Midnight Promises, page 18
“You’re friends with Elliott Cruz, right?” Grace said without preamble.
“Sure. He and Karen and the kids are like family to me,” Frances said.
“What do you know about this gym he’s opening over on Palmetto?”
“Just that it’ll be a huge improvement over Dexter’s,” she said, then added, “No offense,” because she knew Grace and Dexter had known each other for years. For that matter, everyone in town knew Dexter. They even liked him. They just believed he’d let that gym of his turn into a run-down dump.
Grace shrugged at the undeniable truth of her statement. “Any idea what they’re going to charge for a membership?” She cast a surreptitious look over her shoulder in the direction of her husband. Neville Wharton was the pharmacist who ran the drugstore portion of Wharton’s. “I’m thinking he could use a workout from time to time,” she added in an undertone.
“You planning to give it to him for his birthday?” Frances asked, grinning at the thought of Neville’s likely reaction to such a gift. Shock came to mind. He prided himself on the fact he could still get into his wedding suit, though the sad truth was he hadn’t been able to buckle the pants in years, Grace had reported recently to anyone who’d listen.
Grace sat up straighter. “That’s exactly what I’m planning to do. Nothing says I love you like a gift certificate to get your health back, don’t you think so?”
“I’m not a hundred percent certain your husband will see it that way,” Frances said gently. “How would you have felt if he’d given you a membership to The Corner Spa?”
Grace paused. “Insulted, I imagine, though I wouldn’t have minded a gift certificate for some of those massages they give over there. Whoo-ee, do those things work the kinks out of my back after a day on my feet in this place!”
Frances smiled at the image of Grace crawling up onto a massage table and allowing herself to be pampered with scented oils and a massage. It wasn’t something she’d ever expected of such a salt-of-the-earth, country-born-and-raised woman.
Grace gave her a wink. “I’ve picked up some pretty good gossip while I’ve been there, too.”
Frances laughed. “Then definitely worth the cost. As for the gym, why don’t I have Elliott stop by with a brochure? I’m pretty sure they’re going to be available any day now. Or I’ll grab one and bring it by next time I come in.”
Grace nodded. “That’ll do. Now, tell me this. How have you been feeling?”
“Just great,” Frances said.
Grace frowned. “Really? I know some folks have been worried about you not being up to snuff.”
Frances’s mood, which had been upbeat only seconds before, sank. She knew once rumors started in Serenity, they took on a life of their own, especially once Grace got hold of them. She gave her friend an indignant look. “Well, you tell those folks, whoever they may be, that you just saw me and I’m in tip-top shape.”
Grace looked disconcerted by her barely disguised hint of temper. “Well, of course, I will,” she said at once. She reached for Frances’s hand. “You do know everyone in this town loves you. It’s just concern, Frances, not an indictment or something. Nobody’s ready to write you off, I promise you that.”
Rationally, Frances understood that, but given everything that had gone on lately, it felt more as if people were making judgments about her, and she didn’t like it. She didn’t like it one bit.
* * *
With all the extra hours Elliott was spending at the gym getting it ready to open, Karen had hardly seen him. They’d always had a tough time finding time to be together, but it was even worse now with all these new after-hours demands on his time.
At the end of her shift at Sullivan’s, she made a call to Maria Cruz and asked her to keep the kids overnight, then she put together a take-out order for two and headed to the gym. It would be the first time she’d seen it since the men had started the renovations.
Elliott was hanging drywall when she entered, the muscles in his arms and back stretched taut. With a sheen of perspiration on his olive skin, it was a sight to behold, she thought as she studied him appreciatively. He happened to glance over his shoulder and caught her.
“Admiring the view?” he teased.
She pretended to be shocked. “Oh, it’s you? I thought I was ogling some extraordinarily sexy stranger. Kicked my heart rate straight into overdrive.”
He crossed the room and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “And why would you be ogling strange men, querida?”
“Well, you see, my husband has been away from home for a long time now, and I’m getting restless.”
He laughed. “This may not be the best place for me to make that up to you,” he told her, glancing around. “Too many interested third parties.”
He spotted the bag she was carrying. “Is that take-out from Sullivan’s?”
She nodded. “Unfortunately I only brought enough for you and me. I’m afraid the rest of the guys are out of luck.”
Ronnie glanced over and spotted the Sullivan’s take-out containers. “Why isn’t my wife here with a take-out order?” he grumbled good-naturedly. “She’s the owner of that restaurant.”
“Which means she has to stay there and take care of the many, many paying customers,” Karen reminded him. She turned back to her husband. “Anyplace we could have a little privacy? I’ll feel guilty if we eat in front of all these starving men.”
“You shouldn’t. They just gobbled down three large pizzas,” Elliott told her.
Disappointment spread through her. “You, too?”
“I had some, but you know I’m a bottomless pit, and whatever’s in that bag smells wonderful. We can sit outside on the front porch steps. It’s a nice night, or it was the last time I actually stepped out to breathe fresh air.”
“It’s a gorgeous night,” she confirmed, following him outside.
As Elliott dug into the take-out, she studied him. Despite the long hours he’d been putting in, he looked good. Clearly the excitement of starting this business more than outweighed the stress and hard work of getting the doors open.
“How’s it going in there?” she asked.
“You really want to know?”
“Of course I do. If it matters to you, it matters to me. Are you on schedule?”
“Ronnie says we are. I have my doubts.”
She frowned at that. “Meaning?”
“The opening could be a week or two later than we originally anticipated, but there are always glitches in starting a new business. Tom and the others swear it’s nothing to worry about.”
She couldn’t help the chill that swept over her. Nor could she seem to stop herself from asking, “Are you on budget?”
Elliott frowned at the question. “Karen—”
“Don’t look at me like that. It’s a reasonable question.”
“But it’s not your concern,” he said, then flushed. “I take that back. Of course it’s your concern, because we’ve invested our savings in this, but you need to trust me that we’re okay.”
“Would you tell me if there was a problem?” She could see by the way he avoided her gaze that he would not. “Elliott!”
“Yes, of course,” he said eventually. “If there were a problem that could affect our finances, I’d tell you. There’s nothing like that happening now.” He held her gaze. “I swear it.”
She knew she had to take him at his word. She owed him that level of trust. She couldn’t keep undermining him by questioning every little decision he made, no matter how difficult it was for her to remain silent. “Okay, then. That’s good enough for me.”
He sighed and held her gaze. “Is it really, or is it always going to be this way when it comes to money?”
“I’m trying,” she said, wishing she could promise that she was finally past all that ingrained panic.
He studied her intently, then slowly released a sigh. “I know you are, but you’ll see, querida, I will always be here to take care of you and our family.”
Though she knew he meant it to be reassuring—and it mostly was—she could also hear what she imagined to be the condescending tone of his father, the proud provider of all important things. It sent a chill down her spine.
“Elliott, promise me something,” she said earnestly.
“Anything,” he said at once.
“Don’t ever feel you need to keep things from me. Even if something’s bad, I need to know. I don’t need you to protect me or leave me out. I can handle anything, as long as I’m not blindsided.”
“I would never do that,” he said, his tone mildly indignant.
She nodded, but the truth was, they both knew he would. It was the Cruz family way, at least for the men of the family. What they viewed as protection and taking charge, Karen saw as patronizing. She wondered if she and Elliott would ever see eye to eye about that.
* * *
“We need a family day,” Elliott announced over breakfast on Sunday morning. “I’ve already told my mother we’re not coming for Sunday dinner.”
Karen stared at him, open-mouthed, with shock. “You’re willing to ditch your mother? When did you get to be so brave?” she teased.
“It’s not bravery. It’s desperation,” he declared. “We need some time together. We’re going to pack up the car and drive over to the beach.”
Even as Daisy and Mack whooped with delight, Karen still couldn’t quite wrap her mind around the plan. “You’re actually taking a day off? Now—with so much to do at the gym?”
“We’ve had no quality time together as a family since the renovations began,” he said. “The men said they could spare me for today. That’s the great thing about working with this group of guys. They understand the importance of family. We’re all working two jobs essentially, so we’ve been rotating breaks to give everyone time at home. Today it’s my turn, since you and the kids have the day off, as well.”
“And we have the entire day to ourselves?” she said, still not quite believing it, but with anticipation finally beginning to kick in. “What did your mother say?”
“She said it was about time I took a break. I’ve had three calls from her in the past two weeks, telling me I was working too hard.”
Karen grinned. “Yay for Mama Cruz!”
Elliott laughed. “I’m going to tell her that just this once you appreciate her interference.”
“I do,” Karen said. “And I’ll be more than happy to tell her that myself.” She turned to the kids. “Run and put a swimsuit, a towel and whatever toys or books you want into your backpacks. We’re leaving...” She turned to Elliott. “How soon?”
“A half hour,” he said.
She frowned. “That’s awfully fast. I thought I could make fried chicken and coleslaw to take with us.”
“Nope. We’re going to grab lunch when we get there. Hot dogs for the kids and a whole passel of spiced shrimp for us. How does that sound?”
“Expensive,” she said candidly, but refused to worry about the cost just this once. “And wonderful. Okay, kids, hurry. I get the sense that Elliott is impatient to get this trip underway.”
The drive to the South Carolina coast was a long one, with the kids increasingly impatient about reaching the ocean. They’d only been once before, and so long ago, she doubted Mack even remembered, though he claimed he did, mostly to annoy Daisy, who kept telling him he’d been too little.
“Was not!” he said.
“Were, too,” Daisy retorted. “You were a baby.”
“Mom!” Mack protested.
Karen turned around. “The quickest way to get Elliott to turn this car right around and go back home is for the two of you to keep fighting.”
Daisy and Mack gave each other mutinous looks, but at least they fell silent.
Karen leaned closer to Elliott and whispered, “I think I’m almost as impatient as they are. This is such a treat. Thank you for thinking of it.”
“We all deserve it,” Elliott said. “I want us to be a family that makes lots and lots of memories we can store away.” He gave her a quick glance. “Did you bring the camera?”
“Of course.”
A hopeful grin curved his lips. “And you’re wearing your bikini?”
“Nope,” she said, then grinned at his disappointed expression. “But I brought it!”
“The sight of you in that will be more than enough to make my day,” he said with feeling.
As they neared the coast, Karen could smell the tang of salt in the air and feel the softness of the breeze. It was completely different from Serenity. Even before the sweet coconut aroma of sunscreen could be mixed in, just the scent of the air spoke of relaxation, vacations and fun, something that had been in very short supply during her lifetime. She realized now that she should have made more of a tradition of these day trips for the sake of the kids. Elliott was right. It was the sort of thing that made good childhood memories.
As soon as Elliott had parked the car, the kids tumbled out of the back. They’d worn their bathing suits under their clothes, so they headed straight out onto the sand with Elliott to choose a spot, while Karen went to a nearby restroom to change. Self-conscious about every stretch mark that showed when she donned her bikini, she covered herself with one of Elliott’s T-shirts, then made her way to the beach to join them.
“Here comes Mom!” Mack shouted, filling a sand pail with water and racing toward her, obviously intent on getting her soaked.
“Don’t you dare,” she said as he lifted the pail, but her laughter only encouraged him to send the water flying in her direction.
“You’re in trouble now,” Daisy called out, giggling as Karen took off after her son, only to be scooped up by Elliott and carried out into the chilly water, then unceremoniously dunked.
Both Daisy and Mack were staring, wide-eyed, when she surfaced sputtering.
She stared at her husband, who was making no attempt at all to control his mirth. “You did not just do that,” she said.
Elliott chuckled. “I believe there’s evidence that I did. The question is, what are you going to do about it?”
In response, she dove beneath the surface, grabbed his ankle and hauled him under. She’d only accomplished it by catching him completely off guard, but the shocked look on his face when he came to the surface was priceless.
“Now we’re even,” she said, as the kids splashed into the water to join them, laughing and squealing about how cold the ocean was.
“I like the pool at Aunt Adelia’s better,” Mack said, shivering. “It’s warm.”
“Because it’s heated, dummy,” Daisy told him.
“You do not call your brother a dummy,” Karen said, but she had little enthusiasm for disciplining them on a day like today. “Mack, if you’re cold, go back to the blanket and wrap up in a towel. The sun will warm you right up.”
“But I want to stay with you guys,” he protested, even though his lips were turning blue, and he was shivering.
“I’ll come with you, buddy,” Elliott said, heading up to the beach with him.
Daisy turned to Karen. “Mom, you look happy.”
Karen smiled. “I am happy.” It occurred to her to wonder how she normally looked to her daughter. “I’m happy all the time,” she said. “Doesn’t it look that way to you?”
“Mostly, since you married Elliott,” Daisy agreed. “You used to look sad or scared before that. Sometimes now you do, too.”
“Grown-ups have lots of things on their minds,” Karen told her. “Some of them are sad. Some things make us worry. But the bottom line is that you, Mack, Elliott and our life together make me the happiest I’ve been in a long time.”
Daisy looked relieved. “I’m glad. I don’t want you to ever get a divorce again. Mack and I love Elliott. And we love having a great big family with lots of aunts and uncles and cousins and a grandma who bakes cookies.”
“Hey, I bake cookies,” Karen protested, teasing her.
“Not as good as Grandma Cruz’s or as Frances’s.” Daisy’s expression turned thoughtful. “Or as good as Erik’s.”
Karen knew she should probably be insulted, but how could she be when there were so many people in her life taking such good care of her children, filling them up with treats, and showering them with love? For way too many years she’d been alone and scared and overwhelmed by financial worries. She needed to take the time to remember, once in a while, just how far she’d come.
And she also needed to give herself credit for getting there mostly on her own, even if it had been with the support of an amazing circle of friends she was still learning to trust and appreciate. Whatever crises might lie ahead, it was reassuring to know she’d never have to face them alone again.
Fourteen
After a long morning on the beach, the kids were clearly starting to fade from the combination of sun, swimming and salt air. Elliott suggested they find a casual restaurant Dana Sue had recommended, then head on home since Monday was a school day.
“No,” Mack protested, though he could barely keep his eyes open. “I want to swim and swim and swim.”
“You turn blue every time you go in the water,” Daisy said. “And all you do is complain about being cold.”
“But it’s still the best fun we’ve ever had,” Mack enthused.
Elliott smiled at his exuberance. “And you, niña?” he asked Daisy. “Have you had fun?”
She nodded. “I can’t wait to tell Selena. She’s going to be so jealous. Ernesto never takes them to the beach.” As if realizing that she’d touched on a sore topic, she frowned. “Maybe I shouldn’t say anything, after all.”
