Love & Hope: Mother's Day (Holidays In Hallbrook Book 5)

by Elsie Davis

  A knock on the door ended their conversation. “I’ve got to go. I’ll call you a couple of times and check in.” She leaned down to kiss Holly on the forehead, trying to keep from getting applesauce cereal all over her clothes. Holly reached for her sweater, but Grace managed to evade her outstretched hand. “See you tonight, sweetheart.”

  “Grace, I really am sorry about what I said. It was an accident. And you don’t have to call me and check in. I may not want to be here, but I can take care of the baby. Trust me, I’m not a kid like everyone thinks.” Faith had a conscience, her continued effort to apologize was proof of that.

  “I know you didn’t mean anything by it, and you’re forgiven. And just so you know, I wouldn’t leave you with the baby if I didn’t think you could take care of her, no matter what my situation is. I told you before, have fun with her.” Grace smiled, headed for the front door, and pulled it open.

  Ryan stood there, two paper cups in his hands. “Good morning. I stopped at the diner and grabbed us coffee for the road. Plus, I wasn’t sure you’d be ready, so I thought I’d be prepared to bring them inside while I waited.”

  “That was nice of you. I think. I mean, automatically assuming I’d be late getting ready is a bit high-handed.” Grace took one of the cups from Ryan.

  “I only had your history to go by, and odds were on you being late.” He chuckled.

  “Shows how much you know, because I’m ready to go, smart aleck.” She stepped outside and pulled the door closed behind her.

  “It’s an apology of sorts. I know I was hard on you about the baby. It was an unexpected situation, and nothing I’ve ever had to deal with before.” Ryan slid in the car and reached over to push her door open at the same time she got there.

  Grace climbed inside, pulled the door shut, and put on her seat belt, all while juggling her coffee. “Not many of us have had to deal with being vomited and peed on in the same day, especially someone who isn’t a parent. I think you handled it rather well.” She glanced at him, hoping he’d see the humorous side of the double disaster.

  “Let’s call it even and start over.” The hopeful look on his face made it easy to agree and even easier to forgive him. His warm smile made her want to be friends and get to know him better.

  “I’m all for that.” Ryan put the car in reverse, and they backed out of the driveway. They drove down Main Street and turned onto the main highway and headed north.

  “Nice car,” Grace said, checking out the interior of the Mercedes.

  “It does its job if that’s what you mean,” Ryan said, glancing in her direction.

  “Any car, well, almost any car can get from point A to point B. This car does it in style. I mean, look at all the controls. Do you even know what half of them do?” Grace reached out to press a couple of buttons on the video screen.

  “Surprisingly, no. The car is strictly for image.” He shrugged. “When one goes looking for investors, it’s best not to arrive in an old beat-up Ford.”

  “I think there’s lots of room between the two.”

  “True. So maybe I like it. It’s got a powerful engine and a smooth ride. Happy?”

  “Yes. Honesty is always the best policy.” Except in her case, she hadn’t exactly been honest with Ryan. Some things were best left alone.

  They hadn’t gotten very far when Grace suddenly realized she hadn’t given Faith the car seat. It was locked in her car and inaccessible. Torn with what to do, she bit her lower lip, trying to gather the courage to ask Ryan to turn around. Her fingers tapped her leg as she tried to reason through the pros and cons.

  Just ask. Except they’d just agreed to start over, and this would be like going backward.

  “What’s wrong? You’ve grown quiet and tense, and your fingers look like you’re tapping out ‘The Little Drummer Boy’.”

  Grace turned to face him. She couldn’t possibly let him get as far as Mount Washington ski resort without going back. What if Faith needed the seat and didn’t have it? There was just so much to remember when it came to a baby, and clearly, she was terrible at it. “I need to go back to the house. I’m sorry. I forgot to give Faith the car seat. It’s locked in my vehicle,” Grace added reluctantly.

  “Is she planning on taking her anywhere?” Ryan glanced in her direction, slowing down some.

  “Not that I know of. But what if something happens, and Faith needs to take the baby to the doctor? Or to the store? Or to my mother’s? It’s just a precaution. But I can’t go this far away and not have a contingency plan in case they need to go somewhere. Like the hospital. What if Holly chokes on something? I won’t be able to think straight if I’m worried.”

  “That’s fine. I don’t want you to stress over it. It’s only five minutes back, and for your peace of mind, it’ll be worth it.”

  “Thank you for being so understanding.”

  “You can tell this is your first baby.” Ryan had absolutely no idea how close he was to the truth. The reality was, it was her first time looking after a baby other than Faith, something she hadn’t done in years. And when Faith was Holly’s age, their mother had treated her sister like she was a porcelain doll. Which meant Grace hadn’t been good enough to be her babysitter until she was almost seven years old. By that time, Grace had been fifteen and not overly excited about having her free time cramped by a kid sister in tow.

  They pulled back into the driveway, and Grace slid out of the car and stopped to grab the car seat. She opened the back door of Faith’s car, happy for once her sister didn’t feel the need to lock her car. Grace buckled the seat in, worried her sister wouldn’t get it strapped in correctly. Ten extra seconds for the extra peace of mind. Totally worth it.

  Grace headed back to the car and slid in. “Thank you.” She pulled out her phone and sent Faith a text to let her know what she’d done.

  Ryan backed out of the driveway, and soon they were on their way again, none the worse for wear. She gazed over at him and admired his strong jaw and clean-cut features. His woodsy cologne drifted her way. Nice.

  For a woman with a no-date policy, she was way more interested than she wanted to be, especially considering he was her boss. The only explanation that made any sense was his anti-kid status. Half the battle she faced when dating someone new, was already won in his case. An anti-kid guy wouldn’t have a problem with a woman who couldn’t have children. Unless he changed his mind. And a lot of men did just that.

  Maybe she should explain her polycystic condition to Ryan. But then if he rejected her, it would be heartbreaking to know he was rejecting her and not her condition. At least the other guys pretended to like her until they found out she couldn’t have kids.

  It was going to be a long drive if they had nothing to talk about. And trying not to think of the attractive man sitting next to her as anything other than her boss would be difficult at best. It wasn’t fair Ryan was as appealing as a candy cane to a child.

  Chapter Six

  Ryan hadn’t minded going back to her place, and he’d tried to make that clear to her. The truth was, because of Holly and Grace’s situation, Ryan had built in extra time. Yes, he’d teased her about it, but kids did have a way of messing up the simplest of plans.

  “It’s about an hour’s ride up there. It might be a good chance for us to get to know each other. Seeing as we’ll be working together quite closely, it’s important.”

  “What do you want to know?” Grace asked, adjusting her position by turning in his direction slightly.

  “Something that’s not on your resume, for starters.” He grinned, keeping a close eye on the road but also managing to get in a few glances in her direction.

  “Fine, but it goes two ways.” She took a sip of coffee. “Ask me a question, and I’ll answer, and then it’s your turn.”

  Easy enough terms if Grace picked the right questions. “Tell me about Faith.” It was a good place to start.

  “That’s easy. She’s my sister, the one who pulled a no-show yesterday. Appare
ntly, my mom set her straight and made her come watch Holly. She graduated from high school last June and has zero ambition to get a job or take responsibility for her life. She’s eight years younger than me, and we’re not very close. Too big of an age gap for that to happen.”

  “I’m glad she could help out. I know you say you’re not close, but it’s probably nice to know she’s there.” Ryan couldn’t help the resentful tone in his voice but hoped Grace hadn’t noticed. His own sister had no sense of obligation and had walked out of his life. A long time ago.

  “I suppose. Do you have any siblings?”

  “None that matter.” He grimaced. It wasn’t a subject he talked about—with anyone. Maybe this get-to-know-you conversation wasn’t such a good idea. Either that, or he should have led with a better question.

  “What’s that supposed to mean?” Grace persisted, not taking his hint.

  Ryan pursed his lips and stared ahead at the road, pretending not to have heard her question.

  “Come on, your turn to fess up. You agreed to talk.” She reached out and touched his arm, forcing him to gaze her way. It was her sweet smile that won him over. Sweet determination. An odd combination.

  “I have a sister, but I don’t have a clue where she is, and at this point, I don’t care. Happy?” He couldn’t believe he’d told her that much. It was more than he’d ever told anyone, preferring to keep his private life…well, private.

  “Happy? I don’t think so. You’re going to have to do better than that. You have a sister. Did the two of you fight? Is this one of those age-old battles between siblings that neither one can let go?” She tried to lighten the situation and draw him out, but she didn’t know the truth.

  The ugly truth. His sister didn’t want him.

  As a pathetic eight-year-old boy he’d clung to a false hope his big sister would rescue him from the foster care system. It was a hope that faded away with each passing year, until he himself, aged out. “Hardly. I’m not prone to that type of wasted energy.”

  “What is it then? It can’t be that bad. You can’t honestly sit here and tell me you don’t want to know anything about her. She’s family. Somewhere deep down, you must care, whether you’re willing to admit it or not.”

  Ryan glanced her way and shook his head. “Once upon a time, maybe, but that ship sailed a long time ago. In fact, it sunk.”

  “Why?” Grace pressed him for more, not letting him off the hook.

  “Not that it’s any of your business, but to stop you from asking more questions, I’ll tell you why. When we were kids, we were placed in foster care. She’s older than me and the agency moved her to a permanent place. Without me. I never heard from her again. End of story.

  “I’m sorry. Do you want to tell me what happened?” Grace asked.

  It was one thing to have a get-to-know-you conversation, quite another to turn it into a psychoanalysis of the soul. “I’m not looking to unravel or fix anything in your life, and I’d appreciate it if you’d try to do the same for me.” He delivered the cutting blow without preamble, effectively stopping the conversation in its tracks.

  Grace’s look of shock and dismay made him wince. He’d been a jerk to be that rude to her when all she’d wanted to do was help, but it wasn’t like he was digging deep into her personal life, like pressing for more information on the baby’s father. Some things were better left unsaid, and people were entitled to their secrets.

  Grace reached out and touched his arm, shocking him with her gentle touch after he’d been bullish toward her. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I won’t ask again.”

  Her words and touch warmed his heart, making him feel worse. But he couldn’t break down his walls, especially not with her. Grace Baxter all but shouted relationship, marriage, and family. All words not in his vocabulary. They were a boss and an employee, and anything else was off-limits. “Let’s talk about the grand opening and some of the insights I have for the company. It might help give you a better perspective on how to market us.”

  “That’s a great idea. I’d love to hear how you came up with the idea for the company and what you’ve been through to pull it all together. I sense you’ve got a lot at stake, and I’m hoping to be a part of the success.” Grace smiled, smoothly moving past the previous conversation.

  “There is a lot riding on this, and Jordan hired you because he believes you have what it takes to market the company effectively. If he’s got faith in you, so do I.” For the rest of the ride to the ski resort, they talked about the company, his goals, and his dreams for World Sport Inc., staying on the safe side of conversational subjects.

  * * *

  They pulled into the deserted parking lot of the Mount Washington ski resort. Grace had never visited the place when it wasn’t covered in snow and bustling with hundreds of skiers who looked like ants as they took the chairlift to the top of the mountain, only to race back down. Repeatedly.

  Growing up, she’d spent some time here with her friends. Images of Tonya and Olivia flittered through her brain, the trio had never been far apart. At least, it had been that way until Tonya’s family moved away, and they’d eventually lost contact.

  Olivia, of course, was still somewhat local, having moved to Glen Haven with her husband. She’d long since given up her skis in exchange for married life and a family. And with pre-school-age twins and a full-time job, there was no such thing as free time for her. Something Grace was beginning to understand more, even though she’d only been at this parenting thing for two days. It was the same reason Grace hadn’t reached out to her for help with Holly and wouldn’t if she could avoid it. Her friend had more than enough going on.

  A tall man with a full beard came out of the building and headed in their direction. His rugged mountain-man appearance was a bit gruff for her taste, but some people really went for the woodsy type.

  “It’s good to see you again, Ryan.” The two men shook hands.

  “Likewise. Charles, this is Grace, my administrative assistant, and our marketing guru. She’s the one Jordan picked to help make this entire endeavor a success.”

  “Nice to meet you.” He reached out, his large rough-skinned hand grasping hers in a firm handshake.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Charles. I’ve skied here many times and love this place. It’s beautiful this time of year. All the azaleas, roses, and other flowering plants bursting with color are a wonderful change to the massive amounts of white snow I usually see.” She glanced around, admiring the peacefulness this time of year.

  “It is nice here in the summer. That’s why I’m hoping to bring in more foot traffic with other activities and, of course, the World Sport connection. But don’t let Ryan load you with too much pressure. I’ve known this guy for a long time. He wouldn’t have invested heavily in this venture if he didn’t think it would fly. Don’t be afraid to push back when he grumbles. He’s a softie at heart.” Charles had a sense of humor and came bearing good advice Grace would do well to remember.

  “Maybe we could get a coffee sometime, and you can fill me in with more deets,” Grace said, trying to rile Ryan a bit.

  “Can’t a man have any secrets?” Ryan shook his head, clearly not happy with being the subject of discussion.

  Grace laughed at his sour expression. “It’s not anything I haven’t already figured out.” Or suspected.

  Ryan’s brow shot up, and his questioning gaze settled on her.

  “I’d love to take you to lunch sometime,” Charles said, sending a wink in her direction.

  Ryan’s scowled deepened. “I hardly think that’s necessary.” Did he hate the idea of people talking about him behind his back? Or was this more about her going to lunch with his friend?

  “He’s the boss.” She jerked her thumb in Ryan’s direction, not willing to push him to find out. Besides, her current household situation precluded going on dates anyway.

  “Shall we go inside and check on everything?” Ryan said, satisfied with her answer judging by the l
ook he shot her. She’d have to ask him later what he had against her going out with Charles. He was a friend, after all.

  “Sounds good. All the inventory arrived yesterday, and I had my guys working through the night to set it up as per your instructions. They got most of it out already, enough for you to get a good feel for the layout. Did you bring the signage?” Charles glanced at Ryan as they passed through the front door into the shop.

  “I did.” He tapped his briefcase. “Got it all here.”

  “What made you pick this area for the start-up of your company?” Grace asked.

  “Being a city kid, I always dreamed about the country.” He shrugged, as though not wanting to get into the subject.

  “Come on, something directed you this way. It’s important for me to understand what makes you tick.” He glanced at her ruefully and shook his head. “If you say so. Maybe I simply wanted out of the city, and it was as good a place as any to settle down for a bit before I move to open the next location.”

  “So, you’re the jet-setter that will open the new stores?” That didn’t sound very settled to her. More like someone with wanderlust. The question was, where did it come from?

  “I am. Charles and I go back a way, and his place was as good as any to start. This place is crawling with people in the winter, and like he said, he wants to turn it into a summer destination as well. It works well with what we need and expect from our limited store locations.”

  “What he’s not telling you is that he came here during a couple of college winter breaks with me, and he fell in love with Mount Washington National Forest. This guy is as outdoorsy as it gets for a city slicker.” Charles laughed, clapping Ryan on the back.

  Outdoorsy was not something she’d picked up on considering his tailored suits and fancy car.