Devon Archer - Say It with Roses

Stuart also wondered how the same man had been smart enough to woo his sister. By all accounts, they were madly in love and planning a Valentine’s Day wedding. He doubted Madison was on the invitation list.

“So how have you been doing now that you’ve settled in?” Stuart tossed out, sipping his coffee.

Madison had zeroed in on Stuart before he asked the question. She couldn’t help but be attracted to him. He seemed to be all muscle and about six-three. His features were classically masculine and she liked his closely cropped, curly black hair.

But...she still felt it was better to steer clear of him right now, all things considered. “Look...” she began deliberately. “I’m sure you’re just trying to be friendly, but I’m actually rushing to make a deadline right now.”

Stuart’s brow furrowed. Suddenly it had gotten frostier in the coffee shop than it was outside. “Got it. Then I’ll leave you to it.”

Madison offered him a strained smile and turned back to the book. But she noticed that Stuart was still standing there, prompting her to look up. “Is there something else?”

“Actually, there is,” he said. “I know all about the situation with your ex and Holly. But that’s between you and them, not me.”

“I never said it was about you,” she responded, blinking in surprise but attempting to downplay it. “That’s over and done with.”

“I’m not so sure about that,” Stuart said honestly. “Seems to me you still have a chip on your shoulder, and you’re somehow taking it out on me by association.”

“That’s crazy!” Madison refused to admit he was right. At least not while he had her on the defensive.

“Is it? I’m pretty good at reading people, especially when they seem to have a one-track mind.”

She shot him a dismissive look. “You don’t know anything about my mind. Just because you’re a writer doesn’t give you the right to psychoanalyze me.”

Stuart’s head snapped back as though he had been hit in the face. “You have a good point there. Maybe I’m misjudging you. Just seems like I keep getting the brush-off when I’m trying to be friendly.”

“Well, maybe you should stop trying so hard,” she tossed back at him. “I’m sure there are other women in town you can strike up a conversation with. But right now I happen to be busy doing my job. If that somehow offends you, I can’t do anything about it.”

“No, I suppose you can’t,” Stuart said, deciding to cut this short before saying something he couldn’t take back. “I’ll let you get back to it and try not to bother you anymore.”

He waited for a second or two, as if to see if she would try to get the last word. But there was no comeback. Apparently she was satisfied that she could declare victory over him.

Stuart knew this was a losing battle. And since he didn’t like to lose, he saw no reason to torture either of them further. He turned and headed for the door.

Madison watched as he was leaving. She had a mind to call him back, air out some of their differences, but thought better. What was there to say, really? He seemed like a nice guy and was certainly very good-looking. But that didn’t mean they had to be friends.

Especially since it wasn’t what she wanted. Not when his presence made her feel unexpectedly giddy and nervous. She was still trying to put past regrets behind her.

She sipped more coffee and turned back to the book. Suddenly it became more laborious to read than ever.

She wondered how much Stuart Kendall had to do with that.

* * *

That night, after tucking the girls into bed, Stuart stretched out on the living room sectional and video-chatted with Holly on his iPad.

“Hey, sis.”

She flashed him a big smile on a beautiful face that reminded him of their mother’s. “Back at you, big brother. Or maybe I should say lean and mean brother of mine.”

He chuckled. “Whatever works. How’s the wedding planning going?”

“Great, although it’s much more work than I thought it would be. How are the girls?”

“Growing up way too fast,” he said honestly. “I know they’re only seven, nearly eight, but next thing you know, they’ll be eighteen. I don’t even want to think about them dating and all that.”

Holly laughed. “It’s an inevitable part of life. You’ll get used to it when the time comes.”

“Yeah, we’ll see about that.” Stuart paused thoughtfully. “So what’s the deal with your old friend, Madison?” He already had a pretty good idea, but he still wanted to try to gain a little added insight from Holly.

“Why, did she say something?” Holly’s black eyes grew wide.

“Actually, it’s just the opposite. She hasn’t said enough,” he complained. “I’ve tried to be there if she needed someone to help her get acclimated to Portland, since she was once your friend and all. But she clearly isn’t interested in being friendly with me.”

“Sorry to hear that,” Holly said. “But it’s understandable. She’s probably feeling a little weird right now, knowing that her ex-fiancé is my current fiancé and that we’re about to walk down the aisle. You’re my brother, and she probably sees that as an extension of me.”

“But I thought you said things were cool between the two of you when she left Houston?” Stuart asked.

“They were—are.... But that doesn’t mean there aren’t still hurt feelings. She probably needs a period of adjustment to fully accept the reality that Anderson and I are together.”

“So during this adjustment, am I supposed to just avoid her? Or risk being shot down every time I attempt to engage her in some conversation?”

“Don’t avoid her,” Holly stressed. “Madison is really a nice person to get to know, just as you are. Give her some time to come around. My sense is that she could use a friend like you there, and she’ll come to realize that, if she hasn’t already.”

“I doubt that she has yet,” Stuart said with a little chuckle. “But I’ll take your advice.”

“That’s what little sisters are for,” she told him. “You two will be best buds, and maybe even more, before you know it.”

“Let’s just stick to best buds right now, if it ever happens. I’m not looking for romance. Been there, done that and you see where it’s gotten me.”

“It’s gotten you two beautiful, precious little angels who I’m sure you wouldn’t trade for the world,” Holly said.

“Very true,” he conceded. He couldn’t imagine his life without Carrie and Dottie.

“So let’s not allow Fawn to spoil that any or keep you from finding someone right to share your life with.”

“I’ll keep that in mind,” he said. That didn’t mean he was anywhere close to being ready to throw himself back into the dating game. And certainly not with Madison, who obviously had her own demons she was busy wrestling. Stuart eyed his sister. “At least you’ve found someone to love you. I’ll settle for that for the time being.”

“You can be so sweet at times,” Holly said, blushing.

“Just at times?” he teased her.

“How about the majority of the time?”

“I’ll go with that and not press my luck.”

She laughed. “Good answer.”

Stuart laughed, too, feeling better about things now.

Chapter 3

It was the night of Valentine’s Day, and Madison was visiting her next-door neighbor Jacinta Poole. She and Jacinta had become good friends in recent weeks and Madison welcomed having a female friendship in Portland.

Jacinta was a year older and divorced. She was a professor of liberal arts at Portland State University and a longtime resident of Portland. Jacinta handed Madison a goblet of wine and the two sat at the table in the breakfast nook.