An Unexpected Rescue (Oak Springs Series Book 1)

by Sherri McDuffie

“Mary Ann lasted four months after we got the diagnosis. She was already in stage four, and it had already spread before we knew anything was wrong. We had some close friends who would sit with her when I had to run errands or deal with appointments, but for the most part, I was flying solo. I’m lucky enough to have my own business with a great crew, so I could work or stay home, depending on how she was feeling. And it was a blessing that the boys were so young. They didn’t understand everything that was going on. They knew she was getting weaker and sleeping more, but she was still their mother. She read books to them until two days before she died. She loved to listen to them talk. She wanted to absorb every second she could with them.” He grew silent. Kelly reached over and squeezed his hand that had been resting on the patio table. He squeezed back.

  Derik ate breakfast and went to work while Kelly returned to her chores. When she was done inside, she moved to the yard for a closer look at the overgrown flowerbeds along the front of the house. She found gloves and garden tools in the garage and began to dig in the rich soil. Several hours later, she’d caused substantial damage to the weed population. She put the tools away and cleaned up just in time to greet the boys when they came home. They did their homework and shared stories of their day while she prepared dinner.

  After they ate, Derik and the boys went outside to play while Kelly went to her room and read. She heard them come in, followed by the sound of bathwater running and children’s laughter. A few minutes later two little boys, dressed in pajamas and sporting damp hair, came running into her room. They both climbed on her bed, and a book was dropped in her lap. “Can we read in your bed tonight?” Win asked.

  “Sure,” she said as she made room for a boy on each side. They snuggled against her as she opened the book.

  Derik stood in the doorway, not listening to the story but watching Kelly.

  Kelly developed a routine over the next few weeks. She worked in the house in the mornings and spent each afternoon in the flowerbeds until she had them weeded and clean. She discovered several flowers among the weeds. She pruned and cultivated the plants and even purchased a few to add to them. No one seemed to notice her efforts until the day D.C. brought a freshly picked flower into the kitchen. “Can we put this in water?” He pointed toward the cabinet. “Mommy always used that little vase on the top shelf.”

  “Sure.” Kelly filled the container and handed it to him. He put the plant in the water and set it on the table.

  Derik was eating dinner when the centerpiece suddenly caught his attention. He stopped and stared at the bloom then slowly looked at the boys. D.C. smiled and said, “I found one of Mommy’s flowers in the yard today.” Derik looked at Kelly, who lowered her head and continued to eat. When she cleaned the table after dinner, the vase was gone.

  Derik took the boys outside as usual, bringing them in when it was time for their bath. As soon as they were ready for bed, she read to them then tucked them in with a kiss. There was no sign of Derik in the hallway when she headed to her room. As she approached her door, she noticed his light on and the door ajar. She glanced into the room and saw the vase and flower on his nightstand, next to the picture of Mary Ann.

  Kelly showered and went to bed. Just before she fell asleep, she heard Derik climb the stairs and check on the boys. A few minutes later his footsteps stopped outside her room, then his door closed and the house grew quiet.

  The next night, after their bath, the boys ran to her room with a book. “Can we read in Daddy’s bed tonight?” Win said.

  “Sure, he can read to you,” Kelly answered as they scampered up beside her.

  “No, we want you to read to us in Daddy’s bed,” D.C. said. “Can she, Daddy, please?” the boy asked as he looked at his father who was standing in the doorway. “Your bed’s bigger, and you can listen to the story, too.”

  Kelly glanced at Derik. Before she could say anything, he shrugged and headed across the hall. “Sure, come on.” When she walked into his room, the three were already sitting in the center of the bed.

  D.C. patted the space beside him. “Kelly, sit by me.” He scooted over and made room between him and his father. She gave an apologetic look to Derik as she climbed on the bed and settled next to him. She opened the book. Win said he couldn’t see, so Derik lifted the boy into his lap, and D.C. crawled into hers. When the story was over, she looked at Derik. He was holding his son against his chest, and the child’s head was tucked under his chin. Both boy and man were sound asleep. D.C. was curled against her, also asleep. She leaned her head back and closed her eyes.

  Kelly woke as Derik was lifting D.C. from her lap. He’d already placed Win in bed. She followed him down the hall and helped to tuck the boys in. When she stepped out of Win’s room, Derik was gone, and his door was closed.

  Derik stared at the ceiling as he lay with his hands behind his head. The pillow Kelly had rested against still carried her scent. The whole room carried her scent. As his body began to respond to thoughts of her, he moaned and turned on his side. His eyes rested on the picture of Mary Ann. Memories flooded his mind: her laugh, her touch, her smile. He tried to recall every moment with her, the smoothness of her skin, the taste of her lips, the feel of her in his arms. He was surprised that some memories took longer to come to mind. His eyes drifted from the picture to the small vase where a fresh, new bloom stood. I’ve got to remember that this arrangement with Kelly is strictly business. That’s what she insisted on, and I can’t do anything that might cause her to leave. He closed his eyes and drifted off to the scent of strawberries and honey.

  Chapter 11

  Kelly was on the couch reading when a clap of thunder sounded. Derik and the boys rushed through the door, chased inside by a sudden rain.

  “Can I paint?” D.C. said, shaking the rain out of his hair.

  Win wiped his damp face with the hem of his t-shirt. “Can I call grandpa and tell him what happened at school today?”

  “Sure,” Derik said as he took the phone out of his pocket. He punched in the number and handed it to his son while Kelly placed the watercolors on the table next to D.C.’s coloring book.

  Win sat at the kitchen table, kicking the chair legs as he talked. “Grandpa, we have a hamster at school, and he got out of his cage. A bunch of the kids screamed and climbed on their desks, but I didn’t.” The little boy laughed at the comment made on the other end of the line. “No, the teacher caught him and put him in a big ball, and he rolled all over the room.” After a few minutes, he handed the phone to D.C. When he finished, he passed the phone to his dad.

  Derik was on the sofa with his feet propped on the coffee table. “How are you, Jack? Yeah, they get a kick out of talking to you, too. They miss you, you know.” As the two men talked, Derik watched Kelly lead the boys upstairs and heard the sound of bath water running and the children’s laughter. “I was wondering . . . is there any chance you might find some time to come down for a visit?”

  “Well, Derik, I’ve been thinking about that very thing. Seems you and the boys made the last trip. Guess it’s my turn to come there.” After a moment, he asked, “Would this have anything to do with this new woman who’s living with you?”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. Would you mind if it did?” Derik asked as he listened to the noise coming from upstairs.

  “Not at all, son. It’s time. You’re young, and those boys need a woman in their lives. Both of them seem to like her. Win said she cooks real good, and D.C. said she reads to them every night.” He cleared his throat and added, “Even in your bed some nights. That was a little more information than I needed to hear from my little grandson, but I understand. You’re a healthy young man with needs. I just hope you stop and think about what you’re exposing the boys to.”

  Derik dropped his head back on the sofa and rubbed his hand over his face. “It wasn’t like that. It isn’t like that. You know I wouldn
’t do anything in front of the boys.” He sat forward and put his elbows on his knees. “Jack, Kelly’s pretty special. I’d like you to meet her. She’s great with the kids. And you’re right, they do like her.”

  “What about you, Derik? Do you like her?”

  “Yeah, I do,” he admitted to his father-in-law, and finally to himself.

  A few minutes after the phone call ended, two little boys, dressed in pajamas and smelling like toothpaste, came running down the stairs. “Come on, Daddy. Kelly said we get to read in her room tonight.”

  Derik followed the boys up the stairs and saw them run into Kelly’s room. He stopped at the door and watched them climb onto her bed.

  “Are you ready to read, Kelly?” Win asked.

  “Sure,” she said as she made room for a child on each side. She looked up and saw Derik in the doorway. The boys snuggled against her as she began the story.

  Derik didn’t leave right away; instead, he stayed in the doorway and watched. Yeah, he told himself. You like Kelly, but what can you do about it?

  The next day Derik slowly pulled into the drive. He hadn’t told Kelly he was coming home for lunch, but when the idea hit, he jumped in the truck before he could talk himself out of it. Now he knew it may have been wiser if he’d gone to the diner. Kelly was working in the flowerbed, dressed in shorts and a sleeveless cotton blouse with her hair pulled back in a ponytail. Loose strands fluttered around her face. She was on her hands and knees, digging in the rich soil. With earbuds in her ears, she was singing and swaying to the music.

  When Derik shut the door, Kelly sat back on her heels and lifted a gloved hand to shade her eyes, causing a smudge of dirt across her forehead. “Hi, what are you doing home?”

  He tried to tell her he’d stopped for lunch, but she wrinkled her brow. He reached over and pulled a bud from her ear and repeated his reason for being there.

  Kelly stood and removed her gloves then brushed off her knees. “I wasn’t expecting you. I didn’t fix anything, but we have leftovers, or I can find something to make a sandwich.” She led the way into the house and washed her hands.

  Derik took two glasses from the cupboard. “What are you drinking?”

  “Tea. What are you eating?”

  “I’d love some of the chicken we had last night, if the boys left any,” he said, placing their drinks on the table. When he turned around, she had the refrigerator door open and was bent at the waist, gathering containers of food into her arms. Derik swallowed hard.

  “Sure, give me a few minutes, and I’ll have it heated for you.” She sat the items on the counter and began removing the lids.

  She heated the food and sat two plates on the table. They were silent as they began eating. After a few minutes, she said, “I hope you don’t mind me working in the flowerbeds. I guess I should’ve asked if it would be okay. I didn’t realize it might upset anyone until D.C. said he found one of his mom’s flowers. I’ll stop working out there if you’d like.”

  “Mary Ann loved working in the yard. When she got sick, I was so focused on her that I forgot about her flowers. I won’t lie and say it doesn’t bring back memories when I see them, but they’re good memories. You have it looking nice out there. Obviously I’m not a gardener, but if you enjoy it, then go ahead.” The smile she gave him made his heart skip a beat.

  When they finished lunch, he offered to clean the table while she loaded the dishwasher. He had to ask himself if it was an unconscious move just to see her bend over again. He knew coming home for lunch on a regular basis could be a mistake.

  “While you’re here, I want to ask you something,” she said as she wiped the table. “I’m supposed to get two days off a week, and so far I haven’t taken advantage of that.” She raised a hand to stop his comment. “That was my choice, not your fault. But I was thinking I might take a night off, catch a movie, if that’s okay. Would one night be better than the others?”

  “That’s fine. Any night is okay. What are you going to see?” he asked, sorting through the mail on the end of the counter.

  “I don’t know, I met this guy at the diner a couple of weeks ago. We’ve had lunch together twice, and he asked me out. I just thought I’d get out of your hair for an evening. Friday night, if that’s okay with you. I can have dinner ready before I leave.”

  Derik dropped the mail on the counter. Kelly has a date? She is going to be alone with some stranger. What if he mistreats her? Or worse yet, what if he sweeps her off her feet? It’s not any of my business, but the idea of her with another man makes me makes me sick. He cleared his throat. “Sure, Friday’s okay. I can always get Stewart if I have a call.” Hell no, it’s not okay with me. But I don’t have any right to stop you. “I need to get back to work. Thanks for lunch,” he said as he hurried out the door and slammed it behind him.

  Kelly stared at the kitchen door. “He acts like he’s mad. Is he upset about my taking a night off?” she asked herself. “It was part of the agreement.” She finished wiping the table and sat down. “Could it be the date? He never said I wasn’t allowed to date while I work for him.” After a moment, she took the dishcloth to the sink and rinsed it out. “We may have a business arrangement, but I am still a woman, even if he hasn’t noticed. And I need to be noticed once in a while.” She gave the cloth one last squeeze.

  Derik drove to the shop with a grip on the wheel so tight he was sure he had left a permanent indentation. His mind kept trying to grasp the concept of Kelly on a date. She’d never said anything about wanting to go on a date. “Hell, if she wanted to see a movie, all she had to do was say so. I would’ve taken her,” he said out loud. “But she doesn’t want to see a movie with me—I’m her boss. She wants our relationship to be strictly business.” He slapped the wheel hard enough to bruise his palm.

  Within minutes of returning from lunch, Derik’s crew had spread the word to stay clear of him. He buried himself under an automobile and avoided human contact the rest of the afternoon. He was quiet and withdrawn during dinner. He helped clean the kitchen but didn’t talk to Kelly or the kids. He took the children outside but came in and went to his room a few minutes later. Only when Kelly called the boys in and started their bath did Derik come out of his room and take over. When they were dressed for bed, he went downstairs.

  The lower level of the house was silent as he sat on the sofa. Kelly was upstairs, reading to the boys. He knew exactly what the scene would look like. She’d be sitting on the bed, her back against the headboard, and wearing her pink robe. The one that came just above her knees. His sons, fresh from their bath and wearing their superhero pajamas, would be snuggled against her, one on each side. D.C. probably had his stuffed monkey sitting in his lap, while Win would be holding his green blanket under his chin. The two would be so wrapped up in the story that they wouldn’t take their eyes off the pages. Her soft voice would cause their little bodies to relax, until one or both of them would begin to drift off. Kelly would casually wrap an arm around the sleepy child and pull him closer until his little body fell limp against her side. Derik had watched it enough times to see it in his mind’s eye. It was a beautiful sight. And it was tearing him up inside.

  While Derik waited for Kelly to finish reading to the boys, he tried to find a way to resolve the tug of war inside his gut. Kelly wanted their relationship to be business only. Kelly was going to begin dating. Kelly was breaking his heart, and she had no idea.

  He was miserable. After tucking the boys in, he lay in bed thinking about her and her date. He didn’t even know who she was going out with. She’s already had a run-in with one creep. What if her taste in men has led her to another one? The idea that Kelly might be hurt again made him break out in a cold sweat.

  The next morning Win asked Kelly if she’d stay up and watch a movie with them on Friday night.

  “Kelly won’t be here Friday night.
She has a date,” Derik said.

  “Where are you going, Kelly?” Win asked. “Do you have a boyfriend?”

  “You have a boyfriend? Who is it?” D.C. said as he put the glasses of juice on the table.

  “No, he isn’t a boyfriend. He’s a nice man who invited me out to eat and to the movies. We’re just friends. His name is Stan Richardson. He’s an electrician.”

  Stan. I know Stan. Damn it, he’s a nice guy. He’s polite and not the type to mistreat women. I even hired him to do some electrical work, and the guy was good at his job. To make matters worse, I know that more than one woman had made the comment that Stan Richardson is a good-looking man. At least I know who my competition is.

  “I know Stan, He’s okay. You said you’ve had lunch with him? At the diner?” Derik said as he helped set the table.

  “Yes, I usually eat lunch there on Wednesdays when I go into town for groceries. A couple of weeks ago Stan came in. Penny introduced us, and he bought my lunch. He happened to be in the next week, and we ate lunch together again. That’s when he asked me out. Penny said he’s a nice man. If you vouch for him, then he must be.”

  Derik wasn’t sure if knowing who Kelly was going out with made things better or worse. He was glad he didn’t have to worry about her getting hurt. But he did worry about her getting swept off her feet. And out of his life.

  Chapter 12

  Friday morning Derik and the boys were eating cereal and toast when Kelly came downstairs. “I would have fixed breakfast if someone had told me you guys were ready to eat,” she said as she walked into the kitchen tying the sash on her robe. She was barefooted, and her hair was still rumpled from sleep.