by Dora Hiers
After snuggling into a robe, she padded downstairs in the Cinderella slippers Tessa had given her last year for Christmas. Regi had taken Tessa shopping and couldn’t resist her pleading.
Willow poured water into a mug, tossed a teabag inside, and started the microwave. She rummaged through the pantry and pulled out a spare bag of chocolate-covered peanuts. She popped a couple into her mouth while the water heated.
The microwave dinged and she pulled the mug out, dipped the teabag a couple of times, then tossed it in the garbage. Scooping up a handful of candy, she headed to the fence-enclosed patio with her tea.
Maybe the night air would help her breathe. Clear her head of Gunner thoughts. Jump-start her heart.
She walked outside and gasped for air. Then again, maybe not.
Humidity strangled her, and she almost turned around to go back inside. She missed North Carolina. The beauty of the seasons, the crisp fall nights with little or no humidity, the varying temperatures. Florida was just plain hot and humid.
With her bounty sprinkled over the patio table, she took a seat on the lounger and looked up.
Stars sprinkled the sky, dazzling in their brightness, and the moon glowed, revealing the shadows formed from its deep craters. Like it was offering up its secrets. All for her to see. To discover.
Almost as if the heavens were talking to her.
Or God.
What would God be trying to say to her? That she was a disgrace? A disappointment?
Like what her father had said to her many times over? And showed her, by his lack of attention. By his banishment of her when he remarried, his lack of inclusion with his new family. As if Willow and Tessa weren’t family.
A shooting star soared across the sky and winked.
A slow smile spread across her face. She didn’t think God was disappointed in her. Maybe with her choices, her mistakes. But not her.
Was He?
When the screen door slid open behind her, she startled then twisted over a shoulder. Who besides her was up in the middle of the night?
Gunner stepped outside holding a bag of chocolate-covered peanuts and a diet soda in the air. “Don’t hurt me. I come bearing precious treasures.” He raised the bag of candy higher. “See?”
She chuckled and held up her cup. “What would I hurt you with? My ceramic mug?”
“My point exactly. What are you doing outside without me?”
“I couldn’t sleep.”
“You didn’t answer my question.” He wore loose gym shorts and a pristine white shirt. She averted her gaze, not wanting to dream about his long, muscular legs. With that picture firmly planted in her brain, she’d be cleaning house the rest of the long night.
She rolled her eyes. “I couldn’t sleep with you.” With him? Didn’t she mean she couldn’t sleep without him?
Gunner’s dark eyebrows hiked, and his laughter loosened the tight stance of his shoulders. He set the soda can on the table.
Ahh. He’d been worried about her.
He motioned for her to scoot up, and he sat behind her, pulling her shoulders back against his wide chest. After scooping a few candies out of the bag, he handed the rest to her before resting his arms loosely around her waist. Wanted to share her comfy spot, did he? Well, since he brought the entire bag of chocolate-covered peanuts, she would let him.
“I guess that answers my question.” He nuzzled his lips against her neck.
Did she say cleaning? She’d be down on her hands and knees scrubbing the grout on the tile. With a toothbrush.
But for right now, she would enjoy the moment. Before his job took him away. Before he left her. Again.
“Sometimes I wonder why it took me so long before I acknowledged God as Creator of the universe.” He paused for a second and she sensed him gazing up at the sky. “Like now. How can I look up into the sky, marvel at His wonderful creation, and not offer Him the worship He’s due?” His soft voice, the way his lips moved against her hair, tickled her ear and curled her toes.
“Gunner, do you ever feel God is disappointed in you?”
Several seconds elapsed before he responded. “I think He may be disappointed in some of my poor choices. But not me. He loves me just like He loves you. With an amazing, never-give-up-on-me kind of love. No matter how many times I fail or how many poor choices I make.” His arms tightened around her waist, and his voice got even softer. “He’s not like your earthly father, sweetheart. He desires an intimate relationship with you, and not just when it suits Him. He wants You to come to Him with everything that’s on your heart, during the good times and the bad. And He’ll never walk away from you. That’s a promise.” He seemed so confident, so sure of what he was saying. As if he truly believed every word.
“How do you know?”
“Because He left us His word. And all His promises are recorded in the Bible.”
“I’m not sure I share your confidence, Gunner.” An intimate relationship with her father? Huh. When pigs fly. And where was God when her mother and brother died?
The marshal was silent for a minute before continuing. “Think back to when Tessa was born. When you first gazed into her sweet baby face. When the doctor settled her in your arms for the first time. How did you feel?”
The evening of Tessa’s birth came back like it was yesterday. “Exhausted?” she joked.
He laughed. “I bet.”
But then she knew he expected more. “An amazing love, the kind that would rip my heart out of my chest if something happened to her. Unconditional, no strings attached. Like she was forever imprinted on my heart.” And that had only grown stronger with time.
She could feel his nod against her head.
“That very night, I promised her that I’d be there for her. Always. No matter what.” Because her and the pain of abandonment were on a first name basis.
“That’s exactly how God feels about you and about me. He created us, sweetheart, birthed us. And He loves us with that same forever love only stronger, much more powerful than anything we could ever imagine. He’s been waiting for you to come home. Home to Him. His arms are stretched wide, just waiting for you to step into them.”
Reclining in the lounge chair with Gunner’s strong arms encircling her, she marveled at the stars in the sky. The Creator of the universe loved her?
14
“Woo-hoo! Way to go, Tessa!” Gunner shouted, bolting off the bleacher and clapping. Tessa’s ball had swished through the basket for the fourth time in the game. The crowd, all on their feet, was going crazy with cheers for the girl who’d made that spectacular shot. Mina stood next to him, clapping and whistling through her teeth.
Tessa ran backwards down the court, her gaze searching for them in the stands. When she spotted them, she flashed a grin and a thumbs-up, then turned and smacked into Katie who’d taken a defensive stance in front of her. Tessa shook her head and blinked a couple of times then moved into position.
Mina inhaled a sharp breath then exhaled in a whoosh.
“Ouch!” he said.
“Yeah. Ouch. You’re distracting her, Gunner.” Mina scolded him with gentle words, laugh lines adorning her eyes.
She sank back down on the riser and bumped his shoulder playfully, and his heart rate skyrocketed. One kiss. He craved just one kiss. Who was he kidding? One would lead to two and…enough! You can’t model Christ if you’re still thinking like the old Gunner. “Distracting her? Did you see that shot? I’d like to see how she played if I wasn’t distracting her.”
Mina chuckled.
“What a shot! Why didn’t you tell me she’s great? She has natural talent. That was almost a three-pointer. Did you see it?”
“I saw it, Gunner.”
So maybe he was a bit exuberant. After all, he just found out that he had a niece, and then he finds out she’s a basketball star! Why shouldn’t he be excited? And what a game! He had never seen eight and nine-year-old kids play so hard. They were so cute, so tiny. Mini-adults growing into thei
r awkward limbs.
Tessa’s coach called a time-out, and Mina popped a couple of chocolate-covered peanuts in her mouth. He held out a hand, and she dropped some candy onto his palm.
His cell phone vibrated. He unclipped it and noticed his partner’s name displayed on the screen. Pressing a hand against his other ear to drown out the commotion coming from the second basketball game behind the divider screen and the excited chatter from the crowd, he tried not to yell into the phone. “Hey, buddy. You here?”
“Yeah, man. What a crowd. Where is she?” Chad Colburn’s words barely registered.
Gunner pressed his palm tighter against his ear. “We’re in the game with the only two girls on the court. She’s the one who just scored that great shot. Did you see it?”
“Yeah, I walked in right before. Shoulder-length black hair. All legs?”
“That’s the one.”
“Cute girl. You sound like a proud parent.”
“Yeah. Well, maybe I will be one day.” He could only hope. And pray.
“Who and what should I be on the lookout for?”
Gunner mentally kicked himself. Why hadn’t he gotten a picture from the police department when he was there? Or had Mina describe the man to a police sketch artist. Maybe he could get a picture off the insurance company’s website later. For now, memory would have to do. “Six feet, give or take an inch, slicked-back black hair, moustache, nothing remarkable. Wearing a suit the last time I saw him.”
“I’m on it.”
Gunner turned his head away from Mina and spoke low into the phone. “Did you get the tickets?”
“In my pocket.”
Mina was going to be so surprised. Tessa, too. If he could just keep from spilling his guts over the next few hours. “And all the stuff together?”
“Yep. Food, drinks, grill, lawn chairs. Everything’s ready to go at my house.”
The time-out ended, and commotion from the crowd picked up again. “Thanks, man. I’ll catch up with you after the game.” He replaced his phone and swiveled to face the game again.
Mina glanced his way. Anxiety had replaced the relaxed, happy face she’d graced him with just minutes ago, her fingers now tapping out a worried tune. “Has someone seen Malcolm?”
“No. That was my partner from Raleigh. He flew into town today. He’s going to help me keep an eye out for Brugman. You didn’t know you got two-for-one when you hired me, did you?”
She smiled. He liked that he had chased the shadows away, for now. The more he hung out with her and Tessa, the more he wanted to be part of their lives on a permanent basis. He wanted to be the one Mina turned to when times got rough, the one she came home to, the one to sweep away the cobwebs of loneliness she had clung to for so long.
He took her hand and linked their fingers, loving the way they fit. As if they were meant to be together. “We’re going to need the extra set of eyes for our little surprise this afternoon.”
Her eyes rounded, and she gasped. “A surprise?”
Laughter rumbled from his chest. “Yeah. A surprise. So don’t ask me any more questions. I know how you are.”
“Mmm-hmm. Well, then, you know I love surprises.” She slid some curls behind an ear, and the delicious curve of her lips drew his attention.
“Excuse me.” An elderly man slid by them on the way to his seat.
“Not a problem.” Gunner stood up to give the man room to get by. Once the man made it to his seat safely, he settled back down on the bench.
What had Mina just said? That she loved surprises? Not hardly. Not the Mina he knew. She loved to spoil the surprises by charming him until he spilled the secret. “I know you love surprises. But I also know you’d have a lot more of them if you didn’t ask so many questions.”
She angled her head to the side and narrowed those shapely eyes at him. “Gunner, are you blaming me for your inability to keep a secret?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “Reverse psychology doesn’t work on me, sweetheart. I’m surprised at you. You’ll have to do better than that.”
“Hmm.” She lowered her head and put an index finger to her lips, all sorts of thoughts probably pinging through that beautiful brain of hers. “An afternoon on the lake?”
He shook his head.
“Lunch at Carmichaels?” Must be her favorite sandwich spot.
“Not today.”
“Shopping?”
For answer, he rolled his eyes.
She laughed and swatted him on the arm. “Come on, give, Gunner. What is it?”
He shook his head. “There you go. Not this time, Mina, I want it to be a surprise.” He wanted to see the look of delight on her face when they pulled into the parking lot. To make her remember all the good times they’d enjoyed watching hockey, snuggled in front of his television or at the arena.
Then she snaked an arm around his waist and burrowed against him. He sucked in a long breath and lost himself in her beautiful upturned face, sunshine and sweetness like a glow about her. He wrapped an arm around her and pulled her even closer to nestle under his shoulder. Her lips were so close, so tantalizing. With a groan, he lowered his head—
Suddenly, the crowd erupted and leapt to their feet as one. He stood just in time to see Tessa slinging a high-five with Katie.
He sank back down on the bleacher and tried for his most serious tone, pulling on a look of mock disgust. “You’re not playing fair. Here you are trying to get me to do something I told you I wouldn’t do in the middle of Tessa’s basketball game. So not fair, Mina.”
She giggled. Did she know what she was doing to him?
“All right, Gunner. Keep your surprise. I’ll love it anyway.”
****
“Brrr. I can’t believe how much colder it is here since last week.” Inside Gunner’s apartment, Willow shrugged out of her jacket.
Gunner held out a hand, collecting coats. He hung them all in a closet.
“I can’t believe you have a friend who’s a pilot, Gunner. How cool is that?” Tessa bounced into the living room behind Willow, towing her suitcase. She left it next to the couch and took off to explore, poking her head into the kitchen and both bedrooms before coming back to the living area.
Gunner chuckled and removed his own jacket. “He’s pretty cool even without the pilot license. What do you think, Regi?”
Regi blushed and crossed her arms. “Don’t start with me, Gunner, or I’ll be on the next plane out of here.”
“Aunt Regi, you know Gunner is just teasing. Right, Gunner?” Without even a glance at him for confirmation, Tessa patted Regi’s arm on her way to the shelving unit holding the television.
“I don’t have any video games, Tessa.”
She turned, a pasted-on smile decorating her face. Her “don’t you think I know that” smile. “I didn’t figure you did, Gunner.”
“I promise to get one, though, before your next visit.”
“How cool is that, Mom?” Tessa’s whisper was still loud enough for everyone to hear.
Willow smiled. “Is that your phrase for the day, Tessa?”
“I can’t help it. Everything is just so cool. Meeting Gunner. Him having a pilot for a friend. You taking me out of school for the next week. Spending Thanksgiving in North Carolina with Gunner. Oh, and Regi.” Tessa pirouetted in a circle with arms outstretched and tousled her head backwards, grinning at the ceiling.
“Well, now I know how I rate. Last.” Regi rolled her eyes then glared at Tessa.
Gunner chuckled and winked at her. “I think your daughter likes me.”
“You think?” She hiked her eyebrows. But Willow knew the real reason they were here. She had hired him to do a job. Protect her daughter. Gunner wanted to move them around a bit just to be on the safe side. Plus, he wanted to pack up his apartment, get ready for his big move.
Willow couldn’t allow herself to fall for him again. Or her daughter.
“Yes, I think. And she might also be slightly infatuated with Chad. Lik
e Regi here.” Gunner smirked at Willow’s best friend. “I won’t say anything to Chad about the way you stared at the back of his head during the entire ride here. Besides, I know you won’t make good on your threats to leave. You miss North Carolina. Both you and Mina do. I can see homesickness written all over your faces.”
Willow looked at her friend, could neither confirm or deny Gunner’s claim from Regi’s expression. “I won’t deny that I miss North Carolina. Especially this weather.”
Regi rolled her eyes again. “What you see on my face is an urgent need to visit the restroom. And, to set the record straight, Marshal, I wasn’t staring at the back of Chad’s head. Nor am I infatuated with a man I just met.”
Gunner lifted both eyebrows and waited.
Regi didn’t expand. Good for her. “Bathroom?”
Gunner pointed, and Regi took off at a fast pace.
“Nice apartment, Gunner.” Leather furniture, tastefully decorated. When had Gunner developed such good taste in furnishings? Or had one of his past girlfriends decorated it for him? She tamped down the spark of jealousy that spiked her pulse.
“Thanks. My mom helped me pick everything out when I finally had to replace all the hand-me-downs.”
He had always been observant but now he could read minds too? She walked over to the entertainment center to join Tessa so he couldn’t see what else was going through her brain.
“I’ve enjoyed it here, but I’m looking forward to living in a house. Owning a plot of land.”
She whirled around at Gunner’s words. Did he know that was her dream too? A house. Some land. Not just a tiny yard where all the neighbors were so close they could hear you talk on the phone inside your house. Something to call her own. Some place where she didn’t share walls with anybody else. Where she couldn’t hear her neighbor’s fights or their make-up sessions afterwards. Where she could stretch out her arms and feel like she wasn’t touching anybody.
A place like Gunner’s new house.
