Page 13 of Tangled Passion

Madelyn still couldn’t understand this man. “You thought he was my lover?”

Carter interrupted her. “I can see it doesn’t help that my beard makes me look a bit older. I could understand why he thought that.”

“Still,” she said and shook her head.

“I’m sorry I disturbed you. Have a nice dinner.”

Carter raised his hand. “It was nice to meet you.”

Garrett paused. “It was nice to meet you. Have a good visit.”

Carter and Madelyn went back to talking. Their attention was on each other for the rest of the evening.

Carter wanted to question his mother about the man but he could tell it was a touchy subject and didn’t want to push her. He could tell from the sparks that flew between them that they both found each other attractive, and he wondered what kept them from pursuing each other.

Chapter Seven

The next day, Madelyn spent an hour in her room after her son left. It was always hard for her to watch her children go, knowing she wouldn’t see them for months.

Madelyn let herself cry for several minutes and then finally got her emotions under control enough to leave her room. She looked at herself critically in the bathroom mirror. Only if someone looked closely would they be able to tell she’d been crying. She knew the only way to get through her sadness was to get busy. Staying by herself alone in her room was the worst.

Madelyn walked down to the dining room and started adding food to her plate that she didn’t feel like eating when she overheard Pearl exclaim over recipes in the kitchen. She expelled a breath of relief—something to do to keep her mind off Carter. She set the muffin back on the platter and walked into the kitchen.

“Excuse me, Pearl, but do you need recipes? I overheard you asking someone about them.”

Daisy chuckled and walked out. “Good, you can deal with her.”

Pearl swung around and sniffed. “Yes, I’m sick of the regular things. We do the same things every year.”

“I have a few you might like. I make a great noodle salad everyone seems to like, and a few bars.”

“I’m willing to try anything.”

“May I help?”

“Why aren’t you relaxing?”

“I’m not good at it,” Madelyn said and grinned.

“I can understand that,” Pearl said, starting to pull out the ingredients Madelyn said they would need. Over the next few hours, they made two large pans of bars and a humungous bowl of noodle salad.

Pearl loved all of it and wanted Madelyn to write her recipes.

****

Garrett walked in on them, laughing. He hadn’t heard Pearl laugh like that in years. The woman usually scared people, so she liked to stay in the kitchen.

Garrett stiffened when both sets of eyes saw him, and both lost their smiles for different reasons.

Madelyn set down the towel she’d been using to dry dishes.

“If you’ll excuse me, I need to get my purse.”

“Why?” Pearl asked.

“I’m going to town to get a few things.”

Pearl looked confused. “But you’ll miss the party.”

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