Page 53 of A Family Affair: The Ring
The late afternoon air filled her lungs as she walked across the lawn to her grandmother’s.Cash said they might see flurries tonight.Fresh snow.New beginnings.She opened the front door and stepped inside, curious to discover Harry’s surprise.He’d mentioned something about leaving it in the kitchen for her.Chocolate cheesecake?Cannoli?Tiramisu or—
“Will?”Life had offered so many surprises since she’d landed in Magdalena, and finding Will Callahan at her grandmother’s kitchen table was more confusing and unexpected than all the others.“What are you doing here?”
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Aswirl of pink crept from his neck to his cheeks.“Surprise.”
“Was this your idea or Harry’s?”Why would either of them think this was a good idea?In three days, she’d be gone and then she’d never see him again, and she could finally accept that.But she didn’t need visual reminders of the man who’d owned her heart for too many years, and she certainly didn’t want to notice the way the blue in his sweater matched his eyes, or the faint scent of his cologne, or anything else about him.“Well?”
A shrug, the blush turning three shades deeper.“It was a joint effort.I asked for help, and he agreed.”
“Youasked for help?”
“Harry’s gotten to be quite the advice giver.I see why Pop wants him to take over as Godfather of this town.”A throat clearing and then “Would you like a drink?”He pointed to the bottle of scotch on the table.“Or there’s wine.Cabernet.And of course water…” He shook his head, pinched the bridge of his nose.“I sound like an idiot.There’s scotch, wine, and whatever else you have in this house.Harry brought the alcohol.”
“I don’t want anything but answers.Why are you here, and what are you and Harry up to…?”
“I went to Harry because I needed to talk to you and…”
“You couldn’t pick up the phone?”
Those blue eyes turned bright.“I didn’t think you’d take my call and showing up at your door seemed equally dicey.”
“I see.So, you decided to ambush me with an elaborate scheme to get me here?”Melanie crossed her arms over her chest.“I’ve already been the subject of too many conversations, and don’t appreciate the two of you conspiring with some grand plan to achieve who knows what?”A huff and a scowl.“What do you want?”
He ignored the question and surprised her with information she’d never expected.“Harry offered my mother a job baking for his restaurant.”
“What?”Melanie was still annoyed with Will and Harry, but this news intrigued her.
His lips pulled into an almost smile, his voice dipped.“He said he loved her cream puffs and he’s never seen anybody with a knack for getting the meringue on a coconut cream pie just right.”
Melanie could not resist asking about the woman who’d spent most of her life making herself and everyone else miserable.“I can’t picture Harry allowing her in his kitchen, no matter how tasty her meringue.”
“That’s where it gets interesting.From what I hear, and of course, my mother hasn’t mentioned a word about this part, but he sat down and told her she had real talent, but her miserable disposition was ruining it.Harry told her she could spend the rest of her life complaining about what she didn’t have and what everyone elsedidhave, or she could start to make her own way—with her own skills.It was all about attitude.And if she could change hers—no gossiping, no bad-mouthing, no walking around with her own rain cloud—then he’d give her a chance.Good money, too.”
“I’m having a hard time visualizinganyof this.What did she say?”
Those blue eyes sparkled.“She said yes.She’s been there five days, and she doesn’t call me every ten minutes.She hasn’t complained about how miserable life is or how she got a bad deal…she hasn’t even tried to tell me what my life should look like, andthatis a huge win for me.”
“I can’t believe it.Harry never mentioned anything about it.”
“He wouldn’t.He didn’t tell me either, my mother did.Once I heard, I tracked Harry down and tried to figure out his angle, but he said there wasn’t one.Harry said it was about giving somebody a chance to do right, and he thought I deserved a break, too.”This time when he smiled, it was a real smile.“I told him I definitely appreciated that.”
“I’m happy for you.”
His gaze narrowed on her for half a second before he lifted his glass, took a healthy swallow.“He also gave her an early Christmas present.A makeover.”
Melanie could not hold in the smile or the laughter that followed.“A makeover?Your mother’s hairstyle hasn’t changed since the first time I met her.And I don’t think I’ve ever seen her in any colors other than blue, black, brown, or white.
“Oh, she’s got a whole new ‘color palette’ now.Harry had somebody work with her, even sent her to the salon for hair and makeup, nails, the whole bit.It’s a very sweet gesture, and she’s so darned excited.”
“You mean she’s finally turning into a human being?”
He leaned back in his chair, rubbed his jaw as if contemplating her question.“Yes, I think she is.I told her if she doesn’t watch out the men are going to start clamoring around for dates.”
Melanie moved toward the kitchen table, pulled out a chair and sat down.“What did she say about that?”
“Nothing.She said, ‘we’ll see.’Then she blushed and I didn’t miss her smile.When she says ‘we’ll see,’ that means she’s open to the possibility.Can you imagine?”
