Chapter 9
Chapter Nine
The next morning, Max woke with the taste of bitter disappointment on his tongue. No matter how much he tried to wrap his head around Carissa’s refusal to answer his question, he couldn’t understand why she hadn’t agreed to join him for dinner. Perhaps his delivery could use some work, but he’d made it clear that the dinner was a friendly invitation and not a date.
Though deep down, he wished he was free to ask her out. His promise to Lanie had seemed trivial at the time, but as his interest in Carissa grew, so did his desire to spend more time with her.
A realization hit him. Maybe she feels the same and was hoping for more than just a friendship. He would have to explain about Lanie, but he was sure Carissa would understand. She was a businesswoman, after all.
When he came downstairs, he found Lanie in the kitchen and at the stove. The scent of fried bacon wafted toward the doorway, and he inhaled the delicious smell. He hurried to the table and slid into his seat.
A moment later, Lanie placed two plates on the table. His anticipation of a hearty breakfast diminished when he was greeted with an egg-white omelet and a dry piece of wheat toast. Meanwhile, Lanie’s plate had two pieces of bacon and scrambled eggs.
“What gives?” he demanded with a frown.
She rolled her eyes. “You can’t eat bacon. You’re lucky I let you have all that cake at the tasting.”
“Lucky,” he muttered as he cut into his omelet with a fork. “Like I’m a child instead of a grown man.”
“So, how was your evening?” she asked in a falsely cheerful tone. After grabbing the salt, she sprinkled some on her food.
He held out his hand for her to pass it, but she placed it out of reach and handed him the pepper instead. At his scowl, she simply shrugged.
“Nothing of interest to report. I went grocery shopping.” He cleared his throat. “I saw Carissa while I was there.”
“Oh? How is she?”
Max shrugged. “Fine, I guess. We didn’t talk much.” That was the understatement of the year, but he had to tread carefully where Carissa was concerned. The last thing he needed was for Lanie to worry he was breaking his promise.
“I’m glad you’re at least able to exchange polite pleasantries. A few months ago, that didn’t seem possible.”
He shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “I’m trying to be on my best behavior. Anyway, how was your night?”
“Nate and I had a good time, though it’s always hard to leave him at the end,” she said, her face taking on a wistful look. Then she blinked, and it was gone. “He’s coming over this evening after work to go over the guest list for the wedding. Oh, and we’re planning to go apple picking on Sunday. The weather looks great.”
“Who’s driving?” Max asked.
“We could all ride up in your truck if you’re still coming.”
“Just you and Nate?”
“And Steven and Rose.”
“I’m not sure I can fit everyone.”
She frowned. “Maybe Steven and Rose can drive up separately. His car is a bit more rugged than mine.”
“That sounds more doable, but we can figure it out when we get closer to the day.”
“I was also thinking,” she continued with a quick, almost guilty glance at him, “maybe you could invite someone.”
He almost dropped his fork. Tightening his grip, he shoveled another bite of eggs into his mouth to buy him some time before answering. After washing it down with coffee, he raised an eyebrow. “Why would I invite anyone?”
“I don’t want you to feel like a fifth wheel.”
He scoffed. “I’ll be fine. It’s not like I haven’t gone out with the four of you before.”
“True.” Lanie placed her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand as she studied him. “But don’t you ever get lonely?”
The piece of toast seemed to lodge in his throat, and he coughed violently. Lanie rushed to get him a glass of water, and he downed it in a few gulps.
“I’m not lonely, and as I said before, I’m too old for dating.”
“No, you’re not. That’s why they have those dating apps for people your age. Isn’t one of them called, like, Our Time or something?”
As much as he hated to admit it, he’d heard of that particular app. But the idea of meeting someone that way didn’t sit right with him.
“Or if you don’t want to go on an app,” Lanie continued when he didn’t respond, “you could ask out one of the women in our community.”
“You sound like you have a list.” A queasy feeling in the pit of his stomach told him she probably did.
“I have a few suggestions.” Lanie grinned.
Despite his better judgment, curiosity got the better of him. “Who’s on this list of yours?”
Lifting her mug, she regarded him over the rim. “Our old neighbor Cassandra, Bea, and Mrs. Carlisle.”
Max’s mouth dropped open. “Bea and Mrs. Carlisle are both at least ten years older than me.”
“And?” Lanie asked, unperturbed. When he glared at her, she sighed. “Fine. What’s wrong with Cassandra?”
“She’s too eccentric.”
“Or you’re too picky.” She carried her dishes to the sink. “I’m not saying you have to marry any of them, but it wouldn’t kill you to put yourself out there. I haven’t seen you go on one date since Mom.”
“I don’t need to date,” he protested. “I have you and Steven.”
When she leaned against the table, her eyes filled with concern. “It doesn’t hurt to have friends your own age.”
“I have friends.” He dumped his plate on the counter. “And I don’t need my daughter meddling in my love life or lack thereof.”
“I’m not meddling. I’m trying to help?—”
“Well, don’t!” he shouted. “It’s not your problem nor your business.”
The hurt look on Lanie’s face filled him with remorse, but before he could apologize, she grabbed her bag and ran out of the house. He considered going after her, but he knew it would be a futile attempt. With a defeated sigh, he began washing the dishes.
After his argument with Lanie, Max was in no mood to work in the garage. He needed something that required more physical labor than carving. As he glanced out the back door, he debated cutting the grass. It would probably be the last time that season he needed to mow, as October was right around the corner.
He slid the door open and stepped out onto the back deck. The cool September air greeted him, and he closed his eyes. Just being outside lifted his mood. A soft cooing sound caught his attention, and he opened his eyes to find a mourning dove perched on the railing.
“Shouldn’t you be flying south for the winter?” His knowledge of birds was limited, but there didn’t seem to be many species that stuck around for the cold, snowy months.
The bird cocked its head, and for one crazy moment, Max wondered if it actually understood him. It cooed again, a mournful, poignant sound that tugged at Max’s heart. He understood in that moment where the bird got its name.
“Are you the same one that lost your mate?” He moved closer to the bird, careful not to scare it away. Unfortunately, all doves looked the same to him, but it wouldn’t be a stretch to think it was the one he’d seen before. Max searched the trees for a nest. Perhaps the bird didn’t understand its mate was gone.
“If you’re hoping your mate will return, I’m afraid you’re out of luck.” He sighed. “You should go find someone new.”
As the words left his mouth, he had to wonder which of them he was addressing, the bird or himself. The thought brought him up short. But before he could spend too much time brooding over it, his phone beeped.
Does the offer to pick up my groceries still stand?
A smile tugged at Max’s lips as he sent a confirmation message to Carissa. That was a good sign. Even if she didn’t accept his offer for dinner, at least she seemed more open to him than she had before.
About an hour later, he arrived at her house with several bags of groceries. He gathered them into his arms, trudged up her front stairs, and rang her doorbell.
“Special delivery,” Max said, lifting the bags.
“My hero,” Carissa teased as she took one of the bags. The warm grin on her face caused his heartbeat to stutter. She’d never looked more beautiful.
He followed her into her house. It was a cozy ranch-style home with an open floor plan that led directly into the dining room. A large bay window jutted out above the kitchen sink with a gorgeous view of her backyard. The marble counters were an eye-catching contrast to the white cabinets.
“You have a lovely home.” He marveled as he set the bags onto the small island in the center of the room.
“Thanks.” She began to unload them. “And thank you for picking up my groceries. You’re a lifesaver.” As she put away the groceries, she hummed a merry tune.
Since he didn’t know where anything went, Max stood on the other side of the island, out of her way. “What’s got you in such a good mood?”
She shot him a smirk over her shoulder. “I finished polishing up my presentation.”
“Oh?” A laptop was perched on the dining room table with a pad of paper and a pile of notecards beside it. “Want to practice it on me?”
When she turned toward him, her eyebrows pulled together. “Um, no. That’s okay.” His face must have given away his disappointment because she hurried on. “I don’t want to jinx anything.”
“Fair enough.” He wouldn’t press, though he was dying to know what options she’d put together.
“Thank you again for doing this. I really didn’t have time to get back to the store this week.”
“Happy to help. Not much else on my plate these days anyway.” Try as he might, he couldn’t quite keep the edge out of his voice.
“How’s Lanie?”
“Busy with school, so I haven’t seen much of her.” He turned away from Carissa to hide his face.
She laid a tentative hand on his arm. “Are you going to tell me what’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure I should.”
“Why?”
Running a hand through his hair, he huffed a breath. “It’s complicated and embarrassing.”
“This is a judgment-free zone,” she said. “But I won’t twist your arm. Do you want something to drink?”
“Water, please.”
She indicated he should take a seat at the table. A moment later, she returned with two glasses and set one in front of him. He wrapped his hands around it and stared at the wall.
Her eyes seemed to search his face. “I’m here if you want to talk.”
Instead of responding, he took a sip of water. He wasn’t sure he wanted to tell anyone about what had happened with Lanie, least of all Carissa. At the same time, he hated that yet another thing had sprouted between him and his daughter.
With a sigh, he leaned forward. “Lanie has been on my case to date.” His eyes flicked to Carissa then back to the wall. “While she’s made me promise not to date you, she has offered up other… unappealing options.”
“Lanie asked you not to date me?” Something in her voice caught Max’s attention. Her eyebrows were pulled together in a concerned frown.
“She didn’t want it to complicate things,” he said.
“I suppose I should be flattered you find me to be an appealing option,” she teased. When he didn’t laugh, she cleared her throat. “Sorry, that was in poor taste. Who else has she suggested?”
“Bea, Mrs. Carlisle.” At Carissa’s bewildered expression, he clarified, “The teacher who Lanie was hired to replace after she retired last year and my old neighbor, Cassandra Winters.”
Despite her attempts to disguise it as coughing, Max knew when he was being laughed at. He glared at her. “It’s not funny.”
“It’s sweet she cares so much about you. And the options she gave aren’t bad. Cassandra is pretty. Bea and Mrs. Carlisle are a little old for you, but?—”
“A little old for me?” he growled. “Bea is seventy-two!”
Carissa covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laughter, but her shaking shoulders gave her away. The sound caused his anger to dissipate, and before long, he found himself joining in.
“She means well,” Max said. “But sometimes, she’s like a dog with a rare steak. She sinks her teeth into it and won’t let go.”
Tears streamed down Carissa’s face from laughing so hard, and she wiped them away. “What did you say to her suggestions?”
“Some things I regret, honestly.” His expression sobered. “She caught me off guard, and like I said, her suggestions left a lot to be desired.”
“Oh no.”
“Yeah, ‘oh no’ is right.” He slid his head into his hands. “I blew up at her. Told her to stay out of my love life.”
“I bet that didn’t go over well,” Carissa said.
“She stormed out of the house, and I don’t know if she’s going to come home or go stay with her brother.” He leaned back in his chair and stared at the ceiling. “It seems like every time I take a step forward with her, I screw something up and end up five paces back.”
“But this wasn’t your fault.” At his incredulous expression, she hurried on, “I mean, yes, you shouldn’t have blown up at her, but your reaction is justified. It’s not her business whether you date or not.”
“She wants me to be happy.”
Carissa pursed her lips. “I’ll allow that her intentions are honorable, but you know what they say, the road to hell and good intentions.”
“Fair.” He shifted in his seat. “So, what do I do now?”
“She’s at school, so hopefully, being away from you will give her time to cool off. And if she does stay with Steven, don’t try to force her to talk to you. Eventually, she’ll come home, and you can apologize for your outburst while also making it clear you don’t appreciate her meddling.”
“Easier said than done.”
Carissa’s lips twitched as if she were fighting a smile. “I imagine admitting you were wrong is rather difficult for you.”
Max scowled. “I’m not that stubborn.”
“I appreciate the qualification.” She bit her lip. “Though now, I understand why you asked me out to dinner as friends.”
That caught his attention. He leaned forward, his eyes searching her face. Is she disappointed it wouldn’t be a date? “Is that why you said no?”
“I didn’t say no.” Carissa tilted her head. “I didn’t really say anything other than to let me think about it.”
“And?”
“Dinner is still too…” Her eyebrows pulled together as if she was searching for the right word. “Intimate. I want to respect Lanie’s wishes, and dinner would feel like a date.”
“Well, how about this?” Since Lanie had already suggested he bring someone, inviting Carissa seemed a safe option. And as it was a group outing, Lanie couldn’t accuse him of breaking his word. “We’re going apple picking this weekend. Why don’t you join us? We can spend some time together socially but without the pressure or intimacy of a solo dinner.”
“I wouldn’t want to intrude on your family time.”
“You wouldn’t be,” he insisted. “Bringing someone was actually Lanie’s idea.” He laughed. “She didn’t want me to feel like a fifth wheel.”
“In that case,” Carissa said, her face brightening, “I’d love to.”
Max hadn’t heard from Lanie by the time school was letting out. But per Carissa’s advice, he didn’t text her. If she needed space, he would give it, and in the meantime, he would rehearse what he wanted to say to her.
Since he didn’t know whether he would be alone for dinner, he decided to prepare something that would make decent leftovers. It also happened to be one of Lanie’s favorite meals, or perhaps the better description was that it was one of the only meals he made that she enjoyed. Meat loaf, but not the run-of-the-mill dry meat loaves portrayed on old sitcoms. His included a special sauce that gave it a spicy kick. And he didn’t just pour the sauce on top. He mixed it in by hand, which kept the meat from drying out in the oven.
The whole process took a half hour, and it was already after five by the time he slid the loaf into the oven. To his surprise and relief, the front door opened, and his daughter’s heels clicked over the linoleum in the hallway.
She entered the kitchen without a glance his way. After removing Tupperware from her lunch box and setting it in the sink, she put the lunch box away. Finally, when she had nothing else to do to avoid him, she faced him. Sniffing the air appreciatively, she met his gaze. “Smells good in here.”
“It’s meat loaf.”
The anxious crease in her forehead disappeared as a small smile tugged at her lips. “My favorite.”
“It’s going to be about an hour.” He shifted from foot to foot. “Gives us time to talk.”
Taking a deep breath as if to steel herself, she pulled out a chair. He followed suit, and for a moment, neither of them said anything. But Carissa had told him to start with an apology.
“I’m sorry for blowing up at you this morning,” he began. “I didn’t mean to react that way, and I know you believe you’re helping me.”
He hesitated, unsure whether he should wait for her to say something or continue with Carissa’s other suggestion. If the conversation turned into a lecture, Lanie might tune him out or walk away before he got through it, but if he could engage her, she might be more receptive.
“I’m sorry too.” Her face flushed. “Nate said I needed to butt out of your love life.”
Not for the first time, Max sent up a prayer of thanks that Lanie had found her way back to Nate. That man understood him more than most, and Max appreciated how Nate was able to get through to his daughter when he couldn’t.
“I understand that you want me to be happy and that your concern comes from a place of love.” Max took a deep breath. “But I’m not unhappy. If someone comes along and things happen organically, then I’m open to it.” He raised an eyebrow. “Besides, after all the meddling your mother did in your love life, you should be more wary of interfering in others’ relationships.”
The flush on her face deepened as she dropped her gaze to the table. “That’s fair. Though I hate the idea of you being alone again when I move in with Nate.”
He waved his hand. “I was alone before your brother came home to start his business, and I was alone before you moved back after your master’s.” He shrugged. “While I’ll miss your cooking, I can get by on my own.”
“But I finally got you to stop using paper plates all the time.” Her hazel eyes danced with mischief.
“Paper plates conserve water,” he retorted. He went over to the oven to check on dinner’s progress.
“And clog up landfills.”
“Well, I guess no matter what I do, I hurt the environment.” As he returned to the table, he raised an eyebrow. “So, are we agreed, then? No more meddling?”
She bit her lip. “Will you at least try going on a dating app? Or maybe joining some local groups?”
“No to the dating app, and maybe to the groups thing.” As her face broke into a smile, he waved a finger. “But no promises. I’m not exactly the most social of people.”
She burst out laughing. “Understatement of the century.”
“Ha ha.” His voice dripped with sarcasm. “Still, if it’ll make you feel better and convinces you to stop suggesting women almost twice my age, I’ll consider it.”
“That’s all I ask.”
Once that was settled, he decided to change the subject to something less uncomfortable. “How was your day?”
That was all the prodding Lanie needed to launch into a lively one-sided conversation detailing what had happened. It sounded like she had a good class, with some of the same students from the year before. Because Cedar Haven was such a small town, they didn’t have a lot of options for students with disabilities. Most of them ended up attending the program at the middle school for much of their lives.
“I’m hoping, once I get my bearings, to petition the board to expand the program to allow the students to continue their education with their peers. It’s especially hard for the high school–aged students to be stuck in a classroom with the younger kids. I’d like to change that, but I know right now, the budget isn’t there.”
“Sounds like you need another fundraiser.”
She blew out her breath. “I can’t fundraise an entire program.” Shaking her head, she grabbed a glass from the cabinet then filled it with ice water. “The school system can’t support it, and some of the parents end up putting their children into private school when their kids become teenagers because there are more opportunities there.” She took a sip of water and sank into her chair. “Mrs. Carlisle and I talked about it at great length before she retired. Apparently, she’s been petitioning for the same thing for years to no avail. So now, it’s my turn to take up the banner.”
“What would the program entail?” Max felt like he was missing something. “Couldn’t they hire another teacher and find space at the high school?”
“If only it were that simple. But even if it were, there’s no place to put the class at the high school or any of the elementary schools. That’s why it’s at the middle school. It was the only place with room.” Rubbing her temples, she stared at the table. “And as far as hiring someone, well, consider how much it took to convince me to give up that job in California and stick around. And I have family and a fiancé here. There’s not much to entice someone who doesn’t have roots in this town.”
He bristled. It’d been a point of contention between them when she’d come home to settle her mother’s estate with the express intent on leaving ASAP. Her view of their little hamlet was in direct contrast to his. She’d insisted there was a whole wide world out there waiting for her, but he struggled to understand why she couldn’t go experience the world then return home. Sometimes, he wondered whether she would have ended up in California after all if it weren’t for Nate.
“Don’t look at me like that,” she said when she caught him staring at her. “I’m happy to be home, and I love this town, but even you have to admit it doesn’t have much to offer. Sure, cost of living is lower than some places, but the salaries barely cover it. If I hadn’t moved in with you, I’m not sure I could afford my own place, even if I subsidized my salary with my inheritance.”
“I don’t know why you say that. We’re not far from DC, and there’s plenty to do here.”
She raised her eyebrows. “Karaoke nights at Seabreeze and endless town events aren’t likely to entice people from my generation.”
“Okay,” he said, keeping his thoughts about her generation to himself. “Why not hire someone older?”
“Because they’ll retire sooner, and we’ll be back in the same position we are now.” After draining her glass, she shrugged. “Besides, like I said, there isn’t any room in the budget even if we could find someone to hire.”
For once, he found himself completely devoid of any advice to give her. He knew little of the town budget, having worked as an electrical lineman for a private company for his entire career. The only time he cared about the government’s budget was when it came time to pay taxes, and usually, he grumbled about it.
“Anyway”—she waved a hand—“that was my day. How was yours?”
“Uneventful,” he said, choosing his next words carefully. “Went grocery shopping, did some woodworking in the garage, and then started dinner.”
She smiled. “Sounds like a relaxing day of retirement.”
The oven timer beeped, and he took the meat loaf out of the oven. After setting it on the counter, he grabbed a bag of frozen vegetables and popped them into the microwave. Lanie sighed, and he hid a grin. She’d been on his case to use fresh vegetables since she’d been home, saying they were better for him. But he’d gotten into the habit of keeping things simple, and he figured produce in any form was better than nothing.
Once dinner was on the table, the conversation died as they both dug into the meal. He snuck a few glances at his daughter and couldn’t help noticing how tired she looked.
“I’d say a penny for your thoughts, but I expect they’re worth more.”
Though she smiled, it didn’t quite reach her eyes. “I’m worried about the wedding.”
That wasn’t what he’d expected her to say. “Don’t you and Carissa have everything under control?”
“We do, but it’s come at a price. And I can’t help wondering if I made a mistake picking a date so soon after the engagement.”
“What does Nate say?”
A bitter laugh. “He’d be just as happy to elope.” Her eyes flicked to Max then back to her plate. “He’s like you in that way. Doesn’t need or want the pomp and circumstance.”
“Hey, now, your mother and I had a big wedding.”
“Which I would bet good money was more her idea than yours.”
Instead of responding, he harrumphed and focused on his meal. Thinking back, he couldn’t remember ever suggesting to Melody that they elope. For one thing, his Catholic mother would have murdered him. But for another, he’d wanted to crow to the world how happy he was that someone like Melody had agreed to marry someone like him.
“I’m sure if you wanted to push the date, Carissa would be willing to work with you,” he finally said.
“I don’t want to postpone it,” she replied, her voice determined. “But I wish there were more months between now and December.”
“If there’s anything I can do to help, let me know.”
“Well, I could use your advice on one thing…” She bit her lip and avoided his gaze.
“Which is?”
Her breath came out in a huff. “Carissa isn’t open to the idea of using silk flowers, even though Rose and Steven used them in their wedding. I helped Rose put together her bouquets, and I liked how they turned out.”
“What does she have against silk flowers?” Max suddenly wished he hadn’t been so willing to help. The last thing he wanted to do was get between Carissa and Lanie when he and Carissa were finally connecting.
“She thinks they’re tacky.” Lanie rolled her eyes. “But it depends on where you buy them. Some of them are so realistic, you can’t tell the difference.” She finished the last bite of her dinner and washed it down with some water. “Besides, the flowers I want are expensive. If we did them ourselves, it would save on the cost, and I would have something I could keep forever.”
“Your mother dried her bouquet and preserved it that way,” he said, though he doubted his suggestion was helpful.
“I know that’s an option, but it doesn’t alleviate my financial concerns.”
“All right.” He stifled a sigh. “What do you need me to do?”
Her eyes widened. “Do? I don’t need you to do anything. I’m planning to talk to Carissa about it again the next time I see her, and I’d love some advice on how to approach it.”
“I’m not sure the approach is the problem. It sounds like she’s not listening to you.”
“For the most part, she does. It’s just…” Lanie leaned her chin on her hand. “With her experience, she encourages me to do certain things her way.”
That didn’t sound right. While Carissa had proven how good she was at her job, what Lanie was saying reminded him of the many arguments he’d gotten into with Carissa during Steven and Rose’s wedding. Back then, he’d thought she didn’t like him or that she assumed he knew nothing about weddings. But now, he wondered how often Steven and Rose had been pressured to do something that didn’t match their vision or budget. “When are you next seeing her?”
“I’m not sure, but probably sometime this week.”
“Well, I’m happy to tag along.” No matter how he might feel about Carissa, Lanie was his daughter, and he would do whatever it took to make sure she got the wedding she wanted. Especially if doing so helped him build the relationship he wanted with her.