“What should I get?” Lucinda asked him.
He pulled a black jaguar from the pile and turned it over in his hands. “It’s up to you, sweetheart.”
“I liked the giraffes and the camels we saw.” Lucinda dropped his hand and knelt on the floor to sort out her favorites from the heap. “Can I have more than one?” She turned a hopeful expression toward her mother.
“Nope. Just one.” Ceejay shook her head.
Lucinda’s face puckered with disappointment, but it looked so practiced that Noah had to bite his tongue to keep from laughing. If Ceejay hadn’t been there, he’d be such a pushover for that tactic. “Just one, kiddo. Your mom has the final say.”
“OK.” She turned back and pulled out a plastic hippopotamus. “This one, please.”
“The hippo it is.” He tousled her curls and took the toy from her, heading for the cashier with Ceejay and Lucinda trailing behind. He paid for the toy and handed the bag to Lucinda.
“What do you say?” Ceejay raised an eyebrow at her daughter.
“Thank you, Noah.”
“You’re welcome. I had a great time with you and your mom today.”
“Me too.” She yawned and clutched her prize to her chest. “Will you carry me to your truck?”
“Lucinda...” Ceejay shook her head.
“It’s OK. I’d love to carry her. How about piggyback style. Would you like that?” Her head bobbed away in happy agreement. “All right.” He handed his cane to Ceejay. “Here we go.” He swung her high in the air over his head to his back as she shrieked and giggl tousled Lucinda’s hair.anNoahed. Lucinda’s arms and legs wrapped around him. She laid her head on his shoulder, and his heart melted. Ceejay moved to his side, handed him his cane, and slid him a shy smile that scrambled his insides.
“You’ve been great today. With Lucinda’s constant chatter and nonstop questions, most guys would’ve run for the hills by now.”
“Is that why you stayed in the background?” he teased. “Were you waiting to see if I’d run, or taking advantage of the break?”
“Both.” Her smile blossomed, and she reached out to rub her daughter’s back. “Thank you for today. Lucinda and I don’t do things like this often enough.”
“It’s been a struggle for you, hasn’t it?” Anger at his stepbrother’s selfishness knotted his stomach.
Ceejay nodded and averted her gaze. “It’s better now that I’m done with my degree and working as a nurse. But, yeah. While I was going to school, I didn’t have the time or the money to take her anywhere.” She sighed. “There’s no guilt like mother’s guilt.”
“What do have to feel guilty about? You are an amazing role model for her.”
“Do you really think so?” Her eyes widened, and she peered up at him as if to gauge his sincerity.
“I do. You faced challenges, overcame them, and got your nursing degree in order to provide a better life for the two of you.” Lucinda had fallen asleep, and he tightened his hold. “That’s something to be proud of.”
Ceejay’s posture straightened, and her chin came up a notch. “Thank you.”
“You’re welcome.” They’d reached his truck, and he turned. “She’s out. Take her, and I’ll get the door.” They managed to get Lucinda strapped in without waking her. They climbed into his truck to set out for Perfect and the grocery store. “It sure is quiet when she’s asleep.” Noah shook his head and sighed. “I don’t know how you do it.”
She laughed. “I’m used to her.”
They drove to town in companionable silence, and he replayed the day in his mind, turning the new memories over one by one. Everything had been new and exciting for Lucinda, and her reactions had kindled a new appreciation in him. He’d even enjoyed her barrage of questions.
He’d managed to convince his dad to give him more time before he revealed their connection to Matt. By then, Ceejay would know him well enough to realize he and his stepbrother were nothing alike. She’d already begun to trust him, and he sensed she didn’t give her trust easily. “Is there a children’s museum in Evansville, or a water park or something?”
“Sure. Why?” She shot him a questioning look.
“Maybe we could take Lucinda on another outing on your next day off.”
“I’d like that.” She glanced his way with another shy smile lighting her face, and then turned to watch the passing landscape.
His chest swelled, and heat crept up his neck. He checked Lucinda in his rearview mirror. “She’s going to wake up once we get to the grocery store, isn’t she?”
“Yep. Enjoy the quiet while you can. I do.”
A say good-bye c pis he predicted, Lucinda woke from her nap ready to race down the aisles of the grocery store. Between the two of them, they managed to pick up what they needed and herd the little girl back to his truck. Noah piled their groceries into the back while Ceejay loaded Lucinda into her car seat. He climbed into the driver’s seat, eager to get home and take a nap. He’d have to start running or working out soon. He was sadly out of shape and still tired far too easily.
“Noah, what animal did you like best at the zoo?” Lucinda asked from the backseat where she played with her plastic hippopotamus.
“I’d have to say the jaguars. How about you?”
“The hippopotmus.”
“It’s hippopotamus, Luce,” Ceejay corrected.
“That’s what I said.”
Noah exchanged an amused look with Ceejay as he pulled out of the parking lot and turned the truck toward home. The sun hung in an orange haze above the western horizon, and the air had grown heavy with humidity. Maybe they’d get rain tomorrow.
“Noah, my aunt and I were talking.” Ceejay fidgeted with a thread hanging from the hem of her blouse. “She says if you want, you could help out at the diner a few days a week. It’s not much, but it would be a great way to get to know everyone in town.”
“Not interested.” Did she really see him as busboy material? His pride took the hit, and a bruise formed under his skin. “I didn’t ask for your help.”
“I know, but we could all use a hand now and then. I just thought you might enjoy getting out a few days a week.” She reached out and touched his arm, and the simple gesture sent an electrical current sizzling through him.
“At least give it some thought.”
“No thanks.” Wasn’t it bad enough he was only half a man? Did she have to remind him?
“OK. The diner is out. Couldn’t you go to college for free on the GI Bill?”
“I already have a degree.”
“You do?” Her eyes widened. “What in?”
“I have a political science degree from Penn State. I wanted an education before enlisting.”
“Why?”
“Because a degree helped me move up the chain of command faster.” He glanced at her. “You have to have a degree if you want to be a commissioned officer.”
“Oh.” She nodded. “What can a person do with a political science degree?”
“Besides a career in the military, you mean?” Bitterness laced his tone.
“Yeah, besides that.”
“I could go into government, or get a law degree. I’m not interested in either.” He raised an eyebrow at her. “I suppose you have your life all figured out?”
“I do.” She lifted her chin. “Once I’m done paying off my student loans and what I owe my aunt, I plan to look for a job in a large city. I figure it’ll take me about two more years before I can relocate.”
“Bull. If you were going to move, you would’ve done it already.” He turned to her. “The post died a few days after I was bornk. His office still delivers checks through the mail, last time I checked.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she huffed. “I am going to leave. I just need some time to save enough money to set it all up.”
“Why do you want to move? What’s wrong with Perfect?”
“Everyone knows my entire life history. That’s what.”
“Sure, but they also care. Have you considered how relocating might affect Lucinda?”
“We were talking about you, not me. Don’t you want something in your life to keep you busy?”
“I’m not fit for employment.” Noah glanced in the rearview mirror. Lucinda had stopped playing with her new toy. Her face was a picture of concentration as she listened to every word they said. He fought to keep his tone even. “Don’t you get it? When I’m around too many people it makes me feel like I’m backed into a corner, and the only way out means a fight.” He forced himself to relax his grip on the steering wheel. Ceejay meant well. “What kind of job doesn’t involve contact with people?”
“You seem all right with me and Jenny.”
“That’s different.”
“How so?”
“Your aunt is like a carton of sunshine to go.” He sent her a pointed look. “She understands what I’m going through.”
Ceejay’s forehead creased as she considered his words. “If Jenny’s like sunshine to go, what am I?”
“You’re a scab I can’t stop picking.”
She glared at him. “Lovely.”
“Would you prefer a mosquito bite I can’t stop scratching?” He shot her a quick look. The disgruntled expression on her face went a long way toward restoring his good mood. “Believe me, I’ve been giving the job thing some thought. I know it’s not good for me to sit around with nothing to do. I have a few ideas.”
“Oh, yeah?” Her expression turned skeptical. “Let’s hear one.”
“I noticed your house could use some work. The trim needs to be scraped and painted. The gutters are a wreck, and the windows should be replaced. How about if I do the work in exchange for rent?” In some small way, maybe he could make up for the years of struggle she’d suffered because of his stepbrother. Plus, he’d have something to occupy his time, and he’d be helping the family in a way that Matt should have done from the start.
“Do you know how to do all that stuff?”
“I grew up in the construction business. Plumbing on my dad’s side, and my uncles taught me all there is to know about carpentry and cabinetmaking. I can do everything except the electrical.”
“Hmmm, and I suppose all that will take a year. So, you’d live rent free for the duration of your lease.”
He laughed. “I hadn’t thought of that, but it will take some time. If you hired a contractor to do everything, it would cost a fortune, and that doesn’t include the roof. Your house is huge, old, and in need of updates and repairs. What I’m offering is a great deal for you and your aunt, and it will give me something to do. That’s what say good-bye c pi you want, right?”
“Since the house belongs to Jenny, I’d have to discuss it with her.”
“Let me know once the two of you have decided.” Noah turned into the driveway and passed the orchard. A silver BMW SUV was parked in front of the porch. The Pennsylvania license plates read LPS2. Shit. So much for more time to get to know the Lovejoys. What happened to change his dad’s mind? He wanted to pound his head against the steering wheel.
“We got company,” Lucinda trilled from the backseat.
“Looks that way, Luce. Pennsylvania license plates.” She glanced at him. “Now, who do we know from Pennsylvania?”
“Listen, you remember when you kept asking me about Allison?” Noah parked and cut the engine.
CHAPTER FIVE
CEEJAY SET HER BAGS ON the floor inside the front door and hurried her daughter up the stairs to the bathroom. She could hear voices from the living room as they went, and curiosity about Noah’s family consumed her. Once Lucinda had finished and washed her hands, Ceejay picked her up and carried her back downstairs to the spot where she’d left her bags. “Why don’t you go join Aunt Jenny and our guest while I put these away? I’ll be there in a minute.”
“I wanna stay wif you.” Lucinda clutched her plastic hippo to her chest and stared up at her with big round owl eyes.
“Ceejay, honey,” Jenny called from the living room, “there’s someone here who’d like to meet you and Lucinda.”
“We’re coming,” she called back. The groceries could wait a few minutes. “Come on. Let’s go meet ">“I brought you something to eat.”Noah nearlyNoah’s stepmom.” Lucinda’s fingers crept up toward her mouth. Ceejay took her by the hand and led her toward the living room. “It’s OK. You can sit on my lap.”
An attractive middle-aged woman sat on one of the chairs across from Jenny. She wore an expensive pantsuit and designer shoes. A matching handbag rested on the floor by her feet. Chestnut-colored waves framed her large brown eyes. Not a single strand of gray—Mrs. Langford was no stranger to upscale salons—perfect makeup, a great smile, and dimples. Something about her seemed vaguely familiar.
“I’m Allison Langford.” She smiled warmly. “You must be Ceejay. Noah has told my husband so much about you.”
“He has?” Though Allison had spoken to her, Ceejay noticed her eyes never left Lucinda. “I don’t know what Noah had to say about me, but it’s a pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Langford.”
“Please, call me Allison. This is Lucinda?”
Ceejay nodded and glanced down at her daughter, who had two fingers firmly planted in her mouth.
“Oh, she’s lovely.” Allison’s eyes filled with tears, and she held her arms out toward Lucinda. “Come here and let me look at you. I’m your grandmother.”
“What?” Confusion and disbelief reverberated through her. Ceejay heard Noah enter the room behind her. Was he so desperate for normal that he’d spun some kind of wild tale for his family? “I’m afraid there’s been some kind of misunderstanding. I’ve only known Noah for about a month. He’s not Lucinda’s daddy.”
“Allison.” Noah’s strained tone filled the awkward pause that followed. “I asked Dad for more time, and he agreed. What happened?”
“Your new prosthetic arrived at our house. I found the box on the porch for the UPS guy. It had been redirected to Perfect, Indiana, and I knew something was up. You said you were going to travel and camp, and suddenly there’s an address in a small town in Indiana.” The corners of her mouth turned down.
“You know your father can’t keep a secret from me once I get wind of it. I couldn’t wait to meet Lucinda. I...I thought you would’ve told Ceejay the truth by now.” Allison’s eyes were filled with hurt. “Obviously you haven’t.”
“Told me the truth about what?” Ceejay spun around to face Noah, searching his face for clues. What had he told his father? How could Allison believe she and Lucinda were in any way related to her?
“Let’s all take a deep breath.” Jenny patted the place next to her on the couch. “Ceejay, come sit down.”
Tugging Lucinda along with her, Ceejay crossed the room and perched on the edge of the cushion. Lucinda climbed onto her lap.
Noah placed a large envelope beside her. “Matthew Wyatt was Allison’s son and my stepbrother.”
“Matthew Wyatt?” For a blessed second her mind went completely blank. Then understanding dawned in a rush that sent heat to her face. Allison’s dimples, chestnut hair, and brown eyes...no wonder she looked familiar. “All this time...” She couldn’t tear her gaze from Noah. “Why didn’t you tell me?”
He ran a hand over the back of his skull. “I was working up to it.” put in a good word for me, t c
“Working up to it?” Mortification burned a hole right through her all the way to the floorboards. “So that’s what all the prying and time spent together has been about. You weren’t interested in getting to know me, you were working up to this?”
Noah shoved his hands in his pockets. “I thought if we had some time to get to know each other first, breaking the news would be easier.”
All the pain and rejection she’d suffered when Matt left reared up, along with red-hot anger at Noah’s deception. He hadn’t wanted to know her at all, and that stung way more than she wanted to acknowledge. “I want you gone. Consider yourself evic
ted.”
“You can’t evict me.” He widened his stance. “I have a lease.”
“Regardless, I want no part of you, the Wyatts, or the Langfords.”
Allison’s muffled cry penetrated the fog of shock and confusion wrapped around Ceejay’s brain. Noah’s words echoed inside her head. “Was Allison’s son? Was?” She managed to tear her gaze away from Noah long enough to look at Allison. Matt’s mother wept into a handkerchief held to her face. The breath left Ceejay’s lungs in a rush. “Matt is...”
Allison nodded. Ceejay turned toward the bricks in the fireplace and started a desperate tally of the bricks. One, two, three...Her chest had grown so tight it was a wonder she could breathe.
“Why don’t I take Lucinda upstairs for her bath?” Jenny patted Ceejay’s knee. “You all stay here and talk this through.”
The fingers flew out of Lucinda’s mouth. “I don’t wanna take a bath. I wanna stay here.”
“I’m sure you do, but we’re going upstairs anyway. Your mommy needs to talk with this nice lady and Noah.”
Lucinda started to cry. “I wanna talk to the nice lady too.”
“Go on, Luce. I’ll be up to kiss you good night in a little while.” Ceejay handed her to Jenny.
Noah moved to sit next to her. “Matt left you a letter along with the money he owed you.”
“The money he owed me?” Her eyes widened and her throat tightened. “You make it sound like he borrowed my entire life savings. That’s not how it happened. He stole that money from me—along with my car.”
“I know.” Noah reached around her to retrieve the envelope and placed it on her lap. When she made no move to open it, he did it for her, pulling out the contents. “He also made you the beneficiary of a life insurance policy.”
“H-how did he...what happened to him?” She stared blindly at the pile of papers in her lap.
Noah spoke in a low tone. “He died in a car accident.”
“Racing?” She closed her eyes.
Far from Perfect (Perfect, Indiana: Book One) Page 7
