Cadence of Cranberries - Valerie Comer Page 0,57

had seen better days, and an oak kitchen where life happened.

He lowered himself to the floor at the edge of the foyer where he could see the wide, barren expanses. What good was a house if it wasn’t a home? If no one lived in it, loved in it, and made cranberry biscotti in it?

“God.” Charlie closed his eyes. “I don’t know how to change who I am. I’m a fixer. Is that a bad thing?” His words echoed in the cold, cavernous space.

And no one answered.

It wasn’t a bad thing. He wasn’t a trouble-maker. He was a good guy who wanted good things to happen. There couldn’t possibly be anything wrong with wanting to be liked and appreciated. It wasn’t like he’d stolen money to take Michael to Portland. He hadn’t robbed a bank or hijacked a plane or jimmied the locks on that suite at the Eastlund.

Winnie should have trusted him.

But... why? Why should she, really? She’d only known him a little over a month. She’d been parenting alone for barely two years and then some full-of-himself guy came along and tried to buy her teen’s love. And succeeded, sort of. Problem was, he wanted Winnie’s love more than he wanted Michael’s. He wanted her trust.

“God? I’m sorry. I didn’t think to ask You. Didn’t think to run it by Winnie first.” Though, to be fair, if she’d been home and Michael hadn’t been, Charlie would definitely have told her. Which wasn’t the same thing as asking, since he’d brought all the receipts along. He could see that now.

Therefore, all he needed to do was apologize. Eat some humble pie, promise to never do that again — Michael was her kid, her responsibility, blah, blah, blah.

“God?” he asked again.

Apologizing was good. He should do that, but if he wanted to move forward with Winnie, he needed to really talk things out with her. It couldn’t be glib to get her to get off his back and get her to agree. To help her realize he’d never hurt Michael, at all. Ever.

But the problem was him. His only tool was money. He knew how to wield it, but what happened when it wasn’t enough? When he wasn’t enough?

Was it cold in this house, or was he frozen from within, unable to be the right kind of man without money? Winnie wasn’t impressed by material possessions, but all she’d really seen of his was the Mustang. She hadn’t seen the house or the lifestyle he’d left behind in Seattle.

Maybe she had no clue he could pull off the kind of trip he’d offered her son? It was nice she wasn’t mercenary, but he did have a fat bank account and little to spend it on. Wasn’t it okay to spend it on those he loved?

Like on Katri and Dominic’s wedding. Was it possible Winnie’s protests were as much about him lavishing cash as about Katri getting her way?

A thought wormed into his mind.

Winnie couldn’t cut him out completely. Not while the two of them were in charge of their kids’ big day. He’d still see her, and he’d prove he was totally devoted to her. That he was a good guy.

Because he was. Right?

“Hi, Winnie?” Katri’s voice sounded a bit hesitant.

“Did I call at a bad time?”

“No, it’s fine. I got home from the hospital ten minutes ago, and Dominic’s coming by with takeout from the Fireweed in a few. It’s not like he’s never seen me in scrubs before.”

“Okay, I just wanted to check in with you since we didn’t get to spend any time together when you were in Spokane.”

“I know. I’m so sorry. It’s not how we’d planned to do things, but…”

Winnie wouldn’t push it. “I’m sorry, too. Is everything okay with you and Dom, then? The last weekend in May still works for you?”

“Sure, we’re good. I told my mom to cancel her reservation at whatever place that was. She’s angry but she’ll do it, since she definitely doesn’t want to pay for it herself. I can’t live my life trying to please my mother, especially not when her main goal in life is to frustrate my father. I hate feeling trapped in the middle.”

“I’m sure you do.” Just as Winnie did, caught between the kids’ wedding plans and Charlie’s take-charge personality. Who knew she’d find something to sympathize in with Julia? “I’ve spent a few hours coming up with some specific ideas, and I’d like to run those by you. There are some possibilities for