Speaking of confidence, Callie Hargrove had no shortage of that. She’d known exactly what she was doing, grinning at him like that and offering him good money for the spoons—but it wasn’t enough.
The phone rang again, and he glanced at his watch. It would be time to pick up Hadley from pre-K soon. He leaned over to answer the phone. Regrets or not, that was the only girl he’d ever let charm him again.
* * *
Callie stopped at the diner on Ragland’s town square where she’d eaten while growing up. It still had a dreadful name, Grub ’n’ Go, but the food was delicious.
She ordered a Reuben sandwich and splurged on a bowl of triple chocolate ice cream. With Mark haunting her mind, she studied the spoon in her hand. It was nowhere near as beautiful as the spoons on his shop’s wall.
She hated being broke, but the passion for turning old things into new was an expensive hobby. Someday, it’d be a career, and she’d have her own boutique, but first she had to come up with a way to get out of debt and save up more money.
She’d failed to open up her own place in Nashville because she found herself living paycheck to paycheck and running up credit card debts, but she wasn’t ready to give up on her dream yet. This summer in Ragland was her last chance. With the job staging furniture, she could work on finding a way to open her own boutique in town. If that didn’t work she’d head back to Nashville and find another job with an interior design company like she’d done for years, but at least her family couldn’t say she hadn’t given Ragland a second chance. Her sister, Amanda, had been begging her to move home for years. She worked for the real estate company as an agent, and had helped Callie get the staging job.
She gave Gabby a small wave as she slipped out the front door. The Grub ’n’ Go cashier was the daughter of one of her old friends. She’d welcomed her back with a hug and said nothing about Mark. Nobody had. Callie had told her about her new job while waiting on the burger.
She was working for Martin Hometown Realty, located inside an old restored train station around the corner. It felt odd to drive just a couple short blocks to get everywhere she needed to go, but Ragland was that small. Even the grocery store was just a mile from her little cottage summer rental, which was a fast bike ride if she could fit everything into a basket. She added Buy a bicycle to her mental shopping list as she drove over to the realty office.
Callie skipped inside with excitement. The owner, Brett Martin, stood in the lobby in nice slacks and a flashy watch.
“Callie,” he called. He beamed at her and held his palm out for a handshake.
“Hi, boss.” She shook his hand happily.
“You’re going to do great here.” He shook her hand and motioned toward the small office he’d promised her that she’d already set up. “The computer is in, and you’re ready to go.”
“That’s amazing.” All Callie had at home was a cheap laptop. Having the office provide a real computer and fast Wi-Fi would be a relief. “I stopped at the antiques store on the square,” she added. “I didn’t pick anything up, but we’re just getting started.”
He pointed across the room. “After what you did with that bench over there, I can’t wait to see what you do next. We have a whole shed of furniture that needs help.”
“I’ll have a look this weekend,” Callie said. “I’m not sure what I can do with 1980s hotel furniture by the end of the summer, but a few nips and tucks will be a start.”
“I’m glad that you can do upholstery, too,” Mr. Martin said. “I was so impressed with the bench, I had it put in the lobby.”
“That’s great. I don’t have room for it at home, and I don’t have a listing that’s ready for it yet, either.” She grinned up at him. “Thanks for the office. I’ve never had my own before, just a cubicle.”
“Well, get to work, Picasso, because I have two new houses ready to go on the market, and they need help.”
Callie laughed and saluted him, then hurried to the back. Amanda and her husband had helped move in some books, folder files, framed pictures and whiteboards the day before.
This job had been Amanda’s idea. The office needed a temporary home stager, so Callie had moved back and would take the opportunity to see if she could open her dream boutique here.
Grateful Mr. Martin had welcomed her help for the summer, Callie sighed with happiness as she pushed open the door to her office. Once she hung up a few decorations and calendars, the fern-colored walls would calm her nerves, and the enormous window would let in sunlight, even if it only provided a view of the parking lot.
She’d hit the flea markets this weekend. Maybe she’d find some nice candlestick holders or colorful vases.
She thought of the spoons in Mark’s shop and frowned. She needed them. The question was, how could she convince the handsome proprietor to let them go?
Chapter Two
Mark glanced back to make sure he’d parked the truck straight. Every Saturday, busy moms whipped in like race-car drivers in between the softball games, and sometimes he found himself blocked in. Grabbing his favorite bats from the truck bed, he reached for Hadley’s hand, hopped over the curb and made a beeline for field three.
“I played with a ball at school yesterday.”
He looked down at Hadley’s mussed hair half out of its ponytail and squeezed her hand. “Did you hit it real hard like Daddy?”
She tilted her head back and gazed up into his eyes with pride. “No, I threw it at Logan and hit him in the head.”
Mark frowned. “You shouldn’t throw balls at people, Hadley.”
“He’s mean.” Her response came out a stubborn whine.
Mark brushed his thumb over her hand as they marched toward the ball field. There was no use arguing with a five-year-old. If he didn’t make her cry, he’d spawn a thousand questions all starting with “why?”
It’d been a mistake to keep her home or with their family friend, Lois, all these years instead of putting her in day care. Her socialization had been hit or miss. This pre-K program was a last-ditch attempt to get her ready for kindergarten by fall. She was only two months in at Little Steps Academy and already turning the place upside down with her curiosity and impulsiveness. Not to mention, her inability get along with anyone.
“How about I get you a hot dog to eat while you watch Daddy play?”
Today his softball team, the Copperheads, played the Hornets from the next county over, and he wanted a win.
Marching to the concession stand, he pacified Hadley with a plain hot dog and bag of potato chips. He hoped Lois would get to the ball field in time to sit with her before the game started. He planted Hadley on the dugout bench with her food and a warning to stay put, but she made him say a blessing over her lunch like she did with Lois before he left. With a sigh, he hurried out onto the field.
“Goldie!”
Someone called out his childhood nickname, and Mark lifted his chin to acknowledge it. Several of his teammates were already on the field in their white-and-gold jerseys, tossing balls. He dropped his bag and bats and ran out onto the field.
“Hey, second baseman!” Todd shouted again.
Mark returned Todd’s salute and headed for him in the outfield to warm up. His friend raised a ball like a question, and Mark nodded. He raised his glove and caught a hard throw that Todd tried to catch him off guard with. They both laughed.
“Who’s minding the store?” Todd shouted. Smack. He jumped aside but caught Mark’s ball.
“Lois. She’s closing up for a while to come watch Hadley, though.” Mark wondered if he should mention Callie had come by. She was Todd’s sister-in-law after all, but he decided against it. Word would get around soon.
Todd grinned. He wound up and threw a fastball.
Mark had to jump to catch it. “You throw like a girl,” he called.
Todd yelled back, “Nothing to be ashamed o
f. My wife can outpitch me.”
“Family affair,” Mark laughed. He knew Amanda played, and one of their kids was into T-ball. In a year or two, he hoped Hadley might give it a try, but right now she could barely stand still long enough to brush her teeth.
The ump blew a few short trills on the whistle to gather everyone up. The Hornets would bat first.
Mark hurried back to check on Hadley, who’d dropped her food in the dirt. After drying her tears and showing her only the bun was ruined and she could still eat the hot dog, he jogged back out and took up his position on second base.
Turning twenty-eight had been a surprise for him. He realized the years would keep coming, and he could do nothing to stop them; worse, he had no one at his side to watch them go by with. Playing softball kept him active in the community. It was good for his and Hadley’s social life and nice for business, too. People seemed to have forgotten their disappointment when he didn’t go into the minor leagues after high school. No one said much about it—or about him being a single father. At least to his face.
For a second, his gaze went to the dugout, and he saw Hadley trying to push the end of a bat through one of the holes in the fence.
He turned his attention to the game and waited for the batter to hit the ball. “Let’s go!”
* * *
Daylight shone through the sunroof as Callie tapped her nails on the steering wheel. It made her think about Amanda and the times they’d helped each other get dressed for proms and school dances. They were only three years apart, but sometimes it felt like centuries.
Her older sister was her mentor and best friend. They didn’t always get along or agree, but Amanda was always there and more patient with Callie than their mother had been. After Callie’s mother passed, her father lived in their family home alone, but Callie had stayed in Nashville. It’d been Amanda who’d convinced Callie to come home for a while now and work on opening a boutique.
Callie had already inquired about the empty store on the square. It was out of her price range, but if she approached the bank again with a strong bid, maybe they’d agree to loan her the money. She wondered what Mark would think of her being a few shops down from him.
Pushing the thought away, Callie noticed the sign for the ballpark. Eureka! She could drop off her treasures from the early-morning flea market at her house later. Todd had a ball game today, and that meant grilled hot dogs, hamburgers, sunshine and company. Forget working on the weekend. She needed a break after the big move.
The parking lot looked packed. Summer sports were a thing in Ragland. Todd, Amanda and their oldest, Justin, all played. Little Nicole was too young, but they’d have her playing T-ball in no time.
Easing the car into a spot far from the action, Callie flipped off the engine and hurried across the parking lot while texting her sister about which field Todd was playing on.
Field Three came the reply.
Callie snaked her way through the crowd, inhaling the smell of grilled hamburgers with mouthwatering excitement. She may have pretended to enjoy five-star dining occasionally, but she loved concession stand food.
The sun was hot by the time she reached the metal bleachers. She stepped up the first stair and turned to see if she could spot Todd on the field in his Copperheads jersey.
She scanned the athletes until her eyes stopped on the second baseman. He looked familiar. Gorgeous blond hair peeked out from underneath his baseball cap. His tanned hand smacked the glove, and he called something out to the shortstop. Callie squinted. It was Mark Chatham.
She took another step up the bleachers, almost tripping as she twisted around to keep her eyes on second base. Yes, it was him.
“Callie! Over here!”
Amanda’s voice captured her attention, and Callie climbed up to where her sister sat with her kids. Beautiful, sweet Justin had a red toy car in his hand. Nicole sat subdued in her mother’s lap, sucking a lollipop.
Amanda patted the bench beside her, and Callie sat down. “I thought you were headed to Taylorsville?”
“I hit the flea markets early this morning, and I found a few things I can use for the office.”
“Any spoons?” her sister teased.
“No. I shouldn’t have told you about that if you’re going to tease me, and by the way, you could have told me Mark was on the team.”
Amanda looked chagrined. “Sorry. I honestly didn’t think about it. I was worried about you getting settled.”
“I’m settled enough except for transporting furniture.” Callie pretended to shrug off the fact her high school sweetheart was a hundred yards away. She struggled to focus on her current problems instead. “I’m going to need Todd’s truck from now on when I pick things up, because I can’t fit anything bigger than a magazine rack in my car.”
“Sure, no problem.”
Callie glanced at her sister and twisted her lips into a smirk. “Don’t worry, I’ll ask him. It’d only be on Saturdays once in a while.”
Amanda nodded. “You can always have them hold stuff for you, and we can pick up later.”
“That’s what I did in Nashville, but this is different. I don’t have a showroom truck to pick up things for me, and places out here are farther apart.”
Amanda patted her leg. “Don’t worry. Someone will help you out. Do you want to get sticky? I have an extra lollipop.”
“Nope.” Everyone in the stands cheered, and Callie turned her attention back to the game. Mark caught a line drive that would have taken his head off if he’d missed. “Wow, good catch!” she blurted.
Amanda jumped to her feet. “Way to go, Chatham!” She hooted like a teenager.
He glanced their way, and Callie blushed. “Do you mind?” she asked. The people around them laughed.
“If you come to the games you have to cheer,” Amanda cried with glee. She stood up again and shouted at her husband on the pitcher’s mound. “Come on, baby, strike this guy out!”
Callie laughed under her breath. Todd threw a big grin Amanda’s way. Sometimes they acted like they were still newlyweds. She glanced at Mark intently watching the batter, and ignored the flickering sensation in her heart.
She shook her head as her stomach growled. “I’m going to get something to eat,” she said.
Justin jumped to his feet, waving his toy in the air. “Take me with you, Aunt Callie!”
She smiled and held her arms out, and he dashed past his mother to his aunt. Laughing, she swung him around, and the crowd roared again. She set him down and looked. Someone in the outfield had caught a fly ball, and the teams were switching out. She hurried to the concession stand with Justin and made it back before Todd was up at bat.
Munching on her hamburger, Callie managed to cheer alongside Amanda until out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a tall, older woman with gray-streaked hair at the Copperheads’ dugout. She was speaking with great animation to a little girl who stomped out of the dugout and followed the woman toward the bleachers. They sat on the bottom row, the child chattering about something and kicking her legs in the air.
Callie elbowed Amanda in the ribs. “Who’s that little girl?”
Amanda glanced down. “That’s his daughter.”
For a moment, Callie couldn’t speak. The little ragamuffin had tangled, dirty blond hair, darker than her father’s. She squirmed on the seat beside her unfamiliar caretaker. A daughter. Mark had given Callie up for a life in Florida and met someone else. Someone else he’d loved enough to have a family with.
“So, where’s the rest of the family?” she asked.
“Oh, they’re—” Distracted, Amanda glanced toward the bleachers across the field. “His parents used to come to all of the games,” she said, “even in high school.”
“Yes, I remember. I know they’re gone, but I meant, doesn’t he have any cousins or somebody around anymore?”
&nb
sp; “Not that I know of.” Amanda glanced at their neighbors to make sure no one eavesdropped. She leaned in closer. “That woman sitting with his daughter works at the Antique Market sometimes, and I think she’s his babysitter. I don’t remember her name.”
“Did his mother ever know her?”
“Yes, but she didn’t know her long. Mrs. Chatham passed away like three or four years ago. His dad died just a couple years after high school, remember?”
“Yes.” Callie kept her gaze on the field like they were just having a casual conversation. “So, Todd and Mark are still close friends?”
Amanda looked at her with undisguised curiosity. “Yeah, they still hang out a little. They started again when Mark moved back after we got married.”
This caught Callie’s attention. “But he didn’t come to the wedding.”
Amanda frowned. “That’s ancient history. He didn’t want to make you uncomfortable, and he had other commitments.”
Like a baby, thought Callie. Instead she said, “I’m just surprised he didn’t come when he was asked to be a groomsman.”
“Todd understood. Besides, you had a hot date, and I didn’t want to upset my favorite bridesmaid.”
“Oh, no,” Callie said, shaking her head. “I wouldn’t have minded. We were ancient history by then.”
“Right,” Amanda said with a smile. “And now?”
“I just want his antique spoons.” They broke into chuckles.
Suddenly a bat made a cracking sound, and she jumped up to cheer with everyone else. One of the Copperheads had hit a ball over the fence. Everyone jumped up and down on the bleachers until they shook.
Callie settled back into her seat, glancing down at the little girl sliding on and off the bottom bleacher shouting a children’s nursery rhyme while the woman beside her shushed her. It diverted Callie’s attention back to Mark. He was focused, serious, sturdy.
His Daughter's Prayer (Love Inspired) Page 2
