Head whirling, she forced her eyes to focus on the time glowing on her alarm clock.
Great.
Five forty already and no way for her to do much with her appearance without being late for dinner with Harrison. Or even later than she would already likely be since it would take her extra time to find the house in Scottsdale. She came to her feet, staggering a little, but not feeling too bad. At least she wasn’t cold anymore.
“Nate!” she called from the door. “Get dressed, honey. Your best jeans.”
“We’re going to dinner now? Yay!” He came at a run, going for the bottom drawer in the dresser where they kept his jeans. “Can I wear my blue shirt?”
“The polo with the white stripes? Sure.” That should dress the jeans up a little.
For herself, she grabbed the standard black pants. They had a spot on them, but a little water did wonders. She had a frilly yellow blouse somewhere that might be good with them. There it was. Did it look like the wrinkles were on purpose? She thought so, but she couldn’t be sure. Regardless, she didn’t have time to dig out the iron she’d inherited from Fern when she died.
“You look great,” she said to Nate, “but wash your face, okay? And get your shoes on.”
She headed to the bathroom to see what she could do with her own face. She looked a heartbeat shy of death, but a little base could work miracles. Eye shadow and liner also helped create some distraction from her unhealthy pallor. When she was finished, she looked better, but she still wasn’t satisfied.
She dragged a brush through her hair.
Maybe I shouldn’t go.
Snotsdale wasn’t really the place for her. Harrison’s family was going to see right through to her lowly roots and detest her on principle. It was a miracle he’d invited her in the first place. If she cut her losses now, she’d save them both a lot of trouble, and she could focus on what was important—getting away from Lenny so he could never threaten her again. But she would also never know what might have been. Besides, she’d told him she’d be there.
“You’re going,” she told the woman in the mirror. “He’s been sweet to you, and you really want to know if he’s a stalker or not.” She smiled despite her lousy mood. Now where had she put her purse and phone? She’d been in the kitchen when she’d made her last call. Oh, right. Her phone was in her sweatshirt pocket.
Thinking of her phone brought back the conversation with Lenny, and her heart started pounding again. He’d found her mother, and she didn’t want Makay. Why? A part of Makay didn’t want to believe rejection was possible, but she’d seen it too many times not to believe. She still wanted to understand why. What was so bad in her birth mother’s life that she was willing to pay to keep her away?
I have to know.
During the years of working with Lenny, she’d learned a thing or two about investigation, so maybe it was time to put that knowledge to work.
In the kitchen, Makay pushed Snoop’s nose away from her and grabbed her phone. Her purse she finally discovered hiding in a cupboard where she’d put her can of diced tomatoes from the dance. The sight of the can pushed all the bad thoughts to the background. She was going to see Harrison, and she was going to enjoy every minute of their time together, no matter what the future held.
“I’m not exactly sure how to get there,” she said to Nate as they locked Snoop in the apartment and hurried outside to the car.
“Didn’t he give you the address?”
“Yeah, but that doesn’t tell me where it is.” She looked at the phone and saw that Harrison had not only sent her the address, but also directions. Her tension eased. Maybe she wouldn’t be as late as she’d thought. “Here.” She handed the phone to Nate. “Read these aloud to me as I need them, okay? Every now and then, touch the screen so it doesn’t go dark.”
“I know,” he said, but there was no real aggravation in his voice.
Together they made it to Scottsdale in eighteen minutes and to Harrison’s parents’ six minutes later. She was fifteen minutes late. The area was as expensive as she’d expected, which meant huge houses set far apart, each with wide expanses of lawn and sculptured flowerbeds. To her surprise, Harrison was outside the house, sitting on the porch. He stood and came to meet her.
“Harrison!” shouted Nate. “We’re here!”
“So I see. I was beginning to wonder.” He met them halfway up the walk, stepping close to Makay and wrapping his arms around her. He kissed her firmly on the mouth as if it were the most natural thing in the world, as if he didn’t care who saw them together.
“Two little lovers sitting in a tree,” sang Nate. “K-i-s-s-i-n-g. First comes love, then comes—”
Makay broke from Harrison and clamped a hand over Nate’s mouth. “Don’t things ever change?”
Harrison chuckled. “Guess not. I think that was the same song my sisters taunted me with when I went to prom a million years ago.” He kept an arm around her as they continued up the walk. “You look great, by the way. I hope you got in a nap.”
“Actually, that’s why I’m late. I kind of overslept.”
“Good.” Amusement filled his voice. “That’s better than the alternative.”
“The alternative?”
He stopped walking and turned toward her. “That you decided you never wanted to see me again.”
His eyes looked deep enough to lose herself in. She searched for something adequate to say, but “I think I’m falling in love with you” seemed a bit much. Instead, she said, “Then Lily might not get that alarm you promised her.”
He chuckled again. “I guess I’d better stretch that out as long as possible.”
Nate had already reached the porch, and they hurried to catch up. “Your family isn’t going to be upset that I’m late, are they?” Makay asked as he opened the front door.
“No.” There was an odd catch in his voice.
“You don’t sound too sure.”
“No one will care except maybe my stepfather. It’s hard to tell. Oh, and Tianna, who’s eating for two.”
“She’s expecting? I didn’t realize.”
“Yep.” He grinned. “I’m going to be an uncle again.”
“That’s great.” His sister had seemed to be a little off at the club—dancing madly for a time and then running to the rest room. She’d also kept nibbling little snacks all night long that seemed to appear from nowhere.
Harrison put a finger on her brow between her eyes and whispered, “Don’t worry too much about Eli. I stopped caring what he thought years ago. Come on.” He took her hand and led the way to the kitchen.
“Oh, you’re here!” Tianna saw her first and came rushing over. “Harrison said something about you being sick?”
“Last night. I’m fine now.” She looked over the rest of the people in the kitchen that was larger than her entire apartment. “I’m really sorry for being late. I was napping, and I overslept.”
“Don’t worry about it,” Rhonda said. “Everyone’s late the first time they come here. It’s hard to find.”
Makay decided to say nothing about Harrison’s excellent directions. She just smiled as Harrison made introductions.
His mother, Sherry Matthews, was a slender, attractive woman with blond hair and a narrow face. She wore a feminine green and white flowered dress that was cut in the latest style. Her jewelry wasn’t ostentatious but reeked of expense. She smiled at Makay graciously as she took her hand. “I’m so glad to meet you.”
Makay nodded. “Thank you for having me.”
“Are you kidding?” Tianna put in. “We’re just glad Harrison is finally bringing
someone
home.”
“Yeah,” put in her husband, “maybe now we won’t have to endure that monkey routine on the chandelier.”
“Oh.” Sherry Matthews waved her son-in-law to silence. “Chad’s just teasing.”
Eli Matthews extended a hand. “Pleased to meet you.” He was a man of average size, with thinning white hair and a slightly ruddy complexion. Unlike his wife, he appeared to be on the verge of losing control over his weight and already flab had begun to show in his face.
Makay returned his greeting, feeling she was under a microscope and that he hadn’t decided yet whether to throw her out or study her some more.
“This is Nate,” Harrison said, pulling their attention from her.
Makay’s heart warmed as Nate dipped his head politely and said, “It’s nice to meet you. Thank you for letting us come. I’m excited to see your pool table.” Even Eli shared Nate’s grin.
Harrison laughed. “We’ll play a game after we eat.”
“Shall we go to the dining room?” Sherry asked. “Girls, help me carry in the rest. No, not you, dear,” she added as Makay stepped forward. “You’re our guest.”
Makay let Harrison lead her through an adjoining room into an elegant dining room with a banquet table. “It’s okay,” he murmured, and she realized she was gripping his hand too tightly. She forced her hand to relax.
Dinner went surprisingly well, though Makay noticed that whenever Eli announced an opinion on any topic, the conversation ended. He didn’t seem overbearing or hateful, but she could tell his children and even his wife treated him with deference. Makay vaguely remembered the chicken being tasty, but when the meal was over, she couldn’t remember exactly what she’d eaten. Nate was in heaven, however, taking two helpings of pretty much everything. Often, Makay found Sherry Matthews watching him.
“Teacher?” Nate raised his hand. “I mean Harrison’s mom. Can I have another roll? Please?”
“Nate,” Makay said, “you already had two.”
“Okay,” he said in resignation.
“He can have another one.” Sherry passed him the plate. “If that’s okay with you. As many as he wants. It’s good to see a child with an appetite. Reminds me of when Harrison was small.”
Nate looked at Makay, waiting for her nod before he dug in.
“We do have some dessert,” Sherry added as he took a bite. “So save a little room.”
“Okay.” Nate’s face shone.
“Aren’t you going to ask what it is?” Harrison said.
Nate shrugged. “I’m sure it’s good. I like everything.”
Sherry rose from the table, a bemused smile on her face. “I’ll get the dessert.”
“I’ll help.” Harrison went with her. When they returned, Sherry’s eyes appeared a bit reddened to Makay, but no one else seemed to notice. In a few minutes, a slice of chocolate cake, dripping with icing and caramel syrup, sat in front of each person. Nate told Sherry it was the best chocolate cake he’d ever eaten, and Makay had to agree.
“You’ll have to take some home with you,” Sherry said. “Otherwise it will go to waste. Eli and I are watching our weight.”
“You mean
you’re
watching our weight,” Eli said. Everyone laughed.
After dessert they moved to the family room to talk. Rock work and tan colors peered from every surface, and wealth exuded from the lush carpet to the framed pictures of their family on the wall. Now that Makay had relaxed enough to begin enjoying herself, she realized something was different about Harrison. As always, he kept near her, touched her often, and even held her hand, but occasionally when she asked him a question, he seemed to have to drag his mind back from someplace she couldn’t go. Twice, she’d seen him share a look with his mother that made Makay’s heart ache.
What was wrong here?
Rhonda and Tianna also appeared to sense that something was wrong and their increased vivacity made up for any lack on Harrison and Sherry’s parts. Chad’s constant stream of lame jokes filled up the rest. Of the younger people, only Rhonda’s husband, Graham, was quiet, snuggled up in an easy chair with his son asleep on his chest. Every now and then he cast Makay a sympathetic grin, and she found herself appreciating the dark-haired man’s silent support.
The conversation turned to politics, and Makay let her mind wander for a bit. How interesting to have a family like this. Harrison might not be fond of his stepfather, but Harrison had never come home from seventh grade to find him passed out in a drugged stupor. She bet there had always been something to eat in the refrigerator. Not that she didn’t think his problems weren’t real, but simply that they couldn’t be worse than the reality she’d endured. To have a stable place to sleep and food to eat was a blessing, and adding sisters and a mother who cared about them to the mix made Harrison very fortunate in Makay’s eyes.
That doesn’t mean I can’t be a part of it.
Strange that she found herself wanting the family almost as much as she wanted Harrison.
Well,
she thought with a smirk,
not in exactly the same way.
“The fact is,” Eli’s stern voice drew her back to the conversation. “The Civil War began because of slavery. And that’s why our men are overseas now, trying to stop similar wrongs.”
Harrison exchanged a look with Graham, appearing almost regretful. “I think the Civil War began more because the South wanted to cede from the Union, which they had every right to do, I might add. So the civil war wasn’t about slavery but about forcing the South to stay. Slavery was used as an excuse, and the war, like the wars we are waging overseas today, was completely unconstitutional.”
“You’re wrong,” Eli growled. “We have to fight to protect our country.”
“The Civil War did end slavery,” Tianna ventured meekly.
Harrison’s brow furrowed. “It would have ended anyway as it has everywhere else in the world, but because the South wasn’t allowed to do it their way, it ushered in an era of bloodshed and racism and segregation as people looked for someone to blame for all their pain.” He met Eli’s furious stare. “I know we want to help other nations, but the fact is we interfere way too often and we use American funds when we still have so much suffering here.”
Makay could attest to that, but the anger in Eli’s face made her hesitate to speak up. He looked ready to explode, and she wondered if the only reason he hadn’t yet was because of her presence. The girls were looking anywhere but at their father, and even Graham stared down at his little son, as if willing him to wake or cry or somehow make a distraction.
“Well, that’s all so interesting,” Sherry said from her seat on the couch by her husband. “But of course we have to help others when we can. Otherwise, what kind of people would we be? What I find really fascinating is how high gold and silver prices have risen through all of this recent turmoil. I’m so glad that Eli made some wise investments back before you girls were born. It certainly has helped us prepare for the future, hasn’t it Eli?”