by Kristy Tate
“Do you think he’ll be okay?” he asked. “We should check on him.”
Cecelia grabbed his arm and her lips twitched. “You should probably know that he had me call Darby.”
“Darby? Why?”
Cecelia shrugged, but looked way too happy for a devoted grand-daughter whose beloved grandfather had just had a heart attack. “He said he needed to see her.”
Chad looked at his watch. “It’s the day before Thanksgiving! Does he really expect her to drive all this way? The L.A. traffic is going to be a bear!”
“I told her to take the train.”
Chad huffed. “The train? It’ll take hours. And tomorrow is Thanksgiving!”
Cecelia raised her eyebrows. “So, we’ll invite her to stay.”
Chad emitted a disgusted grunt and strode away, wondering if he—and Darby—were being played.
“Oh,” Cecelia said to his back. “Can you pick her up from the train?”
Chad wheeled around. “Why me?”
“Well, I can’t. I have to make the gingerbread.”
“Gingerbread? I thought Paco and Maria are bringing the dessert.”
“They are, but they’re not bringing gingerbread.” She cocked her head, grinning, knowing that she’d won. “You do want gingerbread, don’t you? With Grandma’s secret vanilla sauce?”
Of course, there was only one answer to that question.
#
“Toadie wants to see you,” Donna said.
“Now?” Darby glanced at her watch. 12:15 p.m. She’d been counting down the minutes until 5 p.m. when the Thanksgiving holiday would officially begin. Of course, for her family, the party had started days ago when her sister Harper and her family of four had arrived. Then her brother Lance had flown in from Houston with his new girlfriend and her two kids. Her brother Marcus, his wife Laine, and their three kids had arrived on Sunday. Altogether, there were eighteen people sleeping in a five-bedroom house, and there would be forty-five for dinner. Heaven help them if it rained and they had to move the plastic folding tables and chairs inside.
Darby didn’t have a Thanksgiving dinner cooking assignment, but she was in charge of breakfast. Even that was tricky. Her mother had allotted each dinner-contributor a twenty-minute time-slot when they were allowed in the kitchen. No more and no less. And Darby, as the breakfast provider, wasn’t allowed in the kitchen at all, and she didn’t have access to the refrigerator or freezer. Because of the limited refrigerator space, Darby had already ordered four dozen donuts from Mr. Ho’s Donuts. All she needed to do was pick them up along with a couple of gallons of orange juice which she would store in a cooler overnight. But she would need to keep the donuts locked in her car, otherwise her brothers, nieces, nephews, or the dogs might find them and eat them before breakfast.
Darby’s thoughts had already left the offices of Hopper and Rhode before she sat across from her boss.
“Mr. George would like to see you immediately,” Mr. Hopper said without preamble.
Darby’s heart stuttered and so did her words. “B-but tomorrow’s Thanksgiving!”
“His granddaughter said it’s quite urgent,” Mr. Hopper said. “She told me he had a heart attack.”
“Oh. Is he okay?”
“The more important question is, are you able to visit him today?”
“Today?” Her thoughts scrambled. Of course, she wanted to see Mr. George, especially if his health was in jeopardy, but…“The traffic…”
Mr. Hopper studied her with a frown wrinkling his forehead. “Frankly, if I hadn’t talked to her myself, I would have been suspicious.”
“Suspicious? Why?”
Mr. Hopper tapped his fingers on his desk. “Something isn’t right. Apparently, he’s very anxious about getting his affairs in order.” He cocked his head without taking his gaze off her face. “Are you able to do this? Or would you like me to assign someone else?”
“No, I can go.”
“Good.” Mr. Hopper stood, signaling that Darby should do the same. “His grand-daughter requested that you give her a call.”
#
Darby called Cecelia on her way to the donut shop.
“You don’t mind, do you?” Cecelia asked. “I mean, I know you have your family and they probably have plans…”
“But I’ll be back by tomorrow, right?” Darby asked.
“Oh! Of course!” Cecelia sounded as if this were a new thought. “Although, you could stay…if you wanted to. I know Grandpa would love it if you did. Would your family mind?”
They probably wouldn’t even notice. Darby pulled into a parking space in front of the donut shop. “I couldn’t impose on your holiday.” And what about Chad? Does he want to see me sitting across his Thanksgiving table?
#
“You’re doing what?” Henley demanded as she followed Darby into her bedroom. “Does this have anything to do with Benjamin coming for dinner?”
“Of course not.” Darby pulled down an overnight bag from the shelf in her closet and plunked it on to her bed. “I’m fine with you and Benjamin. I really am.”
Henley perched on the end of Darby’s bed and looked skeptical.
“I’m going to Rancho de Rio.” And hopefully, she’d finally have a chance to talk to Chad. She wondered if Bern had shared her thoughts. “Bern has had a heart attack and he wants me to help him get his affairs in order.”
“But why do you have to stay the weekend?” Henley asked.
“I don’t have to, I want to…maybe.”
“It’s that guy, isn’t it?” Henley folded her legs crisscross and propped her elbows on her knees. “He’s super hot and he’s got to be rich.”
Darby looked over her shoulder to frown at her sister. “I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that because it makes you sound really shallow.”
“Oh, pfft.” Henley waved the word shallow away. “If you aren’t going for the guy, and you’re just going for a client—how does that make you sound?” She didn’t wait for an answer. “I’ll tell you. Money-grubbing.”
“I’m not money-grubbing!” Darby shoved panties and bras into her bag and went back to contemplate her closet. She really didn’t know what she should bring. She didn’t want to make it obvious she’d come for the weekend, because what if Chad didn’t want her there? But then, if she did end up staying, she’d want clean clothes. Maybe she could just hide her bag in the trunk of her car. Lately, she’d been hiding a lot of things in her car…
“Everyone says you work too much.”
“Did it ever occur to you I might be working so hard because I’d like to move out?”
“Move out? Why?”
“Because that’s what grown-ups do!” Darby threw her favorite jeans, a couple of shirts, and a pair of pajamas into her bag, slung it over her shoulder, and headed for the bathroom.
“What’s going on?” Meg asked.
“Darby is going to Rancho de Rio for Thanksgiving,” Henley told her sister.
“Does Mom know?” Meg fell into line behind Henley.
Since the guests had arrived, the downstairs bathroom had been taken over by unfamiliar toothbrushes, bottles of hair gel, someone’s razor, and a variety of hairbrushes. Darby groaned when she noticed another toothbrush exactly like hers.
“I already told Mom. She’s fine with whatever I decide.” Don’t forget the donuts, had been her mom’s response. “No one is even going to know I’m not here.”
“How can you say that?” Henley asked.
“Are you sure this isn’t about Benjamin?” Meg’s eyes squinted with suspicion.
“That’s exactly what I asked,” Henley said.
Darby picked the cleaner and newer of the two identical toothbrushes, tucked it into her bag, and pushed her way past her sisters. They trailed after her, through the kitchen and mudroom, out the door, and onto the driveway. Darby unlocked her car, dropped her bag into the trunk and pulled out the boxes of donuts. “You have to hide these.” She shoved the boxes into Hen
ley’s arms. “You can put these in the cooler.” She handed the jugs of juice to Meg. “It’s underneath Dan’s boat in the garage.”
“I don’t like this,” Meg said.
Henley skated a glance at Meg before saying, “Me neither.”
“’K, love you,” Darby said as she went to the driver’s side of the car, wrenched open the door, and climbed behind the wheel. Her heart raced as she pointed her car toward Rancho de Rio.
#
This time when Darby pulled up to the big iron gate, it automatically slid open. It occurred to her that someone had to be watching for her on the other side of the security camera. She waved at the device as she rolled onto the ranch.
The fading sun pierced the clouds hanging over the foothills and washed the valley in a pinkish haze. Time stood still here. If not for the cars parked in the garage, it would be easy to imagine the ranch filled with herds of horses, cowboys and vaqueros. She tried to imagine this place as a resort or sub-division. It would be lovely, of course, but she would miss the pristine beauty, and if she, who had only been a visitor a handful of times, had such strong feelings, she could only imagine how the George family felt about their home.
Darby parked her car, and as she stepped out, Cecelia flew out the wide double doors and launched herself into Darby’s arms. “I’m so glad you’re here!” She tugged on Darby’s hand and towed her up the front steps. “Grandpa is anxious to see you.”
“He’s doing better then?” Darby asked, confused. Cecelia seemed more excited than worried. Which didn’t make sense. Darby knew that Cecelia adored her grandfather, so why…
But Chad did look concerned. He sat in the living room on the silk sofa, his shoulders slumped and hands between his knees. He stood when he saw her, indecision and worry etched on his face. She went to him, wrapped her arms around him, and after only a moment of hesitation, he buried his head in her hair.
His warmth melted her heart. His scent filled her with hope, but he pulled away from her as a door down the hall opened.
An elderly man with a stethoscope around his neck came into the living room. “He would like to see you both now,” he said.
“Thanks, Dr. Jenkins,” Chad said.
“He’s very weak,” Dr. Jenkins said. “So please, don’t say or do anything to excite him. He said Bernie and Elaine are on a cruise?”
“That’s right,” Chad said. “I notified them.”
“You did?” Cecelia gasped.
“Of course. They would want to know.”
Conflicting emotions flashed across Cecelia’s face. “Well, they’re so far away…”
“They said they’d be on the next plane,” Chad said.
“Oh…that’s good,” Cecelia said, but her expression and tone told another story.
Seemingly impatient with his sister, Chad took Darby’s hand and led her down the hall to Bern’s bedroom.
The room with its shuttered windows, navy blue walls and tobacco brown carpet was dark. Bern lay in his bed beneath a quilt, his white hair melding into the crisp white linens, his eyes closed.
“I thought he wanted to see us,” Chad whispered to the doctor.
“That’s what he said,” Dr. Jenkins said. “If I were you, I would wait for him to wake.”
Chad nodded, sat in a leather club chair and motioned for Darby to take the chair beside him.
Dr. Jenkins made for the door.
“Where are you going?” Chad whispered.
“I need to make a phone call,” Jenkins said, “I’ll just be outside in case you need me.”
The room fell quiet as the door whispered closed behind the doctor.
Chad studied Darby.
Finally, she asked, “Why didn’t you respond to my text?”
A scowl wrinkled his forehead. “I didn’t get a text from you.”
“What? I sent you a text. An apology.”
Chad shook his head and pulled his phone out of his back pocket. “I would have remembered that.” He scrolled through his texts and showed her. “My last text from you was on the day I was hurt on the soccer field.” He smiled, remembering. “It was also the day of our first kiss.”
“That’s not possible.” Darby pulled out her own phone and showed him her text history.
He took her phone and read her message and then lifted his gaze to hers. “Thank you,” he whispered.
“Read it out loud,” Bern said.
Chad bolted from his chair and strode to the side of his grandfather’s bed. “Grandpa! You’re awake!”
“Of course, I’m awake,” Bern said, scooting up and adjusting the pillows behind his back. “Now, read the text.”
“It just says I’m sorry and that I made a mistake,” Darby said, not at all eager to share her groveling apology with Bern.
Bern grunted. “The big mistake being made here is that this meathead hasn’t kissed you yet.”
“Grandpa!” Chad said. “This hardly seems like the time or place—”
“Why not?” Bern demanded.
“You’re obviously feeling better,” Darby said.
“Hmm, know what would make me feel even better? For you two kids to tie the knot and settle down—”
“Grandpa! We barely know each other!” Chad shuffled his feet and looked out the window to hide the embarrassing pink flush staining his cheeks.
“You know you’d fight dragons or wrestle alligators just to make her smile.” Bern pointed at Chad before leveling his finger to Darby. “And she looks at you like she wants to eat you for breakfast—although heaven knows why! What more do you need to know?”
“Lots,” Chad said, picking up Darby’s hand. “Like what do you eat for breakfast?”
“Granola. You?”
“Bacon and eggs.”
“That’ll work.”
“Good. What do you like to do when you have nothing to do?”
“Run. You?”
“Ride horses.”
“So, we both like being outdoors.”
He nodded. “I want to take my time to learn all these things about you.”
“I’d like that,” Darby said.
“Well, I don’t like that at all!” Bern harrumphed. “Do you think I’ve got all day? That’s the problem with youth. At your age, you think your life is limitless and the future is a long string of sunny tomorrows. But by the time you get to where I am now, you’ll understand that tomorrows are rare and precious. You’ll look back and be surprised at how fast the days and years meld together. And the only thing you’ll regret is that you didn’t spend more time with the people you love. So, I suggest you two start loving.”
“Grandpa, did you set this up?” Chad asked.
Bern flushed and pushed himself up higher on his pillows. “Well, so what if I did? You got to learn to take the bull by the horns, boy!” His eyes skated to Darby’s. “Or the girl by the hand. You don’t mind do you, sweetie? I wouldn’t have done it if I hadn’t thought you’d be willing.”
Darby bit her lip. “I can’t say I agree with your tactics, but—I’m glad to be here with you.”
“And with the meathead?” Bern pressed.
“Yes,” Darby turned to Chad and captured his other hand so that she now held both of them. “I’m glad I’m with the meathead.” She sucked in a deep breath. “But I’m not sure what my boss would think if he knew.”
The bedroom door flew open and Bernie and Elaine blew in. “Dad!” Bernie hurried to his dad’s bedside. “What’s going on?”
“We need to fire that doctor!” Elaine huffed, her cheeks flushed with an angry pink stain and her eyes shimmering with hostility. “He tried to keep us out!”
“Doc Jenkins is my oldest friend,” Bernie said. “You can’t fire him. He was just following my orders.”
“Why would you ban your own son from your deathbed?” Elaine asked with a wounded air.
“I’m not on my deathbed,” Bern admitted, sitting up and adjusting his shirt. “There’s been some confusion.” He b
it his lip and added grouchily, “You weren’t supposed to be here at all. I thought you were on a cruise.”
Bernie’s eyes lowered dangerously and he slit them toward Darby. “What’s this all about?”
“Why would you include a near-stranger and exclude your flesh blood?” Elaine gasped. She took hold of Chad’s sleeve and pulled him across the room. “This is just a small example of that bigger problem I was talking to you about.” she said in a hushed yet still audible voice.
“No, it’s not,” Chad said. “Grandpa was just trying his hand at matchmaking.”
“Matchmaking?” Elaine squeaked as if she’d seen a mouse or a particularly nasty spider. She didn’t actually say the words, with her? but Darby felt them. Elaine recovered herself and sniffed haughtily. “This is all ridiculous. I can’t believe we canceled our trip for this fiasco.”
“Excuse me,” Bern said, pulling his quilt around his waist and trying to look as dignified as a man wearing striped pajamas and lounging in bed possibly could, “no one asked you to ditch your trip. I didn’t even want you here. I don’t want you here now.”
Bernie looked pained. “Dad, you don’t mean that.”
Bern huffed. “For once, this isn’t about you!”
“What do you mean, for once?”
Bern gritted his teeth. “I want this place to feel young again. It needs life. Hell, even with Chad and Cecelia here it still feels like a tomb. It needs children, ponies, love, laughter.”
“We need to talk,” Elaine said, laying one hand on her husband’s arm and pushing Chad toward the door with the other.
The room fell into awkward silence as soon as the three of them left, leaving Darby and Bern to stare at each other. “Drastic measures,” Darby murmured.
“I regret nothing,” Bern said. “I had to do something to get you two in the same room!”
“How did you know Chad wanted to see me?”
“Since the wedding, he’s been moping around here like a dog that’s lost his bone.”