“Why are you crying, Daddy?” asked Emma.
He hadn’t even noticed the tears. “Because I’m so happy to see you.” He squeezed them tighter.
Cassidy’s giggle sounded like the sweetest music he’d ever heard. “You’re prickly.” She rubbed the stubble lining his jaw.
“And dirty.” Emma patted his shirt, sending puffs of dust into the air.
“Things got a little messy in there.”
“I missed you, Daddy.” Emma kissed his cheek. “But Celeste takeded good care of us.”
“She did?” Looking beyond his daughters, he scanned the row of family members. Each and every one of them was there. Except for the one person he really wanted—needed—to see.
“Uh-huh.” Cassidy nodded. “We prayed for you and she taught us that even if something bad happened, God would never leave us.”
“Oh, yeah?” He struggled to stand, his gaze drifting to his mother, who was awaiting her own hug.
“The girls have been with Celeste this entire time.” She wrapped her arms around him, laying her head against his chest. “I’m so glad you’re okay.” He could feel her tears seeping through his shirt.
“So am I, Mom. So am I.” Releasing her, he again searched the faces. His brother, Randy, was there along with Amanda and their son. Cash was with Taryn. His father. “Where’s Celeste?”
“She refused to come.” Taryn shrugged. “Said it wasn’t her place to be here.”
His heart sank.
He let go a sigh, his breath visible in the chilly air. “That would be my fault.”
Taryn crossed her arms over her chest and glared. “Gage Purcell, what did you do? Celeste is the best thing that ever happened to you.”
“I realize that now.” Unfortunately, it might be too late. He’d taken her trust and thrown it back in her face. And he wasn’t sure he’d ever be able to earn it back. But he was determined to try.
The hugs continued until the rescue people came and urged him into the ambulance. They transported him to the hospital in Montrose for a once-over where, aside from tending a few scrapes and cuts, they gave him a round of IV fluids, then sent him home.
Darkness had fallen by the time he and his parents returned to Ouray. He didn’t care, though. He was just grateful to be home.
Inside, the rest of his family welcomed him.
“Daddy, you gotta come see.” Cassidy tugged his hand and led him into the kitchen, where a melody of aromas captured his attention, making his stomach growl with vengeance.
“What’s going on?”
Taryn and Amanda stepped away from the stove.
“Food.” Taryn motioned to the counter. “And lots of it.”
His gaze traveled the virtual buffet of foil-covered pans lining his counter. “Looks like the women of Ouray have outdone themselves.”
“I would say so.” Amanda lifted the lid on a pot and gave the contents a stir. “We’ve got everything from enchiladas to soup to lasagna.”
“Enchiladas?”
“Yes, sir.” His sister-in-law nodded. “Celeste brought them, along with two pans of cinnamon rolls.”
That was so like her to remember his favorites. And the fact that she’d cared for his daughters, guiding them through what had to have been a difficult time, only confirmed that she was the perfect mother for them and the perfect woman for him.
After dinner, Gage felt as though he were about to collapse. His family must have gotten the hint, because once the kitchen was clean, they all left. Now if he could just get his daughters into bed.
“But Daddy, I need my unicorn blankie.”
“Where did you have it last?”
“At Celeste’s.”
Naturally. Yet for as eager as he was to see Celeste, he wasn’t exactly keen on doing it now. He was exhausted. On the other hand, if he didn’t retrieve the blanket, Emma would never go to sleep. At least not without a great deal of effort on his part.
Which meant he had no other choice.
Boy, was this going to be awkward.
“All right, Emma. I’ll get your blanket. Your job—” he poked her belly with his finger “—is to brush your teeth and get into bed. Do you think you can do that?”
She wrapped her little arms around his hips and squeezed. “Uh-huh.”
“Okay.” He patted her. “I’ll be right back.”
He stepped into the cold night air and made his way down the steps. Apparently the snow had been confined to the higher elevations, because there were no signs of any around town.
Noting the lights in Celeste’s living room, he crossed the street, his nerves getting the best of him. The last time he and Celeste had talked, he’d behaved like a jerk. Yet for as much as he longed to talk to her now, to apologize and at least attempt to make things right, this wasn’t the time. Exhaustion aside, he needed to get back to the girls.
Still, he needed to say something. He just didn’t know what.
A minute later, he rang the bell and waited.
The porch light turned on and Celeste opened the door.
Her sharp intake of breath told him just how surprised she was to see him. She looked shocked, but more beautiful than ever with her hair piled on top of her head and those cute princess pajamas. Just like that night she found the bear in her garage.
“Hi.”
“Hi.” She held tight to the door handle, as though nervous.
He poked a thumb behind him. “Emma forgot her unicorn blanket.”
“Ah. It must not have made it into the bag I gave Taryn.” Her smile was shy. “But...you could have called, you know.”
“I wasn’t sure you’d answer.” He jammed his hands into his pockets. “Listen, I, uh, I want to thank you for looking after Cassidy and Emma. No one could have seen them through this as well as you did.”
“I was honored to do it.” She met his gaze for the first time. “I love them both very much.”
Before he could respond, Celeste cleared her throat. “I’ll just get that blanket.”
Through the crack in the door, he watched her disappear up the stairs. A few moments later, she returned.
“Took me a second to find it.” She handed it to him.
“As important as this thing is to her—” he held up the soft fuzzy fabric “—she’s apt to leave it just about anywhere.”
Celeste’s soft laughter warmed him.
He didn’t want to leave. Especially with so much left unsaid between them. But what choice did he have?
“I guess I’d better get back. Good night, Celeste.” He turned and started down the drive.
“Gage?”
He twisted to see Celeste coming toward him in her bare feet.
She paused a moment before pushing up on her tiptoes to hug him around the neck. “I’m so thankful you’re safe.” Her words were warm on his ear.
He wanted to hold her. To tell her that he loved her. Before his brain could tell him what to do, though, she was on her way back to the condo, sending him a quick wave before closing the door.
Chapter Eighteen
Monday morning as the sun rose above the Amphitheater, Gage rang Celeste’s doorbell, feeling even more nervous than he had last night. He knew Celeste would be at Granny’s Kitchen, but he hoped her mother was home.
Hillary opened the door, looking as though she’d just stepped off the pages of a fashion magazine, and stared at him, a mixture of emotions rolling across her face. She opened her mouth to speak, then closed it without saying a word, making him even more anxious.
“Good morning, Hillary. I was wondering if we might be able to talk.”
She took a step back, holding the door wide. “Yes, of course.”
“Would you care for a cup of coffee?” She
spoke over her shoulder as he followed her up the stairs to the living area.
“Coffee would be great. Thank you.”
“Have a seat.” She motioned to the table before continuing into the kitchen. “We were so relieved to learn that you were okay. I can’t imagine how dreadful that must have been for you.” She grabbed a mug from the cupboard and filled it. “Cream or sugar?”
“No, thank you.”
She replaced the coffeepot and joined him at the table. “They said there was a cave-in. Were you buried?” The concern in her brown eyes surprised him.
“No.” He cradled the mug, letting the warmth seep into his cold fingers. “We were trapped in a small pocket.”
“Thank the Lord for that. Still—” she lifted her cup “—that had to have been harrowing, not knowing if or when they’d find you. Not to mention just being trapped.” She shuddered and took a sip.
“Let’s just say it’s not something I care to repeat.”
“I don’t blame you.” Another sip, then she set her cup on the table. “So what was it you wanted to talk about?”
“Your daughter.”
“I should have guessed that.”
“I love her.”
“Then why did you tell her you couldn’t see her anymore?”
He must have appeared surprised, because she said, “Yes, she told me what happened.”
His anxiety ratcheted up a notch.
He stared at the steaming black liquid in his mug. “Sending her away that night was the biggest mistake of my life.”
“Then why did you?”
There was no way he could skirt around things. Hillary wouldn’t accept anything but the truth. And considering what he was about to ask her, the truth was exactly what she deserved.
“A couple of years ago, my wife walked out on me and the girls.” He proceeded to fill Celeste’s mother in on some of the details of their relationship and why Tracy had left. “So when Celeste told me about her past—”
“Rather out of character for my daughter, isn’t it?”
He looked at her now. “I wasn’t sure if you were aware.”
“Not until recently.” She wrapped her fingers around her cup, her expression worrisome. “And I regret that my actions made her feel that she had no other choice.”
“Hey, if there’s one thing I’ve learned, it’s that this parenting gig isn’t easy. I have no doubt you raised Celeste the best you could.”
She sent him a weak smile. “Thank you.”
“I’m just speaking the truth.”
“I interrupted you.”
He shrugged. “In my mind, all I could hear were Tracy’s excuses. And I was afraid.”
“Gage, I know how it feels to love someone, to trust them. Then to have them turn their back on you. It’s a pain no one should have to experience. Unfortunately, I’ve let the actions of Celeste’s father dictate much of my life, because I didn’t want to get hurt again.”
“It’s hard not to when your heart’s been trampled on.”
“Yes, it is. However, in doing so, we’re apt to miss out on something even greater than our pain. Something wonderful.” She laid a hand on his arm. “I was trying so hard to make Celeste conform to what I wanted for her, that I was missing out on one of the greatest relationships of my life.”
He covered her hand with his. “Your daughter is one of the strongest, most loving and sincere people I’ve ever known.”
Hillary’s smile was the biggest he’d ever seen. “Yes, she is.”
“Which is why I’d like to ask you for her hand in marriage.”
* * *
Life in Ouray seemed to be back to normal. At least for most people. Business at Granny’s Kitchen had been brisk much of the day, even though the number of reporters had rapidly dwindled, thanks to yesterday’s mine rescue.
Celeste, on the other hand, wasn’t even sure what normal was anymore. Then again, over the past six weeks there’d been so many changes in her life that she was constantly adjusting to a new norm. And that would be the case again.
She wiped down the coffeemaker, wishing she could rid herself of the ache in her heart. A dull, constant pain brought on by the knowledge that Gage was no longer a part of her life.
Last night when he showed up at her door, she made the mistake of getting her hopes up. Thinking that maybe he was there to apologize and say he wanted her back. A foolish mistake she would not allow herself to make again.
Still, she was grateful for the opportunity to see with her own eyes that he was alive and well, save for that cut over his right eye and a severe case of five o’clock shadow. The mere thought of the alternative made her ill.
The turmoil of these past few days had brought about one very good thing, though. The relationship between her and her mother had not only been strengthened, but had morphed into the kind of close, personal relationship she’d longed for all her life. Mom was Mom, but she was now also Celeste’s friend. One she could talk to and share things with, without the fear of reprimand or letting her mother down.
The front door opened.
“I’m sorry, we’re clo—” Turning, she saw Gage standing there, clean-shaven and looking way too handsome. “Oh, it’s you.” She fumbled with her dishrag before dropping it into the bar sink.
He eased toward the counter.
“What can I do for you?”
“Nothing. I just thought I’d walk you home.”
Her heart stammered. “Oh. Well, I’m still getting things cleaned up. You don’t—”
“I’ll wait.”
She looked away, uncertain what to say. Funny, she’d never been uncomfortable with Gage before. Back when they were at least friends. At this moment, though, she had no idea where they stood.
“Or better yet—” he rounded the counter “—why don’t I help you so you can get out of here sooner.”
She took a slow breath, trying to calm her rapid pulse. “Okay.”
In no time, she was turning out the lights, while Gage waited by the door.
“All set?” His easy smile sent a wave of awareness dancing through her.
“Yes.”
He helped her with her coat, then opened the door.
“Where are the girls?” She locked the door behind her.
“With a sitter.”
“Your mother?”
“No. Someone new.”
They started down the sidewalk. Strange. She’d never known Gage to use anyone outside his family to watch the girls before. Except for her, that is.
“I wanted to thank you again for looking after Cassidy and Emma. They haven’t stopped talking about all the fun they had.”
She burrowed her hands in the pockets of her coat. “I did my best to keep things normal. I wanted to protect them from the reality of what was happening up at the mine.” She breathed in the chilly night air as they rounded onto Second Street. “Unfortunately, they found out anyway.”
“Yes, but you did a good job of helping them deal with the uncertainty and taught them some truths they’ll be able to use as they get older.”
“I just shared what I knew to be true.”
“But you did it in a loving, caring manner. They needed that.” He stopped her when they reached her drive. “They needed you.”
She looked into those deep blue eyes for what seemed like forever, longing to fall into his embrace and to hear him tell her he loved her just one more time.
But that only happened in fairy tales. Gage may be her Prince Charming, but she was no Cinderella.
“I need to go.” She turned for her condo, but he reached for her arm, stopping her retreat.
“Please?” He stepped in front of her. “Can I come inside? I’d like to talk to you.”
/> What on earth could he possibly want to talk to her about? “But, my mother—”
“Is babysitting Cassidy and Emma.”
Her gaze jerked to his. “What?”
He shrugged. “They like her. And she likes them. So—” he nodded toward the house “—shall we?”
This was so not a good idea. Even now, she was finding herself more drawn to him than ever. If her heart thought there was even the slightest chance of a reconciliation, she’d be a goner for sure.
That should’ve stopped her. Instead, she said, “Okay.”
Inside, she draped her coat over the back of a dining room chair and gestured for Gage to sit on the couch. Then she made herself as comfortable as she possibly could in the overstuffed chair.
She grabbed the purple throw and laid it across her legs. “So what did you want to talk about?” The sooner they got this over with, the better off she’d be.
Resting his forearms on his thighs, he rubbed his hands together. “I owe you an apology. I said some very harsh things to you that night at my house.”
She looked away, not wanting to see the sincerity in his gaze. “Perhaps. Given what you went through with Tracy, I understand how you would feel that way.”
“That’s just it, Celeste. You shouldn’t have to understand. I never should have said any of that stuff in the first place. You trusted me enough to share something sacred with me. And I used it to hurt you.”
She blinked away the sting of tears as he stood and moved toward her.
He knelt in front of her. “I had a lot of time to think inside the mine. And I realized that it wasn’t your past that stood in my way, but my own fears.” His gaze drifted away, as though he were embarrassed. “The only one I was protecting was me.”
“Protecting yourself from what? Me?”
Running a hand through his hair, he looked up at her now. “Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because you are a gift.” He reached for her hand, intertwining their fingers. “You’ve brought more joy into my life than I ever imagined possible. And just the thought of losing that scares me more than you can imagine. I love you, Celeste.”
A Father's Second Chance (Contemporay Christian Romance) Page 18
