At Bluebonnet Lake (Texas Crossroads Book #1): A Novel (14 page)

Greg nodded. “I was surprised at how much money was available.”

“And I was surprised at how many foundations you knew about.” When she’d mentioned one and the work it did, he’d rattled off the name of six others that she’d never heard of. To Kate’s pleasure, those six all had philanthropic arms that might be convinced to expand their original mission to include helping deserving students from rural Texas counties obtain higher education. Brandi and Olivia had taken copious notes and were planning to meet with their counselor to discuss the possibilities when they returned to school on Monday.

Greg shrugged as if his knowledge were of little account. “They were related to some work I did in California. I hadn’t thought about them in years, but for some reason I have a good memory for names.”

Kate had noticed that. Although he didn’t live in Dupree, he greeted each of the customers who entered the Sit ‘n’ Sip by name. When she’d raised her eyebrow after the third greeting, Greg explained that he and Roy met here at least once a week and that everyone who’d come in so far was a regular customer.

“You’d be a good innkeeper,” Kate told him. “Angela called me Kathy yesterday.” She shrugged. It wasn’t a big thing, and yet it had annoyed her. “You’d think she could keep her few guests’ names straight.”

Greg must have sensed Kate’s feelings, because he said, “I alternate between being annoyed and feeling sorry for Angela and Tim. They’re obviously in way over their heads. From what I can gather, they expected Rainbow’s End to be a cash cow and never realized how much work is involved.”

“Work that you’re doing.”

He shook his head. “That’s only the tip of the iceberg. There’s so much more they could—and probably should—be doing. I don’t understand why they don’t try harder.”

Russ Walker slid two huge platters of pancakes in front of Kate and Greg. Though she doubted she’d be able to eat even half of the perfectly browned cakes, Kate had to admit they smelled delicious. She drizzled syrup over the top and took a forkful. After savoring the delicate blend of buckwheat and oats, she looked up at Greg.

“Maybe the Sinclairs don’t know what to do.” That was one of the problems Kate had uncovered on her first assignment for Maddox and Associates. The clients had thought they wanted an advertising campaign, but what they really needed was a better understanding of their core business. Kate had enlisted the help of a consultant who’d worked with the clients to develop a mission statement. It was only then that she’d started brainstorming ideas for telling the world about the clients’ products and services.

“Possibly,” Greg agreed, “or they’re lazy.”

“Or afraid.”

He swirled a piece of pancake in the puddle of syrup that had formed on one edge of the plate, then looked up at Kate, his green eyes filled with an odd expression. “Afraid? That’s an intriguing idea. What do you suppose they’re afraid of?”

She shrugged. “Failure. Success. Everyone’s afraid of something.”

Greg’s face darkened as he said, “That’s true.”

She’d obviously touched a nerve. As Kate debated whether or not to ask what Greg feared, the door opened and the opportunity was gone. Lauren Ahrens and a young girl whose resemblance announced that she was Lauren’s daughter entered the restaurant.

As Lauren waved at Kate, the girl’s glance skittered over Kate and rested on Greg. She looked up at her mother, then pointed at Greg.

“Look at him, Mom. He’d be a good daddy.”

K
ate wasn’t sure who was more embarrassed. Lauren’s cheeks were almost as bright as the one shocking pink sock her daughter wore, while all the blood appeared to have drained from Greg’s face, leaving him with a distinctly unhealthy pallor. Judging from his expression, Kate realized that Greg had never met Lauren and that the idea of instant fatherhood was one he had not entertained.

“I’m so sorry, sir.” Lauren looked as if she wished a sinkhole would swallow her.

Hoping to defuse the tension, Kate interrupted. When in doubt, she’d been taught, rely on the social niceties. She’d start with introductions. If that wasn’t enough, she could always fall back on the weather. “Lauren, this is Greg Vange. He’s another of the guests at Rainbow’s End. Greg, I’d like you to meet Lauren Ahrens, who makes the most beautiful quilts I’ve ever seen. And this,” Kate said with a smile for the girl who’d created such a stir, “is Fiona.”

“My very outspoken daughter.” As Lauren gave Greg an apologetic smile, Kate saw that her face was returning to its natural color. “Fiona’s had a hard time since her dad died, but that’s no excuse for rudeness.”

Kate wondered how Greg would react. While it was true that he had four younger sisters, she suspected it had been awhile since he’d dealt with a girl Fiona’s age. Furthermore, it appeared that Greg’s father had not been the best of role models.

When Kate had mentioned seeing Greg rowing and that he appeared to have developed a sports gene, he had frowned. “Too little, too late,” he’d said, leaving Kate no doubt that he was giving her the response he’d heard from the man who’d scorned his lack of athletic prowess. Kate had quickly changed the subject, but she’d lain awake wondering how any parent could be so cruel. It was obvious that although Greg had achieved some measure of success in his professional life, he was still suffering from the criticism he’d endured as a child.

Given that background, Kate wondered how he would deal with Fiona. Would he bellow or simply ignore her? To Kate’s relief, Greg did neither. Though he’d risen to greet Lauren, he sat down again, putting himself closer to Fiona’s height. He leaned forward slightly as he addressed the child, his focus so intent that neither Kate nor Lauren nor Russ Walker and the two men who were devouring pancakes at the counter might have existed. “I’ll bet your dad was a pretty special man.”

Fiona nodded. She wore her dark hair, so like her mother’s, in braids, and as she nodded, they swayed.

“You know how I could tell?” Greg seemed to have expected the silent response.

Though she shook her head, Fiona’s brown eyes radiated curiosity.

“Because you’re a pretty special young lady.” If she’d been a peacock, Fiona would have strutted at the praise of being called a young lady rather than a little girl. As it was, her shoulders straightened, and she held her head higher.

“I know you miss your daddy,” Greg continued. “Your mom
does too. I know you want to help her, but there are some things she has to do by herself, like picking out a new daddy.”

Greg glanced at Fiona’s feet, and Kate saw the hint of a smile. Who wouldn’t smile at the mismatched socks—one pink, the other lime green—that clashed with the red shoes. “You wouldn’t like it if your mom picked out your socks for you, would you?”

As Fiona shook her head, Kate had an inkling where Greg was headed. Like a snake charmer who wouldn’t dare break his concentration, he kept his eyes focused on the child, as if there was no one else in the restaurant. “How would it be if you and your mom had an agreement? You can pick out your socks.”

“Even on Sunday?” The eagerness in Fiona’s voice told Kate this had been a point of contention.

For the first time Greg looked around. He gave Lauren a glance before confirming her nod. “Even on Sunday. In return, you’ll let her pick out a daddy.” He gave Lauren another look, and this time there was no doubt about it. Greg was smiling. “It might take a long time, though.”

“But I can still pick out my socks.”

“Yes.”

Fiona grinned. “Okay.” Turning to her mother, she held out her hand. “Shake?”

With a wobbly smile, Lauren let her daughter pump her hand, then ushered her to the counter to choose a muffin. When they left the restaurant, Fiona still grinning at her apparent victory, Kate leaned across the table to touch Greg’s hand.

“You were amazing. How did you know what to say?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I can’t say I’ve had any experience dealing with death. Both my parents are alive, and my grandparents died before I was born. All I know is that when I looked at that little girl, the words started to flow.”

“Like the nudge to come to Rainbow’s End?”

Greg turned his hand over to clasp hers. He was silent for a second before he nodded. “Exactly.”

Kate was smiling as she left the church. Though the building and congregation were smaller than either the church she’d attended while growing up or the one in New Jersey, the sense of peace and fellowship that she’d found in those churches was present here in Dupree. The minister had spoken of the miracles Jesus had performed before his final trip to Jerusalem, then challenged the congregation to search for the miracles in their lives. “They’re there,” he promised.

“My little miracle is happier than I’ve seen her since Patrick died,” Lauren said as she approached Kate.

Although several members of the congregation had welcomed Kate, no one had lingered for a conversation. She hadn’t minded. The day was beautiful, and it was pleasant simply standing in the shade of a live oak while she waited for her grandmother. But a few minutes with Lauren would be better. Kate smiled. This was her chance to talk to the quilt store owner. Sally appeared engrossed in a discussion with the pastor’s wife, and judging by the animation on her grandmother’s face, the conversation could be a lengthy one.

“Where is Fiona?” Though Kate had seen her seated next to Lauren during the service, she was no longer in sight.

“Sunday school. I used to teach it, but when Patrick was so ill, I took a leave of absence.” Lauren tipped her head, gesturing to the left, where Greg and Roy seemed to be regaling a group of men with a story. “It’s a shame Greg isn’t a permanent resident. We could use him as a youth counselor. He was amazing with Fiona.”

“You should have seen him with the teenagers. That’s why we were at Sit ‘n’ Sip yesterday. We were helping Brandi and
Olivia look for scholarship money.” Kate had no doubt that in a town the size of Dupree, Lauren would know who she meant without introducing last names. “He made them feel as if they were adults.”

Lauren nodded. “He’s a special man, like my Patrick.” She hitched her bag onto her shoulder and smiled. “You don’t want to let him get away.”

Though the morning was still relatively cool, Kate felt blood rush to her face, heating her more than the Texas sun at midday. “I’m not . . . He’s not . . . We’re not . . .” Kate was babbling like a child, all because Lauren had made a false assumption. “We just met,” she managed to say. “We’re both guests at Rainbow’s End, and we play tennis together. That’s all.”

“If you say so.” Lauren’s smile said she wasn’t buying Kate’s protests. “It’s just that when I saw you two together, you reminded me of myself and Patrick. For most of us, true love only comes once. Don’t let it pass you by.”

Kate was still thinking about Lauren’s advice that afternoon when she returned to the dining room for another cup of coffee. Dinner, which had been served at noon since it was Sunday, had been a delicious meal of ham and scalloped potatoes with a molded salad, all followed by cherry pie à la mode. Though she had enjoyed every morsel, Kate couldn’t keep her mind from wandering to thoughts of what Lauren had seen—or believed she had seen—between Kate and Greg.

It was true that Greg wasn’t like any of the men Kate had dated. It was also true that she thought of him more often than she had either Pete or Lou, but that was simply because of their situation. They were in close proximity to each other, away from their normal lives. It was only natural that Kate’s thoughts would turn to Greg. That didn’t mean she was in love with him.

She wasn’t even certain she’d recognize love if it took residence in her heart. She had thought she’d loved Pete, but those feelings had faded. A year later, she’d imagined herself in love with Lou. That had lasted a bit longer, but eventually she had realized that all she felt when she was with him was familiarity. Love, it seemed, happened to others, but not to Kate Sherwood. Maybe that was why Sally said she sometimes acted as if she didn’t have a romantic bone in her body. As if bones could be romantic.

“I’ve had enough!” The angry words and the sound of footsteps storming down the outside staircase broke Kate’s train of thought. A second later, she heard a door slam and a second set of footsteps descending the stairs. Whatever had happened, Tim and Angela Sinclair were not happy.

“There’d better be some coffee in here,” Angela muttered as she entered the dining room.

Though her instinct was to flee and let Angela believe no one had overheard the outburst, Kate could see no way to do that. Instead, she would take her cues from Angela. She’d address the caffeine issue.

“The coffee is fresh,” Kate said as brightly as she could.

Angela stopped in midstride, her embarrassment evident in the red splotches on her cheeks. She grabbed a mug and busied herself with the coffeepot. “I’m sorry you had to hear that, Kathy,” she said as she added a splash of cream.

“It’s Kate.”

Angela nodded, her flush deepening. “That’s right. I remember now. Kate Sherwood and Sally Fuller. You’d think I could remember the guests’ names, especially when there are so few of them.”

Though she’d been annoyed the first time Angela had forgotten her name, today Kate felt nothing but pity for the woman who looked so miserable. There must be something she could
do to help her. Kate had never seen Sally and Grandpa Larry fight, but the few times her co-worker Brittany had come to work with a woebegone expression because she and Cal had argued, all she had wanted was a sympathetic ear. Perhaps Angela was the same.

“Do you want to talk?” Kate asked. “I’ve been told I’m a good listener.”

Angela looked torn; then she nodded. “Let’s go upstairs. That way we won’t be interrupted.”

And so Kate found herself in the owners’ suite. Larger than her apartment in New Jersey, it showed no sign of the neglect that was prevalent elsewhere at Rainbow’s End. Instead, the floor boasted what appeared to be a handmade rug, and a luxurious leather sofa and two matching chairs flanked a gas fireplace. An attractive oil painting hung on one wall, while another held an étagère with expensive-looking crystal vases. Though it wasn’t her taste, there was no doubt that the Sinclairs had spared no expense in furnishing their own quarters.

Angela motioned to one of the chairs, then took the other, placing her mug on the chrome and glass table. “I don’t know why I’m talking to you.”

“Because I offered to listen.” Kate recalled the way Greg had put Fiona at ease and wished she were as gifted. “Sometimes it’s easier to talk to strangers.”

“Like
Strangers on a Train
?” Angela’s laugh was harsh. “I never used to consider killing Tim, but recently . . .”

Kate wouldn’t let her continue down that path. “Why did you buy Rainbow’s End?” Kate had wondered about that many times.

Angela let out a loud sigh, and her green eyes, a few shades lighter than Greg’s, glittered. “We thought it would be an easy way to make a living. Boy, were we ever wrong.” She sipped her coffee. “Are you sure you want to hear this? It’s not a pretty story.”
When Kate nodded, Angela continued. “Tim and I worked for an insurance company in Austin. He was a claims adjuster, and I was in the underwriting department. When the company was bought out by a larger one, Tim’s job was eliminated. ‘Nothing personal,’ they told him, but Tim took it personally. He got angry and hit one of the bosses.”

Angela cringed, as if remembering. “You can guess what happened next. They didn’t press charges, but there went Tim’s severance package and any hopes for a recommendation. I knew it would eat Tim alive if I stayed there, so I quit my job. We sold our house and took all our savings to buy this place.” Gripping her mug so tightly that Kate wondered if it would shatter, Angela stared at the wall. “It was a huge mistake, and now it’s affecting everything, including our marriage.”