“That’s a long way to go, especially if someone is trying to escape.”
“I know they have arrangements for pickup, but last time I was there, that place was operating at full capacity. It’s not ideal, for sure.”
Emily leaned forward. “It’s so sad to think of these kids and women in situations like this, you know? Like, Morgan is so vulnerable. She has this tough-girl act, but she is clearly scared, and she must have so many issues to work through.”
Callie nodded. “Of course. And where is she going to go eventually? Like, Moose isn’t exactly the type of guy to get help and want to rebuild a relationship with his daughter. She can’t stay with you forever.”
Emily didn’t know what to say. She had a business she was trying to open, a reno to finish, and her own past to deal with. But the thought of telling Morgan to leave at some point didn’t seem right, either. “I don’t know. I guess we’ll just take it day by day. The house is still empty. I still don’t have zoning for the inn, so I might as well let her have a room.”
Callie smiled at her. “You’re making a huge difference in that girl’s life, you know. I think what you’re doing is amazing.”
Emily shrugged, uncomfortable with the praise. “I just want to help her… I should probably get back to the house. The final kitchen pieces are getting installed today, and they’re starting the last of the floors that needed refinishing. Things are actually nearing the end. I have an errand I want to run, too.”
“And Cooper is there,” Callie said with a smug smile as they stood.
Emily laughed. “Well, there’s the Cooper factor.”
Callie linked her arm through hers, and they walked through the busy coffee shop and stopped when they reached the door. “I’m so glad you came into our lives, Em,” she said, surprising her and giving her a hug.
Emily hugged her back tightly. As she left the little coffee shop and walked down the quaint Main Street, the unfamiliar sensation of belonging swept through her. She had never felt so at home, so true to herself, as she was right now.
Chapter Fourteen
“This kitchen is even more beautiful than I’d imagined,” Emily said, running her hand over the new quartz countertop. Cooper knew the countertop looked good, but he’d moved past that after it had been installed a few hours ago. Really, he was just happy she was happy.
Now his thoughts were on the woman talking about the countertop. Emily’s hair was pulled up in some kind of knot that highlighted her glossy hair and long neck. He’d found himself watching her this week—not that he hadn’t before, but it was different now because he knew her on a deeper level. His gaze ran over her curves in her pale-blue sweater and skinny jeans. She was effortlessly beautiful and feminine, and he couldn’t get enough of her.
She frowned at him. “Seriously, Cooper, look at these counters. Aren’t you paying attention?”
He crossed the room and pulled her into his arms. “I was distracted by you,” he said, leaning down to kiss her.
She kissed him back and then jabbed him in the stomach. “We can’t do this here. Aren’t your brothers still in the house?”
He lifted her by the waist and placed her onto the counter. “What are you doing,” she whispered. “What if someone comes in here?”
“You’re testing the counter,” he said.
She burst out laughing.
He smiled, loving the fact that she seemed to have no idea how attracted to her he was. “Hopefully they’ll have enough common sense to turn around and leave,” he said, leaning forward and kissing her, half expecting her to shove him away. Instead, she melted against him and opened her legs for him to step closer. Something had changed in him since the night of their date. He was done ignoring his instincts, his desire for Emily. He was alive. He kissed her soft lips, loving her body against his, the soft pressure of her breasts against his chest.
“So we’re leaving for the night. We’ll see ourselves out. Be good, kids,” Austin said.
Neither of them stopped to acknowledge Austin, but Cooper did make the effort to give his brother the finger. The sound of his snicker and then the closing of the door told him they were gone. “I don’t want to go home,” Cooper said against her mouth.
“I don’t want you to go home,” she said, pulling back slightly. He looked down at her face, at her swollen lips, and knew this wasn’t just lust. It was more…because she was more. She ran her hands over his shoulders and made a little sound that sent blood roaring through his veins.
“What time does Morgan get back?”
Her eyes widened. “I almost forgot. You’d think I’d get the hang of this after a week. Her friend is driving her home, and she’ll be back any minute.”
“Will she be okay if we go out? Can you come to my place?”
She bit her lower lip. He wanted her to come to his house, to share that part of his life. “I don’t know,” she said. “I mean, she doesn’t need a babysitter or anything, but I don’t know about leaving her on her own. She seems so fragile, and I’d hate for her to be in this big house all by herself. What if her dad comes over?”
“I know, you’re right,” he said, bracing his hands on the counter beside her.
“So, um, exactly what were your plans?” she said in a voice that was slightly husky, the corners of her luscious mouth curled up slightly. God, she was going to kill him.
He ran his hands up her denim-clad thighs. “Lots of plans. Plans I may have been fantasizing about since I met you.”
“Really?”
He nodded. “When you hobbled into the coffee shop.”
She poked his shoulder. “What? I didn’t hobble. I had pulled myself together by then.”
“Sure you did,” he said, stifling his smile as she frowned at him.
“I want to talk to you about something now that no one is here,” she said, keeping her hands on his waist.
“Sure.”
“I drove out to the women’s shelter in Binbrook today. Did you know they operate at full capacity year-round? This entire region is completely underserviced. They don’t have enough funding to expand the home or hire more help.”
He nodded slowly. “I don’t know that much about them, but that’s not good. What made you go out there?”
She shrugged. “This whole thing with Morgan really got me thinking about what it must be like to be trapped in a dangerous home without anywhere to go or any options. What about a mother with kids? Like, what does she do? Where does she go?”
He ran his hand over his jaw. “Yeah. This is stuff we don’t really think about day to day.”
“I know, and it’s so private. Do you know how many women stay with these men because they are afraid they’ll be killed if they leave, or that they’ll be on the streets with their kids because they won’t be able to support them? It’s heartbreaking.”
“I’m sensing you’re going somewhere with this,” he said, smoothing her hair from her face.
She took a deep breath. “Would it sound completely crazy if I turned this place into a women’s shelter instead of an inn?”
He paused for a long moment, floored at the abrupt change in her plans. “No. Not crazy. Unexpected, for sure. I don’t want to sound like I’m patronizing you, but that’s a helluva huge switch, from top-of-the-line boutique inn to women’s shelter. Everything you’ve done in here is high-end and luxury. Have you researched how you’d actually start one? I mean, is it a charity? What about funding?”
“I know. It’s a totally different direction. It would be run as a charitable organization. And I know the finishes and everything in here are luxury…but maybe that’s what these women need for a bit, you know? After everything they’ve been through, this would be like a small way of bringing them a little pampering at a time when they need it most. But I’m getting way ahead of myself, and I need to start exploring this in detail. It could be completely insane and a non-starter, but I want to at least research this idea before I dismiss it.”
&nbs
p; He didn’t say anything for a moment because he didn’t want to say the wrong thing. But as he stared into her green eyes, seeing the sincerity, the enthusiasm, the hope, he fell in love with Emily just a little bit more.
He’d assumed things. She was this rich woman from the city, dumping a ton of cash into this old house, and yet she didn’t have an ounce of snobbery about her—he’d figured that out very early on. But this. The idea of turning such a grand home into a women’s shelter, to use her wealth for something completely charitable, was unbelievably selfless.
He had no idea how she’d pull that off, or even if she would be able to, but that wasn’t it. It was the fact that she was willing to try, she was willing to go down a road that would not mean a huge salary or a life of entitlement. She’d be entering a life of service. “I think you’re incredible,” he said, the only words that really summed up what he was thinking. He leaned forward and kissed her softly. “How about we pick up takeout and stay here tonight?”
“I’m a boring date, aren’t I?”
“Hell no. I get it. We’re not leaving Morgan here by herself at night. How about, since tomorrow is Saturday, we go out during the day? Have you even had a proper tour of this town?”
She smiled and shook her head.
“Okay, so I’ll get some food, and you wait for Morgan to get back from school. Tomorrow I’m your tour guide and then we hang out here again at night. I was thinking maybe we can invite Morgan to my parents’ place for Sunday night dinner—if she wants to, of course. If she’s not ready for that, we stay home.” He was like a kid again. He never made plans, and here he was trying to book up all her time because he didn’t want to be away from her.
Her eyes sparkled. “That sounds like the best weekend I’ve ever had,” she said, wrapping her arms around his neck.
He kissed Emily, ignoring the warning bells going off in his head. He’d made promises to himself after Catherine died; he’d promised himself he’d never fall in love again. He’d never let anyone close. And now, here he was, falling for a woman who made him want to believe in forever again.
…
Emily settled on the front porch steps, tugging her long cardigan sweater a little closer as the brisk morning wind made her shiver. She picked up her mug of freshly brewed coffee and wrapped her hands around it, letting the warmth seep through. The river sparkled as the strong morning sun shone down. The air was fresh, and the sounds of birds and trees swaying in the wind made her think this was possibly the most beautiful place she’d ever known. She wondered if her grandmother had sat out here, admiring the view. Or her father. Had he run around these grounds, had he gone fishing in the river? How she wished she knew more about this house and the people who’d occupied it.
She probably should seek out more information and lurk on that Facebook page Cooper had suggested. The first time she’d met him—well, second time—seemed like a lifetime ago. Now she saw him every day, and today was all theirs.
She turned at the sound of footsteps approaching from the house.
Morgan stepped out onto the porch with a mug of the coffee Emily had left for her. She was wearing one of the new hoodies they’d bought on their shopping trip to the mall in the larger town. She sat down beside Emily. “Morning.”
“Good morning,” Emily said with a smile. “Did you sleep well?”
Morgan nodded. “You’re funny. You always say things like that.”
Emily tilted her head, studying the girl. “What’s so funny about that?”
Morgan shrugged and took a sip of coffee. Her long blond hair swayed gently with the wind, and her fine features were relaxed…she seemed peaceful.
“So I’m going to be out for the day. There’s plenty of food in the fridge. Cooper and I will be back for dinner, though.”
“You guys don’t need to babysit me, you know,” Morgan said, looking straight ahead.
“I know that. We want to stay here. I didn’t do all this work to be out all the time and never enjoy this house,” she said, trying to make light of the situation.
“I’m not going to kill myself or anything,” Morgan said with a bitter laugh.
“Hey, I’m not saying that at all. I just like being around. I like you,” she said, careful not to push too hard or say things that would make the girl uncomfortable.
Morgan looked down at her cup, and Emily could have sworn she saw her chin tremble for a second. “Do you know how long I can stay here? I was thinking I should start making plans about where to go next. My friend said I could probably crash at her mom’s for a week.”
Emily’s heart squeezed, and she tried not to get choked up. “Don’t worry about that now. Just know that this is your place now, okay? I have no intention of kicking you out. We’re getting along just fine.”
Morgan still didn’t make eye contact with her, but she pulled her hood down a little farther. “Thanks,” she said softly. “I was thinking I should get a part-time job, though. I think it would be smart if I saved some money, you know?”
Emily nodded. “I think that’s a great idea. Maybe when this place is up and running you could work here?”
“Really?” she whispered.
Emily nodded. “Of course! It’s perfect. We’ll find something you like. But that’s a few weeks away, at least, so why don’t you use this time to rest and concentrate on school.”
Morgan looked down. “Thanks.”
Emily placed her empty mug down beside her. “So, um, I don’t want to pry, but is your mom around at all?”
Morgan made a sound. “She left when I was five. Apparently I sucked.”
“No,” Emily said forcefully. “That’s not true.”
She didn’t lift her head. “You don’t know, you weren’t there.”
“If she left, she had her own reasons that had nothing to do with you. Please don’t blame yourself. The stuff that happens between parents has to do with parents, not the kids. Sometimes adults make really bad choices, and sometimes they make the only choice they can. But it’s never the child’s fault,” she said, trying to sound convincing. She didn’t think Morgan would just believe her, though, after a lifetime of believing that her mother hadn’t loved her enough.
Morgan shrugged. “I went to live with Dad’s parents for a couple years, but then my grandma died. Then my grandpa got Alzheimer’s and had to go to a home until he died. So I went back to my dad’s,” she said. Her voice had an edge, and the pain in it made Emily want to reach out and hold onto this girl, tell her that she was special and brave and wonderful, and she’d deserved better than that.
“I’m sorry. You’re doing great, though,” she said.
Morgan slouched even further. “Yeah, real great. I have no home, no money, and I’m living with a stranger.”
“Hey.” Emily pretended to be offended, wanting to lighten the mood. “I’m not a stranger anymore. Once people have seen each other in their pajamas in the morning, they can no longer be called strangers.”
Morgan snorted.
“I was thinking, though. I have this friend, and she works with teens and women who have family situations like yours. She’s a person you can talk to, and it’s confidential. She can help you with goals and what you want to do after high school and other stuff, too.”
Morgan stared straight ahead, and Emily held her breath, hoping she wasn’t going to scare her off. Finally she gave a stiff nod. “That might be cool. I don’t want to be a loser when I grow up, you know? Like, I want to have a real job and be able to live in a nice house.”
Emily reached out and put her arm around Morgan, despite being wary that the girl might not like the affection. But Morgan didn’t make an attempt to move away. She had never really imagined a life outside her father’s company, and when she’d been callously tossed aside, her mission had been to start her own chain of inns, to seek revenge and prove she didn’t need anyone. It had been a solid plan. It still was. But something was happening. Something was changing. She sat beside Morgan a
nd stared out at the river, thinking all of this was happening for a reason, and she was exactly where she should be.
Chapter Fifteen
“Nothing beats small-town downtown,” Emily said as she and Cooper strolled Main Street in Maple Hill. He held her hand as they went in and out of stores like a tourist couple.
“Yeah, it’s pretty good. Have you been into the cheese shop?” he asked.
She shook her head. “I’ve been dying to go in but haven’t had a chance.”
“Okay, let’s go,” he said, holding the door open for her.
They walked into the packed store, and she admired the vintage black-and-white checked floor and high, exposed ceilings. The walls were lined with rustic wood shelves filled with all sorts of entertaining needs from cheese boards to different spreads and jams. The back wall had refrigerated display cases, and there was a long line of folks waiting to place their orders. “This is so cute,” Emily said.
“I hoped you’d like it,” Cooper said, walking over to the line.
She peered into the refrigerated display cases, admiring the different local and imported cheeses. She was impressed. “So this is where you shop?”
“Me? Nah. Who has time for this? I pick up everything I need all at once when I go to the grocery store. I just thought this would be a place you’d like.”
She laughed. “Because I’m fancy?”
“Very fancy.”
She squeezed his hand and peered into the display cases.
“Hello, Cooper, nice to see you,” a middle-aged man in front of them said.
“You, too, Bob. Mary,” he said to the woman standing beside them. She looked back and forth between Emily and Cooper, beaming.
“You seem familiar,” the woman said, smiling at Emily.
“Oh, I’m sorry. Bob and Mary, this is Emily Birmingham, she moved to town a couple of months ago,” he said.
Emily reached out to shake their hands. “Nice to meet you.”
“The inn, right?”
Emily winced. “Well, I don’t know about that. Still waiting to hear what we’re going to do next.”
The Boyfriend Contract Page 18
