His praise wiped all thoughts from her mind. She felt the color in her cheeks flare at the same time a pleased feeling encased her in warmth. He reached toward her.
Shouts erupted from the living room. Without a second’s hesitation, Mac spun and raced toward the yelling. Tess hastened after him, the loud voices suddenly too quiet. When she entered, she stopped inside the doorway, her gaze riveted to Harry, who stood over Fred in the chair. Anger marred the lines of Harry’s face. His hands were fisted at his sides, his body conveying such rage that he appeared brittle, ready to break in two.
Mac moved close to the pair. “Harry, can I help you? Is something wrong?” His voice was soft, even.
His jaw clamped shut, Harry swung his gaze to Mac, a few feet from him. “He turned the station.”
Fred, whose features were pale, spoke. “I thought he was asleep. I was tired of the news.”
Harry glared at Fred. “Well, I wasn’t asleep and I was listening to the news. Turn it back.”
“I don’t want to.” The stubborn set of his mouth attested to Fred’s mounting bravery now that others were in the room.
Harry leaned down, placing both hands on the arms of the chair and caging the other man against the back. “Turn back to CNN.”
He spat out each word slowly and with such fury that Tess stepped back. Her heart pounded against her chest. Her palms were sweaty. The air in the room churned with intense emotions as though someone had switched a blender on high.
Mac shifted forward. “Harry, I’m glad you’re up. It’s time for our counseling session. You can watch the news afterward.” Mac pitched his voice low, a calming sound, meant to subdue.
“I don’t wanna talk to you now. I want to watch the news.” Harry bent closer to Fred, their faces only inches apart.
Tess held her breath when Mac laid his hand on Harry’s shoulder. The man tried to shrug it off. When that didn’t work, he spun and faced Mac, forgetting about Fred. Fred quickly squeezed out of his seat and scrambled out of the room while Harry glared at Mac for daring to interrupt him. The sound of Fred’s fleeing footsteps on the stairs echoed in Tess’s mind, competing with the thundering of her heartbeat in her ears.
“You’ll be able to when we’re through, Harry. You accepted counseling as a condition for living here.”
Some the tension dissolved in Tess at the continual calming sound of Mac’s voice, as though this type of incident happened every day and wasn’t any big deal. She hoped Harry responded in a similar fashion. She gauged the man’s reaction to Mac’s words and saw a slight relaxing of the firm line of his jaw. Harry’s sharp gaze mellowed as he instinctively followed Mac’s example of taking deep breaths. Tess found herself doing it, too, and more of her tension eased.
Mac patiently waited for Harry to bring himself under control. Sweat beaded the man’s forehead and rolled down his face. He clenched and unclenched his hands, but finally, after a few minutes of silence, his shoulders sagged and he dropped his head.
“Come on, Harry, let’s talk about this in my office,” Mac said, moving toward the doorway. “I know things haven’t been easy for you since you came.”
Tess stepped to the side and allowed both men to leave. When the room was empty, she collapsed onto the couch, all the energy draining from her body. When she’d looked into Harry’s eyes, she’d seen hate and such anger she’d been frightened he would do something harmful to Fred—or Mac.
Thankfully Mac had deflated the man’s rage, but what would happen next time if he couldn’t? That question scared her more than the encounter she had just witnessed.
She headed to the game room, determined to stay until Mac emerged from his office safely. She glanced out the window and noticed it was getting late. She had a million things she needed to do at home, as well as errands to run, but she couldn’t leave. The sound of Harry’s raised voice sent her across the room to hover near the door in case Mac needed her. She wasn’t sure what she could do. Harry was almost as large as Mac, and she was sure Mac could take care of himself in a physical fight, but if anything happened to Mac—She wouldn’t allow herself to finish that thought.
Thirty minutes later, Mac and Harry came out of the office. Harry hurried up the stairs while Mac watched him. Then Mac turned toward her, and she saw the weariness in his features. The dullness in his eyes and the tired lines on his face underscored how emotionally drained he was after the tension-charged encounter.
Tess went to him, only wanting to comfort and offer words of encouragement. “You did a great job of defusing the situation.”
“Just part of the job.” He shrugged off the compliment.
“How often do you have to do that?”
She hoped the panic didn’t sound in her voice, but Mac looked at her sharply for a long moment before answering, “Not often, thankfully, but some of these men have a lot of emotional baggage to deal with. Until they do they often won’t succeed in overcoming their addiction.” He peered at his watch. “Why are you still here? Didn’t you tell me you had to leave by four-thirty?”
She blushed. “Would you believe I wanted to make sure nothing happened with Harry?”
“And what would you have done?”
“I’m not sure. I didn’t think that far. Call 911? Rush in and stop him?”
Mac grinned. “Let’s see, you’re five feet four inches and he’s over six-two. How were you going to stop him? Jump on his back?”
“Okay. You can quit laughing. That man was very angry when you two disappeared into your office an hour ago. I wasn’t about to leave you here alone.”
“There are at least five other men here, Tess.” The corners of his eyes crinkled. “But I like the idea you were going to save me. Not many women have said that to me.”
“And I’m not going to make that mistake again.”
He reached up and cupped his hand along her jawline. “You can protect me anytime you want.” He stared long and hard into her eyes. “I need to leave soon. I’ll walk you to your car.”
“Are you trying to protect me now?”
“This isn’t the safest neighborhood, especially as it gets darker.”
Tess gathered her purse and the sweater she had brought. “As you know, I parked right out front.”
“Are you still coming to the church festival on Saturday with us?”
“I’m looking forward to it. I miss seeing Amy and Johnny.”
“They miss you.”
“How are the rabbits doing?”
“Good. The kids agreed to take the rabbits to Colt’s on Sunday.”
“They’re giving up on the idea of a shelter for stray animals?”
“Not exactly. They think the country is a better place for their rabbits than the city.” He leaned around her to open her car door. “I won’t be surprised if they find another stray animal soon.”
The scent of sandalwood drifted to her, making her acutely aware of the man near her. “I think you’re right.”
“I just hope it’s nothing too outlandish. I remember Casey finding a skunk once.”
“Oh, that could be a problem.” Tess slid behind the driver’s seat.
“A smelly problem.”
“Maybe you’d better stock tomato juice in the pantry just in case.”
His laughter blended with the sounds of the neighborhood, a car starting down the street, someone mowing a small patch of grass. “Not a bad idea. We’ll pick you up at three on Saturday. Be ready for some fun and relaxation.”
With a nod, she turned her key in the ignition.
Mac stepped back and watched her drive away. Every time he was with her he felt another brick around his heart crumble. He’d started out with friendship in mind. He’d sensed her need for spiritual help. Now he knew he had been fooling himself. He was falling for her and he wasn’t sure that was wise for either of them. She was afraid to risk her heart, and he realized after his marriage to Sheila that he could never settle for anything but total commitment from a woman. Tess want
ed a large family, and he knew he wasn’t prepared to give her that. Nope, it wasn’t a good idea to get too emotionally involved with Tess. But was it too late? Mac wondered as he headed inside the halfway house.
“How many cups of coffee does that make for the day?” Delise said as she plopped down beside Tess at the kitchen table.
“Five, and before you say anything I know that isn’t good. But it’s that or I’m gonna fall asleep at the church festival. Better yet on the ride to the place.”
“Yeah, what’s been going on? For the past few nights I’ve heard you up and about at all hours.”
“Bad dream.” A chill shimmered down Tess’s length when she thought about the nightmare she’d had after the incident at the halfway house. She shook her head as though that would rid her mind of the image of Mac dying in his office with Harry standing over him. She could still hear her screams.
“Well, it must be a humdinger to keep you up like that.”
“I’ve had bouts of insomnia before. I’m sure that’s all this is.”
“Try a warm glass of milk.”
“Yeah, I will.” Tess couldn’t tell her roommate she didn’t want to go to sleep. She wasn’t prepared to explain her nightmare to Delise. But worse, she was afraid Mac would see the dark circles under her eyes and probe for answers. He was much too astute for her peace of mind at times.
When the doorbell rang, Delise hopped to her feet. “I’ll get it. Finish your coffee. I wouldn’t want you falling asleep on your date.”
“It isn’t a date. Amy and Johnny are going to be with us.”
Delise paused at the doorway. “Sure it isn’t. He asked you to go with him. He’s picking you up at your apartment. That sounds like a date to me even if the children are chaperoning.”
Tess opened her mouth to reply, but Delise fled into the living room. Tess gulped the last few swallows of the lukewarm coffee, rose and put the mug in the sink. When she turned toward the door, Mac stood framed in it, looking incredibly handsome in a pair of blue jeans, faded and worn looking, and a striped red and blue polo shirt. His smile brightened his eyes and sent warmth coursing through her.
“Ready?”
She nodded, not trusting herself to speak. After snatching her purse and a floppy hat to wear in case the sun decided to peek out from behind the clouds, she walked with him to the front door. When she noticed his car was empty, she asked, “Where are Johnny and Amy?”
“Casey picked them up for lunch and a treat. She’s bringing them.”
“Oh,” Tess said, sliding into the passenger side of the car, realizing this felt very much like a date, as Delise had so kindly pointed out.
After he started the car, he threw a quick look at her. “Having trouble sleeping?”
She knew he would say something. Why hadn’t she prepared a response? She searched her mind for a reply that wouldn’t lead to a lot of questions. None came to mind. “Yes,” she finally answered, knowing what his next question would be.
“Why?”
Because I’ve been dreaming about you getting killed, she thought and gritted her teeth, her gaze trained on the road.
“Another nightmare about Kevin?”
“Yes, I’ve been having nightmares,” she answered, deliberately not elaborating on the subject matter of her dreams.
“Tess, maybe if you talk with Pastor Winthrop, he might be able to help you put the past in perspective.”
“Have you completely?”
Mac didn’t answer for a moment. “Yes, I think I have. But—” he slid a glance toward her “—I had help. You’re trying to do everything by yourself.”
“You mean the Lord’s help?”
“Yes.”
But He’s the one who took Kevin away, she wanted to proclaim as she had in the past. Instead she dug her teeth into her lower lip, knowing the truth wasn’t that simple. “I’ll think about it.” That was all she could say.
“That’s all I ask.” He pulled the car into the church parking lot.
Tess noticed a crowd had formed on the lawn. A large tent offered shelter from the sun, or in this case the rain if the clouds blanketing the sky opened up. People manned the booths under the canvas with various products for sale from food to crafts. Several groups of children were playing games from catch to tag while others romped on the equipment in the playground. Some men milled around the barbecues, talking and peering at the dark sky. To the side of the grills a group of women arranged bowls of food on card tables.
Mac took Tess’s hand and led her to the cashier to pay for the evening dinner of hamburgers and hot dogs with an assortment of salads and desserts. She saw several people she knew and waved to Mac’s mother behind the table displaying jars of preserved fruit.
“What’s the idea of the festival?” Tess asked Mac after he had gotten their meal tickets.
“It’s a celebration of people’s talents.” He gestured to an older lady at the nearest booth. “Ruth loves to knit and makes beautiful sweaters. She sells them every year to help the church raise money. And Candace over there—” he pointed to a young woman who sat in front of an easel “—will draw your portrait for a fee. She’s quite good. I’m going to have her do Johnny and Amy.”
“Together?”
“Yes. Amy follows Johnny around everywhere. I keep thinking he’s gonna get tired of it one day.”
“He’s never had much of a family. I think Amy’s hero-worshiping is a novelty to him.” Tess caught Alice motioning for Tess to come over. “Your mother has a booth. Where’s yours?”
“Doing what?”
“Well, let’s see. You could teach children how to tackle.”
“I think that comes naturally.”
“You’re a good listener. How about a booth where you listen to people?”
“Everyone can listen. That’s not a talent.”
Tess stopped, standing in Mac’s path with one hand on her waist. “Peter MacPherson, being a good listener is very important and something a lot of people don’t know how to do. It’s a gift that’s certainly appreciated by me.”
He beamed with a wide grin, his eyes almost silver. “Next year you need to have a clown booth.”
Next year. She liked the sound of those words. She returned his smile, feeling her whole face light up. “Yeah, children could threw pies at me.”
“Just children?”
The gleam in his eyes made her laugh. “Maybe little old ladies, too.” She started for his mother’s booth.
“Can I persuade you to buy some of my preserves? It’s like tasting a little bit of heaven with each bite. Want to try a sample?” Alice lavished some blackberry jam onto a piece of toast, then held the plate up.
Tess took a bite of the toast. “Mmm. This is delicious. Do you pick your own fruit?”
“Whenever I can.”
“Hey, that’s not fair. I want a taste,” Mac said, his regard on the toast in Tess’s hand.
Without thinking she lifted it to his mouth, and he ate the rest of the sample, his lips grazing her fingertips. Her gaze connected with his as though she were bound to him. The shared moment reinforced the attraction she felt toward Mac.
After a few seconds of silence, Alice coughed, and Tess glanced away from Mac, her face flaming, her legs weak. She gripped the edge of the table to steady herself.
His attention on Tess, Mac said, “Mom, I’ll take two of every kind you have.”
“At this rate I’ll be sold out before the hour’s up.” Alice began boxing up the jars.
“I’ll find the rest of the family and send them over.” Mac finally looked at his mother. “Then you can join us at the picnic tables. I’m gonna stake one out for us.”
Alice’s brow arched. “Just one?”
“You’re right, two. Any more and no one else will have one.”
Relieved that Mac was no longer staring at her, Tess watched the exchange between mother and son and realized again how much she missed having a family to call her own. “Before you
sell out, I’d like to purchase some.”
“That’s okay, Tess, I bought one for you and one for me.” Mac lifted the box from the table.
“But I—”
“Just consider it a thank-you for sending us Johnny. I’m taking this to the car. Be back in a sec.”
Mac disappeared through the crowd in the tent before Tess could open her mouth to refuse his gift.
“Hon, one thing I’ve learned over the years as his mother is to accept the gifts. He loves giving people presents for no reason at all. You’re just going to have to get used to it. Besides, this is a donation to the church.”
Alice’s statement implied Tess would be the recipient of many presents in the future. That thought alarmed her. “He’s really become attached to Johnny,” Tess said, wanting to steer the conversation away from gifts and anything personal concerning her and Mac. She had always been uncomfortable with people giving her unexpected presents, or even on her birthday and at Christmas.
“He’s crazy about the boy.”
“What happens if Mrs. Hocks finds a relative?”
Alice shook her head. “It’ll break his heart. When I talk with him now, he’s always telling me something about Johnny as though the child was his own.”
Again Tess thought back to the first day she’d met Mac. She’d been reminded of a gentle bear, and that impression was confirmed the more she was around him.
“He’s had several losses in his life. I hope Johnny isn’t one of them.”
“So do I,” Tess murmured, aware that Mac was heading toward them.
Tess followed his progress and noticed several members of the congregation stopping Mac to say something. He drew people to him with his easy ways and warm smile. There was nothing frightening about him even though he was very large and muscularly built. Her gentle bear.
Oh, my! Where had that come from? she wondered and turned her flushed face away before the man read what was in her mind. She wasn’t ready. Was she?
“Let’s go find Casey and the kids. See you, Mom, when you’re through selling your wares.”
Family for Keeps & Sadie's Hero Page 13
