by Ines Saint
There was a hallway between the dining area and the family room and, from the size of the house, he could guess it led to two bedrooms and one or two bathrooms.
“Hey, this apartment is pretty decent. Lots of light and storage. Leo and his wife did a great job,” he said, to break the ice.
“I know. It’s surprising I didn’t choose a crypt to live in, what with my general lack of judgment and all.” Holly flipped the envelope over. He moved his chair closer to hers and together they stared at it. Stanley hopped from her lap to his. He got up on his hind legs and began sniffing Dan’s shirt. Satisfied, he spun around three times before curling up on Dan’s lap. Holly narrowed her eyes at her puppy.
“Is he a terrier mix?”
She nodded.
“What’s his name?”
“Stanley.”
Dan stroked the dog’s gray, white, and gold fur. “Sam and Johnny had a Yorkie. His name was Cooper. I used to tell them it was a girl’s dog.”
Holly did her best to keep her lips from twitching. Not because Dan was funny. He wasn’t. But she knew Sam and Johnny well enough to imagine how much that would’ve bugged them.
They reached down to open the envelope’s flap, their fingers touched, and they both pulled their hands back.
“I’ll open it. You stay back.” Holly lifted the flap and slid the letter out. Carefully, she unfolded it. Unable to keep the excitement out of her voice, she read aloud. “December, Saturday 17, 1913. My dearest Miranda,
“The days are cold and gloomy. The ground is covered with ice. The conditions outside the window reflect the way I feel. I conceived this house for you, yet you will share it with another. I cannot speak of my feelings, but I can build, and I build for you. Expressive, lovely, at one with nature; the girl who was once Miranda Catelli, and her house.”
Holly stared at the letter, the simple words deeply felt.
“Is that it?” Dan asked, looking over her shoulder. Holly showed him there was nothing else on the page. His eyes drifted from the page to her, and they stared at each other.
“Nineteen thirteen. The year the house was built,” he said.
“Does the name Catelli ring a bell?” Holly asked.
“No.”
They were quiet for a moment.
“I think you should take this to the library. They can preserve it properly, and they’ll know where it belongs now that it’s left its home,” she said after a while.
“Wait, what’s that in the back?”
She turned the letter around and the words, Yours forever, Owen Amador, were written in ink on one corner.
“Amador?” He leaned in and studied the signature. His natural scent was simply alluring. Nothing she could do about that.
“Have you heard of him? Is he a great-uncle of yours or something?” She looked at him. He had little dark hairs on his chest, a trait she’d always found desirable. Nothing she could do about that, either.
“Never heard of him.”
“Well, he definitely sounds like a victim of the infamous Amador curse.”
“You believe in that?” His eyes glittered with humor. He had many attractive physical traits, she admitted, but he was still an ass. He had an attractive ass, too, if memory served.
“I’m sure you’d love one more thing to hold against me, but no, I don’t believe in curses. I was kidding.”
“Fairy tales, then?” He looked around at Ella’s framed art, smiling. Princesses and evil stepmothers. Princes and beasts. Castles and cottages . . .
No, she didn’t believe that frogs or beasts were really princes, princesses annoyed her, and her own stepmother was a doll. But she had wanted the fairy-tale house. “Well, thanks for sharing this with me, but it’s time for you to leave.” She stood up.
“I’ll take it to the library,” he said, but looked down at Ella’s coloring book instead.
“Ahem,” Holly pretended to cough. She stood at the door and gestured for him to get out.
“One more thing.” Dan turned.
His shoulders barely fit in her door frame and he was at least a foot taller than she. “What?” she asked, straightening to her full height.
“Johnny’s really pissed at me.”
“So?”
“He’ll only forgive me if I make things right with you. He even threatened to pull out of the festival.”
Holly widened her eyes. “Really?”
Dan nodded. “So, did sharing the letter make things even a little bit right between us?”
“Ha! You’ve got to be kidding me. No.” She pointed a finger to his chest. “And not because your opinions hurt me or because you stole my house, but because you’ve given me every reason to dislike you. Intensely. You want to make things right but you don’t apologize, you go around saying I trespassed twice when, technically, it was only once, you tell people I have maniacal eyes, you made fun of my career—”
“I haven’t apologized because you won’t believe me, but trust me, I’m sorry.”
“Right.”
“See?” His mouth lifted in one corner. “And the maniacal-eyes thing was just a part of the story. You have to admit, it’s a funny story.”
“Well, it’s my story, too, and the part where I lost the house still hurts, so stop using it to flirt, stop spreading it, and stop acting like you know anything about me.”
“I’m not spreading the story. Or using it to flirt.”
“You told Heather and Jenny.”
He looked at her from under his lashes. “Well, I knew it would make Heather laugh and she deserves to laugh. And I’ll admit I was flirting with Jenny. But it was mutual.”
“Like I care that it was mutual.” She chewed on her bottom lip. What did he want her to do? Call Johnny up and tell him she and Dan were suddenly aces because he showed her an old piece of paper? She caught Dan staring at her mouth, so she stopped chewing. Probably he guessed it was a nervous habit and another one of her innumerable flaws. “You meant what you said, right? You still think Johnny should stay away from me?”
“Contrary to what you and others may think, I’m not heartless. I love my brothers and I watch out for them. Why do you think I came home, anyway? The festival will be fun, yeah, but that’s not why I’m here.”
Holly didn’t say anything because she couldn’t think of anything to say.
Dan ran both hands through his hair. “Look, I’m sorry what I said hurt you, but I was trying to look out for Johnny. He’s always been good with people, but whether he realizes it or not, he always seeks out people with problems.”
Holly shook her head. “Wow. You are something. Not only do you think Johnny has a thing for me, but you think I have all these problems and that’s the reason why?”
“I just meant that he’s attracted to people he thinks might be having a tough time of it.” Dan sighed. “Don’t bite my head off. Try to see things my way a moment. The night I met you, your hair and face were covered with some sort of slime. I caught you trespassing again after that disastrous night, whether you think so or not, I heard you crooning to yourself the day I visited your shop, you called yourself a nose, and you pretended not to know me.”
Holly studied him. He was arrogant and judgmental to an astounding degree. “How about you try to remember I thought the house was mine and that I wasn’t expecting to encounter anyone. And I was petting Stanley and talking nonsense to him. I was not crooning to myself, and I tell most people I’m a nose because it’s a great conversation starter.”
“You take your dog to your place of business?” He quirked an eyebrow.
She fisted her hands at her sides. “Is your continued criticism of me your way of trying to get me to cooperate? Because that’s my definition of crazy.”
His eyes twinkled. “I was kidding.”
She rolled her eyes before glancing at her watch. It was getting late. “Look, you haven’t made things right just by sharing a letter with me. But Sam and Johnny are my friends and I care about them. I kno
w how much they’ve missed you and how thrilled they were when you told them you’d come up.” She paused. “And at least you’re being sincere. You’re not trying to manipulate me into thinking you want to be my friend. I appreciate that. So, let’s make a deal.”
“A deal,” he repeated, as if she’d offered him a flaming bag of Stanley’s poop.
“I’ll tell Johnny you made things right if you let me come over to the Craftsman once a week to see your progress. You also have to promise you’ll listen to—and consider—my ideas for the house.”
“Once a week? Lady, I don’t have time for that, and I don’t think you’d be able to appreciate the progress. How about every other week? I promise I’ll give you a detailed tour and listen to a few of your ideas.”
“Every Friday at seven, and you have to listen to every one of my ideas and give me a good reason every time you reject one. Take it or leave it.”
“Do you want to buy it from me when I’m done? We can work something out if that’s the case.”
“I can’t buy it from you if you’re planning on making a profit.”
She wanted to have a say in how the house turned out, even though she knew she couldn’t buy it from him? Dan closed his eyes a moment. This was messed up. Every time he spoke to the woman, she proved how unreasonable she was. But he couldn’t say anything because that’s what had gotten him into this situation in the first place. “This thing with the house, you know it’s not normal, right?”
“This thing where you continue to insult me, you know that’s not normal, either, right? I don’t have to explain myself to you. I’m offering you a deal and I’m this close to taking it off the table,” she said, showing him the tiny space between her thumb and forefinger.
“You know, I apologized for hurting your feelings and I meant it, but you never apologized for hurting mine. You called me an ass. And a keister.”
“I’m sure you cried yourself to sleep. Now, do we have a deal or not?”
He looked up at the sky before meeting her eyes. “Fine. I’ll take it if you agree not to play anymore Hall and Oates or Toto. I can hear it in the house and it gives me a migraine.”
Holly sighed. “Now you’re criticizing my taste in music?”
“I’m just saying—”
“Beggars can’t be choosers, Dan. Take it or leave it. Last chance.”
He blew out a breath, held his hand out, and they shook on it.
“I feel as if I’ve made a deal with the devil,” she muttered as she turned to go inside.
He grinned at that. “See, we’re not that different. I was thinking the same thing.”
When he came around to the front of the house, he ran into Leo, and they caught up a bit.
“Do you want to come in for a beer? You can see what Sam did with the house.”
“I wish I could, but I’ve got too much work to do. I gotta say, though, he did a great job on the apartment downstairs. I didn’t know it had been him, but I’m not surprised.”
“You were in the apartment? With Holly?” Leo’s eyebrows went up. Dan walked backward. “You have nothing to worry about. I was there on business.”
Leo shrugged. “Well, the apartment wasn’t Sam. It was after the fact and he didn’t have time. Holly managed the whole renovation in exchange for six months of living there rent-free.”
Dan stopped. He’d complimented Holly’s work when he’d complimented the apartment, but she hadn’t taken credit for it, even though it would’ve made him stuff a few words about how she couldn’t manage a renovation down his throat. Why hadn’t she said anything?
He shrugged. Maybe she knew a basement renovation was nothing compared to rehabbing a house.
“Did he leave?” Ella poked her head from behind the hallway wall.
“He’s gone, sweetie.”
“You said he was mean. Why did you let him inside?”
“Well, he wants to be friends now.”
“But he was mean and you said we couldn’t be friends,” she said, sitting on the chair in front of her coloring book.
“I—well, yes. But we’re friends with Sam and Johnny and they want us all to get along, so I decided to give it a try. But he’s not tea-party material yet. And he probably never will be. We’re just going to be polite to him. That’s all.”
Ella considered it. “Okay.” She shrugged and continued to color.
A wave of tenderness washed over Holly. Her daughter trusted her in matters both big and small. She’d trusted her own mother in much the same way. And her mother had trusted Grandma Ruby. Time had shown each daughter that mothers did not always know best. It wasn’t until Holly had Ella that she’d understood the trust hadn’t been misplaced. They all just did their best with what they had.
“What are you’re wearing for Halloween tomorrow?” Ella asked.
“I think I’m going as a gypsy, in honor of Grandma Ruby.”
Dan knocked on the window next to the Gypsy Fortune Café’s carved mahogany door early the next morning. They were still closed, but it was the only way Dan would be able to visit with them the way he knew they wanted him to. Three pairs of eyes looked up. Sherry rushed to open the door.
Rosa looked up, dropped the broom she’d been sweeping with, and hurried over, which couldn’t be easy in her zebra-striped heels and pencil skirt. She opened the door and engulfed him in a warm hug. He was soon surrounded by all three women. They pulled him toward a chair and offered him treats left and right.
He chuckled and put his hands out in front of him. “Just regular coffee and fruitcake is fine, thanks.”
“Today’s fruitcake has pumpkin in it, too. In honor of Halloween,” Ruby said from behind the dessert counter.
“Why has it taken you so long to visit us?” Sherry demanded.
“It’s been crazier than I thought it would be, and you guys are always closed when I’m free. That’s why I came in so early today. Plus, I thought you were mad at me.”
Rosa took the dessert Ruby had served up and brought it to the table. “Well, we are. You weren’t very nice to Holly, were you?” She placed a gigantic piece of fruitcake in front of him and sat down.
“No. But we’ve come to an agreement and I’m going to try to make it up to her.”
“And she said you think she’s a fruitcake.” Sherry’s eyes twinkled. “Which is funny, because you’ve always liked fruitcake, but you don’t like her very much, do you?”
“See this?” Dan pointed to the scar above his eyebrow. “She doesn’t like me very much, either. And I never called her a fruitcake.”
Sherry’s eyes widened when she got a good look at the scar. “Well, you won’t soon forget her, that’s for sure.”
“Uh, maybe we should change the subject,” Rosa said, also looking at the scar.
“Let’s talk about Sam. I can’t believe he did something so crazy. Will he be okay?” Sherry asked.
Dan smiled. “He thought things through. He just doesn’t communicate them to everyone. But, trust me, he’ll be fine. Even if he didn’t have Johnny and me, he’d have found a way.”
Sherry and Rosa observed him enjoying his cake a moment, their faces beaming.
“What are you doing with your place in Atlanta while you’re here? Is anybody looking after it for you or do you have a roommate?” Sherry asked.
“Is that your way of asking if I’m in a relationship?” Dan grinned.
“Are you in a relationship?” Ruby called from behind the counter, where she was making his coffee.
“I date here and there. Nothing serious. My lease is almost up and I’ll have to go back down and put my stuff into storage till I figure out where I’ll go next.”
“You’re moving again?” Rosa frowned at him.
He shrugged. “There’s lots I want to see.”
“You always seemed so stable,” Ruby called again.
“I’m about as stable as one gets. I’ve got a steady job, I live a conflict and drama-free life, and I don’t need stuff
.”
“Don’t you miss the friends you leave behind each time you move?” Sherry asked.
“It’s easy enough to meet new people,” he said between bites of cake. “E-mail and phone calls make it easy to stay in touch with anyone who cares to, and most of my good friends are all here.”
“You have a funny way of showing your good friends are here.” Rosa raised both eyebrows.
Dan laughed. “I know, I know. I’ve stayed away too long. I’ll come back more often now. I’m thinking at least once a year.”
That seemed to make them happy.
“Well, it’s good you came back. Even if Sam can handle things on his own, there’s no denying it’ll all flow more smoothly with the three of you working together.” Ruby brought him his coffee and a pack of cards, the backs of which read, Angel Oracle Cards. He lifted an eyebrow.
Sherry and Rosa laughed.
“You are the only native who has never let me tell them their fortune.” Ruby shot him a look that told him he wouldn’t get out of it this time.
“You yourself say it’s just for fun, so why bother?” Dan sat back and sipped his coffee.
“I’ve come to realize that a lot of what I’ve said has come true. I’m convinced I have some sort of gift,” Ruby explained, her eyes a little too bright.
“Are you going to sit there and take this heretic nonsense?” Dan taunted Rosa.
Rosa shrugged. “It isn’t heresy to believe God gave you a gift. And in Ruby’s case, it’s only old age talking.”
Rosa glared at her. “Old age my—”
“Please!” Sherry rolled her eyes. “Let’s not get into this again. You two should just let her have her fun.”
“Sure. Let’s do it.” Dan cleared his throat and braced himself.
“It’ll damn well be fun when I end up being right, again,” Ruby mumbled. “Now, ask a question,” she said to Dan.
Dan paused with his coffee midair. “I have to ask a question?”