Second Chance Girl
Page 48

“No problem. I’ll do it again, if necessary.”
Mathias grinned. “I think we can take him ourselves now.”
“Hopefully it won’t come to that.”
“Hopefully.”
The rental car pulled into the driveway. Elaine opened the passenger door and Sophie immediately lunged toward her, tail wagging furiously. Mathias released her. The little beagle raced toward Elaine, barking, whining and writhing in total happiness. Elaine dropped to her knees and pulled Sophie close.
“I’ve missed you, baby girl.”
Mathias had the brief thought that their lives all would have been a lot easier if their mom had shown as much enthusiasm for them when they’d been kids. Then Ceallach got out of the car and there was no way to think about anything else.
Mathias tried to see his father as a stranger would. The mighty artist was older now, thinner. There were lines by his eyes and around his mouth. He still had the carriage of a proud, powerful man, but one who was past his prime.
Nick and Maya joined them. Maya rushed toward Elaine and they embraced. The Mitchell brothers and their father stayed carefully apart.
“Where’s Ronan?” Ceallach asked.
“In town,” Mathias said. He started to say Aidan would arrive in the morning, then figured there was no point. Their father wouldn’t care about him.
Elaine rushed toward them, her arms open, Sophie dancing at her side. “My boys!”
The three of them hugged her. She examined them, pronounced them handsome and healthy, then ushered everyone inside. Mathias wondered if he was the only one who noticed their father hadn’t greeted them beyond asking about Ronan.
Maya had gone to the store and bought different snacks, along with fixings for dinner. Mathias hadn’t paid attention to the details. He’d been unable to think about much beyond his father in his house. Now he watched the man prowl around his living room, then look out at the view.
“Good energy,” his father said. “You work here?”
“I have a studio in town.”
“Still making crap?”
Elaine hurried to her husband’s side. “Ceallach, please. For me. Maya and Del are getting married and I want to hear all about the wedding plans.”
“Then talk to her about them,” Ceallach said, his gaze locking with Mathias. “You could have been somebody. Instead you’re a useless hack making dishes.” Disdain dripped from his words.
He turned to Nick. “What about you?”
Nick glanced at Mathias and winked, then turned back to their father. “I’m doing some things with paper.”
“Paper!” Ceallach’s voice was a roar. “No son of mine is working with paper. The wood was bad enough. How could you?”
Nick shrugged. “You know what, Dad? It’s not that hard. I could probably show you a few techniques.”
Elaine shot him a warning glance, then stepped between her husband and her sons. “Mathias, why don’t you show us our room so we can get settled. Maya said we were eating in tonight. That’s so nice. I’ll unpack, then help in the kitchen. How’s that?”
Always the peacemaker, Mathias thought. Always making sure their father was fine. While she would get between Ceallach and his sons, she wouldn’t stand up for her children. Not against the great and gifted artist.
Nothing had changed. He supposed at this point, it never would. His parents had a relationship that seemed to work for them. As for what he felt about his father, well, those were words he wouldn’t say aloud.
He showed them to the master suite. He’d already cleared out most of his stuff. He would use the futon in his home office, then find out if he could get his mattress fumigated after they left. Or maybe he should simply replace it. There was no way he could sleep in it after his father had.
When he stepped back into the hall, Maya was waiting for him. She hugged him tight, then led him back to the living room.
“Are you okay?” she asked when they were out of earshot of the master bedroom. “I can’t believe how awful that was. Del always tries to tell me what it was like, but I guess I didn’t believe him.” She worried her bottom lip. “Elaine should have stood up to him.” She held up her hand. “I know, I know. She doesn’t. She’s my friend and sweet to me, but jeez. This is horrible.”
Mathias hugged her, then kissed the top of her head. “Don’t worry. We’re all used to it. He’ll be gone soon and you’re going to be married to my brother.” He glanced at Del and Nick. “Hey, we’re getting another sister and when you marry Pallas, that will make three.”
“Pressure’s on, bro,” Nick drawled.
Mathias shook his head. He wasn’t getting married. He knew the danger of that—of loving someone. People who were supposed to love you betrayed you. Something he’d always believed, only lately he was having trouble summoning the same energy. Maybe it was because he was getting older. Maybe it was Carol.
Carol? What did she have to do with anything? Before he could decide, Ceallach and Elaine joined them.
Maya took charge of the evening. She moved everyone outside. She and Elaine brought out trays of appetizers while Del mixed drinks and Sophie claimed her favorite chaise.
They all settled on the patio and watched Millie and the other animals make their way back to the barns. The giraffe paused and turned toward them, the sinking sun behind her.
The moment was perfectly framed in reds and oranges, the trees nearly black by contrast. Mathias felt the familiar itch to work. Some of it was that Millie inspired him and some was the need to escape his father. Whatever the reason, he rose.
“I have to get to the studio.”
“No!” his mother protested. “We’re all having dinner together.”
“A dish crisis?” his father asked.
“Go,” Nick told him.
“I don’t know when I’ll be back,” Mathias said, then walked through the house, to his car.
He entered the studio just as the sun set and crossed to his desk. After sketching for a few minutes, he walked over to study the latest version of the glass statue of Carol, then went to work.
Eleven hours later, he stared at what he’d created and knew he’d finally gotten it right. The clear glass piece seemed to breathe. The woman looked up, one hand raised. He put the Millie piece in front of it, with the giraffe bending toward her.
“Damn. I wish I’d made that.”
He turned and saw Ronan standing in the studio. Mathias accepted the high praise with a simple “Thanks.”
“You work all night?”
“Yeah.”
“The folks arrive?”
“Yesterday afternoon.”
Ronan walked around the two pieces. “Hell of a thing, Mathias. Don’t let Dad destroy this one.”
“I won’t.”
* * *
CAROL CARRIED HER to-go cup of coffee out to her Jeep. She’d barely opened the driver’s door when Mathias pulled up in the driveway next to her.
As always, just knowing he was close made her heart beat a little faster. It didn’t matter that it was barely after six in the morning and that she had to get to work to feed her animals. For a couple of seconds, she needed to simply know that he was there.
He got out of his car and smiled at her. “Morning.”
He looked exhausted. His skin was pale and there were dark circles under his eyes.