Blossom Street Brides (28 page)

The waitress delivered two tall glasses of iced tea with lemon and took their lunch orders. They each chose the salmon Caesar salad.

“The real problem is my father,” Andrew continued,
holding on to the glass of iced tea with one hand. He didn’t make eye contact with Max.

Max had already guessed as much.

“Dad eggs Annie on by claiming he’ll never get over losing Mom and how his life is worth nothing without her.”

Max looked out over the green waters of Puget Sound and watched the Bremerton ferry glide toward the dock. “Do you think he’s sincere?” he asked, although it wouldn’t change the fact that he was married to Bethanne and had no intention of stepping aside. They were married and deeply committed to each other. His wife had made her choice, and as far as Max was concerned it was time for Grant to man up and accept his ex-wife’s decision.

“It’s hard to know my father’s motives,” Andrew said. “I think one of the biggest surprises of my dad’s life was watching my mother come into her own. He walked out, and she was left to find a way to support us and herself. Mom started this party business out of the basement.”

Max had heard the story of how everyone loved Bethanne’s parties. It was the one thing she felt she did well. From the very first, the business had thrived, until it had grown to the point that Bethanne had been approached about franchising her ideas, a proposal she had later rejected.

“Despite the fact that Mom was left with practically nothing,” Andrew continued, “she managed to turn her life around and became a successful businesswoman.”

“What did Grant expect her to do?” Max wondered out loud. Up until Grant had left the family, Bethanne had been a stay-at-home mother and a support to Grant. He hadn’t
appreciated everything his wife had done for him and his career until it was too late. And now Bethanne was married to Max.

In response to his question, Andrew shrugged. “I think he would have felt better if she’d spent the rest of her life pining after him. My mother isn’t the kind of person who would allow bitterness to take over her life, although heaven knows she had reason enough. Dad treated her horribly.”

And from what Max knew, Grant’s attitude toward his two children hadn’t been much better, either, although Annie appeared to have conveniently forgotten that.

Andrew picked up his fork and repositioned it on the linen napkin. “Before Mom married you, Dad realized he’d made a big mistake. To his credit, he did his best to rectify that. Before the divorce, my mother’s entire life revolved around my dad and Annie and me. Then he was gone and her world fell apart.”

“By then your mother was a different woman than the one your father recognized.”

“Exactly. Dad was convinced he could win her back. He can be charming when he wants to be, and you know as well as I do how hard he tried to persuade Mom to give him another chance.”

This was really the crux of the problem between him and Annie, Max realized. “If I hadn’t been in the picture, do you really think your mother might have had a change of heart toward your father?” Max had posed the same question to Bethanne and she’d assured him that wasn’t the case. She wouldn’t have taken Grant back, no matter how much he’d
claimed to have changed. Max believed her. What mattered to him was how Andrew viewed the situation.

“Frankly, I don’t know if she would or wouldn’t have,” Andrew said. “That choice belonged to my mother. As it happens, you did come into the picture, and I, for one, am glad you did.”

Max needed to hear this. His fear was that in loving Bethanne he’d brought heartache into her life when she deserved so much better.

“Mom is happier than I can ever remember seeing her. She loves you, Max. What’s important is seeing her reap the benefits that she deserves, and one of those is being deeply loved by a good man.”

It did Max a world of good to hear this. “I don’t know how good I am, but I sincerely love your mother.”

“It shows.”

The waitress delivered their salads, and for a few minutes they ate in silence. The fresh fish was cooked to perfection, and after a few bites, Max returned to the conversation.

“Do you have any suggestions how I can reach out to Annie?”

Andrew rested his elbows against the tabletop and let his fork dangle over his plate. “I wish I did, and it’s going to be harder now that she isn’t working with Mom any longer. My sister can be stubborn and unreasonable, and being egged on by my father certainly isn’t helping matters.”

“Hold on,” Max said, a little stunned. “I knew Annie hadn’t shown up at the office. Has she actually left her job with your mother? Without giving any notice?”

“Apparently so. The last I heard, my dad was getting her a job with the real-estate company where he works.”

This was discouraging news, and it was sure to upset Bethanne even more than she was already. “Annie’s going to work with your dad? Doing what?”

Andrew shrugged. “As a receptionist, I guess.”

“That’s ridiculous. Does Annie realize she’d be taking a huge cut in salary?”

“Annie’s pride won’t let her go back and work with Mom.”

This situation was worse than Max realized. He’d assumed that Annie’s little tempter tantrum would run its course and that she’d eventually return to her position, working with her mother. Max had hoped he might be able to speed up the process by talking sense with Annie. He’d hoped to smooth the way, build a bridge between Annie and Bethanne, and give her daughter the opportunity to go back and keep her pride intact.

“Would Annie actually enjoy that kind of work?” Bethanne had trained her daughter as lead in an important division of the business enterprise.

“Annie is hurting right now,” Andrew said. “She has this picture of the perfect reunited family in her mind, and she’s being completely unreasonable and silly. I told her as much, and she hasn’t spoken to me since. If she wants to shut me out, too, then so be it. I don’t have time for her games.”

To see this wedge driven between Bethanne’s children deeply concerned Max. His appetite gone, he set his fork aside and pushed his plate away.

“The thing is, before long my father will disillusion her. At some point Annie is going to wake up and be forced to face reality when it comes to our father. I love my father; I care about him,” Andrew said. “It wasn’t until my wedding when I saw how broken up he was over Mom that I realized he needed me. A part of me wanted to tell him he got exactly what he deserved, and then there was another part that helped me see that while he wasn’t the perfect father, he was still my dad.”

Max admired the young man’s maturity.

“Annie’s attention and dedication are great for Dad’s ego,” Andrew added. “It upsets me that my sister doesn’t see what Dad is doing, but she will eventually.”

The question remained how long that would take and what it would do to Bethanne in the meantime. Although Max was probably the last person Annie wanted to see, for his wife’s sake as well as his own, Max felt he had to try.

After lunch, the two men parted, and for the next few hours Max conducted what business he could from his computer. His flight back to California was scheduled for that evening. Once again, he’d be forced to leave Bethanne.

He waited until late in the afternoon before he drove over to Annie’s place. She lived in an upscale neighborhood in her own condo. Max wondered how long she’d be able to maintain the payments with her much-decreased wages. Pride often came with a steep price.

He jogged up the staircase to the second floor and rang the doorbell. He was about to turn away when he heard activity on the other side, followed by a turn of the lock.

Apparently, Annie had checked to see who it was, because she didn’t show any surprise to find him on the other side of the door.

“What do you want?” she demanded, striking a casual pose.

“Could the two of us talk for a few minutes?” he asked, doing his utmost to remain pleasant.

“Fine. Whatever.” Still holding on to the doorknob, she stepped aside and let him into her condo.

Max came into the living area, and it was a mess. Discarded clothes littered the carpet, along with magazines and empty fast-food containers.

Annie must have noticed his surprise, because she commented, “I’ve been busy lately.”

“So it seems.” Max didn’t wait for an invitation to sit down. He cleared a space on her sofa and made himself comfortable.

Annie walked to the other side of the room as if to get as far away from him as possible. “What do you want?” she asked again, and examined a fingernail before putting it in her mouth and chewing on the end.

Rather than watch, Max looked away. “I came because your mother is miserable and it looks as if you are, too.”

“Wrong,” Annie corrected him. “I’m doing fantastic; sorry to hear Mom’s upset, though.”

She sounded anything but. Max let the comment slide. “I heard you’re looking for another job.”

“Found one.”

“Oh?” It was tempting to repeat what Andrew had
mentioned. Max didn’t, because he wanted to keep Annie’s brother’s confidence.

“I’m going to be working with my father.”

Max pretended to be impressed. “Selling real estate?”

She shrugged. “Eventually. Dad’s going to train me.”

“I’m glad to hear it; I’m sure you’ll do well.”

Annie sighed as though the conversation bored her.

“Your mother misses you.”

“Really. I saw that she tried to call a couple of times.”

And Annie had let her mother’s call go to voice mail. He wanted to shake the young woman for being so heartless toward her own mother.

“You know I hate you, don’t you?” she said as casually as if she were telling him what she’d eaten for lunch.

“I pretty much got that impression.” He stretched out his arm along the back of the sofa.

“If it wasn’t for you, I’d have my family back.”

“Perhaps.” Max couldn’t see any point in arguing with her.

“Everything would be the way it used to be.”

“You’re already a family,” Max countered.

“Except there’s you.”

“Yes, there’s me. I happen to love your mother very much, Annie.”

“So does my dad.” She yawned as if to say the conversation bored her. “Why are you here?” she demanded, seeming impatient now.

“To ask you to make peace with your mother.”

Annie snorted.

“She loves you, Annie, and having you walk away from her without a word is tearing her apart.”

“She made her choice. It’s you she loves.”

“Yes, she does,” he reiterated, “but loving me doesn’t mean that she loves you any less. You’re part of her, and she is part of you. In the end, I fear the one who will be hurt the most is you.”

“I doubt it.”

Max studied the young woman across from him and frowned. “You want her to suffer, don’t you? You find some twisted sense of rightness knowing you can hurt her.”

Annie shrugged, neither confirming nor denying his accusation.

“Be careful, Annie.”

“Careful?” she repeated. “What are you talking about? Are you threatening me?”

“No threats. All I’m saying is that the one who is going to end up losing this battle is you.”

Her eyes narrowed. “You are threatening me!”

“No,” Max said as he stood. “I would never do that.”

She pointed her finger at him. “You ruined my life.”

Feeling sad and discouraged, Max shook his head. “Actually, I don’t think you needed any help. You’re doing a perfectly good job of that all on your own.” He started toward the door, and then looked over his shoulder. “I hope, Annie, that when the time comes you’ll realize how much your mother loves you. If you need anything or need to talk, I want you to know I’m available any time of day or night.”

“Like I’d ever reach out to you.”

Max thought it was highly unlikely, but he still felt compelled to say so. “Remember what I said,” he mentioned again.

“And you remember what I said,” she countered.

As he walked toward the staircase, Max heard Annie turn the lock on her door, and it seemed on her heart as well.

Just as she suspected, Lauren didn’t see Elisa until Friday morning. Rooster had grown impatient waiting for the owners to return so he could have time together with Lauren before he was forced to return to California. Truth be told, Lauren was as frustrated as her husband. But she wasn’t comfortable leaving the shop in the hands of a part-time employee when she knew how much Elisa and Garry counted on her to oversee the business in their absence. It was rare for them both to be away at the same time, but then these were extenuating circumstances.

The bottom line, Lauren realized, was that she hadn’t mentioned she’d married Rooster while in Vegas. Even if she had, it was doubtful anything would have changed.

Friday morning, Lauren arrived right on time. Rooster had their suitcases packed and ready for the trip to Victoria. It was short notice, Lauren realized, but once she explained, she was sure Elisa wouldn’t have a problem.

Elisa was already at the shop, setting out the jewelry
displays, when Lauren let herself in and then relocked the door.

“Welcome back,” she greeted warmly.

Elisa expelled a deep sigh. “I can’t tell you how good it is to be back.”

“Is everything settled?” Lauren asked, knowing Katie’s elopement had been difficult for Elisa to accept.

“Pretty much,” Elisa murmured, while working to set out the jewelry cases. “Garry and I did what we could for Katie, but I fear it isn’t near enough.”

“But Katie’s happy,” Lauren said, doing her best to put a good light on the marriage.

“Blissfully so. Even now, I can’t believe Katie would do something like this. I don’t know what’s happened to my daughter, Lauren, I just don’t know.”

“But she’s only following in your footsteps.”

“I know,” Elisa murmured, and briefly closed her eyes. “It gives me a far better understanding of what my parents dealt with when I defied them and married Garry. I can’t believe I was this stubborn when I was her age. I knew Garry, loved him, and believed with all my heart our love would last a lifetime. It’s like seeing myself, but …” She hesitated and bit into her lower lip. “But,” she continued, her voice trembling, “living on a farm miles from any town of substance is not what I’ve envisioned for my daughter.”