So Many Men... (17 page)

“Or something,” Erin muttered, frowning. “Why didn’t you say something to me sooner about Maggie?”

“Well, I didn’t know what to tell you, because I don’t know what’s going on—”

“But you’re pretty sure something’s going on and you didn’t say anything. Don’t you think I have the right to know if you and Nikki are worried about our mother?”

Tess heaved a sigh. “I’m sorry, Erin. You’re right. It’s just that you’ve been so busy and I didn’t want to worry you. And then the thing with Rafe, then Mason dumping me. Besides, we may be getting all tied up about nothing.”

“If it was nothing, you and Nikki wouldn’t be fretting over it. You’re the ones with the extrasensory thing. I just wish for once you two would treat me like the adult I am and discuss these things with me.”

“That’s what I’m doing.”

Erin narrowed her eyes.

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I promise, from now on we’ll include you right from the start.”

“Good. Okay, why don’t we just ask Maggie point blank what’s going on?”

“We did.”

“And?”

“And she said she wasn’t going to tell us. It was between her and Aunt Sophie only.”

“Well, ask again.”

“Have you tried to pin her down lately? She’s as slippery as an eel. First we’d have to catch her. Frankly, I don’t know if I’m up to that.”

“So, let’s figure out a way to get her to talk to us. The least we can do is try.”

“How are we going to do that?”

“Where’s the phone? Let’s get Nikki and Thomas over here and we’ll see what we can come up with.”

“Oh, I have an idea already.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“What draws Maggie like nothing else? What is it that she absolutely can’t resist?”

“I don’t know…men?”

“Not just any kind of men. We need a man in need of healing. We need Thomas.”

“What’s wrong with Thomas?”

A slow smile curved her lips. “Nothing…yet.”

“I
JUST DON’T FEEL RIGHT
about this. She’ll be able to tell that I’m faking it.” Thomas folded his arms and frowned at Tess, Nikki and Erin.

“Think of it as an intervention of sorts. We can’t help Mom if we don’t know what’s troubling her.” Tess stirred the teacup Nikki handed her. “Besides, you won’t exactly be faking it.”

Thomas’s eyes narrowed. “What does that mean? What have you got there?”

“Just a little something I brewed up for you.” She sniffed the steam coming off the cup. “It’s really not so bad and its effects are temporary.”

“What effects?”

Nikki sat down beside him. “Nothing to get too concerned about. It’s just a special tea Tess accidentally blended when she first started studying herbs with Aunt Sophie.”

“It was supposed to help alleviate headaches, but I mistook one herb for another—”

“And she found the perfect brew for us to use whenever we wanted to skip school.”

“You mean that mysterious ailment Maggie would fret over when you’d break out in a fever with that awful rash?” He stared at them aghast.

“You knew?” Erin asked. “I didn’t even know. They didn’t tell me about it until recently.”

“No, but it makes sense. Maggie never understood how you could be so sick one minute, then it would clear up so quickly. You won’t be able to fool her with that. She’ll figure it out, just like I did.”

“We only need to get her here.” Tess gave Thomas the look that had worked on more men than she could remember.

“No, no, don’t do that.” He put up his hand as if to ward her off.

“Please, Thomas.” Erin gave him her version of the look, her green eyes wide.

“Yes, Thomas, say you’ll do it. We’re really counting on you,” Nikki added.

Thomas groaned and threw up his hands in defeat. “There isn’t a man alive who could stand up to the three of you. You girls aren’t playing fair.”

“But you care about Mom as much as we do.” Tess placed the cup in his hand.

“The rash doesn’t even itch,” Nikki encouraged as he raised the cup and took an exploratory sniff.

“What’s in it?” he asked.

“Don’t worry,” Tess said. “I promise that it’s completely safe.”

She held her breath as he downed the drink in one long draught, then turned excitedly to her youngest sister. “Erin, you call her. She won’t suspect anything if it’s you.”

“Wait, what if she picks up that I’m not really upset?” She shoved the phone at Tess. “You’re the one who learned about that shielding thing.”

“What shielding thing?” Nikki asked, but Tess waved her question aside as she punched in her mother’s cell phone number and visualized a screen of light cloaking her.

Maggie’s phone rang and Tess held her breath. Would her shield work with her mother?

Maggie’s cell phone rang a second time and Thomas clutched his head and groaned. “What have you girls done to me?”

“Oh, look.” Erin clapped a hand over her mouth and nodded toward Thomas. A bright rash had spread across his neck and was creeping up his face.

“Tess, how long did you steep those leaves?” Nikki’s voice carried a note of concern.

“Hello?” Maggie sounded sluggish, as though she’d been sleeping.

“Mom? Did I wake you?”

“Tess? No, I was just resting. Doing a little meditation. What’s up?”

“Nikki, Erin and I stopped in to see Thomas and he’s not doing so well.” She flinched as a red welt bubbled up on Thomas’s nose.

“Oh, my, what’s wrong with him?” Concern laced Maggie’s voice.

“He’s sick, Mom. He’s burning up and he has this rash. Yuck, he’s not looking so good. I think you should come right away.”

A short silence hummed across the connection and Tess closed her eyes and focused on her shield of light, then Maggie let out a tired breath. “Okay, sweetie, tell Thomas I’ll be right there.”

“Great. I’ll tell him.” Tess disconnected and grinned triumphantly at the others. “It worked. She’s on her way. She should be here any minute.”

“Thank God,” Thomas groaned as Erin placed a cool cloth on his head.

“Jeez, Tess, are you sure you know what you’re doing?” Erin asked. “He looks terrible. No offense, Thomas.”

Thomas just groaned in response and Tess glanced
at Nikki. Maybe she
had
made the tea a little strong. “He’s a big guy, I just thought…”

“He’ll be fine,” Nikki assured her, then straightened when the front door slammed.

They had time to exchange one nervous glance before Maggie strode into the room, looking as hale and hearty as she had ever looked.

“Thomas?” She went straight to him and dropped to her knees in front of him, placing her hand on his forehead. “Goodness, you
are
burning up.”

She turned to Tess. “What have you given him?”

Tess stared, stunned. Busted, right off the bat. “It was just—”

“Some ibuprofen.” Nikki gave her a meaningful look. “We thought it might help with the fever, and an anti-histamine for the rash, right, Tess?”

“Oh, yeah, right.” Tess folded her arms and sat back as Maggie turned to fuss over Thomas.

“Oh, dear, when did this start?” She soothed her hand along his cheek, her voice filled with concern.

Thomas gazed at Maggie, an adoring look in his eyes, in spite of the misery he was surely feeling. “It came on pretty sudden, but I’ll be okay.”

“Of course you will. I’m going to stay right here and take care of you for as long as you need me.”

“Ah, Maggie, love, I’d be lost without you.” He pressed his hand over hers.

Tess stared at the two in wonder. How had she never seen it before? She glanced at Nikki to see if her sister might be picking up on the same thing.

Maggie and Thomas?

Nikki’s eyebrows arched, and she nodded as her gaze drifted to the two.

“I’ll go get him some water.” Erin rose.

“Wait a minute, young lady.” Maggie cocked her head and assessed her youngest daughter for a long moment, while Erin visibly squirmed.

With a gasp, Maggie swung around toward Nikki and Tess, her eyes narrowed. “I can’t believe this.” She rose and stepped away from Thomas. “This is a setup.”

Thomas flopped back on the cushion. “I told you it wouldn’t work.”

“And you’re in on it, Thomas?” Maggie glared at him. “Someone had better tell me what this is all about and they’d better start talking now.”

Tess faced her mother. “It was my idea. I’m sorry. They just all went along with it.”

“Tess? What were you thinking?” Maggie gestured to Thomas. “You did…
this
to Thomas? On purpose?”

“We just want to talk to you. We want to know what’s wrong and why you and Sophie are all clammed up about it. We all love you and we have a right to know what’s happening.”

Maggie stood for a moment, her chin high, her hands fisted on her hips as though she were ready to do battle, then she crumpled onto the sofa beside Thomas. “It’s no use. You’ll all figure it out sooner or later.”

Thomas sat up and soothed his hand over hers. The rash had already begun to fade. “What is it, Mags? You can tell us. We’re all here for you.”

She nodded and a tear slipped down her cheek. “I didn’t want to worry any of you.”

Tess went to her mother, kneeling in front of her.
“Whatever it is, we want to help. You don’t have to go through it on your own.”

Maggie’s shoulders heaved. “That’s what Sophie said.”

“Well, Sophie is usually right,” Nikki chided from Thomas’s other side.

“Yeah, we’ll do whatever you need us to.” Erin sank into the chair beside the sofa.

“What is it, sweetheart?” Thomas stroked her back.

“What? You’re all having a party and you didn’t invite me?” Sophie stood in the room’s archway. She shrugged. “I saw all the cars.”

“Tell them, Sophie,” Maggie said.

Sophie nodded and pulled an ottoman close to the group and plopped herself down. “I had a feeling you’d all do something like this. I told her you should know, but she was worried about everyone pitying her or trying to do everything for her.”

She paused while she took a deep breath and gazed at her sister, her eyes misting. Maggie reached out and squeezed her hand. “It’ll be okay. Tell them.”

Sophie straightened. “There’s some sort of irreversible separation in her optic nerves. She’s going blind.”

“Blind?” Tess looked at her mother, alarm and surprise and disbelief all swirling through her.

“Can’t they do something?” Erin asked.

Maggie shook her head. “You think all that gallivanting around the world was for the fun of it? No, I’ve been to the best of the best. There isn’t anything anyone can do.”

“But surely they can delay it, slow it down. There must be some procedure.” Nikki’s voice cracked and she pressed her lips together.

“Well, they don’t have a specific time frame, but my peripheral vision is already going.”

Tess stared at her, aghast. “But your painting.”

Maggie waved aside her concern. “I’ve had a long career painting. Maybe it’s time to try something else.”

“We won’t stop looking for a cure.” Strength radiated in Thomas’s voice as he scooped a protective arm around Maggie.

“Good God, Thomas, what happened to your face?” Sophie leaned forward and squinted at him.

“I’m okay. Starting to feel better already.”

“So, what do we do?” Erin asked.

A tired smile played across Maggie’s lips. “Well, first let’s lay some ground rules. Absolutely no feeling sorry for me. I have seen more sights in this marvelous world than most of the population could ever hope to see. I have seen my darling girls grow to be strong, intelligent, beautiful women.” She gazed thoughtfully at Nikki. “It would be nice to see my first grandchild.”

Nikki gave her a faint smile. “Now you’re sounding like Dylan. Let me get through the wedding, then we’ll see what we can do.”

“Fair enough. And there’s to be no asking me if I’m okay all the time. I have had a little cold lately and I’ve been tired, but that doesn’t have anything to do with anything. Let’s just all consider that I’m fine unless I let you know otherwise. This is only affecting my eyesight. I’m still as healthy as I’ve ever been and expect to continue that way.”

She drew a deep breath and looked long at each of them, as though she were memorizing their faces. “I’m okay with this. I want all of you to be okay, too.”

Nikki nodded and squeezed her mother’s hand. Erin rose and hugged her. Nikki did the same when Erin was through and Thomas held on to Maggie through it all.

The upset and confusion swirling in Tess’s stomach settled and she sat back in her chair. The love they all shared was a tangible thing, binding them all together. And whether they realized it or not, the love between Maggie and Thomas was an awe-inspiring force.

Somehow, someway, they would get through this. Maggie would be all right.

A feeling of comfort stole over Tess, along with a new determination. They all deserved happiness in this life. The one thing she’d learned from watching her mother was that happiness didn’t always come to you. Sometimes you had to go out and snatch a little happiness for yourself.

She was going to need all the happiness she could find to help her deal with this new twist in her life, and if she had to go out and get it she would. She’d call Mason. Somehow, she’d make him see that they should be together.

F
OR THE MILLIONTH TIME
that day, Mason pulled his thoughts from Tess and her family and focused on the setting around him. A country music song he didn’t recognize twanged from a jukebox in the old diner. The scents of coffee and bacon filled the air as the clink of silverware, clank of dishes and murmur of voices filtered through the strains of the song.

Uncle Gabe, his mother’s brother, sipped at his coffee. “I’m really glad you called, Mason. It’s been way too long. So, how is everything?”

“Well, not too good, to be honest.”

He wasn’t sure why he’d called his uncle. Somehow, it just seemed time to get back in touch with his real family. He took a sip of his own coffee and nearly scalded his tongue. That was par for the course.

“Yeah, well, from what you said on the phone, you can’t blame this woman of yours for being upset.”

“I’m sure she is.”

Gabe’s eyebrows rose. “What do you mean you’re sure she is? Haven’t you spoken to her?”

“I tried. I couldn’t get through. I went over once and banged on the door, but no one answered. Besides, what would be the point?”

“To tell her you’re sorry for being a pigheaded fool. How could you have asked them to leave like that?”

Frustration welled up inside Mason. He shook his head. “We’d just had all that trouble with Rafe. He’s one of the kids from Project Mentor. All I could think about was that we were going to lose our best shot at getting the youth center up and running. I lost my head. I guess I panicked.”

“Jeez.”

“I know it was a stupid, idiotic thing to do and I regret the hell out of it, but it’s done. I can’t take it back.”

“You’re damn right you can’t take it back, but you sure as hell can apologize.”

Mason stared at his uncle. How many times had he rehearsed that apology in his head? “It wouldn’t matter. Look, you don’t understand.”

“Try me.”

Mason gripped his coffee cup. “It was never meant to last. Our relationship was doomed from the start. I was a fool to let myself get involved with her.” He gritted his teeth as memories of his first meeting with Tess flashed through his mind. “I just…couldn’t help myself. It’s complicated.”

Gabe’s eyes narrowed as he settled back in the booth, cradling his coffee cup. “I don’t have to be anywhere.”

“Tess is not the settling-down type.”

My relationships with men do tend to be temporary.

Gabe blew on his coffee, then took another sip. “I never would have pegged you for a quitter, Mason.”

Mason took a deep breath before responding. “I asked her to live with me. I meant it. I knew she wasn’t ready for more. I don’t know that I was, but I wanted to
share my life with her.” He paused. “She wasn’t ready even for that.”

“So, she needed a little time.”

“I don’t think so. I was getting in too deep. Don’t you see it’s better this way?”

“No, I don’t see. You say you’re in love with that girl. I’ll bet she made a real difference in your life. Look at you now. When was the last time you got a decent night’s sleep? How can this be better?”

“I’m cutting my losses, okay?”

“That’s a bunch of crap.”

Anger and resentment rose in Mason. “Look, it hurts.” He shook his head. “Is it such a bad thing that I don’t want to keep being left behind?”

“She didn’t just leave you, you know,” Gabe said softly.

Mason’s gaze locked with his uncle’s.

“Your mother, she was my sister before she had you. She left us all and it hurt me, too.” He shrugged. “Granted, losing a sister can’t really compare to losing a mother, but I felt that loss as much as you did.”

Mason stared at his coffee. “I don’t like to talk about her.”

“It wasn’t you she was leaving. It was your father. You think your Uncle Al’s a hardhead. Where do you think he learned to be so uncompromising? And you don’t think the drinking started after she left?”

Gabe shook his head. “That had started long before. Hell, I encouraged her to leave him and you would have, too, had you been old enough to understand what was really going on. But, Mason, I swear to God it never occurred to me that she would leave you, too.”

“That was a long time ago. There’s no point in rehashing it all.”

“There is if you’re still carrying around that wound.”

“Uncle Gabe, I know you mean well, but this isn’t necessary. I’m fine. I’m all grown up and I get that bad things happen to good people.”

“That’s right, son. You’re good people and bad things did happen to you, but you don’t have to keep suffering for it. You’ve paid your dues. It’s time for you to quit being afraid of being hurt and to take that risk and grab it all.”

Mason stared at his uncle, and he wanted to cringe at the truth in his words. He’d run away from happiness to keep from getting hurt. He met his uncle’s gaze and nodded. “You’re right. It’s time I took a risk.”

“H
I
.” T
ESS NODDED AT
M
ASON
as he stood in her doorway. Her pulse quickened in anticipation.

“Hi.” His eyebrows drew together and apprehension rippled off him. “Thanks for agreeing to see me.”

“I’m glad you called. I was actually going to call you.”

“Really? To tell me I’m a pigheaded idiot?”

“Well, since you already know that…” She shrugged.

“So, can I come in?”

“No.”

“No?”

She shook her head. “Let’s go out.”

“Out?”

“Yep, you know, sky, fresh air.”

“Right, I think I remember that.” He shuffled aside and let her move past him, then fell into step beside her. “Where is it that we’re going?”

She smiled what she hoped was a mysterious smile. “It’s a surprise.”

“And will I like this surprise?”

“Oh, I certainly hope so.” She pulled her keys from her purse as they neared the parking lot. “We’ll take my car.”

They reached her car and he held the door for her. She savored his familiar scent as she slid past him into the driver’s seat.

“Okay,” he said as he settled beside her in the passenger’s seat. “I’m ready.”

She drove with the windows down, in spite of the slight coolness in the air. “Don’t you like the wind in your hair?” she asked as they turned onto the interstate and picked up speed.

“Tess, there’s something that I really need to say to you.”

“No, not yet. I have something to say to you, too, but let’s wait until we get to where we’re going.”

She turned on the radio and tuned in her favorite rock station. Mason blew out a breath in an apparent effort to relax, if the tension spiking off him was any indication. She glanced at him, grinning as they neared their destination.

“Oh, no.” He shook his head, even as a hesitant smile curved his lips. “I should have known.”

“You know you enjoyed it the last time.”

She parked along a quiet side street, then turned to him, excitement rippling up her spine. “Ready?”

“I am if you are.”

A salty breeze hit her as she exited the car. The rumble of the surf sounded from beyond the row of buildings in front of them. Mason crossed to her side and they
headed silently along the street to a trail leading to the shore. They picked their way over the sand until the Atlantic lay before them, calmer today than it had been on their last visit.

His gaze narrowed on her as they reached a spot in the sand not far from the breaking surf. “Are we going for a swim?”

“In all our clothes?”

“Didn’t stop us last time.”

“It’s early November. Could be chilly. Do you want to?”

His shoulders moved in an easy shrug. “I do if you want to.”

“Let’s sit for a while. I just wanted to feel the sun on my face.”

He nodded and they settled together, side by side in the sand. Gulls screeched overhead and the crash of the surf lulled them into a comfortable silence. Tess leaned back and breathed deeply of the sea air. Suddenly it seemed she had all the time in the world. Time to discover who she was.

Time to love a great love.

Mason shifted beside her, brushing sand from his hands. “So, about what I wanted to say before…”

She took a deep breath and faced him. “Okay, I’m listening.”

“Tess…first and foremost I want to apologize. Asking you and your family to leave that night was unforgivable.”

“You did what you felt was right at the time, given the circumstances.”

His eyes widened and surprise flickered through him.
“I was upset to think we might be losing our shot at the youth center.”

“I know.”

“All I could think of was Rafe lying in that hospital bed and all the other kids that might end up like him if we didn’t get the center going.”

“I know. How is he?”

A slow smile curved his lips. “He’s doing great. That kid has the world’s hardest head. He’s frustrated as hell that he can’t move around like he used to, but it’s temporary and he’s managing. He said he saw you the other day.”

“I did stop by. And how is his father?”

“Holding steady. I think he’s trying his best to get healthy so he can make things up to Rafe. He’s been clean for almost eight months now.”

She nodded. “I’m glad.”

“You must think I’m the biggest prick for turning my nose up at your aunt and her readings.”

“It’s hard to accept something you don’t quite understand. Maybe you should have her do a reading for you, so you can see what it’s all about. I’d love to hear what she has to say.”

“Sounds a little intimidating, but if it’ll get me back in her good graces, I’ll give it a try.”

“It’s pretty hard to fall out of Aunt Sophie’s good graces. I have never met a more patient or understanding person. She writes all this off to everyone’s life lessons.

“She told me you called her. That was nice.” She ran her fingers through the sand. “You know, she doesn’t judge you for what happened.”

“And do you?”

Tess glanced away, toward the water where a gull
dipped low over the swells. “I did. It was hard not to. Hard not to be hurt.” She turned back to him. “You see, no one has ever rejected me. Ever. Not in my entire life. I didn’t know how to deal with that.”

“Tess, I’m so sorry. I hope you know it wasn’t you I was rejecting.”

“It’s okay. I needed that. I needed to know what it feels like to be normal.”

His eyes crinkled as he laughed. “You, my dear, will never be normal.”

“It isn’t funny. I can be as normal as the next person.”

“Sweetheart, I believe you can be anything you set your mind to, but you’re special in a way I can’t begin to describe. And I completely understand why you need to be on your own. I don’t think I had thought through all I might have been asking when I asked you to live with me. I guess I was thinking of myself, trying to hold on to something that wasn’t mine to hold on to.” He paused and held her gaze. “I’m really sorry for that.”

She reached over and took his hand, needing the connection. A peace he hadn’t possessed before hummed quietly below his surface. She cocked her head and let her gaze drift over him. “You’ve changed.”

Surprise rounded his eyes. “How?”

“You’re more at peace.”

“Yeah, maybe so. I’ve done a lot of thinking since the gala. Had a long talk with my uncle Gabe. He helped me put things in perspective. It would be nice if you could meet him.”

He turned her hand over in his and traced circles along her palm. “Anyway, I’m a pigheaded fool and
why you agreed to see me and why you’re being so damn understanding I can barely fathom, but I have never been so grateful for anything in my entire life. Thank you for seeing me and for hearing me out. It means the world to me.”

She closed her eyes and let his bittersweet longing wash over her. He did mean to let her go—leave her for good to allow her to move on to whatever new love might be out there waiting for her.

But was she ready to leave?

“Do you believe that we each have one great love?” she asked.

He patted her hand, then let it go. “I don’t know. I guess it’s nice to think so.”

“Nikki believes it. Her whole childhood she wanted our mother to quit roaming from lover to lover and settle down with her true love.”

“And did she?”

“Not yet, but I think we’re going to figure that one out soon.”

“What about Nikki? Is Dylan her great love?”

“Oh, yes. The two are practically inseparable. She said she knew it the moment she met him, but she was so afraid of losing him that she hid the truth, even from herself, until she nearly lost him.”

“I think I can relate to that whole hanging-on thing.”

A sailboat appeared on the horizon, tacking slowly to the north. He watched it for a few minutes, then turned back to her. “I’m glad Nikki and Dylan were able to work things out.”

“Yeah, so maybe she was right. Maybe there is one great love for each of us.” She squinted into the sun as
it peeped from behind a cloud. “I think maybe I would like it if that were so.”

He nodded and his gaze darkened. “I think I would, too.”

“Well, you know there’s one way we might be able to find out if we each have a true love.”

“How?”

“We could pretend that I never turned down your proposal to live with you.” Her heart thudded as his eyebrows drew together.

“Tess, what are you saying?”

“I’m saying that I was afraid when you first asked me. My identity was all tied up in being a sexual healer. I was afraid that if I stayed with you I’d lose that identity. I had no idea who I was outside of that role. It was hard to get over that, but I’ve been figuring out who I am. I’ve been working with the teens.”

“I heard about your nature walk. The kids think you’re all that.”

She nodded. “I do believe we could each have one great love and I think that maybe…quite possibly…it could be that my one great love is you.”

Dismay and joy swirled out from him in a cloud of confusion. “Tess.”

She frowned when he didn’t continue. “I tell you I think you may be my one great love and that’s all you have to say?”

“I don’t know what to say. You’ve taken me completely by surprise.” Those adorable dimples of his made an appearance as he raised his hands in appeal. “I had hoped you might accept my apology. This is beyond my greatest expectation.”