Heart and Sole (17 page)

Suddenly, Maddie stopped. She was not going to run away. Somehow she would summon the strength to stay. She owed that much to all the townspeople who were worried about their jobs at the company. She took a big breath and forced a smile. Then she turned and spoke into the microphone. “Kingston Shoes is undergoing a big, bold revolution that will ensure that everyone—one hundred percent everyone—will keep their jobs. My father is steadily recovering, and until he’s back, I will be taking the helm. I’m bringing in new designs for brand new shoe styles. But that doesn’t mean we’ll stop manufacturing our tried and true shoes. Overall, Kingston Shoes will be back, bigger and better than ever.”

She made eye contact although it took every shred of will to hold up her head. She smiled, even though her heart was broken. She even shook Russ’s hand when he thanked her for the inspiring words she’d spoken.

At last, video equipment was hoisted off shoulders, and the press slowly dispersed. Maddie walked down Main Street, past the familiar shops, the flower pots, the fire hydrants painted bright neon shades, the diagonal yellow strips on Main Street for parked cars. The big banner left from the Berry Festival looked forlorn, one end detached and hanging limply. The park was empty of booths, and the grass was downtrodden from all the foot traffic. A lone sign announced the fireworks display at dusk tonight. Another Berry Festival had come and gone. The weekend was nearly over.

The turn came up to head home, but she continued walking straight ahead. She’d rallied the courage to tell the town what she had to tell them. Everything else, on the other hand, was a total mess. The company was out of her family’s control, and it had been all along. She’d strong-armed her sister out of her honeymoon money and she’d told her grandmother off for the first time.

Worse, she
had
slept with the enemy, and she’d allowed him to break her heart. Again.

Chapter Twenty

Maddie found her father sitting in the rehab hospital garden reading the
Buckleberry Gazette
, his wheelchair beneath a live oak dripping with moss. She wished that wise, ancient tree could wrap its sprawling arms around her, and protect her and her dad from the pain she was about to inflict.

“Hey, Sugar,” her dad said, taking off his reading glasses. That same twinkle that always shone in his eyes was back. It was a sign of her dad before the stroke, and it shot a brief wave of relief through her.

She’d do anything to spare him bad news. The irony was she’d done the exact same thing to her dad as Nick had done to her—not telling him things, keeping him out of the loop. Her dad deserved better than that, and now she had to come clean.

Maddie kissed him and sat on a bright green park bench. Lush impatiens bloomed in pinks and reds and whites, and a border of monkey grass lined a tall, splashing fountain. Despite the shade, sweat collected beneath her suit jacket, and she shrugged it off. “Aren’t you hot?” she asked hopefully. “We could go in.” That would delay her dreaded announcement at least another five minutes.

“I’ve missed the sunshine.” Her dad neatly folded his paper into quarters and assessed his daughter with that quiet look he’d given her many times. Even when she was in hot water as a kid, he’d always waited her out, let her say her piece.

Where to even start? Maddie did the only thing she knew, took a deep breath and plunged in.

“Daddy.” She took up both her father’s hands and looked him straight in the eye. “So many things have been going on that I haven’t told you about. Nick’s owned more than half our company all along. It happened right under my nose, and I’m so sorry.”

Maddie heaved a sob. She put her head in her hands. Her father placed his hand on her head and patted it. How many times had he done this during the storms of her childhood? But she wasn’t a child. She was an adult in charge of big decisions that could make or break a company.

“You were always kindhearted even as a little girl, Madison,” he said. “You always took other people’s suffering personally. But sometimes there’s only so much you can do, despite the best intentions.”

Madison eyeballed her father through a blur of tears. He seemed awfully calm for what she’d just told him. “What are you saying, Daddy?”

“Nick’s already been here. He told me what’s been going on.”

She could only imagine. “What did he say?”

“He told me how he came to buy up the shares, and how he wanted the company to make up for the injustices done to his grandfather. But he no longer wants revenge. Said that changed because of you.”

“I know he saved our company and all the jobs, but he never told me about owning most of our shares. He even infused a bunch of cash so it would look like I succeeded. I don’t need a billionaire to set me up in a foolproof situation.”

She paused and braced herself, expecting a lecture about being grateful to an enormously powerful man who’d rushed in and saved the day. Hell, maybe she
should
be grateful, but she was too damn independent to expect someone to save her. She wanted the chance to save that company herself, with her own brains and hard work.

“I agree,” her father said.

“What?” Her mouth fell open.

“I agree you don’t need Nicholas to ensure your success. From what he told me, you’re well on your way to doing that all by yourself. I’m so proud of you, Madison.”

“You’re proud of me?”

“I’ve always been proud of you. You’ve always been harder on yourself than anyone else ever has.”

“That doesn’t excuse my screw-ups, Dad.”

“Honey, life doesn’t come with an instruction manual. Sometimes that’s how we figure out what we want—by figuring out what we
don’t
want. You’ve always had the courage to go out and take chances.”

Yes, and her chance-taking had mostly led to disaster. “I’ve had plenty of practice with that.”

“Trouble is, I think you’d do anything to help us at the expense of your own happiness. I don’t want you to carry this burden by yourself anymore. Maybe it would be best for us to sell off the whole company to Nick. Then you could get your job in Philly back. I was wrong to try and tie you down to something you don’t want.”

“I know where I belong now, and it’s here.” She grasped her father’s hand. “I have a plan, Daddy. A plan for Kingston Shoes that might just bring us back better than ever.” Maybe she didn’t have a business degree, but what she did have was artistic sense, gut instincts. And, most important of all, she
loved
shoes.

“You’re a loyal daughter, Madison, and I love you. Dearly.”

“Oh, Daddy.” Tears plopped ungraciously down her cheeks. “I love you, too. So much.”

As they embraced in the shade of that old oak, Maddie knew she’d made one right decision. She would do everything in her power to bring their company back.

Her dad sat back in his chair and gripped her arm. “You know, Nick said we could buy our shares back whenever it’s convenient. And he doesn’t want to change the Kingston name.”

Oh, God. Nick had restored the company to her family without wanting anything in return? Kingston Shoes was still Kingston Shoes. Relief washed through her, but it was temporary. Maddie squeezed her eyes shut as she remembered her hurtful words in the conference room. “I accused Nick of wanting the company for himself. But all he really wants is for me to find a place for his grandfather.” She hadn’t agreed with his methods, but she couldn’t argue about everything he’d done for them.

Her father’s mouth was tilted up in the slightest smile. “He’s a good man, Maddie. Even the best shoes need some adjusting now and again.”

“I love him, Dad. I think I always have.”

“Then you’d best catch him before he leaves.”

She shot her father a look of confusion.

“He told me he had to get back to Philadelphia and that his private pilot was meeting him at the airport. Said he was catching a cab downtown and he’d arrange for someone to pick up the rental car in a day or two.”

Two blocks away. A minute if she ran. Maddie kissed her father. “Dad, I’ve got to go.”

…

“Nick, wait,” Maddie called just as a yellow cab pulled to a stop in front of the coffee shop. Nick, his hand on the door handle, looked up.

He forced himself not to react to the panicked sound of her voice. She’d chosen not to believe him, thought he was out to take the company for himself even after all that had happened between them. This was the price he paid for exposing himself—his real self—to a woman. And it was a mistake he’d never make again.

He told the cabbie to wait and walked over to her. The cab sat idling, the faint smell of gasoline thick in the heavy air.

“My father told me what you did,” she said. “That you’ll let us buy back the shares, that you don’t want the company.”

“Maddie, I haven’t wanted the company since I found out your father was sick.” Not true. From the moment he’d laid eyes on her vamping it up at that stupid auction, his heart had been struck, and all his plans to avenge his grandfather had withered like a day-old balloon.

“Don’t go.”

He steeled himself against the pain that threatened to take him down. “The weekend’s up, and I’m way behind on my work.”

“Your work. Of course.”

“I trust you’ll watch out for my grandfather.”

“That goes without saying,” she said.

“I’ve got to go,” he said without looking in her eyes because if he did, God only knew what would happen. “My pilot’s picking me up in Charlotte.”

“But you don’t have your stuff.”

“I’ll send for it.”

She tugged at his sleeve. “Can’t we talk about this?”

Her hand burned, but he forced himself to shrug it off. “You’ve already pegged me as the bad guy. I don’t see me changing that.”

“I understand how much you’ve done, and I’m so, so grateful. But I confided in you. You knew how badly I wanted to turn things around. Going behind my back and arranging everything makes me feel like you had no belief in me at all.”

Anger crashed against him in cold, hard waves. He felt stripped naked, wholly exposed. “Maddie, I did believe in you. I invested money because that’s what I do. I put capital in companies that can make money, and all my instincts tell me you’re going to do great things here. Too bad you can’t see that.” He headed toward the car.

“Just like that?” Her words stopped him. The muscles in his back and in his fists bunched. “You left in high school because you thought it had to be either me or your career. And you left last year because you felt guilty about your grandfather, but it wasn’t really that, was it? Those were just excuses.”

“What are you talking about?”

She stalked up to him and jabbed him in the chest. “You never let yourself get too close, do you? When it gets dangerous or hard, you convince yourself it’s not worth it and run like the wind.”

“I did my best to do the right thing, but it’s not good enough for you. You still suspect my motives, like I’m a Holter and my ownership is soiling your company’s name. Who’s not trusting whom, Madison?”

Her blue eyes flashed with fury and confusion, and not a trace of sorrow or apology. The two of them could not be more opposed. North Pole and South. Red Sox and Yankees. Pepsi and Coke.

Nick paced the sidewalk. “And one more thing. You accuse me of not believing in you, but maybe the real problem is that you don’t believe in yourself. Just once I wish you’d say to hell with what everyone thinks about your past and do the job you came to do.”

Her mouth dropped open. That was a direct hit and for once she found no words to retaliate against his hurtful remarks.

Nick checked his watch. “I’ve got to go. Best of luck, Maddie.”

He looked up to see her eyes filling with tears for the first time that day. Oh, hell, what a mess he’d made. As he climbed into the cab, he clenched his jaw tight to combat the impulse to look back, kept his gaze focused straight ahead as they puttered down Main Street, past the skewed Berry Festival banner and the ruined red, white, and blue streamers.

He should never have let her into his heart. He’d tried to help her the only way he knew how, doing the one thing he was good at: building companies. Backing her with support. But by rejecting his help, she’d rejected him.

People didn’t have to die to leave you feeling alone, lost, and worse…betrayed. That was why he didn’t do relationships. He’d broken his cardinal rule and fallen in love. Look where that had gotten him.

He reached for his cell and realized he didn’t have it. God, he couldn’t even do business. Tapping his fingers restlessly against the old leather seat, he squeezed his eyes shut and slumped down for a nap he knew he couldn’t take, and left Buckleberry Bend far behind.

…

“What’s wrong, Madison? Why did Nick just leave?” Cat asked.

Maddie swiped at her eyes. She forced a smile as Cat, Jenna, her mom, and the twins walked up to her as she stood on the sidewalk watching Nick’s car disappear. Derrick pushed her dad in his wheelchair.

“Hey.” She managed a weak smile. She hugged the twins, who had rushed up and tackled her at the knees.

Her mother scanned her face with that worried concern she saved for super serious times. “Oh, honey.” She wrapped her arms around her daughter.

“You and Nick will work it out,” her dad said.

“I’m not so sure, Dad, but I’m all right.” She could curl up into a ball and cry her eyes out later. Starting now, she would make everyone believe she was competent enough to run this company. “Are you all on your way home for brunch?”

“Change of plans,” Derrick said. “We’re taking you to Ida’s.”

Eating her favorite blueberry pancakes right now was about as high on her list as gallbladder surgery, but the thought touched her.

“Thanks, but I’ve got to get working at the office.”

“That’s precisely why you need pancakes,” Derrick said. “After lunch, we’re all going to make you a real office next to Dad’s. With a window and everything.”

Maddie crossed her arms. “How do you all plan to do that, exactly? There’s no room for another office.”

“Oh, yes there is,” Derrick said. “We’re moving the break room to where the storage closet is. So you’d better pick out a wall color and fast. You can’t do your job without a proper work space.”

The twins clustered around her legs, looking up at her with big, round eyes. “Mommy said we could paint,” Logan said.

“Daddy said I could pound nails!” Alex chimed in.

“And I’m going to hang curtains,” Mom said.

“I’ll set up your computer,” Cat said.

“I’d like to go spend an hour or two at my desk getting some files ready for Maddie’s first day tomorrow,” her father said. “If they’ll let me out today, that is.”

“Um, I think you’re out already, Dad,” Cat said.

“Are you sure you’re up to it, Henry?” Maddie’s mom asked.

“Only if you feed me pancakes first.”

Cat gave Maddie a huge hug. Jenna did too, and Derrick was right behind her. Her crazy, imperfect family believed in her, rallied around her in her time of need. And she’d never loved them so much as she did right now.

Maddie glanced around at her family, noticing who was missing. “I really ticked Grandmeel off, didn’t I?”

“But good,” Derrick said, rubbing his cheek.

“She’s off licking her wounds, but I believe this was a good wake up call for her,” Maddie’s mom said. “We’ve all done our share of not making waves with her over the years.”

“I know it hasn’t been easy, but you have always respected her,” her dad said, maybe more to her mother than to Maddie.

“Until today,” Maddie said.

Cat gave Maddie a squeeze. “Maybe it was time she finally got a clue how hurtful she can be sometimes.”

“We all can be,” Derrick said, stepping up and grabbing Maddie’s hand. “I had a bad attitude, sis. I guess I felt like I wasn’t doing enough and here you are leaving your job and your life to come here and help out the family. It was easy for me to call attention to your shortcomings to make myself look better. I’m sorry.” A small smile turned up his mouth.