“Sometimes you can be hard-nosed,” Eli replied.
“Like my sister?”
“I didn’t say anything about Grace.”
“Stop it,” Tuck ordered. “I’ll handle the custody hearing and you two stay out of it.”
Jesse’s cries broke through his words. Eli and Caroline hardly ever argued or disagreed and he didn’t want to be the cause of any dissension between them.
“I’m going to nurse Jesse.” Caroline headed for the bedroom.
“I’m behind you one hundred percent,” Eli told Tuck, taking a long swig of beer.
“I know, but I don’t need you guys to take sides. This will be decided by a judge.”
“How’s Brady doing?” Eli asked.
“He’s better, but he’s not talking or responding to people. They’re still running tests on him and Brady’s not leaving the hospital until a complete evaluation is done. That way the Templetons and myself will be aware of what Brady’s problems are and what kind of care he will need.” He swished the beer in his can. “The Templetons have their first visit in the morning. I got a call from Beau a little while ago.”
“Are you okay with that?”
“I want what’s best for Brady. That’s my bottom line.” Tuck took a swallow of beer. “And stop arguing with Caroline over it.”
Eli stood, grinning. “Think I’ll go help Jesse nurse.”
In a little while, the Coltranes loaded up and headed back to their house—all lovey-dovey, the way Tuck wanted them to be.
Tuck stared at the phone and thought about calling Grace to apologize. But he knew he needed to do that in person.
GRACE DIDN’T SLEEP MUCH, and by dawn she knew what she had to do. She showered and dressed, slipping into a black pantsuit and green silk blouse. She brushed her hair and let the waves hang loose around her shoulders. It was a start in breaking the restraints she’d placed upon herself.
It was a start in finding the person within.
She slid her feet into a pair of Prada sling-backs. Shoes weren’t her passion. They were her weakness. And until she found something to replace them, she was allowing herself that indulgence.
By eight she was in her office ready for a meeting with Byron, and then she met with Aaron and soothed his wounded ego. Both men kept staring at her and she ignored their obvious glances at her change of hairstyle.
She checked on the progress of the day care and met with the Licensed Vocational Nurse who was going to run it. At one she was back in her office for a meeting with Lisa and Keith.
Lisa was bubbling over with excitement. “Brady is so beautiful,” she gushed. “He has these big brown eyes. I wished they were blue, but that doesn’t matter. We sat with him for about an hour in the playroom. I helped him put a puzzle together and it was fun just watching him run around the room. He hit me once when I tried to put the puzzle away. The therapist said he does that a lot. Brady has so much to overcome, but we’re willing to help him, aren’t we, honey?”
“Yes, honey, we are.” Keith gripped his wife’s hand.
“I’m glad things went so well,” Grace said. “The hearing will be set as soon as they have all the results from Brady’s tests.”
“The caseworker told us that a Texas Ranger has also filed for custody.” Keith looked concerned.
“Yes.” She clenched her fingers tightly. “I wanted to talk to you about that. He’s Jeremiah Tucker and he’s Caroline’s brother-in-law.”
“You mean…”
“Yes. He’s a part of our family and I now have a conflict of interest.”
“Oh.”
“I’ve assigned Ann Demott to your case. She’ll do a very good job.”
Lisa wrinkled her nose. “I’d feel so much better with you.”
“I want you to have the best representation possible and since I know both parties that wouldn’t be fair to you.”
“I understand.” Lisa stood. “But I don’t have to be happy about it.”
Grace stood, also. “I’ll walk you to Ann’s office. She’s waiting for you.”
Afterward Grace felt an enormous relief. She would not personally be involved in the proceedings. If Jeremiah lost, she wouldn’t be the bad person. Something about the road less traveled came to mind. That was certainly a road she didn’t want to travel.
GRACE WORKED LATE, as always. Driving home, she kept thinking about the little boy whom Jeremiah wanted to adopt. On impulse, she turned and drove to the hospital. She hadn’t planned to, but she suddenly wanted to meet Brady Harper.
The nurse on duty wasn’t too friendly. “I’m sorry, visiting hours are over.”
“I’m Grace Whitten and my firm is representing the Templetons, who have filed for custody of Brady Harper.”
The girl gave her a so-what look.
“If it’s not too much trouble, I would like to meet the little boy.”
“Ranger Tucker put him down about thirty minutes ago. I’m sure he’s asleep.”
“May I just take a peep at him then?” Grace wasn’t sure why this was so important, but something she couldn’t define was spurring her on.
The girl seemed to consider it, and then walked around the station to Grace’s side. “This way, but please be quiet. There are other children in the ward, too.”
“I will.” She followed the girl across the hall to a semidark room with baby beds. A nurse was attending to a baby on the other side of the room. A woman sat in a straight-back chair asleep by another bed where a small girl lay sleeping. The woman’s head was on a pillow propped against the baby bed. Grace glanced at her for a moment, wondering how she could sleep like that.
The nurse stopped by a bed. “This is Brady…oh, he’s awake.”
A little boy sat in a corner clutching a stuffed dog, his gown tangled around his hips. His head had been shaved and Grace saw the medicated sores. She was mesmerized by the big brown eyes staring back at her.
“Brady, what are you doing awake?” the nurse asked him gently.
Brady didn’t move or even blink. He kept staring at Grace.
“He’s met so many new people lately. I think it’s a little overwhelming for him. He doesn’t know who to trust.”
Grace saw the empty baby bottle lying beside Brady. “Maybe he’s hungry,” she suggested, reaching in for the bottle.
Brady made a dive for it, jerking the bottle away before Grace could touch it.
“He’s very territorial,” the nurse said. “I guess he’s had to fight for everything. It’s just so sad.” She took a breath. “We only give him a bottle at night. I’ll get him a little bit more formula and maybe he’ll go back to sleep.”
Grace leaned slightly into the baby bed. “Hi, Brady.” Even in the semidarkness she could see his long dark eyelashes. “My, you have very long eyelashes. See—” she blinked one eye then another “—mine are short and light brown. Maybe we could trade. Would you like to trade eyelashes, Brady?”
One eye blinked. She was almost positive. Leaning closer, she watched him, but he didn’t do it again. She wasn’t sure he’d even done it in the first place.
The nurse brought another bottle. “Do you mind if I give it to him?” Grace asked.
“No, but be aware he doesn’t take it like a normal child.”
Grace took the bottle from her and handed it to Brady. He snatched it from her, retreating to his corner, his eyes watching her.
“Wow. That was fast.”
“Yes,” the nurse replied, glancing at her watch. “I have to give a doctor a report. Maybe when I come back, he’ll be ready to go to sleep.”
“Do you mind if I stay here?”
“No. Just don’t try to take him out of the bed.”
“Sure.” Grace placed her purse on the floor, never taking her eyes off Brady’s wary ones. She leaned over the railing again and patted the mattress. “Wouldn’t you like to lie down? I have a nephew and he likes it when I rub his back. Would you like me to rub your back, Brady?”
No re
sponse. But he scooted closer to her, sucking hungrily on the nipple.
She reached out and touched his leg. He pulled it back.
“Lie down, Brady, and go night-night.” This time he frowned at her.
“Rock-a-bye, Brady,” she began to sing softly. After a couple of choruses, Brady lay on his side then turned onto his stomach. Grace pulled the blanket over him and rubbed his back slightly. He slapped her hand away.
“Rock-a-bye, Brady,” she continued to sing, watching his precious little face.
When she stopped, he opened his eyes wide, so she kept on singing. Finally those gorgeous lashes fluttered against his cheeks.
“Night, Brady,” she murmured as his beautiful eyes stayed closed. When she walked out, she met the nurse. “He’s asleep,” Grace whispered. At the nurses’ station, she asked, “How is he?”
“His wounds are healing. There’s a large infected wound on one butt cheek that’s going to take some time, but it’s those inner wounds we’re worried about.” The nurse held out her hand. “My name is Jennifer and I was on duty when they brought him in.” They shook hands. “It’s hard to tell how long he went without his diaper being changed, but his skin was raw and infected. Poor thing had to have been in so much pain.”
“But he’s not now?” The thought of Brady being in any type of pain disturbed Grace.
“Maybe some. We keep a very loose diaper on him to prevent any pain we can. And we keep the sores medicated and we change his diaper frequently. Brady’s been through a traumatic experience, but he has a real friend in Ranger Tucker. Tuck is here first thing in the mornings. He comes on his lunch hour and he comes after work and stays to put Brady to bed.”
Grace noticed she called him Tuck. How close were they?
“They said your clients were here this morning,” Jennifer went on. “But I haven’t seen them tonight.”
Grace slung the strap of her purse over her shoulder. “Thank you for letting me see Brady. I appreciate it.”
“As you can tell, I’m partial to Tuck and I will be testifying for him.”
“Yes. I can see that. Good night, Jennifer.” Grace quickly walked away before she smacked Jennifer with her purse. She wasn’t a violent person, but she was suddenly filled with a desire to pull Jennifer’s hair out by the roots.
She needed chocolate, the more the better.
Rounding a corner, she spotted a vending machine. Digging in her purse, she found her wallet and pulled out a dollar. She inserted it into the slot and made her choice. Oreo cookies, for sure.
The machine took her money and gave her nothing. Damn. She beat on the glass with her fist. Nothing. She pulled off her shoe and gave it a good whack. The machine groaned and spit out three bags of Oreo cookies.
She sank to the floor, leaning against the machine. Did she just hit the machine with her shoe? Her expensive shoe? She examined the leather and discovered the shoe was fine.
And so was she.
Letting down her hair had released a new Grace. She was sitting on the floor, probably a dirty floor. Still she made no effort to get up. She was taking tiny baby steps, even though they seemed gigantic to her. But they were steps she was willing to take, needed to take.
Ripping open one bag, she removed a cookie and twisted off the top, licking the icing in the middle. When she and Caroline were kids they had perfected a routine of eating an Oreo and dunking it in milk. Sometimes they’d race to see who could eat a cookie the fastest. Caroline always won because she wasn’t afraid to get milk all over her. Grace ate fastidiously, not wanting to get crumbs or milk on her clothes.
Even at that age, she was repressed.
What had made her that way?
Her thoughts went back to her childhood. When Grace was born, Stephen Whitten had wanted a son. From as early as Grace could remember, her father had said, “You’re my son, Grace. I know you’ll make me proud.”
And she had tried to be that son in every way that counted. She excelled in school and she didn’t rebel or get in trouble like Caroline. Her father didn’t like it when Caroline got dirty, so Grace stayed extremely clean and neat. Caroline’s room was a disaster area. Grace’s was immaculate.
Although Caroline rebelled at times, she still tried to fit the mold her father had planned for his girls. Caroline got her law degree, but after a year in the Whitten Firm she bolted for freedom. She pursued her love of photography and was now a great photographer. Their father was not pleased, but Caroline stuck by her decision.
On the other hand, Grace had become the chosen daughter, the good daughter. She’d told Caroline many times that she was happy in her career. Lately that wasn’t true. So much of her life was based on material profits, gains and wealth.
But at what price to her personal well-being?
She thought of the lady asleep by her sick child in Brady’s ward. Grace wondered if she slept there every night. Did she ever leave her child? Grace pulled up her knees, munching on an Oreo. Real love. That’s what life was all about—being there for another person no matter what.
Grace wanted that—to experience a love that strong.
She heard a noise and glanced up to see Jeremiah staring down at her.
CHAPTER SIX
TUCK TURNED THE CORNER and stopped dead in his tracks. He’d gone to watch one of his boys, Pablo Martinez, wrestle. He was on the wrestling team in school and Tuck never missed a match. Pablo’s mother had found her husband in a motel with another woman and she’d waited in the parking lot, running over both of them with her car. They died from their injuries.
Pablo now lived with his grandparents and he was filled with a lot of anger. Tuck got him into wrestling and it helped to work off his negative energy in a positive way. His grandfather encouraged him and that helped, too. Pablo was going to make it, despite his parents.
Afterward he congratulated Pablo and treated him and his grandfather to supper. Pablo was excited about his win and Tuck had stayed out longer than he’d planned. He wanted to check on Brady one more time before he went home. Since Brady wasn’t used to a routine, he slept sporadically. Just in case Brady was awake, Tuck strolled to the vending machines for animal crackers. Brady loved them.
Tuck blinked. He must be seeing things. All day he’d been trying to get in touch with Grace, even went by her office, but he kept missing her. Now…could that be Grace? A woman sat on the floor, her back against the machine and her blond hair hung to her shoulders in disarray. She looked like Grace, but the Grace he knew would never be caught with her hair down doing something so out of the ordinary.
She looked up and he knew it was. “Grace.”
“Uh…hi…Jer…Tuck.”
The moment she said his name something happened inside him. The annoyance he’d felt toward her vanished. That’s what it came down to—her respecting him enough to use his name.
Removing his hat, he sank down beside her, propping his back against the vending machine. “What are you doing here?”
“Eating Oreo cookies. Want one?” She held out the bag to him.
He positioned his hat on his knee and reached into the bag.
As he took a bite, she said, “There’s a special technique to eating an Oreo.”
“Really?” He finished the cookie in record time.
“But you need milk.”
“Wait a sec.” He swung to his feet, walked to the nurses’ station and asked for milk. Jennifer wasn’t there but another nurse gave him a carton without question. He often brought Brady milk with animal crackers.
He eased back down by Grace, placing his hat beside him and showing her the milk.
“Magic.” A smile lit up her face and his chest tightened.
He opened one corner and she shook her head. “Not big enough for dunking.”
He pried opened the lid fully. “How’s that?”
“Great. Now watch.” She twisted off the top, licked the icing in between, dipped the top in milk, took a bite, licked the center again and dipped the
rest of the top. Lick, dip and eat, over and over. He was captivated by her tongue. Licking the last crumb from her lips she added, “That’s how to eat an Oreo.”
He stared at her chin.
“What?”
“You have milk right there.” He pointed to her chin and he restrained himself from licking it away.
“Oh.” She wiped at it with her hand, getting some on her blouse.
“Now you have it on your blouse.” He reached into his pocket for a handkerchief and handed it to her.
“Thank you.” She wiped at her mouth and her blouse. “I’m usually not so messy.”
“I know.”
Their eyes met and emotions he couldn’t define hovered just below the surface—emotions he wasn’t ready to define. He cleared his throat. “Now let me show you how a man eats an Oreo.” He reached for a cookie, dipped it into the milk, popped it into his mouth and ate it in one bite. “Simple, easy and no mess.”
“But not as much fun.”
“No.” He watched her lips, coughed and took a swallow of milk. “I tried to reach you several times today.”
She brushed at the crumbs on her slacks. “Did you? What about?”
“I wanted to apologize for barging into your office and saying what I did.” He raised his knees, staring down at his cowboy boots. “I was angry and upset. I knew that filing for custody of Brady was a long shot. I guess I just didn’t expect you’d be the one to make sure that didn’t happen.”
“I…”
“Don’t say anything. You have a right to represent anyone you want. I was the one who was out of line.”
Grace couldn’t believe how much the apology meant to her. His opinion mattered. His feelings mattered. And she rather liked sitting on the floor, milk and cookie crumbs on her clothes, talking to Tuck. Making that leap from Jeremiah to Tuck had been the easiest thing she’d ever done. She wondered if she had called him that from the first moment she’d met him, what type of relationship would they have now?
“What happened to your shoe?”
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