by Tara Randel
“Did I forget about a group?” she asked as she ambled his way in her high-heeled shoes.
Like she’d forget. Her mind was a steel trap. Something he admired about her.
He swallowed hard. “Nah. Just getting to know the townspeople.”
“Why didn’t you stop into the office first? I would have been glad to introduce you.”
“You’re always busy. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
She waved off his concern. “No bother.”
“Well, I already made the rounds so...”
“Headed back to the cabin?”
An internal alarm he shouldn’t ignore blared with urgency. Danger, Deke Matthews. “Yeah.”
“Me, too. It was slow this morning so I decided to quit early.”
“Tuesday’s not a peak day?”
“No, so I can escape.” She placed a hand over her eyes to shield them from the bright sunshine. “When we start up the walking tour next week, I’ll be busy.”
“I see.”
She tilted her head. “Are you okay?”
He swallowed hard. “Sure. Why do you ask?”
“I don’t know. You seem sort of tongue-tied.”
“Talked to so many people this morning I’ve run out of words.”
Her look said she didn’t believe him, but she didn’t press.
“So, ah, I’m going to the warehouse.”
Her brow furrowed. “You said you were going to the cabin.”
No way. Not if she was headed in the same direction and he’d be tempted to ask her to go for a walk in the woods or sit by the lake to while away a few hours. Think, Matthews. “I just remembered I need to get some extra paddles for the next canoe excursion. A client dropped one in the lake last time.”
“It’s your day off.” Disappointment shadowed her eyes, but he didn’t let that affect his decision to leave.
“I like to get a jump on things.”
“Okay. See you later?”
“Maybe.”
He started the Jeep, the engine loud enough to discourage further conversation, and backed out of the space. Grace still stood in the same spot, so he waved, then peeled out of the lot.
He’d investigated dangerous criminals, dealt with the handiwork of people who left behind devastation in their wake and apprehended bad guys without an ounce of fear, never cringing once. How was it Grace, feminine and smart, had him running for the hills because she’d affected him so deeply in so short a period of time?
* * *
GRACE WATCHED DEKE drive away. She didn’t know whether to be amused or miffed.
Clearly something was up with him and she guessed it might have to do with the conversation they’d shared at Deep North Adventures. She’d been intrigued by Deke from the moment he’d stepped into her office a week ago, but she’d never thought she’d start having...feelings for the man. And after their little byplay, she’d hoped he might be interested in her.
Her smile faded. Was it obvious that she was attracted to him? Then shouldn’t she be glad she’d scared him off? The last thing she needed was one more link to a place that held too many bad memories.
“Great, just great,” Grace muttered under her breath as she walked to her sedan. While daydreaming about Deke was a pleasurable pastime, right now, she had other things to worry about.
An hour ago she’d been on the phone discussing a tour package with a prospective client when her cell phone rang. Not able to get to it, she let the call go to voice mail, kicking herself afterward. Stacy, from the law office in Atlanta, had left a cryptic, two-word message. “Call me.” Which Grace had done, immediately, only to hear Stacy’s voice informing her that she was away from her desk and to please leave a message. Grace left a brief response, then waited for a call back. So far, nothing.
Knowing she’d be antsy until she found out what Stacy wanted, Grace took her cell from the front pocket of her purse and redialed, switching to speakerphone. She almost ran off the road to the cabin when Stacy answered right away.
“Stace, what’s going on? Your call sounded serious.”
“Hold on a sec,” her friend said in a low, taut voice.
Grace’s stomach took a nosedive. She didn’t like secrets and behind-the-scenes maneuverings.
“Okay, I can talk,” Stacy said a few seconds later. “I just needed to find a private spot in the office.”
Grace tightened her hands on the steering wheel and waited.
“First of all, no one has said anything about your position being in jeopardy.”
“What?” Grace practically screeched.
“But I wanted to tell you I was given the Sorrento case.”
Chest squeezing like a vise, Grace pulled over to the shoulder of the road and braked.
“Come again?”
“Look, I know you put a lot of work into the case so far, but when questions came up in a meeting and the senior partners wanted to know the status, I covered for you.” Stacy paused. “I offered to take over until you came back. Mr. Franks assured me I’d just be filling in for the time being, that you’d be back on board in a few weeks.”
Which felt like an eternity since she was only just over a week into her leave. Granted, this was only one case, but what if the partners grew tired of her delaying her cases? They could easily fire her since she hadn’t worked there as long as the other attorneys. And Stacy was an up-and-comer, so was her friend being altruistic or looking out for number one? The thought made her nauseous.
“You just take care of your family and I’ll hold down the fort here,” Stacy went on when Grace remained quiet.
Hadn’t Grace been doing that since she was a teenager? Bending over backward to make sure her family was taken care of? After all, they reminded her, if she hadn’t ratted Daddy out they wouldn’t be in this mess.
Tears burned behind her eyes because they were right. Even after she’d given them all the tools to successfully run the business without her, she was still trying to make up for what had happened with her father.
With a sharp shake of her head, she focused back on the present. “I... Thanks, Stacy.”
“I have to run, but I’ll be in touch. Oh, and just so you know, I went ahead and took the pertinent files from your desk. Talk to you soon.”
Before Grace could respond, there was silence on the other end. If Stacy was taking files from her desk, were others? Not that Grace could complain, she wasn’t there.
Stepping off the brake, she eased back onto the road, mind made up. She needed to get back to Atlanta sooner rather than later.
She pulled up to the cabin in time to catch her sister loading her children into the minivan. “Where are you off to?” she asked as she stepped from her car.
“I’ve been trying to call you,” Faith said, tension etched on her face.
Forcing herself to tamp down her annoyance, she said, “I was taking a work call.”
“Mama needs us.”
With a jolt of alarm, Grace hurried over to the van. “What happened?”
“She fell again,” Faith said as she edged out of the back of the van after buckling John’s car seat.
“How?”
“I think she said the front step. You never made arrangements to get it fixed.”
Guilt washed over her. “I meant to call Roan but I got busy...”
“Let’s go. She sounded pretty shaky when I talked to her.”
Sliding into the passenger seat, Grace cringed when the van engine started up with knocking and coughing, black smoke puffing out of the exhaust. Once Faith backed out and started down the gravel road, the noises stopped, but the smoke continued.
“Faith, is something wrong with the van?”
A red flush stained her sister’s face. “It’s nothing.”
“It’s far from nothing.
Has Lyle looked at it?”
“He’s been busy.”
With his own truck, Grace surmised. She sent a sidelong glance at her sister and, when she glimpsed the firm set of Faith’s lips, decided not to continue the conversation. Instead she pulled out her phone and called Roan, asking him to stop by and take a look at the steps.
“When is he coming?” Faith asked.
“As soon as he can work it into his schedule.”
“This is serious, Grace. He needs to put Mama first.”
“He’s busy.” Grace rubbed her aching temple. “Between his regular stops and Uncle Roy hiring him to do maintenance while he’s gone, Roan’s swamped. But he said he’d get to it.”
“I don’t care. He should drop everything and see to Mama.”
“Like you have?”
The minute the words slipped from her tongue, Grace grimaced.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You live right here in town, Faith. Surely you could have made arrangements to have the steps fixed after Mama fell the first time.”
Faith raised a brow. “And how do you expect me to do that when I have two kids to take care of?”
“It doesn’t take that long to make a call. Do it while the kids are napping.”
“Oh, that’s easy for you to say. You with your cushy job—”
“—who has to drop everything when one of my family members has a problem they can’t handle on their own.”
“No one made you boss, Grace.”
“Really? I seem to remember you taking off when we could have used your help at Put Your Feet Up. And where is Nathan? He should be here taking care of the business, not me.”
“Don’t put this off on me. If you hadn’t turned Daddy—”
“Stop right there.” She was getting tired of hearing the same accusations over and over as an excuse for just about everything that went wrong in their lives. “I didn’t turn Daddy in. And have you all forgotten he willingly broke the law?”
Before Faith had a chance to answer, Grace noticed whimpering coming from the back seat. She twisted around to see John crying, fat tears rolling down his freckled cheeks.
“Now you upset my son,” Faith berated her.
Leaning over to pat her nephew’s knee, Grace murmured what she hoped were soothing words. At this moment, she needed them as much as John.
Thankfully they pulled up before their mother’s house seconds later to find her sitting on the front steps, cradling her arm to her chest.
“Oh, no,” Grace exclaimed as she bolted from the car. “Mama. Are you okay?”
“I think so. If it wasn’t for the darned step.”
“I should have had someone out here to fix it.”
“Gracie, you can’t do it all. I should have made arrangements. It’s my house after all.”
At her mother’s admission, Grace stepped back and blinked.
“Did you fall on your arm?” Faith asked as she approached, Lacey on her hip, holding John’s hand.
“I tried to keep from twisting my ankle again, so I sort of rolled onto my shoulder.”
Grace closed her eyes. How could she have let this happen to her mother? A second time?
“We should get you to the hospital,” Grace said, her stomach in knots.
“I’m sure it’s nothing,” her mother insisted, but her face was pale. “I don’t want to go back to that place.”
“If not the hospital, at least let us take you to the clinic,” Faith interjected.
“If you don’t mind...”
“Grace,” Faith instructed, “go get Mama’s purse while I help her to the van.”
Blinking at her sister, wondering if Faith was trying to prove she could handle an emergency after their argument, she then ran inside, gathered up the purse and a sweater, and hurried out to find her mother already buckled into the van. She jumped into the third row and they were off.
“Mama, what were you thinking?” Faith asked.
“I just went out for the mail.”
“On your bandaged ankle?”
“I needed some fresh air,” came her mutinous reply.
“Well, don’t worry,” Faith assured her. “We’ll get that step fixed in no time so you don’t have any more falls.”
Grace silently fumed. Faith was definitely trying to prove a point. At the clinic her sister took charge of checking their mother in. Deciding not to fight this battle, Grace helped Wanda Sue over to a row of molded plastic chairs and sat with her. This was what she wanted, right? For her siblings to step up to the plate? John wandered over. He stopped in front of Grace, sniffling. Her heart melted, and she scooped him up to nestle in her lap.
“Will Memaw be okay?”
Grace squeezed her nephew, who smelled of little boy, outdoors and baby shampoo. “Yes. Memaw will be fine.”
Her mother patted John’s knee in agreement and she felt him relax.
After twenty minutes, the nurse finally called her mother’s name. Grace nodded to Faith, indicating she should be the one to go. Faith lifted her brow in surprise, but went with their mother and took the baby with her. Grace stayed put, John secure in her lap.
John twisted around to face her, his little finger tracing her cheek.
“You crying?”
Grace lifted her hand to feel her cheek. She had been so caught up in the newest crisis that she was indeed crying and hadn’t noticed. Had Faith? Was that why she went so willingly with their mother?
“Yeah, buddy. I am.”
“Why?” he asked, interest in his keen eyes.
She let out a short laugh. “Oh, my. That would be a long story to tell.”
John cocked his head, then leaned over to kiss her chin. “I kiss boo-boo and you feel better.” His words brought another round of tears she didn’t miss, or wipe away, this time. For once it felt good to let go of her emotions instead of bottling them up just to please everyone else.
An image of Deke flitted through her mind and she selfishly wished he wasn’t here. There was something about his calming presence, his solid strength, that she wanted to draw from right now. Plus, his arm around her shoulder would be a welcome gesture. Blowing out a breath, she brushed away the fantasy.
This short reprieve wouldn’t last long. Soon she’d know Mama’s diagnosis and no doubt would remain in Golden for her entire leave. No early return to Atlanta. No salvaging her career, which kind of felt like a boat with a big, gaping hole, sinking under the water.
Time passed as she read John two children’s books she found in the waiting room. She’d just started number three when the door opened. Her mother emerged first, a sling supporting her arm. Spirits sinking further, Grace put the book aside and took John to join the others.
“Well?”
“I bruised my shoulder. Nothing’s broken, thank goodness, but the doctor says I’ll be sore for a while.”
“He wants to check her again in a few days,” Faith added, the paperwork stuffed under her arm. Grace reached for it and, after a brief hesitation, Faith handed it over. She scanned the diagnosis, the fees and the prescription quickly before herding them back to the van.
“Mama, you shouldn’t be alone,” Grace said as Faith drove through town.
“It’s no problem, Gracie. I’m used to it.”
Another kick to the gut.
“Why don’t you stay with us at the cabin tonight? Or we could all go stay at your house.”
Faith sent her a sharp look in the rearview mirror but Grace ignored her.
“You wouldn’t mind?”
“Not at all.”
“Then let’s go to the cabin. I’ve been cooped up in the house for so long, this will be like a family vacation. Memaw with her daughters and grandbabies.”
“Party?” John asked as he clapped his
little hands.
“Of course we can have a party,” she answered, her spirits visibly rising.
“And this will give us time to talk about the business,” Faith said quickly.
Grace stilled. “What about it?”
“Not here,” her mother said, stopping the conversation in its tracks, giving Grace a bad feeling.
When they reached the cabin, Grace got her mother settled on the couch, then ran back out to fill the prescription and stop for groceries. It was late afternoon now and Grace had to fight the after-work crowd in the stores. She finally made it home and the first thing she did was give her mother a pain pill. Changing out of the outfit she’d worn all day into a short-sleeved, yellow T-shirt and jeans, she joined her family for the spaghetti dinner Faith had prepared, waiting for the bombshell her sister was about to lob her way. It finally landed when they finished eating.
“So, Mama and I were talking,” Faith said, pushing the last of her pasta around her plate. “She thinks it would be a good idea if I started working at the office.”
Grace glanced at her mother. She’d actually listened to Grace’s suggestion?
“You can teach Faith the ropes before leaving,” her mother added. “Then if I need time off or something else happens, we won’t rely on you so much.”
Good idea in theory, but first she had to train her sister, who’d never shown the least bit of interest in the family company.
“Faith, this isn’t something you can say you want to do, then drop when you get bored,” Grace warned.
Her sister visibly bristled. “I want to learn.”
“Why now?”
“Why not now?”
There was more Faith wasn’t saying, but with the don’t-undermine-me look on her mother’s face, Grace decided not to press her sister.
“After today, Mama clearly won’t be back in the office as soon as we’d hoped. I can take up the slack.”
Grace rubbed at her temples. The headache was returning. She looked at her mother. “Are you sure?”
“Yes, Grace. I want Faith in.”
Her mother’s decision would hopefully take some of the weight off Grace. Once things were under control here, she could return to Atlanta with a clean slate. Her spirits lifted until she glanced over to catch the fleeting indecision cross Faith’s face and realized her escape hinged on her younger sister, who had never followed through on a promise in her life.
