Chapter Thirty-one
Breaking away after the cops took numerous photos of his vehicle and even scraped some paint samples from the dents, he sped to Angie’s and worked at top speed to complete the final details on the casita.
Then, he rushed to finish a side project he’d been occupied with for Angie. He’d let Maisie help him, and they’d spent a lot of time together while he organized the construction.
Now, stepping back and leaning on his rake, Maisie propped against his leg, they stared at a Seasonal Wonderland. He’d bought every good-sized red poinsettia plant he could find in town and ordered a few more which had arrived that morning.
With Christmas just a month away, he’d wanted to make a nice gesture for Angie’s homecoming. They’d already discussed fixing this side of the house along the back by the new pool fence, so he’d known she’d been fretting over the space.
What better way than to hide it with climbing vines and brilliant red faces peeking out from her favorite flowers he’d planted in masses?
“Jack, how do you know Auntie Angie likes these wed flowers?”
“Do you remember the house last Christmas? I know you, your mom and Mia came to visit while I was away on vacation to see my own folks in England.”
“Yes.”
“Those same flowers were everywhere, right? She had pots of them going up the stairs, more filling the veranda and in the entrance. I asked her then why she didn’t just plant them outside?”
“What did she say?”
“Her exact words were – I haven’t a clue. Maybe one day I will.”
“So, we’we doing it fow her now.”
“We sure are. When she gets home, it’ll be a nice surprise.”
“I love suwpwises.”
“Me too, kitten.”
Just then, he saw Mia’s car turning into the driveway and quickly put away the rakes and gloves and hauled Maisie on his shoulder to go to the pool house where they could wash up.
Minutes later, arriving at the front of the house in time to help Mia with Angie’s numerous flower baskets, he spread them around the veranda where she could arrange them later.
Unable to stop his teasing words, he chuckled, “Did you swipe everyone else’s flowers too, Ange?”
“Not likely. Truth is, I passed a bunch of mine out. Got Mia to distribute a lot of the arrangements to the other patients on the floor. Of course, there were some I wouldn’t part with, yours included.”
“Good thing, that mess cost me a bundle.” He winked and laughed when she slapped his arm teasingly.
“Yeah, but I’m worth it, right?”
“We… ll?”
“Quit being a brat. You love me and you know it.”
Now he laughed and gave her a side hug. “Yep, you’re my girl.”
He didn’t see Mia watching the byplay until Mark arrived to help and had to speak to her twice to get her attention.
With everyone pitching in, they had Angie settled in no time at all.
Maisie, acting like she had pins and needles in her feet, wouldn’t stop prancing.
Noticing, Angie asked, “What’s happening, little girl?
You look like you have ants in your pants.
Or a kid on Christmas morning waiting to open her presents. ”
“Not my pwesent. It’s youws. Come and see.” Maisie took Angie’s hand and all but dragged her to the back veranda. “It’s fwom me and Jack, wight Jack? We wowked vewy hawd fow you, Auntie. Do you like it?”
If tears were an indication of pleasure, which in this case they were, then Angie absolutely loved it.
Jack saw Mia glance in his direction, her amazement obvious. When he caught her eye, she looked away quickly. The same way she’d been doing ever since she’d run away from his kiss in the kitchen after Maisie’s accident in the pool.
He’d wanted to talk to her about things, discuss why she was cold-shouldering him, but there never seemed to be the right moment. What worried him most… she made sure of it.