Читать книгу Tall, Dark and Cranky - Kate Little, Kate Little - Страница 8

Although Rebecca had expected to deliberate over the job offer for at least a day or more, she could think of nothing else during the long drive back to the city. By the time she arrived at the front door to her apartment in a brownstone building on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, she had more or less decided that she had no real choice at all. She felt compelled to accept, despite a niggling, intuitive warning that the job would be a hard one, perhaps the hardest she’d ever faced.

Yet each time she’d pondered turning it down, the vision of Grant Berringer’s dark, luminous eyes and bleak, haunted expression would rise before her, and she’d feel herself swaying again toward a positive answer.

Rebecca had faced some hard cases but prided herself on the fact that she had never failed to inspire her patients to work hard and heal. She had a solid reputation in her field—which was why Matthew Berringer had gotten in touch with her in the first place. Did she dare put that professional reputation on the line for a man she barely knew—and didn’t even necessarily like? If she failed with a well-known man like Grant Berringer—and joined the ranks of his rejected therapists—the word would soon get around. It might make it difficult to find another assignment.

Well then, she couldn’t fail, could she? Somehow, she had to break through the fortress he’d built around his wounded heart and soul. The injuries to his body were serious but irrelevant, Rebecca believed. It was the inner man who needed to recover. And once that began to happen, the rest would follow easily, as night follows day.

Rebecca quickly changed from her interview suit into comfortable, worn jeans and a striped T-shirt. With a tall cold drink in hand, she dialed Matthew Berringer. He sounded surprised to hear from her. But when she accepted the offer, he seemed so pleased and grateful, Rebecca felt she’d made the right choice, after all. She arranged to move into the Berringer mansion the following weekend, which was right after Nora’s last day of school.

Since her stay would be temporary, Matthew insisted on paying her moving expenses and any unexpected costs, such as rent on her apartment or storage for furniture. While Rebecca appreciated his consideration and concern, she had been asked to move out of her apartment at the end of the month to give way to the landlord’s brother. And as for items to put in storage, since her divorce, she and Nora had been traveling light, and Rebecca thought she could fit most of their belongings in the back of her Jeep Cherokee.

“Grant will be very pleased to hear the news,” Matthew said. “He was impressed by your meeting.”

“Yes, I’m sure,” Rebecca replied, smiling. “The same way a bored cat is impressed with a particularly feisty mouse.”

“Well…that, too,” Matthew conceded with a laugh. “But I think he’s finally met a worthy adversary. My money is riding on you, Rebecca.”

Rebecca thanked him for the vote of confidence. They discussed the terms of her contract and ended the conversation on a cheerful note. The moment she hung up the phone, however, she felt a knot of dread in the pit of her stomach. Well, she’d accepted. The contract would arrive in a few days, and once she signed it, she was committed to the assignment.

Rebecca shoved worrisome thoughts aside and began making a list of all she had to do in the next week to prepare for the move. She looked up to see that it was time to pick up Nora at school, a task that was performed by a sitter while Rebecca was working. But Rebecca liked to meet her daughter whenever she was able.

Nora greeted her with a giant hug. They walked down the tree-lined street toward home hand in hand while Nora chatted happily about her adventures of the day. With the school year coming to a close, the teachers were clearly growing weary, and the children were getting wilder every day. Rebecca was barely able to interrupt Nora’s conversation long enough to offer her some ice cream at a favorite shop. They sat at the counter and each ordered their usual flavor, strawberry for Rebecca and Rocky Road for Nora. Once Nora had settled down, Rebecca told her about her new job and explained that they’d be moving to the patient’s house for the summer.

“You mean, like when we stay at Grammy’s, in the guest room?” Nora asked, sounding puzzled.

Rebecca had to smile at the comparison. Her mother lived in a lovely old Victorian house on the Connecticut shore, the house where Rebecca had been raised along with two sisters. But the entire home would fit quite neatly into the space of the Berringers’ east wing, she thought.

“Not quite like Grammy’s guest room. We’ll have our own private apartment, about the size of the apartment we have now. But it will be part of the Berringers’ house,” Rebecca explained. “Their house is very large. The kind you call a mansion.”

Nora’s lovely little face was still puckered in a frown. “Oh, you mean sort of like a castle?”

“Well…not exactly. But a little like a castle, I guess,” Rebecca conceded, taking a spoonful of ice cream. There was a genuine, fire-breathing dragon on the premises, she reflected.

Nora seemed satisfied by that answer and excited to be living at the beach. Rebecca realized she would have to enroll Nora in a day camp or some type of summer program so her daughter would be occupied during working hours, but Rebecca was sure she would easily find something suitable.

“I think Eloise will love living in a castle,” Nora said. “Maybe she’ll learn how to swim.”

Oh, dear, the cat, Rebecca thought. She’d almost forgotten about Eloise. But the cat, who had been with Nora since she was only two, couldn’t be left behind. She’d have to tell Matthew Berringer about Eloise, of course, and hope he didn’t mind.

“Cats don’t like water much, Nora,” Rebecca reminded her. “But I’m sure she won’t complain about seafood dinners.”

Nora laughed. As they walked home, Rebecca felt relieved that her daughter had taken the news of their sudden move so easily. Some other children would have been upset about the unexpected change. But Nora had always had an easy temperament, even as a baby. She’d always taken changes in stride, too. Even the breakup of their little family. Nora had only been four years old when Rebecca’s husband had asked for a divorce, claiming he’d fallen madly in love with a co-worker.

Rebecca had been crushed by the betrayal, but not truly surprised. In the years since Nora’s arrival, it seemed that she and her husband, Jack, had been growing increasingly distant and they spent little time together as a couple—except to argue about money, or Jack’s late nights out with his pals, or all the day-to-day problems in every married life. But while Rebecca had noticed the change in their relationship and wondered how to rekindle their romantic spark, she’d never imagined that Jack had found someone else. She’d never once considered being unfaithful to him. No matter what.

They had been sweethearts since high school, and his disloyalty was a great blow to her. Still, for Nora’s sake, Rebecca had offered to forgive and forget, if Jack was willing to end his affair and try to work on their marriage. She was even willing to recognize that she had played some part in his seeking passion elsewhere.

But Jack had claimed it was too late and any efforts in that direction would be useless. He also claimed that he loved her…but not the way a man should love his wife. Maybe they’d married too young, or simply knew each other too long and too well. While it all sounded like the typical excuses of an unfaithful spouse, Rebecca knew there was some truth to his words. Maybe she had always been too devoted to Jack, her love and loyalty too easily won. His great romance hadn’t held together very long, but that, too, was predictable, Rebecca realized.

The blow was awesome, but it was a clean break and irrevocable. As painful as it had been to face the truth, her loving feelings for Jack had withered and grown cold soon after she’d learned about his deception. In fact, in the passing years, she’d come to see him differently. It wasn’t just bitterness, either, she knew. While they were married, she’d accepted and overlooked his immaturity and self-centered tendencies. But now she saw him objectively and often felt relieved that she didn’t have to put up with his inconsiderate behavior anymore.

Except that Nora often did, which inevitably made Rebecca livid. Jack had never been a very consistent father, sometimes showering Nora with the attention and affection she deserved and sometimes ignoring her existence completely. His sales job kept him on the road a lot, and even when he was in town, he often forgot plans and special dates he’d made with Nora. Rebecca was left to make excuses and soothe Nora’s hurt feelings…and to give their daughter a double share of love and attention. It was at those times especially that Rebecca wondered why she’d ever put up with him all those years.

Rebecca had swiftly regained her pride in the years since her divorce, yet she’d never found the courage to have a real relationship again. She’d dated a bit, even met a few men she genuinely liked. But nothing ever went too far, and Rebecca knew that the fault was hers alone. She never let her fledgling relationships progress very far and always found some reason to bail out before things grew serious.

It was fear, plain and simple. She didn’t need a therapist or self-help guru to diagnose her problem. Logically she knew all men weren’t faithless, but emotionally, she just didn’t trust the opposite sex any longer. Besides, she’d found that earning a living and taking care of Nora required her full attention and effort. Though she was occasionally lonely and from time to time imagined a perfect romance that could magically sweep away her fears, Rebecca was largely content with her life and always put off the idea of dating for some future time in her life.

When Nora was older, she told herself, or when her professional life was less demanding of her time and energy. She knew these reasons were all thin excuses, convenient shields. But she allowed herself the pretense and fended off friends and relations—mostly her two sisters—who never grew tired of trying to fix her up with dates.

At least by living at the Berringers’ for the summer she’d be out of that loop, Rebecca reflected, and the relative isolation would give her the perfect excuse to neglect her love life, or lack thereof.

The week passed quickly and the morning soon arrived for Rebecca and Nora to drive to Bridgehampton in Rebecca’s aged and overloaded car. She’d hired two college students with a van to move her furniture and many of the boxes.

All in all, she didn’t have much to show in the way of worldly goods, which was more or less the way she preferred it. Rebecca had never been impressed by wealth or the privilege and power it commanded. Her ex-husband had often accused her of what he called reverse snobbery, and though she was sure she wasn’t usually judgmental, she sometimes thought she did have an automatic bias against rich people. Matthew Berringer, however, had impressed her favorably, and for all his money, she had found him quite down-to-earth. As for her new patient, Rebecca thought as she turned down the long drive that led to the mansion, well…any snobbery Grant Berringer possessed was the least of her problems right now.

“Wow…we’re going to live in there?” Nora asked with a gasp.

Rebecca had to laugh at her reaction. “That’s right.”

“It does look like a castle…practically,” Nora conceded.

“It’s as close as we’ll ever get, honey,” Rebecca replied. As if to underscore her advice, Eloise, in her cat carrier, released a long, plaintive yowl.

As soon as Rebecca and Nora arrived, Matthew sent down some of the house staff to help, and the car and van were unpacked in no time flat. Rebecca felt a bit disoriented by the moving-day confusion, especially since Nora insisted on opening various boxes, looking for favorite toys and other belongings she feared Rebecca had left behind. Rebecca had hoped to put their things away in an orderly fashion, but soon the place was topsy-turvy.

In the midst of the confusion, the phone rang, and Rebecca was greeted by Grant’s deep, commanding voice.

“So, you’ve finally arrived. When did you plan on seeing your patient…next week, perhaps?” he asked in a cranky tone.

For a man who had to be persuaded to hire her, he was certainly taking a different tack today, she reflected. Different, but no less imperious.

“I was just doing a bit of unpacking. Do you feel neglected already?” she countered.

She was probably starting off on the entirely wrong foot—and would be fired by dinnertime, hence wasting energy with all the effort of moving in—but he sounded so much like a spoiled little boy, she couldn’t resist answering him tartly.

“That’s not the point.” He bristled. “I believe that you’re to be paid very well for your time here, Ms. Calloway, and I expect your complete attention. Is that clear?”

“Quite clear. Though, in fact, you don’t start paying me for my time until Monday morning, and today is Saturday,” she reminded him politely. “Also, please feel free to call me Rebecca.”

She heard him grumble but couldn’t make out the words. She didn’t expect an apology, and there was none.

She did expect him to hang up, but instead he said, “It’s almost twelve o’clock. If you haven’t had any lunch yet, please join me. On the terrace off the library, in about half an hour or so.”

It was more of a command than an invitation, Rebecca noticed, but it seemed to indicate that he was eager to see her again, which was a hopeful sign.

“Thank you, I’ll see you then.” She hung up the phone, checked her watch and quickly glanced at herself and then Nora. They both looked as if they’d been dragged through a trashbin by the hair. They’d never be ready on time, but Rebecca knew she had better try.

Miraculously, a half hour later, she had bathed Nora, dressed her in a yellow gingham sundress and sandals and put her long hair in a ponytail. No time for a braid. Nora didn’t understand why she had to suddenly dress up but submitted to the treatment with little complaint. Rebecca had quickly showered, pulled on a long floral skirt and silk tank top she’d found at the top of the clothes pile and then whisked on some lipstick. She grabbed Nora’s hand, and they scurried down numerous hallways until they finally found the library. Nora thought it was a game and raced ahead, despite Rebecca’s hushed warnings to slow down.

A bit out of breath but right on time, Rebecca composed herself at the door to the library. She took a deep breath and smoothed her hair before entering. The room was empty, but she heard voices outside the glass doors that opened to the terrace. As she stepped onto the terrace, she saw Matthew and Grant sitting at a table set for lunch. Rebecca stopped a few feet away from the table and smiled at them both.

“Well, here we are,” she said brightly.

“And right on time,” Matthew replied with a smile. He rose to greet them. “How nice to be joined for lunch by two lovely ladies.”

Rebecca smiled in reply as he held out her chair. But when she turned to greet Grant, his dark gaze was narrowed, his brow knitted in a frown. He stared at her, looking positively shocked. She couldn’t quite figure it out. Then she realized he was staring at Nora.

“Who’s that?” he demanded, indicating Nora.

Rebecca felt her daughter clutch her hand and looked to see the child’s expression grow wary and tense. She pulled her protectively to her side. “My daughter. Her name is Nora.”

“You never said you were bringing a child,” he bellowed.

Rebecca glanced nervously from Grant to Matthew, who seemed to shrink into his seat. “But…I told Matthew. I assumed he told you,” she explained.

Grant’s dark eyes widened, and his mouth tightened into a hard, grim line. He stared across the table at his brother. “You knew she was bringing a child here?” he demanded.

“Rebecca told me about her daughter during her interview,” Matthew admitted smoothly. “We’ll discuss this later, Grant. No reason to frighten the little girl.”

“No reason, eh? No reason to tell me about the child, either, I suppose…until it’s too late. Because you knew I wouldn’t permit it!” he roared. His fiery gaze swept from Matthew to Rebecca. “And I won’t,” he insisted.

Rebecca took a deep breath and stood tall against his outburst. She didn’t know what to say. If Matthew knew his brother had such strong objections to having a child in the house and had hidden Nora’s arrival from Grant, then she could understand Grant’s anger. Not that it excused his manner of expressing it.

“Grant, please.” Matthew approached his brother. “Calm down. Try to be more reasonable—”

“Why in heaven’s name should I be reasonable? You’ve purposely tricked me. The both of you. Just because I’m in a wheelchair, does that mean you have a right to control and manipulate me? To completely ignore my opinion?” He backed his wheelchair away from the table, then came directly toward Rebecca and Nora.

His dark hair looked longer and shaggier than at their first meeting, Rebecca thought. And his glowing lion’s eyes burned bright and wild. Even in his anger, Rebecca still felt that irksome tug of attraction she tried so hard to deny.

He was acting like a child, she told herself. Still, she understood his side of the situation. He was a proud man, now forced to rely on others for every need. It was a question of self-respect. She was sorry she had not been aware of his objection. She would have confronted him directly about it, as an equal. Now he seemed to believe she was in on the deception.

“I wasn’t aware that you didn’t want to hire someone with a child,” she said honestly. “It’s a big house. Nora will do her best to stay out of your way. If that’s not a satisfactory solution, we can go.”

He rolled the chair closer, glaring at her. “I would like you to go,” he announced in a low, harsh tone. “Today, if at all possible.”

“Grant—come on now,” Matthew urged. “Rebecca has a contract.”

“What’s the difference? Pay her out. Pay her for the whole damn summer. What do I care?”

“But why must she go?” Matthew persisted. “It was all my fault. You can’t just—”

“Don’t tell me what I can and cannot do!” Grant turned toward his brother and pounded his fist on the tabletop. The plates and silverware clattered. “I’ll do as I damn please! Do you understand that?”

Clinging to Rebecca’s side, Nora suddenly burst into tears and buried her face in her mother’s skirt. Rebecca was overwhelmed by a wave of protective instinct.

“Nora, sweetheart,” she crooned. “It’s okay.” She crouched and wrapped her arms around the little girl in a sheltering embrace.

“Can’t we go, Mommy? He’s…scaring me,” Nora whispered between sniffles.

“Don’t be afraid, sweetie. We’re going right away,” she promised.

She scooped Nora up in her arms, though the child was well past the age of easy lifting. Nora clung to her and buried her face in her mother’s shoulder. If this was the atmosphere Grant would create, then perhaps it was best if she took Nora away. As she turned to leave the terrace, Rebecca glanced at Grant with a searing look.

“Proud of yourself?” she asked, though she didn’t know how she dared to be so insolent to him.

The look he gave her in answer stopped her cold in her tracks. His eyes flashed, and he looked away, quickly turning his chair so he didn’t have to face her.

“You don’t have a clue about me, Rebecca Calloway,” he said in a hushed, almost apologetic tone. “It’s best you get away now, while the going is good. Best for your little girl, too.”

Rebecca stood stone still for a moment, feeling dazed and confused. But before she could think of anything to say in reply, Grant turned his chair, and she was suddenly facing his back. Matthew glanced at her and made a small motion with his head, indicating that she should leave them.

Hugging Nora close, she made her way through the study and down the labyrinth of hallways to their rooms. Nora had calmed down considerably and didn’t need to be carried all the way—which Rebecca considered a small blessing, since her back was already sore from moving, and she faced repacking many boxes and loading her car again.

Once in their rooms, Rebecca explained that Grant was not a bad person and that his outburst didn’t have anything to do with Nora personally. She told her daughter he was terribly unhappy because of his accident and slow recovery. Nora seemed to understand.

A few minutes later, Matthew brought them some lunch on a tray. Nora immediately ran over and chose a sandwich. Rebecca had lost her appetite and picked up a cold drink. Matthew moved a few boxes to the floor, then sat on the small sofa and sighed.

“I need to apologize,” he began. “This whole mess is all my fault. I knew Grant would object to having your daughter here, but I’d hoped that once you arrived, he’d get used to the idea,” he explained.

“What does he have against children?” she asked. “Does he think having Nora with me will distract me from my work?”

“No, it’s not that.” Matthew met her gaze then looked away. “I’m not free to say. But maybe you can talk to him about it. He might explain it to you.”