A Father in the Making

by Marta Perry

  Jason chuckled. “Only Gracie?”

  Her gaze snapped to the old man, who was grinning at her like the cat who had eaten the proverbial canary.

  Jessica felt her skin burning from the tips of her toes to the top of her head, and knew she must be blushing a frightful color of red.

  “So I take it from your reaction that my son is getting to you, as well?”

  Jessica rocked back in her chair as if he’d physically pushed her there. He hadn’t touched her with more than his words, of course. It was a good thing, too, Jessica thought. If he so much as grazed her with his pinky finger, she would no doubt fall to the floor.

  “I—He—” she stammered, but couldn’t seem to get her mouth to form a single coherent word for the life of her.

  And what would she say, anyway?

  How could she deny what was clearly written all over her face, at least if Jason’s gleeful chuckle was anything to go by.

  Jason patted her knee reassuringly. “There, there, dear. I apologize. I didn’t mean to embarrass you. This old man just doesn’t know when to keep his opinion to himself.”

  “It’s not that,” she assured him, sweeping in a giant breath of air in order to keep herself from feeling that a noose was tightening around her neck. “I just—it’s just that I’m a little confused right now.”

  “Of course you are,” Jason agreed with a knowing nod, now laughing heartily.

  Gracie stared up at her grandfather a moment with wide, startled eyes, and then flapped her arms and squealed happily, catching Jason’s excitement.

  Jessica stared at the baby and tried desperately to regain her equilibrium. Confused didn’t even begin to cover what she was feeling.

  Jason winked. “I still remember how completely out of my head I was when I fell in love with Nate’s mother. It was a disconcerting feeling, to say the least.”

  Jessica dragged her gaze away from Gracie and centered it on Jason. The choking sensation had returned with reinforcements.

  Fall in love?

  Was that what she was doing?

  There was no denying her strong attraction for Nate, or how empty her little cabin felt whenever he and Gracie weren’t present.

  But love? Did she even dare think of the word in context with Nate Morningway?

  The L word, her friends in high school used to call it. First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes the baby in the baby carriage.

  Only this time the baby had come first. But that didn’t make what she felt for Nate any less real or tangible. If anything, it only added to the joy she felt whenever she was around the two of them.

  And the confusion.

  Because she could never forget—not for one second—that she had already been around this particular block once, and with disastrous results.

  A shattered heart. A broken home.

  A husband who didn’t mean his wedding vows for forever.

  Even with the faith in God she now held dear to her heart, there were no guarantees in life. Her destination was assured, but the road getting there could be bumpy, and she knew that better than anyone.

  If she gave her heart to Nate, she risked having it broken all over again. It had taken her two years to even begin to recover from her last relationship. She might never recover from another bad experience.

  “Are you okay?” Jason asked, breaking into her thoughts.

  “Huh?” she asked, dazed. “Oh. Yes. Everything is fine.”

  Jason looked deeply into her eyes and shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

  Jessica didn’t know the words to say to put Jason’s mind at ease. Her mind wasn’t at ease. And somehow she could tell Jason knew that.

  But as it happened, she didn’t have the opportunity to say anything, as Nate burst back into the room, followed by Michael Sheridan, who was still scribbling notes on his clipboard.

  “Light the fire,” Michael said, tapping the point of his pen against the clipboard.

  Nate winked at Jessica as he moved to the fireplace to do as he was bid. Jessica smiled to herself. Apparently all was well with the inspection. She was glad, for Nate’s sake.

  After a few more minutes, the inspector announced that he was finished, and he complimented Nate on a job well done.

  Nate beamed. Jason chuckled under his breath.

  Jessica wondered if Jason understood just how important it was for Nate to complete this project for his father. She thought, gazing at Jason’s bright gray eyes, that he probably did.

  “Jess and I will walk you out,” Nate told Michael. He moved to Jessica’s chair and held out a hand to her. “You’ll be okay with Gracie for a few minutes, won’t you, Pop?”

  Jason chuckled. “Take all the time you need. My little granddaughter and I are doing just fine here all by ourselves.”

  Jessica accepted Nate’s hand, and wasn’t really surprised when he didn’t let it go after she’d stood. Despite her mixed feelings, it felt right to be linked with Nate in such a natural way.

  Together, they walked the inspector outside. Jessica heard the sound of a table saw splitting wood the moment they walked out the door, and absently wondered where it came from.

  As soon as they stepped off the porch, she saw the source of the sound. Vince was at the far side of the lodge, dressed in jeans and a denim shirt that Jessica thought looked odd on a man who usually wore a suit, despite the fact that they were at a mountain retreat. A backward-facing baseball cap covered his hair.

  Looming behind Vince was the project he was clearly working on. He had framed in what looked like was going to be a good-size shed and was now cutting plywood to attach to the two-by-fours.

  Nate lifted his free arm and waved to Vince, who just stared back at the small group, his arms propped on his hips, his posture suggesting they’d somehow interrupted his work. Still, Jessica was proud of Nate for trying, even when Vince didn’t respond positively.

  Nate’s movement caught the inspector’s attention, and he looked to where Vince was building. His gaze narrowed as he crooked a hand over his forehead to block the glare of the sunshine so he could see better.

  “Who is that?” Michael asked.

  “My brother, Vince,” Nate answered cordially. “He runs Morningway Lodge.”

  “I see,” Michael muttered, tapping his pen on his clipboard for a moment before moving decisively in Vince’s direction.

  Nate flashed Jessica a surprised look before following the inspector to where Vince was working.

  “Vince, this is county inspector Michael Sheridan. He’s come to look over the fireplace I built.”

  Vince wiped his palms against his jeans and then held out a hand to Michael.

  “I assume you have a permit to build here?” Michael asked, looking over Vince’s shoulder and gesturing toward the frame of the shed.

  Vince’s gaze widened, and he shook his head. “No, sir. It’s just a shed. My old one is full to overflowing with tools. I thought I’d better get another one up before winter hits us hard. It’s not a big building project or anything.”

  “Even so,” Michael continued, “you will need to have a permit to build.”

  Vince looked flustered. And frustrated. Jessica squeezed Nate’s hand, wondering if he might be able to say something—anything—to diffuse the situation. She felt Nate tense, but he remained silent.

  “Is this a new law?” Vince asked. “I don’t recall my father getting permits to build. And this is private property.”

  “I realize that,” Michael said, his voice a clipped, businesslike monotone. “And yes, the law is new—at least relative to the age of your property. Still, the fees must be paid in to our office before you can continue with your work here.”

  “I see,” Vince said, not sounding happy about it at all, and Jessica couldn’t blame him. He had enough to worry about wi
thout having to jump through extra hoops to complete a simple project. “In that case, I’ll see to getting a permit right away.”

  “I’m afraid I’m going to have to insist that it be done immediately,” Michael informed him, his voice and expression neutral. “If not, you will be fined for building without a permit. I warn you now, the fine is pretty steep.”

  “You’d fine me over one shed?” Vince snapped, then pinched his lips together and frowned.

  “That’s the way it works,” the inspector insisted. “I don’t make the rules, but I do have to enforce them.”

  “Yes, sir. Of course. I understand, and I’ll see to it right away.”

  “All right, then. I’ll expect to see you in my office immediately, so we can clear up this paperwork.”

  Vince nodded, his face still strained, but the inspector had already turned to Nate.

  “Mr. Morningway,” Michael said, shaking Nate’s hand. “It’s been a pleasure.”

  “Thank you, sir,” Nate responded. His voice was coarse and cracking, and Jessica knew he was struggling merely to speak. She squeezed his hand again as Michael got into his vehicle and turned off down the unpaved road.

  Nate immediately turned to Vince, his arm outstretched in supplication. “Hey, I’m sorry about that, bro. I didn’t realize that—”

  Vince whirled on him, his sizzling scowl bringing Nate’s words to an instant stop.

  “Well done, little brother,” Vince said, his voice sharp with sarcasm. “You’ve really gone and done it this time, haven’t you?”

  Chapter 11

  Though Vince hadn’t moved from where he’d been standing, Nate felt as though his brother had sucker punched him right in his gut. He stiffened to keep from clutching at his midsection.

  “What did I do?” Nate knew his question sounded defensive. It was. And it was the wrong question to ask. He already knew Vince was going to blame him for whatever inconvenience he would face.

  “If they slap me with a fine because of this stupid permit business it’s going to be on your head. I have to meet with suppliers in Denver this week, so I’m not going to be able to get it right away. Thanks a lot, Nate.”

  Nate dropped Jess’s hand and took an unconscious step backward, as if reeling from a blow. He felt the overwhelming urge to come out swinging, to settle their differences the way they had as children.

  He hoped he’d matured a little bit in ten years, and with effort, he unclenched his fists. Still, he couldn’t let it completely go. “How is it my fault you didn’t get a permit before you started building?”

  Real mature, there, Morningway, he chastised himself. Way to go.

  “I didn’t know I was supposed to get a permit for a measly shed,” Vince barked. “Pop never needed a permit to build.”

  “Look,” Nate said, holding out his hands in a placating manner. “I just wanted to do this fireplace thing on the up-and-up. It’s been years since I’ve built anything. I had to make sure it was safe, for Pop’s sake. You wouldn’t have wanted me accidentally burning down the lodge, now would you?”

  Nate scowled, hating the feeling he had to justify his actions to his brother. Vince glowered back at him, which didn’t help matters at all.

  “Sure. Make me look like the bad guy.”

  Nate opened his mouth, then snapped it closed again. Of all the pigheaded, irrational—

  He jumped, startled, when Jess placed her hand on his arm. When he’d started butting heads with his brother, he’d almost forgotten she was there. Guilt and humiliation flooded through him, raw and stinging. It was bad enough that Vince thought him every kind of fool without having Jess as an audience.

  “We need to go get Gracie,” she said, her voice low and even, as if she hadn’t just witnessed the juvenile scene in front of her. “Despite what he said, your father isn’t up to watching her for an extended period of time. He’s still so weak, and you know how wiggly she gets when she has to sit still too long.”

  Nate sighed, the anger draining from him. Jess was right. And more than that, she was clearly giving him a way out of his latest confrontation with Vince.

  Vince shrugged and waved his arm in what Nate thought was a condescending manner.

  “Go get your baby,” Vince snapped. “But this isn’t over between us, bro. Not even close.”

  Nate thought it the best part of valor not to respond at all, so he turned and stalked away, hearing Jess’s murmur of surprise and her quick steps after him.

  In record time, he said goodbye to his father and bundled Gracie in her car seat in the back of the Jeep, all the while not speaking to Jess at all. Wisely, Nate thought, she didn’t try to strike up any kind of conversation with him, either, but simply buckled herself in and waited. He was in no mood for small talk, and he sure didn’t want to talk about the humiliating incident between he and Vince.

  Jess didn’t speak until he had parked the Jeep in front of her cabin. Nate clutched the steering wheel as she opened the car door, but she didn’t immediately disembark as he expected. If he had been in her position, he’d be running for cover right about now, fearing an imminent explosion.

  Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that she’d turned toward him and was quietly searching his expression, but he just stared straight ahead, knowing he was glowering. Though it was unfair, he couldn’t seem to be able to put a lid on his anger, even for Jess’s sake.

  “Are you okay?” she asked at last, her voice quivering with emotion.

  Nate pinched his lips together and said nothing, afraid if he did he would bark at her.

  “Vince was caught off guard,” she explained, hesitating, her big brown eyes widening, when Nate’s gaze snapped to hers. “Give him some time to think it through, and I’m sure he’ll see reason.”

  “Why should he? He’s right and he knows it,” Nate growled sharply, then squeezed his hands on the steering wheel, angry at himself for lashing out at Jess. None of this was her fault. She was trying to be supportive, and he knew it.

  “He’s had a lot of time to think about my coming back home,” he said, softening his tone. “All I’ve done is cause him problems since I’ve been here. This is just the icing on the cake.”

  Jess reached out and touched his shoulder, but he shrugged it off.

  “You know that’s not true,” she pleaded. “Whether Vince wants to admit it right now or not, you’ve been a great help to him—and to your father. Jason is enjoying a warm fire as we speak because of all the hard work that you’ve done.”

  Nate snorted. “Pop is going to hear about this. What is he going to think of me interfering? Morningway Lodge is his baby. His dream. And now I’ve gone and made things more complicated for him by not thinking things through.”

  “Take a deep breath, Nate,” Jessica suggested softly. “It isn’t your fault Vince didn’t get a permit. You followed the law, which was the right thing to do. Vince will realize that, too, once he’s had time to cool off. I’m sure he wasn’t trying to do anything illegal, so in the long run, this can only help him.”

  “Not if they slap a huge fine on him,” Nate grated, his forehead aching from his deepening scowl.

  “That doesn’t have to happen, now does it? I mean, all the inspector said was that he has to go get a permit to build. How is that so bad?”

  Nate shrugged. Jess was right. It wasn’t an insurmountable difficulty, just an extra hoop to jump through.

  Except...

  “I don’t know for sure, but I get the impression Vince doesn’t have a lot of working capital. Morningway Lodge was built as a ministry, not to make a lot of money.”

  “Then I’ll pay for it,” Jessica stated, nodding and smiling as she warmed to the idea. “I have some money tucked away in my savings account that we can use to get Vince his permit.”

  Nate’s gaze widened, and he surprised himself that his
jaw didn’t drop. His pulse pounded in his temple. “You’d do that for Vince?”

  Her gaze widening, she shook her head. “Not for Vince. For you.”

  Nate tried to swallow around the raw lump of emotion burning in his throat.

  “I’ll do it,” he said. “But I don’t need your money. I have some savings of my own.”

  “Okay,” she agreed with a gentle smile. “I’m sure Vince will appreciate it.”

  Nate barked out a dry laugh. “I don’t know about that. But I’ll sure feel better.”

  “And now that you’re finished with the fireplace, maybe you could assist Vince in building his shed. You can’t depend on the weather in Colorado to stay nice in October, and he’ll need all the help he can get.”

  “Maybe,” Nate agreed, but his mind was already migrating to more pleasant thoughts than trying to work things out with Vince.

  Like how wise and thoughtful Jess was.

  And how beautiful.

  And how he didn’t know if he could ever get along without her.

  He felt closer to Jess in that one instant than he’d ever felt to another human being. His mind stuttered over the words to tell her what he was thinking, but they just wouldn’t come out of his mouth.

  What a time to get tongue-tied, when it suddenly seemed so monumentally important for her to understand how he felt, how much she meant to him.

  “Jess, I—” he started, only to stumble to a stop. The awkward silence loomed before him in the air, feeling very much like that breath-holding moment when he was about to disarm a bomb, knowing that the slightest false move would cause it to blow up in his face.

  Only this time he wasn’t working to save the lives of others. It was his own heart on the line.

  “Nate?” she asked, her voice full of concern.

  He turned as much as his large body would allow within the confines of his seat. The steering wheel bit into his side, but he didn’t really care.

  The only thing that mattered was this moment.

  This woman.

  When she reached for the door handle, Nate put out his hand to stop her. Their fingers met, and the electricity between them was palpable.