Читать книгу Bachelor to the Rescue - Lorraine Beatty - Страница 10
Оглавление“You’ll be staying on this side of the house.” Shaw unlocked the bulky door beside her, pushed it open, then handed her the key.
With a hand on each daughter’s shoulder, she urged them into the large living room, pleasantly surprised at what she found. The apartment was fully furnished. Everything was covered with sheets, but she could make out a sofa and chairs, and various small tables. The rooms looked livable despite the accumulation of dust. A little elbow grease should fix that. It was definitely preferable to sleeping in the car.
“The woman who owned the house lived here until she was into her nineties. After she passed, her family removed the sentimental items and left the rest. You should have everything you need.”
The house was the embodiment of Victorian style. The large windows, with intricate moldings, were covered with aged lace curtains, but still allowed in plenty of sunlight. French doors provided access to the front porch. Beside it, the curved walls of the tower added another element of charm to the room. It was a welcome change from the cramped apartment she’d shared with her mother, and the small garage apartment her former employer had provided. The girls ran to the tower, peeking out the long narrow windows.
Natalie smiled over her shoulder. “Mommy, this can be our Princess Club.”
Shaw gave Lainie a puzzled look. “Princess Club?”
“It’s a game the girls like to play. They find a cozy corner and pretend it’s their special castle where they can play dress up and do crafts.”
Chrissy pushed her glasses up, her expression serious. “It’s only for girls.”
Natalie ran back to Beaux and hugged his neck. “And cute dogs.” Chrissy smiled and nodded in agreement.
Shaw ran a thumb along his jaw. “Uh, Beaux is a boy dog.”
The girls looked at each other. Then Natalie whispered in her sister’s ear, generating an enthusiastic nod that sent the little girl’s ponytail waving. “Boy dogs are allowed. But not real boys.”
Shaw led them to the rear of the apartment into a large kitchen. The once-white cabinets were yellow with age, the laminate countertops worn and scratched, but there was a cozy quality that appealed to Lainie. She could envision a large family gathered here for a hearty meal, discussing the day’s events, and sharing laughter.
Shaw rested a hand on his hip, glancing around the kitchen. “Everything works. I keep it up in case I have to rent it out. I’d hoped to restore the place and get it on the market, but that’s on hold now.”
“You were going to sell it?” How could anyone not want to live in this lovely home? Even divided in half it was amazing.
“A single guy doesn’t need a place like this.”
“But you’ll have a family someday.”
He drew his eyebrows together in a frown, one corner of his mouth lifting in a sardonic smile. “Me? And give up my unencumbered bachelor life? Not in this century.”
She should have known. His statement reinforced what her husband had always said about him. He was the stereotypical self-absorbed bachelor, a man who liked the ladies, but wanted no part of the responsibility that came with a real relationship.
Shaw pointed to the narrow staircase at the back. “There are two bedrooms and a full bath upstairs.”
That’s when she saw it. The door-sized opening in the wall between her kitchen and the main hallway. She could see straight through to Shaw’s kitchen. Setting her jaw, she faced Shaw. “What is that? You said we’d have privacy and safety. Not with a giant hole in the wall we won’t.”
Shaw grimaced. “Yeah. Just some exploratory work. I’ll take care of it.”
“When?”
“Today.”
It suddenly occurred to her that she and her girls would be alone with Shaw in this house. Concern skimmed along her nerves. She was accepting help from a stranger. All she knew for certain was that he had been irresponsible in looking out for her husband. “Do all the door have locks?”
His blue eyes bored into hers. “You’re safe here. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
Lainie pulled her gaze away from Shaw’s probing assessment as her girls ran past.
“Mommy, look at the trees.” Natalie pressed her nose to the multipaned back door that led to a wide back porch and a large yard.
“Trees,” Chrissy said in awe.
Natalie looked over her shoulder at Shaw. “Mister, is there a swing?”
Shaw frowned, glancing at Lainie with a puzzled expression. “No.”
Natalie’s lower lip poked out. “But I wanted there to be a swing.”
Lainie peered out the window, at the tall leafy trees above full shrubs and a wide green lawn.
“Mom, can we play in the yard? Please?”
She couldn’t blame the girls for wanting to run and play. They’d never had a yard. Apartment life was limiting for children. She’d dreamed of a place like this to raise her girls. Maybe after she’d worked a few years, she could afford to buy them a home of their own. Lainie took Natalie’s hair in her hands gathering it at the back of the little neck before letting it go. “Not right now.”
Shaw cleared his throat. “Uh, Lainie, we need to talk. Maybe the kids could play outside for a while? Beaux can go with them. He’s a great guard dog.”
The serious expression on Shaw’s face started the anxiety in her stomach swirling again. She sent up a quick prayer. She couldn’t take any more bad news. “Girls, you can play outside for a while. Mr. Shaw and I need to talk. Take Beaux with you.”
With squeals of delight, Natalie and Chrissy rushed out the door. Lainie gathered what little strength she had left and looked at Shaw. “What is it?”
Shaw dragged a hand down the back of his neck. His dark eyes were filled with confusion and concern. Finally, he smiled. “Come over to my kitchen. You can use my phone and computer to get your accounts closed.”
He’d changed the subject. Why? But he was right. First things first. She couldn’t afford to have that crook charging her cards to the limit.
Shaw gave her an encouraging smile. “Don’t worry. It’ll all work out.”
Oh, but she did worry. She had mountains of things to worry about, and relying on Shaw was at the top of the list. How could she depend on someone who couldn’t take care of the people entrusted to him? Lainie followed Shaw through the opening. The minute her accounts were taken care of, she and her girls were out of here. She just had to hang on and get through the next few days. Once she started work at the library, everything would be fine.
* * *
Shaw settled Lainie at his kitchen table with his laptop and helped her get started on contacting her creditors to close her accounts, then he went outside to bring in her luggage. Having Lainie in his home created an odd tension in his chest and triggered a variety of unwelcome emotions. He’d never expected to see her again, let alone assume responsibility for her and her children. He’d worked hard to conquer the guilt associated with Craig’s accident. But now, every time he saw Lainie and those girls, he’d be faced with the consequences of his actions. In less than an hour, his old doubts and remorse had clawed their way to the forefront of his mind.
He sent up a prayer for strength. Somehow he had to take care of Lainie and her children, and keep the past at bay, because he needed all his focus on the job. Too much was at stake.
After hauling in several suitcases and bags from Lainie’s car, there was nothing else to distract him from the real problem—telling Lainie that her job wasn’t going to start this week. Or the week after. While the residents of Dover were grateful for the donation made by the anonymous benefactor, the many strings attached had caused problems. One of the biggest was the rumor that beloved former head librarian, Millie Tedrow, wasn’t going to return. Shaw wasn’t sure how the townspeople would react when they learned Lainie got the job instead. He had to prepare her for what she might be facing, and it would be up to him to stand between her and the town. If she’d accept his help.
Lainie was still sitting at the computer when he returned. She shifted in her chair and her thick, dark hair brushed across her shoulders like a curtain of brown silk. She wore ankle-length sand-colored pants and a bright yellow top that skimmed her curves. He shut down his observation.
He hated to interrupt, but she needed to know the situation. She glanced at him and he looked into her warm chocolate eyes, feeling momentarily disoriented. He didn’t remember her lashes being so long or her eyes so expressive. He could read her every emotion, and right now he read fear and anxiety. She was waiting for the next shoe to drop, and he was about to drop a big one. “How’s it going?”
She nodded, chewing on her thumbnail. “Almost done.”
She tapped a few more keys, her intense concentration evident in the rigid lift to her shoulders. He stepped to the back door, watching her little girls play. They resembled their father with their blond hair and blue eyes. Shaw rubbed his forehead. Funny, he only remembered one child.
“All done.” Lainie came to his side, looking out at her daughters. “They needed to run and play. It’s been a long day for them.”
The weary tone in her voice concerned him. “You, too.” She shrugged without looking at him. “Lainie, I need to tell you something about your job at the library.”
“What?”
The fear that flashed through her eyes filled him with dread. Best get this over with. “You won’t be starting work at the library this week.”
“You’re wrong. Mr. Ogden said I would start on the eighth. That’s this Thursday.”
“The library isn’t finished.” The confusion in her eyes made him want to hold her close, the way he had outside the police station when she’d nearly collapsed. His nerves still vibrated from holding her in his arms, inhaling the strawberry scent of her hair, feeling her tremble against this chest.
“What do you mean it’s not finished? I don’t understand.”
“The project is three weeks behind.”
“Project? I thought this was a new building.”
Shaw dragged a hand across his jaw. “The old Webster House was donated to the city for use as the library, along with the funds to remodel it, and provide books and staff.”
She crossed her arms, and frowned. “What happened? Why isn’t it ready?”
“We ran into unforeseen problems. It happens. Especially in old buildings like this one.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What do you have to do with it?”
“I’m the contractor.”
Lainie’s eyes widened in shock. “Why are you so far behind? Why didn’t you stay on top of things?”
Her words scraped like a steel rasp across his old guilt. She had every reason to think he was at fault. “There were foundation problems, and we uncovered asbestos in the walls, then—”
She held up her hand to stop his explanation, then rested her fists on the sides of her neck as if protecting herself from more bad news. His heart ached. She looked so defeated. She’d been through so much and he was piling on more.
“Why didn’t Mr. Ogden let me know?”
“I don’t know. I’m only involved with the construction phase.”
Shaw saw the full realization sink in. Her shoulders slumped and she leaned against the wall. “What am I going to do? I have to have a job.”
He stepped closer, catching a whiff of her strawberry scent. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of everything. It’s the least I can do.”
A flash of anger sparked in her brown eyes. “Because you owe me?”
He winced at the truth of her comment. “Yes. But I also want to help. None of this is your fault.”
“No, it’s not.”
Shaw clenched his jaw. Her inference was clear. It was his fault she was a single mother. “But I can take care of things until you’re squared away.”
“Like that?” She pointed to the opening in the wall.
He grimaced. He should have thought about the opening. But then he hadn’t been expecting his past to slap him in the face. “I’ll fix it right now.”
She leveled her gaze at him, then walked through the opening to her side of the house. With her back straight and head high, her posture told him he’d better fix it. If he wasn’t so tied in knots, he would have found her attitude amusing.
In his garage workshop, Shaw inspected the extra lumber and other leftover materials he kept at the back. He moved a few pieces of scrap wood aside and picked up the single French door and leaned it against the workbench. It wasn’t the best solution to the hole in the wall, but it would have to do. His gaze fell on the coil of rope at the end of the counter. It would be the perfect size and length for a swing. He dismissed the idea. Lainie and her kids would be here for only a couple of days. Once she had her business settled, she’d be gone.
He hooked his tape measure onto his belt, shoved a few shims and screws into his pocket, then picked up the door and headed to the house. In the hallway, he rested the door against the wall, took some measurements, mentally calculating the best way to secure the door in the opening. Giggles and footsteps sounded overhead. Lainie’s girls.
They were two little cuties, for sure. Natalie, with her long curly hair and deep dimples was full of sparkle. She smiled and bounced every moment as if happy with life. The little one was more serious, with straight hair pulled back into a ponytail and wispy strands falling around her face. Tiny glasses perched on a button nose added cuteness to her already-sweet face. It must have been hard raising them alone. How had they managed these past five years? Who had Lainie turned to for help? Family? Friends?
He’d tried to offer his help right after the accident, but she’d refused his calls, and at the funeral, she’d ordered him to leave, making it clear she blamed him for her husband’s death. He could still feel the hot sting of her last words to him that day. “I don’t need anything from you. Ever.” But now she did, and he wasn’t going to let them down. He’d protect them and provide for them until they were safe and settled. As long as they were under his roof, he’d make sure they had everything they needed. They were his responsibility now.
Shaw channeled all his energy into securing the door into the opening. He was stooped down, driving in the last screw when Lainie appeared on the other side of the door. She glared through the pane, a deep frown on her face. He knew what was coming.
“It’s glass.”
Her words were muffled. He nodded and shrugged. She pursed her lips and pivoted on her heel. A few seconds later, she pushed through his back door and stopped at his side.
“You can see through it. Don’t you have some wood or something to cover this opening?”
“Not here at the house. I’m sure you can find something to hang over the door to maintain your privacy.” He pushed to his feet. “I’m hardly ever here. You’ll have the place to yourself most of the time.”
A knock at the back door drew his attention. Russ stepped into the hall, glancing between Shaw and Lainie. “You still need that ride?”
“I’ll be ready in a minute. Lainie, this is my foreman, Russ Franklin. Russ, this is Lainie Hollings.” Shaw ignored the stunned look on his friend’s face. “I asked him to stop by and take me to pick up my truck. Is there anything you need me to get for you while I’m out?”
Lainie crossed her arms over her chest, her reluctance to ask for more help evident in her pursed lips. “Food. The girls will be getting hungry and all I have are a few snacks.”
Shaw nodded. “No problem. Make me a list.” After muttering a pleasantry to Russ, Lainie returned to her side of the house. Shaw looked at Russ and saw his dark eyes brimming with questions.
“So that’s the woman whose husband fell.”
Shaw set his jaw. He didn’t want to discuss that day. “Yes.”
Russ whistled softly. “Interesting how the Lord works things out.”
“What are you talking about?”
“Putting this woman in your path again. Maybe He’s telling you it’s time to face a few things.”
Beaux slipped in through the doggie door and trotted to Russ’s side, wagging his tail at the rigorous rubbing he received.
Shaw ignored the comment and gathered up his tools. Russ was the only one who knew how the weight of Hollings’s death had affected Shaw. The guilt over the accident had sent him into a dark place. He’d left Beaumont Construction and moved to Gulf Shores, Alabama, and hired on with Russ’s company. When his behavior had started to affect his work, Russ had taken him under his wing, got him into church and helped him get his life back on track. Shaw had focused all his energy on mastering his craft, which had led to a job with Laura Durrant in Dover, a well-respected restorationist.
Russ examined the French door opening in the wall. “You used that to fill the hole?”
“Don’t have anything else. The boys used all my plywood during class last week.” He taught woodworking to some of the teens in town. Last week, they’d used the last of his plywood to make shelves for the church storage closet. He hadn’t had time to buy more.
Inside the cab of Russ’s truck, Shaw fastened his seat belt and stared straight ahead. “I had to tell her the library is behind schedule.”
“What for?”
He glanced at Russ. “Because she’s the new librarian.”
Russ exhaled a long slow whistle. “Not Miss Millie, huh?”
“Nope.”
“That’s not going to set well with some folks.”
“No kidding. I didn’t live here during her time, but even I know that Millie is the only person the town will accept to run the library.” Awarding the job to a stranger would cause a lot of hurt feelings and angry complaints.
“How’d she take it?”
“Not well. She’s depending on that job to support her kids.”
“That’s a shame.”
“Yeah. Another reason for her to hate me.”
“You sure having this woman stay with you is a good idea? I remember how you were after the accident. I’d hate to see you backslide after all this time.”
His friend meant well, but he didn’t understand. “I can’t turn her away. I owe her.”
“So you’re looking at this as some kind of atonement? It was an accident.”
“Was it?” Shaw faced the side window. Was it an accident, or had he been negligent? Only the Lord knew for sure. He had relived the events leading up to that moment a thousand times, but had never found an answer that satisfied him. He doubted he ever would.
* * *
Lainie tucked the covers around her girls then bent to kiss them good-night. They looked so small in the big iron bed. They were her whole life and the reason she’d gone back to school to get her degree in library science. More than anything, she wanted to give them a real home, a place with roots and tradition. Because of her father’s job, Lainie had grown up moving from one place to another, always the new kid with few friends and fewer ties. She wanted better for her girls, and Dover was the perfect place. Or so she’d believed until today.
“Mommy, I want to live in this castle forever.” Chrissy held up her glasses and Lainie laid them on the nightstand.
Natalie rolled her eyes. “It’s not a castle, silly. It’s only a house. We’re staying for a few days, then we’ll find us a house of our own.” She smoothed back Natalie’s hair, her heart swelling with love.
“But I like this house.” Natalie rolled onto her side. “Will our next house have trees in the yard?”
Chrissy sat up. “Can we get a dog? With polka spots like Beaux?”
“Polka dots. We’ll see.” Lainie gently pressed her youngest down into the covers. “Now go to sleep.”
Lainie laid the girls’ clothes on the window seat, taking a quick glance into the darkness. The moon was full, casting a stream of light across the wide yard and making the leaves sparkle. She had to agree with her girls. She liked the house, too. The window seat was cozy and inviting. She could imagine her daughters cuddled up reading or watching the rain. Despite its quirky appearance, there was a homey feel to the house. Too bad it belonged to Shaw McKinney.
Downstairs, Lainie set about cleaning up the kitchen, her emotions playing tug-of-war between gratitude to Shaw for a place to stay and irritation that she was indebted to the man who’d made her a widow. She tried to ignore the twinge of remorse that rose up. Shaw had done all he could to make them comfortable, including closing the hole in the wall to ensure their privacy. Though she’d had to tack an old curtain she’d found in the closet over the glass panes.
He’d thought of everything. Too bad he hadn’t done that five years ago.
The silence in the old house suddenly pressed in on her, unleashing the loneliness that always lurked in the recesses of her mind. She’d been a widow longer than she’d been a wife. She’d done the best she could the past five years, and the Lord had taken care of her and her sweet babies. He’d provided a home with her mother, then a home and a job with Mrs. Forsythe after Lainie’s mom had died. But there were times she ached for someone special in her life, someone to lift the load for a moment or two.
She’d known that feeling for a brief second today when Shaw had kept her from falling. Until she had remembered who was holding her and what he’d done. Determined to overcome her depressing thoughts, she walked into the living room and picked up the toys scattered in the rounded corner, which was now the new Princess Club. As she passed the sofa, she noticed the cell phone Shaw had bought for her resting on the end table.
As much as she hated to admit it, Shaw was not what she’d expected. Craig had complained that Shaw was an arrogant bully, who strutted around the job as if he was better than everyone else. But that wasn’t what she’d seen today. He’d returned from picking up his truck with enough food for a week and a cell phone for her. He’d convinced her to take it by pointing out she might need to call for help if he wasn’t around. He’d even programmed in his cell number along with other local emergency numbers she might need.
His thoughtfulness irked her no end. It was obviously being driven by guilt. Well, she had news for him. Offering a helping hand now wouldn’t erase his carelessness in the past. He might not be as arrogant as Craig had claimed, but that didn’t wipe out what had happened.
Her thumb slid over the small phone screen. Still, it felt good to have a connection to the world again. She didn’t feel quite so alone and cut off.
A gardenia-scented breeze stirred the aged curtains on the windows, beckoning her outside to enjoy the evening air. After the day she’d had, she could use a heavy dose of peace and quiet.
Stepping out onto the wide curved porch, she inhaled the heady fragrance of the elegant white blooms glowing in the moonlight. Lainie gripped the railing, allowing the sweet scent to soothe her frayed nerves and provide a new perspective on her situation. The day could have ended much differently. But the Lord had spared their lives, provided a place to stay and the means to restore her important information. The only glitch was the person sent to help them was Shaw—and the news her job wasn’t going to start as planned. There had to be a mistake or an alternative.
She wanted to trust in whatever plan the Lord was working, but she couldn’t see any reason for Shaw being the one to come to their rescue. Everything had been going so well, on time and on schedule. Now her life had been tossed in the air like confetti, the pieces scattered in all directions.
Turning toward the far end of the porch, she gasped when she saw a figure seated on the front steps. Shaw. He was stretched out along the top step, his back against the post, one knee bent and his arm resting on his leg.
“Why are you lurking there?”
“I’m not. You looked like you wanted some alone time. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“You should have spoken up when I came out then I could have—”
“Run back inside?”
She opened her mouth to deny it, then changed her mind. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of thinking he had any influence over her. Shaw stood and ambled toward her, his boots thudding with solid force on the old boards. He was a hard man to ignore. At five feet six, she wasn’t considered petite, yet Shaw’s height and solid mass made her feel dainty. Irritated by her wayward observations, she crossed her arms over her chest and raised her chin. He stopped a few feet away, but still close enough she could catch a whiff of sawdust. She’d always liked that smell. Quickly, she looked down at the cell phone in her hand.
“If you need to call someone, I’ll leave you alone.”
She shrugged, loneliness washing through her once more. “No one to call.”
“No friends or family?” His voice was low and gentle as he studied her.
“Nope. Just me and the girls.”
“I assumed when you left Baton Rouge you went back to your family.”
“I did. I went to live with my mother in Jackson, Tennessee. Chrissy was born there. After Mom passed, I went to work for her good friend, Mrs. Forsythe, in Memphis. Now I’m here.”
“I spoke to Mary Ogden this evening. The mayor’s wife. She told me he’ll be home around lunchtime on Monday. She said you should go by his office and speak to him about your job. She feels certain he’ll do what he can.”
She couldn’t see his eyes in the dim light, but she didn’t miss the conciliatory tone in his voice. He was still trying to make up in some way for the past. Something he could never do. “Can he get the library done by Thursday?” Shaw glanced away briefly, clearly stung by her question. She snuffed out the twinge of regret that surfaced.
“No. That’s all on me, but I promise I’ll get it done as quickly as possible. You can count on me.”
She started to remind him that she’d counted on him to keep her husband safe. But as distasteful as it was to rely on Shaw’s help, she couldn’t ignore the truth. If it weren’t for him, she and the girls might have been spending the next few days in a shelter, or living out of her car. He was doing all he could to help, even if his motivation stemmed from his own guilty conscience. She looked up at him and her gaze locked with his. The light had shifted and she could see the distress in his eyes. “I appreciate your help today. I don’t know what I would have done otherwise. I’d do anything for my girls.”
“Including taking help from me?”
Lainie squared her shoulders. “Yes.” The flash of pain that shot through his eyes surprised her.
She opened the door and stepped into her living room. Shutting the door, she inhaled a few deep breaths to ease the anxiety clogging her throat. For the time being, she had no choice but to accept help from Shaw. But as soon as she met with the mayor, she’d convince him to let her start work whether the library was done or not. And the moment she received her new cards, she would find a place for her family to live and put as much distance as possible between herself and Shaw.
But as she lay in bed that night, one image kept reappearing in her mind. The flash of deep pain that had filled Shaw’s eyes. Could the accident have affected him more than she’d thought? The notion disturbed her. If that were true, then her long-held assumptions about Shaw were wrong. And they couldn’t be wrong. She’d placed him in a nice little box. Labeled neatly and precisely. Irresponsible. Not to be trusted. Her world was neat and orderly, and if Shaw wasn’t the man she’d thought he was then that meant changing, and she didn’t like change.
Besides, his whole nice-guy routine was an act calculated to ease his guilt and redeem himself for the past. Well, she had news for him. No amount of help or phony concern could make up for his careless disregard for others.
