Page 19 of Jack of Hearts
“I don’t think you mean that. At least, I hope you don’t.”
She opened the door and peeked out. “Listen, it’s busy here and my mom stopped by. I gotta go.”
“So lunch is out. What time do you close?”
“Six. Why?”
“I’ll stop by tomorrow afternoon, see if I can talk you into drinks and dinner. Later, Madison.”
“No—” She was talking to dead air. Damn him. How was she supposed to get him out of her mind if he kept coming around? All she had to do was be near him and she wanted him all over again. And why did he want to risk being seen together in public? Hadn’t they agreed that wasn’t a good idea?
She stuck the phone into the back pocket of her jeans and went to find her mother. Before she could locate Angelina, Madison spied Lauren sitting next to Nelson Lopez on one of the love seats. She had her hand on Nelson’s knee and was laughing at something he’d said.
Madison detoured their way. She was feeling just grouchy enough to nose in where she probably wasn’t wanted. It wasn’t fair that Lauren had that kind of eye candy hanging on her every word while the man Madison had the hots for had her head spinning, and not in a good way. One minute he was saying they couldn’t be together and the next he was calling to ask her to dinner. Someday, maybe she’d figure him out.
“Hi. Have you seen my mom around?” She sat on the arm of the love seat, nearest Lauren.
“She’s having a ball playing barista,” Lauren said, grinning. “Hope everyone loves whipped cream on their lattes because she piles it on. Said she needs to learn how to make those cute kitty designs in the foam in honor of Hemingway.”
Madison glanced toward the coffee bar to see her mother laughing as she handed a woman a cup, and good God, Lauren wasn’t kidding about the whipped cream. But Angelina seemed happy and that was a beautiful thing to see. It had been far too long in coming.
“I’m trying to convince her to work for us a few days a week.” She shrugged. “Sorry. I should have asked you first. Would you have a problem with that?”
“That’s a great idea,” Lauren said. “She seems to enjoy it here, and the customers love her.”
“It’s not a done deal. I still have to convince her.” She stood. “There’s a customer at the counter with a load of books in her arms. We’ll talk later.”
After ringing up and bagging the customer’s books, she headed for her mother. “You appear to be enjoying yourself.”
Angelina paused in wiping down the counter. “It’s been nice to get out of the house.” She picked up a cup and held it out. “I’ve been experimenting with making those little designs with the cream.”
Madison peered into the cup. “That’s a cat face, right?” Actually, it was kind of cute.
“It’s not quite right. I’m going to see if I can find an instructional video when I get home.”
“Does that mean you’d like to work for us?”
Her mother shrugged. “Maybe. I had fun today, which I’ll admit surprised me.”
Madison impulsively hugged her. She missed the closeness they used to have before her father died. After his death, Angelina had been withdrawn, and the only person who seemed able to console her was Uncle Jose. Madison had tried not to resent that, even though it hurt not to be the one her mother had turned to in her grief. Her mother didn’t seem to understand that she was grieving, too. She wanted her mother back, the one who used to laugh and shower her face with kisses if a full day passed without seeing each other.
Hope blossomed that working together might be the catalyst to finding that closeness again. Blinking against the tears for what she and her mother had lost—the love of the best father and husband ever—for the first time since his death, she thought they might find their way to acceptance and peace. That although they both would forever miss Michael Parker, the day would come when they could remember him with smiles and laughter instead of tears.
Hemingway sauntered over, sat, and looked up expectantly at Angelina. She dipped her finger in the whipped cream topping in the cup and let him lick it off.
“You’re going to spoil him,” Madison said.
“Cats expect to be spoiled. I’m just obeying his demands.”
“Can’t argue with that.”
Madison spent the last hour before closing ringing up customers and straightening the shelves. Angelina tagged along, and Madison showed her how to use the register and credit card machine. Nelson had left after he and Lauren had gone to lunch together, but he’d returned, waiting to take her to dinner. The man really was drool worthy, but he didn’t make her stomach twitchy the way Alex did.
Angelina left when it was time to lock up, promising to come back tomorrow. If her mother agreed to come work for them, Madison would put her on the payroll as of today.
“We’re taking off,” Lauren said, walking up hand in hand with Nelson.
“Have fun.”
