Chapter Twelve
Saturday morning Maureen was in the kitchen making breakfast when Cathleen called.
“Poppy’s been a little dejected the past few days. I thought we’d cheer her up with a big family dinner. It’s good timing since we have a lull in guests at the B and B. Are you and Holly free?”
Maureen glanced at the calendar she’d hung by the phone. All those empty white boxes were depressing. “Yes, we can make it. What’s wrong with Poppy?”
“Something to do with Harvey, I suspect, but Poppy just sighs whenever I bring up the subject. Maybe you could get Jake to worm something out of Harvey.”
Maureen scraped the fruit she’d been cutting into a bowl. “If you want Jake’s help, you’d better ask him yourself.”
“I don’t like the sound of that. What’s going on, Maureen? I thought you two were dating?”
“We haven’t seen each other in ages.”
“Well, why not?” Cathleen asked, clearly exasperated. “You were off to such a great start.”
“That’s all it ended up to be. A start. We played a bit of tennis and went out for dinner a couple of times. But we just didn’t click.” It was safer to put it down to that, rather than admit to her emotional meltdown.
Cathleen became quiet for a moment, then repeated carefully, “You didn’t click?”
“No.” Maureen stared vacantly out the window, remembering…
Jake teasing her when she missed a return in tennis, their first kiss, laughing together…
No, they hadn’t clicked. It’d been more like an explosion that had shattered them both when it was over.
Well, shattered her, anyway. As far as she could tell, Jake was doing just fine.
“Well, I wish you’d told me,” Cathleen said. “I wouldn’t have invited him to dinner.”
Oh, great. “So he’s coming, too?”
“Not only coming. He’s offered to drive you and Holly. He told me to pass on the message.”
The weasel. He’d known she’d refuse if he asked her directly.
“Why do you suppose he agreed to come to dinner and volunteered—most eagerly, I might add—to drive you to the B and B?”
“I have no idea.”
“Oh, really? If there’s one thing I recognize, it’s when a man is interested in a woman.”
“Great.” Maureen tossed the fruit peelings into the composting bin. “Why don’t you go ahead and start printing up wedding invitations, then?”
“Click,” Cathleen replied. “Click, click, click.”
Maureen had no choice but to hang up on her.
*
Even with Holly in the back seat, chatting about her plans for the upcoming summer vacation—most involving spending time on the ranch with Cathleen or babysitting Billy and Mandy, in other words, anyone but her mother—Maureen felt uncomfortable sitting next to Jake as he drove.
She hadn’t been this close to him in more than a month.
Efforts to focus on the road ahead were unsuccessful.
All she noticed were his large, steady hands on the steering wheel, his broad shoulders taking up more than his share of the cab space.
He seemed ill at ease too. He directed most of his conversation toward Holly. Every now and then she caught him looking at her though. Then he would quickly focus back on the road.
At the B and B, Kip barreled out the door to welcome them, followed by Amanda and Billy. The little kids absolutely adored Holly—or “Howwy,” as Amanda lisped. In the kitchen, Poppy had her sleeves rolled high and her hair pinned up. She was in her element.
“This is so wonderful to have everyone together. Maureen, would you please mash the potatoes? Dylan is carving the tenderloin and Cathleen and Kelly are tossing salads. Jake, maybe you could open the wine.”
By giving everyone a job, she made them all feel important and needed and part of the clan.
Maureen observed this, somehow still feeling outside the magic circle.
She wasn’t sure why she had this sense of not belonging in her own family.
Maybe it was because they all thought of her as successful and confident and strong.
And not a fraud who had failed as wife and wasn’t much of a mother, either.
Dinner was served at the table in the dining room. At first the talk was general, but Maureen wasn’t surprised when her daughter worked the conversation around to the Beckett murder.
“Dylan, why did the police think you’d done it?”
“Good question. Mostly because I hadn’t made any secret of how much I despised my stepfather. I guess the police figured I was trying to stir up trouble.”
“But if they thought you shot the gun, who did they think set off the firecrackers?”
“Another good question,” Kelly said. “You think like an investigator. There were two possibilities, right? That the shooter had a partner or—” she hesitated for emphasis “—or he simply took advantage of the situation and timed the shooting when the firecrackers started going off.”
Holly’s fascination with the case was beginning to worry Maureen. “That was a delicious meal.” She winked at her sisters as she asked, “I don’t suppose you made dessert, too.”
“Of course I made dessert.” Poppy sounded affronted at the idea she hadn’t. “Bumble berry pies for the grown-ups and a special chocolate cream one for Billy and Amanda.”
Billy and Amanda cheered. Even Holly perked up.
“Can I have some chocolate pie, too?”
“You bet. In fact, Holly, will you come to the kitchen and help me serve?”
Once dessert was finished, Holly took the little kids to play in the sitting room. Cathleen topped up everyone’s coffee. When she came to Maureen’s mug, Maureen demurred.
“No, thanks.” She covered the top of her mug with her hand.
Throughout the meal, she’d watched Jake in his spot between Poppy and Amanda.
He’d helped the little girl cut her meat, kept Poppy’s wine glass filled at all times and still followed the conversation with the ease of someone who’d been around the family for a long time.
Of course, he was Dylan’s cousin, so he really was part of this family.
For some reason, that knowledge bothered her. This was her family, damn it. It seemed unfair that he should fit in better than she did.
“Where’s Harvey tonight?” Mick asked.
Like a drop of food coloring in a glass of water, quiet spread out from his remark. From the expression on Kelly’s face, she was kicking her husband under the table. Poor guy, he remained clueless he’d said something wrong. Although he’d certainly picked up on the fact that he’d made a gaffe.
“I’m sorry…?” He glanced around the table searching for a clue as to what was wrong.
“It’s okay, Mick.” Poppy stirred her coffee and sighed. “You all deserve the truth. I’ve been putting off telling you because I myself didn’t want to face it.”
“If Harvey’s seeing another woman, I’m going to run him over with my Jeep,” Cathleen promised.
Poppy laughed weakly. “No. Not another woman. Actually, he asked me to marry him.”
Maureen blinked. From Poppy’s glum countenance, this was the last news she’d expected. “Why, that’s wonderful!”
“Wonderful, yes. Except he wants me to retire to Arizona with him.”
“Oh, no,” Kelly said softly.
“‘No’ is right. I told him I couldn’t do it.” Her gaze swept over all of them, and Maureen felt a tug on her heart—one she hadn’t experienced in a long time, not since her mother had been alive.
“But if you love him…” Cathleen’s voice wavered.
“I do. But love at seventy is different from love at your age. You and Dylan will be building a family together. That pursuit is long gone for Harvey and me.”
“Still, you’d have each other,” Maureen pointed out.
“Yes, and Harvey’s a wonderful man. But five years ago if you’d asked for my greatest regret, I’d have told you it was being estranged from my grandchildren.
This past year has been one of the happiest of my life.
I try not to think of all the years I’ve missed…
and I certainly don’t want to miss any more.
I want to be here for my great-grandchildren while they’re young.
For Holly, and Billy and Amanda. And all the little ones I know will come. ”
Maureen’s throat tightened. Poppy was willing to give up love just to be part of their family.
Did any of them really deserve this woman, who asked so little of them and was so grateful for any attention she received?
When Maureen herself had been really hurting, Poppy was the one who’d noticed, who’d reached out with a loving heart and tried to help.
“Well, we’ve had no shortage of problems since you’ve met us, have we?” Cathleen asked on a half laugh, half sob. “No wonder you’re afraid to move away. God, you must think we’re a pathetic lot.”
“No.” Poppy’s voice was firm. She wiped tears from her eyes and sat up straight. “You are wonderful girls. Your mother would be so proud of each of you.” Her expression bespoke her fierce loyalty.
Kelly, who was sitting next to Poppy, reached over to give her a hug. “Billy and Amanda love you to death. We all do.”
“And if you really do want to stay, then you must. This is your home for as long as you want it,” Cathleen said.
“Oh, Cathleen, you little love. I’ve always realized I can’t live here forever. I love running the B and B and I hope I can continue to do so for many years. But there’s going to come a day when the work is too much for me.”
“When that day comes you’ll move in with Dylan and me,” Cathleen said. “And we’ll take care of you for a change.”
Dylan put his hand over Cathleen’s and nodded. “Let me second that offer, Poppy. You have a home, either at the B and B or with us for as long as want.”
Poppy’s pale, freckled skin colored. “You’re being too generous.”
“You’re the one who always does too much for others,” Kelly pointed out.
“Harvey’s going to be annoyed with us,” Maureen said. “For trying to bribe you into staying.”
“You don’t need to bribe me, love. Nothing could make me leave now that I know you all want me here.”
*
After dessert was over Jake noticed Maureen gathering dishes to take to the kitchen. He stood, intending to help, but Dylan clasped a hand on his shoulder.