Driftwood Lane (18 page)

“Missing your mom and dad?”

Her lips quivered, and she nodded.

“Ah, honey. I am too.”

She was in his arms in a split second. She held on so tight it brought a lump to his throat.

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not.” Her voice was muffled against his shoulder. “You’re almost done and you’re going to leave and we’ll never see you, and Meridith is still here and the Daffodil Parade is coming up and Dad’s not here.”

How could he have forgotten about the parade? Noelle and T. J.’s annual tradition. It was one more loss.

Noelle pulled away and wiped her face. “I don’t want you to leave.

I like having you here.”

“I like being here.”

“Have you found anything that’ll make a judge send her away?” Noelle plopped on the desk chair.

“Nothing conclusive.” He couldn’t tell her what he’d found when she was already upset. When her face fell he added, “But I haven’t given up, and neither should you. In fact, I’m going to see if Meridith will let me stay longer. Let me work it out, okay? Do you trust me?”

She nodded, and it did his heart good. At least someone had faith in him.

“As much as I miss Mom and Dad, I’m glad they’re together in heaven. They’d be really sad if they were apart.”

“That’s something to be grateful for.”

“And you, Uncle J. I’m so glad you’re here.”

“Me too, munchkin. Me too.”

Meridith kneaded the soft dough and checked the time. Less than a minute. As her hands worked, she watched Max and Ben toss a green Frisbee back and forth in the backyard. Piper played man-inthe-middle, making the boys laugh when she intercepted the disk.

Outside, the cloudless sky seemed to remember it was spring. The sun sparkled off the sound like a million diamonds. The daffodils in the yard had fully bloomed, coloring the yard with splashes of yellow.

The smell of yeast reminded her to check the time again. Done. She gave the dough one last turn, covered it with a towel, scrubbed her hands, then replaced her ring. Breakfast dishes still sat in the sink, plus the ones she’d used making the dough. It was Noelle’s turn to wash. Maybe they could do them together. It would give them a chance to talk.

The girl had been too quiet lately, even through the golf lessons yesterday. Meridith was worried about her. She hung up the towel, checked on the boys one last time, then went upstairs to get her.

Noelle’s bedroom was empty, the light still on, her church shoes lying where they’d been kicked off. She flipped off the light and noticed the door between the wings was open. Meridith had only been locking it at night, as Jake needed full access to the upstairs.

She walked through the doorway and down the hall. She heard Noelle’s voice and followed it to the seashell room—Jake’s room. At the doorway, her stomach did a flop.

Noelle sat in the desk chair, and Jake perched on the bed’s edge.

Two sets of eyes darted to the doorway, and Noelle stopped talking midsentence.

The girl’s eyes widened and her lips parted. She looked to Jake as if seeking help.

Meridith didn’t like it. Not one bit. She made an effort to keep her voice calm. “Noelle, can you come do the dishes, please?”

Noelle sprang to her feet, then squeezed past Meridith. The fact that she didn’t argue was proof something was up.

She couldn’t believe Jake had let Noelle into his room. It was beyond inappropriate. She knew she should confront him, but she had no desire to get into it now. Or ever.

Jake stood, looking too attractive in his white T-shirt and bare feet. “I need to change.”

Meridith headed back the way she’d come. Why had Noelle been in there? And why had she looked so . . . caught?

Meridith could hear her trotting down the back steps, setting off a cacophony of squeaks and groans on the old stairway. She had been smiling when Meridith entered Jake’s room, a rare occurrence, especially lately.

Meridith’s feet faltered on the first step.
Of course
. Noelle had a crush.

The child was going to get her heart broken—the last thing she needed. And Jake should know better. Surely he could read a girl’s signals. She was sure he had plenty of them tossed his way—she’d seen it herself, with that server at the Atlantic Café.

But what if . . . what if he was . . . some kind of . . . ?

No, not Jake. He wasn’t a pedophile.

But what if . . . ?

She recalled an article that had appeared in the
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
last year. The manager of one of her restaurants convicted of child molestation. He’d have been the last person she’d have suspected of such a horrible crime.

She stopped midway down the steps. She couldn’t take any chances with Noelle. She didn’t want to confront Jake, but this was nothing to be careless about. She had to lay down some rules. And get him out of the house as soon as he finished the fuse box, which she hoped would be soon.

She drew a lungful of oxygen and released it through her mouth.
Just get it over with. For Noelle’s sake
. Turning purposefully on the stair, she retraced her steps.

When she reached Jake’s room, he was shutting the door, wearing only his pants and his leather corded necklace.

Meridith’s eyes fell to the floor. Her face was hot, and she knew her cheeks were blooming with high color. Great.

“Need something?”

“It can wait until you’re—” She waved her hand in the general direction of his chest.

He opened the door fully and strutted back into his room, snagging his shirt from the dresser. He shrugged back into it.

Meridith stayed in the doorway. She crossed her arms. “I came back to ask why Noelle was in your room.”

Jake leaned against the windowsill. “Think she just needed to talk.”

“Odd that she chose you.” With him silhouetted against the window she couldn’t read his face.

“Thanks.”

“You know what I mean.”

“She lost her parents. She doesn’t seem to have many people to confide in.”

She tried not to take offense, but what was she, chopped liver? “I think there’s more than that.” She wished he’d step away from that window.

“What do you mean?”

Was he really so oblivious? “Surely you see it’s inappropriate to have her in your bedroom.”

He came off the sill, seemed to stretch taller and broader. “You are not thinking I’m some kind of—” He struggled for words.

She didn’t have to see his face. The anger was right there in his voice. “She’s a
child
.”

His anger eased her mind, and she went back to her first response. “It’s not unusual for a girl to develop a crush on an older man. I don’t want Noelle getting hurt. She’s been hurt enough.”

“The last thing I’d do is hurt that child. You’re worried about nothing. She just needed to talk.”

He seemed sincere. Now that he’d stepped away from the window she could see he was making eye contact with her. He looked as serious as she’d ever seen him.

“Nonetheless, Jake, I can’t have her coming in—”

“I won’t let her in here again. You’re right. I wasn’t thinking.”

He had been helpful and honest so far. She had no reason not to trust him.

“Just be careful not to give her special attention. I don’t want her misreading your signals and getting confused.”

He held up a palm. “I understand.”

“Just so we’re clear.” She gave him a final nod and retreated, glad that part was over. Now she just had to deal with Noelle.

The girl was not going to like Meridith prying around her private life. But maybe Meridith could use this as a chance to bond with her. Maybe, if what Jake said was true, she did need someone to talk to. Maybe Meridith could be that person. If Noelle would only give her a chance.

Meridith checked on Max and Ben on her way to the sink. They were rolling on the ground with Piper, who wasn’t letting loose of the Frisbee. At least they’d changed from their church clothes.

It was only when she saw Noelle standing by the open dishwasher that she realized the girl was still in her dress. “You should probably change out of your pretty dress.”

Noelle looked down as if just realizing she was still wearing it.

“On second thought, how about if you unload and I load?”

Noelle shrugged and began removing glass cereal bowls, stacking them on the counter.

Meridith turned on the tap and waited for the water to warm. When it did, she began scrubbing the dirtiest dishes and filling them with water to soak.

She had to broach the topic delicately or Noelle would go ballistic. Maybe if she shared from personal experience.

“You did very well with your one-iron yesterday. Your swing is coming along.”

Noelle gave a barely perceptible nod as she placed the bowls in the cupboard.

“I worked at a golf course as a caddy when I was your age. That’s where I learned a lot about golf.”

“What’s a caddy?”

“You know, those people who follow the golfers around, carry their bags and what-not.”

“Sounds boring.”

“It was interesting. There was this seventeen-year-old boy who worked in the pro-shop.” Meridith sighed. “Jeremy Peyton. Had these golden curls and a smile that lit up my world.”

Noelle flashed her a disbelieving look.

“What—you don’t think I think about things like boys? I am engaged, you know.”

“It’s hard to imagine you were ever thirteen.”

“It wasn’t
that
long ago.” Meridith scowled, but Noelle wasn’t looking. “He was so cute. I remember wearing my most flattering clothes to work because I wanted to impress him. Oh, I knew he was too old for me, but he was so gorgeous, and he called me Peanut.”

Noelle gave a wry grin. “Peanut? And you liked that?”

“I liked the attention. I didn’t get much at home.”

“Why not?” Noelle pulled the silverware basket.

“Oh, well, my dad wasn’t there, and my mom was kind of . . .” How to put it? “Kind of sick.” Meridith shook her head. She was getting off subject. “Anyway, I liked thinking about Jeremy, daydreaming about him. I used to pretend he was my boyfriend. Only in my head, of course—I’d have been mortified if he’d known!”

“That’s weird.”

“Not really. It’s normal for girls to have crushes on older guys.

Happens all the time.”

“If you say so.”

Meridith rinsed a cup and placed it in the top rack, then faced Noelle, leaning against the sink ledge. “I know we haven’t gotten off on the best foot, Noelle, but I hope you know you can talk to me. About anything you want . . . even crushes.”

Noelle’s forehead wrinkled. “I don’t have any crushes.”

She was going to have to dig. It needed to be done, with Jake in the house and the kids off school all week. “I thought maybe you had a crush on Jake.”

Noelle’s hand stopped midair, her fist clutching a cluster of forks. Her lips parted, her eyes widened.

Then her whole face screwed up. “
Gross!
He’s my—he’s—
old
!”

It wasn’t the reaction she’d expected. Was Noelle that good an actress? “He’s hardly old.”

“Not to
you
.”

Touché
.

Noelle stuffed the forks in the drawer.

“Well, you were in his room earlier, and I thought—”

“Well, you thought wrong.
Gross!
”

“Okay, okay, I get it.”

“We were having a conversation.”

“His bedroom is not an appropriate place for that.”

“What
ever
.”

“Noelle, I need to be clear on this. You’re not to be alone with Jake or any male guests in the house. It’s for your own protection.”

Noelle stuck a bundle of spoons in the drawer, then the knives.

Her brows pulled together, and her lips were a tight line, pressed firmly together.

“Is that clear?”

Noelle slammed the drawer and tossed the basket into the dishwasher. “Crystal.” She turned and charged up the steps, her dress billowing behind her.

Twenty-six

The three guys at the check-in desk, young and athletic looking, didn’t resemble their usual guests. Meridith wondered why they’d chosen a quiet bed-and-breakfast instead of a happening hotel. But maybe every place was booked for spring break. Oh well, she could use the income. Three rooms were three rooms.

“Here are your keys.” She handed them to Sean, who’d made the reservation. “Is there a particular time you’d like breakfast, since you’re our only guests at the moment?”

The long-haired one laughed. “I’ll be sleeping till lunchtime.”

“Don’t worry about breakfast,” Sean said. He wore a University of Massachusetts ball cap and a polite smile.

“Speak for yourselves,” the stocky one said. “I’m a growing boy.”

Meridith smiled. “I’ll put out a small buffet around ten and keep it warm. That sound all right?”

“Perfect, thanks,” Sean said.

The guys headed up the stairs noisily with their duffel bags. She was glad the kids were on break, so she didn’t have to worry about their sleep being disturbed by rowdy and possibly drunk college guys. She was doubly glad she’d had the doors installed.

Jake appeared at the base of the stairs in fresh clothes, his hair damp on his polo collar. “Young ones,” he said referring to the guests he’d passed.

“I hope you’re a heavy sleeper. I think they plan on keeping late nights.”

“I’ll manage.”

Meridith tidied the desk. Dinner had been quiet with Noelle at Lexi’s house. Meridith had taken the children to the cemetery earlier, and it had lowered Noelle’s spirits even more. When Lexi called, it seemed like a good distraction.

“I was thinking . . .” Jake said.

“Uh-oh.”

He gave a little half grin. “The electric will be done in a few days, and we agreed I’d be finished then. But some of the other projects wouldn’t cost much.” He nodded toward the fireplace. “All I need is some mortar, a few stones, and some time, and I can get that fireplace working.”

He listed a host of other projects, but Meridith’s mind was off and wandering. With her worries over Noelle and the havoc Jake created inside her, she was anticipating his departure. Not anticipating, exactly. Just desperately needing it to happen. For her own peace of mind.