Harlequin Heartwarming May 2016 Box Set (38 page)

“She already has a lot of stuff,” the customer was saying. “I just thought I'd see if I could find her something different, a little gift.”

“What kind of art does she do? Printmaking? Painting? Sculpture?”

“I think mainly painting and drawing.” The woman fingered a tin box of colors on the counter. “Wow, forty dollars for a set of pastel pencils. I didn't know they were so expensive.”

“We stock the best professional quality here, not just for craft. The art students and instructors buy their supplies at our store.” The clerk, an older woman with gray hair, indicated a smaller cardboard box. “You could get her a regular set of colored pencils. Or some markers.”

“Hmm.” The woman didn't seem sold on the idea.

When Grace came up to the counter, she saw that the other customer was Native American and her face was as beautiful as her hair. She widened her dark eyes slightly at Grace's arrival but returned her smile.

“I guess I'll think about it,” the woman told the clerk. “Maybe I'll ask Angela what kind of present she'd prefer.”

Grace couldn't help repeating the name, “Angela?”

“My daughter.”

“Angela Blackthorne?”

“You know her?”

Grace realized she was speaking to Lily, Angela's mother. “I'm, uh, friends with her dad, Caleb.”

Lily nodded. “Right, she's living with him. For the moment. I'm staying at the rez myself.”

After illegally helping herself to one of the Green Meadows town houses. Should Grace mention that? She thought better of it. No proof was found and Angela wasn't going to come forward.

“I thought I'd get my Angel a special gift,” mused Lily.

“Uh, that's nice.”

“I'm going to give it to her during our next mother-and-daughter time.” Lily laughed throatily. “Or I guess you could say
family
time. I'm so happy to be reunited with them.”

Grace merely stood there, feeling very uncomfortable. She hardly paid attention to Lily leaving, with a promise to the clerk to come back another time. When the woman then turned to Grace, asking her what she wanted, it took her a moment or two to remember.

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

G
RACE
ARRIVED
AT
Caleb's house a little late. Disconcerted by her encounter with Angela's mother, she had to take some time to just sit in her car and chill out. Lily had indicated Angela was living with her father only “for now,” which didn't mesh with what Caleb had said. More important, Lily had said she was getting back with “her family.” Did that mean Angela or did it mean Angela
and
Caleb? Grace couldn't help fearing it was the latter.

Did Lily know who she was? Grace wondered. There was something about her tone that made her think the woman had been trying to upset her on purpose.

Whatever, Grace told herself, she needed to remember she had no hold on Caleb. They had made no agreement to be exclusive in dating. Just in case, for the future, perhaps she should keep a little distance between herself and the man she found herself liking so much.

That thought sent her mood spiraling downward.

At the moment, she needed to pull herself together. She had to go through with the plans she had agreed to for Angela's sake. Picking up the color chart for the special mural paint, she got out and walked up to the A-frame's door.

Caleb opened it before she had the chance to knock. He grinned. “Hi, there. You look good, as usual.”

“Thanks.”

So did he, with his well-worn jeans, T-shirt and bare feet. He took hold of her shoulders and leaned forward to kiss her but she offered her cheek. An action that made him look at her oddly.

They sat down at the kitchen table with Angela. She merely nodded when Grace said hello and helped herself to spaghetti from a heaping bowl. There was also salad and some crusty garlic bread.

“Do you like my special tomato sauce?” Caleb asked Grace after they'd started eating.

“It's delicious. It tastes like there's a bit of heat in it.”

“I add cayenne pepper for some zing.” He passed the salad. “More?”

“No, thanks.” She was managing to eat, since she was hungry, but she didn't feel completely at ease.

He put more salad on her plate anyway. He peered at her curiously. “Is everything okay?”

Pushing aside the extra salad she hadn't wanted, Grace was a little annoyed that he hadn't taken her at her word.

She decided she might as well tell him about the attack in the parking lot on Saturday night. She ended with, “So Mr. Cassidy was knocked flat by some kind of animal.”

“Weird.” Caleb looked surprised.

“The ghost cow,” Angela intoned with a little smile.

“How can you be so sure?” said Grace.

“What else could it be?”

“At least we know it wasn't you.” Caleb considered a moment. “But how about Kiki?”

“She was up in the park with us, as you know.”

“As you
told
me.”

Angela's eyes flashed. “It's the truth, Dad.”

“The incident took place around midnight,” said Grace. “I don't think Kiki could have been in our parking lot with her scooter. No one heard a motor of any kind.”

Since they were finished eating, Caleb picked up the dishes and stacked them in the sink, motioning for Grace to stay seated. “No help needed. You're our guest.” He turned and leaned back against the counter. “Something has to be done about Kiki. I've called her number repeatedly but she's not picking up. I guess we'll have to contact her foster home.”

“No!” cried Angela. “I told you. They'll put her in juvenile!”

“I hope that's not necessary,” said Grace, attempting to calm her. “I'm not going to press charges against her.”

“If those awful people, her foster parents, hear anything about her, they'll try to put her away,” said Angela. “She was just playing a prank at the campsite. You weren't hurt.”

“Thank goodness.” And, luckily, Grace wasn't the sort who would hold a grudge about it. “Doesn't Kiki have any other relatives? An aunt or uncle or cousin?”

“She has a grandmother. Somewhere.”

“A grandmother,” Grace repeated.

“Her mom's mother. Kiki said they were living with her grandmother in Chicago, but her mom got mad and told her mother they were leaving and would never come back.”

“Chicago.” Grace echoed. “I wonder how hard it would be to find her.”

“Do you know her name?” Caleb asked.

“Elizabeth Hartl.”

They were all silent for a minute or two.

Then Caleb switched topics. “Dessert?”

Grace suddenly realized she'd completely forgotten to buy anything. “Uh-oh, I was going to bring cupcakes.”

“No problem,” said Caleb. “I'm too full for much of anything.”

“So am I. It's just that I promised.” And it had completely slipped her mind.

Caleb said, “Seriously, we have cookies that my mother made last week. Chocolate chip. We can have them later.”

She agreed reluctantly.

Caleb wiped the surface of the big round table with a towel. “Let's look at the sketches for the mural. Bring them out, Angela.”

Angela left and returned with a large drawing pad.

“I haven't seen them myself,” Caleb told Grace, leaning over to center a large sketch on the table, a drawing executed mainly in shades of green. He narrowed his eyes. “A forest? Looks kind of dark.”

Grace didn't like the sketch at all but she decided it would be best to let Caleb be the critic. She leaned forward to point to a couple of red spots peering out of the leaves. “And what's this?”

Angela cleared her throat. “Ghost eyes.”

Caleb reacted immediately. “Angela! You're just trying to be unpleasant.”

“You said they wanted authentic expression.”

Caleb scowled. “You're deliberately baiting us. What's the matter with you?”

The girl's face was stony. “Obviously, a lot, at least according to you.”

Grace wasn't sure what to say. She wanted to be diplomatic. Finally, she settled on, “You've done such beautiful pictures of nature.” She indicated a painting on the kitchen wall. “Like that landscape. Something along those lines would be nicer for Green Meadows.”

“What else have you got?” Caleb demanded of his daughter.

“Well, there's this one.” Angela took another sheet from the pad, a drawing of an old Gothic-looking house.

Grace sighed in disappointment. “The haunted farmhouse.”

Suddenly Caleb stood, startling both women. “That's it, Angela. Either come up with something appropriate or I'm going to ask Grace to go ahead and press charges!”

“Dad!” Angela sounded tearful. “Do you want me to have a record?”

“No, I don't, but you deserve one.” Caleb didn't bother to hide his disappointment. “Why can't you behave like the decent human being I raised you to be? I know you're mad about your mother but I don't deserve to suffer for that. And neither does Grace. She's gone out of her way to treat you more kindly than you deserve.”

“Only because she wants to impress
you
!” Angela sniffled.

“I haven't been trying to impress your father,” Grace said quietly, “I've been easy on you because I've been in your position.”

Angela gazed at her disbelievingly. “Your life can't be anything like mine.”

“When I was a little younger than you, my mother went off and left me, too. It still hurts me to think about it.” It was time Grace shared more with the troubled young girl. “I had a twin brother, who was killed. My mother couldn't deal with it and left my father and me to fend for ourselves. I felt rejected and angry and acted out.”

Angela focused on Grace. “Acted out? What did you do?”

“Oh, I hung out with kids my father hated. Snuck out at night. Partied. Got involved in a little vandalism.” Though she'd been sneakier than Angela. It seemed as if the girl wanted to get caught.

“You can see why she understands this situation.” Caleb pulled out a chair to sit back down at the table. “And I was a wild kid myself. You're not alone in your experience, Angela.”

“You're lucky you have a parent in your corner,” Grace said. “Your dad does everything he can for you, just like mine did.”

Angela was silent for a couple of minutes, fingering the drawing pad. She gave a big sigh, then said, “Okay, let me think about the mural.” She started to head out of the kitchen but stopped. “How big is the wall anyway? Is it a square or a rectangle?”

Grace thought she detected a difference in attitude. “A rectangle. But I haven't measured it. We need to do that.”

“The size will affect the final composition,” Angela said.

“Does this mean you're going to work on a
real
landscape?” Caleb asked.

“My art is always based on reality but I'm going to work up a sketch that is more natural.” The teenager made her way across the adjoining family room and turned down a hallway, calling back, “I have homework to do, so I'll have the new sketch done in a couple of days.”

Caleb raised his brows at Grace. “We can take that as progress, right?”

“I hope so.”

Now if only she could get a better handle on how much energy to put into their problematic relationship.

* * *

S
INCE
IT
WAS
relatively early, not yet quite dusk, Caleb suggested that he and Grace drive over to Green Meadows to check out the wall for the mural. Angela was doing homework but he still didn't trust her, so he told her they would be back in a few minutes.

In reality, he intended to spend a bit more time alone with Grace. He wasn't sure why but there seemed to be a distance between them tonight. Maybe she was just in a bad mood but, if so, he wanted to find out what had caused it.

“Have a hectic day?” he asked as he drove.

“Somewhat.”

“Who complained about the attack at Green Meadows Saturday?”

“A resident named Mr. Cassidy. Nellie brought him in to talk to me. I think there were other people awakened by the incident, though.”

“Well, it can't have been Lily who knocked him over. She's living on the rez now.”

“I know.”

“Did I tell you that?” He couldn't remember.

“She said that she was living there. I saw her this afternoon at the art store.”

“Today?” He was surprised. “I wonder what she was doing there.”

“She said she was looking for a gift for Angela.”

“Really? You talked with her?”

“Just for a moment. I overheard her mention your daughter's name and I asked her if she meant Angela Blackthorne.”

“Though where she'd get the money for a gift, I don't know. Did she say something that upset you?”

“We've, uh, never agreed to be exclusive, Caleb.”

He frowned. “What do you mean by that?”

“Lily said she was glad to be back with her family. I assume she meant not only Angela, but you, as well.”

She was jealous! He couldn't believe it. “I'm flattered, Grace, if that means you're concerned about Lily and me getting back together, but there is no such possibility.”

Her face turned pink. “I shouldn't even have brought it up. I have no hold on you.”

She definitely had a hold on him. “You have every right to bring it up. But, for your information, I only date one woman at a time and, at the moment, that woman is you.”

In fact, she might just be the woman he wanted to be with forever, but he wasn't going to admit that right now. It could scare her. Not to mention they had a few obstacles to deal with, number one being his daughter.

She still looked uncomfortable.

“Did Lily imply that she and I were getting back together?”

“Not in exact words.” Grace sighed and gazed out the passenger window. “Look, I'm sorry. This is awkward.”

They had reached Green Meadows, so he pulled in to park.

He turned off the truck and slid an arm across the back of the seat. “Look, I don't know what her motives are, Grace, but Lily Trejo isn't on the up-and-up, as you know from her squatting in your empty town house. She knows who you are. She might try to take advantage of you.”

“Why would she want to do that?”

“Because of your connection to me. She doesn't love me anymore, if she ever did, but I believe she's jealous of anything that might make me happy. Don't let her get to you. She's turned Angela inside out. You've been so understanding about her from the day we met. You have no idea how much I appreciate that,” he said, meaning it from his heart.

“I guess you have to remember Angela has a mother who wants to see her. Maybe something good will come of it.”

“Maybe. I'll just have to ride it out.” He looked at her. “Meanwhile, being with you is the only positive here. I don't want to lose you.”

“You won't.”

“Things might get even messier. I hope you'll stick with me.”

“If you're honest about your intentions, you won't be able to get rid of me.”

“I'll take that as a yes.” And he drew her closer to kiss her.

Her lips were soft and she wound her arms around his neck. For a moment, the day's problems and irritations melted away.

* * *

G
RACE
FELT
MUCH
better after she had talked with Caleb. The subject matter had been uncomfortable but he'd handled it well, making her feel as if there was real promise in their relationship. She appreciated being with a mature and thoughtful man.

When they inspected the wall she had in mind, inside the community center, Caleb was enthusiastic. He took out his tape measure. “A nice rectangle that's perfect for a landscape. Ten feet by what, eight feet? Do you want the mural to reach the ceiling?”

“I think it would be better to limit it to eight by five feet, actually. It can be framed by the wall around it.”