Miss Goody Two-Shoes: Contemporary Romance Page 6

  Mel didn’t quite know how to respond. Eunice made no secret that she hated men, and she thought Mel’s dreams of marriage and children naive.

  She decided she would not tell Eunice about Kane after all.

  “So how’s business this morning?” she asked instead.

  “You know it’s too early to tell. But I imagine it’s going to be slow after what we went through with Easter and the prom. Which brings me to the next question: why are you here? I thought you were going to spend the next couple of weeks remodeling your dad’s store while I took care of this place. What’s changed? It’s only been two days.”

  “Would you believe I missed you?” Mel said, still feeling the need to talk to someone about Kane, but who?

  Eunice picked up Mel’s purse and handed it to her. “No. What I do believe is that you sometimes get neurotic about this place. Stop worrying. Tell me one thing you do that I can’t do.”

  Mel knew there was nothing. Eunice had been with her from the first day she opened the flower shop eight years earlier. They might be vastly different in personality, but they both knew the flower business.

  “Okay, I’ll leave,” she said, wishing Eunice were not so hard so communicate with at times. “But you promise to call me if you need me?”

  “You know I will. Now go!”

  # # #

  When Mel arrived back at the house for lunch, she found Kane sitting at the kitchen table with the newspaper opened to the classified section. He looked pleased with himself. “I’ve already set up two job interviews for tomorrow.”

  “So soon? Do you think you’ll be walking by then?”

  “I’ll be okay. I’ve waited three years to get my life together. I’m not going to let a bum ankle stop me.”

  Mel was glad to see he had a positive attitude. She pulled out the ingredients for sandwiches. “Where’s Blair?”

  He shrugged and went back to his newspaper. “In her room, I reckon. I think she’s avoiding me.” He looked up at Mel and grinned. “What do you think?”

  Mel was tempted to tell him that when he smiled that way he was the handsomest man alive. “Blair’s angry with me right now,” she said instead. “Don’t let her take it out on you.”

  “Why’s she mad at you?”

  She reached for the bread. “I haven’t spent much time with her since she’s been back, what with remodeling the store and all, and she thinks I am snubbing her,” she added. “I know she’s having it rough right now, but she picked the worst possible time to come home. Still, I’m going to have to make time for her. I have a habit of being reliable, and I can tell she’s depressed.”

  “I’d be depressed, too, if I slept all day,” Kane told her, folding the newspaper and setting it aside. “Doesn’t she have friends she can visit?”

  Mel chuckled. “You mean the local yokels, as Blair refers to them? No, she doesn’t have friends in Hardeeville.” She handed him a plate bearing two bologna and cheese sandwiches and a handful of potato chips. He thanked her. “What’s worse, she doesn’t have a car and hasn’t bothered to renew her driver’s license since she moved to New York.” She sighed as she poured them each a glass of iced tea. “I wish there was something I could do to help her. I hate seeing her so miserable.”

  “Maybe it’s time you stopped acting like her mother.”

  “I’m not acting like her mother,” she replied. “How can you possibly make that sort of judgment? You barely know us.”

  Kane put his sandwich down and took a swig of tea. “You’re right about that,” he said. “But I don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see that you’re acting like a parent toward her.”

  “What are you, an undercover psychologist?”

  He shook his head. “I spent a little time with the prison psychologist. Once or twice a week, for three years, as a matter of fact.”

  His confession surprised her. Her tone softened. “Did it help?”

  He shrugged. “I reckon some of it might have rubbed off. I used to be angry a lot. Put my hand through a few walls in my time. Not to mention my share of windows.” He saw her wince. “Now it’s not so bad.”

  “Is that why you were out jogging in the middle of the night? To relieve your anger?”

  His gaze locked with hers. His hooded expression prolonged the moment. “No, anger had nothing to do with it. My restlessness was all because of you.” Mel gazed back at him for a full minute, not knowing how to respond. What could she say? That she, too, had lain awake thinking of him?

  She decided the best way to handle it was to change the subject. “Would you like another sandwich?”

  The mood was broken. Kane knew she had done it intentionally. “Naw. And I don’t want you to think you have to wait on me hand and foot while I’m here. I may not win any races over the next couple of days, but I can still get around.”

  “The less you walk on it, the faster it’s going to heal.”

  “Which is why I put off those interviews until tomorrow,” he said. He glanced at the clock on the wall. “Don’t you have to get back to the store?” he asked, not wanting her to feel obligated to sit with him when she obviously had a lot to do. He suspected she had more responsibilities than she could handle. When she nodded, he went on. “How’s the remodeling going?”

  She stifled the urge to moan aloud. She had given up on the carpenter she’d hired over the phone and was in the process of interviewing others. The only problem was, they were much more expensive and couldn’t start for weeks. “I’m sure we’ll manage,” she said, giving nothing away.

  Mel carried their plates to the sink and picked up the sack lunch she’d prepared for her father. “I should be heading back,” she told him. “See you later.” She could feel his dark eyes boring into her as she walked away.

  Chapter Six

  Mel checked each of the simple multiplication problems and saw they were correct. “Very good, Amy,” she told the freckled-faced eight-year-old. “Your math teacher will be pleased.”

  Amy beamed. “I won the timed quiz today,” she said. “Miss Robbins gave us twenty-five multiplication problems, and I finished first. I got a coupon for two free chili dogs at the Salty Dog Sandwich Shop, and Principal Barnes announced it over the loudspeaker at the end of the day.”

  “Congratulations!” Mel couldn’t have been more proud. When she’d met Amy six months ago, the girl had been depressed and withdrawn as a result of her mother’s death the previous year. Her grades had suffered, as well. Mel decided then and there that she and Amy’s father—whom she had already dated a couple of times—would proceed with caution in their relationship. Amy needed a friend right now more than anything.

  “Okay, Miss Whiz Kid,” Mel said. “What other homework do you have?”

  “I have to study for my spelling test.”

  “I’ll call out the words while I prepare the casserole.” Mel glanced at her wristwatch as she went to the refrigerator. Harper had asked her to pick up Amy from her after-school baby-sitter so he could attend a last-minute meeting at work. It wasn’t the first time Mel had done so, and she certainly didn’t mind doing the small favor, but she was distracted today for reasons she couldn’t explain.

  Kane had left that morning, still hobbling about on his bad foot, and she had worried about him for the rest of the day. What if he didn’t find a job right away? What if his ankle got worse?

  Mel called out Amy’s spelling words while she prepared a broccoli-and-chicken casserole and put it into the oven to bake. She was in the process of putting a load of towels into the washer when Harper walked through the front door. He was as blond as his daughter, though his hair was already thinning. While he wasn’t a handsome man, he looked distinguished in his business suit. Without the jacket, though, one could see he was already growing soft in the middle.

  The look on his face gave Mel pause. “Harper, what’s wrong?”

  “Tell me it isn’t true,” he said, without preamble.

  Mel tried to figure out wha
t he was talking about. She couldn’t. “Tell you what isn’t true, Harper?”

  “Tell me you don’t really have an ex-con living in your house.”

  # # #

  Mel pulled out of Harper’s driveway a few minutes later, after assuring him Kane was gone, and headed for town and a section of low-income housing where someone had reported a stray dog. As she paused at the only red light in town, located between the courthouse and her flower shop, she resisted the urge to drop in and check on Eunice before she went home for the day. Her assistant would only accuse her of being neurotic again; then she’d spend the next hour telling her how sorry men were. As much as she loved Eunice and appreciated her hard work, Mel wearied of her negative comments regarding the opposite sex.

  She concentrated instead on the lovely flower gardens adorning the courthouse lawn. A longtime member of the Women’s Garden Club, Mel assisted with the selection and planting of the flowers. This year they had accented the coleus and impatiens with white candytuft, and the look was stunning.

  The light changed but not before Mel noticed the massive motorcycle parked in front of the court house and a lone man sitting on a bench nearby. A warm glow flowed through her at the sight of him. She quickly pulled in beside the bike. Kane didn’t look up as she approached; he seemed deep in thought.

  “Hello, stranger,” she called out. “What are you doing out here?”

  He glanced up at the sound of her voice, and then shifted uneasily on the bench. Although he was glad to see her, she had definitely caught him at a bad time. “Resting my ankle,” he said.

  “How is it?”

  Although the swelling was down, it was still tender. “Fine.”

  Mel tried to read the look on his face but couldn’t. She took a seat beside him. “So, how was your day?”

  “Nobody’s hiring.”

  “Really?” She was surprised to hear it. Only this morning he had told her about several places, most of them near town that sounded promising. Even the Goulds from the print shop had an ad in the paper. The job would have been perfect for him.

  “Don’t look so shocked,” Kane said, reading the expression on her face. “You know as well as I do why they aren’t hiring.”

  Mel clasped her hands tightly in her lap. His dark eyes were hooded, and she wondered what emotion he was trying to hide. Pain? Discouragement? She also wondered where he’d learned to disguise his feelings so well. “You were cleared of any wrongdoing, Kane,” she said, not bothering to pretend she didn’t know why folks weren’t hiring. “Did you tell them that?”

  “Of course, I told them that. You know what? It doesn’t matter. The fact that I spent years behind bars, surrounded by rapists and murderers, is enough to scare people.” His jaw was hard, his voice contemptuous.

  “It didn’t scare Daddy or me.”

  His look softened, and he almost smiled. “You two aren’t like most people.”

  “So, did you find a place to live?” she asked, and watched his face darken once more.

  “I went to the boardinghouse you told me about. No vacancy. I don’t know if that’s for real or if it’s just a line of crap. I also called a couple of apartments listed in the paper. They want a month’s rent up front, plus deposits for utilities.”

  “So what are you going to do?” she said, feeling just as frustrated.

  “There’s a temporary employment agency advertising for construction workers. I’ve got an appointment with them first thing in the morning. I’m not that thrilled about it, but it’s a job until something better comes along.”

  “Do you know how to do that sort of work?”

  “I should. I’ve been doing it since before I got out of high school.”

  “What about carpentry work?” she said hopefully. “There’s a whole aisle in our store that needs new shelving.”

  He was thoughtful for a moment. “Wouldn’t it be cheaper to put up prefabricated shelves?”

  “It wouldn’t match the rest of the store, and it would take away from the rustic quality.”

  “I don’t have any tools.”

  “We’ve got all the tools,” she said. “We’ve even got a fancy saw. It’s just Dad and I aren’t very good at doing that kind of work.” She paused, waiting for him to say something. “I’ll pay you, of course,” she added, when he remained quiet. “And you can stay with us. No sense paying for a place until you find a real job.”

  “How about the rest of your family? What are they going to think about such an arrangement?”

  “Oh, Daddy will be thrilled, naturally. As for Blair, let me deal with her. I’ll even convince her to let me move into her room so you can have mine.”

  “Which I’m sure she’ll be only too happy to do once you tell her it’s on account of me,” he said sourly.

  “Kane, I’m really desperate. My father and I have been tearing down the old shelves for two days. We’re at a standstill now because we don’t have a carpenter to rebuild them.”

  “I’ll do it,” he said. “But I don’t want your money. Giving me a place to stay is enough.” When she started to protest, he went on. “Besides, it’s the least I can do after what you did for me. You do everything for everybody, so let me do for you for a change.”

  He stood as though bringing the discussion to a close. “And one other thing, I may have to take an hour off here and there if I have to go on an interview.”

  “That’s fair.”

  He held out his hand as though to seal their agreement, and she felt a ripple of excitement when she put her hand in his. It was both disturbing and comforting.

  “Ready to go?” he asked, feeling better about his situation already.

  “First I have to stop off and pick up a dog.”

  “Another stray?”

  “A mean one.”

  He surprised her by grinning. “That sounds like fun. I’ll leave my bike here and ride with you.”

  They started for the car with Kane taking it slow because of his ankle. Mel felt more optimistic than she had in days. She finally had someone who could do the work in the store, and it wasn’t going to cost her a fortune. Not only that, she was going to be able to help him in the process. That was important to her.

  There was one big drawback. She was going to have to tell Harper that Kane was still staying in the house.

  # # #

  The Doberman pinscher bared his teeth and snarled menacingly as Mel approached. “Nice dog,” she said in a soothing voice. “It’s okay, boy.”

  “I wouldn’t get any closer,” Kane warned, standing several feet behind her. “He looks about as friendly as a rattlesnake.”

  “Oh, he’s not really so bad, are you, boy?” Mel asked the dog. She came to a halt several feet from the stoop where the animal crouched ready to attack. They stared at each other for a long moment as though sizing each other up. Mel saw that he was pitifully skinny. Nevertheless, it didn’t prevent him from looking vicious.

  Mel folded her hands in front of her and waited for the dog to calm down. “It’s okay, boy,” she said. “I’m not going to hurt you. I know you’ve had it rough these past few days, what with your master dying and all.” The dog cocked his head to the side as though trying to understand what she was saying.

  Kane watched the exchange anxiously. He’d been bitten by a large dog as a kid, and he didn’t want to relive the event in his adulthood. “Did his owner really die?” he asked quietly, not wanting to excite the animal.

  She nodded. “Three days ago. His name was Elmer Dinsberry. The meanest man who ever walked the face of this earth. And this poor fellow has been sitting right here waiting for him to return ever since, though I can’t imagine why.”

  The dog continued to watch her carefully. Mel reached into her pocket for a dog biscuit. She carried a box in her car for just this reason. Placing it on the edge of the stoop, she took a step back and waited. The dog sniffed it cautiously, backed away for a moment, then pounced on it, taking it between his teeth and literal
ly gobbling it down as though afraid someone would take it from him.

  “That’s a good boy,” Mel said, reaching into her pocket for another. “I don’t think you’re so mean. I think you’re pretty nice to sit here day after day waiting for your master to come back when he wasn’t very nice to you to begin with.”

  “What do you mean?” Kane asked, never taking his eyes off the huge animal, planning what he’d do if he turned on Mel.

  “Old Elmer mistreated him,” she said. “The lady across the street told me all sorts of horrible things. It’s no wonder the poor dog doesn’t trust anyone.” She handed him another biscuit. This time he took it right from her hand.

  “Be careful,” Kane said. Even though the dog was no longer snarling, the hair was still raised along his backbone.

  Mel waited until the animal finished eating, and then allowed him to sniff her fingers. Time passed. He wasn’t as tense now. She patted his head, and then stroked him, all the while talking to him in a tone that inspired confidence. Finally, he wagged his nubby tail.

  Kane merely watched.

  “You want to go for a ride, fella?” she asked.

  All at once the Doberman jumped from the stoop and made for the car as though he understood perfectly. He barked, wagged his tail again, and waited.

  “Well, I’ll be damned,” Kane said.

  # # #

  It wasn’t until after they’d returned home that Mel and Kane realized they faced the dilemma of what they were going to do with the dog.

  “You’re not going to put him in the pen with the other dogs, are you?” Kane said, thinking of Lil Bit, the puppy.

  Mel thought for a moment, and then disappeared into the garage. She emerged a few minutes later carrying a coiled rope, a metal stake, and a hammer. “I’m going to have to tie him up, I’m afraid. Would you put this in the ground beside that tall oak? That way he’ll have plenty of shade.”