The Deputy's Holiday Family

by Mindy Obenhaus

  He cleared his throat. “I’m directing the Christmas play. Why are you here?”

  “I’m in the play.” Hands stuffed inside the pockets of her coat, she shifted from one stylishly booted foot to the other. “I thought Mrs. Nichols was directing. That’s what she said when she called and invited me to be a part of it.”

  “You’re only in town for Thanksgiving. Why would she ask you to be in the play?”

  Lacie hesitated a moment before jutting her chin out. “Actually... I’m here throughout WinterFest.”

  But that ran from Thanksgiving all the way to the ice festival in January, so—“Why would you do that?”

  A hint of annoyance pinched her brow. “Not that it’s any of your business, but my mom needed some holiday help at the boutique.” Removing her hands from her pockets, she brushed something from her coat sleeve. “And since I no longer have a job...”

  She’d lost her job? Now he was really glad he’d given her only a warning. After all, she had a child to care for. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

  “It’s only temporary.” She looked everywhere but at him, seemingly studying everything from ceiling to floor. “So where’s Mrs. Nichols?”

  “Rehab.”

  Eyes wide, she finally met his gaze.

  “She broke her hip.”

  “Ooh, that’s rough. She’s such a sweet woman.”

  “Yes, she is.”

  Lacie meandered toward the windows. “Great theater teacher, too. I hope she recovers soon.”

  “We all do.”

  After a silent moment, she faced him. “So you’re directing the play in her stead?”

  “Yes, I am.”

  “I...didn’t realize you were into theater.”

  “I’m not. But my mother was. The Christmas play was her baby.” He lifted a shoulder. “And since there was no one else willing to direct...”

  A hint of a smile played across her pink lips. “That’s actually very sweet. I know how close you were to your mother.”

  Sentiment prevented him from responding with anything but a nod.

  “That reminds me, though,” she continued. “I wanted to thank you.”

  “For what?”

  “For giving me a warning instead of a ticket.” Hands back in her pockets, she shrugged. “In case you couldn’t tell, I was kind of freaked out about what had happened. That warning made my day a little bit better.”

  Something about that last statement warmed him. “Glad I could help.”

  “So where is everyone else?” She looked to the street as an echo of voices drifted from downstairs.

  “Sounds like they just arrived.”

  A short time later, after moving a few rows of chairs out of the way, he gathered in front of the stage with the dozen or so cast members comprised of townsfolk ranging in age from eighteen to seventy.

  “I want to thank you all for coming and for being a part of this play.” He filled them in on Mrs. Nichols’s condition. “Now, I know many of you have been involved in this event for many years. However, I’m new to this directing thing, so if any of you would like to bow out, this would be your chance.”

  “Don’t be silly, Matt.” Valerie Dawson waved off his comment. She’d been a good friend of his mother’s and a part of this event since its inception. “We’re just happy you were willing to step in on such short notice. Besides, it’ll be nice to have a Stephens leading us again.”

  A round of nods and “that’s rights” followed, bolstering his confidence. Maybe this wouldn’t be so hard, after all.

  “All right, then. Since this is supposed to be a read-through, I guess I’ll just pass out these scripts—” he picked up the stack from the edge of the stage “—and we’ll get started.”

  “Excuse me.” Lacie held up her hand. “Are we not going to go over show expectations?”

  Show expectations? What were those?

  “Do you have our call times?” asked someone else.

  Call times? Okay, that was rehearsals. At least he thought that’s what they were.

  “Oh, and what about costumes?” asked another. “When will we be fitted?”

  Matt wasn’t used to having his authority questioned. Then again, he wasn’t wearing a uniform, either. He was completely out of his element.

  He scanned the expectant faces before him, not wanting to let them down. Yet there was one glaring factor he couldn’t ignore.

  He was in way over his head. Having Lacie here only amplified his incompetence. And he got the feeling she didn’t like him much, either. Two things he was determined to change.

  Chapter Two

  He was crashing and burning. And Lacie couldn’t bear to watch. Not after hearing why he’d chosen to become their director. She had to help him out.

  Suddenly nervous, though, she hesitated, glancing at the faces around her. While she knew most of the people, one she even used to babysit, she’d been gone from Ouray for a long time. She didn’t want to come across as a know-it-all, no matter how much community theater she’d done. A cast was a team, no one person better than another. She supposed she should have remembered that when she brought up the show expectations.

  Still, she had to do something.

  With lights glaring overhead, she raised her hand again and mustered her most charming smile. “You know what? I think we’re all eager to do the read-through, so let’s not worry about the technicalities right now.”

  “You are absolutely right, Lacie,” said Valerie. “Let’s get on with the read-through.”

  “No, no.” Matt set the scripts back down on the edge of the stage. “If the show expectations come first, then we will cover them now.”

  What? It was obvious he didn’t have a clue what show expectations were. And yet when she’d given him an out, he ignored it.

  Let him fail then.

  No, that wasn’t right or Christian of her. Though it was apparent he didn’t want anyone to interfere.

  Hands slung low on his denim-clad hips, he continued, “I want to do this right. So let’s go ahead and discuss our expectations.” He scanned the group before him. “Rehearsal times are firm. In case you aren’t aware, I’m former military, which means I’m a stickler for promptness.”

  The cast was silent, giving him their full attention. The military reference must have scared them.

  The corners of his mouth lifted a notch. “However, I’m also a realist. As a law enforcement officer, I know how life can interfere. Before you leave tonight, I will give each of you my cell number. If you’re going to be late, please let me know.”

  She had to give him credit for trying.

  “Now that we’ve got that out of the way—” he reached for the scripts “—let’s continue with the read-through.”

  One by one he passed out the scripts, though she was beginning to wish she hadn’t signed on for this. No matter how much she loved acting, she’d agreed to work with Mrs. Nichols, not Matt Stephens, the man who didn’t have a clue he’d broken her heart.

  “The Bishop’s Wife.” His baritone voice carried throughout the space. “Mr. Garcia, would you get us started, please?”

  For the next hour and a half, Lacie focused on the script as well as the rest of the cast instead of the man leading them. And once they were finished, she was eager to leave. After chatting with Clare Droste, the girl she’d once babysat, Lacie donned her coat and started across the wooden floor. Maybe she’d even make it back to her mother’s in time for dinner.

  “Lacie?”

  Her steps slowed. Matt’s voice set her nerves on edge.

  Hands in her pockets, she turned on her heel. “Yes?”

  He took a step closer. “Would you mind staying? I’d like to talk with you.”

  Talk with
or talk to? She had questioned him, after all.

  Reluctantly, she made her way through the cluster of exiting cast members, toward the stage and the man she’d seen more of in the past two days than she had in the past sixteen years.

  “Was there something you needed?”

  “Yes.” Hands clasped, he leaned against the edge of the stage. “How much acting have you done?”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “Until Kenzie came to live with me, quite a bit.”

  “I suspected as much.”

  “Is that a problem?”

  “No. It’s just that—” he pushed away from the stage “—well, I have no idea what I’m doing here. I was wondering if you’d be willing to teach me?”

  Her arms fell to her sides. “Teach you?”

  “Yes.”

  “Teach you what? Acting?”

  “What I’m supposed to be doing as a director.”

  “Oh. You mean you really don’t know?”

  He shook his head. “All I ever did was help with the set crew. And even that was only for a couple of years before Mama got sick.”

  Why did he have to keep bringing up his mother? Just thinking about Mona made it much more difficult to say no. And she wanted to say no. Just the thought of being with Matt made her edgy. “If you could just walk me through some of the terminology and what I need to do at each step in the process.”

  “I really should be getting home to Kenzie.” She poked a thumb toward the exit.

  “It doesn’t have to be tonight. The group doesn’t meet again until next Sunday.”

  “Yes, and there’s Thanksgiving and—”

  “Please?” His velvet brown eyes pleaded with her. “I don’t want to mess this up, Lacie.”

  She did not want to be around Matt Stephens any more than necessary. Unfortunately, a successful play fell into the “necessary” category. The entire town looked forward to this event.

  “Okay, I’ll help.” Letting go a sigh, she pulled her phone from her pocket. “What’s your email address?”

  “Email?”

  “Yes, so I can send you a list of things you need to do.”

  “Okay. But can we meet at least once to go over it?”

  She’d rather have a root canal. They gave you painkillers for that. “Fine. But I hope you don’t mind kids, because Kenzie will likely be accompanying me.”

  “Not a problem. We can even meet at your mother’s, if you like.”

  She typed in the email address he gave her. “I’ll send you something later tonight or tomorrow morning. Then we can schedule a meeting.” Tucking her phone back into her pocket, she continued. “Right now, I need to get home to my niece.”

  Outside, she tightened the belt on her peacoat and shivered. Seemed the temperatures had gone down along with the sun. It was downright freezing.

  She hurried across the darkened street to her SUV, wishing she’d brought her gloves. She’d forgotten how much colder it could be here than in Denver. Of course, Ouray was also more than two thousand feet higher in altitude.

  Under the glow of a street lamp, she threw herself into the driver’s seat, shoved the key into the ignition and gave it a twist. Except instead of the engine roaring to life, it simply clicked. Weird. She turned the key again. Weeneeneeneenee... Weeneenee, weeneenee...

  She groaned, recalling the words of the mechanic who’d done her last oil change.

  “You’re probably going to want to think about changing out that battery soon.”

  And she’d just driven all the way across the state.

  Stupid! How could she have let that slip?

  As the windows started to fog, she willed herself to calm down. All she needed was someone to give her a jump.

  She opened her door and stepped out onto Ouray’s only paved street, looking around for anyone who might be able to help her. But with the other cast members long gone, things were pretty deserted.

  A gust of wind sent her back inside her vehicle. “Lord, please help me to get this started.”

  Once again, she twisted the key and was met with the same result.

  Tap, tap, tap.

  She jumped, jerking her head toward the window.

  “Need a little help?” Matt stood on the other side, wearing a smile that would melt most women’s hearts. But she wasn’t most women.

  She pushed the door open. “My battery could use a jump.”

  “Sure. Just let me swing my Jeep over here.”

  “I’ve got jumper cables,” she called after him. No point in having him think she was incapable of taking care of herself.

  In no time, his vehicle was nose-to-nose with hers, cables extending between them, and she was back behind the wheel, praying her car would start.

  “All right, Lacie,” he hollered from outside. “Give it a try.”

  With a nod, she turned the key.

  Weenee...

  “No, please don’t do this to me.”

  “One more time.” He sent her a thumbs-up.

  Please, please, please... She tried again.

  Nothing. Not one sound.

  Matt opened her door then. “I’m afraid your battery is dead.”

  She wanted to cry. Though not in front of him.

  So she grabbed her purse and keys and stepped outside. “I guess I’ll just have to walk home.”

  “No, I’ll give you a ride.”

  She dared to look at him now. “It’s not that far. I’ll be perfectly—”

  “You’re just as stubborn as ever, aren’t you, Lace?”

  She froze. Lace? He was the only one who’d ever called her that. Something just between them, an endearment that made her feel...special.

  “Well, so am I,” he continued. “And I am not about to let you walk. So get in the Jeep while I take care of these cables.”

  She simply stared at him, though she wasn’t sure what bugged her most. The fact that he called her stubborn or that he thought he could tell her what to do. However, since her teeth were chattering and her fingers and toes were numb, she climbed into the passenger seat and waited.

  He tossed the cables into the back before getting in the driver’s seat. “All right, let’s get you home.”

  Couldn’t come soon enough for her. Being around Matt was so...nerve-racking.

  He put the vehicle into gear and turned at the corner. “So are you hoping to find a job closer to Ouray?”

  “Oh, no.” Looking out the window, she watched the houses go by. “Denver is our home. Kenzie has her daycare, our friends are there, our church... I don’t want to uproot her. I’m just biding my time until I have something else lined up.” Unfortunately, none of the home builders in the Denver area were looking to hire anyone, including interior designers/stagers until after the holidays.

  “That’s very commendable.” He turned onto her mother’s street. “A shame, too.”

  “Why?”

  “I’m sure your mother would enjoy having both you and your niece near.”

  “Oh.” She tamped down the unwanted disappointment. “Well, I just want what’s best for Kenzie.” Not to mention herself. And that meant keeping her heart closed to Matt Stephens.

  She reached for the door handle as he eased to a stop in front of Mom’s house. “Thanks for the ride.”

  * * *

  Gray clouds and freezing temperatures were the order of the day as Matt climbed the front steps at the Collier house shortly before nine the next morning. When he’d dropped Lacie off last night, he’d barely brought his Jeep to a stop before she hopped out. Leaving him to wonder why she was being so standoffish.

  Sure they hadn’t seen each other in years, but time couldn’t erase the fact that they’d once been really good friend
s. From seventh to eleventh grade, they’d had no problem confiding in one another. Then he’d started dating Marissa and Lacie no longer wanted anything to do with him. Just like last night.

  Later Marissa told him Lacie had had a crush on him. Making him feel like the biggest jerk ever for not recognizing it.

  But that was sixteen years ago. That couldn’t be the problem now, could it?

  Regardless, his friend had a dead battery to contend with and her mother had a business to run. Even if Lacie were to use Barbara’s car, she’d still have to remove the battery and find a replacement all with a child in tow. He couldn’t let her do that. Not in this weather.

  He knocked on the door of the slate-colored, sixties-era, single-story rambler, thinking of all the times he’d been there before. Back when two teenage girls lived there and the house was an ugly pea green. Much had changed in the last sixteen years. And not all for the better.

  The door swung open then and Barbara Collier smiled at him, just as she had all those years ago. These days, her short, dark blond hair sported a little more gray and her blue eyes had lost some of their spark, but given what she’d been through, having lost her husband and a daughter, he supposed it was understandable.

  She pushed open the storm door. “Matt, what a pleasant surprise.” Her gaze skimmed his uniform. “At least, I hope so.” She looked him in the eye again. “You’re not here on official business, are you?”

  He couldn’t help chuckling. “No, ma’am. You’re in the clear.”

  “Well, in that case, come on in.”

  He wiped his booted feet on the mat before following her inside the comfortable living room with its pale yellow walls and overstuffed beige furniture.

  “Can I get you some coffee?” She gestured to the adjoining kitchen.

  “No, thank you. I don’t suppose Lacie’s up, is sh—”

  “I’m gonna get you, you little stinker.” Lacie’s voice trailed down the hallway to the right, as a small child came running into the room wearing bright pink pajamas.

  “No...” The little girl laughed and bounded onto the couch.

  “I’ve got you now.” Lacie closed in on her, stopping short when she spotted Matt. “I didn’t know we had company.”