‘Invite you in, of course. I’m delighted you came.’
She’d forgotten how charming her sister could be, and watched Becca take the woman’s arm and lead her gently inside.
‘Would you care to have a look around the house before everyone arrives?’ Becca’s offer deepened Ruth Mae’s frown. ‘I’d love to hear what Grey House was like when you were growing up. Lyndsey’s told me you’ve shared a few wonderful stories with her already. I loved the one about your brother, Scotty, setting the nursery chimney on fire when he tried to get rid of his stiff Sunday clothes that he hated.’
‘I didn’t tell her so she could broadcast it to all and sundry.’ Miss Grey threw an angry glare in Lyndsey’s direction. ‘I’ve no interest in traipsing around the place, either.’
Lyndsey heard the unsaid — that she couldn’t face seeing what’d been done to her family’s precious home.
Becca’s smile faltered.
‘Maybe another day you’d like to come over on your own,’ Lyndsey suggested gently. ‘You’ll be welcome anytime.’
‘We’ll see.’ There was an almost imperceptible softening in the old lady’s stern expression.
Becca gave a nervous laugh. ‘I’m afraid I’m habitually untidy and so is my husband, but my sister’s been helping me sort things out. The dining room where we’re having our tea was last week’s project. Lyndsey has a business helping people to organize their homes and she’s incredible at it.’
Lyndsey blushed at the unexpected public compliment.
‘Theo, go to the kitchen and turn the kettle back on, please,’ Becca said, and the boy ran off, clearly glad to get a reprieve.
The three of them made their way down the hall and Lyndsey hurried to open the dining room door.
‘Oh my.’ Miss Grey’s hand flew up to her mouth. Her dark perceptive eyes swept around them.
Once the detritus of her brother-in-law’s life had been hauled out of there, it surprised Lyndsey how much she loved the room’s opulence. It boasted the most elaborate moldings and cornices of the whole house, a glittering antique chandelier hung over the highly polished mahogany table, and floor-length burgundy velvet curtains framed the elegant windows.
‘The house was always packed with folk when I was growin’ up, and you can’t imagine the supper parties and so on we had in here. Scotty and I never used this room after Mother and Daddy passed away.’ She sounded wistful.
‘We want it to be full of life again,’ Becca said. ‘A real family home.’
‘That’s what it was always intended to be.’ Ruth Mae nodded sadly, then straightened her thin shoulders. ‘How much longer are you goin’ to keep me standing here?’
The sisters smiled at each other behind the old lady’s back.
‘Come and sit down.’ Becca pulled out a chair and Lyndsey noticed Ruth Mae’s surprise and hint of pleasure at being shown to the head of the table.
Score one point to her clever sister.
* * *
‘Is thisit?’Jase stood by the truck and stared over at the cottage. ‘I can’t believe Mom and Dad talked me into living in this ratty old cabin with you in the middle of nowhere.’ He scoffed. ‘I suppose if I die of boredom it’ll be easier for y’all.’
Griff gritted his teeth. He’d been guilted into inviting his brother here by their parents. Jase’s original text was amazingly conciliatory, practically begging for his help. Of course, later on he discovered that his dad, who’d been at the end of his rope, had dictated it.
‘I’ve done a lot of renovations to the inside, although there’s still more to do. I needed to get my workshop up and running first.’ Griff shrugged. ‘I’ve got into gardening, too, and spend a lot of time outside when I’m not working.’
Jase scowled and pushed a lock of thick black hair away from his face. Griff always had the advantage of a couple of extra inches in height, but, although he’d left his scrawny teenage days long behind, could never rival his younger brother’s athletic, muscular physique. ‘Yeah, well, don’t think you’re gonna get me out there weeding. I’ve had enough of that kind of crap from Dad. He’s been on my case nonstop because the rehab people told them to keep me busy.’
It had sobered him when he discovered the truth about the downward spiral in his brother’s life over the last few years. He couldn’t blame his parents for not sharing the news before, because he’d made it clear he wasn’t interested. Things had come to a head now because Jase’s therapist was concerned about him. His brother’s recent success in kicking his drug habit might not stick if he stayed in the Knoxville area, around the people who’d supplied him with the painkillers he’d become reliant on after a back injury ended his minor league baseball career.
‘Grab your bag.’ Griff yanked his own battered brown leather case from the backseat and strode off to open the door. His gaze automatically drifted across to Deke’s house. Did Lyndsey wonder where he’d disappeared to, or had she been too busy with her neatly organized life to notice he wasn’t there? He’d asked Harold Morton to keep an eye on things, including watering his garden, while he visited his family. When he asked his friend not to mention it to anyone else unless it was absolutely necessary, Harold raised an eyebrow, but discreetly made no comment.
Jase trailed in the house after him, giving a scathing look around. ‘Is this it? Mom and Dad used to boast about your swanky Nashville apartment and how you were in line for a head job at the boring company you worked for. You must’ve screwed up big time to end up in this dump.’
He wouldn’t waste his breath defending his new home and lifestyle. He’d made mistakes in his old job, and regretted most the way he’d treated people, but had emerged from it all a happier, more contented man. Jase’s athletic skills had made him wealthy and lauded for a while, but when his body let him down, he had nothing to fall back on. It hurt Griff deeply to see his brother broken and bitter. As small boys they’d played together, scrapping and fighting as kids do, but always having each other’s backs at the end of the day. He knew the exact point where that had all gone wrong and remembering it still sickened him.
‘It’s a complicated story.’
