“I can’t remember ever provoking one before, but if anyone asks, it was self-defense.” When she began adding dish soap to the water in the sink he stopped her. “Stick them in the dishwasher, Lin Su.”
“Listen,” she said. “I’m looking at a small loft in town today but I haven’t told Charlie. It’s very nice and might not fit my budget—we’ll have to see. I don’t want him to get his hopes up.”
“You can stay here while you need to,” he said. “It really doesn’t disturb me.”
“You said something about a team, a trainer...”
“My coach will be here in a week—there’s plenty of space for her without disrupting you. We’ll be all about business and training. After a week of that, I’m going with my trainer and part of her team to Lake Tahoe where I’ll train for a week at altitude before the race. I’ll be back immediately following the race. By myself.”
“But if I’m still here, where...?”
“There is a guest room beside my room and one downstairs. I have my equipment and an office downstairs. I don’t need the loft. We could disturb you but you couldn’t possibly disturb us.”
“Hopefully this small space in town will work out,” she said.
Charlie, no longer concerned about waking Blake, came pounding down the stairs, jumping the last four and landing with a loud thud. “Ready?” he asked his mother.
Blake smiled at him. She wondered if Blake had any idea how good-looking he was, even with a banged-up face.
“Ready,” she said. “Let’s go.”
* * *
The woman has no idea how exquisite she is, Blake thought. He was used to women who knew how beautiful they were, knew how powerful they were.
Lin Su was proud, gentle, as strong as steel, as soft as a cloud, stubborn as an ox. He’d seen her care for Winnie with tender strength. It was true Winnie wasn’t a large woman, but she was slightly bigger than Lin Su, yet the nurse handled her as if she were weightless. She could be firm with Charlie, and with himself for that matter. Yet he’d seen in her a sweet kindness unlike anything he’d known. And she was breathtaking to look at.
Their rapport was a little edgy, stumbling along, looking for a way to become friends. He could tell they had a great deal in common and maybe that was why they didn’t quite trust each other yet. But even though they weren’t exactly friends, or maybe they were very cautious friends, he was impossibly attracted to her.
Alone in his house, he laughed out loud. He couldn’t have conjured up a more complicated scenario—she worked next door, she had a boatload of secrets she guarded with a kind of stoic tenacity, she didn’t trust him because it looked to her—looked to a lot of people—as though he had it easy. On top of all that, she had a fourteen-year-old son who had health issues and regarded Blake as his champion—a boy who wanted an active and adventurous life despite his limitations. Blake thought Charlie was right to want that. He also thought it was possible. He, with no parenting experience whatsoever, thought Lin Su was too protective. He thought Lin Su would keep Charlie from growing and testing his limits in an effort to keep him safe—polar opposite of what Blake believed was in Charlie’s best interest. That alone would pit Lin Su against him. And, in a way, him against her.
He was pretty sure they’d never work out the kind of easy, affectionate relationship he’d like. He was convinced the passion he fantasized about was out of the question. He just hoped they wouldn’t kill each other and bang up Charlie in the process of discovering what kind of relationship they’d have.
He took his swim—an hour. He showered and cleaned up and it was still early. He could’ve gone for a run, but he passed. Instead, he walked next door. Mikhail appeared to be out on the deck so he went by way of the beach stairs. Might as well get it over with—he couldn’t hide out for a week while his face healed.
He clomped up the beach stairs to find Mikhail sitting at the table playing solitaire. The old Russian looked his way, did not say anything, but lifted one bushy eyebrow. Blake went to the table and sat down.
“I see you’ve taken up hockey,” Mikhail said.
“Fell off the bike,” Blake said.
Mikhail grunted. “Bah. Your jig is up. The little one told us what happened.”
“Charlie?”
“Lin Su. She said she wouldn’t want Winnie to have a fright. So, you lost your cool, is that it?”
He gave his head a tilt. “That’s pretty much it. You should’ve seen what those fools did to the trailer. I’m sure they turned it upside down looking for jewelry or money, none of which the girl had. They left her in a mess.”
“And you avenged her,” Mikhail said. “A knight.”
Oh, boy, that was the last thing he needed her to think, that he’d be hanging close to protect her, take care of her. He had a hard enough time taking care of himself. On the outside his life looked very well ordered and carefully planned, but right beneath the surface things were a mess. Always had been, always would be. It was a constant balancing act.
“Where is everyone?” Blake asked.
“Her Majesty had the physical therapy this morning so she’s having a rest. The little one is in town with Grace, looking at the apartment on top of the shop. Maybe it solves the trailer problem, eh?”
“That’s the place she’s looking at?” Blake asked. “That’s good! That’s perfect!” And Grace would be sure it was affordable for Lin Su. “Is it a nice place?” he asked.
“Small but good.”
He laughed. “She doesn’t take up much space.”
* * *
Lin Su drove to the flower shop even though she would have preferred a nice long walk. She didn’t want to leave Winnie for too long in case she needed something. She hadn’t been in the shop before—of course, having no need for floral arrangements—and the moment she stepped inside she regretted that. It was charming yet sophisticated, reflecting Grace.
Grace peeked out of the workroom, her green florist apron stretched over her growing belly. “You’re early.”
“I hope I’m not interrupting anything important,” Lin Su said. “Winnie was tired after her therapy. Mikhail is sitting watch.”
“I’m up to my elbows in flowers so why don’t you just take the key and go upstairs. Look around. You’ll see I left a lot behind when I moved out—Winnie’s kitchen is much better stocked so whatever is in my little kitchen can be used or packed up and stored. There are extra linens, too. It’s tiny, Lin Su. But the sofa pulls out.” Grace handed her a key. “I’m afraid the back stairs is the only entrance but at least there’s parking. And I’d be happy to give you a flower shop key so you can go through the shop if you want to enter from the front of the building.”
“Thank you. I’ll only be a minute.”
Lin Su let herself into the loft and just stood inside the door for a moment. It was, as she expected, beautiful. Yes, it was very small, but not much smaller than the trailer, which she had hated so much. Yet this space was furnished richly. There was a dark wood wall unit of cupboards and shelves that held a large flat-screen TV. The sectional was soft leather, the two accent tables were dark wood. No cheap blinds in Grace’s loft—the only window had custom wooden shutters. The little kitchen was perfectly functional—small refrigerator, two-burner stove top, microwave, sink and a table that could seat two comfortably. There was no oven.
The loft was long, divided in two. One half was the small kitchen and living room. An arch separated it from the other half, which was a bedroom and bath. Between the sections was a closet on one side and a little stacked washer and dryer plus utility closet for the vacuum cleaner, ironing board and other supplies.
She looked around the bedroom—it was very economically designed—a queen-size bed on a wooden frame, a small foldout desk, an armoire, tiny closet, two bedside chests with drawers and more drawers in t
he wooden platform under the mattress. She touched the wood of the headboard—again it was rich and fine. It reminded her of the home she had grown up in—the furnishings were tasteful and expensive. She sat down on the bed. The mattress was firm. When she stood again, she smoothed the comforter.
She stayed a little bit longer than she intended. She looked in the bathroom—it was large and comfortable. She sat in the living room facing the TV. She opened and closed the shutters behind the sofa. Well, there was no question about it—she would love to live in such a place. She’d lived in larger homes and apartments, but they were invariably in poor repair in bad neighborhoods. Often, she shared them with roommates to cut the rent. Her first few years on her own with Charlie had been very difficult—there was school and a job and a baby who had frequent bouts of upper respiratory illnesses. Then things calmed down a bit but the past five years with the recession, scarce jobs and rising costs had been difficult. She and Charlie had lived in some real dumps, that little trailer taking the cake.
But this—this beautifully decorated, compact little loft—was not only lovely and comfortable, it was right in the center of town, two doors down from the deputy sheriff’s office where Seth Sileski worked. It was not really a place to raise a family but it would be so ideal for a single woman and her son.
Too bad it was impossible. Even if it was priced reasonably it would be hard for her to afford. The furnishings alone made it even more valuable. And Lin Su had already made a decision—she wouldn’t negotiate with Grace. Over the years, she’d become a fierce haggler. Even used-car salesmen quaked when they saw her coming. But Grace was her employer. She might take care of Winnie but she knew she worked for Grace.
She went back downstairs. Grace was still busy at her worktable, constructing an arrangement. Lin Su handed her the key. “Grace, it’s very beautiful. It’s small but so expertly arranged.”
“You should have seen what I started with—a completely unfinished attic, full of junk left behind by Iris’s mother. She was the last owner of the flower shop, and when she had something she didn’t know what to do with, she shoved it upstairs and it never came down again. Iris and I had a field day poking through her stuff. Not much was worth keeping.”
“Did you do it yourself?” Lin Su asked.
“I only helped. I had to hire tradesmen—there wasn’t even a bathroom up there! But the plumbing was in the right place. I painted, papered, sanded, but no way could I install a tub or toilet. And that arch? That was indulgence—I really didn’t need a door that closed for just me.” She clicked her teeth. “I suppose that could be a problem with a fourteen-year-old son.”
Lin Su laughed a little. “I think he’d like it if I didn’t live with him at all. Boys his age resist mothering. But we manage. Our trailer didn’t offer much by way of privacy—one pocket door to the bedroom and a pullout screen to close off the bathroom.” She shrugged. “It was manageable. But, Grace, I’m not sure we can make this work.”
“Ah,” Grace said. “Just too small? Not enough storage space?”
“Grace, it’s beautiful. It’s first class. I’m afraid I have a tight budget. But I’m sure something will...”
“Lin Su, I wasn’t thinking of charging rent! If it works for you, use it!”
“Now wait,” Lin Su said suspiciously. “You can’t mean to just loan it to me.”
“Why not? I didn’t charge Ginger rent.”
“But she worked for you!”
Grace laughed. “And who do you work for?”
“But I don’t work in this flower shop! The loft is part of the flower shop!”
“You could help me with the electric bill, but I use so much more than the loft ever uses. Does a third sound fair? It could be as high as a couple hundred dollars. It’s the refrigerated flower case—it’s a big energy suck. Maybe we should say a fourth? But even though that’s a lot, you’ll save on gas over time. Not much of a drive to your job.”
“But, Grace, the furnishings alone...”
“You like the furniture? Oh, I’m so glad! This is the lucky result of two people who have had their own homes combining households. Troy and I took what we wanted from each apartment. It left some nice things in the loft so it’s ready to live in. Of course, if you have your own things and it gets too crowded, we’ll just store some things.”
Lin Su took a breath and reminded herself—gratitude and humility. She had been honest with Winnie about the break-in, the destruction. “After last night, that isn’t going to be a problem.”
“Oh, Lin Su, was the loss terrible?”
“Actually, no,” she said, giving her head a little shake. “The things we really need, we took. I’ll drive back over there in the next day or two to make sure there isn’t anything important that I forgot, but all things considered, we were very lucky. And thank God Charlie wasn’t home while I worked!”
“Well, if you choose to live upstairs, I can promise you Charlie will be safe when he’s at home. I’ll be in the shop until closing. We have as many issues as any small town but it’s pretty safe around here. If you have any concerns you can always talk to Seth. He’s such a wonderful deputy—I just love him.”
Lin Su just shook her head. “You all have been so generous.”
“Generous is good,” Grace said. “But really, I don’t happen to see it that way. You’re better than the best nurse my imagination could conjure up. And I think Charlie is very good for my mother. They’re like best pals. I suspect they have secrets and plots but don’t let on. Winnie needed someone like Charlie right now—he’s completely honest all the time and Winnie gets a little more life in her when Charlie’s around. And Charlie doesn’t take any of her shit. Refreshing. Between Charlie and Mikhail, Winnie is kept human!”
“And the women come to her house for tea or a drink,” Lin Su said.
“She’s never had that kind of life,” Grace said, shaking her head sadly. “She’s always been somewhat apart from the mainstream of life. Oh, she had friends, don’t get me wrong. But where are they now, these society women Winnie socialized with for years? They don’t visit and rarely call. Winnie needs to feel family right now and that’s exactly what she has. We’re an odd family—me, Troy, Winnie and Mikhail—but people act as if we’re perfectly normal. If you and Charlie can be part of our strange little family it would make me so happy.”
“You really do so much for us. You’ve only known us three months!”
Grace laughed a little wildly. “By the time I knew Troy for three months I was pregnant! I have pretty good instincts. So? You want the place?”
Lin Su nodded. “I’ll treat it with great care.”
* * *
Charlie was not as thrilled about the use of the loft as his mother was, but then he didn’t crave independence for his family, just for himself. He liked staying with Blake right next door to Winnie, Mikhail, Grace and Troy. He couldn’t see any reason why his mom wouldn’t take Blake up on his offer to give them the two bedrooms in his upstairs for a while. For some reason she had a hard time accepting a gift like that from Blake.
He wasn’t disappointed in the loft in town, not in the least. It was clean and nice. Lin Su insisted on settling Winnie for the night before taking Charlie to the loft, their new home, and then she brought in their clothes, one garbage bag at a time. She was busy with the washer and dryer, folding and putting things in drawers, until after midnight. He slept in spite of her fussing around.
His first day of school was fine. He met a couple of people who were nice to him, his teachers all seemed cordial. Lee Downy, Frank’s younger brother, sought him out and said, “Hey, bud, if you need anything, let me know.” Lee was a big guy and if Charlie needed a good bodyguard, Lee was a definite contender.
A girl who sat next to him in Algebra groaned through the whole class and Charlie finally asked her, “This hard for
you?” When she admitted it was, he said, “If you ever need help, let me know.” And she asked for his number. It wasn’t a girlfriend thing, of course. But Frank was right—be a teacher, a tutor. It couldn’t hurt.
This was a red-letter day in Lin Su’s mind because Charlie had a new school that he didn’t have to walk through bad neighborhoods or run from druggies to get to and they had new digs at an affordable rent, practically free. But that wasn’t what was foremost on Charlie’s mind. He had a bigger, secret project in the works. He knew his mother had fictionalized some of her past, their past, and he was making some headway in finding the facts. First of all, he located his grandfather’s business address—Gordon Simmons. He was, as Lin Su had said, an attorney in Boston.
Lin Su checked Charlie’s computer regularly to be sure he wasn’t getting into any trouble—she’d look through his browsing history, his apps and programs; she probably even read some of his emails. They never talked about it but she told him he used the computer by her consent and she would be checking. A couple of times he saw her with his laptop and knew she’d been snooping—once when he came out of the shower, once when he woke up after being asleep awhile. And she asked to use it a few times to pay bills, something she could do as easily on her smartphone.
He didn’t mind. He was smarter on the computer than she was and covered his tracks. He joined a couple of professional networking links that were free; he joined Facebook but didn’t have an accessible page. He had a lot of Google searches but his surfing tracks weren’t visible in his cache.
Once he found Gordon Simmons he started poking around for Lin Su’s adoptive sisters—Leigh and Karyn. Karyn was tough—she’d been married a couple of times, changing her last name each time, and he’d had to search public records. But Leigh Simmons was easier. She was either single or had kept her last name. She was a professor of anthropology at Rutgers. She’d done a stint in the Peace Corps and was a big supporter to this day. He liked her face and he thought she might respond to him if he got up the nerve to get in touch.