Nothing Short of a Miracle (17 page)

He picked up the socks, carefully, lovingly, and for the first time in his life wanted to sit back down and cry. Instead, he got up and slowly trudged up to his room, a sock clutched tightly in each hand. He tenderly set them on his dresser. He got undressed and laid on the bed. Maybe when he woke later he’d discover it had all been a bad dream. Maybe then he could live with himself.

Chapter Ten

Chad found his father in the small, informal room off the kitchen later that morning, a steaming cup of coffee in his hands and an empty plate in front of him—the Sunday paper lay spread out on the table.

“Good morning, Son. There’s fresh coffee.” His dad glanced up from the paper. “You look tired this morning. Had a bad night?”

Ignoring his father, Chad poured a cup of coffee. He needed caffeine in a big way.

“Ethel mentioned seeing you and Gabriella in the library last night.” His father folded the paper he’d been reading and tossed it aside, watching Chad settle in the chair opposite him.

Chad frowned at his father, who was calmly adding cream and two heaping teaspoons of sugar to his coffee. He stirred it in quick circular strokes with his spoon as if his life depended on it. Damn. He could tell what was on his father’s mind. He took a couple of quick, fortifying gulps of his own steaming cup of caffeine to boost his courage.

“Before you go any further, Dad, I apologize for punching Charles and drawing blood last night in front of company. I don’t know what came over me. It doesn’t excuse my actions, but I have a feeling there are a lot of men out there who’ve wanted a piece of him—not to mention he’s a nasty drunk. I’m surprised someone hasn’t beat me to the punch. Pun intended.” He took another deep swig of coffee, and set the cup down. “And you can inform mother that her matchmaking efforts with Jennifer Newell aren’t going to work this time, in case she hasn’t figured it out already.”

His father didn’t bother to hide his knowing grin. “Never underestimate your mother’s matchmaking powers, Son. Her track record is undisputed.”

Chad made a stab at laughing. “Tell her to stop. I don’t need her help.”

“It wouldn’t do me any good to tell your mother to stop when it comes to matters of the heart. Besides, sometimes we all need a little nudge in the right direction.”

“To be honest, I think I blew ‘the right direction’ part last night.”

“Wait a minute.” His father put his hands up in front of him, palms outward. He picked up his cup and took a large sip. “I don’t think I want to hear about your love life.”

“I don’t have a love life. That’s the point. I am so tired of women wanting me for Bronson B. Brady, I can’t see straight. Tanya was the final straw—she took me for a bundle. Now Gabby—well, I just doled out another bundle for Nina in the form of a trust fund and I’m afraid history is about to repeat itself. Love life? Hell, I don’t know what to think anymore. Just when I find someone who I think I can give my heart to, I find her with her arms wrapped around one of my books, happier than a Christmas turkey that’s been pardoned by the President. What am I to think?”

“To begin with, it’s a Thanksgiving turkey not a Christmas turkey. And I’m sorry about Tanya, Son. I didn’t know. But I think what you’ve done for Nina is commendable regardless of Gabriella’s feelings for you, or your feelings for her.” Chad’s father slid his coffee aside and leaned over the table.

It irked Chad to realize his father didn’t even question that he had set up a trust fund for Gabriella’s niece.

“Think, Son. Perhaps Gabriella was impressed with your creativity—happy for you, that you’re able to give enjoyment to others. You aren’t some slob like Charles Denton who lives off his father’s name and money. What I think, Son, is you could take a lesson from the President.”

“What?” Chad looked at his father, puzzled, the steaming cup half way to his lips.

“Yep. Sounds to me as if a pardon is in order.”

Chad put his cup back on the placemat covered with bright red poinsettias and stared into his coffee cup as if it held the answers to all the secrets of the world. It solved nothing. He was the only one who could make things right.

“Speaking of Charles…”

Chad’s head snapped up.

“Charles? Who the hell wants to talk about Charles? I already said I’m sorry.”

“Watch your tongue, Son.”

“Dad, I’m thirty. I think I can say ‘hell.’ Hell, my characters in my novels say worse things than that!”

“Yes, but your mother taught you better. Besides you need to learn now so you won’t be cussing around your children.”

“Children? I don’t have any children.”

“Yet.”

“Jeez, Dad. Did mom put you up to this?” Chad couldn’t believe they were having this conversation. His father must have been on leave from work too long, his mother had turned his father’s mind to mush. “What is it Mom really wants?

“Leave your mother out of this.”

Chad sighed. It was useless. The minute his father uttered the words “leave your mother out of this,” the subject was closed for further discussion.

“I want to know why you cold-cocked Charles.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t stand to watch him manhandle Gabby. She doesn’t deserve that kind of treatment.”

“We had no idea Charles planned to attend, if it makes you feel any better. We wouldn’t knowingly put Gabriella in such a position after the horrendous way he’s treated her when he found out about Nina. She’s been through an awful lot lately, Son. She didn’t need another humiliating incident.”

Chad didn’t think being dumped by Charles was so tragic. Dealing with a baby on one’s own, as well as the loss of one’s family, however, was probably daunting and stressful. And he’d only added to it.

After last night, he owed her another apology.

****

Gabriella didn’t want to leave her bedroom. It was cowardly of her, she knew. She’d never run from anything in her life—always met obstacles head on. But this was different. Facing Chad after slapping his face was not going to be easy.

With the trust fund for Nina, she no longer needed to stay at the Hempstead’s. But she wasn’t a quitter, either. Tempting as it may be to pack her bags and run, she wasn’t about to leave Helen and Chadwick in the lurch. They had been nothing but warm, welcoming, and treated her like one of the family.

She should have trusted her original instincts and refused the position when Chad had shown up accusing her of tracking him down for more money.

She’d over-reacted last night. Slapping Chad’s face was unforgivable. Letting his kiss go to her head, believing he cared. All right, she had to admit, if only to herself, she was half in love with him. So what? She had thought herself in love with Charles, too, and look where that had gotten her.

Nowhere. Nowhere at all.

Never mind Chad was one of the most handsome men she had ever seen, his relationship with his mother and father was endearing. He really wasn’t an uncaring person despite his resistance to marriage and babies. He enjoyed his nieces and nephews and had even been concerned when Nina had cried out. And punching Charles in the nose on her behalf … well, no one had ever done anything so chivalrous on her behalf before. She was so confused she wanted to scream. Instead, she called Mindy, and was relieved when she answered the phone.

“I was hoping you were still in town. Want to go shopping? Today’s my day off. We can take Nina and hit the mall and do some Christmas shopping.”

“Everything okay, you sound a little upset.”

“Just need some time off. Thought we could do lunch. Talk.”

“Sure. I’ll meet you at the mall center.”

“I’ll pick you up instead.”

With mild temperatures and a blue sky above, Gabriella packed up Nina, the stroller, and left a note with Ethel saying she’d be gone all day. With the holiday season underway, stores opened early and closed late. Gabriella was looking forward to a day of mindless shopping.

Mindy stood in the doorway of the apartment building, a frown on her face. Gabby walked up the path with Nina cuddled over her shoulder.

“Here, let me hold that darling baby.” Mindy took her inside and lifted the corner of the blanket. “Look at her smile. What a cutie.”

“She’s such a good baby, Mindy. I couldn’t ask for more. We’ve bonded. It’s as if I’m her real mother now. I love it. It’s not so hard once I got used to having her around. Of course, Helen and Ethel have made it easy. They’ve fallen in love with her, too. Sometimes I can’t remember what it was like before Nina.”

“But something’s wrong,” Mindy exclaimed. “So, what’s up? You sounded ready to cry when we talked. And you look awful.”

“Just what I need to hear. I didn’t come here to be insulted,” Gabby said. Her attempt at a smile failed.

“Sorry. Sit down. Let’s talk.”

Mindy carried Nina into the small sitting room, laid her on the couch and unbundled her. She laid the blanket on the floor, and placed Nina in the middle where the infant stretched out kicking and cooing.

“Oh, heavens, will you just look at her,” Mindy exclaimed.

“She tries to sit up and wants to stand, now,” Gabriella said. “I can’t help but think of what my sister is missing. Nina is so like her, it’s like looking into her eyes sometimes.”

“The family resemblance is strong. She looks like you, too. I can see why someone might mistake her as yours. And that’s not a bad thing.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

“How about a nice cup of hot cider before we go? That’ll cheer you up.”

Before Gabriella could answer, Mindy jumped up and flew from the room. Within minutes, she was carrying two mugs of steaming cider from the kitchen, the spicy aroma of cinnamon followed her into the small room. She handed a cup to Gabby, and sat down.

“Okay, girlfriend. I can see something else has upset you, and it doesn’t have anything to do with Nina. I’ve never seen you look this upset. I know your life has been a roller coaster lately. But you’ve handled it better than I would have. So, what’s been going on?”

Gabriella looked at her friend, tears filling her eyes. Mindy was right. Her life was a roller coaster and she’d been too busy to mourn the loss of her family. The pain was still there—she’d simply tucked it aside in order to get through each day.

When she didn’t respond right away, Mindy jumped to her own conclusions, concern written all over her face.

“Oh, my God. It’s Charles, isn’t it? That…that…” Mindy looked at Nina before whispering across the blanket. “That b-a-s-t-a-r-d!”

Gabriella laughed. “You don’t have to spell it out. Nina isn’t old enough to understand what you’re saying. But you’re right. It is about Charles. He showed up at the Hempstead’s with Jennifer Newell for a holiday gathering last night.”

Lord, was it only last night?
It seemed like months ago.

Gabriella smiled at the comical expression on Mindy’s face.

“You were right the first time. I don’t know what I ever saw in him. Why I stayed with him for so long. I guess I was so focused on my career that our cool relationship, for lack of a better word, seemed to fit.”

“So, what’d he do now?”

“He kissed me under the mistletoe in front of everyone—thought he could rekindle something we didn’t have in the first place. He said some nasty things to me. That’s when Chad punched him in the nose.”

“Chad punched Charles in the nose?” Mindy gasped, then broke out laughing. “I wish I’d been there to see that. Chad’s my hero.”

“Well, it wasn’t funny at the time. Charles was a bit tipsy.”

“You mean drunk?”

“Yes. He was furious. You should have seen his face, besides the blood, I mean. He was not a happy camper.”

“Blood? Chad drew blood? Oh, my. Chad must have the hots for you.”

“I was beginning to think so, too, until later that night. I inadvertently found out he’s a famous author. He accused me of knowing all along—that I was only after him because of his money.”

“Famous author?” Mindy couldn’t hide her curiosity.

Gabriella proceeded to tell Mindy about the incident, including the part about Chad’s kiss.

“He was very insulting, so I slapped his face and walked out. Now I feel guilty. I haven’t seen him today, and I’m sure he never wants to see me again, either.”

“If you need a place to stay, you can move back in here with me. Trish left in a hurry. No idea what’s going on—you know Trish, she keeps to herself most of the time. She packed her bags, left a note on the table and took off two days ago. Paid her share of the rent through January, and hopped a plane to France.”

“France? What’s in France?”

“I think her mother lives there. Trish doesn’t talk about her much, since her parents divorced a year ago. Anyway, it’d be just you, me, and Nina.”

“It’s very enticing. And believe me, I’ve considered leaving, especially since I don’t need the job any longer. But, I can’t leave Helen—she’s been like a mother to me and a grandmother to Nina. Even Ethel is a darling.”

“So, what are you going to do?”

“Nothing right now. When I’m ready, Dennis offered to help me move after the holidays.”

“Dennis? Does he visit the Hempsteads often?”

“He’s been there a couple of times. Actually he was there last night and ended up taking Jennifer home.”

Mindy started paying a lot of attention to Nina.

“Mindy, Mindy, Mindy. I think you have the hots for Dennis.”

“I do not.”

“Do too. It’s written all over your face even though you’re trying not to let it show. You only met Dennis once.”

“Twice.”

“Twice?”

Her friend was embarrassed. She’d admitted as much—she hoped Mindy wasn’t putting too much stock in the Hempstead’s CEO.

“You mistakenly assumed you were in love with Andy and that he cared for you. Don’t make the same mistake with Dennis. I know I’ve learned my lesson. Not once, but twice.”

“You’ve fallen for Chad, haven’t you?” Mindy asked, a broad smile on her face, taking the pressure off herself. “I knew it.”

“I thought Chad was starting to care for me until he turned into this big Jekyll/Hyde person. Lord, Mindy, he’s a famous author. I found a whole series of his books in his parents’ library. I was going to read one when he interrupted me, and that’s when the whole thing took a turn for the worst, and I slapped his face.”