Child of Grace

by Hannon, Irene

  When he finished, she gave him a sympathetic nod. “I can see why you feel obligated to do this. But the timing’s not ideal, with the youth center project just starting up.”

  “Tell me about it. I don’t know how I’m going to keep her entertained. My schedule is already packed.”

  “That may not be a problem. If she’s like most seventeen-year-olds, she’ll probably be happy to hang out on the beach, listen to music, watch movies, and eat junk food.”

  “You think?” He gave her a hopeful look.

  “Yes. But it’s too bad she doesn’t have someone her own age to bum around with. Maybe there’s a youth fellowship activity or two that would appeal to her. You could ask Father Joe.”

  “Not a bad idea.”

  A gust of wind whipped some strands of hair across her face, and Kelsey pushed them aside as thunder rumbled in the distance. Once more she slid her chair back.

  “I’d suggest we take cover. Lake storms can be nasty, and this one is approaching fast.” As she spoke, she hoisted herself to her feet and examined the sky. The dark clouds had scuttled closer as they talked, erasing any evidence of the earlier blue sky. A raindrop plopped onto the glass-topped table, followed by another. “I’m out of here.”

  Luke picked up the manila file folder and followed her to the edge of the deck. “Listen, I appreciate all your help with the project—and your encouragement. Hannah’s a good kid. We’ll work everything out, I’m sure.”

  She stopped at the top of the steps. “I am too. But in case you run into any trouble, I was a seventeen-year-old girl once. I may be able to offer a bit of advice.”

  “I’ll take all the advice I can get. With Hannah, and with this.” He waved the file folder as the rain intensified. “If you don’t get home fast, you’ll be soaked. Unless you want to sit out the storm in my kitchen over a cup of tea.”

  For a fleeting moment, she was tempted to accept his invitation. Odd, when half an hour ago she hadn’t wanted to get anywhere near his house.

  Before the urge became too strong to resist, she retreated down the steps. “Thanks, but this could be a long one. It may last all night.”

  There was a subtle shift in his demeanor. Or perhaps it was just a shadow in the deepening twilight. Who knew? And she didn’t wait around to find out.

  Calling a goodbye over her shoulder, she hurried toward her house.

  Before she reached her screened porch, the rain began coming down in earnest. She picked up her pace, slipping inside as big drops pelted the ground, lightning slashed through the roiling black clouds, and thunder boomed.

  Kelsey moved into the safety of Gram’s house, locked the door behind her, and flipped on lights to dispel the gloom. Lake storms were no big deal. They came in all blustery and ferocious, but when they were over, very little had changed. Pier Cove went on as before.

  Too bad the storms of life didn’t work the same way.

  Yet if they had, she’d still be in the backbiting world of corporate politics. Still sacrificing any semblance of a personal life in pursuit of the brass ring of a vice-president slot. Still searching for happiness and fulfillment in the wrong place.

  Still alone.

  Pausing by the kitchen window, Kelsey rested her hand on her growing stomach and peered through the trees. Light spilled from Luke’s windows, chasing away the oppressive darkness.

  Funny how a neighbor she hadn’t wanted had so quickly worked his way into her life. All because of an idealistic, faith-filled young medic she would never know. Thanks to Carlos Fernandez, she’d met a man who was helping her heal. A man whose kindness, honor, and unselfish generosity were lifting her spirits. A man whose strength of character and steadfast principles were bolstering her trust and giving her hope for a future free of fear.

  All of those were positive developments.

  But Luke Turner was doing one other thing too.

  He was beginning to work his way into her heart as well as her life.

  And considering his short tenure in Michigan, that could be very, very bad.

  6

  Clutching a bouquet of flowers in one hand and a cup of Starbucks coffee in the other, Luke did a double-take at the model-like young woman in the crowd of passengers emerging from the gate area of Gerald R. Ford International Airport in Grand Rapids.

  Was that Hannah?

  He peered at her as she drew closer.

  Yeah, it was her—but the family photos his mom regularly emailed hadn’t done his kid sister justice.

  Nor had they prepared him for the fact that she wasn’t a kid anymore.

  How could she have changed so much since he’d last seen her? Maybe if she hadn’t been away on a volunteer youth trip last year when he’d gone home on leave—or he hadn’t had to cancel his trip home the year before—the shock wouldn’t be so great.

  But…wow.

  As soon as she spotted him, her face lit up and she waved.

  A smile tugged at the corners of his lips.

  While the sleek, trendy hairstyle that feathered around her face and swept down her back was new…and though she’d grown into a sophisticated young woman…her baby blues hadn’t lost their endearing sweetness and guileless charm.

  Rather than fight the crowd, he waited until she reached him.

  “Hey, Luke.” She stopped in front of him, her demeanor a tad uncertain.

  He grinned. “My little sister has morphed into a high-fashion model. When did you grow up?”

  A blush tinted her cheeks. “According to Mom and Dad, I’m not there yet. That’s why they foisted me on you. Sorry about that.”

  He waved aside the apology, delivered in her familiar drawl. Another thing that hadn’t changed. “Nothing to be sorry about. It’s been too long since we had a visit.” He tossed his empty cup into a nearby trash container and pulled her to him. “How about a hug?”

  He gave her a squeeze, then backed off and held out the flowers. “Welcome to Michigan.”

  She took them, burying her face in the assortment of roses, carnations, and daisies. “This was really sweet. Thank you, Luke.”

  “You’re welcome.” He’d have to pass the thank-you on to Kelsey, who’d suggested the flowers yesterday when she’d called to tell him about the radio interviews she was lining up. “Let’s get your luggage and go home. Are you hungry?”

  “Starved. All I had on the airplane was a tiny bag of pretzels.”

  “How does pizza sound? There’s a place in Saugatuck I think you’d like.”

  “That would be great.”

  As they waited for her luggage, she filled him in on her trip. Thankfully, she didn’t seem to resent the disruption in her summer plans with her friend. She also appeared to be genuinely excited about spending hours on the beach, assuring him she’d brought a bunch of paperbacks to read while she soaked up the sun.

  Hours later, as he drove toward the lake house after their dinner, the knot of tension that had formed between his shoulder blades after he’d agreed to host his sister was beginning to unwind.

  Hannah was a poised, self-sufficient young woman with her head on straight. Unlike many of her peers, she didn’t have an attitude. She was easy to talk to, with a bubbly sense of humor that kept him laughing during much of the drive.

  It seemed he’d been worrying over nothing.

  This visit was going to be a piece of cake.

  * * *

  Yawning, Luke tucked his T-shirt into his shorts and padded barefoot into the kitchen. Sleeping in wasn’t his usual style—but it was Saturday. And after Hannah had assured him last night that she didn’t need a babysitter, was perfectly capable of getting her own breakfast and lunch, and that she might even try her hand at cooking a few dinners for them, it was no wonder he’d passed out for ten solid hours. Peace of mind was the best prescription for sound sleep.

  A note on the dinette table registered, and he strolled over to read it.

  At the beach. Couldn’t wait to see it in daylight!

&nbs
p; His sister had signed it in her scrawling hand.

  Lips curving, Luke started a pot of coffee and filled a mug with milk for hot chocolate—Hannah’s morning drink of choice whenever he’d been home. Maybe they could spend a relaxing hour or two on the beach together, catching up. And if Kelsey appeared, all the better. Unless his instincts were off, his neighbor and his sister would hit it off.

  Things were definitely looking up on the home front.

  While the coffee brewed, he shaved and scrounged up a towel. Then he filled an insulated mug with the fresh java and nuked Hannah’s milk, stirring in a generous helping of chocolate. The second beach chair he’d placed on the deck was gone, so he grabbed the remaining one and descended the steps.

  As he waded through the beach grass at the bottom, two buff young guys in swim trunks standing near the water came into view. Their backs were toward him, but they hadn’t stopped to admire the sweep of sparkling blue water. Instead, they were facing the small public beach only locals seemed to frequent, a short walk down the sand. But that wasn’t what had grabbed their attention, either. They were absorbed in something much closer at hand.

  What?

  The instant Luke cleared the beach grass, he had his answer.

  Hannah.

  She was visible through their legs, reclining in her beach chair. Her head was tipped back, and she was smiling up at the college-age guys. Their banter was too low to hear, but the masculine chuckles were far more audible—as was the flirty laugh that was way too adult to be coming from his baby sister.

  His newfound peace of mind evaporated.

  No wonder his parents hadn’t wanted to leave Hannah home alone.

  Clearing his throat, he moved toward the small group.

  The two college-age jocks angled toward him as he approached, and Hannah peeked around them. “Hi, Luke. Ah didn’t wake ya’ll, did I?”

  Based on their besotted expressions, her two young admirers were eating up the honey-voiced drawl that was common among Southern belles in Atlanta but an exotic and appealing rarity in Michigan.

  “No. I brought you some hot chocolate.”

  “Thank you. I haven’t had any in years.” She reached for it as she motioned to a mug in the sand. “I fixed myself instant coffee this mornin’ ’cause I didn’t know if you wanted a whole pot.”

  She drank coffee now. Not hot chocolate.

  Heat crept up Luke’s neck. “I always make a pot.”

  “I’ll remember that. Luke, meet Jason and Eric. They were down at the public beach and wandered up this way. We were just gettin’ acquainted. Jason, Eric, this is my brother, Luke.”

  The two guys gave him polite nods, and Jason stuck out his hand. “Nice to meet you, sir.”

  Why did the title he was used to from his military days suddenly make him feel old?

  He released the kid’s hand and opened his chair. “Don’t let me interrupt your conversation. I’ll just enjoy the view.” He set up his chair a few feet away, angled their direction rather than toward the water, and sat.

  Hannah’s eyebrows arched, and the two jocks shifted on the sand, clearly uncomfortable with his presence.

  Good.

  The boys made stilted small talk for a couple of minutes, and then Hannah stood, shooting a disgruntled glare at Luke before addressing her admirers.

  “Want to take a walk? I could use some exercise after sittin’ in planes for hours yesterday.” She swept a hand down the long expanse of sand in the opposite direction of the nearby public beach, where a few family groups were gathered.

  “Sure.” Jason’s relief was transparent.

  Hannah reached down for her hot chocolate. “Thanks again for this, Luke. I’ll be back in a little while.”

  With a flip of her hair, she turned her back and sauntered down the sand, a stud on each side.

  As they walked away, tension once more bunched in Luke’s shoulders.

  Talk about being blindsided.

  Obviously, his worry about keeping Hannah entertained had been unfounded.

  But now he had a bigger problem.

  A much bigger problem.

  And he didn’t have a clue how to deal with it.

  * * *

  From the far side of her yard, Kelsey watched the tableau below as she reached for a plastic grocery bag the wind had tossed into a bush on the bluff. While her view of the beach was obstructed by leafy branches, you didn’t need sound—or subtitles—to figure out what was going on.

  Nor was it difficult to discern Luke’s frustration…and panic. Though the tall beach grass obscured details, the sudden stiffening in his stance when he’d come across the scene—and the protective placement of his beach chair—communicated loud and clear.

  But he’d been one-upped by the blonde, who had to be Hannah. There’d been defiance in her stance as she’d faced off with him, and triumph in her saunter when she’d walked away with the two young men.

  It appeared Luke was going to need help with his sister sooner rather than later.

  After snagging the wayward bag, Kelsey returned to the house and gathered up her own beach gear, as well as a tin of scones Dorothy had sent home with her yesterday. When Luke’s sister and her admirers reappeared twenty minutes later, she struck out toward the steps with her own beach chair.

  Timing her arrival to theirs, she paused as she emerged from the tall grass.

  Luke stood, and she waved before turning her attention to the three younger people who’d halted opposite her. “You must be Hannah, Luke’s sister.” She held out her hand. “I’m Kelsey, your next-door neighbor.”

  The girl gripped her fingers. “Luke told me about you.”

  Hmm. Too bad there was no way to find out what he’d said.

  “I’ve heard about you too. Welcome to Michigan.”

  Luke joined them. “Can I carry those for you?” He nodded toward Kelsey’s bag and chair.

  “Sure. Over there will be fine.” She motioned farther down the beach and held them out. “Would you like to join me?” She pinned him with a meaningful look.

  He got the message. “Yeah. I’ll set you up, then move my stuff.”

  Hannah flashed her a silent thank-you as Luke retreated down the beach.

  “I have homemade scones in my bag, if you all are interested.” She encompassed the small group in her comment. “Blueberry, cinnamon, and lemon. Why don’t you give me a minute to get set up, then come help yourselves? I have plenty.”

  “That’d be great. Thanks.” Hannah spoke for all of them.

  Luke’s sister sashayed toward her chair, her two admirers following as if she were the Pied Piper.

  While Luke collected his beach equipment, Kelsey crossed to her chair and lowered herself into it. Her neighbor was right. One of these days very soon she was going to have to switch to a regular lawn chair. She could still get into this one—but getting out was becoming a major problem.

  Two minutes later he joined her and opened up his own chair. “I take it I made a tactical error.”

  “Kids that age need space.”

  He sighed and settled his sunglasses on his nose, keeping tabs on his sister. “Yeah. But they also need supervision—even if they don’t think they do.” He frowned as one of the young men leaned close to Hannah.

  “That’s true—but a subtle approach may be more effective.”

  He transferred his attention to her. “What those guys have on their minds isn’t subtle.”

  “Maybe not. But Hannah seems to be handling them just fine. And they appear to be behaving themselves.” She pulled the tin of scones from her canvas tote.

  “That might not be the case if we weren’t close by.” He massaged the bridge of his nose. “I was afraid this visit might be challenging—but this wasn’t the kind of challenge I had in mind.”

  As laughter floated toward them from the three younger people, Kelsey held up the tin. Hannah spoke to the young men, and the three of them started down the beach.

  “Yo
u may want to give her a chance to prove she’s responsible before you shift into overprotective mode.” Kelsey popped the lid on the scones and held the tin out to him. “I recommend the blueberry. And I’d take one quick if I were you. I have a feeling those two young guys are going to make short work of my stash.”

  * * *

  Ten minutes later, as Luke dug around in the bottom of the tin for the few crumbs that remained, it was clear Kelsey had been right about Hannah’s admirers. They’d devoured Dorothy’s scones.

  She’d been right about being overprotective too. As Hannah interacted with the young men while they ate their scones, she was poised, confident—and in control. With every gesture and every facial expression, she set clear boundaries for them. Let them know what pleased her—and what didn’t. It was masterful to watch, from the silent disapproval she shot Eric after he uttered an offensive term, to the wrinkled nose she offered Jason when he mentioned a raucous drinking party his fraternity had sponsored last school year.

  As the three younger people conversed a few feet away, Kelsey quirked an eyebrow at him, as if to say, See? She’s fine. You have nothing to worry about.

  While he wasn’t convinced of that yet, the urge to hover over her every minute of her stay did abate. Not that he could have anyway, with all his commitments related to the youth center project. If she’d needed constant supervision, he’d have been hosed.

  Hannah wandered over for another scone, then made a face when she found the tin empty. “Those were great, Kelsey. Did you bake them?”

  “No.” She closed the tin and slipped it back in her bag. “My shop mate did. She runs a tearoom.”

  “Yeah?” Hannah plopped onto the sand beside her. “That’s cool. I’m starting to get into cooking. Do you think she’d give me the recipes for these?”

  “I’ll ask her for you.”

  “So you make quilts, right?” Hannah lifted a handful of sand and let it sift through her fingers.

  “That’s right.”

  “That’s cool too, I guess—if you’re into country decor.” She gave Kelsey a sheepish grin. “That’s not my thing.”