Chapter Two New Devon #4
Viggo turned to Diogo, who was finishing off his bowl.
“Keep an eye on everything. I’ll put the TV on for you.
Cartoon Network alright?” Diogo lifted his head and grunted.
Viggo clicked the remote. When the program appeared, Daffy Duck was stealing carrots from Bugs Bunny’s mailbox.
“It’s his favorite show. Now I just have to teach him how to turn it on and off. ”
Madison chortled. “I’ll send Mario and Luigi over.”
He gave her a quizzical glance.
“One night I woke up to voices in the living area. I knew I had set the security alarm, and nobody gets past Raul, our night doorman. So, I sat up to listen further and realized it was Homer Simpson!”
“Your cats like cartoons also?” Viggo smiled.
“Yes. Now I have to hide the remote before I go to bed.”
“I believe animals are much smarter than we are.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more,” Madison replied.
Viggo gave Diogo’s collar a slight tug. “C’mon, pal.
Let’s get you dressed for the fireworks.
” Viggo addressed his fur toddler and opened a tall cabinet door.
A leash, doggie raincoat, doggie booties, and a ThunderShirt with matching cap hung on several hooks.
Cans of dog food lined the shelves beneath the paraphernalia.
Madison smiled at the accoutrements. “I see he has his own wardrobe.”
“Nothing but the best for my bud.” Viggo sprayed calming essence on the inside of the dog’s shirt, placed a floppy-eared cap on Diogo’s head, then fastened the shirt on his pooch.
“He gets nervous during fireworks and thunderstorms. So far, this seems to be the winning combination: shirt, aromatherapy, and Looney Tunes.”
“That would work for me, as well.” Madison was quickly sinking further down the rabbit hole of a crush.
She caught herself blushing. Could a woman her age have a crush?
She was getting flutters in her stomach, and she knew it wasn’t from Hannah’s clam roll.
The more time she spent with Viggo, the more she admired him.
His tanned skin highlighted his short, wavy locks.
His green long-sleeve shirt skimmed his chest, hinting at his taut, muscular body.
Viggo looked at the willowy platinum blonde.
She was a knockout. But it wasn’t just her classic looks that appealed to him; they were a bonus.
It was the way she carried herself. How she spoke.
Her words were deliberate, the results of a fine education.
Her career achievements were accomplished by hard work, dedication, and being fair-minded.
This was merely an assumption on his part, but he had the opportunity to observe her over the past few months.
She always addressed people with deference, even the vendors who were late with deliveries or brought the wrong merchandise.
She was patient and respectful. She never acted with entitlement.
And she had a quick wit, which she doled out with discretion.
Cool, calm, and collected. At first, he thought she was too cool.
But that belief quickly gave way when she made a few self-effacing remarks.
Especially about the face-plant on the dock.
A few of the locals had gotten quite a kick out of seeing the “city slicker” wipe out.
Sure, most of the people in town took kindly to her, but there were a few holdouts.
The same people who don’t want anything to change.
Even if it’s for the better. He was relieved he had gotten past feeling daunted by her sophistication.
In reality, it had taken only a few minutes.
Viggo gave Diogo one last scratch on the head before he gestured toward the front door. “Shall we?” he asked Madison.
“Yes. We shall.” Madison wondered if she should ask Viggo what he was going to say to her earlier. She decided she would let him decide to bring it up again or not.
When they got back to the awards ceremony, everyone was dispersing, strolling toward the bulkhead to watch the annual fireworks display light up the sky. It surely wasn’t Macy’s extravaganza, but it had its own charm.
Madison spotted Lincoln and Olivia. Their daughter Giada was nestled between them, smiling and laughing.
Giada was in college and blossoming into a beautiful young woman.
But at that moment, Madison recognized the little girl inside Giada, enjoying her family.
Madison wondered how much longer they would be able to interact that way.
Eventually Giada would find a boyfriend, possibly get married, and carry on with her own life.
Madison’s heart melted as she saw Giada laugh and hug her father.
It was such a sweet moment. A moment she never had with her father.
Lincoln was everything their father wasn’t: kind, loving, engaging, generous with his love and his money, witty, stable, and especially honorable.
Olivia was beaming as she stood next to her husband and daughter.
Madison’s heart swelled with affection for her very close-knit, loving family.
Madison realized that Olivia appeared to be just as charmed with Smuggler’s Cove as she was. She felt as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. It was time to call a family meeting and discuss her latest idea.