Blueprints: A Novel (43 page)

Sputtering a laugh, he slid an arm around her waist. “I can’t
begin
to go there with my folks. As far as I’m concerned, they’ve had sex three times. Period.”

Thinking that he knew so well how to handle her, she locked her hands at the small of his back. “They have a right to do it.”

He snickered. “You think?”

She did, which was why she wasn’t truly upset thinking of her mother and Dean together. It actually made her feel better to know Caroline wasn’t alone, since now she herself had Chip. She had never felt that way about Brad, probably because he had never fully occupied her the way Chip did. Even now, with so much urgency on her mind, he took her away, if for only a minute or two.

“Anything beats thinking about telling Theo, but I do need to do that, seeing as he’s my first stop. Not that I have time for this right now.” Chip had already offered to drop off the boys, so that she could see Theo and then go on to the office. Presentations were crucial. If she had a prayer of having something done by tomorrow, she needed every possible minute.

Chip drew her to him, his eyes the riveting blue that never failed to send a little thrill through her. “Are you sure I can’t go with you?”

“I’m sure. Mom was right. I need to do this myself.” The thought of it tied her in knots all over again. She would love to have her husband with her as backup. But her grandfather could be unfiltered when it came to pithy remarks. She didn’t want Chip hearing that.

*   *   *

Knowing where Theo would be and that he would be softer there, she drove to his house. Though the Tudor structure was totally old-world, with its half-timbers and stucco over a fieldstone skirt, its second-floor gables, its grand portico and broad stone steps, the house had always called to Jamie. She had never once dreamed of redoing it, though many of her recent designs involved updates on the Tudor style. Theo’s house was Theo’s house.

More to the point, Theo’s house was Jamie’s grandmother’s house. Though Patricia was long dead, her generous spirit lived in the antique furnishings and exquisite art she had personally bought. These things evoked her memory at every turn, but nowhere was that more true than on the back patio.

That was where Jamie headed. Circling around, she walked over well-mown grass, passing beds of heirloom flowers in staggered states of bloom, a stone chimney, and shrubs of varied greens. The patio was soapstone. Patricia had herself set the stones, which were a richly veined gray and held enough of a pattern to delineate three large vaguely circular shapes, one each for lounging, grilling, and eating.

Surrounded by an outer yard of ancient trees in full leaf, the patio itself was lush. Jamie vividly recalled Patricia on her hands and knees, weeding the gardens that bordered the stone. A subservient woman doing her husband’s bidding? Only the ignorant would think that. Patricia was strong and quiet. She was also insistent when she believed in a cause, whether that cause was building a pergola, which was right now covered with lilacs, or raising money for the church. Though she had never been directly involved in the operation of MacAfee Homes, she took joy in the house her husband had built her. That joy shimmered over the gardens even now.

By contrast, Jamie’s first glimpse of Theo so alone squeezed her heart. Wearing suit pants and a shirt, he would add a tie and jacket before heading to the office. For now, his neck was open, sleeves rolled to expose forearms whose skin was marbled and loose. A creature of habit, he was drinking orange juice, eating the last of the scrambled eggs and toast that his housekeeper had made, and reading the newspaper.

He didn’t see her until she slipped into the chair closest to him, at which point he looked up with a start, then came alive. Gleeful, he slapped the paper.

“See this?”

Jamie had seen two things that morning. First, she had seen Chip, the boys, and the beautiful wedding ring that she kept looking at in amazement but that Theo hadn’t noticed. The ring was stunning and held a world of meaning for her, but the subtlety of it would camouflage its meaning. Second and haunting now, she had seen Caroline’s disappointment.

“What’s there?” she asked.

“Your mother’s interview. She did a damn good job,
damn
good job. She keeps saying no to it, but she’s a fine spokeswoman for the company. You need to tell her that, too.” He pushed the paper aside. “So, little girl, if you aren’t here to talk about the
Globe
piece, why’d you come?”

Jamie tried to still her nerves. “I have news, Granddad,” she said. Spotting the housekeeper approaching to offer food, she shook her head. The instant they were alone again, she faced Theo. She hated doing this to him when his spirits were high. She hadn’t seen him animated since Roy’s death. But her news wouldn’t wait.

His creased face grew progressively drawn as she told him about her broken engagement, about Brad’s plans to leave the company, and finally about Chip. By the time she finished, he was frowning, his blue eyes confused. Seeming older, he turned away for a moist cough, then shifted gingerly on the cushions of the iron chair to face her.

“Brad is leaving?”

“Yes. He misses his hometown.”

“I thought Williston had become his hometown.”

“Apparently not.”

“What about loving you?”

“I’m afraid we were both wrong about that. I’m sorry, Granddad. I know the last thing you need right now is having to hire a new lawyer.”

Theo’s mouth was a pale line. “Bad timing, so soon after…”
Roy’s death.

“Yes,” she said and waited. Brad had only been half of the news she had delivered. She had no clue what Theo was thinking about the other half. Giving him time to process it all, she remained quiet.

Finally, screwing up his face, he asked, “The washed-up hockey player?”

“But he’s not washed up,” she rushed out with a promising smile and sat straighter. Earlier, with Caroline, she had felt like the little girl Theo always called her. Now conviction gave her new force. “He teaches here in town and runs a successful hockey camp for kids each summer. He has a three-year-old son he’s raising himself, lives in the house he grew up in—”

“Living back home?” Theo broke in. His implication was clear, made all the more so by the disdainful tone of his gravelly voice.

“Actually,” she countered, “he bought his parents two homes to retire in. He has plenty of money.”

Theo gave a guttural grunt. “He made a mess of his life.”

“He knows that. Trust me, he does. He hit rock bottom but pulled himself up. He’s gainfully employed, has a family behind him and a son needing him, and his instincts are good.” She hurried on, unable to resist the argument. “We all liked Brad. But Brad didn’t want a child, couldn’t even open his heart to an orphaned one, who happened to be your namesake grandson. So we can intellectualize his merits all we want, Granddad, but on the things that matter most, he fails.”

Theo continued to scowl. “You could’ve raised Tad yourself.”

“I could have. And I would have. I had a good example of single parenthood in Mom.” It was a slam against Roy, but it was the truth. Theo didn’t deny it with so much as a raised brow. “Believe me, I was in no rush to get married, certainly not on the heels of breaking up with Brad. Tad is not the reason I married Chip.”

From inside the house came a distant phone.

Theo seemed not to hear it. His eyes didn’t waver. “What is?”

“I love him.”

“That quick?”

“That quick,” she replied, driven by determination, even a smidgeon of anger. If the ringing phone meant Caroline wanted to share her feelings about Jamie’s marriage, grit was needed. “Call my behavior impulsive, Granddad. Lord knows, Mom did. But when it comes to Brad, at least, he was happy to let me go and take a job halfway across the country—a job, PS, that he’d apparently been considering for a while.”

Guilt stopped her. She hadn’t meant to sound resentful. “I’m sorry. That was unnecessary. Brad served MacAfee Homes well. But he has an assistant who can cover until we hire someone else, and in the long run, the company will be stronger for it. As for Chip, I’ve never been so sure of anything in my life. He and I think alike. We’ve both done the superstar thing and understand about passion and focus. Right now, his focus is on his son, and on me and Tad. That said, I understand your caution. I shouldn’t have snapped at you. I’m sorry.”

Theo surprised her with a sly grin as he sank back in the wrought-iron chair. “I always wondered if you had it in you.”

“Had what in me?”

“Your father’s spunk. It makes me feel like I haven’t completely lost him.” His gaze shifted as the housekeeper came toward him with the phone.

“Brian Leavitt,” she murmured apologetically. “He said it was urgent.”

Jamie was still trying to grasp what had to be a major compliment—at least, she thought it was—when the identity of the caller sank in. An urgent call from Brian could only mean that Claire was up in arms about the interview Caroline had given the
Globe,
and if Claire was upset about that, she would retaliate by upping her demands about
Gut It!

Jamie took a deep breath to still her racing heart, but it made barely a dent.

“Yes,” Theo barked into the phone. He listened, then said reasonably, “I thought it was a good piece,” then, without remorse, “I’m sorry you feel that way,” then, watery eyes meeting Jamie’s, “A meeting is an excellent idea.” She saw him sit straighter, as if his spine had had an infusion of steel. “No, tomorrow won’t do, or Wednesday … Yes, Brian, I understand that time is of the essence, but I run a business … Thursday morning is fine.” His eyes warmed. He was enjoying himself. “No, not at the station, at my office … Yes, that’s all well and good, but I’m eighty-two, so you can just come to me.”
Home field advantage,
he mouthed to Jamie and winked. “MacAfee Homes is my major concern. Yes, Brian. Yes. I know Claire is upset, you already said that. A word of advice? Have her tone down the rhetoric before she gets to my office. I don’t do well with ultimatums.” A final pause, then a nod. “Thank you.”

Jamie didn’t know whether to be excited or nervous. “A meeting with Brian and Claire?”

“And your mother and Dean and you.”

For an instant, Jamie wondered if Theo knew that her mother and Dean were involved. Then she realized that (A) Theo would have probably assumed they had been involved long before this, and (B) Brian would have requested Dean be there, so what Theo thought was moot.

“What did he threaten?”

Leaning on the arm of his chair, Theo came closer. His eyes, remarkably clear, held both challenge and amusement. “He threatened to cancel
Gut It!
What he doesn’t know is that I don’t
care
if he cancels
Gut It!
It was my son’s baby, not mine. And that’s a message for you, too. If you and your mother want it, you’ll have to fight for it.” He sat straight again, watching her closely. “Married?”

“Married. I love him.”

He was silent.

When she couldn’t take the suspense any longer, she coaxed softly, “Say something, Granddad.”

“Do I know his parents?”

“If you’re asking whether they run in the same social circles we do, I’d say no, but they’re well thought of in town.”

“Tad is named after me. I don’t want him called Kobik.”

She felt a tiny breath escape. The beginning of acceptance? “He won’t be. Chip and I talked about that. I’m keeping MacAfee, too.”

Again he was quiet. Then, his voice more gentle than she’d ever heard it, he asked, “Is this what you want?”

Jamie’s throat tightened. Given how brusque her grandfather typically was, she had driven here fully prepared for a dressing down peppered with lots of
little girl
this and
little girl
that. Now, though, he was different, perhaps mellowed by age or by the death of his son. She almost imagined he was standing in for Roy. That was enough to bring tears to her eyes—and if not that, then the fact that Caroline had always been the one who wanted for Jamie what she wanted for herself, but was closed off to it now. Theo’s gentleness couldn’t have come at a better time.

“What?” the man asked gruffly, clearly unsettled by the tears in her eyes.

“That’s the nicest thing you could have said. Yes, it’s what I want, and yes, it’s going to make me happy, and yes, I’ve thought of every reason why someone who doesn’t know the situation may call it crazy, but I love him, he adores Tad, he’s a fabulous father, and he treats me like gold. Tad will always be my first priority. He has to be. But this will give him a stable home with a mother and father who want him.” She paused and chanced a tentative “Mom is pretty upset—the speed of this and all.”

Theo made a dismissive sound. “I proposed to my Patricia the day we met. We married a week later.”

Jamie had known that but hadn’t seen a correlation. “Times were different back then.”

He did a thing with his white brows that said he didn’t think that was important either. And since he didn’t, she had a thought.

“Maybe you could remind Mom about you and Grandma? What with everything that’s happened, she’s probably forgotten. I would greatly appreciate your help with her.”

“It doesn’t come without strings.”

“What strings?”

“Convince her to take my job when I retire.”

Blindsided by how serious he was, Jamie was momentarily without words. There were so many reasons why she might not be Theo’s best advocate, the most immediate being that Caroline would assume Jamie wanted her anywhere that would get her off the set of
Gut It!
so that Jamie could host.

“I’ve been testing her,” Theo said with that same earnestness. “She’s good at what I do.”

“I’m not sure she agrees.”

His smile was wily. “Then it’s your job to convince her.”

twenty-five

Caroline’s outfit of choice for her meeting with Herschel Oakes would have been armor. He had never taken potshots at her directly, but she had seen him target others enough to know to beware. He wasn’t a trial lawyer; his smooth zingers rarely reached a judge. They were aimed at everyday people, especially family members who were thinking of contesting a will for which he was the executor. Whether Mildred Weymouth had filed her estate plan with him to discourage one of her sons from doing that, or simply because Herschel had Williston roots, Caroline didn’t know. All she knew was that he was a serious hurdle to cross in making a deal for that land.