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

by Elsie Davis

  After Ruth took their order and left, the two of them talked about the report until the bartender delivered the wine. “Thanks, Jack,” Grace said when he finished pouring.

  “No problem. Enjoy.” The older man smiled and walked away.

  Ryan lifted his glass for a toast, clinking the crystal against hers. “Congratulations. Here’s to a first great week as a team.”

  “Congratulations. We did make a pretty good team, despite the bumps, or in my case, the baby, along the way.” Ryan had been pretty great about Holly and deserved tons of kudos for the fact she’d been able to get her job done. He was turning out to be a fantastic boss, one who truly cared about those who worked for him.

  “Let’s try to not spend the whole night talking shop.”

  “Umm, isn’t that what people do at business dinners? What do you want to talk about if not work?” She assumed he had a one-track mind and it was always going full speed ahead when it came to the company.

  “Well, for starters, your sister.”

  A most surprising topic. “My sister?”

  “Faith seems like a nice girl, and she’s very attentive with the baby. Not exactly the way you painted her. Has she changed that much, or is most of this you playing big sister and being tough on her?” Ryan leaned forward, interested in her answer, and not just making small talk.

  “Maybe a little bit of both. Faith is capable of so much more, and I want her to do well. I don’t see the harm in that. But I have noticed she’s gotten very close to Holly this past week. I think being away from her normal run of friends is giving her a chance to focus on other things. I’m hoping perhaps she’ll grow up just enough to take on adulthood and move forward with her life.” Grace didn’t often talk about her family, but Ryan made it easy.

  “I’d have to say your week’s been successful then.”

  “What do you mean?” Grace narrowed her eyes, unsure of what he meant.

  “Apparently, Faith’s planning on enrolling in the nursing program at the community college this fall. She’s decided to work in the pediatric ward. I saw nothing but love in her eyes for her niece. Holly has clearly impacted her decisions regarding her future.”

  Niece? Try cousin. Grace let out a deep breath. His comment reminded her of the decision to fess up tonight, hoping the spirit of celebration would make it easier. “Really? She hasn’t said a thing to me about it. Or to my mother, that I know of.” There had been plenty of opportunities for Faith to bring it up and she didn’t understand her sister’s secrecy.

  “I get the feeling it’s a new decision. Let your sister tell you in her own time. Pretend you didn’t hear it from me. But maybe knowing what she’s planning will give you some peace of mind that she’s moving in the right direction.”

  “That’s awesome. Thank you so much for telling me. I can’t wait to tell Mom, but I’ll swear her to secrecy until we actually hear it from Faith.” Grace nodded and smiled. Ryan was right—it did take a huge weight off her shoulders.

  He took a sip of his drink as Ruth returned with their lasagna entrees. The fresh aroma of garlic and tomatoes wafted toward her, reminding her of how hungry she was. The O’Malley’s lasagna recipe was known throughout the county, and people came for miles for a serving of the flavorful, saucy, meat and cheese noodles layered and topped with cheese to perfection. Ruth topped off their glasses with more wine, and after making sure they didn’t need anything else, headed back toward the kitchen.

  Grace’s leg shook under the table, knowing the time was at hand for her to tell Ryan the truth. It’s not like after next week he wouldn’t find out anyway when she suddenly turned up childless. She took a deep breath and tried to calm her nerves. Please, Lord, help me know what to say and help Ryan to understand why I felt the need to lie.

  She took a deep breath. “Do you remember when we were on the phone earlier today, and I mentioned we needed to talk? And then you got a phone call and said we’d talk tonight.”

  “I do.” Ryan leaned back in his chair; his gaze fixed on her.

  Grace rubbed the stem of her wine glass between her thumb and forefinger as if trying to transfer some of her nervous energy to the crystal.

  Ryan’s phone lit up, vibrating a demand for him to answer. “Sorry. It’s Jordan,” Ryan said, casting her an apologetic look.

  Saved by the phone. Again. “Take it. It’s fine.” Maybe it was a sign she needed to keep her mouth shut about the whole thing.

  Ryan took the call. “What’s up, Jordan?”

  Grace wasn’t trying to eavesdrop, but it’s not like she had a choice considering she was across the table from him.

  “I see. No. I totally agree. If she can’t get her personal life in order, there’s no place for her on the team. The company is too new for someone to be missing work repeatedly because of problems at home. She has a responsibility to her job as well.”

  Grace paled at Ryan’s words. He wasn’t talking about her, but he might as well have been. He’d cut her some slack the first day, but he was clearly not on the human-relations side of understanding when it came to the real-life concerns of his employees. There was no way she could tell him now. What if anything else went wrong? She’d be out on her keister faster than she could spell the word. Holly’s parentage was ultimately no concern of anyone’s.

  “Sorry about that.” He shut off the phone. “What is it you wanted to tell me?”

  Grace tensed, trying to find something to say. “I just wanted to say thanks for putting up with me and the challenges I faced this week. Your confidence in me makes me realize how much I’m going to enjoy working at World Sport.”

  “You’re welcome. But you’ve already thanked me numerous times.” He shrugged. “This isn’t about that call I just took, is it? Jordan said the woman has called in late every morning with a different excuse. With your work ethic, you have nothing to worry about.”

  “Thanks, but it does bear thinking about. There’s no boyfriend or husband to help out if I run into trouble, and since I plan on keeping it that way, I don’t have many options.”

  “Either one of those options could change. I’m sure you have guys lined up wanting to take you out. Charlie included,” Ryan said.

  Grace got the feeling he was testing her about Charlie, but whether she went out with his friend or not, wasn’t any of his business. It’s not like Ryan wanted to date her. It was time to steer back the conversation back into neutral territory. “Maybe, maybe not. It doesn’t matter because I don’t date. I don’t need a man.” She looked away, not wanting him to read anything into her expression.

  “You’re a bit young to be cynical against relationships.”

  “You’re one to talk,” Grace said, glancing back at him.

  Ryan shrugged. “Well, my family hasn’t exactly been a great example.”

  Grace reached out and grabbed his hand. “Tell me what happened, Ryan.” They were long passed the business line and had moved solidly into personal territory. But at least she’d managed to switch the conversation to be about him.

  He looked at her long and hard as if trying to decide how to answer. Or maybe, judging by his expression, whether to answer at all.

  “It’s not pretty. My mother and father were in love. Like soul mates. And when she got sick, my father worked harder and longer, struggling to hold everything together. When my mother passed away, my father lost a piece of himself. And then he lost his job and our family lost everything. We were homeless for a while, which is something I swore I would never let happen to me again.” The pain reflected in his eyes touched her heart.

  “But how did you get from there to the foster home you told me about?” She wanted to understand him, to get to know the man, not the boss.

  “We were living on the streets. The state stepped in and took us away. My father died not long after that. Honestly, I think he stopped living after my mother passed away. Without her, he didn’t feel he had a reason to go on. My sister, Bella, was the only family I had left af
ter that, and then she deserted me. Hard work equals financial stability. There’s no room in the equation for family.” Ryan sat back in his seat and let out a deep breath. “Aren’t you glad you asked?” Ryan added cynically.

  His views on family and relationship had been etched in stone at such a young age, his story heartbreaking. But there was more to life than what he was seeing. “I am. And you’re wrong about family. Plenty of people have careers and things don’t work out. Life isn’t always fair. But, it’s faith, family, and close friends that can help people through the hard times. People need love. Money won’t buy happiness—only love can do that.”

  “I wouldn’t know. Neither my sister, nor my foster parents bothered to show me anything different. I guess what I learned at eight, stuck.” Ryan grimaced; lines of tension deeply etched across his forehead.

  Grace cared about Ryan and wanted to help him see things differently. “Have you thought about what I suggested regarding Bella? About reconsidering and responding to the email?”

  “I have,” he nodded, his sudden half-smile catching her off guard. “I was waiting for the right moment to tell you. For better or worse, I answered the email. Happy?”

  “Yes, I am. For you. Either way, you’ll get the answers you need to move forward. You shut your heart off to the world, and it’s not healthy. The world can be a pretty special place if you have someone to share it with.”

  “Spoken from the woman who just said she wasn’t into relationships.” He grinned, rolling his eyes to make his point.

  “I have my reasons. None of which matter at this point. So, what happens now?” Grace couldn’t believe he’d done it. Talk about being brave. Braver than she was, for sure.

  “I got a response that said they would reach out and give Bella my contact information. Beyond that, it’s up to her if she still wants to communicate. I’m not holding my breath, but I’ve called her bluff.”

  “Bluff? I don’t think a couple of years of trying to reach out to you is a bluff. Bella wants to see you, and she wants to talk to you. She’ll be in touch with you. Of that, I have no doubt.” Grace could only hope now that she’d opened Pandora’s box, so to speak, that it didn’t come back to bite her and him in the backside. She prayed it would all work out well for Ryan.

  “Can we talk about something else? This is supposed to be a celebration, not a night of kiss and tell.” Ryan winked as he lifted his wine glass and took a sip.

  “We might be telling, but I don’t see any kissing.” Grace grinned, totally in agreement it was time to lighten the subject. Especially a conversation that now included kissing—something she’d wanted to do since she first met him. Well, almost from the beginning. Holly vomiting on Ryan hadn’t made her think of kisses, and neither had finding out Vomit Man was her boss.

  They laughed and talked throughout the rest of the dinner, each steering clear of sensitive subjects but finding plenty to talk about. They had a lot in common, and if he weren’t so anti-relationship, knowing he was anti-children would’ve tipped her hand in his favor and made her reconsider agreeing to just be friends.

  Grace noticed on the way back to her house that things felt different between them. Yes, they were friends, but contrary to what Ryan said earlier, there was something almost tangible between them that couldn’t be denied.

  “Let me get the door for you.” Ryan put his hand on her shoulder to stop her from exiting the car when she made a move to get out.

  “I’ve got this. It’s not a date, date.” Grace laughed and opened the door, sliding out of the car, her nerves rattled.

  Ryan met her at the sidewalk. “You don’t listen very well,” he said, shaking his head and taking her arm as he led her to the front porch.

  “And you’re mixed up. Don’t forget you’re only the boss in the office,” she teased. He was making it difficult to remember where they’d drawn the line.

  Ryan turned to face her, the two of them awkwardly close. “That’s true about being the boss. But for once, I don’t think I’m mixed up. After tonight, I know exactly what I want. Call it an awakening, if you will.” He leaned in closer.

  “I don’t understand,” Grace said, her breath barely above a whisper.

  “Maybe this will help.” He pulled her up tightly against his chest and lowered his head, claiming her mouth in a toe-curling kiss.

  Grace gave in to the inevitable, wanting it as much as he obviously did. She wrapped her arms around his neck, letting him deepen the kiss. Seconds later, he raised his head and looked down at her, his eyes full of tenderness.

  “What happened to our business date?” Grace had to ask, needing to hear the words from Ryan.

  “I don’t know. Somewhere during dessert, I decided this was more like a date, date. I like the idea of kiss and tell better, don’t you?” The dimples on his cheeks deepened as he smiled.

  Each word he said caused her heart to race faster. If Ryan was to be believed, he cared for her. More than the obvious attraction. It made her breathless to think there might be a chance for something between them. That is until she remembered why it would never work.

  If she was able to change Ryan’s mind about relationships, what happened when he changed his mind about having kids? Grace had already seen him in action with Holly, and he was a natural. Grace couldn’t bear to see the look of disappointment on Ryan’s face if they were to become a couple, and then he found out she couldn’t have children.

  She stepped back, putting space between them for her peace of mind. “You decided? Since when do you get to decide?” Grace teased, hoping to gloss over their moment of insanity.

  “I don’t. We do. You can’t tell me you don’t feel this connection between us. Whatever it is, it feels real. Something I’ve never felt before. It’s not like I’m looking to get married. I just want to spend time with you and see where this may lead. Or maybe I see renewed hope because of this situation with Bella. I don’t know.” Ryan reached out and brushed her hair off her shoulder, letting his thumb caress her cheek.

  “But what about our boss-employee status?” Grace was struggling to keep the wall between them, afraid of what would happen if it completely fell.

  “What about it? It’s not ideal, but I am the boss. Don’t I get to write the rules? I can change policy if that’s what you’re worried about.”

  “Maybe. But who comes out the loser if things don’t work out between us?” Her job and her inability to have children was the only thing keeping her from throwing herself back into his arms and kissing him like she’d never kissed a man before.

  “Point taken.” A look of disappointment crossed his face. It was the truth, and he knew it.

  Grace would be the loser. The problem was, she didn’t want the night to end.

  “Let’s just agree to take things slow, and not rush into anything one way or the other. Okay?”

  “Okay,” she said, unable to say the words that would end what was between them before it even started, but equally unable to jump in headfirst.

  Ryan kissed her goodnight and walked away, leaving her staring after him, and wishing he’d taken her in his arms again. Anything she’d felt before dinner had now exploded into a full-blown need to spend time getting to know him. All from a kiss. Actually, two kisses. She was in big trouble.

  Chapter Thirteen

  Ryan tapped the end of his pen against the desk as he gazed at the report spread out in front of him. His call with the investors was scheduled for this morning, and he wanted to be prepared. He leaned back in his chair, thoughts of Grace popping in to disrupt his concentration.

  He’d acted on impulse and kissed her, breaking every rule he had when it came to business. The problem was… it felt right. At least, it had until she reminded him of what could happen if things didn’t work out. His track record with relationships wasn’t good, and it wasn’t fair to Grace. Torn about what to do, he’d taken the easy way out and settled for somewhere in the middle. It would give them both the chance to think thi
ngs through.

  Not just act on a moment of craziness. Grace came with complications he couldn’t afford. Complications like the expectation of marriage and children, things he never wanted. Even the thought of a relationship was more complication than he’d been prepared for a week ago. Only Grace’s appearance on the scene had made him question his choices.

  He thought about spending his days and nights with her, laughing and teasing, cooking meals together, going places, traveling. All things he’d done by himself, but now he could see sharing those things with somebody else. Someone who made his heart beat faster when she came into the room. Someone who, when he held her in his arms like last night, made him want more. Made him want to be the person she turned to if troubles arose, to be there for her.

  Ryan just didn’t know if he could trust in love. That was a far reach for him. His phone rang, interrupting his thoughts. “Hey, Harvey. Checking in for the conference call?”

  “I am,” Harvey said. The older man was one of the investors and the designated person to set up the calls. “Ryan, we are ready to begin the meeting. Larry, Carl, and Jordan are already on the call with us,” Harvey said, his tone emitting waves of displeasure like a red warning flag that took Ryan off guard.

  “Sounds great. I’m sure you’ve all had a chance to look at the reports by now. I’m pleased with the first week’s numbers, and I hope you are, too.” Ryan opened the conversation, disregarding the sense something was wrong. Everyone should be on cloud nine.

  “We would be if they were accurate,” Larry answered.

  “Accurate? What do you mean?” Ryan frowned and glanced down at the report he held. He scanned the document, his eyes immediately drifting down to the tallies at the bottom, but he found nothing wrong.

  “Hate to tell you this, but the numbers are incorrect,” Larry spoke up. “The accurate numbers aren’t horrible, but we missed projections. Not exactly celebration-worthy.” This wasn’t good.

  Grace was responsible for the report. Had she made an error? He glanced down the columns, doing a quick mental calculation.