Roadside Attraction (Castle View Series Book 2) (11 page)

“If your mother’s as strong as you are, she’ll be fine. And if she’s not, we’ll deal with that too.” He didn’t look at her, his gaze focused on the two-lane highway in front of them.

“You mean, I’ll deal with that. You’re out of here, right? The bike’s fixed.” She knew her voice held a challenge but she was too scared to coach her words. “I’ve barely stopped waiting for my dad to show up at the restaurant, wanting some coffee and pie.” She felt heart surge at the memory.

“I’ll stay until you get a new chef. I told you that. And you still can come with me.” He paused. “I’d really like you to come, in case I haven’t said that yet.”

She turned her head so she was looking out the window and not at him before she answered. “I know you would.”

“But?” He squeezed her hand.

She shook it off and put her hand in her lap. “Can we just not talk until we get to the hospital?”

“Not a problem.” He turned up the music, but not before Maggie heard the change his tone. She’d hurt his feelings. She should apologize, or explain, but right now, she was barely hanging on and comforting him just was one too many things for her to do.

When they reached the hospital, he dropped her off at the emergency door and went to park.

Maggie barely kept from running toward the reception desk where two people were talking. She came to an abrupt stop in front of the two and interrupted their conversation. “Sandy Castle? They brought her in by Life Flight?”

The girl, who was in front of the computer, hit a few keys. “And you are?”

“Maggie Castle, her daughter.” How could it take so long to look up something on that computer. Besides, shouldn’t the receptionist know who had been admitted? Random thoughts flitted through Maggie’s brain as she waited. Like had Mark brought Mom’s purse with her identification? Finally, the girl looked up.

“She’d been taken up to the surgical ward. Looks like she’s getting ready for surgery tonight.” She wrote something on a note, and then handed it to the man standing next to her. “Can you take Ms. Castle up to the family waiting room on six? I believe her brother’s already up there.”

“Thank you.” She followed the man who couldn’t be much older than Tami toward the bank of elevators. Tami. She needed to call Tami. Maggie looked at her watch. Already pushing one, she’d wait until the next morning. Tami might not like it, but she didn’t want to wake her and have her try to find a ride home in the middle of the night. Besides, all she knew right now was Mom needed surgery. With any luck, that was all that was wrong.

Abigail waved her over to the corner where she, Mark and Brad already sat. “We should have stopped for you, but honestly, we didn’t even think about anything, especially since Shane said he’d watch Becca.”

“No worries, Josh drove me.” She sat on one of the chairs and put her purse on another. “So what’s going? What happened?”

“She broke her hip.” Mark filled her in on the details. Mom had been excited when she got home from lunch according to Shane. They worked on boxing up the rest of Maggie’s old stuff and when he took the bedding downstairs to the laundry, Sandy Castle told him she was going to lie down for a few minutes.

“The next thing he heard was the bang when she fell.” Mark shook his head. “The kid feels awful about leaving her.”

“But how would he have known something was wrong?” Brad shook his head. “I think something’s been wrong with Mom long before she fell tonight.”

A woman in scrubs approached the group and they all stopped talking. Maggie held her breath. The woman smiled. “I haven’t heard anything from your mom’s surgery.” She focused on Maggie, holding out an envelope. “Are you Maggie Castle? This was left for you at the front desk.”

Maggie nodded and took the packet. “Thanks,” she muttered. She opened the clasp on the brown envelope and dumped the contents out on her lap. Her keys and a white piece of paper.

She read the note.
Here’s your keys. I’ll make my own way back to St. Josephs. I wish your mom a speedy recovery. Josh.
She turned the paper over, but the back was blank. He’d driven her here like he’d promised, then disappeared. The good news was she wasn’t without a vehicle. The bad news, well, she didn’t want to think about what this meant between her and Josh. At least not right now. Tonight all her mental energy was focused on sending good thoughts to her mom who was on the surgical table.

She’d worry about Josh later.

The next few days were insane. All the siblings stayed until their mother was assigned a room. Then all but Maggie went home. She settled into a chair in the hospital room and slept there. When her mother woke the next morning, Maggie scooted closer to the bed. “You gave everyone quite a scare.”

Her mom reached up with one hand, her IV tubes jumbling and stroked Maggie’s face. “You should have gone home and slept. Those chairs are like sleeping on a bed of rocks.”

Of course, Mom would know this first-hand, since she’d stayed with her father on many occasions when he’d been admitted in the last days of his illness. “I didn’t have anything to do, so I volunteered to stay. Abigail’s coming up tonight. Then I’ll be back, as long as I can keep Tami from flying back from school.”

“The child needs to stay in Seattle. I’ll be fine here with the nurses. Besides, I’ll probably get out of here tomorrow.”

“I doubt that.” Maggie squeezed her mother’s hand. “And if you do, you’ll need some help at home.”

“Shane and I will do just fine.” Her mom struggled to sit up a little.

Maggie handed her the bed adjuster. “Not going to happen. Brad’s scheduled Destiny to move in today so as soon as you’re back, she’ll be available to help.”

“There was a reason you and Brad sucker punched me with her sob story. She’s not just new in town.” Her eyes twinkled even though her words were harsh. “I knew there was something else going on but I thought Brad was sweet on the girl.”

“I think that might be true, but seriously, it’s Brad. You know he’ll screw it up before Destiny can figure out he’s more than just a blowhard.” Maggie grinned. “With her knowledge of physical therapy she’ll be perfect to help you get back in shape after this.”

A nurse came into the room dragging a cart. “Time for your medications. How are you feeling this morning?”

Maggie stood and went into the bathroom to wash her face. The mirror reflected the dark circles under her eyes. “Thank you, God,” she whispered to the heavens. Overwhelmed with gratitude that her mother had come through the surgery with no complications, she leaned against the wall, letting the tears fall that she’d hung on to all night.

Pulling herself together, she ran cold water and splashed her face, drying it with the paper towels. She finger-combed her hair until it was at least half-way presentable. She’d put it back into a clip when she could find one in her purse.

At least this accident had made one thing totally apparent. She couldn’t leave with Josh. Not now. Maybe not ever.

Nodding to the woman in the mirror, Maggie returned to the room and grabbed her purse. She needed to call Tami and get some coffee. “I’m running down to the cafeteria for a few minutes. Will you be okay?”

Her mom waved her away. “I believe I’ve survived without your presence 24/7 for quite some time. Besides, I have Amy here to watch me.”

Amy, her nurse grinned. “I’ll be here for a few more minutes, then breakfast should be here. I’ll get her scheduled with PT this afternoon. If everything goes well, she might just get out of here by tomorrow morning.”

“That soon?” Maggie looked at her mother’s pale face. 

“No one likes being in a hospital so we don’t keep people here longer than we have to.” Amy went back to her cart and keyed some notes into the file. “Of course, the decision is in her doctor’s hands. And she will need some help at home.”

“We’ve got that handled.” Maggie squeezed her mother’s hand. “I guess Brad did a good thing here.”

“He’s lucky he’s not here, or he’d get a piece of my mind for overstepping.” Her mother shifted in the bed, “But I like Destiny and I’m sure she’ll fit into our lives just fine. Shane isn’t a very good cook.”

A knock came at the door. “We brought your breakfast.” A woman bustled into the room with a large tray.

The room felt crowded with the three adults standing around the bed. “I’ll be right back. Maggie kissed her mother’s forehead and ducked out of the room. She heard her mother talking to the other women as they set up her breakfast tray and asking if the coffee was regular or watered down decaf.

She grinned and pulled her cell out of her purse but held on to it until she got out of the elevator to the floor where the cafeteria was located. After purchasing a large coffee and a couple of donuts, she made her first call of several on her list.

***

“Thanks for coming to get me last night.” Josh stood as Cari came to unlock the restaurant. “I didn’t know who else to call.”

She shrugged. “You did a favor for Maggie, I did one for you. Someone will do a favor for me someday. It’s the way the world works.”

“Not where I come from. My family is very self-sufficient. We don’t like to owe favors.” He followed her into the dining room, turning on lights as they went. “Is there anything I can do for you?”

She turned toward him, looking him up and down so long he began to worry what her request would be. Cari was pretty, but he’d learned quickly not to date more than one person at a time. The results could be murderous. Besides, there was no way he’d do that to Maggie. Not now, not ever.

“You’ll just have to deal with it I guess.” She nodded to the kitchen. “You going to be okay running the place?”

“You handle the front and I’ll deal with the back.” He paused before he left. “Have you heard from her?”

“Not a word.” Cari sank into a chair. “Mrs. Castle is terrific. She’s always the first person to volunteer no matter what’s happening in her own life. When her husband was sick, that was the first time I hadn’t seen her down at the food bank on a Saturday. The woman is loved around here, for good reason.”

“I’m sure she’ll be fine.” He’d said the same thing to Maggie on the drive up to Spokane and almost got his head bit off. He needed to stop saying that.

“I know. I just worry about what will happen to Castle View if Sandy’s not around. The brothers are pushing Maggie now to make changes that she knows won’t be in the restaurant’s best interest. Without her mom to serve as mediator, the boys will turn this place into a hot dog stand.”

“We can’t change that, but we can keep it open and going while Maggie needs us.” He nodded to the kitchen. “I’ll go see what we’ve got for today’s specials.”

As he walked away, she called after him. “Keep up the hard ass routine. I know there’s a nice guy somewhere in that fine body of yours.”

Josh rummaged through the walk-in and found pork butt for posole. He seasoned the meat and put it in the oven to slow bake. It wouldn’t be ready for the lunch service, but would be for dinner. Cari could take a batch to the Castles at the hospital. He laid out tomatoes, onions, carrots, and zucchini to be washed and chopped.

“Hey boss.” Bryan came in the back door. He went straight to the sink and washed his hands. “What’s cooking?”

“Not funny and don’t call me boss. Chef or Josh, but never boss.” He pointed to the vegetables. “You want to get those chopped and I’ll start prep for lunch?”

“I can do that.” He sniffed the air. “You already got something baking?”

“Pork for Mama’s Posole. I thought we’d make up a batch for dinner service, then take a batch to the Castles.” He shrugged. “I always make too much.”

“What if we add some green chili corn bread?” Bryan started chopping the onions. “My mom used to bake that when we had chili but it should work with the soup if you like it spicy.”

“Good idea, Bryan.” He slapped the kid on the back. “Good chefs are versatile and know their flavor profiles. That’s something that can’t be taught in schools.”

Bryan beamed as he focused on prepping the vegetables. They worked in silence for a while, then Josh turned the radio on the shelf to a local rock station.

After lunch service was complete, Josh was stirring the soup when a voice came from the kitchen door. “Mama would be pleased you are honoring her recipe.”

He looked up and saw his sister, standing in the doorway. “Go home, Angelina. I’m not listening to his message.”

“He didn’t send me, Joshua, Mama did.” Angelina Reyes flipped her long black hair out of her eyes and looked around the kitchen. “Nice place for such a hole in the wall town. I can’t believe this is where you stopped.”

“It wasn’t by choice,” Josh groused and realized Bryan was still standing next to him, watching the show. “Hey, Bryan, why don’t you go home for a couple hours? I’ll see you about four and we’ll start dinner prep.”

“Sure thing, boss, I mean, Josh.” Bryan walked past Angelina and nodded. “Ma’am.”

She waited until Bryan had left and then stepped closer to Josh. “Nice kid you have working for you, boss.”

“I told him not to call me that.” Josh stirred the soup. “Look, just tell me what you’ve been sent to say and go back home. I won’t be coming with you.”

“Dish me up some of that soup and we’ll talk. I’ve missed you baby brother.” Angelina set her massive designer tote on the floor and put her hands in her lap, waiting.

He did as he was told. Partly because he’d always had listened to his bossy big sister, but the other part, the part he didn’t understand, craved news from the family.

“I haven’t eaten since breakfast at the hotel in Coeur d’Alene. Did you know they had a golf course with a floating tee? That town reminds me of home. Very commercial.” She sipped the soup he’d placed in front of her. When she noticed he hadn’t joined her, she put her spoon down and waited.

Sighing, he grabbed a bowl for himself, and pulled up a second stool to the counter. “Seriously, I’m not going back with you.”

“You’ve mentioned that.” She pointed to the soup with her spoon. “Very nice. I was worried about the spice level but it’s perfect. Where did you find Anaheims up here in the north?”

“There’s a big farmers market each week here. You’d be surprised at the variety of chilies the local farmers grow here.” He remembered the trout they’d gotten that Saturday from the fish monger and smiled at the memory.

A smile his sister didn’t miss. “You’re settling in here.” She looked around the kitchen. “Nice, but not as high end as the kitchen you left. You know Papa was going to make you an executive chef in a few years. Why would you leave for this?”

“I didn’t leave for this.” Josh kept his gaze on the soup. “I’m traveling the country. I told you that.”

“You didn’t travel long or very far before you stopped here. What’s the draw?” Angelina stared until he looked up and met her eyes. “Oh, heaven’s angels, you’re in love.”

“I am not.” He dropped his gaze and focused on eating.

Even without looking directly at Angelina, he saw the quick jerk of her head toward the kitchen door. “The woman who let me back here is beautiful, but not quite your type. So tell me, who is she?”

“No one…” He paused. He was going to add special, but that wouldn’t have been true and his sister could smell a lie on him. “No one you need to concern yourself with. I would have already been gone from here, but my bike broke and now, well, things are complicated. But I’ll be gone in a day or two.” Even if he had to hire a replacement chef himself.

Her watch beeped an alarm. She grabbed her tote and stood, kissing him on the top of his head. “Call me when you get off work. I booked a room over at the only bed and breakfast place in town. It’s small but lovely and more importantly, clean. We need to talk.”

“I thought that’s what we were doing?” He stood to walk her to the door.

She waved her fingers at him, her keys already in her other hand. “Sorry, I have to do something. No need to see me out, I can find my own way.”

Josh picked up the bowls as his sister disappeared through the kitchen door. He’d seen her leave kitchens before that way, always in a hurry to get to her next meeting or task. But she was here to find him, what kind of meeting could she have in remote St. Josephs? And why had Mama sent her to find him?

“Doesn’t matter, I’m not going back.” He hadn’t realized he’d said the words aloud until he heard them echo in the empty kitchen. He went to the stove and separated the soup into two vats. One for dinner service and one for the Castles. Now he just had to make a batch of cornbread and find someone to deliver the basket.

Someone besides him.