Love Inspired June 2021--Box Set 1 of 2

by Patricia Johns

  His gaze turned tender but she deserved anger. She’d kept him from his daughter. That decision weighed heavily on her heart. Her fears had kept Grayson from his daughter.

  “But you’re not a...a...” he stammered as he reached for her hand, lacing his fingers through hers. “I’ve said these words so many times and yet, today, saying them to you is the most difficult thing I think I’ve ever had to do. I’m an addict, Avery. I’m clean, but I’m no one’s hero.”

  The words took her by surprise. “I’m sorry? What?”

  “I’m an addict. I didn’t leave town by choice years ago. I left because my parents sent me to California where I spent several months in rehab getting my life together. I’ve been clean for nine years, Avery. But now I have more than just myself to worry about, so I have to be honest about who I am.”

  He looked so heartbroken and worried that she had to reach out and comfort him. He’d opened up to her. As hurt as she’d been, as much as she still didn’t trust him, she found herself wanting him to be his very best, for Quinn’s sake.

  “I wish I had known,” she said. “I guess I should have known.”

  “Hardly anyone knew. I was pretty good at hiding it. But I’m telling you all of this because I need for you to forgive me.”

  “I forgave you a long time ago, Grayson. We both made mistakes, not just you.”

  She could forgive him. She could admit that Quinn needed him. She didn’t want to be hurt by him. His admission, however honest, had just released a whole new set of doubts.

  Doubts that were overcome by other feelings. In the space of a heartbeat, memories returned to taunt her. He’d always been captivating to her. He’d always been more than she could ever have. A dream, always out of reach.

  He leaned in, drawing close, stealing her breath. His lips brushed hers and she closed her eyes, losing herself in a moment that she should have avoided.

  But she didn’t want to. She wanted his arms holding her close.

  Because all of the years, all of the hurt, all of it evaporated when he held her in his arms. Hadn’t it always been that way?

  The kiss ended and she pulled away. She should know better than to get caught up in the way he made her feel. She’d learned her lessons and moved on.

  Or so she thought.

  “I should go,” she stammered.

  “No.” He reached for her hand. “Avery, don’t go. I’m sorry for...”

  “Don’t be. I kissed you back, Grayson. But we can’t do this. Let’s focus on Quinn and remember that she’s the reason we are back in each other’s lives. Neither of us wants to revisit the past because that’s just a place of pain.”

  He stared at her for a moment, then nodded.

  “I agree.”

  “I have to go,” she said again.

  She had to go because the kiss had reminded her how easily she’d always been able to overlook the hurt he’d caused her. She’d always wanted him so much that she’d been willing to overlook the red flags: the things he’d said, the way he’d treated her.

  For years she’d convinced herself that she’d grown up, gotten past being that naive young girl. Their kiss had proved otherwise.

  On the bright side, at least she’d recognized it and knew when it was time to walk away.

  CHAPTER SIX

  “Is Grayson coming in today?” Laura called out as Avery passed by her office at PRC on Wednesday morning.

  “Not today. His father had an appointment in Springfield.”

  Since the previous Saturday, Avery had distanced herself from Grayson. It hadn’t been easy, not when Quinn wanted to see him daily. They needed to find a balance, but it was easier said than done. He was new and fun, the parent who didn’t have to tell their daughter no. That had to change. And soon.

  “Why the serious face?” Laura left her office and walked alongside Avery down the hallway.

  “Are you following me?”

  Laura gave her a sheepish grin. “Not really. I mean, I do want the story but I’m also taking some paperwork to Mrs. Culver.”

  “There is no story.” Avery paused at the door to Margie’s room. The older woman smiled up from her knitting. “How are you feeling?”

  “Curious,” Margie said. “I feel very curious. You haven’t stopped in to talk to me this week. I’m more than blood pressure and medication, you know.”

  Avery stepped into the room and sat in the chair next to Margie’s bed. “You’re right. You’re far more than vitals and meds. You’re cookies and apples and someone who always took time to talk to me. Thank you for reminding me.”

  “Oh.” Margie put a cool hand over Avery’s hand. “Stop being so serious. You know that I’m not going anywhere. I’ll be here anytime you need to talk.”

  “Thank you. And there really isn’t much to tell. Grayson Stone is home in Pleasant, but only temporarily. He met Quinn last week and they’ve really hit it off.”

  “He’s always been charming,” Margie said to Laura, not Avery.

  “Charming isn’t everything,” Avery grumbled.

  Margie patted her hand. “No, but knowing his daughter is. I’m not wrong, am I?”

  Avery briefly closed her eyes. There were no secrets in a small town. “You’re not wrong.”

  “What is that noise?” Laura stepped out into the hall. “It’s raining. A lot.”

  Wind slammed against the window, causing them all to jump.

  “We need to check the weather.” Avery left her seat next to Margie. “I really dislike storms.”

  “It’s May in Missouri,” Margie reminded. “It’ll pass soon enough.”

  Avery pulled Margie’s blanket up and patted the frail hand that held her knitting needles. “I’ll be back.”

  Avery and Laura hurried down the hall as they heard thunder crashing outside the building, rattling the windows.

  “What’s going on out there?” Avery asked.

  Residents and staff were gathered around a television in the lobby. The red outlines of nearby counties were a warning of tornadoes in the area. Not mere watches with favorable conditions, but warnings to take cover. The storms that roared outside might be a precursor for worse storms to come.

  “What should we do?” Avery asked the administrator as he came out of his office to join them. Mr. Davis, middle-aged and a steady force in their establishment, nodded as he watched the broadcast.

  “Let’s start moving people to the central hallway. All hands on deck. Whatever wing you’re assigned to, you’re responsible for getting those residents there. Bring pillows and blankets. Those who can’t be moved, close the blinds, pull curtains and move the beds as far from the window as possible.”

  It was the best they could do, and they all knew that it wouldn’t be completely effective. Still, with smiles on their faces and no time to waste, they began to move residents. As the rain pounded and the wind started howling louder as it picked up speed, they kept a steady stream of residents, some mobile and some in need of more help, moving to the hallway.

  Margie brought her knitting with her. As she continued working on the blanket, she started to sing about God’s protection. Other voices, some weak and some strong, joined hers.

  As Avery helped move residents as quickly yet safely as she could, she tried very hard not to think about Quinn and Nan. She prayed as she worked, begging God to keep them safe, pleading with Him to protect them all.

  Her fear must have shown on her face because when she finally took shelter in the area where Margie had been moved, she reached for her hand.

  “Fear not, Avery.” Margie smiled up at her. “He’s got this storm and all of the other storms in His very capable hands.”

  “I know.” Avery leaned down to hug the woman who had been a Sunday school teacher and a compassionate figure in her life for as long as Avery could remember.

/>   The tornado sirens drifted through the noise of the storm. The haunting sound whirred through the air.

  “This isn’t fun,” sweet Camilla Bolling whispered. “I’m not sure who thought this would be fun, but it isn’t. Is this a party?”

  “Hush, it’s a tornado,” Carlin, an older gentleman, shouted. “We’re going to be blown to Kansas and back.”

  “Shhh.” Laura put a hand on Carlin’s shoulders. “We’re all listening to Margie’s song.”

  “Margie can’t sing,” Carlin growled. “What’s her God going to do for us now?”

  “Keep us safe!” Anita Brooks pointed a finger at Carlin. “Why do you always have to be such a grouch? Scaring children, throwing rocks at dogs and now being mean to the elderly.”

  “Oh, be quiet, Anita.” Carlin grabbed the blanket off his lap and pulled it over his head. But beneath the blanket Avery thought she heard him say a prayer.

  They all prayed as the wind buffeted the building. A crashing sound echoed through the halls, deafening in its intensity. People screamed but the sounds were lost in the roar of the storm.

  As Avery moved among the residents, helping them to cover themselves with their pillows and blankets, she prayed for her daughter. She prayed for God to watch over their community, the residential home, her family and the school.

  Those who could were curled against the wall. Laura reached for her hand. “Avery, you have to take shelter.”

  “I have to make sure everyone is safe.”

  The building seemed to shake and tiles fell from the ceiling. Avery hurried to make sure no heads were uncovered. More tiles fell.

  “God, protect us from the storm,” Margie and Anita cried out in unison. A gruff voice said, “Amen.” Carlin.

  It seemed like hours but it might have only been minutes until the storm passed over. The winds calmed. Quiet blanketed Hall C except for soft cries and murmured prayers.

  “I think it’s over,” Avery said. She looked to John, one of their aides. “Let’s make a check of the facility and call 911. I have a feeling we’re probably going to need help.”

  “Avery, you need to get cleaned up.” John touched her forehead. “That’s a pretty good gash.”

  “I’m fine. I’ll take care of it later.”

  “I don’t think later is going to work.” John glanced around at the residents, most of whom were coming out from under their blankets and pillows. He motioned to Laura. “Can you get her cleaned up, please? She won’t do us much good if she’s unconscious.”

  “I’m not going to be unconscious,” she argued.

  “Of course not.”

  A door opened at the end of the hall, giving them a view of outside. Downed trees were everywhere, and parts of buildings that didn’t belong to them were scattered nearby. Avery swayed and suddenly Laura was at her side.

  “We need to make sure everyone is okay.”

  “You need to stop for a minute and take care of yourself,” Laura told her.

  “I’m fine.”

  “You’re not fine.”

  Avery put a gloved hand to her forehead and it came away sticky with her own blood. “It’s just a cut.”

  “It’s more than a cut, but you’re not going to listen to me.”

  “No, I’m not.” Avery had over one hundred people counting on her to keep them safe. Their families counted on her. And all the while, she was thinking of Quinn and praying she was safe.

  Mr. Davis appeared in the doorway at the end of the hall. “Everyone okay in here?”

  Laura pointed to Avery.

  “We’re good. Some cuts and bruises. How is the building?” Avery asked as she maneuvered around residents to reach her boss.

  “The building seems to be fine other than a few broken windows and the ceiling tiles that shook loose in here. We tried 911 but cell phones aren’t working and landlines are also down. Are you okay?” he asked.

  “Fine.” Avery took a piece of gauze John handed her and she held it to her forehead. “Where do you want us to start?”

  Mr. Davis gave her a cautious look, and she knew he was concerned.

  “I’m fine. I promise you. I need to get this done so I can go check on my daughter.”

  “I understand. I’m going to start by having aides and our maintenance man check each room to make sure they’re habitable. We can move residents to rooms that are safe and make notes on rooms that aren’t. All residents without a room can be taken to the activity rooms.”

  Avery agreed, then started mobilizing aides to begin assessing the residents to make sure there were no injuries or secondary issues related to the storm. Fear and anxiety were a real concern.

  She glanced toward the end of the hall and unexpected relief flooded her at the sight of Grayson. She ran over to him.

  “Have you been to the elementary school?”

  “No, I haven’t. I just got back into town with my dad. He’s in the car with Nina. The road into town is blocked.”

  With no phone service and no way to reach her daughter or Nan, fear started rising up and eating away at the calm she’d managed to maintain since the storm hit.

  “I need to get to my daughter,” Avery said, glancing around the crowded halls where residents waited to be returned to rooms.

  “Let me bring Dad and Nina inside, and I’ll help you get things settled in here.”

  “Thank you, Grayson.” She stepped back as he leaned in and took a closer look at her forehead.

  “Looks like a nasty cut. I think you might need to let someone take care of that.”

  “I can take care of myself.”

  “Right, of course. I’ll grab Dad and Nina. And I’ll see what I can do about sending someone to check on Nan and Quinn.”

  Avery watched him walk out the front door of the center before heading to the medical supply closet. She found what she needed, not only for herself but for the residents who might be injured. In one of the bathrooms nearby, she washed her hands with antiseptic soap at the sink, pulled on clean gloves and tended to the gash on her head. It wasn’t long, maybe an inch, but it was deep.

  The door to the room opened. Grayson had returned. He watched her for a moment, then he took the butterfly bandage from her. “Let me.”

  “No, it’s fine, I can...ouch!”

  “I’m sorry, sweetheart.”

  “Don’t call me sweetheart.” She closed her eyes and whispered, “I’m worried about them.”

  “I know you are. So am I. I’m sure they’re fine. But as soon as I can, I’ll get to them.”

  “I need to be with her. Both of them.”

  “I know.” He pressed a kiss to her temple. “We can’t get to her right now, but we can pray.”

  She nodded. And then he prayed, taking her by surprise.

  When had he become so strong in his faith? When had he become the man she could trust herself to lean on? Another mystery of Grayson Stone yet to be answered.

  * * *

  Grayson left the room, with Avery walking out before him. She seemed composed but he knew what that tightness around her mouth, the shadows in her green eyes, meant. He felt the same fear.

  The hardest part was not being able to do more. As a dad, even one as late to the game as he was, he felt a need to move heaven and earth to get to his child.

  “How can I help out here?” he asked.

  “We need to start checking rooms for any damage, then getting residents back to their beds. It’s lunchtime and some of our people need to take their medication.”

  “I’ll start looking over the rooms. You take care of medications. I’ll take someone with me. They can move people as soon as I check a room.”

  “Thank you, again.”

  “Staying busy will help us both,” he assured her. “Nina is an LPN, as well. If you need her for anything, sh
e said to let her know.”

  Avery assigned Laura to help him evaluate rooms. She could quickly let them know who could be returned to their rooms and who would need an alternative. Grayson led her from room to room, checking windows, ceilings and walls for any signs of damage. She took notes and then called out names and room numbers to staff that were waiting for orders.

  He had finished one hallway when he noticed fire trucks and other emergency vehicles outside. He headed for the side door and pushed it open. He’d never been so glad to see first responders, but more than that—Tucker Church climbing out of a fire truck.

  Of course Tucker would be a volunteer.

  “Is everyone okay in there?” Tucker asked as he approached, pulling on a bright yellow vest and a hard hat.

  “I think so. What about town? We can’t reach Nan at the house or Quinn at school.”

  Tucker took him by the arm and pulled him away from Laura and other staff that had come outside. “The school is damaged. There’s scattered damage all over town. Trees, power lines, maybe a dozen homes damaged.”

  “Any injuries?” Grayson asked, afraid to know the answer.

  “At the school, yes. They’re triaging the wounded and connecting parents to students.”

  As they talked, several cars were pulling up. The people getting out seemed to be nurses and other staff.

  “We contacted staff that we knew personally and they’ve also brought in help from surrounding areas,” Tucker explained. “You and Avery should go. The road to town has been cleared. You can get through now.”

  “Thank you. I owe you, man.” Grayson shook Tucker’s hand.

  “I wish I could do more.”

  Grayson hurried back inside. He found Avery hovering over a patient. He waited patiently while she checked vitals, and asked a few questions.

  “What is it?” she asked, finally looking at him.

  “Tucker is here. He said the road to town is clear and we should go.”

  “Go where? Grayson, what’s wrong?”