Storming the Castle (Dale Series)

by Arianna Hart

  “Sadie, no! She’ll ruin your leather seats.” Faith ran to the truck practically wringing her hands.

  “It’s no big deal,” he said, laughing as Sadie climbed into the backseat and licked Piper’s face. “I think she’s awake now.”

  “Ack! Sadie, your breath stinks. I can’t reach the seat belt with you all over me.” She pushed and shoved the dog, who easily outweighed her by fifty pounds or more until she could unbuckle herself. “Hey, Mr. Castleton. I love your car. I watched Frozen twice. Can we keep it?”

  “Piper Elizabeth Adams. Where are your manners?”

  “I’m sorry.” She heaved a sigh as she got out of the car. Sadie pranced joyously around her and almost knocked her over. “Thank you for letting us borrow your car. It was awesome.”

  “That’s better. Come on inside, I have a surprise for you.”

  You don’t know the half of it.

  “I love surprises. C’mon, Sadie.” Piper ran up the porch steps and into the house.

  “She doesn’t seem any worse for wear considering she has a cast that takes up most of her arm.”

  “It’s actually pretty light. But you’re right, she bounced back a lot faster than I did, that’s for sure. Were you able to get the sheets on the bed and lay the rug? I wish I had a chance to arrange things myself so it would be perfect for her.”

  “Don’t worry, Mary Ellen and Ellie came over to make sure I didn’t screw it up. Mary Ellen brought dinner and Ellie brought cookies for dessert.”

  “That was nice of them. I’ll have to give them a call once I get Piper settled.”

  “Momma, where’s my surprise?”

  “I’m coming, hold your horses,” she called out. “Let’s go, I can’t wait for her to get a look at that tree you painted, she’s going to love it.”

  “I hope so.”

  Sam felt the same nervous energy he usually experienced right before he went on stage. Would his audience like what he had to give? This was almost worse, because he didn’t have the distance of the stage and an army of security people to shield him from her reaction.

  “Is that chicken and dumplings I smell?” Faith asked as they kicked off their shoes in the foyer and he deposited his load.

  “Yup. It’s simmering on the stove.”

  “Mary Ellen makes the best chicken and dumplings. My stomach is growling just thinking about it.”

  His stomach was too busy tying itself in knots to think about food.

  “Where did you put the surprise?” Piper asked bouncing on her toes.

  “In your room.”

  Faith and Sam followed Piper’s headlong dash up the stairs a little more sedately.

  “Don’t open the door until we get there,” Faith called.

  “Hurry!”

  “You heard her, let’s hurry.”

  “I’ve just spent four and half hours in the car, this is as fast as I can go right about now.”

  His palms were actually sweating as they joined Piper in front of the closed door or her room.

  “Can I go in now? Please?”

  “Go ahead.”

  Piper opened the door, and he held his breath as he waited for her reaction. And more importantly, Faith’s.

  …

  Faith felt like she’d been dropped down a rabbit hole. From the hallway, this looked like her house, but the door opened into a fairy forest.

  A fairy forest filled with overpriced doll accessories.

  Piper’s squeal of joy practically shook the windows.

  “Samuel Castleton, what have you done?” she asked when she recovered the power of speech.

  “You don’t like the mural? I know it’s not what you expected, but I can paint it over, honest.”

  “Don’t you dare.” She barely even saw the mural. It was hard to get past the pile of boxes she knew must have easily cost hundreds of dollars. “I’m talking about that,” she pointed to the pile.

  “Oh, that. Well, I went to the store and saw Mary Ellen. She told me about Piper’s new doll and suggested I get her something from there for her. Things got a little out of control after that.”

  “Momma, it’s the same pajamas Emily has. Can Emily sleep over? We can have a tea party. I love the tea set. Thank you, Momma.”

  “Thank Mr. Castleton. He got it for you. Where did that table come from?” she asked coming farther into the room still in a daze.

  “It was Ellie’s grandmother’s. She said she didn’t want it but didn’t want to throw it out.”

  “That’s so sweet of her. Oh, look at the vines you painted. And the fairies came in, too. Their perfect.” The room looked better than she could have ever imagined.

  “Momma, look at Goldilocks. She looks just like you, and Baby Bear looks like Sadie.”

  He’d done more than draw leaves and branches. He’d turned the simple tree into a fantasy world.

  “Take a look at Little Red Riding Hood,” he said with a smile.

  “Piper, look. Red Riding Hood has a cast just like yours.” Faith laughed. She noticed the wolf chasing her carried a guitar and her heart melted. Sam had inserted himself in the picture just like he’d planted himself in her heart. He might be leaving soon, but part of him would always be here.

  “Please tell me those are happy tears and I didn’t screw up royally,” he said.

  She didn’t even realize she was crying. “Definitely happy tears.” Part of her felt just the tiniest pang of jealousy that Piper didn’t seem to care about the day bed or flower fan or the desk she’d painstakingly refinished. But the absolute joy her daughter felt as she went from one part of the room to another soothed the hurt.

  “The bed has a trundle you can take out when Emily sleeps over,” she said.

  “That is so cool. Can Emily sleep over tonight? Please?”

  “Not tonight, but soon.”

  “Check out the reading nook. I’d thought about painting some vines on the bookshelf, but I wanted to check with you first,” he said.

  “That’s a great idea. Where did the fake ivy come from? That’s the perfect touch.”

  “Mary Ellen. And look what happens when you turn on the chandelier.”

  Faith clicked on the light and gasped when tiny fairy lights cascading from the wooden frame she hung with tulle lit up.

  “Momma, this is awesome. You’re the best mom in the whole wide world.”

  “Mr. Castleton did a lot of it.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Castleton.”

  Piper wrapped her arms around his waist, and the expression on his face was priceless.

  “It was nothing. And call me Sam. I keep looking for my father whenever you say Mr. Castleton.”

  “I’m going to live in this room forever. And when I get married and have a little girl, she’ll come stay in this room like I stay in Mom’s room at Gramma and Grandpap’s. I’ll tell her all about you, and how you painted me and Momma and Sadie on the wall.”

  The tears that leaked from Faith’s eyes were no longer happy ones, but she hoped no one noticed.

  Chapter Seventeen

  “You’re sure you don’t mind watching Piper for a little while? Mary Ellen should be coming by in a half an hour, tops,” Faith asked as she slipped her shoes on.

  She had a meeting with Mr. Blackman in Canton to talk about her case, and he could tell she was nervous. Her asshole in-laws had pushed to have a meeting next week, and she couldn’t stall them any longer. He hated that she wouldn’t let him help out with the lawyer, but he understood pride. If the only way he could help was take care of Piper, he’d do it gladly. The kid was a scream, so it was no hardship.

  “We’ll be fine. I’m done with the album, so I can devote all my time to you and Short Stuff over there.” He nodded to where Piper sat on the couch, ratty teddy bear on one side and elegantly dressed doll on the other side. “Maybe I’ll even let her beat me in Candyland this time,” he said loudly enough for her to hear him from the foyer.

  “Ha! I’m ahead of you three games to
one.”

  “That’s because you cheat.”

  “It’s not my fault you always get sent back to Peppermint Forest.”

  “I swear she hides that card up her sleeve and sneaks it out when I’m about to win.”

  “You found me out. I’m raising a card sharp. It’s my secret hope she’ll grow up to be on the World Series of Poker.”

  “I knew it. Go on so you won’t be late. We’ll be fine here. I still wish you’d take the SUV.”

  “I’m more comfortable in my truck. I’ll text you when I get there. If there’s a problem, call me, and leave a message. I won’t answer my phone while I’m driving.”

  “I know. Don’t worry, I’ve got it covered.”

  He kissed her good-bye and headed to the kitchen to help himself to coffee while she gave parting instructions to Piper. Whatever she said made Piper look at him with a mischievous glint in her eye. He crossed his eyes and stuck out his tongue at her.

  “If you get hungry, there’s sandwich fixings in the fridge and some of the coffee cake Mrs. Anderson brought over. I thought we could cook burgers and hot dogs on the grill for dinner tonight. I made potato salad yesterday and—”

  “Go, we’re not going to starve, and I promise to have all the booze cleaned up and the bikers gone before you get home. I’ll pay for anything they break.”

  Faith shook her head at him before collecting her purse and heading out the door. He followed her to the truck. “Concentrate on your meeting. I’ve got this under control.”

  “Thank you. I’m so nervous my stomach is tied up like a pretzel.”

  “You’ll feel better once you talk to him. Get moving or you’ll be late.” He leaned into the window and gave her a kiss he hoped would distract her from her fears.

  It sure as hell distracted him. They hadn’t made love in the week she’d been home, and he craved her like a drug.

  “That isn’t going to help me concentrate on driving safely,” she said, her eyes dazed and her lips swollen. “Mary Ellen offered to keep Pip overnight tonight.”

  “I’ll help her pack.”

  “I already did. Does that make me a bad mother?”

  “No, it makes you human, and she’s been bugging you for a sleepover with Emily since she got home.”

  “That’s true. Thanks, you made me feel better and given me something to look forward to at the same time. I’ve missed waking up next to you.”

  “Not nearly as much as I have. Damn, now I’m going to have to stay out here in this heat until my hard-on goes down. Get out of here, lady, you’re a menace.”

  Her laughter was music to his ears, and he couldn’t help but give her one more kiss before stepping out of the way so she could leave. He waited until she’d pulled out—and he was no longer tenting his shorts—before he headed back in the house.

  Piper already had the Candyland board set up on the kitchen table when he got inside.

  “Before we get started with that, I need your help, Short Stuff.”

  “With what?” she asked with more suspicion than was right for a five-year-old.

  “I wrote a song for your mom, and I want to record it for her. I was hoping you could help me set it up. We could use my phone.”

  “That’s so cool. It’s almost as good as you learning Chicken Fry for me. Can you record that on Momma’s tablet so I can watch it when you’re gone? That way I can always remember you.”

  Sam’s heart melted into a puddle on the floor. She looked up at him with those earnest blue eyes, and he wanted to scale mountains to please her. “Sure, we can do that after we do the song for your mom.”

  “Yeah. Where do you want to do it?”

  “I have to grab my guitar at the cottage anyway, why don’t we do your mom’s song there, then we can come back and do your song here?”

  “Okay. Will you teach me a few chords, too?”

  “No. Last night, your hand swelled up like a balloon just from playing checkers, and scared the hel—heck out of me.”

  “But it’s a lot better now.”

  “Don’t push it, kid. Come on, Sadie, we’re going to the cottage.” He whistled for the dog, who came running.

  Piper skipped along the path, talking up a storm about what she was going to do with Emily at their sleep over and the kitten she was almost sure her mom was going to let her have.

  He burst out laughing at some of the things she said. She was the funniest damn kid. He’d never spent much time around children. It wasn’t like the military wives had wanted him babysitting, and none of his friends had kids. Or maybe they did, but they sure as hell weren’t coming to the parties where he would see them. He vaguely remembered his drummer from two tours ago showing him a picture of a little blob wrapped in a blue blanket.

  “Should we do it outside or inside?” Piper asked, distracting him from his thoughts.

  “Inside, then we can prop the phone up on something and you won’t have to hold it the whole time. I’ll sit on the couch, and we can set the phone on the kitchen table.”

  “Okay, but I want my song in my room. You can sit in the beanbag.”

  The beanbag was located smack dab in the center of the canopy thingy. Wonderful. But it was what she wanted, and he realized he’d do a lot of embarrassing shit to make her happy.

  They were trying to find the best angle between the table and couch when his phone rang. He saw Mary Ellen’s name on the display and hoped she wasn’t already on her way to pick up Piper. He wasn’t ready to let her go yet.

  “Hey, M Squared, what’s up?”

  “Has Faith left already? I called, but she didn’t pick up, and I know she won’t answer the phone when she’s driving.”

  “Yeah, she left about ten, fifteen minutes ago. Why?”

  “I just got a call from the sitter. Sydney got into the trash and ate a light bulb, among other things. What kind of stupid dog eats a light bulb? How can that taste good? Anyway, I need to take her to the vet in Canton. Piper can still come over, but you’d need to bring her.”

  “I’ll hold on to her. You can pick her up once you’re done at the vet’s.”

  “Are you sure? It’s going to be at least three, four hours.”

  “I’m sure. Give me a call when you’re on your way, and I’ll make sure she’s all set.”

  “You’re a peach, thanks.”

  He promised her once again that he and Piper would be fine before hanging up.

  “Was that Mrs. Michaels?” Piper asked.

  “Yup, Sydney ate a light bulb and she has to take her to the vet, so you’re stuck with me for a little longer. That okay?”

  “Can we go to the Tasty Treat and get ice cream?”

  “That could be arranged.”

  “Cool. Okay, give me the phone back and sit on the couch.”

  “You’re a bossy thing.”

  “Gramma says I know my own mind, and that will be good when I’m older.”

  “Your grandma is a smart lady.” He slipped the guitar strap over his head and settled himself on the edge of the couch. “How’s this?”

  “Turn a little more toward me. A little more. Stop. That’s perfect.”

  “Okay, press the red button.”

  “I know. It’s recording,” she whispered.

  He faced the phone and pretended it was Faith he was talking to. “These last two months have been the best time in my life. I don’t know how to thank you, so I wrote this song for you. It’s called “Faith in Me,” and I hope you like it.”

  He cleared his throat and jumped into the intro without any fanfare. As he sang the words he’d written just for Faith, he thought about waking up next to her, watching her cook, the way she took care of Piper, the pride she had in abundance, and the love she gave him so freely. He remembered making love to her and how she held nothing back. With each chord, he poured everything he felt for her into the song and hoped she’d figure out what he was too chicken-shit to tell her.

  When he finished the song, he nodded to
Piper for her to turn off the recording, but she ran up and hugged him. “That was so pretty.” Sadie, not wanting to be left out, bounded over and licked both of them indiscriminately.

  He fell back under the onslaught of affection, his guitar twanged and Sadie howled. It was a chaotic mix of laughter and barking and random musical notes.

  “Okay, okay. I love you all, too. Let me up.” He laughed, pushing Sadie away with one hand and tickling Piper with the other. “Shut off the recording before you eat up all my memory.”

  He stood and pulled the guitar strap over his head. “Let’s go back to the house so we can do your song, then I’ll whip you in Candyland.”

  “As if. When can we get ice cream?”

  “I think we should wait until at least eleven, don’t you?”

  “I suppose. We could have some coffee cake, though. That’s breakfast food. It doesn’t really have coffee in it. That’s just what it’s called.”

  “Really? I never knew.” He ruffled her hair and collected his phone and guitar.

  “Race you home!” She took off running before he even pulled the door shut.

  “Cheater,” he called after her before following at a slow jog, laughing all the way.

  He caught up to her just as she broke through the woods. Gathering her up, he swung her around in circles while Sadie barked and danced around them. “Say Sam is the best.”

  “Never!”

  “Say it or I’ll keep spinning you until you puke.”

  “Never ever.”

  Luckily for Sam, a black BMW pulled into the drive before he was the one who started throwing up.

  Nadya got out of the driver’s side and Ellie Anderson climbed out of the passenger’s seat.

  “Hey, ladies. What brings you to Adams’ House of Torture?” he asked, setting Piper down.

  “I have a copy of your contract that you wanted me to look over. I’m sorry I didn’t get it to you sooner, I kept forgetting it. Darn pregnant brain,” Nadya said.

  “I tagged along for the ride. And I found the chair I was telling you about.” Ellie opened the back door of the car and pulled out a tiny wooden chair with an elaborately needle pointed seat. It was delicate and fussy and perfect for Piper’s room.