Chapter Twelve #2
“Tell me what’s been going on in your life since we were last together.”
“I got the baking contract at the Hip Hop. I’m going to see Melissa tomorrow after my shift and we’ll decide on what I’ll be baking and how much.”
“Hey, that’s great.” He squeezed her. “Are you going to have to give up sleep to get it all done?”
“Maybe. But it’s worth it.” She hesitated. “I’m not trying to get rich. I need the money to pay for Dirk’s school.”
Mark rolled onto his back and settled her with her head on his shoulder. “I’ve never been to the Madison School, but I’ve heard about it. It has a great reputation.”
“I know.” She tilted her head so she could look at him.
“We knew pretty early that there was something different about Dirk. My dad completely freaked out. He wouldn’t have anything to do with him.
My mom went in the other direction. She became completely absorbed with his problems, and wanted to fix him.
When she found out there wasn’t a cure for what he had, she turned her back on him, as well. ”
Darcy pressed her hand against Mark’s chest. “I was too into my own life to realize what was going on. To me, Dirk was my brother. I loved him, we had fun together. End of story. It wasn’t until my parents died and I was responsible for him that I began to worry about his future.”
“Is he the reason you moved to Arizona?”
“Part of it. There was a decent school where we were, but after all our friends abandoned us, I didn’t see the point in staying. I wanted to try living somewhere warm. Dirk was in a day program there and he was really doing well, but as he got older, he needed more.”
“How old is he?”
“Fourteen.” She smiled. “He’s a great kid.
Funny and caring. But he’s growing taller every year and it became difficult to find a baby-sitter for when I wasn’t home.
Plus he needed more one-on-one attention.
I found out about the Madison School. They’re different in that they focus on preparing teenagers like Dirk for the real world.
They have a fabulous staff and an excellent curriculum. ”
“How do you pay for it?”
She raised herself up on her elbow. “Not by laundering money.”
“Ouch.”
She lightly kissed him. “Sorry. I was teasing. Actually I’ve been getting by. I had some savings when we moved here and the school lets me pay monthly. That money you saw in my music box is my entire savings account.”
“You shouldn’t keep it in cash.”
“I know. But I get paid in cash and getting to the bank is one more thing I don’t have time to do.
The good news is that one of Dirk’s counselors told me that he thinks we’ll be eligible for financial aid.
I’m trying not to get my hopes up, but if they could cover even half of his school, it would be a huge help. ”
“And in the meantime you work two jobs.”
She shrugged. “I’ve worked three before. This is hardly new to me.”
He studied her, his green eyes dark and unreadable. “You’re an amazing woman, Darcy Montague. I’m impressed.”
His words made her feel all warm inside. “Don’t be. I’m just taking care of my brother. It’s not all that different from what you did with your sister when your parents died.”
“It’s very different. I looked after Maddie for a couple of years. You’ve signed up for a lifetime of commitment.”
His words made her uncomfortable. Not because of the praise, but because she suspected she knew what was coming next. Now that Mark knew about her brother and all that was involved with caring for him, Mark would be heading for the hills.
She shifted so that she was lying next to him, on her back and staring at the ceiling.
By blinking very fast, she managed to keep the tears at bay.
Part of her wanted to scream out against the unfairness of it all.
Part of her wanted to tell him that if he was leaving he should try to keep the door from hitting him on the ass.
“I’d like to meet him.”
The unexpected words hung in the room like balloons. She stopped blinking. A single tear slipped out of the corner of her eye and ran toward her temple.
“What?”
Mark leaned over her. “I said I would like to meet your brother. Why are you crying?”
She sniffed. “I’m not.”
“I saw a tear.”
“I have something in my eye.”
“Liar.” He spoke the word gently, then brushed her mouth with his. “I mean it, Darcy. I would like to meet Dirk. Unless you think it would be too weird for him.”
She didn’t know what to say. No one had ever wanted to meet Dirk before. She’d learned to stop expecting that kind of miracle.
She gazed at Mark’s face and reminded herself that this man might look pretty amazing on the outside, but on the inside, he still didn’t trust women very much. She had to make sure she didn’t fall in love with him.
“It’s a long drive,” she said, trying to give him an out in case he’d just been being polite.
“I know where the Madison School is. Are you trying to tell me you don’t want me to meet him?”
“No. I just—” She smiled. “I’m going next Saturday. You’re welcome to join me.”
“I’d like that.”
“Move them to the right,” Darcy called. “Santa has to be centered.”
Josh glowered at her from his place on the roof. “Is this where I remind you that I’m doing this as a favor to a friend. I’m not getting paid and I don’t care if Santa is centered or straight or even up. It’s cold and I’m hungry.”
Darcy smiled. “I’m sorry, Josh. Did you say something?”
Josh turned his attention to Mark. “You should be able to talk some sense into her.”
“You’d think, but you’d be wrong.”
Mark chuckled as his friend straightened the plastic Santa covered in lights, all the while grumbling about people being perfectionists over the stupidest things.
He thought about explaining that he hadn’t exactly tap-danced at the thought of spending an evening in the frigid night air hanging lights and putting up Christmas decorations, but Darcy had asked him to help and he’d been unable to refuse her.
The fact that his ankle wasn’t a hundred percent meant that he’d had to call in reinforcements.
He finished stapling the white lights around the porch about the same time Josh climbed down off the roof. Darcy eyed their work critically.
“Very nice,” she said.
Mark joined her, limping only slightly. It was Wednesday.
His ankle had continued to hurt through Monday but then had started to heal.
He rested his weight on his good leg and resisted the urge to put his arm around Darcy.
Since they’d had their heart-to-heart talk, they’d been spending their evenings together, although not their nights.
Mark wasn’t sure he was ready to be back in her bed.
Something profound had happened the last time they’d been intimate.
Somehow, sharing his past and hearing more about her brother had changed things.
It was as if in the telling of their secrets, they’d shifted their relationship.
He didn’t want to think about what that meant.
Trust still wasn’t easy for him. He’d been completely wrong about Sylvia, and while that didn’t mean he couldn’t be right about Darcy, he wanted to be sure.
There was no way he was going to make another mistake like that one.
Darcy snuggled close, wrapping her arms around him as she gazed at the duplex. “Does it make you believe in miracles?”
“We must not be looking at the same thing.”
He saw a slightly tired building with half outlined in white lights. A flashing Santa sat above the center of the porch. No doubt she saw a wonderland.
“Don’t be cynical,” she told him. “You both did a great job. I really appreciate it.”
“Yeah, well, you’re welcome,” Josh muttered ungraciously. “Now I’m going home before I freeze to death.”
“Do you want to come inside first?” Darcy asked. “I feel badly making you do work and then sending you off on an empty stomach. I have carrot cake.”
Josh laughed. “Darcy, you already gave me two dozen cookies and a pumpkin loaf. I don’t need anything else.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.” Josh gave them a wave and headed for his truck.
Mark stared after him. If Darcy had her way, she would feed the world.
“I know you won’t turn down my carrot cake,” she said, moving toward the house.
“You’re right on that.”
Five minutes later he dug his fork into a large piece of cake. One bite told him that Darcy had made this as well as she made everything else.
“It’s great,” he said when he’d swallowed.
She poured him a cup of coffee. “I’m glad you like it. I think the tofu blends nicely with the other flavors.”
He had another forkful halfway to his mouth. At her words, he froze. “No way.”
She blinked innocently. “Way.”
“You didn’t put tofu in here.”
Her smile gave nothing away.
Cautiously he took another bite. It still tasted heavenly. The cake was moist, the frosting just sweet enough to make his mouth water.
“Hell, if this is tofu, sign me up,” he muttered in defeat.
Darcy dropped a kiss on his cheek. “I wish I could say it was. I’m just having a good time at your expense.”
“It’s not politically correct to take advantage of a man when he’s injured.”
“On the contrary, this is the only time I get a chance to best you.”
She walked over to the counter and started pulling ingredients out of the cupboard.
“What are you making tonight?” he asked.
“More sugar cookies. Melissa doubled her order today. She said they’re selling a lot faster than she thought.
And I have to make gingerbread for another house.
The hospital said they wanted to raffle one off at their Christmas party on Friday.
I’ll get it baked and cut out tonight, then assemble it tomorrow. ”
As she spoke, her shoulders drooped with weariness.
“How late are you going to be up tonight?” he asked.
“I don’t want to think about it.”
“Can I help? If you mixed up the gingerbread here, we could bake it at my place. That would free you up to concentrate on the cookies.”
She gave him a grateful smile. “Are you sure you don’t mind?”