by Lois Richer
She motioned him inside. “Thanks so much, Ty. I really appreciate this.”
“Glad I could help.” The sight of her warmed him clear through. She was dressed in her favorite faded jeans, the ones that made her legs look a mile long, and a dark green shirt that matched her eyes.
“I should have paid the extra fee for assembly, but I’d already spent too much on the bike.” She shrugged and smiled.
“Hey, no big deal. I used to put bikes together at Dad’s store. I’m a certified professional.”
“Oh. I didn’t know your dad sold bikes. Maybe I should have purchased it from him?”
“No. He quit carrying them after the toy store opened.” Ty retrieved his toolbox from the closet beside the laundry and carried it outside. Ginger shrugged on her bright aqua sweater and followed him, curling up in the rocker. “Can I help?”
“Sure. Somebody has to read the instructions and hand me the tools.”
“I thought you knew how to do this.”
“I do. But just in case bikes have changed since I did the last one.”
She smiled at his teasing, and his heart pumped out an extra beat inside his chest. Lifting a box cutter from the top tray of his toolbox, he slit the carton open, keeping one side intact to use the cardboard as a base from which to assemble the bike and not lose any important parts.
Ginger sighed, watching him intently. “I never would have been able to put this together.”
Ty sat back on his heels, hands resting on his thighs. “Sure you could. Just might have taken you a little longer.”
“Like until EJ’s next birthday.” She smiled and hugged her sweater closer. “It’s cold out here. You sure you don’t want to do this inside?”
“I’m good.” He unwrapped the bike seat and set it aside, then opened the box of parts and spread them out. He worked silently for a long while. Ginger seemed content to watch, and he was content to let her.
The bike was coming together quickly. He stood and tilted it onto its back wheel, giving the front one a quick inspection, then checked the rear wheel. Satisfied, he laid the bike down and tackled the kickstand. The comfortable silence gave him the courage to speak. “Ginger, I want to apologize for the other day.”
She went still. Maybe this wasn’t the right time after all, but it had to be addressed. “I should have thought about how EJ would react to the police car. It just didn’t occur to me.”
Ginger shifted her position, placing both feet on the deck, leaning forward to look at him. “No, I’m sorry, Ty. I overreacted. Seeing that police car at the cabin, hearing Elliot’s excitement over it, scared me. I don’t want my son to grow up to be a police officer.”
Her words stung. But he swallowed the hurt. He was aware of the stigma, but it had never been so personal before.
“What you do is an honorable profession. But the danger, the uncertainty, I could never live with that.”
Ty tightened down the nut holding the kickstand in place with more force than necessary. He’d heard this lament more times than he cared to remember. His job was too dangerous. Too uncertain. He agreed, but this time the statement tore a hole in his heart.
“I should never have lashed out at you that way. It was a knee-jerk reaction. Will you forgive me?”
Ty looked into her eyes and had the oddest feeling he’d forgive this woman anything. “Already done. And I promise not to glamorize police work to EJ. I’ll keep my job out of our conversations as much as possible.”
“Thank you.”
Ty gave the bike another once-over, then lowered the kickstand and stood back. “Mission accomplished.”
Ginger stood and reached out to touch the silver-and-black bicycle with its red racing stripes and shiny pedals. “He’s going to be so surprised. I probably shouldn’t have spent the money, but he’s been so good. He hasn’t had a nice birthday since he was five. Thank you.”
“It still needs the decals put on, but I’ll do that later. I’ll take this over to my parents. Dad can hide it in the garage until the party tomorrow. I’ll put this in the truck and then come back and clean up.”
After securing the bike, Ty returned to the deck, gathering up the scraps and folding the cardboard. Ginger had gone inside. He tapped on the door before entering. The cabin was warm and cozy, and the aroma of fresh coffee welcomed him back. He belonged here. So did she. Ginger handed him a cup, stepping aside to let him doctor it to taste. Now was the perfect time to make his suggestion. “Have you and EJ been okay here—alone, I mean?”
She hesitated a moment before answering “We have. Though the floodlight went out. It was really dark at night. It would have been nice to have you here.”
The look in her eyes encouraged him. “I think I’d better move back into the boathouse. I don’t feel right leaving you two out here alone. It’s too isolated.” He tried to gauge her reaction. “If it’s all right with you, that is.”
She sighed. “I’d like that. I like to think I’m brave and strong and all that, but truth is, I was scared out here alone. I feel safer with you here.”
His heart pounded in his rib cage. He reached out and took her shoulders in his hands, looked at her lips. He wanted to kiss her again, but now might not be the best time. Instead he placed a kiss on her forehead. “I’ve missed you. I’ll bring my stuff over later this afternoon.”
“Oh. Okay.”
The disappointment in her voice made him think she wanted him to come back immediately. “I’d get my stuff right now, but—” he rubbed his neck, dreading what he had to tell her “—the Stanton house was vandalized last night.” Her soft gasp and the shock and tears in her eyes tore through his heart. “That’s where I was when you called.”
“Oh, no. Why would someone do that?”
“I don’t know. Brady has his men looking into it. Shaw discovered it this morning.”
“How bad?”
Ty exhaled a slow sigh. “Bad. They broke all the windows and tore off part of the siding. They trashed the stack of drywall stored inside and pulled out most of the electrical wiring. Most of the tiles for the flooring were smashed. Not one box left intact.”
“What does this mean for the project? Can it still be done on time?”
“Doubtful. This’ll set the completion back a couple of weeks.” Which meant neither he nor Ginger would be there when the project was completed, something he had hoped to avoid.
“Oh, no, Ty, it can’t. Mrs. Stanton is counting on bringing her husband home to their house. She told me yesterday that the place Ben Campbell loaned them has been sold. They won’t have anywhere else to go but to a hotel. We can’t let that happen. What are we going to do?”
“We’re assessing the damage, then we’ll have to see if there’s enough of the donated funds to replace everything. But there’s no way we can replace the time it’ll take to redo the work.”
“Has anyone told the Stantons?”
“No. We want to have a plan in place first. We’re hoping we’ll only lose a few weeks. It’s not ideal, but at least the house will be done. I’ve got to go.” He pulled her into his arms for a quick hug. “Don’t worry. It’ll all work out. I need to get back to the site. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”
She smiled and nodded, her eyes brightening. “Okay. I’ll be here.”
He liked the thought of her being there, waiting for him to come home. As he drove off, a warm contentment washed over him. He was a man with purpose.
* * *
Butterflies waged aerial warfare in Ginger’s stomach as Ty drove them to his parents’ after church. She prayed the day would go smoothly, and this would be the best birthday of EJ’s life. She was so grateful to the Durrants for putting the celebration together. She couldn’t wait to see EJ’s expression when he saw the new bike. He would be so surprised.
They’d had a small celebration this morning. Ty had made pancakes, Barney had been decorated with streamers, and balloons had guarded the small assortment of presents. If her son had been disappointed by not getting a bike, he hadn’t shown it. He’d thanked her for the gift card and given Ty a big hug for the youth football and the Dover cap.
She had decided to give Elliot the bike last. Otherwise he would never open his other presents. Ty pulled the car to a stop in front of the Durrants’ home. He gave her a wink before getting out. EJ ran ahead onto the porch, football under his arm, baseball cap on his head. Ty opened the door, shouting out a greeting as they entered the foyer. “Hey. Anybody here?”
They walked through the front room toward the kitchen. Ty took her hand and squeezed it. Ginger’s heart fluttered. She was falling in love with Ty. She knew it wasn’t wise, but her heart had other ideas.
EJ stepped into the kitchen, and everyone yelled, “Happy birthday!”
A huge smile spread across his face. He turned to look at her. “Is this my birthday party?”
Ginger hugged him. “It’s all for you. Happy birthday.”
Kenny rushed forward, smiling. “We surprised you, didn’t we?”
EJ nodded. Kenny tugged on Elliot’s sleeve. “Come on. There’s lots of presents.”
The Durrants greeted her with smiles and laughter, commenting on Elliot’s response as they drifted into the family room, where the presents were arranged on the coffee table. Elliot stared at the gifts, obviously trying to decide which one to open first.
Kenny solved the problem by picking up a large package wrapped in bright red paper. “Open this one first. It’s from us.”
EJ tore into the paper, releasing a loud yelp as he unwrapped a bright blue remote-control car. “Mom. Look. Isn’t it awesome? I always wanted one of these.”
Kenny bounced on his feet. “I brought mine so we can race ’em.”
“Cool.” The next package, a handheld electronic game player from Laura and Adam, elicited another squeal of delight. “This is so cool. I always wanted an EGP.”
Ginger’s heart lodged in her throat. If she’d been able to envision the perfect birthday for her son, it would have been exactly like this. Ty leaned close, sending awareness along her nerves. “I think he’s having a great birthday. Just wait till he sees the bike.”
Ginger pressed her palms together, resting the tips of her fingers against her lips. Her heart was so full, she wasn’t sure she could handle any more happiness. Closing her eyes briefly, she thanked the Lord for this blessing and for bringing her to Dover, to the doorstep of the Durrants. When she opened her eyes again, Elliot had opened a gift card from Mr. and Mrs. Durrant to buy games and movies for his player. The last gift was from Ty. Surprised, she looked up at him. “You already got him a gift.”
He shrugged and flashed his smile. “A kid can never have too many birthday presents.”
EJ let out a shout when the paper fell away to reveal a shiny new fishing pole. He turned and smiled at Ty. “It’s just like yours.”
Ty nodded and gave a thumbs-up.
Ginger’s gaze traveled around the room, taking a mental picture of the moment. Tom and Angie Durrant were standing in front of the fireplace, smiles brightening their faces as they watched EJ enjoy his party. Matt and Shelby were seated on the sofa, her hand resting on his knee possessively. Cassidy sat on her knees in front of them as they watched the activity. Laura and her fiancé, Adam, were seated in the two occasional chairs but had their hands linked across the small table dividing them. It was a portrait of family togetherness.
Ty rested his hand on her back, jolting her out of her reverie and making her aware of the tangy scent she’d come to know as his own. She wanted to lean against him, to feel the solid strength of him against her back, like a safety barrier. But she couldn’t.
Elliot appeared in front of her, remote-control car in hand. “Can I take this outside and play with it?”
She smiled. “Did you thank everyone for their presents?”
He turned and glanced around the room. “Thank you. I love all my presents.”
Angie Durrant came and gave him a quick hug. “You’re most welcome, Elliot. And we have a cake for you, too.” She pointed to the breakfast table, where a sheet cake decorated with cars rested.
Elliot smiled ear to ear. “Thank you.”
EJ and Kenny disappeared out the door to play with their cars while the adults regrouped in the kitchen. The men decided to oversee the car race with the boys, while the women cleaned up. Ginger started to help, but Angie shooed her away.
“Go and watch your son play. Let us know when you’re ready to bring out his bike.”
“I can’t wait to see that,” Laura chimed in.
Shelby, hands full of discarded wrapping paper, joined them. “He is the cutest little guy. The look on his face was priceless. Matt took pictures. I’ll get them to you later.”
Out on the back porch, Ginger stood at the rail watching the boys guide the small cars along the driveway, noting with a smile that the big boys were itching to get their hands on the controls. After a few minutes, Ty joined her.
“Are you ready for the last gift?”
“I think so.”
Ty took her hand, and they made their way toward the garage. The family had all agreed to park on the street so the driveway would be clear for the bike. Ginger waited near the garage door as Ty went inside and pressed the opener. The boys were so occupied with their cars, they didn’t even notice the door going up.
Ty rolled the bike out of the garage. “Hey, EJ. You have one more present. Come and see.”
Ginger took a deep breath, her gaze focused on Elliot. He’d stopped a few feet away. His eyes growing wide, his mouth open in surprise. She thought she saw a hint of tears in his brown eyes. Her heart overflowed with happiness.
“Oh, wow! Wow!” He jumped up and down, making fists of triumph in the air. “Thank you, Mom. Thank you, thank you.” He gave her a big hug before approaching the bike. He touched the seat and the wheels before lifting the helmet from the handlebars. “Awesome.”
“Now you have to learn to ride it.”
“I kinda know. I’ve tried Kenny’s a couple times.”
The men gathered around her son. Tom Durrant ruffled his hair. “Let’s see how she handles.”
Adam and Matt exclaimed over the design, and Ty helped him adjust the strap on the helmet so it fit properly. Sensing her presence was no longer needed, Ginger retreated to the back porch to watch, trying not to worry about possible injuries.
Watching the Durrants as they helped her son learn to ride his new bike was like seeing her deepest dream come to life. This was what she wanted for her son. A family.
Emotions swelled in her chest. Tears filled her eyes. Unwilling to break down in front of everyone, she went inside, hurrying through the house and out onto the front porch. At the railing she stopped, letting the joyful tears overflow. Why couldn’t she have this all the time? Love. Family. A safe place to stay.
“Ginger?”
The sound of Ty’s voice penetrated her tears. She froze, unwilling to let him see her like this. Quickly, she swiped at her damp cheeks, digging in the pocket of her slacks for a tissue and coming up empty. A clean one appeared in front of her, held out by Ty’s strong hand. “Thank you.”
“Are you all right?”
She shook her head, then shrugged. “I guess. Maybe.” The confusion in her mind triggered more tears. What a silly mess she was. Her emotions were spilling out like a leaky dam. Happiness and frustration warred with gratitude and sorrow.
“What’s wrong? Did something happen? Did someone say something that upset you?”
Gentle hands turned her around. She looked up into his concerned blue eyes and felt her emotional dam burst. “No, i
t’s me. I’m so happy and grateful, but I’m angry and...” The tears poured out anew.
Ty pulled her into his arms, holding her securely against his chest, his hand cradling her head. She cried, knowing she was soaking his shirt with her tears, but unable to stop. Being in his embrace was so comforting, so safe. She wanted to stay there forever, knowing he would always protect her, watch over her.
The thought brought a cold rush of realization. She pulled out of his embrace, but he held on to her shoulders.
“Feeling better?”
“I...” She looked into his eyes and forgot to breathe. She needed to move away, put some distance between them, but she didn’t want to. She wanted to stay right where she was, in his arms.
He reached out and laid his hand on the side of her face, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. “You’re not used to all this happiness, are you?”
She tried to speak, but her throat was too tight. She shook her head.
Ty bent his head and looked into her eyes. “I’d like to see you happy all the time, Ginger. You deserve that and much more.”
She looked down, her gaze falling in the center of his chest. “That’s sweet, but no one is happy all the time. It’s been an emotional day, that’s all. Seeing EJ so happy is a dream come true. I wish...”
“Wish what?” He eased her closer, her hands pressing against his heart. It was beating as fast as hers.
“Nothing.”
“Tell me your wish, Ginger, and I’ll see if I can make it come true.”
Before she could speak, he captured her mouth, stealing all the strength from her knees. She melted against him, her arms sliding around his neck. His lips were gentle, and, oh, so tender. He pulled her closer, deepening the kiss. Her knees threatened to give way as her insides melted. She lost all sense of time and place. There was only him. She wanted to stay in this moment forever.
He ended the kiss. Her mind floated a moment before settling back into reality. She looked into his blue eyes and saw confusion.
“Ginger, I...”
Was he already regretting kissing her? She stepped back, out of his reach, and hurried into the house, swiping away fresh tears. She knew the truth now, but it only served to complicate her already crazy life. Ducking into the living room, she took a couple deep breaths to calm her nerves. What did she do now? That heart-stopping kiss had exposed the truth. She’d fallen in love with Ty Durrant.
