aren’t you?”
“She likes me. I could tell.” Grinning proudly, the boy turned away, paused, then looked back at Gabriel again, his blue eyes twinkling merrily. “Bet she’d like you, too, if you were a little nicer to her.”
“I was nice,” Gabriel protested.
“Not ’cause you wanted to be. I could tell that, too.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes, really.”
“Well, I’ll try to do better in the future,” Gabriel vowed, somewhat disconcerted by how well his astute young son had read his behavior.
“That would be good.”
Seemingly satisfied that he had gotten his point across, Brian turned and skipped happily down the hallway.
“I’m glad you think so, but I have my doubts,” Gabriel muttered.
By eight o’clock, Brian was tucked into bed, sound asleep. Worn out by two full days of skiing, his son had barely been able to keep his eyes open during dinner. After assuring himself that the boy had finished his homework, Gabriel. had suggested he make an earlier than usual night of it and Brian had readily agreed.
Now, alone in the kitchen, Gabriel finished loading the dishwasher, wiped down the counters, then moved on to the laundry room where he shifted a load of clothes from the washer to the dryer. That done, he headed back across the kitchen toward the hallway leading to his study.
He had bills to pay, a checkbook to balance and a pile of never-ending, school-related paperwork to sort through. More than enough to keep his mind occupied. Still, he couldn’t seem to stop himself from pausing at the French doors yet again. Nor could he keep his gaze from lingering on the cottage.
Since the lights were on, he assumed Madelyn was there. Her car had been parked in the garage when they’d arrived home, and he hadn’t heard her leave. He also assumed she’d had no problems moving in. Of course, after being away all weekend, then returning home unannounced, he couldn’t know for sure. And wouldn’t until sometime tomorrow when their paths would surely cross.
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