The Surprise Holiday Dad (12 page)

What an exaggerated sense of guilt this poor girl carried. “Listen, there’s someone I’d like you to talk to.”

“Who?” Judging by the suspicious tone, Judi feared Adrienne meant her parents.

“She’ll be here any minute.” Peering into the hall, Adrienne was relieved to see a tall woman heading their way, blond hair pulled into a ponytail that emphasized her sharp features.

After they greeted each other, Adrienne turned to the patient. “Judi, meet Dr. Samantha Forrest. Sam’s a pediatrician who does volunteer counseling with young moms.”

The patient pressed her lips together as if she might reject the offer. Then she said, “Aren’t you the one they call Fightin’ Sam?”

“That’s me.” Samantha had earned the nickname by standing up for “her girls.”

“I remember how much you cared about those moms who were giving up their babies. Thanks for calling her, Dr. Cavill.”

“Good luck,” Adrienne said, and left the two of them alone.

An hour later, near the end of the shift, Sam stopped by to say Judi had called her parents. “Mr. and Mrs. Finnegan were overjoyed. They hadn’t been able to reach their daughter for months and they’ve been worried sick.”

Adrienne thanked her for responding so quickly. The pediatrician had a husband and family of her own, as well as a busy schedule, yet she’d set everything aside to come in early.

“Are you kidding? I’m a born-and-bred do-gooder,” Sam replied cheerily.

And I’m a born-and-bred fool,
Adrienne mused. Because it had finally hit her that she was still trying to control every aspect of her life, as if that were possible.

Maybe, like Judi, she ought to take a chance and see what happened.

Chapter Twelve

At 6:00 a.m., a pajama-clad Reggie popped into Wade’s room. “Morning, Dad! Let’s do something.”

Rolling over, Wade scratched his stubbly chin. While rising early on a Saturday might not be on his list of favorite activities, he had plenty of energy and a clear head. “Go get dressed, sport, and I’ll do the same.”

“I can make coffee,” the boy said brightly.

That startled Wade. “You know how?”

“I’ve watched Aunt Addie. I can figure it out.”

Wade pictured coffee grounds everywhere and a resulting brew either thick as cheese sauce or thin as a perp’s alibi. Not to mention the possibility of burned hands or a broken carafe. “Tell you what.” Wade swung his legs out of bed. “Let’s eat out instead.”

Never mind the refrigerator full of food. They’d save that for dinner.

“Waffle Heaven, okay?”

The restaurant, a few blocks from Fact Hunter, had been a favorite in Wade’s younger years. “You bet.”

“Yay!” His son sped off.

Since Reg had taken a bath last night, Wade commandeered the shower in their shared bathroom. Hot water sluiced over him, banishing the last trace of sleep.

Afterward he put on jeans and a plaid shirt. If Adrienne were there and on a normal schedule, he’d brew that coffee and serve it the way he had yesterday. How silky and tousled she’d looked with her hair spread across the pillow. And when the sheet slid low, no red-blooded male could have missed the upper swell of her breasts.

Realizing his body was hardening, Wade steered his thoughts in a safer direction. After breakfast, they had a couple chores to do. The first of those might prove interesting indeed.

Downstairs, he left a note as to their plans. Despite a wish to stick around and say hello when Adrienne arrived, he figured she might appreciate some privacy.

Reg wiggled happily beneath his seat belt as the black coupe glided to the restaurant. Feeding him sweets for breakfast didn’t fit Wade’s idea of good nutrition, but he believed in tempering a healthy regime with mercy.

And what a treat it was to eat at the restaurant, even though they had to wait ten minutes for a table. The delicious smells and the jovial sound of dishes rattling and families chatting were better entertainment than any TV show.

He barely glanced at the menu before ordering the Walnut Maple Surprise. Reggie went straight for the Triple Chocolate Dream.

While they waited for their order, Wade explained that he’d left his father’s place. “Later today I’d like you to help me take a look at Harbor Suites.”

“Okay.” Reggie, who’d been angling his spoon to study his own reflection, dropped it on the tablecloth. Wade half expected him to renew the invitation to stay at Adrienne’s, but instead he asked, “What did you and your dad fight about?”

Kind of a heavy subject, but the kid deserved an answer. “Remember I told you Daryl is an alcoholic?”

“Uh-huh.”

“He used to be a sheriff’s deputy,” Wade added. “That’s like a police officer. He had to quit because of his drinking.”

The waitress appeared, setting down a glass of milk for Reggie and refilling Wade’s coffee cup. He waited until she was gone before continuing.

“The other night, my father asked me to recommend him for a job with the detective agency where I work.” Wade gazed sadly into those young silvery eyes so much like the ones he saw in the mirror every day. “I had to tell him no. You have to be trustworthy and sober to be a detective.”

“I bet that made him mad.” Reggie heaved a sigh too big for his little body. “Do you think it would help if I talked to him?”

Wade nearly burst out laughing, but turned it into a cough. His son must have heard that phrase spoken more than once by his aunt and her friends. “I’m afraid he’s too far gone for that.”

After a resigned nod, Reggie sipped his milk.

Wade’s gaze swept the surrounding tables. Some of the diners were couples; many were families with children. Whether laughing or scowling, chatty or silent, none of them led charmed lives, he felt certain, yet he hoped few had had to absorb this kind of adult information at such an early age. Still, in a few years, Reggie might be offered alcohol by other kids. With luck, he’d remember what he’d learned about its consequences.

Their orders arrived. Halfway through they switched plates and enjoyed their meals with renewed fervor.

“Where are we going now?” Reggie asked when they were done.

“Next stop is Phil’s Garage.” In his haste to pack, Wade had left some important items, including his camera, in a drawer at Daryl’s. He’d emailed his father, who’d tersely promised to bring them to work this morning. It was nearly eight, the time the garage opened. “I have to pick up a few things.”

“Doesn’t your dad work there?”

“That’s right.”

Reggie’s forehead puckered. “I get to meet him?”

“We’ll see what mood he’s in.”
Or if he shows up at all.

* * *

W
ITH
NO
PATIENTS
close to delivering, Adrienne was able to leave at the scheduled end of her shift. On the way home she rehearsed what to say to Wade. First she’d take him aside out of Reggie’s hearing. Next— Well, she wasn’t sure.

It occurred to me that since we have two extra bedrooms, it’s a waste of money for you to rent a place.

That sounded as if she were taking pity on a pauper.

You’ve been so helpful. I don’t know why I didn’t simply ask you to move in last night.

Too pathetically grateful, as if
she
were the charity case.

How would you feel about staying here for a while?

Over-the-top casual, as if he were a weekend guest.

She was too tired to think properly. Still, they should have this discussion as soon as possible.

At home Adrienne immediately noticed the silence. It was a little past eight. Could they both still be in bed?

In the kitchen, Wade’s black handwriting dominated her scratch pad. “Gone to eat & run errands.”

Gone.

With that single word, how empty the house became. No high eager voice punctuated by a deeper one, no footsteps on the stairs, no expectation of rounding a corner and seeing Wade’s face.

Oh, heavens, she had it bad. Adrienne sank down at the table and wondered if she ought to rethink this whole idea.

* * *

B
EHIND
P
HIL
’
S
FRONT
counter, a teenage girl glanced up from the tabloid she’d been reading. On closer inspection, Wade realized she was much too young for this job, which meant she was most likely Phil’s twelve-year-old niece filling in for the regular clerk on a holiday weekend. The girl lived with her uncle and grandmother, Daryl had said.

“You must be Kelli.” Wade introduced himself. After a glance outside to confirm that Reggie was still in the coupe, he asked, “Any sign of my father?”

“Nope. You could call him.”

“I’d rather not.”

“You guys aren’t speaking, huh?” she asked with interest, flicking back long brown hair laced with pink-and-blue strands.

“We email,” Wade told her. “That’s close enough.” His father refused to text, contending his big fingers always hit the wrong letters.

“Well, he’s not here, but he left this stuff for you.” She produced a small bag from behind the counter.

Inside Wade found the camera and other items he’d requested. “Thanks.”

“No problem.”

Through an open door to the garage bays, he saw Phil working on a pickup truck. Sure enough, no Daryl. “Did you see him when he came by? I wondered what condition he was in.”

“The bag was here this morning when Uncle Phil and I arrived,” Kelli explained.

“My father has a key?” That showed a remarkable amount of trust.

She shook her head. “He left it outside the door with your name on it.”

“That camera cost... Never mind.” Wade scowled.

“You want some advice?” the girl asked.

A twelve-year-old offering to counsel him? Now, that was funny. All the same, Wade assumed a somber expression. “I’ll take what I can get.”

“My dad died in Iraq,” she said. “Spend time with your father while you’ve got him.”

Those were wise words, regardless of her age. “Good advice.”

“Oh, who’s the little cutie?”

Wade turned to see Reggie peering inside. “Hi, guy.” No sense scolding him, especially since this conversation had taken longer than expected.

The boy scuffed his shoe. “Is Grandpa here?”

“Not today.” After introductions, Wade steered his son out of the office. “Dad left my stuff, so we’re done here.”

“Oh, okay.”

Hearing Reggie’s disappointment made Wade even angrier at his father. But the kid was lucky. If Daryl had been there, hungover, there was no telling what unpleasant things he might have said.

In the car, Wade took out his cell. “Let me call the Harbor Suites and find out if the manager can show us one of the units.”

* * *

B
USY
SIGNAL
. A
DRIENNE
scowled at the phone. And Reggie wasn’t answering his, which probably meant he’d put it on vibrate and couldn’t feel it over the movements of the car. He set it that way at school and often neglected to change it.

If she didn’t reach Wade soon, he was likely to rent a suite for the next week or two. While that didn’t preclude his joining them later, an inner urgency pushed her to settle the matter now.

Despite her reservations, Adrienne had concluded that inviting him to live there made sense. These were the holidays, a period when she missed her family more than ever and when the lack of grandparents was especially painful for Reggie. Having his father around would be comforting as well as convenient.

Once she got this conversation over with, she’d stop worrying about it. To pass the time while waiting to redial, Adrienne jotted notes about how to organize meals and schedules.

She had no idea how long the arrangement would last or how they’d adjust if—no, when—Wade began dating. She’d simply have to be flexible.

She tried his number again. It still went to voice mail.

* * *

A
LTHOUGH
NO
ONE
answered Wade’s repeated calls, he stopped by the motel anyway and spotted the manager on a ladder, stringing Christmas lights across the one-story front unit. The grizzled fellow finished hooking the end of the strand before descending to greet Wade and Reggie.

“I usually forward calls to my cell,” explained the man, who gave his name as Mr. Lopez. “The darn thing rings pretty loud, though, and I don’t care to risk tumbling off a ladder.”

“I can show you how to put it on vibrate,” Reggie piped up.

“Can you, squirt?” Mr. Lopez’s grin revealed a silver tooth. “I never feel the vibrations, though.”

“Me, neither,” the boy admitted.

“We’d appreciate your showing us a suite,” Wade put in, to move things along.

“When were you planning to...? I wonder who that is.” The man squinted at a blue sedan stopping at the curb. “Always perks up my day to see a pretty lady.”

“It’s my aunt!” Reggie cried. Sure enough, that was Adrienne at the wheel. The little boy trotted over.

“Hi, sweetie,” she said to her nephew. As she approached, hand in hand with Reggie, her skin glowed in the mild winter sunlight. The brightness in her expression touched Wade; he could hardly believe she’d worked all night. “I hope I’m not intruding.”

“Mr. Lopez was about to show us a suite.” Puzzled, Wade awaited an explanation for her unexpected appearance. She tilted her head toward the manager, indicating she’d rather not speak in front of him.

Mr. Lopez, apparently not noticing her gesture, motioned them toward the courtyard. “Right this way.”

After a brief hesitation, Adrienne followed him. Wade set aside his curiosity. Since this didn’t appear to be an emergency, he’d find out soon enough why she was there.

* * *

T
HE
SUITE
HAD
a plainly furnished front room, a kitchenette and a bedroom that Adrienne didn’t bother to examine. There was nothing terribly wrong with it. And nothing very right, either.

Close to her, Reggie whispered, “Where will I sleep?”

“We’ll discuss that later,” she answered.

Wade’s face betrayed little, but by now she knew him well enough to note his lack of enthusiasm. “A few holiday decorations might spruce it up.”

“Oh, this unit is spoken for.” The manager regarded them apologetically. “I was about to tell you—the folks are arriving this afternoon. We don’t have a suite available till next week. We do have single rooms, though.”

Here’s your cue.
“That settles it,” Adrienne announced. “You should stay with Reg and me.”

Wade gave a start. “Seriously?”

“Why not? We have two empty bedrooms.” Did that sound ungracious? Still, in front of the manager, she chose to keep this impersonal. In a way, she was grateful that his lack of a vacancy had provided an opening for her suggestion.

Hopping with eagerness, Reggie chimed in, “Say yes, Dad!”

Wade didn’t answer right away. Surely he wasn’t keen to stay at this depressing motel; he wouldn’t have been even had a suite been available.

“I suppose it will be hard to find an apartment during the holidays,” he said slowly. “Sure, that would be great. Sorry we wasted your time, Mr. Lopez.”

“It wasn’t wasted.” He kept an appreciative gaze on Adrienne. “I’m always happy to show such nice people around.”

In the parking lot, after tucking Reggie into the coupe, Wade accompanied Adrienne to her car a few spaces away. “What’s this about?”

She didn’t blame him for wondering. “Having you move in with us... Well, I decided to go with the flow. Your phone was busy and I was afraid you might put down a deposit.”

She couldn’t read much in the emotions flickering across his face. Finally, he said, “It’ll be fun for Reg, for the holidays. I won’t take advantage of your hospitality any longer than necessary.”