Griffin looked up at the house. “I’ve got a long way to go. But it’ll get there.”
“I don’t know much about repairs, but I can paint and do basic stuff. Let me know if you need any help.”
Pride filled me at Will’s words as I battled tears for the second time in a matter of minutes. He was such a good kid. And he would grow into an incredible man.
Griffin met Will’s gaze, seeming to assess him in a different light. He hesitated for a few beats; the silence just shy of awkward. “I’ve been thinking I could use a second set of hands around here. It’s tough work and it can get tedious, but I’d pay you for your time.”
“That would be amazing. I’ve actually been looking for a part-time job so I can start saving for college.”
“I’d be happy to have the help if it’s okay with your sister.”
Will glanced at me with a pleading look. “What do you think? Is it okay?”
I tugged on a loose string on my jeans. I wanted Will to have whatever would make him happy, but I couldn’t help but notice that Griffin was coming to our rescue all over the place. If things didn’t work out for whatever reason, the rug would be pulled out from under not only me but also the rest of my family. “How are you going to get out here?” Will had his license, but we didn’t have an extra car.
“I’ll ride my bike,” he offered instantly. “It’s only two miles.”
“I can give you a ride home when we’re done at the end of the day.” Griffin looked to me. “If you’re comfortable with that.”
I sighed. “Why not?”
Will gave me a quick one-armed hug. “Thanks.”
“I want to help, too,” Mia whined. “I can paint.”
I rubbed at my temples. If Mia helped paint, Griffin’s house would look like a rainbow-colored Pollock painting. “You know what would probably be a huge help?”
Mia looked at me doubtfully. “What?”
“If you drew lots of pretty pictures for when the house is done.”
She mulled it over for a moment. “Unicorns?”
“Of course,” I answered.
“I’m definitely going to need a lot of unicorns in this house,” Griffin said. “Rainbows, too.”
Will choked on a laugh. “Just don’t say anything about glitter. That shit will be in your house forever.”
Griffin’s eyes widened a fraction. “Duly noted.”
As we stood there laughing and planning all of Mia’s artwork for the farmhouse, with even Ava throwing in a few suggestions, I couldn’t help the warmth that took root in my belly—the sweet simplicity of it all. But I did my best to let the feeling flow through me and not grab hold of it with both hands.
Because this wasn’t my home, and Griffin wasn’t my man.
9
Griffin
I grinned as the alert sounded on my phone, hitting the button for the gate to open without saying a word. We’d developed a routine over the past few weeks. Caelyn dropped off Will and food a few times a week. Sometimes, she and the girls would hang around for a little bit and see whatever project we were working on.
I couldn’t deny that the moments I got to bask in Caelyn’s light were the best of my week. She radiated this positivity that was miraculous for someone who had been through what she had. I’d gotten a few more pieces of the puzzle the more I saw her, and the longer I worked side by side with Will. He’d been cautious at first, but he’d let a few things slip as we hauled trash and stripped floors.
As I stepped outside, Caelyn’s SUV crested the hill. I ignored the jump in my pulse as it did. As soon as the vehicle was in park, Mia climbed out of her booster seat and slid out of the SUV. She took off at a dead run, a paper flopping around in her hand as she did. At three feet away, the girl launched herself at me.
The move took me by surprise, and I hurried to catch her, resting her on my hip. “You taking flying lessons now, too?” My chest tightened on the words, a vision of Beth launching herself at my dad in a similar fashion.
Mia giggled. “I love to fly.”
I ruffled her hair. “Well, you’re pretty good at it.”
“Mia,” Caelyn warned.
“Uh-oh,” I whispered in Mia’s ear. “That tone means trouble.”
Mia scrunched up her face. “I know.”
Caelyn crossed to us. “What’s the rule about getting out of the car?”
“I have to wait until you let me out,” she answered in a defeated voice. “But I had to give Griffin his new picture. I was too excited.”
Caelyn did her best to keep her expression stern, but the little quiver in her lips gave her away. “You’re just going to have to rein in that excitement.”
Mia sighed. “I’ll try.”
“Thank you.” Caelyn looked up at me, a gorgeous pink hue hitting her cheeks. “Sorry about that.”
“Not a problem. I like an enthusiastic greeting.” I was shocked as hell to realize the words rang true. For the past decade, I’d only wanted space. I didn’t want to be reminded of everything I’d lost. But the more I was around the O’Connor family, the more I felt the urge to let them into my world. There were painful moments for sure, but I still wanted more.
“Hey, Griffin,” Will greeted. Ava hovered just behind him but offered me a smile and a small wave. My chest ached for the girl. She was painfully shy. But we were starting to make progress. Will’s gaze zeroed in on the drawing in Mia’s hand. “She made you magic kittens today.”
I studied the paper Mia held out for my examination. “Are those gemstones?”
She nodded enthusiastically. “My favorite stickers. And the diamonds give the kittens magic powers.”
“Of course, they do.” I set Mia down on the ground and took the picture she offered. “Let’s go find a spot for this one.”
I made my way to the back of Caelyn’s SUV, pulling the back hatch open and going for the cooler. Caelyn grabbed the drawing and a tote bag full of what I was sure were more delicious concoctions. “Just let me know when it gets to be too much. I’ll try and temper Mia’s creativity.”
I glanced over at Caelyn as I lifted the cooler. “I don’t mind, really.”
“Your entire house is going to be covered in rainbows if you’re not careful.”
I chuckled. “There are worse things.” So many worse things than a little girl showering me with rainbows and magic. And it wasn’t like anyone but the O’Connors and I would be present inside these walls anyway. The drawings gave the farmhouse life, something that hadn’t been present for a long time.
Our ragtag crew made our way into the house and towards the kitchen. Caelyn let out a sigh as we entered. “I’ll never get over how gorgeous this kitchen is.” The light in her eyes seemed to dance as she turned my way. “You’ve never made a single meal in here, have you?”
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I heat up what you make me in the oven or the microwave.”
Caelyn laughed, the sound punching through my chest. “Such a waste.”
I shrugged, thinking of all the time my mother had spent within these walls, the joy it had brought her. Maybe I needed to try baking cookies or something. The kind you got premade and just put on a cookie sheet.
Caelyn’s laughter intensified. “You’re looking at the oven like it’s going to come to life and attack.”
I glanced her way. “It might.”
“You’re a giant. You can defeat it,” Mia said with complete confidence.
I gave her hair a ruffle. “Thanks, Mi. Now, let’s find a spot for that drawing.” I turned to the already crowded refrigerator. I’d gotten some magnets at the store, but soon, I would have to find another space for them. Maybe in the office.
“How about there?” Mia pointed to a small uncovered spot on the left side.
“Looks perfect to me.” I picked up the paper from the counter and stuck it to the surface.
Will straightened from where he leaned against the counter. “What are we working on today? Besides the rainbow wal
l decorations, I mean.”
The kid loved to give me shit. But the one-liners gave me a weird sense of pride—something about him feeling comfortable enough to give me a hard time. “It’s gonna be boring, but it’s something I need two sets of hands for.”
Caelyn’s interest was piqued. “I can stick around and be a third set. The girls can play in the yard while I help, if you don’t mind.”
“I don’t mind at all. But you sure you don’t have anything you need to be doing?”
“I’m sure.” She looked to the girls. “You okay hanging out here?”
Mia beamed. “I love it here. The yard has way more room for tumbling.”
Caelyn sobered. “Nothing too crazy. You don’t have a spotter or mats.”
“I won’t. Promise.”
“What about you, Ava?” Caelyn asked.
“I don’t mind.” She paused for a moment, looking at the window. “It’s peaceful here.”
“Looks like you’ve got yourself an extra set of hands, Lockwood.”
I grinned. “Well, let’s put them to good use.” I led our crew out the back door. The girls headed for the yard, Mia immediately throwing herself into cartwheels and more complex tricks that I didn’t know the names of. Ava made a beeline for the bench that had been a favorite of my mother’s. She pulled a book out of a bag I hadn’t noticed she was carrying.
A flicker of worry lanced through me. “Will they be all right here? We’ll just be in the shop over there, and the gate’s locked.”
Caelyn started towards the shop. “They’ll be fine. Ava won’t move from that spot now that her book’s open. And Mia could keep herself busy flipping back and forth for hours.”
Will chuckled. “I’m kind of surprised she doesn’t do back handsprings in her sleep.”
I took a quick peek over my shoulder and, sure enough, Mia was springing from one move to the next. “How the hell does her body twist like that?”
Caelyn snorted. “I have no idea. I sure as heck didn’t get that tumbling gene.”
I frowned, worry gripping me again. “She’s not going to hurt herself, right?”
Caelyn paused and turned to face me, her expression gentle. “Mia’s been scaring the wits out of me since she was able to walk. But I swear she knows her limits. She won’t get hurt.”
I still wasn’t completely sold on the idea of a seven-year-old girl throwing her body into the air and just hoping she landed on her feet. But it wasn’t my place to argue. I forced myself to keep walking towards the shop.
I pulled open the door and hit the button for the oversized garage door. Light spilled into the space from outside as it opened. When I flicked on the overhead fixtures, Caelyn gasped. “There’s so much furniture.”
I surveyed the space around us. “A lot of the stuff was damaged beyond repair. But there was a fair amount I just couldn’t force myself to part with. It’s time to do a real inventory. I’ve got someone coming to pick up the things I want to get rid of tomorrow morning. We just have to pull it outside so they can have access.” I wasn’t going to let anyone inside to wander around, even just in the workshop. I didn’t trust strangers not to have sticky fingers or go looking for things of note from my family to sell.
Caelyn wove through the crowded space, her fingers dusting over furniture pieces as she passed. “Bell would love this place. You know, she might be able to help you fix some of this stuff up if you want. I could call her and have her come out here—”
“No.” The single word came out more harshly than I’d intended. And the hurt that flashed across Caelyn’s face had me kicking myself. “I don’t have people I don’t know at the farmhouse.”
Sympathy filled Caelyn’s expression but the echoes of hurt still danced in her eyes. “Fair enough.”
I nodded and focused on the task at hand, trying to ignore the reminder that typical relationships, ones that entailed friendliness with neighbors and acquaintances, weren’t for me.
And that included brown-haired beauties who’d brought light into my world for the first time in years.
10
Caelyn
I couldn’t stop thinking about Griffin. Which was why I was currently baking banana chocolate chip muffins for him on my rare free morning instead of taking care of the ten million other things I needed to do. I kept seeing the pain laced with what almost looked like fear in his eyes when he told me he didn’t let strangers into his home—even the outbuildings of it. I hadn’t realized what a big deal it was that he’d allowed me and the kids inside the walls he’d built for himself, what an incredible gift of trust it had been. But I couldn’t let go of the image of Griffin’s face as he spoke the single word, “no.”
I hated the picture wreaking havoc on my mind and heart. The thought of how alone he had been over the past years. I’d heard the whispers, of course, but I’d been young when the Lockwoods had embarked on the sailing trip from Japan to Hawaii, with their final destination being Anchor Island. A massive storm had sent them off course, flipping the sailboat and flooding it with water. Only the two children had made it to a life raft. But Griffin’s sister had died from a collapsed lung as he watched.
The Lockwood family had been a society favorite for generations. They had senators and even a president in their family lineage, but Christopher Lockwood had been a man determined to go his own way. He’d started a software company that had made him a fortune, a large portion of which he gave away each year. The loss of the family had sent ripples of pain throughout the world.
I remembered people on the island talking about it when it happened, worrying about the boy who had spent so many summers here. But the rest of the world seemed to be even more curious—no, rabid—for information on what had happened. A Coast Guard officer had been dishonorably discharged for selling pictures of Griffin and his sister’s body to a sleazy tabloid. And the uncle who had gotten custody of Griffin had ended up in jail for trying to steal a large portion of the money the Lockwoods had left to Griffin.
No wonder the man had trust issues and kept people at arm’s length. And I knew the stories I was familiar with were only the tip of the iceberg. I was sure there were countless more tales of betrayal and manipulation.
The last thing I ever wanted was for Griffin to feel as if I were using him. But here he was, giving me a job I desperately needed, and another to my brother, who was coming alive under his new purpose. Will had fallen in love with restoring the old house. He’d brimmed with pride when showing me the calluses starting to take shape on his palms. I didn’t want him to lose what he was gaining, but I couldn’t live with myself if Griffin felt at all like we were taking advantage.
I pulled the oven door open to check the muffins. Perfect. I slid the two trays onto the stove to cool. I’d doubled the batch because Ava would never forgive me if I made her favorite and didn’t save some for her. Just as I slipped off the oven mitts, the doorbell rang.
I crossed the short distance from the kitchen to the entryway and pulled open the door. “Callie! What are you doing here?”
I pulled the woman into a hard hug, and she laughed. “Your hugs are always the best.”
I released her and stepped back. “Come in. I just took some banana chocolate chip muffins out of the oven. They should be ready to eat in a few if you want one.”
“You know I’ll never turn down whatever it is you’re making.”
I ushered Callie towards the kitchen. “Coffee? Tea?”
“Anything with caffeine.”
I eyed her more thoroughly. The dark circles rimming her eyes were more pronounced than usual, and she was a bit pale. “You’re working too hard.” Callie was beyond dedicated to the children and families she helped at the Shelter Island Child Alliance—sometimes to the detriment of her own health.
She smiled as she shook her head. “Takes one to know one.”
I pointed at the kitchen table, gesturing for Callie to sit. “Fair point.”
“Kenna said you got yet another
job.”
I couldn’t help the scowl that stretched my face. “Don’t listen to that gossip. This is a job I can do from home, and it’s hardly any extra work.”
Callie pulled out a chair and sat. “Why don’t I believe that?”
My back teeth ground together as I poured two cups of coffee into mugs. I added a dash of soy milk to mine and cream and sugar to Callie’s. “Why is it that no one seems to believe that I can handle my own life?” It was really starting to grate on me. I’d been taking care of myself and these kids since I was twenty-one. I knew what was too much on my plate and what wasn’t.
Callie was suddenly at my side. “It’s not that at all. You tackle more than just about anyone I know. You are incredibly strong and brave, and you love those tiny terrors with a dedication I wish every child that came through the Alliance had.”
Tears gathered in my eyes. “Why do you have to go and make me all emotional?”
She grinned. “Because I’m an evil heifer. Or because you cry at the drop of a hat.”
I smacked her with an oven mitt. “I can’t help it that every emotion I have comes out my eyeballs.”
“No, you can’t.” She picked up her mug and inclined her head towards the table. “Let’s sit.”
The combination of her words and tone said that our joking time was over. It had worry pricking at my insides. I crossed to the table and quickly sank into a chair. “What’s wrong?” A million different possibilities flew through my mind, none of them good.
Callie’s expression was gentle, but her grip on the mug was so tight, her knuckles bleached white. “Your mother was granted early parole. I got notified since the kids went through one of our programs.”
My jaw went slack. We hadn’t heard from Chrissy O’Connor once since her arrest. She never tried to get in touch with me or make amends with the kids. She never once sent a birthday or Christmas card. I’d always had a mixture of relief and pain at the lack of contact. It saved me from having to decide whether or not to allow it, but I knew it had hurt Will and Ava. Mia had no memory of the woman.
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