The Protector's Promise (The Sinclair Brothers)

by Shirlee McCoy

  “Look, Mommy. It’s Mr. Sinclair.” Lily bounced in her seat, poking a chubby finger against the glass.

  “Where?”

  “Right there. Near the black car.”

  Honor looked in the direction her daughter was pointing. Sure enough, Grayson was closing the door to the charcoal sedan she’d noticed. “So he is. Now, remember what we talked about, Lil. No going on about your fantasy worlds while Mr. Sinclair is with us.”

  “I won’t.” Lily stood up on the bench seat and waved her arms. “Mr. Sinclair, we’re over here.”

  “Lily Malone, you know better than to stand on a chair. And use your inside voice.” Honor’s cheeks heated as the diner’s guests turned to look at Lily.

  “Sorry, Mommy.” But it was obvious Lily wasn’t all that concerned about being chastised. She grinned from ear to ear as Grayson approached, her deep blue eyes shining with excitement. “You finally came.”

  “We’ve only been here a couple of minutes, Lily.” Honor tried to reel in her daughter’s enthusiasm, but she knew it was a lost cause. Life was an adventure to Lily. One that she experienced with pure zeal.

  “Is that black car yours, Mr. Sinclair? Because I thought you’d have a special car. Like a gold one. Or a silver one. Or a really fast one.” Lily’s dark curls were brushing against her cheeks, and despite Honor’s reservations about having lunch with Grayson, she couldn’t help smiling.

  “I used to have a silver car and it was really fast. I traded it in for this one a few months ago.” Grayson smiled, and took a menu the waitress was handing him. If he noticed the fact that the platinum blonde was sending him signals about her interest, he didn’t show it. His attention seemed to be completely focused on Lily.

  “Why did you trade in your car?”

  “Because it was too silver and too fast.”

  “And you got too many tickets while you were driving it?” Honor asked the question before she thought it through, and heat spread along her cheeks. “Sorry. That wasn’t a very tactful question.”

  “There’s no need to apologize. I’m known for asking tactless questions. I can’t fault other people for doing the same.”

  “Yes, but asking questions is part of your job.”

  “Who said I only ask them when I’m doing my job?” Grayson grinned, flashing his dimple, his straight white teeth.

  His charm.

  That charismatic something that begged Honor to drop her guard and let him in.

  She lowered her gaze, staring at the menu and doing her best not to let Grayson see just how much he affected her. Jay had always known how she melted when she looked into his eyes, and he’d used that knowledge to his own benefit too many times. “Our waitress will be back in a minute. We’d better decide what to order.”

  He didn’t respond, and Honor met his eyes. There was curiosity in the depth of his gaze. Interest. Concern. What did he see that made him feel that way? A single mother doing her best to raise a little girl? An overwhelmed widow who hadn’t managed to settle into her new life? The victim of a stalker?

  “You don’t have to worry, Honor. I don’t bite.” He reached across the table, covering her hand with his, the contact as familiar as it was new.

  “I’m sure you don’t.”

  “Then why do you look so scared?”

  Because she’d been hurt before. Because she didn’t want to be hurt again. “I’m not scared. I’m hungry. Are you ready to order?”

  “Sure.”

  “Without even looking at the menu?”

  “There are more interesting things to look at, I think.” He smiled again, and Honor’s cheeks burned.

  “You really are full of flattery, aren’t you?” But Honor wasn’t flattered. Grayson’s words were just a means to an end. Though what end he had in mind, she didn’t know.

  “Like I’ve said before, it’s not flattery when it’s the truth.” Grayson glanced at the menu. “What are you two having today?”

  Flustered, Honor looked at Lily. “You want chicken nuggets and fries, right?”

  “And ketchup.”

  “Of course, ketchup. Fries aren’t any good without it.” Grayson said, and smiled at Lily. Honor’s heart skipped a beat. There was just something about a man who liked kids.

  There was just something about Grayson.

  She shoved the thought aside and turned her attention to the waitress who was winding her way back to their table. All Honor needed to do was order, eat and get Lily out of the diner. Then she’d forget that she’d spent an hour sitting beside Grayson at church. She’d forget that his smile made her want to let her guard down. And she’d forget that even with the girls around, her life had become more lonely than she wanted to admit.

  She ordered for herself and Lily, doing her best to ignore the way the waitress flirted with Grayson. It seemed to Honor that the woman should be a little more subtle considering that Grayson wasn’t at the table alone.

  “You’re lost in thought,” Grayson said as the waitress walked away, an unspoken question hovering behind his words. He wanted to know what she was thinking about, but Honor wasn’t willing to share. There was too much on her mind. And too much of that had to do with Grayson.

  “I’m just wondering if the sheriff has found anything new regarding those flowers I received.” She had been wondering that. Just not at the exact moment Grayson had asked.

  “You haven’t spoken to him?”

  “Not since yesterday.”

  “You could call him now.”

  “I’m sure if he had something to tell me, he’d have let me know already.”

  “True, but if talking to him will give you peace of mind…” Grayson shrugged, accepting a refill of water from the overly solicitous waitress.

  “The only thing that can do that is finding out who put the rose in my backyard and why.”

  “Someone wants your attention. It was his way of getting it.”

  “Who? Why? I keep going back to those two questions, and I keep not finding the answers.”

  “I can think of a few reasons why off the top of my head.” Grayson frowned, then glanced at Lily who was busy coloring on the paper placemat the waitress had given her. “But now is probably not the best time to mention them. As far as who left it, I think it was left by someone in your past. Someone who doesn’t want to be forgotten.”

  “Then he’s going to be disappointed, because I already have forgotten him.”

  “He could be an acquaintance. Someone you’ve only met briefly. An e-mail contact.”

  “Or a dragon. A dragon could leave flowers, Mommy. And then maybe he could blow fire on our house.” Lily stopped coloring and looked up, her brow furrowed with worry.

  “No need to worry about that, Lily. I told you that I’d slay any dragons that came around.” Grayson spoke before Honor could, his words firm and filled with conviction. As if he really believed that he could solve whatever problems Honor and her family had.

  But without action, words meant nothing. And even if Grayson planned to act on his promise, Honor wasn’t sure she wanted him to. She’d been slaying all kinds of dragons on her own for years, even before she lost Jay. Missed mortgage payments, credit collectors, angry people who’d been promised the moon and received nothing. Jay had been as good at breaking promises as he had been at making them.

  “Are you okay?” Grayson’s voice broke into her thoughts, and Honor blinked, trying to pull herself firmly back into the present.

  “Of course.” Her tone was brittle. Even she could hear it. Grayson’s steady gaze bore into hers, demanding answers she had no intention of giving.

  “And yet you’re frowning and shredding napkins.” He reached across the table, stilling her hands. His fingers caressed her knuckles, soothing tension Honor hadn’t even realized she was feeling.

  She dropped the napkin, frowning at the small pile of white sitting in front of her.

  “I wasn’t shredding. I was tearing.”

  “And that
makes it different?”

  “It looks like our food is coming. Elbows off the table, Lily.” Honor swept the pieces of napkin into her hand, determined to change the subject. She never talked about the problems she’d faced during her marriage. Not with her parents. Not with her friends. And certainly not with men she barely knew.

  “Chicken nuggets and fries!” Lily squealed with delight as the preening waitress set a plate in front of her.

  Honor did her best to smile at her daughter’s enthusiasm. Her stomach was tied in knots, and the thought of eating only made it worse. The sooner she got out of the diner and away from Grayson, the better she’d feel. Talking to him only served to remind her of all the things she used to dream of. All the things she now knew she’d never have.

  “Let’s say the blessing so we can eat.” She linked hands with her daughter and was surprised when Grayson reached across the table to grab Lily’s free hand. When his other hand covered hers, Honor couldn’t make herself pull away. Couldn’t force herself to break the circle of faith that they had formed.

  “Would you like me to pray? Or do you want to?” Grayson’s tone was as warm as his palm, his hard face softened by whatever he was thinking.

  “You can.” Honor’s throat was tight with emotions she shouldn’t be feeling, and with a longing she didn’t want to acknowledge.

  “Lord, thank you for the bountiful gifts you’ve given to us, for this wonderful meal that we can share together, and for the gift of new friendships. Amen.”

  The prayer was simple and sweet without the frills and showiness of someone who wanted to make an impression. That intrigued Honor, and she looked into Grayson’s eyes. Really looked. He didn’t glance away. He just met her gaze, letting her search for a truth she didn’t expect to find, for sincerity she presumed she wouldn’t see, but did.

  Honor’s pulse jumped in acknowledgment, her heart shuddering with feelings that had died long ago. Feelings that she’d believed were better off dead.

  Grayson’s eyes darkened, his gaze dropping to Honor’s lips, his thumb caressing the back of her hand, and for a moment it was as if Lily weren’t sitting at the table chatting about the ketchup she was pouring on her fries. As if there wasn’t a restaurant filled with people surrounding them.

  Honor’s breath caught, her mind went blank and suddenly she couldn’t remember all the reasons why she needed to guard her heart. Suddenly the past was nothing but a distant memory, and the present was all that mattered. Grayson’s vivid blue eyes, his somber expression, his palm still pressed against her hand. The newness of it all. The simple pleasure of having a man look at her as if she were as beautiful as a flower blooming in the desert.

  Shocked, she pulled her hand away and turned her attention to the salad that had been set in front of her. “We’d better eat. I’m sure you have a lot to do this afternoon.”

  “Nothing that can’t wait a while.” He didn’t smile when he said it, and Honor had the impression that he was as surprised at what had just happened as she was.

  She wanted to say something that would change things back to how they’d been before, but the words caught in her throat and she remained silent, picking at lettuce and tomatoes and praying that Lily would eat quickly so they could be on their way.

  “Relax, Honor. We’re just two friends sharing a meal.” Grayson spoke quietly, and Honor nodded her agreement. Anything to avoid discussing what she’d felt.

  “Friends sharing a meal?”

  “Sure. People do it all the time.”

  She looked up, got caught in Grayson’s smile and found herself returning it and relaxing. He was right, of course. They were having lunch together. It wasn’t a big deal unless she made it one. “They do, but we won’t be if we don’t spend a little more time chewing and a little less time chatting. Lily will be done before we even begin.”

  “Practical as always.”

  “There’s nothing wrong with that.”

  “You’re right. It’s a quality I’ve always admired.”

  Honor frowned, sure the conversation was heading back into dangerous territory. “Look, Grayson, I think I need to be clear on—”

  Her cell phone rang, cutting off Honor’s words. She grabbed it, glad for the reprieve. “Hello?”

  “Honor? It’s Candace.” There was a tremor in Candace’s voice, and Honor tensed.

  “Is everything okay?”

  “I don’t know. I decided to come home after church so we could all have lunch together.”

  “I wish I’d known what you’d planned. Lily and I stopped for lunch at the diner.” She didn’t mention that Grayson was with them.

  “It’s okay, Honor. No big deal. The thing is, when I got home, there was a package sitting on the porch.”

  “A package?”

  “Yes. It’s wrapped in brown paper and has your name on it.”

  “And this is worrying you?”

  “No. Yes. Maybe.” Candace’s laugh was tight and filled with nervous energy. “I mean, after what happened with that guy in the yard and the flower and everything, the package is just kind of freaking me out. I keep wondering if someone is outside. You know, watching the house. Maybe even watching me. That’s silly, I know. And stupid. Just forget I called, okay?”

  “I’m not going to do any such thing. How about I just come home and take a look?” Honor glanced at Lily who was dipping a chicken nugget into ketchup. She’d be disappointed to have to leave, but it couldn’t be helped. For as long as Candace needed her, Honor planned to be there for her.

  “No, really. It’s okay. I’m fine. I was just letting my imagination get the better of me—”

  “Better to be cautious than to be sorry. I’ll be home in about ten minutes.” She cut off Candace’s protest and hung up the phone, knowing that her sister-in-law must be really scared if she’d called. Asking for help wasn’t something the eighteen-year-old liked to do. Honor shoved the phone into her purse and placed a twenty on the table. “I’m sorry, Grayson, but Lily and I need to go home.”

  “We can’t go, Mommy. We’re not done eating.”

  “We’re going to have to be done. Candace needs us to come home.”

  “What’s going on?” Grayson stood and threw some money on the table, his brow furrowed with concern.

  “Nothing terrible.” Honor took Lily’s hand and headed for the diner’s door.

  “But something. Why not tell me what it is? You know I’ll just keep asking until you do.” Grayson pushed the door open and held it while she and Lily stepped outside.

  “Candace found a package on the front porch when she came home. She’s a little worried after what happened with the flowers. I told her I’d come home and check things out.”

  “Did she bring it inside the house with her?”

  “I didn’t ask.”

  “Call her and find out. If she hasn’t touched it, she needs to leave it where it is. I’ll call the sheriff and have him meet you at your place.”

  “But—”

  “Look, I know what you’re going to say. ‘It’s probably nothing. There’s no sense in calling the sheriff.’ Right?”

  “That’s kind of what I was hoping you’d say.”

  “There are a lot of things I will do for you, Honor. Lying to make you feel safe isn’t one of them. After what happened last night, we’ve got every reason to be worried about that package.”

  “That’s what I thought, too. I was just hoping that you’d have a different perspective on things.”

  “Sorry, but my opinion stands. We’ve got to call Jake.”

  “Of course, you’re right.”

  “We finally see eye to eye on something.” He smiled, but there was no humor in his expression.

  “I’ve got to get home. Candace is waiting.”

  “Make sure you call her and let her know that the package shouldn’t be touched.”

  “I will.”

  “Good.” Grayson seemed to relax at her words, his warm gaze caressing her
face and touching her lips as it had in the diner. Her cheeks heated, and she looked away, unwilling to accept what she was seeing in his eyes.

  The kindness. The concern.

  The attraction.

  She most definitely didn’t want to acknowledge that.

  There could be nothing between Grayson and Honor.

  The sooner she got that into her head, the better off she’d be.

  She strapped Lily into her booster seat, got into the car and drove away, telling herself that her racing pulse had more to do with fear than it had to do with Grayson, and knowing she was lying to herself.

  ELEVEN

  Grayson called Jake before he got in his car, relaying the information and disconnecting as he climbed into the Saturn. He was going over to Honor’s, of course. No way did he plan to head home until he knew everything was okay at her house.

  He turned the key and started the engine, smiling as he remembered Lily’s comments about his vehicle. She’d been expecting something flashy and bold, like the car he’d let Maria talk him into buying two years ago. A silver Jaguar. A smooth ride, but not something Grayson had cared much about one way or another.

  He needed something practical, not fancy, and he’d traded in the Jaguar days after saying goodbye to Maria. He didn’t regret it. Nor did he regret ending a relationship that had become more a habit than anything else. Maybe if he’d thought about that a little more during the time he and Maria had dated, he wouldn’t have asked her to marry him. And maybe if he’d spent more time going to church and reading his Bible and less time pursuing his career, he wouldn’t have dated her in the first place.

  Looking back, he realized their relationship had been based more on convenience than anything else. He’d wanted marriage. Family. All the things a successful person had. He just hadn’t wanted to put much time or effort into building them. Maria had been no different. The fact that neither of them had been brokenhearted when he’d called off the engagement had reaffirmed what it had taken him too long to realize—they weren’t meant to spend their lives together.