Grave Concerns (13 page)

“I … don’t see what the problem is,” Sharon said, averting her eyes.

“The problem is that something very weird is going on with Maddie,” Kelly shot back. “I think you know what it is. I think Nick knows what it is, too. That’s why he’s always so protective of her.”

“I think you’re imagining things.”

“You’re a horrible liar, Mom,” Kelly chided. “Tell me what’s going on. I want to know.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Sharon said, taking a step back. “I think you should focus more on yourself and less on Maddie. It would be better for everyone if that happened.”

“But … .”

Sharon ignored her. “Focus on your life and what you want, Kelly. Everything else will slip into place when it’s supposed to.”

“No way.”

“Yes way.”

“No way, Jose.”

“Yes way, Jose.”

Spencer Winters, Nick’s cousin’s youngest son, wasn’t about to be swayed even though Nick was a police officer. Maddie found the boy adorable, especially because he was making Nick want to tear his own hair out.

Spencer planted his tiny fists on his hips and stared Nick down. “I am not catching a bug and putting it in a jar.”

Nick and Maddie took over kid duty after Jessica’s parents picked her up. There were a lot of tears, a few screams, and so many hugs Maddie felt smothered.

Jessica’s grateful parents spent almost thirty-six hours terrified that they would never see their daughter again. They kept trying to give Maddie a reward, which she politely declined, and then finally packed Jessica up to take her home. After one final hug – for John – Jessica happily hopped on her father’s back and immediately started demanding ice cream. She was going to take advantage of the situation and milk it for everything it was worth. Maddie kind of admired her rebound rate.

Now Maddie and Nick were grappling with a different sort of kid problem.

“Why don’t you want to catch lightning bugs?” Nick asked, tugging on his patience as Spencer refused to cooperate. “It’s fun. We’re not going to hurt them. We’re going to keep them in the jars for an hour and then let them go.”

For a seven-year-old, Spencer was pretty hip to the ways of the world. “I don’t care about hurting the bugs.”

“Then why don’t you want to catch one?”

“They’re bugs!”

Nick glanced at Maddie, frustrated. “I always thought having kids would be fun, Mad. I imagined taking them down to the lake and teaching them how to catch turtles. I imagined tucking them in at night. This, though … what kind of kid doesn’t want to catch lightning bugs?”

“A smart one,” Spencer countered, causing Maddie to grin. “What kind of crazy person wants to touch bugs?”

“Fine,” Nick said, straightening. “I officially don’t want kids.”

Maddie didn’t believe him for a second. “You want them. It will be different when we’re dealing with our kids. We’ll be able to train them to touch bugs at an early age.”

Nick grabbed the belt loops on Maddie’s cutoffs and tugged her close. “I hope our kids look like you.”

“I hope they look like you.”

“How about we have one of each?” Nick suggested. “We’ll have a little girl as pretty as her mom and a handsome little dude with my smile who will charm women everywhere.”

“That sounds good to me.”

Nick dropped a smoldering kiss on Maddie’s lips, causing Spencer to make a series of disgusted gagging noises. Nick glared at the youngster. “What is your problem now?”

“You two are grosser than bugs,” Spencer said. “Way grosser.”

“THEY
are so … .” Kelly broke off, her heart rolling as she watched Maddie and Nick cavort with the kids.

“Cute?” Sharon supplied, turning her attention to the riverbank where Maddie cajoled Spencer into opening his jar so she could drop a lightning bug inside of it. Even though he didn’t have to catch it, Spencer didn’t appear thrilled with Maddie’s help any more than he was by the option of catching his own bug.

“I hate to say it, but they are ridiculously cute,” Kelly muttered.

The two women sat in canvas chairs next to the fire, mugs of hot chocolate in their hands, comfortable relaxing while Maddie and Nick handled all of the child duties. It was a beautiful night, and for some reason, Kelly found her body and mind felt lighter than they had in years.

“What are you thinking?” Sharon asked.

“I’m thinking that it felt good to help that little girl today.”

“Is that all?”

“I’m also thinking that what Dad and Nick said about me this afternoon … hurt,” Kelly said, her face unreadable.

Sharon sighed. “You know that neither one of them meant to hurt you, right?”

“I know,” Kelly replied. “I think I needed to hear it, though. I kept telling myself they were teasing me when they said I was unbearable. Apparently the only one not seeing the big picture was me.”

“It’s going to be all right, Kelly,” Sharon said. “You’re still young. You could go back to college and get a degree. You could find a different job that you like more. You have a lot of life left to live. Heck, you could get married again and have more kids if you want.”

Kelly snorted. “You just want more grandkids. Admit it.”

“I want a boatload of them,” Sharon replied, guileless. “Maddie and Nick will give me some eventually. They’re happy being a twosome right now. And John, well … he needs to find a woman who makes him think about something other than himself.”

Kelly shifted her gaze to the other side of the campfire where John regaled the older kids – including Kyle and Kevin, who stopped by for another visit – with ghost stories. They fancied themselves too old to catch bugs, but horror stories were right up their alley.

“I think Hayley has a crush on Kevin,” Kelly said, shaking her head as she watched her daughter shyly smile at the boy in question. “Unfortunately for her, he’s developed a crush on Maddie.”

“He’s young. Maddie is probably very appealing to him because she catches fish and bugs and looks cute in her shorts,” Sharon said. “Hayley will get over it. When you’re a teenage girl you face heartache every week. It’s the nature of hormones.”

“Ah, yes, I remember the hormones,” Kelly said. “I just worry that Hayley seems to fall for any boy she sees. I don’t remember being like that. I fell for every other boy.”

Sharon laughed, enjoying her daughter’s return to form. “She’ll be fine. She has two uncles who will terrorize any boy that breaks her heart.”

“I think she’s in for a little moping right now,” Kelly said, pointing as Kevin broke away from the teenage group and moved in Maddie’s direction. Hayley didn’t miss his retreat, and her frown was evident even in the darkness.

“That poor boy,” Sharon clucked. “He just can’t stop staring at Maddie’s legs.”

“Oh, sure he can,” Kelly countered. “He stares at her butt and boobs, too.”

Sharon patted Kelly’s leg as she chortled. “You know what, honey? I think there’s still hope for you yet.”

“CAN
I have a jar?” Kevin’s face was earnest as he approached Maddie.

“Of course,” Maddie said, rummaging in the box by her feet. “Do you know how to catch a lightning bug, or do you need help?”

“I’ve never caught one. I’ll need help.”

“I’ll help you,” Nick offered, internally smirking when he saw the disappointment on Kevin’s face. The boy knew how to catch a lightning bug. He just wanted Maddie to be the one to help him.

“Oh, um … .” Kevin shifted from one foot to the other. “You look busy with the kids. Maddie can help me.”

“I’m sure she can,” Nick said, exchanging an amused look with Maddie. He leaned forward so only she could hear him. “I’m not going to lose you to him, am I?”

“I think you’re safe,” Maddie whispered back.

“Okay, just … don’t get his hopes up,” Nick said. “I know better than anyone how it feels to think you’ve got a shot with Maddie Graves and then have her crush you.”

“Very cute.”

“I try,” Nick said, kissing her cheek. “I’ll watch the little one. You handle the not-so-little one. If he gets handsy, call me.”

“I think I can handle a fifteen-year-old boy,” Maddie countered.

“I had better be the only boy you’re handling.”

“Ha, ha,” Maddie said, shifting away from Nick and focusing on Kevin. “Are you ready to catch some bugs?”

Kevin’s grin was so wide it split his face. “Lead the way.”

“LOOK,”
Sydney said, inclining her chin in Maddie’s direction. “Maddie is actually taking five minutes away from Nick. It must be some sort of camping miracle.”

Sydney took Sharon’s vacated chair not long after Kelly’s mother left to find her missing husband. Sydney hadn’t stopped complaining about Maddie since taking over the seat. It was starting to grate on Kelly’s nerves.

“She’s helping Kevin catch a bug for his jar,” Kelly said, hoping her tone didn’t reflect her irritation. “I don’t think it’s a big deal.”

Sydney either missed Kelly’s reaction or ignored it. Kelly couldn’t be sure which, but she was leaning toward the latter. “You can just tell that she thinks a lot about herself,” Sydney mused. “How much work do you think she’s had done?”

“None,” Kelly replied. “She’s looked like that since she was seventeen years old. It’s depressing, but there it is.”

“Oh, come on,” Sydney protested. “Are you telling me that’s her natural hair color?”

“It was when she was younger.”

“I’ll bet she dyes it,” Sydney said, shifting her attention to Nick. “How long do you think it will be before Nick drops Maddie? He has a six-month cycle, right? They’ve been dating about two months. I think that’s what you said. I guess that means she’ll be history in four months.”

“I think you’re missing the obvious here,” Kelly said, deciding to give Sydney a hard dose of reality. She had a feeling the woman needed it just as much as she did earlier in the day. “Nick only had the six-month cycle because he couldn’t have Maddie. He has her now. He’ll never let her go.”

Sydney wrinkled her nose. “I thought you said Maddie broke his heart and would do it again?”

Kelly knew she was partially to blame for Sydney’s attitude. She’d called and invited the woman to join the camping trip as a way to distract Nick. At the time, she thought she was justified in her actions. Now she wasn’t so sure.

“That’s what I honestly thought when I called you,” Kelly hedged.

“And what do you think now?”

“I think I might’ve been mistaken,” Kelly replied. “I … .”

Sydney arched a challenging eyebrow. “Mistaken? You called me and told me that I had a chance with Nick again. You said that Maddie was a horrible person and I would be doing him a favor. I don’t even like camping. Now you’re telling me you might’ve been mistaken?”

“I think I’ve been mistaken about a few things,” Kelly said, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. “I was so angry for the way Maddie hurt Nick that I didn’t look at how happy she was making him now.”

“He’s not happy,” Sydney countered. “He’s whipped.”

“He’s definitely whipped,” Kelly agreed. “He wants to make Maddie happy more than anything. I’m not going to lie. I’m still worried about what will happen if she takes off again. The thing is … I don’t think she’s going anywhere. I think that’s what I was mistaken about.”

Sydney was silent for so long Kelly grew worried. When she glanced at her friend, she found her openly glaring in her direction.

“What?” Kelly asked, defensive.

“You know darned well that I’ve had a thing for your brother ever since he unceremoniously dumped me five years ago,” Sydney charged. “You told me that he just needed time to sow his wild oats. That’s what I believed. Now you’re telling me he’s done sowing his oats and he’s going to settle down with that … Barbie doll?”

“I’m sorry if I got your hopes up,” Kelly said. “I … I don’t know if I trust Maddie. I do know she found a missing child in the woods today. I also know I said something truly awful to her last night and I feel really guilty about it.

“I can’t live my brother’s life for him,” she continued. “He has to make his own decisions, whether I think they’re right or wrong. This is his decision, and he’s clearly made it. He wants Maddie. I have to respect that.”

“Oh, get over yourself,” Sydney scoffed. “You want him with me as much as I want him with me. Then we would be sisters-in-law
and
friends. You know I’m better for Nick than Maddie is capable of being.”

Kelly wasn’t sure that was the case. She didn’t want to purposely hurt Sydney, though. “Maybe you do have a shot,” she conceded. “I can’t get involved, though. You’re on your own.”

“You can help as long as someone doesn’t find out you’re helping me.”

“No.” Kelly vehemently shook her head.

“We’ll just play another prank on her,” Sydney prodded. “It will be harmless fun.”

“I’m not going to do that.” Kelly was firm as she pushed herself out of her chair. “I’m going to let Maddie and Nick live their lives as they see fit. Nick didn’t get involved in my life and I’m not going to do it to him. It’s not fair.”

“Maybe Nick should’ve gotten involved in your life,” Sydney suggested. “If he had then you might not have married a loser.”

It was the truth … and it hurt. “Perhaps,” Kelly said. “I don’t think there was anything Nick or John could’ve said to change my mind about marrying David. As it is, they left me to make my own mistakes. Nick deserves the same.”

“I disagree.”

“Well, you’re on your own,” Kelly said. “I think you’re going to find that the more you work against Maddie, the more you’re going to see any hope of a future with Nick evaporate. He doesn’t have a sense of humor where she’s concerned.”

“I think you’re making a mountain over a molehill,” Sydney sniffed. “He’s just infatuated with her now because she’s shiny and new.”