A Gift to Cherish (Road to Refuge Book 2)

by Victoria Bylin

  “Oh.”

  Rafe hooked an eyebrow. “Is that, ‘Oh, great. We’ll be seeing each other again.’ Or, ‘Oh, crud. This guy’s a pest?’”

  She laughed. “Neither.”

  “So what would you say if I asked you out to dinner? We could celebrate your new job.”

  “No. I can’t. Definitely not. But thank you.” Her words came out like gunfire, one bullet after another. Precise. Prepared. And well aimed.

  Something had put her on guard, and it couldn’t have been good. Rafe’s blood heated the way it had in those final weeks with Kara—the way it still did when he sensed trouble. He had no business worrying about Daisy Riley, but he couldn’t help himself.

  He decided to keep things light and press at the same time. “If you’re seeing someone, he’s a lucky guy.”

  “No. I’m just not dating.”

  “Ever?”

  Daisy laughed. “Well, maybe someday. Like in five years.”

  Rafe didn’t know Daisy at all, but he knew a lot about wounded women. Sometimes they needed to climb out of the pain on their own to prove they could do it. Others needed to be lifted up and carried to safety.

  He was more than willing to do some lifting. “How about five days instead?”

  Her mouth opened, closed. Opened again.

  Good. A crack in her resolve. “Think about it. My number’s written down on the note.”

  Her cheeks flamed pink. “I can’t—really—I . . .” She shook her head, letting silence be her answer.

  “No problem at all. And no pressure. I’m new in town and just trying to make some friends.”

  Her pale blue eyes locked on to his brown ones. Was it longing that made them glisten in the silence? Or was it fear?

  She glanced at the balloons bobbing in the breeze, then turned to him, her expression wistful. “It’s not you. It’s just . . .” Her voice trailed off again.

  “Bad timing.”

  “Yes.” She turned and opened the back door to her car. Rafe untied the bouquet, stuck the note with his number in his pocket, then handed her the balloons. As she stuffed them into the Hyundai, the balloons fought back, thumping and bumping against her head.

  “Do you need help?” he asked.

  “I’ve got it.” She popped out of the car and laughed. “They almost won!”

  Rafe opened the driver’s door for her and stepped back. She slid behind the steering wheel, then looked up at him. “Thank you for the dinner invitation. And the balloons. It’s not personal. It’s just that I’m new here and still getting settled. My life is . . . what it is.”

  “Complicated?”

  “No.” The word came out soft, almost a whisper. “Right now, it’s remarkably simple.”

  “Good. We’ll keep it that way.” He gave her a smile, then closed the car door with a gentle push.

  As she drove away, he pondered her vague words about life being remarkably simple. His cop instincts served him well on the job, and those instincts were pinging now. Unless he missed his guess, Daisy Riley had a past as revealing as skid marks after a car crash.

  But he wasn’t on the job. He was new in town and missing his friends in Cincinnati. He’d respect Daisy’s boundaries—no question about that. But he also wanted to be her friend, let their marbles do some rolling around, and he would keep an eye out for trouble. That’s just who he was.

  “Don’t look in the mirror,” Daisy told herself as she drove away from the parking lot. If she didn’t give Rafe Donovan a second look, she wouldn’t give him a third one—then her phone number. She needed to stop thinking about that dinner invitation. But despite her resolve, her eyes flicked to the rearview mirror.

  To her relief—and admittedly some disappointment—he was already gone.

  The joy of her new job flooded back, and she sang her favorite praise songs all the way to MJ’s house—until a hatchback with California plates caught her eye. Daisy didn’t recognize the vehicle, but nothing good could come from California—at least for her.

  Maybe the car belonged to a friend of Shane’s. Except Shane had been a professional baseball player. His friends drove Corvettes and luxury SUVs.

  Eric . . . Her stomach did a flip, but her common sense kicked in. He’d been sentenced to twelve years in prison for second-degree attempted murder. If he was released early for any reason, her legal aid advocate would contact her. She didn’t need to worry. Besides, Eric didn’t know where she lived now. Only Lyn knew, and she wouldn’t tell anyone without Daisy’s permission.

  Still nervous, she parked in her usual spot on the left side of the driveway, gathered her belongings including the balloons, and detoured to the hatchback for a peek through the bug-spattered windshield. A child’s booster seat, a Barbie doll, and cardboard boxes assured her the car didn’t belong to Eric. Most likely it belonged to a friend of MJ’s.

  Daisy’s fear evaporated in a breath, and she walked through the back door and into the kitchen. MJ’s laughter drifted down the hall from the living room. Not wanting to intrude, Daisy headed toward the stairs.

  A little girl’s giggle carried over the conversation. “Mommy? Can you fix my game?”

  Daisy knew that voice. Hannah was four years old and the daughter of Chelsea Yeager, a friend of Daisy’s from Los Angeles. Daisy’s relationship with Chelsea had gone through some ups and downs because of Eric, but there was nothing complicated about her affection for Hannah.

  With a big smile and a bunch of balloons for her favorite little girl in the world, Daisy walked into the living room.

  Chapter 4

  Daisy dropped down to a crouch and flung her arms wide. “Hannah-Banana! I can’t believe it!”

  “Daisy!”

  The little girl barreled into her, and they shared one of their famous rock ’n’ roll hugs, the kind where they rocked until Hannah rolled onto the floor and Daisy tickled her. Just as Daisy expected, the child flopped down. Daisy obliged with a tickle, then pressed the balloon strings into Hannah’s warm palm. “These are for you.”

  The child tugged on the ribbons to make the balloons bounce. “Mommy, look!”

  “Isn’t that cool!” Chelsea hurried to Daisy for a hug of her own. “How did you know we were coming?”

  “I didn’t. The balloons were a stroke of luck.” With her initial shock settling into curiosity, Daisy eased back from the hug. “I can’t believe this.”

  Chelsea grinned. “It’s a surprise. I know.”

  “A big one.”

  The two women had worked together at Shenanigan’s, a trendy restaurant in Los Angeles, where they were both servers. They’d been good friends, though the friendship had dimmed when Chelsea brought Eric to Mary’s Closet without Daisy’s permission. That decision triggered the restraining order, Eric stalking Daisy, and the vicious assault that put Daisy in the ICU.

  Chelsea had apologized a thousand times, and Daisy had forgiven her without hesitation. How could she do anything else? Daisy was here now in Refuge—safe and happy—because people like Lyn had been kind, even generous, when she deserved it the least. Hannah, too, tugged at Daisy’s heart. The little girl filled the hole left by the abortion Daisy would regret forever. The old guilt raised its head. As always, she silently thanked God for washing away the stains if not the regret.

  After a breath, she led the way to the couch. Chelsea dropped down next to her, and Hannah sprawled on the floor with a My Little Pony game on her Kindle Fire. Mother and daughter looked a lot alike with matching dark hair and hazel-green eyes, and they both seemed happy. So why were they here in Refuge? And why hadn’t Chelsea bothered to call or text in advance? Daisy needed to find out.

  MJ stood up from the love seat and lifted her empty iced tea glass. “I need to pick up Cody. Before I go, I want to know how the interview went.”

  Fresh excitement bubbled from Daisy’s head to her toes. “It was fantastic. I got the job.”

  MJ let out a squeal. Glass in hand, she gave Daisy an awkward hug. “When d
o you start?”

  “This Thursday.” Daisy turned to Chelsea. “I’m officially an administrative assistant at a big ranch.” Mindful of Miss Joan’s desire for privacy, Daisy held back the details.

  “That’s great!” Chelsea sounded sincere, but Daisy caught a whiff of envy. It’s how she would have felt if the situation were reversed.

  MJ broke in. “We have to celebrate. Dinner tonight is just taco salad, but Chelsea? You and Hannah are welcome to join us.”

  Chelsea’s face lit up. “After three days of fast food, we’d like that a lot. Thank you.”

  MJ said good-bye and left to pick up Cody. Daisy slid over to her spot on the love seat so she could see Chelsea without craning her neck. She didn’t want Hannah to overhear, so she lowered her voice. “Refuge isn’t exactly a ten-minute drive from California. Are you all right?”

  “Yes and no. I’m going home.”

  “To Michigan?”

  “To live with my mom and stepdad.” Chelsea dragged both hands through her hair, pulling it away from her face as she grimaced. “I hate the idea, but I have to get out of LA. Between rent and daycare, I’m broke all the time. It just never ends, and there’s no way out.”

  Daisy had made decent money at Shenanigan’s. Chelsea’s earnings had been about the same, even a little higher, plus she received child support from her ex-husband. Money alone didn’t explain such a drastic move. Daisy kept her voice low so Hannah wouldn’t hear. “Is it just money, or did something else happen?”

  “Both.” Chelsea exaggerated a shudder. “After you left, a guy from corporate took over as manager. I tried to be”—she made air quotes—“‘a team player,’ but the new guy put me on lunches. Instead of trading babysitting with a neighbor, I had to put Hannah in preschool. It cost almost as much as my rent.”

  “Does Brian still help?” Daisy wasn’t a fan of Chelsea’s ex-husband.

  “He pays child support, but he doesn’t spend any real time with her. You know how it is.”

  Daisy’s gaze went to Hannah, still absorbed in the game on her tablet, an innocent victim along for a bumpy ride. Sometimes life just wasn’t fair. Accidents happened. People died. But sometimes the pendulum swung the other way, and someone who didn’t deserve a break got one—like today and Daisy’s new job.

  Chelsea gazed down at her daughter, her expression tender. “I can’t take being broke all the time, so I’m doing what you did.”

  “Me?” Daisy hardly considered herself a role model.

  “I quit my job, packed our things, and hit the road. Hannah and I are starting over.”

  Daisy puffed up with a hint of pride. If she had inspired Chelsea to make a brave change, some of her own suffering had a purpose. “I’m proud of you, Chels. It’s not easy to start over.”

  “There’s just one problem.”

  Uh-oh. “What is it?”

  “I have enough money to get to Michigan, but that’s it. My parents are okay with us moving in, but their house is tiny and my mom treats me like I’m fourteen. They want us to stay with them, but I’m going to need my own place. How would you feel if I stayed in Refuge for a few months, found a job, and saved up enough for rent when I get to Michigan?”

  “I’d be fine with it, but I’m confused.” And still surprised by Chelsea’s arrival. A cross-country move required some thought. “If this was the plan, why didn’t you tell me you were coming?”

  “It wasn’t the plan.”

  “It wasn’t? Then how—”

  “We were on I-80 when I saw the Welcome to Wyoming sign. I said, ‘Hannah, look! This is where Daisy lives.’ She got so excited that I checked my phone and saw you were only a few hours away. I tried to call, but we were in a dead zone. After that, I just followed the GPS and here we are.”

  Daisy could see herself making the same impulsive decisions. “I’m glad you’re here, but this isn’t my house. You’re going to need a place to stay.”

  “Of course,” she said quickly. “I wouldn’t dream of imposing. I saw a weekly motel that looks reasonable. As for work, I’m sick to death of being a server, but I’m good at it.”

  Daisy faked a jealous scowl, teasing her. “You always did beat me on tips.”

  Chelsea grinned. “I just flirted more.”

  Daisy laughed, but a sad truth lurked beneath it. She’d been living with Eric then, under his thumb, and a victim even if she didn’t know it. There were days when she didn’t smile at anyone out of the fear that he’d see her and be cruel. Thanks to God, those days were over. Now Chelsea needed help, and Daisy could give it. “You won’t have trouble finding a job. It’s almost summer. Refuge is already filling up with tourists.”

  “Do you know anything about daycare? That’s a huge problem for me.”

  Was Hannah listening? Would the four-year-old think she was the problem? Daisy hoped not. “I bet MJ will know someone. Of course, I’ll help when I can.”

  Chelsea gave a sad shake of her head. “I love Hannah. I do. But being a mom is hard. She comes first, but sometimes I wonder if . . .” The sentence faded into silence.

  Daisy couldn’t let it go. “Wonder what?”

  Chelsea whispered to guard Hannah’s ears. “If I’ll ever meet someone special or if this is it.” She held out both hands, cupped and empty.

  “I won’t lie,” Daisy murmured. “Life doesn’t come with guarantees. You know that because of Brian.”

  Chelsea’s eyes misted. “The divorce nearly destroyed me. I didn’t start really dating again until after you left. Do you remember Carol Dixon?”

  “Of course.” The veteran waitress had been the restaurant’s mother hen.

  “She talked me into signing up for FriendsFirst.”

  Daisy recognized the name of an online dating app. “How did it go?”

  “Great—until last month.” Chelsea reached into her purse for a tissue and dabbed at her eyes. “Nathan and I dated for almost six months, but then it fell apart. I loved him, but he didn’t love me—at least not enough.”

  Daisy knew all about not being enough, so she moved to the couch and gave Chelsea a hug. “I’m so sorry.”

  “Me too.” Chelsea squeezed tight, clinging until she eased back. “I tried so hard to make it work.”

  “Relationships aren’t easy,” Daisy replied. “But I’m curious about something.”

  “What is it?”

  “I had no idea you were seeing someone. You didn’t text me or call. No pictures on social media. Nothing.”

  “I wanted to tell you, but Nathan wanted to keep things private until we were sure.”

  Daisy thought of Miss Joan, the job interview, and her secret project. “That was probably smart. Break-ups are hard enough without having to explain to everyone.”

  “And disappoint people—like my mother.” Chelsea rolled her eyes. “If I changed my Facebook status to ‘In a relationship,’ she’d be planning a wedding.”

  Chelsea reached for her glass of iced tea, took a sip, then set the glass back down. “I can’t believe I’m thirty-one and moving back in with my parents.”

  Daisy knew enough about Chelsea’s upbringing to envy her. “Going home might be just what you need, especially with Hannah. You’ll have built-in babysitting, right?”

  “Yes, but I don’t want to take advantage of my parents. At least if I have some money saved, I won’t look like a total failure, which I guess I am.”

  “Don’t say that.” Apparently Chelsea had an evil twin of her own. “You’re a wonderful mom. Just look at Hannah—she’s doing great.”

  “She’s the best thing in my life.” Chelsea smiled down at her daughter, then turned back to Daisy. “Are you sure it’s okay if I hang around Refuge?”

  “Of course. Why wouldn’t it be?”

  “I don’t want to interfere in your life. I did that once with Eric, and I’ll never forgive myself.”

  Daisy made her voice firm. “I forgave you, Chels. You know that.”

  “Yes, but—” />
  “No buts allowed when it comes to forgiveness. You messed up, but it’s over now. If you’re going to start fresh, you have to put your old thoughts aside. It’s not easy, but you can do it.” It wasn’t often Daisy gave a pep talk; she was usually the recipient. But today the powerful words came easily.

  Chelsea managed a faint smile. “Thanks. I needed that.”

  “We all need a little help sometimes.” Daisy sure did, and she also needed to give of herself whenever she could. “I’ll do whatever I can. You know how much I love Hannah-Banana.”

  Chelsea grinned, and this time it glowed with sincerity. “I love you, Daisy.”

  “I love you, too.” Daisy gave Chelsea a playful fist bump, and they both grinned.

  Hannah announced she needed to go potty, so Daisy took her to the bathroom. They returned to the living room, and Hannah showed her pony-race game to Daisy while Chelsea searched for jobs on her phone.

  Shortly before five o’clock, MJ walked in with Cody. He took Hannah under his wing, and they played in the family room. Five minutes later, Shane arrived sweaty and grinning after high school baseball practice. He kissed MJ, high-fived Daisy, and greeted Chelsea with a warm hello. When he insisted they all go to Cowboy’s Cantina to celebrate Daisy’s new job, she nearly burst with pride.

  Could life get any better? Daisy didn’t think so.

  And then it did. During dinner, MJ pulled her aside and asked if she wanted to invite Chelsea to stay with them until she could find a place of her own. They’d be crowded upstairs, but MJ, like Daisy, knew how it felt to be broke, scared, and in need of a helping hand.

  Words of gratitude poured from Chelsea’s lips until she was almost babbling. Daisy didn’t own the house, but she belonged to the family opening its arms to Chelsea and Hannah. For the first time in her life, she was the person doing the giving instead of the person in need, and it felt good.

  Chapter 5

  Forty minutes after leaving Cottonwood Acres, Rafe pulled into the parking lot behind the high-end log building that housed Donovan Construction. He needed to find out more about tomorrow’s assignment, but mostly he wanted to rope Jesse into having dinner with him. It had been a long day, the vast majority of it spent alone, and he was eager to blow off a little steam, tell a few jokes, and chow down on a big meal.