by Dora Hiers
Was the interview over? Hadn’t she said she liked what she saw on his application? Why had she invited him? Or was this a test?
“My roaming years are over.” His voice came out gravelly, rough. He ran a hand across his face, the lack of whiskers disconcerting.
“Really?” One thin eyebrow arched, and she propped an elbow on the polished mahogany desk, her pointed chin resting in a palm. Now, it seemed, her attention was riveted on him. “What makes you say that?”
“Because I finally realized that what I’d been searching for all those years can’t be found in a place, but right in here.” He thumped his chest. “I’d like to settle down in Harrison. Reconnect with my family again.” And a special lady.
She nodded, looking rather pleased with his words.
Saying it, thinking it, that was all fine, but could he actually follow through with it? Could he own that decision? Could he handle the pressures, the day-to-day responsibilities without cracking like his dad? Because that’s what it all boiled down to.
Carson swallowed.
Why was he still worried about turning out like his father?
The plush chair squeaked as Ms. Silver rose, knocking her knuckles on the table once, indicating the interview was over.
He stood as well. Took her outstretched hand.
“Thank you for your time, Mr. Lambright. I will get back with you, whichever way I decide.”
“Thanks.” He nodded, a twinge of regret kicking him in the gut. Had he said or done something to offend the woman?
Her words didn’t sound particularly hopeful.
Maybe he’d be moving to Raleigh after all.
****
“So, what do you think? Is this something you could tackle?”
Carson was sure he heard a challenge in the vet’s tone. He pushed a button on the tape measure, stealing a quick glance at the man while it recoiled.
Randolph blinked at the abrupt noise then attempted to hide his reaction by folding his arms across his chest and flicking his gaze back to the crowded waiting room. A terrier from inside the closed exam room behind them yipped, responding to the barks and meows coming from the waiting area.
“Sure.” Carson nodded, mentally shutting out all the commotion as if he was on a job site. He jotted the measurement on a notepad then slid the pencil behind an ear. He stretched to his full height and clipped the measuring tape back on his tool belt.
“I can give you a bid.” That’s all he could commit to right now. Whether he accepted the job depended on Ms. Silver’s phone call. “When were you looking at starting this project?”
“I guess that depends on the bid.” Randolph scrunched his forehead. “And how long you plan to be in town this time around.”
Just as he suspected. The guy was just jerking his chain.
Carson refused to be played. “I’ll email the bid to you later today.”
He walked toward the exit, glancing over a shoulder. “I apologize for cutting this short, but I promised Jillian that I’d pick her up from the hospital.”
The vet sputtered something, bolted away from the wall and reached into his pocket. For a phone perhaps?
That meant Jillian hadn’t called him about her accident.
He spotted a mixed puppy near the exit and knelt, holding out a hand for the pup to sniff. He looked to the young boy, gripping the leash as if the mite-sized dog might bolt. “May I?”
The boy looked to his mother for permission then mimicked her nod.
Carson scratched behind the dog’s ears, smiling when the animal leaned into his hand. “What’s his name?”
While he waited for the boy’s answer, he spotted Corbin heading down the hallway to his office, phone clamped to his ear. A tiny seed of satisfaction sprouted in his gut.
“Boomer.”
“Cute name for a cute pup.” Carson chuckled. “Thanks for letting me say hi. Have a good day.” He stretched and, after a nod at the duo, pushed through the glass exit door and held it open for a woman carrying a box.
Huffing from the exertion of walking up the sidewalk with her load, she bobbed her gray hair up and down. “Thank you, young man.”
“Whoa! Let me take that for you.” With his boot keeping the door open, he held out his hands for the container.
“Why, thank you again.” She handed it over and dusted her hands.
Tiny mews emitted from the box. No. Whatever you do, do not look down.
His head didn’t listen to the warning his brain issued.
Three kittens nestled together on a fluffy towel. With pathetic cries, tiny paws kneaded against each other as their bodies twined.
“Aren’t they the most precious things you’ve ever seen?” With a forefinger, the lady stroked one of the kittens.
Allowing the door to close, he set the box on the ground and lifted one of the furry critters, not even as big as his palm. The meow became much louder as little claws pricked his skin.
“Yeah.” Smiling at the sensation, he crouched and rubbed the smooth bellies of the other two. “They are sweet.”
“Found these little ones next to my garage in the back yard. Waited two days and never saw the mama, so I think she must’ve dropped them off and then something happened to her. Sadly, I can’t keep them.” She shook her gray head.
“No? Why not?”
“Allergies.” Right then, as if in affirmation, she sneezed, a rather violent sound. She dug into her purse for a tissue and swiped her nose. “Besides sneezing, my throat gets all dry and my eyes run.”
“That’s not good.”
“No, it’s not, especially since I just love the little babies.” Worry lines wrinkled her face as she peered at the sign for the clinic. “But I’m hoping the vet here will take them off my hands. Find them a good home.”
He counted the kittens again. There were only three of them. “I think I might know some people willing to love them.”
Her face brightened, and she clapped her hands together. “You do?”
“Yeah. My sister runs the Forever Family Animal Sanctuary. That’s what she does for a living. Takes in animals that need a home. I’m sure she’ll want to keep one of these little guys, but if the other two don’t pan out, she’ll help me find good homes for them.” He already had a couple ideas. Cam. Jillian. Yeah. In his head, he’d already found homes for all three.
“Oh, that’s such a relief.” She dabbed the tissue under her eyes. “I sure hate to give them up, but allergies, you know?” She dug into her purse again, this time pulling out a massive set of keys. “Thank you, young man. You’re a lifesaver.”
She turned and waddled away from him, waving a hand in the air then wrenched open a door to an ancient, battered battleship of a car.
He stroked the soft fur of all three siblings in one sweep. “No worries, little ones. We’ll find you good homes.”
He scooped up the box. He’d already decided which one would make the perfect welcome home present for Jillian.
****
Carson held out his hand for the keys to Jillian’s house, his pulse doing a little jig when her fingers brushed his palm.
With one hand clutching her overnight bag, he slid the key into the lock and pushed the door open, gesturing for her to go in first. He followed, his nose lifting slightly, breathing in the fruity, spicy trail she left behind.
He closed the door and did a panoramic sweep of the interior.
So this was Jillian’s house. The day he’d repaired the storm damage, he’d peeked inside the family room, but he hadn’t stuck around that day waiting for an invitation.
She’d done a nice job with her simple, homey touches in the century old farmhouse. Like a couple of antique looking signs and a dried herb arrangement hanging from an exposed rafter in the kitchen. A weathered, beaten table for four nestled in the corner of the giant space, and off the side of the kitchen was the family room with a comfy looking couch and a rocking chair.
No real personal items, though, like photo
s. Why was that?
He held up the bag. “Where do you want this?”
“Just set it on the floor there. I’ll take care of it.” Exhaustion amplified the bruises darkening the hollow spots above her cheekbones.
His heart wrenched, longing to comfort her. He complied by setting the bag on the floor next to a hallway, which he suspected led to the bedrooms, then he turned and held out his arms.
She walked right into them and pressed her cheek against his chest. This felt so right, so perfect. She felt so right, so perfect.
Keeping his hold light, he swayed to a tune rolling through his head while he rubbed circles along her back. Sensing this normally strong woman, the one who usually did the comforting and the rescuing, needed a hug and a moment of comfort herself, he kept silent.
She finally pulled back, her palms splayed against his chest, the smoky look of gratitude simmering from her eyes doing funny things to his insides.
His heart thumped out a frantic rhythm against his chest wall. Could she feel it through the thin cotton fabric of his shirt?
He linked their fingers together at their sides and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
Her chest rose and fell. Lashes fluttered to her cheeks, shuttering her thoughts, the feelings he was fairly certain he’d see expressed there.
But now was not the time or the place to declare his hope for a future between them. Not when the lack of job, and his fears, still cast a dark cloud over his prayers. Please, Lord, forgive my lack of faith. Help me grow stronger in You and to show this woman how precious and beautiful she is to me, with my words, my actions, my heart.
Releasing his hold on her hands, he tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. Her eyelids lifted.
She must have sensed his hesitation because she turned, hiding her expression again, and padded barefoot into the kitchen. “Can I get you something to drink? Some cookies?”
“No, thanks. I need to run to my sister’s place for a few minutes. Do you mind if I come back afterward though?” He had a soft, cuddly kitten to retrieve, and suddenly he was having second thoughts. Would she appreciate having a pet to take care of? Especially now, when her steps were lagging and her shoulders sagging with the effort of just standing on her feet.
At the time, he’d thought that was just what she needed. Now he wasn’t so sure.
19
“Sure. I’m not going anywhere today.”
“Be right back then.” Carson pivoted and hustled out the door. His heavy footfalls practically did a jig down the front porch stairs. Why was he in such a hurry?
She turned on the faucet, dangling her fingers underneath the spigot until the water cooled. Even though the temperature outside was unusually warm, she longed for a steaming cup of herbal tea. That always worked wonders to soothe her frazzled nerves after a particularly rough duty day. A vehicle accident and a night’s stay in the hospital counted as frazzled, right?
She filled the kettle and set it on the stove. Thankfully, her next shift wasn’t until Saturday. Besides today, she had another whole day to recuperate, to work out the stiffness in her shoulders and the sore muscles in her back before she’d be forced to operate at full speed.
She flicked the burner on and wandered over to stare out the window overlooking the front yard. The afternoon sun, high overhead, cast a brilliant glare into the room. Squinting, she soaked in the peaceful, quiet sounds of living in the country. Lightning’s soft snort from the pasture, and the distant hums and calls of Remi’s llamas.
The kettle whistled, breaking the stillness in the room. She plunked a tea bag into a mug and filled it with hot water before trudging to the armchair, exhaustion making her limbs heavy.
She took a slow sip of the hot brew, savoring the hot liquid as it slid down her throat as much as knowing Carson was coming back. Contentment curled in her belly, but then, just as quickly, curdled. He might be here now, but he would be moving to Raleigh soon. What then?
An engine revved up her driveway. A car door closed. Carson was back already?
What seemed like minutes passed before a loud thump sounded on the front porch. What was that?
She rose and twisted too quickly. White-hot pain seared through her back. Tears blinded her, and she stopped to rub out the ache. If she wasn’t careful, the doctor wouldn’t allow her to go back to work on Saturday.
He knocked once and cracked open the door, yelling through the slight opening. “Jillian, it’s just me. Okay if I come in?”
“Yeah. Come on in.” Gingerly, and with her fingers gripping the arm of the chair for support, she sank back down, eyeing the box he carried. “That was a quick trip.”
“Told you I would just be a few minutes.” He set a bulging sack on the floor next to the door and stepped over to her chair. “Long enough to bring back this—” he reached into the box and pulled out something “—tiny ball of fur.”
“Ohhh!” She scooted to the edge of her seat, her stiff back shooting her a sharp reminder about moving too fast, and took the tiny mewling kitten from him. “How precious.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” Humor tinged his voice.
She glanced up from the wiggling bundle of sweetness nibbling on her fingers to Carson’s face, which sported an alluring blend of trepidation and excitement. Like a kid on Christmas Day. “Why?”
“Because I brought three of these wee ones home today.”
She grinned. “Really?”
He nodded and leaned on the chair’s arm, his nearness causing all sorts of alarms to go off in her heart. “This lady was sneezing—”
“You fell for that line, huh?”
He reared back, feigning indignance. “It wasn’t a line. She was really sneezing. And her eyes were watering, and she said her throat swelled whenever she was near a cat.”
Jillian nodded, smiling. The poor guy was such a softie. But, really, for an allergy sufferer, cats were a huge problem.
“Anyway, I told her that I’d take them off her hands. That I knew some wonderful people who would love these precious babies and give them a home. Am I right?” His raised eyebrows challenged her.
“I don’t know about the wonderful part, but I already love this little one. She’s definitely a cutie!”
Satisfaction replaced the earlier worry she’d seen on his face. “I knew it. This was my last one. I saved her just for you.”
“What’s her name?”
“Purrtygirl.” He pronounced it then spelled it out.
“Haha. Purrtygirl. I get it.” She chuckled, her gaze drawn to the kitten, snowy white except for the charcoal grey smudge circling one eye. “Cute. Did she come with that name?”
“Nope. I gave it to her. She’s the only one with that unique mark. It really distinguishes her from the others. Makes her even more beautiful, don’t you think?” His hand stroked the kitten’s back, but his gaze studied her.
Some raw emotion came through in his voice and glittered from his eyes. Something she couldn’t quite put a finger on. But, from his serious expression, it appeared that it was extremely important that she believe him.
Unique mark.
More beautiful.
His words seeped in, soothing and calming after yesterday’s trauma, chipping off a heavy burden of insecurity from her shoulders. Did he really believe that? Could she?
“The sneezy lady found them nestled up next to her garage. She thought that maybe something happened to mama because she never came back for them.”
“How sad.” Jillian held the kitten against her cheek, snuggling her nose in the soft fur, loving the contented sound of the tiny purr.
“The outcome would have been sadder if her and her brothers had been left at the vet’s like sneezy lady intended.”
Surprise hit Jillian in the chest. “You were at Corbin’s today?”
A lump worked its way down Carson’s whiskered throat, and his lips pressed together as he nodded. “Yeah. He asked me to give him a bid for an expansion job.”
“Ah. So that explains Corbin’s phone call.”
Although Carson didn’t elaborate, she could tell from the mischievous glint shimmering from his eyes and the dimple peeking from behind the five o’clock shadow, that he probably had a lot to say on the subject.
She let it pass. She’d been mildly annoyed when Corbin called, demanding to know what happened and why she hadn’t called him.
Carson had been the one to show up at the hospital, to visit and bring her home. The only man she’d wanted to come. Her face softened, and her whole body tremored. “Wait a minute! Corbin asked you to give him a quote?”
Carson nodded, but the light in his eyes dimmed. “I think he was just yanking my chain.”
“His practice is booming from what I understand.” She tilted her head to study him. The purring kitten snuggled against her chest, her short tail whipping around in the air. “So why would you think that?”
“Because he really just wanted to find out how long I planned to be around Harrison.”
She gulped. She wanted to know the answer to that question too.
****
Carson watched the transformation on Jillian’s face, from excited to desolate, powerless to stop it.
He slid to the rug. Kneeling in front of her, he nudged her chin up and traced her cheek with his thumb. “I’d like to stay, Jillian.”
“I’d like that, too.” Her voice held the slightest quiver. Her lashes glittered with unshed tears. “But, do you think you could ever be happy in one place?”
His chest lifted with a sigh. “I’ve finally come to—”
His phone vibrated in his pocket. He rose to his feet and stepped a few paces away, averting his face, a war waging between his head and his heart.
If this was Ms. Silver calling, he didn’t want to take the call in front of Jillian. He couldn’t bear for her to hear the disappointment in his voice when the woman informed him that she’d filled the position with someone more qualified.
My precious son. When will you learn to trust me?
He straightened his spine, determined to be faithful. God had gotten him home when he’d asked, and the only thing God asked of Carson was to trust Him. To trust that He’d provide the job, whether it was the one with Silver Properties or another one. Oh, God, forgive me for my doubts.
