Free April Fool Bride by Joan Reeves Page A

does.
Except this morning. She didn't even stop for a cup."
    Jake should have realized Inez knew
everything that went on in the household. Graciella always had.
Chances are Maddie hadn't warned Inez to silence. "So where did
Maddie go in such a hurry?"
    "Oh, you know her. She can't wait to get to
the shelter every morning. She thinks they can't operate without
her there to help." Inez rolled her eyes. "But sometimes her help
is more a problem than a help. You know what I mean?"
    "Maddie does have a way of jumping head first
into things." He finished his coffee and took the cup to the sink.
"I thought I'd pick her up for lunch, but I forgot to get the
address. Do you happen to know it?"
    "Sure. It's near West Alabama in one of the
older homes over there." She grabbed a piece of note paper from a
pad next to the phone and wrote quickly then handed him the note.
"It's easy to find. Oh, Mrs. Quinn said to remind you that dinner
is at seven."
    Jake thanked her and left. He memorized the
address then entered it into his phone and checked the GPS
directions as he walked to the Camaro. He took a few minutes to
sync his phone before driving away.
    Like any good soldier, he'd reconnoiter and
gather intel. Logically, his mother was the person to provide the
information he'd need so he headed to her house, planning his
itinerary on the way.
    Traffic was light so he reached the
tree-covered subdivision where she lived in record time. Every time
he visited her, he felt a warm glow of achievement when he looked
at her house. When he'd netted his first million, he'd bought her
this house and set up an investment fund to pay for its maintenance
and upkeep for the rest of her life. It still amused him that she'd
wanted an ivy-covered English Tudor rather than a Spanish-style
stucco with a clay tile roof. Although she fussed about all the
money he spent, he ignored it.
    Before he was out of the car, his mom had the
door open and was walking down the sidewalk to greet him.
    "Morning, Mom. I think we have something to
talk about."
    Graciella hugged him and ushered him inside.
Jake looked around to see any changes she'd made since the last
time he'd been there. Her home was comfortable and filled with warm
colors, beautiful stained wood, and overstuffed furniture. He had
to admit, he loved the furniture even if it did have pale pink
cabbage roses on the chintz fabric.
    Jake accepted another cup of coffee from his
mom and settled into one of the rocker recliners in front of the
fireplace. "There are a few things we should talk about. Why don't
you start by telling me why you told Maddie I was unemployed?"
    Graciella waved a hand. "Oh, that. I just had
an inspiration I guess you could say." She laughed. "Maybe I've
been reading too many romance novels."
    "That's it? That's your excuse?"
    "I can't remember exactly what happened. You
know how it is when you get old."
    "Old? Mom, you're not even fifty yet."
    Graciella made a big show of looking at the
clock over the fireplace. "Oh, my goodness. Is that the time? I'm
afraid I'm going to have to shoo you out of here. I have a…a hair
appointment in fifteen minutes."
    So. She was matchmaking. Had she known what
Maddie intended to do? He figured it was useless to ask. "Okay.
Let's set that aside for the moment. When did you and Constance
become so chummy?"
    To his surprise, his mother looked even more
nervous. "I don't know what you mean."
    "I think you do. So tell me the truth."
    "Jake, sometimes people change. You shouldn't
judge people based on what they did in the past, but on what they
do in the present."
    Jake shook his head. When his mother waxed
philosophical, he knew he wouldn't get anything out of her. He
passed on Inez's message. "Inez said Maddie went to the shelter
each morning. Do you know anything about that?"
    "I really need to go. I suggest you ask
Maddie if you want to know something about her." She rose and
grabbed her purse from a hook on the wall. "Lock up before you
leave."
    With that