"We can do the grass ourselves," Brianna said, out of nowhere.
"Brianna..." Madison used her tone as another warning.
"Or you could help us," she added grudgingly.
Caleb grinned. "There's no need to compensate me." He knew it would only make him feel worse. "I think it'll be good to get out. I cut my folks' grass for years."
"Where do your folks live?"
"On Fidalgo Island."
"Really?" Madison's eyebrows rose. "That's not far."
"Farther than I'd want to drive to reach downtown," he said, so she wouldn't wonder why he'd rented her cottage, instead of staying with family.
"Do you often work downtown?"
"Not often. Once in a while."
"I see." Madison glanced at the clock over the table. "I'm afraid I have to run a few errands this morning. What time do you want to do the yard?"
"One o'clock okay?"
"Perfect."
He smiled. "See you then."
CHAPTER SEVEN
MADISON WAS NEARLY thirty minutes late returning from her errands. She'd had to deliver some tax returns to a loan agent for a buyer who was trying to purchase a vacation home outside Langley, and had gotten caught up talking to him about another deal they'd been working on, which had fallen apart. She'd also drawn up a purchase offer for one of her own listings, a small two-bedroom, two-bath located just down the street, even though she knew the buyer was coming in so low the seller would probably be offended and not even bother to counter. She was so busy managing the other agents and running the office that she didn't have the chance to get out and sell much, but she was doing everything she could to turn her business around, which meant she sometimes had to act as a regular agent, too.
Fortunately, once she and Brianna left the house, Brianna's mood had dramatically improved. Madison talked to her about being polite to guests and how important it was that Brianna, Madison and Danny treat each other with fairness and respect even though they were no longer living as a family. But it was difficult to tell whether Brianna actually grasped these concepts. It was the sort of stuff older children had problems sorting out. How could Madison expect a six-year-old to understand?
Pushing back the sleeve of her gray suit, she glanced nervously at her watch as she pulled into the drive. She hoped Caleb hadn't given up on her.
As soon as she cut the engine, she could hear the steady roar of the lawnmower coming from the backyard, and felt a measure of relief. She loved where she lived and was anxious to get the grounds cleaned up. Because the previous owner had taken such meticulous care of the place, with Caleb's help it would soon look as good as it used to.
"You ready to do some weeding?" she asked Brianna as she got out.
Her daughter didn't move.
"You like working in the yard," Madison said, leaning back inside the car. "Come on. It'll be fun. We'll probably find some snails."
Reluctantly, Brianna climbed out.
The lawnmower fell silent and Caleb came around the house, carrying the grass bin. At her first sight of him, Brianna's expression darkened, but Madison had trouble fighting an appreciative smile. He'd obviously been working for some time--long enough to get too heated for his T-shirt, which he'd taken off and stuffed in his back pocket. Sweat gleamed on his golden torso, making the contours of his muscular chest and arms seem that much more defined.
Madison had seen a lot of sweaty, muscle-bound men at the gym when she was married to Danny. But from a sketch artist's standpoint, there was something truly beautiful about the way Caleb Trovato was put together. He looked far more natural than any of those men at the gym. When he moved, she could tell his tan ended at the waist, as though he'd gotten it from working or playing outdoors instead of baking naked in a tanning salon. And he seemed unconcerned with impressing others. He put down the bin and shrugged into his T-shirt the moment he saw them.
"There you are," he said.
"Sorry I'm late." Madison tried to hold the mental picture of his bare torso in her mind so she'd be able to recall it later. After being relatively uninspired over the past few weeks, she suddenly felt a jolt of creative energy. "I had to do a few things that just couldn't wait."
"No problem. I'm nearly finished in the back."
"I really appreciate your help," she said, and meant it. Having Caleb around, pitching in, made her life suddenly seem fuller, almost...normal.
He picked up the grass bin and emptied it in the green refuse container. "I found something I think you and your bunny might like," he said to Brianna.
Brianna had already dropped to her knees and situated Elizabeth beside her. She was digging in the dirt with a stick and pretending to ignore Caleb, but Madison could see her peeking at him, trying to figure out what he was talking about.
"Do you want to see what it is?" he asked when she didn't answer.
"No." She continued to dig.
Madison opened her mouth to remind her daughter of the talk they'd just had in the car. But Caleb gave her a quick shake of his head, indicating that he didn't need her to get involved.
"I'll bet Elizabeth would like to know," he said.
Brianna pretended to converse with Elizabeth, but ultimately shook her head.
"Okay." He started toward the mower with the empty bin.
Brianna rocked back on her haunches. "It's probably nothing we'd like, anyway," she called after him.
He didn't bother turning. "Whatever you say."
She frowned at his retreating form. "So, what is it?"
"Never mind."
"You're not going to tell?"
"You're not interested, remember? Even Elizabeth doesn't want to know."
Grabbing her stuffed animal, she stood up and ran after him. "What if Elizabeth's changed her mind?"
Madison retrieved her briefcase from the car, smiling at how easily Caleb had engaged Brianna's curiosity. Then she headed to the backyard to find them both kneeling over a shoebox covered with a piece of plastic Caleb had slit in several places.
"What is it?" she asked, unable to see because their heads blocked her view.
"It's a praying mantis," Brianna breathed, as though she'd never seen anything quite so wonderful. "See, Mom? It looks just like a green leaf."
"That's how it camouflages itself," Caleb explained. "Most of the time it blends in with the trees."
"Will it bite me?" Brianna asked.
"No."
"What does it eat?"