The Heart Remembers (14 page)

Yet the thought of packing the older man off turned Jake's stomach. Yes, things were bad between them. But surely there was a way to smooth out their relationship. There had to be. Only, he didn't have a clue what it was, not after last night. And he was reaching the point of desperation. They couldn't live as they had those first few weeks. The tension had been almost unbearable. That in itself was bad for his father's health. While the retirement home wasn't a great solution, maybe his father would welcome the chance to get
out from under Jake's roof. At the very least, Jake decided to check the place out. He didn't think it was the answer, but it couldn't hurt to consider all the options.

 

Maggie's gaze sought and came to rest on Jake's tall, distinguished form across the gallery, and she smiled. He was half turned away from her, engaged in conversation with a patron, looking incredibly handsome in a crisply starched white shirt and dark gray suit that sat well on his broad shoulders. It was the first time all evening that Maggie had been alone, and she savored the respite, heady with elation at the praise her work had received during the opening reception for her show, basking in this moment of glory. And yet…as she traced the contours of Jake's strong profile, she knew that her happiness tonight was magnified because he was here to share her moment of triumph. His presence made her joy complete.

“And you were worried about having this show.”

Maggie turned at Philip's gentle rebuke and smiled. “You were right. I guess I was ready after all.”

Philip glanced at Jake, then back at Maggie, and smiled. “For a lot of things, it seems. I take it you two have worked things out?”

She turned to gaze again at Jake, a whisper of a
smile softening her lips. “We're getting there. We still have issues, but…I don't know. Somehow I sense we'll work them out.”

Philip put his hand on Maggie's shoulder. “I'm happy for you, you know. About this—” he gestured with one hand around the gallery “—and about that.” He nodded toward Jake. “You deserve all the happiness life has to offer, Maggie.”

“Thank you. But I'm trying not to rush things. I want to be sensible about this.”

Just then Jake turned and glanced around the room, his gaze restless and searching until it came to rest on Maggie. He gave her a slow, lazy smile that warmed her all the way from her toes to her nose, and she heard Philip chuckle.

“Maggie, honey, I know your intentions are good. But trust me. Jake is past the sensible stage. And forgive me for saying it, but so are you. In fact, I'm guessing that wedding bells will be in the air in the not-too-distant future.”

Maggie didn't even try to deny Philip's words. Because the truth was, she felt the same.

 

Maggie's eyes were glowing as she set the Sunday paper down on the kitchen table. A review of her work—brief, but highly complimentary—had made the Boston paper! A wave of elation washed over her, and she was filled with a deep sense of satisfaction, accomplishment…and a
compelling need to share the news with Jake—in person. He would be thrilled, too. She'd see him in church in two hours, but she couldn't wait!

With uncharacteristic impulsiveness, she tucked the paper into a tote bag, added four of the large cinnamon rolls she'd baked last night and headed out the door. Maybe her impromptu visit would cheer him up, even without the news she was bearing. He hadn't shared many of the details about the latest falling-out with his father, sparing her the worry during this last week as she fretted about her opening, but she knew it was serious if Howard had gone down to Rob's. She hoped Jake would tell her more about it now that the opening had passed.

Maggie grinned at Jake's look of surprise half an hour later when he answered her ring. She'd never shown up uninvited before, and he was clearly taken aback—but just as clearly pleased.

“Maggie!” He drew her inside, pulling her into his arms as he kicked the door shut with his foot and buried his face in her hair. For a long moment he just held her, loving the feel of her wrapped in his arms. Less than five minutes ago he'd been wishing for just such a visit. The last week had been hell as he'd wrestled with the problem of what to do about his father, and he was running out of time. Howard was returning late this afternoon, and Jake still hadn't figured out how to deal with
the situation. All he knew with absolute certainty was that they couldn't go on as they had before.

But now, with Maggie in his arms, her sweetness enveloping him, he somehow felt better.

When at last he drew away, he looped his arms around her waist and smiled down at her.

“Hi.” His eyes were warm and tender, his voice husky and intimate.

“Hi yourself.” She smiled up at him.

“I'm glad you're here.”

“I sort of got that impression. Do you want to talk about it?”

“About what?”

“About why you're so glad to see me.”

“You mean beyond the obvious reason?”

“Mmm-hmm.”

“Actually, I'd rather talk about you. What's the occasion?”

“What do you mean?”

“Well, you've never shown up on my doorstep uninvited before. Not that you need to wait for an invitation, you understand. It's just a first. And I hope not a last.”

She grinned. “I had some good news, and I wanted to share it with you.”

“I could use some good news. Let's have it.”

She reached into her tote bag and withdrew
the Boston paper, already turned back to the right page, and handed it to him, her eyes glowing.

He tilted his head and smiled, loving the way her eyes lit up when she was happy. She was like a warm ray of sun, a balm on his troubled soul. He reached over and traced a finger from her temple to her chin, following the delicate curve of her jaw. Her eyes ignited at his touch, and he was tempted to take her in his arms again, to taste her sweet lips until all coherent thoughts were driven from his mind and he was lost in the wonder of her love.

But first he needed to focus on the paper. If it was important enough to bring her over without an invitation, it deserved his full attention. Transferring his attention to the newsprint, he scanned the complimentary article, his lips curving into a slow smile as he read.

“That's what I'd call an auspicious beginning. I'm very proud of you. And in case I haven't told you lately, you are one amazing and incredible woman—not to mention talented, intelligent and drop-dead gorgeous.”

Maggie chuckled. “That might be overstating it just a bit.”

“Nope. I never exaggerate.”

She laughed, so filled with joy that it simply came bubbling to the surface. All of the pieces of her life were finally falling into place. She'd
raised the girls well and sent them on their way in the world. She'd taken a bold step and successfully launched a serious art career. And the only man who'd ever touched her heart had come back into her life and offered her his love. The long, dry years, often filled with drudgery, seemed suddenly a distant memory. She'd made it through the hard times, and now, at last, it seemed that she was being rewarded for her diligence and hard work. Her heart felt lighter than it had in years.

“I think you're pretty special, too, you know. In fact, now that we've formed a mutual admiration society, I would say a celebration is in order.” She lifted the bag. “I brought some homemade cinnamon rolls.”

“Now that's the best offer I've had all day.” Jake draped an arm around her shoulders and guided her toward the kitchen. “I'll pour the coffee if you want to nuke those for a minute.”

“Okay.”

Maggie tore the foil off the cinnamon rolls, put three of them on a plate and set the timer on the microwave. “Do you have some plastic wrap? I want to leave one of these for your dad.”

“Sure. In the drawer, on the right. Boy, they smell great already!”

Maggie smiled and pulled out the drawer.
“They're pretty hard to resist, if I do say so myself. My guests always…”

Her voice faltered and her smile froze as the words
Water's Edge Retirement Community
screamed up at her from a brochure, Jake's name prominent on the mailing label. Her stomach clenched into a cold knot, and she gripped the edge of the counter.

Maggie wanted to shut the drawer again, pretend she'd never seen that brochure, but she knew she couldn't erase it from her memory. Nor could she deny its implication. The man she loved, the man she had come to believe was honorable and could be counted on to remain steadfast in bad times, was reneging on his promise to his mother. He was throwing in the towel on his relationship with his father because things had gotten rough. Or at the very least
considering
throwing in the towel. And as far as she was concerned, that was bad enough. The future that had moments before looked so full of hope and promise now seemed bleak and empty.

“Your guests always what?” Jake tossed the prompt over his shoulder as he poured their coffee. When she didn't respond, he frowned and turned toward her.

Something was wrong. Very wrong. Her body was rigid, and she was gripping the edge of the
counter so fiercely that her knuckles were white. Her face was angled away from him, but what little he could see was colorless. His gut clenched in sudden alarm, and he moved toward her in three long strides, placing one arm around her shoulders.

“Maggie? What's wrong?”

She looked up at him, and he was jolted by her eyes, dull and glazed with shock. Panic swept over him and he gripped her shoulders, his gaze locked on hers.

“Maggie, what is it? Tell me. Let me help.”

As she stared at him, Jake was able to read beyond the shock in her eyes. There was pain and confusion and disillusionment in their depths as well. His frown deepened as he reached down to close the drawer that separated them.

That's when he saw the brochure.

With a sickening jolt, he came to the obvious conclusion. Maggie had finally given him her trust, had come to believe that he was man who kept his promises and could be counted on to stand fast no matter what the circumstance, and now she had found stark evidence to the contrary.

How could he have been so careless? He'd meant to put that brochure in his room, he'd done no more than skim it when it arrived, feeling in his heart that it wasn't the answer to his dilemma. But
Maggie wasn't going to believe him, not now, not considering the look of betrayal in her eyes. And he couldn't blame her. He'd made a mistake in a moment of weakness, and though he recognized it as such now, he knew that for her, the fact that he'd even
considered
such an option indicated that he held his promise as less than sacred.

She began to tremble, and Jake tried to think of something, anything, to undo the damage. But no words came to mind. Instead he guided her to the table and gently pressed her into a seat, then pulled up a chair beside her. Jake reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers.

“Maggie, will you listen if I try to explain?”

“Is there an explanation?” Her voice was flat and lifeless.

“Yes. Although it's not one you'll want to hear, I suspect. But I'd like to tell you anyway. Will you listen?”

When she didn't respond, Jake took a deep breath and spoke anyway. “You know that Dad and I have had a rough time of it from the beginning. I've made no secret of that. But I was starting to think we'd turned a corner. I won't say things between us were a hundred percent comfortable, but we were getting along. Life was pleasant enough.

“Then, last Monday, everything fell apart. I'd had a bad day at school, and I came home to find
Dad up on a ladder in the middle of that sleet storm. I was a little too heavy-handed in my reaction, I guess, and Dad took offense. The next thing I knew we were accusing each other of some pretty terrible things. Including the death of my mother.”

Maggie gasped, and Jake gave a grim nod. “Yeah, it got that bad. On top of everything, it was five years to the day Mom died. Emotions were running high on both sides. Suffice it to say, the situation was very tense by the time I walked out to cool off. When I got back, Dad's bags were packed. He left the next morning for Rob's.”

Jake paused and stared down at the oak table. “I don't know what made me request that information on the retirement home. Desperation, I guess. I just felt that I couldn't keep my promise to Mom
and
make sure Dad was taken care of. And I think living with me is the last thing in the world he wants. He's unhappy here, and stressed, which isn't good for his health. I just didn't know what to do. I passed that retirement home on the way back from the airport, and figured it couldn't hurt to check it out. The brochure came yesterday. To be honest, it's not something I even want to consider. But I just don't know what's best for Dad anymore. Do you understand at all how I feel?”

Maggie didn't speak for several seconds. When she did, her voice was subdued. And sad. “At the
moment, Jake, not very much is clear to me. But I know one thing. A promise is a promise. No one ever said life was easy. But we can't just walk away from our commitments. If you give your word, you keep it. Period. It's a matter of honor. And if people don't honor their promises, how can there ever be any trust?”

Jake flinched. Maggie's words had been said without rancor, but they hit home nonetheless. And she was right. He'd made a mistake—and it was going to cost him dearly.

Maybe even the woman he loved.

She stood, and Jake rose, as well. “Don't go yet, Maggie. Please.”

“I need to be alone for a while, Jake.”

“Will you call me later?”

There was a pause, and when she looked at him her eyes were guarded and distant. “I don't know.”

Jake felt as if someone had kicked him in the gut. He couldn't let the woman he loved walk out of his life. But he didn't know how to stop her.