Her Secret Twins

by Janette Foreman

  As she looked away, three words caught her attention: back to Iowa.

  They forced her to do a double take. Her eyes zipped over the short email.

  When can we set up that meeting to discuss our phone conversation? Let me know when you’re back in Iowa.

  —Will

  “That’s from one of the board members.”

  Kallie jumped. Grant watched her from the doorway, his expression unreadable. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to read your email. I just saw ‘back to Iowa,’ and I didn’t know what it meant—”

  “It’s fine.” He shook his head. “Yeah, Will Parker—the guy I work with on the board—he called with some new information about the rescue.”

  “And they need you back in Iowa?”

  He shrugged, like it wasn’t a big deal, but she could easily read the conflict in his eyes. “They just want to meet. I told him I couldn’t, but he’s pretty adamant.”

  “It’s that important?”

  He hesitated, but he finally told her what Will had said on the phone. “It’s just not the right thing to do for the dogs,” he said. “But this meeting is terrible timing. I don’t want to go right now. Not when we’ve just started figuring out a new routine here.”

  Honestly, she didn’t, either. No doubt, Grant had been great this past week. Having a couple of days to herself had been good for her mental health, and of course there were all the other ways he’d helped out. Even giving her another adult to talk to. And laugh with. He seemed to really mean it, that he didn’t want to go back to Iowa right now. But she didn’t want to be the cause of contention between him and his employers.

  Kallie turned her gaze to Ruby, who’d taken a seat beside her, imagining all those dogs just like her, waiting to be adopted by families who loved them. “Do you think going down there will help your case?”

  “Don’t worry about it, Kallie.” He waved it away. “I’ll figure it out.”

  “Well, I think you should go. I don’t want you losing your job on account of us.”

  Grant’s dark green-brown eyes met hers as if he were trying to gauge her seriousness. “I know it’ll do more good than teleconferencing from here,” he admitted at last. “But I made a promise to you and the kids, and I intend to keep it.”

  The sincerity in his voice sank deeply into her skin, sparking warmth in her bones. “What if we come with you?”

  His brows rose. “Come with me? To Iowa?”

  “Sure, why not? June is a relatively slow month, and I could ask Mr. and Mrs. Millard to watch the place for a couple of days. It’d just be a quick trip down and back, right?”

  “Well, I think so—”

  “Then let’s do it,” she said before her nerves told her to back out of what surely was a foolish idea. “It’ll be fun. I haven’t left the area since Dad’s last major doctor’s appointment, and to be honest, I’m kind of going stir-crazy.” She blushed at her admittance. “I’d love a change of scenery. And a trip that isn’t medical related.”

  He seemed to think it through, his gaze going out of focus. Then he met hers full-on, with something like anticipation glinting there. “You think Brendan’s parents will help?”

  She smiled. “I can sure get them on the phone and find out.”

  * * *

  Iowa’s rolling countryside turned into city as Kallie stared out the windshield of her truck. She and Grant had taken turns driving, and now it was his turn, which was only logical since he knew how to navigate the Cedar Falls to reach Helping Hands headquarters—or at least the makeshift office space they’d created a few blocks from the burned site.

  “Not long now.” Grant flashed her a quick smile before turning back to the road.

  Kallie smiled in return and felt another wave of butterflies filling her chest. It didn’t make sense that she’d be nervous to see Grant’s place of work. The only reason she could imagine was if she was afraid of him missing his job so much—or them needing him back permanently—that he wouldn’t come back to the farm as he’d promised.

  More and more this week, he’d given her reasons to hope he’d stick things out—for the kids’ sake, of course. But hope was a fragile thing, and she knew how passionate he was about his job.

  “I’m meeting the board members right when we get there,” Grant began, breaking through her thoughts. “I called them when we stopped for gas so they’d know when to meet me at the office. While that meeting goes on, feel free to do whatever. Let the kids play in the lobby, go for a walk with the stroller, drive around town...whatever you’d like.” He shot her a sympathetic look. “I don’t know how long it’ll take.”

  “No problem. Don’t worry about us.” She touched his arm but instantly regretted it. The muscle there beneath his sleeve had her heart scampering at a speed she wasn’t comfortable with. “We’ll manage.” She slid her hand back into her own lap.

  She trained her thoughts on something else as they pulled into a parking lot before a humble strip mall. Grass grew from the cracks along the concrete out front and the cracked, yellowed strip mall sign hinted at a couple of decades ago, but Grant had said this was only their temporary location—just until they could rebuild. And in that moment, Kallie was more thankful than ever that the rescue facility’s current policy was to house their dogs in foster homes.

  One office had a Helping Hands sign propped in the window, and Grant found an open parking space nearby. Stepping from the air-conditioned pickup truck, Kallie stopped short at the sudden blast of Iowan humidity. They quickly unloaded the kids and headed for the office door.

  Serene music from a radio met them upon entering. And an empty front desk.

  Grant glanced at the desk before scanning the maze of office-size rooms farther in. “Carol?”

  “Back here!” A female voice carried from deeper within the building.

  Must’ve been the secretary. Kallie followed Grant down the hall, picturing a pleasant woman in her forties with shoulder-length dark hair and kind eyes. They turned into a room and found the woman hunched over a Llewellin setter, who stood on a scale that resembled a floor mat.

  But she was definitely not a brunette. Or in her forties.

  The woman looked up, her curly red hair bouncing, and Kallie quickly realized she had to be fresh out of high school or in the beginning years of college—not much younger than Grant’s and her age. Sporting an athletic build, she brightened into a wide grin at the sight of Grant.

  “Hey there, Sparky!” Delightful freckles splashed across her nose and cheeks, and her red ponytail bounced effortlessly as she leaped forward, slugging Grant in the arm. “Thought you got lost out there on the prairie.”

  Grant chuckled. “Hey, Carol. This is Kallie, and, well, my kids, Ainsley and Peter.”

  “Oh, yeah. Will told us about your surprise waiting on the farm.” For the first time, Carol’s eyes flitted to meet Kallie’s, her unwavering grin still as shiny as ever. “Hey, I’m Carol.”

  “Hi, I’m Kallie.” Kallie reached her free hand out to Carol, who gave it a quick shake before turning back to Grant.

  “How was your trip back?”

  “Uneventful,” he said, turning his gaze upon Peter, who tentatively watched everything from his arms. “That’s the way we like it, don’t we? These kiddos are great travelers.”

  “I bet that’s nice.”

  “Yep.” Grant motioned to the dog, who’d moved off the scale in an effort to sniff around Kallie’s feet. “This one’s new.”

  “Yeah, her name is Lola, and has a brand-new litter.” Carol motioned over her shoulder to a large wooden box Kallie had somehow missed when she’d walked in. “Four puppies close to being weaned. The owner couldn’t take them all when she moved in with her new husband. They decided Helping Hands was the best option for Lola and her puppies.”

  Grant gasped at Peter. “Puppies? You wan
na see ’em?”

  Kallie followed him to the whelping box in the back corner, where four puppies squirmed and climbed over each other inside the wooden walls, kept warm by a couple of towels splayed out underneath them. Each was predominantly white, though black and chestnut ticking smattered their cute little energetic bodies, as their spots generally grew darker with age. One had a black splotch across one eye and cheek, which made Kallie smile as it reminded her of one of Dad’s old dogs from years ago, and their newborn-puppy whimpers dug deeply into her heart.

  “Oh, they’re adorable,” she murmured. “Look, Ainsley. Do you see the puppies?”

  Grant knelt beside the box, helping Peter see better. “A puppy says, ‘Woof-woof-woof.’” He gave Peter’s belly a little tickle, pulling forth a giggle. Then he glanced at Carol. “Are they healthy enough to handle?”

  “Yep, vet checked them out already. They’re good to go. Lola is, too. All we have to do now is find a foster home for them all.”

  Grant had set Peter on the ground in front of his crouched figure and had gently selected a puppy from the box. Peter squealed and reached out to touch it. “Nice and gentle, bud. Nice and gentle.”

  Kallie watched as Grant guided Peter’s hand across the puppy’s back, his soft voice coaching his son how to respect animals the way he did.

  Ainsley tugged on the box, reaching for the puppies and crying out in excitement.

  “Shh-shh.” Kallie positioned Ainsley closer to the whelping box. “Do you want to see a puppy?”

  “Here, little miss.” Grant scooted Peter and himself closer, cradling the puppy for Ainsley to run her fingers over.

  Her hand touched the soft fur, and she giggled. “Pup-pup!” she exclaimed, then reached for it again.

  Kallie laughed softly. “Yes, puppy. Isn’t he sweet?”

  The grins on her children’s faces warmed her heart like nothing else could. Softly, she brushed an errant curl off Ainsley’s forehead. The kids were growing and learning and changing right before her eyes—and she couldn’t be prouder.

  Her knee brushed against Grant’s and she raised her gaze to meet his dark eyes. His laugh lines softened as his grin relaxed into a knowing smile. One that reached deeply into her soul, connecting her heart to his, in a way that only a mom and dad could share.

  He winked and her heart rate tripled.

  Somewhere in the background, she heard the front door chime. Carol piped up, something about that probably being the board members.

  Grant broke eye contact with her, his brow creasing a little as he turned his focus to the door.

  Purposefully this time, Kallie reached out and placed her hand on his arm. His eyes flicked to hers.

  “You can do this,” she whispered.

  One corner of his mouth twitched upward. “Thanks.” His big hand gently landed on hers before he passed off the puppy and their son, stood and left the room.

  Lord, please help him do well.

  “Grant’s a good guy, isn’t he?”

  Kallie glanced over her shoulder at Carol, who had positioned herself on a chair, her fingers threaded in Lola’s long coat. She smiled down at Kallie with her chin tilted slightly up.

  “He is.”

  “And he has such a way with animals,” Carol continued. “You should see him with all these dogs. And the way he leads this organization? Let me tell you, he has a gift.”

  Unease began to filter through Kallie. “Yeah, I—”

  “It’s too bad he’ll have to hop back and forth, you know? Between here and South Dakota. He’s such an asset at this facility. We don’t run as well when he’s gone.”

  Carol zeroed in on Kallie with an unwavering stare. Hmm. Well, two could play that game.

  Kallie didn’t blink. “Yep, too bad he’s such a tremendous father who’d do anything to be there for his kids. We sure don’t need any more of those in the world.”

  Carol dropped her smile, her eyes narrowing slightly. Then she stood, leash in hand. “He’ll wind up back here. You’ll see.” She turned to leave. “He lives and breathes dog rescue, and we’ve been his family through thick and thin. Sooner or later, he’ll come back to Iowa for good.”

  She opened the door and left.

  Kallie stared at the door a few seconds longer before returning her attention to the kids, albeit distracted this time.

  It pained her to think that Carol might be right. Grant cared deeply for his dogs, and it seemed that if he didn’t fight for his beliefs on how they should be treated, Helping Hands was going to change their policies. Would he feel the threat and pull away from his promise at the farm?

  Kallie let the kids look at the puppies for a while longer, until they seemed to lose interest. Then she walked them out of the room and back down the hall to the front desk. With Carol still in the back somewhere with Lola, the entry was unoccupied, which suited Kallie fine. She took a seat on the one chair that made up the crude waiting room, both kids on her lap.

  One glance around the floor told her she wasn’t confident in letting the kids down to explore—who knew what surprises they’d find?—but thankfully, she’d thought to pack a couple toys and books in the diaper bag.

  She selected one of the kids’ favorite touch-and-feel books and settled in to read it.

  The kids listened intently, pointing at the bright colors and running their hands over the textured surfaces. She had no idea how long Grant’s meeting would last, so she read slowly, taking extra care to point out every detail on each page before flipping to the next.

  But surprisingly, she’d barely made it to the third page before she heard a door open, followed by a slew of footsteps and the occasional male voice.

  Leading the way into the entry was Grant. Turning, he murmured, “Thank you,” before giving everyone a quick handshake. A few of the men glanced at her but didn’t offer any greeting.

  Then Grant left the group, scooped up the diaper bag and reached to lift Ainsley. Kallie lifted Peter and her purse and silently followed Grant outside.

  The high sun warmed her arms and face as they crossed the small parking lot. She peeked at Grant, but he kept his eyes trained on the pickup ahead.

  They loaded the kids, then hopped in themselves, and he started the engine.

  Finally, Kallie couldn’t take it anymore. “How’d it go?”

  Grant put the pickup in Reverse and backed out of the parking space. “Well...we disagreed on most things. Then they let me go.”

  Kallie’s eyes widened. “They let you go?”

  “Yep.” He put the truck into Drive and headed for the street.

  She stared at him. He seemed to be acting nonchalant about the whole issue. “How do you feel about it?”

  He shrugged.

  Then understanding dawned and she turned her focus out the windshield. He was saving face. Pushing through the shock. Dealing with loss in a masculine way that was so different from how she coped with things.

  She laid her hand on his shoulder and squeezed. “I’m so sorry.”

  He sent her a grateful look before turning back to his driving. “Thanks.”

  This was certainly a turn of events Kallie hadn’t seen coming, especially after hearing Carol gush about Grant’s irreplaceable role here. Where was God going with all of this? Out her window, Kallie watched buildings go by as the question swirled in her mind.

  Chapter Six

  The Great America Hotel circled the outdoor pool with all its rooms facing in. Stars dotted the darkening sky overhead as Grant leaned against the hotel wall near his room. The pool’s surface shimmered green and blue, casting everything in a faint aquamarine light that ebbed and flowed.

  A couple of families had set up at a picnic table on the other side of the fenced-in pool. Looked like they were celebrating a birthday party for one of their kids.

  Grant’s thou
ghts stretched into the future. He’d missed one of the twins’ birthdays, yes. But Lord willing, he’d never miss another. He needed to be there, to cut the cake and help them learn to rip the wrapping paper—knowing Kallie, she’d probably taught them to open presents gently, at the tape, so as not to tear anything. Crazy gal. Who hated ripping wrapping paper anyway?

  A sense of pride surged through Grant. Those kids were the best thing that had ever happened to him. Now that he’d met them, he couldn’t even begin to imagine life without them.

  He pulled out his phone and started typing out a new text.

  The door to Kallie’s hotel room opened beside him and she stepped out. He pocketed his phone. “I was just texting you.”

  “Funny,” she said, smiling at him as she silently shut the door. “What were you going to say?”

  “Just gonna see if you’d come out here after the kids were down.” He noticed she’d changed out of her shorts and T-shirt into jeans and a baggy sweatshirt, as nights were still a bit chilly. And she’d gathered her long hair up into a tangled bun that still looked cute even though it was all twisted up.

  “Are the kids asleep?” he asked.

  “Yes, finally.” She showed him the baby monitor she had tucked in her sweatshirt pouch and shook her head, her grin widening. “They’re getting quite the little personalities. Tonight, they were making each other laugh. I set them up in two Pack ’N Plays, and they were giggling at each other through the mesh.”

  “Nice.”

  “Hopefully you’ll get to see them do that sometime.”

  “Yeah, that’d be great.” He would have helped with the nighttime routine tonight, but he’d been on the phone with his mom about his job situation, and then she’d shared about a struggle she was facing right now, too.

  A struggle that he kept trying to push away after the call ended, but he still hadn’t done so successfully. Maybe that was why he’d wound up out here by the pool, staring at another family having a good time, and wishing Kallie would join him.