A Future to Fight For

by Mindy Obenhaus

  Looking down at her, he could see the sorrow in her eyes. Yet, there were no tears.

  He felt like a heel. “I—I’m sorry, Paisley. I had no idea.”

  “I know you didn’t.” She tilted her head to meet his gaze, her smile tremulous. “That’s why I told you.”

  Could that be why she’d needed a change of scenery? “How long ago?”

  “It’ll be five years next month.” Making her son a few years older than Mackenzie, had he lived.

  Reminding himself to give his kids extra big hugs this morning, he searched Paisley’s face, her peaceful expression, realizing just how wrong he’d been about her. She had an inner strength and determination he wasn’t even sure he possessed.

  “I’m sorry you had to go through that.”

  She nodded. “Me, too. But God is good, and I firmly believe that He has a plan and a purpose for everything, good or bad.” Her tone left no room for argument.

  How was that possible? She’d lost her entire family, not to mention all of the hopes and dreams that went along with it. Something he could relate to, though on a different level. Yet, there wasn’t a hint of anger or self-pity in Paisley’s words.

  While Paisley returned to her work, her statement had him taking a hard look at himself. He knew what God’s word said, believed most of it, yet he still struggled with bitterness, especially where his mother and ex-wife were concerned.

  “By the way—” Paisley pulled two large baking sheets from a cupboard and set them next to her bowl “—since seeing your collection yesterday, I’ve been contemplating security measures that could be implemented to ensure its safety.”

  He felt the corners of his mouth lift. “You’re kidding, right? I mean, with everything else going on...” He gestured toward the window.

  Pulling what looked like a small ice cream scoop from a drawer, she chuckled. “This was before the storm.” She began scooping balls of dough onto the baking sheet. “You said you’re looking at using primarily the first floor of the castle for the museum, correct?”

  “Yes.” He dropped into a chair and mentally shifted gears.

  “Most of the rooms on that level have solid wood doors, so they should be quite easy to secure. They would simply need some industrial-strength locks and, of course, security cameras throughout that level.” She set the first tray aside and started filling the next. “But the drawing room, which is open with pillars, would need to be fortified somehow.”

  “That’s the largest room, too. And the opening is a good twelve feet wide.”

  “Indeed.” She opened the oven door before taking hold of the two pans with the cookie dough. “What if we put in some of those accordion-style metal gates?” She set the pans in the oven and closed the door. “Of course, they’d need to go to the top of the opening so no one could climb over, but when the museum is open, they could be pushed against the walls so as not to detract from the beauty of the castle.” Brushing a lock of hair away from her face, she continued. “But we’d need to make sure the Renwicks would be all right with us drilling into the walls to secure them.”

  He couldn’t help staring, in part because he was stunned that Paisley had put that much thought into the security of his collection, but also because he couldn’t believe he hadn’t thought of something along those lines first.

  “That’s not a bad idea,” he said.

  One eyebrow arched. “Not bad? I thought it was quite brilliant myself.” She grabbed a pink mug from the counter and took a sip before joining him at the table. “Look, I know the Renwicks’ offer is a lot different than either of us were anticipating. But given the fact that we’re both passionate about preserving the castle and using it, and that we were actually able to work as a team last night, I think we should put aside our pride, adjust our dreams—” she lifted a shoulder “—and go for it.”

  As a businessman, he respected that she was willing to cut to the chase. And he had to admit, the fact that she not only understood his concerns about the security of his artifacts but had come up with some viable measures to overcome his objections impressed him. But there was still one part of the equation he wasn’t sure of, and that was working with Paisley. Could she be trusted?

  It was a business relationship, not a marriage proposal. Plus, he was starting to realize that when it came to business, Paisley was no amateur. Her ideas were well thought out, with a great deal of passion behind them—not merely a flash in the pan as he had first believed.

  He considered her once more. The woman had guts. He could appreciate that. He supposed there was only one thing left to do.

  Stretching his hand across the table, he said, “Ms. Wainwright, I believe you’ve got yourself a deal.”

  Chapter Four

  Under a canopy of live oak and magnolia trees, Paisley meandered the lawn around the courthouse square Saturday evening alongside her very pregnant friend Laurel, who was pushing her two-year-old daughter, Sarah-Jane, in a stroller. The near perfect weather had more than half of the town and dozens of visitors turning out for the Bliss Barbecue Fest.

  Children gravitated toward carnival games on the east side of the courthouse while a country band played a toe-tapping tune on a stage to the south. The aroma of smoked meat carried on the breeze, stirring Paisley’s appetite.

  She breathed deep, savoring the opportunity to spend time with her friends. A couple of years ago, she, Laurel, Rae and Christa had been practically inseparable. Now that Laurel and Christa were married with families, it was more difficult to find a time that worked for everyone. But with Laurel’s husband, Wes, taking part in the barbecue competition, this was the perfect occasion for a little girl time.

  “So, you’re really going back into the wedding business?” Laurel waved to one of the older ladies from church.

  “I sure hope so.” Paisley eyed some homemade lavender soap in one of the vendor booths. “For now, though, I’m concentrating on bringing Renwick Castle up to par.”

  “Paisley, you are the only person I know who could have pulled off a coup like that. I mean, that place has been sitting there gathering weeds forever.”

  “I know, and it was so sad to see it deteriorating when it had the potential for so many wonderful things.”

  “Are you sure you’re going to be okay sharing it with Crockett Devereaux, though? I mean, you two are kind of like oil and wat—”

  “Ms. Paisley!”

  She lifted her head, smiling when she saw Mackenzie hurrying toward her with three friends in tow. “Hey there, sweet thing.” She returned the girl’s hug before eyeing the group. “Are you girls here all by yourselves?”

  “Uh-huh.” A bubbly blue-eyed blonde tittered.

  “We’re waiting to do the climbing wall.” Taylor Bennett, a no-nonsense brunette from Paisley’s Sunday school class, informed her.

  “That sounds like fun.”

  “It is so fun.” Another girl with shoulder-length sandy-brown hair beamed. “And everyone wants to do it.”

  Focusing on Mackenzie, Paisley said, “Did your father get his truck repaired?”

  “Yeah. The windshield, anyway. He says the dents can wait.”

  “That’s goo—”

  The third girl grabbed hold of Mackenzie’s arm. “The line’s getting longer! We need to hurry.”

  The other girls nodded emphatically.

  “In that case, y’all have fun.”

  “We will.” Mackenzie waved as they departed, her long, dark ponytail swishing back and forth.

  Returning her attention to Laurel, Paisley shook her head. “Did we have that much energy when we were their age?”

  “Probably.” Laurel’s honey-blond waves spilled over her shoulder as she handed her daughter a small bag of fish crackers. “Which means I’m in no hurry for Sarah-Jane to grow up.”

  “I still can’t believe she’s going to
be a big sister.” Wyatt James was slated to make his debut in early July, and Wes was beside himself. He hadn’t learned about Sarah-Jane until she was fourteen months old, so the experience was all new to him.

  Paisley’s gaze roamed the crowd until she spotted Rae moving toward them at a brisk pace. “About time you got here,” Paisley said as she hugged her friend.

  “You guys aren’t going to believe this.” Breathless, Rae pulled away.

  “Believe what?” Laurel gave the woman her full attention.

  “I just got off the phone with a caseworker.” Rae’s blue eyes sparkled as she brushed a lock of brown hair away from her face. “They’re bringing me two children tomorrow.”

  “That’s wonderful!” Paisley’s heart swelled as Laurel high-fived their friend. Rae had talked about becoming a foster mom for over a year. Now, with all of the paperwork, background checks, home visits and training behind her, she was finally going to have two little ones to dote on and love beyond measure. “Those kids are going to love you.”

  Rae’s excitement could hardly be contained. “I sure hope so.”

  “What are their names?” Laurel rested a hand atop her ever-growing baby bump.

  “I don’t know yet. They only told me that the girl is six and the boy is five.” Rae blew out a shaky breath. “And that their homelife has been pretty bad.”

  “That just breaks my heart.” Paisley pressed a hand to her chest as though she could somehow quell the ache.

  “Mine, too.” Rae nodded.

  “I’m just glad they’ll have you to show them unconditional love,” Paisley said.

  Rae lifted a shoulder. “I hope it’s enough.”

  “Ms. Paisley! Ms. Paisley!”

  The cries had her whipping around to see two of Mackenzie’s friends rushing toward her, their faces red with panic.

  “What is it, girls?” She set a hand on Taylor’s shoulder.

  “It’s Mackenzie.” The girl gasped for air. “She’s hurt.”

  Paisley glanced at her friends.

  “You go on.” Rae waved her away. “We’ll catch up.”

  Paisley followed the girls through throngs of people and into the street that had been closed to traffic until they reached the rock-climbing tower. At the base, a man hovered over a whimpering, helmet-and-harness-clad Mackenzie.

  Concern had Paisley pushing past onlookers to get to Crockett’s daughter. “What happened, darlin’?” She knelt beside the girl.

  “My ankle.” The girl hiccupped.

  “I don’t know what happened,” the thirtysomething man said. “She climbed just fine.”

  “Did you hurt it while you were climbing?”

  Mackenzie shook her head. “I’m so stupid. I lost my balance trying to get out of my harness.”

  “Now, now, we’ll have no name-calling.” Paisley wrapped an arm around the girl’s waist and lifted her onto her good foot. “You are not stupid. You simply lacked grace for a moment.”

  That made Mackenzie smile.

  “I’m afraid you’re not going to be able to stay out here, though.” She helped the girl out of her harness while the gentleman removed her helmet. Meeting Mackenzie’s dark gaze, she continued. “We need to get some ice on that foot and keep it elevated. When is your father picking you up?”

  “Not until eight.”

  Paisley checked her watch. It wasn’t even six. “Let’s find someplace for you to sit down, then I’ll call your father.” She looked around to see Rae and Laurel approaching. “Laurel, grab that table.” She pointed across the street. “Rae, come help me, please.”

  With Mackenzie’s arms around their shoulders, they helped her to a chair while the other girls followed. Paisley called Crockett, but there was no answer.

  Looking at Mackenzie, she said, “Why don’t you try him? See if he answers.”

  Mackenzie did as Paisley asked, with the same outcome. “He’s probably still in the horse barn. Dad says the metal building makes our phones not work sometimes.”

  “I see.” No telling how long he’d be in there. And while she didn’t think Mackenzie had broken anything, she did want to take the necessary precautions. “If I could figure out a way to get you to my house...”

  “You could take me home.” Mackenzie flashed her a hopeful smile.

  “I have guests, darlin’, so I need to stay close by.”

  “I don’t mind monitoring things at your place.” Rae grinned. “Matter of fact, it’ll give me an opportunity to see what sort of baked goods you have on hand so I can pilfer some for the kids tomorrow.”

  “My sweet friend, not only are you welcome to take whatever you want, but I will gladly make you a fresh batch of chocolate chip cookies in the morning.”

  “Deal.”

  Paisley looked at the girls surrounding their wounded friend. “All right. Y’all keep her company while I go get my vehicle.”

  Almost an hour later, she pulled her SUV into Crockett’s drive. As she neared the house she saw him exit one of the big barns with David at his side.

  “Looks like you called it, Mackenzie.” She eased to a stop in front of the house as the guys hopped on the UTV and started toward them.

  Seconds later, Crockett pulled alongside her, confusion pinching his brow as she exited her vehicle.

  “Hi, Ms. Paisley.” David scrambled to undo his seat belt, looking genuinely happy to see her.

  “Hello there.” She smiled as he hopped out to hug her around the waist.

  “What are you doing here?” Crockett was coated in dust and sweat from his black Dickies T-shirt to his well-worn jeans, and he definitely didn’t look happy to see her.

  “Bringing your daughter home.”

  Mackenzie opened the back door on the driver’s side. Paisley had put her back there along with a pillow and ice pack so she could elevate her foot.

  Her father whisked past Paisley to get to his girl. “What happened?”

  “I twisted my ankle.” While Paisley thought the girl might cry at the sight of her dad, she remained calm.

  Crockett promptly scooped her into his arms and started toward the house. “Why didn’t you call me?”

  “We tried, but you didn’t answer. I told Ms. Paisley you were probably in the barn and asked her to bring me home.”

  He glanced over his shoulder as he pushed through the wood-and-glass front door. “You were at the festival?”

  “Good thing, too.” With David at her side, Paisley followed them into the house, through a nondescript foyer to a large room that encompassed the living, dining and kitchen areas. “Mackenzie’s friends sought me out after she injured herself.”

  While Crockett settled his daughter on the overstuffed leather sofa, Paisley’s gaze drifted from the vaulted ceiling to the wall of windows that overlooked a pool and a view even more spectacular than the one in front of the house.

  Straightening, Crockett stared at Mackenzie. “So what happened?”

  “Dad, it was so embarrassing. I’m such a klutz.”

  Paisley lifted a brow. “Young lady, what did I say about calling yourself names.” She turned her attention to Crockett. “She stumbled trying to get out of her harness at the climbing wall.”

  “Lindsay and Callie laughed at me.” Mackenzie pouted. “Until they saw me crying.”

  Crockett eased onto the sofa. “They don’t sound like very good friends to me.”

  Paisley watched as he examined the girl’s foot. “I don’t think anything is broken, but it’s likely to be tender for a while.”

  “Yeah, I think you’re right.” He eyed Mackenzie. “The swelling doesn’t seem to be too bad.”

  “Ms. Paisley gave me an ice pack to put on it.”

  He pushed to his cowboy boot–clad feet. “Good idea. I’m about to fix you another one.”

  While
he did that, Paisley moved beside the girl. “All right, darlin’, you stay off that foot and do what your daddy tells you.”

  “Yes, ma’am. But I still want to come to church tomorrow. Maybe I’ll be on crutches.” The idea alone seemed to add an expectant gleam to Mackenzie’s dark eyes.

  Paisley regarded Crockett as he approached with the ice pack. “I’m going to head on back to town.”

  “I’ll walk you out.” He eyed his son. “David, you keep an eye on your sister.”

  “Cool!”

  Paisley chuckled as they made their way outside. “I’m guessing David doesn’t get to be in charge very often.”

  “As if Mac would allow that.” Pausing near her SUV, he said, “I appreciate you bringing her home.”

  “Not a problem.” She continued toward the driver’s door. “You know, we should get together sometime this week to go over our list of expectations for the castle. The Renwicks’ attorney will be sending the contracts soon, and we need to be sure everything is covered.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m kind of busy.”

  “I understand, but this is a priority.”

  “I’m aware of that,” he snapped. “But while you’re free to do what you want, whenever you want, I have kids to think about.”

  The intensity of his words made her gasp. Was he deliberately trying to hurt her? To remind her of her loss. To emphasize that while tomorrow was Mother’s Day, she’d be spending it alone, unable to hug her son or even talk to him on the telephone.

  She narrowed her gaze on the perpetually grumpy man. Crockett knew exactly what he was doing. And here she thought their rocky relationship had turned a corner.

  Without another word, she climbed into her SUV, eager to escape and wondering if it was too late to back out of the deal with the Renwicks. Because there was no way she and Crockett would ever be able to work together.

  * * *

  Crockett struggled to stay alert in church the next morning. He’d barely slept last night, and only in part because of Mac’s injury. He should have gone to the festival. David had mentioned it, but Crockett had been determined to get the tack room cleared out and reorganized. He hated having to search for things.