Daughter on His Doorstep

by Teresa Southwick

Shelby wanted to say she rested her case but this child wouldn’t understand what she meant. “I know you’re growing up, sweetie, but I don’t think you’re old enough yet to go there by yourselves.” When Emma opened her mouth to protest Shelby said, “That’s my final answer.”

  Since when did being a mother make her sound like a contestant on a TV game show?

  “You’re just mean.” The little girl vibrated with self-righteous indignation. “I’m going to ask my dad. He’ll say yes.”

  That was a first. Before Shelby could fully process this new development, Emma marched out of the room and down the stairs. She had time to send Luke a quick warning text before hurrying after her daughter.

  Emma was waiting on Luke’s porch when Shelby caught up to her. He answered the door looking all masculine in paint-splattered jeans and a snug, stained T-shirt that highlighted the muscles in his arms and the contours of his chest. But Shelby didn’t have time to swoon. In a little girl’s world hearing the word no was equivalent to the end of the world.

  “Hi.” He looked at her then his daughter. “What’s up?”

  “She won’t let me go to the mall,” Emma complained. “Tell her it’s okay.”

  Shelby was torn between wanting to present her arguments for the decision she’d made and holding back to see just how Luke would handle this situation. She decided to observe.

  “Why don’t you come inside and we’ll talk about this.” He stepped back and held the door wide-open for them.

  Points to him for a cooling off strategy, Shelby thought.

  The living room was full of paint paraphernalia, although it was looking good. But this wasn’t the time to say so and she silently followed him to the kitchen.

  “Can I get either of you something to drink?”

  “No—” A beat went by before Emma added, “thank you.”

  “Shelby?” he said.

  “Nothing, thanks.”

  He rested his hands on his hips and looked at both of them before asking, “So what’s going on?”

  Emma jumped in. “My friend Karen wants me to go to the mall with her and some other girls. Mommy said no.”

  He met Shelby’s gaze then said to the little girl, “Your mom must have had a reason, right?”

  “Not a good one.” She folded her arms over her thin chest.

  He waited for more but she didn’t elaborate. “Are you going to tell me why she won’t let you go?”

  Emma shifted her feet a little nervously and glanced away. “Karen’s mom is dropping us off.”

  “So you girls will be there alone?” He frowned.

  Reluctantly Emma said, “Yes, but we stay together. It’s safe.”

  Luke’s eyebrows pulled together and his frown deepened as the situation became clearer. “Emma, I wish I could say yes, but I agree with your mom about this. Unless an adult is with you girls the whole time, I don’t think it’s okay for you to be there by yourselves.”

  The little girl’s expression turned tragic for a moment, then she had an idea because there was a glimmer of hope in her eyes. “You could go with us. You’re grown up and a policeman.”

  Again Shelby could have run interference. After all he was wearing the evidence to support a negative response. But the look on his face was priceless. She’d pay big bucks to see Luke McCoy shepherd a group of nine-year-old girls around the mall. Judging by the shock and surprise she now saw, he’d rather take a sharp stick to the eye.

  “Honey,” he finally said, “I’m full of paint. Today isn’t a good day. But we can plan another time—”

  “I want to go today.” Her tone was in the stubborn and unreasonable range.

  “Then I have to say no.” Luke sounded as if turning her down was killing him. “I agree with your mom.”

  Emma glared at both of them, a look that could have reduced lesser parents to a brown stain on the sidewalk. “I don’t like you guys very much right now.”

  Luke reached out a paint-covered hand. “Em, listen—”

  But she’d already turned away and walked out the front door. He looked as if she’d cut his heart out and started to go after her.

  Now Shelby jumped in. She put her hand on his arm and it felt sticky. Even the contact with paint didn’t diminish the thrill of touching him. “Let her go. You can’t reason with her right now.”

  There was misery in his eyes when he looked at her. “That was the single hardest thing I’ve ever done. Second hardest was telling her no on that sleepover the first time she spent the night here.”

  “And that worked out okay,” she pointed out.

  “Because you marched her back here and made her apologize.”

  “And she got over it, right?” Shelby reminded him.

  “But why does the right call feel so wrong? I’m sure you noticed that she doesn’t like us very much.”

  “She’s been warned about saying she hates anyone so the good news is she didn’t do that.” Shelby sighed. “I wish I could say it gets easier, but that would be a lie. On the upside—”

  “Is there one?”

  “Yeah. This is the first time I’ve ever had someone to back me up.”

  “What about your mom?” he asked.

  “She gives in and spoils Em on the simple stuff. The harder decisions the best she can manage is neutral which isn’t the same as supporting me. I appreciate your cooperation.”

  “It was a no-brainer. Little girls at the mall. No adult.” He shuddered. “There are so many scenarios where that goes sideways in a hurry.”

  “I know.” Shelby’s phone vibrated and she pulled it out of her jeans pocket and read the text message. “Karen’s mom just found out about this mall trip and is a hard no, too. I didn’t have a chance to check with her before Em came running to you. We wouldn’t have had to bother you if she’d waited a few minutes.”

  “I would have preferred to skip this, but it’s no bother. I’m her dad. That means being a part of her life for the good, bad, ugly.”

  Shelby smiled. “And now I know you’re made of sterner stuff.”

  “It sure doesn’t feel that way,” he said, shaking his head.

  “Don’t worry, Luke. She’ll get over it.”

  “Promise?” There was a gleam in his eyes now, chasing away the agony of having to say no to his daughter.

  “I absolutely do.” She checked him out from head to toe. “You look like you’ve gone a couple of rounds with the paint and it’s winning.”

  “Not my favorite chore, but it gave me an excuse to get out of being a mall cop.”

  “Yeah, that went through my mind, too.” Shelby laughed, then wandered over to the doorway to check out the room he’d finished. “This looks really good. You’ve done a fantastic job. The color is perfect.”

  “I like it, too.” And when he looked down at her his eyes were smoldering with the same expression he’d worn the other night just before he kissed her.

  Shelby’s heart started to race and her pulse jumped. She had the most absurd desire to pull that T-shirt off him and check out where the paint hadn’t touched his skin. It was time to get the heck out of there.

  “I better go deal with the fallout. If luck is on my side Emma has already heard about the busted plan from Karen.” Without looking at him again she headed for the door. “Thanks for your help, Luke.”

  “Anytime.”

  She hurried back to her house and ducked into the downstairs bathroom so her cheeks would cool before facing Emma or her mom. Why were life situations always good news and bad? For the first time she had someone to back her up in this adventure called parenthood. It worked out with them being in agreement. But what if he disagreed? That was the bad part. She would have to listen to him whether or not she wanted to. They might have to compromise in order to present a united front which was crucial.

 
Also crucial was figuring out just why Luke had kissed her. There was no reason to do it because he’d made it clear they would work together for Emma but he would never trust or forgive her. Without that there could be nothing more between them. No second chances, no matter how much she might wish otherwise.

  * * *

  A few days after telling Emma no, Luke pulled into his driveway after work and saw her on his doorstep. He glanced next door, automatically looking for Shelby but saw her mother instead. The woman didn’t even pretend not to be standing guard when he met her gaze, but folded her arms over her chest and stared daggers. That wasn’t creepy at all.

  He got out of the truck and started to walk toward the house but his daughter ran to meet him with a hug. He hadn’t seen her since her mall meltdown and was relieved that she wasn’t holding a grudge. Far from it, apparently.

  This was the best and he could get used to someone greeting him like this after a long day. Shelby’s pretty face flashed into his mind and made him want a hug and kiss from her, too. Obviously the empty feeling he’d carried around for so long was only half filled by his child.

  “Hey, kid, what’s up?”

  “Daddy, do you have a flashlight? With batteries that aren’t dead?”

  “Yes. Why?”

  “It’s for my science project. Me and mommy have to make a rainbow. Ours doesn’t work.”

  “Your rainbow?” he teased.

  “No, our flashlight, silly.” She grinned. “Mommy is grading papers and can’t go get batteries until she’s finished. I’ve been waiting forever for you to get home from work.”

  He’d learned that when you’re nine forever can be five minutes. “Well, I’m here now. Let’s go find that flashlight.”

  Luke unlocked his door and opened it to let her in. “Look in the kitchen drawers, Em. I’m going upstairs to change.”

  “Okay.”

  Just before he walked into his room, he heard her say, “Found it. I’ll see if it works.” It won’t for long if you play with it, he thought. But there was something about turning that handheld light off and on that was irresistible to a kid. He remembered doing it, then getting the warning from his dad about not having light when you really needed it. After putting on jeans and a navy T-shirt with HHPD in white letters on the back, he jogged back down the stairs.

  There was a light going on and off in the kitchen and he grinned. He didn’t have the heart to stop her. The mall decision had to be a no. Playing with the flashlight not so much. He would just stock up on batteries.

  “I found it, Daddy,” she said when he walked into the kitchen.

  “You sure did. Is there anything else you need?”

  Her little face scrunched into a thoughtful expression. “I don’t think so.”

  “Did you have dinner yet?”

  “A little while ago,” she said. “Roast, mashed potatoes. And carrots. They’re not as bad as broccoli.”

  He laughed. After a day spent investigating criminal complaints she was a breath of fresh air. “I can see how that would be the case.”

  “I’m going to see if Mommy is finished working.” She started to turn away, then stopped. “Do you want to come over and help us make a rainbow?”

  All he had to do was look at her. She was bright and shiny and full of color. He wanted to spend as much time as possible with her. Seeing Shelby, too, was a bigger plus than he wanted it to be. Grammy might not approve of him being there but right this second he would walk through the fires of hell to spend time with Emma and Shelby.

  “I would love to help.” He felt as if he’d handed her the moon when she smiled from ear to ear.

  Emma grabbed his hand and tugged him toward the front door. “Let’s go.”

  “Let’s take the shortcut?”

  Her eyes went wide with excitement when she looked up. “You mean through the back fence?”

  “Yes.” He angled his head toward the sliding glass door. It was an unexpected joy to share the secret of the shortcut between the houses with the next generation. “Lead the way, kid.”

  After turning on the outside light to illuminate the backyard, Luke followed his daughter to the loose board in the fence. “Your mom and I used to go back and forth to each other’s houses through here when we were kids.”

  “Were you nine?”

  “Older than that.” He didn’t want to tell her about climbing up on the patio cover and sneaking into Shelby’s room for a kiss. “I’ll lift the board for you. Be careful.”

  She slipped through easily. It was wide but he had to maneuver his shoulders to fit. It was tighter than when he was younger. That wasn’t the only change. He had a daughter now and their budding relationship had survived telling her no. She turned his heart into a gooey mess every time he saw her. They’d come a long way in a short time and he had Shelby to thank for it. That did a lot to cancel out his resentment. It had been the only thing standing in the way of him kissing her. Now that he had, he wanted more.

  Emma tried to open the sliding glass door at her house and couldn’t move it. “It’s locked I think.”

  “We’ll knock. If no one hears, we’ll go to the front door.”

  “Okay.”

  Her little fist didn’t make very much noise so he rapped his knuckles on the glass. A few moments later Pam appeared in the kitchen. She saw Emma and looked relieved. He got a disapproving frown but she unlocked the slider and opened it.

  “Emma Rose, I was worried about you.”

  “Why? You watched me go over to Daddy’s.”

  Luke knew he was the core of her grandmother’s worry and was curious about how she would explain this.

  “You were gone for a long time. I just—I was waiting for you out front.”

  “Daddy and me took the shortcut through the fence.”

  Pam didn’t look happy, then she noticed the flashlight. “So you got what you needed.”

  “Yes. I’m going to see if Mommy is finished with her work and can help me now. I’ll be right back.”

  Luke watched her walk out of the room and said, “I’ll be right here.”

  “Will you?” Pam said softly.

  “Will I what?” He knew Emma loved this woman and would never say anything negative when she was around. But anger hummed through him proving he wasn’t over his resentment for her grandmother. She’d manipulated her vulnerable daughter and cost him years with his. “What’s your problem?”

  “You are,” she confirmed. “I keep waiting for you to leave Shelby and Emma. To hurt them.”

  “So you can say ‘I told you so’?”

  “It’s your pattern, not sticking around.”

  He noticed she didn’t deny his accusation. “You should know that I’m not going away.”

  “Not entirely true. You’re going to sell the house after fixing it up.”

  “All that means is I won’t be next door. I’m not leaving Huntington Hills.”

  “Not yet.” Her lips thinned and accusation burned in her eyes. “But it’s just a matter of time until you do.”

  “That’s not fair. When I left for the army I didn’t have all the facts. And you’re the one to blame for that.”

  “Shelby made the decision.”

  “The decision she made was because of pressure you put on her,” he shot back.

  “I’m her mother.”

  “And I’m Emma’s father. I will always be there for her.”

  “If you say so.” Pam’s tone said that, in her opinion, there was zero chance he’d keep that promise.

  Time would prove he was telling the truth. “You’ll see.”

  “See what?” Shelby walked into the room holding Emma’s hand.

  “How this whole rainbow experiment thing goes.” He studied her expression to see if she’d sensed the tension in the room but couldn’t te
ll one way or the other. Maybe he’d pulled off the pivot.

  “I showed Mommy your flashlight and she said it’s perfect.”

  “Good.”

  “Emma said you just got home from work. Did you have dinner?” Shelby asked.

  “Didn’t have time what with rainbows to make.” He shrugged.

  “We would have waited for you to eat,” she protested. “You must be starving.”

  Luke glanced at her mom. He wouldn’t put it past her to cut him off at the knees and didn’t want to miss out on this. He wanted to stay as long as possible. “I know you run a tight ship and this has to be done before bedtime. It’s getting late and I didn’t want to keep her up.”

  “I’ll reheat something for you,” Shelby said. “We’re okay on time.”

  Pam looked as if she’d swallowed a lemon but apparently shared his sentiment about not being negative in front of Emma. “I’m going upstairs.”

  “But, Grammy, you’ll miss the rainbow.”

  “You can show me in the morning before school.” The woman kissed the little face. “Good night, love.”

  “Night, Grammy.”

  After she left it was the three of them. Just like that contentment and satisfaction filled up that hollow place inside Luke. Maybe for the first time ever.

  Shelby took out a plate and filled it with roast, mashed potatoes, gravy and the dreaded carrots. She put it in the microwave with a plastic cover and punched in the reheat command on the front of the appliance.

  She smiled. “In three to five minutes your stomach will be much happier.”

  He looked at her, then his daughter and realized he was already happy. “Smells good.”

  “While Daddy is eating, I’ll get out what we need,” Emma said.

  “Okay. Computer paper is upstairs and we have glasses in here in the cupboard.” She noticed the flashlight in her daughter’s hand. “Leave that here so you don’t use up the batteries. We’ll be right back where we started.”

  “Daddy didn’t tell me I couldn’t turn it on.”

  Shelby gave him a look that said she knew he’d been spineless and why. “Well, I’m telling you. Now put it on the table.”