Kitabı oku: «Inner Harbor», sayfa 3

“Marmalade is another legacy from my grandfather. I brought her in from the truck a few minutes ago.”

Annie ignored her newest client to direct visual darts of suspicion toward Russ Mitchard.

“As I’m positive Felicity explained to you, we don’t allow cats here. I can’t afford the damage claws could do to the quilts or the curtains, not to mention that woodwork.” She blanched a little at the mention of it, her eyes on the oak paneling. “It’s one of the rules I just can’t break.”

She wouldn’t budge. Russ knew that as surely as he knew his name. Annie Simmons was very protective of her business, very proud of what she’d accomplished. He’d noticed it earlier in the way she slid her hand over the gleaming stainless steel range in the kitchen, her quick mop up, which returned the shining glass table they’d eaten on to its pristine condition. She delighted in what she’d made here and she didn’t want it ruined. He didn’t blame her.

Of course, Marmalade wouldn’t hurt anything, but Annie didn’t know that.

“There are no animals allowed in this establishment. If that means you’re unable to stay with us, I’m very sorry, Mr. Mitchard. But I cannot and will not break my rule.” Her lips were pressed together in a firm line that brooked no argument.

“No problem.” He lifted the cat and walked to a corner by the desk. From behind a potted palm he pulled a black pet carrier. Within seconds, he’d stored the cat inside.

Russ wasn’t going to argue. He’d landed enough on her today. If he wanted to make any progress on the marriage issue, he needed to correct this mistake in judgment. He lifted the carrier and walked to the door, then stopped and faced her.

“I’ll find a place for Marmalade and then I’ll be back. She’s been declawed, so she wouldn’t hurt anything. But I don’t want to break your rules. I’ll see you later.”

He walked out her front door, headed for his truck. Today was not going the way he’d intended. But then, what did he expect? To walk in on Annie Simmons, announce that she needed to marry him so he could finally fulfill a dream and expect her to meekly agree? Put like that, it wouldn’t matter how many letters she’d read.

“Thanks a lot, Gramps,” he muttered, only half under his breath. “After today, she’ll probably never talk to me again. Let alone marry me. Then what will you do?” In the recesses of his mind Russ could almost hear the old coot chuckle with delight.

Annie bit her lip as she watched Russ Mitchard walk away with his cat, wishing she’d rephrased that. She’d sounded like a stuffy old spinster who couldn’t allow a cat to muss her home. But getting the bed-and-breakfast finished had taken such a long time, been so much work, eaten up every dime her mother had left her. Besides, the quilts had come from the Women’s League. She couldn’t imagine asking them to make her another because a cat had ruined one!

Then she remembered the reason Russ was here and felt even worse. How embarrassing to be proposed to for money, even by that sweet old man’s grandson. He’d put a nice face on it, pretended that wasn’t the only reason, but Annie knew he couldn’t want to marry her any more than she wanted to marry him.

She’d had to refuse his proposal, surely he understood that? If he came back, it would be better to keep things on a business plane and pretend his offer of marriage had never happened. Perhaps if she acted nonchalant, she could spare both their feelings.

A cough broke through her musings. Annie pasted a smile on her face, then turned to the man standing in front of her desk.

“I’m sorry, Mr. Taylor,” she apologized quietly. “Now let’s get you settled in.” She dealt with the registration, took an imprint of his credit card, all the while trying desperately to force Russ Mitchard out of her mind.

“I hope I didn’t interrupt anything.” He looked confused.

Annie knew the feeling. Nothing was going the way it should have today. Two new customers, and she was mad?

“You didn’t interrupt a thing. If you’ll follow me?” She made herself calm down as she showed him to his room.

“I take it he’s another guest?”

“That remains to be seen.” Annie met his curious stare but did not elaborate. “Breakfast is served from six-thirty to nine. I hope that will suit you, Mr. Taylor?”

“Sure. Whatever. I’m here to relax.” He set his duffel bag on the bed.

“I’ll leave you to get settled in, then. Please make yourself at home.” She moved toward the doorway.

“If I correctly remember our introduction at your opening, you’re a native to the area, aren’t you.” It wasn’t a question.

Curious, Annie turned back, one hand on the doorknob. “Why, yes, I am.”

“Then you know Constance Laughlin.”

“Everyone knows Constance.” Annie smiled. “She’s like our den mother. Anything to do with Safe Harbor has to do with Constance.”

He nodded. Annie studied him, watched his cheeks flush a rich red. He turned away from her scrutiny to peer out the window. Why Constance, she wondered idly.

“You don’t happen to know where I’d find her this afternoon, do you?”

The words tumbled out in a rush, as if he were embarrassed to ask. There was something strange about him, almost furtive. As if he were hiding something. And yet, when she looked into his eyes, they seemed honest, clear. It was just that Russ Mitchard and this crazy day had confused everything.

“Constance?” She pretended to think. “Probably at the church. She’ll be checking the spring bulb collections in the flower beds. Constance has a thing about those bulbs. You might try there. First Peninsula Church.” She gave him directions.

The screech of brakes and a child’s yell cut off her explanation.

Drew!

Annie tore down the stairs, raced out the front door. What had the child done now?

“You could have gotten yourself killed! Me, too, if my reactions hadn’t been fast enough. You never run into the street after something. Didn’t your mother teach you anything?”

Him again!

Annie saw Drew’s little face crumple at the mention of his mother. He hunched over in the street and bawled.

Annie marched out the door, right up to Russ Mitchard and glared at him.

“Did your mother tell you to think before you speak?” she hissed, glaring at him with the frostiest look she could muster as all her protective instincts swam to the fore. At his blank look, she boiled.

“He hasn’t got a mother,” she told him in a half whisper of pure fury. “I told you that.” She ignored his groan of dismay to crouch beside Drew. “Come on, honey. Let’s get you inside. Everything’s going to be fine.”

“Somehow, Annie, I doubt that with you around things will ever be merely fine again.” Russ’s silvery eyes flashed with an inner fire.

Now what did that mean?

Russ brushed her out of the way, bent and scooped the boy into his arms. He carried him into the bed-and-breakfast.

“At least he’s not hurt. Are you?” He set Drew on a chair. Then his hands moved carefully over the small limbs, checking for fractures.

“I’m okay.” Drew dashed one hand across his eyes. “I’m sorry, Annie. I just wanted to see the cat. It was huge.” Drew’s tear-smudged face begged her to understand. “I’ve never seen a cat that big. She almost let me pet her!”

That cat. Again. Annie risked a look at Russ, watched him shrug, as if this, too, wasn’t his fault.

“I thought she was in her carrier?” she demanded softly.

“She was. But I had to let her out. She cries if I keep her in there. That’s why I let her out in here. I was afraid she’d start howling before I could explain.” He flushed. “I just didn’t get around to explaining before—”

“She cries. Uh-huh.” Annie rolled her eyes. What a line.

“Hey, mister? Is that big orange cat yours?” Drew blinked at Russ, hero worship glowing in his pale face.

“Yes. Her name is Marmalade. And your name is Drew. I didn’t recognize you at first, especially when you took off across the street like that.” Russ raked a hand through his black hair, ruining its perfection.

Did his fingers tremble just a little?

“You scared the daylights out of me, Drew.”

“I’m sorry.” The apology was perfunctory. “What are daylights?” He studied Russ for a minute before a new thought took precedence. “Hey! You’re staying here, right? Felicity told Billy’s mom a handsome man had moved in.”

Excitement lent Drew’s eyes a glossy chocolate sheen.

“So that means your cat will be staying here, too. All right!” He jumped up, twisted to face Annie. “I can play with her, can’t I? I never had a cat before. My mom—” He stopped, gulped hard but stoically continued, a sheen of fresh tears glossing his eyes. “Remember, Annie? Mom was allergic, so I couldn’t have any animals at our place.”

Russ cleared his throat. Annie ignored him. She was going to have to eat crow. She didn’t need him to rub it in.

Drew had lost everything. His little world had shifted, changed irrevocably when he’d lost his parents. She had a business to run, but was that a good enough reason to deny Drew the comfort of an overfed orange feline? No. She was all for anything that would make Drew’s life a little happier. Wasn’t that what parenting was all about?

“You can’t deny the kid a cat,” Russ whispered in her ear, satisfaction resonating through his rumbling voice. “Marmalade is here to stay.”

But you aren’t, she thought, twisting to look into his silvery eyes. You won’t be staying here long.

She’d known him only a short while, talked to him for less than an hour, but she knew a lot about Russ Mitchard. And somehow she just knew that settling down wasn’t in Russ’s long-term plans. She had a hunch from something Mr. Willoughby had once said that as soon as Russ had his business running smoothly, he’d be off searching for greener pastures. Wasn’t that what had worried his grandfather so much—the fear that R.J. was running away from life?

Still, as long as he was a guest at her bed-and-breakfast, she’d have to face him every day, be civil. Probably even explain repeatedly that there was no hope of him marrying her. The thought of that daily contact left her both wary and excited.

Why was that?

Annie was afraid she was going to find out.

Chapter Three

“She’s a big old girl, isn’t she?” Drew tenderly swiped his hand down the cat’s sleek back. “She purrs louder than a bullfrog.”

He laid his head on the floor beside the cat and closed his eyes, listening for the rumble of contentment.

“You’re my bestest friend, Marmalade.”

Russ had to look away or bawl. Drew reminded him so much of Adam, the Adam he remembered—before the accident, the one that had claimed his brother’s life. If only he’d taken his responsibility to Adam as seriously as Drew took his toward that cat.

“I made hot chocolate. That should tide you over till dinner. I’m afraid I got a little behind today.” Annie stood in front of him, her blue eyes bright with the frustration of his presence here.

Russ grinned. At least she wasn’t indifferent to him. A marriage of convenience would be difficult enough. A marriage of indifference would be intolerable. Strangely, he understood Annie’s discomfiture around him, even felt the same way. She kept him on his toes, slightly off center. He never knew exactly how she’d react. She certainly wasn’t like any other female he’d ever met. For one thing, she always spoke the truth, no matter what. It didn’t do a thing for his ego, but he found her bluntness refreshing, just the same.

“Are you going to take this mug or not?” she muttered just low enough so Drew wouldn’t hear.

Clearly she wasn’t thrilled that he’d become more than simply a guest.

“I’m going to take it. Thank you.” He peered at the peppermint in it, then glanced at her. “What about Drew?”

“I already drank some juice. I gave Marm some milk.” Drew turned to the cat. “She likes milk.”

“Thank you for taking care of her.” The boy’s attentiveness surprised Russ. At that age, he’d had a lot of pets. Had he ever been so careful of them? Maybe that’s when this problem with responsibility had begun.

Annie seated herself away from Russ, in the big brown armchair by the fire. It was a deliberate move, distancing him. Russ knew he was supposed to take note of that. Which he did, with a smile at her prim face. Then he promptly shifted seats so he lounged across from her. Keeping up with Annie was like playing chess. He adored chess. Gramps had taught him the game years ago. Check, Annie Simmons.

He lifted the red and white striped peppermint stick. A drop of chocolate dangled on the end. Russ licked it off. The chocolate flavor blossomed on his tongue, made richer by the hint of mint. He caught her stare.

“I had some peppermint sticks left over after Christmas. No point in throwing them out.” Her eyes glittered defensively.

“None whatsoever,” he agreed, leaning back to savor the atmosphere she’d created. “It’s excellent. So is this room.”

The soft glow of firelight on the oak paneling and the comfy furniture set around the fireplace gave the room a well-lived feel. Annie, having started dinner, had changed from her jeans into a long velvet jumper the exact color of her eyes. Her hair glowed silver in the firelight. She was very much lady of the manor.

Taken as a whole, this was a picture-perfect example of home. The air was redolent with the succulent aroma of beef stew, fresh rolls and something with cinnamon that Russ prayed was apple pie. The flames, the quiet peace, all of it combined to relax the visitor. She’d achieved her aim and then some.

At the moment Annie ignored him, the same way she’d tried to ignore him most of the afternoon while he’d settled into his room, gone back and forth to his shop and taken Marmalade out for a walk with Drew. Russ stifled a chuckle at the way she tilted her nose in the air and focused her attention on the ceiling to avoid looking at him.

“Something smells very good. I hope my staying for dinner isn’t an intrusion.” He paused deliberately, found himself waiting for her comeback with anticipation. Their verbal sparring intrigued him.

“This is a bed-and-breakfast.” She deliberately emphasized the last word. “We don’t serve dinner to our guests.”

He could almost hear her thoughts. Check that, R.J. Annie Simmons was looking at him, maybe not the way he wanted, but at least she wasn’t ignoring him. He studied her in return. Marrying her wouldn’t be any hardship. She was gorgeous. But Russ knew his grandfather had seen more than that in her. Gramps was a stickler for inner beauty, the character inside a person no one could see, which spilled out in the tough times.

“I realize you don’t usually serve dinner. But Drew invited me.” He hid his smile when she glared at the un-suspecting boy. “I could hardly refuse when he said you always made way too much and if I stayed, maybe he wouldn’t have to eat leftovers.”

“Remind me to speak to you later, Drew,” she muttered, lips pinched in pretended annoyance. But the gentle glow on her face gave her away.

“Okay, Annie.” The boy returned to ignoring them both, his voice barely audible as he hovered over Marmalade. “You’re so pretty, Marm.”

“Did you think about—” Russ glanced at Drew, then straight at Annie “—um, what we spoke about earlier. Have you decided?”

“Drew, honey, I think maybe you should take Marmalade for another walk before dinner.” Annie’s eyes warned Russ to hush. “Just outside by the bushes, okay? Don’t go too far. Dinner will be ready soon.”

“Okay, Annie. Come on, Marm.” Drew jumped up, snapped the cat into her leash and headed toward the door. A second later they heard it thud closed.

“I decided right after you asked me, Russ. I gave you my answer then. It’s still no. That isn’t going to change. I’m not the marrying type.” She leaned forward, her voice low, eyes flashing a warning. “According to what your grandfather told me about you, neither are you.”

“No, actually I wouldn’t be interested in marriage at all—under normal circumstances.” Boy, was that the truth. He caught her glint of irritation and rephrased what he’d been about to say. “Though I think I could be quite good at marriage.” That didn’t sound right. Russ tried again. “Not that I was suggesting anything permanent between us.” Clear that up right now, Mitchard. No responsibility.

“You take one step forward, then two back.” She ticked his misdeeds off on her fingers. “You want marriage, but not a permanent one. You think you’d be good at it, but you’re not willing to give it a full commitment.” She shook her head. “Maybe you need to think this idea through to completion.”

“I’m merely asking you to help me achieve a goal,” he clarified, then wished he hadn’t said it.

It was unreasonable to expect a stranger to marry him without some justification, but Russ had no desire to explain about that letter. She wouldn’t understand the feelings it aroused, nor could she comprehend the obligation he felt. Sometimes he didn’t understand it himself. He just knew he’d loved his grandfather dearly, that he wanted to finally live up to the old man’s expectations, do what Gramps had asked of him, fulfill that one last request.

“Your goal being marriage for money?” Annie’s arched brows rose. “You don’t seem the type.”

“It’s not exactly like that,” he protested. “I’m not a gold digger. I earn a living with my work.” Well, almost a living.

“Really?” Annie stared him down. “So why do you need your grandfather to find you a wife? Why do you need his money?” she challenged.

He didn’t. It would be nice, but he could manage without it. Still, maybe if Annie felt sorry for him, maybe if he pretended he desperately needed his grandfather’s legacy… The idea mushroomed in his mind. This way he wouldn’t have to reveal Gramps’s words.

Annie had a soft heart. Look how she’d taken in Drew, made him the center of her world, even though he was only there for a short while. If Russ could just elicit a little of those tender feelings, maybe later he could explain.

“I have two reasons for proposing.” It was hard to know exactly how to say this. “I can manage without it, but I’d hate to see the old man’s life savings go to a cat charity.”

“A what?” Annie blinked at him, her bewilderment showing.

“A cat charity. Marmalade was his cat. One of seventeen.”

“Seven—” She gulped. “You’re not bringing more, are you?”

Russ burst out laughing at the look of horror that spread across her expressive features.

“Don’t worry. I gave the rest away. Gramps had several lady friends who love cats as much as he. They’ve all got good homes.”

“Oh.” Relief didn’t begin to cover the emotion washing through her blue eyes.

“But you do see why I couldn’t give Marm away, don’t you? She was his favorite. He specifically asked me to look after her. I couldn’t let him down.”

“I suppose I can understand that.” Suspicion lurked in the depths of her voice. “Actually, he often talked about Marmalade. I just didn’t know Marmalade was a cat.”

“It’s a bit inconvenient. Marm had the run of Gramps’s house, and now I’ll have to keep her in a cage. But what else can I do?”

“Ah.” She ignored his wistful hint. “So you need your grandfather’s money to get a home for the cat?” Annie squinted at him dubiously. “Uh-huh.”

Russ read her thoughts. “He wasn’t crazy. Just a little eccentric.”

“Forcing your grandson to choose between marrying someone he doesn’t know or losing his inheritance to a cat charity is eccentric?” She tilted one eyebrow into an inverted V. “In Safe Harbor we call that crazy.”

“Gramps obviously felt he had a good reason to insist on our marriage. He was a smart man, he knew me, knew what I wanted to do with my work. I may not understand all of his reasons, but I expect that in his own warped way, he was trying to help me by arranging this.”

Russ clamped his lips closed. He wasn’t going to explain the empty barren years after he’d left the law firm, years he’d filled by taking on any challenge that came along, years that had sunk him in plenty of hot water. Gramps had understood his decision to quit law, but he’d never understood Russ’s restlessness or what lay underneath it. If he knew his grandfather, the old man had conceived this idea believing it would tie Russ down.

“Help you?” Annie stared. “You’re sure there’s no history of insanity?”

“Quite sure.” He smiled, pleased that she’d dropped her attitude.

“I’ll take your word on that. For now.” She tapped one slim finger against the fabric of her skirt. “You mentioned two reasons. The cat charity and what else? What other reason do you have for marrying to get your grandfather’s money?”

How far did he take this pretended greed? The answer wouldn’t be silenced—far enough to do what his grandfather had asked. He owed him that. Russ thought fast.

“I have plans for the future. I want to expand my shop, develop more lines, maybe take on an apprentice while I travel, hold exhibitions. Silver’s expensive. It takes time to build up a repertoire, recoup your expenses.” He shrugged. “There are things I want to do with my life, and it takes money. Why shouldn’t I have what my grandfather kept for me?”

“Maybe. But still—marrying for money?” Her lips turned down in distaste. “It sounds so sad.”

“There are a lot of reasons to get married. Money isn’t the worst one. Besides, we wouldn’t be marrying for money.” It felt good to say that, emphasize it, even. “We’d be marrying because my grandfather arranged it. What’s so bad about that?” He stabbed his toe into the carpet, wishing he knew how to word that differently.

“Hmm.” She tapped her bottom lip with one forefinger. “Where to begin?”

“I’ve watched my friends get married, Annie.” Why not let her see some of the truth that had always driven him away from marriage? “They had no expectation of failure, but they still found themselves separating after a couple of years because their goals changed and the euphoria that carried them into marriage couldn’t sustain them through reality. Life is difficult. There are only so many hours in a day, so many years allotted to each of us. I don’t want to waste any more of them doing things I don’t enjoy. Why should I give up my inheritance to a cat home when it could give us both a measure of freedom?”

“Said that way, it sounds reasonable. I suppose.”

She didn’t look convinced. Despite her agreement, Russ knew Annie wasn’t comfortable with the idea of marriage, no matter how he worded it. He could see aversion written all over her expressive face. The question was, why?

“It is reasonable. I’m not the type to hang around anywhere for long. Too many things to do and see. That’s why I told you the truth up front.” Well, most of it. “I’m not out to cheat anyone. No secrets.”

She nodded sagely, her plucky grin back in place. “Well, for your sake, I hope your inheritance is big enough to allow you that kind of freedom.”

“Nine hundred eighty-five thousand dollars,” he told her bluntly, watching for her reaction, hoping to see the character Gramps had spoken of.

“Nine—oh!” She blanched, and her blue eyes seemed to swell with worry. “You mean you’ll lose all that money if we don’t get married?”

Guilt. Russ recognized it immediately. And wished he could abolish it. The last thing he wanted was for her to marry him out of guilt. He knew too much about that emotion already.

“Well, yes,” he admitted. “I wasted a lot of time trying to contest his will, but it’s rock solid. Anyway, Gramps would be mad if I did that. He must have had a thing about you.”

“A thing? About me?” Distaste flooded her face. “He was like my grandfather, Russ. He was sweet and honest, a shoulder when I needed one. That’s all there was between us. Friendship.”

Russ nodded. She was so transparent, so easy to read. A man would know exactly where he stood with Annie Simmons. She accepted others at face value. He had a hunch she wouldn’t try to change him. She hadn’t with Drew. She’d mentioned earlier that the boy still didn’t talk about his parents much, but she didn’t push him. When he was ready, she’d said. That spoke well for their future, didn’t it?

“Maybe friendship was part of it. But I still think there was something that made him come up with this idea, and it wasn’t me. Until he phoned me that last time, we hadn’t talked in quite a while.” And that was his fault, Russ admitted. He’d been ashamed, and embarrassed.

“What kind of ‘thing’ could your grandfather possibly have about me?” She seemed genuinely puzzled.

Which was odd. Gramps had said he would explain all of it to her. Russ considered relating what the old man had said to him but quickly changed his mind. Wouldn’t it make an already tense situation worse to admit that he’d spoken with his grandfather about her? That they’d discussed her behind her back?

“Did you hear me?”

Russ blinked, then nodded.

“Sorry, yes. I was just thinking of something he said.” What was the question? Why her? “Gramps claimed he got an impression of people the first time he met them. Knew right away whether they were guilty or innocent. That’s why he was so successful in his practice. People seldom managed to bamboozle my grandfather.”

She caught her bottom lip between her teeth as if she were rehashing something from her past. Russ decided to probe further.

“Gramps met you several times, didn’t he?” Russ was flying by the seat of his pants. He knew only what she’d said about their relationship and what Gramps had hinted. But he’d sure like to find out more. “When you settled your mother’s estate—that’s how you met?”

“I went to his office for a number of reasons. I’d never done any of it before, you see. When my father died, your grandfather was also the attorney, but my mother handled everything. I barely knew him then.” She shook her head, sighed. “When Mother died, I had no idea how to proceed. Fortunately, her death wasn’t unexpected, and your grandfather had already been to town once or twice to have her sign some papers, so her estate was settled quickly, without problems. He was very kind to me.”

“I’m glad.” If he knew Gramps, and Russ had known the old guy very well, every t was crossed, every i dotted. In fact, if you read between the lines of Gramps’s last letter, Annie Simmons was like the granddaughter he’d never had.

“He visited me, you know. Every so often.” She nodded at his look of surprise. “Really.”

“For what, I wonder.” Russ frowned. “He never cared much for this town when I was a kid. Claimed a person could get snagged in the relaxed lifestyle and never make anything of themselves. One day last summer he was talking about the potential I’d find here. By fall he said he’d made a mistake in ever recommending the place and warned me away, said it didn’t have what I needed.” Which was one reason Russ had chosen Safe Harbor. He’d been fairly certain his grandfather would not interfere in his plans.

Suddenly he wondered how deliberate that move had been. Another of Gramps’s chess plays?

“I don’t know about that.” Annie blinked her surprise. “He only told me he had business in town. I never knew what it was. He’d stop by the house, have a cup of tea, and we’d talk.”

“About what?” Russ couldn’t wrap his mind around this image of his cranky old grandfather sipping tea with a bereaved young woman.

“Everything. His youth. How much he loved his wife, places they’d been. Things he wished he’d done.”

She was leaving something out, he knew it. Russ held his peace, waited.

“We even talked about you. He was very concerned about you, you know.” She stared into the fire. “Your grandfather was always concerned about the people he dealt with. It was he who encouraged me to buy this place. He’d offered me a job in his office, but I wanted to stay here.”

“He offered you a job? In his office?” Russ stared. Gramps must have been smitten. As far as Russ knew, Gramps had never allowed anyone but Millie Fitzgibbons in his office.

Annie avoided his stare, looked at her hands, knotting and unknotting them over and over. Finally she continued.

“I guess maybe I was one of those people he thought wasn’t reaching her potential.” A sad little smile crowded the joy from her face. “I didn’t go to college, you see. I could have. I won a full scholarship for interior design. At least, my sketches did.”

Ah, sketches. Now perhaps Annie would explain that curious phone call. But she didn’t, only named a prestigious school Russ knew by reputation. Those scholarships weren’t doled out to just anyone. She must have had great talent to win. He was puzzled about that.

“My mother was ill. Not just physically, but mentally, as well. I didn’t want to leave her alone.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “She still missed my father terribly, you see. After all those years, after all the awful things he’d done, she still cared for him when he died.”

Did she realize how much she gave away with those few words? Russ watched and waited, his focus entirely on her bowed head. The room was silent save for the flicker of the fire.

In the periphery of his vision, Russ saw Drew creep into the room, settle in the corner, Marmalade on his lap. Soon the cat’s gentle snoring resonated, but Drew never said a word. He seemed to sense that Annie needed this moment to pause, regroup.

After a moment, she straightened, thrust back her shoulders and began to speak in a harsh tone.

“My father wasn’t the kind of man to be tied down. He’d promise things, lots of things. But he never followed through. He’d phone her filled with glorious plans for the future.” Annie’s blue eyes darkened almost to violet. “She’d do as he asked, get things ready, cancel all her plans so she’d be ready for him. But he didn’t show up. He never showed up. She was so disappointed, but she always made excuses for him.”