“I admit it,” he lied easily. A past girlfriend had called him a momma’s boy right before she dumped him, and he didn’t want Nadine to think the same.
Nadine’s smile faded. “It would have been easier if Dot told us outright what happened. Why couldn’t she have told Brent?”
“I’m sure for the same reason she couldn’t tell us when we visited.” Wes pulled out an oldCosmopolitanmagazine. “We have one last chance.”
“You’re right.”
“What was that? I was right? Can you repeat that?”
As he hoped, this broke her pensive mood, and she laughed. “Don’t get used to it.” Her face clouded. “Only three weeks. It would be more productive if you could stay overnight, especially if I have to keep going to work, but I get it.”
“You’ll be okay alone?” he asked.
Nadine looked down. “I can handle it.”
Wes’s stomach dropped at the idea that he was disappointing her. He looked at the mass of documents and thought about the extra work he’dbe able to do if he stayed. He thought about the little waver in Nadine’s voice that might be nervousness at spending the nights here alone, although she was trying to put a brave face on it.
Could he be selfish for once? He wanted to stay. He wanted this. He wanted this story and this time in the attic. He could get to know Nadine better. She wasn’t too bad after all.
His phone buzzed. It was Rebecca, approving his vacation.Finally, she wrote back. I was about to unilaterally put you on PTO. Send me a summary of what you’re working on before you head out.
He looked up to find Nadine flipping through what looked like sewing patterns. “My vacation was approved.”
“That was fast.”
“I have a good manager.” Sometimes he took Rebecca for granted.
Brent came back, full of apologies, and accidentally kicked a stack of newspapers, sending up a plume of dust. “About my proposal.”
“We’re willing,” said Nadine.
“Good. I’m glad you agreed.” Brent looked relieved. “I’m not a superstitious man, but I don’t relish the idea of Dot’s ghost haunting me because she had unfinished business.”
“So there’s no misunderstanding, the plan is we’ll stay here and feed the cats while we go through the attic,” said Wes. “We don’t need to keep anything for posterity.”
“Correct,” said Brent. “Obviously don’t steal the art or any of my aunt’s hideous figurines. I have a complete inventory.”
“Too bad,” said Nadine. “I was hoping to expand my collection of painted chamber pots.”
“Sorry.” Brent pushed aside a box. “I’m keeping those for my personal use.”
He led them downstairs, and Nadine nudged Wes. “You said we’ll stay in the house,” she said. “Weas inboth of us?”
Unease over his mother’s reaction faded with the thrill of the project ahead. “I’m staying too.”
“Okay.” It was only a word, carelessly delivered, but Wes heard the relief and smiled. She’d never admit it out loud, but Nadine wanted his company, at least if the alternative was staying in a huge mansion by herself.
“Since you’re scared to be alone,” he added.
This time, she looked away, and he had an uncomfortable feeling that he’d gone too far. He turned to Brent to ask about logistics.
After a few minutes of working through the cats’ feeding schedule and how to use an induction stove, Brent walked them out. “Thank you for doing this,” he said as he opened the door. “My aunt was a good person under all that bluster.”
“She was,” Nadine said. “We’re grateful to have met her.”
Although the rain continued, they were protected by the portico once they were outside. Nadine started the car, the windshield wipers kicking in to squeal on the dry glass. She shut them off, and they sat looking out past the pink Bentley to the swan bobbing in the fountain. The water had been shut off from the BotticelliVenus.Wes’s eyes went to the huge door as Nadine pulled out of the driveway, wishing it was last week and he could have said something else to Dot. Something meaningful.
What that could have been, he had no idea.