Читать книгу When We Found Home - Susan Mallery, Susan Mallery - Страница 16

chapter six

Delaney had lived in Seattle all her life and still wasn’t the least bit familiar with the area where Keira and Malcolm lived—probably because if the world were separated into haves and have-nots, she would definitely find herself on the side of the latter.

The closer she got to Lake Washington, the larger the homes and lots got until she was pretty sure they were called estates rather than something as pedestrian as houses.

She checked street numbers on mostly closed security gates and was surprised to find herself turning onto a gate-free driveway. The house in front of her was huge—massively tall and wide, with dozens of windows and double front doors that were suited for a modern castle. As she drove along the curved driveway to park in front of the house, she caught sight of the lake beyond.

Lake Washington was a long narrow lake only a couple of miles wide but over twenty miles long. It was beautiful, offered plenty of lakefront living but created a traffic nightmare for the east side of the metropolitan area. Finding one’s way around traffic jams could be challenging when there was a giant lake in the middle of the commute corridors.

Delaney parked by the front door and looked at the carrier in the passenger seat. “You, young lady, have hit the jackpot. This house is going to be quite the kitty playground. You could get lost for days and I mean that in a good way.”

The kitten meowed in response.

Delaney got out of her car. Before she could circle to the trunk and start unloading supplies, the front door opened and an attractive brown-haired woman walked out. She was maybe in her fifties, wearing jeans and a dark green twinset on the cool, cloudy April day.

“You must be Delaney,” the woman said, holding out her hand. “I’m Carmen. I’m Mr. Carlesso’s housekeeper.” Carmen smiled. “That would be the senior Mr. Carlesso. You might have heard Keira called him Grandfather Alberto.”

“Yes, that is what she calls him. It’s nice to meet you. I’ve brought Keira’s kitten. How’s she doing?”

“Much better. She’s still stiff and sore, but she’s moving around and eating.” Carmen’s mouth twisted. “When Malcolm called and told me there’d been an accident, I didn’t know what to think. We were all so frightened. She’s still a little girl and she hasn’t been here very long. I didn’t want anything to happen to her.”

At the mention of Malcolm’s name, Delaney felt her stomach tighten. She was still trying to reconcile the sexy, teasing man who bought coffee from her with the cold-eyed brother who knew next to nothing about his own sister. She told herself not to judge, but it was hard not to.

At least she didn’t have to worry about running into him—it was just after three in the afternoon. Malcolm would be at the office. He didn’t strike her as the type to work from home.

“I’m glad she’s better,” Delaney said. “I’m hoping her kitten will cheer her up.”

Carmen laughed. “Lizzy is all she’s talked about. Come on. Let’s get her upstairs.”

Delaney had gone a little crazy at the pet store. In addition to a litter box and some food, she’d bought a bed and plenty of toys.

Delaney stacked the bags of cat litter onto a small, collapsible hand truck Carmen got for her, then put the case of cat food on top of the bags. She slung her tote over her shoulder and grabbed the bed and the bag of toys while Carmen collected the carrier and they went inside.

The foyer was large, soaring up two stories. If she had to guess, she would say the house had been built around the turn of the last century. There was beautifully carved wood everywhere, high ceilings and comfortable furniture. Delaney had a brief impression of a huge living room, a formal dining room and a long hallway before they went into the kitchen. Behind the pantry was an old-fashioned dumbwaiter.

“I don’t use it much,” Carmen said as she opened the door and they loaded the cat litter and food inside. “But it has its moments.”

After she pushed a button, the doors closed and the motor kicked in. Carmen led the way back to the main, curved staircase and they went up to the second floor.

The upstairs dumbwaiter access was in a large linen closet. They stacked the litter bags and cat food on the hand truck before Carmen led the way down a hallway to two sets of double doors. They went to the far set and Carmen knocked once before opening a door and stepping inside.

“Guess who?” she called, her tone cheerful.

Keira raced toward them. “You’re here! Did you bring Lizzy? Is she all right? Does she know I’m going to take good care of her?”

Delaney had only ever seen Keira in her school uniform. Out of the plaid skirt and white shirt, the preteen looked happier and younger. The healing bruise on the side of her face was the only reminder of the accident.

Impulsively Delaney set down her tote and packages and held out her arms. “I’m so glad to see you.”

Keira hesitated only a second before flinging herself at Delaney and hanging on so tight, it was difficult to breathe.

“You scared me,” Delaney whispered. “I was so afraid you were really hurt. You can never do that again!”

“I promise.”

“Good.” Delaney released her and smoothed her hair off her forehead. “You look good. A little battered, but otherwise healthy. Are you feeling all right?”

“I’m fine. Where’s Lizzy?”

Carmen handed over the carrier. “Here you go, little one. I’ll bring up some hot chocolate and cookies.”

“Thank you,” Keira said as she dropped to her knees and carefully opened the carrier. Her breath caught. “Lizzy, you’re real. I wondered if I dreamed you.”

She picked up the kitten who stretched and yawned before settling in Keira’s arms and meeting her gaze. Delaney sat on the floor next to them.

“She’s pretty friendly. A little skittish, but she’s warmed up over the past couple of days. I don’t think she was feral, but I’m not sure she had a lot of contact with people.”

“Thank you for taking care of her for me.”

“You’re welcome.”

“I’m going to be a really good pet mom. I’ve been looking up stuff online.” She looked at Delaney, her expression serious. “Cats should only have canned food. They don’t have a strong instinct to drink water and dry food gives them kidney problems.” She gently petted Lizzy. “I’m going to clean the litter box twice a day. That’s what the articles say cats like.” Her voice lowered. “I know what it’s like to get used to a strange place, so I’m going to be with her all the time through the weekend. I’m not going back to school until Monday.”

There was so much information in those few sentences that Delaney didn’t know where to begin.

“Why don’t you show me where you want things set up?” she asked. “Have you decided where to put the litter box?”

“In the other room.”

Delaney stood, finally taking her attention from the girl and looking around at her bedroom. It was large, with plenty of windows and lots of light. She pointed to the built-in window seat with a comfortable cushion and lots of pillows.

“Lizzy’s going to love sitting there and watching birds.”

“I know. She can also climb around on my desk if she wants.”

The walls were a pale gray color, the trim was white. The furniture all looked new, which made sense. From what she’d been able to piece together, Keira had been a bit of a surprise.

They carried everything into the adjoining room. It had been decorated as a teen girl haven with two bright pink club chairs, a deep blue sofa and a multicolored upholstered ottoman that acted as a soft coffee table in between. There was an under-counter refrigerator, a big wall-mounted television and plenty of storage. A fun white shag rug sat on top of the more elegant Berber carpet.

Keira pointed to a small alcove near the corner. “There was a dresser here that got moved out. I’ll feed Lizzy on the other side of the room. You’re not supposed to have food and the litter box close together.” She wrinkled her nose. “No one wants to eat in the bathroom.”

It took only a few minutes to get everything set up. Once the litter box was filled and the water bowl put out, Keira set the kitten on the floor, then sat next to her while Lizzy began to sniff and explore.

Delaney split her attention between the girl and the cat. “How are you feeling?” she asked.

“Better. My headache is gone and it doesn’t hurt to read.” She held out her fingers for Lizzy to sniff. The black-and-white kitten rubbed against them and began to purr. “My teachers put my assignments online, so I’ve been keeping up.”

“I have homework, too,” Delaney said. “Biology is hard.”

“Have you done your dissection yet?”

“No. It got postponed. I didn’t ask why because I don’t want to know.”

Keira grinned. “Maybe it’s an inventory issue.”

“Don’t go there. Talk about gross.”

“How are you going to be a doctor if you can’t dissect something that’s been dead like forever?”

“I’m not sure. I’m still working on that problem.”

Leaving the world of finance to become a naturopath had made sense three months ago, but she was starting to have her doubts. She wasn’t sure she was passionate enough to dedicate the next four years of her life to full-time study.

Keira reached for one of the feather-on-a-stick toys and waved it in front of Lizzy. The kitten immediately attacked.

“Have any of your friends been by?” Delaney asked.

Keira looked at her. “No, but we’ve texted. They wanted to know I was okay. I didn’t feel very good until yesterday and now I have Lizzy. I’m fine.”

“I worry about you.”

“I know.” Keira ducked her head.

Delaney wished she could be more sure about her friend. Keira’s home situation was unconventional at best. Not awful, but maybe not as nurturing as it could have been.

“Carmen seems nice.”

“She’s great. She’s fussing over me even more than usual and she’s really excited about Lizzy.”

At least Keira had someone watching over her.

“Okay, I’m going to let you and Lizzy get to know each other,” she said as she stood. “You have my number. Text me if you need anything. Even if it’s just more cat toys. I’m happy to bring them by.”

“I will.”

Keira carefully closed the door behind them so Lizzy wouldn’t get out. Carmen met them on the landing.

“Malcolm would like to speak with you,” she told Delaney. “If you have a minute.”

Delaney’s breath caught. He was home? Why hadn’t someone warned her before now? Not that it mattered, she told herself. She wasn’t sure how she felt about him. Annoyance and maybe a little outrage had replaced attraction.

“Of course,” she said, trying to sound neutral. She hugged Keira goodbye and reminded her to text or call if she needed anything, then followed the housekeeper down the long second-floor hallway.

Carmen knocked once before entering the suite of rooms. Delaney followed and saw his living space was very similar to Keira’s although instead of entering a bedroom, she found herself in a study/home office. There was a comfortable sofa, a good-sized desk and lots of bookcases. A door stood open and she caught sight of a king-size bed with a bathroom beyond. Malcolm looked up from his computer, smiled and rose when he saw her.

“Delaney, I’m glad you stopped by. I’ve wanted to talk to you.”

Carmen excused herself and shut the door as she left. Malcolm motioned to the sofa.

“Please. Have a seat.”

He looked different, she thought. Instead of a suit, he wore jeans and a long-sleeved shirt that emphasized his broad shoulders. His eyes were dark blue, his jaw firm. Dammit, he looked good and she did not want to be sucked in by that. She hadn’t liked the way he’d been so clueless about his own sister. He wasn’t charming, she reminded herself. She wasn’t the least bit attracted to him.

But sitting only a few feet away on a very comfortable leather sofa, it was difficult not to notice how her chest seemed just a little tight and her nerves were slightly on edge. Annoyance, she reminded herself. With annoyance came energy.

He reached in his pocket and pulled out a hundred-dollar bill, then handed it to her.

“Before I forget,” he said with a smile. “For the cat supplies.”

“I didn’t spend anywhere close to this.”

One shoulder rose. “You also took care of Lizzy. That can’t have been convenient.” The smile faded as he leaned toward her. “I also want to thank you for being there for Keira. I’m not sure I did at the hospital. Things were happening too fast. We all appreciate that you stayed with Keira until she got to the hospital. She must have been terrified. You were a comforting presence. Thank you.”

He seemed so genuine, so caring, she thought, more than a little perplexed. What had happened to the cold stranger who knew almost nothing about his sister?

“I’m confused,” she admitted. “At the hospital you were so distant and, um, stern.”

“The asshole brother?” he asked drily.

“Something like that.”

He sighed. “Yeah, it’s been hard with Keira.”

“She’s a good kid.” Delaney had a feeling her tone sounded fairly defensive.

“She is. I was talking more about myself than her. I’m not exactly a kid person.”

“She really just showed up two months ago?”

“Uh-huh. My father died a couple of years ago.” He hesitated. “There wasn’t a will so everything went to my grandfather and me. Around the first of the year, Alberto decided to get Jerry’s papers in order. He found information about two daughters no one knew about.”

He looked at her. “I should backtrack a little. My father was a salesman for the company and traveled all over. Apparently he liked women and they liked him. The three of us are the result of various relationships he had. Jerry wasn’t interested in his children or paying regular child support. I didn’t meet him until my mother brought me here when I was twelve. Alberto welcomed me right away, but Jerry resisted the connection. He and I were never close. I didn’t actually know him very well at all.”

There was something about the way he said the words, she thought. As if there was more to the story.

“Where’s the other sister?” she asked instead.

“Arriving tomorrow. That’s going to be interesting. She’s older—twenty-six. I don’t know that much about her. Keira was easier to locate. As she told you, she’d been living in foster care. Once we established paternity, I went and got her. She’s lived here ever since.”

She couldn’t imagine finding out about a sibling after so many years. Maybe Malcolm wasn’t as awful as she’d feared. Maybe he was just unprepared.

“And now what?” she asked.

“Now we make it work.” He raised a shoulder. “What I mean is I make it work. The accident showed me I haven’t been involved enough in Keira’s life. She seems to have it all together, but the truth is she’s a kid. I was her age when my mom brought me here. I remember how lost I felt and I had my mother with me. She might feel as if she doesn’t have anyone and that’s not right.”

Delaney relaxed a little more. “It’s her air of competence. It’s a great disguise, but you’re right. She’s just twelve. She needs to know people care about her and that this is her home. Having Lizzy will help.”

“I know nothing about cats.”

“Keira’s been doing research on the internet. You can ask her all about it.”

“I will.”

They smiled at each other. Tension seemed to swirl between them—the boy-girl kind, which was kind of nice and strange, all at the same time. Or maybe not. Maybe she was the only one feeling it and wouldn’t that be both awkward and pathetic?

What was wrong with her? He was just a guy. Except she knew the problem—there hadn’t been anyone since Tim and before Tim, she’d been a kid. All she knew about men and love and dating had been learned with Tim. What if they’d done it all wrong?

“Delaney?”

“Huh? Oh, sorry. I got distracted by something. What were you saying?”

“That I owe you.”

If only, she thought wistfully. “Not really. I like Keira. Helping out with her was easy.”

“Still. I’d offer to buy you coffee but that wouldn’t be very exciting for you. How about dinner?”

D-dinner? As in...dinner?

She felt herself flushing and hoped her light makeup kept him from being able to tell. “That would be nice,” she said, trying to sound casual, as if this sort of thing happened all the time.

“How about Saturday night? If you’re available.”

“Saturday would be perfect.”

They agreed on the Metropolitan Grill at seven. Malcolm said he would make reservations.

“I look forward to it,” he told her as he walked out of his room and down the stairs. “Do you want me to pick you up or meet you there?”

“I’ll meet you there,” she murmured, thinking it would be too uncomfortable to have him pick her up. Too much like a date. Not that it was a date. Or maybe it was, she wasn’t sure. Nor would she ask. It was a step forward, she told herself. Right now that was enough.

At the front door, she turned and said, “Keira said she’s going back to school on Monday. Please tell her I look forward to seeing her that morning.”

“I will.” He lightly touched her arm. “You were right at the hospital. I should tell her goodbye, because it’s the little things, right?”

“It is. I’ll see you Saturday.”

He smiled. “You will. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me, too.”

She managed to get to her car without stumbling or shrieking or grinning like a fool, then started the engine and sedately drove down the long driveway. It was only when she was on the main road heading for home that she allowed herself a small shriek and a little shimmy in her seat before settling in for a long internal discussion about what on earth she was going to wear.