Where Azaleas Bloom (22 page)

As she slid into the booth again, she noted three beer bottles
lined up on the table between Mitch and Nate. Since she hadn’t paid attention to
who’d been drinking them, her heart did yet another nosedive.

Apparently, Mitch saw her expression and interpreted it
correctly. He pointedly tapped on his own glass of soda. Even though she was
relieved, her unease didn’t entirely disappear. Her first reaction told her it
was going to be a long time before she believed his drinking days were truly
behind him.

“Dad says you’re working three jobs,” Luke said. “How are you
able to juggle them all? I can barely handle one.”

“I imagine your work for your dad is a lot more physically
demanding than my jobs,” Lynn told him.

“Are you kidding me?” Luke said. “Those trays you carry can’t
be light.”

She laughed. “No, they took a little getting used to,” she
agreed. “The first two days, I was terrified I was going to dump every single
plate into some customer’s lap.” She grinned. “I’m proud to say I haven’t done
it yet.”

“Where else are you working?” Luke asked.

“I work part-time for Raylene in her boutique and part-time for
your dad.”

Nate immediately sat up straighter. “Dad’s paying you? To do
what?” he asked suspiciously.

Mitch immediately scowled at him. “Watch your tone, son.”

“I’m just asking what kind of work she’s doing for you,” Nate
said, refusing to back down. “I doubt she’s hanging drywall.”

“I’m handling billing and payroll,” she said, determined not to
take offense.

“But Dad always—” Nate began, only to yelp and shoot a confused
look at his father. “What?”

“I can’t keep up with it in the spring and summer when I have
too many crews working,” Mitch said.

Nate didn’t look convinced, but he fell silent. Lynn had gotten
the message, though. Hiring someone to do those tasks wasn’t something Mitch
always did. He’d obviously done it as a way of helping her out. She resolved to
straighten that out the first chance she got.

“I’d better get back to work,” she said, standing. “I’m so glad
I had a chance to meet you both. I’m sure I’ll see you again.”

She left the table without waiting for either of the young men
to respond. She was well aware that the evening hadn’t gone well. She was sorry
about that for Mitch’s sake, because he’d obviously been counting on her winning
over his sons. Judging from Nate’s reaction especially, that approval wasn’t
likely to come anytime soon.

Not for the first time, she wondered if she and Mitch weren’t
deluding themselves that this relationship had even a slim chance of succeeding.
Her life at the moment was way too complicated for her to spend a lot of time
worrying about the future when she couldn’t even be sure what the rest of the
day might bring. Maybe it was time to pull back, give them both some breathing
room.

But even as she resolved to do just that, she recalled Mitch’s
confidence that what they had was important and real. She had a feeling that he
wasn’t going to let go easily.

* * *

Mitch knew the dinner with his sons had been as close to
a disaster as anything he’d done recently, even though there’d been no overt
fireworks. Combined with Lynn’s doubts about his drinking, he knew he had a lot
of work left to do before their relationship could move forward. He just hadn’t
expected Lynn to go into a complete tailspin and do everything in her power to
avoid him.

In the past week alone, she’d balked at every dinner invitation
he’d issued. When she refused a fourth invitation, he called her on it.

“What’s going on, Lynn? It’s just dinner. Is this about what
happened at the barbecue on Memorial Day? I thought we’d settled the whole
drinking issue. Is it about Luke and Nate? Are you worried about coming between
us? That’s not going to happen.”

She sighed, her cheeks coloring. “Look, doubts don’t fade away
just because we might want them to. As for your sons, they’re not happy about
us. That’s real. We need to face it. Nate especially might never accept what’s
going on.”

“Nate will come around,” he said, determined to be optimistic.
“And Luke has already given me his blessing. He liked you, Lynn. He told me
so.”

“I’m surprised,” she said, looking pleased. “And you obviously
know Nate better than I do, so if you say he’ll adjust to seeing us together, I
have to accept that. But those aren’t our only obstacles, Mitch. I just think we
need to take a step back.”

“Okay,” he said slowly. “But before I agree, I could use a
little more clarity than that.”

She looked taken aback that he’d challenged her, but eventually
she nodded. “Okay, then, here it is. My life is a complicated mess right now. I
love your company, probably a little too much. I’m attracted to you, and believe
me when I say I wasn’t expecting that to happen to me for a long, long
time.”

“So far I’m not getting the problem. That all sounds positive
to me.”

“Because you’re a man,” she said wryly. “If sex or the prospect
of sex seems to be in the equation, all’s right with the world.”

Mitch frowned at her comment. “And you think that’s how I am?
You’re selling me short, don’t you think? I’ve only kissed you a couple of
times. I’ve held off out of respect for your situation. I’ve wanted to do a lot
more than that, but I’m being as patient and understanding as I can possibly be
because of the circumstances.”

There was real misery in her eyes as he spoke. “I know all
that,” she said softly.

“Then you’re making excuses, Lynn. What’s really spooked
you?”

“It’s all the uncertainty, I guess.”

“Uncertainty? About us?”

A smile came and went. “No, you’ve been clear enough. But I
have no idea when my divorce is ever going to be final and, let’s face it, no
matter what you want to believe, you’re still getting over Amy’s death. We’re
like two lonely souls who’re adrift. The timing is lousy for us to even consider
getting involved.”

He understood what she was saying. Some of her words were
actually amazingly encouraging. Her conclusion, however, was not.

“As I said, sweetheart, it’s just dinner.”

She frowned at that. “I think we both know better, unless
something’s changed for you.”

Mitch laughed. “My testosterone is perfectly fine, thank you,
so nothing’s changed. I definitely want a whole lot more than dinner. I want you
in my bed, Lynn.” He determinedly held her gaze. “Is that plain enough for you?
I want you in my life long-term.”

He smiled at her. “That said, I’m also a patient man and, as
you just noted, I have baggage of my own. Rushing into bed held a lot of appeal
way back when. Now I understand the value and rewards of extensive
foreplay.”

She seemed startled by his comment, but then she chuckled.
“Extensive foreplay, huh?”

He nodded. “It works for me. Care to risk that much at least?
It’ll give you time to decide if I can be trusted or not.” He dared a grin. “And
you can enjoy knowing that being around you and being on my best behavior is
pure torture for me. Cold showers and sleepless nights have become a regular
part of my routine.”

He could tell that she was weighing the taunting offer from
every angle, probably trying to decide if she dared to take him up on it or even
if she trusted herself to stick to the rules. Finally, a smile broke across her
face, one that spoke volumes about her own feelings.

“So we’re really going to go public?” she asked, looking more
intrigued than he’d expected, given the doubts she’d expressed.

“That’s the plan,” he confirmed. “Unless you think being seen
around town with me is going to get Ed all worked up again. You want to run that
by Helen? The last thing I want to do is cause trouble for you.”

She hesitated, then shook her head. “No need,” she said firmly.
“It’s my decision, not Helen’s or Ed’s.” She held out her hand. “Okay,
deal.”

He allowed himself a full-blown smile then. “Oh, no you don’t,
Lynnie. Any deal this important deserves to be sealed with a kiss.”

“But you said—”

The protest died on her lips as he covered her mouth for just
an instant, long enough to determine yet again that one kiss would never be
enough. To his relief, as a soft moan escaped her lips, and she clung to him, it
seemed fairly evident that it wasn’t going to be enough for her, either.

21

T
he tension inside Karen Cruz’s home was
thick enough to cut, Flo thought as she and Liz arrived to join Frances and her
family for the dinner that had been arranged to discuss what Frances’s future
living arrangements ought to be.

Frances was sitting all alone in a big overstuffed chair, her
expression stone-faced as the conversation swirled around her. She looked a
little lost and way too sad. Instinctively, Flo and Liz went over to perch on
the arms of the chair, each of them taking a hand and giving it an encouraging
squeeze.

“You doing okay?” Liz asked worriedly.

“No, I’m not okay,” Frances snapped. “They’re all acting as if
my brain’s already gone, talking around me and about me. Not one of them has
looked me in the eye and asked what I wanted.”

Flo felt for her friend, but she also felt terrible for her son
and daughter and the spouses who were caught up in this unexpected situation.
She, Liz and Frances had had time to adjust to the news of Frances’s
deteriorating health. It was all very new to her family. Not only were they
grappling with their own distress, but they were trying to figure out a solution
to one of the more difficult problems any family could face: how best to help an
aging parent.

Flo looked at Frances’s daughter. Jennifer was in her late
forties. She and her husband were both teachers and with two daughters of their
own in college and another one about to enter in the fall, Jennifer was
obviously stressed to the brink over finances.

Jeff, Frances’s son, had a wife who’d never been particularly
interested in his family. She’d been tied by the apron strings to her own mother
and sisters and had remained aloof from Frances over the years. Flo had a
feeling she was unhappy even to be in the room for this difficult
conversation.

“Obviously, Mother can’t go on living alone,” Jeff declared. “I
suppose she could stay with us some of the time and with you the rest of the
time, Jen.”

Martha, Jeff’s wife, looked horrified by the suggestion. So,
for that matter, did Jennifer.

“That will never work,” Martha said, giving her husband a
defiant look. “We simply don’t have the room.”

Dave, Jen’s husband, frowned at his sister-in-law and even at
his wife. “We could make it work,” he said. “The girls are away at school most
of the time, anyway.”

“But we both have jobs,” Jennifer protested. “Someone would
have to stay home or we’d have to bring in help.”

Flo had heard enough. She glanced at Liz, who nodded. They’d
talked about stepping in, but only if the conversation seemed to be
deteriorating. They didn’t want Frances to sit here listening to her children
implying that she was little more than a burden to them.

“May I say something?” Flo said, giving Frances’s hand another
squeeze. “Liz and I have spent more time around your mother than any of you have
recently.” When Jen started to protest, Flo held up a hand. “I was not saying
that to be judgmental. It’s just the way it is. While it’s true that there have
been a few more incidents recently, I’m not sure a decision has to be made
today. I also know your mother well enough to understand that the last thing she
wants is to impose on any of you.”

“Well, what other choice is there?” Jeff asked with evident
frustration. “She can’t continue to live alone in that apartment. The landlord
called us after the fire. He wants her out.”

Though the news annoyed the daylights out of her, Flo
understood that Ned Kildare probably felt he had an obligation to the safety of
his other tenants, as well as to Frances herself.

“We understand that,” Liz said. “But we’ve talked all along
about looking for a senior community where the three of us might be comfortable,
one that has various levels of care, independent living for as long as we’re
able, assisted living for when the time comes that we need it. Flo’s
circumstances have changed recently and so have mine, but I still think this is
a viable solution.”

“Mom can’t afford some expensive retirement community,” Jeff
said. “And at the least she should be living close to one of us.”

“Do you really want to uproot her from the community where
she’s spent her entire life?” Flo asked. She turned to Frances. “Hon, I don’t
want to speak out of turn here. This is up to you. Why don’t you tell us what
you want?”

Tears glistened in Frances’s eyes. “I want to stay at home with
Lester,” she said in a whisper that could barely be heard around the room.

At that, Jennifer burst into tears and crossed the room,
pulling her mother into her arms. “Mom, you know Daddy’s been gone for a long,
long time,” she said, her voice thick.

Frances blinked. “Lester’s gone?”

Jen wiped away her mother’s tears. “Yes, Mom, he’s gone. And
you sold the house a couple of years after that. You’ve been living in an
apartment, remember?”

Frances frowned, then seemed to come back from whatever moment
in time she’d been in. “Well, of course, I remember,” she said irritably. “And I
know I should have looked for a retirement place back when I was first
diagnosed, but I guess I’ve been living in denial, thinking that I’d be one of
the lucky ones who’d never progress beyond having a mild cognitive disorder.
There’s no fool quite like an old fool, is there?”

“Mom, you’ve never been foolish,” Jeff said. “And it doesn’t
matter if you’ve been in denial. We’re all facing this now and we’re doing it
together.” He gave his wife a defiant look as he said it.

Karen, who’d been silent until now, crossed the room and knelt
beside Frances. “Whatever you decide, you know that Elliott and I want you to
stay right here until you find exactly the right situation. There’s no rush,
okay?” She shot a disappointed look at Jeff and Jennifer. “Daisy, Mack and
Elliott and I love having you here. You were always there for me, and I’m more
than happy to do whatever I can for you now.”

Jen looked vaguely chagrined to have this younger woman who had
no family ties to Frances step up in a way she hadn’t. Even so, she seized on
the apparent lifeline.

“Karen, are you sure you’re up to this?” Jen asked. “You have a
baby on the way, a job to consider.”

“We want to do it,” Karen insisted. “Elliott would be here to
tell you that himself, but we decided it was best to take the kids over to his
mom’s for dinner so you all could discuss this in peace.”

“It would only be until we could find a place where Mom will be
comfortable,” Jeff said, looking relieved. “I’d insist she come with me, but I
know how much she adores Daisy and Mack and this town. She’ll be much happier
here with you and with her friends close by.”

“And we’ll take her to visit all the retirement homes in the
region,” Flo offered. “When we’ve narrowed it down, we can let you know and you
can look over the ones your mother likes best.”

Jen looked around the room gratefully. “You have no idea how
much it means to me knowing that Mom is surrounded by so many people who care
about her.”

“More than my own children do from what I can see,” Frances
said, her expression sad. She stood up. “I think I’ll go to my room and
rest.”

She walked out with Liz at her side.

Flo glanced at Jen and saw tears streaming down her cheeks.

“She’s right,” Jen said. “You’re the ones who’ve stepped up.
All I could think about was how on earth we’d manage.”

“It would have been hard,” Jeff said, looking directly at his
wife when he spoke. “But we could have made it work. Still, I am grateful that
there’s an alternative.”

“And you’ve no need to feel guilty about that,” Flo told
him.

Though she was disappointed that Frances’s family hadn’t
reacted differently, she understood from her own time living with Helen, Erik
and Sarah Beth while her broken hip healed that it was often difficult having
three generations under one roof. To have to make such an adjustment on the spur
of the moment would be incredibly difficult.

“And try not to let what your mother said upset you too much,”
Flo advised them. “She’s under a terrible strain trying to accept that she needs
help from anyone. She’s a proud woman, and she’s been able to live independently
for years. This is going to be a big change for her. She’s entitled to lash out
from time to time.”

Jen managed a wobbly smile. “Given some of the tongue lashings
she gave me as a teenager, I think we got off easy today. And despite what I
know you must think of us right now, we will step up and be there for her. I
promise you that.”

Karen gave Jen a fierce hug. “You were so lucky to have had her
as a mother. I’ve only had her in my life for a few years. Maybe it’ll help to
know how very much I love her, too. She’s not going to face any of this
alone.”

“No, she’s not,” Flo said just as emphatically. Heck, maybe in
another year or two she and Donnie would be ready for the right retirement home,
too. Especially if there were regular dances!

* * *

“Why are we here?” Lynn asked, when she met Helen
outside the courtroom just two days after that uncomfortable evening with
Mitch’s sons. “Is the judge finally ruling on the divorce settlement today?”

Helen shook her head. “Apparently, Jimmy Bob has filed some
kind of new motion, and Hal wants to have a full hearing before he takes it into
account.”

“A motion? And you haven’t seen it?”

Helen rolled her eyes. “Jimmy Bob is particularly fond of
blindsiding the opposing attorney,” she said, clearly disgusted with his
tactics. “The court frowns on it, and it means there can’t possibly be any kind
of ruling because we haven’t had time to respond, but it’s all a big game to
him. I’m surprised the bar association hasn’t sanctioned him for pulling this
stunt too many times.”

Helen studied her. “Do you have any idea what this could be
about? Has Ed said anything recently that might give you a clue?”

Lynn shook her head. “He’s been giving me a wide berth lately.
He doesn’t want to hear any more of my rants about his failure to make the
payments he’s supposed to be making. Thank God, I’m bringing in enough money now
for us to get by, at least for food and utilities. I’m still scared, though,
that we’ll wind up losing the house.”

Helen smiled. “I don’t think that’s likely, despite the way
he’s systematically removed the equity from it. I think we’re going to be able
to make a very good case to have that situation rectified.”

“You’ve heard from the investigator?”

Helen nodded, looking pleased. “Those Cayman Islands accounts
do exist. I can’t prove how much is in them because the secrecy walls are a mile
high, but their mere existence is going to infuriate Hal. He’ll garnish every
penny of Ed’s he can to make sure you get what you deserve once he knows about
those.”

Lynn shook her head. “Has his father acknowledged that he was
taking money from the business, too?”

“Not to me,” Helen said. “As you anticipated, he’s protecting
Ed till the bitter end. Once I can call him to the stand and have him declared a
hostile witness, I imagine we can wrest out enough damning information to make
Hal sit up and take notice.”

“Do you think we’re talking about a lot of money?” Lynn
asked.

“He wouldn’t be setting up secret, offshore accounts if it
weren’t,” Helen said.

“But why?” Lynn asked, still perplexed. “Is he just
greedy?”

“That could explain some of it, but I have two different
theories,” Helen said.

“Really?”

“First, it’s possible he’s been gambling and suffered some
losses.”

Lynn was shocked. “I can’t imagine that,” she said. “He never
even wanted to play poker or blackjack when the club had Vegas nights. It just
didn’t interest him. What’s your other theory?”

“That he’s being blackmailed.”

Lynn’s mouth dropped open. “Blackmailed? No way. By whom?
Why?”

“You have no ideas?”

“Not a one. I’d be stunned if he’d ever done anything at all
that someone could use against him.”

“You mean other than stealing from you and the business?” Helen
said wryly.

“Yeah, those are shockers, too. I guess you never really know
anyone quite as well as you think you do.” She regarded Helen with bewilderment.
“But if he has all that going on, why isn’t he more anxious to get this divorce
behind him? He could just settle this and focus on all the other craziness.”

“Maybe there’s no money left for a settlement,” Helen said. “Or
maybe this motion he’s filed is some last-ditch effort to keep the court from
granting you anything.”

Lynn regarded her worriedly. “Is that possible?”

“Anything’s possible,” Helen said. “He can certainly try, but
he won’t get away with it, Lynn. You don’t need to worry about that.”

“I still wish I knew what he was up to. I don’t like going in
there without a clue.”

“And you can’t think of a single thing?” Helen pressed
again.

Lynn thought about the last conversations she’d had with Ed.
They’d mostly been brief and contentious. She hadn’t wanted to dwell on any of
them. “I do think he’s had some pressure from his folks about the kids. Could
that be it?”

“What sort of pressure?”

“They want guaranteed visitation. They’ve been livid because
Lexie won’t go over there. Of course, they blame me, even though it was some
comments Wilma made that upset Lexie in the first place.”

Helen nodded. “That could be it. Let’s hope so. We should be
able to get that resolved fairly quickly. The kids are old enough to have some
say in how much time they care to spend with their grandparents, and if we can
document that Wilma has been bad-mouthing you in front of them, it’ll definitely
weaken their case.”

Lynn regarded her with alarm. “Does that mean Lexie would have
to testify? I don’t want to drag her into the middle of this.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Helen said. “It may not be
about that at all. Let’s just go in there and see how this plays out.”