Still, wary of another rejection, Gustavia held some part of herself in reserve. Trusting him with her life was one thing. He was a cop; it was his duty to protect and serve. Trusting him with the love most families took for granted was another. Keeping her guard up, she thought, was just good common sense.
Chapter Four
Instead of the half hour she’d requested it only took Gustavia ten minutes to finish up at the library, so she was already seated at one of the checkered cloth-covered tables at Tassone’s when Finn and Sam arrived. No bad thing since it gave her the chance to watch him walk toward her.
He moved with the loose-hipped grace of someone totally comfortable in his skin, almost a swagger. Snug jeans hugged well-muscled thighs, suggesting the view of him walking away would also be worth an ogle or two. Maybe three. Wide shoulders stretched the simple blue tee shirt, pulling it across a nicely defined chest. But it was his face that threatened to draw purring noises from her lips: warm brown eyes under a wide forehead softened by a lock of hair that she wanted to run her fingers through, slightly square jaw, and a set of full, kissable lips made for an amazing total package. He wore a pair of wire-rimmed glasses that might have seemed nerdy on anyone else; but, on him, the effect was pretty hot. He’d gone from the sad and overwhelmed father she’d seen at her reading a year ago, to this confident, sexy vision. Yum.
Samantha bounced along beside him, blond hair flying as she spotted Gustavia. She pulled her father toward the table and her smile lit up the entire restaurant.
Gustavia stood and without thinking twice, pulled the girl into a hug; Sam clung to her with surprising strength while Finn watched them both. Sam needed a woman in her life, he did the best he could, but he was kidding himself if he thought that just having a dad was enough.
Until this minute, the question of whether he was ready to put himself out there and start dating again after losing Lily had not entered his mind.
He became increasingly uncomfortable watching them together; Sam chattered away to this woman as though they’d known each other forever. What a difference a year had made. Emotions welled up and threatened to overwhelm him.
Finn had been completely out of his depth when he’d brought Sam to that first reading. His folks had stayed in town to help for as long as they could; but, eventually, he’d been left alone with his daughter, a time consuming business to run, and his grief.
He had done the best he could, but it hadn’t been enough.
Sam looked so much like Lily, it was uncanny; but when it came to brooding, she took after him. It was the trait he least liked about himself and the one he found most difficult to change.
As the months passed and she continued to withdraw, he’d tried everything he could think of to pull his daughter back. During those dark months she’d read and reread every book Gustavia had ever written, the stories and characters bringing her a much needed sense of solace. Finally, when he’d seen the poster in the library saying the author would be giving a reading, some small voice inside him said, “This is it.” So he listened and scheduled in the time to attend.
Walking into the library that day had felt like moving through a wall of water that sucked and pulled at him. In a million years, he could never have prepared himself for the way Gustavia had intuitively picked up on Sam’s struggle and, with a few simple words, begun the process that drained it all away.
It had been life changing and he owed her a debt. The owing felt heavy on his shoulders.
Lost in remembering, he didn’t notice the sudden silence until he realized his tablemates were looking at him expectantly, both sets of eyes twinkling. When they exchanged identical looks of exasperation then started laughing, he knew his inattention had been noticed.
Time to shrug it off.
Smiling, he held up both hands in surrender, “You caught me; I wasn’t paying attention, sorry.”
“Samantha was just telling me about her room; she says you built her the most amazing bed. Is that what you do for a living? Build beds?”
“I mostly do architectural restoration and general contracting; but, when I get the chance, I like to build other things. Cabinets, beds, whatever.”
“Oh, serendipity.”
He quirked an eyebrow.
“I may have a job for you. My friend Julie needs some work done on her house. She’s looking for someone to handle the roof work; but, I’ll warn you, it’s a big job. There’s a bunch of peaks and valleys, some steep pitches, plus two sections of flat roof. I know it might not classify as a restoration project, but it’s a really cool house. ”
Now his eyes widened in surprise and it was her turn to smirk.
“Yeah, I know what peaks and valleys are; I’ve worked with Habitat for Humanity on a few projects. I like building things, using power tools.”
Surprise caused him to blunder and say the first thing that came to mind.
“Ah, did you dress like that on the building site? I can’t imagine how effective you’d be flouncing around in that kind of get up.” He hadn’t meant to sound quite so snarky. The words just came out that way.
For a moment, she was speechless; all she could do was look at him incredulously. Then annoyance set in.
Finn watched the play of emotions across her face and knew he’d put his foot in it.
Gustavia had been nothing but nice to both he and his daughter and this was a lousy way to repay her. He didn’t know how it happened, hadn’t meant to offend—but something about her flipped his switch, turned him surly. He was over it now, but the damage, it seemed, was done.
“Of course I dressed appropriately. I’m not an idiot.” Bristling with indignation she sat back in her chair, folded her arms, and pierced him with a steely stare. “Underestimating me rarely ends well; you should keep that in mind.”
“Sorry.” He sounded sincere but there was still something around the eyes, a lingering bit of mutiny. She was unimpressed. Casting her mind back over the conversation, she couldn’t pick up on anything she’d said that might trigger such a reaction so concluded the problem was entirely on him.
This Jekyll and Hyde act could get old in a hurry.
She shook it off and continued, “It’s Hayward House that...”
“I know the one,” he interrupted her. “Part Greek, part Gothic with the stained glass windows, right?”
“That’s the one. Julie, the owner, is planning some repairs. The roof to start, then new windows. After that, some sprucing and trim work, maybe a few other small changes. Depends on—well, let’s just say it depends.” She refused to acknowledge his questioning look. “Luckily the foundation is rock solid, as are all the supporting joists.” Gustavia was beginning to have second thoughts about asking him to bid on the job. This guy gave off a very mixed vibe; his tone earlier was a real turn off.
“Daddy, you should do it. You should help Miss Gustavia’s friend fix up her house. It’s what you’re best at.” This was one job site she would look forward to visiting.
“I’d love to come out and take a look at the job, if you could arrange it. I’ve always wanted to get my hands on that house.”
She had reservations, but she’d give him the benefit of the doubt. His attitude might have been a momentary lapse. She hoped so. “I’m sitting for Julie in the studio on Tuesday afternoon. Can you come by then and I’ll introduce you?”
“Sure, is 2 o’clock okay?”
“Fine.”
And the arrangements were made.
Samantha looked back and forth at the two adults, a grin lighting her face; if her dad got the job, she just knew there would be plenty of chances to visit and hang out with Miss Gustavia again. That would be the coolest thing ever.
“Do you have any kids, Miss Gustavia? How do you come up with ideas for books? Did you write about Ember and his mommy because I asked you that question last year?” Questions came in rapid fire.
“Sam, take a breath and give the woman a chance to speak,” Finn cut in before his daught
er could ask anything else. Her curious nature was a delight to him but could be a bit much to take.
“I don’t have any children, yet. I get my ideas from many places and, yes, the story about Ember’s mommy was inspired by your question last year.“ Gustavia smiled as she answered.
“That’s so cool. Wait until I tell my friends.” Sam bounced in her chair.
“Can I ask another question?” She didn’t wait for an affirmation. “Did your parents name you Gustavia? Or is it a pen name? It’s very unusual. I learned about pen names on the Internet. I like to research things.”
Clearly, Gustavia thought in amusement. “No, my parents named me Eloise after my great grandmother. But it just didn’t feel like the right name for me so I changed it to something that did.”
“How did they react? Your parents.” Finn was genuinely curious.
“Not well, but that’s a story for another day. I chose it because I thought it would be completely unique.”
He thought she was right in that assessment.
Officially known as a pizza joint, Tassone’s had a lot more on their menu so Gustavia ordered the eggplant lasagna, while Finn and Sam split a pepperoni and black olive pie. The atmosphere was bright and friendly with outdoor bistro style seating and a few booths.
Owned by a jolly middle-aged couple who served recipes passed down through the generations, it was a comfortable, family-oriented eatery.
For the kids, the owners had installed several vintage video games in the corner. Sam was addicted to Galaga so Finn gave her a quarter and sent her off to play, giving him a chance to speak to Gustavia in private.
He surprised her by saying, “I can’t thank you enough for what you did for Sam at your reading last year. You said exactly what she needed to hear and it’s made all the difference in the world.”
“She’s a beautiful girl; you’re doing a great job with her.” Even though she had reservations about the way he’d spoken to her earlier, Gustavia could tell he was a devoted father. Could be he’d just had an off moment. Just too bad he managed to find her Achilles heel. She’d taken some flack over the years, mostly from her own family, for being a non-conformist.
“It has been a struggle and I’m doing the best I can but she misses her mother. It’s been tough on her. By the time we came to your reading last year, she was so withdrawn she barely spoke. She was having trouble in school and I didn’t know what more to do.” He shook his head as though to fling away the bad memories.
“She refused to talk to a counselor and your books were the only things she was excited about. So when I saw the flier saying you would be at the library, I took a chance that meeting you might—I don’t know—give her something more positive to focus on. When you noticed her and took the time to talk to her the way you did—Well, I’m sure it seemed a simple thing to you and easily forgotten; but, to her, it was a Rockstar moment. There are no words to tell you how grateful I am.”
Grateful didn’t seem the appropriate word given his earlier attitude. Probably she was just blowing the whole thing up in her head.
“How did you know what to say?” he asked.
“Let’s just say I understood her feelings and leave it at that.” She smiled to soften the mind-your-own-business message.
Gustavia’s heart melted when she saw the earnestness in his eyes. She reached out to where his hand rested on the table, covered it with her own, and gave it a squeeze. “I’m glad to have helped, but I think you should give yourself the credit. You stayed proactive, paid enough attention to her interests to know what might help. In my book, that makes you Superdad. You even have the right last name for the title.” She grinned at him then waggled her eyebrows to lighten the mood. “You’re probably wearing the costume under those clothes right now.”
That thought led her down the path of wondering just what might be lurking under his tee shirt and jeans, but she pulled her thoughts back before she said or did something to embarrass herself. There were times when her internal filters weren’t strong enough to keep her from speaking her thoughts aloud. Got her into trouble now and then. She hoped he couldn’t read her mind; that would be bad, very bad.
That tingle again. Despite how nice it felt, he snatched his hand back as though he’d just realized he was touching a snake. Gustavia’s eyes widened in surprise then narrowed.
What was his deal?
He returned her gaze with a level stare of his own.
Fine. If that’s how he wanted it.
Finn was conflicted. Gustavia had helped him, helped his daughter, but he didn’t want them getting too involved. The last thing Sam needed was another female role model who might eventually leave. There was no way he wanted to see her go down that particular rabbit hole again.
Then, there was the attraction he was beginning to feel. It complicated things. Okay, he wanted her. He just didn’t want to want her.
Still, he was appalled at himself for the way he’d spoken to this woman after she’d been so unfailingly kind. Some gratitude he’d shown. What was wrong with him? And who names their kid Gustavia, anyway?
His thoughts were on a seesaw.
It was like one of those dreams where you knew something was going to happen but felt paralyzed, unable to stop it. She had a light in her and such gentleness; and, yet, with every passing moment the need to push her away grew within him. And that would have been fine if the need to get closer to her hadn’t been growing just as strong. She was warm and funny and quirky and genuine. Confident but not arrogant. Everything he admired in a woman. Everything he wanted to avoid.
Samantha and the food arrived at the table at the same time; Gustavia, knowing a bit more about the family history, now listened to her chatter with a different ear. Underneath the questions, she heard the loneliness that a girl with no mother inevitably felt. Everything in her yearned to try and fill that void. Too bad her father was so prickly; it would be hard to get close to the one without having to deal with the other. She sighed.
Finn subsided into a brooding silence while Gustavia and Samantha talked. He noted that the woman did not talk down to the child, that she was considerate and engaged with his daughter. Eventually, his mood darkened the atmosphere to the point that even Sam was looking at him questioningly so he abruptly announced, “We should be going now,” and reached for his wallet.
Great, Gustavia thought, something really has crawled up his backside and I practically begged him to submit a quote for Julie. Just my luck, she’ll probably accept. She wasn’t looking forward to dealing with someone who ran hot then cold more rapidly than the shower in a cheap motel.
In her experience, people who judge based on her clothing choices tended to jump to conclusions about her. Unflattering conclusions. That she was some kind of flighty, new age, crazy chick. She’d admit to playing into those impressions at times and it hadn’t taken years of psychoanalysis for her to understand she used her appearance as a weapon against her family.
By now Finn was also regretting his decision to make a bid for the Hayward House job. If it meant spending more time with Gustavia, he’d probably be better off walking away. She unsettled him. Still, it wasn’t every day he got the chance to add a job like this to his résumé. Better keep the appointment.
Having so decided, he made the effort to at least be cordial, even if the damage was already done. There was no way, he thought, that she would ever forgive his erratic behavior.
With Sam practically dancing between them, the pair strolled down the street toward the parking lot, both lost in their thoughts.
The minute they rounded the corner, Finn knew exactly which car belonged to Gustavia and, sure enough, she made a beeline for the rust-colored, but mint condition, vintage Ford Maverick. Pulling a huge wad of keys from her voluminous straw bag, she reached down to unlock the door as he took a turn around the car, whistling softly, incredulously.
The exterior was pristine but she’d worked her magic on the inside.
She’d r
eplaced the headliner with her own hand-crafted version made from fabric in a moon and stars pattern, then pinned on a grid of wire-wrapped crystals. The vinyl seats were covered in a re-purposed, rainbow-dyed chenille bedspread. For the final touch, she’d used gold paint on every body-colored metal interior area, decorating with designs ranging from Celtic to Japanese calligraphy. The patterns contained charms against everything from accidents to traffic tickets. On the dashboard lived her protective angel, an old grass-skirted hula dancing doll who’d been refitted with a gypsy outfit and a pair of angel wings.
Before he could help himself, Finn threw his head back and laughed in appreciation. It was spectacular. Unique, just like her.
A work of art. He loved it.
Gustavia wrongly interpreted his response, coming as it did on the heels of his comment about her clothing. She assumed the worst.
He was laughing at her baby.
With a terse, “See you Tuesday.” She quickly slid into the seat, started car with a vicious twist of her wrist, and while he watched in surprise, drove away without even saying goodbye to Samantha. How rude.
Chapter Five
Speeding down the road, Gustavia cranked up the stereo to blasting and loosed a series of words fit to burn the ears off a sailor. Her upright, uptight grandmother would have been thoroughly appalled. Picturing the pinched look her words would have put on Vivian’s face was satisfying, but still better to cut off thoughts of the woman. Those never led to anything good.
Before she’d even made the conscious decision to go there, she found herself turning down the drive to Hayward House. She needed to rant.
She needed her best friend.
She needed Julie.
Normally she slowed and enjoyed the spectacular view as she turned the corner leading to the house, but today Gustavia barely noticed its unique architecture.
Classic Greek revival style columns marched across the centrally located entrance below an elongated, triangle-shaped pediment. It was the smaller wings on either side where the design went a bit wonky. In order to install four stained glass windows, two in front and two in back, Julie’s great grandfather had raised the roof line to add towering Gothic spires complete with elaborately scrolled trim.
Bells On Her Toes (The Psychic Seasons Series Book 2) Page 3