Finally a Bride

by Renee Andrews

  Mark smirked. “You sound like Gavin.” He lifted a shoulder. “I’m just saying that he could use someone in his life to care about.” He studied her for a moment and then added, “Most people could.”

  “I’m ready!” Eli yelled, his breath coming in gasps as he neared the truck.

  “Make sure you save some of that energy for the game,” Mark said, grinning. And then to Gavin, walking back to the place he’d been painting, he said, “And we’ve got everything covered with the kids. So don’t worry about a thing.” He held up a finger. “That’s a directive from Brodie and Savvy, by the way.”

  Gavin nodded. “Got it.”

  Mark drove away with Eli waving from the back seat. And Haley was left alone with Gavin, half a wooden picket fence left to paint and Mark’s words about Gavin needing someone in his life to care about echoing through her thoughts like a mantra with every pass of the paintbrush over the wood.

  * * *

  Gavin poured the rest of the paint into his metal tray and headed to the last wooden section of fence. “Looks like we’re going to have just enough to cover it all.”

  “That’s great.” Haley finished her current section and moved to help him with the last one. “We should be able to finish this in nothing flat.” She smiled and he returned the gesture, finding it interesting that he was so comfortable here, painting a fence, with Haley Calhoun.

  He had a strong feeling that Brodie, Savvy and probably even Mark had set this up intentionally, the two of them at the farm working together while Eli and the other boys were at the soccer game. Mark had been hinting, not so subtly, that it was time for Gavin to move on to another relationship. Brodie and Savvy had told him repeatedly how happy they were that he and Haley were running the Adopt-an-Animal program.

  Which wouldn’t be that odd, except that Savvy seemed way too excited every time the two of them were mentioned in the same sentence.

  But Gavin wasn’t complaining. He liked being here, with Haley, even if he didn’t want the type of relationship they all had in mind.

  He’d had the love of his life, and he didn’t want, or need, to give that much of himself again. He didn’t want to betray what he had with Selah or risk going through that kind of pain again, if he fell completely in love with someone...and then lost that part of his heart.

  “Oh, hey, where did you come from?” she asked.

  Gavin’s attention jerked away from the memories of the past to the woman beside him who was jumping toward a gray squirrel, scurrying away with her thin paintbrush in his mouth. “Wait a minute, don’t take that!” she shrieked.

  Buddy barked and Bagel howled. But nothing stopped the furry thing, scampering away from the yard and toward the wooded area nearby, with Haley chasing after him.

  Gavin knew there was no way they could catch him, so he picked up Buddy to keep him from playing in the paint and watched Haley do her best sprint across the yard and into the edge of the woods. Then she turned around, put her hands on her thighs and caught her breath...while Gavin laughed.

  She wagged a finger at him. “I thought you were my friend.”

  “I am.”

  “Then why aren’t you running beside me?”

  “So both of us can acknowledge we can’t catch a squirrel? Then who would keep Buddy out of the paint?” He held up the tiny brown-and-black pup and grinned when she shook her head on her walk back.

  “That was the only trim brush I have,” she said, breathless from her run.

  “We’ll be fine with the bigger ones.” He gave Buddy a chew toy Haley had brought out of the house. “You’re pretty quick, by the way. Did you run track?”

  She pointed a finger in the air. “Last leg of the four-by-four relay.”

  “Wow,” he said, impressed. “So you were the fastest on the team, huh?”

  She laughed. “Hardly. I was fast enough to be on the team, but lousy at passing the baton. They put me at the end and counted on the fast ones getting us far enough ahead that I could still hold my own.”

  He was shocked at her honesty but found it adorable. “That’s hysterical.”

  “Yeah, well, it’s the truth. How about you? Ever run track?”

  “Last leg of the four-by-four,” he said, pointing a finger in the air to match her previous pose.

  “Because you dropped the baton?”

  “Nah. I really was the fastest on the team.”

  She laughed. “Which means you probably could’ve caught that squirrel!” She nudged him as she plopped down beside him. “What am I supposed to do the next time I paint and need a trim brush?” She grabbed the other big brush and frowned at it.

  Gavin returned her nudge with his shoulder. “I guess we’ll just have to buy you another one before our next painting expedition.”

  “You’re offering to help me every time I paint around here? I haven’t even started the back deck yet, and there are still two rooms in the house to be done.”

  “I told you to call me whenever you were working, and I meant it.”

  “In case I cut myself?” She dipped the brush in the paint and started on one of the remaining pickets. “Hardly any way I can hurt myself painting.”

  “You said you’d call and I said I’d help.”

  “You always this stubborn?” she muttered, her brush pausing on the picket while she awaited his answer.

  “Maybe,” he said, and she smirked at him, her hair, as usual, falling haphazardly from her high ponytail, and her green eyes squinting in the afternoon sun. Add the smear of white paint on her cheek and she looked... He struggled to find the right word and then settled on...perfect.

  He wanted this friendship to work, but keeping his mind focused on maintaining status quo was going to be a challenge to say the least.

  But that’s what he wanted, what they both wanted.

  And he was glad for that. Wasn’t he?

  She moistened her lips and he realized they’d both stopped talking. And were merely...staring. Or gazing. Or something that suddenly made him uncomfortable.

  Apparently she sensed the same thing, because she turned and peered into the woods, where the squirrel—and her paintbrush—had disappeared. “Sneaky little thing. We have tons of squirrels around here, of course, but I don’t think I’ve ever had one that stole something from me. And in broad daylight, no less.” She huffed out a breath and grabbed her paintbrush.

  He welcomed the change in subject. It reminded him of the squirrel he’d seen the other day on the woodpile. “I hadn’t realized they’d get that close to people, until I had a black one actually come sit beside me when I was chopping wood.”

  She’d started painting the last picket, but stopped. “You mean dark gray? Or actually black?”

  “Not gray at all. Jet-black. I’d never seen a black one before, didn’t even realize they came in that color.”

  “When did you see it? And what state were you in? I know there are some around the DC area, but even when I went there, I didn’t see one. I did a study on them when I was in vet school. They’re so interesting.” She leaned forward, all thoughts of painting the fence forgotten.

  Gavin had known the animal was unique, but he certainly hadn’t understood how unique. “You haven’t seen one? I saw this one at Willow’s Haven, earlier this week.”

  She shook her head. “That couldn’t—they’re not in this part of the country. Not yet.”

  Since she’d stopped painting, he reached in front of her with his brush and worked on the last picket. “Trust me, this one was there.”

  “Jet-black? The entire squirrel, right? Darker than night?”

  Her interest made him wish he’d at least attempted to snap a picture with his phone. “Shiny black, I’d say.” He dabbed at the final spot on the fence.

  “Wow, I would love to see it. A genetic mutation causes that blacker-than-bl
ack fur. In the gray squirrels, their color is actually composed of black, orange and white stripes. But in black squirrels, the pigment gene is switched off, so that there isn’t any orange and white. And you only get the black.”

  He enjoyed seeing her face light up when she spoke about animals.

  “He was beautiful, wasn’t he? The squirrel?” She leaned toward him, enough that he could see the tiniest of freckles sprinkled across her nose.

  She was beautiful.

  “Could’ve been a girl,” Gavin pointed out, hopefully not letting on to where his thoughts had headed.

  “Good point,” Haley acknowledged with a laugh. “It’s just so unreal. I’ve never heard of any sightings in Alabama...and you saw one right here, in Claremont.”

  To keep himself from staring at her, since she was so incredibly cute when she was excited, he began gathering the paint trays and brushes. “Yep, I saw one here. Guess that means I’m special, huh?”

  Unfortunately the last paintbrush didn’t make it completely into the tray and tilted on the edge. Gavin tried to catch it, but only managed to hit the end and cause it to spin...spraying paint all over her face.

  She pointed her paintbrush at him. “Oh, you’re special all right.” Taking her brush, she reached for the top tray in his hand and dipped the end in the remaining paint.

  “Haley,” he growled in protest, “you know that was an accident.”

  She nodded slowly. “Of course, I do.” And then she flicked her wrist, sent a white spray of paint across his face...and took off running.

  Gavin dropped the trays on the ground, grabbed his brush and accepted the challenge.

  * * *

  Haley darted around the back of the house as fast as her legs would go, but she knew the tall, muscular man who just happened to be the fastest on his track team would catch her...so she dove behind an oversize azalea bush at the side corner and waited.

  Sure enough, Gavin passed by.

  She held her hand over her mouth to keep from giggling aloud. And was supremely shocked at what she was doing. Not the fact that she’d sprayed him with paint, but the fact that she was flirting.

  Plain and simple. No doubt about it. And she shouldn’t be. It made no sense.

  This was strictly friendship. And it would stay there. She remembered her own parents goofing off, flirting, having fun as a couple in front of her, giving her a glimpse of what she could look forward to in a mate. Look forward to in a marriage.

  Then she’d seen what else could happen. More heartache than anyone deserved. And she didn’t want that.

  So this would stay where it should be. Friendship zone only. Even if whatever they were doing right now seemed to border on crossing that line from friendship into flirtation.

  But friends could chase each other around with paintbrushes, too, she supposed. And she sure was having fun. More fun than she’d had in quite a while.

  She left the bush and prepared to catch him off guard when he circled the house again. But a noise caught her attention. A croak. A very loud croak.

  And she remembered today’s ringtone.

  Bullfrog.

  She didn’t want to risk missing a call from her mother, and with no sign of Gavin in sight, she jogged toward where she’d left her phone on the front porch.

  He jumped out and grabbed her right before she reached the porch, took his paintbrush and touched it to the tip of her nose. “Payback,” he said.

  Haley couldn’t think. Definitely couldn’t speak. She was in his arms and he was looking down at her, smiling, with the paintbrush in his hand and mischievousness in those bright blue eyes.

  And she could only think...we’re supposed to be just friends.

  The croaking had stopped but then started back up again, and Gavin eased his hold on her as he looked toward the sound. “What is that?”

  She swallowed, wondering if he had felt anything as he’d held her in his arms, right here, next to his chest, so close that she was pretty sure she felt his heart beating. “It’s—my phone.” She reluctantly wiggled free from his embrace. “I need to get that, in case it’s my mom.”

  Hurrying to the porch, she grabbed her cell and was shocked at the name displayed on the screen. She answered, “Granddaddy?”

  “No, this isn’t your granddaddy, dear, but he’s right here. Hang on a sec.”

  Haley didn’t recognize the voice and she looked to Gavin, walking toward the porch, his paintbrush still in hand. “It’s a lady...on my grandfather’s phone,” she whispered.

  “Is he okay?” He scooped up Buddy, since he’d wandered toward them to see what the commotion was about. Then he sat beside her on the porch.

  “I think so.” Haley listened to the woman on the other end.

  “Henry, it’s your granddaughter.”

  “You called my granddaughter? On my phone?”

  Definitely his voice now and he was ticked.

  “Granddaddy?” Haley said, but he was still talking to the other woman.

  “Ivalene, you are pushing my buttons,” he said gruffly. “I told you, I don’t call people back.”

  “You had eleven missed calls from her, Henry. You’re being rude, and you need to let her know you’re okay.”

  Haley listened as they continued to fuss and then, finally, she heard, “Hello?”

  “Granddaddy? Hey, how are you? I’ve been calling,” she said, as if he didn’t know. “Um, where are you?”

  “I’m at Shady Palms. Your mom was going to tell you all about it when she gets done with this trip, but Ivalene had to be all impatient.”

  Haley heard Ivalene scolding him again for not calling her back. But her grandfather merely grumbled something at the lady and then returned to his conversation with Haley.

  “I was getting bored sitting in that apartment all the time. I saw a commercial for this place and I asked your mom, you know, if I could come check it out while she went on one of those trips she’s been wanting to take. You know I don’t like taking trips. Never liked sitting in a car for more than an hour, and I never trusted planes. So I came for a visit a couple of weeks ago and decided they needed me here.”

  “Needed you here? Of all the arrogant...” Ivalene continued, on a tirade, and Haley actually heard her grandfather laugh.

  Laugh. She wasn’t certain she’d ever heard him laugh.

  “You—like it there?”

  “Ah, it’ll do,” he said, which must have irritated Ivalene even more because she started listing all of the other places he could go live and asking if he needed directions.

  Which earned more low chuckles from her grandfather.

  “Granddaddy,” Haley said, baffled by the change in the man she’d always known to be a grouch, “what trip is Momma taking?”

  “Right now, she’s in Branson, I think.”

  “Branson? As in, Missouri?”

  “Only Branson I know.” He again released a small laugh.

  Who was this man and what had he done with her grumpy grandfather?

  “I don’t understand.” Clearly an understatement. “Mom has started traveling, and you decided to move to an assisted-living center. And all of this happened in the past two weeks?”

  “Well, ever since she and—” He paused, waited a couple of beats and then asked, “She hasn’t talked to you lately?”

  “Not in the past few days, and she hadn’t mentioned anything about a trip to Branson. Or anywhere else. And you never said anything about moving to an assisted-living center,” Haley said. “Is she okay? Are you? What’s going on?”

  Beyond Ivalene, still fussing in the background, silence echoed through the line.

  “Granddaddy?”

  “I’ll tell you this. She’s a whole different person with that new church group she’s got, and I’m glad for her. She’s been mighty sad over the
past year. With good reason, you know. Don’t know what got into my boy hurting someone as good as your momma, but, well, everything’s gonna be okay now. She didn’t tell you about the church yet? Or...anything else?”

  “N-no, she hasn’t.” Haley’s head was spinning at the overload of information. Her grandfather complimented her mother. He’d also admitted that her dad was in the wrong. Another first. And her mom had started traveling—on her own? More than that, she was going back to church?

  The last time they’d discussed religion, her mother—and Haley—had agreed that God hadn’t done them any favors.

  What...had...happened?

  “Haley, they just announced that bingo will be starting in a moment, and if I don’t get in there, Ivalene will start cheating and win all the good prizes.”

  Ivalene hadn’t stopped disputing practically everything he said throughout the conversation, and that didn’t let up now. Which seemed to thrill her grandfather.

  “I’ll talk to you later, Haley. Call me when you want to talk. You know I don’t call back.”

  The last thing Haley heard before he disconnected was Ivalene’s reprimand for that parting remark and her grandfather’s deep, rumbling laugh.

  She looked at the phone in disbelief. Then glanced up to see that Gavin had left the porch and cleaned up all the paint supplies, stacking the trays and balancing the brushes inside.

  He walked toward her now, all of it stacked in his arms, and placed the stuff on the ground by the porch steps.

  “I thought you might want some privacy for the conversation and Buddy seemed thirsty so I took him for a drink.” He pointed behind her and she turned to see Buddy, all four paws drenched as he stood inside Bagel’s water dish to get a drink. “He was too little to drink it over the edge.”

  Haley was happy for the sweet diversion from the awkward phone call. “I have a smaller dish inside for him, but that’s fine.”

  “So...how’s your grandfather?”

  “He seemed...” She thought about the way he sounded and all that unexpected laughter. “Better than ever.”

  He climbed the porch steps and sat near her, the warmth of his body beside her a comfort that she, for some reason, needed right now. “That’s good, right? You’ve been worried about him, and you must be so relieved to know he’s doing okay.”