Feels Like Family (17 page)

“How’s the new mom?” he asked. “You’re looking fit.”

“I’m feeling great,” she said. “But I’m bored out of my mind. Dana Sue and Helen insisted I let Jeanette run the spa for six weeks. I’ve been antsy for four of those weeks, even with Elliott coming by the house to make me do these horrendous workouts for the past couple of weeks.”

“Which means you took exactly one week to relax after having your son,” he said after a quick calculation.

She grinned unrepentantly. “About that.”

Erik caught Dana Sue frowning at him.

“How much of our conversation did you hear?” she demanded. “Not that I think you’d ever repeat a word of it, but I need to know.”

“Sugar, I have more important things to do than eavesdrop on you.”

“That’s never stopped you before,” she retorted. “How much?”

“Okay, all of it. Why? If you know I’m trustworthy, why do you care?”

“Then you heard us talking about Helen. What do you know about what she’s up to these days? Has she been confiding in you?”

“Hardly,” he responded, keeping his gaze averted. “Why on earth would she confide in me?”

“Because every instinct in me tells me you know some
thing you’re not saying. Otherwise you’d have been back in here ten minutes ago. It doesn’t take that long to get a few things from storage.”

“It does if someone I know goes in there and rearranges everything,” he countered, seizing on the chance to change the subject and fix a nagging problem at the same time. “Why do you do that, by the way? I have a system.”

“So do I,” she replied. “Mine is the one that counts.”

“Not when it comes to baking,” he replied.

“Okay, that’s it. I’m out of here,” Maddie said. “Once you two start debating control issues, innocent bystanders are in the way.” She hugged Dana Sue. “Let me know if you catch up with Helen.”

“You do the same,” Dana Sue said.

Maddie gave Erik a peck on the cheek and whispered, “Stick to your guns. The desserts are the best thing on the menu.”

“I heard that,” Dana Sue said.

Maddie grinned. “Then keep it in mind when you’re discussing the arrangement of the stockroom. Erik might actually have some valid points.”

“He might,” Dana Sue conceded grudgingly.

When Maddie was gone, she eyed him intently. “You want to fight about the pantry or tell me what you know about Helen?”

“Let’s fight about the pantry,” he said.

“Then you
do
know something about Helen,” she concluded.

“I did not say that,” he insisted.

“You didn’t have to,” she said smugly. “It was written all over your face. That’s okay. I’ll let it pass this time. I’ll get the information out of you when your guard’s not up.”

“My guard is always up around you,” he assured her.

But just in case he was wrong about that, he’d be extra vigilant. Or maybe he’d just dump the problem in Helen’s lap and let her deal with her friends. She was just as eager to keep the two of them out of their love life as he was.

Karen had been doing really well for several weeks now. Maybe it was because the kids had been on their best behavior, almost as if they understood that they might be separated again if things didn’t go smoothly. Or maybe it was because all her sessions with Dr. McDaniels were paying off. She hoped that was it, because sooner or later the kids were bound to do something that would test her limits.

They’d also taken to Elliott from the very first time he’d come by. He was endlessly patient with Daisy’s long descriptions of her days at school. In fact, he seemed genuinely interested in the details of kindergarten, the art projects she brought home and the boy on whom she’d developed a crush. As for Mack, Elliott had miraculously managed, over three visits, to get him weaned from sucking his thumb, a goal that Karen had despaired of accomplishing.

Frances had given Elliott a thumbs-up, too. “He’s a very thoughtful young man,” she’d told Karen. “Hot, too,” she’d added with a wink.

Despite all the votes of approval, Karen was still keeping Elliott at arm’s length. She had a feeling that sometime soon he was going to call her on it, perhaps even tonight when they were going to dinner alone, while Frances kept Daisy and Mack.

A tap on the door announced Frances’s arrival. She took one look at Karen, still wearing her ratty old chenille robe,
and shook her head. “Why aren’t you ready? Elliott will be here any minute, won’t he?”

“I can’t decide what to wear,” Karen said.

Frances gave her a knowing look. “I think you’re scared.”

“Scared of what?” she asked, a defensive note in her voice.

“The fact that this man finds you attractive and wants to spend time with you. You’ve done everything in your power to make him turn tail and run, but nothing’s worked, has it?”

Karen frowned. “I haven’t tried to run him off,” she protested.

“Really? Well, you assigned him to break Mack of sucking his thumb as if the child’s life depended on it,” Frances said. “I’m sure that was designed to make him think twice about what he was getting into with a mother of two young children. What’s next? Do you plan to leave him in charge of Daisy’s birthday party next week? I hate to tell you, sweetie, but Elliott strikes me as a man who can handle a dozen six-year-olds with one hand tied behind his back.”

Karen sighed. “You’re probably right. I thought he was joking about all those nieces and nephews teaching him a lot about kids, but it seems to be true.”

“Then why are you trying to run him off?”

Karen sank onto the edge of the sofa. “Do you really think that’s what I’ve been trying to do?”

“I think every date you’ve had with him has been some sort of test. What are you going to do when he’s passed them all, instead of disappearing?”

“I wish I knew,” Karen said with a sigh. She glanced at Frances. “He really is a good guy, isn’t he?”

“Seems to be,” Frances said. “Besides scared, how do you feel about him?”

“I like him,” Karen admitted. “I really like him.”

“Then give him a real chance. You two need more nights like tonight, just the two of you, so you can really get to know each other.” She smiled at Karen. “And don’t worry about what time you get home. I can fall asleep right here on your sofa.”

She blushed at the implication. “Frances! I am not going to stay out all night.”

Frances’s smile spread. “That’s up to you, of course, but I wanted you to know it wouldn’t be a problem if you did.”

“Would you have told your daughter that?” Karen inquired curiously.

“Heavens, no!” Frances said with a laugh. “But she was twenty the last time she lived under my roof, and when it came to dating, she did what she pleased without me giving her any extra encouragement.”

“Did you approve of her staying out all night?”

“Not really, but she was old enough to make her own decisions, same as you. I was wise enough to keep my opinions to myself.”

“I don’t ever want you to think less of me,” Karen said. “You’re like a mother to me.”

“I’m proud you feel that way and I’m more than happy to offer advice whenever you ask for it, but I won’t judge you, honey. Not ever. Now go and get ready before that man finds you in that robe. It really
might
scare him off. If he gets here before you’re ready, it’ll just give me a few minutes to see what his intentions are.”

Karen laughed. “I’ll hurry.”

“No, please. Take your time. I don’t get many chances to spend time with a man that gorgeous.”

“Neither do I,” Karen said.

“Then it’s time to start enjoying every minute of it, don’t you think?”

“I think you’re absolutely right,” Karen said.

But when she walked into her bedroom, she found the clothes she’d pulled from the closet as she’d tried to decide what to wear all in a heap on the floor with Mack sitting in the middle of them. Daisy was sitting in front of her mirror testing her makeup—all of it. She’d applied lipstick, powder, blush and eyeshadow with abandon, strewing the containers everywhere.

Karen’s weeks of hard-won serenity fled in an instant. A bubble of anger rose in her chest at the mess.

“Daisy, what were you thinking?” she shouted. Daisy, who’d been gazing into a mirror with a pleased expression only a second before, promptly burst into tears at Karen’s sharp tone.

Then she whirled on Mack. “Look what you’ve done to Mommy’s clothes,” she screamed at him, which sent him fleeing from the room on unsteady legs.

A moment later, Frances was in the doorway, a crying Mack clinging to her hand. “What on earth?” she began, then looked around. “Oh, my.”

Weeks of progress vanished as an overwhelming sense of failure washed through Karen. Her room was in chaos and worse, her children were in tears, all because she’d yelled at them for doing what kids did.

“It’s okay,” Frances said, though it wasn’t clear whom she intended her words to soothe. “Daisy, you and Mack come with me.” She gave Karen an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry. I’ll be right back to help you deal with this. You get dressed. I can take care of the cleanup.”

“But you shouldn’t have to. It’s not your mess,” Karen said despondently.

“Well, truth be told, it’s not yours, either, but I doubt we can count on the culprits to straighten this up to our satisfaction. It won’t take but a minute. Get dressed, Karen. Then go on your date and leave the rest to me.”

“I shouldn’t have yelled at Daisy and Mack,” she said wearily. “I’ve upset them.”

“Yelling is a common enough reaction. You’ll apologize. Now, hurry. I’ll go check on them.”

Karen was still shaking from the rush of adrenaline that had pumped through her when she’d first walked into the room, but she managed to salvage an outfit from the pile on the floor and get her own makeup on with fingers that trembled.

Just as she walked into the living room, she heard Daisy tell Elliott, “Me and Mack made Mommy mad.”

She sounded so forlorn Karen’s heart ached.

“But I’m not mad anymore,” she told Daisy, stooping down as her daughter ran into her arms. “It’s okay, sweetie. I shouldn’t have gotten so upset.”

“I didn’t mean to make a mess,” Daisy whispered against her cheek.

“I know.”

“I just wanted to be pretty like you.”

Her own eyes welling with tears, Karen cast a helpless glance toward Elliott. He promptly scooped Daisy out of her arms.

“You are even more beautiful than your mom,” he told her. “When you’re older, boys will be lining up at the door. You’ll be the most popular girl in school.”

Daisy’s eyes shone. “Really?”

Elliott nodded. “Really.”

Daisy gave him a considering look. “Maybe I’ll grow up and marry you, instead.”

Elliott grinned. “Trust me, by then, I’ll be so old you won’t want me.”

“Then maybe you should marry my mommy, instead,” Daisy suggested.

Elliott’s gaze caught Karen’s. “Maybe I should,” he said quietly. “One of these days we might have to talk about that.”

Karen’s heart thumped unsteadily as his gaze sought hers. Surely he wasn’t serious! They’d barely shared more than a good-night kiss up ’til now. How could he possibly be considering a leap like that?

“I think we’d better go,” she said, struggling to keep her voice even.

She put a hand to Daisy’s cheek. “I love you, baby.” Then she picked up Mack and planted a smacking kiss on his cheek. “Love you, too, little man. I won’t be late,” she said pointedly to Frances.

“Enjoy yourselves,” Frances replied. “We’ll be fine.”

Karen practically dashed out the door, anxious to tell Elliott that he shouldn’t be making promises like the one he’d just made to Daisy.

But just outside the door, he caught her hand. “I meant what I said,” he told her, his gaze locked with hers. “We are going to talk about marriage eventually. I know what I want, Karen, but I’ll give you a little time to catch up.”

“You can’t possibly know a thing like that,” she protested, unable to stop the trembling his words had set off. She wasn’t sure what scared her more, the anticipation he’d stirred in her or his absolute certainty. “This is our first real date.”

“All those other times we’ve gotten together with the kids told me everything I needed to know,” he insisted. “Those occasions were real. I know what it would be like to have a family with you. What could possibly be more important?”

“But I’m a terrible mom. I made my kids cry,” she whispered, ashamed of the scene he’d walked in on.

“You’re being way too hard on yourself,” he told her. “Do you think you’re the first mom to lose her temper when her kids misbehave? My mom has the patience of a saint, but she was tested beyond her limits more than once. And believe me, my sisters have raised their voices to their kids more than once.”

He met her gaze. “You didn’t lose control, did you?”

She thought about it and realized she hadn’t. She hadn’t felt that gut-deep loss of control she had a few months back. “Not really.”

“Okay, then. You’re not a terrible mom. Can we agree on that?”

She smiled. “I suppose.”

“Good.” He touched a finger to her lips. “We don’t need to talk about the rest of it now. I just thought I ought to be clear about where I see us headed.”

She frowned at him. “Well, just so you know, I’m now a nervous wreck.”

“Why?”

“Because I don’t want to mess up what could be the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” she said candidly.

His hand cupped her cheek. “You couldn’t if you tried.”

Karen wasn’t convinced of that. But maybe, for now, it was enough that he believed it.

T
he hearing for Caroline and Brad Holliday’s divorce was finally going to happen. Helen had accumulated enough material on Brad’s finances to assure Caroline and her children a secure future. She had no illusions, though, that the proceedings would go smoothly. She doubted Jimmy Bob had had much luck in getting through to his client. Brad would go down fighting to hold on to every penny.

In the courtroom, Helen turned to Caroline. “Are you ready for this?”

“It’s really going to end today?” Caroline asked, her voice unsteady. “No more of their tricks?”

“Not this time,” Helen told her. “The paper trail on Brad’s hidden assets finally caught Jimmy Bob’s attention, to say nothing of infuriating Judge Rockingham. Jimmy Bob knows if they don’t end this now, there’s no telling what else we might unearth.”

Caroline swallowed hard and regarded Helen guiltily. “Brad called me last night.”

Helen held on to her temper by a thread, though she wasn’t particularly surprised. It was exactly the kind of
stunt a man on the verge of losing would pull. “Oh?” she said, her tone neutral.

“He wanted to talk.”

There was a sinking feeling in Helen’s heart. “About?”

“A reconciliation.”

Helen bit back a groan. “What did you tell him?”

Caroline sat up a little straighter. “That he could come over to talk, but that a reconciliation was out of the question,” she said.

But before Helen could breathe a sigh of relief, Caroline asked uncertainly, “Was that the right thing to do?”

“Only you can answer that,” she told Caroline. “How did it feel when you told him that?”

“Lousy,” Caroline admitted. “Somewhere inside I remembered the man he used to be, the man I loved. If I could have that man back…” Her voice trailed off.

“He doesn’t exist anymore,” Helen told her gently. “At least that’s not the man I’ve seen, but if you’re having second thoughts, we can stop this proceeding. It’s not too late. Do you honestly think there’s hope for your marriage?”

Caroline looked across the aisle at her husband, who was huddled with Jimmy Bob. He glanced over at Caroline, his expression hard. Apparently Caroline caught the implication, because she stiffened in response.

“It was all a ploy to soften me up, wasn’t it?” Caroline said with dismay. “Brad figured if he could get me to take him back for a few weeks or even a few months, we’d have to start this process all over again. It was just a gigantic postponement tactic, wasn’t it?”

“What do you think?” “Helen asked.

“I saw it in his eyes just then,” Caroline said, chagrined. “He’s angry that it didn’t work. I could hear it in his voice
when I told him on the phone that I wasn’t interested in a reconciliation. Last night wasn’t about getting back together or he would have come over and tried to convince me. It was just an attempt to get under my skin so I’d feel all warm and fuzzy toward him.”

Helen clasped her hand and gave it a squeeze. “Isn’t it a good thing that you’re smart enough to see through that?”

Caroline glared across the aisle, then turned back to Helen, her resolve clearly steadied. “Take him for every cent I deserve,” she said.

Helen grinned. “It’ll be my pleasure.”

Three draining hours later, they had hammered out the terms of the settlement with Brad Holliday gnashing his teeth and protesting over every nickel and dime. Fortunately, Jimmy Bob had seen the handwriting on the wall and was able to keep the process on course, warning Brad from time to time that his attitude was getting in the way of him winning any points at all.

“She’ll never see a penny of this,” Brad shouted at one point, only to have Judge Rockingham stare him down, his patience with Brad clearly at an end.

“Then you’ll be in a cell facing contempt charges,” the judge assured him. “Am I making myself clear enough about that, Mr. Holliday?”

“Absolutely, Your Honor,” Jimmy Bob said, shooting a quelling look at Brad, who looked as if he wanted to break something. His color was high and his fists were clenched.

Helen thought of the threats that Jimmy Bob hadn’t taken seriously and wondered if she should request a restraining order to protect Caroline. She leaned toward her client.

“Caroline, is there any chance that Brad will try to take his anger out on you over this decision today?”

Caroline looked shaken by the suggestion. “No, of course not,” she said at once.

“I could ask for a restraining order,” Helen told her.

“No,” Caroline said. “It really isn’t necessary.”

Helen nodded. “If you’re sure, but let me know if you change your mind.”

Even without a request from Helen for a restraining order, apparently Judge Rockingham recognized that Brad’s temper was unpredictable. When the hearing ended, he told the bailiff to find an officer to escort Brad from the premises and another to see to it that Helen and Caroline weren’t accosted on their way out.

“Do you have someone who can stay with you for a few days?” Helen asked Caroline, picking up on the judge’s concern. If Rockingham read a danger in his golf buddy’s demeanor, then they needed to take it seriously. “I don’t think you ought to be alone.”

“I agree,” Jimmy Bob said, surprising her. “Better yet, stay with a friend, Caroline, or take the kids on a trip for a week or so. Brad will cool down eventually, but right now, I wouldn’t trust him not to do something crazy. Like I told Helen, he’s been saying a lot of stuff the past few days. Most of it’s nonsense he doesn’t mean, but there’s enough anger in him that I’d be careful if I were you.”

Helen nodded. “It’s good advice, Caroline.”

Caroline looked uneasy, but she was clearly ready to stand her ground. “Sooner or later, I’ll have to deal with him,” she argued. “Brad’s never been violent.”

“He’s never been pushed this far before, either. Better to deal with him later,” Jimmy Bob insisted. “I’ve known him a long time and I’ve never seen him like this.” He faced Helen. “You’re not too popular with him right now, either.
I know I told you I thought he was all talk, but it’s better to be safe. Watch your back, okay?”

Helen shivered at the genuine concern she heard in his voice. “I will,” she promised.

She was with Erik most nights lately, at her place or his. She’d talk to him about staying at his place for a while until Brad Holliday cooled down and began to see things more clearly.

“Caroline, what about you?” she persisted.

“I think you’re both worrying about nothing,” Caroline said. “Brad’s angry, but he’d never hurt me. Still, I’ll go visit my sister for a week or two just to put your minds at ease. She’s been wanting me to come, but I didn’t feel like I could before now.”

“Perfect,” Helen said. “Be sure you call the office and give Brenda your contact information. Do you want me to come home with you while you pack a bag?”

“That’s not necessary,” Caroline said.

The officer who’d escorted them from the courthouse glanced at Helen. “I’ll stay with her, Ms. Decatur.”

“Thanks,” Helen said. No matter what Caroline said, she trusted Jimmy Bob’s perception of Brad’s mood better than that of the woman who still wanted to find some good in him.

As she watched Caroline drive away with the patrol car right behind her, she still felt uneasy. Turning to Jimmy Bob, she saw that he looked worried as well.

“How dangerous do you think Brad is?” she asked him.

“I’d like to believe we’re all overreacting,” he told her. “But Brad lost a lot in that courtroom today. I’m not just talking money and assets, either. I’m talking about the huge blow to his ego. Remember how this whole thing started, with him wanting to prove he was still a man? I’ll
be honest with you. A man in Brad’s state of mind won’t handle any of this well.” He met her gaze. “I’ll say it again—watch your back, Helen.”

She shuddered at his somber tone. She’d handled dozens of difficult divorces, some of them even nastier than this one, but for the first time in her career, she genuinely felt afraid. If Brad was as unstable as Jimmy Bob and Judge Rockingham thought he might be, who knew what he might be capable of doing?

Erik kept stealing glances at Helen. She’d arrived at Sullivan’s just before closing time, given Dana Sue a hug and him a peck on the cheek that had Dana Sue’s eyebrows lifting.

“You okay?” Dana Sue had asked immediately, but Helen had shrugged off the question.

She was fine, she’d insisted, but then she’d grabbed a scrubber and started in on the pots and pans piled in the sink. It was a task she usually shunned, especially when she was wearing one of those smart suits she wore to court. Tonight she hadn’t even bothered with an apron.

Dana Sue sidled close to him. “What’s that about?” she whispered, glancing pointedly at Helen as she attacked a particularly greasy pan in which Dana Sue had baked lasagne.

“I have no idea,” Erik admitted. “But I don’t like it. She’s obviously upset and she’s way too quiet.”

“Maybe you should go,” Dana Sue suggested. “She might open up to me.”

“No way,” he countered, his gaze never leaving Helen.

Dana Sue regarded him with a puzzled expression. “Erik, what’s going on with you two?”

“We’re friends,” he said tersely. “If she’s this upset, I’m not about to walk out of here ’til I know why.”

“Well, neither am I,” Dana Sue replied.

Just then, Helen whirled around and glared at them. “You two can stop whispering behind my back now. Dana Sue, go home.”

Dana Sue regarded her with astonishment. “What?”

“Please,” Helen begged. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.” Suddenly a look of alarm flared in her eyes. “Erik, you need to walk Dana Sue to her car.”

“I don’t need anyone walking me out,” Dana Sue argued.

Helen’s tense expression warned Erik that she was close to the breaking point. “Get your purse, Dana Sue,” he said. “I’ll go out with you.”

“But—”

“Just do it.” He cast a pointed look at Helen. Her spine was rigid. She looked as if she was about one argument from coming unglued. Dana Sue apparently saw the same thing he did, because she finally nodded.

Outside in the parking lot, she gave him a helpless look. “Call me if you need me,” she instructed. “I don’t like this. I don’t like it one bit.”

“Me, neither. One of us will fill you in tomorrow. I promise.”

With one last glance back at the restaurant, she climbed into her car. She’d started out of the parking lot when she stopped and rolled down her window. “Take good care of her,” she ordered. “Promise me.”

“I will.”

“And be prepared to answer a whole lot of questions about why she’s turning to you, instead of to me or Maddie.”

He managed a half smile at her indignation. “I figured that would bother you as much as anything.”

“Well, why wouldn’t it? She’s been our friend forever.”

“Do you really think this is the time to debate which of us is a better friend to her?” he asked.

“No.” She sighed and drove off.

When Erik got back inside, Helen had kicked off her shoes and was sitting on a stool, her shoulders slumped, her expression glum.

“You ready to tell me what’s going on?” he asked quietly.

“Could you just hold me?”

“Sure. I could do that,” he said, moving close to take her in his arms. Her trembling alarmed him. “Come on, sugar, spill it. What happened today to put you in this mood?”

“I won a really good divorce settlement for Caroline Holliday,” she told him, her voice muffled against his chest.

He was still confused. “Isn’t that a good thing?”

“You’d think so, wouldn’t you?”

“What am I missing?”

“Her husband, or soon-to-be ex-husband, has kind of gone off the deep end.”

Erik tensed. “Meaning?”

“His lawyer, the judge, everyone seems to think he might go after Caroline,” she said, then looked up at him, an unfamiliar hint of fear lurking in the depths of her eyes. “Or me.”

“Good God!” he said. “Then what the hell were you doing on the streets alone this late at night?”

“I’m not scared,” she insisted, though everything about her said otherwise. “I just wanted to see if I could maybe stay at your place for a few days. You know, ’til this blows over. It’s not like I’d be moving in permanently or anything.”

“Of course you can stay with me,” he said at once. “You didn’t even have to ask.”

“Yes, I did. It’s not as if we’ve ever talked about living together or anything. I didn’t want you to get some crazy idea that this is a ploy to change things between us.”

Erik sighed. “Helen, I think I know you well enough to see when you’re scared out of your wits.”

“I am not,” she protested indignantly.

He grinned at her. “Okay, then. Not scared, just very cautious.”

“Exactly. Discretion is the better part of valor. Isn’t that the saying?”

“Uh-huh. Do you need to go home and pack your things?”

“I have a suitcase in my car,” she told him. A flash of anger lit her eyes. “I hate that I’m letting this jerk chase me out of my own home.”

“Just remember what you told me not five seconds ago,” he said. “Discretion and all that.”

“I suppose.”

“What about Caroline? Is she safe?”

“She left for her sister’s. She took the younger kids with her. Her oldest’s at college. Hopefully Brad will cool down before they come back.”

Of course, Erik thought, that meant Helen was the only immediate target on this jerk’s radar. Not good.

“Come on,” he told her. “Let’s go home.”

He’d keep her safe there if he had to stand watch night and day. Of course, that would all have to take place between dodging Dana Sue’s and Maddie’s inevitable questions. Those were going to be flying fast and furious first thing in the morning.

Helen couldn’t believe she’d allowed Jimmy Bob and Judge Rockingham to work her into such a frenzy. She’d never been afraid of anyone in her life. She’d always been able to take care of herself, but for some reason Brad’s reaction in court and his friends’ response to it had spooked her completely.

She’d gone home at the end of the day, determined to fight her fear and not be chased out of her own home, but within an hour or two of darkness falling, she’d been jumping at her own shadow. When a car backfired on the street, she’d barely stopped herself from diving behind the sofa. That was when she’d packed a bag and headed for Sullivan’s.