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“I have three older brothers.”
“I know your brothers and they aren’t the type to cuss around you,” Sully said. “Just don’t—”
“Don’t worry. I’m not going to insult or be insulted by her. I really love the work we’ve seen around here.”
He gave a rough nod. “Good. I’ll be back in a bit. Anything else you’re interested in?”
“Well, we’ll be working with Habitat for Humanity to do some of the construction work, so if you know any kids who want to learn that trade…” Max said.
“Got it. I’ll put out some feelers. Not sure I’ll be able to talk to Sox today but I’ve got your number and will be in touch. Later,” Sully said as he waved and then turned to walk back to his Harley Davidson, straddling the bike while he got out his cell phone.
She turned back to Max. The old warehouses were in bad shape. Three of them had broken windows and the concrete was broken and had weeds growing through it in spots. There was trash all over the place and evidence that someone had been living in one of them.
“This is going to be a big a job,” Angelica said.
“It can be, but I think you’ll be surprised at how many people come out to help. Most of them started showing up once we announced the project, and the community really gets involved,” Max said.
“That’s great. I’ve already asked Mom to take this project to the Women of Whiskey River and Delilah’s mom is on a similar committee in Last Stand. They both have volunteered to help out in any way they can.”
“Good. Reg’s assistant Dana will be in charge of the volunteers, so is it okay for me to give her your number?”
She said it was and they walked around the site, meeting up with Cosima and Reg who’d done the same. Reg and Max went off to speak to some men who’d come over to ask what was going on and Angelica turned to Cosima. This project was bigger and more exciting and also a bit scarier than she’d expected. She wanted it to be perfect, which was when she tended to get hyper-focused. She didn’t want to end up like she had in New Orleans.
“I’m really excited they chose us but this is a big commitment from them. I don’t want to let them down,” Cosima said.
“Me neither. I think we just have to really narrow down what we want to do. Arts and crafts from me and then food and growing from you. I think that the middle toward the back would be best for us because Max mentioned that we could use the field behind it for a community garden.”
“I agree. I already told Reg that I thought we’d work best there. Look at us already thinking the same. I want to get Jock and Delilah’s opinions on the kitchen area for classes,” Cosima said.
Angelica took out her notepad and started taking notes. “Sully knows the graffiti artist and I’m hoping she’ll not only do the mural but maybe teach others. I think we could probably sell some big canvases of hers if she’s interested. I’m so excited for this. Thanks, Cosima, for pushing me to go to that party.”
“No problem. Everyone knows I have the best ideas,” she said with a cheeky grin and she hugged her cousin before they went back to making more notes.
*
Reg and Cosimahad left together and Angelica turned to Max. He wondered what was on her mind. He had the feeling he was going to get another blunt statement like her ‘do you want to spend the night’ one.
“I’m going to have to leave early in the morning to head to New York,” he said.
“I figured. Since we haven’t had much time together, I wondered if you wanted to come back to my place and maybe have a light dinner before you head home,” she said. “I feel I should warn you that I’m a basic cook—don’t let the fact that my brother is a celebrity chef fool you about my skills.”
“I’d like that and since I have a chef who does all my cooking I’m not going to be judgey,” he said. He followed her back to her town house and as he parked and walked over to her place he noticed that that neighborhood had a fair share of families. It was a quiet, nice place and some of her neighbors were decorating the outsides of their houses.
Which made him think of the company he’d hired to do the outside of his home here in Texas. As much as he might feel blasé about the holiday he had found that if he didn’t decorate it raised more questions than if he did. People seemed to feel free to ask him personal questions just because there were no lights on his house.
When he got to the door, Angelica was waiting at the threshold with a card in her hand. “Sorry, I have to run next door to pick up a package. Go in and make yourself at home.”
She dashed next door and he watched her go and wondered what the hell he was doing here. She might have seemed a bit lost when he’d first met her but the truth was she had a nice life here. There was something very small town and homey about Angelica and he had nothing of that about him.
He had enjoyed the trip to LA and he was looking forward to heading to New York. He wasn’t much for this kind of domesticity. And he knew she wasn’t looking at him and seeing wedding rings, but at the same time, there was a part of him that thought she should be.
He knew she’d had some bad press from her viral video but he wanted answers. This woman didn’t jive with the one he’d seen and talked to. The woman with the buttoned-up ice-queen white wool suit wouldn’t live in this townhome. She might live in an apartment or a high-rise condo. Both were available in Whiskey River but instead she chose this place with families and yards and neighbors who took in packages for her.
“Everything okay?” she asked as she came back with a box in her arms.
“Yes. I was just thinking about a text I have to send. Let me take that for you,” he said, reaching for the box.
She shook her head. “I’ve got it. I think it’s some special glaze I ordered. I’m so excited—it will allow me to do some different types of finishes on the pottery.”
