Chapter Twenty-Five
She glided the cotton sheet up his smooth back as they both exhaled. Unlike his son Cade, Pappy Jackson didn’t talk at all during the massage. He didn’t moan or hum or fall asleep. He breathed slow and steady, following the pattern of her inhalation and exhalation as she worked.
She rested her hands on the back of his head and called on her inner Zen to end the session with the same soothing energy they’d had throughout it. “Take your time getting up. I’ll be in the waiting room or my office. Okay?”
“Thanks, Ella,” Pappy said. “I won’t be long.”
She lifted her hands off his head and raised her hands to her nose. A new mixture of ylang ylang and sandalwood essential oils she’d blended specially for him brought a smile to her lips. Flowers and woods for a sensitive and strong man and father.
On her way out of the room she rubbed in hand sanitizer, eliminating the calming scent she now associated with him.
With key closing procedures finished early, she looked over the wedding checklist on her laptop. The wedding dress was taken care of along with the flowers, catering, and cakes. Sammy’s wedding ring had a small balance. Damn.
Jerry’s referrals brought in a ton of business, but she needed money now to pay for the ring and catching up on business expenses.
She checked her schedule and phone messages. Troy wanted her to call him. She dialed his number and prayed she’d get his answering machine.
“Ella, Ella, Ella,” Troy answered. “How are you?”
“Busy. How are you?” Get to the point. I’m ready to go home.
“I’m in a bind,” he said. “I need a favor, and I hope you can help me out.”
“I’m beat. I can’t do another massage tonight.” She was done for the day. Cade was out of town on business. Garrett and Derek were working. She planned to soak in a hot bath and go to sleep early.
“No massages tonight. I want you to bring over four cases of the oils we talked about offering in your sensual product line. Derek told me you tested them on him. The thing is this…” He continued talking while imploring her to help him. He had everything she’d need along with a personal assistant to get her ready, but he needed her immediately.
She almost refused, but he mentioned the potential profit, and she looked at the amount she owed on Sammy’s ring and the bill for her overdue lease payment. The taxes were coming due, and she hadn’t gotten a contract on her house, an. No bath or early bedtime tonight. “Okay, Troy. Where do I go? What do I wear?”
He rattled off an address, and told her he had clothes, makeup, and a hair stylist on standby for her. “See you within the hour.”
“I’ll call you when I leave my house.” She ended the call, grabbed her purse, and night deposit. She would clean up the room in the morning. She had to get the oils, and hustle to the address. If she sold everything she brought, she would have the most profitable day in the history of her career.
She strode into the waiting room.
Pappy stood at her soap and oil display with a bar of honeysuckle soap to his nose.
“How much is a bar?”
“You can have one for free. If you like it, you can buy one next time.” I’m going to make a bar of soap with ylang ylang and sandalwood as a “thank you” for all you’ve done for Colleen’s wedding.
“Thanks.” He put the soap in the side of his brown cargo pants. “Can I walk you to your car?”
“Sure.” She adjusted her black tote on her shoulder.
“How much do I owe you?” he asked.
“Nothing. Gosh, you and your wife have done so much already. A massage was the least I could do.” She walked past him and turned off the lights in the massage room.
“Thanks. Can I help you clean up?”
“I’m going to do it in the morning.” She closed the door and peeked into the second room Perfect. “I’ve got to run to a party where I’m selling some of my specialty oils.” She walked to the entrance.
“You should bring some of your soaps too. If they want your oil, they’ll want your soap.” He opened the door and waited as she set the alarm and locked the door.
“That’s a great idea. I’ll bring some.” She needed help getting the product into and out of the car. “I’m driving Cade’s car. It’s in the back.”
“I’ll drive you around the building.”
She decided not to argue with the hulk of a man, so she climbed into his white truck.
“Do you mind if I cut to the chase?” Pappy asked.
She blew out an exhale.
My first real meeting with the man, and he decides to be bold. Great. Ugh.
“Say whatever you’d like.” With the universal-love energy from the spa gone, she’d rather face his possible disdain for her head on than wonder every time she saw him. He didn’t do the hugging test Cade and Jason warned her about via text. She could always get out of the car if it went really badly.
“You’re a great massage therapist.”
“Thanks.” She exhaled, not having realized she had been holding her breath. Starting with a compliment was promising.
“Jason is a great kid. You know he doesn’t need me to teach him anything, don’t you?” He started the car, pulled around back, and parked in the space next to hers.
“I’m sure you’re teaching him a lot. He doesn’t know everything, even if he thinks he does.” Time ticked away. She needed to move the conversation along. “Is there something you need me to talk to him about?”
“The boys told you about Mrs. Kellen, right?”
She clenched her jaw. Mrs. I’m-going-to-flunk-your-boys Kellen. “What about her?” Maybe Garrett could talk to the superintendent about her.
“They passed her class.”
She raised her brow. “When did that happen?” Her final is in three days.
“Cade brought them. They took the final exam in front of the principal and a professor from the university. Cade demanded a review of their grades. Mrs. Kellen’s position as head of the department is under review…” Pappy’s mouth continued to move as she tried to process everything he said.
Grade changes. Straight A’s. Dual Valedictorians. The boys hadn’t said a word.
She clasped her hands in her lap. “Cade got the principal to watch them take the finals. They wouldn’t do anything for me.”
Pappy nodded. “Once Cade makes up his mind to do something, the earth moves to accommodate him.” He tapped his fingers on the steering wheel three times like Cade had a habit of doing. “Why have you declined the dinner invitation at my house this Sunday?”
“I’m working Sunday. It’s not on my schedule because they are high-profile clients visiting for an event. To be blunt, dinner with the Jackson family is a huge step. I’m not sure we’re ready for it.”
“Cade loves you. I am pretty sure you’re in love with him. Are you scared to get to know us as a family? As potential in-laws? Am I close?”
She closed her eyes. In-laws? Love? Did Cade tell his father he loved her? Why would Pappy think she loved Cade? She did, but she hadn’t told Cade she loved him yet.
“Don’t be scared. We’re pretty normal. We love your children. We love you.” He smiled, showing off his perfectly straight, white teeth. He looked so much like Cade, she smiled back at him.
“I’m not scared. A dinner with our families seems like a promise. Maybe in another month…” If Cade still desired to be with her, and she’d made a decision on a relationship between the three men. She shrugged. “Right now, I really don’t have time.” I can’t afford to cancel work appointments.
“If it is the money issue—”
“—What money issue?” Has Cade told you about my financial mess?
“I know you’re struggling. You owe on your property taxes. You owe on your lease. You owe on credit cards, and you’re trying to sell your house to get out from under all the bills. If money is stopping you, I can write a check and make it disappear. You don’t need to work like you do. Cade will take care of you.”
“My financial situation is none of yours or Cade’s concern, and I would appreciate it if you butted out.” Her face burned. She had to be as red as a lobster. “I’m sorry, but my business has kept me and my children clothed and fed. I plan to dig myself out of the hole I ended up in. If that is all, I’ve got aromatherapy massage oils to sell, and I don’t want to be late.”
He beamed with what looked like joy. The man made no sense. Why was he smiling?
“I’d like a massage every two weeks for the next four months. Email me with times and dates. I expect you at my house Sunday night at eight for dinner with the family. I’ve gotten acceptances by Matilda and Nathaniel Granger along with your daughter and her fiancé, and Jason and Kyle.” He unlocked the car.
Matilda and Nathaniel? Ugh. “I—”
“I know you’re not working until eight on Sunday. Kyle already told me you were free. You have no excuse for not coming.”
“I can’t get out there in time for dinner. I have a few personal matters I can’t reschedule.” She wasn’t up to meeting all of Cade’s family on their turf.
“Anything can get rescheduled.”
She unbuckled the seatbelt. I actually do have appointments. “Mr. Jackson, some things can’t be changed. I’m sorry, but I’ve got to decline the offer. I won’t make it in time.”
“It’s moved to Cade’s house. You can be there by eight, right?” His left brow arched, and his head tilted to the side.
“Can’t dinner wait until after Colleen’s wedding?” She was resigned to having dinner with them. “I don’t like being railroaded.”
“I can’t promise it won’t happen again.” He grinned from ear to ear. “If you’d tell me why you can’t reschedule, I’d be more accommodating.”
She opened the car door and got out. “I’m sorry, but I can’t make it Sunday. I’ll email you about massage dates if you still want them.” Please don’t want any more massages. I love your son, but I’m not ready to give up Garrett and Derek. I may never be.
“Eight-thirty at Cade’s on Sunday. The massage appointments are business, so yes, I want them.”
“I’m busy.”
“Eight at Cade’s on Sunday.”
“My daughter is pregnant, and she’ll have already eaten by then.”
“She can eat again. Pregnancy either makes you hungry or sick. Eight at Cade’s. No is not an option.” His smile was infectious.
She grinned again. Damn it. “So Cade gets this from you? He pushes and pushes and pushes until he gets what he wants?”
He laughed. “Yes. It comes from my side of the family. You’d know that already if you would accept dinner invitations with us once in a while.”
The man was almost as charming as his son.
“Fine. Eight on Sunday.” She closed the car door and berated herself for giving in.
“Ella,” Pappy said out his window.
She opened the SUV’s door, and got in. She acted as if she hadn’t heard him calling her. Her cell phone rang as she closed the door. She ignored the phone and started the car. Her response would not be appropriate, if she talked to him. She overreacted, but she couldn’t get a handle on herself. Must be PMS.
She glanced over and hoped Pappy had driven off. He hadn’t. He sat watching her and smiling like a fool out the window. She could suck it up and have dinner with Cade’s parents and the Grangers for the greater good of the family.
She opened the window on the passenger side. “Is there something else, Mr. Jackson?”
“We’re not that bad, Ella.”
“I never thought you were. I’ve just got a lot going on and…” She sighed. “…not enough hours in the day to get it all done.”
His bright smile dulled. “I thought you were having dinner with Cade on Sunday.”
“No. I wasn’t. I’m working all day.” She closed her eyes briefly. “It’s fine. See you Sunday. Enjoy the rest of the week.”
“You too,” he said. “I’ll see you at Cade’s.”
She closed the window and backed out of her parking spot.
Suck it up. Get over to Troy’s and sell oil.