Flirting with Disaster (8 page)

In recent months he'd pretty much lost touch with Nadine. She had his cell-phone number and over the years she'd checked in from time to time, usually when she needed money. But when things were going good for her—in other words when there was a new man in her life—he heard nothing. Last he'd heard a few months back, she was getting married in Vegas.

He wished her well. Maybe she'd finally get what she wanted. Maybe this one would last. He wasn't holding his breath, however. History told him that sooner or later she'd be on the phone, in tears, begging him for cash for a new start in some other city.

And he would send it to her. Anything to keep her out of his life, while keeping his conscience clear.

In the meantime, though, it was not a story he intended to share with anyone, especially Maggie. She was the kind, he was certain, who'd get all misty-eyed and sympathetic and the next thing he knew, she'd be bugging him to send Nadine a plane ticket to come for a visit.

Nope, better to let everyone believe he had no family. They might pity him, but they sure as hell couldn't start meddling and trying to bring about some cozy mother-son reconciliation. He supposed he loved Nadine, screwy as she was, but that didn't mean he wanted to be around for any more of those wild roller-coaster rides her life invariably became. Besides, he doubted she harbored any deep maternal feelings for him. When he was a kid, she'd pretty much viewed him as necessary baggage. Now he was fine for the occasional meal ticket.

Nope, the whole distance thing worked for them just fine. There was no way in hell he'd let some sentimental female get a notion to change that.

 

Nadine Parker Rollins Jensen had had another run of bad luck. It turned out that Nathaniel Jensen, husband number three, had just the teensiest little problem with the law. The cops had hauled him out of their Vegas hotel room on their wedding night, which even by her standards had seriously shortened the marriage.

It had taken a few weeks to use up their remaining cash, but now she was dead broke again. She'd spent a day or two wondering what to do next. She could have gone back to work as a waitress in Vegas, but she was afraid the cops would eventually start looking her way to see if she was involved in Nate's scheme.

Rather than take that risk, she decided to hop a bus and head for Charleston, where Josh was working some cushy job. Surely he'd have room in his life for his mama, or at least enough cash to stake her till she could get on her feet again.

It wasn't the first time she'd turned to her son. Josh had bailed her out of trouble more times than any kid should have to. She was embarrassed about that, but every single time she managed to pick herself up, dust herself off and get going again, something went wrong.

Like Nate. Who would have thought the man didn't have sense enough not to try to cheat a casino out of the take at the roulette wheel? Even she knew there were cameras watching.

When she got off the bus in Charleston, she looked at the address she'd scribbled on a piece of paper, asked directions, then walked the few blocks to a run-down motel that looked no better than the places she'd spent most of her life in. That was a disappointment, but she knocked on Josh's door, then plastered a big smile on her face.

When the door swung open, she brushed right past her incredulous, openmouthed son before he could block the way. “Hi, sweetie. Mama's come to visit.”

 

The string of curses that crossed Josh's lips would have gotten his mouth washed out with soap twenty years ago, but he figured after all the stunts his mother had pulled, he'd earned the right to say what he damn well pleased.

Hurt welled up in her big brown eyes at the tirade, but he steeled himself against it. Hadn't he warned himself about a scene just like this barely a few hours ago? God must have been laughing his head off, knowing Nadine was already en route to Charleston.

“I thought you just got married,” he said tightly.

“It didn't work out,” she said cheerfully, plunking her suitcase on the bed, then sitting beside it.

The action hiked up a skirt that would have been too short for a twenty-year-old. On his mother, the look was ridiculous. Not that Nadine didn't have great legs for a woman who'd just turned fifty, but did she have to bare them for all the world to see?

Josh's bad mood intensified. “So you thought you'd drop by and make my life hell?”

“It's been ages since we spent any time together,” she reminded him, unfazed by his lack of welcome. “I thought we could catch up.”

“How much do you need, Mother?” Josh asked, cutting to the chase.

She looked as if she might deny that she'd come for money, but then she sighed. “A couple thousand? That ought to get me set up someplace new and hold me till I can get back on my feet.”

Josh told himself to write the check and send her on her way, but something in her eyes this time got to him. She looked genuinely, deep-down defeated. Nadine never looked defeated for more than a minute, no matter how bad things got. For the first time ever, she looked as if she might not have the will to bounce back. Even her blond, highlighted hair looked a little limp, as if it had given up just as she had.

“I'll tell you what,” he said, knowing he was going to regret this till his dying breath. “I'll get you a room here and put you to work on this job I'm doing right now. When it's finished, I'll give you some cash so you can move on.”

“You want me to work construction?” she asked incredulously, looking pointedly at her bright red acrylic nails. “I don't think so.”

“Sorry. That's the deal,” Josh said, his manner unyielding.

“What does this job pay?” she asked suspiciously.

He grinned at her. “Nothing. That's the beauty of it, Mother. You're going to be doing something nice for someone who deserves it. That ought to be a pleasant change for you.”

“I've never built anything in my life,” she argued. “Why not let me stick around for a week, then I'll move on. I was thinking I'd take a look around Savannah. I used to love it there.”

“Until we left the motel in the middle of the night owing a month's back rent,” Josh said wryly. “I don't think you ought to rush back to Savannah anytime soon.”

“Atlanta, then. Atlanta was nice. Maybe that restaurant's still there. I always made great tips. The truckers loved me.”

“The truckers loved you everywhere we went,” Josh said, “and never brought you anything but heartache. Why not set your sights a little higher this time?”

She frowned at him. “When did you turn into such a snob, Joshua?”

He frowned at the accusation. “I don't have a thing in the world against truckers, just against the ones you chose. I've never in my life seen anybody who could zero in on the losers in the bunch like some sort of heat-seeking missile. It was the one thing you always had a real knack for.”

Looking hurt, she rose to her feet and reached for her suitcase, then staggered just a little. Josh grabbed her and held on, barely containing another curse.

“When was the last time you had a decent meal?” he asked.

“Yesterday, I guess. I had a couple of doughnuts this morning, though. That should hold me for a few more hours.”

“Yeah, I can see how steady you are on your feet,” he said wryly. “Put the damn suitcase down and let's go have dinner. I'll get you a room when we come back. It's not as if this dump will fill up while we're gone.”

She tilted her chin stubbornly. “I won't stay where I'm not wanted.”

“Do you have someplace better to be?” Josh asked, then waved off his own question. “Doesn't matter. You're staying right here.”

Her frown finally faded. “I won't get in your way, Josh. I promise. Your mama would never try to cramp your style.”

He laughed at that. “It's not as if I have some hot-and-heavy romance going on.”

“Why on earth not?” she asked indignantly. “What's wrong with the women in this town?”

Josh immediately thought of Maggie. “Not a thing. I just learned a long time ago to steer clear of trouble.”

Worry, something he'd rarely seen on Nadine's face, puckered her brow.

“Did I make you that way?” she asked with a rare burst of insight. “Well, never mind. I'll have plenty of time to fix it while I'm here. We'll find you the perfect woman.”

Josh shuddered at the thought of what Nadine would consider to be the perfect woman. “No meddling, Mother, or I promise you I will find the filthiest, most disgusting job on the construction site and assign you to it.”

She regarded him with skepticism, but something in his eyes must have warned her that he meant every word, because she nodded. “No meddling. Got it. But if there are any more rules, sugar, you'd better write 'em down. Mama's memory isn't what it used to be.”

Josh sighed and tucked her arm through his as they headed down the street toward his favorite diner. “Mother, your memory never was worth a damn. Have you forgotten the time you left me in the bus station?”

“You know perfectly well I thought you were already on the bus,” she retorted at once, rising to the familiar bait. “You were when I went to the little girls' room. And I made that old bus driver turn right around and come back for you, didn't I?”

Josh could laugh about it now, but it had been the most terrifying thirty minutes of his life when he'd realized the bus and his mother had left without him. He'd been six. In that instant, he'd learned not to count on Nadine to remember anything.

Which meant, he concluded now, that he'd probably have to remind her a thousand times a day not to meddle in his life. He mentally counted the weeks till Thanksgiving, the date he'd promised to have Amanda's house finished. It hadn't seemed that far away just this morning, but with Nadine around and his impulsive, misguided insistence that she help, it was going to feel like an eternity.

B
etween her overreaction to Josh's simple touch and the warnings from Dinah, Maggie was not especially looking forward to working on the construction site on Saturday morning. But because she always faced her fears head-on, she was determined to be the first one there. If she was there even before Josh, so much the better. It would give her some sort of psychological edge.

Unfortunately, when she arrived just after dawn, dressed in work boots and the oldest, least attractive jeans and shirt she could find in her closet, Josh was already giving less-than-patient instructions to a woman who looked as if she wasn't one bit happy about being up at this ungodly hour. Dressed in brightly flowered capri pants and a masculine shirt big enough to belong to Josh, she was clinging to a giant-size cup of coffee like a lifeline. Maggie might have been able to relate to that if she hadn't been stunned by the streak of jealousy that slashed through her.

Reminding herself that she ought to be grateful for the presence of anyone who could serve as a buffer, Maggie crossed to them, snapped a jaunty salute and announced, “Reporting for duty, boss.”

Josh barely spared her a glance. Keeping his gaze on the other woman's belligerent expression, he said, “It's not that complicated, Nadine. You take the lumber from that pile over there and stack it up over here next to the saw. Then I'll show you how to use the saw.”

“You've got to be kidding,” the woman said. “Josh, honey, how many times do I have to tell you that this isn't a good idea. I'm not cut out for manual labor.”

Maggie bit back a grin. She had a hunch that was a massive understatement if the woman's perfect manicure and soft, pale skin were anything to judge by. Now that she was closer and could see the obvious age difference between the two her jealousy vanished. There might be some relationship between Josh and this woman, given the apparent tension, but it wasn't a romantic one.

“Maybe I could help her,” Maggie volunteered, curiosity kicking in. She wanted to know just how Josh had persuaded a woman who obviously didn't want to be here to show up to work.

“That's okay,” Josh said, still without looking at her. “She can do it.”

“But if she's never done it before,” Maggie began, only to have him skewer her with a look that told her to shut up and leave this battle to him.

“Okay, okay. I suppose I can give it a try,” the woman said grudgingly.

Ignoring Josh's sour expression, Maggie gave her an encouraging smile. “You can do it. It really isn't that difficult. I'm Maggie, by the way.”

“Nadine,” the woman said, giving her a nervous smile. “I just got into town a few days ago from Las Vegas. Josh insisted on putting me right to work.”

“Really? Well, it's very nice of you to pitch in around here,” Maggie said. “We can use all the help we can get.”

“That remains to be seen,” Josh muttered. “Maggie, you come with me.”

He latched on to her hand and half dragged her along behind him.

“Well, that was rude,” she said. “What is your problem?”

“The little unexpected twists and turns of life,” he retorted.

She stared at him. “Am I supposed to understand what that means?”

“Not really.”

“Who was that woman, and why does she seem to irritate you so much?”

“Because that's what she does. It's her God-given talent.”

Maggie stopped in her tracks. “You know her, don't you? I mean, really know her. Who is she, Josh?”

His expression remained guarded. “She told you her name's Nadine.”

“Nadine what?”

“Jensen, I believe, though I think that one's on its way out. She'll probably get rid of it when the divorce comes through.”

Maggie's intuition kicked in. “Oh, my God, she's your mother,” she said, “isn't she?”

Josh sighed, but didn't try to deny it. “She is.”

Maggie was speechless as she tried to understand all the ramifications of Nadine's sudden and apparently unexpected appearance. Clearly Josh wasn't overwhelmed with joy to see her. He acted as if he could barely stand the sight of her.

“Why did you put her to work here if she gets on your nerves so badly?” she asked finally.

“She needs something productive to do besides fall into another disastrous relationship.” He scowled at her. “And I really do not want to discuss Nadine.”

Maggie smiled. “Yes, I can see that. Maybe you should explain why. She seems perfectly nice to me.”

“Oh, she's a real peach.”

“You sound bitter.”

“Do I? Imagine that. The woman pops up whenever she needs some cash and I'm bitter.”

Maggie was surprised he'd made no attempt to censor his remarks.

“I guess that makes me a terrible son,” he added.

Maggie noted the turbulence in his eyes and knew there were things going on between Josh and his mother she couldn't begin to understand. She put a hand in the middle of his chest and shoved him toward a sawhorse. “Sit. Tell me what's got you so worked up.”

“I don't want to talk about it.”

“Well, you obviously need to. If you growl at all the volunteers who show up today, you'll wind up building this house by yourself.”

“That might not be such a bad thing,” he said stubbornly. “I spend Monday through Friday correcting mistakes as it is.”

“I don't doubt it,” she consoled. “But it will pretty much defeat Caleb's vision for this happy little project. He wants it to bring people together.”

“Caleb's a cockeyed optimist.”

Maggie bit back a smile. “He's a minister. I think it's in the job description.”

“More than likely.”

“I think in his case, it's called faith and hope.”

“Whatever.”

Maggie saw that she wasn't going to get anywhere with Josh in his present mood. All she could do was run interference between him and the source of his irritation. “Okay, in the interest of keeping the peace around here, how about this? You keep everyone else on track this morning. I'll work with Nadine.”

He looked doubtful. “I don't know.”

“Do you have a better idea?” At his lack of response, she nodded. “I didn't think so. That's what we'll do, then.”

“She'll try to slack off,” he warned. “Next thing you know she'll go into her helpless act and sucker you into doing everything for her.”

Maggie gave him a disbelieving look. “Do I look like a sucker? Trust me, I won't let her get away with a thing.”

Josh still looked as if he wanted to argue, but apparently he finally saw the wisdom in her suggestion. “Keep her the hell out of my way.”

“Not a problem. If the woman has a lick of sense, she won't want to be anywhere near you.”

“That's just it,” he said grimly. “Nadine's not noted for her good sense.”

“Well, fortunately for you, I am,” Maggie said cheerfully. “We'll have that lumber cut to specifications in no time.”

Thrilled that she'd found a way around his previous determination to keep her away from the saw, she was halfway across the site, when she heard his loud oath. Obviously, he'd remembered last week's edict.

“Maggie, you're not supposed to be anywhere near that saw,” he shouted.

She merely waved.

“Don't you dare touch it till I've checked you out on it.”

She frowned, but decided it was a reasonable request. “Hurry up, then. We're wasting time.”

When she reached Nadine, she saw a speculative look in the older woman's eyes. Now that she knew the relationship, she could see that Nadine's and Josh's eyes were the same shade of dark brown. She judged the roots of Nadine's blond hair to be about the color of Josh's dark brown hair. But where Josh was about as down-to-earth and unpretentious as anyone Maggie had ever met, she had a feeling that Nadine, when she wasn't dressed for construction work, was all about flash and dazzle, the kind that would showcase well in Vegas.

“You handle him real good, sweetie,” Nadine said approvingly. “How well do you know my son?”

“Not that well,” Maggie said. “But I live by one rule when it comes to men.”

“Oh?”

“Never let them get the upper hand.”

Nadine chuckled. “You and me are going to get along just fine, sugar.”

Maggie grinned, instinctively liking her. How could she help liking a woman who was as friendly and uncomplicated as a new puppy? “Yes, I believe we will.”

And if that gave Josh fits, so much the better.

 

Josh's concentration was pretty much shot. Watching his mother and Maggie laughing and talking like a couple of old friends made his blood run cold. His mother's promise not to meddle in his love life was probably going right down the tubes as he watched. If Nadine got it into her head to start matchmaking, he and Maggie were doomed. He might as well go out and pay for the marriage license now. Weddings were one of Nadine's specialties. It was the marriages she couldn't seem to master.

“Interesting woman,” Warren Blake commented, startling Josh so badly he dropped his hammer on his foot.

“Who?” he asked tightly.

“Nadine.”

“You've met her?”

Warren grinned. “Nadine's made it a point to meet every man working here today. I'm pretty sure she has a mental dossier on those of us who are single. Where did you find her? She's definitely not from around here.”

“Unfortunately, I didn't find her. She gave birth to me,” Josh admitted reluctantly. “And the truth is, she was from around here years ago, but she's moved a lot. Most recently she was living in Vegas.”

Warren studied her intently, then nodded. “Yes, I can definitely see her in Las Vegas. Was she a showgirl?”

“Waitress,” Josh said automatically, then gave Warren a startled look. “Why on earth would you think she was a showgirl?”

“She has the legs for it, don't you think? And the flamboyance.”

Josh heard something worrisome in Warren's voice and gave him a penetrating look. “You're a little young for her, don't you think?”

The psychologist looked startled by the question, then burst out laughing. “Don't panic. I'm not angling to become your daddy.”

“I should hope to hell not,” Josh muttered.

“I was just making an observation.”

“I suppose you shrinks do that a lot,” Josh said.

“Occupational hazard,” Warren agreed. “I also sense that there's a lot of tension between the two of you.”

Josh frowned. “You're not here to go skulking around in my psyche.”

Warren didn't seem to take offense. “Consider it a perk of having a shrink underfoot.”

“Did Maggie put you up to this?” Josh inquired suspiciously.

“Maggie? Hardly. We're barely speaking these days.”

“Why is that?”

To Josh's surprise, Warren looked decidedly uncomfortable.

“You haven't heard?” Warren asked.

“Heard what?”

“About our engagement? I called it off just a couple of weeks before the wedding.”

Josh stared at the man as if he'd grown two heads. “You and Maggie? Engaged?”

Warren chuckled at his stunned reaction. “If only we'd had the sense to see how ridiculous it was sooner, it would have saved us both a lot of embarrassment.”

Josh wasn't sure why he was so shocked. Warren was a nice enough guy in a bland, steady way. He was probably rolling in dough, given the number of people in Charleston who had the kind of issues that sent them running to a shrink. Some women probably considered him good-looking, if the preppy, clean-cut type was their thing.

But Maggie? Josh would have expected her to be bored silly with him in a week.

“You said you broke the engagement?” he asked, to be sure he'd gotten it right.

“Came to my senses in the nick of time,” Warren confirmed. “Maggie would have seen it sooner or later, too, but right now it suits her to blame me for humiliating her.”

Josh nodded. “Some women are touchy that way. They want to call the shots if there's any dumping to be done. It's an ego thing.”

“Unfortunately, I didn't think it was wise to wait around till she came to her senses. She was so hell-bent on keeping up with Dinah and Cord, she would have walked down the aisle with just about anyone.”

Josh took another surreptitious look at Maggie, whose head was tilted back as she took a long, slow drink of Coke from a can. He tried to imagine a woman with that much sensuality with straight-arrow Warren. He failed.

“If she's still furious with you, maybe it's not about her ego at all,” he suggested slowly, hating the idea even as he voiced it. “Maybe she really did have a thing for you.”

Warren shook his head. “Maggie needs the kind of man who's a challenge. Someone a little mysterious and edgy.” He gave Josh a speculative look. “Someone like you, as a matter of fact.”

Josh stared at him. “I doubt she'd appreciate you trying to hook her up with me or anyone else.”

Warren shrugged. “It was just another observation. I think I'll go have another chat with your mother. I've always wondered what Las Vegas is really like.”

For a moment Josh was tempted to order the man to stay the hell away from Nadine. He had the perfect excuse. He needed another man to help with some of the framing work he was trying to get done today.

Instead, he decided to stay out of it. Hadn't he always believed that his mother was in serious need of a shrink? Maybe Warren Blake could fix whatever it was that drove her to make so many foolish mistakes when it came to men.

 

Maggie planted herself in front of Josh and waited until he met her gaze. “What are you up to?”

“I'm building a house. What about you?”

“You know that's not what I'm talking about,” she said impatiently.