Feels Like Family

by Sherryl Woods

  “But wouldn’t it be nice to have someone to lean on, someone you could count on?”

  “Of course,” Karen conceded. “But it could just as easily turn out differently. Once upon a time, I thought I could lean on my husband. Look how that turned out.”

  “Elliott is nothing like your ex-husband,” Frances said with fierce certainty. “He would never walk out on the mother of his children. Just look at how patiently he’s put up with all your attempts to make him go. He’s solid and dependable. He’s a family man. You can tell that by how close he is to all his sisters and their kids. Not every man his age would be so eager to take on a woman with two young children, especially a man who can have his pick of women. I imagine a lot of the women at the spa have set their sights on him, probably with no strings attached, but Elliott chose you, Karen. That speaks volumes to me. It tells me he values you and respects you.”

  “I know,” Karen said wearily. “Like I said, this is about me. I don’t trust my own judgment anymore.”

  “Then give it time,” Frances said. “You don’t have to make a decision about your future tonight.”

  “It’s too late,” Karen told her, a catch in her voice. “I just didn’t think it was fair to lead him on when I might never be ready for more. It’s over, Frances. I made sure of that.”

  Frances gave her a sympathetic look. “Oh, honey, nothing’s over until that man goes off and marries some other woman. If you’re right for each other, you’ll work it out. If he lets you go without a fight, then he’s not the man I think he is.”

  Karen gulped back a sob as she thought about never spending time with Elliott again. Daisy and Mack were going to be devastated, too. They adored Elliott. “I hope you’re right. I hope I didn’t make the biggest mistake of my life.”

  “Not a chance,” Frances said. “When I look at Elliott, I see a man who’s deeply in love and knows you’re worth waiting for.”

  Karen thought of the bleak expression of finality she’d seen on Elliott’s face tonight and prayed she’d misread it. Hopefully Frances, with her years of experience with human nature, was the one who’d read the situation correctly.

  Erik went into Sullivan’s early, hoping to get a head start on his dessert preparations for the day. He was trying a new recipe and it required the kind of concentration he could seldom manage once the kitchen started to bustle with all the food prep for lunch.

  Unfortunately, he’d barely begun to assemble his ingredients—flour, sugar, cream and a dark, rich chocolate—when someone pounded on the back door. Muttering a curse, he went to open it and found Cal Maddox and Ronnie Sullivan out there.

  “I would have used my key,” Ronnie said as he walked inside, “but I don’t like to do that when someone’s here. I scared ten years off Dana Sue’s life one night when I showed up and she wasn’t expecting me. Came close to getting whacked on the head with a cast-iron skillet, too. That woman’s self-defense skills are scary.”

  Erik grinned, despite the untimely interruption. “She does have her moments, doesn’t she?”

  “Enough chitchat,” Cal grumbled. “Where’s the coffee? Ronnie promised there’d be coffee.”

  “Over there,” Erik said, gesturing toward the full pot he’d brewed when he arrived. “So what are you two doing here?”

  “Blame our wives,” Ronnie said. “They’re worried about Helen. They think you might need backup in protecting her.”

  “And Maddie wants to know what your intentions are,” Cal added, giving Erik a commiserating grin. “I suggest you form your answer carefully or run like hell.”

  Erik ignored Cal’s question since it seemed to be a lot trickier than the implication that he couldn’t keep Helen safe on his own. “As long as Helen behaves sensibly and listens to reason, I think we have the whole protection thing under control.”

  The two men exchanged a look of skepticism.

  “We’re talking about Helen,” Ronnie said at last. “I’ve known that woman most of my life. She’s smart, but she’s also stubborn. She thinks she can control the universe. She probably figures she can hogtie Brad Holliday and deliver him to the sheriff with one hand tied behind her back.”

  Erik grinned. “I’m sure she does.”

  “And that doesn’t worry you?” Cal asked. “Seems to me that suggests she’ll take chances.”

  Erik was forced to admit that since that first night when she’d come to him and asked to stay at his place, she’d been getting increasingly reckless about where she went and when. He had a hunch she’d stopped looking over her shoulder, despite the warnings Jimmy Bob West and Judge Rockingham had repeated just last night.

  “You could have a point,” he said at last. “But she’s independent. What am I supposed to do?”

  “I have one idea,” Cal volunteered. “I know Brad. His youngest son played ball for me the first year I was here. Brad was one of those dads from hell who thought every call from the umpire that went against his boy was wrong. Figured he was a better coach than me, too. He made that kid’s life miserable ’til we had a little chat one night and I threatened to ban him from the games if he didn’t keep his mouth shut.”

  “What’s your point?” Ronnie asked. “That he’s a bully? That’s not comforting.”

  “No, my point is that bullies often back down when somebody bigger and tougher gets directly in their face,” Cal explained patiently. “I suggest the three of us have a little come-to-Jesus conversation with Mr. Holliday.”

  Ronnie grinned, looking a bit too eager for Erik’s peace of mind.

  “I’m in,” Ronnie said. “How about you, Erik?”

  “Much as I would like to pummel some sense into this guy, I see a downside,” Erik replied. “Helen is going to be furious if we take on her battles for her.”

  “Better a furious Helen than one who’s in the emergency room,” Ronnie said. “Jimmy Bob pulled me aside last night. There’s not a lot about Jimmy Bob I trust, but his concern for Helen was genuine. He convinced me it could come to that.”

  Erik flinched at that. “Then we need to get a protective order right now,” he said. “Rockingham will issue it.”

  Just as he uttered the words, Helen walked into the kitchen. Apparently she’d been less hesitant than Ronnie about using her key and had come in through the front door.

  “Judge Rockingham will issue what?” she said, frowning at the three of them. Even if she hadn’t heard a snippet of their conversation, finding them assembled at Sullivan’s this early in the morning on a weekday would no doubt have made her wary.

  “A restraining order to keep Brad Holliday away from you,” Erik told her, convinced it was smarter just to be straight with her. “I want it done before the end of the day.”

  Helen immediately shook her head. “No way. All that will do is get Brad even more worked up. He’s already convinced that the justice system is against him.”

  “Well, we have to do something,” Erik said.

  “Plan A,” Cal muttered.

  “Plan A, it is,” Ronnie agreed.

  Helen locked gazes with Erik. “What is Plan A?”

  “Don’t worry about it,” he said, holding her gaze unflinchingly. “We have it under control.”

  “Now why doesn’t that set my mind at ease?” she asked.

  “I can’t imagine,” Erik said with a shrug and turned his attention to the two men.

  “I’ll call you later with details,” Cal said, swallowing the last of his coffee and heading for the door.

  Ronnie was right on his heels. “Good luck, pal. See you soon.”

  After they’d gone, Erik faced Helen, whose expression had darkened.

  “Start talking,” she commanded.

  “What about?”

  “Don’t pull that nonsense with me,” she said. “What are the three of you up to? It better not have anything to do with me or Brad Holliday.”

  “We’re just taking some precautionary measures,” he said blithely, stepping closer and giving
her a kiss he hoped would prove distracting.

  “Good morning,” he murmured when he released her. “How’d you sleep last night?”

  She punched him in the arm. “Don’t think for one second that kissing me is going to make me forget about whatever it is you all are planning.”

  “You’re not even a little distracted?” he asked. “I must be losing my touch.”

  “Your touch is just fine, thank you, but so is my memory. Talk, pal. Now. And if I don’t like what I hear, you’d better put a stop to Plan A.”

  “It’s not a big deal,” he assured her. “We’re not going to haul Holliday into a back alley and beat him to a pulp.”

  “Well, that’s reassuring,” she said dryly. “Because if that was the plan, then you shouldn’t count on me to bail you out of jail. I’m not big on vigilante justice. In addition, I think you’re all overreacting. Brad may be mouthing off, but he hasn’t done anything. He hasn’t even set foot near me.”

  “You sure about that?” Erik asked. “Have you been watching who’s around when you’re on the streets? Have you looked to see if anyone’s tailing your car?”

  “Now you’re being melodramatic,” she said.

  He heard the slightest tremble in her voice, which was enough to convince him that she hadn’t been that observant.

  “Am I being melodramatic?” he asked. “I’m not the only one who thinks the man’s a danger to you. So do people who know him a whole lot better than you or I do.”

  “They think he could be dangerous,” she corrected. “There’s a difference. The more time that passes, the less worried I am.”

  “And that worries me,” Erik told her. “You need to be on guard all the time.”

  “I don’t want to live like that,” she said.

  “Then let us follow through with Plan A. I promise none of us is going to get hurt, Holliday included, and maybe it will keep you from being hurt, as well.”

  “Or it’ll make Brad even more furious with me,” she suggested. “Can’t you all just leave this alone?”

  He shook his head. “I don’t think so. Sorry.”

  “But I’m not asking for your help,” she said with obvious frustration. “I don’t want your help.”

  Erik shrugged. “Too bad. You have it anyway.”

  “Men!” she muttered in exasperation. “Do what you have to do, but don’t blame me if it backfires. Just keep in mind that I’m the one who’s likely to pay the price if it does.”

  She headed toward the door, her spine rigid. Erik wanted to say something to reassure her, but nothing came to mind. Once they’d confronted Brad Holliday, he’d have a much better idea if they’d warned him off or made matters worse. Until then, he and Helen would simply have to agree to disagree.

  Helen marched into The Corner Spa and headed straight for the back patio, where she knew Dana Sue and Maddie would be waiting. Obviously they’d put their husbands up to that little gabfest she’d walked in on at Sullivan’s. Maybe they knew what Plan A was and whether it really involved a back-alley brawl.

  “There she is,” Maddie said cheerfully as Helen approached. “And she’s not looking one day older than she did before her birthday.”

  Helen scowled at her. “I appreciated the party, but I don’t want to talk about being older. Besides, we need to discuss what your husbands are up to. I found them at Sullivan’s conspiring with Erik.”

  Maddie and Dana Sue exchanged a look.

  “Interesting,” Dana Sue said. “She stopped by to see Erik before coming here. Why do you suppose that was?”

  “Because he’s sexier!” Helen snapped. “Now stop evading and answer me. I know they were over there working up some scheme to deal with Brad Holliday. What did you say to your husbands to get them all worked up? Did you exaggerate the threat?”

  “There was no exaggeration. They already understood the situation,” Maddie soothed.

  “But you encouraged them to hatch some scheme, didn’t you?” Helen said. “Are you crazy? You know how guys are. Somebody is going to get hurt and if that happens, it’s on your heads.”

  “Cal won’t let that happen,” Maddie assured her. “He’s the voice of reason. So is Erik.”

  Dana Sue frowned. “You left out Ronnie.”

  “Deliberately would be my guess,” Helen said. “He’s always been a hothead.”

  “Not anymore,” Dana Sue insisted. “Not since he got back to town and we remarried. You know that’s true.”

  “Which only means he’s overdue for doing something crazy,” Helen retorted.

  “Hold it,” Maddie said. “These are all grown men. They’re just trying to look out for you, Helen. They can handle themselves.”

  Far from reassured, Helen sat back in her chair. “Well, I hope you’re right.”

  “Let’s move on to a far more interesting topic,” Dana Sue suggested. “How serious are things between you and Erik?”

  “It’s a fling,” Helen said. “No big deal.”

  Dana Sue’s expression darkened. “I don’t like the sound of that. Are you just toying with him, Helen?”

  “No more than he is with me,” she assured her. “Two consenting adults, Dana Sue. We both knew the score when we started this.”

  “Did you really?” Maddie asked pointedly. “Erik knew the score?”

  Dana Sue’s narrowed gaze shifted from Helen to Maddie. “What are you suggesting?” she asked, her expression quizzical.

  “Nothing,” Helen said hurriedly. “Maddie doesn’t know anything you don’t know, right, Maddie?”

  Maddie’s gaze clashed with hers, but Maddie was the first to blink. “No, I don’t know anything for a fact.”

  Dana Sue seized on the very evident loophole. “But you’re speculating about something, making an educated guess, aren’t you?”

  Helen held Maddie’s gaze until she shook her head.

  “I know better than to speculate about Helen,” Maddie said eventually. “She’s too unpredictable.”

  Helen forced a smile as she tried to cover her relief. “I’ll take that as a compliment.”

  “I’m not sure you should,” Maddie said darkly.

  It was definitely time to get out of here before the conversation got any trickier. “Well, I need to get to work,” Helen said briskly, rising to her feet. “Dana Sue, what about you?”

  “I’m going to stick around,” Dana Sue said to Helen’s dismay.

  “Okay, whatever,” Helen said. “I’ll see you.”

  She had no choice but to trust that Maddie would stay silent after she’d gone. Whatever Maddie knew—or thought she knew—was not something Helen wanted her to share with Dana Sue.

  As Helen left The Corner Spa to walk to her office, she noticed a car slowly turn the corner, then keep pace with her. The driver stayed in her peripheral vision, but never got far enough ahead for her to see who was behind the wheel. A chill crept up the back of her neck.

  “You’re only jittery because of all that talk about Brad,” she muttered under her breath. “This is probably just some little old lady who never goes over five miles an hour, that’s all.”

  Still, when she finally turned onto the street her office was on, she picked up her pace. When the car made the same turn, it took everything in her to make herself stop and turn back.

  “Nervous, Ms. Decatur?” Brad Holliday called out to her, his expression cold. “You should be.”

  Before she could reply, he hit the gas and drove off.

  “He’s just a bully, that’s all,” Helen told herself staunchly as he disappeared around the next corner. “He just wants to scare me.”

  Well, he’d accomplished that, she realized as she stared after him. Bile rose in her throat and for a minute she thought she might be sick, but she forced herself to take a few deep breaths, then walked the rest of the way to her office.

  She knew she should call the judge or the police, but she couldn’t make herself do it. What had Brad done, really? Told her she ought to
be nervous. Big deal. It wouldn’t be enough to get a restraining order. And a restraining order wouldn’t keep him away if he was determined to get even with her. She’d seen the ineffectiveness of that flimsy piece of paper too many times.

  Maybe Plan A, whatever it was, wasn’t such a bad idea, after all.

  For the next week Helen was so jittery she had to force herself to leave Erik’s house or the relative safety of her office, where no one got past Barb without an inquisition. Only stubborn pride kept her going about her normal routine.

  When she realized in the middle of the following week that she’d missed her period, her immediate thought was stress, not pregnancy. Then she added in the vague nausea she’d experienced on a few mornings lately. Could it possibly be…?

  The second Erik left the house, she grabbed her day planner and looked at her calendar. Each time her period had come right on schedule, she’d secretly shed a few tears and made a little mark. With fingers that shook, she flipped through the pages, back one week, then two, then three.

  “Oh, my God,” she whispered, when she’d flipped back six weeks to find the little mark she always made on the top corner of the page.

  She’d been so busy, so caught up in her unexpected feelings for Erik and, more recently, so nervous about Brad Holliday, she hadn’t even thought about the baby plan she’d put into effect a few months back. Initially obsessed with those damnable little marks, lately she’d completely lost track. Or maybe she’d simply lost hope.

  Now, though, she was late. Seriously late.

  “Oh, my God,” she said again. “I’m pregnant!”

  Caution immediately had her correcting herself. “I might be pregnant.”

  Thankfully, in anticipation of this day, she’d bought several at-home pregnancy tests at a Charleston pharmacy and hidden them in her suitcase in the back of Erik’s closet.

  Pushing aside her clothes, she dragged out the suitcase and fumbled with the lock, then took the kits into the bathroom. She was shaking so hard, she could barely hold the box still long enough to read the instructions.