by Jill Sanders
“What happened?”
She bit her bottom lip and he saw the side of her lips tug up. “A happy accident.”
It took a moment to register, then he smiled. “You’ve been hanging around with my aunt too much.”
“She’s right.” Her shoulders rose and fell under his hands. “You know that book, Lemony Snicket’s A Series of Unfortunate Events?”
He nodded. “A classic.”
“My life has been a page taken from that book.” She leaned back. “Every decision I made led me to a path that was worse than the one before.”
“Your family has had their problems,” he started, “but you’ve still got your mother and JT.” He took a step closer to her. “Not to mention Connor.” He smiled when her eyes turned happy and her lips curled upward.
“Yes, my happy accident.”
He chuckled. “Okay, my aunt’s odd philosophy aside, I think you are one of the strongest and most amazing people I know. You’ve come thousands of miles with a three-year-old to start fresh. You’re an amazing mother, you’re smart, beautiful, and”—he moved closer— “a great kisser.”
The burst of laughter that escaped her lips was just what he wanted to hear.
“Who cares that you can’t mow a yard,” he added, not wanting to see that smile of hers disappear. “You’ve got other skills.”
She pushed him away, playfully slapping his shoulder. “I make a mean bologna sandwich.”
“Good. I’m sure I’ll need one after I tackle the jungle in the backyard.” He took another step backward.
“Your aunt is going to let me go over her business finances.” She picked up the pitcher and poured more lemonade into his glass.
“Oh?”
“Yes, she’s agreed to talk to Joe and stop him from taking money until things are settled.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Then you’ve already done the impossible. Both Serenity and I have been trying to get her to not trust that man for years.”
“Who is he to her?” she asked, taking a sip.
He rolled his eyes. “No one really knows. There was a time when we thought they were just lovers, then they became business partners and…” He shrugged and shook his head. “The man is a leech.”
“Well, until I balance the books, he won’t be taking another dime from Crystal’s business. At least not under my watchful eye.”
“Like I said…” He waited until her eyes met his. “You’re amazing.”
Chapter 9
It took him almost two hours to mow the backyard. She filled her time shuffling some of the items off the front and back patios. Most of it was trash she hauled to the full dumpster. She knew the company came on Monday mornings to empty the large can and was thankful since it was almost overflowing.
When he was done mowing in the back, they took a break and sat on the back patio and ate bologna sandwiches her and her mother had put together.
Even her mother joined them outside.
“I noticed that ceiling fan doesn’t work.” Rowan nodded up to one of the ceiling fans on the back covered porch. “I can take a look at it if you want,” he said to her mother.
“Oh, that would be lovely.”
“Do you have any other wiring issues? I had to rewire some of my place last year. Comes with owning a place over a hundred years old.”
“There are a couple electric outlets that don’t work,” her mother added.
“I’ll take a look after we finish clearing the front patio.”
“Thank you.”
“She’s embarrassed,” Kayla added when Rowan watched her mother disappear into the house.
“Everyone handles grief differently.”
She was silent as she thought about how her family had dealt with Lori’s death. “Most families, after experiencing something tragic like we did, cling together for support. Mine went different paths. Mom sunk into her mind, Dad hit the road, JT disappeared into his writing.”
“What about you?” he asked her.
“Me?” She thought about it. “I suppose I tried to go on with life as normal.”
“There’s still something underneath,” he said, and she thought long and hard. Hadn’t she always known there was something more under the surface? Guilt.
“Yes, I suppose there is.” She sighed as she moved away. “I’m going to get back to work.”
“Kayla.” He stopped her as she moved towards the steps. “Lori’s death didn’t just affect your family.”
“No, I suppose not.” She turned and made her way back to the front patio.
They worked side by side and less than an hour later had the front porch completely cleared. There had once been a bench swing that hung on the end of the porch, but it sat in a heap by the dumpster now.
Rowan dusted his hands off. “If you want, we can swing by and pick up another swing and I’ll hang it up.”
She glanced around. “For now, let’s just move the bench from the back patio up here.” She glanced around. There were some large colorful pots in the garage. She thought about stopping by Adler’s hardware store and getting a few plants to put in them to brighten up the area.
They dragged the heavy wooden bench to the front and set it where the swing used to be. Already it looked much better.
“Want to conquer the back patio?” he asked when they were done.
She glanced down at her watch and frowned. “Can’t. I have about an hour before I’m due into work.”
He glanced at his phone and frowned. “Wow, is it four already?”
She smiled. “Thank you for all of your help. I would still be pushing that mower around if you hadn’t shown up.”
“Anytime. The electric mower should work fine for you now, as long as you keep the grass cut on a regular schedule. I can help again tomorrow if you need it.”
She glanced over at him.
“I know JT is out of town and thought…”
Her chuckle stopped him. “Rowan, if you want to help, I’m not going to stop you. You don’t need to explain. I’ll take all the help I can get.” She wiped her sweaty hands on her jeans.
He nodded quickly. “I’ll swing by around nine.”
She helped him put his mower into the back of his truck and was only mildly surprised when he leaned down and placed a quick kiss on her lips before he drove away.
When she went inside to find her mother, she was shocked at the transformation of the dining room. Her mother was almost completely finished cleaning the room up by herself.
“Oh, are you two done outside?” her mother asked, setting a box down.
“Yes, come see.” She smiled and followed her mother out to the front porch.
“Wow, this looks wonderful.” She turned and frowned. “I’m sure I have a can of blue paint somewhere. We should touch up the front door.”
“The entire outside could use a fresh coat,” Kayla added. “Maybe I’ll check around town and see if we can hire someone to put a fresh coat on.”
“The roof probably needs looking at too. Last winter there were a few places that leaked.”
“I’ll check around,” Kayla added. “I’ve got to get to work.” She leaned down and placed a kiss on her mother’s cheek. “Mom, I’m proud of you.”
Her mother’s smile was the best reward she could have. Since she’d come home, the light had returned.
She spent a little too much time enjoying the shower since she felt like she had an inch of dirt to clean off. She walked into the store almost five minutes late.
“Sorry,” she said to Olivia, who was checking someone out at the register.
Olivia smiled at her. “No problem. I was just finishing up here.” She handed the woman a bag and a receipt, then turned towards her.
“You got some sun today.” She nodded to her shoulders.
Kayla had worn a sundress since she had seen the redness in her shoulders after the shower and figured that later that evening she’d start to feel the burn in her skin.
�
�Yeah, my mother didn’t have bug spray or sunblock.” She rolled her eyes.
“You should try some of the oils for the bites and sunburn.” Olivia walked around the counter and Kayla followed her to the section of the store that held tubes of great smelling lotions and oils.
“Here, these two will work. This one for the sunburn and this one for the bites.” Olivia handed them to her.
“Oh, wonderful.” She held the tubes and glanced at the price and tried not to cringe.
“You know how to ring up the sale with your employee’s discount, right?”
“We get a discount?”
Olivia nodded and tugged her back around the counter. “Cost plus ten percent.”
“Cost?” Kayla gasped. “Crystal gives us everything at cost plus ten?”
Olivia chuckled. “Yes, she figures that if we try and like the products, we’ll be more likely to encourage others. I’ve tried both of these before and love them. Actually, this one for the sunburn works great on cuts and bruises as well. I always keep a tub of the stuff around.”
She stood by while Olivia rang in the two items. “See, only ten dollars and thirty-three cents.” She smiled. “Beats paying almost four times that.”
Kayla nodded in agreement.
“Here’s how you deduct it from your next paycheck. See, the two systems are connected and you just put it in… here.” She punched a few buttons and Kayla watched as another screen popped up. “You’ll print this out and sign it and put it in the drawer.”
When the receipt printed, Kayla signed it and put it with the credit card receipts in the cash drawer.
“I’ll watch the store if you want to go back and put some of that on your burn,” Olivia suggested.
“Thank you.” She rushed towards the break room and quickly put the clear liquid on every bite she had, then slathered the sweet-smelling lotion on her sunburn. She hadn’t realized how badly she’d burned until the cool lotion hit her skin, causing her to shiver.
When she walked out, Olivia was talking with a man around their age. She couldn’t hear what they were saying, but as she rounded the last display case, she saw the man reach over and grab Olivia’s arm and jerk her forward a step.
“Hey!” Kayla called out. “Can I help you?” She rushed to Olivia’s side.
The man dropped his hand when he heard Kayla but hadn’t taken a step away from Olivia.
Kayla’s eyes scanned the scene and instantly knew that this was Simona’s father.
He looked just a few inches shorter than Olivia, who stood almost two inches taller than Kayla. He had chestnut brown hair and a full beard over what Kayla could only describe as a baby face. Olivia’s daughter had her dad’s eyes and mouth, but the rest was all from Olivia.
“Brock was just dropping off Simona,” Olivia supplied while rubbing her arm where the man had grabbed her.
Kayla stepped closer as her eyes narrowed, and she glanced around. “I’d love to meet your daughter.” She turned to Olivia.
“She’s asleep in the car seat,” Brock added, meeting her eyes.
“I’ll help you get her stuff while Olivia clocks out.” She turned to her friend. “If that’s okay with you?”
Olivia nodded and bit her bottom lip.
“Good.” She turned back to the man. “Lead the way.”
His eyes narrowed at Olivia, but then he turned and left the store.
When he bent down to gather the child, after handing her a large bag, she said quietly, “You’d better think twice before you lay a hand on Olivia again. There are enough cameras in that store that I’m sure she could press charges against you if she chose to.”
He stopped trying to unbuckle the child and straightened to look at her.
“You don’t know what was going—”
“Don’t I?” she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. “I’m sure the video will tell the full story. I have every intention of watching it after Olivia leaves. And, if I see something I don’t like, I might just call it in myself.”
His eyes narrowed as he looked directly at her. Finally, after a moment of silence, he bent down and pulled his sleeping daughter out of the car.
Kayla noticed how gentle he was with the girl, and she relaxed slightly.
She held the door open and followed him back into the store. Olivia gathered her daughter from Brock’s arms.
“Thank you,” Olivia said to her when Brock left the store without another word.
Kayla set the bag down on the counter. “I’ve dealt with his kind.”
“I wish I didn’t have to.” Olivia sighed. “He’s a great dad. But as a man, he sucks.”
Kayla chuckled. “Like I said, I’ve dealt with his kind before.”
“Connor’s father?” Olivia asked, shifting her sleeping daughter again.
Kayla nodded. “He wasn’t even a good father. I’ll carry this out to your car.” She picked the bag back up.
“No, I’ve got it,” Olivia said when the bell above the door chimed. She handed the bag to her friend. “Thanks again. See you tomorrow.”
“Night,” she called out, and then she walked over to deal with a customer.
Rowan was bored. He’d gone over to his aunt’s to play with Connor, but the kid had been fast asleep on the sofa. His aunt told him that he’d been worn out from their day at the beach and had fallen asleep the moment they had gotten back.
His aunt was back in her studio, a closed-in patio off the back of the house he’d helped her convert to a painting studio. He knew when she was working on her art that she liked to be let alone, so he’d gone home, flipped through the TV channels, and come up with nothing that entertained him as much as spending time with Connor.
The kid had spoiled him. He thought about going down to Serenity’s Attic, but he didn’t want to bug Kayla and, more importantly, he felt like he would look too desperate.
So, instead, he sat in his office and flipped through some paperwork. The demanding work that day had energized him. He had wanted to finish his conversation with Kayla about Lori. About how he felt about her sister’s death. He’d spent his whole life holding all the guilt of that night.
Lori had been his first girlfriend. His first love. She’d been tall, blonde, and the most popular girl in school. So, when he’d finally worked up enough courage to ask her out, he’d been shocked when she’d said yes.
He’d taken her to the movies that first night and they had sat in the back row and made out until his boner had almost burst through his jeans. After that, they had snuck around for a few weeks until finally, she’d convinced him to meet him out in the track shed at the school after a football game. There, on the heavy mats from the high jump, he’d fumbled through his first sexual encounter.
Later, he’d found out that he hadn’t been Lori’s first or her last before she’d died. He could still remember finding out about her cheating on him. They had dated almost a full year. He’d given her everything he could. All of his attention. He’d even thought about skipping out of football that next year so he could spend more time with her.
But then he’d heard Mason Holt gloating that he’d had sex with Lori at a party one weekend before Rowan’s sixteenth birthday party.
He’d avoided confronting her since he knew that Mason was full of shit half of the time. But on the night of his party, Owen Bernard had been bragging about getting to second base with Lori at the football game the night before.
Rowan had been playing and had scored one of the final goals. All while his girlfriend had been under the bleachers with one of the jocks from the wrestling team.
He hadn’t had a chance to talk to her until she’d shown up for his party.
When he saw her, he’d instantly grabbed her arm and pulled her outside.
“What’s this I hear about you and Owen?”
“Who?” She’d run her hands up his chest and plastered her body to his.
His arm had tightened on her arm as he pushed her back a full step. “Owen B
ernard, last night, under the bleachers, while I scored the final goal.”
He’d seen the truth in her eyes the second he mentioned it. Now, she shook off his hand and made a funny noise in her throat.
“Oh, that was nothing.” She sighed. “I was just bored.” She shifted and then laughed. “Did Owen tell you?”
“He didn’t have to. It’s all over about how you’ve cheated on me with him and with Mason Holt.”
A laughter unlike any he’d heard from her before echoed in the dark night.
“It sounds like you are putting too much stock in rumors.” She’d tried to get close to him again. “It’s your birthday,” she purred. “Why don’t we get out of here and make this night very special.”
Once more, he gripped her shoulders and pushed her away from him.
“I don’t play games.” He dropped his hands when she frowned up at him. “If you want to screw around, so be it, but I’m not going to stick around and let you keep running back to me.” He turned to go.
“You can’t break up with me!” she’d screamed into the night. “You’re nothing without me.” She moved closer and lowered her voice. “Don’t forget what you were before I came along.”
He turned back to her. “What do you care? From the sounds of it, you’ve already moved on.” He turned again to go.
He came to a stop when something shattered inches from his face. Turning, he noticed the broken shards of a ceramic planter laying at his feet. He turned towards Lori and ducked just in time as another planter flew by his head.
He was in front of her in seconds and stopped her from picking up another one of his mother’s planters.
“What the hell,” he growled out. “What does it matter to you? You’re the one who cheated.” He shook her lightly.
He noticed big tears rolling down her face. She’d used crying against him several times before and doubted these tears were real.
“You can’t break up with me,” she repeated.
“Why?” He dropped his hands when he was sure she wouldn’t throw anything at him again.
“I’m… I’m pregnant.” She cried as she looked down at her hands.
