Emma Kate didn’t have the words. What should she say to that? “I suppose only God knows what’s going on in our hearts. Only He knows the last thoughts or words of a person before they pass on.”
“I guess so. She did tell me she prayed. The last time in rehab. That she asked God to take away the cravings; she couldn’t do it alone. But He didn’t because she overdosed. Was she so bad He gave up? I did.”
Sweet Lord, I am not a Bible scholar. What do I say to this?
“The only thing I know for certain God gave up was His Son. To rescue us from ourselves and from eternity apart from Him. I think if He was willing to do that, He’s willing to stick this whole blasted thing out with us. To go the distance. Otherwise what would be the point? Why go to all that trouble only to give up on us later?”
He nodded.
“I don’t think He gave up on her. She had some bad struggles. We all have them. I’d like to think if I died in the middle of one of my sins, God wouldn’t throw me away.”
“I wish I knew what happened—what drove her to use again.”
“I know you do. For now, trust God to get you through. One day at a time.”
He toed the indoor/outdoor carpet. “Yeah. I know I need to do that.”
“Tell me about her. Tell me all the good things, Griff.” She stood holding his hand as he poured out his heart, sharing Giselle’s life. Their lives together. This man loved his sister. No question. Through his words, Emma Kate felt like she’d been a part of their lives forever. And she grieved his sister with him.
They walked back to his Vanquish. “I think I’m gonna take the rest of the day off. You want to take Cora somewhere fun? Where’s a fun place for babies?”
Emma Kate wiped tears. “How about a park? We can put her in a baby swing and see her soar, then the aquarium. She would like all the colors and movement of the fish.”
“Okay, let’s do that.” He opened the door to the car and stopped her before she climbed inside. “Kate?”
“Yeah?”
He drew her into his arms and embraced her. “Thank you for today. This means more than you can imagine.” His grip tightened and she laid her head against his chest, listening to his heart beat and inhaling his scent.
She hadn’t planned on getting attached to the baby. Never dreamed she’d come to care for Griffin. But that’s what was happening. She was falling for a guy who was willing to let a precious infant slip right through his fingers. What if he let her slip away at some point too?
Chapter 6
Griffin hadn’t expected this day to end well. He’d dreaded the burial. But Kate had shown up. Not for twenty grand. Not to plead on Cora’s behalf. To be a friend. Not a single one of his buddies had offered—not even Evie. He might need a new circle of friends. Friends like Kate.
Now she stood wearing those hideous pink leopard print compression capris, an oversized pink T-shirt, her hair in a sloppy knot on her head. Quite a change from the short, but modest black dress. Her beauty didn’t come from her clothing. It came from her heart, radiated in her eyes, her smile.
“Wee!” Kate belted as Cora swung higher and higher, giggling. She was a happy little thing.
People had taken advantage of this afternoon by strolling children and enjoying picnics. A few joggers passed by. Businessmen and women ate late lunches, taking a break from the grind. Like himself. When was the last time he blew off work?
Never.
“Well, she likes swings. That’s a win for us.” Kate’s cell phone rang. “You take over. I have to answer this.”
She paced about five feet away. “Hey Honey.”
Honey? Oh. The grandma. “Up you go, Cora.” Or Cora Lee as Kate had adopted. “You like flying high, don’t you, kiddo?” Giselle had too.
“Yes, Ma’am, I am. Yes, Ma’am,” Kate repeated.
Her southern drawl had grown on him. He continued to eye Cora and eavesdrop on Kate’s conversation.
“It’s not like that, Honey…Briley told you that? Well, she’s….They did? Mama didn’t tell me…I’m sorry to hear that. I am too. I did not pray for divorce. Did you? Oh Honey.” Kate tossed her head back and punched at the air with her free hand. Griffin hid a smile.
“Thanks for calling me…She left me a voice mail a couple of hours ago but I was busy…A funeral…my friend’s sister….yes. I’ll tell him…I’m not talking about that right now, Honey. He’s standing right here…” She lowered her voice. “Yes. He is.” She glanced at Griffin and he pretended not to be paying attention. He is what?
“Yes, better than that…I gotta go…Love you too.” She hung up. “My grandma. Honey.” She pocketed her phone. “She sends her condolences.”
“I appreciate that. So what couldn’t you say with me standing right here?”
Her cheeks colored. “Nothing.”
Hmmm… “Okay, who aren’t you wishing divorce on?”
“The high school boyfriend I told you about. Guess he and the woman I got traded in for didn’t make it.”
Griffin pivoted. “Serves him right.”
“As wrong as it is, I admit there is a tiny bit of satisfaction.”
Cora squealed to be pushed higher. He gave her a good swing and closed the distance between him and Kate. “So what was it you couldn’t say?”
“You’re nosy.”
“When it’s about me I am.” He grinned, toyed with her ponytail, enjoyed watching her cheeks fever again.
“Well, some things aren’t meant for you to know. Besides, your ego doesn’t need to hear it.” She batted his hand from her hair. “Honey says the wife already packed up, left the practice, and moved back home to Hattiesburg.”
“And she thinks you prayed for the divorce?” That was weird.
“She wasn’t sure. She did, though. Honey prays for all sorts of things. She’s tried to pray out deacons in the church who smoked, my sister Mary Ellis’s competition out of the job, cars to break down…rain. Drought. You name it.”
Griffin shook his head. “But it happened. The divorce.”
“I assure you it had nothing to do with Honey’s prayers. Divorce happens but God doesn’t orchestrate it.”
“What about the other prayers? Did they get answered?”
“Maybe the rain. And she swears she prayed that woman out of the job Mary Ellis wanted, but I think it had more to do with her husband getting her pregnant and morning sickness than Honey’s prayers. But she takes the scripture, ‘you have not because you ask not’ very literally…or out of context. Depends on what you believe.”
Griffin laughed. “And what about you? What do you pray for?”
“I pray Honey quits praying. Kidding. She means well. She wants me married and settled and back home. Which I know she’s been praying since I left.” She sighed. “Truth is I pray for it too. Or at least I used to. I pretty much gave up. I’m twenty-six ya know.”
“Yeah a real old spinster.” He shook his head, but the thought she might want this jerk back irritated him. When was the last time he prayed? Been too long. He ought to start now—pray Kate would see that she was better off without the ex.
A commotion broke out near the walking path.
“Sophie!” someone hollered. “Get back here!”
A scrappy brown dog barreled toward him. His heart lurched into his throat and his head buzzed.
Run. Run. Run.
He spun on his foot and shot the opposite way without even blinking.
In the distance Kate called his name and squealed, but all he envisioned was Sarge the Dalmatian from the firehouse charging him.
Turning back, the dog jumped on her. Attacking!
And he’d run.
He was twenty feet away. From Kate. From Cora. Cora! Helpless in the swing.
Fear continued to pump through is veins.
People stared. Phones rose along with laughter.
Were they videoing this? He wilted inside, embarrassment flooding his neck and cheeks.
Kate had dropped to the ground.
<
br /> Wait. Was she laughing too?
“It’s good to see you, Sophie girl,” she crooned. “I’ll be back at the shop in a month.”
The dog had its paws on her shoulders, licking her face. Thoroughly. Gross.
She handed the dog back to its owner. They exchanged a few words and the owner strode away with the little beast.
Kate turned on him, cocked her head and folded her arms, giving him a quizzical glare while crooking her finger and beckoning him to her.
He clunked over. “I…” Have no words.
“You should think about the Olympics with that speed. What just happened?” She lifted Cora from the swing and put her in the stroller.
“I was…” He scratched the back of his head.
Her eyes widened and she face-palmed her brow. “You’re not a dog hater. You’re scared of them.”
“I am not scared.” He scoffed.
Kate arched an eyebrow and gave him the flat expression again. “You ran from a wiener dog, Griffin. A wiener dog.”
He was the wiener here.
Well, it was out there now. “When I was four, I had my ear bitten off by the dog at the firehouse. They surgically replaced it. Faint scar but I’ve…I haven’t liked them since.”
She glanced at his ear, reached up and touched it. “That’s why you freaked over Cora Lee getting nipped by Westley. Why you don’t want her around them.” Compassion filled her face. “I’m so sorry, Griff. That’s awful.”
“I didn’t freak out. I’m cautious and now you know why.”
“Griff, you threw caution to the wind and fled for your life. From an ankle-biter at best.” She pursed her lips, but laughter shimmered in her eyes.
It probably was hilarious to onlookers. “I know you want to laugh.”
“You ran from a wiener dog.” She let loose and cackled. “I’m sorry. I promise I am.” But that didn’t stop the raucous laughter. “You all but squealed.”
“You’re a jerk, Kate. I finally reveal my most traumatic life story and you’re cackling like an old woman.” But he grinned. Her laugh was infectious. Like Cora’s.
She clammed up. “You’re right. It’s just hard to picture a guy the size of Superman running…” She hooted again and snorted. “Do you hate me?”
No, he rather liked her. Even if she was getting her jollies at his expense.
“Do you want to punch me? Go ahead. Punch me.” She shifted and displayed her arm for him to wallop.
He chuckled. “I don’t want to punch you.” He might like to kiss her, though.
“Well, okay then. But I won’t offer again.”
Griffin laughed. “You’re crazy. Crazy Kate.”
She sighed. “I’m relieved to know you did like dogs at one time.”
“When I was four.”
“We’ll fix that.” She rubbed his arm, smirking.
“I’ve tried.”
“We can always ask Honey to pray.”
“Or we can forget this happened.”
“Aw, Griff.” She gave him a mockingly sad smile. “I’m sure it’s going up on YouTube channels everywhere. This will never be forgotten.” She giggled and strolled Cora ahead of him.
“Well, maybe Honey can pray YouTube crashes before the uploads!” he griped, and caught up with her. They walked in silence a few moments.
Could Kate help him overcome his fear of dogs? “You really think you can help me?”
“I have a better shot at helping you than YouTube crashing.”
“Okay. I’ll give it one more try.” He had a man card to win back.
A week had nearly passed and Griffin had found every single way to dodge Kate’s attempts to get him near a dog. He’d only called her four times in the middle of the night to help with Cora Lee. Yeah, the name had stuck and now he was two-naming the baby. She was cutting teeth and miserable.
But the days had settled into a manageable groove. Kate arrived at five every morning and they all had breakfast together—something he’d never had as a child.
After Griff left for the day, Kate said she and Cora Lee did girl stuff and occasionally they met up with Griffin for lunch. In parks. Restaurants. Depended on the day and Cora Lee’s mood. He’d been leaving the office by 5:30 p.m. which turned heads at the office. Of course, Dad wasn’t around to disapprove, but he was returning from Italy day after tomorrow.
Things would change.
The trial month was fast approaching its end.
Things would change again.
Griffin packed up his belongings and opened his office to Dad. Standing only an inch taller than Griffin, his dark hair had been peppered with silver over the years; his grim expression stayed the same. “Hello, son.”
“Dad. You’re home early.”
He eyed Griffin’s bag and suit coat. “Cat’s away mice play, eh?”
“I wanted to get home before Cora Lee went to bed. She’ll be leaving in a few weeks.” His insides wilted at Dad’s glare.
“Griffin, how are you going to get this contract when you’re not doing what it takes to secure it? I understand your deep felt need to honor Giselle. But she didn’t even leave a will stating she wanted you to have this child. Don’t you think she would have done that? If she was clean and doing right?”
Possibly. But what twenty-three year old expected to die?
“Don’t you think she would have at least come by to show the child to us? To you?” He stepped inside the office.
She had tried to call. Never bothered to leave a voicemail. He could only assume after his past behavior she didn’t feel she could come home. Even clean. It gnawed his gut.
“Are you truly planning to give this child up? I can assure you, the social worker doesn’t intend for you to. Why do you think she insisted on a trial period? To get you to cave. To take this child.”
Griffin wouldn’t deny that Regina thought Cora Lee living with relatives was the best solution. Griffin did have the resources to care for a child. But he’d been adamant Cora Lee couldn’t permanently stay.
“You’re not even married. Babies need mothers. Mothers are nurturers. They put children to bed. So fathers can provide. And work late in order to do that.”
Griffin refrained from an eye roll. Had his father always been this sexist? And when did Mom ever put them to bed or nurture them? She was busy running Dad’s social calendar and traveling with him when warranted. He saw little of either.
“Why can’t fathers do both?”
Dad turned his nose up. “Okay. How will you do that when you’re living in St. Thomas for six months? This is your project. Surf N Turf will expect you to oversee it. I expect you to oversee it.”
Point taken.
Griffin rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m not keeping her. So you don’t have to worry.”
“I’m not worried. I know you’ll do the right thing. Her trust is set up. She’ll be taken care of and never want financially.”
Yes, because money solved everything. Griffin sighed. “Come over for dinner. Meet her. Don’t you want to see your granddaughter?” How could he not want to see what Giselle had made? “She’s beautiful. I mean, really beautiful.”
Dad landed a half-smile on Griffin. “I’m sure she is. Your mother and I didn’t make ugly children. We didn’t expect our children to either. But I’d rather not put myself through that. So show me the blue prints and marketing ideas you’ve put together for the resort.”
Dad dropped his briefcase on Griffin’s desk and sat in the chair.
Didn’t look like he was going home any time soon. “Okay.” Griffin hurried and sent Kate a text that he’d be late. Dad was here.
Her response was: okay.
Not good. Well, it wasn’t like he was staying late every night. He laid out the plans and went over them with Dad, including Kate’s idea for the tea parties and doll shop.
“Not bad, but I wouldn’t say it’s a wow-factor. And what will little boys do? What have you included that’s special for them?”
Griffin’s stomach knotted.
“Exactly. You haven’t thought about it, or anything that might set you apart. You aren’t focused. The pitch for the contract is less than three weeks away, Griffin. You’re going to lose. I expected more out of you.” He stood and strode from the office.
Griffin pinched the bridge of his nose. The beach front property had over 1200 rooms and every amenity known to the human race not to mention amazing parks and rides for kids had been included. But he knew it as well as Dad. Even with the teas and doll shops, something was missing that would shine above all other pitches.
What if he did lose the contract? Dad would never see him as anything but a failure. A disappointment. He’d blame the loss on the time Griffin had taken to spend with Cora Lee. Give him the I-told-you-so speech. Why couldn’t he shrug off the way his father felt and stand up to the man?
Grudgingly, he called a late-night meeting with the marketing department and the architects. Time to burn the midnight oil, brainstorm new ideas. At two a.m. he finally stepped inside his house.
Crying sounded from upstairs. He groaned. His knees ached with every step; his shoulders and neck were coiled tight. Opening the nursery door, he forgot all that as Kate paced the floor with a teething Cora Lee. She spotted him and smiled. “She’s not havin’ it tonight.”
“I’ll change and give you a break.”
“You look rode hard and put away wet. Go to bed, Griff. We’ll be fine.” She bounced Cora Lee in her arms, caressed her soft dark hair.
Griffin crossed the room and bent to kiss Cora Lee’s forehead. She stopped crying for two seconds and then puckered. Poor pitiful thing. He turned to offer Kate another chance for a break and didn’t realize he was so close to her. To her lips.
Time stood still as he gazed into her eyes. Kind. Gentle. Sassy. As if she read his mind, she ran her teeth along her bottom lip. The ache to kiss her nearly killed him. Where was this coming from? They were friends. She was his nanny, who would be gone in a few short weeks.
“I don’t mind,” he rasped. “If you want to rest, I’m up.”
“It’s okay,” she whispered as Cora Lee’s sobs turned to grunting into Kate’s oversized gray T-shirt. “I’ll see you at breakfast.”
Love at First Laugh: Eight Romantic Novellas Filled with Love, Laughter, and Happily Ever After Page 44
