Susan Crosby - I'm Your Man

“He doesn’t really have a choice, does he?”

He shrugged. “Do you need me to stay until he’s gone? I’d like to get going on the changes in our itinerary.”

“That’s fine. I can deal with Daniel alone.” Preferred to. She was glad Ted didn’t care whether or not he was there. “And Riley will want to spend a little time with him. I can’t send him away until they’ve had a chance to talk.”

She walked him to the door and kissed him goodbye, all the while hoping Daniel would get back before Riley woke up. She couldn’t have the honest conversation she needed to have with Daniel in front of Riley, but have it she would.

Really, Daniel had some nerve. All these years he’d had the upper hand. It was her turn.

And there was no way she was going to give an inch to him. No way at all.

Rileyism #2: “I don’t want to be rotten.”

“Grandma, I’m hungry.”

Maureen looked sharply at her watch. Where was Daniel? He’d been gone for three hours. No call. Nothing. “How about some grapes?” she said.

“How about some cookies?” he asked with that missing-tooth smile.

She couldn’t help but smile back. “Too close to dinner.”

“Aw, man.”

She patted the gelled spikes on his head. “Grapes, then?”

“I guess. How come Papa’s not back yet?”

Because Papa is an inconsiderate jerk. “He must be enjoying seeing San Francisco,” she said instead.

The front door burst open then, and Daniel breezed in as if he were welcome.

“Hey, bud,” he said, crouching down as Riley ran to him. “How was the nap?”

“I rested, Papa. I didn’t nap.”

Right. He didn’t nap for two whole hours, Maureen thought with a smile. He’d been so soundly asleep that he hadn’t even flinched when she’d checked on him and had bumped into a chair that skittered a few inches across the hardwood floor.

Daniel looked up at Maureen. His hair was wind-tossed, his face surprisingly tanned for a man who lived in rainy Seattle. He looked years younger than the fifty he was.

“What’s the verdict?” he asked, standing. Riley looked at Maureen, too, as he leaned against his grandfather’s legs, Daniel’s hands on his shoulders. The two Cregg men made an indomitable force.

Where have you been all this time? “We’re going to do what Jess asked.”

“Okay.”

Okay? O-kay? Now what game was he playing, to give in without a fight? “I’m glad you agree,” she said, aware of how still Riley was, and how he’d reached up with both hands to grab Daniel’s.

“Didn’t say I agree, but I understand your position.”

“Do you need a ride to the airport?” She figured that was the least she could do.

“No, thanks. In fact, I’m not going anywhere for, oh, I figure about six weeks.”

“What?” She plunked her fists on her hips.

“I found myself a place to live—one of the kids who works at the health food store offered his spare bedroom. Seems his roommate is gone for the summer, so he’s in need of the cash.”

“Why would you do that?”

“I’ve never been to San Francisco. I’m off for the summer. And I figure you need someone to watch Riley during the day while you work. I’m your man.”

All the things Maureen wanted to say stuck in her throat when she saw how happy Riley was. The arrogant Daniel Cregg. He’d given her no choice. He’d set his course without discussing it with her, then presented it to her in front of Riley. If she told Daniel he wasn’t welcome, she would be the bad guy. Then what chance would she have of forging a new bond with Riley, one she hoped would seal things between them for life?

“I already have day care lined up,” she said tightly.

“Hey, I’m free—in both senses of the word. It’s a win-win situation. There’s a lot to see and do in this city. Riley and I will explore. It’ll be fun, and educational.”

“I have plans to show him things, too, you know.”

“Look, Maureen, which do you want? Day care, where he sits around and plays video games and watches television? Or an adventure every day—fresh air and new experiences? You’ll have him every night and every weekend, the same as you would if I weren’t here. There’s plenty of time for both of us.”

She didn’t know how much Riley was understanding of their conversation, but he seemed anxious.

“What kind of apartment will you be living in?”

“The kind college kids can afford. Two small bedrooms, a kitchen sink piled with dirty dishes. Pizza boxes jammed into overflowing trash cans.”

“And the kid works in a health-food store?”

“I’m sure they were vegetarian pizzas.”

She refused to smile at that. “It doesn’t sound like a healthy environment to me.” For Riley, she added mentally, assuming Daniel would pick up on that.

“We’ll use your house as our home base, if that’s okay with you. You walk in the door at night, I walk out.”

Like she really had a choice? She couldn’t stop him from renting a room. She couldn’t keep him away from Riley without being the mean ol’ grandma. And having Daniel instead of some stranger care for Riley was a good thing.

“Do you have to go back to Seattle and pick up clothes and whatever?”

“Nope. I asked a friend to pack up my whatevers, including my laptop, and airfreight them. So, how about I take you two to dinner, then I’ll show you where I’ll be living.”

She should call Ted and let him know what was happening, but decided to wait until after Riley went to bed, so she could have a private conversation. She didn’t know whether the new plan would make Ted happy or not. He’d seemed not to like Daniel very much—until Daniel had become a solution to a problem that directly affected Ted.

“Dinner sounds good to me,” she said finally. “As long as the restaurant serves normal food. And meat.”

“What’s normal?” He grinned. “I don’t force my convictions on others, Mo.”

“Don’t call me that. Please,” she added, softening the order for Riley’s sake. Daniel’s calling her Mo reminded her of her father, and he was the last person she wanted to be reminded of. Well, him and Jess’s father. “Would you mind if I ask my aunt to join us? She hasn’t seen Riley since last year.” And Ted couldn’t get irritated with another adult along.

“Sure. I’ve never met the old gal. Do we need to pick her up?”

“She’ll walk. She doesn’t live far from Cortland. And she wouldn’t appreciate you calling her ‘the old gal.’ You remember Auntie Cherie, don’t you, Riley?”

He nodded several times. “She’s fun.”

“Exactly. Let me give her a call and see if she’s free. The woman has a busy calendar.” Maureen went into her bedroom and shut the door. She leaned against it for a few seconds, forcing herself to relax. It wasn’t a matter of coming out the winner over Daniel, although that was a nice side benefit, but of her not backing down from what she wanted. She’d stood up for herself. She didn’t consider herself a weak woman, but, with the exception of at her job, she tended to go along with what anyone else wanted to do, in order to keep peace. She liked peace. She liked order. The one time she hadn’t been the model of responsibility had resulted in her becoming pregnant and a single mother at seventeen.

But this time the stakes were too high to give in to Ted or Daniel. She needed Riley and Jess in her life. So, she’d stood up for herself.

And it felt pretty darn good.

MAUREEN SAW RILEY spot Cherie coming into the PeaceLove Café. He was kneeling on a chair at the table and started waving both arms to get her attention. They had seen each other several times through the years, and occasionally Cherie would talk with him over the computer camera. Now Riley would have a chance to really get to know her well, too. Thank you, Jess.