Finding Love in Ivy Falls

Chapter Seventeen

MANNY

Rookie Move

The longer you’re a parent, the quicker you know when something is wrong with your child. I’d made Lou’s favorite dinner, spaghetti and meatballs with Gina’s homemade sauce, and she’d only eaten one bite.

‘How was school today?’

She gave me a shrug, her black ponytail swinging behind her. This morning I’d suggested a French braid, but she’d waved me off. Besides the whole pretending-to-be-sick scheme, it was one more sign that things were very wrong.

‘The old Thomas Place is starting to look like a real house again,’ I went on. ‘Do you want to go by and see it when it’s in better shape? You can tell Torran where she’s missed nails in the floor again. You know how she loves that.’

I thought for sure this would get her to smile. She was good at finding small details we’d missed in a house, but her stony stare remained on her plate.

Outside a storm lashed rain against the windows. Shook the remaining leaves from the trees.

‘Was soccer practice okay? I thought that was a great shot on goal during the scrimmage at the end.’

Another shrug.

I set my fork down against my plate. Behind us Mr Peepers squawked, ‘ Raisins! Give me fucking raisins! ’

With the help of our local vet, we’d learned that ignoring a bird’s bad language, or teaching it a new word, was the best way to handle his foul-mouthed behavior.

Lou, in a voice as sweet as honey, turned to the cage and said, ‘Fiona finds fleas fascinating.’

I swallowed a laugh and said, ‘Where did that come from?’

She set her chin like she was still annoyed. ‘Fascinating is on our spelling list this week. It’s what my teacher said when using it in a sentence.’

Her gaze went back to her plate, but she still didn’t eat a bite.

‘Lou, I know something is bothering you. Are you having trouble with your classes? Is someone bullying you at school?’

She shook her head. Clammed up again.

‘Your mama used to go all quiet when she was angry or upset or confused. She’d tell me she needed to work out her worries in her brain before she could say them out loud. Is it the same for you?’

Her face stayed an empty mask, which scared the hell out of me.

‘Do you think we should go back and see Dr Ramirez? She’s helped you in the harder moments. Maybe it would be a good idea.’

‘No!’ She jumped up from the chair, tossing her napkin on top of her plate and splashing sauce all over the tablecloth.

‘Louisa!’ I said, struggling to keep my voice level. ‘What is going on with you?’

‘I don’t need to go to the doctor! All I want is to be left alone.’ She turned on her heel and raced into her room, slamming the door behind her.

I should have followed. Pressed her for more information, but Gina’s voice played on repeat in my head.

There will be times when she’s going to want to be alone. Give her space.

I paced the hallway for a good half-hour, finally tapping on her door and pushing it open. She was sound asleep on her bed. I inched off her pink sneakers. Pulled the covers over her. It was hard to look at her peaceful face and know that something was hurting her. The feeling was like a white-hot poker jabbing at my chest.

I left the room and pulled my phone out of my back pocket. If I stayed in the house alone with my thoughts for a minute longer, I might explode. Maybe Torran could watch Lou while I went to the P&P and started work on the coffee bar. If Lou did wake up, I hoped she’d talk to Torran because, sadly, I couldn’t get anywhere with my daughter.

‘Manny? What’s going on?’ Torran answered my call, not bothering to say hello.

‘Lou’s asleep, and I need to run out to the P&P. I have a few ideas I want to map out for the coffee bar. Can you come over for a little while?’

‘Sure. Beck’s working late at the office again. How are you going to get in though? Tess is out to dinner with my dad and the girls.’

‘She gave me an extra key just in case she lost hers. I know the alarm code too.’

‘Yeah.’ There was a knowing lilt to her voice. ‘It makes sense she’d do all that.’

‘I’m not going there with you tonight. See you in five?’

‘Yep,’ she said before hanging up on me.

Thunder and lightning rocked the skies as another storm rolled in.

I shook the rain from my hair and twisted the key into the P&P’s deadbolt. The sad and broken look on Lou’s face played like a bad movie in my mind. Had I been na?ve to think that I could raise her on my own? Did she need a woman’s care and guidance?

Once I had all the lights on in the P&P, I peeled my jacket off my wet skin and set it on a table. The warmth of the space, the scent of old books and a lingering hint of Tess’ perfume made my racing heart slow. I walked to the spot where Tess had cleared and moved shelves to make way for the coffee bar. I pulled out my sketchpad, going over the design for the bar again. Even as I worked, measuring and adding to the schematic, visions of Lou’s crumpled face kept filling my head.

When Gina’s parents visited at the holidays and birthdays, they frequently offered to find us a house close to where they lived in Tampa. I’d always waved them off, but now I worried that maybe they needed to be a larger part of Lou’s life. I wanted to give her the biggest support network possible, but the thought of uprooting her from Ivy Falls and all the people we loved here made my gut clench.

I ran my hand over the exposed brick wall, trying to imagine the exact spot where we’d set the antique buffet. Work always soothed my worried mind, and tonight I needed to forget the pained look in Lou’s eyes, if even just for a little while.

Turning back to the blueprints, I searched for all the water and electrical lines until a repeated dripping noise pulled me to the back of the store. In a corner near where Tess shelved the architecture books, a slow river of water fell from the ceiling. Most of the books on the shelves were already wet and warped.

Shit. I tugged on my jacket and raced out to the parking lot. Once I was at my truck, I pulled out my ladder and set it against the side of the building. I sprinted back and grabbed some extra tarp from the bed and a few roof nails.

The storm continued to pour from the sky as I climbed to the spot where I thought there was a leak. Thunder boomed in my ears as I crawled over the shingle tiles. I pulled the small flashlight from my back pocket and held it between my teeth while laying down the blue plastic tarp and securing it in place. Lightning arced across the sky, and another boom of thunder rattled my damn bones.

When I was sure the tarp wouldn’t budge, I inched across the roof and hit a patch of water. My feet went out from under me. Shingles scraped against my back like sharp nails. I skidded forward, the momentum shoving me to the edge of the roof. In a panic I rolled over and threw my arms out, catching myself before I torpedoed off the side of the building. My heart was in my throat, and I was soaked from my head all the way to my socks. I leaned back, the clouds rolling overhead like a menacing gray monster.

I was such an idiot.

Climbing onto a roof alone during a storm was a rookie move. What if I’d fallen? Who would take care of Lou if I was hurt? I cursed under my breath and inched my way back to the ladder and climbed down slowly.

When I was inside the P&P again, I tore off my wet shirt, and headed straight to the back of the store. Water still trickled from the ceiling, but it was tapering off. I surveyed the area again, and my stomach dropped.

Shit. Water and books. What a fucking disaster.

I fumbled with my phone as I pressed Tess’ number. When she answered with a sweet, ‘Hi, Manny,’ I closed my eyes and willed my voice to be steady.

‘I know you’re at dinner with your dad and the girls…’ The ambient noise of the restaurant made it hard to hear her. ‘But is there any chance you could meet me at the P&P?’

‘Why?’ she yelped. ‘What’s going on?’

I didn’t want to freak her out. She already had enough to worry about.

‘I can’t really explain. It’s best if I show you.’

The sound of a squeaky chair and low footsteps echoed through the phone.

‘Did someone break in? Is it another rock through the window? Dammit! It was expensive to fix the last one because it’s leaded glass.’

‘No one broke in.’ I interrupted her rapid-fire questions. A loud moan like a door being opened made its way through the phone, and all the noise drifted away.

‘Are you okay?’ I hated the shake in her voice.

‘I’m fine, but I found a small leak in the roof.’

She cut me off before I could tell her where. ‘I’ll be there in ten minutes. You promise you’re okay?’

‘All my limbs are intact, Tess.’

She let out a relieved breath.

‘But there is one thing.’

‘Okay,’ she said, that frightened tone returning to her voice.

‘I need you to bring towels. Lots and lots of towels.’