by Stacy Eaton
I was embarrassed to be a man.
Allie twitched in her sleep, and all eyes went to her. She rubbed her cheek up against my shirt, trying to burrow more deeply, and then drifted back to sleep.
One of my heartstrings pulled taut as memories of Nate curled up in my lap in this same position filled my mind. I reminded myself to hold that thought for later when I was alone and could cherish it and let the emotions wash over me. Now was not the time.
“Does Todd know that you left?” Gigi asked.
“No, right now he thinks I’m on a business trip. I got help from a woman I know. She helped me to get away. Oh, my God, I forgot to send her a message to let her know I’m okay.” Barb started to get up.
“Wait,” I shifted in my seat and pulled out my cellphone, careful not to jostle the sleeping girl on my lap too much. “You can use my phone.”
She stared at me for a moment, but took the offering and stared dialing a phone number. She stood up and walked a little ways away.
“Peggy, it’s Barb,” her voice cracked with emotion, and Gloria and I shared a glance. “Yeah, I made it. It was a long day, but I’m at my grandmother’s now and I’m safe.” She listened for a moment. “I can’t thank you enough.”
She sniffled, and I turned my attention to the child in my lap. How horrible was it that she had to enlist the help of someone else to get away from the man she was married to?
“Hold on,” Barb turned to me, “Grey, do you mind if she uses this phone number to contact me? I only have a burner phone right now.”
I shrugged, “Sure.” Anything I could do to help, I would do. Here I go, getting involved in things I should keep my nose out of.
“Peggy, yes, the phone number that called you. He lives here with my grandmother. You can get a message through to me from him.” She paused and looked down at her daughter before she stared directly at me. “Yes, I trust him.”
My heart beat in double time. She had seemed so sincere in that moment that I wanted to do everything I could to protect her. She turned her attention back to the phone, and I pondered my thoughts. In under an hour, two different females had found a way to break through the wall that had surrounded my heart for over a year now. What was with the women in this family?
I was in deep trouble.
Barb spoke with the woman for a few more minutes and promised to check in with her again soon. She placed the phone down on the table near me and put a hand over her mouth to cover a yawn.
“Well, the rest of the details can wait. I think we need to get both of you off to bed,” Gloria suggested, and Barb agreed.
Barb approached me, and I began to shift Allie on my lap so I could hand her over.
“Thank you, Grey,” she said softly as I put Allie into her mother’s arms.
“Anytime, Barb,” and I meant that. I stood as she cradled Allie to her chest. “I’ll say good night. If you need anything, I’m down in the apartment over the workshop.”
Barb thanked me again, and Gloria brushed her hand down my arm. “Yes, thank you, Grey,” Gloria reiterated. “I’ll see you tomorrow for breakfast.”
I made my exit, now eager to put some space between myself and the three ladies that had put my heart into a violent spin.
The cool night air refreshed me a bit, and when I got upstairs, I felt trapped. I grabbed a beer and went out on the balcony, sitting on a wooden glider that Gloria told me Walter had made.
It wasn’t the first time I had sat on it, but it was the first time I had sat down and not wondered about the man who had made it and what his life had been like. Tonight, as I looked back at the large stone house, I watched as a light flicked on in the upper floor, and I could see Barb bend over to lay her daughter on the bed.
I watched her move around the room a bit before she began to pull her shirt over her head. I turned the direction of my eyes to my bottle. I was not going to be a Peeping Tom.
When I saw, out of the corner of my eye, the light go out, I returned my gaze to the darkened house. All the lights were out on the back side now. Gloria’s bedroom was around the front, so I couldn’t see it.
I knew that Gloria was exhausted. Today had been a long day, and that was before the emotional whirlwind had driven into the driveway.
I sipped the cold brew and thought back to the conversation in the kitchen. She had been beaten by her husband on numerous occasions, and yet she could still trust me to hold her daughter.
Maybe she was just so emotional that she didn’t know what to do. Tomorrow she would probably be overprotective and not let me near her daughter.
That was just as well.
I didn’t need to get attached to a young child—especially one in a situation where I would have no chance of really being a part of her life. I was only here until my job was finished, and then I would be expected to move on.
Allie and her mother would probably stay on here, especially once Gloria revealed her illness. I couldn’t see Barb taking off when Gloria might need help.
I finished the rest of my beer and lay my head back against the hard wood. The glider was oiled well, and no noise penetrated the quiet of the night. The only sounds were the rampant thoughts in my head of a little girl with bright green eyes and a mother with a pair to match.
I was up early the next morning and down in the shop when the intercom beeped. “Mr. Bloodstone,” Amelia’s voice called out.
“Yes, Amelia,” I glanced at the clock, damn, it was after nine.
“Mrs. Withers was wondering if you were coming to breakfast.”
“Yes, I’m on my way in two minutes. Tell her I’ll be right there. Thank you, Amelia.”
“You’re welcome, Mr. Bloodstone.” The hum of the speaker turned off, and I swiped some wood shavings into my hand and dropped them into a container at the end of the work station. I examined my handiwork; I liked what I saw—and damn it if it didn’t feel awesome to be doing it. I grinned as I put the piece under my arm and headed up to the main house.
I knew the custom was to have breakfast in the conservatory, so I made a beeline to the back door. As soon as I opened it, I heard a screech and then a giggle, and the sound had me grinning from ear to ear.
God, how I had missed the sounds of a happy child.
Allie was waddling near the coffee table, swiping magazines off the wood and onto the floor. Each one that hit brought a peal of laughter from her.
Gloria sat at her regular chair watching her, a warm smile and a sparkle in her eye as she observed her great-granddaughter.
“Good morning, Grey,” she called out as I closed the door. Allie stopped squealing and turned to stare at me.
“Good morning, Gloria.” I turned my attention to Allie, “Good morning to you, little button.” I stood still, not wanting to approach her in case she didn’t remember me.
She seemed to be contemplating her next move, her eyes wandering over my face. I was about to head to the table to show Gloria what I had when Allie wobbled my way. She walked pretty well but still seemed a bit unsure of her footing.
She lifted her arms as she reached me. “Up,” she commanded, and clasped and unclasped her hands as she reached for me.
Gloria laughed, “Another one bites the dust.” She turned back to the table, as I leaned down and scooped Allie up with one hand.
“How are you today, young lady?”
She stared me in the eye. The bright sunlight behind me deepened the green of her eyes and added touches of gold. I wondered if Barb’s eyes had the same gold flecks.
Allie didn’t respond to my question, so I took her over to the table and handed Gloria the piece of wood I had brought with me. “I finished this up this morning. What do you think?”
Gloria held the headpiece of the rocker in her hands, her eyes soaking up every detail for a long moment. Allie and I sat opposite her. Allie stood on my lap and tried to climb on the table, reaching for the muffins.
“Hold on there, little lady,” I glanced around. “Let’s wa
it for your mom to come down here. I don’t know if you have any food allergies.”
“She doesn’t,” Barb confirmed from the doorway. She was leaning against the doorjamb watching us. My cheeks heated. How long had she been watching. “But thank you for thinking about that.”
She joined us at the table and sat next to Gloria, “What’s that?” she asked as she sat down.
Gloria had yet to say anything, her attention fully on the wood in front of her. “This is a masterpiece. That’s what it is,” she said slowly.
Barb chuckled and when she lifted her eyes to mine, I saw the gold flecks sparkle in the sunlight through the window. My God, she is beautiful, I thought.
This morning, with the circles under her eyes less dramatic, and her skin free of makeup, she was amazing. Yes, she had colorful skin around her neck and eye, a rainbow of colors from yellows to purples, but I had never seen a woman look more amazing.
I broke the eye contact and cleared my throat, turning my attention back to Allie, “Which one do you want, Allie?”
She pointed to a muffin.
“Okay, can you get it or do you need help?”
“Me,” she declared and lunged for the muffin. Her plump little hand landed on it and she began to clench it, her fingers digging into the muffin.
“Whoa, there, Allie, gentle. You have to be gentle or you’ll make a mess.”
She spun her head around and studied me for a moment, when she reached for the muffin again she picked it up softly and then held it in two hands.
“Me,” she stated proudly.
“Yes, you did it. Can you sit down and eat it?”
She shook her head.
“Allie, you need to sit down. You can’t eat standing up,” Barb told her.
Allie thought about it for five seconds before she plopped down on my lap.
Barb laughed, “Sorry, Grey. I can take her.” She moved to stand up.
“That’s alright. She’s fine, as long as you don’t mind.”
Barb studied me for a few seconds, “No, I don’t. I’m still surprised that she took to you.”
“Does that bother you that she did?” I asked, wanting to understand her more.
She shook her head, her blond hair flipping back and forth around her neck, “No, I’m glad to see she likes you.” She gave me a smile that lit up her eyes again, and poured coffee from the carafe into her cup.
Allie nibbled on the muffin, but most of it fell into my lap. “Well, if you’re going to be staying here, I guess we need to get this little one a high chair.”
Gloria dropped into the conversation then, “What do you have for this child anyway?”
Barb sipped her coffee and held the cup in front of her. “Not much, only a few days’ worth of clothes, but Peggy has a few boxes of her toys that she is going to send me, along with a few of my things.”
“So you walked away with nothing?” Gloria asked.
Barb looked at Gloria, then at me. Finally, she let her gaze rest on Allie, “No, not nothing. I walked away with everything. I walked away with my life and hers.”
Chapter Twelve
Barb
I had slept better than I had in years. When the sunlight swept through the curtains, it fell on my face and warmed me with the softest caress.
I could hear Allie breathing softly beside me and knew she was still asleep. If she wasn’t, she would have been climbing all over me already.
I snuggled into the pillow a little more and thought back on the events of the day before, a wild ride with lots of emotional turmoil.
My eyes opened, and I glanced around. I was actually free. At least for a few days, I was free. Soon, Todd would know I was gone, and he would start looking for me.
That thought filled me with dread, but I knew now that I was out of his clutches and that I could handle it. I had Gigi to back me, and Grey.
Grey?
What made me think that? I didn’t know that man, and he sure didn’t know anything about me. Why would he even want to be a part of this messed up life?
Thinking about Grey reminded me of how after I had turned the lights out, I had stood at the window and looked out over the backyard. The stars had been out and the moon just a sliver in the sky, but a porch light at the guest house was on and Grey sat on a glider.
I observed him slide back and forth slowly, every once in a while tipping the glass bottle he held to his lips. I had wondered what his story was, and how he had gotten so good with kids. Maybe he had some.
I watched him far longer than I should have, and only climbed in bed after he went inside and turned out the light. While my body began to relax, his face kept coming to mind, and I smiled to myself as I heard his deep, rich voice calling Allie little button.
Allie wiggled beside me, starting to pull out of her deep sleep. I was still amazed that she had gone to him, but maybe that was because she had been so tired, and he had seemed so safe. I would have to see if she was still fascinated with him today.
Amelia took Allie downstairs so I could finish dressing, and when I walked into the conservatory and found Allie standing in Grey’s lap, a warm feeling filled my chest. Maybe Todd hadn’t scarred Allie as much as I had thought.
I joined them at the table and looked over Gloria’s shoulder at the wood in her hands. It was beautifully carved with flowers and a sun shining on the garden. Along the bottom were words, but I didn’t look closely enough to see what they were.
I assumed Grey had done that.
Allie sat in his lap making a complete mess, yet he wasn’t the least bit upset. Gigi might be since the crumbs were going all over the floor, but I focused my attention on Grey.
Allie was really taken with him, and I could see why. The highlights in his hair shone and the blue of his eyes caught the light and reminded me of a summer sky. He was wearing another t-shirt, just as tight, and I saw the defined muscles in his biceps and forearms. His hands were large, and the scars were more noticeable in the daylight. I glanced at the wood in Gloria’s hands and realized that he had probably gotten them working on something, not hitting someone.
The conversation came back to me. I had left with basically what I had on my back and inside a few boxes, but I felt like I had so much more.
No one would understand that I had a life to live, one that I would not have to live in fear. Well, at least once I got the divorce over.
“So what is that you’re holding, Gigi?” I asked once again, not wanting to talk about everything quite yet.
“Grey made this.” She held it out to me and this time I had the chance to read along the bottom. “Never lose hope,” “Believe in life,” and “Have faith” scrolled gently along the bottom.
“It’s beautiful, but what is it for?” I reached out and ran my finger over the carving.
“I commissioned Grey to make a hundred rocking chairs for a cancer wing I am having built.”
“Really?” I asked. “That’s a lot of chairs.”
“Yes, but that’s not all. He’s also making fifty toy boxes. There is a special design for the tops of those, too.”
“That’s a lot of work. Are you doing it all yourself?” I asked him as I spooned some fruit on my plate.
“Yeah, I’m doing it alone. Luckily, I have this really great boss and this very incredible workshop to use.” Grey grinned at Gloria, and she laughed.
There was an easygoing nature to their relationship. “How long have you two known each other?” I asked as I slipped a piece of apple between my lips.
“A few weeks,” Gigi replied.
I raised an eyebrow, “A few weeks? Grey, no offense, but, Gigi, if you have only known him for a few weeks, how can you trust him?”
I eyed Allie on his lap and thought about snatching her up. Grey had tensed but didn’t say anything.
“Barb, I know enough about Grey to know that he is a complete gentleman and a very hard worker. Have some faith in my abilities to choose my friends.”
“I thou
ght he was an employee,” I countered.
“He is a friend who is working for me, and up until last night, he was basically the only family I had,” she zinged back.
Ouch.
I saw Grey try to hide a smile as Allie squirmed in his lap to get down. Grey let her slip off his lap and started picking off pieces of muffin from his jeans.
“If you must know, I found him on the street and adopted him,” Gloria added, and grinned at Grey who started laughing.
“What am I missing?” I asked, but no one answered my questions because a cellphone rang. Grey pulled the phone from his back pocket and answered it.
“Yeah, Barb is right here.” Grey handed me his phone.
Knowing it must be Peggy, I moved away from the table for some privacy. “Hello, Peggy.”
“Barb, how are you feeling today? Did you get some rest?” Peggy asked, and I heard some tension in her voice.
“Yes, actually I did get some rest.”
“Good,” she paused, “there is something that I have to tell you. I didn’t want to add anything to your stress yesterday and obviously from your voice I can tell you don’t know.”
“Know what? What’s going on, Peggy?” My heart began to beat faster. Had Todd figured it out already? Was he already trying to find me?
“The airplane you were supposed to be on to San Diego, it crashed yesterday.”
What? I thought I spoke the word, but she didn’t reply, so I must have said it in my head. I cleared my throat, “What?”
“The plane crashed, Barb. Everyone on it is dead.”
“Oh, my God!” My mind spun. Tina and Roberta were dead. Tina was dead because she had helped me to live. Tears welled in my eyes.
“Barb, right now, Todd thinks you are dead,” she said the words just as the thought popped into my mind. That was good, except eventually he would wonder where Allie was, or would he?
“What am I supposed to do now?” I noticed movement in the room and turned to see Amelia taking Allie out of the room. I glanced back and saw Grey standing, watching me carefully, while Gigi stared at me from her seat.
