Dominic smiled, thought of Kate, and knew where she’d learned to be outspoken. “Obviously you know who I am.”
“You hide that private foundation real well. It took me more than twenty hours to sift through all the shadow companies before I found your name on a document.” She smiled. “Love the Web. Opens up the whole world, even to people who live in the sticks.” She opened the door wider. “Come on in. You must be here for a reason and”—she glanced at his sandaled feet—“you’re not dressed for the weather.”
“It was warm when I got on the plane.”
“What are you, a three-year-old kid?” she said over her shoulder, leading him down a hallway.
“I had a lot on my mind, Mrs. Hart.”
“Call me Nana. Everyone does. At least you have an excuse. I suppose what you had on your mind was Katie.”
“Call me Dominic and yes, she’s been on my mind.”
“I have a cousin named Dominic. It’s a pretty common name up here. Have a seat.” She waved him to a chair in a living room that hadn’t changed since the eighties. A hodgepodge of upholstered furniture, nothing matching, framed photos everywhere: mostly Katherine with her trike, bike, motorcycle—his brows went up at that—high school graduation and the prom—he scowled at the good-looking kid standing beside her. There were two recent photos with Katherine smiling on campus, one or two of Nana, one of a man in uniform he assumed was Roy Hart, aka Gramps, and several that must be Katherine’s mother, since the resemblance was strong.
“I was wondering if I’d see you,” Nana said, sitting down opposite Dominic in a matching Barcalounger. “Thanks, by the way, for the money. I’ve already told you I’m not giving it back if that’s why you’re here. With all the cuts in public education, the district needs the money. I didn’t mention it to Katie either. There was no reason to tell her. She’s not here, if that’s why you came, and I’m not telling you where she is.”
He knew where she was. That wasn’t why he was here. “I was wondering how she’s doing.”
“How do you think she’s doing? A young handsome man like you with bags of money. You can turn any young girl’s head. Leave Katie alone. You’re out of her league.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then you choose to be.”
Silence. Then he said, “I’m not so sure about that.”
“Too long a pause, my boy. My baby girl needs someone who doesn’t have to think about loving her.”
Dominic visibly flinched at the word love. This wasn’t a subject he spoke of in public, or had even considered before Katherine.
“There, you see. You can’t do it.”
“I’d like to try. I am trying.”
“Then tell her.”
“She won’t talk to me.”
“Smart girl,” Nana said, her gray perm stirring with her brisk nod. “She was unhappy for quite a while. She’s better now, if you really want to know. If you want to help her, you’ll leave her alone. She’ll get over you. You’re not the only good-looking man in the world.”
He was pleased to hear Kate was fine; he was displeased to hear she was fine without him. But just talking about her made him happy, so he smiled and said, “She’s been doing well in her new business, I hear.”
Nana scowled. “Don’t try and charm me. I’m an old lady. I’ve seen it all.”
“I’d like to talk about her if you don’t mind.”
Blunt, honest, a quiet humility in his gaze. “Would you like a drink? You look a little peaked.”
“It was a long flight.”
“Come downstairs, I’ll give you a little pick-me-up. My husband, Roy, made my still years ago when he came back from Nam. He needed something to take his mind off… well, you know what went on over there. He showed me everything I know about making vodka and mine’s damn good, if I do say so myself.”
“No problems with law enforcement?” Dominic followed her down the stairs to the basement. She was thin and spry at seventy-five, taking the stairs with a little spring in her step.
“I know the sheriff and his father, and grandfather, for that matter, and they know me. I give ’em a few bottles now and then. Everything’s copacetic. Sit over there at that table. I’ll get us a drink. Blueberry okay with you?”
He almost smiled, remembering his mother’s face when he’d brought up Nana’s hobby at lunch that day in Hong Kong. “Blueberry would be just fine,” he politely replied.
Two drinks later, after Dominic had asked Nana about Roy, about Kate as a child, about small-town living, which was like an alien universe to him; after he’d heard about the new roof on the gym thanks to his gift and the eight teachers they’d been able to hire back with five-year contracts, Nana set her glass down, speared him with her gaze, and said, “You must have set Katie up in business.”
“Not personally. Six times removed. I’ve been able to send a few clients her way, but her success is her own. I have nothing to do with it.”
“She liked the flowers you sent when she and her partner, Joanna, set up in business. Purple iris, I heard. Three or four baskets.”
It took him a fraction of a second to answer, the room in the Garden House suddenly too vivid in his mind, rocking his world. “I’m glad she liked them.”
“You hide that private foundation real well. It took me more than twenty hours to sift through all the shadow companies before I found your name on a document.” She smiled. “Love the Web. Opens up the whole world, even to people who live in the sticks.” She opened the door wider. “Come on in. You must be here for a reason and”—she glanced at his sandaled feet—“you’re not dressed for the weather.”
“It was warm when I got on the plane.”
“What are you, a three-year-old kid?” she said over her shoulder, leading him down a hallway.
“I had a lot on my mind, Mrs. Hart.”
“Call me Nana. Everyone does. At least you have an excuse. I suppose what you had on your mind was Katie.”
“Call me Dominic and yes, she’s been on my mind.”
“I have a cousin named Dominic. It’s a pretty common name up here. Have a seat.” She waved him to a chair in a living room that hadn’t changed since the eighties. A hodgepodge of upholstered furniture, nothing matching, framed photos everywhere: mostly Katherine with her trike, bike, motorcycle—his brows went up at that—high school graduation and the prom—he scowled at the good-looking kid standing beside her. There were two recent photos with Katherine smiling on campus, one or two of Nana, one of a man in uniform he assumed was Roy Hart, aka Gramps, and several that must be Katherine’s mother, since the resemblance was strong.
“I was wondering if I’d see you,” Nana said, sitting down opposite Dominic in a matching Barcalounger. “Thanks, by the way, for the money. I’ve already told you I’m not giving it back if that’s why you’re here. With all the cuts in public education, the district needs the money. I didn’t mention it to Katie either. There was no reason to tell her. She’s not here, if that’s why you came, and I’m not telling you where she is.”
He knew where she was. That wasn’t why he was here. “I was wondering how she’s doing.”
“How do you think she’s doing? A young handsome man like you with bags of money. You can turn any young girl’s head. Leave Katie alone. You’re out of her league.”
“No, I’m not.”
“Then you choose to be.”
Silence. Then he said, “I’m not so sure about that.”
“Too long a pause, my boy. My baby girl needs someone who doesn’t have to think about loving her.”
Dominic visibly flinched at the word love. This wasn’t a subject he spoke of in public, or had even considered before Katherine.
“There, you see. You can’t do it.”
“I’d like to try. I am trying.”
“Then tell her.”
“She won’t talk to me.”
“Smart girl,” Nana said, her gray perm stirring with her brisk nod. “She was unhappy for quite a while. She’s better now, if you really want to know. If you want to help her, you’ll leave her alone. She’ll get over you. You’re not the only good-looking man in the world.”
He was pleased to hear Kate was fine; he was displeased to hear she was fine without him. But just talking about her made him happy, so he smiled and said, “She’s been doing well in her new business, I hear.”
Nana scowled. “Don’t try and charm me. I’m an old lady. I’ve seen it all.”
“I’d like to talk about her if you don’t mind.”
Blunt, honest, a quiet humility in his gaze. “Would you like a drink? You look a little peaked.”
“It was a long flight.”
“Come downstairs, I’ll give you a little pick-me-up. My husband, Roy, made my still years ago when he came back from Nam. He needed something to take his mind off… well, you know what went on over there. He showed me everything I know about making vodka and mine’s damn good, if I do say so myself.”
“No problems with law enforcement?” Dominic followed her down the stairs to the basement. She was thin and spry at seventy-five, taking the stairs with a little spring in her step.
“I know the sheriff and his father, and grandfather, for that matter, and they know me. I give ’em a few bottles now and then. Everything’s copacetic. Sit over there at that table. I’ll get us a drink. Blueberry okay with you?”
He almost smiled, remembering his mother’s face when he’d brought up Nana’s hobby at lunch that day in Hong Kong. “Blueberry would be just fine,” he politely replied.
Two drinks later, after Dominic had asked Nana about Roy, about Kate as a child, about small-town living, which was like an alien universe to him; after he’d heard about the new roof on the gym thanks to his gift and the eight teachers they’d been able to hire back with five-year contracts, Nana set her glass down, speared him with her gaze, and said, “You must have set Katie up in business.”
“Not personally. Six times removed. I’ve been able to send a few clients her way, but her success is her own. I have nothing to do with it.”
“She liked the flowers you sent when she and her partner, Joanna, set up in business. Purple iris, I heard. Three or four baskets.”
It took him a fraction of a second to answer, the room in the Garden House suddenly too vivid in his mind, rocking his world. “I’m glad she liked them.”
