Читать книгу A Father's Second Chance - Mindy Obenhaus - Страница 12
ОглавлениеCeleste was getting used to not seeing her condo during daylight hours. Most days she left before the sun came up and returned long after it had gone down. Still, it was home, decorated just the way she liked it. And since it was only two blocks from Granny’s Kitchen, her Mustang convertible spent most of the time tucked safely in her garage.
She hugged herself tighter, the gravel road crunching beneath her every step. Tonight seemed particularly chilly. Perhaps it was time to start thinking about wearing something heavier than her jean jacket. Luckily, with the help of Taryn and Cash and their store, All Geared Up, she had a couple of great options hanging in her closet.
By the time her frozen fingers managed to shove the key into the lock of her trilevel condo, Celeste was ready for a hot bath. Her toes were frozen inside her black wedge pumps. Maybe she’d surf the internet tonight for some cute boots. They’d have to be wedges, though. With gravel streets and so many hills, it didn’t take her long to figure out that any other type of heel was not practical in Ouray.
She climbed the first set of stairs to the main floor, flipped on the light and tossed her jacket over the arm of the leather love seat before continuing on to the third-floor master bedroom. As water filled the jetted bathtub, she contemplated her meeting with Gage. Attitude aside, the man did seem to know what he was doing. But what if that expertise cost more than she was willing to pay? She’d set a budget. She just hoped it was enough.
I’ll be the judge of that. It still irked her, the way he seemed to enjoy challenging her. Then again, she wasn’t used to being challenged. She was used to calling the shots. Giving people the information they needed in order to achieve the results she wanted. So if Gage had a problem with that, well...she’d be forced to resort to Granny’s method—ply ’em with food. Good food and lots of it.
After a much-needed soak, she padded down to the kitchen in her fuzzy pajamas for a cup of chamomile tea.
“Eww.” She set the kettle on the burner, her nose wrinkled. What was that smell? Following the trail of the offending odor, she located its source—the kitchen trash can. Next time she threw away chicken bones, she needed to discard the bag sooner.
She tugged the trash bag out from the wastebasket and cinched it closed as she started down the stairs to the garage. Note to self—buy an air freshener.
A sound echoed inside the garage as she opened the door. Like breathing. Heavy breathing.
She laughed off the notion, though. This was Ouray, not Fort Worth.
Flipping on the light, she took a step inside and froze. Two weeks’ worth of trash was strewn everywhere.
“Oh. My.” The breathing hadn’t been her imagination.
No doubt smelling the chicken in the bag she carried, the furry black creature turned toward her and snorted.
Panic coursed through her veins. Her hands shook, rustling the bag.
The monster pushed up on its hind legs. Its claws were humongous. Then it roared.
“B-b-bear!” She dropped the bag and rushed back into the house, closing the door behind her. Leaning against it, she could hear the animal on the other side as it ravaged the bag she’d held only a second ago.
What if it got in the house?
She locked the door.
Like that was going to stop him. With those claws, it could probably smash right through the door. She had to get out of here.
Her neighbors. They’d know what to do.
She bolted out the front, across the cold, damp grass, and banged on their door. No answer.
Stepping back, she stared at the darkened house. Only then did she remember the Jacksons were out of town.
She looked around. The house across the street was all lit up. She hadn’t met the people before, but this seemed like as good a time as any.
Gravel cut into her bare feet as she crossed the road, but that was nothing compared with what that bear would do if it got ahold of her.
She stumbled up the front steps and knocked on the storm door. Her breaths were coming quick. Too quick. Funny, she’d always been one to remain calm in a crisis. But the sight of those fangs just a few feet from her...White spots darted through her vision.
The door jerked open and Gage Purcell gawked at her as if she was a madwoman.
Then everything went black.
* * *
Celeste awakened to find three pairs of blue eyes staring down at her.
She leaped to her feet. Eyes wide, she took in the unfamiliar surroundings—the dollhouse against the wall, the pile of unfolded laundry at one end of the dining table, the two blonde girls watching her every move. “Where am I?”
“In our living room.” Gage folded his arms across his chest, his white T-shirt revealing rather large biceps. Couple that with the five-o’clock shadow lining his jaw and he looked like he belonged in a men’s cologne ad. “You passed out on our porch.”
“I—I did?” She struggled to remember.
“Yes. So I suggest you sit back down. At least until you can get your bearings.”
She returned to the tan sofa without argument, her head swimming. “Why was I—?” Then she remembered. “The bear. He—he...how long was I out?”
“A couple minutes.” Gage’s brow wrinkled as he took a seat in the rocker recliner opposite her. “What bear?”
“In my garage.”
“I wanna see the bear.” Emma plopped beside Celeste.
Her arm instinctively went around the child’s shoulders. “Not this bear, sweetie. He was huge. And his teeth...” She shuddered.
Gage leaned back, crossing one ankle over the other knee. “Ah, it’s not uncommon for bears to come wandering into town.” His tone was annoyingly nonchalant. “Especially this time of year. Food sources are getting scarce up in the mountains.”
She glared at him, her teeth clenched. “It was in my house.”
“Perhaps you left your garage door open.”
She sent him an incredulous look. “Now, why would I do that? Besides, it hasn’t been opened in weeks.”
“I meant the back door. As I recall, that whole row of condos—” he pointed in the direction of her house “—has doors on the back of the garage.”
“I don’t know when I would have opened it. It’s been a while since I’ve even been in there.”
“Maybe it wasn’t latched properly. The wind probably blew it open.”
“That doesn’t negate the fact that there’s a bear in my garage!”
He leaned forward, rested his forearms on his thighs. “Do you have an electric garage door opener?”
“Yes.”
“How do you open it?”
“The remote’s in my car. There’s also a keypad by the garage.”
“That’s just what I was hoping.” He pushed to his feet, wearing a satisfied smile. “All you have to do is open the garage door. The bear will leave, and we can all get a good night’s sleep.”
She practically had to pick her jaw up off the floor. “What are you? Some kind of nut?”
One dark brow lifted.
“What if the bear comes after me once he leaves the garage?”
“He won’t, because you’ll be waiting inside the house. Once the bear’s gone, you shut everything down.”
She rubbed her arms, barely believing what she’d just heard. She couldn’t go back over there. Not with that monster on the loose.
Gage raked his fingers through his short hair and let go a sigh. “What’s the code?”
“Code?”
“For the keypad.”
“You mean you’ll—”
“Just as soon as you give me the code.”
She chewed her bottom lip. “Um...”
“Great. You don’t know it, do you?”
“I do. I just have to remember what it is.” She focused on the rustic coffee table littered with cups, papers and crayons.
“Well, if you want that bear out of your house, I suggest you remember.”
“I will.” She tugged Emma closer, rubbing the soft sleeve of the child’s flannel nightgown. “But, in case you haven’t noticed, I’m a little freaked out.” A feeling she definitely wasn’t used to.
He shoved his bare feet into a pair of boots that were next to the door. “By the way, girls, this is Celeste. Celeste, Cassidy—” he motioned to the oldest girl, who sat in the second chair “—and you remember Emma.”
The child beside her grinned.
“I like your princess pajamas.” Cassidy sent her a shy smile.
Celeste’s head dropped in dismay as she surveyed her attire. Being caught in her pajamas was bad enough, but to have Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella and Snow White emblazoned on the front was downright humiliating. Not to mention the pink and blue hearts all over the fleece bottoms.
“5-9-2-7.” She jerked her head up.
Gage took a step closer. “Come again?”
She repeated the numbers, slower this time.
“Is your front door open?”
“Yes. But...what if he doesn’t leave?”
“He’ll leave. I guarantee you startled him every bit as much as he startled you.”
“I doubt it,” she said under her breath.
He reached for the door. “Girls, you need to get back in bed.”
Only then did Celeste realize that her theatrics had probably woken them.
Emma followed him. “But, Daddy, we wanna see the bear.”
As much as Celeste wanted to see the bear, too, if only to reassure herself that he was indeed gone, she knew she’d upset their routine. And since tomorrow was a school day...
“Sorry, Emma.” Celeste stood. “It’s late and you have school in the morning.” She laid a hand on the child’s shoulder. “You need to do what your Daddy says.”
The frowns on their faces nearly ripped her heart out. How did Gage ever discipline them?
“How about I read you a story?”
That seemed to turn their frowns upside down.
“Night, Daddy.” Cassidy hugged him first, quickly followed by Emma.
As the two girls started down the hallway off the living room, Gage opened the door.
“I’ll try to have them settled before you get back,” Celeste said.
He nodded. “Good.” Then closed the door behind him.
* * *
Gage tromped across the street to the condo he hadn’t seen anybody go into or out of in recent months. Ouray was a small town. But what were the odds that Celeste would live right across the street from him?
Roughing a hand over his face, he glimpsed the starry sky. He was never going to get the girls to sleep. They were beyond wired tonight, probably from the cookies Celeste gave them. Which meant he could forget about finishing that quote. Or the laundry. Or anything else, for that matter. And he didn’t even want to think about the challenges he’d have waking them up tomorrow morning.
He frowned as he approached the well-maintained condo. If he accepted this project with Celeste, would she bang on his door at all hours of the night, telling him how to do his job?
Surely she wouldn’t.
Would she?
Not unless she found another bear in her garage.
He’d never forget the sight of her standing on his front porch, her long blond hair piled precariously on top of her head, eyes big as saucers...right before she passed out.
Not quite the tough facade he’d seen this afternoon. When he carried her inside, she’d looked so...small. Fragile. And smelled of vanilla.
Chucking the annoying thought, he lifted the lid on the remote keypad and punched in the numbers Celeste had given him. He should be at home, making sure Emma and Cassidy were in bed. Not catering to some city girl. He’d done enough of that with Tracy.
Light spilled from the garage as the door began its ascent. Gage stepped inside the front door, only to discover the window was frosted.
He peered down the narrow hall, then up the stairwell. Only one way to get the view he needed.
He climbed the first set of steps and paused at the landing to check the view out of the small rectangular window. Perfect. But what was that loud whistling noise?
With no sign of the bear, he took the second set of stairs two at a time. The beautifully decorated living room stopped him in his tracks, though. Looking at the brown leather furniture with its perfectly placed throw pillows, he felt as though he were invading Celeste’s privacy. Like he shouldn’t be here.
Probably because he shouldn’t. He should be with his daughters. Not leaving them alone with a stranger. And for all practical purposes, Celeste was a stranger. Aside from the fact that she was a good cook, bossy and had an appreciation for historic architecture, what did he really know about her?
Training his ear on that incessant whistling, he whisked past the pristine dining area and rounded into the kitchen. On the stove, steam spewed from the spout of a kettle. He quickly turned it off and moved the kettle to another burner before marching back down to the window without so much as another glance at Celeste’s inner sanctum.
He resumed his post just as the bear wandered into the driveway. It was a young one. Not a cub, by any means, but not an adult either. With the whistling silenced, Gage could hear the animal’s unhappy grunts, as well as a few of his own.
The bear continued down the street, but Gage watched until it was out of sight before returning to the first level. He hurried past the bathroom and bedroom that were off the foyer then entered the garage via the interior door.
Oh, man. He admired the black ragtop Mustang parked inside. “Talk about a sweet ride.” He slowly circled the vehicle, looking for signs of damage. A couple of scratches on the rear bumper but, lucky for Celeste, the canvas was untouched.
Scanning the rest of the single-car space, he shook his head. That bear must have had a good ol’ time. And based on what little he saw of Celeste’s immaculate house, she was not going to like this. What a mess.
As he suspected, the back door was open. He closed it and twisted the dead bolt, making sure it was secure, then grabbed a lawn and leaf bag from the box on the shelf and started collecting the trash that had been scattered.
Why are you doing this?
He thought about the look on Celeste’s face when he explained how to get rid of the bear. Not to mention the way she backed him up when he told the girls to go to bed. Actually, he was kind of surprised she did that. It had been a long time since somebody had his back.
After gathering the trash, he tied the bag and tossed it in the receptacle, making sure to secure the lid. Then he turned out the light and used the keypad to close the garage door before returning to his house.
All was quiet when he stepped inside, so he continued down the hall to check on the girls. Amidst the warm glow of their pink butterfly lamp, he could see that both were asleep. And so was Celeste.
She was leaning against Emma’s white headboard, head drooped to one side, with a book in her lap. One hand lay atop Emma’s back as the child snuggled beside her.
Something shifted inside him. He longed for his girls to have a mother’s nurturing. Someone who did those little things that said, “I love you.” Things like reading books, painting their nails and doing their hair. Someone who understood tea parties and Barbie dolls. Someone who was a helpmate to him.
Looking away, he ran a hand through his hair. He wasn’t cut out for marriage, though. Even if he was, it certainly wouldn’t be with someone like Celeste. She was too much like his ex. Confident, independent, driven...All things that had drawn him to Tracy.
Unfortunately, Tracy had had no interest in motherhood.
Time to get Celeste out of here. He never should have left her with Emma and Cassidy in the first place.
Making his way between the two twin beds, he laid a hand on Celeste’s arm.
She didn’t move.
He leaned over until his mouth was inches from her ear. “Celeste?” He caught a whiff of vanilla.
A strand of her hair tickled his cheek, causing him to jump.
Celeste did, too. “What are you doing?” Though her words were whispered, they were undeniably sharp.
“Trying to wake you up.” He stormed out of the room and busied himself by straightening the living room until Celeste appeared.
“You’ve got a couple of great kids there.” She crossed her arms. “Not one argument. They settled right in and were asleep before I even finished the story.”
“I’m glad they didn’t give you any trouble.” He set the girls’ backpacks beside the front door. “You’ll be happy to know that your house is bear-free.”
“Thank you. You saved my life tonight.”
“I doubt that.” He darted into the kitchen to dump a handful of string cheese wrappers. “He was just a little guy.”
“Little? Not when he was standing on his hind legs, looking me straight in the eye.”
He rejoined her. “If he would have been full grown, he’d have been looking down at you.” Much like he was right now. When did she get so short?
“I guess I’d better go.” She moved to the door. “I really do appreciate you helping me out, though.”
He nodded, holding the door open. “Doesn’t look like I’ll have that quote by tomorrow.”
“I understand.” She stepped onto the porch and stared across the street. Judging by the way her fingers dug into her arms, she was scared.
He knew he should walk her home. Set her at ease.
But he couldn’t. Not while his heart was longing for things that would never be.
He peered up at the darkened sky. “I’ll keep watch. Make sure you get home safely.”
Her smile lacked its usual confidence. “Okay.” She started down the stairs. “Thanks again, Gage. I owe you.”
She moved quickly across the street and up her front walk. At the door, she paused and waved before disappearing inside.
He felt like a jerk.
No, he felt like a fool for entertaining such crazy thoughts.
He went back into his house and dropped onto the sofa. He must be tired. But there was no way he’d be able to sleep. He needed to focus on something else.
Standing, he moved to the dining table and opened his laptop. May as well work on a quote. With nothing else in the pipeline, he’d need the work. And, if God didn’t want him to have the job, Celeste would turn him down anyway.
But what if He does want you to have this job?
Gage sighed. Then he’d just have to get through it as quickly as possible.
