She seemed to just notice him and hastily wiped at the tears. “Oh, yes. I’m fine.” She tried to smile.
“Are you sure? How about we sit at one of these tables over here and I get you some water?” He pointed to the dining hall a few feet from where they stood. He gently guided her into the room and seated her before bringing a box of tissues and some water. Their hands touched during the exchange and he felt a spark of awareness.
She accepted the items, pulled a few tissues out and blotted at the tears. “Thank you.”
This time when she smiled at him, Thad felt a strange sensation. One he hadn’t experienced in quite a while—immediate attraction. “I’m Thad.”
“Celeste. Do you work here?”
“No. I volunteer a few hours a week. Are you attending one of the groups?”
She nodded.
“Your husband?”
“No. I came with my sister. Her son is struggling with PTSD and she’s pretty much at the end of her rope.”
Thad took a quick glance at her left hand and didn’t see a wedding ring, but that didn’t mean anything. Surprised, he wondered why he even cared. His gaze went back to her face. Her tear-stained dark brown eyes were set in a gorgeous golden face. She took a sip of the water and her tongue darted out to capture a drop on the corner of her mouth. Arousal hummed in his veins. “I’ll be right back. I need to tell Phillip where I am.”
She nodded.
What is going on? I’m too old for this kind of thing. Or was he?
Chapter 2
Celeste placed the bottle of water on the table and fanned herself. Her heart raced and she didn’t know which had affected her more—the support group or the caring man who’d brought her tissues and water. Goodness, that man is fine! He had to be at least six feet tall and stood with perfect posture. By the way he carried himself, she put him close to her age. She chastised herself for the wayward thought. Her focus needed to be solely on helping her family. She jumped slightly when Thad’s hand brushed her shoulder as he reclaimed his seat.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to startle you.”
His deep, soothing voice floated over her like a warm embrace. Okay, girl. Get it together. You’re acting like a teenager. “I was sitting here thinking, that’s all.”
“You said you were here with your sister. Did something happen in the group?”
“No. Listening to the shared stories just got to be a little overwhelming. Outside of the issues with my nephew, I never knew how hard this disease is on families.” The story about a young man so traumatized by what he’d seen that he would crawl under his bed and not come out for days had been the one that broke Celeste. She’d barely held it together long enough to leave the room. “Trent—my nephew—has been back eight months. My sister says he has nightmares and she sometimes finds him prowling the house at night. He told her if he didn’t sleep, he’d have no nightmares.”
Thad nodded. “It’s tough, and that’s why Omar founded this center. We want to do everything we can to help these men and women transition back to civilian life and regain some level of wholeness.”
She studied him. “You sound like you know a lot about it.”
A slight smile curved his mouth. “More than I care to know. I volunteer here because I’ve been where they are.”
“You’re a veteran?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Celeste reached over and squeezed his hand. “Thank you so much for your service.”
Thad placed his other hand over hers. “It was my honor.”
For a moment, neither of them moved. She realized their hands were still connected and quickly, but gently, pulled away. She jumped up from the chair. “I…um…I should get back in there. My sister is probably wondering where I am.”
He stood. “Come on. I’ll go with you.”
“Oh, you don’t have to do that. Didn’t you mention you were volunteering?”
He smiled. “This is part of what I do, Celeste.”
The way he said her name sounded like a sweet caress. Celeste shook herself. “Okay. Thank you.” They entered the room quietly and she sat next to her sister. Thad grabbed a chair and sat behind her.
Deborah divided a glance between Celeste and Thad, and then mouthed, “I want all the details.”
Celeste turned her attention to the person speaking. A few more people shared their stories and she nudged Deborah, but Deborah shook her head.
“Maybe next time,” she whispered.
The man facilitating the group, who had introduced himself as Phillip, waited until everyone who’d wanted to share had done so. “I want to thank you all for coming today. A good support system is the first step in helping your loved one. The more you learn about PTSD, the better you’ll be equipped to handle it. Consider planning dinner out, going to a movie, taking a walk or bike ride, or some other activity. Exercise is important for your health and does wonders for clearing the mind. But also understand your family member may not want to talk and could possibly withdraw. Recognize that these can be symptoms of PTSD. Give them the space they need, but remind them you’ll be there whenever they’re ready.” Phillip glanced around the room. “Does anyone have anything else they’d like to say or have any questions?” He waited a moment. When no one said anything, he said, “I see a few new faces this week and I hope you’ll come back. There are some brochures on the back table with more information about the programs here and how to contact us. Thanks for coming. I’ll be around if anyone wants to talk.”
People made their way to the table. Before Celeste could suggest to Deborah that they do the same, Thad came over and handed them both a stack of papers.
“Thank you.” Deborah stuck out her hand. “I’m Deborah Chapman.”
Thad shook her hand. “Thad Whitcomb.”
“It’s nice to meet you. Is this your first time, too?”
He smiled. “Nice meeting you, too. And no. I’ve been around since before they broke ground. I volunteer here a few hours a week.”
“That’s wonderful.” Deborah slanted a quick glance at Celeste. “Don’t you think so, sis?”
Celeste stifled an eye-roll. She knew exactly how Deb operated. “Yes, I do. Didn’t you say you wanted to beat the traffic?” The drive from Hawthorne to Long Beach should take less than half an hour, but she could count the number of times there’d been no traffic on the 405 on one hand and still have fingers left.
Deborah didn’t answer, but her amusement was plain.
Thad retrieved two cards from his wallet and handed them to Celeste and Deborah. “If either of you needs to talk, please don’t hesitate to contact me or Phillip.”
She accepted the card. “Thank you. That’s very nice of you.”
“Will your husbands be joining you for the next session?”
Celeste opened her mouth to answer and Deborah jumped in. “I’m going to try to get my husband to come. Celeste isn’t married.”
She wanted to pop her sister.
“Celeste, would you give me a call tomorrow so I know you’re okay?” Thad asked.
Celeste hesitated briefly. “Sure.”
“I’ll let you ladies get going. It was nice meeting you and I hope to see you again.”
He’d said the words to both of them, but his eyes remained on Celeste and she could sense the attraction rising between them. “Thanks again for everything, Thad.” She and Deborah made their way out to the car and Celeste said, “I don’t want to hear it.”
“Hear what?” Deborah asked with a laugh. “You don’t want to hear about all the heat you and Mr. Fine-as-wine Thad Whitcomb were generating.” She turned in her seat. “How did you happen upon him?”
“He saw me in the hallway crying when I stepped out of the session and sat with me in the dining hall for a few minutes.”
She pulled out onto the road. “He seems nice.”
Celeste stared out the window. “Yeah, he does.” She still felt baffled by her reaction to him. She hadn’t experience
d that kind of sensation since…Gary. Guilt rose, but she pushed it down.
“I think he’s interested in you. And you know what else?”
She was afraid to ask. “What?”
“You’re interested in him, too.” Deborah held up a hand. “And before you try to lie, I saw the way you looked at him.”
She whipped her head around. “What way is that?”
“Your eyes were glued to him when he walked over after the meeting.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about?” Had she really been staring at him?
“I can’t blame you, though, because the brother looks good. Hmm, I wonder how old he is. Well, you can find out all that information when you call him tomorrow.”
“I’m only calling him to let him know I’m okay. Which I am. Nothing more.”
“Whatever you say, big sis. But I say, if he asks you out, you should say yes. Any man who shows concern toward a woman he doesn’t know can’t be all bad. Hey, he can’t be worse than Clifton.”
Celeste groaned. “Please don’t mention that man.”
Deborah shrugged. “Might as well have a good dinner date to erase the memories of a bad one.”
“You’re acting like Thad has already asked me out. He hasn’t and most likely won’t. He’s just concerned. Remember, this is part of what he does at the center.” Wanting to change the subject, she asked, “So what did you think of the group?”
Deborah sobered. “I liked it. It felt good to know we aren’t the only ones going through this. I mean, I already knew that, but being in the room and actually hearing some of the same things Trent and I have been experiencing with TJ helped a lot. I also like that they’re focused on complete wellness—mind, body and soul—and not just handing out prescriptions.”
“I hear you. That’s what stuck with me, too.”
“I’m going to talk to Trent about coming next week. He needs to hear how other fathers are coping. I don’t think TJ will, but I’m going to try some of the suggestions Phillip gave about going out to dinner. TJ’s favorite restaurant is Harold and Belle’s and we haven’t even gone since he’s been home.”
“I love that place, too.” Just thinking about the Creole menu made her mouth water.
“You should come with us. I figure going during the week might be better, so we can avoid the weekend crowd. I’m not sure how he’ll do with that.”
“Let me know when.”
“Now, back to Thad.”
Celeste sighed. Four years her junior, Deborah had always had laser-like focus and, no matter how they tried, Celeste and her parents could never steer her away from a topic for too long. Deborah would go along with their tactics for a few minutes, then circle back around to what she wanted.
“There is no back to Thad. Like I said, he’s just being nice.”
“And like I said, he’s interested. Can you do me a favor?”
“What is it?”
“If he asks you out, say yes. Even if it turns out to be nothing, you deserve to spend time with a nice man, and Thad seems very nice.”
Celeste couldn’t argue that point. “I’ll think about it.” She figured she’d call tomorrow, as promised, and that would be the extent of it. Their paths might cross at the center, if she chose to accompany Deb again, but she didn’t see it going any further. Besides, a man like Thad most likely wasn’t single.
Wednesday morning, Thad sat in the Gray Home Safety board meeting listening to Brandon give updates on all the new projects. All of the Gray children had seats on the board, but only Brandon and Siobhan, the oldest and who served as PR director, worked for the company. Of particular interest to Thad was the additional equipment Khalil had designed for his fitness centers. He’d transformed a section of the gym to accommodate those who were in wheelchairs, had limbs amputated or other disabilities, added free weights with Braille and installed a section of flooring that had the same feel as a mat, but without the uneven surface for those with low vision or blindness.
When the meeting ended, he spent a few minutes talking with Nolan and Brandon, then made his way to the exit.
Khalil stopped him at the door. “Hey, Unc. I have a new stationary bike I want you to try out. I made some adjustments to the pedal to help keep the feet in place.”
“I’ll be by as soon as I can.” Thad had lost his lower left leg in Desert Storm and his prosthesis tended to slide off the normal pedal.
He laughed. “Gotta keep in shape for the ladies, huh? Don’t think I haven’t noticed a few of them checking you out.”
Thad waved him off. Celeste was the only woman who held his interest at the moment. “Just trying to keep this old body from getting too old.”
“You aren’t old, just experienced.”
He chuckled. “Yeah, experienced.” He clapped Khalil on the shoulder. “I want to talk to Faith before I leave.”
“Okay. I’ll see you on Saturday.”
Still smiling, Thad left the conference room and went to Faith’s office. He knocked on the partially open door.
“Come in.”
Thad entered and watched her fingers fly over the keyboard.
A moment later, Faith glanced his way. “Dad.” She stood and rushed around the desk as fast as her eight-month pregnant body allowed.
He engulfed her in a strong hug. He still couldn’t believe she was back in his life after twenty-eight years of searching, and that made his world perfect. “How’re you feeling?”
“Not too bad. Brandon is making me cut my hours here because my feet have been swelling. I don’t really mind because I can run my website business with my feet up.”
Thad smiled. “Has he decided who’s going to fill in for you here while you’re on maternity leave?”
She waved a hand. “You know Brandon. He said he didn’t need anyone.”
“That boy is never going to change.” Brandon had always expected to run the company solo because no one outside of Nolan and Dee knew that Thad had a daughter. Unbeknownst to Brandon, the woman he’d assisted in a car accident and begun dating, turned out to be his second-in-command. Thad recalled all the fireworks that announcement had caused. In the end, everything had worked out well. He opened his mouth to say something and his cell rang. He pulled out the phone and checked the display, but didn’t recognize the number and debated whether to answer.
“Aren’t you going to answer that?” Faith asked.
Thad connected. “Hello?”
“Hello, Thad. It’s Celeste.”
The sound of her voice made his smile widen. “Celeste, how are you?”
“I’m fine. As I mentioned yesterday, it was just a little overwhelming hearing the stories for the first time.”
“I’m glad to hear it. And your sister?”
“She’s hopeful.”
“Good. Do you plan to be at next week’s session with her?”
“I don’t know.”
Thad wanted to see her again, but didn’t want to chance a missed opportunity if she didn’t come to the meeting. He hesitated briefly. “Would you like to have lunch on Friday, if you’re not busy? I can meet you somewhere near your job or we can wait until the weekend.”
Celeste’s soft laughter came through the line. “I retired a few months ago, and Friday will be fine.”
He frowned. She didn’t look old enough to be retired. “Great. I’ll need your address, so I can pick you up.” He turned and Faith, with a big grin on her face, handed him a pad and pen. He tried to hide his own as he wrote down Celeste’s information. They said their goodbyes and he disconnected.
“Well, now. Looks like somebody’s got a new lady. You should bring her to the baby shower.”
“I don’t have a new lady. I just met her yesterday at the center.” Thad shared the details of the encounter.
“I’m glad you were there. Does she have potential?”
“Maybe. She seems nice.” His reaction to her made him speculate on whether she had more than potential.
&nbs
p; Faith placed her hand on his arm. “You deserve someone special, Dad. Especially, after everything.”
They fell silent, both remembering the lost years. Not wanting the past to rise up and consume him, he said, “I’d better let you get back to work. Do you guys need me to do anything for the shower?”
“I don’t think so, but Brandon or I will let you know.” She came up on tiptoe, kissed his cheek and hugged him.
“Take care of yourself and my grandbaby.”
“I will. You missed out on raising me, but I’m so glad you’ll be around to spoil this one.” Faith placed a hand on her rounded belly.
“So am I, baby girl.” Emotion clogged his throat. He kissed her forehead. “Love you, sweetheart, and don’t overdo it.”
She let out a short bark of laughter. “As if my husband would allow it.” They shared a smile. “I’ll see you later. Oh, and keep me posted on Ms. Potential.”
“Yeah, okay.” Laughing, Thad exited. It had been a while since he’d been so excited about a date and he was looking forward to seeing Celeste.
Chapter 3
Celeste entered Harold and Belle’s restaurant Thursday evening and searched the area for her sister and family. She spotted them on the far side of the room and indicated that to the hostess before starting in their direction.
Her brother-in-law rose to his feet and kissed her cheek. “Hey, Celeste.”
“Hi, Trent. I like the beard.” His normally clean-shaven face now sported a neatly barbered low dusting of hair. “Hey, TJ.” She shifted to hug her nephew and felt her emotions rise. The outgoing young man she’d watched grow up had been transformed by war to a stoic one. TJ rarely smiled now, he’d lost weight and, in his eyes, she noted a weariness typically reserved for someone much older.
“How are you Auntie?”
Sweet Summer Days Page 2
