The Loner's Thanksgiving Wish (Love Inspired)

by Rustand, Roxanne

  “Maybe. But I’m certainly not disillusioned. I think teaching is what I was meant to do.” Mei warmed to the subject, willing her mother to understand. “Grady Falls High in San Francisco is amazing. My principal is progressive and supportive, and they have a substantial budget for textbooks and other resources. Every student in the country should be so lucky.”

  “Lucky?” Lisette sniffed. “To have textbooks? Surely that can’t be unusual.”

  “I’ve been in many schools where there were only a handful of textbooks in each class, so the students had to share. Grady Falls has been my best teaching experience yet. I can’t wait to go back.”

  Lisette slowly settled her cup onto its saucer. “But you do have a full year here. Maybe you’ll find you like being home and want to stay.”

  Mei’s heart twisted with guilt at the veiled hope in Mom’s voice. Sometimes her bitterness and anger were hard to take, but with her husband gone and both children grown and away, she probably was lonely. And Mei hadn’t called and written nearly enough.

  “I’m glad we’ll have this time together, Mom. Do you know what would be fun while I’m here? Finding some way to volunteer in this community. Becoming involved.”

  Lisette waved a hand dismissively. “Both you and Lucas could’ve followed in your father’s footsteps by taking over your father’s medical practice right here in town. You really could’ve helped the community then, don’t you think?”

  Mei sighed. Mom really did have a one-track mind. “Lucas loves being a vet. He didn’t want to be a doctor.”

  “No. Being Lucas, he always had to rebel and take the opposite road, no matter what was expected of him. That boy found more ways to be difficult—” Lisette fell abruptly silent, a hand at her mouth and her forehead knit with worry. “I’m still upset with the way he left town and didn’t ever bother to come home, but what I wouldn’t give to have him back with me right this minute. If it wasn’t for that despicable Vincent and those other worthless Claytons, maybe we wouldn’t have had that final argument.”

  Lucas. Where was he now, and why didn’t he call? Mei reached across the table and took her mother’s hand. “He’ll be back soon. I know he will.”

  Lisette took another sip of her tea, her expression stark. “I pray that it’s true.”

  Unable to sit still any longer, Mei went to stand at the French doors. To the far left, she could see a corner of her cottage through a stand of pines, though those trees hid the view of the opposite side of the creek. “You can’t see them from here, but who owns those cabins across the creek from your cottages?”

  “The Clayton County Forest Service. Why?”

  “Um…just asking.” So it was true. Of all the places that Mom could have had rental property, it was right across the creek from Jack McCord.

  “One cabin houses the local office, the other is a residence, I believe.”

  “Really.”

  “Believe me, I was totally against the state buying that property a few years ago. This area should be zoned residential.” Lisette stroked Albert’s fluffy white coat. “But you needn’t worry. The wildlife biologist who works out of that office is an older man, and it’s very quiet over there most of the time. I imagine he’s mostly out in the woods counting bears, or whatever those people do.”

  So Mom hadn’t yet discovered the changing of the guard. But once she realized that Jack was her new neighbor, Mei guessed that she wouldn’t be just concerned about potential noise.

  The incident back in high school, involving the false rumors about Lucas getting some girl pregnant, had been designed to ruin his reputation. Though teenagers could be cruel at that age and there were untold others who could have a grudge against the lofty Claytons, Mom had always been sure that the trouble was caused by Vincent and others on that distant side of the family tree. Even if Jack hadn’t been a part of it, he’d forever be associated with those troublemakers in Mom’s mind.

  And though it was at complete odds with the tenets of her faith, Lisette never forgave and never forgot when it came to protecting her loved ones. She’d despised Jack McCord ever since.

  Once again, an image of Jack’s face slipped into Mei’s thoughts. Coming into a high school class as a speaker wasn’t easy, but with his quiet authority, his obvious passion for his career and the whimsical addition of Maxwell the sugar glider, he’d won over the class in less than an hour…and had reminded her of all the ways he’d fascinated her as a teenager, too.

  Not that it mattered.

  She remembered her mother’s rage over those rumors about Lucas and countless other situations involving Samuel’s side of the family tree. The situation had terrified her as a child. And even now, Vivienne had expressed deep doubts about Jack.

  In this town you were on one side or the other, and it had always been that way. And—she had to admit—it wasn’t all based on pettiness and lies. Samuel’s side of the family had nurtured a grudge against George’s side for decades, and the conniving and plotting between them all had caused endless trouble that just made things worse. It was only by the grace of God that things hadn’t escalated to murder by now.

  Maybe Jack had held a small corner of her heart all these years. But if she crossed the line into friendship with him, she knew she’d be giving up any chance of building a relationship with her mom.

  However, seeing him over and over again in her class was bound to make things even more difficult.

  She sighed heavily. Tomorrow she needed to go see Jack and try for some damage control. And then she could only hope for the best.

  Wednesday dawned clear and bright, the early-morning sunshine turning the snow around Jack’s office into a field of rosy, glittering diamonds.

  He checked the contents of his backpack once again, then put it into his Clayton County Forest Service SUV and started toward his office to grab his sunglasses and parka.

  A navy Blazer bounced through the deep ruts on Bluebird Lane and pulled into the lane behind his SUV just as he stepped outside again. He tossed the parka into his vehicle and strolled to the Blazer when the driver opened the door.

  He did a double take, his pulse kicking in a couple of extra beats. “Mei?”

  She lifted her sunglasses and propped them on the top of her head. “I’m on my way to school but thought I ought to stop by with a warning.” She ducked her head, clearly embarrassed. “Just in case. And believe me, there’s not a thing I can do about it.”

  He had a pretty good idea where this was going, but saying so would only embarrass her further. “A bear sighting.”

  “No.”

  “Wolf?”

  “Uh…no.”

  “Coyote, then. They come into town now and then. The bears, too.”

  “None of those.” She shivered and wrapped her arms around her middle.

  “Do you want to step into my office for a minute and talk about it?”

  She hesitated, then glanced over her shoulder toward Silver Creek and nodded slowly. “That might be best. But just for a few minutes.”

  He ushered her into the cabin housing the Forest Service offices.

  Warm and cozy, with a big stone fireplace at one end, its pine-paneled interior walls were covered with maps of the area, posters and charts. The front reception area, with a large desk and several overstuffed chairs, could be rearranged to seat forty for educational seminars, while the rest of the building was divided into two offices and a storage room.

  She glanced around. “Very nice,” she murmured. “Wasn’t this a log home at one time?”

  “It was until a few years ago.” He waved her toward one of the upholstered chairs, then leaned against the desk. “What’s up?”

  She shifted uneasily in her chair. “I live on the opposite side of the creek from here.”

  “I know.”

  “At the end of my mother’s property.”

  He nodded.

  “She thinks Fred Miller still operates this place, and she…hasn’t seen you here yet
.”

  “Maybe not. These buildings face Bluebird Lane, not the creek.”

  She nervously fiddled with her hair. “My mother has isolated herself a great deal since my father’s death. She…tends to dwell on the past and sometimes builds things up in her mind. I’m afraid she’s not a very forgiving woman.”

  Tell me about it, Jack thought wryly.

  Mei averted her eyes. “I’ve tried to talk to her, but I’m sure it didn’t do a lick of good. So I just wanted to warn you and apologize in advance if she happens to cross your path and says something rude. Truth is, she still associates you and Cade with Vincent and his dad, Charley. They’ve done some pretty underhanded, awful things to our side of the family over the years. Get her started on that topic and you’ve got a tirade on your hands.”

  “I think I can handle a few angry words.”

  “It’s not just that. I know you aren’t going to believe this, but…” She closed her eyes. “This is so embarrassing.”

  Deep color suffused her cheeks, and once again he thought about how cute she was when she blushed.

  “She…um…thinks I had some sort of schoolgirl crush on you when we were in high school. She still brings it up, apparently under the misapprehension that I’m going to throw myself at your feet or something. I know it sounds crazy—but I’m twenty-eight and she’s still the most protective parent on the planet. And…” Mei took a deep breath. “She doesn’t yet know that you’ll be an ongoing speaker in my class. I’ll explain it to her, but being Mom, she’s probably going to fabricate some sort of romance in her mind. If she ever confronts you and…uh…warns you away from me, I just want to apologize from the bottom of my heart.” Too late.

  Apparently Mei didn’t know about the incidents in high school when each of her parents had done exactly that. “I understand. Don’t worry about it.”

  Mei gave him a faint, wobbly smile. “Unbelievable, isn’t it? Having to worry about my mother’s behavior? I’m just hoping I can get her out and about more while I’m here. If she’ll only start volunteering and socializing more, I think she’ll be a lot happier and dwell on the past a lot less.”

  “I’m sure she will.”

  Jack gave in to an impulse and reached out to take Mei’s hand. It felt so small and delicate in his own that he consciously gentled his touch, then released his grip. “I just hope she realizes how fortunate she is. And you, too.”

  “Right,” Mei scoffed.

  “She’s blessed to have a daughter who cares about her. And you are fortunate to have a mom who is still so concerned and caring about you. Believe me, not all parents are like that. Personally, I can’t even imagine it.”

  “I…I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. Even the worst situations have silver linings, don’t you agree?”

  “I guess.”

  “Take Charley, for instance. My mother has married three times, and he was her biggest mistake of all.”

  Her mouth twitched. “My mother would agree with that. Charley isn’t exactly her favorite person.”

  “Wise woman. We all live in the same town, yet as soon as the divorce was final he became the worst kind of absentee father. He rarely followed through on his shared custody times, so Cade would get his hopes up and be disappointed, over and over again. Now, he’s irritated about Cade’s wedding plans and is sure sharing his opinions…but otherwise, he doesn’t much care.”

  “And you?” Mei murmured.

  “He mostly pretended I didn’t exist, though that was just as well.”

  Her eyes filled with compassion. “That’s so unfair.”

  “Still, if Mom hadn’t married Charley, she wouldn’t have had Cade. And he’s one of the brightest spots in my life.”

  “Is he out of the hospital yet?” she asked.

  “Either this evening or tomorrow. The doctors were concerned about brain swelling, which can worsen days after a concussion.” He sighed with relief. “But that hasn’t happened, and he seems to be back to normal. Seeing him dazed and confused right after the accident had us all worried.”

  “I’m so glad he’s doing well. He’s lucky to have you as his brother, Jack.”

  Her expression grew pensive, and he wondered if she was thinking about her missing brother. “Have you heard anything from Lucas yet?”

  “Not a word. Zach tried working with the police down there, then he hired a private investigator a few months ago. We still don’t have any answers. If we don’t hear anything soon, I’m going to contact the police department in Florida myself. How could Lucas disappear with that little boy and not leave a trail?”

  “I’ve heard that a person could hide forever in the Everglades and never be found.”

  “But why? Why wouldn’t he go to the police?” Mei’s lower lip trembled. “Or why wouldn’t he find a way to come home? He’d be safe here.”

  “I can’t say. But I’m sure that P.I. and the detectives down there must be doing everything they can.”

  She met his eyes. “My mom is a bundle of nerves over Lucas and just won’t admit it—which is another reason I thought I’d better stop by. Since Dad died she hasn’t handled stress very well. I just wouldn’t want her taking it out on you.”

  “No worries.”

  Mei wearily looked up at the clock on the wall. “I guess I’d better get to school. I suppose you need to get to work, too…at whatever it is you do. My mom thinks Fred just went off into the woods to count bears.”

  “Actually, that’s exactly what I’m doing today.”

  She looked startled, then laughed. “Really? Isn’t that sort of dangerous?”

  “We contract with a local helicopter owner and do aerial surveys for overall population estimates.” He smiled. “My biggest danger is getting airsick if we do a lot of circling.”

  “Sounds like fun—except for the airsick part.”

  “We also track migration patterns of large game via radio telemetry, and I’ve picked up a mortality signal from one of our collars. I need to see where that carcass is so I can go after it.”

  “You mean you get out of that nice, safe helicopter so one of those bears can have you for lunch?”

  He grinned. “I hope not.”

  She gave him a tentative smile. “Be careful, Jack.”

  He followed her outside, then paused at the door of his SUV and waved as she drove away.

  After their last awkward conversation, he never would’ve guessed that Mei would stop by today…or that her icy shell would melt enough for her to reveal more about herself than he’d known before.

  He’d always thought her snooty and privileged, because she’d held herself aloof. But now he knew the truth. She was shy. And with a family like hers, her upbringing had been as difficult as his own, only in different ways.

  He smiled to himself as he drove to meet his helicopter pilot at the private airstrip outside of town.

  He hadn’t been looking forward to fulfilling Fred’s commitment to the high school environmental science class, but he definitely would anticipate those classes now.

  Chapter Eight

  Mei sat at the little pine kitchen table in her cottage with a towering stack of quizzes to grade, ruing her impulse to schedule a quiz in every one of her classes on her second day at Clayton High.

  They were all easy, short-answer quizzes, but she’d been eager to find out just where her students all stood so she could get off to the right start. But now, with the output of five classes at twenty to thirty students each staring back at her, she realized it was an impulse she should’ve ignored.

  With a sigh, she forced her gaze back to Gina Meier’s environmental science quiz and marked yet another answer wrong.

  But once again her gaze bounced right back to the windows facing the creek. She could still make out the outlines of the two cabins across the creek, though dusk had deepened to near darkness.

  The lights were still off over there. Where in the world was Jack?

  She shivered, remembering
his offhand words about counting bears, and mortality signals on collars, and needing to trek into some primitive mountain area to collect a dead animal.

  How on earth could someone drag a whole bear back to civilization—and what would happen if its buddies didn’t approve? What if he was hurt and unable to make it home?

  She corrected the rest of Gina’s paper and reached for the next one. Looked outside again. The windows were still dark over there.

  Maybe she should call the sheriff’s office.

  Or maybe she should just get in her car, drive over and see if he was all right. He might have been home all this time—but in a front room of his cabin—or he could be in town, having a leisurely supper at the Cowboy Café, oblivious to her concern.

  But if she didn’t look in on him, correcting the quizzes was going to take until next Sunday. With a sigh, she tossed her red pen aside, shouldered on her cranberry winter jacket and went outside to start her car.

  Lisette materialized out of the darkness, with Albert trotting at her side. “Hello, dear!”

  Mei blinked, her heart sinking. “Hi, Mom.”

  “Where are you heading? It’s supposed to start sleeting pretty soon according to the news.”

  “Um…” She swallowed. “Isn’t it too cold out here for Albert?”

  “He does fine with his insulated coat. We always go out about this time in the evening.” She leaned down to give him an affectionate pat on the head. “If you need groceries, you’re welcome to anything in my pantry.”

  “I just had an errand to run.”

  “You’re still thinking you’re in San Francisco, not Clayton. Only the café and the grocery store are open after six, and…” She lifted her wrist, pushed back the sleeve of her heavy jacket and peered at her watch. “The grocery store will be closing in less than fifteen minutes.”

  “I actually needed to see someone.”

  “One of your cousins?”

  Mei had forgotten just how persistent Mom could be. “No. I’m running over to see the wildlife biologist across the creek. He’s…um…speaking in my environmental science class. I’ll be back in just a few minutes.”