Her Unexpected Family

by Ruth Logan Herne

  Her mother’s words were the reminder she needed now and again.

  The snow started falling harder. Thicker. Already it blanketed the ground. The heavy-duty grind of a snowplow engine brought Grant to mind.

  Let go and let God.

  Her mother was right, and for the moment, Emily needed to do exactly that. She walked home through the quickly mounting snow, grabbed a shovel from the garage and began clearing the walk.

  It would fill up again, as long as the snow continued, but doing something manual felt good. And when the walks were fully cleared, the thought of a warm house seemed real nice. She turned to go in just as Grant’s SUV rolled up the driveway.

  Her heart sped up.

  She ordered it to stop that nonsense, right now.

  Her heart had other ideas. When he climbed out of the car and crossed the drive, the sight of him, rugged and strong, dressed in working man’s clothes, pulled at her.

  “You’re shoveling?”

  “Just finished.”

  “I’d have done this for you.” He reached out and tucked her hair back, behind her ear, then indicated the walks with his gaze, but didn’t move his hand. “It would be my pleasure, Em.”

  The strength of his callused hand against her cheek, against her ear sent warmth through her. “Grant, I—”

  “You’re beautiful with snowflakes in your hair.” He spoke softly, tenderly. “But you’re beautiful without the snowflakes, too.”

  “Grant...”

  “Em, I’m not sure what you see in me.” He put two warm hands against her cool cheeks and shrugged lightly. “I’m stubborn, maybe even bullheaded, and I’m not even close to perfect, but when I look at you, I want to be more perfect. To be a better person. And right now...” He stopped talking and shifted his gaze from her eyes to her lips. “Right now...”

  She lifted her chin and that was all the permission he needed. He dropped his head and his lips met hers.

  Perfect.

  Perfectly matched, perfectly marvelous.

  He kissed her sweetly, as snow fell on and around them, a winter’s hush on the land, the town. And when he deepened the kiss, Emily’s heart wanted nothing more than to be in this man’s arms.

  “Em.” He whispered her name when he gathered her into a long, warm embrace, the kind of hug a woman would cherish forever. “I know this shouldn’t have happened. I know you’re planning on leaving when things get right, but I had to know.”

  “Know what?”

  “If kissing you would be just as wonderful as I thought it would be. And the answer is yes. It was. Now what are we going to do about it?”

  The softness of his leather collar warred with the late-day bristle on his cheeks and chin. The combination of falling snow, warm hugs and sweet, tender kisses wiped any semblance of rational thought from her brain. “Kiss some more and figure things out in the reality of daylight?”

  He laughed and obliged most willingly, then hugged her close again. “I’ve got to get home. We’ve got lake-effect bands that are going to kick into gear the next few weeks, but just thinking about those kisses will keep me going, Em.”

  Beautiful kisses. Beautiful children. A fairy-tale kind of life in so many ways.

  But life was more than fiction. She reached her hand up to his cheek. He turned his face and kissed her palm.

  “I’ll see you in the morning, okay?” She stepped back because if she didn’t, she might linger in the yard forever, lost in the moment.

  “Okay.”

  He started toward the car, and when he turned and lifted his hand in farewell, she did the same. “God bless you.”

  “Good night, Em.”

  No sweet blessings at the McCarthy’s. No grace before meals, nothing faith based.

  Conflicted, she watched as he pulled away.

  Noel, and his gruff, no nonsense, take-no-prisoners offer.

  Grant, a man she cared for, who shrugged off God as a nonentity.

  Let go and let God.

  She put the shovel away, walked up the sidewalk and let herself in. If this was a test, one way or another she was determined to pass it. She’d pray for wisdom and discernment, because emotion alone couldn’t win the day.

  She’d done that once, and Emily Gallagher never wanted to make a serious mistake about marriage or life again.

  Chapter Ten

  Grant looked sleep deprived when she arrived at his house the next morning. The twins, however, looked well rested and raced to greet her. She bent low, arms wide. “Hello, Munchkins! Are you ready for days of great adventure? To boldly go where no toddler has gone before, my darlings?”

  Dolly screeched and patted her cheek in excitement. Timmy latched on to her leg and refused to let go, so she plunked herself onto the kitchen floor and let them explore her.

  “Hug!” Timmy launched himself into her arms and when he drew himself back, he laughed right into her face. “More hug!”

  “I could hug you all day, my little gingersnap!”

  “I love gingersnaps.” Grant stood by the table, looking down at them. Mixed emotions deepened the fine lines around his eyes. “And playing with these two. Wish I could stay and have fun with all of you.”

  A part of her wished that, too. Being with him and the kids put her in a state of longing. But she was a baseball lover from way back when her brother and Drew played Legion ball. Three strikes was a firm out in any league. Grant was unforgiving, overprotective and didn’t believe in God. “Well, someone has to be the wage earner, which means you go to work.” She motioned to the table. “My keys are right there. And we stay here and plan our day!”

  “About that...”

  “Yes, Grant?” She challenged him by locking eyes with him, then asked smoothly, “Do you need my driving credentials? You can have Drew run my license to check for tickets and violations.”

  He looked downright uncomfortable.

  Good.

  Grant McCarthy was used to his word being law at the office, in the town and in his house.

  But not with her.

  She extricated herself from the floor, and when he offered a hand up, she took it and found herself up close, next to him.

  Sparks hummed between them. No, not sparks, bolts. Lightning-sized bolts of sweet attraction. Her hand in his, their arms together, touching. Close enough to feel him breathe and want to share that breath. Close enough to sense his emotions and want to calm them or maybe rile them even more.

  He squeezed her hand softly. He bent, just a little, to hold her gaze, and for the life of her, she couldn’t look anywhere else. “Thank you, Em.”

  Kindly words of gratitude. He smiled then, a slow, broad smile, the kind of smile that needed no words. “I’ll see you tonight.”

  “We’ll be here.”

  He released her hand, but she was pretty sure he didn’t want to release her hand. He dropped his keys on the table and pocketed hers.

  Victory.

  “Bye, guys.” He stooped and gave the twins each a kiss and a hug. “Daddy loves you. Be good, okay?”

  “Wuvs you, wuvs you, wuvs you!” Timmy jigged around the kitchen to imaginary music. “See you, Dad!”

  “Will do, big guy. Bye, Doll-face.”

  Dolly grinned up at him, silent, sure that was enough.

  Emily crouched down. “Say bye-bye.”

  Dolly grinned harder.

  “The smile’s super cute, kid, but words are where it’s at. Say bye-bye.”

  Dolly nodded to say she understood, and said nothing.

  “It’s okay,” Grant said. “Her smile says it all.”

  Emily stood, reached up and grabbed hold of his jacket to get his attention.

  Oh, it got his attention, all right. For a moment he see
med to think she was going to kiss him goodbye, and the thought crossed her mind, but that wasn’t why she made the move. “Stop babying her.”

  He flushed.

  “If she needs to be pushed to learn things that help her fit into society, then we push. Got it?”

  He could have gotten angry. He could have been put out by her sass and her tough-girl attitude, but he wasn’t, because his hand came up, his big, strong, beautiful right hand, and he laid it against her face, cupping her cheek. “You said we.”

  He held her gaze with his, dropped his gaze to her lips, then settled a light kiss against her mouth. It was soft and strong all at once, the kind of kiss a girl dreams about and rarely experiences. She couldn’t move if she wanted to, and moving was the last thing she wanted to do. “I love the sound of that word, Em.”

  He caressed her cheek gently and smiled. “See you later.”

  “Okay.” One word was all she could manage. When was the last time a kiss rendered her speechless?

  She couldn’t remember, so that was either a very bad sign or a really good one.

  A sudden crash brought her back to reality. Don’t turn your back, because destruction can and will ensue.

  She popped Dolly into a high chair, latched the tray firmly in place, gave her a big crayon and white paper to amuse her while Emily cleaned up the half gallon of spilled milk and a generous shaking of cereal.

  She wasn’t here to win Grant’s heart or to give hers. She was here to do a good service to these sweet kids.

  But that kiss...

  She didn’t dare close her eyes and relive the kiss because then nothing would get done. She fed the kids, turned on the TV when they were done eating and did a quick kitchen cleanup. By ten o’clock, the kitchen was in decent shape, everyone had a fresh diaper and the SUV was warming in the garage. She packed the double stroller and took the twins to the play center in the big mall in Victor. They climbed, they ran, they laughed.

  By noon, she was on the road again. She cruised through one drive-through for coffee and another for chicken nuggets, then decided to surprise Grant with a submarine sandwich from the Italian deli just off Center Street. She called and placed the order, but when she pulled into their parking lot, she realized her quandary. No drive-through.

  Oops.

  Getting the kids in and out for a one-minute pickup made no sense, so she called the deli from the car, explained her predicament and when GiGi DiTucci hurried outside with her order and change for a twenty-dollar bill, Emily hugged her. “Thank you so much!”

  “This is what small towns do.” GiGi waved to the twins, excited to see them. “They help one another. Go with God, Emily!”

  “And you, GiGi. Thank you!”

  She pulled out of the deli’s lot and drove over to the Grace Haven town highway department offices. Grant McCarthy was about to be surprised.

  * * *

  His kids were mobile. Grant wasn’t too sure what to make of the news. On one hand, he trusted Emily.

  The other hand, the one that had been rocking cradles on its own for over two years, wanted control. He was pretty sure that side was about to lose the battle.

  Sara from the coffee shop called to tell them how adorable the twins were and how they waved to her from the backseat.

  GiGi called exclaiming about how big they were getting.

  And Martha Bryant called to say how she enjoyed running into them at the mall. All this and the clock had just struck twelve. He wasn’t sure if he should be overjoyed or worried sick, but when Emily came breezing into the outer office with kids and lunch, his heart leaped the instant he laid eyes on her with Timmy and Dolly.

  “Hey.” He came out of his office, picked Timmy up and smothered him with kisses. “What a nice surprise.”

  “Oh, you precious bundles!” Jeannie bent low and smiled into Dolly’s eyes. “How are you, darling?”

  Dolly’s face started to crumple, but when Emily said “Uh, uh,” Dolly paused and looked up. She gulped, and her lower lip quivered, but she didn’t make a fuss.

  Grant was amazed and proud, and decided he liked that a whole lot better than apologizing for Dolly’s regular outbursts.

  Emily smiled down at her. “Much better! Good girl, Dolly. Can you say hello?”

  “Wo.”

  Grant stared, then lifted surprised and grateful eyes to Emily. “She said it.”

  “She did. We’re going to work on diction and pronunciation. She needs to work harder to make her tongue form the sounds, but hard work wins the day, doesn’t it, Doll-face?”

  Dolly smiled when Emily palmed her head of curls. “Wo! Wo!”

  “You are so good with her.” Sincerity marked Jeannie’s compliment. “You probably don’t remember me, but I used to cheer you on at local pageants. I’m Jeannie Delgado.”

  “Your son Bob was in my graduating class.”

  “He was.” Jeannie looked pleased that Emily remembered. “I think he had a crush on you for years.”

  Grant lifted his chin, because Bob Delgado was a single young executive, living in nearby Rochester, and he had no business being interested in Emily. Then or now.

  “The sweetest tribute there is,” Emily declared. “Tell him I said hi.”

  “I will.”

  Emily turned his way and lifted the shopping bag. “Have you eaten yet?”

  He hadn’t even thought of food yet, and the smell of seasoned deli meat made his mouth water. “I thought you didn’t like cold cuts.”

  She shook her head. “I can’t look at cold cuts. If someone else makes me a sandwich, with no personal contact on my part, then I can eat them. And GiGi’s subs are to die for, but I didn’t get one for me. I’m cooking for Rory tonight, so I need to save an appetite for later, but I got one for you and nuggets for the kids. I thought we might be able to have a carpet picnic.”

  “A what?” Did he look as out of his element as he felt right now?

  “A carpet picnic. Like on the floor of your office.”

  “Kids eating on the floor?”

  She strolled right past him and into the office. “Come here, darlings.”

  Timmy scrambled to get down. Dolly followed along as fast as she could, hands out, clearly in love with her new day care provider, and why shouldn’t she be? In one morning Emily had taken the initiative to get them out of routine. Dolly’s occupational therapist had suggested this often. Grant had been adept at ignoring the idea. Home was comfortable, safe and secure. Less chance for Dolly to fall or be hurt, and easier to control her fits of temper. Was it bad to want them safe?

  Not bad, he realized as the toddlers plopped down onto the worn carpet. Just stifling, and that was bad. “We’re really going to sit on that floor? Where workmen come in wearing boots and tromping snow and salt?”

  “These are all natural compounds found everywhere we go this time of year, and clearly it’s been vacuumed recently. We’re going to sit here.” She followed that by taking a seat on the floor, using the tacky black vinyl couch as a backrest. “You can proceed as you wish. The white bag is yours.”

  He opened the bag. “A grandfather sub.”

  She grinned. “You like?”

  “I haven’t bought one of these since summer when we were rebuilding the runoff swales for the Clowden development.”

  “The new neighborhoods being built off Hunter Road.”

  “Yes.”

  “That’s a great area,” she told him. When he took a seat next to her, her smile was enough of a reward. “Pretty houses, nice yards, at least in phase one and two, and filled with kids because it’s affordable to normal people.”

  “How do you know all this?”

  “Drew and Kimberly were house hunting over there. Although I’m a big fan of village houses.”

 
“Because you were raised in the village?”

  She shrugged. “Maybe. I love being able to walk all over. To work, for food, for friends, shopping...and church.”

  “There is a major convenience when you live in town,” he admitted. “If you like people.”

  “I do.”

  He winced. “I know. I’m kind of stuck on privacy, myself.”

  “Ah.”

  He’d failed a test. He knew it, but he couldn’t pretend to be something he wasn’t. Could he?

  His mother used to tease him about being a stick-in-the-mud. Was he? Was he that married to his own choices?

  “Although being in a neighborhood with the right person could make all the difference.” He took a bite of his sandwich, one of the best sandwiches he’d ever had, and waited to see what she’d say as the kids gobbled chicken nuggets and apple slices.

  “It could.” She paused, and Grant began to understand the seriousness of her words. “But to deliberately put yourself or others in a situation they don’t or won’t like wears folks down after a while. That can’t be healthy for a relationship.”

  Like Serenity.

  She’d changed the rules of the game, deciding she didn’t want children several years into their marriage. And years later, when she discovered she was pregnant, she continued the pregnancy for him. He hadn’t thought of that as sacrificial, before. It was what mothers did, wasn’t it? Now he glimpsed the reality behind her choice, and he surprised himself. “I thought being a grown-up would be a piece of cake. You make your own rules and follow them. It didn’t exactly work out that way, and it’s hard sometimes.”

  “It is, isn’t it? And yet.” She swept the twins a quick look, a look so sweet and filled with humor and appreciation that Grant’s heart pushed open a little wider still. “Being a grown-up gives us amazing opportunities.”

  “Dowwy, dat’s mine!” Timmy reached across his sister to reclaim his apple slice. “Gimme, Dowwy!”

  Quick as a wink, Dolly stuffed the apple slice into her mouth.

  “She’ll choke.” Grant moved to help her, but Emily paused him.

  “She’s fine, just greedy.” She picked Dolly up and put her on the couch. “You don’t take Timmy’s food. That’s naughty.”