Cafenova Read online

  “I give up!” Blake shrieked, immediately wrapping his arms around his dad’s legs.

  John returned the hug with a laugh and grabbed Blake’s hand as they continued to circle the house.

  “How about we just let Parker keep hiding, and we go have supper?”

  John eyed Blake with a barely concealed grin. “How about we find him and make him finish sanding Grampa’s chair?”

  “That’s even better,” Blake agreed. “I bet he’s in the fort.”

  Rounding the house into the backyard, they heard a loud giggle, confirming Blake’s guess. John fired up the grill and Parker came down and sat on the deck in the unfinished chair, looking rather like an undersized king on a throne.

  “Do you think Miss Maddy’s dog could come over sometime?” he abruptly asked.

  John looked up, surprised. “I don’t know, Parker,” he answered. “Miss Maddy and her dog are new to town, so they might not feel comfortable just, you know, coming over and hanging out with us.”

  “I was thinking just her dog,” Parker clarified.

  John shook his head with a smile.

  “If they just moved here, they probably need some friends,” offered Blake.

  “Burt is so hairy!” Parker exclaimed. He sat back and kicked his shoes together. “Miss Maddy’s pretty.”

  “Did you think so, Dad?” asked Blake.

  “I agree on both counts,” John answered carefully. “So, do we make these chili dogs or what?”

  He retreated into the house for supplies. Yes, he’d noticed the post office girl, and his mind had drifted back to her pretty, laughing face several times throughout the afternoon. She’d been wearing jean shorts, a T-shirt and sneakers; nothing fancy. Nice legs, he recalled.

  “I want cheese, too!” Parker called after him, then added, “Cheese, please, Daddy.”

  “You got it, buddy.”

  Blake followed him inside. “I’ll pour drinks,” he offered.

  “That would be great.” John pulled chips out of the cupboard, and thought again about the encounter downtown. She’d been a little flustered at first, but had recovered quickly. He liked how she interacted with his sons; there was something very natural in her manner. He smiled to himself as he put the simple meal together. It had been a long time since he’d felt a flicker of interest like this.

  “You okay, Dad?”

  “Oh, I’m fine. I just can’t find that can of chili, and you can’t have chili dogs without chili.”

  “It’s right there.” Blake pointed to the shelf in front of his father. “You’re funny, Dad,” he added as he walked out of the kitchen.

  

  The church was very quaint, and though the benches were a bit hard, Maddy liked the feel of the place. She loved the setting of the historic building, and had walked past the old white church several times during the week. Curious about what it looked like inside, she decided to attend the Sunday morning service.

  The walls were whitewashed and all of the woodwork was stained dark brown. The area in front was uncomplicated and, for some reason, it appealed to Maddy. A large wooden cross adorned the wall behind the altar, and wide windows along the sides of the church offered a view of the surrounding property.

  She supposed she had no business in their church; or perhaps, it was business that she had, and little else. She needed to start establishing some contacts, and it seemed like as good a place as any to begin. Besides, she’d never been in a church that old.

  The room was about three quarters full, and the families with young children sat toward the back. Maddy felt a familiar pang as she watched young mothers wrestling with their little ones, trying to get them to behave. She wondered where Parker and Blake were. Did their family go to church?

  “This seat taken, young lady?” Maddy jumped and turned to see Otis sitting down next to her.

  “I didn’t know you went to this church, Otis,” she said, moving over for him.

  “If I’d had the nerve to invite you, I could have offered you a ride,” Otis said ruefully. “I’m afraid I find it a little bit difficult to extend that invitation sometimes.”

  “So do I,” Maddy agreed. It had been a long time since she’d attended church, much less invited anyone else to go.

  She looked back at the service folder in her lap. As happy as she was to see a familiar face, she didn’t like the idea of deceiving Otis. Maddy turned at the sound of the pastor’s voice as he welcomed the people to worship.

  “You’ll like him,” Otis whispered. “He knows the Word and he gives it to you straight!” He settled back with a satisfied smile.

  Maddy smiled politely, but had no intention of getting to know the stranger in front of them. She was beginning to regret the impulse to attend church. Otis would assume that they had some weird religious bond, and worse, he’d expect her to come back.

  

  As soon as the service ended, Otis invited Maddy to the fellowship hour in the basement.

  “Oh, no thank you,” she replied. “I should probably get back and check on Burt.”

  “Come on, neighbor,” Otis encouraged her. “The donuts are always good, and I promise I won’t make an announcement that you’re new in town.”

  Maddy’s determination started to crumble, and she paused long enough for him to grab her hand.

  “Not that they won’t know, already,” he smiled back at her as they walked down to the basement together.

  Maddy rolled her eyes and followed, nodding at the friendly greetings from the people they passed along the way. She had so wanted to make a quick escape. The connections she thought she should make now seemed too personal. She searched her mind for another excuse so that she wouldn’t have to extend her mistake through an endless cup of coffee.

  “Miss Maddy! Look, Daddy, it’s Miss Maddy! Hey, I rhymed! Daddy and Maddy!”

  Parker ran back around the corner as soon as he saw her, and returned a moment later, dragging his father with him. John appeared with an apologetic grin, which didn’t stay sorry-looking for long.

  “Good morning, Miss Maddy.”

  Wearing khakis and a casual shirt, he definitely hadn’t lost his earthy appeal. Maddy was momentarily and uncharacteristically mute. Parker walked in circles around them while Blake stood quietly at his father’s side, holding a cup of punch.

  “Good morning, John,” Maddy finally found her voice. “Hi, Blake and Parker. I didn’t see you in church this morning.” She groaned inwardly at the needless revelation.

  “Oh, we just come for the coffee.” John answered so seriously that Maddy looked up in surprise. He immediately smiled, and Maddy tried not to stare at his beautiful teeth.

  Braces, for sure, she thought.

  “Would you like a cup?”

  “A cup of…” Maddy replied absently, despising her verbal ineptitude.

  “Coffee,” he gently supplied, putting his hand on her shoulder to guide her to the refreshment table. “Clearly, you haven’t had any yet.”

  “Clearly, not enough,” she agreed, as she allowed herself to be led through the gathering crowd. Suddenly, she remembered Otis, and turned to see him standing where she’d left him, watching her with a smile.

  “Otis, I’m sorry!” She spun away from John and returned to her neighbor, grabbing him by the hand. “Otis, this is my new friend, John. John, this is my… also new friend, Otis.”

  John extended his hand. “John Fordham. I’ve seen you around church. You’re usually up in the summer, right?”

  “Actually, I’ve become a full-timer,” Otis replied. “Name’s Otis Jensen. Maddy, here, is my date this morning.”

  John raised an eyebrow and nodded. “Of course.”

  “Miss Maddy, where’s Burt?” Parker had stopped running in circles and nibbled on a small frosted cupcake. He dotted his nose with the frosting as he tossed in the last bite.

  “They wouldn’t let me bring him in,” Maddy answered with a sigh. “He’d sure like this part of churc
h, though.” She glanced at the crumbs covering Parker’s shirt. “He’d be your best friend right now.”

  “Is he outside waiting for you, like at the grocery store?” Parker looked ready to investigate this possibility.

  “Oh, no,” Maddy replied. “He had to stay home. I really should go and check on him.”

  “And miss out on coffee?” John asked. “How do you like it?”

  Where’s the quiet lumberjack from yesterday? “I’ll need some cream.”

  “Got it,” John said. “How about you, Otis, do you like your coffee the way your girlfriend does?”

  Otis chuckled. “She knows just how I like it. Don’t you, Maddy?”

  “Black, but lots of sugar,” Maddy directed. “At least that’s how he likes it first thing in the morning,” she added, her voice low with the implied scandal.

  John paused and eyed them both. That voice both surprised and intrigued him, and he wasn’t sure how to reconcile those feelings in the church basement. He turned to get their coffee.

  “So, how did you like the service?” Otis asked.

  “Oh, it was fine,” Maddy replied.

  “I like Pastor Rob!” Parker piped in with enthusiasm. “He lets us come in front of the church and tells us funny stories.”

  “Really?” Maddy didn’t recall that part of the service.

  “Yeah, but not always.”

  “He seems very nice,” Maddy said, nodding with a smile as John returned with their coffee.

  “He is. Do you want to meet him?” Blake asked politely.

  “Yeah!” Parker answered for her as he began to circle her, again. He pulled on her skirt and said, “He’s coming to our house for lunch today, and you can come, too. Right, Daddy? And bring Burt!” He looked from one adult to the other.

  John gently pulled his son away, but before he could speak, Parker added, “Remember we wanted to invite her over yesterday?”

  John’s face colored slightly, which Maddy found surprising and a little charming. She focused on Parker.

  “I’d love to visit sometime, and meet your pastor, too.” It seemed like the right thing to say. “But I’ve got to go and take care of some things at home. I have friends coming over this week to help me with my house, and I need to be ready for them.”

  Parker sighed. “You have more new friends? Are you having a party?”

  “Oh no,” Maddy smiled. “It will be a long time before I can have a party at my house. It needs a lot of work to fix it up, so I’m having some worker friends come over to help me.”

  “That Mason family tore your place apart, but good,” Otis chimed in. “It was such a nice little inn before they bought it. Not one of us in the neighborhood regretted it when they moved to Florida. A loud bunch they were, and those kids were so unruly.” He put his arm around Maddy and smiled. “But now look who the Lord brought to the beach!”

  “So you two are neighbors,” John deduced, his momentary embarrassment replaced with interest. “And you bought the Mason place? Are you hoping to turn it back into a Bed & Breakfast?”

  “That’s the plan. I wouldn’t want to stay in that big old house by myself,” Maddy replied. “Of course, it will be a while before anyone will actually want to come and stay there with me,” she added with a rueful smile.

  John doubted she’d have any trouble filling her inn. He felt oddly uncomfortable with the idea, and agreed that it would probably be quite a while before she could reasonably expect guests.

  “It sounds like a big job,” he concluded casually.

  “Yes, and thank you for reminding me.” Maddy grimaced at him, which had the unnerving effect of making him smile with those beautiful teeth. She could feel the heat in her face and quickly turned to her neighbor. “Otis, if you’re ready to go home, I’d love a ride. The walk was a bit of a challenge in these heels.”

  two

  Maddy woke suddenly, and not very cheerfully, when the doorbell rang early the next morning. Tired and confused, she wrestled with her blankets as she tried to get out of bed.

  “Figures, the doorbell works,” she muttered, finally stumbling down the stairs.

  “Move, you big horse!” she grunted as she shoved against the door that Burt was accustomed to sleeping against. “Can’t you hear the doorbell? I can’t get through!” With one last push, she got Burt to move out of the way. He got up with a sigh, and then stretched his long body. Having awakened, he began to greet Maddy with his customary energy.

  “Good morning to you, too,” Maddy grinned, scratching his ears. “You need to go outside, so I can see who’s at the door.” She pulled on his collar and pushed him out onto the porch, and then made her way back to the other side of the house. Who would stop by at this hour? she wondered as she fumbled with the lock.

  Glancing in the mirror, she was half-pleased with her sleepy and disheveled reflection. Whoever was on the other side of the door was going to know that they woke her up. The lock released and she pulled the door open, preparing a little scowl for her visitor.

  Standing on the other side of the screen door, with two steaming cups of coffee from the bakery downtown, was John Fordham. He took in her tousled hair and white cotton robe and was at once embarrassed and delighted. He cleared his throat and put on his professional smile.

  “Hello, Maddy.”

  Immobilized, Maddy felt only embarrassment. Delight had no place on her emotional radar as she beheld her handsome new friend, even if he was holding coffee.

  John noticed that she had definitely improved on her scowl from the day before. “I brought you coffee,” he said. Then after a moment, “I’m here to look at your house.” It sounded more like a question than a statement.

  A dozen questions flooded Maddy’s mind, not the least of which was how she managed to get the date of her meeting with the builder wrong. The most pressing was apparently not a question at all; the lumberjack is my contractor? How had she not known? She slowly opened the screen door for him.

  “I’m the contractor,” he tried again, stepping inside. “You know, one of your ‘worker friends?’ ”

  “You’re the contractor? You’re a builder then?”

  “More of a renovator,” John qualified. He would have offered her his card, but his hands were full. “I work primarily on restoration jobs,” he explained, shifting his weight slightly and looking over his shoulder, as if hoping the rest of his crew would suddenly materialize and back him up. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to surprise her like this… He hadn’t counted on her not expecting anyone at all.

  Maddy’s mind was still spinning, but one little detail finally came into focus: John Fordham of Fordham-Davidson Renovations. That’s why his name had sounded familiar the day before. She’d just latched on to the ‘FDR’ in her previous contacts with him. So this is Mr. F…

  “What time is it?” she suddenly asked.

  “A little after eight.”

  “Eight o’clock! I missed the sunrise!” Maddy turned and ran back through the house, leaving John standing in the doorway.

  He looked around uncertainly, expecting to be attacked, or at least greeted in some way by her monster of a dog. No one came to meet him, however, as he maneuvered the door shut with his foot and proceeded through the house. He glanced into the rooms he passed, starting a mental list of repairs. Finding his way to the kitchen and through the back door, he found Maddy standing at the railing of her porch. Her robe moved around her ankles in the morning breeze, and John contemplated this distracting sight as he walked out to join her. Then, remembering his fear, he looked around for the dog. Puzzled, he set the coffees on the table.

  “Where’s Burt?” he asked, half hoping he’d imagined the beast a few days earlier.

  “Right behind you,” Maddy answered.

  Burt lumbered up from behind the wicker sofa and sniffed John’s back pocket. He stiffened slightly under the gentle assault.

  “He won’t hurt you.” Maddy turned to face John, who was decidedly pale. Sh
e couldn’t help but smile; he really was afraid of her dog. “So, one of these is for me?” she covered a yawn and reached for a cup.

  “Help yourself,” John replied, trying unsuccessfully to ignore Burt.

  Maddy picked up one of the cups and sipped it gratefully. “I’m sorry I took off like that. I have this thing about sunrises.”

  “Don’t worry about it,” John shifted, looking down, somewhat, at the dog.

  “Put your hand out so he can see it, and then just pet him under the chin.” Maddy lifted the lid from her cup and blew gently on the steaming liquid, smiling as she watched John gather the courage to touch her dog.

  “You make it sound so easy,” he mumbled as he slowly let the dog smell his hand. “He could have me for lunch.”

  “Oh, I’ll be sure to feed him before then,” Maddy responded playfully. “Besides, you don’t exactly look like the helpless type.” She eyed him for a moment. “You could probably outrun him. Burt’s not that fast, at least not here on the beach.” She paused, then added, “You don’t want to get him out in the open, where he can really take off. Then you wouldn’t stand a chance.”

  “Thanks, that’s reassuring,” John said dryly, eyeing her with a look she would soon come to find familiar and unsettling. She found that she couldn’t hold his gaze when he directed it at her, and later named it ‘the look’ for quick reference.

  “You’re welcome,” she said quickly, sliding a chair out. “Now, have a seat and tell me again. You’re the contractor. We must have spoken on the phone… I thought you were coming tomorrow.”

  John lowered himself into the chair across from her, while Burt continued to stand next to him, his muzzle alarmingly close to John’s shoulder.

  “We spoke about a month ago, while you were still on the West Coast, I believe,” John explained, looking at the dog, and sliding his chair over. “I’ve mostly dealt with your agent, obviously, but we touched base briefly after I worked up the initial proposal.”

  “Wow, that was you?” Maddy tried to place his phone voice. “So you must have known yesterday that we might be working together,” she concluded, leaning back and directing her own ‘look’ at him. “You might have mentioned that.”