by Tara Randel
“Now we go,” John said.
“How about we empty the trailer first?” Deke suggested.
With a shrug, the youngster followed them back and forth, telling Deke all about his trucks until the last canoe was in the enclosure.
“That was easy,” Grace said, hands on hips as she surveyed their work.
“Not so quick, sport. We have to transfer the paddles and then we’re finished for the night.”
“Fine, guide.”
A smile hovered over his lips at her retort.
“Champ. Sport. I thought we were going for a nickname theme.”
“Then add smart aleck to the list.” He nodded over his shoulder to the Jeep.
They all trooped back to gather up the paddles, even letting John drag one behind him to keep him involved.
“I’ve got the lock in the Jeep.” Deke jogged back to the vehicle, then returned with the metal lock. By this time, Grace and John had all the paddles in place.
“We make a good team,” Deke remarked.
Grace blinked at him. Team? Odd. She felt like she’d always gone about her life alone.
“That surprises you?” Deke crouched down to secure the lock.
She wiped the startled expression from her face. “I’m used to working solo.”
“That’s no fun.”
“You’re a team player?” she asked, curious about the man who’d walked into her life just when she’d needed him.
“With three brothers you learn to work together or else it gets ugly.”
She vaguely remembered those days. Before her father had gotten into trouble, when her family actually had fun together.
“Uncle Roy and I work together now. Or I should say, we did, until I moved to Atlanta. Faith chose another path, and Nathan?” She shrugged. “He may be my brother, but I have yet to figure him out. I thought he was interested in working with Mama. Guess I was wrong.”
Deke yanked the lock to make sure it was solid. “So she called you?”
“As usual.”
“Looks like you have the office well in hand.”
“I’ve been running the business since I was sixteen.”
He stood, the sun silhouetting his broad shoulders and lean build. Definitely not a stranger to hard work.
“Alone?”
Little ripples gently lapped the water’s edge. John had found a muddy patch to run his truck in, talking to himself as he played. Grace breathed in the clean mountain air before answering.
“At first. Uncle Roy pitched in, but he has his own business to take care of. After time, my mother came around the office more and eventually I was able to get away to school.”
“Let me guess. You hadn’t planned on coming back to Golden.”
“Is it that obvious?”
“Only when you get that look of panic in your eyes.”
“Astute.” She glanced away, not sure if she should be flattered or unnerved that he’d read her so easily. “I try not to let anyone notice, especially Mama. She doesn’t understand why I don’t practice law here in town, where I know everyone.”
“Sometimes you have to get away. Make your mark.”
They strolled over to John, who was making engine noises. “Why do I get the feeling you speak from experience?”
“A part of growing up, I guess.”
Which her siblings had yet to do. Faith may be a mother, but she still acted like a sulky teen, fighting with her husband when they should be making their family work. And Nathan? Mama might call him a free spirit, but she thought he was just immature. It wasn’t her job to fix their problems or make them grow up, no matter how much her mother might expect otherwise.
“C’mon, John. Let’s go see Mommy.”
They started down the path leading back to the cabins, the silence between them comfortable. With Deke she didn’t need to make conversation, which she found relaxing. The pungent scent of rich earth grounded her as she stepped over twigs and clumps of dirt. The rev of a motorboat echoed from the lake. Shadows were just beginning to form as the sun sank lower in the sky.
As they crossed the tree line and the cabins came into view, Grace spied an oversize, gleaming red pickup parked next to her sedan.
“Oh, no,” she muttered, taking John’s hand again.
“Trouble?”
“Faith’s husband. She’s staying with me because she needed some time away.”
She noticed the tension in Deke before he spoke. “So he shouldn’t be here?”
“I don’t know.” Her nerves skirted to the edge. “Faith and I aren’t close so she’s never really confided in me, but I got the feeling things weren’t good.”
Just then, John noticed the truck. “Daddy,” he exclaimed, pulling on Grace’s hand as he tried to run ahead.
“Slow down, John.”
Her nephew was having none of it. Once they reached the path to the screened porch, he broke loose. From inside, Grace could hear loud voices. “John,” she called, her voice sharp with worry.
Deke placed his hand on her arm to stop her. With three long strides, he scooped up a fidgeting John and said in a low voice, “How about we surprise your dad?”
John looked at him. “Surprise!”
“Sure. Let’s make it a game.”
“I like games.”
“Why don’t you and Aunt Grace go across the way to my cabin. I’ll go in and tell your dad you have a surprise for him.” Deke placed a finger over his lips. “But you have to be quiet for this to work.”
John wiggled in Deke’s arms, running to Grace once his feet hit the ground. “C’mon, Aunt Grace,” he said, grabbing her hand.
“Are you sure?” she asked Deke as John tugged her arm.
He nodded, his expression grave. “Don’t worry.”
Not worry? By the looks of it, Deke had morphed into cop mode. She’d worked enough cases with police involved to recognize the way his body sprang into action, the way his intent gaze took in their surroundings. How could she not be concerned about her sister? At Deke’s strident nod, she hurried John across the lane, leading the boy to the side of Deke’s cabin. They’d just turned the corner when she heard a screen door slam, followed by angry voices. Once she had John safely in the backyard, a souped-up engine roared to life followed by the crunch of the dirt road beneath tires as Lyle drove away.
As the rumble faded she heard Deke call, “It’s okay, Grace.” His voice strong and confident. Squaring her shoulders, ready to meet trouble head-on, she lifted John to her hip and ran back to the cabin. Deke was in conversation with a shaken Faith.
“Are you okay?” Grace asked as soon as she was close to her sister.
Shadows hounded Faith’s pretty hazel eyes. She ran a trembling hand through her tangled hair. John reached out for her and she grabbed hold of her son and squeezed tight.
“Where Daddy?” John asked, glancing around.
“He had to go to work, buddy,” Faith told him.
“Work.” John grinned as his little chest puffed. “We work.”
Faith sent Grace a questioning glance.
“We put the canoes in the water.”
“I’m hungry,” John said, resting his head on Faith’s shoulder.
“Right.” Faith’s voice was reedy when she said, “I don’t have anything ready.”
Grace stepped forward. “I bought a package of hot dogs. How about we cook them over the firepit.”
“Fire, fire,” John chanted.
“I’ll put together the dogs and rolls, open a can of beans,” Grace offered.
“I volunteer to gather the wood and get a good blaze going,” Deke said.
Grace felt relief roll through her, grateful for his quick thinking and the immediate sense of safety he provided in a tense situation.
“Thank
you,” Faith whispered as a baby’s wail sounded inside the cabin.
“Another hungry belly,” Grace said, keeping a smile on her face when all she wanted to do was hug her sister. She clapped her hands. “Okay, everyone off to work. We’ll meet at the firepit in ten minutes.”
“Fire, fire,” John chanted again.
As Deke headed in the direction of the in-ground pit to round up some kindling, Grace made her way back into the cabin. Not knowing what to expect, she stopped to view the living room, but nothing seemed out of place. While Faith took care of the baby, Grace went to the kitchen, gathering the makings for an impromptu hot dog dinner. She’d just opened a can of beans and emptied them into a pot when Faith joined her, bouncing Lacey on her hip.
“Are you really okay?” Grace asked as she turned the stove dial.
Faith averted her gaze. “Fine.”
Grace stirred the beans. “What happened?”
Faith leaned against the counter, defeat making her look older than her twenty-five years. “Ongoing disagreement. Lyle wants to spend his paycheck on toys for his truck when I need to make sure I have food, formula and clothing for the kids.”
“How long has this been going on?”
A harsh chuckle escaped Faith. “When has it not been going on?”
The beans and sauce came to a boil and Grace lowered the heat. “I wish you’d said something.”
“Right. Like I’m going to tell Miss Perfect that I made a bad decision. You never liked Lyle anyway.”
Grace knew Faith was upset, but her description, delivered in a mean-spirited tone, stung.
“It doesn’t matter what I think about him. You’re my sister and I care about you. And the children.”
Faith crossed to the refrigerator to grab a premade formula bottle. “Which I’ve always given you a hard time about.” She removed the top and placed it in the microwave.
“I never meant to control you,” Grace said as she removed a few franks from the package to set on a plate. “I just worried.”
The microwave beeped. Faith removed the bottle, tested it and gave it to Lacey. “I guess you get to say, ‘I told you so.’”
“Is that what you think of me?”
Faith finally met her gaze, tears bright in her eyes. “I don’t know what to think anymore,” she whispered.
“Oh, Faith.” Grace turned off the burner and enveloped her sister in a long-overdue hug, making sure not to squeeze the baby between them. Faith’s shoulders shook as she sobbed, but Grace held on with every ounce of strength in her. Once the storm had passed, Faith stepped back, wiping her tearstained face.
“Wow,” she said with a bitter-sounding laugh. “Some kind of mom I turned out to be.”
Grace ran a finger over Lacey’s downy hair. “You’re a mom who cares about her children. That goes a long way in my book.”
John chose that moment to come bursting into the kitchen. “Mommy! Hot dog, hot dog!”
“Give me a few minutes, buddy, then we’ll go outside.”
“Minutes, minutes,” he repeated as he marched with military precision back into the living room.
Grace shook her head. “What’s with all the chanting?”
Faith laughed with genuine humor. “He’s four. What can I say?”
“Right. Well...” Reaching for a tray, Grace said, “We’ll have dinner ready soon.”
“Um, Grace?”
“Yes?”
“I appreciate your help, but I think we’ll pass. I’m not in the mood for company so I’ll fix John his dinner and you can join your friend. We’ll eat in here.”
“My friend?”
“I’m assuming that guy is your friend. Please don’t tell me he’s a stranger.”
“No. I hired him to work at Put Your Feet Up.”
“Thank goodness. You had me worried.”
“Do you honestly think I’d be hanging out with a stranger?”
“Well, no, but Uncle Roy said the campgrounds were full this weekend.”
“His name is Deke Matthews. He’s going to be one of our guides this summer. He brought the canoes to the lake.”
“That explains it. Although—” Faith’s brow wrinkled “—he did look kind of scary when Lyle brushed by him on his way to the truck. I’d followed Lyle outside and there was your... Deke, stone-cold staring us down.”
“We heard you guys arguing when we came up the path. Deke is a cop and I guess he was ready for the worst.”
“Cop?”
“Long story.”
“Well, thankfully Lyle just passed him by.”
Grace opened the bag of buns. “Is Lyle going to be a problem?”
“Probably.”
“I’ll let Deke know. He’s staying at Uncle Roy’s place.”
“A guide and a cop? Well, then, I feel better having him close by.”
Grace gathered up the tray of dinner supplies. “Me, too,” she replied, for very different reasons.
CHAPTER FIVE
DEKE POKED THE logs burning in the circular stone hollow, sending a cascade of sparks into the air. Hearing footsteps, he looked up from fanning the flame. Grace, carrying a tray, walked his way, no sister or kids following.
“Where’s the rest of your family?”
“Afraid it’s just you and me?” she teased.
Yeah, he rather was. He liked Grace too much for comfort. “John conk out?”
“No, Faith.”
He took the tray, inhaling the cherry scent that always accompanied her, and carried it to a wooden picnic table a few steps away.
“Is she okay?”
“She will be.” Grace worried her lower lip. “I think.”
“Marriage trouble?”
Grace picked up the metal skewers for the hot dogs and handed one to him. “To be honest, I’m not sure what’s going on there. Lyle’s rather flashy and Faith latched onto his attention from day one, jumping into the relationship before thinking. Lyle didn’t have a dime, but convinced Faith they were going to hit the road and travel the country. Until she ended up pregnant and they settled in town.” She reached for a hot dog and stopped midair. Let out a puff of air and dropped her hand to her side.
“Grace?”
“I was never very supportive. I guess I’d hoped Faith would grow out of her impulsiveness and start acting like an adult. Which she was forced to do once John arrived, but I could have been a better sister.”
“I saw the concern on your face when her husband showed up. You looked like a mama bear ready to barge into the cabin and protect her.”
“Not that she would have welcomed it.” She sent him a rueful glance. “Too much history.”
“Gotcha.”
“But she’s staying with me and we have a chance to fix things between us.”
“Taking care of your mother, running the business and repairing a relationship? Tall order.”
“It’s what I do.”
“And who takes care of you?”
Her confused gaze met his. “Who says I need taking care of?”
Oh, she needed someone to watch out for her, if that chip on her shoulder was any indication. Was he the man for the job? He thought he could be, if he didn’t have so much weighing on his soul right now.
He held up a hand. “Just an observation.”
“A wrong conclusion,” she said, spearing a hot dog onto the skewer with more enthusiasm than necessary.
“So you have life all figured out?”
“I didn’t say that.”
He chuckled, taking the skewer she handed him.
“What about you, Deke? Do you have it all figured out?”
Far from it. Even on a good day. “We aren’t talking about me.”
She batted her eyelashes at him. “Oh, let’s do.”
A not-unpleasant pressure in his chest, one he hadn’t experienced in a long time, reminded him that he was a man, enjoying an evening with a beautiful woman. It was so unexpected, he had to pause a few beats to realize what was happening.
“Deke?”
“Huh? Yeah, sorry. That little move of yours threw me.”
“You mean the flirty look to get you to change the subject?” Her eyes sparkled in the waning light. “It worked, didn’t it?”
He held up the skewer. “Touché.”
“What do you say we eat?” She slid another hot dog on her skewer and settled into one of the Adirondack chairs scattered around the pit area. “I also heated up some beans. Not gourmet, but it’ll do.”
He dragged a chair beside her and sat, leaning over to angle the hot dog above the enthusiastic flames. “I’m not picky.”
“Me neither.” She waved away the smoke wafting in her direction. “I work long hours, so I’m pretty much happy with anything that’s easy to fix.”
“Same here.”
“Looks like we’re two dedicated professionals both on a leave of absence.” She sent him a sideways glance. “What are the odds?”
Lower than she’d imagine, but he didn’t need to spill the details concerning his mother. “Fate,” he said instead.
She laughed. “You don’t seem like a guy who puts stock in the unknown.”
“I’m not, but you can’t ignore the percentages.”
“Ooh, a numbers guy.” She handed him her skewer while she went to retrieve the tray of buns, condiments and beans, which she placed within reaching distance. He rotated both skewers to get the hot dogs evenly cooked, handing hers back when she returned. Once seated, she placed a bun and a scoop of steaming beans on a plate, handed it to him, then made a plate for herself. They continued cooking, plates resting on their knees.
“Well,” she went on to say, “whatever the reason, I really have to thank you for showing up on my doorstep. If I hadn’t hired you, I might have had to take over the excursions, and that’s not my thing.”
“Sitting behind a desk is?”
A big smile graced her face. “Absolutely.”
