Blossom Street Brides (Blossom Street #10)(39)

“I’m so pleased Lauren was able to connect with Rooster,” Bethanne said, sitting down on the mattress next to Max.

He wrapped his arm around her shoulders. “Me too, and now seeing that we’ve got an extra day together, what would you like to do?”

“The truth is, I’d like nothing better than to simply spend time with you. I intended to work in the yard; I know that doesn’t sound exciting, but it brings me satisfaction.”

“And here I thought you’d spend the day in mourning,” he teased. “I pictured you standing in the middle of the street with tears in your eyes as I rode off into the sunset.”

“I would have done exactly that, and then I’d go weed my flower beds.”

Max grinned. “Would you like some help digging in your garden, my dear wife?”

“I’d love it.”

Early on, Max discovered that among her many talents, Bethanne had a green thumb. Flowers blossomed and trees budded with a minimum of care. She had the ability to bring out the best, not only in people, it seemed, but in plants, too. Max enjoyed watching her with her houseplants. She talked to them as she watered and pared away dried leaves. The amazing part was that it was almost as if they could hear her.

Once after an extended trip, he’d watched his wife walk through the house, going from room to room, touching her favorite things and kissing her plants. It helped him understand how dearly she loved her home.

The thought gave him pause. Rooster had asked him an important question the day before. He wanted to know if Max fully comprehended what he was asking of Bethanne when he suggested she move to California. It was more than moving or selling her business; it was leaving this house she loved and all that it symbolized to her.

“I’ll cook us a fabulous dinner,” Bethanne promised.

“I’ll provide the wine.”

She smiled, and her shoulders rose slightly with a long sigh. Leaning against him, she tucked her head beneath his chin. “I love these lazy mornings with you.”

No more than Max loved spending them with Bethanne. They were far too few, so he appreciated it all the more when they had these special times with each other.

Bethanne finished dressing, and then they started work outside. Max helped till up an area where she planned to plant a small vegetable garden, while Bethanne fertilized and watered her roses and weeded the flower beds. When they finished, they ate a light lunch.

Relaxing in front of the television, Max turned on the Mariners baseball game.

“I need to make a quick run to the grocery store,” Bethanne told him. “Do you need anything?” She had on a sweater, and her purse was draped over her shoulder.

“Not a thing.”

“I won’t be gone long.”

Max set his feet on the ottoman and heard the kitchen door that led to the garage close as Bethanne left. He got a beer out of the refrigerator and watched the first pitch when the door off the kitchen opened again. “Did you forget something?” Max called out.

When he got no response, he got out of the chair to find Annie in the middle of the kitchen. Her gaze narrowed when she saw him.

“What are you doing here?” she demanded.

“I live here,” he reminded her.

“Part-time.”

“But I’m a full-time husband.”

She ignored that. “Where’s my mother?”

Bethanne’s daughter seemed to be in a rare mood. On second thought, it wasn’t so rare. He’d done everything he could think of to win her favor, and finally decided, for Bethanne’s sake, that it was enough to simply keep the peace. Often that meant ignoring Annie’s verbal jabs and her blatant efforts to engage him in an argument.

“Bethanne is picking up a few groceries.”

“What are you still doing here?” She glared at him from halfway across the room. “Mom said you’d be leaving this morning.”

“I decided to stay over the holiday.”

“I bet you’re surprised I’m here,” she taunted, “seeing that you made a point of changing the locks and everything. You can try, but you can’t keep me out of my own home.”

“I wouldn’t want to do that.” Max was well aware of how she’d gotten into the house. She still had a garage door opener. When she’d left for the store, Bethanne hadn’t bothered to lock the door off the kitchen. No reason, seeing that he was in the house.

“But you tried to keep me out.”

“It wasn’t you Bethanne and I wanted to thwart. It was your father.”

“My father—”

“Is your mother’s ex-husband. I’m her husband now, and I live here.”

They stood like gunfighters in the old west, Max mused, each at one end of the street, waiting for the other to draw and aim the first bullet. “Couldn’t we call a truce, Annie?” he asked, hoping he could convince her to accept him, even if begrudgingly.

“No. Way.” She gave little doubt to the depth of her dislike of him.

“We both share one thing in common,” he reminded her. “We love your mother.”

“I do love Mom, but I’ll never accept you. I tried. At Andrew and Courtney’s wedding when Mom told me she loved you, I tried to let her think I was happy for her. Then later Andrew told me how hard Dad took her decision, and I realized how much he still loved Mom. He would have done anything—”