Impossible Dreams (19 page)

Baby Alexa squirmed at his tone of voice, and Axell nearly
bit his tongue. A gassy burp scented his shirt collar, and he stared at her in
amazement. Recovering, he lifted the small bundle from his shoulder and handed
her back to her mother. It wouldn’t do to get any more involved than he
was.

Who was he kidding? He was already in up to his neck, and
unless he cut line soon, he’d be in over his head and going down for the
third time.

He didn’t want to cut line.

Astounded, Axell watched numbly as Maya cuddled her
squirming daughter. He wanted involvement? With the queen of gypsies? Had he lost
his pea-picking mind?

“The building inspector said he was ordering the
building closed for major structural repairs,” she said in reply to his
question. “I figured I’d get my things out before the police
arrived this time.”

Axell let out a curse he seldom used in public, bit back a
second one, and in the interest of peace, stood up and stalked to the window.
He’d ordered a private room for her so she’d get some rest. He was
already overboard.

“There’s not a damned thing wrong with that
building. I had inspectors crawling all over when I had it renovated. Somebody
bought this one off.”

“Then I don’t have to move?” she asked
hopefully.

Axell wanted to bang his head against the window. The rain
had stopped, but the clouds hadn’t dissipated. The glossy new green
leaves of the crape myrtles glistened with raindrops against the dark
clouds — bound to be a metaphor for something, but he wasn’t a man who
dealt in metaphors.

“If they put a notice on it, you can’t live
there,” he said heavily, “and we can’t open it to the public
until I have my lawyers handle it, but you should be able to go in and get your
things. It’s not in any danger of falling apart.”

Her silence told him all he needed to know. She was homeless
again.

***

“Mr. Holm, your intentions are admirable, but the fact
remains, Miss Alyssum’s nephew is a ward of the state until otherwise
released. You know yourself that this department has been under fire for not
properly overseeing the children in its protection. I would be neglecting my
duties to the child and to the state if I didn’t see that he’s
adequately housed. I’ve been informed that Miss Alyssum’s home has
been condemned, and I’m already familiar with her finances. Until she
finds a salaried position, she’s in no financial condition to provide
appropriate housing. I’m afraid I’ll have to put him in foster care
until further notice.”

Axell simmered as he listened to this self-righteousness.
This had gone on far enough. He might be tough enough to part Maya from the
Pfeiffer property, but even he wouldn’t dare part her from her home and
kids. He didn’t care which snitch had reported Maya’s temporary
housing predicament. They weren’t giving her a chance. The next thing
they’d do was take Alexa away from her. This was utterly ridiculous.

Axell leaned forward against his desk and glared at the
lumpy social worker on the other side. “Her apartment in my building is
as structurally sound as it gets. My lawyers are looking into the matter as we
speak. In the meantime, she has friends she can count on. She and Matty will
not go without a roof over their heads.”

The young social worker glared back at him from behind
bottle-thick glasses and thin, lifeless bangs. “The state cannot condone
a ward living in immoral circumstances, and pardon my putting it bluntly, with
people of unsavory reputation. We’ve done a background check, Mr. Holm.
The instance of drug sales in your restaurant, and the imminent loss of your
liquor license does not exactly make you a role model for an impressionable
five-year-old.”

If he hadn’t had complete control of his temper, he
would have leapt over the desk and throttled her. Soon, they’d be trying
to take Constance away. This was the next best thing to a police state. Forget
running for mayor. He’d go after the governor’s job — as soon as he
got this mess straightened out.

Is this what Maya had put up with all these years? He was
beginning to understand some of her defensiveness. Knock a person down and keep
a foot on their neck all their lives, and most people would get a little leery
of anyone in authority. He was amazed that she’d come as far as she had.
The gypsy had guts.

“Repeat what you just said in public, and I’ll
have you sued for slander,” he informed her coldly. “Miss Alyssum
has no family left, so she relies on friends. I’m a friend. She is part
owner of the Impossible Dreams day school and my partner in The Curiosity
Shoppe. She’s a tax-paying citizen and has her rights. You cannot take
that child away from her unless you find Matty hungry, unclothed, dirty, and
homeless. This is not the case. Until it is, I suggest you stay clear of the
Alyssums or expect to have my lawyers slapping a subpoena on you so fast, your
head will spin. Is that understood?”

His tirade backed her toward the door. Muttering a few more
official imprecations, the social worker spun around and slammed out. Axell
collapsed in his chair.

This couldn’t go on. The mayor would destroy Maya, the
school, the bar, and Axell to have his way. If they took his license,
he’d have no means of supporting Constance. With Sandra prompting the
judge, and the mayor after his license, he could lose his daughter as easily as
Maya could lose hers. Ralph had pushed too far this time. It was time to fight
back.

Axell drummed his fingers against the desk. Lawyers took
time. While they petitioned the court and wrote subpoenas and did whatever it
was they do, three businesses could crumble. And then there was the matter of
Constance. While he fought the mayor, Sandra would be fighting for Constance.

He had some decisions to make.

He called his lawyer first. Then he called Judge Tony. He
wanted all his facts lined up in a row, then he would storm into this with his
eyes wide open and both guns blazing, and the devil take anyone who got in his
way.

***

Maya glanced at the stern man behind the wheel of the BMW.
She’d asked Selene to pick her up at the hospital. Axell had appeared
instead. He didn’t look very happy about it. She’d wanted to be
installed in the top rooms of the school before Matty came home. This wasn’t
the direction of the school.

As he’d promised, the waters had receded as quickly as
they’d risen. Tree limbs and leaves littered the road, but there was no
reason they couldn’t reach the school. She glanced at the infant sleeping
in the car cradle in the back seat. Axell had bought a car cradle! Or maybe he
already had one. That made her feel better, so she didn’t argue the
point. Obviously, there were bigger clouds on the horizon than the cost of a
car seat.

She turned back and glanced at Axell. His jaw muscle
twitched. She didn’t think that was a good sign. “Are we just
picking up my things at your house?”

The knuckles on the one hand he had on the wheel whitened.
He glanced at her through those stony eyes, but her wayward mind thought she
saw pain and uncertainty reflected there instead of anger. Had something awful
happened and he couldn’t find words to tell her? Panic bubbled near the
surface all the time now.

“Constance may not be my daughter,” he
pronounced out of nowhere.

Maya drew a deep breath and held it. Where did she go from
there? Watching rain-soaked pines flash by, she gathered her wits, and expelled
the air in her lungs. “Does that matter?” she asked calmly.

Axell threw her another one of those looks, then
concentrated on his driving. “Maybe it explains why I’m such a
lousy father.”

All right, take this one slow, Maya
.
“You’re thinking of giving her up to your mother-in-law
again?”

“I’m weighing my options. I want Constance to be
happy.”

Maya nodded as if she had some clue as to where this
conversation was going. She noticed her fingers clenched in fists and forcibly
unrolled them. “If you wanted to buy a gift for Constance, and she told
you Cleo’s was her favorite store, what would you do?”

He glared at her and nearly missed the driveway. “Is
this some kind of test?”

“Yes,” she said firmly. “Keep your eyes on
the road and answer the question.”

He studied the question for all of half a second and
apparently deciding there was no trick to it, shrugged. “I’d
probably buy her one of the kaleidoscopes.” He hit the garage door opener
and waited for the door to lift. “Do I win the prize?”

“Your mother-in-law ignored Constance’s
preference and bought her the doll instead, a doll that reminded her of her
dead baby brother. Now, who do you think is most likely to make Constance happy?”

Pulling the car into the garage and turning it off, Axell
slumped in the leather seat. “You,” he replied without hesitation.
“You are most likely to make Constance happy.”

He looked perfectly miserable as he said it.

We have enough youth. How about a Fountain of Smart?

“It’s damp out here. Let’s get the baby
inside.”

Axell abruptly stepped out of the car and went around to the
back door to unfasten the infant carrier.

Maya swung out of the car more cautiously. Whatever had
happened to the good old days of spending five days in the hospital,
recuperating from childbirth? She still felt as if a train had run over her,
and she hadn’t slept well in the damned hospital. She wasn’t in any
condition for arguing with this domineering man who had decided — for whatever
reason — to run her life. She’d known he’d spelled trouble that first
day he’d walked into the shop. Virgos were like that.

“I don’t suppose I get any explanations?”
she asked as she dragged behind Axell into the echoing, empty designer house.
He had Alexa. She wasn’t likely to let her daughter out of her sight.

“You look like you need rest first. I’ll pick up
the kids at school, and I have Dorothy coming in to look after them. You get
some sleep before the kids decide to entertain you. We can talk
tomorrow.”

Briskly, he carried Alexa to the room Maya and Matty had
slept in before. A lovely hand-carved cradle padded with a pale pink mattress
and sheet waited beside the bed. Tears sprang to Maya’s eyes at the
sight. A cradle. She’d wanted Alexa to have a cradle of her very own.
She’d looked at doll’s cradles, wondering if she could at least
afford a toy. It wouldn’t have lasted long, but it would have been better
than a dresser drawer. And here was the real thing, with flowers and
hummingbirds, and daubs of pink and blue paint. She wanted to sit on the floor
beside it and sob her heart out.

She didn’t think she could get back up if she did.

“Axell, you didn’t buy that, did you?” she
whispered, praying he’d say no so she wouldn’t have to refuse it.

“Made it...” his voice broke and he coughed,
“...a few years ago. Will it do?”

She heard his pain even though he kept his back to her as he
set the infant seat down and unstrapped the baby. The lion king could entertain
governors and run city councils, restaurants, and half the town, but he was
terrified of revealing his feelings. Maya shook her head in amazement at this
contradiction. Must be a Southern thing — real men don’t cry.

“It’s the most beautiful thing I’ve ever
seen,” she admitted tearily.

He turned in alarm at the sob in her voice, and she hastily
wiped her eyes with her sleeve. His expression was one of panic, and lower lip
trembling, Maya managed a smile. She remembered that look. She’d seen it
when she’d told him the baby was coming. Tenderness and longing and an
odd feeling of connection welled inside her as she resisted the urge to stroke
his clenched jaw. He’d probably run if she did. She was actually
beginning to understand the man.

Carefully, she took Alexa from his arms and cuddled her to
hide any further outbreak of tears. She didn’t think Axell could handle a
sobbing woman right now. “Thank you for letting me use the cradle,”
she whispered. “I’ve dreamed of having one for her. It’s the
nicest thing you could have done — except for delivering Alexa,” she
amended.

Looking a little more sure of himself, Axell nodded curtly.
“It was sitting in the attic, going to waste. I’ll go get your
suitcase. Selene packed up some of your things from the apartment. I just put
the boxes in the closet. You’ll have to arrange them.”

He walked out without any further explanation.

She really would have to learn to argue instead of going all
soppy sentimental if she wanted to survive in a partnership with a man like
that. But for right now, Axell’s decision-making was such a relief, she
simply couldn’t offer any objections. She hadn’t realized how tired
she was. Taking care of Alexa in that run-down attic at the school would be
hell, especially with dozens of noisy children below. She hoped the substitute
teacher they’d hired was working out.

Gently laying Alexa in the cradle and rocking it, Maya did
what she did best — swam with the flow. She’d analyze Axell’s odd
behavior later, when she was stronger.

***

“Does she sleep
all
the time?” Matty
asked in disgust as he entered the bedroom to give Maya a good-bye kiss before
school. Last night, he’d refused to sleep in the room Axell offered him
but had agreed to a fold-up floor mattress beside Maya’s bed. This
morning, he was all brash male arrogance again. She was relieved he
wasn’t retreating into the troubled child she’d found when
she’d first arrived.

“Only when she isn’t crying,” Maya teased.
“You grew out of it.”

Matty grimaced and gave her a hug. Constance remained
standing, fascinated, beside the cradle.

“She’s so
tiny
. I didn’t know
babies were so tiny. She looks just like my doll.”

“She won’t when she starts crying and spitting
up on you, or smiling and pulling your hair. I’ll teach you to hold her
when you get home, all right?”