New Leaf (18 page)

“I’m a little old for her,” Ben mused aloud.

“Hello, you’re barely dry behind the ears,” Barney said with a laugh. “And I have a feeling that Sissy is one of those people who is older than she seems. Life can do that to some of us. Have you ever seen photos of starving children in some undeveloped country and looked deeply into their eyes? They have wisdom way beyond their years.”

Ben nodded. “And you think Sissy is like that?”

Barney sighed. “Could be I’m wrong, but yes, that’s how she comes across to me. Sometimes I stop at the Cauldron for a quick meal when I’m working. Eating alone, you have nothing better to do than watch people, and I always end up observing Sissy as she deals with customers. She’s watchful and a little edgy with men, more relaxed with women.”

Ben frowned as he assimilated that bit of information. “I’ll bear that in mind.” As his expression cleared, he focused on Barney. “What’s up with you? You rarely show up here just to chitchat. You must have had a reason for dropping by.”

Barney noted that his family members all seemed to think visits from him were rare. He needed to
work on that. But for the moment, he just took another slug of beer. “I think I may be falling in love. Only how can a guy know if it’s the real deal? Have you ever been in love?”

Ben grinned. “If I’d ever been truly in love, I’d be married. When I find the right lady, I sure as hell won’t let her get away.” Then his humor faded. “It sounds to me as if you’re in one hell of a pickle, Barney. I know your marriage to Taffeta isn’t permanent, but you’re legally bound to her until she regains custody of her daughter. Have you told her that you’ve got your eye on another woman?”

Barney couldn’t help laughing. “I haven’t got my eye on another woman, Ben. I think I’m falling for Taffeta.”

Ben blinked, peered into the mouth of his beer bottle as if all the answers to the mysteries of the universe might be found there, and then lifted his gaze. “What’s so bad about falling for your wife? I’m sorry. I don’t see the problem.”

“How can I be
sure
I’m in love with her?” Barney asked. “She’s wearing her heart on her sleeve. I don’t want to hurt her. I need to be certain of my feelings and not lead her on.”

Ben studied Barney as if he were a strange insect he’d never seen. “You remember when you decided to build that bookcase when you were seventeen? You took your own money and went into town to buy the wood. It had to be your own design. You sat out in the garage and stared at the boards for a whole damned week! You drew sketches and then
you threw them away. Dad nearly went apeshit crazy, waiting for you to actually
start
. You think everything to death, Barney. You always have.”

“Yep, and I still have that bookcase. It’s awesome.”

“I have to admit it’s nice. And thinking about it paid off. When you finally committed to making a saw cut, you knew exactly what you wanted. But just remember one thing, okay? Women aren’t boards. They have feelings that run deep. You think it to death for too long, and she may be gone before you finally make up your mind.”

“I almost told her that I love her last night. But I want to be absolutely sure before I say those words.”

“You ever almost say them to another woman?” Ben asked.

“No.”

“Well, then,” Ben replied. “I reckon that should tell you something, bro.”

“For me, it isn’t that simple, Ben. Taffeta is a truly sweet and special lady. I’d never hurt her for anything in the world. If I tell her I love her and then realize later that I don’t, I could break her heart.”

Ben laughed and shook his head. “Would you just listen to yourself? I’ve never heard you speak so highly of a woman. You need to stop analyzing it to death and just go with your gut.”

Barney left Ben’s feeling as if he were standing on the edge of a cliff and about to get pushed off. People didn’t fall in love overnight. It took time to know a woman well enough to truly love her. Right? He
thought of his parents, who had gotten married shortly after they met and had been happy together for years. Maybe Ben was right and Barney was trying to rationalize an emotion that was inexplicable.

•   •   •

Another week passed, and every night, Taffeta experienced intimacy with Barney that grew increasingly more mind-blowing. During the day, she could think of little else but the coming evening. Would it be as good again, or would he suddenly do the “wham, bam, thank you, ma’am” and leave her yearning for satisfaction? At the end of each shift, Barney continued to drive home, sweep her up into his arms, and make love to her as if he were on a mission to show her what
true
lovemaking should be like.

On the following Wednesday morning as Taffeta was opening her shop, she realized that it had been over a week since Bud Pierce, her private investigator, called her with an update on Sarah. He normally called every Monday without fail. Taffeta had been so focused on Barney that she’d lost track of time. What kind of mother was she?

During a lull in business, she skipped dusting shelves, which was a never-ending task, perched on the stool behind the counter where she sat to make out orders or do the books, and dialed the man’s cell phone number. He answered on the fourth ring.

“Hey there, Ms. Brown. Sorry I’m late in calling, but things started popping over here.”

“Popping?” Taffeta’s heart leaped. “Is my daughter all right?”

The private eye chuckled. “She’s absolutely fine. She spent last night with her grandparents. I had just gotten off the phone with Sarah’s teacher when you called. According to her, Sarah says her daddy got tired of taking care of her, so she’ll be staying with her grandma and grandpa from now on.”

Relief washed through Taffeta. “That’s wonderful news!”

“Excellent news. And this whole situation is finally starting to make sense to me.”

“I’m not following,” Taffeta said.

“On the surface, it appeared that Phillip took Sarah because his mother was too sick to care for her and his father was stretched too thin. But that never really added up for me. Phillip isn’t exactly Daddy of the Year, and his father is a pretty wealthy man. If his wife got too sick to take care of their granddaughter, why didn’t he just hire a sitter? Instead Phillip took the kid.”

Taffeta frowned. She wasn’t sure where the investigator was going with this, but he definitely had a point. Cameron Gentry could easily have afforded to hire a sitter for Sarah, and he loved the child so much that Taffeta couldn’t imagine him hesitating.

“I know Phillip pretty well after tailing him for so long,” Pierce continued. “I don’t think he likes kids or wants anything to do with them. But suddenly he took the kid. Didn’t that ever strike an off-key note with you?”

“It does now,” Taffeta admitted. “At the time, I didn’t think about
why
Phillip suddenly took Sarah.
I was so worried about what might happen to her that I didn’t think about much else.”

“Well, it always struck me as being strange,” the investigator replied. “I don’t think Phillip got a sudden dose of paternal instinct, and I sure as hell don’t believe that Cameron Gentry willingly dumped his granddaughter on his irresponsible son. I’ve thought about it and thought about it, and I’ll bet you a hundred bucks that Phillip tried to use Sarah as a bargaining chip.”

“A bargaining chip?”

“Yep. His father stopped giving him money. I think Phillip tried to put the squeeze on Cameron again, saying he would take the child if his dad didn’t give him a nice, fat check. And for once, Cameron stood his ground and called Phillip’s bluff for some reason. I’m sure he never dreamed that Phillip would follow through on the threat and take the kid. But that’s what happened. Cameron could do nothing about it. Phillip has custody, and grandparents in Oregon have no legal rights.”

Taffeta closed her eyes. There was no longer much of anything that she would put past Phillip, not even using his little girl to blackmail his father for money. “Oh God. You may be right, Mr. Pierce. Phillip probably took Sarah, believing that his father would grow frantic and change his mind about giving him more money.”

“And I don’t doubt for a second that Cameron did change his mind. But when he caved and decided to hand over the cash, Phillip realized that he had his father over a barrel and asked for even more. For
reasons we may never know, Cameron couldn’t or wouldn’t pay him that much.”

“So Phillip got stuck with Sarah,” Taffeta concluded. “Knowing Phillip, he hit his father up for a couple of million or more. He would have known it would be his last chance to tap into his father’s savings.” Taffeta could almost picture it. Phillip was a selfish, greedy man. “What Phillip didn’t count on was his father saying no. Cameron would do almost anything for Sarah. But maybe Grace’s illness has him in a financial pinch. If he’s hiring nurses for in-home care, the expenses would add up fast.”

The PI chuckled. “So Phillip’s power play boomeranged on him, and he got stuck with his kid. Even for a guy who doesn’t give a rat’s ass, a child is a lot of trouble. Phillip couldn’t just leave her alone. He could have been arrested for neglect or child endangerment. When he realized that his dad wasn’t going to pay his price, he tired of the power play and took Sarah back to his parents’ last night.”

“I just pray she’s with her grandparents for good. I plan to appeal my conviction and regain custody, but the wheels at my end aren’t turning as quickly as I’d hoped.”

“Well, now it won’t matter how long it takes,” he said. “I know you miss your little girl, but at least she’ll be safe and happy with her grandparents. Like I said, I’ve been tailing Phillip. I was parked across the street last night when he took Sarah back to his folks’ place. He dumped all her clothes and toys on the porch, pushed her inside the house, and peeled rubber as he drove away. All indications are that
he’s finished with fatherhood and all the inconveniences.”

•   •   •

After ending the call, Taffeta remained on the stool with her head resting on the heels of her hands.
Safe, my little girl is safe
.

Almost giddy, Taffeta had to resist the urge to jump, clap her hands, and laugh. She wished she could call Barney, but he was working. Whether he was driving the roads today or had desk duty, she knew he would answer if she dialed his cell. But it didn’t seem right to bother him. Telling him the wonderful news about Sarah could wait.

Business remained slow, so Taffeta began dusting the shelves and merchandise. Things collected a powdery film in only one day, so attacking one section of the shop at a time helped her stay on top of it. She was in the herbal supplement aisle when the bell over the door jangled. She pushed herself erect and saw Barney walking into her shop.

“Hey, gorgeous,” he said with a grin. “I was on East Main, and I couldn’t resist stopping for a kiss.”

“Barney!” she cried. “I can’t believe you’re here! I have the most fabulous news!”

He took in her elated smile. “You just won the lottery, and we’re billionaires.”

Taffeta laughed. “Nope. It’s even better than that! Sarah is back with her grandparents permanently! Phillip took her home last night, and Sarah told her teacher this morning that her daddy is tired of
taking care of her. From now on, she’ll be with her grandma and grandpa.”

“Ah, Taffy, that’s fabulous.” Barney closed the distance between them and grabbed her around the waist to twirl her down the aisle. She dropped her dust rag and threw both arms around his neck. “I know you’ve been worrying a lot about her,” Barney said. He stopped twirling to glance at the clock. “This calls for a celebration! A couple of deputies at the department owe me. I can get someone to cover for me and take the afternoon off. You can close the shop. Let’s go somewhere special and whoop it up.”

“I’d rather just go home,” she murmured. “Being alone with you is celebration enough.”

He searched her gaze. She felt a sudden hardness pressing against her. “That sounds wonderful,” he agreed, his voice raspy with desire. “I’ll stop by Flagg’s Market to get some nice wine and cheese.”

“I’ll run over to the Jake ’n’ Bake for a fresh loaf of bread.”

He grinned. “Last one home is a monkey’s uncle!”

Taffeta beat Barney home. She suspected that he might have had trouble finding someone to cover for him. But just in case he was on his way, she decided to feed his animals a little early so he’d have no farm chores to worry about when he got there. She wanted his complete and undivided attention for the entire evening.

While walking to the barn, Taffeta got another call from Bud Pierce. She was almost afraid to answer for fear he’d tell her that Phillip had taken Sarah away from his parents again. As it happened, the news was grim, but it was about Grace Gentry, not Sarah.

Sadness pressed heavily on Taffeta’s heart as she fed the animals. While throwing hay to the horses, she heard Barney’s truck pull into the front parking area. Minutes later he stepped out onto the back porch and watched her with a pensive frown. Not wishing to spoil their evening, she pasted on a smile and waved at him. Apparently she was a lousy actress, because the creases on his brow only deepened.

He strode slowly toward her, the well-oiled swing
of his lean hips making her pulse race even though she’d just gotten bad news.

“What is it?” he asked, joining her in petting the horses.

“You know me too well.”

He smiled slightly. “I can read you like an open book. Don’t leave me hanging. What happened?”

“My investigator called again. He just got the skinny on what’s wrong with Grace. He has a contact who works at the hospital, and in exchange for money, she gives him information.” She swallowed hard. “It’s bad, Barney. Grace has breast cancer and is undergoing aggressive chemo treatments, which make her sicker than a dog. To make matters worse, she has heart blockages, and they need to do a triple bypass, but they must wait until she’s off chemo and regains her strength.”

“That’ll make it difficult for her to watch Sarah, won’t it?”

Taffeta nodded. “Cameron will hire someone to watch Sarah. They also have a full-time housekeeper who has living quarters on the property. I’m not worried about my daughter now. It’s the news about Grace that makes me heartsick.” She sent him a devastated look. “I know she’s my ex-mother-in-law, but during my marriage, she was like my mom—the only mom I ever really had.” Tears burned in her eyes. “What if she dies, Barney?”

He gathered her close in a tight hug. “You’ll feel very sad, and it will take a long time for that to go away.” He tucked in his chin to gaze down at her.
“But let’s hope that doesn’t happen. Did she have her breast removed or only a lumpectomy?”

“A lumpectomy, and they think they got all the cancer. But the chemo is half killing her, which puts stress on her whole body. She’s a massive heart attack waiting to happen.”

Barney pressed his lips to her forehead. “It’s great news that they got all the cancer, Taffy. And I’m sure she has a fabulous team of doctors watching over her, with medications on board to keep her heart stable. It’s natural for you to worry, but let’s not go shopping for a casket quite yet.”

A laugh bubbled up her throat. “How is it that you can always manage to make me feel better?”

He trailed light kisses to her cheek and then to her ear. “I don’t know, but go with it. I have plans for you tonight, and we have a lot to celebrate, not only the news about Sarah, but also your appeal.”

Drawn into a swirling current of need by his kisses, she blinked and tried to focus. “My appeal?”

He straightened and smiled down at her. “You received some documents today from Bryan Vorch. He somehow lost your cell phone number and called me instead. He said you need to sign them right away and overnight them back to him. He’s ready to file. Once it’s sent in and on the appellate court dockets, you can go to see Sarah’s grandparents. If they will agree to support you in an attempt to get the custody ruling reversed, a judge may look favorably on the fact that you’re going back to trial to get your conviction overturned. It’s not as if you’re
doing hard time and desperate to get out of prison. If you just bide your time, your period of parole will end, and the conviction will be behind you. Why would you bother to appeal the decision if you aren’t actually innocent?”

The thought of facing another judge frightened Taffeta. She was still on probation. If the judge got ticked off, she could find herself behind bars again. She decided to say nothing to Barney of her fears. As Sarah’s mother, she had to do what was right for the child, regardless of the possible consequences. As she moved forward, she didn’t want to burden Barney with worry. He might get nervous and try to talk her out of going to Erickson at all.

Though Barney hadn’t yet said the words, Taffeta knew that he loved her and would protect her with his life. She could see it in his eyes when he looked at her. She felt it in the way that he touched her. She wasn’t sure why he was hesitant to tell her of his feelings. She suspected it was that honorable streak that ran so strongly through him. He couldn’t say the words until he knew for certain he meant them.

Taffeta was okay with that. In fact, she admired Barney for it. When Phillip had courted her, he’d told her he loved her at the end of their second date. Older and much wiser now, Taffeta doubted that Phillip had ever loved anyone but himself. He’d only wanted to use her. Barney was so different.

Together, they made what Barney called a relish plate, with different fresh vegetables and dip, slices of cheese and bread, olives, and pickles. Taffeta
carried the food out onto the front veranda. Barney brought out two goblets and a bottle of wine.

“I went wild and spent almost fifteen bucks on this vino,” he said as he sat down next to her. “We can roll it over our tongues and lie like rugs about all the different flavors we detect.”

Taffeta grinned. “Sounds like fun to me.” Giving him a sidelong glance as he handed her a glass of ruby liquid, she added, “Remember that tannin and a hint of oak are always safe fibs.”

“A sommelier I’m not,” he confessed with a laugh.

“Where did you learn about sommeliers?”

“A movie I watched. And then after our dinner at Peck’s Red Rooster, I looked it up online. Fascinating stuff. How can people taste a wine and know exactly where it originated, not to mention what year it was made? Blows my mind.”

It was now early May. The afternoon felt almost balmy after the long, hard winter. They relaxed on the comfortable Adirondack chairs and chatted. An occasional vehicle passed by out on the road. Taffeta eyed a gnarly old oak that had long ago taken root among the pines. With limbs thick and sturdy, it would be a great tree to support a tire swing. She could almost see Sarah pumping her legs as she sailed back and forth, high into the air.

Barney didn’t touch Taffeta. Their chairs sat a foot apart. But she still
felt
close to him, as if the sheer strength of his muscular body transcended space to embrace her in its warmth. When they had finished the bottle of wine and nibbled away nearly half of the relish plate, they both stood and walked
languorously into the house. No words between them were necessary. They headed for his room and the king-size bed.

Gazes locked, they stood facing each other as they undressed. She knew their lovemaking would be incredible. Every time they were together, she marveled. It just kept getting better and better between them. Barney knew exactly where and how to touch her. She was learning his body as well. Every intimate encounter they had was magical and beautiful, a physical communion that surpassed anything Taffeta had ever imagined.

Later when they lay sated in each other’s arms, Barney asked, “Do I think everything to death?”

The question made her smile against his shoulder. “Yes,” she said softly. “And I’m glad you do. I know exactly where I stand with you. You don’t play games or say anything you don’t mean. It’s one of the things I admire most about you.”

He sighed, toying absently with a strand of her hair. “Do I frustrate you half to death?”

Taffeta giggled and playfully nipped his neck. “The very last thing I feel is frustration. Being with you, making love with you—well, I’m more content now than I’ve ever been in my life.”

He ran his hand lightly over her arm, making all her nerve endings sing. “I think I’m in love with you,” he whispered. “But what if I’m wrong?” He
rolled onto his side to cup her face between his hands, his gaze solemn and searching. “We haven’t known each other that long. Can people really fall in love so quickly?”

“I can only speak for myself, Barney. I think I fell in love with you the first time I ever saw you.”

This time he didn’t argue or act as if he didn’t believe her. “Did it frighten you?”

Taffeta thought back. “At first, it didn’t. I only fantasized about you, and I didn’t see how I could get into very much trouble doing that.”

“Until I saw you shadow dancing.” He trailed a thumb over her cheekbone, touching her as if she were made of fragile glass. “Were you dancing with me that night? In your fantasy, I mean.”

Taffeta felt as if she were stripping herself bare, but he’d asked the question, and she couldn’t deny him an answer. “Yes. You startled me half out of my wits when you knocked on my door and told me it was you. It’s kind of creepy when fantasy and reality collide.”

He grinned. “You were so stinkin’ cute, wearing that sexy slip and holding a frying pan high. When do you plan to make your fantasy become a reality?”

“What do you mean?”

His grin turned devilish. “When are you going to dance with me, wearing only that slip?”

Taffeta giggled. “For real? I guess anytime.”

“Now?” he asked softly. His gaze heated on hers.
“I can’t imagine anything sexier than letting fantasy and reality collide in my living room.”

Barney left her to pull on his boxers and turn on the stereo. Taffeta freshened up and slipped into the chemise. She felt a little silly when she reached the front of the house and started to dance with Barney. He seemed more interested in watching her than he was in moving his feet. This was the first time she’d ever purposely danced dirty for an audience, even if it was only one man.

She needn’t have worried. Her performance didn’t last long before Barney swept her up into his arms and carried her back to his bed.

•   •   •

The following Wednesday, Barney came home from work, and within minutes Bryan Vorch called on the house phone in order to speak to both of them on the speaker. He said that the Oregon Court of Appeals had reviewed her case, deemed it worthy of a hearing, and was going to schedule a date. Having just put a loaf of sourdough in the oven for its second rise, Taffeta straightened from closing the door and turned to look at her husband.

“When?” she asked Bryan as she moved closer to the phone. “Soon, I hope.”

“I’m sorry, Taffeta. It’ll be in late June, if we’re lucky. But that’s really quick, considering, and the date may be changed. You need to focus on the fact that the court will hear your case. Appeals are denied all the time.”

After Bryan hung up, Barney looked so solemn
that it alarmed her. “Isn’t that great news?” She heard a shrill note in her voice. “My appeal wasn’t denied. My hearing is going to be scheduled. We’re finally moving forward.”

Barney nodded. “Yes, we are, possibly a little faster than you’re prepared for. It’s time for you to contact Sarah’s grandparents and request a meeting.”

A jolt of fear shot through her. “Now?”

“Now.”

Taffeta knew that the timing for that was perfect. Earlier that day, her investigator had called. He’d reported that Sarah was still with her grandparents and Phillip was avoiding his folks’ house. He’d also told her that Grace Gentry was just ending a break between chemo treatments and would start the next round on Friday. She would still be feeling halfway good well into next week and possibly longer. The side effects of chemo didn’t normally get bad with the first or second infusion.

Even so, she could feel herself trembling with a sudden rush of nerves. “Oh, Barney. I don’t know if I have the guts to call them. They probably hate me.”

“Or they still love you, as you do them, and they’ve come to realize that they did you a terrible disservice by believing Phillip’s lies.” He curled his arms around her. Taffeta always felt stronger—and safer—when she was in his embrace. “I’ll be right here with you when you call. We’ll give it thirty minutes so the dinner hour is over. If it gets nasty on the
phone, I’ll make love to you afterward until you’re mindless and forget all about it.”

Taffeta watched the clock, wishing she could just get it over with. But Barney was right about waiting. In the past, Grace had always insisted that dinner be served at six sharp. It would be impolite to call when they were eating, and Grace was a stickler on good manners.

When at last the clock read seven, Taffeta’s palms went wet as she dialed the number.

Cameron answered, “Hello, Gentry residence.” In the background, Taffeta could hear her daughter’s sweet voice. The sound cut through her like a knife. “Hello?” Cameron repeated.

She collected herself and said, “Hi, Cameron. This is Taffeta.”

Her ex-father-in-law said nothing for a second that seemed to last a small eternity. Taffeta half expected him to hang up. She groped wildly for Barney’s hand, found it, and clung to his fingers as if they were a lifeline.

“Hello, Taffeta,” Cameron finally said. “It’s great to hear your voice. You are often in our thoughts.”

“You’re both often in mine as well.” Taffeta swallowed to keep her voice steady. “I, um, was wondering if you and Grace would consider meeting with me for a conversation. I’m willing to visit your home if that will be easier for Grace, or we can meet somewhere on neutral ground.”

“What’s on your mind, Taffeta?”

That was Cameron, just as she remembered him, always direct and to the point. She needed to be just
as candid with him. He was a barracuda in the courtroom and had no patience with people who beat around the bush. “I never harmed Sarah,” she said, her voice quivering. “Phillip lied about me on the stand. I’ve filed for an appeal, and my case has been accepted. I should soon have a hearing date. I hope to get my conviction overturned and get custody of my daughter again.”