What Janie Wants (19 page)

She was blind. Surely she wasn’t out here alone. One misstep and she’d be neck deep in water, or worse.

The gypsy tapped the cushions again and reclined back in her chair. In her lap was a plain white envelope.

Janie settled in, awkwardness displacing a little of the angst she’d been lugging around since her run-in with Arlo.

“
What do you think of Gypsy Cove?” the woman said.

Quirky and definitely unexpected. Though that probably wasn’t the kind of answer the woman was after. “It was just what I needed.” Janie tugged her cover up further over her thighs. “Have you been here long?”

“
Long enough.” She inhaled deep and let it out on a slow, measured exhalation. “Would you like to talk about it?”

Funny. Zade would’ve said the same thing. If she’d taken him up on it, she’d be in a much different headspace right now. “It’s a long story.”

The woman giggled, a light burden-free sound that spoke of fairies and wind chimes. “Those are the best kind.”

Janie smoothed her fingers along the plastic armrest. “Not this one. I mean, I guess it could be, if I can figure out how to fix it.”

“
Indulge me.”

The memory of Zade’s pained blue eyes when she’d seen him last flashed bolder than the sun. “I hurt someone. Someone who’d spent a lot of time and effort to help me. Someone who wanted to spend more time with me.”

“
Mmmm.” She folded her arms across her stomach, resting so the envelope couldn’t escape the wind’s constant push and pull. “And you want to fix it?”

Janie nodded. “I’d like to.”

“
Then why so sad?”

It felt weird. Sitting here, chatting with a complete stranger about her shortcomings, but liberating at the same time. “Because I don’t know if it’s fixable. After the way I treated him, he may not want anything to do with me.”

The woman kept her silence.

Janie chanced a peek at her and found she’d closed her eyes. So peaceful.

“
You’re heading home soon?” the gypsy asked, eyes still shut.

“
Tomorrow.”

“
I recommend you give your flight schedule to the man at the desk. He’ll be sure to have a car ready for you when it’s time to leave.”

Janie huffed out an ironic laugh. “I don’t think he’s going to be too helpful where I’m concerned.”

“
Arlo? Why on earth wouldn’t he?”

“
Because the someone I hurt is someone he loves.” Janie laid her head back and closed her eyes to match the woman beside her. “I can’t say I blame him. I was a bit self-centered.”

The woman harrumphed.

Slowly, the throbbing in Janie’s head leveled out and her muscles started to uncoil. Zade Painel wasn’t a common name, and she knew the general area where he lived. Surely she could track him down. After the conversation she’d had with McKenna the night before, her daughter would probably have a heyday helping.

Actually, she had a laptop in her room. She could research today. Her flight got in early enough tomorrow that if she found something she might even have time to call Zade when she got home. Or visit.

No, wait. A surprise visit wasn’t the best idea. Kind of stalkerish, really.

For the first time since she’d woken to the knock on her door, her heart upped its pace for something besides panic. She could do this. If Zade wasn’t willing to give things a go, she’d face it when the time came. The good Lord knew she’d earned a solid setback, but doing nothing wasn’t an option.

The lady beside her chuckled. “I can almost hear your brain from here. Has the universe given you your plan so quickly?”

The universe? Someone else had used “the universe” this week, but for the life of her she couldn’t remember who.

“
Did you find what you came for, Ms. McAlister?”

Janie perked up. “How do you know my name?”

The gypsy opened her eyes and grinned. Her gaze might not connect to any of the beauty that surrounded her, but it twinkled to match the water on the waves. “You first. Did you find what you came for?”

No. Not exactly. She’d thought she’d figure out what to tactically do with her life. Maybe plot out downsizing from her big house and target some charities to fill her growing chunk of available time. Instead, she’d found something more. Something so much better. Bigger. “I found myself.”

“
I’m glad. I find it’s so much easier to hold my head up and champion what I know is right when I’m solid in my own beliefs and what I want for my life.” She smoothed the letter in her lap and ducked her head for a minute, thoughtful. “You live near Dallas, am I right?”

Tingles scampered across Janie’s shoulders and down her spine. Her mouth ran dry and she fisted her hands in her lap. “I do.”

The woman handed the envelope to Janie. “Getting to the post office is such a chore for me these days and I hate to give my Arlo extra things to do. Would you be a dear and drop this in the mail for me when you get home? I didn’t get much time to sit and visit with my nephew this trip. Word has it he was busy with a lady friend he made while he was here.”

Zade Painell

2411 N Hall Street #27

Dallas TX 75204

“
You’re Dahlia.”

Dahlia laid her head back and closed her eyes. “I am.”

“
You know what happened?”

“
I do.”

“
And you trust me?”

She rolled her head toward Janie and opened her sightless eyes. Blue. The same color as Zade’s. “You’re willing to own your mistakes and face the consequences, and Zade’s a smart man with excellent judgment. He trusts you, so I trust you.”

She faced forward and stared out at the sea. “Now, go. Claim what it is you want and make my boy happy.”

“
Ladies and gentlemen, on behalf of your flight crew, we’d like to be the first to welcome you to Dallas/Ft. Worth. The time here is two fifteen and the temperature is a scorching one hundred and two. We’d ask that you please lower your blinds to help us keep the cabin temperature down while we disembark.
”

Janie pulled the window cover beside her shut and stifled a groan of frustration. Damn, but her nails were a mess. Then again, an antsy woman stuck three hours in an international airport and two and half hours on a flight would ruin even the best manicure.

“
As we approach the gate, we’d like to remind you to remain in your seat with your seatbelt fastened until the captain has turned off the fasten seatbelt sign overhead. We know you have a choice when you travel and we appreciate you choosing our airline.
”

Two fifteen. Another thirty to get her bags from baggage claim. McKenna and Thomas were due to pick her up at three. Plenty of time to put the plan she’d worked with her kids into play before nightfall.

The big, burly man in the center seat grunted as he leaned forward and pulled his laptop back out from under the space in front of him. “You got big plans or you just hate flying?”

Janie checked her seat back pocket for the thirtieth time. No trash. Phone in her purse. “Hmmm?”

The man beside her chuckled. “I asked what’s got you so jumpy.”

“
Me?”

“
Yup.”

She flipped through her purse. The letter was right where she’d left it. “What makes you think I’m jumpy?”

“
Because that knee of yours hasn’t quit jiggling since take off.”

She planted her foot flat on the floor. “Sorry.”

He laughed good naturally and flicked his seatbelt open way before the sign turned off.

Ding.

Thank God. Janie surged upright as far as the overhead bin would let her, and organized her stuff. Normally the chaos of traveling didn’t bother her, but right now all she could think about was taking charge and getting the twelve rows in front of her out of her way.

She hit the jet way with long strides, her thighs eking out a none-to-subtle reminder that she’d spent the last seven days mostly on her ass. She bet she’d put on ten pounds.

Well, maybe not. What she’d gained days one through five might have been offset by her limited intake for the last two. She sure as heck hadn’t touched any more wine.

Huddled with the rest of her fellow travelers, she glared at the electronic sign above her baggage carousel as if that might somehow hurry their bags’ appearance. A phone call to Zade was the safe bet. She’d thought she wouldn’t have a choice but to use Dahlia’s letter and reach out to him face to face, but then McKenna had jumped on the bandwagon and tracked down his phone number in a whopping thirty minutes.

No, calling was the easy way. He’d taken chance after chance for her. This was a time for her to be brave. To do exactly what Arlo suggested. Chase after Zade and lay her heart out there. To let him know she was serious.

The long, grating buzzer sounded and the travelers jostled for position around the bin. The bags rode into view at a glacial pace. It figured, hers would be one of the last.

Two fifty. Ten more minutes. She’d ride home with her kids, drop off her suitcases, and freshen up a bit. Maybe she’d wear one of the sundresses Zade had talked her into buying downtown. The deep emerald green accented her newly acquired tan and made her hair stand out. God knew, he liked her hair.

Yep. The sundress would be perfect. She slowed her steps to match the painfully slow automatic rotating doors and punched out into the gruesome Texas heat. Ugh. Definitely freshening up first. Hard to wow a guy and talk him into a second chance with wilted hair and blotched makeup.

She pulled her phone out of her purse and thumbed to her text messages.
Waiting at Terminal E,
she typed to McKenna. Thomas would be driving and she didn’t dare text him. No matter how many times she told him it was bad to text and drive, he refused to listen. Typical Thomas. Always thinking he knew better.

Pulling in now,
her daughter typed back. Amazing, how fast her kids could operate technology. But she’d get there too. Her life was about to take a seriously different turn, one way or another.

Sure enough, her silver Lexus RX came around the corner and angled for the inside lane. Her kids hopped out and the hatch opened on a slow glide.

“
McKenna.” She hugged her baby girl and let out a relieved breath. She was here, her kids were on board with her plans, and everything would work out. She hoped.

“
Wow, you weren’t kidding,” Thomas said to McKenna as he reached for his hug.

Janie held him as long as he’d let her with so many people puttering around. “Right about what?”

“
That you were hyped up like a whacked out One Direction freak.” Thomas let her go and stepped back. “Not sure why you’re in such a hurry, though. You’ve got his address and I doubt he’s gonna disappear overnight. Need to play it cool. Not rush it.”

“
Oh, shut up, Tommy,” McKenna said and turned to Janie. “He won’t admit it, but he’s the one that jumped in and found Zade’s phone number.”

Janie grinned at her son and motioned to the bags. “Okay, lets get loaded up. Got lots to do.”

Thomas laughed and reached for her bag.

“
I’ll get that.” The voice came up from behind her, breathless and bright.

Before she could turn, someone reached for her bag and lifted it. Strong hands, long fingers, delicious tan.

Zade.

He picked her bag up and cupped her nape. “Can’t believe I almost missed you.”

“
You’re here.” Had she said it out loud or merely thought it? His touch and warmth battered the apprehension she’d held since yesterday. Here. With her. She couldn’t get past any more than that, his touch scrambling her thoughts and motor skills.

“
Arlo called me.” His thumb back and forthed against her neck, slow and comforting. “Told me when you’d be in.”

The flight schedule. She’d given the information to a very begrudging Arlo as Dahlia had suggested. Sneaky, sneaky woman.