Lakeside Sweethearts Page 4

  “When was this? You hadn’t said anything about it.”

  “I held off committing to the whole summer because I promised to help Charlotte with Agape House. Plus, I’d need someone to keep an eye on things.” Mama waved a hand over the yard, then turned back to Agnes. “So this works out perfectly. We’ll store your things in the garage, and you can stay here. Since you won’t have to pay rent, you can save that money for the dream house you’re always talking about.”

  Clarence and Eliza’s cottage.

  They’d agreed to sell her the house, but she hadn’t had time to tell Mama all the particulars. Saving rent money and working at Agape House would help her to own the cottage a little sooner. So why wasn’t she jumping on Mama’s offer?

  “I don’t know, Mama. I’m a little old to be moving back home, don’t you think?”

  “Who said anything about moving back home? You’d be doing me a favor. Unless you’d rather not, of course….” Mama’s not-so-innocent sidelong glance and words frosted Agnes with a layer of guilt as thick as the buttercream frosting on her birthday cake.

  “Of course I want to help, Mama. But…”

  So maybe Agnes didn’t love the old brick building with its creaky pipes, temperamental heating and noisy neighbors, but the apartment had been hers to do as she pleased within the boundaries of her lease.

  In less than a month, though, she’d need to find something else anyway.

  What other choice did she have? Scan the classifieds for some crummy rental that fit in her budget?

  She sighed. “I just need to stand on my own two feet.”

  She might get knocked down, but she wouldn’t stay down.

  “Agnes, your stubborn pride is your biggest flaw. You know that, right? I won’t even be here. You’ll have the house to yourself and can do plenty of standing.”

  Agnes glanced at the freshly tilled garden that ran along the property separating Mama’s from Ian’s parents’. “When are you planning to leave?”

  “Well, now, that depends on you. If you agree, then I can fly out next week.”

  “Why so soon?”

  “Why not? The sooner I get out there, the sooner I can help Memaw.” Mama wrapped an arm around Agnes’s shoulders and gave her a side hug. “This benefits both of us. You’ll see.”

  No use in arguing with Mama once something stuck in her head.

  Agnes’s eyes drifted to Ian talking with Nick Brennan and Stephen Chase. What would he think of her being next door for the summer?

  More important, would she even be able to think of living next door to him?

  Maybe they could spend some time on the dock the way they did in the past. Maybe she could put her lingering feelings for him to rest once and forever.

  Not likely.

  *

  Ian wandered over to the table for a piece of Mary’s birthday cake. He wanted to see Red more than he wanted that cake.

  All afternoon he tried to keep from staring at her, but with the way the yellow sleeveless dress twirled around her shapely legs or her laugh floated through the air…it was a wonder he had managed to score any points playing cornhole.

  Now that the others had decided to take a break, he snuck away before they started a new game.

  “Nice party, Red.” He shoved his hands in the front pockets of his Dockers and leaned against the deck railing.

  “Thanks, Ian. I hear your team won.”

  “Yes, the red team scored twenty-one points first. Oh, yeah, we rock.”

  “Nice to see you’re a gracious winner. Want some cake?”

  “Sure. Thanks.” He took the paper plate she held out to him and dug his fork through the white frosting and put it into his mouth. “It’s good. So, how many pieces have you had?”

  “That’s not important. You just enjoy your cake.”

  “Manning the cake table? Pretty sweet setup, if you ask me. You can have your cake, and no one will notice if you have an extra piece or two…or six.” He winked and shoved another bite in his mouth.

  “I don’t believe anyone asked. A gentleman wouldn’t notice such things.” Agnes pinched a glob of frosting off the corner of his piece and stuck it in her mouth.

  “You okay?”

  “Why do you ask?”

  “I see the smile, but the light in your eyes is snuffed out.”

  “I’m wearing sunglasses, Ian. Little hard to see any kind of light. Mama invited me to spend the summer here while she hangs out with my memaw back in Texas.”

  Ian’s stomach jumped. His eyes skimmed his parents’ house that edged Mary’s property.

  Agnes next door all summer?

  Yes, please.

  In his head, he did a few fist pumps and shouted, Woo-hoo! at the top of his lungs. He shrugged. “That’d be cool.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Maybe? Why’s that? You and your mom get along pretty well.”

  “Yes, we do, but she won’t be here if I say yes.”

  “What’s the problem? She doesn’t want to go?”

  “She does, and I’m sure she’ll have a great time. It’s just…”

  “So what’s holding you back?”

  “I’m a little old to be moving home again.”

  “There’s a difference between house-sitting and moving back in. I moved back home to help Mom and Dad with Griffin. It’s definitely not permanent.”

  “True. If I’m not paying rent for the summer, then I could put that money toward a down payment for the cottage.”

  “So it sounds like a win-win for everyone.” Including him.

  With Red next door—even for a couple of months—he could show her he was more than a buddy, the guy next door, but the guy she needed to marry.

  But right now he had to get something off his chest…something that wouldn’t make her happy.

  He jerked his head toward the lake. “Wanna go for a walk?”

  Red waved a hand across the yard. “I can’t leave the party.”

  “Just to the dock. I need to talk to you about something.”

  “What’s going on? You look serious.”

  “Let’s walk.”

  He waited while she crossed the yard to tell Mary where she was headed. Mary lifted a hand and waved. He returned the gesture, then smothered a smile as Mary and her friends put their heads together behind Red’s back. He could only imagine what they were saying. And he figured Red wouldn’t like it.

  They cut through the shrubs that ran between both properties. Ian shoved his hands in his front pockets. It would’ve been so easy to slip his fingers around hers. But she’d probably slap him or shove him into the chilly lake.

  The gravel path coiled through the trees. Red teetered on the stones in those ridiculous heels.

  She stopped and placed a hand on his arm. “Hold on. I have a pebble in my shoe.”

  “Wear something practical, and you wouldn’t have to worry about it.”

  “What do you know about fashion? You live in faded jeans, shorts or dress pants when you have to be in the office.” Red slipped the sandal off her foot and brushed away the bits of gravel.

  “Woman, one of these days you’re going to break a leg wearing those crazy things.”

  “At least I’ll look cute doing it.”

  “Believe me, Red, you could ditch the shoes and still outshine every female in this town.” He caught a movement behind her.

  A garter snake slithered across the path less than a foot behind her. If she looked back…

  Grasping under her arms, he pulled her to her feet and wrapped her against his chest.

  She pushed away and stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “What’s that all about?”

  Ian tightened his arms and glanced over her shoulder. The weeds swayed as the snake disappeared. “I didn’t want you to back up and sit on the garter snake behind you.”

  She screeched, causing him to wince and drop his ear to his shoulder, and practically jumped into his arms. Not that he was complaining. “Relax
, Red. It’s gone.”

  He turned her gently so she stood behind him but could see the clear path. He reached for her hand, giving it a little tug. “Come on. Let’s go sit on the dock. I’ll protect you.”

  “Thanks for not laughing at me, Ian.” She clung to his arm and rested her head against his shoulder.

  He lifted his arm and wrapped it around her, squeezing gently. If only he could hold her for the next fifty or sixty years. “I’ll tease you about a lot of things, but your fears aren’t one of them.” He held her hand as she stepped over a muddy patch between the end of the path and the beginning of the dock.

  Waves lapped at the shore. A frog croaked in the weeds. Somewhere along the water’s edge, a couple of ducks quacked, joining in the chorus. Baked earth mingled with the fishy scent permeating the air.

  Red’s heels clomped on the wooden dock. Their shadows stretched over the blue water. Dad’s old aluminum rowboat rocked and knocked against the dock. Tall grasses sprouted between the weathered boards.

  At the end of the dock, they settled in two sun-warmed Adirondack chairs, one painted lemon-yellow and the other fire-engine red.

  Agnes pushed her sunglasses on top of her head and raised her face toward trails of late afternoon sunshine streaking across the dusky sky. She didn’t say anything for a moment. Sliding her glasses back on her face, she faced him. “So, what did you want to talk to me about?”

  Sighing, Ian rested his head against the back of the chair, kicked off his shoes and toed off his dress socks. “I wish I didn’t have to tell you this.”

  “What’s the matter? Did you find someone who wasn’t afraid of her own shadow in that place?”

  “No, nothing like that.” He scrubbed a hand over his face. “It’s just that…well, there may not be an Agape House.”

  “Why? What happened?”

  Ian pushed himself out of his chair and stood on the edge of the dock. He curled his toes over the rough-edged boards and crossed his arms over his chest to ease some of the pressure building behind his ribs.

  “Dad’s been against this project from the beginning, but Mom wants Zoe to have the best chance at a new life. When Dad learned Mom had signed the papers on behalf of the board, he packed a bag and headed for the cabin.”

  “He moved out?”

  Ian shrugged. “He didn’t come home last night.”

  “So that’s why he didn’t come today?” She stood and moved next to him, putting a hand on his shoulder. “I’m so sorry, Ian. What does Pete have against Agape House?”

  “He had a rough childhood with alcoholic parents. He used to preach to us about the dangers of alcohol. After Zoe’s arrest, Dad hasn’t been the same. He resigned from the city council, stepped down from the church board and holes up in his office. He refuses to visit her in prison.”

  “But she’s his daughter.”

  He rolled up his pant legs and dropped his feet in the water. He sucked in a breath at the shock of cold against his warm feet. “Try telling him that. He’s acting like a jerk. Mom’s upset. Griff keeps asking questions we can’t answer.”

  “What does your mama want to do?”

  “Keep her marriage together and bring her daughter home. Dad’s demanding the impossible.”

  “Well, we need to talk some sense into him.” Red slipped off her sandals and sat next to him, dipping her toes in the water.

  “We?” He loved the way she teamed with him, but this was his family’s problem. She had her own issues to work out.

  “I have a stake in this now, too, you know.” She bumped her shoulder against his.

  Right, the cottage.

  The sunlight dripped across the top of her head, catching the ginger glints in her hair and shading her face. She appeared to be sixteen instead of thirty-six.

  His thoughts drifted back a couple of decades and remembered their almost daily talks on the docks. Seemed that no matter what the problem was, they could work it out sitting here with their feet in the water. If only things could be resolved as simply now.

  He reached for her hand and laced his fingers through hers, squeezing gently. “This is not your problem, Red.”

  She lifted their joined hands and kissed his knuckles before releasing her fingers. “Your daddy will come around.”

  He loved the feel of her lips against his skin. He’d take the knuckle kiss for now, but one of these days he hoped for the chance to feel her lips on his. And not in the name of friendship either.

  “How about if I pay Pete a visit and see if I can talk to him?”

  He scowled at her. The woman didn’t listen. “No, Red. You’re not fighting my battles.”

  “Don’t be a fool, Ian.” She dipped her hand in the water and flicked his face. “Maybe Pete just needed to be reminded about the power of second chances.”

  Ian jerked as the icy drops landed on his hot skin. He wiped his eyes with the hem of his shirt. “How can restoring my family be pulling us apart?”

  Agnes lifted her feet out of the water and stood. She brushed off the back of her dress, then reached for her sandals. “Like you said yesterday—sometimes it takes peeling away the layers to find the promise for the future.”

  Chapter Four

  Agnes parked her restored 1964 Dodge Dart convertible in front of the James family cabin by the lake, shut off the engine and tossed her scarf onto the red vinyl passenger seat. She slid out from behind the wheel and slammed the door, the sound echoing along the hillside.

  The afternoon wind stirred the pines, maples and oaks cradling the cabin. The upturned leaves and air saturated with humidity signaled rain close at hand.

  She crossed the gravel parking area and faced the log cabin that had been in the James family for over one hundred years.

  Decades of sunshine aged the hand-cut logs to a weathered gray. She climbed the three wide steps, passed the black rocker by the door and lifted the duck-shaped door knocker on the russet-stained pine door.

  “It’s open,” a deep voice boomed from inside.

  Agnes opened the door and sucked in a breath tinged with paint solvent and coffee. “Hey, Pete.”

  Pete James glanced over his shoulder, then turned back to the large canvas resting on a wooden easel standing in front of the window facing the lake. “Agnes Joy, to what do I owe the pleasure?”

  Dressed in khaki shorts and a red T-shirt, he held a splattered palette in one hand and brandished crimson paint against the canvas like an expert swordsman. He wore a James & Son Insurance baseball hat backward on his head, covering his cropped salt-and-pepper hair.

  Agnes crossed the hardwood floor and dropped a kiss on his whiskered cheek. “Ian’s caught up with a client and asked if I’d swing by and pick up Griffin for him. They’re leaving for Vanderfield in about forty-five minutes.”

  “Bubba’s in the yard, playing fetch with Amos.” He nodded toward the window where Griffin threw a yellow tennis ball overhand. The golden retriever leaped in the air and caught the ball in his strong jaws.

  “Missed you at Mama’s birthday yesterday.”

  “Give Mary my best.” He offered no other explanation for his absence. Instead he continued to paint.

  “What are you working on?”

  “Cowboy in a canyon. Trying to steal as much natural light as I can before the cloud cover takes it away.”

  “It’s quite muggy out there.”

  “Rain’s in the forecast.”

  She didn’t come to talk about the weather. Picking up Griffin was a decent excuse to try and get Pete to see some reason. Her nerves cinched the loose knot in her stomach.

  “Pete, when we moved to Shelby Lake, you helped Daddy dry out, giving us a second chance at being a real family.”

  “Agnes Joy, I love your company, but if my family sent you to change my mind, you’d best grab Bubba and head on your way.”

  Just like Pete to speak his mind.

  “Are you kidding? If Ian knew I was talking about this, he’d be madder than a wet hen. I
’m just saying without you, Daddy would’ve struggled to stay sober.”

  “Chuck was tougher than you think, Agnes.” Pete set down his brush to reach for his coffee cup. “The choice was his.”

  “Agape House can be the second chance Zoe needs to turn her life around—like my daddy did.” Agnes pressed her back against the windowsill, enjoying the warm air whispering across her neck. “How can you turn your back on your daughter?”

  “Ever hear of tough love, Agnes?”

  “There’s tough love, and there’s rejection.”

  She spied a stack of canvases leaning below the window. Without asking for permission, she flipped through them, stopping at the last one that showed two sets of hands—larger ones cupping a smaller set that held a butterfly. Recognizing the wing-shaped birthmark on the smaller hand, Agnes realized Pete had painted Zoe’s hands.

  Oh, Pete…

  Staring at the canvas, Pete wiped his hands on a rag, then walked to the window. With his back to her, he stared out at the trees and the lake.

  “When I was a little older than Bubba, my parents died on Christmas Eve because they were too drunk to drive and decided to walk home. Instead they passed out in a snowbank and froze to death. No matter how many times they promised to change, they didn’t. Made me realize words were meaningless without actions to back them up.”

  “Oh, Pete, I can’t even imagine.” Tears filled Agnes’s eyes. “You were a kid—you couldn’t have changed your parents. But you can help others get their lives back on track now.”

  Pete whirled around, his eyebrows raised and his lips thinned. “People don’t change, Agnes. They tell you what you want to hear. Then the minute temptation strikes, they’re back to screwing up their lives again. Char and Ian will pour themselves into that place only to end disappointed when those women fall back into their old habits.”

  “Give your family this chance to prove Zoe can turn her life around.”

  “And when she doesn’t? What then? She’ll end up back behind bars, but she will have destroyed my wife, my son, my grandson…I can’t take that chance. I need to protect them.”