Читать книгу The Protector's Promise - Shirlee McCoy - Страница 11

“Hey! Mister! Hey! Can you hear me?” The muffled voice drifted into Grayson Sinclair’s dreams, pulling him toward consciousness. Exactly where he didn’t want to be.

He bit back a groan and threw an arm over his eyes, refusing to open them. He’d spent most of the past forty-eight hours catching up on work and calling contractors to try to line up workers who could make his parents’ Lynchburg rental property handicap accessible. Jude would be staying there once he was released from the hospital.

It had taken ten phone calls to convince his brother of that. Only by threatening the unthinkable—their mother staying with Jude in his New York apartment while he recovered—had Grayson been able to achieve his goal. He wanted his brother close to family during the long recovery ahead. Eventually his brother might thank him for that.

“Mister?” The little kid’s voice intruded again, and this time he couldn’t ignore it.

Grayson scowled and dropped his arm, glancing around the sunny solarium, searching for the speaker. He spotted her quickly, the Day-Glo pink coat and bright pink tutu she wore standing out in stark relief against the grays and browns of early winter. Face pressed against the glass, dark hair spilling out in wild ringlets, Honor Malone’s daughter looked just as impish as she had two days ago. Not that he’d thought much about the Malone family since then.

Liar.

He’d thought plenty about them. Especially Honor. If he hadn’t been so busy, he might have given in to temptation, stepped through the shrubs that separated their property and knocked on the bungalow’s door.

“What are you doing out there, Lily?”

“Looking for a horse.”

“Well, you’re not going to find one here.” Grayson strode to the door and pulled it open, the blast of icy cold air nearly stealing his breath.

“Are you sure? Because I was thinking maybe you had one inside your house. It’s a big house. Really big enough for a horse to live in.” She stared up at him, her eyes a deep shade of blue, her cheeks pink from cold.

“Sorry. I don’t keep horses in my house.” He grabbed a jacket from one of the fancy coat hooks his ex-fiancée had insisted be installed.

“But Mommy said you had to have one.”

“Did she? And did she say you were allowed to come over here to look for it?” He slid on the jacket and put a hand on Lily’s shoulder, steering her toward the back of his property as he spoke.

“No.”

“Does she even know you’re out here?”

“Lily? Lily Mae Malone, you’d better come out from wherever you are. Right now!” Honor’s shrill voice carried across the cold backyard and answered Grayson’s question. Obviously, she hadn’t known her daughter was outside, and obviously Lily was about to catch some major trouble.

He glanced down at the little girl, almost feeling sorry for her. Almost, but not quite. The world was a dangerous place. A kid like Lily should never be wandering around in it alone.

“She’s over here,” he called out to Honor. They were still fifty yards from the back edge of his property when the thick shrubs parted and she raced into view, dressed in what looked like red nurse’s scrubs. Her straight black hair gleaming in the sunlight, her skin glowing pink from exertion or cold, she ran across the yard and pulled Lily up into her arms.

“Thank goodness you’re all right. Candace and I were worried sick. What were you thinking leaving the house by yourself?” The words flew out in quick, frantic pants of breath, fear flashing in her eyes as she met Grayson’s gaze.

Green eyes. Much brighter than he’d remembered. Flecked with blue and gold. Rimmed with black lashes that were striking against Honor’s creamy skin. For a moment, Grayson felt caught in her gaze, pulled deep into a world he’d stayed away from for months. When he looked in Honor’s eyes, he forgot why.

“I’m so sorry, Grayson. I hope Lily wasn’t bothering you.” Honor’s voice shook slightly as she spoke and her arms were tight around her daughter as if she planned to hold the little girl close forever, keeping her safe from the ugliness that existed in the world.

If only life were that simple.

If only a person really could keep a loved one safe by sheer force of will. “She wasn’t.”

“I’m not sure I believe you. Lily has a one-track mind about certain things. Though I have to say, she’s never pulled a stunt like this before.” She paused, looking her daughter in the eyes. “And she never will again. Will you, Lily Mae?”

“I just wanted to see if he had a horse, Mommy. A white one. Like you said. Remember?”

Honor’s brow furrowed and she frowned. “I remember. Just as I’m sure you remember our rules about going outside without permission. Don’t you?”

“Yes.” Lily lisped the response, her face a mirror of Honor’s. Both were pink-cheeked with freckles dotting their noses. Lily’s hair was a few shades lighter than her mother’s, her eyes blue rather than green, but she possessed the same heart-shaped face and high cheekbones. And the same indefinable quality that would make people want to take a second look.

They made a pretty picture as they frowned into each other’s eyes, barely aware of Grayson. If he’d had a camera with him, Grayson would have snapped a picture. It was the kind of moment he’d thought he’d see a lot of as he watched his wife and children blossom in the large house his exfiancée, Maria, had insisted on…before she’d informed him that kids weren’t in her plans for at least another five years.

He frowned, wondering why he was thinking about something he’d decided months ago to put out of his mind.

“If you knew the rules, then why did you break them? You could have been hurt, or gotten lost. Anything could have happened. We’ve talked about this before. You know how important it is never to go out alone.” Honor’s words broke into his thoughts, and he was glad for the distraction.

“I’m sorry, Mommy. I just needed to know.” There were tears in Lily’s eyes, and Grayson felt his heart melting.

“What did you need to know?”

“If he was a prince. A real one with a white horse. Because if he is, he can slay the dragon. And then everything will be okay.”

“Sweetheart, we’ve been over this a hundred times before. There are no princes in Lakeview. And there are no dragons, either.” Honor spoke with weary resignation, and Grayson wondered how many times and in how many ways she’d said the same thing.

“But, Mommy—”

“Lily, enough! Just for a while, let’s stop talking about it.” Honor brushed a hand over Lily’s cheek, shivering a little as she set her daughter on the ground. The nurse’s scrubs she wore were short sleeved and her feet were bare. She must have run from the house without thinking of anything but finding Lily. That kind of desperation, that kind of fear was something Grayson understood only too well. When he’d received the call about Jude, he’d left the house unlocked, left the lights blazing, left cases that were going to trial. He’d driven to New York with nothing but his wallet and the clothes he was wearing. And he’d stayed there until his brother was on his way to recovery.

“Here.” He shrugged out of his jacket and dropped it around Honor’s shoulders. For a moment she met his eyes again, the worry and fear in her gaze making him want to tell her that everything would be okay. That her imaginative little girl would stay safe. That the world would be as kind to Lily as it should be.

Then she looked away, the contact between them gone, the moment spent. “Thank you, but now you’ll be cold.”

“I’m wearing a sweater. I’ll be warm enough.”

“My mother would call you a true gentleman.”

“Yeah? And what would you call me?”

She eyed him carefully, her gaze touching hair he knew needed a trim, the beard that he hadn’t taken time to shave, the thick sweater his sister Piper had bought at a county craft fair a few months ago and given to him because, she’d said, it matched his eyes. “Trouble.”

Her answer surprised him, and Grayson laughed. The first honest-to-goodness laugh he’d had in weeks. Maybe longer. “I guess you get points for honesty.”

“And I guess you get points for not denying the truth.” Honor took her daughter’s hand. “We’ve got to get back home, Lily Mae, or Candace will have the police out here looking for you.”

“But, what about the dragon? We need to find a prince to slay him before he gets us.”

“There is no dragon, so there’s no way he could get us.”

Really, Grayson should stay out of it. Go back inside the house, close the door and let Honor and her daughter work things out without an audience. Unfortunately, staying out of things wasn’t something Grayson had ever been good at. “Listen, Lily, I don’t have a white horse. I don’t have a horse at all, but if a dragon does show up, I’ll do my best to slay it. I promise.”

Honor stiffened, shooting Grayson a censorious look. “Promises are a dime a dozen, Grayson. As easily broken as they are made. Besides, there are no dragons. And if there were, I would figure out a way to slay them myself.” Obviously, he’d touched on a sore point, but Grayson didn’t plan to apologize.

“I’m sure you would, but a little help wouldn’t be amiss in a situation like that.”

“Besides, Mommy, the princess never slays the dragon. Only a prince can do that.” Lily had broken away from her mother and was spinning around in circles, her tutu as bright as the flowers that had bloomed last spring.

“Who says princesses never slay dragons?” Honor continued walking across the yard, Grayson’s coat falling past her thighs. She looked smaller than he’d remembered. More delicate.

“All the books, Mommy. Every single one.”

“And we know how true those books are, don’t we?” There was amusement in her words and in the fond gaze she settled on her daughter.

“They are true. They really are.”

“Oh, Lily, what am I going to do with you?” Honor spoke so quietly, Grayson almost didn’t hear.

“You’re going to keep doing what you’ve been doing—loving her unconditionally.” He bent close to whisper the words in Honor’s ear and caught the heady aroma of summer sunshine and wild flowers.

“You’re right. That’s exactly what I’ll do. That, and worry every day that her dreams will take her away from me.” She smiled, but the sadness behind her eyes was unmistakable. “For now, I’m just enjoying her. She’s such a funny little girl.”

“And a special one.”

“That, too.” Honor called to Lily and pushed through the heavy shrubs.

Grayson knew he should probably stay on his side of the barrier, but knowing that didn’t stop him.

He followed the two Malones through the shrubs and into Honor’s backyard, pausing as the two went up the back steps, not sure how he’d even ended up there. Honor was pretty. Intelligent. Compassionate. He’d known other women like her. What was it about Honor that made him want to know more? That made him want to talk to her about everything and about nothing?

She turned before she opened the door, the morning sunlight reflected in her blue-black hair and shimmering in her forest-green eyes. The sight made the breath catch in Grayson’s throat, made his heart leap in acknowledgment of her simple beauty.

“I’m putting on a pot of coffee if you’d like a cup.”

Being pulled into Honor and Lily’s lives probably wasn’t the best idea. Then again, sharing a pot of coffee with a neighbor seemed a lot more appealing than reading the deposition he’d left sitting on the table in the solarium. And, quite honestly, he wasn’t ready to say goodbye yet. “That would be great. Thanks.”

“Come in then, but just remember, I’ve been working long shifts. The house is still a bit cluttered.”

“Why would I notice clutter when I have two beautiful ladies nearby?”

Lily must have been listening, because she giggled.

Honor, on the other hand, didn’t look amused. “There you go again with your flattery.”

“Is it flattery when it’s the truth?”

“Grayson Sinclair, you are more trouble than I have time to deal with.” Honor shook her head and pushed open the back door, ushering Lily into the house. “Come in anyway. We’ll discuss what flattery is after I start a pot of coffee. And Lily, we’ll discuss the consequences of your behavior after Mr. Sinclair leaves. Off to your room, now.”

“But, Mommy—”

“Lily Mae, is that you I hear?” Candace’s voice rang out from the kitchen, cutting off whatever argument Lily might have made. Too bad. The kid was a good negotiator. A lawyer in the making. And Grayson enjoyed seeing her in action.

“Yes.”

“Where have you been? Do you realize how worried I’ve been? I was just getting ready to call the police.”

“I’m sorry, Aunt Candy.”

“Sorry? Sorry doesn’t help. You should never have disobeyed me. Do you realize…” Candace’s voice trailed off as she stepped into the mudroom and saw Grayson. “Oh, sorry. I didn’t realize we had company.”

“Mr. Sinclair is here for a cup of coffee. It’s a thank-you for keeping Lily safe until I found her.”

Honor seemed to want to qualify the invitation. Grayson told himself that that was fine with him. Whatever it was about her that attracted him, he didn’t have time to act on it. He had work to catch up on, a brother to worry about. He didn’t need to add more complications to his already complicated life.

Whether or not he wanted to, that was a different story altogether.

“You were in the neighbor’s yard? Lily, how could you?” Candace brushed thick blond bangs from her eyes and sighed, taking the little girl’s hand and leading her from the room. Lily sent a beseeching look in Grayson’s direction, and he did his best not to smile at the dramatics. Honor had quite a kid.

“She’s quite a drama queen, my daughter.” Honor spoke as she started the coffee maker, her voice lilting and exotic.

Maybe it was the accent Grayson found so appealing.

Or maybe it was simply the woman herself. “She’s definitely got an acting career ahead of her if she wants one.”

“Funny you should say that. Her father always dreamed of being a film star.” Honor smiled, but it didn’t hide the sadness in her eyes.

“And did you always dream about being a nurse?”

“I always dreamed about being married and having kids.”

“Then I guess you achieved your dream.”

“I guess. Sometimes, though, the reality of a dream isn’t nearly as beautiful as the dream itself.” She poured coffee and offered him a cup, her expression filled with a yearning that made Grayson’s chest tighten.

“You didn’t have a happy marriage.”

“Everyone’s definition of happy is different, Grayson. I was content enough. How about you? Did you always want to be a prosecutor?”

“For as long as I can remember.”

“Then you’ve achieved your dream, as well.”

“Yes, but it’s like you said. Sometimes the reality doesn’t quite live up to the dream.”

“You’re not happy?”

“I’m happy.” But he wasn’t content. And until this minute, standing in Honor’s warm kitchen, sipping coffee and listening to the lyrical sound of her voice, he hadn’t realized it.

“Then you’ve got nothing to complain about.” She reached into the cupboard and pulled out the box of cookies she’d offered the previous day. “Biscuit?”

“Thanks.” He took one, watching Honor’s face as she bit into one of the rich shortbread rounds. “I’ll have to remember how much you love these cookies if I ever visit Ireland.”

“No worries. Mum keeps me well stocked.”

“Yes, but I’d still want to bring back a gift for a friend.”

“Is that what we’re going to be, Grayson?”

“Maybe.”

“Unless my daughter comes in your yard and bothers you again?” She grinned, all the sadness and longing that had been so clear in her face gone.

“Actually, I was thinking we would become friends unless we became something more than that.” The words slipped out, surprising him.

Honor froze at his words, her expression closing off, her bright gaze dimming. “I’m afraid that is an impossibility.”

“I don’t believe in impossibilities.” He set his cup in the sink, took another cookie from the box. Honor might think that a relationship between them was out the question, but he didn’t have to agree.

“And I don’t believe in more than friendship.”

“Then for now, I guess friendship will be enough.”

“For now?” The wariness in her eyes was unmistakable, and Grayson wondered what her marriage had been like. Obviously much more disappointing than she’d let on.

“You never know what time will do. It can fade memories and it can change minds. I’ve got to run. I’m meeting contractors in Lynchburg. We’ve got to have my parents’ rental property ready when my brother is finally released from the hospital.”

He purposely shifted the conversation, and Honor seemed relieved. Her shoulders relaxed as she walked him to the back door. “Let me know if I can help your brother in any way.”

“I will.”

“Thanks again for looking after Lily when she wandered away. Goodbye, Grayson.” The way she said it, Grayson was certain she’d meant it to sound permanent.

Too bad.

Because suddenly Grayson’s decision to avoid relationships seemed premature. Suddenly the idea of getting to know a woman, of courting her, of inviting her into his life seemed much more appealing than it had a few hours ago.